Fwd: Science X Newsletter Monday, Aug 15

HOT!

The end of physics? Plus new gene editing dispute

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Tue, Aug 16, 2016 at 12:30 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Monday, Aug 15
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for August 15, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Best of Last Week – Confirming the proton radius puzzle, chemtrails not real and a physics engine in the brain

Tiny device grabs more solar energy to disinfect water faster

Electric vehicles can meet drivers' needs enough to replace 90 percent of vehicles now on the road

Nanoribbons in solutions mimic nature

Physicists confirm possible discovery of fifth force of nature

SpaceX lands Falcon 9 rocket after launching Japanese satellite

More radar, triple-camera system for next Autopilot version?

Resolving the planetesimal belt around HR8799

Nanomaterial safety screening could become faster, cheaper with new laboratory test

New methods make smartwatches easier to use

Scientists capture neon in an organic environment for the first time

A new method simplifies blood biomarker discovery and analysis

Hubble spots a lopsided Lynx

DNA analysis suggests colugos are part of a primate sister group

Disk drive trick allows hackers to transmit data covertly from an air-gap computer

Nanotechnology news

	Tiny device grabs more solar energy to disinfect water faster In many parts of the world, the only way to make germy water safe is by boiling, which consumes precious fuel, or by putting it out in the sun in a plastic bottle so ultraviolet rays will kill the microbes. But because UV rays carry only 4 percent of the sun's total energy, the UV method takes six to 48 hours, limiting the amount of water people can disinfect this way.
	Nanoribbons in solutions mimic nature Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) bend and twist easily in solution, making them adaptable for biological uses like DNA analysis, drug delivery and biomimetic applications, according to scientists at Rice University.
	Nanomaterial safety screening could become faster, cheaper with new laboratory test UCLA researchers have designed a laboratory test that uses microchip technology to predict how potentially hazardous nanomaterials could be.
	Legions of nanorobots target cancerous tumours with precision Researchers from Polytechnique Montréal, Université de Montréal and McGill University have just achieved a spectacular breakthrough in cancer research. They have developed new nanorobotic agents capable of navigating through the bloodstream to administer a drug with precision by specifically targeting the active cancerous cells of tumours. This way of injecting medication ensures the optimal targeting of a tumour and avoids jeopardizing the integrity of organs and surrounding healthy tissues. As a result, the drug dosage that is highly toxic for the human organism could be significantly reduced.

Physics news

	Physicists confirm possible discovery of fifth force of nature Recent findings indicating the possible discovery of a previously unknown subatomic particle may be evidence of a fifth fundamental force of nature, according to a paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters by theoretical physicists at the University of California, Irvine.
	Enhanced electron doping on iron superconductors discovered The Institute for Basic Science research team headed by the associate director of CCES, KIM Chang Young, presented the possibility of unifying theories to explain the working mechanism of iron- based superconductors.
	Simulations suggest that magnetic fields can calm plasma instabilities Physicists led by Gerrit Kramer at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have conducted simulations that suggest that applying magnetic fields to fusion plasmas can control instabilities known as Alfvén waves that can reduce the efficiency of fusion reactions. Such instabilities can cause quickly moving charged particles called "fast ions" to escape from the core of the plasma, which is corralled within machines known as tokamaks.
	How shaping light can change particle behavior Light can take many different forms. Even in our day-to-day life, sunlight is vastly different from fluorescent light. In physics, when studying interactions between light and tiny particles, the shape of the light can make a big difference. Scientists from Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) and collaborators at the University of Innsbruck in Austria found that the interactions between particles trapped in light distributed along an optical microfiber, as well as the speed of particle movement were different based on the light's characteristics. The results were recently published in Scientific Reports.

Earth news

	Tropical sea urchins caught between a rock and a hot place The balmy waters of the Caribbean could turn into a deadly heat trap for countless tiny creatures. Authors of a new study conducted at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama discovered that microscopic sea urchin eggs and larvae may suffer stunting or death when the water temperature spikes just a couple of degrees above normal, adding to the impact of climate change in already warm tropical oceans.
	Researchers uncover 340 million year-old oceanic crust in the Mediterranean Sea using magnetic data A researcher at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) has identified that the eastern Mediterranean Sea contains the world's oldest oceanic crust still in place and could be almost 340 million years-old.
	Humble moss helped create our oxygen-rich atmosphere The evolution of the first land plants including mosses may explain a long-standing mystery of how Earth's atmosphere became enriched with oxygen, according to an international study led by the University of Exeter.
	Warming climate likely to have 'minor' impact on power plant output Future climate warming will likely cause only minor cuts in energy output at most U.S. coal- or gas-fired power plants, a new Duke University study finds.
	Study: Most sources of methane hot spot are gas facilities A puzzling concentration of the greenhouse gas methane over the Southwestern United States appears to come mostly from leaks in natural gas production, scientists said Monday.
	Global warming polarizes more than abortion Tempers are rising in America, along with the temperatures.
US agency studies how to detect algae bloom outbreaks U.S. Geological Survey scientists spent this week studying how nutrient levels contribute to algae bloom outbreaks at two major Utah lakes.
	Drought ravages Lesotho as water is exported to South Africa For farmer Mohlakoane Molise, the view of the enormous Katse dam from his smallholding high in the mountains of Lesotho taunts him daily.
	How does the wind blow? If wind were a steady, constant stream, wind energy production would be a snap. Trapping its capricious nature requires complex calculations and expert engineering. Predicting wind power requires additional twists and turns.
New map of world vegetation reveals substantial changes since 1980s A University of Otago botany researcher and colleagues have developed a new system to map the world's "biomes"— large-scale vegetation formations—that will provide an objective method for monitoring how vegetation reacts as climate changes.
	Reduced ecosystem functions in oil palm plantations So far, research on the environmental impact of oil palm cultivation has been scattered and patchy. Synthesizing about 1000 scientific studies and reports, the scientists were now able to give a balanced report on the changes in all 14 ecosystem functions, including gas and climate regulation, water regulation and supply, moderation of extreme events, provision of food and raw materials, as well as medicinal resources. While the provision of food and raw materials increased due to the production of marketable goods - mostly palm oil -, all other functions showed a net decrease in oil palm plantations as compared to lowland forests. For two functions, pollination and biological control, current knowledge was inconclusive.
Mapping the health threat of wildfires under climate change in US West A surge in major wildfire events in the U.S. West as a consequence of climate change will expose tens of millions of Americans to high levels of air pollution in the coming decades, according to a new Yale-led study conducted with collaborators from Harvard.
Sewage sludge could make great sustainable fertilizer Ever thought of putting sewage on your plants? Scientists say thermally conditioned sewage sludge serves as an excellent fertilizer to improve soil properties. This was recently published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Nutrition. The major advantage over commercial fertilizers? Sustainable re-use of essential and finite phosphorus resources.
	NASA: Last month was Earth's hottest in recorded history Earth just broiled to its hottest month in recorded history, according to NASA.
	Identifying pesticides in hair For her Master's project in environmental sciences, Christelle Oltramare collected 110 hair samples in Burkina Faso and came up with a process for identifying several types of pesticides.
20 million toilets built in two years: Indian PM Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday his government had built more than 20 million toilets and brought electricity to thousands of villages as he delivered an Independence Day report card.
	NASA's spots extra-tropical cyclone Conson in Sea of Okhotsk NASA's Terra satellite captured an image of extra-tropical cyclone Conson's clouds spread Japan's northern most island, the Sea of Okhotsk and Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
	NASA sees Tropical Storm Chanthu east of Japan NASA's Terra satellite flew over Tropical Storm Chanthu as it continued moving past the big island of Japan and staying to the east of the country.
Groups plan lawsuit following Columbia Basin salmon die-off Three environmental groups and two commercial fishing advocacy groups say they will file a lawsuit against the federal government over heat-related fish kills in the Columbia River Basin in the Pacific Northwest.
	NASA analyzes deadly Louisiana flooding Record-setting rainfall and flooding in southern Louisiana have been calculated at NASA with data from satellites.
	New book offers comprehensive look at fracturing horizontal wells Fracturing horizontal wells has had a profound impact on the U.S. oil and gas industry over the past 25 years, allowing production from fields once considered too marginal to produce. A new book, "Fracturing Horizontal Wells," translates that history and the lessons learned into a comprehensive look at the process, from planning to production.

Astronomy & Space news

	SpaceX lands Falcon 9 rocket after launching Japanese satellite SpaceX successfully landed a reusable Falcon 9 rocket on a floating drone ship at sea early Sunday after the vehicle had sent a Japanese communications satellite into orbit.
	Resolving the planetesimal belt around HR8799 Planets develop from the dusty placental disk of material that surrounds a star after it begins to shine. The dust in that disk, according to most models, starts to stick to itself until clumps develop large enough to attract other clumps gravitationally. Astronomers believe the process of building planets and dissipating the disk takes about ten million years. Many mysteries remain, however, including the tendency of dust not to stick together, and the likelihood that colliding clumps could break apart rather than agglomerate. Recent discoveries of exoplanets have begun to overlap with studies of planetesimal disks, and enable astronomers to probe the development and evolution of a star's system of planets and their interactions with the disk.
	Hubble spots a lopsided Lynx This galaxy, known as NGC 2337, resides 25 million light-years away in the constellation of Lynx. NGC 2337 is an irregular galaxy, meaning that it—along with a quarter of all galaxies in the universe—lacks a distinct, regular appearance. The galaxy was discovered in 1877 by the French astronomer Édouard Stephan who, in the same year, discovered the galactic group Stephan's Quintet (heic0910i).
	Brown dwarfs reveal exoplanets' secrets Brown dwarfs are smaller than stars, but more massive than giant planets. As such, they provide a natural link between astronomy and planetary science. However, they also show incredible variation when it comes to size, temperature, chemistry, and more, which makes them difficult to understand, too.
	Van Allen probes catch rare glimpse of supercharged radiation belt Our planet is nestled in the center of two immense, concentric doughnuts of powerful radiation: the Van Allen radiation belts, which harbor swarms of charged particles that are trapped by Earth's magnetic field. On March 17, 2015, an interplanetary shock - a shockwave created by the driving force of a coronal mass ejection, or CME, from the sun - struck Earth's magnetic field, called the magnetosphere, triggering the greatest geomagnetic storm of the preceding decade. And NASA's Van Allen Probes were there to watch the effects on the radiation belts.
	Director: New Mexico spaceport positioned for next frontier At what was once a remote desert outpost with spotty cell service and little infrastructure other than the shell of a quarter-billion-dollar futuristic hangar, Christine Anderson has watched the transformation of Spaceport America from her office window.
	Earth-like planet around Proxima Centauri discovered The hunt for exoplanets has been heating up in recent years. Since it began its mission in 2009, over four thousand exoplanet candidates have been discovered by the Kepler mission, several hundred of which have been confirmed to be "Earth-like" (i.e. terrestrial). And of these, some 216 planets have been shown to be both terrestrial and located within their parent star's habitable zone (aka. "Goldilocks zone").
	It's all in the rotation: Exploring planets orbiting distant stars The first of a two part series that looks at what astronomers can find out about the planets that are discovered orbiting other stars in our galaxy.
	NASA mulls Russian idea to cut staff at space station NASA is weighing a Moscow proposal to cut the number of Russian cosmonauts at the International Space Station from three to two, particularly its potential risk to the crew, an official said Monday.

Technology news

	Electric vehicles can meet drivers' needs enough to replace 90 percent of vehicles now on the road Could existing electric vehicles (EVs), despite their limited driving range, bring about a meaningful reduction in the greenhouse-gas emissions that are causing global climate change? Researchers at MIT have just completed the most comprehensive study yet to address this hotly debated question, and have reached a clear conclusion: Yes, they can.
	More radar, triple-camera system for next Autopilot version? Causing lots of conversation this week has been word of a coming update to the Tesla Motors Autopilot system. News sites made reference to a recent article in Electrek, which talked about a coming "Tesla Autopilot 2.0" as the next-gen Autopilot. (The Autopilot is Tesla's assisted driving program. Features include Autosteer, Autopark, and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, said Electrek.)
	New methods make smartwatches easier to use A new system for making smartwatches and fitness-trackers easier to use, created by computer scientists at the University of St Andrews, could transform the technology for users without the need to buy new hardware.
	Disk drive trick allows hackers to transmit data covertly from an air-gap computer (Tech Xplore)—A small team of researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Israel has found a way to hack an air-gap computer using the sounds made by a hard drive actuator. They describe the technique and possible ways it might be used in a paper they have uploaded to the preprint server arXiv.
	Unearthing trackers of the past: Computer scientists reveal history of third-party web tracking For over two decades, consumers have used the internet to research, shop, make friends, find dates and learn about the world with the click of a mouse or a few keystrokes. But as we've surfed and tweeted, third-party watchers have also been watching—and learning—about us.
	Google, where are you taking Fuchsia and should Android care? (Tech Xplore)—Projects or experiments at big technology companies go either way. Either they fail to materialize into actual products but turn up some interesting lessons learned for company developers and architects.
Pokemon hunt leads to glory for Google-born Niantic Born in Google's shadow, Niantic strode into the spotlight with a mobile internet spin on hunting Pokemon but can the obsession with the game lead to long-term financial success?
	Hacker posts personal info of House Democrats and staff After receiving a deluge of obscene voicemails and text messages, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi informed her fellow Democrats on Saturday of "an electronic Watergate break-in" and warned them not to allow family members to answer their phones or read incoming texts.
VW: Fix gets OK for 460,000 more cars with cheating software German automaker Volkswagen says it's received approval from the country's motor vehicle authority for technical fixes for another 460,000 cars equipped with software to help them cheat emissions tests.
	Maiden flight of giant helium-filled airship postponed The makers of a blimp-shaped, helium-filled airship billed as the world's biggest aircraft postponed its maiden flight at the last minute on Sunday.
	Pokemon No: Can a place declare the game off-limits? The global Pokemon Go craze has prompted a slew of complaints, from memorial sites arguing it's disrespectful to play there to whole countries imposing a ban on the smartphone game.
	Russian man faces US trial in lucrative hacking scheme Prosecutors describe Roman Seleznev, the son of a Russian lawmaker, as a master hacker who orchestrated an international scheme that resulted in about $170 million in fraudulent credit card purchases.
IBM researchers use grocery scanner data to speed investigations during early foodborne illness outbreaks Foodborne illnesses, like salmonella, E. Coli and norovirus infections, are a major public health concern affecting more than one out of six Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During a foodborne illness outbreak, rapidly identifying the contaminated food source is vital to minimizing illness, loss and impact on society.
	Millions of cars at risk of theft due to flaw in the development of keyless entry systems Researchers at the University of Birmingham have found that millions of cars could be vulnerable to theft, due to a flaw in keyless entry systems in many models.
	How we evolved a winning strategy for the RoboCup competition by imitating nature "In football everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team." This observation by the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre has been cited in multiple contexts, ranging from tactical planning in team sports, to game-theoretic modelling of microeconomics, to full-blown robotic warfare.
	Hotels in 10 states and DC may have been hit by hackers An undisclosed number of people who used credit cards at 20 Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott, Westin and other hotels in 10 states and the District of Columbia may have had their cards compromised as a result of hack of the hotels' payment system.
Germany warns on risks of playing 'Pokemon Go' at airports Police and the airport operators' association in Germany are warning of the potential dangers of playing "Pokemon Go" in some airport areas. They say so-called Pokestops beyond security controls should be deleted to prevent possible incidents.
	Tesla: Removal of 'Autopilot' from Chinese site a mistake Tesla said Monday that the term "Autopilot" was mistakenly removed from the electric car maker's website for China, but it has been restored.
	New residential water heater concept promises high efficiency, lower cost A team of scientists from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Florida has developed a novel method that could yield lower-cost, higher-efficiency systems for water heating in residential buildings.
	Gaming camera could aid MS treatment A commonly used device found in living rooms around the world could be a cheap and effective means of evaluating the walking difficulties of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
	Wiring reconfiguration saves millions for Trinity supercomputer A moment of inspiration during a wiring diagram review has saved more than $2 million in material and labor costs for the Trinity supercomputer at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
	Twitter shares jump on talk of Apple TV tie-up Shares in US social media giant Twitter jumped Monday, lifted by news reports of discussions to make its streaming broadcasts available on Apple TV.
	Carnegie Mellon professor creates software to improve data sharing in research and academia John Kitchin, professor of chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, has developed an open source software designed to improve data sharing in applications such as engineering education and scientific publishing. The software, called scimax, was created out of Kitchin's own frustration with using clunky word processing and text editing software to write scientific papers.
Buffett's company adds to stakes in Apple and Phillips 66 Warren Buffett's company is taking an even bigger bite of Apple stock and adding to its sizeable stake in Phillips 66.
	Syrian refugees invent app for Germany's bureaucracy maze Interminable queues, impenetrable paperwork, unpronounceable German words—the hurdles for any newcomer to Europe's top economy can be daunting but now there's an app for that, says a team of enterprising Syrian refugees.
Purdue startup developing six-axis control system for students to gain hands-on experience in automation, robotics A Purdue-related startup is commercializing a six-axis, open source controller and teaching pendant that could allow technology college students an affordable way to gain real-world, hands-on experience in automation and robotics, making them more marketable to future employers.

Chemistry news

Scientists capture neon in an organic environment for the first time In a new study, researchers from the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC) and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory have teamed up to capture neon within a porous crystalline framework. Neon is well known for being the most unreactive element and is a key component in semiconductor manufacturing, but neon has never been studied within an organic or metal-organic framework until now. The results, which include the critical studies carried out at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne, also point the way towards a more economical and greener industrial process for neon production.

Built-in protective mechanism against inflammations The protein Interleukin-6 (IL-6) can take on different functions in cells, depending on how it activates the cells. If it activates cells via the classical signalling path, it helps with the regeneration of tissue, and is indispensable for fighting bacterial infections. However, if it activates cells via so-called 'trans-signalling', the protein propels inflammations. Blocking this signalling path significantly improves the symptoms of many inflammatory diseases, and is used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, for example. In the Journal of Biological Chemistry, scientists at Kiel University have now shown that human immune cells have a built-in protective mechanism which prevents them being activated via trans-signalling.

Biology news

	A new method simplifies blood biomarker discovery and analysis Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with Estonian Competence Centre on Health Technologies have developed a new gene expression analysis method to widen the usage of blood in biomarker discovery and analysis. Their paper is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
	DNA analysis suggests colugos are part of a primate sister group (Phys.org)—An international team of researchers has found genetic evidence that suggests that colugos are part of a primate sister group. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the team describes how they obtained tissue samples of the gliding mammals, performed genetic testing on them and found a surprising relationship between them and primates.
	Fish camouflage sends mixed messages to aggro males Colour-changing fish have only one skin, but they use it to communicate social status, attract mates, avoid predators and more. So what happens when those functions collide?
	Researchers sequence genome of 'gluttonous' tobacco hornworm An international team of researchers has sequenced the genome of the tobacco hornworm—a caterpillar species used in many research laboratories for studies of insect biology.
	Mate choices of barn swallows tied to diverging appearances If you are a male barn swallow in the United States or the Mediterranean with dark red breast feathers, you're apt to wow potential mates. But if you have long outer tail feathers in the United States, or short ones in the Mediterranean, the females may not be so impressed.
New family of bacterial cell wall builders: Discovery overturns dogma, revealing potential target Harvard Medical School scientists have identified a new family of proteins that virtually all bacteria use to build and maintain their cell walls.
	New genome sequences target next generation of yeasts with improved biotech uses Yeasts are physically hard to distinguish, and it is easy to think they are all the same. Metabolically, genetically and biochemically, however, yeasts are highly diverse. So far industry has only harnessed a fraction of the diversity available for biotechnological applications, including biofuel production. In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team led by DOE Joint Genome Institute researchers aims to help boost the use of a wider range of yeasts.
	How mechanical force triggers blood clotting at the molecular scale Using a unique single-molecule force measurement tool, a research team has developed a clearer understanding of how platelets sense the mechanical forces they encounter during bleeding to initiate the cascading process that leads to blood clotting.
	Scientists take big step toward recreating primordial 'RNA world' of 4 billion years ago Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have taken a big step toward the laboratory re-creation of the "RNA world," which is generally believed to have preceded modern life forms based on DNA and proteins.
	Researchers discover that DNA naturally fluoresces A Northwestern University team recently caught DNA doing something that has never been seen before: it blinked.
	Luna moth's long tail could confuse bat sonar through its twist The long hindwing tails sported by many moths have long been suspected as a strategy to confound predators. The moths are active mainly at night, so they don't need a visual disguise. They need to avoid nocturnal hunters that navigate by sound.
	Webcam whale research buoyed by viewers around the world The underwater webcam attached to Hayley Shephard's boat captures what at first appear to be green glowing orbs as she motors through an estuary in remote Canada. Then the orbs come into focus, revealing some of the more than 3,000 beluga whales that gather in the waters in and around Hudson Bay each summer.
	Brewing Vegemite beer for science Is Vegemite more than a spread? Or can it be used to brew beer? University of Queensland researchers have put the theory to the test.
	New discovery increases understanding of how plants and bacteria see light Plants, bacteria and fungi react to light with light-sensitive proteins. Scientists from the University of Gothenburg and their Finnish colleagues from University of Jyväskylä have now determined the inner workings of one of these proteins. The results have been published in the most recent issue of Science Advances.
	Gold rush! First evidence of spawning migration of football-size goldfish Murdoch researchers have discovered for the first time football-sized goldfish are travelling hundreds of kilometres each year through WA waterways.
	Cold is the best way to catch crabs Fishermen have been thrown a line with new Griffith University research that has found they can catch more spanner crab in cooler waters.
	Research backs up ongoing efforts to protect the enigmatic Nautilus Biologists at the University of Washington hope September will bring welcome news for a dazzling array of sea creatures that have long been victims of human aesthetic fascination.
Bangladesh tries to move stranded elephant to safari park A fully grown Indian elephant that washed up in a swamp in Bangladesh after being caught up in raging floodwaters has become a jumbo problem for wildlife officials on both sides of the border.
	Rice cultivation in Southeast Asia: Five years of lessons learned by LEGATO Five years of irrigated rice cultivation research reached its pinnacle at the Final LEGATO Conference, which took place from 6 to 11 August 2016 in Banaue, Philippines. LEGATO is a BMBF (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research) funded project, coordinated by the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Germany.
SC regulators warn against eating bass from two upstate lakes People should only eat limited amounts of bass from two upstate lakes because of mercury found in the tissue of those species, state regulators cautioned Monday in their annual fish consumption advisory.

Medicine & Health news

	Heading for a fall: Neuroscientists reveal how overconfidence can lead to poor decision making The link between overconfidence and poor decision making is under the spotlight in an international study by scientists from Monash University and the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig.
	This is your brain on sentences Researchers at the University of Rochester have, for the first time, decoded and predicted the brain activity patterns of word meanings within sentences, and successfully predicted what the brain patterns would be for new sentences.
How antiviral antibodies become part of immune memory Weapons production first, research later. During wartime, governments follow these priorities, and so does the immune system.
	Defect in process that controls gene expression may contribute to Huntington's disease A protein complex called Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), which plays a critical role in forming specific classes of nerve cells in the brain during development, also plays an important role in the adult brain where it may contribute to Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published August 15 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
	'Bursts' of chromosome changes fuel breast cancer tumor growth As with most cancers, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells have abnormal amounts of chromosomes or DNA copy number aberrations (CNAs) in their genomes. A new study used single cell sequencing technology to provide previously unknown details about how and when CNAs impact tumor formation and growth, information that may have significant implications for diagnosis and treatment.
	Expanded role of PARP proteins opens the door to explore therapeutic targets in cancer Using technology they developed, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a previously unknown role of a certain class of proteins: as regulators of gene activity and RNA processing.
	Researchers pinpoint key regulatory role of noncoding genes in prostate cancer development Prostate cancer researchers studying genetic variations have pinpointed 45 genes associated with disease development and progression.
	CRISPR gene editing reveals new therapeutic approach for blood disorders An international team of scientists led by researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has found a way to use CRISPR gene editing to help fix sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia in blood cells isolated from patients. The study, which appears online today in Nature Medicine, provides proof-of-principle for a new approach to treat common blood disorders by genome editing.
	No blue light, please, I'm tired—light color determines sleepiness versus arousal in mice Light affects sleep. A study in mice published in Open Access journal PLOS Biology shows that the actual color of light matters; blue light keeps mice awake longer while green light puts them to sleep easily. An accompanying Primer provides accessible context information and discusses open questions and potential implications for "designing the lighting of the future".
	Scientists find the brain's generosity center Scientists from Oxford University and UCL have identified part of our brain that helps us learn to be good to other people. The discovery could help understanding of conditions like psychopathy where people's behaviour is extremely antisocial.
	Time of day influences our susceptibility to infection, study finds We are more susceptible to infection at certain times of the day as our body clock affects the ability of viruses to replicate and spread between cells, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. The findings, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may help explain why shift workers, whose body clocks are routinely disrupted, are more prone to health problems, including infections and chronic disease.
	New insights into how the mind influences the body Neuroscientists at the University of Pittsburgh have identified the neural networks that connect the cerebral cortex to the adrenal medulla, which is responsible for the body's rapid response in stressful situations. These findings, reported in the online Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provide evidence for the neural basis of a mind-body connection.
	Signs of pure altruism converge in the brain and increase with age Combining insights from psychology, behavioral economics and neuroscience, University of Oregon researchers have found converging signs of pure altruism and behavior that increase with age in the brain.
	Don't scan so close to me: Researcher scans Sting's musical brain What does the 1960s Beatles hit "Girl" have in common with Astor Piazolla's evocative tango composition "Libertango"?
Brazil launches first dengue vaccine campaign: drug maker Brazil on Saturday launched the first public immunisation programme in the Americas against dengue fever, with 500,000 people to be injected with the world's first authorized vaccine against the disease, French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi said.
	Replacing just one sugary drink with water could significantly improve health Think one little sugary soda won't make a difference on your waistline? Think again.
	Cancer overtakes heart disease as the main cause of death in 12 European countries Although diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease, CVD) kill more people worldwide than anything else, with 17.3 million deaths globally, cancer has now overtaken CVD as the main cause of death in 12 European countries.
Blood pressure diet may help prevent gout flares New research indicates that a healthy diet can effectively lower blood levels of uric acid, a known trigger of gout. The findings are published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
Depression a strong predictor of heart disease in black, but not white, adults Symptoms of depression lead to a greater risk of heart disease in older black adults, but not in white adults, reports a new study from the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research (ISR).
	Household insecticides pose exposure risk for small children Calls to a poisons hotline have revealed a disproportionate number of young children referred to hospital following suspected exposure to a household bug and spider spray.
	What's that bruise on Michael Phelps' shoulder? Beyond his gold standard accomplishments in the pool, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps has garnered widespread attention in recent days for the dark circular markings on his shoulders and back.
	People prefer explanations that refer to a more fundamental science, study says Why do some science news stories catch our eye, even if they use exaggerated, irrelevant or inaccurate information?
Venetoclax safe, shows promise in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia Patients whose acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) had relapsed or was resistant to chemotherapy and those who were deemed unable to tolerate chemotherapy experienced responses to the selective BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (Venclexta), with complete remissions in some, according to phase II clinical trial data published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	Get tested, get treated, Hep C researchers urge Up to 70 per cent of Victorians with suspected hepatitis C may not have received follow-up testing, putting them at risk of chronic liver disease and even cancer, University of Melbourne researchers say.
	Virtual world improves communication following stroke, says study A virtual reality world called EVA Park can improve the communication of those who have impaired speech and language following a stroke, according to research by academics at City University London.
	Can protein plus exercise improve type 2 diabetes? Exercise has been shown to improve the health of people with type 2 diabetes. But the benefits of exercise vary greatly between people, meaning some benefit more than others. Now, researchers from Massey University's School of Sport and Exercise believe they may have discovered why.
	Cricket's famous 'legover' moment and why getting the giggles is so contagious It is 25 years since cricket commentators Brian Johnston and Jonathan Agnew famously got the uncontrollable giggles on live radio, while reporting on that day's Test Match between England and the West Indies. The pair were commentating on the wicket of England's Ian Botham, when he stumbled on to his stumps and, as Agnew put it: "Didn't get his leg over".
	Inside an Olympian's testosterone ordeal (Update) The young athlete, now competing at the Rio Games, always considered herself to be a girl just like the others, a girl who loved to run. Then the governing body of track and field told her she was different, so different that her track career could be over.
	Study confirms gene link to brain disorders Brain scans have revealed how a genetic mutation linked to major psychiatric disorders affects the structure, function and chemistry of the brain.
	Homesickness and empty nest syndrome—coping with separation Homesickness is not uncommon among young people heading off to their freshman year in college, and they might not be the only family members dealing with some separation anxiety. For many parents, empty nest syndrome is a significant problem.
Hopes pinned on genetically gifted among cookie-cutter athletes Humans are constantly evolving but a lack of progress in track and field athletics has a WA sports science expert asking why we're not getting any better as the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro enters its second week.
	Undermining host-cell defences Ludwig Maximilian University researchers have discovered that a protein which is well known for its role as a tumor suppressor is also required for inhibition of the replication of the coronavirus that causes SARS.
	Researchers develop new strategy to limit side effects of stem cell transplants Scientists in Germany have developed a new approach that may prevent leukemia and lymphoma patients from developing graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) after therapeutic bone marrow transplants. The researchers describe the successful application of their strategy in mice in "Exogenous TNFR2 activation protects from acute GvHD via host T reg cell expansion," which will be published online August 15 ahead of issue in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.
	Racial inequity, violence climb list of child health concerns for black adults Black adults rate school violence and racial inequities higher on their list of children's health concerns than other groups, a new national poll says.
	Cancer in context: 37 years of painstakingly collected data Prostate and lung cancer have been the No. 1 and 2 cancers among men. Stomach cancer, the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, has been on a steady decline among Koreans and Japanese. Black men had the highest overall rates of cancer. Thyroid cancer—which is relatively treatable—has been on the rise, and women are about three times more likely to contract it than men.
Mindfulness combats depression for disadvantaged black women African-American women with lower socio-economic status have an increased risk of depressive disorders, yet they rarely seek out antidepressants or psychotherapy because of negative attitudes and stigma associated with conventional mental health treatments.
	New study explains why MRSA 'superbug' kills influenza patients Researchers have discovered that secondary infection with the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacterium (or "superbug") often kills influenza patients because the flu virus alters the antibacterial response of white blood cells, causing them to damage the patients' lungs instead of destroying the bacterium. The study, which will be published online August 15 ahead of issue in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, suggests that inhibiting this response may help treat patients infected with both the flu virus and MRSA.
Indoor tanning: Women say no to total ban, yes to stricter policies Most young adult women who regularly visit indoor tanning salons support the introduction of policies to make it safer, but are against a total ban. This is according to a study led by Darren Mays of Georgetown University Medical Center in the US, in the journal Translational Behavioral Medicine: Practice, Policy, Research, published by Springer. The findings are good news for regulators who are finalizing stricter regulations aimed at highlighting the skin cancer risks associated with artificial tanning.
Does longer walking distance to buy cigarettes increase quitting among smokers? Walking one-third of a mile longer from home to the nearest tobacco shop to buy cigarettes was associated with increased odds that smokers would quit the habit in an analysis of data in Finnish studies, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Study of Chinese teens examines nonmedical use of Rx and suicidal behaviors The nonmedical use of prescription drugs and the misuse of sedatives and opioids were associated with subsequent suicidal thoughts or attempts in a study of Chinese adolescents, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
	Is acetaminophen use when pregnant associated with kids' behavioral problems? Using the common pain-relieving medication acetaminophen during pregnancy was associated with increased risk for multiple behavioral problems in children, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
Stubborn inequities in heart health persist for some African Americans in the South Though mortality from heart disease is decreasing, some groups are at increased risk for developing heart disease, including African Americans in the southeastern U.S. Nearly 44 percent of all African American men, and 48 percent of African American women have some form of cardiovascular disease, including heart disease or stroke.
	High expression of short gene appears to contribute to destructive eye pressures in glaucoma Scientists have found a variation of the miR-182 gene in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma that results in this overexpression, said Dr. Yutao Liu, vision scientist and human geneticist in the Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
	Work productivity is key factor in assessing recovery of depressed patients While medications can quickly reduce depressive symptoms, monitoring work productivity can provide unique insight into whether a patient will require additional treatments to achieve long-term remission, a new study through the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute finds.
Physician incentive program to improve care for complex patients did not result in improvements Incentive payments to primary care physicians for the provision of care for patients with complex health conditions did not improve primary care or decrease hospitalizations in British Columbia, found a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Many life-saving defibrillators behind locked doors during off-hours, study finds When a person suffers cardiac arrest, there is a one in five chance a potentially life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is nearby. But up to 30 per cent of the time, the device is locked inside a closed building, according to a study led by U of T Engineering researchers, published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	China facing epidemic of heart disease, stroke A 20-year rise in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China appears to have been spurred largely by increases in high blood pressure, according to a new study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Increasing body mass index (BMI), decreasing physical activity, a high prevalence of smoking, and unhealthy diet have also contributed to the growing burden of CVD—now the leading cause of death in China.
	Long-lived parents could mean a healthier heart into your 70s The longer our parents lived, the longer we are likely to live ourselves, and the more likely we are to stay healthy in our sixties and seventies. Having longer-lived parents means we have with much lower rates of a range of heart conditions and some cancers.
Incentive payments increased quit rates among low-income smokers in Switzerland Paying smokers to quit with payments that increased with the length of abstinence led one third of participants in a study to stop smoking for six months, according to research published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. While a large group relapsed after payments ended, abstinence rates a full year after the last incentive were almost 6 percentage points higher among smokers who received financial incentives compared to those who did not.
Beta-blockers following angioplasty show little benefit for some older patients Following coronary angioplasty, beta-blockers did not significantly improve mortality rates or reduce the number of future cardiovascular incidents for older patients with stable angina but no history of heart attack or heart failure, according to a study published today in the JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	Chronic kidney disease may cause diabetes A team from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) has discovered a novel link between chronic kidney disease and diabetes. When kidneys fail, urea that builds up in the blood can cause diabetes, concludes a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
	Sedentary time may raise heart disease risk—sit less, move more Being sedentary is not just a lack of exercise, it is a potentially independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke, according to a science advisory from the American Heart Association.
Study finds one in three former ICU patients shows symptoms of depression A so-called meta-analysis of reports on more than 4,000 patients suggests that almost one in three people discharged from hospital intensive care units (ICUs) has clinically important and persistent symptoms of depression, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine. In some patients, the symptoms can last for a year or more, and they are notably more likely in people with a history of psychological distress before an ICU stay, the investigators say.
	Babies often put to sleep in unsafe positions (HealthDay)—Despite decades of warnings from the "Back to Sleep" campaign, many parents are still putting their babies to sleep in ways that raise the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a new study finds.
	One-third of patients don't retain important warfarin info (HealthDay)—Just over two-thirds of patients retain an "acceptable" amount of key information following warfarin counseling, according to a small study published online Aug. 6 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
	Rosacea tied to higher risk of GI diseases (HealthDay)—Rosacea is associated with increased risk of some gastrointestinal diseases, according to a study published online Aug. 8 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
	Considerable health care system burden for undiagnosed COPD (HealthDay)—The overall health system burden of exacerbations in patients with undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considerable, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Hand hygiene program improves hygiene compliance (HealthDay)—Implementation of a hand hygiene program can improve compliance with hand hygiene and reduce health-care-associated infections (HAIs), according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases.
	Grapefruit-midazolam interaction varies with juice characteristics (HealthDay)—The interaction between grapefruit juice and midazolam varies based on grapefruit juice-related characteristics such as the amount of furanocoumarin, according to a study published online Aug. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
	Topical iodine can cause overestimation of blood glucose (HealthDay)—Use of topical iodine can cause overestimation of blood glucose (BG) readings, according to a case report published online Aug. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
	Review links anxiety disorders to risk of cardiovascular events (HealthDay)—Anxiety disorders are associated with a range of cardiovascular events, according to a meta-analysis published in the Aug. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	RSV found in aerosol particles surrounding infants with RSV (HealthDay)—Infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-positive bronchiolitis produce large numbers of aerosol particles containing RSV that remain infectious for a significant length of time, according to a study published in the Aug. 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Onsite tests have high specificity for bacteriuria (HealthDay)—Onsite tests have high specificity for detecting asymptomatic bacteriuria among pregnant women, but sensitivity is lower, according to a review published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Providers face cultural challenges when evaluating refugee children Numerous challenges face providers who are administering developmental screenings for refugee children, including differences in cultural and religious beliefs, language barriers, and disparate education levels, according to new research from the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) published in the journal Pediatrics.
	New research sheds light on the role of proteins and how synapses work Synapses are the power junctions that allow living creatures to function. Popularly associated with learning and memory, they play a more fundamental role in our existence by regulating everything from breathing, sleeping and waking and other bodily functions.
Automating genetic analysis helps keep up with rapid discovery of new diseases, study finds When Shayla Haddock was born in 1997, her parents immediately realized something was wrong. The sixth of seven children, Shayla had unusual facial features. She had club feet and shorter-than-normal limbs. She was smaller than most newborns. Hearing tests showed she was deaf.
New charts provide picture of drug use in the United States An extensive and easy-to-use collection of charts that present findings from decades of government survey data of drug use in the United States is now available on the website of Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Pulmonary complications in adult survivors of childhood cancer A team of researchers from nine leading academic hospitals and research centers have published a paper in the early online edition of the journal Cancer that describes pulmonary outcomes among childhood cancer survivors. The study also evaluates the impact of complications such as asthma, chronic cough, emphysema and recurrent pneumonia on daily activities.
	Biomarker breakthrough could improve Parkinson's treatment A new, non-invasive way to track the progression of Parkinson's disease could help evaluate experimental treatments to slow or stop the disease's progression.
Lack of fresh food choices linked to signs of early heart disease A lack of access to nearby stores selling fresh food may increase residents' risk of developing the signs of early heart disease, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
	Flu nasal spray provides similar protection against influenza as flu shot, study finds A study led by McMaster University researchers has found that, contrary to recent reports, flu nasal sprays provide similar protection against influenza as standard flu shots.
Season and region of birth linked to heightened childhood celiac disease risk Circulating viral infections may help explain the temporal and geographical patterns associated with the risk of developing childhood coeliac disease, conclude Swedish researchers in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
US declares Zika public health emergency in Puerto Rico US health authorities on Friday declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico due to the outbreak of Zika, which has now infected more than 10,000 people.
Novartis Korea executives charged for bribing doctors Prosecutors have indicted the former chief executive of the South Korean unit of Novartis and five other former and current managers over allegations they illegally paid doctors 2.6 billion won ($2.3 million) in return for prescribing the company's drugs.
Access is central to Maryland medical marijuana program Plenty of states have rolled out medical marijuana operations before Maryland, but as the state prepares to announce its top candidates for licenses to grow and process the drug, it's determined not to repeat the mistakes of others.
New Jersey proposal expands infertility coverage to lesbians A federal lawsuit brought by a New Jersey lesbian couple who want to have a baby may mean insurance coverage for women who currently don't meet the state's definition of infertile.
	Curing blindness by repairing corneas with invisible films A patented treatment could restore eyesight for millions of sufferers of corneal disease.
	Treating diabetes with data, alum's app, software gain international acclaim Like many good ideas, the idea behind Ed Deng's diabetes management app began at home.
Study examines 'weekend effect' in emergency surgery patients Research has pointed to a 'weekend effect' in which patients admitted to the hospital on Saturdays or Sundays are more likely to die than those admitted on week days. A new study has now assessed whether a weekend effect exists in a specified population: patients admitted for emergency general surgery.
Leptomeningeal metastases are more common in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations Leptomeningeal metastases (LM), a devastating complication and predictor of poor survival in lung cancer patients, was found to be more prevalent in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. Patients receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting EGFR mutations had a longer overall survival (OS) than those who did not receive TKIs, demonstrating the effectiveness of TKIs for LM therapy.
New DCIS consensus guideline could curb unnecessary breast surgery and reduce health system costs Three leading national cancer organizations today issued a consensus guideline for physicians treating women who have ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) treated with breast-conserving surgery with whole breast irradiation. The new guideline has the potential to save many women from unnecessary surgeries while reducing costs to the health care system.
Strong evidence lacking to compare management strategies for renal artery stenosis Researchers found a lack of strong evidence to compare the benefits and harms of revascularization using percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty with stent placement (PTRAS) versus medical therapy alone for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS). The report is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Colorado voters to consider suicide drugs for terminally ill Colorado voters this fall will decide whether terminally ill people should be allowed to receive prescriptions for drugs to end their own lives.

Other Sciences news

	Best of Last Week – Confirming the proton radius puzzle, chemtrails not real and a physics engine in the brain (ScienceX)—It was another good week for physics as a large team of researchers took new measurements with a deuterium nucleus and confirmed that the proton radius puzzle is real—they found that the radius of a proton differed in size depending on what was orbiting it, conflicting with the Standard Model. Also a combined team of researchers from Russia, Germany and Italy found a new method for generating superstrong magnetic fields—based on the Faraday effect the new technique allows for generating a magnetic field of several giga-Gauss. And another team with members from Brazil and the U.K. demonstrated acoustic levitation of a large sphere—one of the first to do so with an object that was larger than the wavelength of the acoustic wave.
	Twenty-five little bones tell a puzzling story about early primate evolution A cache of exquisitely preserved bones, found in a coal mine in the state of Gujarat, India, appear to be the most primitive primate bones yet discovered, according to an analysis led by researchers from The Johns Hopkins University and Des Moines University. Their assessment of the bones, belonging to ancient, rat-sized, tree-dwelling primates, bolsters the controversial idea that primates native to what is now India played an important role in the very early evolution of primates, mammals that include humans, apes and monkeys.
Study looks at how racial inequality is produced online Internet users tend to navigate between websites in a racially segregated way, despite pathways that provide equitable access to different sites, finds a new study by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The findings are published online in the journal Information, Communication, and Society.
	College students sent unwanted sexually explicit material A new report into secondary school students' sexual health has found that fifteen percent of students were sent unwanted sexually explicit material.
The maths behind the fastest person on Earth (and no it's not Usain Bolt) Who is the fastest man on Earth? Usain Bolt, right? Wrong. The unpopular answer is, in fact, Justin Gatlin. In 2011, he ran the 100 metres in 9.45 seconds, the fastest time a human has ever run that distance, smashing Usain Bolt's best time by a massive 0.13 seconds.
	Archaeologists unearth early elements of The Mews Archaeologists at the University of Virginia have found a 5 1/2-foot section of Jeffersonian serpentine wall underneath a 19th-century building that once was used as slave quarters.
	The maths behind 'impossible' never-repeating patterns Remember the graph paper you used at school, the kind that's covered with tiny squares? It's the perfect illustration of what mathematicians call a "periodic tiling of space", with shapes covering an entire area with no overlap or gap. If we moved the whole pattern by the length of a tile (translated it) or rotated it by 90 degrees, we will get the same pattern. That's because in this case, the whole tiling has the same symmetry as a single tile. But imagine tiling a bathroom with pentagons instead of squares – it's impossible, because the pentagons won't fit together without leaving gaps or overlapping one another.
	Prostitution has gone online—and pimps are thriving With the sale of sex shifting online, today's pimps are avoiding police detection by using underground websites, social media, mobile apps and even by hiding their ads on mainstream sites such as Craigslist and Backpage.
Race relations key social media element, for US blacks Social media has become a key forum for discussing US race relations—but far more so for blacks than whites, a study showed Monday.
	Skills gap for US manufacturing workers mostly a myth, paper says For years, employers, pundits and policymakers alike have bemoaned the lack of qualified workers available to fill vacant manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
	At the Russian Mosquito Festival, the more bites the better While fears of the Zika virus have kept some people away from the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, for residents of one Russian town the more mosquito bites the better.
Legal commentaries continue to make an impact, 250 years on A four-volume work that has never been out of print for the past 250 years is still making an impact on the modern world's legal thinking.
	The end of physics? Plus new gene editing dispute It was, potentially, "the most important discovery in particle physics in a half-century," "a totally unanticipated new elementary particle six times heavier than the recently discovered Higgs particle," according to the very eminent physicist Lawrence Krauss's post at SciAm.

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