PhysOrg Newsletter Monday, Nov 28

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Here is your customized PHYSorg.com Newsletter for November 28, 2011:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Four reasons why the quantum vacuum may explain dark matter
- Beyond brain scanning: Simultaneous high-resolution 3D neural imaging and photostimulation
- Researchers make the case that modern life sprang from early mega-organism
- WalkSafe app shields smartphone pedestrians (w/ video)
- Gumby-like flexible robot crawls in tight spaces (w/ video)
- In the heart of Cygnus, NASA's Fermi reveals a cosmic-ray cocoon
- 'Fool's gold' aids discovery of new options for cheap, benign solar energy
- Fungi: Another tool in bacteria's belt?
- New compound defeats drug-resistant bacteria
- Researchers develop a vaccine prototype stronger than traditional vaccines
- New technique puts chemistry breakthroughs on the fast track
- EU data protection reform to replace national laws
- Review: iTunes Match wins cloud music war by wisp
- Babies embrace punishment earlier than previously thought
- Aging stem cells may explain higher prevalence of leukemia, infections among elderly

Space & Earth news

Climate set to worsen food crises: Oxfam
Storms and droughts that have unleashed dangerous surges in food prices could be a "grim foretaste" of what lies ahead when climate change bites more deeply, Oxfam said on Monday.

Divergent views signal tough climate talks ahead (Update)
(AP) -- With heat-trapping carbon at record levels in the atmosphere, U.N. climate negotiations opened Monday with pressure building to salvage the only treaty limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

Isolated reefs regenerate faster: study
A recent study published in CSIRO’s Marine & Freshwater Research reveals isolated reefs may have a better ability to regenerate compared to those closer to human activity.

Russia launches navigation satellite
Russia on Monday successfully launched a satellite for its Glonass global navigation system from its Plesetsk cosmodrome, the country's space agency said.

Saving millions of lives and protecting our climate through clean cooking options
For many people in the developing world getting enough food to eat is a persistent challenge. However the challenge does not stop there. A new issue of the international journal Energy Policy details the human and environmental cost of cooking food using the only energy source available to many people, woody biomass.

Swiss ski resorts still waiting for snow
If the strong Swiss franc fails to keep holidaymakers away from Switzerland's luxury resorts, then the current lack of snow certainly will.

Project begins injection of CO2 for storage at Illinois Basin
The Midwest Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC) has begun injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) for the first million-tonne demonstration of carbon sequestration in the U.S. The CO2 will be stored permanently in the Mt. Simon Sandstone more than a mile beneath the Illinois surface at Decatur. The MGSC is led by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS), part of the Prairie Research Institute at the University of Illinois.

Plan for crucial Australian rivers draws anger
Farmers Monday slammed the government's draft plan to rescue a crucial river system supplying Australia's food bowl, saying it will destroy communities and put pressure on food prices.

Submarine springs offer preview of ocean acidification effects on coral reefs
Observations at submarine springs found along the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula are giving scientists a preview of the possible fate of coral reef ecosystems in response to ocean acidification.

The shadows in a city reveal its energy flow
Researchers at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM, Spain) have created "shadow models" and a type of software that calculates the amount of solar radiation that reaches streets and buildings in high resolution. According to the results published in the Research Journal of Chemistry and Environment, they could help to optimise the energy consumption of cities.

UN warns 25 pct of world land highly degraded
(AP) -- The United Nations has completed the first-ever global assessment of the state of the planet's land resources, finding in a report Monday that a quarter of all land is highly degraded and warning the trend must be reversed if the world's growing population is to be fed.

The progenitor problem
With so much of our current understanding of the universe based on Type 1a supernovae data, a good deal of current research is focused upon just how standard these supposed standard candles are. To date, the weight of analysis seems reassuring – apart from a few outliers, the supernovae do all seem very standard and predictable.

In the heart of Cygnus, NASA's Fermi reveals a cosmic-ray cocoon
(PhysOrg.com) -- The constellation Cygnus, now visible in the western sky as twilight deepens after sunset, hosts one of our galaxy's richest-known stellar construction zones. Astronomers viewing the region at visible wavelengths see only hints of this spectacular activity thanks to a veil of nearby dust clouds forming the Great Rift, a dark lane that splits the Milky Way, a faint band of light marking our galaxy's central plane.

Technology news

Recycle this: Bolivian turns waste into high fashion
Crafted from old newspapers, plastic bags, discarded CDs and soda bottle caps, Bolivian designer Marion Macedo's quirky fashion creations have added an eclectic dimension to the catwalks of Europe, South America and Asia.

Kaneka, imec develop high-efficiency heterojunction silicon solar cells with copper electroplating
At the 21st International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference, held on November 28 – December 2 in Fukuoka, Japan, Kaneka and imec present silver-free heterojunction silicon solar cells. The results were obtained by applying copper electroplating technology, which was developed by Kaneka based on imec’s existing copper electroplating technology, A conversion efficiency of more than 21% was achieved in 6-inch silicon substrates with an electroplated copper contact grid on top of the transparent conductive oxide layer.

Over 78 million Brazilians have Internet access
More than 78 million Brazilians have access to the Internet, according to third-quarter statistics provided Monday by the private consulting firm Ibope.

UAE court jails five Internet activists
A United Arab Emirates court on Sunday sentenced a blogger and four other Internet activists to prison terms after finding them guilty of charges including insulting the Gulf state's leaders.

German police battle with 1000s blocking nuke train
German police battled thousands of anti-nuclear protestors Sunday, many chained to railroad tracks, who have caused delays as they try to block a train carrying radioactive waste.

Samsung targets 2 mln sales of new Galaxy device
South Korea's Samsung Electronics launched domestically its latest Android-powered Galaxy device -- the Galaxy Note -- and said it hopes to sell as many as two million.

S. Korea game maker vows tighter user security
South Korea's top games developer vowed Monday to tighten security after the personal information of 13 million users of its popular online game was leaked.

73,000 Finnish web users' details hacked: police
The login details of 73,000 users of a popular Finnish family-oriented discussion forum were stolen and posted online in the latest in a series of widespread hacking attacks, police said Monday.

Better thermal management promises cheaper, greener, cooler electronics
At first glance, supercomputers, car parts, entertainment systems and radar antennas may not have much in common, but they all stand to benefit from important advances in thermal management technology being achieved by an EU-funded project. Materials developed under the project have been demonstrated in different application sectors, and some are already in use commercially, or likely to be in the near future.

Kindle sales quadrupled on Black Friday: Amazon
Online retailing giant Amazon said Monday that sales of its Kindle e-readers and tablets quadrupled on Black Friday over the previous year's annual pre-Christmas national shopping orgy.

Researchers design new handle to make lifting infant car seats safer, easier
Engineers at North Carolina State University have developed a new handle for infant car seats (ICSs) that makes it easier for parents to lift the seat out of a car – while retaining a firmer grip on the handle – making it less likely that the seat will be dropped.

Internet has become 'surveillance machine': Assange
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange blasted the mainstream media, Washington, banks and the Internet itself as he addressed journalists in Hong Kong on Monday via videolink from house arrest in England.

Toyota unveils high-tech concept car ahead of show
Toyota's president unveiled a futuristic concept car resembling a giant smartphone to demonstrate how Japan's top automaker is trying to take the lead in technology at the upcoming Tokyo auto show.

Checkmate! Researchers outsmart Intel copy protection HDCP
For over a decade, Intel's widely used copy protection HDCP has been trusted by the media industry, which carries out business in high-resolution digital video and audio content worth thousands of millions. Researchers from the working group on secure hardware led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tim Güneysu of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum were able to checkmate the protection system of an entire industry with relatively little effort using a so-called "man-in-the-middle" attack.

GM says electric Volt is safe despite fires
General Motors insisted Monday that its Chevrolet Volt is safe to drive despite the launch of a government probe after three of the Volt's electric batteries caught fire following safety tests.

US closes 150 websites in counterfeit crackdown
US authorities said Monday they have shut down 150 websites offering counterfeit goods like sports jerseys and luxury handbags in an operation tied to the pre-Christmas shopping surge.

EU data protection reform to replace national laws
The European Union wants to replace a mishmash of national laws on data protection with one bloc-wide reform, updating laws put in place long before Facebook and other social networking sites even existed.

Review: iTunes Match wins cloud music war by wisp
(AP) -- In recent weeks, Apple, Google and Amazon.com have each launched the missing puzzle piece in their wireless mobile music systems.

WalkSafe app shields smartphone pedestrians (w/ video)
(PhysOrg.com) -- Smartphone users who as pedestrians are not very smart about crossing and looking both ways now have a protective shield in the form of an Android app which they can download for free. A research team from Dartmouth College and the University of Bologna, Italy, are offering their new app, WalkSafe, which uses the camera on a smart phone to detect oncoming traffic. The phone then alerts the user.

Medicine & Health news

For refugees from Burma, hope of better life in US turns into extreme poverty, isolation
Refugees who have fled Burma to live in Oakland, Calif., are at risk of becoming a permanent, poverty-stricken underclass warns a new report released today by researchers at San Francisco State University and the Burma Refugee Family Network (BRFN). The report found that almost 60 percent of Oakland's refugees from Burma are living in extreme poverty.

Integrated 3-D imaging facilitates human face transplantation
By combining conventional medical imaging with some of the same 3-D modeling techniques used in Hollywood blockbusters, researchers are offering new hope to victims of serious facial injuries. Results of a new study on human face transplantation, led by Darren M. Smith, M.D., plastic surgery resident at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

States could see substantial savings with tobacco control programs
States that have shifted funds away from tobacco control programs may be missing out on significant savings, according to a new study co-authored by San Francisco State University economist Sudip Chattopadhyay.

Hospital parking fees are health care user fees
Hospital parking fees are essentially health care user fees and should be abolished, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Paying physicians more to get more -- or to get less
Labour economics can provide a valuable perspective in addressing the supply of doctors and access to care, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Risk of second cancer in cancer survivors mainly confined to the same cancer type as the first
Cancer survivors have more than double the risk of a second primary cancer of the same type, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal), whereas the risk of a second primary cancer of another type was only slightly elevated.

NIH discontinues tenofovir vaginal gel in 'VOICE' HIV prevention study
A large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether daily use of an antiretroviral-containing oral tablet or vaginal gel can prevent HIV infection in women is being modified because an interim review found that the gel, an investigational microbicide, was not effective among study participants.

What wakes dormant tumor cells
Prostate tumor cells can be lulled to sleep by a factor released by bone cells, according to a study published online this week in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. Disease recurs in up to half of prostate cancer patients after treatment, often as a result of metastases that spread to distant organs.

Rx with hyperbaric oxygen improved TBI and PTSD in vets
Research led by Dr. Paul Harch, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has found that treatment with hyperbaric oxygen nearly three years after injury significantly improved function and quality of life for veterans with traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings are available online now in the Journal of Neurotrauma.

NIH answers call to streamline technology transfer process
The National Institutes of Health is launching the electronic Research Materials catalogue (eRMa) to streamline the federal government's technology transfer process. This project addresses one of the important directives in a Presidential memorandum related to the commercialization of federal research and support for high-growth business potential. eRMa was designed and developed by the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) at NIH with support from the NIH's National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research.

Patients with balance disorders benefit from integrative therapy
Over the last 25 years, intensive efforts by physicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists have developed integrative rehabilitation regimens that can alleviate balance disorders associated with neurological disease, trauma or weightlessness. A special issue of NeuroRehabilitation: An Interdisciplinary Journal provides an up-to-date review of the underlying scientific principles and latest clinical advances in the treatment of vestibular problems commonly encountered in neurorehabilitation. The journal is celebrating its 20th anniversary of publication this year.

Good intentions may hamper progress in pursuit of global reproductive health and rights
Serious global discussions have begun in the lead-up to the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) deadline of 2015. Governments and international agencies are asking what has been achieved, what still needs to be done and how best to proceed after the deadline. Against this backdrop, a new paper published in the November issue of Reproductive Health Matters finds that "quick impact" strategies, which may have solved some problems, have created others.

Urinary retention due to benign enlarged prostate treated differently in 15 countries
Men who experience a sudden inability to pass urine because of a non-cancerous enlarged prostate are hospitalised and treated differently depending on where they live, according to an international study published online by the urology journal BJUI.

Harmful patterns of painkiller prescriptions seen among methadone patients
A new study has shown harmful prescription patterns of powerful painkillers among a substantial number of Ontario patients who received methadone therapy to treat their opioid addiction.

Washington pediatricians receive regular requests for alternative child immunization schedules
Seventy-seven percent of Washington state pediatricians report that they are sometimes or frequently asked to provide alternative childhood vaccine schedules for their patients, according to a new study from Seattle Children's Research Institute. Researchers also found that 61 percent of Washington state pediatricians are comfortable using an alternative schedule when asked by a parent. The study, "Washington State Pediatricians' Attitudes Toward Alternative Childhood Immunization Schedules," is published in the December 2011 issue of Pediatrics and is the first to evaluate pediatricians' attitudes towards alternative schedules.

Making sure kidney donors fare as well as promised
(AP) -- More and more people are donating one of their kidneys to a loved one, a friend, even a stranger, and now a move is on to make sure those donors really fare as well as they're promised.

The ABCC9 of sleep: A genetic factor that regulates how long we sleep
A collaborative European study led by LMU researchers has shown that ABCC9, a known genetic factor in heart disease and diabetes, also influences the duration of sleep in humans. This function is evolutionarily conserved as knock-out of the gene reduces the duration of nocturnal sleep in fruit flies.

Functional brain pathways disrupted in children with ADHD
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers have identified abnormalities in the brains of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that may serve as a biomarker for the disorder, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

Restricted calorie diet improves heart function in obese patients with diabetes
A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

40 percent of youths attempting suicide make first attempt before high school
Thoughts about killing oneself and engaging in suicidal behavior may begin much younger than previously thought. While about one of nine youths attempt suicide by the time they graduate from high school, new findings reveal that a significant proportion make their first suicide attempt in elementary or middle school.

How do you mend a broken heart?
(Medical Xpress) -- A study involving University of Sydney cardiac researchers has shown the loss of a loved one can really break your heart.

More kids skip school shots in 8 states
More parents are opting out of school shots for their kids. In eight states now, more than 1 in 20 public school kindergartners aren't getting all the vaccines required for attendance, an Associated Press analysis found.

Cystic fibrosis drug reverses genetic abnormality in the CF mutation
The Lung Institute of WA (LIWA) has recently made a breakthrough in the search for a drug to improve the quality of life of patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF).

Childless women at greater risk of poor health, study finds
(Medical Xpress) -- Childless women may experience poorer health and wellbeing than the general Australian female population, according to the results of a Deakin University study.

When errors improve performance: Model describes how experiences influence our perception
During estimation processes we unconsciously make use of recent experiences. Scientists from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich and the Bernstein Center Munich asked test subjects to estimate distances in a virtual reality environment. The results revealed that estimates tended to approach the mean of all previously experienced distances. For the first time, scientists were able to accurately predict the experimental findings using a mathematical model. The model combines two well-known laws of psychophysics with a theorem from probability theory. The study could be of fundamental relevance to research on perception.

Keeping one's eyes on the goal -- despite stress
Stressed people fall into habits and their behaviour is not goal-directed. That the neurotransmitter norepinephrine plays a decisive role here is now reported in the Journal of Neuroscience by scientists from Bochum led by Dr. Lars Schwabe (RUB Faculty of Psychology). If the effect of norepinephrine is stopped by beta blockers, the stress effect does not occur. "The results may be important for addictive behaviours, where stress is a key risk factor" said Schwabe. "They are characterised by ingrained routines and habits."

Breast cancer type linked to paternal cancer
The risk of breast cancer is increased by genetic and lifestyle factors such as the inherited BRCA2 gene, age of having first child, or use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Cancer looked at the relationship between women with breast cancer and diagnosis of cancer in their parents. The results showed that the chances of women with lobular breast cancer having a father with cancer (especially prostate cancer) was almost twice as likely as women with other forms of breast cancer.

Increased risk of blood clots on the lung for patients with autoimmune diseases
Autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks the body, are fairly common. Thyroid diseases, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease are some examples. Autoimmune diseases are associated with increased inflammation in the tissue, which in some cases is linked to an increased propensity to develop clots in the veins.

Socioeconomic status may explain racial disparities in diet, exercise, and weight
Large disparities exist in obesity and other chronic diseases across racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Are racial differences in diet, exercise, and weight status related to better knowledge about healthy eating and awareness of food-related health risks? Or are they more closely related to differences in socioeconomic status (SES)? A new study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association finds that people with a lower socioeconomic status are more likely to be overweight, regardless of racial/ethnic background, and that the level of nutritional knowledge and health awareness did not lead to significant racial differences in weight and diet.

Creative excuses: Original thinkers more likely to cheat
Creative people are more likely to cheat than less creative people, possibly because this talent increases their ability to rationalize their actions, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

Cleft lip corrected genetically in mouse model
Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College used genetic methods to successfully repair cleft lips in mice embryos specially engineered for the study of cleft lip and cleft palate. The research breakthrough may show the way to prevent or treat the conditions in humans.

Cell molecule identified as central player in the formation of new blood vessels
Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have identified a cellular protein that plays a central role in the formation of new blood vessels. The molecule is the protein Shc (pronounced SHIK), and new blood vessel formation, or angiogenesis, is seriously impaired without it.

An unexpected player in a cancer defense system
Researchers of the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet and the University of Cologne, Germany, have identified a new protein involved in a defense mechanism against cancer. The VCP/p97 complex is best known for its role in protein destruction and is involved in a type of familial dementia and ALS. In a novel study the researchers now describe how this complex also plays an important role in regulating the recruitment of the tumor suppressor protein 53BP1 to damaged DNA – suggesting an important role for VCP/p97 in our body's defense against cancer.

Depression can lead to heart disease
Depression may have more far-reaching consequences than previously believed. Recent data suggests that individuals who suffer from a mood disorder could be twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to individuals who are not depressed.

Caregivers at risk for health problems
When a person with mild cognitive impairment is agitated or restless, caregivers can expect to find they are more edgy as well. According to research conducted at Virginia Tech, the more a caregiver's day is disrupted by the unsettled behaviors of their loved one, the more they find themselves unable to meet or balance their own home and family work loads. This heightens the effect of elevated stress levels on their own bodies, placing caregivers at risk for current and future health problems.

Scientists identify key area that could sever communication between brain and heart in disease
A team of neuroscientists and anaesthetists, who have been using pioneering techniques to study how the brain regulates the heart, has identified a crucial part of the nervous system whose malfunction may account for an increased risk of death from heart failure. The findings, published online (ahead of print) in the Journal of Physiology, could lead to more targeted therapies to help reduce serious illness and death in cardiovascular disease.

Mid-morning snacking may sabotage weight-loss efforts
Women dieters who grab a snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight compared to those who abstain from a mid-morning snack, according to a study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

New potential therapeutic target identified for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Researchers from the NYU Cancer Institute, an NCI-designated cancer center at NYU Langone Medical Center, have discovered a new potential therapeutic target for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), the most aggressive and common type of lymphoma in adults. The new study, published in the November 23 issue of Nature, reveals the underlying molecular mechanism contributing to the development of lymphomagenesis.

New study shows biopsy of recurrent breast cancer can alter treatment
A second, larger clinical research study led by breast cancer specialists at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) has again proven that comparing a new biopsy of progressing or recurring cancer with that of the original cancer can dictate a change in treatment.

Most hospitals miss critical window for heart attack transfer patients
Most heart attack patients transferred between hospitals for the emergency artery-opening procedure called angioplasty are not transported as quickly as they should be, Yale School of medicine researchers report in the first national study of "door-in door-out" time for transfer patients.

New study to test unusual hypothesis on beta brainwaves
Beta oscillations are tightly linked to Parkinson's disease and the ability to process sensory information, such as touch. Two neuroscientists have brought their collaboration to Brown University and won funding from the National Science Foundation to see if they can finally provide a definitive, if unorthodox, explanation for beta brainwaves.

Natural killers help fight human disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Researchers from The Australian National University have discovered a new type of cell which boosts the human body’s ability to fight off infections and life-threatening diseases.

Manipulating serotonin can promote healthy repair in chronic liver disease
(Medical Xpress) -- Publishing in the leading medical journal Nature Medicine, a team led by Newcastle University academics have identified serotonin receptors which can be targeted with drugs to enhance the natural healing properties of the liver.

The immune system has protective memory cells, researchers discover
(Medical Xpress) -- The immune system possesses a type of cell that can be activated by tissues within the body to remind the immune system not to attack our own molecules, cells and organs, UCSF researchers have discovered.

Study debunks stereotype that men think about sex all day long
Men may think about sex more often than women do, but a new study suggests that men also think about other biological needs, such as eating and sleep, more frequently than women do, as well.

Researchers develop a vaccine prototype stronger than traditional vaccines
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) researchers have created a vaccine that is more potent than traditional vaccines available today. The glycoconjugate vaccine prototype is 100 times more effective than traditional glycoconjugate vaccines. Their work is published in the December 2011 issue of Nature Medicine.

Babies embrace punishment earlier than previously thought
Babies as young as eight months old want people who commit or condone antisocial acts to be punished, according to a new study led by a University of British Columbia researcher.

Aging stem cells may explain higher prevalence of leukemia, infections among elderly
Human stem cells aren't immune to the aging process, according to scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The researchers studied hematopoietic stem cells, which create the cells that comprise the blood and immune system. Understanding when and how these stem cells begin to falter as the years pass may explain why some diseases, such as acute myeloid leukemia, increase in prevalence with age, and also why elderly people tend to be more vulnerable to infections such as colds and the flu.

Boys with regressive autism, but not early onset autism, have larger brains
In the largest study of brain development in preschoolers with autism to date, a study by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers has found that 3-year-old boys with regressive autism, but not early onset autism, have larger brains than their healthy counterparts.

Researchers engineer blood stem cells to fight melanoma
Researchers from UCLA's cancer and stem cell centers have demonstrated for the first time that blood stem cells can be engineered to create cancer-killing T-cells that seek out and attack a human melanoma. The researchers believe this approach could be useful in 40 percent of Caucasians with this malignancy.

Drug may slow spread of deadly eye cancer
A drug commonly used to treat seizures appears to make eye tumors less likely to grow if they spread to other parts of the body, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Beyond brain scanning: Simultaneous high-resolution 3D neural imaging and photostimulation
(Medical Xpress) -- Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology are inherently three-dimensional domains. Neuronal cell body projections – axons and dendrites – can interconnect large numbers of neurons distributed over large cortical distances. Since the brain processes sensory, somatic, conceptual, and other classes of information in this 3D structural space, the need to (1) image neural structures and (2) stimulate and record neural signals are essential to understanding the relationship between brain structure and function. While 3D imaging and 3D photostimulation using scanning or parallel excitation methods have been used, they have not previously been combined into an optical system that can successfully decouple the corresponding optical planes when using a single lens – a shortcoming that has limited investigators to small neural areas. Recently, however, scientists at Université Paris Descartes have combined digital single photon holographic stimulati! on with remote-focusing-based epifluorescent functional imaging to overcome these limitations.

Biology news

Hong Kong's shark fin traders feel pressure to change
The owner of Shark's Fin City, a dried fin wholesaler in Hong Kong's quarter for all things shrivelled, says there are only a few people who know the truth about sharks, and he's one of them.

Stem cell study advances regenerative medicine research
Researchers from A*STAR Singapore took lead roles in a study that identified a portion of the genome mutated during long-term culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The study was a worldwide collaboration, led by Drs Peter Andrews of the University of Sheffield (UK), Paul Robson of the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Steve Oh of Singapore’s Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI), and Barbara Knowles and others in the international stem cell community.

Wandering wolf inspires hope and dread
(AP) -- A young wolf from Oregon has become a media celebrity while looking for love, tracing a zigzag path that has carried him hundreds of miles nearly to California, while his alpha male sire and a sibling that stayed home near the Idaho border are under a death warrant for killing cattle.

Friend and foe? How crabs avoid getting eaten
Despite their simple compound eyes crabs have evolved a smart way to tell the difference between friend and foe, new scientific research has revealed.

Study reveals blueberry secrets
(PhysOrg.com) -- Blueberries are one of our favourite fruits and no wonder—they’re tasty and they’re good for us. They’re rich in antioxidants, substances that can help reduce the natural cell damage in our aging bodies that can lead to cancer, heart disease and other ailments.

Counting cats: The endangered snow leopards of the Himalayas
The elusive snow leopard (Panthera uncia) lives high in the mountains across Central Asia. Despite potentially living across 12 countries the actual numbers of this beautiful large cat are largely unknown. It is thought that there might be somewhere between 350 and 500 distributed across Nepal's northern frontier. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Research Notes has used genetic analysis to show that the numbers of snow leopards in the central Himalayas is actually much lower than suggested.

Marine biodiversity loss due to warming and predation: study
The biodiversity loss caused by climate change will result from a combination of rising temperatures and predation – and may be more severe than currently predicted, according to a study by University of British Columbia zoologist Christopher Harley.

New database for vital model organism launched
A new database promises to be an invaluable resource to scientists who use a unique single-celled fungus to study human diseases.

International initiative to address safety issues in stem cell therapy
An international study, published today in the prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology, reveals more about human pluripotent stem cells and their genetic stability and has important implications for the development of therapies using these cells.

Researchers unlock bacteria's beneficial side
Researchers now understand how bacteria can break down phosphonic acids, persistent and potentially hazardous environmental pollutants found in many common medicinal products, detergents and herbicides.

Herbicide atrazine spurs reproductive problems in many creatures: study
An international team of researchers has reviewed the evidence linking exposure to atrazine – an herbicide widely used in the U.S. and more than 60 other nations – to reproductive problems in animals. The team found consistent patterns of reproductive dysfunction in amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals exposed to the chemical.

Fungi: Another tool in bacteria's belt?
Bacteria and fungi are remarkably mobile. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University have discovered that the two organisms enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship to aid them in that movement — and their survival.

Researchers make the case that modern life sprang from early mega-organism
(PhysOrg.com) -- A lot of work has been done over the years to nail down the origins of life, with much speculation given to whatever first bit of “life” appeared from what was before, nothing but non-living material. Unfortunately, evidence of such life has long vanished leaving researchers to try to piece together what might have happened afterwards by rewinding the genetic tape so to speak.

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