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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 11, 2014:
Spotlight Stories Headlines
- Mechanobiology: Enzyme micropump autonomously delivers insulin in response to glucose levels- Research team develops method to strengthen elastomers
- Researchers develop ErSb nanostructures with applications in infrared and terahertz ranges
- Researchers find sulfur reducers were at work on the early Earth
- How CERN's discovery of exotic particles may affect astrophysics
- Greenland ice cores show industrial record of acid rain, success of US Clean Air Act
- New self-healing plastics developed
- Eye of the beholder: Improving the human-robot connection (w/ video)
- Devil in disguise: A small coral-eating worm may mean big trouble for reefs
- BLOODHOUND team predict the impact of the 1,000 mph supersonic car
- Brain cell discovery could open doors to targeted cancer therapies
- Graduate student brings extinct plants to life
- Protein researches closing in on the mystery of schizophrenia
- Statistical analysis rules out natural-warming hypothesis with more than 99 percent certainty
- Study resolves controversy over nitrogen's ocean 'exit strategies'
Astronomy & Space news
Research group to study interstellar molecules
From April 2014, a new group will study interstellar molecules and use them to explore the entire star and planet formation process at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics. Newly appointed director Paola Caselli will head the "Centre for Astrochemical Studies at MPE" or CAS@MPE, bringing together theorists, observers and laboratory scientists in one place. This unique combination of expertise is needed to finally make progress on the origin of organic molecules in space as well as our astrochemical origins.
Extra-terrestrial Tweet-up links Tokyo with space
An unusual "Tweet-up"—a meeting of people who know each other on Twitter—involving an ambassador, an astronaut and a prime minister has taken place on a video-link between Japan and the International Space Station.
Study to measure gravity's effects on plant cells in space
(Phys.org) —A Purdue University experiment that will test how plant cells sense and respond to different levels of gravity is scheduled to launch aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Monday (April 14).
Image: NASA engineers prepare game changing cryotank for testing
NASA and Boeing engineers are inspecting and preparing one of the largest composite rocket propellant tanks ever manufactured for testing. The composite cryotank is part of NASA's Game Changing Development Program and Space Technology Mission Directorate, which is innovating, developing, testing and flying hardware for use in NASA's future missions. NASA focused on this technology because composite tanks promise a 30 percent weight reduction and a 25 percent cost savings over the best metal tanks used today. The outer shell of the 18-foot-diameter (5.5-meter) cryotank is the same size as propellant tanks used on today's full-size rockets.
NASA to conduct unprecedented twin experiment
Consider a pair of brothers, identical twins. One gets a job as an astronaut and rockets into space. The other gets a job as an astronaut, too, but on this occasion he decides to stay home. After a year in space, the traveling twin returns home and they reunite.
JPL tests big with a supersonic parachute for Mars
"You wanna go to Mars, you wanna go big? Then you gotta test big here," says mechanical engineer Michael Meacham, and testing big is exactly what he and other engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have done to develop a new supersonic parachute for future Mars landings.
Join in the Cassini name game
As NASA's Cassini mission approaches its 10th anniversary at Saturn, its team members back here on Earth are already looking ahead to an upcoming phase.
Technology news
Drones used to assess damage after disasters
Researchers of the University of Twente use a new method to map structural damage after disasters. A remote-controlled drone with a regular high-quality camera takes a large amount of pictures of a building. From this, a 3D model is created, a point cloud from which the researchers can read geometric information. The drone can be employed after natural disasters or terrorist attacks in order to map damage to important infrastructural places, such as government buildings, hospitals, airports or bridges.
AutoNavi agrees to be acquired by Alibaba
Chinese digital mapping and navigation company AutoNavi Holdings Ltd. has agreed to be acquired by e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. in a deal valued at $1.5 billion.
Tablets, apps for children are on the rise
Nick Stepka knew what gift would make his daughter's third birthday a hit, and it wasn't a toy or doll. He gave her a tablet - not a sleek new iPad or a hand-me-down Samsung, but one specifically designed and marketed for little ones. It even came with a purple protective casing and loaded with kids' applications and games.
'Heartbleed' bug a critical Internet illness
The "Heartbleed" flaw in Internet security is as critical as the name implies and wider spread than first believed. Warnings about the danger exposed early this week reached widening circles on Thursday, with everyone from website operators and bank officials to Internet surfers and workers who tele-commute being told their data could be in danger.
Sony issues battery-fire warning over 26,000 Vaio laptops
Sony on Friday warned customers to stop using its new Vaio Fit 11A laptops due to an overheating battery problem that poses a fire risk and said it may issue a recall.
How the Heartbleed bug reveals a flaw in online security
The Heartbleed bug that's potentially exposed the personal and financial data of millions of people stored online has also exposed a hole in the way some security software is developed and used.
Black box adoption by the air industry nearly didn't happen
The search operation for missing flight MH370 continues to hear signals that could be from the plane's black box recorders.
Researchers develop completely new type of electrostatic generator
Water, a membrane with a tiny hole and a small metal plate: that's all that is required to generate a voltage of 20,000 volts. Researchers from the University of Twente MESA+ research institute have developed a completely new type of electrostatic generator that is able to directly convert the kinetic energy from small ejected droplets into electrical energy. At almost fifty per cent, the conversion efficiency of the system is extremely high. The leading scientific journal Nature Communications publishes the research today.
Highly integrated electric motor unifies powertrain components for an electric vehicle
German researchers present the prototype of an electric motor that may shape the future of electromobility: Small, light and efficient. The electric motor was created and constructed by the four German partners in the European research project "MotorBrain": Infineon Technologies, Siemens, the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology at the Technische Universität (Technical University) Dresden and ZF Friedrichshafen. The prototype is being presented at the Hannover Messe "MobiliTec" fair stand of the German federal government (Hall 27, Stand H51).
Game researchers develop an augmented climbing wall
Graphics reflected on the wall guide the climber in the choice of route, and body movements are registered by computer vision.
Music industry joins legal battle against Megaupload
The major US music labels joined the legal battle against file-sharing website Megaupload, with a copyright infringement lawsuit against the site shut down by US authorities.
US charges nine in million-dollar bank hacking case
US officials said Friday that nine people, including three Ukrainians and a Russian, were charged in a scheme that stole millions of dollars by hacking into online bank accounts.
Heartbleed bug shutters more Canadian gov't websites
Canada's government on Friday ordered all federal department websites vulnerable to the "Heartbleed" bug to be shut down.
Court reverses conviction of man in iPad data case
A federal appeals court has reversed the conviction of man imprisoned for illegally gaining access to AT&T's servers and stealing more than 100,000 email addresses of iPad users.
Amazon.com CEO says investments will continue
Some Amazon.com Inc. shareholders may have been excited about the company's decision to increase the membership fee in its Prime two-day shipping service last month, a move that could boost margins.
Bitcoin gets easier for consumers to buy, spend
It's getting easier for consumers to buy and spend bitcoin, the cybercurrency that has captured much of the tech world. With each passing month, entrepreneurs are rolling out new technology for consumers to buy and store bitcoin, shop online with the virtual currency and send it to friends. Last week, a bitcoin ATM was unveiled in Mountain View, Calif. - put in a few hundred bucks, out comes a bitcoin. And more retailers - from consumer electronics to coffee roasters and pizza delivery - are accepting bitcoin, making it easier for consumers to choose the Internet currency over dollars.
Troy Wolverton: HTC's new smartphone is One of the best
In my book, HTC's new One smartphone is easily one of the best Android devices on the market.
Sneak a peek through the mist to technology of the future (w/ video)
A tabletop display with personal screens made from a curtain of mist that allow users to move images around and push through the fog-screens and onto the display, will be unveiled at an international conference later this month.
Samsung Galaxy S5 makes global debut
The latest version of Samsung's flagship Galaxy smartphone went on sale worldwide Friday, days after the electronics giant announced it was facing a second consecutive quarter of profit decline.
Economics of using mesquite for electricity dependent on outside factors
Using mesquite biomass for electricity generation may become economically feasible if ecological and agricultural factors are considered, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Research paper being published in the BioEnergy Research journal.
Kickstarter Project ZUtA - a crawling microprinter (w/ video)
(Phys.org) —A team made up of a small group of students at the Jerusalem College of Technology has come up with a novel way to print documents—they've done away with the paper-fed machine archetype and instead have developed a small device that drives itself around on a piece of paper, laying down ink as it goes. It's not very fast, but it is extremely portable. They've created a company they've named ZUtA Labs and have posted their idea on Kickstarter, hoping to attract $400,000 in investment funds.
High-altitude wind turbines have potential to generate large amounts of electricity
(Phys.org) —Wind turbines hovering high in the air and tethered to the ground, like kites, have the potential to generate huge amounts of electricity, based on a recent wind availability study led by the University of Delaware.
3D printing: The shape of things to come?
(Phys.org) —If you ask the proverbial man or woman in the street what they understand by the terms 'stereolithography', 'selective laser sintering' and 'fused deposition modelling', you're likely to be met with a blank expression. Say the words '3D printing', though, and you're likely to be met with an entirely different response.
Eye of the beholder: Improving the human-robot connection (w/ video)
Researchers are programming robots to communicate with people using human-like body language and cues, an important step toward bringing robots into homes.
BLOODHOUND team predict the impact of the 1,000 mph supersonic car
A new paper from the Swansea University, College of Engineering team working on the BLOODHOUND SSC (Supersonic car) project has been published on the aerodynamic characteristics of travelling at 1,000mph. Simulations have looked at how the car will cope with the supersonic rolling ground, rotating wheels and resulting shock waves in close proximity to the test surface at the record attempt site in Hakskeen Pan, South Africa. Where, in 2015, it will make high speed test runs of up to 800mph, with the full 1,000mph attempt scheduled for 2016.
Israeli team eyes jellyfish for super-absorbent material
(Phys.org) —If diapers choke landfills and sea creatures plague tourism and invade power stations, an Israeli startup seeks to promote a single answer to both problems, according to The Times of Israel report filed earlier this month. The company is developing technology that makes use of jellyfish to construct super-absorbing material that can be used for diapers and applications such as medical sponges.
Medicine & Health news
Immunotherapy could help tackle tough liver cancer
Significant new data presented today at the International Liver Congress 2014 indicate that liver cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)) may be treated by adoptive T-cell therapy.
New data reveals positive outcomes for hepatitis C transplant patients
New research announced at the International Liver Congress 2014 today provides new hope for the notoriously difficult-to-treat population of liver transplant patients with recurring hepatitis C (HCV).
Kathleen Sebelius resigns after Obamacare woes
President Barack Obama's Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is resigning, paying the price for the chaotic initial rollout of his signature health care law, officials said Thursday.
More than 100 get virus on California cruise
A cruise line says more than 100 passengers have now contracted the highly contagious norovirus as a ship tours California ports, but fewer than 15 are still complaining of symptoms.
The fight against hepatitis C in Egypt
New ways to differentiate between chronic and self-clearing infections may help towards effective patient management and reduce drug costs. But there are major challenges in implementation.
Developing new anti-cancer medicines
The prospect of four new cancer medicines becoming a reality for patients has taken a huge step forward with the announcement of a £34M investment by a European private biotech company in University research.
Researcher studies what makes people with HIV successful at sticking with antiretroviral treatment
At the end of 2011, an estimated 34 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS. In Alberta, the total was 1,532. Thanks to scientific improvements in antiretroviral therapy, many of these Albertans are living long and full lives. The key to living longer with HIV is sticking with the antiretroviral therapy prescribed.
Research insights into lung diseases focus of new centre
Coinciding with the launch of a dedicated Lung Health Research Centre, researchers at the University of Melbourne have discovered a new insight into the unexplained link between lung infections, emphysema and lung cancer.
Fighting Parkinson's with the power of dance
Brisbane researchers are measuring the power of dance for a special group of Queenslanders.
Filipino paramedic dies of MERS in UAE
The United Arab Emirates announced Friday that one of six Filipino paramedics in the UAE who have been infected by the MERS coronavirus has died from the respiratory disease.
Obama shuffles deck to cement health law gains
President Barack Obama on Friday nominated budget director Sylvia Mathews Burwell as his new health secretary, seeking to capitalize on an enrollment surge to cement his signature health law.
UAE: Paramedic dies from MERS, others infected
The United Arab Emirates Interior Ministry says one of its paramedics has died after contracting Middle East respiratory syndrome and that five others are also infected.
AGA and ACP launch toolkit to improve communication between primary care doctors, GIs
The American College of Physicians (ACP) today unveiled a High Value Care Coordination Toolkit designed to enable more effective and patient-centered communication between primary care and subspecialist doctors. The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) coordinated with ACP to identify pertinent data sets for several conditions for which primary care physicians typically refer patients to gastroenterologists and hepatologists.
Scientists grow cartilage to reconstruct nose
Scientists at the University of Basel report first ever successful nose reconstruction surgery using cartilage grown in the laboratory. Cartilage cells were extracted from the patient's nasal septum, multiplied and expanded onto a collagen membrane. The so-called engineered cartilage was then shaped according to the defect and implanted. The results will be published in the current edition of the academic journal The Lancet.
Sensitive balance in the immune system
Apoptosis is used by cells that are changed by disease or are simply not needed any longer to eliminate themselves before they become a hazard to the body—on a cellular level, death is part of life. Disruption of this process can lead to cancer or immunodeficiencies, but also to autoimmune diseases, in which cells attack their own body.
A doctor's 'people skills' affects patients' health
(HealthDay)—A doctor's "bedside manner" seems to have a real effect on patients' health, a new research review suggests.
Young athletes from higher income families more likely to suffer serious overuse injuries
A Loyola University Medical Center study is reporting for the first time a link between overuse injury rates in young athletes and their socioeconomic status.
Viral hepatitis more deadly than HIV in Europe
Mortality from viral hepatitis is significantly higher than from HIV/AIDS across EU countries, according to results from The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) which was announced for the first time today at the International Liver Congress 2014.
Tamiflu and Relenza: How effective are they?
Tamiflu (the antiviral drug oseltamivir) shortens symptoms of influenza by half a day, but there is no good evidence to support claims that it reduces admissions to hospital or complications of influenza. This is according to the updated Cochrane evidence review, published today by The Cochrane Collaboration, the independent, global healthcare research network and The BMJ. Evidence from treatment trials confirms increased risk of suffering from nausea and vomiting. And when Tamiflu was used in prevention trials there was an increased risk of headaches, psychiatric disturbances, and renal events. Although when used as a preventative treatment, the drug can reduce the risk of people suffering symptomatic influenza, it is unproven that it can stop people carrying the influenza virus and spreading it to others.
China 2014 bird flu toll rises to nearly 100
Almost 100 people in China died from the H7N9 bird flu strain in the first three months of the year, but the number of both fatalities and infections declined in March, government figures showed.
Taking the sting out of insect-sting allergies
(Medical Xpress)—Certain people with a history of systemic allergic reactions to insect stings are likely to benefit from immunotherapy to prevent life-threatening anaphylaxis and should, at the very least, carry an epinephrine auto-injector, says renowned allergy expert, Wesley Burks, MD, of the University of North Carolina.
Study finds prostate cancer tests underestimate disease in half of cases
A study published in the British Journal of Cancer suggests that tests to grade and stage prostate cancer underestimated the severity of the disease in half of men whose cancers had been classified as 'slow growing'.
3Qs: A new path to curing chronic Lyme disease
Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projected the number of undiagnosed cases of Lyme disease to be 10-fold higher than previously believed. Of the newly identified 300,000 people infected each year, between 30,000 and 60,000 fall into the category of having chronic Lyme, where symptoms persist despite zero evidence that the pathogen remains in their bodies.
Men, women in more satisfying relationships have lower testosterone
(Medical Xpress)—Many people assume that the more testosterone, the better, but a new University of Michigan study finds that might not always be the case in romantic relationships.
Signs of success in delaying onset of drug-resistant gonorrhoea in UK
Gonorrhoea threatens to become resistant to all of the antibiotics used to treat it. Today, Professor Cathy Ison will explain that campaigns in the UK to raise awareness of drug resistance among healthcare professionals, policy-makers and at risk groups have shown some success in delaying the onset of treatment failure
Accurate height and weight measurement necessary to reduce risk for pregnant women
(Medical Xpress)—A study by the University of Otago shows there are inaccuracies being made in the documented height and weight of pregnant women at the time of their 12-week scan, which could change clinical risk assessments for women.
NOX4 implicated in fibrosis
Genkyotex, a developer of selective NOX enzyme inhibitors, announced today the publication of data showing that GKT137831, a first in class NOX1 and 4 inhibitor, was able to reverse lung fibrosis associated with aging in a new model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Collaborators led by Professor Victor Thannickal at the University of Alabama at Birmingham published the results in the April 9, 2014 issue of Science Translational Medicine. Genkyotex is investigating GKT137831 in a Phase II trial in patients with diabetic nephropathy, another progressive fibrotic disease.
How nerve cells flexibly adapt to acoustic signals
In order to process acoustic information with high temporal fidelity, nerve cells may flexibly adapt their mode of operation according to the situation. At low input frequencies, they generate most outgoing action potentials close to the cell body. Following inhibitory or high frequency excitatory signals, the cells produce many action potentials more distantly. This way, they are highly sensitive to the different types of input signals. These findings have been obtained by a research team headed by Professor Christian Leibold, Professor Benedikt Grothe, and Dr. Felix Felmy from the LMU Munich and the Bernstein Center and the Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology in Munich, who used computer models in their study. The researchers report their results in the latest issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
Perceptual motion bias helps humans interpret vague motion information
When viewing a scene with low contrast, such as in cloudy or low-light situations, humans tend to perceive objects to be moving slower or flickering faster than in reality. This less-than-faithful interpretation of the sensory environment is known as perceptual bias and is thought to be a mechanism that can help humans interpret vague motion information. Brett Vintch and Justin Gardner from the Laboratory for Human Systems Neuroscience at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute have now shown that perceptual bias is encoded within the visual cortex—the region of the brain where visual stimuli first arrive and begin to be processed.
A phone call from a pharmacist can reduce some hospital admissions
Having a pharmacist call patients at home to go over their medications can identify many medication-based problems. However, a new study in Health Services Research found that pharmacist-patient telephone consultations only appear to reduce hospitalizations in patients who are least at risk.
Community demographics linked to hospital readmissions
Nearly 60 percent of the variation in hospital readmission rates appears to be associated with where the hospital is located rather than on the hospital's performance, finds a new study in Health Services Research.
Women with diabetes less likely to have a mammogram
Women with diabetes are 14 per cent less likely to be screened for breast cancer compared to women without diabetes, according to a study by researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) and Women's College Hospital.
To be an organ donor, specific attitudes trump general support, study finds
Most Americans say they support the idea of organ donation, yet fewer than half of eligible donors ever register, national polls show. That may be because supporting a good cause doesn't mean people will take action. However, people are more likely to sign up if they have positive attitudes specifically about registering as a donor, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
Guinean Ebola survivor tells of being 'reborn'
A woman struck down by the killer Ebola virus raging in Guinea has told of her joy at being "reborn" after pulling through against the odds.
After skin cancer, removable model replaces real ear
(HealthDay)—During his 10-year struggle with basal cell carcinoma, Henry Fiorentini emerged minus his right ear, and minus the hearing that goes with it. The good news: Today, the 56-year-old IT programmer and consultant from Chicago is now roughly five years cancer free. And he's also the proud owner of an incredibly lifelike silicone prosthetic replacement ear that imperceptibly attaches to his face by means of surgically implanted magnets.
Benefits / risks for fibrinolytic therapy in intermediate-risk PE
(HealthDay)—A single intravenous bolus of tenecteplase reduces early death and hemodynamic decompensation in normotensive patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism, but increases the risk of major hemorrhage and stroke, according to a study published in the April 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Parents feel limited in ability to prevent child obesity
(HealthDay)—Parents want to help their children avoid obesity but feel limited in their ability to take action, according to a study published online April 3 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preventing Chronic Disease.
Abuse not tied to pain severity in chronic pelvic pain
(HealthDay)—A history of adolescent or adult abuse is not associated with pain severity, but is linked to pain-related disability and depression in women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP), according to a study published in the April issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Blood glucose levels set for achieving HbA1c targets
(HealthDay)—The average self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) concentrations needed at premeal, postmeal, and bedtime have been established to achieve a range of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) targets, according to research published in the April issue of Diabetes Care.
Brain neuroinflammation seen in chronic fatigue syndrome
(HealthDay)—Neuroinflammation markers are elevated in the brains of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) patients compared to healthy controls, according to a study published online March 24 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Lassa virus on flight raises questions about spread of disease
John Nides and his wife had buckled up for the trip home from New York on March 31 when a passenger boarded Delta Flight 2921 who needed help from a flight attendant to navigate the walkway, according to Nides, and was garbling his words.
Researchers examine metabolism in defective cells
University of Alberta researchers are taking a closer look at how two metabolic pathways interact to increase the lifespan of cells with mitochondrial defects. Magnus Friis is the lead author of the study, which was published online on April 10 and will be published in the April 24 issue of Cell Reports.
3-D printing cancer cells to mimic tumors
A group of researchers in China and the US have successfully created a 3D model of a cancerous tumour using a 3D printer.
Splice variants reveal connections among autism genes
A team of researchers from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Center for Cancer Systems Biology (CCSB) at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has uncovered a new aspect of autism, revealing that proteins involved in autism interact with many more partners than previously known. These interactions had not been detected earlier because they involve alternatively spliced forms of autism genes found in the brain.
Cancer protein moves between various membranes within the cell
The cancer protein KRas is a factor in the development of several types of cancer. Mutated KRas, for example, can be found in a large number of all tumour cells in patients with pancreatic cancer. It sits on the inner leaflet of the cell membrane and relays signals into the cell's interior. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund have now discovered why KRas is almost exclusively found at the cell membrane when observed under the microscope. Apparently, the protein is not specifically sent to the cell membrane after it is formed, but is also located on other membrane systems within the cell for its entire life span. In order for it to be transported by special transport vesicles from the vicinity of the cell nucleus to the cell membrane, the solubilising factor PDEδ and its antagonist Arl2 must be active. Without the two of them, KRas would spread to cell membranes. The researchers can use their results to better understand how deltarasi! n works, which is a potential anti-cancer drug that they have developed.
Brain cell discovery could open doors to targeted cancer therapies
Fresh insights into the processes that control brain cell production could pave the way for treatments for brain cancer and other brain-related disorders.
Protein researches closing in on the mystery of schizophrenia
(Medical Xpress)—Schizophrenia is a severe disease for which there is still no effective medical treatment. In an attempt to understand exactly what happens in the brain of a schizophrenic person, researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have analyzed proteins in the brains of rats that have been given hallucinogenic drugs. This may pave the way for new and better medicines.
Biology news
Den conditions reveal status of polar bears as they face decreasing ice
Every autumn, in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, polar bears build dens to give birth and nurse their young through the first days of life. Knowing how many cubs are born – and where their dens are located – is critical to understanding the status of the bears as they face a future of rapidly decreasing ice.
Researcher looks to save an endangered duck habitat
Ever try to slap a mini-backpack on a mallard duck? Hang out with Matt Palumbo long enough and you'll find out how.
Shark fin imports to world's biggest market drop by third
The volume of shark fin products imported into the city of Hong Kong in 2013 dropped by 34.7 percent, according to government data analysed by WWF. Statistics show that there was also a significant decline in the number of shark fins re-exported from Hong Kong to other locations.
The bicoloured shrew is a health risk for horses
The bicoloured shrew is a protected species in Central Europe, but these furry insect-eaters have a dark secret. Researchers from the Vetmeduni Vienna have discovered that bicoloured shrews carry the Borna virus. Infection with this virus causes fatal encephalitis in horses. The mechanisms of transmission had until now been unclear, but we now know more about one route - from bicoloured shrews to hosts. The study was published recently in the journal PLOS ONE.
Scientists create new app to track papaya virus and GE papaya
Drs. Scot Nelson and Richard Manshardt, scientists with the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, have created a new citizen science app for iOS and Android users that tracks what they believe to be the declining incidence of papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) in the Honolulu area—as well as a possible increase in the incidence of PRSV-resistant genetically engineered (GE) papayas.
As antibiotics ban nears, organic orchards have new tools to fight fire blight
Oregon State University researchers have proven the effectiveness of two organic alternatives for controlling a disease that can wipe out entire apple and pear orchards.
Bird lovers take part in sixth annual Great Cocky Count
Last Sunday, across WA from Esperance to Geraldton, hundreds of volunteers took to select locations just before sunset to take part in what's known as the Great Cocky Count.
'Cherry tree from space' mystery baffles Japan
A cosmic mystery is uniting monks and scientists in Japan after a cherry tree grown from a seed that orbited the Earth for eight months bloomed years earlier than expected—and with very surprising flowers.
Breakthrough DNA study could slow big cat extinction
New research comparing genes from living lions with ancient lion remains could help scientists boost dwindling populations.
Mercury contamination threatens Antarctic birds
Mercury contamination in the Antarctic and Subantarctic affects bird populations, reveal researchers from the Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé and from the 'Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés' Laboratory (CNRS / Université de La Rochelle). The scientists monitored skuas in Adélie Land and the Kerguelen Islands for ten years and showed that, when these seabirds exhibit high mercury levels in their blood, their breeding success decreases. This is the first time that toxicological measurements have been combined with a population study carried out over such a long period in the Antarctic and Subantarctic. The results, published in the journal Ecology in April 2014, show that pollutants that accumulate at the Poles can indeed cause a decline in bird populations.
Tiny male spiders can get a leg over—as long as they're picky
Males will mate with anything. Well, that is the general view, one that exists because of a simple biological underpinning: females are reproductively limited by costly gestation, while males are only limited by their number of partners.
Scientists grow longer-lasting salad greens
Researchers at the University of Southampton have helped to produce salads with a longer shelf-life.
Researchers find steep decline in invasive crab population
Delaware's native mud crabs were on the verge of being completely edged out by invasive Asian shore crabs 10 years ago. Today, new research shows that the tables have unexpectedly turned.
Genetically identical ants help unlock the secrets of larval fate
(Phys.org) —A young animal's genes are not the only genes that determine its fate. The genetic identity of its caretakers matters too. Researchers suspect the interaction between the two can sway the fate of the young animal, but this complex dynamic is difficult to pin down in lab experiments.
Graduate student brings extinct plants to life
Jeff Benca is an admitted über-geek when it comes to prehistoric plants, so it was no surprise that, when he submitted a paper describing a new species of long-extinct lycopod for publication, he ditched the standard line drawing and insisted on a detailed and beautifully rendered color reconstruction of the plant. This piece earned the cover of March's centennial issue of the American Journal of Botany.
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