Science X Newsletter Monday, Sep 1

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 1, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Best of Last Week – Superabsorption theoretically demonstrated, sailing stones mystery solved and origin of anger face
- Memory reformat planned for Opportunity Mars rover
- Ride-sharing could cut cabs' road time by 30 percent
- Engineers develop new sensor to detect tiny individual nanoparticles
- Study claims cave art made by Neanderthals
- Coral organisms use minuscule appendages to control their environment, stirring up water eddies to bring nutrients
- Why plants in the office make us more productive
- Characterizing strontium ruthenate crystals for electrochemical applications
- Sulfur fluoride exchange—a powerful new reaction for click chemistry
- Magnetar discovered close to supernova remnant Kesteven 79
- Carcinogenic role of a protein in liver decoded
- DNA may have had humble beginnings as nutrient carrier
- Apparent massive hack attack reveals stars' nude pictures
- PIN customers can avoid heat of thief's phone attachment
- Faster, cheaper tests for sickle cell disease

Astronomy & Space news

	Memory reformat planned for Opportunity Mars rover (Phys.org) —An increasing frequency of computer resets on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has prompted the rover team to make plans to reformat the rover's flash memory.
	Image: Hubble looks at light and dark in the universe (Phys.org) —This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a variety of intriguing cosmic phenomena.
	NASA probes studying Earth's radiation belts to celebrate two year anniversary (Phys.org) —NASA's twin Van Allen Probes will celebrate on Saturday two years of studying the sun's influence on our planet and near-Earth space. The probes, shortly after launch in August 2012, discovered a third radiation belt around Earth when only two had previously been detected.
	Sparks fly as NASA pushes the limits of 3-D printing technology (Phys.org) —NASA has successfully tested the most complex rocket engine parts ever designed by the agency and printed with additive manufacturing, or 3-D printing, on a test stand at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
	Magnetar discovered close to supernova remnant Kesteven 79 (Phys.org) —Massive stars end their lives with a bang, exploding as supernovas and releasing massive amounts of energy and matter. What remains of the star is a small and extremely dense remnant: a neutron star or a black hole.
	Hoisting a telescope with helium Many a child has forgotten to hold tight to the string of a helium balloon only to have it escape and rise until it disappeared in the glare of the sun. Helium balloons want to rise, but launching a balloon big enough to hold a 747 jetliner with room to spare at the nose and tail and both wingtips isn't as easy as just letting it go.
	Leading expert on search for intelligent extra-terrestrial life optimistic The Conversation organised a public question-and-answer session on Reddit in which Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the SETI Institute, explained why searching for intelligent life is so important and why we may soon find it.
	Caterpillar comet poses for pictures en route to Mars Now that's pure gorgeous. As Comet C/2013 A1 Siding Spring sidles towards its October 19th encounter with Mars, it's passing a trio of sumptuous deep sky objects near the south celestial pole this week. Astrophotographers weren't going to let the comet's picturesque alignments pass without notice. Rolando Ligustri captured this remarkable view using a remote, computer-controlled telescope on August 29th. It shows the rich assemblage of stars and star clusters that comprise the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies located 200,000 light years away.
	Chilly end for sex geckos sent into space by Russia Five geckos sent into orbit to test the effect of weightlessness on the small lizards' sex lives have all died, the Russian space agency said on Monday.
Intense exercise during long space flights can help astronauts protect aerobic capacity Most people don't think much about their aerobic capacity while at work. But for astronauts carrying out missions on the International Space Station (ISS), maintaining their cardiovascular stamina during long space flights is part of the job. They must be prepared to perform physically demanding tasks or emergency maneuvers at any time during flights that can last between three and six months in a weightless environment.

Technology news

	Ride-sharing could cut cabs' road time by 30 percent Cellphone apps that find users car rides in real time are exploding in popularity: The car-service company Uber was recently valued at $18 billion, and even as it faces legal wrangles, a number of companies that provide similar services with licensed taxi cabs have sprung up.
	Japan firm showcases 'touchable' 3D technology Technology that generates touchable 3D imagery was unveiled in Japan Monday, with its developers saying users could pull and push objects that are not really there.
	Apparent massive hack attack reveals stars' nude pictures Scandal rocked both Hollywood and the US tech industry Monday after an apparent hack of a cloud data service unleashed a torrent of intimate pictures of celebrities onto the Internet.
	PIN customers can avoid heat of thief's phone attachment Engineer Mark Rober has some words of advice in guarding the safety of your PIN. His advice comes in the form of a video where he demonstrates that a thief can steal a PIN by using a thermal imaging attachment clipped to a smartphone. The good news is that the theft can be easily avoided. Anyone can protect the PIN from such ploys. As easy as it may seem to steal the data, it is just as easy to stop such attempts from succeeding. Rober invites his video viewers to watch him as he steps into a store and uses the technique. The customer in front of him in line keys in her PIN on the counter pad. As soon as he walks up to the register after the customer has left, his phone briefly hovers over the keypad. He used the device FLIR ONE for infrared thermal imaging, where you "see" the heat. With FLIR ONE, thermal imaging has found its way into the palm of the hand, and clips on the back of the iPhone to display infrared. Using it, one c! an see "the temperature" of things. Since the heat signature fades with time, the thief has the opportunity to estimate the order in which the keys were pressed. Pressed last were the hotter keys and pressed first were the dimmer keys.
	EU urged to convert TV frequencies to mobile broadband The EU should convert a whole spectrum of television and radio frequencies for use by mobile broadband by around 2020 as smartphone use soars, a report said on Monday.
	Alibaba IPO comes with unusual structure Foreigners who want to buy Alibaba Group shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant's U.S. public offering will need to get comfortable with an unusual business structure.
Scientists get set for simulated nuclear inspection Some 40 scientists and technicians from around the world will descend on Jordan in November to take part in a simulated on-site inspection of a suspected nuclear test site on the banks of the Dead Sea.
	Japan says electronics OK during take-off and landing Japan on Monday relaxed a ban on the use of electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets in flight, following similar moves by the United States and the European Union.
	Sony founder nephew starts as head of PlayStation unit The nephew of a Sony founder on Monday started as head of a regional gaming unit, after the Japanese electronics giant sailed past the 10 million mark in sales of its PlayStation 4.
	Sony wooing Japanese to PS4 with Dragon Quest Sony is trying to woo Japanese game fans to the PlayStation 4 home console that went on sale in November in the U.S. and Europe, but didn't arrive at stores here until February.
	Storing solar energy A research project conducted by Leclanché S.A., the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Romande Energie and with the financial support of the Canton of Vaud could bring a real added value in the development of renewable energies.
	On the way to a safe and secure smart home A growing number of household operations can be managed via the Internet. Today's "Smart Home" promises efficient building management. But often the systems are not secure and can only be retrofitted at great expense. Scientists are working on a software product that defends against hacker attacks before they reach the building.
Start-up brings new designs and materials to North America's oldest team sport Minnesota-based upstart Epoch Lacrosse is making a splash in the lacrosse equipment market with a brand that embraces technology. The company is utilizing new designs and new materials to compete with established brands in one of North America's oldest and fastest-growing team sports.
Job listing service ZipRecruiter raises $63 million ZipRecruiter, a California start-up that tries to simplify tasks for recruiters, has raised $63 million in initial venture capital funding as the 4-year-old service races to keep up with growing demand.
Wage gap grows between support staff at tech campuses and high-tech employees Amid the affluence of Silicon Valley's highly paid technology employees, an "invisible workforce" of low-paid support staff at the region's tech companies has emerged, making one-fifth the wages of the digital workers, according to a report released Tuesday.
Jumping into streaming TV More TV viewers are picking up so-called streaming media boxes in the hope of fulfilling a simple wish: Let me watch what I want when I want.
	Fukushima accepts 'temporary' radioactive waste storage The governor of disaster-struck Fukushima agreed Monday to accept the "temporary" storage of nuclear waste from the Japanese accident, paving the way for an end to a years-long standoff.
	Protecting privacy also means preserving democracy What impact does the proliferation of new mobile technologies have? How does the sharing of personal data over the Internet threaten our society? Interview with Professor Jean-Pierre Hubaux, a specialist in communication networks and privacy protection, a major field of IT security.
	Radar networks, innovation against occupational hazard Researchers at UPM have developed an alarm system for construction vehicles with a low-cost radar network that can prevent collisions and improve safety in work environments.
	Fingerprints for freight items Security is a top priority in air freight logistics but screening procedures can be very time consuming and costly. Fraunhofer researchers intend to boost efficiency with a new approach to digital logistics, without sacrificing the security of air freight operations.
	Greater safety and security at Europe's train stations When a suspicious individual fleas on a bus or by train, then things usually get tough for the police. This is because the security systems of the various transportation companies and security services are typically incompatible. The EU project, Secur-ED, aims at creating remedies and establishing better collaboration within the same city.

Medicine & Health news

	Sugar substance 'kills' good HDL cholesterol, new study finds Scientists at the University of Warwick have discovered that 'good' cholesterol is turned 'bad' by a sugar-derived substance.
	Researchers try to make sure herpes does not find a home The immune system is great at making sure infections such as the herpes virus do not repeatedly infect a person, a condition known as a superinfection. Yet how the immune system combats superinfection is not well understood.
	Researchers find evidence of a link between high fat diets, gut bacteria, and bowel cancer (Medical Xpress)—A large team of researchers, with members primarily from Germany, has found evidence that implicates high fat diets as a cause of bowel cancer due to a link with gut bacteria. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes the results of research they conducted using mice that have a gene associated with the onset of bowel cancer.
	Neurons in human skin perform advanced calculations Neurons in human skin perform advanced calculations, previously believed that only the brain could perform. This is according to a study from Umeå University in Sweden published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
	A nucleotide change could initiate fragile X syndrome Researchers reveal how the alteration of a single nucleotide—the basic building block of DNA—could initiate fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited form of intellectual disability. The study appears in The Journal of Cell Biology.
	Carcinogenic role of a protein in liver decoded The human protein EGFR controls cell growth. It has mutated in case of many cancer cells or exists in excessive numbers. For this reason it serves as a point of attack for target-oriented therapies. A study group at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Medical University of Vienna and AKH Vienna under the guidance of Maria Sibilia from the Institute for Cancer Research has now discovered that the risk of this protein does not - as previously assumed - depend on its presence within the tumour cell, but rather from its activity in the cells adjacent to the tumour. EGFR can play a major role in stimulating the tumour in the macrophages (immune cells) of the liver during the formation of the dangerous liver carcinoma.
Invisible blood in urine may indicate bladder cancer New research which finds that invisible blood in urine may be an early warning sign of bladder cancer is likely to shape guidelines for clinicians.
	New tuberculosis blood test in children is reliable and highly specific A new blood test provides a fast and accurate tool to diagnose tuberculosis in children, a new proof-of-concept study shows. The newly developed test (TAM-TB assay) is the first reliable immunodiagnostic assay to detect active tuberculosis in children. The test features excellent specificity, a similar sensitivity as culture tests in combination with speed of a blood test. The promising findings are a major advance for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in children, particularly in tuberculosis-endemic regions.
Doctor revalidation needs to address seven key issues for success, claims report New research launched today, September 1, 2014, has concluded that there are seven key issues that need to be addressed to ensure the future success of doctor revalidation, the most profound revision in medical regulation since the Medical Act of 1858.
19 new dengue cases in Japan, linked to Tokyo park Japan is urging local authorities to be on the lookout for further outbreaks of dengue fever, after confirming another 19 cases that were contracted at a popular local park in downtown Tokyo.
Novartis Japan admits concealing drug side effects The Japanese unit of Swiss pharma giant Novartis has admitted it did not report more than 2,500 cases of serious side effects in patients using its leukaemia and other cancer drugs, reportedly including some fatalities.
	New technique could benefit Alzheimer's diagnosis Swinburne researchers have developed a technique to create a highly sensitive surface for measuring the concentration of a peptide that is a biomarker for early stage Alzheimer's disease.
	Understanding and improving the body's fight against pathogens Scientists from A*STAR's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) have uncovered the crucial role of two signalling molecules, DOK3 and SHP1, in the development and production of plasma cells. These discoveries, published in two prestigious journals PNAS and Nature Communications, advance the understanding of plasma cells and the antibody response, and may lead to optimisation of vaccine development and improved treatment for patients with autoimmune diseases such as lupus and tumours such as multiple myeloma[1].
Students' lunches from home fall short School lunch is a hot topic. Parents, administrators and policymakers are squaring off on federal guidelines requiring schools to serve healthier, more affordable and ecologically sustainable meals. No matter how they pan out, these guidelines won't apply to a sizable portion of the classroom. More than 40 percent of kids bring their lunch on any given day, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service.
	Oral cancer rates higher among rural men Oral cancer in Western Australia is on the rise with trends showing a regional-urban divide, two recent studies contend.
	Global research reaches for consensus on HIV treatment response The body's natural reaction to infection is responsible for potentially fatal side-effects of antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV, according to research.
Biventricular pacing disappoints in BIOPACE trial  Biventricular (BiV) pacing failed to significantly improve outcome compared to right ventricular (RV) pacing in patients with atrio-ventricular block (AVB) according to preliminary results presented as a Hot Line at ESC Congress 2014.
Diagnostic technique allows avoidance of surgery in one fifth of heart attacks  A method for measuring coronary artery blockage in heart attack patients can help more than one fifth of them avoid stents or surgery, according to a British study presented at the ESC Congress 2014 today.
Report shows use of care plans in UK is rare with limited benefits The current use of written care plans and care planning in the management of patients with long-term conditions by GPs in the UK is rare, a new study shows.
Nitric oxide inhalation in heart attack patients sends mixed messages, but may offer benefit Inhaled nitric oxide, delivered to heart attack patients before and during treatment with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) did not reduce the extent of damaged tissue (infarct), but may have improved recovery, according to Hot Line results presented today at ESC Congress 2014.
	The Edwardians were also fans of brain training Brain-training programmes are all the rage. They are part of a growing digital brain-health industry that earned more than US$1 billion in revenue in 2012 and is estimated to reach US$6 billion by 2020. The extent to which they actually improve brain function remains hotly debated. But there is agreement that brain-training, as a commercial phenomenon, is relatively new. Cogmed was founded in 2001, Posit Science was incorporated in 2002, and Brain Age for the gaming device Nintendo DS was first released in 2005.
	Cerebral palsy may be hereditary Cerebral palsy is a neurological developmental disorder which follows an injury to the immature brain before, during or after birth. The resulting condition affects the child's ability to move and in some cases also causes mental retardation, epilepsy or impairmed vision and hearing. There are several sub-groups of CP and the degree of symptoms varies greatly from group to group and from person to person.
	Researchers develop technique to predict dangerous growth of abdominal aorta aneurysms Eindhoven University of Technology and Catharina Hospital Eindhoven will start a major research project this month to develop techniques to predict the growth of abdominal aneurysms – large dilations of the abdominal aorta. Ruptured abdominal aneurysms are often fatal, which means patients need to be examined frequently. The new techniques will help characterize the state of the aorta. This will reduce the required frequency of examinations, which in turn will save cost. And they should also help to reduce the number of patients who suffer ruptures of the aorta in between checks.
	New diagnosis technique to counter rapid rise in knee replacements A new study from researchers at the University has identified a more accurate computerised method that will improve the success of knee replacements, and prevent costly, often unnecessary revisions to existing surgical implants.
	Children's cancer death rates drop by more than 20 per cent in 10 years The rate of children dying from cancer has dropped by 22 per cent in the last decade, according to new figures published by Cancer Research UK at the start of Children's Cancer Awareness Month.
	Caffeine helps cancer survivors reach exercise goals Caffeine may improve exercise capacity and reduce fatigue in cancer survivors, a University of Queensland study has found.
	Preterm or small birth tied to long-term risks to heart, brain (HealthDay)—Babies born early or at low birth weight are at risk later in life of having smaller, less efficient brains or health problems that increase their risk for heart disease, according to a pair of new studies.
	Outdoor enthusiasts need a lightning plan (HealthDay)—Those partaking in outdoor sports and activities need to be aware of the threat posed by lightning and take appropriate safety measures, experts say.
	Surgery for spinal metastasis up from 2000 to 2009 in US (HealthDay)—From 2000 to 2009 there was an increase in surgical treatment for spinal metastasis in the United States, which was accompanied by increased complication rates and costs, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
	Report highlights progress, challenges in health IT (HealthDay)—Progress has been made toward widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), although there are still barriers to adoption of advanced use of EHRs, according to a report published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
	Factors ID'd for late hospice admission for cancer patients (HealthDay)—For patients with cancer, factors associated with late admission to hospice have been identified, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Training your brain to prefer healthy foods It may be possible to train the brain to prefer healthy low-calorie foods over unhealthy higher-calorie foods, according to new research by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University and at Massachusetts General Hospital. Published online today in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes, a brain scan study in adult men and women suggests that it is possible to reverse the addictive power of unhealthy food while also increasing preference for healthy foods.
	Fruit consumption cuts CVD risk by up to 40 percent Daily fruit consumption cuts the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by up to 40%, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Huaidong Du from Oxford, UK. The findings from the seven year follow-up study of nearly 0.5 million people in the China Kadoorie Biobank found that the more fruit people ate, the more their risk of CVD declined.
	Quality of US diet shows modest improvement, but overall remains poor Dietary quality in the U.S. has improved steadily in recent years—spurred in large part by reduced trans fat intake—but overall dietary quality remains poor and disparities continue to widen among socioeconomic and racial/ethnic groups, according to a new study from Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).
Family dinners reduce effects of cyberbullying in adolescents Sharing regular family meals with children may help protect them from the effects of cyberbullying, according to a study by McGill professor Frank Elgar, Institute for Health and Social Policy. Because family meal times represent social support and exchanges in the home that benefit adolescents' well-being, Elgar suggests that this family contact and communication can also reduce some of the distressing effects of cyberbullying.
	Snacking while watching action movies leads to overeating Is television making us fat? An increasing amount of research shows an association between TV viewing and higher food consumption and a more sedentary lifestyle. Now, a new Cornell University study points out that not all TV is alike. Some TV programs might lead people to eat twice as much as other programs! "We find that if you're watching an action movie while snacking your mouth will see more action too!" says Aner Tal, Ph.D. lead author on the new article just published in the JAMA Internal Medicine. "In other words, the more distracting the program is the more you will eat."
	Location of body fat can increase hypertension risk People with fat around their abdominal area are at greater risk of developing hypertension when compared to those with similar body mass index but fat concentrations elsewhere on the body, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Gamers helping in Ebola research Months before the recent Ebola outbreak erupted in Western Africa, killing more than a thousand people, scientists at the University of Washington's Institute for Protein Design were looking for a way to stop the deadly virus.
Can stem cells help mobility after stroke? When Bruce Daily woke up after having lumbar surgery a year ago, he realized he couldn't move the right side of his body.
	Police seize millions in huge fake Viagra swoop Police in several European countries on Monday arrested 12 people and seized millions of euros in assets in a swoop on counterfeit Viagra dealers, authorities said.
US judge blocks enforcement of new abortion law A federal judge has temporarily blocked Louisiana from enforcing its restrictive new abortion law. But lawyers and advocates appeared to disagree about whether the judge's order affects doctors at all five abortion clinics in the state or only those at three clinics whose lawsuit challenges the measure.
Suspected Ebola patient tests negative in Sweden (Update) A man suspected of being infected with the deadly Ebola virus ravaging several African countries tested negative in Sweden on Monday, local health officials said.
Investigational agent outshines ezetimibe for lowering cholesterol The investigational drug alirocumab significantly improved cholesterol levels compared to ezetimibe, when added to regular statin therapy in patients with high cholesterol and elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to the ODYSSEY COMBO II trial, presented as a Hot Line today at ESC Congress 2014.
Statin standoff: Does rosuvastatin tip the balance in diabetic patients? When it comes to cholesterol-lowering statin medications for patients with type 2 diabetes, rosuvastatin may be a better choice than atorvastatin, according to the findings of a new study presented today at ESC Congress 2014.
	Infectious disease experts weigh in on the creation of a human vaccine to protect against Ebola In the past year, the largest and deadliest outbreak of the Ebola virus has spread through West Africa—now with confirmed cases in five countries—and more than half of those who have contracted the virus have perished from it. These frightening statistics have put the development of a vaccine on a fast track, and the National Institutes of Health have announced that trials of one vaccine candidate will begin in September.
Experimental coronary stent combines ultrathin structure with biodegradable material  A new generation of coronary artery stent that combines a biodegradable component with an ultrathin scaffold showed promising results compared with the current gold standard, in a large population of coronary artery disease patients, according to a new study.
ANTHEM-HF study shows significant improvement in cardiac function with left or right vagus nerve stimulation  Regulation of the autonomic nervous system with a device that delivers continuous, low-amplitude stimulation to the vagus nerve can significantly improve cardiac function and symptoms in patients with chronic heart failure, regardless of whether the device is implanted on the left or right vagus nerve, according to preliminary results presented today at ESC Congress 2014.
Study finds alternative lead position is safe in cardiac resynchronisation therapy  In heart failure patients undergoing cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT), right ventricular (RV) lead placement in the mid-septum as compared to the conventional apical position results in similar outcomes, according to the SEPTAL-CRT study.
ICD home monitoring cost compares, but reimbursement lags  Roughly a decade since the start of telemonitoring capabilities in implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs), the first financial assessment of the impact of home monitored follow-up estimates the cost to physicians, hospitals and insurance providers is the same as traditional in-office monitoring, according to a new study.
Complete revascularisation improves outcome in heart attack patients In patients being treated for heart attack, complete revascularisation of all significantly blocked arteries leads to better outcomes compared to a strategy of unblocking just the "culprit" artery responsible for the heart attack, according to a new study presented today at ESC Congress 2014.
Ambulance administration of anti-clot drug may benefit heart attack patients Ambulance administration of the antiplatelet medication ticagrelor to patients with a type of heart attack known as ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is not better than hospital administration, in terms of improving blood flow in blocked arteries before a revascularisation procedure, according to a new study presented at ESC Congress 2014 today.
New village toilets a small step for poor Indian women Decorated with marigolds and ribbons, 108 toilets unveiled in a tragedy-hit village are a small step in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to end open-air defecation for impoverished Indian women.
	Nutritional research helps improve care home menus Nutritional expertise at Northumbria University, Newcastle has helped enhance the menus of a prestigious care provider.
Permanent AF doubles risk of stroke compared to paroxysmal AF Permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) doubles the risk of stroke compared to paroxysmal AF, according to research in more than 6 000 patients presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Thomas Vanassche from Belgium. The findings suggest that a simple clinical assessment of the type of AF can help doctors to better estimate stroke risk.
	Senegal monitors contacts of 1st Ebola patient Senegalese authorities on Monday were monitoring everyone who was in contact with a student infected with Ebola who crossed into the country, and who has lost three family members to the disease.

Biology news

	New findings on beetle flight may help control deadly walnut tree disease (Phys.org) —New research from entomologists affiliated with the University of California, Davis, shows how environmental conditions influence the seasonal flight behavior of the walnut twig beetle, which spreads a deadly fungal disease in black walnut and other walnut trees. The research may lead to better control of the disease, now found throughout much of the United States.
	Going to extremes for enzymes In the age-old nature versus nurture debate, Douglas Clark, a faculty scientist with Berkeley Lab and the University of California (UC) Berkeley, is not taking sides. In the search for enzymes that can break lignocellulose down into biofuel sugars under the extreme conditions of a refinery, he has prospected for extremophilic microbes and engineered his own cellulases.
	Scientists sequence complete genome of E. coli strain responsible for food poisoning (Phys.org) —Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have produced the first complete genome sequencing of a strain of E. coli that is a common cause of outbreaks of food poisoning in the United States. Although the E. coli strain EDL933 was first isolated in the 1980s, it gained national attention in 1993 when it was linked to an outbreak of food poisoning from Jack-in-the-Box restaurants in the western United States.
	Zooming in for a safe flight: Study investigates spatial orientation in bats Bats emit ultrasound pulses and measure the echoes reflected from their surroundings. They have an extremely flexible internal navigation system that enables them to do this. A study published in Nature Communications shows that when a bat flies close to an object, the number of active neurons in the part of a bat's brain responsible for processing acoustic information about spatial positioning increases. This information helps bats to react quickly and avoid obstacles.
Scientists call for investigation of mysterious cloud-like collections in cells About 50 years ago, electron microscopy revealed the presence of tiny blob-like structures that form inside cells, move around and disappear. But scientists still don't know what they do—even though these shifting cloud-like collections of proteins are believed to be crucial to the life of a cell, and therefore could offer a new approach to disease treatment.
	DNA may have had humble beginnings as nutrient carrier New research intriguingly suggests that DNA, the genetic information carrier for humans and other complex life, might have had a rather humbler origin. In some microbes, a study shows, DNA pulls double duty as a storage site for phosphate. This all-important biomolecule contains phosphorus, a sometimes hard-to-get nutrient.
	Biologist studies where and how animals cross busy Highway 67 Riding in the backseat of an SDSU-owned Jeep on Highway 67, just a little northeast of Poway, I point to a large bird perched on a wire.
	Northern Kimberley sub-region reveals unexpected species "New" populations of endangered northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) and threatened golden-backed tree rats (Mesembriomys macrurus) have been found on the offshore Kimberley island Buckle Head.
	No-take marine reserves a no-win for seahorses A UTS study on how seahorses are faring in no-take marine protected areas (MPAs) in NSW has revealed that where finishing is prohibited, seahorses aren't doing as well.
	Central biobank for drug research For the development of new drugs it is crucial to work with stem cells, as these allow scientists to study the effects of new active pharmaceutical ingredients. But it has always been difficult to derive enough stem cells of the right quality and in the right timeframe. A central biobank is about to remedy the situation.
	Dolphin hunting season kicks off in Japan The controversial six-month dolphin hunting season began on Monday in the infamous town of Taiji, but bad weather would delay any killing, a local official told AFP.
Mobile technologies accelerate citizen science Citizen science is booming in Australia, revealing previously unknown features of the continent and saving governments a ton of money.
	Week-long meeting on naming algae, fungi, and plants recorded for posterity The week-long discussions and decisions of the Nomenclature Section of the XVIII International Botanical Congress took place in Melbourne, Australia in July 2011. This meeting is held every six years and it is where the world's premier experts on the rules for naming algae, fungi and plants get together to debate and update the rule book for naming the organisms they study. This is the primary product of the meeting, the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, which was published in 2012. The other important product is the official report for the historical record, which has just been published as an open-access forum paper in PhytoKeys.
Scottish zoo: 'Bad news' for pregnant giant panda A Scottish zoo has sounded warnings that a female giant panda may have lost her cub.

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