Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jan 22

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 22, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Reversible solid-to-liquid phase transition offers new way to synthesize crystals
- Peering into cosmic magnetic fields
- Black hole on a diet creates a 'changing look' quasar
- Exotic, giantic molecules fit inside each other like Russian nesting dolls
- New research re-creates planet formation, super-earths and giant planets in the laboratory
- Study suggests that belief is as important as biochemistry in addiction
- Rosetta data give closest-ever look at a comet
- New analysis explains collagen's force
- Doubt cast on global firestorm generated by dino-killing asteroid
- Scientists set quantum speed limit
- First major analysis of Human Protein Atlas published in Science
- Trust your gut: E. coli may hold one of the keys to treating Parkinson's
- Study uncovers secrets of a clump-dissolving protein
- Immune system promotes digestive health by fostering community of 'good' bacteria
- Estrogen-producing neurons influence aggression in both sexes

Astronomy & Space news

	Black hole on a diet creates a 'changing look' quasar Yale University astronomers have identified the first "changing look" quasar, a gleaming object in deep space that appears to have its own dimmer switch.
	Rosetta data give closest-ever look at a comet On Nov. 12, 2014, the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission made history when its Philae lander touched down on the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. While this exciting technical achievement gained lots of headlines, it was only the beginning for researchers back on Earth who are receiving and analyzing comet data. The latest chapter in the story provides the closest and most detailed look at a comet that scientists have ever seen. The results—including four papers co-authored by University of Maryland scientists—appear in a special issue of the journal Science, published on Jan. 23, 2015.
	Telescope to seek dust where other Earths may lie The NASA-funded Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer, or LBTI, has completed its first study of dust in the "habitable zone" around a star, opening a new door to finding planets like Earth. Dust is a natural byproduct of the planet-formation process, but too much of it can block our view of planets.
	The cosmic chemistry that gave rise to water Earth's water has a mysterious past stretching back to the primordial clouds of gas that birthed the Sun and other stars. By using telescopes and computer simulations to study such star nurseries, researchers can better understand the cosmic chemistry that has influenced the distribution of water in star systems across the Universe.
	A first peek beneath the surface of a comet In some of the first research findings to be published from the European Space Agency's Rosetta Mission to the comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, scientists including astronomer Peter Schloerb of the University of Massachusetts Amherst report early measurements of the comet's subsurface temperature and production of gas from the surface of its nucleus.
	Rosetta data reveals more surprises about comet 67P As the Rosetta spacecraft orbits comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, an international team of scientists have discovered that the comet's atmosphere, or coma, is much less homogenous than expected and comet outgassing varies significantly over time, as reported in a paper published in the Jan. 23, 2015, issue of Science.
	NASA, Microsoft collaboration will allow scientists to 'work on Mars' NASA and Microsoft have teamed up to develop software called OnSight, a new technology that will enable scientists to work virtually on Mars using wearable technology called Microsoft HoloLens.
	Image: ESA's Optical Ground Station laser tags ISS The future of space communications was illuminated by this test, as a laser beam was shone from ESA's Optical Ground Station in Tenerife to the International Space Station in orbit.
	SPIDER experiment touches down in Antarctica After spending 16 days suspended from a giant helium balloon floating 115,000 feet above Antarctica, a scientific instrument dubbed SPIDER has landed in a remote region of the frozen continent. Conceived of and built by an international team of scientists, the instrument launched from McMurdo Station on New Year's Day. Caltech and JPL designed, fabricated, and tested the six refracting telescopes the instrument uses to map the thermal afterglow of the Big Bang, the cosmic microwave background (CMB). SPIDER's goal: to search the CMB for the signal of inflation, an explosive event that blew our observable universe up from a volume smaller than a single atom in the first fraction of an instant after its birth.
	Rosetta gets a peek at Comet 67P's "underside" A particularly dramatic view of comet 67P/C-G due to the angle of solar illumination, this is a mosaic made from four images acquired by Rosetta's NavCam on January 16, 2015, from a distance of 28.4 km (17.6 miles). The assembled image shows the larger "bottom" lobe of 67P, with a flat region called Imhotep along the left side and, on the lower right, the transition area stretching up to the comet's smaller "head" lobe. Outgassing jets can be seen as faint streaks at the upper right, and ejected dust grains show up as bright specks above its surface.
	If Earth falls, will interstellar space travel be our salvation? Some climatologists argue it may be too late to reverse climate change, and it's just a matter of time before the Earth becomes uninhabitable – if hundreds of years from now. The recent movie Interstellar raised the notion that we may one day have to escape a dying planet. As astrophysicists and avid science fiction fans, we naturally find the prospect of interstellar colonization intriguing and exciting. But is it practical, or even possible? Or is there a better solution?

Technology news

	Law enforcement personnel using see-through radar tech Radar that 'sees' through walls has raised privacy concerns, said the BBC on Tuesday. At least 50 US police forces are believed to be equipped with radar devices that can send signals through walls. The radar device, known as Range-R, is a radar motion detector. Range-R sends out radio waves that can detect the slightest movements, including breathing, from as much as 50 feet away. The story circulated widely among news sites this week, after Brad Heath, an investigative reporter at USA Today, wrote how the agencies had the radars enabling them to look through the walls to see if anyone was inside. Range-R was developed to assist US forces fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, said the BBC, later taken up by law enforcement agencies. USA Today said those agencies included the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service and began deploying the radar systems more than two years ago. L-3 CyTerra describes its Range-R as "a highly sensitive handhe! ld radar system designed to detect and measure the distance to moving and near-stationary personnel through walls constructed of common building materials."
	'Bike sense' research will tap drivers on the shoulder to prevent cycling accidents Jaguar Land Rover is developing a range of new technologies that would use colours, sounds and touch inside the car to alert drivers to potential hazards and prevent accidents involving bicycles and motorbikes.
Research aims to improve lithium-based batteries Research probing the complex science behind the formation of "dendrites" that cause lithium-ion batteries to fail could bring safer, longer-lasting batteries capable of being charged within minutes instead of hours.
	Privacy is dead, Davos hears Imagine a world where mosquito-sized robots fly around stealing samples of your DNA. Or where a department store knows from your buying habits that you're pregnant even before your family does.
	UK monitoring system sets out to catch illegal fishing As many as one in five fish are landed outside of national or international regulations. These high numbers are not due to stray boats but are the result of industrial-scale pirate operations. The value of this trade could exceed more than $20bn (17bn euros) a year, according to some estimates. New Scientist said up to 9000 kilograms of seafood is stolen from the ocean every second. A satellite watchroom in Harwell, Oxfordshire, UK, is on the lookout for illegal fishing.
	LG to launch curved G Flex 2 smartphone next week LG Electronics Inc. said it will start selling a new curved smartphone next week in its latest effort to bring the curve to a mass market.
	Reports: Google planning to sell wireless phone service Google is planning to sell wireless phone service directly to consumers using the networks of Sprint and T-Mobile, according to reports published Wednesday.
	Netflix eyes empire as Internet TV battle heats up Netflix is ramping up efforts to conquer the world with its streaming video service, even as competition is heating up in the growing market for Internet television.
Advocates pressure US Congress to let small drones fly Letting small drones fly for profit in US airspace would give a big lift to the development of unmanned aerial vehicles of all sizes, a Congressional committee heard Wednesday.
Apple buys British analytics company Semetric, gains music data tool Apple has purchased the startup Semetric, gaining music analytics and other valuable data gathered by the British company.
Nadella: Microsoft aspires to get consumers 'loving Windows' Microsoft upped its bid to capture the hearts and minds of technology consumers Wednesday with Windows 10, announcing everything from free upgrades for the majority of Windows users to support for nascent holographic display technology.
Review: New TV tech focuses on better picture It's taken them a while to get there, but TV makers now seem to think that the way to improve the boob tube - and sell more sets at higher prices - is by having it display a better-looking picture.
	Review: Samsung Galaxy Mega 2 brings big screen, smaller price I guess we're just getting used to seeing really big phones.
Google Glass, apps and interactive exhibits change the museum-going experience Looking at a painting no longer means simply looking at a painting.
Millennials use tech tools to jump into investing It's the Facebookification of financial investing. From social networking platforms that allow young investors to follow each other's stock-picking mojo, to websites for first-timers hungry for a piece of the Silicon Valley venture capital pie, to mobile apps that let 20-something hipsters find equally hip financial planners, the millennial generation is embracing new tech tools to put their newfound wealth to work.
	Fukushima executives to be spared charges over nuclear disaster Japanese prosecutors said Thursday that executives in charge of the Fukushima nuclear plant will not be charged, setting up a possible showdown with a citizens' panel that wants someone brought to book for the disaster.
	Researchers examine role of 'white hat' hackers in cyber warfare From the Heartbleed bug that infected many popular websites and services, to the Target security breach that compromised 40 million credit cards, malicious hackers have proved to be detrimental to companies' financial assets and reputations. To combat these malevolent attackers, or "black hats," a community of benign hackers, i.e., "white hats," has been making significant contributions to cybersecurity by detecting vulnerabilities in companies' software systems and websites and communicating their findings. Researchers at Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) are studying white hat behaviors and how the talents of the white hat community can be most effectively used.
	The power of social media in massive emergencies When a powerful earthquake devastated China's Sichuan province in 2008, the disaster was too catastrophic for authorities to stay on top of events as they unfolded.
Computer scientists improve the privacy of the Internet currency Bitcoin It is traded on special stock exchanges and is accepted not only by various online shops, but also by thousands of brick-and-mortar stores across the globe: the virtual currency Bitcoin. The users benefit from its advantages: Since it does not require a central bank, the transactions can be concluded more quickly and with reduced charges. Moreover, many Bitcoin users appreciate more anonymity while paying. Nevertheless, its popularity is also resulting in thefts with increasing frequency. Computer scientists in Saarbrücken have now presented an approach that enhances anonymity and can be applied without long waits.
	Research leads to better asphalt roads In cooperation with eleven road construction companies, the University of Twente is working on improving asphalt roads in the Netherlands. By using new technology during the asphalt paving process, the resulting road quality is 10 to 30 per cent higher. The improved life span of the road in turn naturally means less maintenance and, therefore, less nuisance. What's more, it becomes easier to plan road maintenance work, leading to decreased traffic congestion. The UT findings have by now been put to use during more than 50 asphalt paving projects in the Netherlands.
	If Obama is talking about securing the net, it should be on everyone else's lips too We have spent years promoting the need for change in our approach to internet infrastructure, forcing politicians to recognise it as a serious issue. So it's great to see Barack Obama tackling the issue in his State of the Union address.
	How Hawk-Eye ball tracking can improve tennis performance The evolution of professional tennis has always been linked to the changing technology of the day. For example, the decline of the wooden racket lead to the whole new power-based style of play we enjoy today.
	App improves the safety of blind pedestrians in cities Siemens is developing a system that helps blind and visually impaired people walk safely through cities. In cooperation with the Technical University of Braunschweig and several partners, Siemens is working on a comprehensive assistance system for visually impaired people. The system is the result of a research project titled InMoBS. Among other things, the solution relies on the data transmitted between the traffic infrastructure and blind people's mobile devices. Critical situations occur at intersections, for example. Although walk signals usually emit a beeping sound to inform visually impaired people, but they don't know how long the light is green or where exactly it is safe to walk. To provide such information, Siemens enabled smartphones for its car2x technology, which is used to transmit data between cars and traffic infrastructures.
	Intelligent algorithm finds available carsharing vehicles A new program will make it easier to combine different modes of transport. Siemens is developing a service for predicting the availability of carsharing vehicles at a given location at specific times. The forecasting tool will be incorporated into the integrated SiMobility Connect mobility platform, which links carsharing firms, public transport companies, taxis, and bike-rental services. Customers will then be able to use just one app to plan all segments of their trip and immediately see which combinations of transport modes are most advantageous at the moment or at a later time. The goal is to make the planning of inter-modal journeys (combinations of different forms of transport) more effective in order to combat growing traffic congestion in metropolitan areas. The new software also incorporates car-sharing users whose cars do not have a permanent parking space.
	Massive chip design savings to be realized IT researchers working at the University of Twente have developed a programming language making the massive costs associated with designing hardware more manageable. Chip manufacturers have been using the same chip design techniques for twenty years now. The current process calls for extensive testing after each design step - a massively expensive state of affairs. The newly developed, so-called functional programming language makes it possible to prove, in advance, that a design transformation is a hundred per cent error-free.
	Consumers favor home security over efficiency in smart home technology The message from the yearly CES consumer electronics extravaganza was clear: the list of gadgets that can be connected to the "internet of things" is growing rapidly. These smart-home technologies have the potential to save homeowners energy – but that may not be the primary feature attracting consumers.
	Engineers develop world's longest 'flat pack' arch bridge Civil Engineers at Queen's University Belfast in collaboration with pre-cast concrete specialists Macrete Ireland have developed the world's longest 'flat pack' arch bridge.
	Got Battery? Lots of low battery hacks but no quick fix At a cozy watering hole in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, bartender Kathy Conway counted four different phone chargers behind the bar. Call it the scourge of the red zone, call it battery anxiety. Smartphone users are tired of begging to charge devices behind bars or hunting for hidden electrical outlets in airports and train stations. Where, oh where, is a better battery?
	Artificial intelligence future wows Davos elite From the robot that washes your clothes to the robot that marks homework: the future world of artificial intelligence wowed the Davos elite Thursday, but the rosy picture came with a warning.
Denmark likely to ban ridesharing service Uber Two months after the ride-hailing app Uber was introduced in Denmark, the country's transport minister has said the service likely will be banned because it violates Danish law.
	Profitable phishing schemes slyly tinker with our heads, then rip us off In the first study of its kind, researchers at the University at Buffalo have found evidence that the incredible spread of email phishing scams may be due to phishers' increased use of "information-rich" emails that alter recipients' cognitive processes in a way that facilitates their victimization.
	California's policies can significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions through 2030 A new model of the impact of California's existing and proposed policies on its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals suggests that the state is on track to meet 2020 goals, and could achieve greater emission reductions by 2030, but the state will need to do more to reach its 2050 climate goals.
	Email scam nets $214 mn in 14 months: FBI An email scam which targets businesses with bogus invoices has netted more than $214 million from victims in 45 countries in just over one year, an FBI task force said Thursday.
	NTSB: Planes should have technologies so they can be found Responding to recent incidents in which airliners vanished, U.S. accident investigators recommended Thursday that all passenger planes making long flights over water carry improved technology that will allow them to be found more readily in the event of a crash.
	Twitter to update users 'while you were away' Twitter is updating its feeds to give users a recap of tweets missed while not connected to the messaging platform.
Gov't adds emergency brake features to safety device list The U.S. government's auto safety agency wants to add two automatic emergency braking devices to its list of recommended safety features for new-car buyers.
	Ford goes Silicon Valley with new research center Ford opened a new research center in Silicon Valley on Thursday, stepping up the company's efforts on connected vehicles, autonomous driving and ways to use big data.
Student digital privacy protections welcomed by parents, teachers When Courtney Lorentz's 6-year-old daughter brought home an iPad from school last fall, the Deerfield, Ill., mom wanted assurance that the thoughts, ideas and personal information her daughter typed into the device would not follow her for years to come - or be sold to marketing companies for a quick buck.
Shazam receives $30 million investment at $1 billion valuation Shazam has closed a $30 million round of funding that values the music app at more than $1 billion.
T-Mobile to offer new phone deals to people with bad credit T-Mobile says it will offer deals on new smartphones to customers with bad or no credit, regardless of how they pay, and charge no interest.
Journalist linked to Anonymous gets five years' prison A journalist also known as an informal spokesman for the hacker group Anonymous was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday in a case which rallied activists for press freedom, his supporters said.

Medicine & Health news

	Study suggests that belief is as important as biochemistry in addiction (Medical Xpress)—Are there more than biophysical factors at play in addiction? A new study by Xiaosi Gu and Terry Lohrenz from Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute in Roanoke shows that cognitive beliefs play a significant role in a person's neurological response to an addictive substance and that belief can diminish the neurological effects of an addictive drug. Their research is reported in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Cell's recycling team helps sound alarm on pathogens Just as households have garbage disposals and recycling bins for getting rid of everyday waste, the cell has its own system for cleaning up unnecessary or defunct components. This process, known as autophagy, is also an efficient method of eliminating unwanted visitors like viruses, bacteria, and parasites.
	Genes linked to brain size may help explain some neurological diseases In one of the largest research undertakings of its kind, a team of geneticists and neuroscientists has uncovered a number of genetic variations that influence the size of some key brain structures, including the hippocampus and the putamen. The result may advance understanding of such devastating neurodegenerative diseases as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's.
	Researchers discover genetic variants that alter brain development Researchers have identified five genetic variants that influence the size of structures within the brain, a discovery that could help determine the genetic processes that underlie neuropsychiatric diseases.
	Scientists find gene vital to central nervous system development Scientists have identified a gene that helps regulate how well nerves of the central nervous system are insulated, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report.
	From stem cell to nerve cell in a few weeks Many clinicians have pinned their hopes on stem cells. Stem cells could, for example, replace nerve cells after a stroke. However, until now it has not been possible to observe the process of live stem cells developing into fully functional nerve cells. Now, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne have developed a novel method for studying such processes in the living brain, enabling them to observe how human stem cells transplanted into the cerebral cortex of mice develop into mature functional nerve cells.
	Scientists identify key control for blood glucose levels which could improve diabetes treatment For people suffering from diabetes, managing blood sugar can be like walking a tightrope - if too high they run the risk of serious long term complications such as blindness, kidney failure, limb gangrene and premature heart disease, but allow it to drop too low and it can lead to a loss of consciousness which could be fatal.
	Immune system promotes digestive health by fostering community of 'good' bacteria As many as 1.4 million Americans suffer from uncomfortable abdominal cramping and diarrhea that come with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. These conditions, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are associated with an imbalance among the thousands of species of "good" bacteria that inhabit the gut. A University of Utah study published on Jan. 22, 2015, in Cell Host and Microbe demonstrates that mice deficient for a component of the immune system, a protein called MyD88, have an imbalanced gut bacterial community - with some species dominating over others - and are more susceptible to contracting a severe IBD-like illness. Further, fecal transplants from healthy donors alleviate IBD symptoms in these mice.
	Enzymes believed to promote cancer actually suppress tumors Upending decades-old dogma, a team of scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say enzymes long categorized as promoting cancer are, in fact, tumor suppressors and that current clinical efforts to develop inhibitor-based drugs should instead focus on restoring the enzymes' activities.
	Reducing Myc gene activity extends healthy lifespan in mice A team of scientists based at Brown University has found that reducing expression of a fundamentally important gene called Myc significantly increased the healthy lifespan of laboratory mice, the first such finding regarding this gene in a mammalian species.
	Trust your gut: E. coli may hold one of the keys to treating Parkinson's E. coli usually brings to mind food poisoning and beach closures, but researchers recently discovered a protein in E.. coli that inhibits the accumulation of potentially toxic amyloids—a hallmark of diseases such as Parkinson's.
	First major analysis of Human Protein Atlas published in Science A research article published today in Science presents the first major analysis based on the Human Protein Atlas, including a detailed picture of the proteins that are linked to cancer, the number of proteins present in the bloodstream, and the targets for all approved drugs on the market.
	Team sees effect of BPA and estradiol on sperm development Washington State University researchers have found a direct link between the plastics component bisphenol A, or BPA, and disrupted sperm production. Writing in the journal PLOS Genetics, they say the chemical disrupts the delicate DNA interactions needed to create sperm.
	Genome-wide search reveals new genes involved in long-term memory A new study has identified genes involved in long-term memory in the worm as part of research aimed at finding ways to retain cognitive abilities during aging.
More realistic physical activity targets needed, say experts Too much sitting has been shown to increase the risk of chronic diseases, particularly diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer. Current guidelines suggest adults do 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, but more than a third (35.6%) of adults worldwide are sufficiently inactive.
Antisocial and non-antisocial siblings share difficulty recognising emotions Teenagers with brothers and sisters who exhibit severe antisocial behaviour share a similar impairment with their siblings in recognising emotions, according to a new study from the University of Southampton.
Experts call for a rethink on guidelines about children's screen time The amount of time children spend using screens, such as televisions and computers, on a daily basis exceeds recommended guidelines, according to research published in open access journal BMC Public Health. These guidelines were drawn up at a time when tablets, cell phones and other mobile devices were not as present in everyday life, which suggests they need to be redrafted.
Measles cases continue to spread in California California health officials say the number of people in the state infected with measles is now up to 59.
Video-based therapy might benefit babies at risk of autism Video-based therapy for families with babies at risk of autism improves infants' engagement, attention and social behavior, and might reduce the likelihood of such children developing autism, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.
People not vaccinated for measles urged to avoid Disneyland California public health officials say unvaccinated people and children too young to be immunized against measles should avoid Disneyland after new infections were linked to the theme park.
UN guidelines on physical activity under scrutiny UN recommendations that people should do at least two-and-a-half hours' physical activity a week are unworkable for some individuals, health experts argued Wednesday.
Antibiotic use by travelers may add to global spread of superbugs Taking antibiotics for diarrhea may put travelers visiting developing parts of the world at higher risk for contracting superbugs and spreading these daunting drug-resistant bacteria to their home countries, according to a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and now available online. The study authors call for greater caution in using antibiotics for travelers' diarrhea, except in severe cases, as part of broader efforts to fight the growing public health crisis of antibiotic resistance and the spread of highly resistant bacteria worldwide.
Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives is associated with an increased risk of brain tumors Taking a hormonal contraceptive for at least five years is associated with a possible increase in a young woman's risk of developing a rare tumour, glioma of the brain. This project focussed on women aged 15 -49 years and the findings are published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
New machine-perfusion organ preservation system keeps livers healthier for transplant A new preservation system that pumps cooled, oxygen-rich fluid into donor livers not only keeps the organs in excellent condition for as long as nine hours before transplantation, but also leads to dramatically better liver function and increases survival of recipients, according to a series of animal studies by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The system could be tested with transplant patients at UPMC later this year.
Major study links gene to drug resistance in testicular cancer A major research study has uncovered several new genetic mutations that could drive testicular cancer - and also identified a gene which may contribute to tumours becoming resistant to current treatments.
NCCS conducts world's first-in-human clinical trial of a novel vaccine targeting top cancers The National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) has launched a clinical trial of a new cancer vaccine administered to human patients for the first time in the world. Cancer immunotherapy (the harnessing of the body's defence system to fight the patient's cancer, has emerged as one of the most exciting medical breakthroughs in the past two years.
Australian boy, 4, gets 'world first' artificial pancreas A four-year-old Australian boy has been fitted with an artificial pancreas in what researchers said was a world first treatment for managing type 1 diabetes.
British government seeks vote on plain cigarette packaging The British government said Wednesday it would seek a vote on forcing tobacco firms to sell cigarettes in plain packaging before the current parliament ends ahead of a May election.
Few heed restaurant calorie postings, but numbers are growing Two years after the calorie content of menu items first started appearing on the menus of Seattle chain restaurants, just 1 in 4 customers who frequented those establishments said they used that nutritional information to guide their consumption choices, a new study finds.
World's only super-database for pharmaceutical use during pregnancy Should a woman prescribed antidepressants continue taking them while pregnant? The question is fraught—her health and that of her unborn child is at stake. Yet research to help her and her doctor make that decision is incomplete.
	Study detailing axonal death pathway may provide drug targets for neurodegenerative diseases Axons connect neurons with each other to form the neural networks that underpin the vital functions of perception, motility, cognition, and memory. In many neurodegenerative disorders, from traumatic injury or toxic damage to diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, axonal degeneration represents an essential pathological feature.
Low cost, easy-to-adopt programs can improve employee health Small businesses are prepared to adopt workplace wellness programs and, based on the kinds of health risks facing employees, are a good target for such health interventions according to new research published in this month's issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine from the Colorado School of Public Health.
Adolescents exhibiting symptoms of mental disorders should be asked about hallucinations Visual distortions and hallucinations related to an elevated risk of psychosis are linked to self-destructive thought processes among adolescents with psychological symptoms, according to a recent Finnish study. Early indications of the risk of psychosis can usually be detected long before the onset of a full-blown disorder.
	Should arsenic in food be a concern? Inorganic arsenic is carcinogenic and found in a variety of food and beverage products, but not at levels that are considered dangerous, analyses suggest.
	Major discovery on spinal injury reveals unknown immune response In a discovery that could dramatically affect the treatment of brain and spinal cord injuries, researchers at the University of Virginia and elsewhere have identified a previously unknown, beneficial immune response that occurs after injury to the central nervous system. By harnessing this response, doctors may be able to develop new and better treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries, develop tools to predict how patients will respond to treatment, and better treat degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and Lou Gehrig's disease.
	Cancer deaths in youngsters drop by nearly 60 percent in 40 years Cancer deaths in children and young people have fallen by 58 per cent in the past 40 years, according to new figures announced by Cancer Research UK today.
	Progress in diabetes drug delivery A drug therapy for diabetes treatment is being developed by an international research team led by WA scientists, which combines an existing anti-diabetic drug with bile acids to improve the drug's delivery and prolong release.
Live coverage of the immune system at work To better understand what happens during immune reactions in the body, researchers at Tübingen University have developed a new way of labeling T-cells, allowing them to track the T-cell movement in mice using non-invasive positron emission technology (PET). The researchers, led by Professor Bernd Pichler at the Werner Siemens Imaging Center, worked with dermatologists, pathologists and immunologists at the University hospitals and at the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research. They describe the new technique in the latest issue of PNAS.
	Something's better than nothing when it comes to keeping active Two articles published in today's issue of The BMJ argue physical activity guidelines should focus on getting inactive people to move a little rather than having the entire population meet the 150 minutes of moderate activity a week target. The papers may give heart to those who can already see their new year's resolution to get fit slipping away.
	Study shows why protein mutations lead to familial form of Parkinson's disease Researchers at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego, have shown for the first time why protein mutations lead to the familial form of Parkinson's disease.
'Save your daughters' Modi tells India Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi implored his country to stop killing unborn girls on Thursday, warning that its growing gender imbalance would have serious consequences.
Step closer to predicting cancer patients' drug toxicity Being able to predict that a patient will adversely react to a drug that's meant to be treating them is a key aim of personalised medicine, and could help to improve the patient's overall treatment.
Concern over skin whitener marketing A study led by a James Cook University marketing expert has raised concerns over the ethics of the marketing of skin-whitening products, widely available in Australia.
Key factor discovered in the formation of metastases in melanoma Melanoma, the most aggressive of all skin cancer strains, is often fatal for patients due to the pronounced formation of metastases. Until now, a melanoma's rampant growth was mainly attributed to genetic causes, such as mutations in certain genes. However, researchers from the University of Zurich now reveal that so-called epigenetic factors play a role in the formation of metastases in malignant skin cancer. This opens up new possibilities for future cancer treatments.
	Why menthol chills your mouth when it's not actually cold Try putting an ice-cube in your mouth. The insides of your mouth and tongue instantly turn numb. Hold it in still and you will feel pain. Now try sucking on peppermint. The mint itself is at room temperature, but your mouth instantly feels cold and numb. How did it do that? The answer is menthol, the ingredient that instantly tricks your brain into sensing that the food is cold.
	Predicting grip movements of the hand by measuring brain cell activity Tying shoelaces, stirring coffee, writing letters, playing the piano. From the usual daily routine to demanding activities: Our hands are used more frequently than any other body part. Through our highly developed fine motor skills, we are able to perform grasping movements with variable precision and power distribution. This ability is a fundamental characteristic of the hand of primates. Until now, it was unclear how hand movements are planned in the brain.
Study finds that visually pleasing computer graphics enhance user performance An eye-catching and appealing graphic on a mobile phone or website helps people perform tasks quicker and more easily as the job gets more demanding. Investing a little bit extra to design aesthetically pleasing visuals for electronic devices, websites or anything people need to interact with will be beneficial in the long run. This is the advice from British researchers Irene Reppa of Swansea University and Siné McDougall of Bournemouth University. The results of their study on how the aesthetic appeal of visuals enhances performance are published in Springer's journal Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.
	83 percent of teenagers fall victim to some kind of violence during their lives Childhood is one of the stages of life with the greatest risk of suffering violence, despite the greater social awareness and more specialised training of professionals. A study looking into over a thousand Spanish teenagers concludes that 83% of them claim to have fallen victim to at least one form of violence over the course of their lives; 68.6% in the last year.
Viruses may play unexpected role in inflammatory bowel diseases Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with a decrease in the diversity of bacteria in the gut, but a new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has linked the same illnesses to an increase in the diversity of viruses.
Researchers find new links between obesity and cardiovascular disease In a new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, a research group led by James A. Hamilton, PhD, professor of Physiology, Biophysics and Radiology at Boston University School of Medicine, applied novel methods to detect binding of fatty acids to CD36 and their effect on internalization of oxidized LDL. Although other research groups have characterized a fatty acid binding site on CD36 and postulated CD36 to be a gatekeeper for fatty acid entry into cells, the Hamilton lab previously found that CD36 did not increase fatty acid translocation across the plasma membrane.
	Blame it on your brain: Salt and hypertension An international research team led by scientists at McGill University has found that excessive salt intake "reprograms" the brain, interfering with a natural safety mechanism that normally prevents the body's arterial blood pressure from rising.
Noisy data facilitates Dartmouth investigation of breast cancer gene expression Researchers from Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center, led by Casey S. Greene, PhD, reported in Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing on the use of denoising autoencoders (DAs) to effectively extract key biological principles from gene expression data and summarize them into constructed features with convenient properties.
	Family voices and stories speed coma recovery "Can he hear me?" family members are desperate to know when a loved one with a traumatic brain injury is in a coma.
NYU researchers develop new assessment tool to combat oral-systemic disease Improving oral health is a leading population health goal; however, curricula preparing health professionals have a dearth of oral health content and clinical experiences.  Funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA), New York University College of Nursing's (NYUCN) Teaching Oral-Systemic Health (TOSH) Program is working to build interprofessional oral health workforce capacity which addresses a significant public health issue, increases oral health care access, and improves oral-systemic health across the lifespan.
Head and neck cancers in young adults are more likely to be a result of inherited factors An article published online today in the International Journal of Epidemiology pools data from 25 case-control studies and conducts separate analyses to show that head and neck cancers (HNC) in young adults are more likely to be as a result of inherited factors, rather than lifestyle factors such as smoking or drinking alcohol.
	Study finds infants can learn to communicate from videos Children under two years old can learn certain communication skills from a video, such as how to use signs in sign language, and perform similarly in tests when compared to babies taught by their parents, according to a new paper in the journal Child Development.
Scientists announce revolutionary culturing technique for liver and pancreas The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) has awarded Dr. Hans Clevers, senior author on two important papers published recently in the scientific journal Cell, the society's McEwen Award for Innovation. The papers describe the development of a culturing system for human liver stem cells, as well as stem cells from pancreatic cancer, discoveries with the potential to revolutionize liver transplantation and aid in the fight against pancreatic cancer, respectively.
	Angel or devil? For cancer, not all neutrophils are created equal New research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem shows that the most common form of white blood cells, called neutrophils, contain many different subtypes, of which some fight the development of cancer and others promote its progression. The research could help pave the way to new therapies that fight cancer by increasing anti-tumor neutrophils while limiting pro-tumor neutrophils.
Many of state's smallest babies not referred for follow-up care, study finds The tiniest babies need special follow-up care when they go home from the hospital after birth. But, of the thousands of very-low-birth-weight babies born in California during 2010 and 2011, 20 percent were not referred to the state's high-risk infant follow-up program, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Measles outbreak tied to Disneyland grows to 70 illnesses A measles outbreak traced to Disney theme parks in California led to warnings against visiting the happiest place on Earth if tourists or their children have not been vaccinated against the highly contagious respiratory disease that has sickened 70 people.
	One dose, then surgery: A new way to test brain tumor drugs Lori Simons took the bright orange pill at 3 a.m. Eight hours later, doctors sliced into her brain, looking for signs that the drug was working.
Risk of HIV infection in studies of African women using hormonal contraceptives Use of the injectable progestin contraceptive depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is linked to an increased risk for HIV infection, according to an article published by Charles Morrison of FHI 360 and colleagues in this week's PLOS Medicine. The researchers did not find a significantly increased risk for HIV infection in women who used a different injectable progestin, norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN), nor in those who used combined oral contraceptives (COC).
	Prescription painkillers, widely used by childbearing age women, double birth defects risk More than one-fourth of privately-insured and one-third of Medicaid-enrolled women of childbearing age filled prescriptions for opioid-based (narcotic) painkillers between 2008 and 2012, according to a new analysis published today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
	Rare neurological disease shines light on health of essential nerve cells Ian Duncan is a Scotsman with the iron discipline and stamina of a competitive marathoner, triathlete and cross-country skier. As a neuroscientist at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he's applied his tenacity to a rare genetic disorder.
Low-income boys fare worse in wealth's shadow Low-income boys fare worse, not better, when they grow up alongside more affluent neighbors, according to new findings from Duke University. In fact, the greater the economic gap between the boys and their neighbors, the worse the effects, says the new article based on 12 years of research.
	Sleep tight and stay bright? 'Investing' in sleep may help later in life Sound sleep in young and middle-aged people helps memory and learning, but as they hit their seventh, eighth and ninth decades, they don't sleep as much or as well—and sleep is no longer linked so much to memory, a Baylor researcher says.
	Most Americans have access to 'exercise opportunities,' study finds (HealthDay)—More than three-quarters of Americans live close to at least one park or recreational facility, giving many people opportunity to exercise, a new study finds.
	School sports costs leave some students on sidelines (HealthDay)—Many American children can't afford to participate in school sports, a new survey finds.
	Risks for Ebola virus-infected pregnant women discussed (HealthDay)—Ebola virus-infected pregnant women are at risk for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, according to an article published online Jan. 14 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
	Metabolic syndrome may raise death risk postangiography (HealthDay)—For postangiography patients, metabolic syndrome is associated with increased mortality, especially in patients with stable angina, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	More diverticulitis in areas with low-UV light exposure (HealthDay)—Lower ultraviolet (UV) light is associated with increased rate of diverticulitis admissions, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in JAMA Surgery.
	PCPs can use U/S to rationalize Tx in acute shoulder pain (HealthDay)—For patients with acute shoulder pain, ultrasound imaging can be used by primary care physicians to rationalize treatment, according to a study published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Reviews summarize efficacy of depression Tx in primary care (HealthDay)—Researchers have summarized and clarified what is known about depression treatment in primary care. The reports have been published in the January/February issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Physicians rank the best EHR systems of 2014 (HealthDay)—Physicians have ranked electronic health record (EHR) systems based on five key performance areas, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Falls in blood pressure and cholesterol have saved 20,000+ lives in England Falls in blood pressure and total cholesterol staved off more than 20,000 deaths from coronary heart disease in England between 2000 and 2007, shows a mathematical analysis published in the online journal BMJ Open.
New technology preserves organs during transplant process Livers and other organs begin lacking oxygen the moment they are removed from the donor and may have damaged tissue by the time a transplant occurs.
	Research suggests anti-inflammatory protein may trigger plaque in Alzheimer's disease Inflammation has long been studied in Alzheimer's, but in a counterintuitive finding reported in a new paper, University of Florida researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which anti-inflammatory processes may trigger the disease.
	Pro-marijuana 'tweets' are sky-high on Twitter Analyzing every marijuana-related Twitter message sent during a one-month period in early 2014, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that the "Twitterverse" is a pot-friendly place. In that time, more than 7 million tweets referenced marijuana, with 15 times as many pro-pot tweets sent as anti-pot tweets.
Rediscovering a culture of health It has been described as an epidemic of modern times and perhaps felt more acutely in Canada's First Nations communities than anywhere else. Over the past several decades diabetes has become a prevalent health concern among Aboriginal Canadians, but it wasn't always so.
	Mammalian heart regenerative capacity depends on severity of injury A new study by researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles has shown that neonatal mouse hearts have varying regenerative capacities depending upon the severity of injury. Using cryoinjury - damaging the heart through exposure to extreme cold in order to mimic cellular injury caused by myocardial infarction - investigators found that neonatal mouse hearts can fully recover normal function following a mild injury, though fail to regenerate after a severe injury.
	Measles outbreak casts spotlight on anti-vaccine movement A major measles outbreak traced to Disneyland has brought criticism down on the small but vocal movement among parents to opt out of vaccinations for their children.
	Jamaica official says marijuana reform bill ready Jamaica's Cabinet has approved a much-anticipated bill of drug law amendments that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of pot and pave the way for a legal medical marijuana industry on the Caribbean island, the justice minister said Wednesday.
UN reports significant drop in Ebola cases The deadly Ebola epidemic is slowing significantly in the three west African countries at its epicentre, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, adding that those countries were now adequately equipped to stem the tide.
Greek health cuts a matter of life and death on Samos Greece's economic woes mean that paramedics on the picturesque island of Samos are increasingly faced with the terrible dilemma of who to save and who to leave to die.
	Maternity concept clothing tracks pregnant mother's vitals Pregnant women shop for fit, comfort and style, but Cornell University fashion design student Blake Uretsky has delivered a whole new look: chic maternity wear that wirelessly monitors the mother's health.
	Trust between healthcare client, insurer and provider key for success of Ghanaian health scheme To identify and reduce barriers perceived by people to enroll in health insurance requires a deep understanding of their perceptions on illness, care and insurance in their own socio-cultural context. This is important as trust between healthcare client, provider and insurer is key for the success of a health insurance, concluded Christine Fenenga in her PHD-thesis 'A matter of trust – Clients' perspective on healthcare and health insurance services in Ghana'. Fenenga successfully defended her thesis in the grand hall of the Academy building of the University of Groningen in the north of the Netherlands.
Video: A new vaccine that could help you quit smoking New research from the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry may help millions stick to a common resolution: quitting smoking.
SLeone to reopen schools in March as Ebola retreats Sierra Leone said on Thursday it would reopen schools across the country in March, with the deadly Ebola epidemic slowing throughout west Africa.
New animal models faithfully reproduce the tumor of each patient A team from the Catalan Institute of Oncology and Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (ICO-IDIBELL) has developed a new animal models that reproduce faithfully the evolution and malignancy of different human tumors.
Patient older age not an issue in revision cochlear implantation Older age of a patient does not appear to be an issue when revision cochlear implantation is warranted because of device failure, according to a report published online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
	You are what you eat: How gut bacteria affect brain health The hundred trillion bacteria living in an adult human—mostly in the intestines, making up the gut microbiome—have a significant impact on behavior and brain health. The many ways gut bacteria can impact normal brain activity and development, affect sleep and stress responses, play a role in a variety of diseases, and be modified through diet for therapeutic use are described in a comprehensive Review article in Journal of Medicinal Food.
Transoral fundoplication is an effective treatment for patients with GERD Transoral fundoplication is an effective treatment for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), especially for patients with persistent regurgitation despite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, according to a new study1 published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Contrary to popular belief, dental care for baby teeth is vital Dental researchers hope to vastly improve oral health in children by countering a common misperception that dental care for baby teeth isn't important because they just fall out anyway.
	New strategies to identify and help women victims of intimate partner violence Screening for and counseling women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) is part of the free preventive services covered within the U.S. Affordable Care Act, but changes in the healthcare delivery system are needed to achieve this across diverse clinical settings and to improve health outcomes. This issue was the focal point of 2013 Intimate Partner Violence Screening and Counseling Research Symposium hosted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health. This symposium brought together researchers, medical practitioners, federal agency staff, and other stakeholders to identify gaps in research on screening and counseling for IPV in primary health care settings.
Health worker exposed to Ebola released from US hospital An American health care worker who has been under observation at an Omaha hospital after he was exposed to the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone did not develop the disease and has been released.
High blood calcium linked with increased risk of premature death in dialysis patients Elevated blood levels of calcium and phosphorus are linked with an increased risk of premature death in kidney disease patients on dialysis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Additional studies are needed to see whether lowering the levels of these blood minerals may improve patients' health.
Medicare adds star ratings for dialysis center comparison Medicare is adding a visual tool to help kidney patients compare the quality of dialysis centers: Star ratings.
US: Long-awaited Ebola vaccine study coming soon in Liberia U.S. officials say a long-awaited major study of possible Ebola vaccines is set to begin in Liberia within a couple of weeks.

Biology news

	New mechanism unlocked for evolution of green fluorescent protein A primary challenge in the biosciences is to understand the way major evolutionary changes in nature are accomplished. Sometimes the route turns out to be very simple. An example of such simplicity is provided in a new publication by a group of ASU scientists.
	Strange tale of fish eye evolution shows how new species could be born Evolution allows animals to develop superb adaptations to survive and flourish in environmental niches. The evolution of fish eyes is one such intriguing example. However, tracing how different kinds of fish eyes evolved is not always easy. New research is finally throwing some light on this evolutionary feat and it is helping us understand how new species are born.
	Solving the Hox Specificity Paradox The remarkable diversity of anatomical features along the body axis of animals—the differences between the head, the thorax and the abdomen, for example—is determined by proteins in the Hox family. But almost as soon as the Hox genes were discovered, scientists began puzzling over how different Hox proteins could activate specific genes, because all of these proteins can bind to the same DNA sequences. Now Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientist David Stern says he and his colleagues have solved the paradox.
	Pumas in populated areas kill more and eat less Female pumas in areas with a high density of housing kill more deer but eat less of the carcasses than those in areas with little housing, finds a study in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Study shows dying cells impact on surroundings causing changes to tissue shape and structure (Phys.org)—A study conducted by researchers affiliated with three major institutions in France has found that dying cells appear to cause more changes to surrounding tissue than has been previously thought. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes how their study of a fluorescent version of myosin undergoing cell death led to the discovery that as cells die, they undergo a process that is involved in epithelium folding. Claudia Vasquez and Adam Martin with MIT offer a News & Views perspective in the same journal issue on the work done by the team in France and offer more insight into the role that cell death plays in epithelial tissue structural changes.
	Estrogen-producing neurons influence aggression in both sexes A miniscule cluster of estrogen-producing nerve cells in the mouse brain exerts highly specific effects on aggressive behavior in both males and females, according to new research by UC San Francisco scientists.
	Study uncovers secrets of a clump-dissolving protein Workhorse molecules called heat-shock proteins contribute to refolding proteins that were once misfolded and clumped, causing such disorders as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. James Shorter, PhD, an associate professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been developing ways to "reprogram" one such protein - a yeast protein called Hsp104—to improve its therapeutic properties.
	These jellyfish aren't just drifters Jellyfish might look like mere drifters, but some of them have a remarkable ability to detect the direction of ocean currents and to swim strongly against them, according to new evidence in free-ranging barrel-jellyfish reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 22.
Small doses of resistant starch encourage the growth of beneficial gut fauna Consuming even modest amounts of resistant starch can lend a significant punch to the gut microbes that benefit human health, according to a new study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln food scientists.
	New forensic entomology observations expand knowledge of decomposition ecology Fans of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and similar TV shows know that forensic entomology involves the use of insects and other arthropods in legal matters, including homicide cases. Entomologists who are properly trained can find clues about a corpse—for example, time of death and whether a body has been moved—by observing the insects on and around it.
	Ribosomal motor crucial part of cellular protein factory The ribosome is the protein-making "factory" within cells responsible for knitting together amino acids into polypeptide chains that form proteins.
Using viruses to find the cellular Achilles heel Back-to-back studies from researchers at the Gladstone Institutes have exposed new battle tactics employed by two deadly viruses: hepatitis C (HCV) and the Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). Published in the January 22 issue of Molecular Cell, the investigators created full protein interaction maps—interactomes—of where the viruses come into contact with the host proteins during the course of infection. Through these protein interactions, the scientists not only gained insight into the viruses, they also uncovered a common set of host proteins that are targeted by various infections. Their results suggest that these proteins and the cellular processes they govern are the most crucial—in effect, the collective Achilles heel—for both the human body and its viral invaders.
	As trees are cut and climates shift, can the animals of Borneo be saved? As the third-largest island in the world and the largest island in Asia, Borneo stands out as a hotspot for biodiversity, and there is no question that Borneo's many rare species are in trouble. And yet—with targeted conservation measures—there's hope, according to researchers who predict changes to the Bornean landscape over the next 65 years in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 22.
	Sending bat signals: Unique 'supper's ready' alert beckons hungry bats The sound of a bag of potato chips being torn open cuts through a darkened movie theater. The noise, in an otherwise silent space, pinpoints for all moviegoers exactly where the chips are being devoured. According to a new Tel Aviv University study, bats operate in a similar fashion.
Snack attack: Bears munch on ants and help plants grow Tiny ants may seem like an odd food source for black bears, but the protein-packed bugs are a major part of some bears' diets and a crucial part of the food web that not only affects other bugs, but plants too.
	How malaria-spreading mosquitoes can tell you're home Females of the malaria-spreading mosquito tend to obtain their blood meals within human dwellings. Indeed, this mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, spends much of its adult life indoors where it is constantly exposed to human odor - from used clothing, bedding, etc. - even when people are absent.
	Record 1,215 rhino poached in S.Africa in 2014: official A record 1,215 rhinos were poached in South Africa in 2014, a 21 percent increase from the previous year, environmental authorities said Thursday.
Does acupuncture help pets? Like any other type of medical therapy, acupuncture is not magic: It is a mode of therapy that has both applications and limitations. I don't like to say that acupuncture treats disease, because so many people associate the word "treat" with the complete resolution of a problem. Instead, I like to say that we "address" disease with acupuncture, because this therapy can be used to relieve symptoms, to minimize side effects of drugs and to allow patients to decrease or even cease the use of certain medications.
	Study shows the temperature of a cow's nose can reveal their inner emotions Global campaigning organisation, World Animal Protection, have published the first study exploring whether nasal temperatures can be used as a measure of positive emotions in cows. Published in this month's Physiology and Behaviour journal, the science team working at the charity highlight how the findings from their study could provide a way of assessing positive emotions in cows.
	Aqua-Spark investments aim to stop plunder of sea life An investment fund aimed at prospering while preventing overfishing from wiping out ocean life announced on Thursday it is pumping $4 million into two companies focused on smart farming of seafood.
Tests results pending on dead birds in Northern California Nearly a week after a mysterious gray gunk surfaced on shorelines in the San Francisco Bay Area, the substance has killed more than 200 seabirds.
Yellowstone begins transferring bison for slaughter Yellowstone National Park has begun shipping wild bison for slaughter as part of a plan to reduce the park's population by as many as 900 animals this winter.

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