Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 24

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for February 24, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Crumpled Mylar found to hold memory of how long it was crumpled

The dawn of a new era for Supernova 1987a (Update)

Deep brain stimulation for patients with chronic anorexia is safe and might improve symptoms

Alphabet accuses Uber of stealing self-driving car technology

US braces for long battle over genetic patent rights

'Ring of fire' eclipse treat for southern skygazers

Look what happens when you virtually 'remove' headset for see-through effect

New Mars research shows evidence of a complex mantle beneath the Elysium volcanic province

In first, scientists forecast West Nile Virus outbreaks

Cosmic dust particles deploy bubble parachutes on their fiery descent, scientists discover

Novel amyloid structure could lead to new types of antibiotics

Polymer additive could revolutionize plastics recycling

Electrons use DNA like a wire for signaling DNA replication

Scientists find a striking number of genetic changes can occur early in human development

Dietary supplement derived from tree bark shows promise for treating obstructive sleep apnea

Astronomy & Space news

	The dawn of a new era for Supernova 1987a (Update) Three decades ago, astronomers spotted one of the brightest exploding stars in more than 400 years. The titanic supernova, called Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), blazed with the power of 100 million suns for several months following its discovery on Feb. 23, 1987.
	'Ring of fire' eclipse treat for southern skygazers A spectacular "ring of fire" solar eclipse Sunday will regale skygazers in South America and southern Africa, with seafarers in the nearby Atlantic getting a front-row view too, astronomers say.
	New Mars research shows evidence of a complex mantle beneath the Elysium volcanic province Mars' mantle may be more complicated than previously thought. In a new study published today in the Nature-affiliated journal Scientific Reports, researchers at LSU document geochemical changes over time in the lava flows of Elysium, a major martian volcanic province.
	Saturn's rings viewed in the mid-infrared show bright cassini division A team of researchers has succeeded in measuring the brightnesses and temperatures of Saturn's rings using the mid-infrared images taken by the Subaru Telescope in 2008. The images are the highest resolution ground-based views ever made. They reveal that, at that time, the Cassini Division and the C ring were brighter than the other rings in the mid-infrared light and that the brightness contrast appeared to be the inverse of that seen in the visible light (Figure 1). The data give important insights into the nature of Saturn's rings.
	NASA weighing risk of adding crew to megarocket's first flight NASA is weighing the risk of adding astronauts to the first flight of its new megarocket, designed to eventually send crews to Mars.
	Russian cargo ship docks with space station A Russian cargo ship carrying food and equipment for astronuats docked successfully with the International Space Station on Friday after a similar craft crashed back to Earth in December.
	Vega flight opportunity for multiple small satellites Europe's Vega small launcher is set to demonstrate its extended capability to deploy multiple light satellites using its new versatile Small Satellites Mission Service (SSMS) dispenser, in the second half of 2018.
	The search for extraterrestrial life in the water worlds close to home The discovery of seven exoplanets around a star 40 light years from our Sun has raised the possibility that they could harbour life.
	NASA's Webb Telescope team prepares for earsplitting acoustic test Inside NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland the James Webb Space Telescope team completed the environmental portion of vibration testing and prepared for the acoustic test on the telescope.

Technology news

	Alphabet accuses Uber of stealing self-driving car technology The race to develop self-driving vehicles took a new turn on Thursday when Google's parent company Alphabet filed a lawsuit against Uber, accusing it of stealing technology.
	Look what happens when you virtually 'remove' headset for see-through effect (Tech Xplore)—A team looking at better immersive experiences with virtual reality and mixed reality have come up with technology which was reported on the Google Research blog. The technology shows faces behind the VR headsets. A mixed reality experiment puts a fake face on top of your VR headset, said The Verge.
Electrical engineers create tiny but powerful medical devices Battery-operated medical devices implanted in human bodies have saved countless lives. A common implant, the cardioverter defibrillator, sends a jolt of electricity to the heart when needed, preventing a heart attack or heart failure. While patients' lives are improved by this technology, if the device causes an infection or the battery needs to be replaced, more invasive procedures are necessary.
	Sharp vision: New glasses help the legally blind see Jeff Regan was born with underdeveloped optic nerves and had spent most of his life in a blur. Then four years ago, he donned an unwieldy headset made by a Toronto company called eSight.
	Microsoft Research, University of Cambridge work on DeepCoder to write its own code (Tech Xplore)—It's been said that an artificial intelligence dream has been building systems that can write computer programs. A University of Cambridge and Microsoft Research team is on a direct path.
	India police arrest cheap mobile maker on fraud charges The director of an Indian company that claimed it was selling the world's cheapest smartphone was arrested Thursday on fraud charges, police said Friday.
Germany's BASF 'cautious' after challenging 2016 German chemicals giant BASF on Friday said it expected higher oil prices to push up earnings this year after a challenging 2016, when its main Ludwigshafen plant was hit by a deadly explosion.
	Phone firms turn to artificial intelligence at top mobile fair Phone makers will seek to seduce new buyers with artificial intelligence functions and other innovations at the world's biggest mobile fair starting Monday in Spain.
	The NASA imager dentists use daily When sitting in the dentist's chair, few patients think of NASA. But the space agency is there nonetheless, in the sensor that enables high-resolution, digital X-ray imagery that helps the dentist spot problems.
	Major gains still to be made in quality of arm prostheses Approximately 4,000 people in the Netherlands are affected by arm damage: they have to do without the use of their hand or part of their hand, their forearm or even a complete arm. The majority of these people have a prosthesis. This prosthesis may be purely cosmetic, or have a gripping function, enabling the user to carry out everyday activities. The latter may either be body-powered or myoelectric. A myoelectric prosthesis is controlled by electrical signals associated with the user's muscle contractions, and is powered by electric motors. Body-powered prostheses are controlled by bodily movements. These movements are transmitted to the gripping mechanism via a harness on the shoulder and a cable.
	Google rolls out AI tool to combat online trolls Google said it will begin offering media groups an artificial intelligence tool designed to stamp out incendiary comments on their websites.
	Private data leaked online by Cloudflare bug Internet users Friday were being urged to change all their passwords in the wake of a Cloudflare bug that could have leaked passwords, messages and more from website visits.
	Solar-powered cinema opens in Burkina ahead of festival A solar-powered cinema was unveiled in Burkina Faso Friday ahead of Ouagadougou's hosting of Africa's top film festival, even as movie theatres on the continent continue to disappear.
	VW makes $5.4 billion profit in 2016, limits executive pay Volkswagen bounced back into the black in 2016 after suffering a loss the previous year due to the diesel emissions scandal, according to figures released by the German automaker Friday.
Gamer dies while attempting 24-hour stream for charity Police are investigating the death of a popular Virginia gamer who died during the home stretch of a 24-hour marathon video game session he was streaming online to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
	Two types of sensors that provide information on vineyard water status are designed Researchers at the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre have designed two types of sensors whose innovative technologies obtain information on the water status of a vineyard. The work has been developed by a NUP/UPNA multidisciplinary team in collaboration with various Navarrese companies.
	Bristol and BT collaborate on massive MIMO trials for 5G wireless The quest for highly efficient 5G wireless connectivity has been given a boost thanks to a collaboration between a team of 5G engineers from the Universities of Bristol and Lund, National Instruments (NI), and BT, one of the world's leading providers of communications services.

Medicine & Health news

	Deep brain stimulation for patients with chronic anorexia is safe and might improve symptoms Small study in 16 people suggests technique is safe and might help improve mood, anxiety and wellbeing, while increasing weight.
	In first, scientists forecast West Nile Virus outbreaks Scientists at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health are the first to report a method to accurately predict the timing and intensity of West Nile Virus (WNV) outbreaks. The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Scientists find a striking number of genetic changes can occur early in human development The genetic material of an organism encodes the instructions that guide its development. These codes are not written in stone; they can change or mutate any time during the life of the organism. Single changes in the code can occur spontaneously, as a mutation, causing developmental problems. Others, as an international team of researchers has discovered, are too numerous to be explained by random mutation processes present in the general population. When such multiple genetic changes occur before or early after conception, they may inform scientists about fundamental knowledge underlying many diseases. The study appears in Cell.
	Dietary supplement derived from tree bark shows promise for treating obstructive sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea, which causes people to briefly stop breathing while asleep, affects an estimated 5 percent of the population, not including the many more who don't even realize they suffer from the disorder.
	New method for analyzing brain activity helps understand stroke impact A new method developed by Rice University psychologists for analyzing brain activity may help better understand what happens to the brain following a stroke.
	Cancer cells hijack healthy cells to help them spread to other organs An interaction between two proteins enables cancer cells to use the physical forces of healthy cells to start spreading to other parts of the body.
	Teach yourself everyday happiness with imagery training Flashbacks of scenes from traumatic events often haunt those suffering from psychiatric conditions, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). "The close relationship between the human imagery system and our emotions can cause deep emotional perturbations", says Dr Svetla Velikova of Smartbrain in Norway. "Imagery techniques are often used in cognitive psychotherapy to help patients modify disturbing mental images and overcome negative emotions." Velikova and her team set out to see if such techniques could become self-guided and developed at home, away from the therapist's chair.
Novel 'barcode' tracking of T cells in immunotherapy patients identifies likely cancer A new discovery by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle makes an important step in identifying which specific T cells within the diverse army of a person's immune system are best suited to fight cancer.
	Princeton-Intel collaboration breaks new ground in studies of the brain Early this year, about 30 neuroscientists and computer programmers got together to improve their ability to read the human mind.
	Vet team identifies new therapeutic targets for tropical disease leishmaniasis Each year, about 2 million people contract leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by the bite of a sand fly. The cutaneous form of the disease results in disfiguring skin ulcers that may take months or years to heal and in rare cases can become metastatic, causing major tissue damage.
	Study provides clues to relationship between schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis An in-depth computational analysis of genetic variants implicated in both schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh points to eight genes that may explain why susceptibility to one of the disorders could place individuals at lower risk for the other, according to the results of a study published today in the journal npj Schizophrenia.
	Study proposes new theory for evolution of infant-directed song These days, it's a territory mostly dominated by the likes of Raffi and the Wiggles, but there's new evidence that lullabies, play songs, and other music for babies and toddlers may have some deep evolutionary roots.
	Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can be remotely detected through a self-administered virtual reality brain training game Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a condition that often predates Alzheimer's disease (AD), can be remotely detected through a self-administered virtual reality brain training game.
	Evidence review supports pediatric use of PDE-5 inhibitors for pulmonary hypertension A systematic review of the comparative effectiveness and safety of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors in pediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension published Feb. 24, 2017 in Pediatrics demonstrates that scientific evidence supports the use of this class of medications in infants, neonates and children with pulmonary hypertension. In this review, these medicines were shown to improve echocardiography measurements, cardiac catheterization parameters and oxygenation. While a recent randomized controlled trial questioned the safety of long-term use of high-dose sildenafil citrate by children, the new evidence review suggests that both low- and moderate-dose sildenafil are safe regimens for children.
Young doctors working in infectious diseases suffering burnout and bullying One in five physicians working in medical microbiology and infectious diseases is suffering from burnout, bullying and poor work-life balance, according to a study published in European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases.
Gambling adverts on TV can 'mislead' football fans Football fans are being 'misled' by complex gambling adverts on television, a University of Stirling study has found.
	Who sweats more: Men or women? Sex differences in heat loss responses are dependent on body size and not sex, meaning that larger individuals sweat more than smaller ones during cycle exercise in warm and tolerable conditions. That's what research published today in Experimental Physiology shows.
	Opinion: Population versus targeted – which approach is best for preventing heart disease? Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer worldwide and the second biggest killer in the UK. However, most cases of heart disease can be prevented by managing risk factors.
	Virtual reality imaging gives surgeons a better view of patient anatomy When Gina Milner needed a new heart valve, she was surprised to learn that a virtual-reality tool could help her get one.
	Alzheimer's drug prescribed 'off-label' for mild cognitive impairment could pose risk for some Donepezil, a medication that is approved to treat people with Alzheimer's disease, should not be prescribed for people with mild cognitive impairment without a genetic test. UCLA School of Nursing researchers discovered that for people who carry a specific genetic variation—the K-variant of butyrylcholinesterase, or BChE-K—donezpezil could accelerate cognitive decline.
	Researcher finds safer, less-invasive method of staging endometrial cancer Emma Rossi, MD, in the UNC Department of Obstetric and Gynecology's Division of Gynecologic Oncology, has published a study in Lancet Oncology online that identifies sentinel-lymph-node mapping as a safer and less-invasive method of staging endometrial cancer that is equally as accurate as the more traditional lymphadenectomy.
	Rare bacterial infection a threat to heart patients A Queensland infectious diseases expert has warned more open-heart surgery patients could be diagnosed with a rare bacterial infection stemming from contaminated heater-cooler units.
	Discovery of genetic mutation may boost cancer therapies A newly discovered type of genetic mutation that occurs frequently in cancer cells may provide clues about the disease's origins and offer new therapeutic targets, according to research from Weill Cornell Medicine and the New York Genome Center.
	Providing healthcare for non-US citizens a 'moral obligation,' professors say At a time when the country is steeped in nationalist sentiment, and the Trump administration is focused on rolling back the Affordable Care Act, Northeastern University professors Patricia Illingworth and Wendy E. Parmet are making the case for expanding healthcare to non-citizens in the U.S.
	Professor investigates psychiatric medication among incarcerated women Incarcerated women experience mental illness at a disproportionate rate and heavily use psychiatric medication. A new study by Kia J. Bentley, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Social Work, examines this phenomenon, and digs deeper into the incarcerated women's experiences with and beliefs about mental health and psychotropic drugs.
	New weight-loss therapy rids body of food before digestion A new weight-loss therapy offers significantly overweight people a means to rid their bodies of some of what they eat before excess calories can be absorbed.
	Faster biological ageing could increase risk for depression in childhood Genetic factors which predispose people to accelerated 'biological ageing' also increase their risk of developing depression in childhood, according to a new study from King's College London.
	Using Twitter may increase food-poisoning reporting Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. citizens gets food poisoning every year, but very few report it. Twitter communications between the public and the proper government authorities could improve foodborne illness reporting as well as the steps that follow, according to a new study from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.
	Explainer: What is VX nerve agent and how does it work? The substance that could be responsible for the death Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, was the VX nerve agent, according to preliminary reports from Malaysian police.
	Digital toolkit aims to prevent falls amongst the elderly The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has endorsed a new online toolkit developed by researchers at Keele University, which aims to prevent falls amongst the elderly that cost the NHS more than £2 billion a year in total.
Men with higher cognitive ability better at taking heart medication After a heart attack, it is important for patients to take medication that lowers cholesterol levels. In a new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers at Uppsala and Umeå Universities have found that general cognitive ability (intelligence) has a bearing, in the first year and two years after the heart attack, on how well men take statins prescribed for them.
	Despite farms, some in Central Valley struggle to find fresh food It might come as a surprise that, in a region where agriculture is so prevalent, many people in the San Joaquin Valley cannot afford fresh, quality produce or live too far from grocery stores, farmers markets and other sources.
	Study of microtuning suggests musical scales may have developed to accommodate vocal limitations For singers and their audiences, being "in tune" might not be as important as we think. The fact that singers fail to consistently hit the right notes may have implications for the development of musical scales as well.
	Study finds unequal distribution of power in young adult relationships more harmful to women Power imbalances in heterosexual relationships are common, but having less power takes a greater toll on young women than young men, according to a recently published University at Buffalo study.
	Kidney damage diagnosis may be inaccurate for many, suggests study Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have found that, for many patients, an initial diagnosis of "acute kidney injury" may have been inaccurate. Their finding, based on an analysis of patient records, suggests that the current method of assessing kidney function may be misleading during the initial evaluation of a patient.
First systematic study of deadly, antibiotic-resistant fungus reported The deadly fungus, Candida auris, which has been found in hospitals, is resistant to entire classes of antimicrobial drugs, limiting treatment options for those infected. First reported in 2009, the fungus has been linked to invasive infections in nine countries, including the United States, and has caused at least two hospital outbreaks involving more than 30 patients each. Now, in a first-of-its-kind study published in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, microbiologists at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have provided previously uninvestigated details pertaining to C. auris drug resistance and growth patterns. Based on specimens collected from around the globe, the comprehensive study also provides evidence that a new investigational drug (SCY-078) may help to cure these infections.
	New risk factors for anxiety disorders Mental, social and inherited factors all play a role in anxiety disorders. In the journal Molecular Psychiatry, a research team from Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) in Bavaria, Germany, describes a hitherto unknown genetic pathway for developing such diseases: They pinpointed at least four variants of the GLRB gene (glycine receptor B) as risk factors for anxiety and panic disorders. More than 5000 voluntary participants and 500 patients afflicted by panic disorder took part in the study that delivered these results.
Controversial test could be leading to unnecessary open heart operations An approved international test to check whether people need open heart surgery could be sending twice as many people under the knife unnecessarily, at a cost of nearly £75m, research by the University of Leicester has suggested.
	Cyberattacks remain serious threat to health providers (HealthDay)—Cyberattacks remain a serious threat to small providers as well as big institutions, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
	Study finds stroke care faster for men than women (HealthDay)—Male stroke patients are more than twice as likely as female patients to receive clot-busting stroke treatment within 30 minutes of hospital arrival, a new study reports.
	Drug OD deaths have nearly tripled since 1999: CDC (HealthDay)—Drug overdose deaths have nearly tripled in the United States since 1999, with whites and middle-aged Americans bearing much of the brunt, a new government report shows.
Interactive health apps may inspire healthy behaviors, but watch the tone Just like real doctors and nurses, online health tools with good—but controlled—communication skills can promote healthier lifestyles, according to researchers. However, if their tone is conversational, these tools may lull users into a false sense of comfort, they add.
Preventive measure during procedures using contrast material unnecessary Contrary to what international guidelines have prescribed for many years, preventive hydration to protect renal function during procedures using contrast material appears to have no added value. In fact, in some cases there are negative consequences. Research by Maastricht UMC+ shows that omitting the standard intravenous hydration given to people with compromised renal function could prevent complications and save millions of euros in care costs. The results were published this week in the prominent scientific journal The Lancet.
Elevated stress levels among Norway's youngest in childcare Researchers measured the stress hormone cortisol in 112 toddlers from 85 different childcare centres in six municipalities, approximately five months after they started attending. Children with the longest childcare days (8-9 hours) showed an increase in cortisol during the day.
	A novel DNA vaccine design improves chances of inducing anti-tumor immunity Scientists at The Wistar Institute and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. have devised a novel DNA vaccine approach through molecular design to improve the immune responses elicited against one of the most important cancer antigen targets. Study results were published in the journal Molecular Therapy.
New antiviral drug cuts cytomegalovirus infection and improves survival in patients Orlando- In a significant advance in improving the safety of donor stem cell transplants, a major clinical trial led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has shown that a novel agent can protect against the most common viral infection that patients face after transplantation.
	Regular aerobic exercise beginning in middle age may lessen severity of stroke in old age The network of blood vessels (collateral circulation) shrinks in number and diameter as the brain ages. Collateral circulation allows blood flow to be rerouted when arteries narrow. Using mice, researchers found that this loss of collateral vessels is prevented by exercise, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's International Stroke Conference 2017.
Infant who survived in 1920s sideshow incubator dies at 96 Lucille Conlin Horn weighed barely 2 pounds when she was born, a perilous size for any infant, especially in 1920. Doctors told her parents to hold off on a funeral for her twin sister who had died at birth, expecting she too would soon be gone.
	Study reports multidrug resistant bacteria found in hospital sinks Many recent reports have found multidrug resistant bacteria living in hospital sink drainpipes, putting them in close proximity to vulnerable patients. But how the bacteria find their way out of the drains, and into patients has been unclear. Now a team from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, has charted their pathways. The research is published February 24 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Effects of a poor diet during pregnancy may be reversed in female adolescent offspring Here's some good news if you are female: Research published online in The FASEB Journal, shows that in mice, what is eaten during adolescence or childhood development may alter long-term behavior and learning, and can even "rescue" females from the negative effects on behavior resulting from a poor maternal diet during pregnancy.
	Molecular 'on switch' could point to treatments for pediatric brain tumor Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have identified a mechanism that controls the expression of genes regulating the growth of the most aggressive form of medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor. In their report published online in Cancer Discovery, the team also identifies potential targets for future treatments.
Montana abortion bill would make doctors try to save fetus Montana lawmakers pushed forward with a measure that would effectively ban all abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy, regardless of the medical risks to a woman, by requiring doctors to deliver the fetus and try to save it.
The potential consequences for cancer care and cancer research of Brexit In an editorial to be published on Friday 24 February 2017 in the journal ecancermedicalscience, leading academics from across the UK explore the risks facing cancer care, treatment and research in a post-Brexit world.
	The effects of drinking on the aging brain Wisdom and grace come with age, but so do mental slowing and increased risk for dementia. As the elderly population continues to grow, preserving brain health to maintain independence and quality of life into older age is a pressing concern. Researchers have identified some unsurprising factors that reduce one's risk for cognitive decline, including education, exercise or a healthy diet. But a more controversial question that continues to perplex scientists is whether alcohol consumption might also stave off cognitive impairment with age.
Can staying active help to prevent chronic pain? Physical activity affects pain modulation in older adults Older adults with higher levels of physical activity have pain modulation patterns that might help lower their risk of developing chronic pain, reports a study in PAIN, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
	Tissue-engineered model developed to study bone-invading tumor Researchers have used tissue engineering to create models for studying the bone-destroying activity of tumors such as the aggressive pediatric cancer Ewing's sarcoma. A new 3-dimensional, living model of the osteolytic process and bone remodeling, which can serve a valuable tool for exploring disease mechanisms and the effectiveness of potential treatments, is described in Tissue Engineering, Part C, Methods.
What effect does prenatal and postpartum maternal depression have on children? The results of a large study do not support the notion that prenatal and postpartum maternal depression is particularly detrimental to children's psychological development. Instead, the most robust effects were found for maternal depression occurring during children's preschool years.
Study shows adipose stem cells may be the cell of choice for therapeutic applications An international team of researchers, funded by Morris Animal Foundation, has shown that adipose (fat) stem cells might be the preferred stem cell type for use in canine therapeutic applications, including orthopedic diseases and injury.
	GOP governors outline health care plan, Medicaid changes Republican governors from seven states are calling for dramatic changes to Medicaid, which provides insurance to more than 70 million low-income Americans, as they nervously watch President Donald Trump and GOP congressional leaders move to repeal and replace the Obama-era health law.
UN Haiti cholera fund fails to draw pledges A UN fund set up for Haiti's cholera victims is failing to draw support, with only two percent of the needed $400 million raised so far, according to a letter by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Biology news

	US braces for long battle over genetic patent rights The first skirmish was fought last week in what could be a long war over a revolutionary patent on gene-editing technology, with colossal amounts of money at stake.
	Tiny mutation makes plants less resistant to stressful conditions Scientists from The University of Western Australia have identified a tiny mutation in plants that can influence how well a plant recovers from stressful conditions, and ultimately impact a plant's survival.
	How proteins reshape cell membranes Small "bubbles" frequently form on membranes of cells and are taken up into their interior. The process involves EHD proteins - a focus of research by Prof. Oliver Daumke of the MDC. He and his team have now shed light on how these proteins assemble on the surface of a cell and reshape its membrane.
	New tool to map RNA-DNA interactions could help researchers translate gene sequences into functions Bioengineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a new tool to identify interactions between RNA and DNA molecules. The tool, called MARGI (Mapping RNA Genome Interactions), is the first technology that's capable of providing a full account of all the RNA molecules that interact with a segment of DNA, as well as the locations of all these interactions—in just a single experiment.
	'Record' anti-venom dose saves boy from deadly Australian spider A 10-year-old Australian boy has survived a bite from one of the world's deadliest spiders after taking a record 12 vials of anti-venom, local media reported.
	Hammerhead shark migration gives new hope for conservation New information on the migration patterns of the Great Hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran, will help to protect this endangered species, scientists suggest.
Video: Project aims to eliminate 'ugly' sweet potatoes Sweet potatoes are one of the most important food crops in the world, but variations in shape and size can cause farmers to leave entire fields unharvested.
	Researchers describe how sperm can lose their way Sperm tails are actually complex propellant and navigational devices that help push them through fluids and navigate around complex terrain of the female oviduct. Now researchers at Yale and Harvard Universities have identified a key component of this navigational system which, when disabled, greatly reduces male fertility.
	Scientists generate a new plasmid-based reverse genetics system for rotaviruses Rotaviruses are the most common cause of severe diarrhea and kill hundreds of thousands of infants a year. Although current vaccines are effective in preventing aggravation of rotaviruses, the development of more effective vaccines at lower cost is expected. Technology cannot study well how rotaviruses invade and replicate in a cell. To identify which genes are crucial for the infection of rotaviruses, scientists at the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases at Osaka University report a new plasmid-based reverse genetics system. The study can be read in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
Size matters... and structure too: New tool predicts the interaction of proteins with long non-coding RNAs Far from just reading the information contained in the human genome, and in order to fully understand how it works, researchers aim to know the ins and outs of all the elements in this tiny regulated gear. Many laboratories, consortia and projects are devoted to get a global view of the functional regions of the genome and to know in which cell types genes are active.
	Study offers guidance on how to protect olive trees from being ravaged by deadly pathogen Expert ecologists at the UK-based Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) have devised a scientific model which could help predict the spread of the deadly Xylella fastidiosa which is threatening to destroy Europe's olive trees.
	High levels of chemicals found in indoor cats A study from Stockholm University have now established what was previously suspected, that the high levels of brominated flame retardants measured in cats are from the dust in our homes. The study has been published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
	New algorithm identifies gene transfers between different bacterial species Gene transfers are particularly common in the antibiotic-resistance genes of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
	Biologists expand on more than 150 years of textbook wisdom with a new explanation for wasp mimicry The masquerade is almost perfect. Certain moths of the subfamily Arctiinae are marked with a yellow and black pattern. But these day-active insects have wasp waists and their antennae resemble those of wasps. Their transparent wings are folded in a wasp-like way. For more than 150 years there has been a plausible explanation for this type of imitation, which is commonly known as mimicry. It says that the moths - just like many hoverflies and other insects - imitate wasps in order to protect themselves from birds and other hostile predators. According to textbook wisdom, these voracious foes have learned from painful experience. They have been stung by wasps and since then have avoided any animal that looks like one. In the scientific journal Ecology and Evolution, a University of Freiburg biologist, Prof. Dr. Michael Boppré and his team have now presented an additional hypothesis that goes beyond this traditional view. Their interpretation is that, above all, the moths' appearance deceives the very wasps they are mimicking.
Government of Myanmar unveils new plan to protect marine wildlife and resources The Government of Myanmar and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) announced today a comprehensive plan to protect the country's diverse fisheries and marine life—including dolphins, sea turtles, and other species—and other marine resources.
Study of transnational flows of rhino horn Kruger National Park and other public and private game reserves have become battlefields where state security forces and game wardens fight for the rhinos' survival. Despite their efforts, conservative estimates give rhinos another seven years before they go extinct in the wild. Annette Hübschle is carrying out research into why the protection of rhinos is failing.
	Early baleen whales contended for title of ocean's Barry White Until now, it has been a bit of a mystery about the evolution of hearing capabilities in those graceful ocean behemoths, the baleen whales.
	New York schools help Cornell monitor local waterways for invasive species Invasive aquatic species like round goby, Asian carp, and sea lamprey are a growing problem in New York State. Their presence impacts water quality, food supply, recreation and tourism, as well as human and animal health. Early detection is a critical first step in monitoring a species' spread and managing responses.

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