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Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 30, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Wireless power transfer enhanced by metamaterials
- Light—not pain-killing drugs—used to activate brain's opioid receptors
- Engineering a better solar cell: Study pinpoints defects in popular perovskites
- New analysis shows how bombardier beetles produce explosive defensive chemical jet
- Astronomers use space particles to measure electrical field in thunderstorms
- New origin theory for cells that gave rise to vertebrates
- Researchers devise a way to grow 3 atom thick semiconducting films with wafer scale homogeneity
- NuSTAR captures possible 'screams' from zombie stars
- The Pillars of Creation revealed in 3-D: Study suggests they more aptly named the Pillars of Destruction
- NASA spacecraft crashes on Mercury after 11-year mission
- Sustainability progress should precede seafood market access, researchers urge
- Researchers discover key driver of human aging
- Physicists discover quantum-mechanical monopoles
- Using new 'chemogenetic' technique, scientists turn neurons 'on' and 'off'
- Vital step in stem cell growth revealed: Finding could aid regenerative and cancer therapies

Astronomy & Space news

	The Pillars of Creation revealed in 3-D: Study suggests they more aptly named the Pillars of Destruction Using the MUSE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have produced the first complete three-dimensional view of the famous Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula, Messier 16. The new observations demonstrate how the different dusty pillars of this iconic object are distributed in space and reveal many new details—including a previously unseen jet from a young star. Intense radiation and stellar winds from the cluster's brilliant stars have sculpted the dusty Pillars of Creation over time and should fully evaporate them in about three million years.
	NuSTAR captures possible 'screams' from zombie stars Peering into the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) has spotted a mysterious glow of high-energy X-rays that, according to scientists, could be the "howls" of dead stars as they feed on stellar companions.
	The Dark Matter 'conspiracy' Surprising gravitational similarities between spiral and elliptical galaxies have been discovered by an international team, including astronomers from Swinburne University of Technology, implying the influence of hidden forces.
	Multifractals suggest the existence of an unknown physical mechanism on the Sun The famous sunspots on the surface of the sun result from the dynamics of strong magnetic fields, and their numbers are an important indicator of the state of activity on the sun. At the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków, Poland, researchers have been conducting multifractal analysis into the changes in the numbers of sunspots. The resulting graphs were surprisingly asymmetrical in shape, suggesting that sunspots may be involved in hitherto unknown physical processes.
	Discovery of microbe-rich groundwater in Antarctica could guide our search for life in space Scientists have discovered salty groundwater underneath the dry valleys of Antarctica that is buzzing with microbial life. As the valleys are geologically similar to what Mars was like in the past, the discovery could help us understand what life on the red planet could have looked like. It could also help us search for life elsewhere in the solar system, such as on the icy moons surrounding Jupiter and Saturn.
	Chandra suggests black holes gorging at excessive rates A group of unusual giant black holes may be consuming excessive amounts of matter, according to a new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. This finding may help astronomers understand how the largest black holes were able to grow so rapidly in the early Universe.
	NASA spacecraft crashes on Mercury after 11-year mission An unmanned NASA spacecraft has crashed on the surface of the planet Mercury, after it ran out of fuel following a successful 11-year mission, the US space agency said Thursday.
	Space station refuelling craft is out of control and plunging to earth A Russian spacecraft designed to carry supplies it the International Space Station is spinning out of control as it orbits Earth.
	Tracking Japan's asteroid impact mission ESA is set to support Japan's 'touch-and-go' Hayabusa-2 spacecraft, now en route to a little-known asteroid, helping to boost the scientific return from this audacious mission.
	Team successfully observes the solar eclipse over the Arctic The international Solar Wind Sherpas team, led by Dr. Shadia Habbal of the University of Hawaii at Manoa Institute for Astronomy, braved Arctic weather to successfully observe the total solar eclipse of March 20 from Longyearbyen on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago east of northern Greenland. Their preliminary results are being presented Thursday at the Triennial Earth-Sun Summit in Indianapolis, IN.
	Unlocking the secrets of star creation On April 1, 1995, the Hubble Space Telescope (link is external), now celebrating its 25th anniversary, captured the famous images of the "Pillars of Creation" in the Eagle Nebula. Twenty years later to the day, the NIF Team conducted the first experiment in a new Discovery Science campaign aimed at finding clues to the mystery of how stars are born in these spectacular cosmic formations.
	You can see the Hubble Space Telescope in the sky above The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has now been in orbit for 25 years and this achievement has been a wonderful excuse to pour over the telescope's beautiful imagery, to consider its valuable contribution to science, to remember its troubled beginnings and applaud its stellar success.
	What can we do with unwanted satellites? There are thousands of satellites in Earth orbit, of varying age and usefulness. At some point they reach the end of their lives, at which point they become floating junk. What do we do with them then?
	Sun's tenuous outer tendrils revealed in spectacular movies from European Solar Telescope New and exciting extreme ultraviolet views of the Sun's high corona from ESA's PROBA2 mission reveal mysteriously beautiful, tenuous structure extending surprisingly far from the Sun itself. The spectacular movies from the Royal Observatory of Belgium's SWAP instrument on the ESA technology demonstration testbed PROBA2, revealing previously unseen feathery structure in the region where the solar wind is accelerated, were presented today at the Triennial Earth-Sun Summit (TESS) meeting between the American Astronomical Society's Solar Physics Division (AAS/SPD) and the American Geophysical Union's Space Physics and Aeronomy section (AGU/SPA) in Indianapolis, Ind.
	Doomsday at Mercury: NASA craft close to falling into planet The only spacecraft ever to orbit Mercury, NASA's Messenger, is ending its four-year tour at the solar system's innermost planet with a crash landing.
	Bezos' secretive space company launches unmanned test flight A private space company founded by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos has launched an unmanned spaceship in its first test flight, the latest development in the commercial space race.
	US Air Force tracks spinning space capsule as orbit drops The U.S. Air Force is keeping close tabs on Russia's tumbling, out-of-control space capsule as it comes closer to re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
	Image: Unboxing Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter flight model Unboxing the Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter at ESA's Test Centre, Japan's contribution to the joint BepiColombo mission to the innermost world of our Solar System.
	Mercury crater-naming contest winners announced The MESSENGER Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Team, coordinated through the Carnegie Institution for Science, has announced the winners from its competition to name five impact craters on Mercury after artist's. Entries had to be submitted by 15 January 2015, and the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature made the selections from a total of 3600 submissions, and a semifinal round of 17 names. The newly selected crater names are Carolan, Enheduanna, Karsh, Kulthum, and Rivera.

Technology news

	Most innovations are rephrasings of past techs Most new patents are combinations of existing ideas and pretty much always have been, even as the stream of fundamentally new core technologies has slowed, according to a new paper in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface by SFI researchers Hyejin Youn, Luis Bettencourt, Jose Lobo, and Deborah Strumsky.
	Students produce energy from movement of leg brace Rice University engineering students have created an energy-generating knee brace that they hope may someday help power artificial hearts.
	Tesla to expand battery technology to homes, businesses Tesla CEO Elon Musk is trying to steer his electric car company's battery technology into homes and businesses as part of an elaborate plan to reshape the power grid with millions of small power plants made of solar panels on roofs and batteries in garages.
	Warehouse robots Fetch, Freight aim to ease fulfillment burdens Fetch Robotics on Wednesday officially introduced its robotics system for the logistics industry. Melonee Wise, CEO, Fetch Robotics, had an impressive story to tell about what her company has done to support warehouse work.
Yahoo CEO's pay package climbs in 2014 due to stock gains The value of Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer's pay package surged last year, mostly due to gains in the Internet company's stock price that came despite concerns about the overall health of Yahoo's business.
Nokia turns to Q1 profit but networks division is a concern Buoyed by strong overall sales, Nokia made a net profit of 177 million euros ($195 million) in the first quarter from a loss a year earlier, but its shares plummeted more than 10 percent Thursday over a weak performance at its main networks unit.
	Sony plays to strengths in games, sensors as it vows revival Once at the leading edge of consumer electronics, Sony Corp. is now more lumbering giant than trend-setter after falling behind competitors such as Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc.
	The history and development of batteries Batteries are so ubiquitous today that they're almost invisible to us. Yet they are a remarkable invention with a long and storied history, and an equally exciting future.
	After years of talk, a regulator is willing to take on Google The European Commission's decision to charge Google with abuse of its dominant market position in the search business in order to favour its own services has been criticised as too narrow in focus, too superficial for not dealing with the bigger problem of digital competition, ill-conceived for messing with the market, or not focused on the real problem of who owns our personal data.
	The social graph won't save us from what's wrong with online reviews In early 2015, the Belfast Telegraph sent reporter Kim Kelly undercover to visit Northern Ireland's "worst" hotel—according to its on online reputation. Kelly reported that although some TripAdvisor reviews had called it a "hell hole" and "dustbin," she was pleasantly surprised with the "clean and compact" rooms.
	Angry Birds to help save their counterparts in South Pacific Angry Birds are getting angrier, because some of their real-life colorful counterparts in the South Pacific are facing extinction.
	Tablet sales continue to slump Figures released on Thursday by International Data Corporation showed that the global tablet market continued to slump in the recently ended quarter.
	Hungary latest EU country to probe Uber Hungary on Thursday became the latest European Union country to launch a probe into Uber, the popular but controversial taxi app for mobile phones.
	Engineers introduce rehab robot HARMONY Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a first-of-its kind, two-armed, robotic rehabilitation exoskeleton that could provide a new method of high-quality, data-driven therapy to patients suffering from spinal and neurological injuries.
	Dark tattoos daunt Apple Watch Apple aficionados who are also fans of body art are finding out that dark tattoos can daunt the iconic company's hot new smartwatch.
Bayer says bottom line down in Q1 German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer, maker of Aspirin, said Thursday that net profits were down in the first three months, but it nevertheless raised its full-year forecasts due to the positive effects of the weak euro.
Glu Mobile adds Britney Spears to celebrity game roster Britney Spears is joining Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry on Glu Mobile's roster of celebrity mobile games, the company said on Wednesday.
	Obama pushes reading through e-book, library initiatives President Barack Obama announced Thursday that major book publishers will provide more than $250 million in free e-books to low-income students and that he is seeking commitments from local governments and schools nationwide to provide library cards to all students.
	3-D help for needy and creative entrepreneurs If you want to manufacture single prototypes or small-scale production series, 3D-printed forms may be the way to go.
	Apple, IBM, Japan Post team up to improve elderly care Apple, IBM and Japanese insurance and bank holding company Japan Post have formed a partnership to improve the lives of elderly people in the country.
	Researchers create tool for monitoring brands on Twitter Universidad Carlos III de Madrid has developed a monitoring tool with which brands can test the effects of their strategies on social networks. This program can control millions of 'tweets' and reveal the strengths and weaknesses of brands in the Twitter universe.
	Glu Mobile lands big China deal that could signal expansion A $126 million investment from a Chinese gaming company sent shares of Glu Mobile soaring almost 20 percent Thursday.
	SDSC's 'Comet' supercomputer enters early operations phase Comet, a new petascale supercomputer designed to transform advanced scientific computing by expanding access and capacity among traditional as well as non-traditional research domains, has transitioned into an early operations phase at the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at the University of California, San Diego.
	US smartphone app sends police incident videos to lawyers Civil rights campaigners on Thursday launched a smartphone app that can video record interactions between police and members of the public, and store them for potential use in legal action.
	LinkedIn shares tumble on weak 2Q outlook Shares of LinkedIn Corp. are diving Thursday after the professional networking service gave a disappointing second-quarter outlook.

Medicine & Health news

	Light—not pain-killing drugs—used to activate brain's opioid receptors Despite the abuse potential of opioid drugs, they have long been the best option for patients suffering from severe pain. The drugs interact with receptors on brain cells to tamp down the body's pain response. But now, neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a way to activate opioid receptors with light.
	Pancreatic cancer risk linked to weak sunlight Writing in the April 30 online issue of the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report pancreatic cancer rates are highest in countries with the least amount of sunlight. Low sunlight levels were due to a combination of heavy cloud cover and high latitude.
	Researchers map neural circuit involved in combining multiple senses Combining information across multiple senses helps in choosing an appropriate action. While many examples exist of such synergistic effects, very few studies have identified the neural architecture underlying multisensory convergence. In particular, whether distinct sensory streams converge early, late or at multiple levels in the sensory processing hierarchy was an open question. Using behavioral testing, neuronal activation screens, and electron microscopy reconstructions of the nervous system of fruit fly larvae, scientists at Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus have mapped the entire neural circuit involved in combining vibration and pain sensations used in triggering an escape behavior.
	How the language you speak changes your view of the world Bilinguals get all the perks. Better job prospects, a cognitive boost and even protection against dementia. Now new research shows that they can also view the world in different ways depending on the specific language they are operating in.
	Foreign antibodies mobilize immune system to fight cancer, researchers find A type of immune cell can be primed to attack and eliminate various kinds of malignant cancers in mice, according to a study by Stanford University School of Medicine researchers.
	Scientists identify key receptors behind development of acute myeloid leukemia UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have discovered that a certain class of receptors that inhibit immune response are crucial for the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the most common acute leukemia affecting adults.
	Researchers use 'knockout humans' to connect genes to disease risk Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) are helping to make precision medicine a reality by sequencing entire exomes of people to assess chronic disease risk and drug efficacy. The results of a study on this topic were published in Nature Genetics on Monday.
	Using new 'chemogenetic' technique, scientists turn neurons 'on' and 'off' Researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have perfected a noninvasive "chemogenetic" technique that allows them to switch off a specific behavior in mice - such as voracious eating - and then switch it back on. The method works by targeting two different cell surface receptors of neurons that are responsible for triggering the specific chemical signals that control brain function and complex behaviors.
	Spinal cord axon injury location determines neuron's regenerative fate Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report a previously unappreciated phenomenon in which the location of injury to a neuron's communication wire in the spinal cord—the axon—determines whether the neuron simply stabilizes or attempts to regenerate. The study, published April 30 by Neuron, demonstrates how advances in live-imaging techniques are revealing new insights into the body's ability to respond to spinal cord injuries.
	Brain scan reveals out-of-body illusion The feeling of being inside one's own body is not as self-evident as one might think. In a new study from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, neuroscientists created an out-of-body illusion in participants placed inside a brain scanner. They then used the illusion to perceptually 'teleport' the participants to different locations in a room and show that the perceived location of the bodily self can be decoded from activity patterns in specific brain regions.
	Researchers discover key driver of human aging A study tying the aging process to the deterioration of tightly packaged bundles of cellular DNA could lead to methods of preventing and treating age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, as detailed April 30, 2015, in Science.
	Study links quitting smoking with deterioration in diabetes control Sufferers of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who quit smoking are likely to see a temporary deterioration in their glycaemic control which could last up to three years, according to new research published today in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
	People will live longer than official estimates predict, say researchers A new study forecasting how life expectancy will change in England and Wales has predicted people will live longer than current estimates.
Gender equality linked with higher condom use in HIV positive young women in South Africa Young HIV positive women are more likely to practice safer sex if they have an equitable perception of gender roles, according to new research involving the University of Southampton.
	Hispanic women's upbeat outlook may boost heart health (HealthDay)—Hispanic women tend to exercise less and fret less about their weight than white women, and their heart disease risks are also lower, a new study suggests.
	Better diabetes blood sugar management leads to fewer eye surgeries (HealthDay)—Intensive management of type 1 diabetes can reduce the risk of having a diabetes-related eye surgery by nearly 50 percent, according to a new report.
	C-section rates drop slightly with hospital review program (HealthDay)—Fewer pregnant women had cesarean section births in Canadian hospitals that took part in a C-section review program, a new study reports.
	Four in ten Americans breathe unhealthy air: report (HealthDay)— More than four in 10 Americans, or about 138.5 million people, are breathing unhealthy air, a new report finds.
	First generic Abilify approved (HealthDay)—The first generic versions of the atypical antipsychotic drug Abilify (aripiprazole) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
	Put car seat on your summer-travel checklist (HealthDay)—As you plan summer car trips with your young children, you should also consider car seat safety.
	Long-term post-CABG mortality increased with diabetes (HealthDay)—Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have increased long-term risk of death after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), with higher risk among those with T1DM, according to a study published in the April 28 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Subunit vaccine efficacious against herpes zoster (HealthDay)—A subunit vaccine containing varicella-zoster virus glycoprotein E and the AS01B adjuvant system (HZ/su) is efficacious against herpes zoster infection in older adults, according to a study published online April 28 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research was published to coincide with the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, held from April 25 to 28 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
	Most adult acne antibiotic course durations follow guidelines (HealthDay)—The majority of oral antibiotic course durations for adult acne follow guidelines, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Vena cava retrievable filters no help in pulmonary embolism (HealthDay)—For patients with acute, symptomatic pulmonary embolism, the use of retrievable vena cava filters with anticoagulation does not offer any benefit over anticoagulation alone, according to a study published online April 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Vanderbilt study shows babies born with drug withdrawal symptoms on the rise The number of infants born in the United States with drug withdrawal symptoms, also known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), nearly doubled in a four-year period. By 2012, one infant was born every 25 minutes in the U.S. with the syndrome, accounting for $1.5 billion in annual health care charges, according to a new Vanderbilt study published in the Journal of Perinatology.
	Gamblers 'see' more illusory patterns where there are none, study finds Pathological gamblers "see" patterns in things that are actually quite random and not really there, to such a degree that they are quite willing to impulsively bet good money on such illusory nonrandomness. This is confirmed by Wolfgang Gaissmaier of the University of Konstanz in Germany and Andreas Wilke of Clarkson University in the USA, leaders of a study in Springer's Journal of Gambling Studies that sheds light on why some people are gamblers and others not.
Silica dust in small-scale gold mining linked to silicosis and TB epidemic Silica dust hazards in large gold mines have been well documented, but the situation is far worse in small-scale gold mining according to a new study.
	Light-emitting goggles help prevent preterm labor, provide safer labor process Preventing preterm labor with light and inducing labor using a side effect-free drug are two new technologies based on Florida State University research that are heading to the marketplace.
	Research unlocks critical early nutrient supply for embryos The mechanism by which embryos receive nutrition during the first 11 weeks of pregnancy has been revealed by University of Manchester scientists.
	Scientists find way to monitor progress of stem cells after transplantation into brain Investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine have devised a way to monitor neural stem cells after they've been transplanted into the brain.
	Metformin is inexpensive and effective, but underused by diabetics Few doctors are prescribing a low-cost drug that has been proven effective in preventing the onset of diabetes, according to a UCLA study. The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Internal Medicine, found that only 3.7 percent of U.S. adults with pre-diabetes were prescribed metformin during a recent three-year period.
	Proper food preparation can prevent botulism A recent deadly outbreak of botulism in Ohio underscores the necessity for proper home canning procedures and food preparation, a University of Georgia Extension food safety specialist said.
Low vitamin D levels linked to lupus Monash-led research has shown for the first time that low vitamin D levels are associated with higher disease activity in Australian lupus patients.
	Hacked Kinect controller game changer for Parkinson's Microsoft's Kinect games controller has been hacked by researchers at Brunel University London to relieve one of the most distressing symptoms of Parkinson's - freezing of gait.
	Increase in types and brands of same food items contributes to overconsumption People who eat different types and brands of commonly available food items, such as pizza, are more likely to overeat than people who tend to consume the same brand, according to research by the Universities of Liverpool and Bristol.
	Inflammatory immune cells can flip the genetic script A type of immune cell that promotes inflammation during the immune response, TH17, can convert into another type of cell that reduces inflammation, Yale researchers have found. The finding, published April 29 in Nature, points to a possible therapeutic strategy for inflammation-mediated diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
	New study calls for changes to childcare "mandatory" sleep rules The findings from a QUT study have put to bed the idea of mandatory sleep times in licenced childcare settings.
Researchers eye pioneering therapy to treat personality disorders An international expert in the treatment of personality disorders is visiting QUT to train post graduate clinical psychology trainees in his ground-breaking therapy.
	New research into health benefits of coffee New research has brought us closer to being able to understand the health benefits of coffee.
	Learning how a key protein affects programmed cell death could help to develop vaccines and drugs A*STAR researchers have clarified the role of one particular regulatory protein in controlling the development of plasma cells, opening up several new avenues toward clinical applications.
	Monocytes and macrophages may promote human cancer growth White blood cells such as monocytes and macrophages are known mediators of inflammation, and according to new findings by researchers at A*STAR, also play a key role in promoting human cancer.
	Genetic signatures of gastric cancer cell lines reveal disease subtypes Distinct subtypes of gastric cancer respond differently to drug treatments according to a study by A*STAR researchers. The finding could help optimize treatment for individuals with gastric cancer and improve their prognosis.
Long-sought biomarker for chronic stress in fish discovered Johan Aerts (ILVO/Ghent University), under supervision of Prof. Dr. Sarah De Saeger (Ghent University), has discovered the long-sought biomarker for chronic stress in fish. Fish faced with stressful stimuli launch an endocrine stress response through activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI-) axis to release cortisol into the blood. Plasma cortisol is a poor predictor for chronic stress as it reflects no more than a snap-shot of the stress response at a given moment.
A new cellular response to radiation exposure Almost the entire human genome is transcribed into RNA, but only a fraction of this is actually used to produce protein. The function of the majority of the RNA, the so-called "non-coding transcriptome" remains an enigma. Some non-coding RNA families have been recognised through their shared structural features. Amongst these is the group of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Researchers at the Helmholtz Zentrum München now report the discovery of a very unexpected role for one such lncRNA, which they call PARTICLE, in regulating the response of cells to ionizing radiation
Lifestyle advice for would-be centenarians For the past 50 years, researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy have followed the health of 855 Gothenburg men born in 1913. Now that the study is being wrapped up, it turns out that ten of the subjects lived to 100 and conclusions can be drawn about the secrets of their longevity.
	Lunchtime exercise increases worker enthusiasm While finding 30 minutes of exercise each day is preferred it seems walking for 30 minutes just three times a week is enough to boost workers' feelings of relaxation and enthusiasm and reduces anxiety, research shows.
	Why grid-cell lattices are hexagonal Specialized brain cells provide an internal coordinate system that enables mammals to orient in space. Scientists at LMU and Harvard University have now shown mathematically why these cells generate hexagonal lattices.
Screening for HIV in GP surgeries leads to increased and earlier diagnosis Training general practices to offer rapid HIV tests leads to increased detection and earlier diagnosis of patients with HIV infection – according to a new study led by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and published in The Lancet HIV.
	Economic instability could contribute to low fertility rates, finds new research The number of women in the United States who are childless is at an all-time high. New research from Kansas State University suggests it may be due to the country's economic downturn.
New method enables improved drug target validation for COPD treatment Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München have succeeded in testing the effectiveness of new approaches for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on ex vivo 3D human lung tissue cultures (3D-LTCs). The results have now been published in the European Respiratory Journal.
	With new dietary guidelines in the works, what exactly are we supposed to eat? Since 1980, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) have been providing information to Americans on how to make choices to reach a healthy weight, prevent disease and promote overall good health.
FDA seeks more data on safety of hospital hand cleaners To fight infections, hospital workers can hit the hand sanitizer a hundred times or more a day. Now, the government wants more study of whether that is safe and how well it actually fights the spread of germs.
	Making sense of smell: Will bio-inspired robots sniff out bombs, drugs and disease? With just a sniff, our noses can detect smells that trigger specific memories, tell us food has gone bad, or even connect us to a potential mate. What if a robot could 'smell' as effectively as we do?
	Engineering new blood vessels in people is one step closer to reality Scientists moved a step closer toward coaxing the body into producing its own replacement blood vessels after discovering that suppressing parts of the innate immune system may raise the chances of a tissue engineered vascular graft's success. In a report appearing in the May 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal scientists showed that by controlling the reaction that natural killer cells, platelets and the acute inflammatory response have to the graft, they could also reduce the abnormal narrowing of the grafts, called stenosis, which is the cause of most failures. This discovery sets the stage for a second, more successful, generation of tissue engineered grafts designed to help regenerate components of the cardiovascular system.
Pre-existing inflammation may promote the spread of cancer A new research report appearing in the May 2015 issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that allergic reactions—or at least the pre-existing inflammation from these reactions—may set the stage for cancer to spread from one area to another. Specifically, the report uses mice to show that inflammation raises the level of a known biomarker of cancer, called "chitinase-3-like-1" or "CHI3L1," in the inflamed tissue, which leads to increased metastasis and faster cancer growth in that tissue.
	Impaired sleep linked to lower pain tolerance People with insomnia and other sleep problems have increased sensitivity to pain, reports a study published in Pain, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain.
Viruses responsible for 50 percent of gastroenteritis cases can spread by air Noroviruses, a group of viruses responsible for over 50% of global gastroenteritis cases, can spread by air up to several meters from an infected person according to a new study by Université Laval researchers. The discovery, details of which are presented in the latest issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, suggests that measures applied in hospitals during gastroenteritis outbreaks may be insufficient to effectively contain this kind of infection.
ACP releases advice for the proper time, test, and interval for cervical cancer screening The American College of Physicians (ACP) today released clinical advice aimed at reducing overuse of cervical cancer screening in average risk women without symptoms. "Cervical Cancer Screening in Average Risk Women" is published in Annals of Internal Medicine and lists two concurring organizations: the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
	Study finds swine farming is a risk factor for drug-resistant staph infections Swine farmers are more likely to carry multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus or "staph") than people without current swine exposure, according to a study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Iowa, Kent State University, and the National Cancer Institute.
	Telomere changes predict cancer A distinct pattern in the changing length of blood telomeres, the protective end caps on our DNA strands, can predict cancer many years before actual diagnosis, according to a new study from Northwestern Medicine in collaboration with Harvard University.
	Protein in metabolic reprogramming restrains senescent cells from becoming cancerous In recent years, research has shown that cancerous cells have a different metabolism—essential chemical and nutritional changes needed for supporting the unlimited growth observed in cancer—than normal cells. Now, scientists at The Wistar Institute have identified a way that cells can reprogram their metabolism to overcome a tumor-suppressing mechanism known as senescence, solidifying the notion that altered metabolism is a hallmark of cancer progression.
	First embryonic stem cell therapy safety trial in Asian patients A clinical trial in the Republic of Korea for patients with degenerative eye diseases is the first to test the safety of an embryonic stem cell therapy for people of Asian descent. The study, which followed four individuals for a year after they were treated with embryonic stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelial cells for macular degeneration, observed no serious side effects (tumor growth or other unexpected effects) related to the therapy. The researchers report the results on April 30 in Stem Cell Reports, the journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
	Busy americans can reap health benefits by balancing protein intake throughout the day Research has shown that eating more protein can support weight loss and prevent weight gain by boosting metabolism, increasing feelings of fullness and helping the body retain muscle while losing fat. However, many Americans are not consuming enough protein in a balanced way to achieve these effects. University of Missouri researcher Heather Leidy and her colleagues conducted a review of the current scientific literature on protein consumption and found that a moderate increase in protein consumption at each meal, balanced throughout the day, can lead to significant improvements.
	Boosting the body's natural ability to fight urinary tract infections Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common, and widespread antibiotic resistance has led to urgent calls for new ways to combat them. Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences report that an experimental drug that stabilizes a protein called HIF-1alpha protects human bladder cells and mice against a major UTI pathogen. The drug might eventually provide a therapeutic alternative or complement to standard antibiotic treatment.
Higher levels of inattention at age 7 linked with lower GCSE grades New research has shown that children who display increasing levels of inattention at the age of seven are at risk of worse academic outcomes in their GCSE examinations.
	Walking an extra two minutes each hour may offset hazards of sitting too long A new study suggests that engaging in low intensity activities such as standing may not be enough to offset the health hazards of sitting for long periods of time. On the bright side, adding two minutes of walking each hour to your routine just might do the trick. These findings were published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
	Study shows replacing one serving of sugary drink per day by water/unsweetened tea/coffee cuts risk of type 2 diabetes New research published today in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) indicates that for each 5% increase of a person's total energy intake provided by sweet drinks including soft drinks, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes may increase by 18%. However, the study also estimates that replacing the daily consumption of one serving of a sugary drink with either water or unsweetened tea or coffee can lower the risk of developing diabetes by between 14% and 25%.
	Optimizing treatment protocols when diagnostics are costly HIV-1 continues to spread globally. While neither a cure, nor an effective vaccine are available, recent focus has been put on 'treatment-for-prevention', which is a method by which treatment is used to reduce the contagiousness of an infected person. A study published this week in PLOS Computational Biology challenges current treatment paradigms in the context of 'treatment for prevention' against HIV-1.
Researchers find worm index closely associated with a nation's human development index With the Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2000 coming to an end in 2015, and the new Sustainable Development Goals now in the works to establish a set of targets for the future of international development, experts at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a new tool to show why neglected tropical diseases, the most common infections of the world's poor, should be an essential component of these goals.
	Team discovers how aspirin fights cancer Taking aspirin reduces a person's risk of colorectal cancer, but the molecular mechanisms involved have remained unknown until a recent discovery by The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota.
	Study results promising for hepatitis C patients awaiting or completing liver transplant A number of new, highly effective oral treatments for various types of hepatitis C have been approved in the past few years. However, two groups who have not benefitted from the new treatments are patients with hepatitis C who have advanced liver disease and patients who have received a liver transplant but the advanced liver disease has returned because of hepatitis C.
	Vitamin D toxicity rare in people who take supplements, researchers report Over the last decade, numerous studies have shown that many Americans have low vitamin D levels and as a result, vitamin D supplement use has climbed in recent years. Vitamin D has been shown to boost bone health and it may play a role in preventing diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and other illnesses. In light of the increased use of vitamin D supplements, Mayo Clinic researchers set out to learn more about the health of those with high vitamin D levels. They found that toxic levels are actually rare.
	Research on the yoga market shows how meanings, practice changed as it was adapted by the US Researchers in Chapman University's Argyros School of Business and Economics and their collaborators have just published a study on the evolution of yoga in the marketplace. Assistant Professor Gokcen Coskuner-Balli, Ph.D., co-authored the study, which examined how the meaning of yoga transformed in the past three decades. The results show that yoga became decreasingly associated with spirituality and increasingly associated with medicine and fitness. The study argues that the shift in the meanings are due to the changes in how yoga gurus are trained, market contests amongst different meanings and the distinct branding practices of small and big players in the market.
	Researcher looks to Internet as new frontier in collecting data on the mind With Apple's launch of new health tracking tools for the iPhone and medical researchers' forays into Facebook to recruit clinical trial volunteers, Web and mobile apps are increasingly seen as a new source for health data.
Texas takes aim at telemedicine care for patients The state of Texas and telemedicine advocates are in a legal tussle over patients who receive doctor consultations through video.
Indiana lawmakers OK needle exchange programs Lawmakers looking to prevent a repeat of an HIV outbreak that has rocked a southern Indiana county sent Republican Gov. Mike Pence a measure Wednesday that would allow communities to implement needle-exchange programs if they can prove they're in the midst of an epidemic tied to intravenous drug use.
Big pharma deals: Mylan, Teva push on despite rejections Suitors in the generic drug industry's big consolidation push signaled Wednesday they would keep fighting for deals, even after Perrigo rejected a sweetened offer from Mylan.
	Personalizing targeted immunotherapy This year may indeed be the year in which a class of immunotherapeutics called PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors are approved for a variety of cancers, as forecast recently by Drew Pardoll, MD, PhD, in a blog post. There is huge excitement surrounding these drugs because patients with numerous types of cancer treated with these drugs have experienced dramatic and durable responses. However, there are some challenges surrounding how best to use these drugs in the clinic to ensure that the right patient is treated with the right PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor.
Solid, heat-resistant vaccine to ease immunisation processes EU researchers have set out to substitute liquid and freeze-dried vaccines for new, solid state candidates. If successful, the research will enable the large scale production of new virosome-based vaccines with increased stability, longer shelf life and less invasive administration methods.
Bottleneck analysis can improve care for mothers and newborns in poor settings In a study published this month in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, researchers from universities including Karolinska Institutet present a new model for identifying "bottlenecks" when it comes to implementing health interventions for mothers and newborns in rural areas in low income countries
Fresh whole blood reduces possible complications in pediatric heart surgery patients Using fresh whole blood from single donors is better than using component blood from multiple donors in pediatric heart surgery patients, according to an article in the May 2015 issue of The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
	New survey: Percentage of Texans without health insurance drops dramatically The percentage of Texans without health insurance dropped 31 percent since enrollment began in the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) Health Insurance Marketplace, according to a new report released today by the Episcopal Health Foundation and Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Fat grafting for butt augmentation—combined technique gives good results Have you ever dreamed of taking fat from one area where you had a little too much, and transferring to somewhere you wanted a little more? A Brazilian plastic surgery team has done just that, using a combined liposuction and fat grafting technique to augment and enhance the buttocks, reports a study in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Obesity linked to increased health care costs after plastic surgery After common plastic surgery procedures, obese patients have more complications and make more hospital visits—leading to higher healthcare costs, reports a study in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Screening for bacteriuria in pregnant women: Benefit unclear Due to a lack of suitable studies, no conclusions can be drawn on the patient-relevant benefit or harm of screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) in pregnant women. The benefit of antibiotic treatment of ASB following screening is also an open issue, as the results of the over 40-year-old studies cannot be applied to the current healthcare situation. This is the result of the final report published by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on 23 April 2015, which was commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA).
	Alberta's older injured workers at disadvantage in returning to jobs Alberta's greying workforce means more senior citizens are on the jobsite than ever—a group that is "disadvantaged" when it comes to workplace injuries, according to new University of Alberta research.
Liberia closes US-built Ebola unit The United States decommissioned its treatment unit Thursday for Liberian healthcare workers infected with Ebola, with the country set to be declared free of the virus within two weeks.
Study questions quality of US health data A new study by Johns Hopkins researchers concludes that most U.S. clinical registries that collect data on patient outcomes are substandard and lack critical features necessary to render the information they collect useful for patients, physicians and policy makers.
Bird flu losses likely to top 20M with new cases in Iowa Agriculture officials say five more farms likely have been affected by the deadly H5N2 bird flu virus, including an egg-laying operation with 5.5 million chickens.

Biology news

	New origin theory for cells that gave rise to vertebrates The vivid pigmentation of zebras, the massive jaws of sharks, the fight or flight instinct and the diverse beaks of Darwin's finches. These and other remarkable features of the world's vertebrates stem from a small group of powerful cells, called neural crest cells, but little is known about their origin.
	New analysis shows how bombardier beetles produce explosive defensive chemical jet Bombardier beetles, which exist on every continent except Antarctica, have a pretty easy life. Virtually no other animals prey on them, because of one particularly effective defense mechanism: When disturbed or attacked, the beetles produce an internal chemical explosion in their abdomen and then expel a jet of boiling, irritating liquid toward their attackers.
	Vital step in stem cell growth revealed: Finding could aid regenerative and cancer therapies Stem cells, which have the potential to turn into any kind of cell, offer the tantalizing possibility of generating new tissues for organ replacements, stroke victims and patients of many other diseases. Now, scientists at the Salk Institute have uncovered details about stem cell growth that could help improve regenerative therapies.
	Keen sense of touch guides nimble bat flight Bats fly with breathtaking precision because their wings are equipped with highly sensitive touch sensors, cells that respond to even slight changes in airflow, researchers have demonstrated for the first time.
	Wild bearded capuchin monkeys really know how to crack a nut When it comes to cracking nuts, wild bearded capuchin monkeys are more skilled than anyone had given them credit for, according to researchers who report new findings in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on April 30.
	Fossils help identify marine life at high risk of extinction today A detailed study of marine animals that died out over the past 23 million years can help identify which animals and ocean ecosystems may be most at risk of extinction today, according to an international team of paleontologists and ecologists.
	Study: Global warming to push one in 13 species to extinction Global warming will eventually push 1 out of every 13 species on Earth into extinction, a new study projects.
How the lack of specific proteins affects the development of filamentous fungi The April issue of the journal Genetics, published by the Genetics Society of America (GSA), has devoted its front cover to an article published by researchers of the Faculty of Chemistry of the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country in Donostia-San Sebastian; it is titled "Beyond Asexual Development: Modifications in the Gene Expression Profile Caused by the Absence of the Aspergillus nidulans Transcription Factor FlbB."
	Blueberry research focuses on gentler methods of harvesting tiny fruit Getting more blueberries from the field to the grocery store, without hurting their quality, is the focus of a new nationwide research project led by a faculty member in the University of Georgia College of Engineering.
	Bacteriophages deliver proteins required for replication of their own genomes LMU researchers demonstrate for the first time that bacteriophages (bacterial viruses) carry genetic instructions for proteins that mediate the transport of their DNA to specialized replication sites in the host cell.
	Cellular sensing platform supports next-generation bioscience and biotech applications Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a novel cellular sensing platform that promises to expand the use of semiconductor technology in the development of next-generation bioscience and biotech applications.
	Pesticides alter bees' brains, making them unable to live and reproduce adequately In research report published in the May 2015 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists report that a particular class of pesticides called "neonicotinoids" wreaks havoc on the bee populations, ultimately putting some crops that rely on pollination in jeopardy. Specifically, these pesticides kill bee brain cells, rendering them unable to learn, gather food and reproduce. The report, however, also suggests that the effects of these pesticides on bee colonies may be reversible by decreasing or eliminating the use of these pesticides on plants pollenated by bees and increasing the availability of "bee-friendly" plants available to the insects.
	Role of telomeres in plant stem cells discovered The role played by telomeres in mammalian cells has been known for several years. It is also known that these non-coding DNA sequences, which are found at the ends of the chromosomes, protect them and are necessary to ensure correct cell division. What is more, the "youngest" cells have longer telomeres, and as these cells divide, the telomeres get shorter until they no longer permit new cell divisions. This telomere shortening process has also been associated with cancer, which emphasises the important implications of these structures, not only in the ageing process, but also in the oncology field or other age-associated illnesses.
	Patented compound kills various human pathogenic fungi, may improve human health A now-patented substance from two Kansas State University researchers may be an all-purpose solution for stopping fungus.
	Mammals not the only animals to feed embryo during gestation How and when does mom feed her embryo? We humans, like most mammals, experience pregnancy where a mother supplies nutrition directly to the embryo as it develops. But we're in the minority.
	Listening for whales and fish in the Northwest Atlantic ocean Scientists are using a variety of buoys and autonomous underwater vehicles to record and archive sounds from marine mammals and fish species in the western North Atlantic through a new listening network known as the U.S. Northeast Passive Acoustic Sensing Network (NEPAN).
Viruses: You've heard the bad—here's the good "The word, virus, connotes morbidity and mortality, but that bad reputation is not universally deserved," said Marilyn Roossinck, PhD, Professor of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology and Biology at the Pennsylvania State University, University Park. "Viruses, like bacteria, can be important beneficial microbes in human health and in agriculture," she said. Her review of the current literature on beneficial viruses appeared ahead of print April 24 in the Journal of Virology, which is published by the American Society for Microbiology.
	See flower cells in 3-D—no electron microscopy required Scientists require high-resolution imaging of plant cells to study everything from fungal infections to reproduction in maize. These images are captured with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), where an electron microscope focuses beams of electrons to increase magnification of objects. SEM is a common technique for all fields of science.
	Students launch world's largest e-commerce platform for single stranded DNA molecules Students from the University of Cambridge have set up the world's largest e-commerce platform for single stranded DNA which they believe have enormous potential for contributing to therapeutic treatments.
	Japan zoo group puzzled over dolphin hunt exclusion The group representing Japan's zoos and aquariums said Thursday it was baffled by its exclusion from a global body over the way its members catch dolphins.
	Africa explores cassava potential Cassava is a crop that is crucial to food security for millions of Africans but now some countries on the continent are considering the potential of the shrub for industrial purposes, says Wits Professor Chrissie Rey.
	Are we exterminating one African elephant by not recognizing two? Within the past week, Thailand officials seized seven tons of ivory, representing the slaughter of hundreds of African elephants for illegal trade. While recent reports say that poaching far exceeds population growth, some conservation groups contend that population growth in some regions compensates for poaching losses in others, despite the fact that each area is populated by a different species of African elephant.
MarkerMiner 1.0: An easy-to-use bioinformatics platform for DNA analysis in angiosperms Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms, add an allure to the world that is unlike anything else in nature, but more importantly, they sustain us. Most of the fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and even herbs and spices that we consume are produced by flowering plants. They all belong to the green plant branch of the tree of life, and a novel DNA analysis software program named MarkerMiner facilitates identification of genes that can be used to elucidate the evolutionary relationships between them.

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