Science X Newsletter Friday, Jun 19

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 19, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Simple hydrogen storage solution is powered by solar energy
- Chemists devise technology that could transform solar energy storage
- New 'molecular movie' reveals ultrafast chemistry in motion
- New development technique requires less energy to create nanofilms (w/ Video)
- Access to electricity is linked to reduced sleep
- Insight into how pharmaceutical solvents diffuse through a human nail
- Street lighting, car-charging system shown in UK
- Fungi get the green light: Chemical basis for bioluminescence in glowing fungi uncovered
- Alaska researcher investigates fin whale deaths
- The simplistic beauty of a free radical
- It's not just hype – 3D printing is the bridge to the future
- The successful ovulation of 100 eggs from 1 female mouse
- Health records and genetic data from more than 100,000 Californians power medical research
- Supercomputers surprisingly link DNA crosses to cancer
- Sixth mass extinction is here, researcher declares

Astronomy & Space news

Video salutes arrival of New Horizons at Pluto On July 14th, NASA's New Horizons mission will make its closest approach to the Pluto system, completing the first reconnaissance of the solar system, begun over 50 years ago by NASA. With the completion of the Pluto flyby by New Horizons next month, NASA will have completed successful missions to every planet in the solar system from Mercury to Pluto. To celebrate, NSS commissioned a short video film called "New Horizons." The stirring video recognizes the historic culmination of this era of first planetary reconnaissance, for which the United States will be forever inscribed in history. New Horizons can be watched and shared at youtu.be/aky9FFj4ybE
	Researchers growing ice to support mission to Pluto As a worldwide audience awaits images from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flyby of Pluto on July 14, NAU scientists already are supporting astronomers' understanding of the dwarf planet's surface.
	Philae comet lander back in touch after five-day gap The European Space Agency says its Philae lander has made contact again after a five-day gap as mission controllers work to improve communications with the washing machine-sized spacecraft on a speeding comet.
	Cassini zooms past Dione The rugged landscape of Saturn's fracture-faced moon Dione is revealed in images sent back by NASA's Cassini spacecraft from its latest flyby. Cassini buzzed past Dione on June 16, coming within 321 miles (516 kilometers) of the moon's surface.
	Image: STS-7 launches through the clouds On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space when the space shuttle Challenger launched on mission STS-7 from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The STS-7 crew consisted of astronauts Robert Crippen, commander, the first two-time space shuttle astronaut; Frederick H. Hauck, pilot; and three mission specialists—Ride, John M. Fabian and Norman E. Thagard.

Technology news

	Street lighting, car-charging system shown in UK Here is an Idea: a street lighting system with integrated electric vehicle charging. The idea is from the BMW Group and they showcased the idea in action this month at the MINI plant in Oxford, UK. They have worked up a street lighting system which doubles as a charging station for electric vehicles (EVs). The system is known as "Light & Charge." It is the result of a pilot project that the BMW group developed. (MINI is one of BMW' Group's three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.)
	Moroccan villagers harvest fog for water supply Green technology to turn fog into fresh water straight from the tap has put an end to exhausting daily treks to distant wells by village women in southwest Morocco.
	Realistic robot faces aren't enough – we need emotion to put us at ease with androids When the first guests arrive at Nagasaki's Hotel Henn Na in July this year, they will be greeted and served by robots. In a similar approach, Toshiba's android Aiko recently held a short-term role greeting customers at a department store in Tokyo. Customers were comfortable approaching Aiko to ask for directions and even the receptionist who normally holds the post felt her android colleague was doing a reasonable job.
	How we discovered the dark side of wearable fitness trackers You no longer have to look to science fiction to find the cyborg. We are all cyborgs now. Mobile phones, activity trackers, pacemakers, breast implants and even aspirins all act as biological, cognitive or social extensions and enhancements of our bodies and minds. Some have even predicted that human beings as we know them will be replaced by technically enhanced, god-like immortal beings within 200 years. Or at least rich people will.
	It's not just hype – 3D printing is the bridge to the future A company in the Netherlands is building a bridge across a canal in Amsterdam using 3D-printing robots. It seems that such attention-grabbing headlines appear regularly to declare how 3D-printing is destined to revolutionise manufacturing of all kinds. If the idea that key manufacturing products such as cars, aircraft – or indeed bridges – built by 3D printing sounds like hype, you're mistaken.
EBay sells stake back to Craigslist, ending legal battles E-commerce company eBay has sold its 28.4 percent stake in Craigslist back to the online classified advertising site, ending years of legal wrangling between the two companies.
	Video game titans get back in stride at E3 The world's leading video game show ended with the industry feeling renewed vigor after years of worry that play on mobile devices was leading to decline.
Start-up Unikrn bets on e-sports wagering Start-up Unikrn is turning up the heat on tournament-level video games with an online platform for betting on who will be victorious.
	Robot border guards among new airport tech at Paris Air Show New airport technologies unveiled at the Paris Air Show this week promise robots replacing immigration officers and much faster identification of criminals through their biometric data.
	Seat back pad lets gamers feel blasts Zach Jaffe wants to players to be so immersed in action games that they feel each blast vibrate through their very being.
	Research provides a new picture of ticket scalpers You've heard the stereotype of ticket scalpers – that they're lone wolves waiting to prey on people with overpriced access to the events we want to see. Pretty accurate, right? Well, maybe not.
	Most Americans want better fuel economy, however it's achieved While nearly all American drivers are at least somewhat concerned about fuel economy, a majority don't care how a vehicle saves fuel—just that it does, say University of Michigan researchers.
	Web-based services that store too much personal data Photos, videos, PDF documents and location data: the permissions requested by some apps give them access to more information than users are aware of. EPFL researchers have come up with a tool to better follow and manage these risks.
	Carrying a table together with a robot From a robot's perspective, humans are normally a nuisance: when robots and humans have to work together, it often leads to problems. Researchers on CogIMon, a new project starting at Bielefeld University, want to teach robots how to interact with humans and work together to accomplish tasks. CogIMon stands for "cognitive compliant interaction in motion." This research group is working on humanoid as well as industrial robots. The project is coordinated by Professor Dr. Jochen Steil of CoR-Lab, the research institution on cognition and robotics at Bielefeld University. Together with six other international partners, the joint project will run from 2015-2018 and is funded with 7 million Euros from Horizon 2020, a framework programme for research and innovation of the European Union.
	Need reason to pay by phone? Apple, Google add new features The tech industry has been saying for years that smartphones would make traditional wallets obsolete. But most people still use cash or plastic when they shop in stores.
	At E3, creators highlight virtual reality's progress It's really happening. At this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo, the video game industry's annual trade show at the Los Angeles Convention Center, several hardware and software creators highlighted the evolution of forthcoming virtual and augmented reality systems.
Academic calls for laws to address intrusive potential of face recognition technologies A telecommunications law academic in Australia has recommended for laws to be enacted criminalising the application of face recognition technology to visual images online that enable the identity of a person or people to be ascertained without their consent.
	Hits at Paris Air Show: Vertical lift-off, tiny satellites Planes you can park in your garage. Satellites that fit in your backpack.
	Advanced medical alert systems now offer GPS, fall detection The choices are numerous. Medical alert systems have advanced far beyond the basic pendants that enable a loved one to summon assistance.
Google acts to curb 'revenge porn' from search results Google said Friday it was taking steps to remove from search results "revenge porn," or sexually explicit images of people posted without their consent.
	Women of E3: A glimpse at gaming's new heroines Lara Croft and Faith have some company.
E3 BUZZ: Rock returns; Kanye and other stars come to play Some closing craziness on the final day of the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles:
	For women, more time in the spotlight at E3 It seems the Electronic Entertainment Expo is no longer a man's world.
	Warner unveils physical-to-virtual Lego Dimensions game at E3 Warner Bros this week showed off Lego Dimensions, its latest videogame that mixes real-life toy play with digital gaming.

Medicine & Health news

	Neuroscientists show that multiple cortical regions are needed to process information Researchers at MIT have proven that the brain's cortex doesn't process specific tasks in highly specialized modules—showing that the cortex is, in fact, quite dynamic when sharing information.
	Data analysis reveals link between age of puberty onsite and health in later life A team of researchers with Cambridge University's MRC Epidemiology Unit has found a link between the age of onset of puberty and many health conditions that occur later on in life. In their paper published in the journal Scientific American, the team describes their analyses and results.
	Culturing the connectome Mapping the human brain's network of interconnections, known as the connectome is typically done with help from computational tools because recreating interconnections between different brain regions has been challenging in the lab.  Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) have developed a method to recreate connections between neurons from two different brain areas in a dish. Their findings were published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience.
Health records and genetic data from more than 100,000 Californians power medical research By volunteering to mail saliva to researchers working with their health care provider, thousands of people in California have helped build one of the nation's most powerful medical research tools. The researchers have now published the first reports describing these volunteers' genetic characteristics, how their self-reported ethnicity relates to genetic ancestry, and details of the innovative methods that allowed them to complete DNA analysis within 14 months. The articles are published in the journal GENETICS.
The simplistic beauty of a free radical The study was conducted at the Center for Self-Assembly and Complexity within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea. Director Kimoon Kim and his team experimented with nitric oxide, a highly stable molecule of supreme importance in science. NO is highly reactive and a free radical, meaning a single, unpaired electron is present in its molecule.
	The successful ovulation of 100 eggs from 1 female mouse The average number of eggs for genetically modified mice (knockout mice) obtained using previous methods of superovulation induction is about 20 but in reality the number is often much smaller, about 10 or less. However, researchers at Kumamoto University have developed a method of ultra-superovulation and have successfully obtained the ovulation of 100 eggs from a single female mouse.
	Tuberculosis bacteria hide in the low oxygen niches of bone marrow stem cells A new study from the Forsyth Institute is helping to shed light on latent tuberculosis and the bacteria's ability to hide in stem cells. Some bone marrow stem cells reside in low oxygen (hypoxia) zones. These specialized zones are secured as immune cells and toxic chemicals cannot reach this zone. Hypoxia- activated cell signaling pathways may also protect the stem cells from dying or ageing. A new study led by Forsyth Scientist Dr. Bikul Das has found that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) hijack this protective hypoxic zone to hide intracellular to a special stem cell type. The study was published online on June 8th in the American Journal of Pathology.
	New biomarker identified in women with mental illness Psychiatric disorders can be difficult to diagnose because clinicians must rely upon interpreted clues, such as a patient's behaviors and feelings. For the first time, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report identifying a biological marker: the over-production of specific genes that could be a diagnostic indicator of mental illness in female psychiatric patients.
	Scientists identify amino acid that stops seizures in mice An amino acid whose role in the body has been all but a mystery appears to act as a potent seizure inhibitor in mice, according to a study by researchers at Johns Hopkins.
	Increased anxiety associated with sitting down Low energy activities that involve sitting down are associated with an increased risk of anxiety, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. These activities, which include watching TV, working at a computer or playing electronic games, are called sedentary behavior. Further understanding of these behaviors and how they may be linked to anxiety could help in developing strategies to deal with this mental health problem.
MERS outbreak shows old habits die hard in South Korea South Korea's growing MERS outbreak has laid bare the country's poor handling of disasters despite President Park Geun-Hye's pledge to overhaul public safety measures following last year's ferry disaster, experts say.
	'Friends and family' OD-reversal kits are saving addicts' lives (HealthDay)—Friends and family members have saved the lives of tens of thousands of narcotic drug users from overdoses by using emergency injection kits containing naloxone (Narcan)—a medication that can potentially reverse the effects of some narcotic drugs, a new federal report says.
	FDA seizes counterfeit drugs, devices sold online (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with international partners, moved this week against more than 1,050 websites that sell potentially dangerous counterfeit medicines and medical devices, the agency said Thursday.
	High school football players may be at doubled risk of migraine (HealthDay)—High school football players appear to be twice as likely to have migraines as the average person, which may be due to head injuries and concussions the athletes endure during play, two small new studies suggest.
	Increased sleep duration linked to increased T2DM risk (HealthDay)—Increased sleep duration is associated with increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online June 11 in Diabetes Care.
	MRI scoring system IDs metastatic vertebral fractures (HealthDay)—A novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system can differentiate between osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) and metastatic vertebral fractures (MVFs), according to a study published in the July 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
	Risk score IDs one-year mortality in elderly with NSTE-ACS (HealthDay)—A risk score involving five covariates can predict one-year mortality risk in patients ≥75 years presenting with non-ST-segment elevation (NSTE) acute coronary syndromes (ACS), according to a study published in the July 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Most chronic pain fellowships include ultrasound training (HealthDay)—Most chronic pain fellowships are teaching ultrasound-guided procedures, offering training throughout the fellowship year, according to a study published online June 12 in Pain Medicine.
	Case report: Pregnancy could mask symptoms of Ebola (HealthDay)—The unique immunologic status of pregnant women might alter the presentation and progression of Ebola virus disease (EVD), according to a letter published in the June 18 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	FDA: improved artificial heart valve approved (HealthDay)—The newest version of the Sapien 3 Transcatheter Heart Valve has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
	TNF inhibitors may not modify polyarticular JIA disease process (HealthDay)—For children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), discontinuing medications is challenging, with high relapse rates, especially after discontinuation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) therapy, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
S. Korea says MERS outbreak shows signs of subsiding South Korea said Friday that the MERS outbreak that has killed 24 people appears to have begun subsiding, as it reported one new case—the lowest rate of new infections in two weeks.
	House bill aims for less e-cigarette regulation House Republicans are pushing to ease proposed government regulations for companies that sell e-cigarettes and other new tobacco products, a move that Democrats charge could lead to unsafe products on the market.
	Near-infrared imaging techniques for cartilage tissue The mainstream techniques for visualization of cartilage tissue in the body are magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography, but both techniques do not provide optimum quality images. A new method projected by American and South Korean scientists is based on contrast agents that can be detected in the near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range. Injection of the fluorophores allows high-quality visualization of cartilage tissue in real time, as the authors report in the journal Angewandte Chemie.
	Researchers discover the anatomic reasons for the persistence of musical memory in alzheimer patients In comparison to other memory functions, long-term musical memory in Alzheimer patients often remains intact and functional for a surprisingly long time. However, until now, the underlying causes of this phenomenon have remained in the dark. In a recent study, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, the University of Amsterdam and INSERM Caen have pinpointed the location of musical memory for the first time and shown that this area of the brain remains largely intact despite progressive degeneration of the brain in Alzheimer patients.
Australian mum with tattoos wins right to breastfeed An Australian mother Friday won her bid to breastfeed her baby after a court overturned a decision banning her from suckling the infant due to the risk of infection from tattoos.
	How to diagnose disorders over the phone The voice can be affected by a range of disorders, ranging from Parkinson's disease and strokes to spasmodic dysphonia, a condition in which the muscles of the vocal cords move abnormally.
	Head–banging tunes can have same effect as a warm hug Extreme music – such as heavy metal – can positively influence those experiencing anger, a study by The University of Queensland has revealed.
	Scientific evidence of a link between anxiety and repetitious behavior The first scientific evidence of a link between anxiety and repetitious behavior has been demonstrated by researchers at the University of Connecticut and reported in the journal Current Biology.
	Researchers develop innovative community-based cancer exercise program Stage three breast cancer. Four words that, when uttered aloud, effectively put Laura Roberts' entire life on pause.
North Korea says it has 'cure' for MERS, Ebola, AIDS North Korea says it has developed a vaccine that is "very effective" in treating MERS, Ebola and AIDS, the state mouthpiece KCNA reported, as well as a range of other diseases that modern medicine is yet to find a cure for.
	Long-term use of prescription opioids linked to higher mortality Taking prescription medications such as Vicodin or Oxycontin for long periods may increase a patient's risk of death from any cause, according to Yale researchers.
Cancer blocked by halving levels of protein thought to be 'untouchable' In a surprising finding, a team of UC San Francisco and Stanford University scientists has discovered that a protein thought to be crucial for the body to develop and function correctly can be reduced by half in mice with no apparent ill effects. More strikingly, the group found that the full complement of the protein normally found in cells can be hijacked by cancer cells to fuel their growth.
	New smart chair technology to improve health of workers Researchers have designed a smart chair that will make the office and workers safer and healthier.
	Researcher helps identify host factor essential for malaria parasite to infect human red blood cells Red blood cells are a prime target for infection by the malaria parasite, but the absence of a nucleus containing DNA in red blood cells hinders genetic research to understand how these cells act as host cells.
Infrared dry blanching may retain higher level of vitamin C in dried mangos Mangos contain several bioactive compounds that are potentially related to chronic disease prevention. A new study in the June issue of the Journal of Food Science, published by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), found that infrared dry blanching prior to blanching may improve the retention of water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C in dried mangos.
	Unique data records allow melanoma study A large scale investigation of family links involving melanoma has been made possible because of WA's unique system of linking population health records.
How to wipe out polio and prevent its reemergence Public health officials stand poised to eliminate polio from the planet. But a new study shows that the job won't be over when the last case of the horrible paralytic disease is recorded.
	Zebrafish provide a novel model to study short bowel syndrome Investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles are providing new hope for babies with short bowel syndrome (SBS) by developing a novel model of SBS in zebrafish, described in a paper published online on June 18 by the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology.
Olfactory cells transplanted to treat spinal cord injury Three years after they treated patients with spinal cord injury in a randomized clinical trial with transplanted cells from the patients' olfactory mucosa (nasal cavities) to build a 'bridge' to span the gap between the damaged ends of the spinal cord, researchers found that some recipients had experienced a range of modest improvements and determined that the use of olfactory mucosa lamina propria (OLP) transplants was 'promising and safe.'
Seniors don't bounce back fast from car crashes Many seniors injured in motor vehicle crashes remain in pain for months afterwards, which negatively affects their quality of life, including the ability to live independently. The results of a study of older auto accident victims treated in emergency departments were published online yesterday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("Persistent Pain Among Older Adults Discharged Home from the Emergency Department Following Motor Vehicle Collision: A Prospective Cohort Study").
	Thick cortex could be key in Down syndrome The thickness of the brain's cerebral cortex could be a key to unlocking answers about intellectual development in youth with Down Syndrome. It could also provide new insights to why individuals with this genetic neurodevelopmental disorder are highly susceptible to early onset Alzheimer's Disease later in life.
Medics celebrate 'remarkable' step to eliminating flesh-burrowing worm Health workers celebrated Friday a key step towards eradicating the flesh-burrowing guinea worm after South Sudan, once by far the worst affected country, said it had recorded no cases this year.
	Study shows sleep disturbances are common and influenced by race and ethnicity A new study suggests that sleep disturbances and undiagnosed sleep apnea are common among middle-aged and older adults in the U.S., and these sleep problems occur more frequently among racial/ethnic minorities.
Study identifies first genetic mutation associated with Aicardi syndrome A genetic mutation responsible for a debilitating childhood neurological condition known as Aicardi syndrome has been identified by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
	Discovery promises new treatments to thwart colon cancer Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered how an immune system protein, called AIM2 (Absent in Melanoma 2), plays a role in determining the aggressiveness of colon cancer. They found that AIM2 deficiency causes uncontrolled proliferation of intestinal cells. Surprisingly, they also discovered that AIM2 influences the microbiota—the population of gut bacteria—apparently fostering the proliferation of 'good' bacteria that can protect against colon cancer.
	PrEP is not linked to greater risk for depression A new paper out of the iPrEx study—a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of daily oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in men and transgender women who have sex with men—reported no link between taking Truvada for oral PrEP and experiencing depression.
	Latina women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer need more stress management tools Cancer is the most common cause of death among Latinos. It is estimated that one out of every three Latina women will be diagnosed with cancer during her lifetime. Given the increasing Latino population in the United States, more emphasis has to be placed on educating this population about cancer. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers, along with collaborators at the University of South Florida, recently published a study about the attitudes and cultural perspectives of Latinas undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The article also discusses their cancer experiences and the ways they manage stress associated with cancer.
Trans fat ban tests food companies, bakers The Jarosch Bakery has been supplying goodies for more than 50 years, winning special renown for its butter cream frosting and for butter cookies with an extra tender texture.
S. Korea MERS outbreak claims 24th victim South Korea on Friday reported its 24th death from the MERS virus and one new case as its battle to contain the outbreak appeared to be paying off.
	Virtual credit card fees amount to 3 to 5 percent of payments (HealthDay)—Payment with virtual credit cards (VCCs) is associated with considerable fees, although physicians are often unaware of these charges, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Expert discusses heat-related illnesses, prevention, signs and symptoms With extreme heat upon us early this summer season, medical experts at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center remind people not to ignore the dangers that accompany the high temperatures.  Despite improved education over the years, heat-related illnesses and deaths still occur and can happen to anyone.
	Medicare: House calls can help frail seniors and cut costs An X-ray in the living room. A rapid blood test. A peek into pill bottles and refrigerators. The humble house call can accomplish a lot—and now research suggests that tailoring it to some of Medicare's frailest patients can improve their care while cutting costs.
Omani MERS patient's relatives tested for virus in Thailand Thai authorities Friday said two relatives of an Omani man found to have MERS were being tested for the deadly virus in the kingdom.
	Highly educated women stop smoking if the cost goes up Cigarette prices and images on cigarette packets have an impact on women in terms of continuing to smoke or quitting. In fact, less educated women are more responsive to pictorial labels on cigarette packets, as revealed by a study that has analysed, for the first time, the generation differences among female smokers, a group which, despite policy measures, has not stopped growing.
Toxic liquor kills 41 in India's Mumbai Forty-one people have died in Mumbai and 12 others are fighting for their lives after drinking toxic home-made liquor, police said Friday, in the latest incident of alcohol poisoning in India.
Liberians still face travel headaches even after Ebola Robtel Neajai Pailey hadn't been back home to Liberia since Ebola engulfed the country's capital in July, fearful that doing so could make it harder for her to travel as countries around the globe clamped down on visitors with West African passports.
French families sue state to recognize surrogate births The families of surrogate children who have been effectively denied French citizenship have gone to the country's highest court to challenge the law denying birth certificates for babies born abroad.
Patients give high marks to prepping for surgery online First-time surgery can be concerning to any patient. Knee surgery—even arthroscopic surgery to treat a torn meniscus—can require significant preparation and rehabilitation. According to a new study appearing in the June 17 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS), a web-based tutorial can not only increase a patient's understanding of the surgery but also provide a better experience.
Autism: The value of an integrated approach to diagnosis Researchers at Inserm (Inserm Unit 930 "Imaging and Brain") attached to François-Rabelais University and Tours Regional University Hospital have combined three clinical, neurophysiological and genetic approaches in order to better understand the brain mechanisms that cause autism. When tested on two families, this strategy enabled the researchers to identify specific gene combinations in autistic patients that distinguished them from patients with intellectual disabilities.
Danitza Nebor's personal mission to find a cure for sickle-cell disease For Jackson Laboratory postdoctoral associate Danitza Nébor, Ph.D., studying sickle-cell disease isn't just a research project: It's a personal mission.
Taking control of cancer—from your mobile phone As cancer patients and their loved ones know, cancer is not a game. But games played on mobile phones could soon empower those affected by cancer, in a revolutionary new project developed by ecancer and collaborators.
	Report: Higher deficits, more uninsured if health law tossed Repealing President Barack Obama's signature health care law would modestly increase the budget deficit, while the number of uninsured Americans would rise by more than 20 million, said a nonpartisan government study released Friday.

Biology news

	Access to electricity is linked to reduced sleep Blame smartphone alerts, constant connectivity and a deluge of media for our society's sleep deprivation. But the root cause of why we get less sleep now than our ancestors did could come down to a much simpler reason: artificial light.
Sixth mass extinction is here, researcher declares There is no longer any doubt: We are entering a mass extinction that threatens humanity's existence.
	Federal agencies lose track of endangered species protection measures, research finds Using a case study approach to investigate protection of endangered species, University at Buffalo Law School Associate Professor Jessica Owley found significant gaps in how public agencies keep track of endangered species agreements.
	Fungi essential for land plants live with mysterious bacteria Soil fungi colonize roots and provide essential nutrients for the majority of the world's land plants, but new research sheds light on a class of bacteria found living within these fungi.
	Baboons don't play follow the leader – they're democratic travellers Baboons in the wild are known for their highly strategic and hierarchical societies. So when it comes to decisions about where to go, one might expect that some bolshie individuals will direct the group through its habitat. However, a new study of the collective movements of wild olive baboons in Kenya suggests that there are more democratic processes at play.
	Scientists solve decades-old cell biology puzzle Researchers at EMBL Heidelberg have solved a question that has puzzled cell biologists for decades – how does the protein machine that allows cells to swallow up molecules during endocytosis function?
	Alaska researcher investigates fin whale deaths At least nine fin whales have been discovered floating dead in waters from Kodiak to Unimak Pass since late May.
	Fungi get the green light: Chemical basis for bioluminescence in glowing fungi uncovered Foxfire, the greenish light given off by special fungi in the dark of the forest, was once regarded as magic. Today we know that it comes from bioluminescence, like the glow of a firefly. A team of Russian and Japanese scientists has now unravelled the previously unknown chemistry responsible for the glowing fungi. As they report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the luminescence of many, if not all, fungi is based on the antioxidant hispidin. A hydroxylase enzyme converts the hispidin to a substance that glows when it is further oxidized by another enzyme.
	Supercomputers surprisingly link DNA crosses to cancer Supercomputers have helped scientists find a surprising link between cross-shaped (or cruciform) pieces of DNA and human cancer, according to a study at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin).
	Cars threaten world's most endangered feline The world's most endangered feline species, the Iberian lynx, is making a comeback in Spain after being pushed to the brink of extinction.
	Latest species to be tracked in national parks: Homo sapiens Scientists are putting tracking devices on a new species—people—as they try to learn more about how their movements affect ecosystems in national parks.
	African vultures declining at a critical rate An international team of researchers, including leading scientists from the University of St Andrews, the Hawk Conservancy Trust and the University of York, say African vultures are likely to qualify as 'Critically Endangered' under the International Union for Conservation of Nature's global threat criteria.
	Reducing the Japanese beetle population On an overcast morning in May, 15 people sit on bales of hay in a semi-circle while listening to Ana Legrand, an assistant extension professor in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture. The workshop attendees are here to learn about UConn's efforts to reduce the population of Japanese beetle larvae (white grubs) without chemical intervention.
	Researcher finds potential cause of hollow heart disorder in watermelons Hollow heart disorder in watermelons affects growers throughout the United States and threatens the marketability of the fruit, which can lead to monetary losses.
Cambodia trains rats to detect landmines Cambodia is training an elite squad of rats, imported from Africa, to sniff out landmines and other unexploded ordnance in the once war-wracked kingdom, authorities said on Friday.
	Researchers discover deep sea sharks are buoyant In a study published recently, scientists from the University of Hawai'i - Mānoa (UHM) and University of Tokyo revealed that two species of deep-sea sharks, six-gill and prickly sharks, are positively buoyant - they have to work harder to swim downward than up, and they can glide uphill for minutes at a time without using their tails.
	Proposed floodplain restoration reduces flood risk and restores salmon habitat Salmon are severely impacted by the loss of floodplain habitats throughout the West Coast. In few places is this more pronounced than in Oregon's Tillamook Bay, where nearly 90 percent of estuaries' tidal wetlands have been lost to development—threatening the survival of federally-protected coho salmon and the safety of the local community. Now, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, NOAA Fisheries, and others have come together to reduce flood risk, increase resiliency of the ecosystem, and restore salmon habitat in Tillamook Bay by coordinating and aligning their investments.
Racehorses at risk from misuse of cobalt, new study finds In a new study published today in The Veterinary Journal, scientists from the University of Surrey warn about the numerous risks posed to racehorses from the misuse of cobalt chloride, a banned performance-enhancing agent that has been used illegally by trainers in Australia and USA. The team of researchers have uncovered that when excessive levels of the alleged performance-enhancing substance are administered to a horse, it can cause serious cardiovascular issues, potential nerve problems, thickening of the blood and thyroid toxicity. The researchers also pointed to the lack of evidence for enhanced performance in horses and human athletes.
	Simultaneous live imaging of a specific gene's transcription and dynamics A Japanese research group has developed a live-imaging method for simultaneous measurements of the transcriptional activity and nuclear position of endogenous genes. This method is used to detect sub-genome-wide mobility changes that depend on the activity of a pluripotency-related gene in mouse embryonic stem cells.
	Japan must do more to justify whaling plans: IWC The International Whaling Commission (IWC) on Friday demanded that Japan provide more information to prove that its revised Antarctic whaling programme was for scientific research, saying it could not reach a consensus based on documents submitted.
Japan aims to resume Antarctic whaling later this year Japan said Friday it aims to resume whale hunts in the Antarctic later this year, even though the International Whaling Commission says Tokyo hasn't proven that the mammals need to be killed for research.

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