Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jul 2

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 2, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Why the seahorse's tail is square
- Quantum-dot spectrometer is small enough to function within a smartphone
- Study on pesticides in lab rat feed causes a stir
- Viral protein in their sights: Advanced imaging reveals key structure of Ebola and other RNA viruses
- Hippo dances with hormones: Hints from fly research for study of cancer, stem cells
- Commonly prescribed drugs affect decisions to harm oneself and others
- New technique maps elusive chemical markers on proteins
- Melanoma mutation rewires cell metabolism
- Researchers go with the flow to help protect endangered European eel
- Traders' hormones' may destabilize financial markets
- Study reveals how lenalidomide fights cancer and treats blood syndrome
- New test of hydrogen sulfide backs up superconducting claim
- Can autism be measured in a sniff?
- Researchers show how our sense of smell evolved, including in cave men
- Freezing single atoms to absolute zero with microwaves brings quantum technology closer

Astronomy & Space news

	New Horizons spacecraft stays the course to Pluto NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is getting a final "all clear" as it speeds closer to its historic July 14 flyby of Pluto and the dwarf planet's five moons.
	Working out in artificial gravity Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have a number of exercise options, including a mechanical bicycle bolted to the floor, a weightlifting machine strapped to the wall, and a strap-down treadmill. They spend a significant portion of each day working out to ward off the long-term effects of weightlessness, but many still suffer bone loss, muscle atrophy, and issues with balance and their cardiovascular systems.
	Astronomers predict fireworks from a close encounter of the stellar kind Astronomers are predicting a close encounter between a stellar remnant the size of a city and one of the brightest stars in the Milky Way.
	NASA's Curiosity Mars rover studies rock-layer contact zone NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is examining a valley where at least two types of bedrock meet, for clues about changes in ancient environmental conditions recorded by the rock.
	Dark matter map begins to reveal the universe's early history Researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), the University of Tokyo and other institutions have begun a wide-area survey of the distribution of dark matter in the universe using Hyper Suprime-Cam, a new wide-field camera installed on the Subaru Telescope in Hawai'i. Initial results from observations covering an area of 2.3 square degrees on the sky toward the constellation Cancer revealed nine large concentrations of dark matter, each the mass of a galaxy cluster (Movie, Figure 1). Surveying how dark matter is distributed and how the distribution changes over time is essential to understanding the role of dark energy that controls the expansion of the universe. These first results demonstrate that astronomers now have the techniques and tools to understand dark energy. The next step is for the research team to expand the survey to cover a thousand square degrees on the sky, and thereby unravel the myste! ry of dark energy and the expansion of the universe.
	Image: Light toned deposit in the Aureum Chaos region on Mars The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a light-toned deposit in Aureum Chaos, a 368 kilometer (229 mile) wide area in the eastern part of Valles Marineris, on Jan. 15, 2015, at 2:51 p.m. local Mars time.
	Could sinkholes on 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko pose yet another risk to Philae? Images of the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko have been decorating the front pages of newspapers and journals for the last few months. They have allowed us to see the full magnificence of the comets' cratered terrain. Now a study suggests that these craters are actually sinkholes, created in a similar way to those on Earth when the surface layer of the ground suddenly collapses. While these pits could help us map the terrain of the comet, they could also pose a risk to the Philae spacecraft.
	What is a terrestrial planet? In studying our solar system over the course of many centuries, astronomers learned a great deal about the types of planets that exist in our universe. This knowledge has since expanded thanks to the discovery of extrasolar planets, many of which are similar to what we have observed here at home.

Technology news

	Electric car is time-beater at Pikes Peak climb event For optimists enjoying the technology progress of electric cars, an encouraging turn of events took place recently with electric cars in the top two finishing spots at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) .
	Autonomous robot Myon joins the cast at a Berlin opera "My Square Lady" last month opened in Berlin at the Komische Oper. The outstanding feature about this production is that a character named Myon plays a key role on stage, and Myon is a robot—of the white, shiny variety that makes no pretense of being anything but.
	Insect decoys could protect ash trees Emerald ash borers have no trouble reproducing themselves as they have now spread through half the United States, but duplicating effective emerald ash borer decoys is not quite as easy. Now, engineers have devised an inexpensive method to produce hundreds of these fake bugs to aid in monitoring and controlling this pest.
	Focused energy of lasers breaks microscopic adhesion Small objects tend to cling to everything. It's why parents dread hosting parties that involve confetti. It's why glitter is fun for crafts—until it finds its way onto everything else you touch.
PayPal buys money-sending service Xoom in $890 mn deal Online payments titan PayPal said Wednesday it is buying international money-sending service Xoom in a deal valued at $890 million.
	Google apologizes after photo app tagged black couple 'gorillas' Google apologized after an identification program in its new photo app put a "gorillas" label on a picture of a black couple.
Blind French hikers cross mountains with special GPS Five hikers, all blind or partially-sighted, crossed a mountain range in eastern France last week thanks to an innovative GPS system that developers hope can help millions of people with vision problems.
	What happens if intelligent machines commit crimes? The fear of powerful artificial intelligence and technology is a popular theme, as seen in films such as Ex Machina, Chappie, and the Terminator series.
Our new anti-earthquake technology could protect cities from destruction Protecting cities from earthquakes is still a grand challenge that needs addressing, as recent disasters in Nepal, Japan, Haiti, and Chile confirm. Although significant progress has been made in understanding seismic activity and developing building technology, we still don't have a satisfactory way of protecting buildings on a large scale.
	Researcher proposes a new energy efficiency measurement Rick Larrick has been on a crusade to help people better understand how much energy they use. A professor with Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, in 2008 Larrick and Fuqua colleague Jack Soll proposed a gallons per mile standard that the federal government added to new car stickers in 2013. In later research he found consumers more likely to buy fuel-efficient cars if the savings were estimated over 100,000 miles of use. Now, along with colleagues Soll and Ralph Keeney, Larrick has created a blueprint of sorts, incorporating those ideas into a new way of explaining energy consumption. "Designing Better Energy Metrics for Consumers" is published in the journal Behavioral Science & Policy.
	Researchers to test new optical fibre 3-D printing technique Researchers at the University of Southampton are set to investigate using 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, techniques in the fabrication of optical fibre.
	Tesla tops 11,000 vehicles delivered in second quarter Electric car maker Tesla's second-quarter deliveries surged 52 percent to set a company record exceeding 11,000 vehicles.
	Viaducts with wind turbines, the new renewable energy source Wind turbines could be installed under some of the biggest bridges on the road network to produce electricity. So it is confirmed by calculations carried out by a European researchers team, that have taken a viaduct in the Canary Islands as a reference. This concept could be applied in heavily built-up territories or natural areas with new constructions limitations.
Rainbow Facebook photos: Armchair activism or shifting tide? You may have noticed your Facebook friends getting considerably more colorful.
	'Humans' star William Hurt says AI sentience is 'inevitable' For William Hurt it isn't a question of whether someone will invent a robot with feelings, it's a matter of when.
US regulator says Fiat Chrysler recall woes are widespread A top U.S. auto safety regulator accused Fiat Chrysler of failing to provide timely and accurate recall information to her agency and said that customers also have problems getting accurate information.
	Solar Impulse beats new record, but pilot 'tired' A solar-powered aircraft flying from Japan to Hawaii on the most perilous leg of a round-the-globe bid has beaten the record for the longest solo flight, organizers said Thursday.
Hewlett-Packard moves forward with plan to split in two Hewlett-Packard is moving forward with plans to split into two companies, filing paperwork to create a new entity that will sell commercial technology, while a separate spinoff will sell personal computers and printers.
	Former US federal agent pleads guilty in Silk Road case (Update) A former federal agent pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing Bitcoins while working undercover on a US government investigation of Silk Road, and to soliciting payment from the online black market's operator.
	Blacklist warnings spread on websites in North Korea North Korea, already one of the least-wired places in the world, appears to be cracking down on the use of the Internet by even the small number of foreigners who can access it with relative freedom by blacklisting and blocking social media accounts or websites deemed to carry harmful content.
	New device checks the amount of stationary gas in real time Mexican startup Brain Fusion, which specializes in the Internet of Things (IoT),has designed a device for smartphones and tablets that monitors in real time the amount of gas from a stationary tank, communiating via Bluetooth with the user through an application that accurately indicates the level of gas, helping to control consumption and improve the shopping experience, as well as alerting of theft.
Data exchange between vehicles and the road network increases traffic safety The just-completed international Celtic Plus CoMoSeF project involved the development of data exchange between vehicles and infrastructure. The resulting communication system provides drivers with real time information on road weather, road conditions and incidents.
	New research platform provides support to journalists In-depth research is the key to all good journalism – but even experienced journalists have trouble dealing with the huge quantities of information available nowadays. A novel research platform promises to help editors obtain a rapid but thorough overview of material on a given subject.
Contextually smart mobile services will be available to consumers By the end of the year, contextually smart mobile services will be available to consumers and professional drivers as Cinia, Multiprint, Vediafi and Technical Research Centre of Finland VTT Ltd commercialise new smart mobile services that are currently being piloted. New services will be used for producing and receiving contextually local voice and information services on vehicle operation, services, weather conditions and traffic disturbances, for example.
	Turkey 'restricts' Facebook, Twitter at schools Turkey has restricted students from posting pictures and opinions about school life on Facebook, Twitter and other social media, local media said Thursday.
	German government drops plans for contested coal tax Germany has scrapped plans to tax its oldest and dirtiest coal-fired power plants after fierce opposition from unions and operators, Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said Thursday.
	A learning method for energy optimization of the plug-in hybrid electric bus Nowadays, the plug-in hybrid electric bus (PHEB) has been widely applied as a transportation in many cities of China. Compared with conventional bus, more preferable fuel economy might have been achieved, due to the usage of the electric energy from the grid which is relatively more inexpensive than fossil fuels.
Barnes & Noble names Sears Canada CEO for retail business Barnes & Noble, which is splitting into two companies next month, named Sears Canada CEO Ronald Boire to lead its retail operations and said company CEO Michael Huseby will become executive chairman its educational wing.
Intel President Renee James to leave chipmaker Intel said Thursday that President Renee James, who has worked at the chipmaker for 28 years, plans to leave the company early next year to seek a CEO role elsewhere.
Ford recalls 432K cars because of software problem Ford is recalling 432,000 Focus, C-Max and Escape vehicles because of a software problem that could keep their engines running after drivers try to shut them down.

Medicine & Health news

	Brain activity predicts promiscuity and problem drinking A pair of brain-imaging studies suggest researchers may be able to predict how likely young adults are to develop problem drinking or engage in risky sexual behavior in response to stress.
	Humans evolved to be taller and faster-thinking, study suggests People have evolved to be smarter and taller than their predecessors, a study of populations around the world suggests.
	Research reveals how the human brain might reconstruct past events When remembering something from our past, we often vividly re-experience the whole episode in which it occurred. New UCL research funded by the Medical Research Council and Wellcome Trust has now revealed how this might happen in the brain.
Researchers invent device that makes chemotherapy more personalized, efficient Two University of Florida researchers have invented a device that makes chemotherapy treatments more personalized, efficient and affordable.
	In blinding eye disease, trash-collecting cells go awry, accelerate damage Spider-like cells inside the brain, spinal cord and eye hunt for invaders, capturing and then devouring them. These cells, called microglia, often play a beneficial role by helping to clear trash and protect the central nervous system against infection. But a new study by researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) shows that they also accelerate damage wrought by blinding eye disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Study reveals how lenalidomide fights cancer and treats blood syndrome (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with member affiliations to institutions in the U.S. and Germany has uncovered the mechanism by which a cancer fighting drug reduces cancer cells and also helps patients with a blood disorder. They have published the details of their research efforts in the journal Nature. Takumi Ito and Hiroshi Handa of Tokyo Medical University offer a News & Views piece on the work done by the researchers in the same journal edition.
	Melanoma mutation rewires cell metabolism A mutation found in most melanomas rewires cancer cells' metabolism, making them dependent on a ketogenesis enzyme, researchers at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University have discovered.
	Commonly prescribed drugs affect decisions to harm oneself and others Healthy people given the serotonin-enhancing antidepressant citalopram were willing to pay almost twice as much to prevent harm to themselves or others than those given placebo drugs in a moral decision-making experiment at UCL. In contrast, the dopamine-boosting Parkinson's drug levodopa made healthy people more selfish, eliminating an altruistic tendency to prefer harming themselves over others. The study was a double-blind randomised controlled trial and the results are published in Current Biology.
	Can autism be measured in a sniff? Imagine the way you might smell a rose. You'd take a nice big sniff to breathe in the sweet but subtle floral scent. Upon walking into a public restroom, you'd likely do just the opposite—abruptly limiting the flow of air through your nose. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on July 2 have found that people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) don't make this natural adjustment like other people do. Autistic children go right on sniffing in the same way, no matter how pleasant or awful the scent.
	Investigational HIV vaccine regimen shows encouraging results in non-human primates Johnson & Johnson announced today that scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Crucell Holland B.V, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, and several other collaborators today published results from a preclinical study of an HIV vaccine regimen used in in non-human primates. The study, published in the online edition of Science, suggests that a "heterologous prime-boost" vaccine regimen—which first primes the immune system, then boosts the immune system to increase the response, could ultimately prove to be a strategy for protecting against global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection.
	Study could lead to vaccines and treatment for dengue virus Researchers at Vanderbilt University and the National University of Singapore have determined the structure of a human monoclonal antibody which, in an animal model, strongly neutralizes a type of the potentially lethal dengue virus.
	Long-term memories are maintained by prion-like proteins Research from Eric Kandel's lab at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has uncovered further evidence of a system in the brain that persistently maintains memories for long periods of time. And paradoxically, it works in the same way as mechanisms that cause mad cow disease, kuru, and other degenerative brain diseases.
	One in four people prescribed opioids progressed to longer-term prescriptions Opioid painkiller addiction and accidental overdoses have become far too common across the United States. To try to identify who is most at risk, Mayo Clinic researchers studied how many patients prescribed an opioid painkiller for the first time progressed to long-term prescriptions. The answer: 1 in 4. People with histories of tobacco use and substance abuse were likeliest to use opioid painkillers long-term.
Make no bones about it: The female athlete triad can lead to problems with bone health Participation in sports by women and girls has increased from 310,000 individuals in 1971 to 3.37 million in 2010. At the same time, sports-related injuries among female athletes have skyrocketed. According to a new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), women with symptoms known as the "female athlete triad" are at greater risk of bone stress injuries and fractures.
Eliminate emotional harm by focusing on respect and dignity for patients Hospitals have made significant strides to reduce or eliminate physical harm to patients since the landmark 1999 Institute of Medicine Report "To Err is Human." In a new paper published in BMJ, patient care leaders at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) say hospitals must now devote similar attention to eliminating emotional harms that damage a patient's dignity and can be caused by a failure to demonstrate adequate respect for the patient as a person.
Mandatory targets to cut salt would reduce excess heart disease deaths in deprived areas Mandatory targets to reduce salt in processed food would help tackle inequalities in coronary heart disease that lead to excess deaths in deprived areas of England, according to research by the University of Liverpool.
	Preemies at high risk of autism don't show typical signs of disorder in early infancy Premature babies are at an increased risk for developing autism spectrum disorder. But a small study indicates that preemies who avoid eye contact in early infancy are less likely to demonstrate symptoms of autism at age 2 than preemies who maintain eye contact during early interactions, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Benefits of vitamin B12 supplements for older people questioned Vitamin B12 supplements offer no benefits for neurological or cognitive function in older people with moderate vitamin B12 deficiency, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Study of gene mutations in aplastic anemia may help optimize treament Scientists have identified a group of genetic mutations in patients with aplastic anemia, which likely will help doctors optimize treatment for this rare and deadly blood condition. The study, appearing in the New England Journal of Medicine, could lead to tailor-made treatment plans for aplastic anemia patients as part of the emerging precision medicine movement. It is the largest study of its kind to examine gene mutations in aplastic anemia, the scientists note.
Diabetes drug helps people lose weight: study Liraglutide, an injectable diabetes drug that US regulators approved last year for weight loss, helped obese people lose an average of 18 pounds (eight kilograms), a yearlong study said Wednesday.
Prolific authors raise concerns about industry dominance in diabetes research Diabetes research is dominated by a small group of prolific authors, raising questions about the imbalance of power and conflict of interests in this field, argue experts in The BMJ this week.
End pharmacists' monopoly on selling certain drugs, argues expert Evidence is lacking that having a category of drugs that can be sold only by pharmacists or under their supervision ("pharmacy medicines") has benefits, writes a pharmacy professor in The BMJ this week.
New chronic lung disease guidelines over-diagnose older men and under-diagnose younger women New guidelines for diagnosing chronic lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD), should be modified because they over-diagnose COPD in older men and under-diagnose COPD in young women.
Fears 11,000 Australian dental patients exposed to HIV Up to 11,000 Australian dental patients were urged to see their doctors Thursday over fears they may have been exposed to HIV and hepatitis due to hygiene breaches at clinics in Sydney.
S. Korea reports two new MERS cases after four day hiatus (Update) South Korea on Thursday reported two new cases of the potentially deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus, after four days in which no cases were spotted.
New approach 'has positive impact' on mental health care A novel way of delivering mental health care imported from the USA has reduced the need for hospital admissions for people with psychosis, according to University of York researchers
	Study suggests link between eye color and alcohol dependence People with blue eyes might have a greater chance of becoming alcoholics, according to a unique new study by genetic researchers at the University of Vermont.
	The importance of long chain fatty acids in early life Fats are essential constituents of breast milk. They supply the infant with energy, and are also essential for growth and development. Some fatty acids, key components of dietary fats, play an important role in a child's development, even if present in very small amounts. These fats are currently declared on infant formula labelling in Europe as LCP's (long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids).
	Advancing ways to grow human spinal disc tissue in the lab You're going to shrink today. You did yesterday, and you will again tomorrow. By bedtime every night, you're likely to be about an inch shorter than when you got up. But assuming you sleep lying down, each evening's rest restores you to full height.
	Parenting course adapted for dads benefits the whole family Participation in parenting programs has traditionally been more likely to involve women, but new research suggests adapting The University of Queensland's Triple P – Positive Parenting Program can increase fathers' engagement and benefit the whole family.
Automatable method lets researchers follow the paths of each mitochondrion in a cell Mitochondria, the tiny oxygen reactors that power our cells, can be the keys to health or disease. But while the recognition of their importance has soared in recent years, methods for studying them haven't always kept pace. Now, scientists from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have devised a powerful new technique that enables the tracking of every mitochondrion as it moves within a cell.
Smart mouth guard could detect teeth grinding, dehydration, concussions The next big thing in wearable technology may show up right inside your mouth.
	Research shows that attention, imagination equally important for creativity The role that attention plays in generating new and useful ideas is controversial among neuroscientists. Some neuroimaging studies have shown that creativity involves more cognitive control, or focused attention. Other studies have shown it involves less.
	Fishing for clues – how 'liquid biopsies' are uncovering cancer's secrets It takes just three minutes for a precious 10 millilitre blood sample to be carried from the specialist cancer wards of the Christie Hospital in Manchester, down a corridor, and into a lab housing several large, white machines.
	Health information causing new mums anxiety Pregnancy and motherhood are both wonderful and worrisome times – could public health campaigns and social stereotypes be contributing to anxiety for mothers? Researchers from Monash University have identified links between perinatal anxiety and social and health messages that women are exposed to during the perinatal period, the period immediately before and after birth.
	Video gamers are sexy, or at least they think they are There's abundant research – and controversy – on the effects of playing violent video games. But, strangely, there's precious little looking at why people choose to play violent games at all.
	Decoding the statistical language of the brain Let's make a bet. You will throw a dart 10 feet and – if you hit a two-inch circular target on the wall across the room – I will give you a dollar. Otherwise, you pay me a dollar.
Promising new NSAID-derivative may be well-tolerated by chronic pain sufferers Millions of people in the U.S. use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain and inflammation. For osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic pain conditions, NSAIDs such as naproxen (ALEVE) are often suggested as an ongoing prescription. However, stomach and intestinal problems associated with long-term use of NSAIDs limit the ability of many people to tolerate them. Previous studies have shown that circulating bile—a fluid produced in the liver to help breakdown fats in the small intestine—could contribute to NSAID-induced small intestine injury. Now, researchers have found that a new naproxen-derivative drug, ATB-346, may protect the small intestine from inflammation and ulcers by blocking harmful changes in the bile and gut bacteria that occur following NSAID use.
Electrical nerve stimulation can reverse spinal cord injury nerve damage in patients Approximately 12,000 spinal cord injuries (SCI) happen every year in the U.S., the majority caused by car accidents, falls, sporting accidents and gunshot wounds. Better emergency care and therapy have made SCI manageable, but researchers continue to investigate approaches to make it repairable. A new study in Journal of Neurophysiology reports that peripheral nerve stimulation therapy can reverse SCI-associated nerve deterioration, potentially improving the benefits of current and emerging rehabilitation treatments.
Mortality rates in Europe vary depending on the socioeconomic level of the residence area For a number of years now, scientific literature has questioned whether mortality rates depend on socioeconomic differences among the population. Recently, a new study carried out in 15 European cities—including Barcelona and Madrid—detected inequalities for the majority of causes, concluding that higher levels of poverty are associated with higher mortality rates and there is a great deal of variation among areas.
Anxiety increases the risk of gastrointestinal infection and long-term complications A team comprised of scientists at VIB, KU Leuven and UZ Leuven has made significant progress in uncovering the connection between psychological factors and the immune system. Their findings are based on an investigation of a massive drinking water contamination incident in Belgium in 2010, and are now published in the leading international medical journal Gut.
	How cancer abducts your immune cells – and what we can do about it Cancer cells play it dirty to get what they want. They are survival artists with a strong criminal streak. They surround themselves with a protective shield of extra-cellular material and then secure supply lines by attracting new blood vessels.
Scientists reveal more about how memories are formed Researchers at the University of Leicester working alongside colleagues in the US, have found that nerve cells in a brain region called the medial temporal lobe play a key role in the rapid formation of new memories about personal experiences and life events.
	Genome sequencing illuminates rare Aicardi syndrome As my inbox fills with ever more updates on the number of human genomes sequenced and the plummeting time and cost of next next next generation sequencing, I find myself hitting delete more and more often. Instead, I'm drawn to the small stories, the incremental revelations that may affect only a few individuals.
	Should there be a dress code for doctors? If you live near a hospital, you've probably seen the sight: a young physician in loose blue scrubs, standing in line at the grocery store. You can't help but wonder if the young physician is lost. After all, it appears that he or she belongs in an emergency room – not the dairy section.
	Celebrity photos helped to uncover how memories are formed in the brain In the science fiction movie Inception, Leonardo Di Caprio and his gang set out to implant specific memories into individuals' brains in order to pull off the perfect crime. But in the real world of science implanting memories is actually quite easy – the challenge is tracking the brain cells involved in the process. Our research has now started to unveil some of the basic mechanisms of how new memories are encoded in the brain, simply using selfies to implant the memories.
Treatment reduces symptoms in syndrome that causes extreme light sensitivity A novel synthetic hormone that makes certain skin cells produce more melanin significantly increases pain-free sun exposure in people with erythropoietic protoporphyria, a rare, genetic disorder resulting in excruciating pain within minutes of sun exposure. Two Phase III trials, conducted in Europe and in the United States by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and six other U.S. sites, showed that the duration of pain-free time in the sun and quality of life were significantly improved by treatment with afamelanotide, a novel synthetic version of a melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The findings were published in the July 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Intrusiveness of old emotional memories can be reduced by computer game play procedure Unwanted, intrusive visual memories are a core feature of stress- and trauma-related clinical disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but they can also crop up in everyday life. New research shows that even once intrusive memories have been laid down, playing a visually-demanding computer game after reactivating the memories may reduce their occurrence over time.
Cause of acute liver failure in young children discovered Acute liver failure is a rare yet life-threatening disease for young children. It often occurs extremely rapidly, for example, when a child has a fever. Yet in around 50 percent of cases it is unclear as to why this happens. Now, a team of researchers working on an international research project headed by Technische Universität München (TUM), the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich and Heidelberg University Hospital have discovered a link between the disease and mutations in a specific gene. The researchers used whole genome sequencing to uncover the mutations, which affect transport processes in cells.
	Researchers discovers ways to regenerate corticospinal tract axons Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have found a way to stimulate the growth of axons, which may spell the dawn of a new beginning on chronic SCI treatments.
	Genetic variation determines response to anti-diabetic drug In the first study of its kind, Penn researchers have shown how an anti-diabetic drug can have variable effects depending on small natural differences in DNA sequence between individuals. Mitchell Lazar, MD, PhD, Raymond Soccio, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, aim to apply this knowledge to develop personalized approaches to treating diabetes and other metabolic disorders. The team published their findings this week in Cell.
	Researchers reveal a genetic blueprint for cartilage Cartilage does a lot more than determine the shapes of people's ears and noses. It also enables people to breathe and to form healthy bones—two processes essential to life. In a study published in Cell Reports, USC Stem Cell researcher Xinjun He and University of Tokyo researcher Shinsuke Ohba explore how a protein called Sox9 regulates the production of cartilage.
	Water to understand the brain To observe the brain in action, scientists and physicians use imaging techniques, among which functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is the best known. These techniques are not based on direct observations of electric impulses from activated neurons, but on one of their consequences. Indeed, this stimulation triggers physiological modifications in the activated cerebral region, changes that become visible by imaging. Until now, it was believed that these differences were only due to modifications of the blood influx towards the cells.
	Review indicates where cardio benefits of exercise may lie Everyone knows that exercise generally helps the cardiovascular system, but much remains unknown about how the benefits arise, and what to expect in different people who exercise to improve their health. To gain a more precise understanding of how exercise improves health and whom it helps most, researchers analyzed the results of 160 randomized clinical trials with nearly 7,500 participants. The review appears open access in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
	Bad sleep habits linked to higher self-control risks Poor sleep habits can have a negative effect on self-control, which presents risks to individuals' personal and professional lives, according to Clemson University researchers.
Digesting bread and pasta can release biologically active molecules Biologically active molecules released by digesting bread and pasta can survive digestion and potentially pass through the gut lining, suggests new research. The study, published in the journal of Food Research International, reveals the molecules released when real samples of bread and pasta are digested, providing new information for research into gluten sensitivity.
	CNIO researchers show that telomeres are linked to the origins of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) causes a gradual loss of respiratory capacity and can be lethal within a few years. The cause is unknown, although it can be attributed to a combination of genetics and the environment. A team of researchers from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) have now discovered that telomeres, the structures that protect the chromosomes, are at the origin of pulmonary fibrosis. This is the first time that telomere damage has been identified as a cause of the disease. This finding opens up new avenues for the development of therapies to treat a disease for which there is currently no treatment.
Cancer survivors who smoke perceive less risk from tobacco Cancer survivors who smoke report fewer negative opinions about smoking, have more barriers to quitting, and are around other smokers more often than survivors who had quit before or after their diagnosis, according to a new study appearing in Psycho-Oncology. The authors say these factors point to potential targets to help cancer survivors quit.
	Genetic testing in kids is fraught with complications A woman coping with the burden of familial breast cancer can't help but wonder if her young daughter will suffer the same fate. Has she inherited the same disease-causing mutation? Is it best to be prepared for the future, or to wait?
FDA clears drug for leading form of cystic fibrosis Federal health officials have approved a new combination drug for the most common form of cystic fibrosis, the debilitating inherited disease that causes internal mucus buildup, lung infections and early death.
	Discovery points to a new path toward a universal flu vaccine Flu vaccines can be something of a shot in the dark. Not only must they be given yearly, there's no guarantee the strains against which they protect will be the ones circulating once the season arrives.
New measurements reveal differences between stem cells for treating retinal degeneration By growing two types of stem cells in a "3-D culture" and measuring their ability to produce retinal cells, a team lead by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers has found one cell type to be better at producing retinal cells.
Researchers test fecal transplantation to treat ulcerative colitis Two new studies led by researchers from the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute at McMaster University show that transplantation of fecal matter may be a useful tool in the fight against ulcerative colitis (UC).
Genes may not be to blame for link between migraine and heart disease A new study suggests that genes may not be to blame for the increased risk of heart disease some studies have shown in people with migraine, especially those with migraine with aura. The research is published during Headache/Migraine Awareness Month in the inaugural issue of the journal Neurology Genetics, an open access, or free to the public, online-only, peer-reviewed journal from the American Academy of Neurology. Aura are sensations that come before the headache, often visual disturbances such as flashing lights.
	Prion trials and tribulations: Finding the right tools and experimental models Prions are fascinating, enigmatic, and might teach us not only about rare prion diseases like Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, mad cow disease, or scrapie, but also about other more common neurodgenerative diseases. Two studies published on July 2nd in PLOS Pathogens report progress with novel tools and paradigms to study prion disease.
	Rapid response to kids' stroke symptoms may speed diagnosis An emergency room rapid response plan for children can help diagnose stroke symptoms quickly, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
	Do you really think you're a foodie? Think you're a foodie? Adventurous eaters, known as "foodies," are often associated with indulgence and excess. However, a new Cornell Food and Brand Lab study shows just the opposite -adventurous eaters weigh less and may be healthier than their less-adventurous counterparts.
Washington woman's measles death is first in US since 2003 Washington state health officials say measles caused the death of a woman from the northwest part of the state in the spring—the first measles death in the U.S. since 2003 and the first in Washington since 1990.
Court clears German safety body in breast implant scare A French appeals court on Thursday cleared German safety standards body TUV of liability in a faulty breast implant scandal, meaning hundreds of women will have to pay back damages they received.
Consumers understand supplements help fill nutrient gaps, new survey shows The vast majority of consumers recognize that multivitamins, calcium and/or vitamin D supplements can help fill nutrient gaps but should not be viewed as replacements for a healthy diet, according to a new survey conducted on behalf of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). Conclusions from the survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults were published in Nutrition Journal in a peer-reviewed article titled, "Consumer attitudes about the role of multivitamins and other dietary supplements: report of a survey," authored by CRN consultant Annette Dickinson, Ph.D.; Douglas (Duffy) MacKay, N.D., senior vice president, scientific & regulatory affairs, CRN; and Andrea Wong, Ph.D., vice president, scientific & regulatory affairs, CRN.
First patient ever receives successful transplant after using 50cc Total Artificial Heart A petite 44-year-old woman has received a successful heart transplant at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, thanks to an experimental Total Artificial Heart designed for smaller patients.
Medicare proposes coverage change on short hospital stays Medicare proposed Wednesday to ease a coverage policy on short hospital stays that has been criticized because it can result in higher costs for seniors.
Experts call for 'all hands on deck' to tackle global burden of non-communicable disease A group of the world's top doctors and scientists working in cardiology and preventive medicine have issued a call to action to tackle the global problem of deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart problems, diabetes and cancer, through healthy lifestyle initiatives.
Latent virus and life expectancy The telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at each end of our chromosomes. Studies show that in every cell division, the telomere is shortened. As a result, the telomere limits the cell to a fixed number of divisions and a limited life span. An essential part of human cells they affect how our cells age - as people with longer telomeres live longer lives. Surprisingly, people who are infected with a latent virus, that is, an asymptomatic virus, have shorter telomeres. This is an important observation and a great mystery. Is the virus causing the telomere shortening, and how? And if this is the case, what does it mean in terms of the relationship between the latent viruses and longevity?
Centene makes $6.3B bid for fellow insurer Health Net Centene has jumped into the mix of managed-care companies scrambling to bulk up as the health care overhaul changes their business with a $6.3-billion bid for fellow insurer Health Net.
ASHG issues position statement on genetic testing in children and adolescents The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Workgroup on Pediatric Genetic and Genomic Testing has issued a position statement on Points to Consider: Ethical, Legal, and Psychosocial Implications of Genetic Testing in Children and Adolescents. Published today in The American Journal of Human Genetics, the statement aims to guide approaches to genetic testing for children in the research and clinical contexts. It also serves as an update to the Society's 1995 statement of the same title, which was issued jointly with the American College of Medical Genetics.
Cardiovascular disease in females—new perspectives on lifelong risks While heart disease is the number one cause of death in both sexes, it poses special considerations in women—with risks often beginning in childhood and changing at different stages of life. Insights on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in women and girls throughout the life span are shared in a special symposium feature in the June issue of The American Journal of Medical Sciences.
Federal government to step up bird flu monitoring this fall The federal government has announced plans to step up monitoring of wild birds for avian influenza this fall to provide an early warning of any resurgence of a disease that devastated poultry farms in the Upper Midwest.
New guidelines recommend brain stents to fight strokes in certain patients New devices called stent retrievers are enabling physicians to benefit selected patients who suffer strokes caused by blood clots. The devices effectively stop strokes in their tracks.

Biology news

	Why the seahorse's tail is square Why is the seahorse's tail square? An international team of researchers has found the answer and it could lead to building better robots and medical devices. In a nutshell, a tail made of square, overlapping segments makes for better armor than a cylindrical tail. It's also better at gripping and grasping. Researchers describe their findings in the July 3 issue of Science.
	Too hot: Temperatures messing with sex of Australian lizards Hotter temperatures are messing with the gender of Australia's bearded dragon lizards, a new study finds.
	Research finds protein regulation linked to cells' growth cycle By tracking the movement of proteins in a living cell with nanometer-scale precision, Cornell researchers have gained a new insight into the way cells regulate the expression of their genes.
	Making the biofuels process safer for microbes A team of investigators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Michigan State University have created a process for making the work environment less toxic—literally—for the organisms that do the heavy lifting in the increasingly important field of bioproducts derived from cellulosic biomass.
	Researchers go with the flow to help protect endangered European eel New research led by the University of Southampton is paving the way to protect the endangered European eel as they migrate through rivers to the ocean.
	Viral protein in their sights: Advanced imaging reveals key structure of Ebola and other RNA viruses Viruses need us. In order to multiply, viruses have to invade a host cell and copy their genetic information. To do so, viruses encode their own replication machinery or components that subvert the host replication machinery to their advantage.
	New technique maps elusive chemical markers on proteins Unveiling how the 20,000 or so proteins in the human body work—and malfunction—is the key to understanding much of health and disease. Now, Salk researchers developed a new technique that allows scientists to better understand an elusive step critical in protein formation.
	Hippo dances with hormones: Hints from fly research for study of cancer, stem cells Although fruit flies don't develop cancer, cancer and stem cell researchers have been learning a great deal from fruit flies - in particular, mutant flies with overgrown organs that resemble hippopotamuses.
	Researchers show how our sense of smell evolved, including in cave men A group of scientists led by Dr Kara Hoover of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and including Professor Matthew Cobb of The University of Manchester, has studied how our sense of smell has evolved, and has even reconstructed how a long-extinct human relative would have been able to smell.
	Study on pesticides in lab rat feed causes a stir French scientists published evidence Thursday of pesticide contamination of lab rat feed which they said discredited historic toxicity studies, though commentators questioned the analysis.
	Study: Polar bears could feel global warming's sting by 2025 About a third of the world's polar bears could be in imminent danger from greenhouse gas emissions in as soon as a decade, a U.S. government report shows.
	Flying without wings: Losing feathers has a detrimental effect on migrating birds Birds that moult at the wrong time of the year could be disadvantaged, according to a study by scientists at Lund University, Sweden. Birds depend on a full set of feathers for maximum efficiency when flying long distances, but the study shows that moulting has a detrimental effect on their flight performance.
	Insect legs give clues to improving aircraft design Insect legs could help engineers improve the safety of long tubular structures used in aircraft to reduce weight and in hospital equipment, such as catheters. Scientists from Trinity College Dublin are looking at how the different leg shapes of locusts, cockroaches, stick insects and bees bend and buckle when stress is applied to them.
	Baby seals that practice in pools make better divers Being able to dive is what matters most for seal pups, but how do they learn to do it? Grey seal pups that can play in pools may have better diving skills once they make the move to the sea, and this could increase their chance of survival. Researchers at Plymouth University have found that spending time in pools of water helps seal pups hold their breath for longer.
	'Map of life' predicts ET. (So where is he?) Extra-terrestrials that resemble humans should have evolved on other, Earth-like planets, making it increasingly paradoxical that we still appear to be alone in the universe, the author of a new study on convergent evolution has claimed.
	New tool will measure impact of man-made noise on sea-mammals A team of scientists from the University of St Andrews has developed a new computer modelling tool for assessing the impact of noise from human disturbance, such as offshore wind development, on marine mammal populations.
Humans once hunted them, but may now hold key to fur seal survival Oil rigs and artificial reefs are often given a bad rap for their environmental impact but they may be playing a vital role in feeding one of Australia's largest sea creatures, still recovering from centuries of hunting by humans, new research led by Deakin scientists has found.
	Why GM food is so hard to sell to a wary public Whether commanding the attention of rock star Neil Young or apparently being supported by the former head of Greenpeace, genetically modified food is almost always in the news – and often in a negative light.
	Canola seeds studied for superior strains UWA scientists are hoping a better molecular understanding of canola (Brassica napus L.) seed germination will enable them to breed superior cultivars, following research into strains that demonstrate contrasting germination speeds.
	Grunter's life choices chronicled in fisheries study Research into populations of the western striped grunter (Pelates octolineatus) on the lower west coast shows the species has a highly seasonal growth pattern and migrate between coastal and estuarine environments depending on their age.
	Cities adapt to growing ranks of coyotes, cougars and other urban wildlife Several times this spring, coyotes made national headlines when spotted roaming the streets of New York, from Manhattan to Queens.
The clock is ticking: New method reveals exact time of death after 10 days A new method for calculating the exact time of death, even after as much as 10 days, has been developed by a group of researchers at the University of Salzburg.
	Hard soft coral: New genus and species of 'living fossil' octocoral related to blue coral Research conducted in Okinawa, Japan, by graduate student Yu Miyazaki and associate professor James Davis Reimer from the University of the Ryukyus has found a very unusual new species of octocoral from a shallow coral reef in Okinawa, Japan. The new species can be considered a "living fossil", and is related in many ways to the unusual blue coral. The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
	What bee-killing mites can teach us about parasite evolution An infestation of speck-sized Varroa destructor mites can wipe out an entire colony of honey bees in 2-3 years if left untreated. Pesticides help beekeepers rid their hives of these parasitic arthropods, which feed on the blood-like liquid inside of their hosts and lay their eggs on larvae, but mite populations become resistant to the chemicals over time.
	It's cold outside: Two remarkable roundworm species from Antarctica revisited Discovered forty years ago, the two roundworm species, A. isokaryoni and P. paradoxus, are yet to be studied in detail. To obtain new information on the worms' morphology and taxonomic position, a research team from Bulgaria were the first to implement scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study these nematodes. The research was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
	Scientists warn of species loss due to man-made landscapes Research led by the University of Exeter has found a substantial reduction in bird species living in cultivated mango orchards compared to natural habitats in Southern Africa. The results, which are published today in the journal Landscape Ecology, highlight the value of assessing habitats prior to land use change to predict the impact of agriculture on biodiversity.
	Research shows 'mulch fungus' causes turfgrass disease Inadvertently continuing a line of study they conducted about 15 years ago, a team of Penn State researchers recently discovered the causal agent for an emerging turfgrass disease affecting golf courses around the world.
Two red panda cubs born at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo For the first time, red panda cubs have been born at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo.
International consortium to study plant fertility evolution Mark Johnson, associate professor of biology, has joined a consortium of seven other researchers in four European countries to develop the fullest understanding yet of how fertilization evolved in flowering plants. The research, employing techniques such as comparative genomics and molecular biology, could ultimately help agronomists improve crop yields for a hungry world.

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