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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 1, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Brain study sheds light on how new memories are formed
- Single-celled predator evolves tiny, human-like 'eye'
- First stars in the universe left a unique signature
- Discovery of nanotubes offers new clues about cell-to-cell communication
- Bow ties and cuttlefish: Researchers gain new insight into a visual super sense
- Study finds males may contribute to offspring's mental development before pregnancy
- Rosetta spacecraft sees sinkholes on comet
- The hidden treasure in RNA-seq
- Ultra-stable JILA microscopy technique tracks tiny objects for hours
- Producing spin-entangled electrons
- Dopamine found to increase sexual desire in aging male fruit flies
- Restaurant meals can be as bad for your waistline as fast food is
- Bio-inspired catalyst paves the way to 'gas-to-liquid'-technologies
- Observing the birth of a planet
- Researchers find using genetic association data applied to drug target selection could significantly boost success rate

Astronomy & Space news

	First stars in the universe left a unique signature Determining the chemical abundance pattern left by the earliest stars in the universe is no easy feat. A Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientist is helping to do just that.
	Rosetta spacecraft sees sinkholes on comet The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft first began orbiting comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in August 2014. Almost immediately, scientists began to wonder about several surprisingly deep, almost perfectly circular pits on the comet's surface. Now, a new study based on close-up imagery taken by Rosetta suggests that these pits are sinkholes, formed when ices beneath the comet's surface sublimate, or turn directly to gas.
	NGC 2367: Buried in the heart of a giant This rich view of an array of colorful stars and gas was captured by the Wide Field Imager camera, on the MPG/ESO 2.2-meter telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile. It shows a young open cluster of stars known as NGC 2367, an infant stellar grouping that lies at the center of an immense and ancient structure on the margins of the Milky Way.
	Observing the birth of a planet Astronomers at ETH Zurich have confirmed the existence of a young giant gas planet still embedded in the midst of the disk of gas and dust surrounding its parent star. For the first time, scientists are able to directly study the formation of a planet at a very early stage.
	We're not alone—but the universe may be less crowded than we think There may be far fewer galaxies further out in the universe then might be expected, according to a new study led by Michigan State University.
	Image: Increasingly active Comet 67P On 13 August 2015, Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko will reach its closest point to the Sun along its 6.5-year long orbit. It will be around 185 million km from the Sun at 'perihelion', between the orbits of Earth and Mars.
	Helping Europe prepare for asteroid risk Each year, astronomers worldwide discover over 1000 new asteroids or other space rocks that could strike our planet. And if one is spotted heading towards Earth, experts working in ESA and national emergency offices need to know who should do what, and when.
	Why we need to keep adding leap seconds Today at precisely 10am Australian Eastern Standard time, something chronologically peculiar will take place: there'll be an extra second between 09:59:59 and 10:00:00.
	Boldly going into space for 1,000 days presents a series of health risks Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, the commander of the current crew on board the International Space Station, has broken the record for the longest time spent in space with 803 days. Padalka, who is to return to Earth in September, has previously said he would like to try for 1,000 days on a future mission.
Radar guards against space debris Space debris poses a growing threat to satellites and other spacecraft, which could be damaged in the event of a collision. A new German space surveillance system, schedu- led to go into operation in 2018, will help to prevent such incidents. The tracking radar is being developed by Fraunhofer researchers on behalf of DLR Space Administration.
	Is that a big crater on Pluto? Pyramidal mountain found on Ceres You're probably as eager as I am for new images of Pluto and Ceres as both New Horizons and Dawn push ever closer to their respective little worlds. Recent photos, of which there are only a few, reveal some wild new features including what appears to a large crater on Pluto.
	Me and my world: The human factor in space The world around us is defined by how we interact with it. But what if our world was out of this world? As part of NASA's One-Year Mission, researchers are studying how astronauts interact with the "world" around them. To prepare for a future journey to Mars, it is important to understand the effects spaceflight can have on crewmembers' fine motor skills and how they interact with their habitat.
Video: Preparing the ExoMars spacecraft for 2016 launch The ExoMars spacecraft is almost complete. A joint mission between ESA and Roscosmos, it begins with the launch of the ExoMars orbiter in 2016 and carries an aerodynamically designed capsule containing a robotic lander. Getting to Mars, landing there safely and searching for life is a huge scientific and technical challenge.
	Image: Modeling Gaia's avionics on the ground A full-size working model of Gaia's internal systems arrived in Germany this week. The Avionics Model is mounted in a circular set-up representing the systems on the actual satellite, now orbiting the Sun–Earth L2 point about 500 000 km from Earth.

Technology news

	Solar Impulse reaches half way in Japan-US leg A solar-powered aircraft flying between Japan and Hawaii as part of a round-the-world bid passed the halfway point of the perilous Pacific Ocean crossing Wednesday, and smashed its own endurance record.
	Facebook's Zuckerberg wants to figure out social equation Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg figures there could be a formula that explains how people think.
	Algorithm detects nudity in images, offers demo page An algorithm has been designed to tell if somebody in a color photo is naked. Isitnude.com launched earlier this month; its demo page invites you to try it out to test its power in nudity detection. You can choose from a selection of images at the bottom of the page, including pics of Vladimir Putin on horseback and Tiger Woods in golf mode. We tried it out, dragging and dropping a picture of Woods over into the box and the message promptly said "Not nude-G." "You can probably post this."
	New techniques could help identify students at risk for dropping out of online courses MOOCs—massive open online courses—grant huge numbers of people access to world-class educational resources, but they also suffer high rates of attrition.
	Engineering students teach autonomous cars to avoid obstacles (w/ Video) One promise of autonomous driving is not to simply survive accidents, but to avoid them altogether. With that in mind, Stanford engineering students have been testing an obstacle-avoidance algorithm using a pop-up obstacle they rigged up from a tablecloth and a leaf blower.
	Austria court throws out Facebook privacy class action suit An Austrian court has rejected a class action case against Facebook for alleged privacy breaches, saying it lacks jurisdiction to decide the matter, court officials said on Wednesday.
Global pharma firms grilled about tax in Australia The world's top pharmaceutical companies Wednesday told an Australian parliamentary hearing they were compliant with local and international laws, despite claims they are charging higher prices to minimise tax.
New Chinese law reinforces government control of cyberspace (Update) China's legislature passed sweeping legislation on Wednesday that reinforces government controls over cyberspace, as the nation's leaders try to address what they see as growing threats to Chinese networks and national security.
	Review: Gadgets for the beach and getting you there If you're headed to the beach or any other weekend getaway, don't forget these "essential" gadgets.
	Toyota, Nissan, Honda back hydrogen stations for fuel cells Toyota, Nissan and Honda are working together to get more fuel cell vehicles on roads in what they call Japan's big push toward "a hydrogen society."
	New test chamber making possible research into challenging 'geotechnical' problems A test chamber developed at Purdue University allows engineers to simulate precisely what happens to soil underground during the installation of piles and other structural elements, a research tool for improving construction of everything from buildings and bridges to offshore wind turbines.
	Device could detect driver drowsiness, make roads safer Drowsy driving injures and kills thousands of people in the United States each year. A device being developed by Vigo Technologies Inc., in collaboration with Wichita State University professor Jibo He and graduate students Long Wang, Christina Knopp and Utkarsh Ranjan, could alert drowsy drivers and avoid potential accidents.
Revealing faded frescos Many details of the wall and ceiling frescos in the cloister of Brandenburg Cathedral have faded: Plaster on which horses once "galloped" appears more or less bare. A hyperspectral camera sees images that remain hidden to the human eye, however, and is thus a big help a for art historians.
	Four reasons why the Terminator is already here As Terminator: Genisys hits cinemas around the world, ScienceNetwork WA looks at some of the feats performed by robots in the Terminator films, and investigates how long until reality catches up with science fiction.
	Autonomous Robird is one step closer With the assistance of the European Space Agency ESA, robotics researchers at the University of Twente have taken an essential step toward the Robird's completely autonomous flight. This lifelike, robotic peregrine falcon from spin-off company Clear Flight Solutions will be used to chase away birds at airports and waste-processing sites. The Robird is now operated manually, but must ultimately be able to fly and dispel birds autonomously.
	Testing heats up at Sandia's Solar Tower with high temperature falling particle receiver Researchers at Sandia National Laboratories are working to lower the cost of solar energy systems and improve efficiencies in a big way, thanks to a system of small particles.
India business leaders pledge billions in WiFi campaign Some of India's biggest industrialists pledged billions of dollars Wednesday to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious plan to provide Internet connection for all.
	Multilayer varistors provide high surge current capability in a very compact design TDK Corporation presents the new high-surge series of EPCOS multilayer varistors. These are characterized by their high surge current capability, ranging from one surge of up to 5000 A to ten surges of up to 3500 A, with a pulse of 8/20 µs and an operating voltage of up to 65 V DC. In addition, the new SMD components are very compact: They are available in case sizes EIA1210 through EIA2220 and require significantly less space than wired types or semiconductor-based solutions, while offering the same performance and reliability.
	Can computers be creative? The EU-funded 'What-if Machine' (WHIM) project not only generates fictional storylines but also judges their potential usefulness and appeal. It represents a major advance in the field of computational creativity.
EU open source software project receives green light An open source software project involving the University of Southampton to extend the capacity of computational mathematics and interactive computing environments has received over seven million euros in EU funding.

Medicine & Health news

	Brain study sheds light on how new memories are formed In the first study of its kind, UCLA and United Kingdom researchers found that neurons in a specific brain region play a key role in rapidly forming memories about every day events, a finding that may result in a better understanding of memory loss and new methods to fight it in Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.
	How removing a protein slows blood vessel growth in tumors Scientists from the University of Leeds and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, have discovered a new protein which triggers the growth of blood vessels in breast cancer tumours which have spread to the brain, a common location which breast cancer can spread to.
	Stem cell gene therapy holds promise for eliminating HIV infection cientists at the UCLA Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research are one step closer to engineering a tool that could one day arm the body's immune system to fight HIV—and win. The new technique harnesses the regenerative capacity of stem cells to generate an immune response to the virus.
	Outsmarting HIV with vaccine antigens made to order AIDS vaccine researchers may be one step closer to outwitting HIV, thanks to designer antibodies and antigens made to order at Duke.
	Dopamine found to increase sexual desire in aging male fruit flies (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with affiliations to a large number of institutions in Taiwan has found that increasing dopamine levels in the brains of male fruit flies caused them to find a renewed interest in sexual activity. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, the team describes their study of natural and artificial levels of dopamine in male fruit flies and its impact on sexual interest and activity.
	Researchers find using genetic association data applied to drug target selection could significantly boost success rate (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with member affiliations to institutions in the U.S. and Hong Kong, has found that researchers going after drug targets that have supporting genetic evidence could double the success rate of new drugs making it through clinical trials. In their paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, the team describes how they correlated data from gene associated disease databases to drug development databases to find commonalities.
	Restaurant meals can be as bad for your waistline as fast food is When Americans go out to eat, either at a fast-food outlet or a full-service restaurant, they consume, on average, about 200 more calories a day than when they stay home for meals, a new study reports. They also take in more fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium than those who prepare and eat their meals at home.
	Lifelong learning is made possible by recycling of histones, study says Neurons are a limited commodity; each of us goes through life with essentially the same set we had at birth. But these cells, whose electrical signals drive our thoughts, perceptions, and actions, are anything but static. They change and adapt in response to experience throughout our lifetimes, a process better known as learning.
	Seeing is believing: How brains make sense of the visual world If your eyes deceive you, blame your brain. Many optical illusions work because what we see clashes with what we expect to see.
	Human brain may contain a map for social navigation The brain region that helps people tell whether an object is near or far may also guide how emotionally close they feel to others and how they rank them socially, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published today in the journal Neuron. The findings promise to yield new insights into the social deficits that accompany psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression.
	Revised view of brain circuit reveals how we avoid being overwhelmed by powerful odors You've just encountered a frightened skunk, which has sprayed a generous quantity of its sulfur-containing scent directly in your path. The noxious odor is overpowering. As you run in the opposite direction, you are performing with your feet an operation analogous to one that each of your senses is performing every moment.
	Immune response to a flu protein yields new insights into narcolepsy An international team of researchers has found some of the first solid evidence that narcolepsy may be a so-called "hit-and-run" autoimmune disease.
Statins linked to lower aggression in men, but higher in women Statins are a hugely popular drug class used to manage blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Previous studies had raised questions about adverse behavioral changes with statins, such as irritability or violence, but findings with statins have been inconsistent. In the first randomized trial to look at statin effects on behavior, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that aggressive behavior typically declined among men placed on statins (compared to placebo), but typically increased among women placed on statins.
Does radiation from X-rays and CT scans really cause cancer? In recent years, there has been widespread media coverage of studies purporting to show that radiation from X-rays, CT scans and other medical imaging causes cancer.
	Study suggests that a causal pathway may link job stress and sleep disturbances A new study suggests that there may be a reciprocal, causal pathway between job strain and disturbed sleep, implying that interventions to treat sleep problems may improve work satisfaction.
	Protein's impact on colorectal cancer is dappled Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a cell signaling pathway that appears to exert some control over initiation and progression of colorectal cancer, the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. A key protein in the pathway also appears to be predictive of cancer survival rates.
Hospital-wide program for delirium, alcohol withdrawal and suicide/harm impacts readmission rates Brigham and Women's Hospital finds that developing and implementing an interdisciplinary care improvement initiative improves outcomes.
Cuba becomes first nation to eliminate mother-to-child HIV Cuba on Tuesday became the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, the World Health Organization said.
New health evidence gives women informed choice in the stress urinary incontinence surgery debate A new Cochrane systematic review published today of surgery for stress urinary incontinence makes an important contribution to an ongoing debate and will help women to make more informed choices about treatment. Inserting a 'mid-urethral sling', a type of tape, to support the muscles of the bladder by either the groin or abdomen results in similar cure rates. However, differences in complications and the long term need for repeat surgery mean that women will need to balance a number of different factors when choosing an operation.
	Extracurricular sports produce disciplined preteens Regular, structured extracurricular sports seem to help kids develop the discipline they need in order to engage effectively in the classroom, according to a new study led by Linda Pagani of the University of Montreal and its affiliated CHU Sainte-Justine children's hospital. "We worked with information provided by parents and teachers to compare kindergarteners' activities with their classroom engagement as they grew up," Pagani said. "By time they reached the fourth grade, kids who played structured sports were identifiably better at following instructions and remaining focused in the classroom. There is something specific to the sporting environment - perhaps the unique sense of belonging to a team to a special group with a common goal - that appears to help kids understand the importance of respecting the rules and honoring responsibilities."
	Obese teens in study less likely to use contraception A study of nearly 1,000 teens found that sexually active obese adolescents were significantly less likely to use contraception than normal weight peers, putting them at higher risk of unintended pregnancy.
Virtual training helps vets with PTSD, mentally ill nab more jobs Finding a job is difficult for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and individuals with severe mental illness, who have high unemployment rates even though many want to work.
Chinese people getting taller and fatter: govt Chinese people are growing taller as the country becomes richer but they are getting fatter even faster, the government said.
	Tamper-resistant pill dispenser aims to stamp out medication misuse You can whack it with a hammer, attack it with a drill, or even stab it with a screwdriver. But try as you might, you won't be able to tamper with a high-tech pill dispenser designed by mechanical engineering students at Johns Hopkins University's Whiting School of Engineering.
	How St. John's Wort can make you sick St John's Wort can produce the same adverse reactions as antidepressants, and serious side effects can occur when the two are taken together, according to new University of Adelaide research.
	How insulin calms brain activity Insulin has long been known as the hormone which controls the body's sugar levels: humans who lack or are insensitive to insulin develop diabetes. Although insulin is also made and released in the brain, its effects there have remained unclear.
	Muscadine grape seed oil may help reduce obesity, study shows Muscadine grape seed oil supplies a form of vitamin E, giving scientists another clue to reducing obesity, a new University of Florida study shows.
	Research heralds simple computer game that could help you lose weight There are many different ways which people try to lose weight. After a long day in the office some people manage to drag themselves to the gym and squeeze in that all-important cardio session. Others may regularly find themselves forgoing the gym to head home and relax. And there are a huge range of diet plans, many of which require significant effort to change your daily routine and eating habits. But what if there was a way to change your attitude to food from the comfort of your living room sofa?
	Do allergy meds contribute to weight gain? Some folks have allergies that flare up on a seasonal basis. This spring has certainly not been kind to this group.
Live imaging reveals how wound healing influences cancer Researchers in the United Kingdom and Denmark have studied the "see-through" larvae of zebrafish to reveal how wound healing leads to skin cancer. Live imaging shows neutrophils, the protective inflammatory cells of the body's immune system, diverted from an induced wound to any nearby precancerous skin cells. The newly arrived neutrophils cause rapid division of these skin cells, which may cause them to progress to melanoma. The results are published in The EMBO Journal.
Miniature pump regulates internal ocular pressure Elevated or diminished eye pressure impairs our ability to see, and in the worst cases, can even lead to blindness. Until now, there has been no effective long-term treatment. In response, Fraunhofer researchers are developing an implantable microfluid system that can efficiently and durably stabilize intraocular pressure.
	Researchers develop a computer model to explain how nerve cell connections form in the visual cortex When newborn babies open their eyes for the first time, they already possess nerve cells specialized in particular stimuli in the visual cortex of their brains - but these nerve cells are not systematically linked with each other. How do neural networks that react in a particular way to particular features of a stimulus develop over the course of time? In order to better understand the steps of this development and explain the complicated processes of reorganization they involve, an international team of researchers has now developed a computer model that precisely simulates the biological processes. The results of the study by Prof. Dr. Stefan Rotter, Bernstein Center Freiburg (BCF) and Cluster of Excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools of the University of Freiburg, conducted in cooperation with Dr. Claudia Clopath from the Imperial College London, England, have now been published in the journals PLOS Computational Biology and PLOS ONE! .
New research outlines more effective diagnosis for people with heart conditions A new algorithm created by engineering experts at the University of Lincoln, UK, provides more effective Electrocardiogram (ECG) diagnosis for people with heart conditions. The research, which improves ECG signal classification and improved abnormality detection and diagnosis, won an award at the recent International Conference on Medical and Health Science held in Berlin.
	Simple classroom measures may reduce the impact of ADHD Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be successfully supported in classrooms through strategies that do not involve drugs, new research has indicated. These children are typically restless, act without thinking and struggle to concentrate, which causes particular problems for them and for others in school.
	Stunting remains a challenge in South Africa Stunting remains stubbornly persistent in South Africa, despite economic growth, political and social transitions, and national nutritional programmes, says a Wits-led research team.
	Subcutaneous administration of multispecific antibody makes tumor treatment faster and more tolerable Tumor treatment with multispecific antibodies is significantly more tolerable if administered subcutaneously rather than via the bloodstream, which was the standard procedure until now. This was the result of an animal model study undertaken by researchers at Helmholtz Zentrum München in cooperation with the Munich biotech company Trion Research. According to the scientists, the findings published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics could lead to shorter hospital stays, among other benefits for patients.
How the stress hormone cortisol reinforces traumatic memories The stress hormone cortisol strengthens memories of scary experiences. However, it is effective not only while the memory is being formed for the first time, but also later when people look back at an experience while the memory reconsolidates. This has been published by cognition psychologists from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology. They suggest that the results might explain the persistence of strong emotional memories occurring in anxiety and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
	People with epilepsy can benefit from smartphone apps to manage their condition While many people with epilepsy can control their seizures with medication, those unpredictable and involuntary changes in behavior and consciousness can be limiting for others. Neurologists writing in the International Journal of Epilepsy evaluated the application of smartphones in epilepsy care.
	New stem cell research uncovers causes of spinal muscular atrophy New research from the Advanced Gene and Cell Therapy Lab at Royal Holloway, University of London has used pioneering stem cell techniques to better understand why certain cells are more at risk of degenerating in spinal muscular atrophy than others.
	Sepsis—the largely unknown condition that puts one million people in the hospital each year Most Americans have never heard of it, but according to new federal data, sepsis is the most expensive cause of hospitalization in the US.
	Sleep deprivation could reduce intrusive memories of traumatic scenes Sleep deprivation might prevent people from consolidating memories of experimental trauma, reducing their tendency to experience flashbacks, according to a new Oxford-led study.
	Cancer surgery or biopsy collection could influence disease progression Scientists at Bristol studying the body's inflammatory response to wounds following cancer surgery or biopsy have found that these procedures may cause growth signals to be delivered to any remaining cancer or pre-cancerous cells which may negatively influence disease progression.
	Thin colorectal cancer patients have shorter survival than obese patients Although being overweight with a high body-mass index (BMI) has long been associated with a higher risk for colorectal cancer, thinner patients might not fare as well after treatment for advanced cancer, according to a new study from Duke Medicine.
Level I trauma experience prepares surgeons for battle Soldiers injured during the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have the highest survival rates in history, thanks to the availability of surgeons skilled in combat care. But combat-ready surgical skills are hard to sustain off the battlefield.
	Experimental drug combined with standard chemo may shrink ovarian cancers Working in cell cultures and mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that an experimental drug called fostamatinib combined with the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel may overcome ovarian cancer cells' resistance to paclitaxel.
	Boys more likely to have antipsychotics prescribed, regardless of age Boys are more likely than girls to receive a prescription for antipsychotic medication regardless of age, researchers have found. Approximately 1.5 percent of boys ages 10-18 received an antipsychotic prescription in 2010, although the percentage falls by nearly half after age 19. Among antipsychotic users with mental disorder diagnoses, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was the most common among youth ages 1-18, while depression was the most common diagnosis among young adults ages 19-24 receiving antipsychotics.
Research letter: Indoor tanning rates drop among US adults Indoor tanning rates dropped among adults from 5.5 percent in 2010 to 4.2 percent in 2013, although an estimated 7.8 million women and 1.9 million men still engage in the practice, which has been linked to increased cancer risk, according to the results of a study published online in a research letter by JAMA Dermatology.
Longer-term follow-up shows greater type 2 diabetes remission for bariatric surgery compared to life Among obese participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus, bariatric surgery with 2 years of a low-level lifestyle intervention resulted in more disease remission than did lifestyle intervention alone, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery.
	Improved survival in adult patients with low-grade brain tumors Using clinical data collected over the past decade through a U.S. cancer registry, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine demonstrated that significant strides have been made in improving the survival of adult patients with low-grade gliomas, a slow-growing yet deadly form of primary brain cancer. The findings are published July 1 by Neuro-Oncology: Clinical Practice.
Support for overdose-reversing drug low, but can be bolstered with right messages While most Americans do not support policies designed to increase distribution of naloxone - a medication that reverses the effects of a drug overdose - certain types of educational messages about its lifesaving benefits may bolster support for its use, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.
	Menopausal women have lower risk of dying from heart attack than men While menopause is commonly considered a risk factor for heart disease, menopausal women had a lower risk of dying from heart attack than men; however, this difference was less pronounced among blacks, according to research in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Doing good deeds helps socially anxious people relax Being busy with acts of kindness can help people who suffer from social anxiety to mingle more easily. This is the opinion of Canadian researchers Jennifer Trew of Simon Fraser University and Lynn Alden of the University of British Columbia, in a study published in Springer's journal Motivation and Emotion.
	Team identifies gene responsible for some cases of male infertility In the most severe form of male infertility, men do not make any measurable levels of sperm. This condition, called azoospermia, affects approximately 1 percent of the male population and is responsible for about a sixth of cases of male infertility.
Should scientists be allowed to genetically alter human embryos? Scientists have at their disposal a way to explore the possible prevention of genetic diseases before birth. But should they? Currently, the most promising path forward involves editing the genes of human embryos, a procedure rife with controversy. An article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, parses the explosive issue.
New drug for neuroblastoma shows promise in phase I study Researchers at Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital have completed the first clinical trial of a new treatment for children suffering from neuroblastoma. In a clinical trial led by Giselle Sholler, MD, pediatric oncologist at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital and the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC), DFMO, an investigational agent, showed minimal side effects with long-term survival of three patients. This is the first clinical study of an oral dosing form of DFMO in any pediatric population.
	Many US AIDS patients still die when 'opportunistic' infections strike (HealthDay)—Even after the advent of powerful medications for suppressing HIV, a new study finds that more than one-third of people in San Francisco who were diagnosed with an AIDS-related infection died within five years.
	Too few prostate cancer patients receiving active surveillance (HealthDay)—A majority of U.S. men with low-risk prostate cancer who are eligible for active surveillance still undergo treatment, according to a new report published online June 29 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
	New naloxone capsule safe for opioid-induced constipation (HealthDay)—A new naloxone sustained release (NSR) capsule appears to be safe and efficacious for opioid-induced constipation (OIC), according to a study published online June 24 in Pain Medicine.
	Three issues to consider before selecting EHR (HealthDay)—Work flow, features and functionality, and technical infrastructure should all be considered in advance of selecting an electronic heath record (EHR) system, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
	Robotic sx viable for morbidly obese with endometrial cancer (HealthDay)—Robotic surgery is safe and feasible for the surgical management of morbidly obese patients with endometrial cancer, according to research published in the July issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Increased morbidity, mortality in food system industries (HealthDay)—Occupational morbidity and mortality are elevated across food system industries compared with nonfood system industries, according to a study published online May 12 in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
	Physician-provided oral health services cut dental caries (HealthDay)—For kindergarten students, physician-based comprehensive preventive oral health services (POHS) are associated with a reduction in caries, but no improvement in subsequent use of dental treatment, according to a study published online June 29 in Pediatrics.
	Men with 'low testosterone' have higher rates of depression Researchers at the George Washington University (GW), led by Michael S. Irwig, M.D., found that men referred for tertiary care for borderline testosterone levels had much higher rates of depression and depressive symptoms than those of the general population.
	Researchers will study the effects of a novel way of eradicating schistosomiasis Built in 1986, the Diama Dam between Senegal and Mauritania was constructed on the Senegal River to improve irrigation for nearby crops and prevent upstream saltwater intrusion. However, shortly after its completion, it became evident that what many people in the area would have gained in economic opportunity they lost in public health.
Drug and device firms paid $6.5B to care providers From research dollars to free lunches and junkets, drug and medical device companies paid doctors and leading hospitals nearly $6.5 billion last year, according to government data posted Tuesday.
Leicester pioneers introduce new imaging autopsy service to the NHS Researchers from the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust have introduced an alternative method to diagnose the cause of death, which in many cases can replace the need for the traditional invasive autopsy. This can be purchased by the family and will be performed within the NHS hospitals.
	What's next for California's contentious vaccine law Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed a hotly contested California bill to impose one of the strictest school vaccination laws in the country in the wake of an outbreak of measles at Disneyland late last year.
	Facility churns out radioactive agents to investigate the subcellular activity that drives disease A modern-day version of the machine that smashed atoms for the Manhattan project now resides on a quiet corner of UNC's medical research campus, in a room below the basement of Marsico Hall. While its predecessor was used to conduct the physics experiments that led to the atomic bomb, this shiny new instrument is currently tasked with making radioactive tracers that could transform the fight against cancer and other complex diseases.
	Quick-serve foods slow to change When it comes to eating out and eating healthy portion sizes, knowledge is power.
Researchers make progress in the identification of new biomarkers for the prevention of colon cancer Scientists from the Instituto de Investigación Biomédica (IBI) [Institute of Biomedical Research], in Galicia (Spain), have made progress in the identification of new biomarkers for improving prevention of colorectal cancer.
Evaluation of NK1 antagonists for emesis prevention in oxaliplatin chemo: SENRI trial The SENRI trial has opened the window to evaluate NK1 antagonists for emesis prevention in patients taking oxaliplatin chemotherapy, antiemetics expert and ESMO spokesperson Fausto Roila said, putting into perspective the results of a Japanese study presented today at the ESMO 17th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer 2015 in Barcelona.
Liberia announces two more confirmed Ebola cases (Update) Liberia said Wednesday a teenager who died of Ebola fever had spread the virus to at least two more people, confirming the first outbreak of the tropical disease for months.
US seeks $3.3 bn corruption fine from Novartis US authorities are seeking up to $3.3 billion (three billion euros) in fines from Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis on allegations it paid kickbacks to boost drug sales, according to a document AFP consulted Wednesday.
The BMJ's data sharing policy now applies to all clinical trials From today (1 July 2015) The BMJ requires sharing of individual patient data for all clinical trials.
Many patients with advanced form of larynx cancer not receiving recommended treatment Despite findings of previous studies and published guidelines, nearly two-thirds of patients with T4a larynx ("voice box") cancer are not receiving a total laryngectomy (surgical removal of the larynx), the recommended form of treatment, and as a result, have significantly worse survival rates versus those treated with a total laryngectomy, a new study published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics by experts at Penn Medicine found. Patients who underwent a laryngectomy, on average, lived nearly two years longer than those on chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Article reviews approaches and outcomes of Africa-based HIV trials A new article in Clinical Investigation highlights the learnings gleaned from monitoring several complex HIV clinical trials in Africa over a 15 year period. The article identifies and provides solutions for the challenges that emerge when designing and implementing clinical trials in a developing nation. The journal is published by Future Science Group.
	Traffic-related air pollution risk is greater for minority and low-income populations Low-income and minority populations disproportionately reside near roadways with high traffic volumes and consequently face increased exposure to traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP) and their associated health effects. New case studies demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating strategies to reduce TRAP exposure into the building design and site development for near-highway housing and school developments in the planning stages, as described in an article in Environmental Justice.
FDA cracks down on unapproved ear drops The Food and Drug Administration says it plans to crack down on unapproved prescription ear drops often given to young children suffering from ear infections.

Biology news

	Study finds males may contribute to offspring's mental development before pregnancy A new study from Indiana University provides evidence in mice that males may play a positive role in the development of offspring's brains starting before pregnancy.
	Bow ties and cuttlefish: Researchers gain new insight into a visual super sense An experiment originally designed to test the visual abilities of octopuses and cuttlefish has given University of Bristol researchers an unprecedented insight into the human ability to perceive polarized light - the super sense that most of us don't even know we have.
	Single-celled predator evolves tiny, human-like 'eye' A single-celled marine plankton evolved a miniature version of a multi-cellular eye, possibly to help see its prey better, according to University of British Columbia (UBC) research published today in Nature.
	Discovery of nanotubes offers new clues about cell-to-cell communication When it comes to communicating with each other, some cells may be more "old school" than was previously thought.
	Location isn't everything but timing is for certain spawning fish The larvae of some species of reef fish appear to survive better depending on the timing of when they were spawned, according to new research from the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis.
	Solitude breeds despair: Worm injects sperm into own head From the shooting of sperm darts to post-coital cannibalism, there is not much that surprises researchers into the weird ways of animal sex.
	Why human egg cells don't age well When egg cells form with an incorrect number of chromosomes—a problem that increases with age—the result is usually a miscarriage or a genetic disease such as Down syndrome. Now, researchers at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Japan have used a novel imaging technique to pinpoint a significant event that leads to these types of age-related chromosomal errors. Published in Nature Communications, the study shows that as egg cells mature in older women, paired copies of matching chromosomes often separate from each other at the wrong time, leading to early division of chromosomes and their incorrect segregation into mature egg cells.
	The hidden treasure in RNA-seq Michael Stadler and his team at the Friedrich Miescher institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have developed a novel computational approach to analyze RNA-seq data. By comparing intronic and exonic RNA reads, this approach allows discerning the contribution of transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation to gene expression. The description of this new method and the results of the analysis have been published in Nature Biotechnology.
	Novel algorithms and computational techniques speed up genome assembly from months to minutes Genomes are like the biological owner's manual for all living things. Cells read DNA instantaneously, getting instructions necessary for an organism to grow, function and reproduce. But for humans, deciphering this "book of life" is significantly more difficult.
	Cracking the sea cucumber code The export value of Australian Holothurians (better known as humble sea cucumbers) is rising after Flinders researchers start to unravel their nutritional and medicinal value.
	Fin regenerative capability abates during aging Regenerative processes are the reason why wounds can heal and injured tissues can regrow. Some flatworms, salamanders and fishes even have the ability to completely rebuild whole bodily parts. In contrast, the regenerative capability of humans is quite limited and decreases upon aging. Researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Age Research (FLI) in Jena, Germany now found that also in the short-lived killifish Nothobranchius furzeri, the regenerative capability to rebuild its caudal fin heavily lessens in old age.
	HabCamV4 sees large numbers of young scallops off Delaware Bay NOAA researchers and colleagues from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have reported what appears to be a banner year for young sea scallops off the Delmarva Peninsula in mid-Atlantic waters of the U.S.
	Europe, Siberia and in between: Caucasian populations of non-biting midges A research in the North Caucasus, conducted by a group of Russian scientists over three years, has revealed an intermediate distribution of Caucasian populations of non-biting midges between Europe and Siberia. Their observations also proved some interesting morphological distinctions between the studied populations and the previously researched ones from Europe and Siberia. Their results have been published in the open-access journal Comparative Cytogenetics.
	What's in your landscape? Plants can alter West Nile virus risk A new study looks at how leaf litter in water influences the abundance of Culex pipiens mosquitoes, which can transmit West Nile virus to humans, domestic animals, birds and other wildlife.
	Lions returned to Rwanda 15 years after population wiped out The sedated, blindfolded lions lay in the dirt, unwitting passengers about to embark on a 30-hour, 2,500-mile (4,000-kilometer) journey by truck and plane from South Africa to Rwanda, whose lion population was wiped out following the country's 1994 genocide.
	Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o joins fight to save African elephants Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o has returned home to Kenya to spearhead a new campaign to stop the record slaughter of elephants for their valuable ivory.
	Vast mine under British national park wins approval A plan to build a huge potash mine beneath one of Britain's national parks was approved on Tuesday, despite stiff opposition.
Federal judge rules Maui County ban on GMO crops invalid A federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Maui County ban on the cultivation of genetically engineered crops is pre-empted by federal and state law and invalid.
Endangered Mexican gray wolves born at suburban Chicago zoo Officials of a suburban Chicago zoo say the birth of a litter of Mexican gray wolves marks a major milestone in the conservation of an endangered species.
	Crocodile 'nanny' brings reptile back from brink in El Salvador The hungry baby crocodiles wriggle in Jose Antonio Villeda's hand. One by one, he squeezes open their jaws and uses a plastic tube to prod pieces of fish down their gullets.
Do macroalgae habitats help sustain fish populations in the Mediterranean? Whilst the importance of phytoplankton (microalgae) as a primary producer for coastal ecosystems and thus fish production is well documented, the importance of macroalgae and seaweed in the preservation of fish stocks remains obscure. Thanks to the LINKFISH project, scientists now better understand how specific characteristics of macroalgae habitats can help populations of juvenile fish to thrive.
Love your country, love your dog: Keep pets safe over July 4 To us, fireworks are the sparkling embodiment of July Fourth. But to dogs, they truly are bombs bursting in air.

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