Science X Newsletter Thursday, Aug 13

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 13, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Cosmic mystery deepens with discovery of new ultra-high-energy neutrino
- Methane, water enshroud nearby Jupiter-like exoplanet
- Millionaires are more generous in 'communal' interactions than 'strategic' exchanges
- Biologists find malaria parasites lost drug resistance after health policy changes
- Team genetically engineers yeast to produce opioids
- How beneficial bacteria protect intestinal cells
- Exercise-induced hormone irisin is not a 'myth'
- How do ants identify different members of their society?
- Team finds a better way to engineer therapeutic proteins into antibodies
- Alert to biologists: Ribosomes can translate the 'untranslated region' of messenger RNA
- Team discovers the ancient origins of deadly Lassa virus
- Researchers track the neural circuits driving a fly's choice of a mate
- Newly discovered cells regenerate liver tissue without forming tumors
- Rosetta hits 'milestone' in comet's run past Sun
- El Nino could be strongest in modern history: US

Astronomy & Space news

	Methane, water enshroud nearby Jupiter-like exoplanet The Gemini Planet Imager has discovered and photographed its first planet, a methane-enshrouded gas giant much like Jupiter that may hold the key to understanding how large planets form in the swirling accretion disks around stars.
	Gecko grippers moving on up A piece of tape can only be used a few times before the adhesion wears off and it can no longer hold two surfaces together. But researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are working on the ultimate system of stickiness, inspired by geckos.
	Astronomer creates music using star oscillations (Phys.org)—Astronomer Burak Ulaş, with the Izmir Turk College Planetarium in Turkey has taken his work into a musical dimension, using star oscillations as a source for a musical composition. He has uploaded a paper describing what he has done along with sheet music and an audio recording of his work to the preprint server arXiv—along with a shout-out to other pioneers in the field, from Kepler to Pythagoras to modern composer scientists Jenő Keuler and Zoltán Kolláth.
	Rosetta hits 'milestone' in comet's run past Sun The European space probe Rosetta captured a range of scientific data Thursday as it trailed an ancient comet past the Sun which could help scientists better understand the origins of life on Earth.
	Trusty, not rusty, pipelines owe a debt to space When a Dutch company working on soil pollution teamed up with ESA to build a better, bacteria-based air filter for space, they also created the foundation for a new way of keeping iron pipelines from corroding in the ground.
	Image: Seasonal flows in Mars' Valles Marineris on anniversary of orbiter's launch Among the many discoveries by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter since the mission was launched on Aug. 12, 2005, are seasonal flows on some steep slopes. These flows have a set of characteristics consistent with shallow seeps of salty water.
	Comet skirts past Sun with Rosetta in tow (Update) A comet hosting the Philae robot and orbited by the Rosetta spacecraft zipped by past the Sun on Thursday with all systems go, The European Space Agency said.
	Video: A golden arch on the sun Magnetically charged particles formed a nicely symmetrical arch at the edge of the sun as they followed the magnetic field lines of an active region on Aug.4-5, 2015. Before long the arch begins to fade, but a fainter and taller arch appears for a time in the same place. Note that several other bright active regions display similar kinds of loops above them.
	What's coming after Hubble and James Webb? The High-Definition Space Telescope Decades after its momentous launch, the ever popular Hubble Space Telescope merrily continues its trajectory in low-earth orbit, and it still enables cutting-edge science. Astronomers utilized Hubble and its instruments over the years to obtain iconic images of the Crab Nebula, the Sombrero Galaxy, the Ultra Deep Field, and many others that captured the public imagination. Eventually its mission will end, and people need to plan for the next telescope and the next next telescope. But what kinds of space exploration do scientists want to engage in 20 years from now? What technologies will they need to make it happen?
	NASA selects proposals to build better batteries for space exploration NASA's Game Changing Development (GCD) program has selected two proposals for Phase II awards targeted toward developing new energy storage technologies to replace the battery systems currently used by America's space program.
	Commercial Cygnus freighter arrives at Kennedy A commercial Cygnus cargo freighter has just arrived at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida to begin intensive processing for a critical mission to deliver some four tons of science experiments and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) atop an Atlas V rocket in early December – as manufacturer Orbital ATK takes a big step in ramping up activities to fulfill its station resupply commitments and recover from the catastrophic launch failure of the firms Antares rocket last October.
Night time satellite images show limited light at night in ISIS-controlled regions A new paper recently published in the academic journal International Journal of Remote Sensing, which analyzed city night lights in Northern Iraq during 2014 suggesting a major loss of electrical power supply within the Iraqi cities seized by ISIS.

Technology news

	Touchjet WAVE transforms the TV into a giant tablet Touchjet WAVE is heating up on Indiegogo, and is being promoted as a device that turns a TV into a touchscreen smart TV. It's an Android device that attaches to the top of any flat screen TV to make it touch-enabled.
	Researchers turn 3D world into 'projection screen' for better robot-to-human communication Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered a new way to improve human and robot safety in manufacturing scenarios by developing a method for robots to project their next action into the 3D world and onto any moving object.
	Team finds 11 security flaws in popular internet browsers using new analysis method Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology College of Computing developed a new cyber security analysis method that discovered 11 previously unknown Internet browser security flaws. Their findings were honored with the Internet Defense Prize, an award presented by Facebook in partnership with USENIX this week at the 24th USENIX Security Symposium.
	Two jumbo phones from Samsung ahead of expected new iPhone (Update) Samsung has unveiled two new Android smartphones with jumbo screens as it seeks to recapture some of the sales lost to Apple after larger iPhones came out last year.
	New technology could reduce wind energy costs Engineers from the University of Sheffield have developed a novel technique to predict when bearings inside wind turbines will fail which could make wind energy cheaper.
	From protein design to self-driving cars: UW team wins AI prize for optimization approach The key to solving many of the most important problems in business, science and technology lies in optimization—finding the values for variables that give you the highest benefit.
Food-delivery startups feeding Seattle's time-starved techies Kaitlyn Williams watches food deliveries carried past her desk all day, every day from her seat at the front desk of Galvanize, a coding school and co-working space in Seattle.
China's Lenovo to cut over 3,000 jobs as net profit halves Chinese computer giant Lenovo said Thursday it would cut more than 3,000 jobs as net profit for its first quarter fell by more than 50 percent.
	Tinder CEO leaves after five months Smartphone dating application Tinder announced Wednesday the departure of its CEO just five months after he had taken the helm.
	What is the dark web? The "dark web" is a part of the world wide web that requires special software to access. Once inside, web sites and other services can be accessed through a browser in much the same way as the normal web.
	Big data algorithms can discriminate, and it's not clear what to do about it "This program had absolutely nothing to do with race…but multi-variable equations."
	New research to improve solar cells New research from Professors Saiful Islam and Aron Walsh could lead to more efficient solar cells. The work appears in the leading journal Nature Communications.
	Sandia teams with industry to improve human-data interaction Intelligence analysts working to identify national security threats in warzones or airports or elsewhere often flip through multiple images to create a video-like effect. They also may toggle between images at lightning speed, pan across images, zoom in and out or view videos or other moving records.
Taiwan's HTC cuts 2,000 jobs after biggest quarterly loss Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC said Thursday it would cut more than 2,000 jobs, slashing its workforce by 15 percent, after posting its biggest ever quarterly loss.
	Hold it! San Francisco uses paint to fight public urination Public urination has gotten so bad in San Francisco that the city has painted nine walls with a repellant paint that makes pee spray back on the offender.
Harvard student loses Facebook gig for app that shows flaws A Harvard University student says he lost his internship at Facebook after he launched a browser application from his dorm room that exploited privacy flaws on the company's mobile messenger.
	Earth's 2015 quota of renewable resources used up: NGO Just under eight months into the year, humanity has already consumed its annual allotment of renewable resources, a thinktank that tracks mankind's impact on Earth said Thursday.
Dell to sell Google Chromebook tailored for corporate users Google's latest Chromebook laptop will be specially designed for corporate customers in an effort to get more workers off machines powered by Microsoft's dominant Windows software.
	Q&A: A look at Samsung Pay, other mobile payments Samsung is hoping its new mobile-payment service will let you leave your wallet at home.
A miniature gas sensor for mobile devices VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed a miniature gas sensor that can be connected to mobile devices. Gas measurements made with smartphones will make activities such as the detection of internal air problems easier. In addition, sleep quality will be measurable with greater precision, using mobile healthcare applications which gauge carbon dioxide quantities.
	Bleisure Bits: Apps make use of downtime on business trip One way to make the most of limited downtime when you're traveling is to load your phone with mobile apps and get comfortable using them.

Medicine & Health news

	Biologists find malaria parasites lost drug resistance after health policy changes (Medical Xpress)—Chloroquine (CQ) is a first-line treatment for Plasmodium falciparum infections, which like many other malaria treatments, eventually resulted in the selection of parasites with resistance to the drug. The evolutionary dynamics of antimalarial drug resistance are driven by many factors, including differing transmission contexts and new drug pressures on parasites. Recently, a group of researchers published a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that examined the loss of CQ resistance (CQR) in French Guiana following a health policy change.
	Asthma cells scramble like 'there's a fire drill' In people with asthma, the cells that line the airways in the lungs are unusually shaped and "scramble around like there's a fire drill going on." But according to a study at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, an unexpected discovery suggests intriguing new avenues both for basic biological research and for therapeutic interventions to fight asthma.
	Newly discovered cells regenerate liver tissue without forming tumors The mechanisms that allow the liver to repair and regenerate itself have long been a matter of debate. Now researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a population of liver cells that are better at regenerating liver tissue than ordinary liver cells, or hepatocytes. The study, published August 13 in Cell, is the first to identify these so-called "hybrid hepatocytes," and show that they are able to regenerate liver tissue without giving rise to cancer. While most of the work described in the study was done in mouse models, the researchers also found similar cells in human livers.
	Low-fat diet results in more fat loss than low-carb diet in humans A study from the US National Institutes of Health presents some of the most precise human data yet on whether cutting carbs or fat has the most benefits for losing body fat. In a paper published August 13 in Cell Metabolism, the researchers show how, contrary to popular claims, restricting dietary fat can lead to greater body fat loss than carb restriction, even though a low-carb diet reduces insulin and increases fat burning.
	Exercise-induced hormone irisin is not a 'myth' Irisin, a hormone linked to the positive benefits of exercise, was recently questioned to exist in humans. Two recent studies pointed to possible flaws in the methods used to identify irisin, with commercially available antibodies. In Cell Metabolism on August 13, the Harvard scientists who discovered irisin address this contentious issue by showing that human irisin circulates in the blood at nanogram levels and increases during exercise.
	Scientists discover what controls waking up and going to sleep Fifteen years ago, an odd mutant fruit fly caught the attention and curiosity of Dr. Ravi Allada, a circadian rhythms expert at Northwestern University, leading the neuroscientist to recently discover how an animal's biological clock wakes it up in the morning and puts it to sleep at night.
New study confirms listening to music during surgery reduces pain and anxiety Scientists have proved that listening to music before, during and after surgery reduces people's pain, anxiety and need for painkillers - according to the most comprehensive review of available evidence so far, published today in The Lancet.
Combining chemotherapy with an immune-blocking drug could stop cancer growing back Giving patients a drug that blocks part of the immune system from going into overdrive might help prevent cancer coming back in some people, according to research published today in Cancer Research.
	Male doctors are more likely to have legal action taken against them Male doctors have nearly two and half times increased odds of having medico-legal action taken against them than their female counterparts, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. A better understanding of why this is the case will lead to improved support for doctors and make patient safety better.
Depression, stress, anxiety and anger compound CVD risk in RA patients New research reveals that depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety, and anger and lack of social support in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were linked to atherosclerosis—a build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries that contributes to cardiovascular disease. The study published in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), suggests that screening and treatment of psychosocial symptoms may curb the cardiovascular disease burden in RA patients.
Chickenpox continues to decline in US thanks to vaccination Since the chickenpox vaccine became available in the U.S. in 1995, there has been a large reduction in chickenpox cases. Hospitalizations and outpatient visits for chickenpox have continued their decline after a second dose of the vaccine was recommended to improve protection against the disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. The findings also suggest that increasing vaccination coverage against the once common childhood illness helps protect those who are not immunized themselves.
	Overreliance on imagination may be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder Confusing reality with imagination and losing contact with reality are two key characteristics that could play a role in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is what we learn from a study conducted by researchers at the CIUSSS de l'Est-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal) and the University of Montreal, the results of which were published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
New study examines the link between hospital care for self-harm and risk of death A University of Manchester study which followed up 38,415 people admitted to hospital with self-harm has, for the first time, investigated the association between the treatment patients receive in hospital and their subsequent risk of death.
	African-Americans most likely to stop taking meds in Medicare Part D's coverage gap Medicare Part D provides help to beneficiaries struggling with the cost of prescriptions drugs, but the plan's coverage gap hits some populations harder than others, particularly African-Americans age 65 and older. Reaching, or even approaching, the gap affects access to medication and influences whether those medications are taken as prescribed.
	Medical researchers a step closer to developing anti-obesity pill A weight loss pill could soon be possible thanks to the work of Deakin University medical researchers.
	Why revealing an autism diagnosis is advisable when going to university Students with autism or Asperger's Syndrome who are preparing to go to university this autumn will be better supported by both professional services and their peers if they reveal their diagnosis, rather than keeping it disclosed, according to new research from psychologists at our University.
	Forget Freud, research on dream imagery may help us understand consciousness Rapid eye movements (REMs) during sleep may contribute to the visual part of our dreams by acting as a switch from image to image, researchers have found. The study, which measured the activity of individual cells in the brain in both awake and sleeping participants, is important because it is the first of its kind and provides a great starting point for uncovering the deeper secrets of human consciousness.
Enhancing absorption and bioavailability of curcumin and turmeric Few natural products have demonstrated the range of protective and therapeutic promise as have turmeric and its principal bioactive components, the curcuminoids. Success in translating this potential into tangible benefits has been limited by inherently poor intestinal absorption, rapid metabolism, and limited systemic bioavailability. Seeking to overcome these limitations, food ingredient formulators have begun to employ a variety of approaches to enhance absorption and bioavailability.
Endoscopic cancer detection in real time Cancer or no cancer? This question can usually only be answered after a days-long wait for a histological examination. With the use of a mass spectrometric technique, the answer may soon be available in real time. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, a team of British and Hungarian researchers has now introduced an endoscopic system that can differentiate between malignant tumors and benign polyps in the gastrointestinal tract based on the characteristic mass spectra of different layers of tissue.
	Boosting gut bacteria could help stop elderly from falling ill Elderly people could avoid the more frequent colds, coughs and stomach upsets that come with age by taking a daily supplement that boosts gut bacteria and the immune system, new research has found.
	The link between the visual perception of letters and numbers and children's academic performance Has your child ever had trouble deciphering a 3, 7, or 9? What about recognising a G, Q or Z?
	Alcohol and adverse sexual health outcomes tracked into late thirties Mixing alcohol and sex then regretting the consequences sounds like young people's behaviour. However, a new study from the University of Otago shows that drinking alcohol before sex is still common as people approach middle age, and it still has an impact on their health and wellbeing.
	Researchers look at waste clearance in the brain during sleep Researchers in the US have used rats and mice to explore how sleep posture alters the way in which toxic proteins are cleared from the brain. The research was published in the Journal of Neuroscience on 10 August.
The role of B cells in the enhancement of pollen allergy Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München and TU München discovered a new mechanism how non-allergenic pollen mediators can enhance allergic reactions. Especially the so-called B cells play a critical role in this process. The results were recently published in the journal Allergy and might lead to new approaches for therapies.
	As days warm, emergency visits, deaths rise A new study that projects an increase in deaths and emergency visits in Rhode Island as climate change pushes summertime temperatures higher by the end of the century, has also revealed a finding of more immediate public health concern: Even in the present day, when temperatures rise above 75 degrees there is a noticeable increase in medical distress among state residents of all ages.
	New study reveals Tetris can block cravings Playing Tetris for as little as three minutes at a time can weaken cravings for drugs, food and activities such as sex and sleeping by approximately one fifth, according to new research published this week.
Large percentage of youth with HIV may lack immunity to measles, mumps, rubella Between one-third and one-half of individuals in the United States who were infected with HIV around the time of birth may not have sufficient immunity to ward off measles, mumps, and rubella—even though they may have been vaccinated against these diseases. This estimate, from a National Institutes of Health research network, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is based on a study of more than 600 children and youth exposed to HIV in the womb.
	Thalamic dysconnectivity seen in those at risk for psychosis (HealthDay)—Among individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, thalamic dysconnectivity is evident, according to a study published online Aug. 12 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	One in four senior women in US has osteoporosis: CDC (HealthDay)—The weakening bones of osteoporosis greatly raise a person's odds for dangerous fractures, and a new report finds that one-quarter of all American women aged 65 or older suffer from the condition.
	Screening for breast / ovarian cancer risk genes other than BRCA1/2 is clinically valuable A study by researchers at three academic medical centers has shown that screening women with a suspected risk of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer for risk-associated genes other than BRCA1 and 2 provides information that can change clinical recommendations for patients and their family members. The report from a team led by a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center investigator is being published in the August issue of JAMA Oncology.
	Fears of potentially blinding complication from Avastin eye injections overblown, study says Eye injections of the drug Avastin, used to treat retinal diseases, bring no greater risk of endophthalmitis, a potentially blinding eye infection, than injections with the much more expensive drug Lucentis made by the same company, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Their findings are published today in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	New research helps explain why a deadly blood cancer often affects children with malaria In equatorial Africa, a region of the globe known as the "lymphoma belt," children are ten times more likely than in other parts of the world to develop Burkitt's lymphoma, a highly aggressive blood cancer that can be fatal if left untreated. That area is also plagued by high rates of malaria, and scientists have spent the last 50 years trying to understand how the two diseases are connected.
	Corrected protein structure reveals drug targets for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases Protein Kinase C (PKC) is a family of enzymes that controls the activity of other proteins in a cell by attaching chemical tags. That simple act helps determine cell survival or death. When it goes awry, a number of diseases may result. In a study published August 13 in Cell Reports, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine reveal a more accurate structure of PKC, providing new targets for fine-tuning the enzyme's activity as needed to improve human health.
	Epstein-Barr virus vaccine elicits potent neutralizing antibodies in animals Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and their collaborators have developed an experimental, nanoparticle-based vaccine against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) that can induce potent neutralizing antibodies in vaccinated mice and nonhuman primates. Microscopic particles, known as nanoparticles, are being investigated as potential delivery vehicles for vaccines. The scientists' findings suggest that using a structure-based vaccine design and self-assembling nanoparticles to deliver a viral protein that prompts an immune response could be a promising approach for developing an EBV vaccine for humans.
	Smoking ban linked to drop in stillbirths and newborn deaths Stillbirths have dropped by almost eight per cent in England since the smoking ban was introduced, research shows.
	New research reveals unintended consequences of using incorrect medical foods in managing patients Many "medical foods" are designed to help manage patients with rare inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs), and can help prevent serious and life-threatening complications. However, such special foods may cause harm in some patients when their use is not carefully monitored and managed, according to a research team led by scientists at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health. The researchers contend that there is a need for more rigorous clinical study of dietary management practices for patients with IEMs, including any associated long-term side effects, which may in turn result in the need to reformulate some medical foods.
Mobile technology may help people improve health behaviors Smartphone applications and wearable sensors have the potential to help people make healthier lifestyle choices, but scientific evidence of mobile health technologies' effectiveness for reducing risk factors for heart disease and stroke is limited, according to a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, published in the association's journal Circulation.
UK death rate of pre-school kids almost double that of Sweden The death rate among pre-school children in the UK is almost double that of Sweden, with prematurity, congenital abnormalities, and infections all taking a significant toll, finds research published online in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
	Birth factors may predict schizophrenia in genetic subtype of schizophrenia Low birth weight and preterm birth appear to increase the risk of schizophrenia among individuals with a genetic condition called the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, a new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) shows.
COPD patients with psychological conditions have higher rate of early hospital readmission Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found that people with a psychological condition such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, or alcohol/drug abuse are more likely to be readmitted early into a hospital for complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The study was recently published in the journal, Chest.
Dentists tapped for new role: Drug screenings A visit to the dentist has the potential to be more than a checkup of our teeth as patients are increasingly screened for medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. A new study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health focuses on dental screenings for drug misuse, finding 77 percent of dentists ask patients about illicit drug use, and 54 percent of dentists believe that such screenings should be their responsibility. Results of the study are online in the journal Addiction.
	Sequestered prion protein takes the good mood away, suggests new hypothesis on depression The discovery of antidepressant drugs in the 1950s led to the first biochemical hypothesis of depression, known as the monoamine hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that an imbalance of certain brain chemicals is the key cause of depression. Research has investigated whether and to what degree the "reward and pleasure" chemical dopamine and, more recently, the "happiness" chemical serotonin, could be the neurotransmitters involved in the malady. However, the monoamine hypothesis does not seem to fully explain the complexity of human depression. Now a new study offers one more important key that may increase our understanding of the pathogenesis behind clinical depression and neurodegenerative disorders.
Gestational diabetes: A diabetes predictor in fathers Gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, affects between three and 20 per cent of pregnant women. Those who develop gestational diabetes are 7 times as likely to eventually develop type 2 diabetes in the years following pregnancy. Now, in a large study analyzing 20 years of data from Quebec, a team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) has demonstrated that gestational diabetes signals future diabetes risk not only in mothers, but also in fathers. The study was recently published in Diabetes Care.
Transplant recipients more likely to develop aggressive melanoma Organ transplant recipients are twice as likely to develop melanoma as people who do not undergo a transplant, and three times more likely to die of the dangerous skin cancer, suggests new research led by a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health student.
Surgeons refine procedure for life-threatening congenital heart defect For children born with life-threating hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), reconstructive surgeries can restore blood circulation. While the most common corrective approach is the three-stage Norwood procedure, an alternative strategy, hybrid palliation, allows deferral of the more complex reconstructions to when the child is somewhat older and better able to successfully recover from major surgery. A report in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the official publication of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS), evaluates whether an arterial shunt in the hybrid palliation may be a better source for the pulmonary blood supply than the more frequently used venous shunt.
	Heavy smokers and smokers who are obese gain more weight after quitting For smokers, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and current body mass index are predictive of changes in weight after quitting smoking, according to researchers at Penn State College of Medicine.
Study: What gets said should be what's heard; what gets heard should be what's meant The poor exchange of information at change of shift is one of the most common causes of medical errors at hospitals across the country. These errors have been estimated by the Institute of Medicine to cause as many as 98,000 preventable deaths annually.
	Ebola could be defeated by year's end: WHO The Ebola epidemic in West Africa could be completely over by the end of the year if efforts to root out new cases are kept up, the WHO chief said Thursday.
	New information is easier to learn when composed of familiar elements People have more difficulty recalling the string of letters BIC, IAJ, FKI, RSU and SAF than FBI, CIA, JFK, IRS and USA. The well-established reason is that the amount of information we can hold in our short-term or working memory is affected by whether the information can be "chunked" into larger units.
Sex development disorders affect the mind as well as the body While it may not shock you to learn that children born with disorders of sex development (DSD) face challenges, Concordia University researchers have confirmed that these go far beyond the physical.
Regenerating nerve tissue in spinal cord injuries Researchers at Rush University Medical Center are exploring a new therapy using stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries within the first 14 to 30 days of injury. Rush is only the second center in the country currently studying this new approach.
	Advance in photodynamic therapy offers new approach to ovarian cancer Researchers at Oregon State University have made a significant advance in the use of photodynamic therapy to combat ovarian cancer in laboratory animals, using a combination of techniques that achieved complete cancer cell elimination with no regrowth of tumors.
	Health law sign-ups keep growing; uninsured rate declines Nearly a million people signed up for health insurance under President Barack Obama's law even after the official enrollment season ended, helping push the share of uninsured Americans below 10 percent and underscoring how hard it could be for Republicans to dismantle the program.
	Exposure to rude behavior harms NICU team performance (HealthDay)—Exposure to rudeness has adverse consequences on the diagnostic and procedural performance of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) team members, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in Pediatrics.
	Subsequent neoplasm risk up for decades in child CA survivors (HealthDay)—Survivors of childhood cancer are at increased risk for treatment-related subsequent neoplasms (SNs), even after age 40 years, according to a study published online Aug. 10 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Antibiotics often prescribed for veterans with ARIs (HealthDay)—Though antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) varies greatly among providers, veterans with ARIs commonly receive antibiotics, according to a study published in the July 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Prophylactic azithromycin benefit lasts after lung transplant (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing lung transplantation (LTx), prophylactic azithromycin is associated with reduced risk of chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the American Journal of Transplantation.
	Phototherapy increases carbon monoxide elimination in mice (HealthDay)—Phototherapy of exposed lungs increases the carbon monoxide (CO) elimination rate in CO-poisoned mice, according to an experimental study published online July 27 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	US bike deaths fall for kids, but rise for adults (HealthDay)—The rising popularity of bicycling among adult men for pleasure or as a means of commuting may have a downside: More fatal bike-related accidents, according to a new report.
	Pattern of cases, surveillance data similar for lyme disease (HealthDay)—The estimated annual incidence of Lyme disease (LD) is 106.6 cases/100,000 persons in the United States, according to a report published online Aug. 12 in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases.
	More physicians reporting dissatisfaction with EHR systems (HealthDay)—More physicians report being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their electronic health record (EHR) system, compared with five years ago, according to a report published by the AmericanEHR Partners and the American Medical Association.
	Intelligent sensor informs you to change a diaper via SMS Diapers could soon come with a sensor that alerts caregivers by SMS when the diapers are soiled. Researchers from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) of A*STAR have invented an "intelligent continence management system" comprising a thin disposable sensor strip, a compact wireless transmitter, a receiver and software, which has the potential to improve the care of elderly and bedridden patients.
	Disappearing Down syndrome, genetic counseling, and textbook coverage Last week, several people sent me a perspective piece by bioethicist Art Caplan in PLOS Biology, "Chloe's Law: A Powerful Legislative Movement Challenging a Core Ethical Norm of Genetic Testing." The concise and compelling article considers legislation to mandate that genetic counselors talk to their patients more about positive aspects of having a child with trisomy 21 Down syndrome.
	Collective intelligence helps to improve breast cancer diagnosis Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women and currently accounts for 29% of all new cancer cases in the U.S. Wide-ranging mammography screening programs have been set up for early diagnosis. However, even if two physicians assess the x-rays, which is the usual procedure in Europe, this often leads to wrong decisions: about 20% of patients with cancer are diagnosed as being cancer-free, whereas about 20% of cancer-free patients are diagnosed with cancer. A new study shows that swarm intelligence can help to considerably improve cancer diagnosis.
	Team begins first clinical trial of stem cell-based retinitis pigmentosa treatment Participants are being enrolled in the first clinical trial that tests the use of retinal progenitor cells to treat retinitis pigmentosa, reported project director Dr. Henry Klassen of UCI's Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. The product of stem cell research at UCI, these retinal progenitors are similar to stem cells in terms of potential regenerative properties, but they're specific to the retina.
Transplant donors and recipients want more information about each others' health Both donors and recipients want more information about each others' health before participating in transplant surgeries, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings challenge current practices and policies on information disclosure for prospective living kidney donors and their intended recipients..
Study suggests Ontario nearing UN targets to help end AIDS epidemic A new study suggests Ontario is nearing ambitious United Nations targets for ending the AIDS epidemics: By 2020, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV should know their HIV status, 90 per cent of all people diagnosed with HIV are receiving sustained antiretroviral drug therapy and 90 per cent of people on ART have a very low or undetectable levels of the virus.
	Study validates tool for patient reporting side effects in cancer clinical trials A multicenter study involving Mayo Clinic researchers has found that the National Cancer Institute's Patient Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE), was accurate, reliable and responsive, compared to other, established patient-reported and clinical measures. The study is published today in the journal JAMA Oncology.
Health department says amoeba kills swimmer in Oklahoma lake The State Department of Health says a swimmer has died after coming into contact with a rare amoeba in a southern Oklahoma lake.

Biology news

	Team genetically engineers yeast to produce opioids For thousands of years, people have used yeast to ferment wine, brew beer and leaven bread.
	How beneficial bacteria protect intestinal cells Research on a helpful part of the microbiome—beneficial intestinal bacteria—is moving from "what is there" to "how they help."
	Researchers track the neural circuits driving a fly's choice of a mate If you've ever found a banana overtaken by a swarm of tiny flies, you were in fact witnessing an orgy of amorous Drosophila melanogaster. These trespassers engage in fervent courtship and mating atop ripe fruits, and the sex is anything but casual. In particular, male flies are very precise in choosing whom to court—a complex and intuitive decision that has fascinated scientists for more than a century.
	How do ants identify different members of their society? Ants, which are eusocial insects, have intrigued scientists for long as a model for cooperation inside a colony where they nurse the young, gather food and defend against intruders. Most recently, ants have been shown to cooperate when transporting big chunks of food, they have been studied for how they manage to keep clean, and they have been examined also for why most of them in a colony are lazy. Add to this list now how ants identify different members of their colony from other colonies.
	Team discovers the ancient origins of deadly Lassa virus Working as part of an international team in the United States and West Africa, a researcher at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has published new findings showing the ancient roots of the deadly Lassa virus, a relative of Ebola virus, and how Lassa virus has changed over time.
	Alert to biologists: Ribosomes can translate the 'untranslated region' of messenger RNA In what appears to be an unexpected challenge to a long-accepted fact of biology, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have found that ribosomes—the molecular machines in all cells that build proteins—can sometimes do so even within the so-called untranslated regions of the ribbons of genetic material known as messenger RNA (mRNA).
	Humans responsible for demise of gigantic ancient mammals Early humans were the dominant cause of the extinction of a variety of species of giant beasts, new research has revealed.
	When fruit flies get sick, their offspring become more diverse New research from North Carolina State University and Reed College shows that when fruit flies are attacked by parasites or bacteria they respond by producing offspring with greater genetic variability. This extra genetic variability may give the offspring an increased chance of survival when faced with the same pathogens. These findings demonstrate that parents may purposefully alter the genotypes of their offspring.
	Determining America's most lethal animal Animal attacks have been in the news a lot. Late last year, a 22-year-old student in New Jersey was killed by a black bear he had been photographing. This summer, swimmers off the coast of North Carolina have suffered a record number of shark attacks, several of which resulted in amputations. And early in July, a 28-year-old Texas swimmer who ignored warning signs was killed by an alligator.
	Singapore scientists discover rejuvenation factors Scientists from A*STAR's Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) have discovered metabolic rejuvenation factors in eggs. This critical finding furthers our understanding of how cellular metabolism changes during aging, and during rejuvenation after egg fertilisation.
	Study quantifies natural gas development impacts on mule deer A new study by Colorado State University and Colorado Parks and Wildlife found that natural gas development could be adversely impacting large areas of critical winter range for mule deer. Researchers also recommended approaches to reduce those impacts.
	Microbial companions of humans and animals are highly specialized Humans and animals are never alone. Everyone is host to over two thousand different species of microbes, of which most colonize our bodies only after we are born. One would assume that the generalists among them have an advantage. Zoologists from the Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Basel have now shown that the opposite is the case. Microbial communities living on humans and animals are mostly dominated by specialists.
	Kimberley fence captures animals' 'dry season shuffle' Fencing the entire entrance to Emma Gorge in the Kimberley's El Questro Wilderness Park, has revealed its importance as a refuge for an entire community of small animals.
	Progress toward the perfect pea A group at the John Innes Centre has developed peas that will help animals absorb more protein from their diet. The study is published in PLOS ONE today.
	Statistical advances help unlock mysteries of the human microbiome Advances in the field of statistics are helping to unlock the mysteries of the human microbiome—the vast collection of microorganisms living in and on the bodies of humans, said Katherine Pollard, a statistician and biome expert, during a session today at the 2015 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM 2015) in Seattle.
	When a 'UFO' flies by, does it bother bears? If an unidentified flying object suddenly appeared in the sky, it's likely your heart would beat faster. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on August 13 have found that the same is true for bears.
	Diversity provides stability among the animals in the wild Why some species of plants and animals vary more in number than others is a central issue in ecology. Now researchers at Linnaeus University in Sweden and from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) have found an important finding to answer this question: Individual differences have a positive and stabilizing effect on the number of moths. Species with varying colour drawing are generally more numerous and fluctuate less in number from year to year. The results were recently published in the internationally renowned journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. This could help to explain why some insect species in some years are very abundant pests and cause substantial damage in agriculture and forestry.
	Biochemist studies oilseed plants for biofuel, industrial development A Kansas State University biochemistry professor has reached a milestone in building a better biofuel: producing high levels of lipids with modified properties in oil seeds.
Critically endangered species successfully reproduced using frozen sperm Black-footed ferrets, a critically endangered species native to North America, have renewed hope for future survival thanks to successful efforts by a coalition of conservationists, including scientists at Lincoln Park Zoo, to reproduce genetically important offspring using frozen semen from a ferret who has been dead for approximately 20 years. The sire, "Scarface," as he is affectionately called by the team, was one of the last 18 black-footed ferrets to exist in the world in the 1980s. Eight kits, including offspring of Scarface, were born recently, significantly increasing the gene diversity of this endangered population that a dedicated team is working to recover in the wild.
	Fortified against blindness Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children. It also increases the risk of disease and death from severe infections, according to the World Health Organization. About 250 million preschool children across the world are vitamin A deficient. Many of these live in Africa and South-Eastern Asia.
Researchers develop machine to count dropped citrus, identify problem areas in groves As citrus greening continues to impact Florida's groves, growers have found that they need a way to quickly and accurately count the amount of fruit dropped early to help identify problem areas, which will save time and money.
Test may help decrease yearly pet vaccines Scientists at Kansas State University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory have modified a test that measures an animal's immune response to the rabies virus, a change that will cost pet owners less money and may help reduce the number of yearly vaccines for pets.
	Swiss authorities approve shooting of sheep-hunting wolf Officials in Switzerland on Thursday gave the green light to shoot a wolf blamed for the deaths of 38 sheep, a decision swiftly condemned by the conservation group WWF.

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