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

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Scientists think 'planetary pebbles' were the building blocks for the largest planets
- A metabolic master switch underlying human obesity
- From Genome Research: Genome-wide annotation of primary miRNAs reveals novel mechanisms
- Female fish genitalia evolve in response to predators, interbreeding
- Mystery of exploding stars yields to astrophysicists
- Honey bees rapidly evolve to overcome new disease
- Publisher retracts 64 articles for fake peer reviews
- Feelings of gratitude increase the consumption of sweets
- Twin paradox on a chip
- Algae nutrient recycling method is cheaper, greener and cuts competition for fertilizer
- Don't I know that guy? Neuroscientists pinpoint part of the brain that deciphers memory from new experience
- The pronoun 'I' is becoming obsolete
- Clamshell-shaped protein puts the 'jump' in 'jumping genes'
- The amazing adaptability of the brain's vision center
- 'Quantum dot' technology may help light the future

Astronomy & Space news

	Scientists think 'planetary pebbles' were the building blocks for the largest planets Researchers at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and Queen's University in Canada have unraveled the mystery of how Jupiter and Saturn likely formed. This discovery, which changes our view of how all planets might have formed, will be published in the Aug. 20 issue of Nature.
	ESO image: Sibling stars Open star clusters like the one seen here are not just perfect subjects for pretty pictures. Most stars form within clusters and these clusters can be used by astronomers as laboratories to study how stars evolve and die. The cluster captured here by the Wide Field Imager (WFI) at ESO's La Silla Observatory is known as IC 4651, and the stars born within it now display a wide variety of characteristics.
	High-energy observatory launches this week If everything goes according to plan, on Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 6:45 a.m. St. Louis time, NASA TV will broadcast the launch of a cargo container at the Tanegashima Space Center off the southern coast of Japan. In addition to water and spare parts, the cargo container will carry CALET, an astrophysical observatory designed to study the high-energy cosmos.
	Dwarf galaxies feel the blast from larger neighbours Dwarf galaxies are the most abundant galaxies in the universe. Yet understanding how these systems behave in galaxy group environments is still a mystery.
	Mystery of exploding stars yields to astrophysicists A longstanding mystery about the tiny stars that let loose powerful explosions known as Type Ia supernovae might finally be solved.
	Image: The aurora australis over Concordia station It is cold, dark, dry and isolated with very little oxygen to breathe in the air, but the unique location makes Concordia station in Antarctica an attractive place for scientists to conduct research. The aurora australis that adds colour to this picture is a well-deserved bonus for the crew of 13 who are spending the winter months cut off from friends and family.
	Citizen scientists discover what's out there It's National Science Week and this year the annual citizen science project run by ABC Science is astronomy-themed. No guesses for knowing that I'm excited about that! It's also a nod to 2015 being the International Year of Light – after all, it's by observing light that we know almost everything we do about the universe.
	Japan sends cargo to International Space Station A Japanese rocket blasted off Wednesday carrying emergency supplies in an unmanned cargo vessel bound for the International Space Station.
	Technology-testing CubeSat hitchhiker on today's HTV launch Today's HTV supply launch from Japan to the International Space Station also marks the arrival in orbit of one of ESA's smallest missions yet – a CubeSat which will test miniaturised technologies for space, set to be followed by many more in coming years.
	From fluids to flames, research on the space station is helping advance technology The International Space Station enables technological advances that benefit the planet and people who live on it. The new ISS Benefits for Humanity 2015 book highlights the contributions of this unique science laboratory orbiting more than 200 miles above Earth.
Crowdfunding raises $720,000 to restore Neil Armstrong spacesuit The Smithsonian's first shot at online crowdfunding ended Wednesday after raising a hefty $719,779 to restore the spacesuit that Neil Armstrong wore when he walked on the moon.
Tanks from retired shuttle Endeavour going to space station The space shuttle Endeavour is retired and on display at the California Science Center, but it's still contributing to the space program.
	Japan rocket set to blast off for International Space Station A Japanese rocket is set to blast off later Wednesday, carrying emergency supplies and an unmanned cargo vessel bound for the International Space Station.
	Late summer tales of Tanabata One of the surest signs that late summer is here in the northern hemisphere is the arrival of the Milky Way in the early evening sky. As darkness falls ever earlier each night, the star-dappled plane of our home galaxy sits almost due south and stretches far to the north. This is also why we refer to the triangular shaped asterism formed by the bright stars of Altair, Deneb and Vega as the Summer Triangle. Two of these stars are the focus of a fascinating mythos from the Far East, and a poetic celestial configuration that commemorates star-crossed lovers lost.
	ESA's next astronaut to go into space arrives at launch site ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Soyuz spacecraft commander Sergei Volkov and Kazakh cosmonaut Aidyn Aimbetov arrived in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, yesterday. This is their last destination before heading to the International Space Station in the night of 2 September.

Technology news

	Ashley Madison 'cheater' files hit the dark web (Update 3) A hacker group made good on its pledge to release user data stolen from the affair website Ashley Madison, creating a potential privacy and security debacle for millions.
	TrueNorth chip sign of new possibilities in brain-like computing IBM is telling the world about something quite ambitious: TrueNorth's neurons could revolutionize system architecture. Dharmendra S. Modha, IBM Fellow, has given us the overview of what TrueNorth is all about in his report in IBM Research.
	Polyera announces truly flexible display Flexible technology development company Polyera has announced, via press release, that it has succeeded in creating a truly bendable electronic display and will be showcasing it soon, as part of an arm band it has also developed called the Wove Band.
	With China funding, messaging app Kik joins unicorns Canada-based smartphone messaging application Kik said Tuesday it raised $50 million from Chinese Internet giant Tencent, saying the two firms have a "shared vision."
Intel, 'Survivor' producers plan show on wearables US technology firm Intel, best known for its semiconductor chips, is jumping into reality TV with a competition pitting makers of wearables and smart connected consumer devices.
New start-ups want to become the 'African Netflix' A crop of new tech entrepreneurs from Africa and its diaspora are hoping to bridge the continent's growing middle class and booming film industry in a quest to become the "African Netflix".
	Who needs .com? Domains like .vegas, .pr, .nyc are trending Did the website address you just went to really end with ".vegas" instead of ".com"?
	Taxi-booking app GrabTaxi raises $350 million in fresh funding Southeast Asian taxi-booking app GrabTaxi Holdings Pte Ltd said Wednesday it had raised more than $350 million in the firm's biggest ever fundraising to boost its business in the rapidly growing market.
	A change in Australia's web rules would open up the .au space If you want to register an Australian web address, your options may be about to change due to a review of domain name policy that is currently underway.
	Current alternatives won't light up Britain's broadband blackspots Despite the British government's boasts of the steady roll-out of superfast broadband to more than four out of five homes and businesses, you needn't be a statistician to realise that this means one out of five are still unconnected. In fact, the recent story about a farmer who was so incensed by his slow broadband that he built his own 4G mast in a field to replace it shows that for much of the country, little has improved.
	Without excavation, entrepreneurs solve leakage in city pipelines Tubepol is a company founded in 2012 by two graduates of the National University of Mexico (UNAM). Engineers Adrian Cordero Ibarra and Jorge Pérez Gavilán Paz created a comprehensive technology to renew piping without the need for excavation, ensuring it lasts 50 years, twice as long as traditional piping.
California regulators probing Uber's leasing program The California Public Utilities Commission is investigating Uber's car-leasing program for drivers, saying it could violate the 2013 law that legalized the car-booking company.
What's next for YouTube as Google reorganizes? Google stunned the tech world earlier this week when it announced the launch of Alphabet, a parent corporation designed to allow the continuation of what CEO Larry Page calls "smaller bets" for better innovation.
Admirers pay tribute as supercomputer Blacklight goes dark Arguably, Blacklight was the Superman among supercomputers.
Indian immigrants reach top ranks in US tech industry It's no secret that parents in India urge their kids to excel in math and science, believing that it's the clearest path up the social ladder.
City game helps with forensic mental health rehabilitation An innovative serious game has been developed by academics and a student at City University London in collaboration with service users and providers at East London NHS Foundation Trust.
	Algorithm interprets breathing difficulties to aid in medical care Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed an efficient algorithm that can interpret the wheezing of patients with breathing difficulties to give medical providers information about what's happening in the lungs. The research is part of a larger, ongoing project to develop wearable smart medical sensors for monitoring, collecting and interpreting personal health data.
Audi to unveil rival to Tesla X at Frankfurt Auto Show German carmaker Audi says it's planning to unveil an electric sport SUV concept with a range of over 310 miles (500 kilometers)—well beyond the range of rival carmaker Tesla's Model S and soon-to-launch Model X.
	Facebook tops social pack in US, Twitter lags: study Facebook remains the dominant social network for US Internet users, while Twitter has failed to keep apace with rivals like Instagram and Pinterest, a study showed Wednesday.
Social media is transforming emergency communications, study says Social media channel communication (e.g. Twitter and Facebook) is sometimes the only telecommunications medium that survives, and the first to recover as seen in disasters that struck the world in recent years, according to a review study of emergency situations by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers in the International Journal of Information Management.
Supercomputers listen to the heart New supercomputer models have come closer than ever to capturing the behavior of normal human heart valves and their replacements, according to recent studies by groups including scientists at the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES) at The University of Texas at Austin and the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Iowa State University.
	US government joins Yelp for citizen feedback Want to give US government agencies an earful for poor service?
Second airship launched in test of missile defense system On Wednesday, The North American Aerospace Defense Command launched the second of two helium-filled airships near Baltimore to test an East Coast missile defense system. The launch at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground completes the aerial part of the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System, or JLENS. Here's what it's all about:
	Video blogs called out over subtle ads in Britain Video blogs must make clear when their content is advertising, Britain's ad standards body announced as it released new guidance for vloggers on Wednesday.
	Tech Tips: Stuff you didn't know you could do on Facebook Did you know you can add a pronunciation guide to your name on Facebook? Overlay colorful text on the photos you post? How about mark the end of a relationship without your 500 closest friends getting notified?
	A meal and a webcam form unlikely recipe for S. Korean fame Every evening, 14-year-old Kim Sung-jin orders fried chicken, delivery pizza or Chinese food to eat in a small room in his family's home south of Seoul. He gorges on food as he chats before a live camera with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of teenagers watching.
UK: 2013 Dreamliner fire caused by crossed wires British aviation investigators reported Wednesday that a 2013 fire on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner started in a battery for the plane's emergency locator transmitter—a finding that triggered recommendations to improve safety on similar battery-powered equipment on planes.
Q&A: Move over, .com, here come .coffee, .legal and more Hundreds of new Internet address suffixes that are alternatives to ".com" have been coming on the market since early 2014 and more are on the way. Companies and organizations are buying domains, or website addresses, with suffixes like ".coffee", ".energy" and ".legal."

Medicine & Health news

	Don't I know that guy? Neuroscientists pinpoint part of the brain that deciphers memory from new experience You see a man at the grocery store. Is that the fellow you went to college with or just a guy who looks like him?
	From Genome Research: Genome-wide annotation of primary miRNAs reveals novel mechanisms MicroRNAs are short noncoding RNAs that play critical roles in regulating gene expression in normal physiology and disease. Despite having tightly controlled expression levels, little is known about how miRNAs themselves are regulated because their genes are poorly defined. In a study published online today in Genome Research, researchers devised a strategy for genome-wide annotation of primary miRNA transcripts, providing extensive new annotations in human and mouse, and shedding light on mechanisms of regulation of microRNA gene expression.
	Brain scans better forecast math learning in kids than do skill tests, study finds Brain scans from 8-year-old children can predict gains in their mathematical ability over the next six years, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Toilet waste provides knowledge about diseases' global transmission routes Analysis and genome sequencing of disease-causing microorganisms and antimicrobial resistance bacteria in toilet waste from international aircraft could be a first step towards global surveillance of infectious diseases and identification of how they are transmitted between countries. The analysis was conducted by researchers from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, and DTU Systems Biology and is published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
	Feelings of gratitude increase the consumption of sweets Gratitude is universally considered a social good—the warm feeling that results from a kindness received.
	Synthetic DNA vaccine against MERS induces immunity in animal study A novel synthetic DNA vaccine can, for the first time, induce protective immunity against the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in animal species, reported researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
	Vomiting device offers direct evidence that vomit aerosolizes norovirus-like particles Using a vomiting device of their creation, researchers at North Carolina State University and Wake Forest University are reporting the first direct evidence that vomiting can aerosolize virus particles similar to human norovirus.
	A metabolic master switch underlying human obesity Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges of the 21st century. Affecting more than 500 million people worldwide, obesity costs at least $200 billion each year in the United States alone, and contributes to potentially fatal disorders such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
	Study reveals new insights into how asthma 'pathways' could be blocked Researchers from the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, working with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Genentech, have discovered new insights into how asthma may be caused, by identifying three distinct groups of asthma patients characterised by the activity of different genes in an individual's airways.
	The amazing adaptability of the brain's vision center By early childhood, the sight regions of a blind person's brain respond to sound, especially spoken language, a Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist has found.
The global cost of unsafe abortion Seven million women a year in the developing world are treated in healthcare facilities for complications following unsafe abortion, finds a study published today (19 August) in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology (BJOG).
	New compounds could reduce alcoholics' impulse to drink Alcoholism inflicts a heavy physical, emotional and financial toll on individuals and society. Now new discoveries and promising animal studies are offering a glimmer of hope that a new class of drugs could treat the disease without many of the unwanted side effects caused by current therapies.
	FDA approves first pill aimed at boosting female libido The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first prescription drug designed to boost sexual desire in women, a milestone long sought by a pharmaceutical industry eager to replicate the blockbuster success of impotence drugs for men.
Doctors should prescribe e-cigarettes to smokers: UK E-cigarettes should be prescribed to smokers to help them quit the habit, British public health experts recommended in a study on Wednesday.
Health officials investigate another plague case in Yosemite California health officials are investigating another possible case of plague in a tourist from Georgia who fell ill after visiting Yosemite National Park, the second case in less than a month.
	Q&A: First pill approved to boost sex drive in women Federal health officials on Tuesday approved the first-ever prescription drug intended to treat women suffering from a lack of sexual desire, ending a vigorous debate over the drug's fate.
	New research: Teen smokers struggle with body-related shame and guilt There are fewer smokers in the current generation of adolescents. Current figures show about 25 per cent of teens smoke, down dramatically from 40 per cent in 1987.
Researchers discover link between insulin response and energy producer in pre-diabetic people Virginia Tech researchers have identified a biomarker in pre-diabetic individuals that could help prevent them from developing Type II diabetes.
Data mining DNA for polycystic ovary syndrome genes Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been passed down in many families for generations—causing reproductive and metabolic health problems for millions of women around the world. Yet, its cause remains unknown despite more than 80 years of research since the disorder was first described in 1935.
	Research backs belief that tomatoes can be a gout trigger People who maintain that eating tomatoes can cause their gout to flare up are likely to welcome new University of Otago research that has, for the first time, found a biological basis for this belief.
	Young people and e-cigarettes – what do the latest data tell us? Thanks to decades of action against tobacco, smoking rates among children and young people are in decline: far fewer teenagers are now taking up smoking than in the past.
Geriatrician discusses treating trauma in the elderly One morning five years ago in the parking lot of Rhode Island Hospital, Dr. Michael Ehrlich, chair of orthopaedics in the Alpert Medical School, flagged down Dr. Richard Besdine, a geriatrician and professor of medicine and health services, policy and practice. Ehrlich sought to enlist Besdine's help in improving care for elderly patients with hip fractures because they are highly vulnerable to serious complications and even death after such a trauma.
	Risk factors can ID patients more likely to be readmitted (HealthDay)—Patients at greatest risk for an unplanned hospital readmission include those with chronic cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases, those discharged on Fridays, and those with a high number of previous emergency department visits, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
Junk food ads on TV tend to target African-American and Latino youth One way to fight health disparities and obesity may be to turn off the TV. Food companies disproportionately target television advertising for unhealthy products like candy and sugary drinks to Latino and African-American youth, new research shows.
	Researchers target immune system in hunt for new Alzheimer's treatments Researchers in Israel have manipulated the mouse immune system to target Alzheimer's disease. The research was published in the journal Nature Communications on 18 August 2015.
	Employing dogs to sniff out cancer UC Davis clinicians are hoping to greatly advance cancer screenings with the innate olfactory skills of man's best friend.
Reducing resistance to chemotherapy in colorectal cancer by inhibition of PHD1 Scientists at VIB and KU Leuven have shown that blocking the PHD1 oxygen sensor hinders the activation of p53, a transcription factor that aids colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in repairing themselves and thus resisting chemotherapy. Chemotherapy resistance remains a major clinical issue in the treatment of CRC. These findings indicate that PHD1 inhibition may have valuable therapeutic potential. The study was published in the leading medical journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, which features molecular biology-driven research.
Innovative research striking back at concussion in rugby Two innovative new research projects by academics in Trinity College Dublin in collaboration with Leinster Rugby are opening up unique avenues to improve the diagnosis and analysis of concussion in rugby.
Our obsession with hereditary cancers didn't start when we discovered the breast cancer gene Angelina Jolie received much public attention for her decisions to undergo first a prophylactic double mastectomy and, later, prophylactic surgery to remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes.
	Study finds tall, 35 year old men appear more dominant than others A study by scientists at the University of St. Andrews shows that simple increases in a man's height and age automatically makes them appear more dominant.
	Cutting-edge kidney transplant a first: surgeons A sister-to-sister kidney transplant in France reported Wednesday is the first to combine robotics, vaginal access and the donated organ's immediate implant after removal, according to the surgeons.
	Tool boosts accuracy in assessing breast cancer risk A national risk model that gauges a woman's chance of developing breast cancer has been refined to give a more accurate assessment. The revised figures, based on data from more than one million patients, reveal a 300 percent increase in a subset of women whose five-year risk is estimated at 3 percent or higher.
New insights in pathological mechanism that causes dysfunctional synapses Genetic analysis of human patients has shown that mutations in genes involved in synaptic communication can drive neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases such as autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer's disease. Through a global analysis of the synaptic machinery Jeffrey Savas ( Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine) and Joris de Wit (VIB/KU Leuven) together with their colleagues revealed for the first time a new pathway that governs the proper sorting of many essential synaptic proteins in neurons. Disruption of this sorting pathway in neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases severely hampers the efficient communication between neurons.
	Severe headache in pregnant women: When to worry If a pregnant woman with high blood pressure and no history of headache suddenly develops a headache that quickly gets worse, she could be at risk for pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia, which put both the mother and fetus at risk. These and other findings from a new study conducted by researchers at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, offer the first clinical recommendations for making diagnostic decisions about headaches in pregnant women. The study, the largest of its kind, was published online today in the journal Neurology.
Updated screening policies could detect more abdominal aortic aneurysms Updating national screening policies could help detect a deadly form of aneurysm in older men; saving lives and resources, according to research presented in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Saliva test for stress hormone levels may identify healthy older people with thinking problems Testing the saliva of healthy older people for the level of the stress hormone cortisol may help identify individuals who should be screened for problems with thinking skills, according to a study published in the August 19, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Research reveals link between age and opinions about video games The older the clinician, the more likely they are to think playing video games leads to violent behavior, according to new research published in Computers in Human Behavior.
Diabetes prevention model is less effective for non-college graduates, study finds Key prescriptions to prevent and manage diabetes—physical activity and a healthy diet—don't appear to be working as well for Americans who didn't graduate college, according to University of Kansas researcher's new study.
	Hypertensive patients benefit from acupuncture treatments, study finds Patients with hypertension treated with acupuncture experienced drops in their blood pressure that lasted up to a month and a half, researchers with the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine have found.
	Contrary to previous studies, diabetes affects diaphragm, smooth muscle cells differently Previous studies have shown that diabetes adversely affects breathing and respiratory function. However, in the past, researchers have not differentiated diaphragm muscle cells and the muscle cells of limb skeletal muscle in their studies. Now, researchers from the University of Missouri have found that diaphragm muscle cells and other skeletal muscle cells behave differently—a finding that could influence future research on respiratory ailments associated with diabetes.
Seizures in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery underappreciated and dangerous With mounting concerns about postoperative seizures, doctors at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia placed 161 neonates who had undergone cardiac surgery on continuous EEG monitoring. They found that 8% of the neonates experienced EEG seizures and 85% of these were unrecognized clinically. Many of the seizures were severe, and the seizure group faced a higher risk of death, according to a report in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, the official publication of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS).
	Black women less likely to survive uterine cancer, study finds (HealthDay)—Uterine cancer rates are rising in the United States, particularly among black and Asian women, according to a new study that also found black women are more likely to die of the disease.
	Case report of uterine artery pseudoaneurysm after C-section (HealthDay)—Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm has been described after cesarean delivery and can result in life-threatening hemorrhage if untreated, according to a case report published in the September issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Advance care planning cuts burden of decision making (HealthDay)—Prior advance care planning cuts surrogates' decision-making burden, according to a study published online Aug. 4 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
	New program teaches medical students about healthy eating (HealthDay)—West Virginia has introduced a program to teach medical students how to talk to patients about healthy eating, and deliver practical advice to engaged patients, according to a report published by the American Academy of Family Physicians.
	Most patients undergo follow-up after pediatric pyeloplasty (HealthDay)—Most patients are followed up after pediatric pyeloplasty, with ultrasound being the most common imaging modality, according to a study published in the September issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Acetaminophen falsely elevates CGM glucose values (HealthDay)—Acetaminophen falsely increases continuous glucose monitor (CGM) glucose values, according to an observation letter published online Aug. 12 in Diabetes Care.
	Favorable effect of exercise on BMD continues as women age (HealthDay)—For early-postmenopausal osteopenic women, exercise is consistently favorable for bone mineral density (BMD) over a prolonged period, according to a study published online Aug. 1 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Second human plague case probed at Yosemite Park A second tourist who visited Yosemite National Park has likely contracted the plague, Californian authorities said.
	What are the health-related benefits of the marriage equality ruling for LGBT couples? The U.S. Supreme Court's recent landmark ruling on marriage equality has important, positive health implications for LGBT persons, including the impact of reducing stigmatization and discrimination on mental and physical health and improving access to health coverage. The new rights and benefits available to same-sex couples as a result of the Obergefell v. Hodges decision extend to couples in which one or both partners are transgender, as described in an article published in LGBT Health.
Cholera, climate change fuel Haiti's humanitarian crisis: UN Climate change, cholera and the return of thousands of emigrants from the neighboring Dominican Republican are fueling a humanitarian crisis in Haiti, the UN warned Tuesday.
	Sierra Leone awaits countdown to Ebola-free declaration It had been five months since an Ebola death when Musa Kamara traveled to his hometown for festivities to mark the end of Ramadan. Not long after his sudden death in this roadside village, authorities came with a grim message: The killer virus was back.
Saudi closes emergency ward after spike in MERS virus cases Saudi authorities closed an emergency ward in one of the kingdom's largest hospitals after at least 46 people, including hospital staff, contracted the potentially fatal Middle East respiratory syndrome, also known as MERS, a health official said Wednesday.
	Patients will resist medical record sharing if NHS bosses ignore their privacy fears Can it really be that giving pharmacists access to their customers' prescription information, even those pharmacists based in a supermarket, is viewed as a problem? After all, when done so using their professional credentials and code of conduct, with your explicit permission to do so, it seems an example of sensible data sharing.
	Tasty desserts that boost the immune system Desserts that stimulate digestion through biotechnology strengthen the immune system, prevent the development of respiratory and intestinal diseases and benefit people with cancer. Examples of such functional food items are produced by the Mexican company Kuragobiotek, taken to market through their own system of management technology.
	New clinical standards for emergency nurse practitioners Dr Jane O'Connell, Australia's first endorsed nurse practitioner specialising in emergency care, is leading the way in re-defining the role specialty nurse practitioners play in the health system.
	Health costs of ageing will shoot up without technological innovation A new report co-authored by researchers in the Department of Engineering urges government and designers to work together to break down the barriers to innovation in order to adapt to an ageing population.
	Study in Peru yields unexpected disease discoveries Most of the time in the global health research field, a long time has to pass before we see any tangible outcomes in people's daily lives and health. Years can easily go by between the start of a research project, the fieldwork, the sampling, processing of samples, analyzing the data, writing and publishing until you see the real public health payoff.
Researchers team up to build new schizophrenia collections Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) at the University of Helsinki and The Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at Broad Institute, together with its international partners, are initiating major new sample collections in several regions and countries. The goal is to collect up to 50,000 samples from schizophrenia patients across the globe.
Sight loss link to low income and poor quality of life in older people Findings from a study released today by Thomas Pocklington Trust and carried out at The University of Manchester, showed that older people in the poorest fifth of the population had an almost 80% higher risk of developing severe visual impairment than those from the wealthiest fifth2. This is compounded by the finding that deterioration in vision over a two year period was related to decreases in income, quality of life and social activity. People whose vision deteriorated from good or very good to fair or poor were found to have levels of depression that increased by 29% and a fall in income levels of 19%, compared to the changes for those whose vision remained stable.
New report offers first nationwide look at the impact of the ACA on medically underserved A new report examining newly-released data from the 2014 Uniform Data System (UDS), which collects patient and health care information from the nation's community health centers, shows how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is changing insurance coverage and health care in the nation's most medically underserved urban and rural communities.
Safinamide in Parkinson disease: No hint of added benefit Safinamide (trade name: Xadago) has been available since February 2015 as add-on therapy for the treatment of mid- to late-stage Parkinson disease in adults. In combination with levodopa alone or together with other Parkinson disease medicinal products, this monoamine oxidase (MAO-B) inhibitor is used to help restore dopamine levels in the brain. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.
Debate: Would judicial consent for assisted dying protect vulnerable people? In The BMJ this week, two experts discuss whether the Assisted Dying Bill, to be debated at the House of Commons next month, would provide adequate protection for vulnerable people from harm.
USDA seeking proposals for production of bird flu vaccine The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing to stockpile a bird flu vaccine as the agency plans for a possible return of the virus that led to the destruction of 48 million chickens and turkeys this spring.
Stem cells derived from amniotic membrane can benefit retinal diseases when transplanted A team of researchers in South Korea has successfully transplanted mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from human amniotic membranes of the placenta (AMSCs) into laboratory mice modeled with oxygen-induced retinopathy (a murine model used to mimic eye disease). The treatment aimed at suppressing abnormal angiogenesis (blood vessel growth) which is recognized as the cause of many eye diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. The researchers reported that the AMSCs successfully migrated to the retinas of the test animals and, because of the growth factors secreted by the cells, were able to suppress retinal neovascularization.

Biology news

	Global warming lethal to baby lizards: Nests become heat traps The expected impact of climate change on North American lizards is much worse than first thought. A team of biologists led by Arizona State University investigators has discovered that lizard embryos die when subjected to a temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit even for a few minutes.
	Biologists discover skydiving spiders in South American forests (w/ Video) Arachnophobes fearful of spiders jumping, creeping or falling into their beds now have something new to worry about. Some spiders might also glide in through the window.
	Hummingbird tongues are tiny pumps that spring open to draw in nectar Hummingbirds live life at incomprehensible speeds. Their flight acrobatics are amazing, maneuvering more like insects than birds as they flit around, flying upside down and even backwards. They're a blur as they race between flowers. When they do pause to visit a flower momentarily, they're licking 15 to 20 times a second to extract their nectar fuel.
	Presence of bluestreak cleaner wrasse increases the number of juvenile fish on reefs University of Queensland researchers have discovered the presence of the bluestreak cleaner wrasse increases the number of juvenile fish on reefs.
	Selective breeding can produce salmon resistant to sea lice Salmon can be selectively bred to be resistant to sea lice, a new study has found.
	How bird evolution swapped snouts for beaks Birds are among the most successful creatures on the planet, with more than 10,000 species living across the globe, occupying a dizzying array of niches and eating everything from large animals to hard-to-open nuts and seeds.
	Algae nutrient recycling method is cheaper, greener and cuts competition for fertilizer Nitrogen and phosphate nutrients are among the biggest costs in cultivating algae for biofuels. Sandia molecular biologists Todd Lane and Ryan Davis have shown they can recycle about two-thirds of those critical nutrients, and aim to raise the recycling rate to close to 100 percent.
	Honey bees rapidly evolve to overcome new disease An international research team has some good news for the struggling honeybee, and the millions of people who depend on them to pollinate crops and other plants.
	Female fish genitalia evolve in response to predators, interbreeding Female fish in the Bahamas have developed ways of showing males that "No means no."
	The pronoun 'I' is becoming obsolete Don't look now, but the pronoun "I" is becoming obsolete.
	Clamshell-shaped protein puts the 'jump' in 'jumping genes' Scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have deciphered the structure and unusual shape of a bacterial protein that prepares segments of DNA for the insertion of so-called jumping genes. The clamshell shape, they say, has never before been seen in a protein but connects nicely with its function: that of bending a segment of DNA into a 180-degree U-turn.
	Endangered Philippine eagle shot dead three years after rescue A rare giant Philippine eagle has been shot dead two months after being released back into the wild following treatment for another shooting, in a blow to efforts to save the species from extinction, conservationists said Wednesday.
Nesting habitat is vital to healthy quail populations Maintaining a healthy wild quail population hinges on the success of their annual production, because they are short lived and have a high mortality rate, said a Texas quail expert.
	Bird tracking aids seabird research A two year study of shags on the Isle of May National Nature Reserve in Scotland reveals that when winds are strong, female birds take much longer to find food compared with males.
	X chromosome inactivation Each cell in a woman's body contains two X chromosomes. One of these chromosomes is switched off, because nobody can live with two active X chromosomes. Hendrik Marks and Henk Stunnenberg, molecular biologists at Radboud University Nijmegen, have shown the mechanism of spreading of this inactivation over the X chromosome, together with the group of Joost Gribnau from Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. The scientific journal Genome Biology will publish the results; a provisional PDF can already be found online.
	Firefly protein enables visualization of roots in soil Plants form a vast network of below-ground roots that search soil for needed resources. The structure and function of this root network can be highly adapted to particular environments such as desert soils where plants like Mesquite develop tap roots capable of digging 50 meters deep to capture precious water resources. Excavation of root systems reveals these kinds of adaptations but is laborious, time consuming, and does not provide information on how growing roots behave.
	Forgotten sex signals Sending signals to the opposite sex isn't always a trait that's passed on to animals' offspring, according to new research conducted at Michigan State University.
	The Sumatran rhino is extinct in the wild in Malaysia Leading scientists and experts in the field of rhino conservation state in a new paper that it is safe to consider the Sumatran rhinoceros extinct in the wild in Malaysia. The survival of the Sumatran rhino now depends on the 100 or fewer remaining individuals in the wild in Indonesia and the nine rhinos in captivity.
	Dolphin health is connected to human well-being Dolphins are known to marine biologists as sentinel animals, if they are ailing, we humans may be next. The Indian River Lagoon, an ecologically diverse estuary that covers 40 percent of Florida's east coast, is ailing. The area is home to a large human population who live near its shores and plays a significant part in the area's economy. The lagoon's nitrogen-saturated waters—due to fertilizer run-off and other pollution—is likely promoting the algae blooms that are toxic to marine mammals and birds.
	Zoo vets think mom of giant panda Bao Bao is pregnant again Officials at Washington's National Zoo say they believe the mother of nearly 2-year-old giant panda Bao Bao is pregnant again.

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