Science X Newsletter Friday, Apr 8

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 8, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Microorganisms in cow manure used to build rechargeable battery
- Scientists say the 'R' in RNA may be abundant in space
- Physicists discover flaws in superconductor theory
- Quantum dots enhance light-to-current conversion in layered semiconductors
- Study shows individual differences in brain activity can be predicted using task-free fMRI
- Is a popular painkiller hampering our ability to notice errors?
- Scientists discover how Chinese medicinal plant makes anti-cancer compound
- A twist on Hanbury Brown—Twiss interferometry offers new approach for remote sensing
- The future is here: Interactive screens on your packages
- A single ion impacts a million water molecules
- NASA: Global warming is now changing how Earth wobbles
- Dressed to kill: Tailoring a suit for tumor-penetrating cancer meds
- Study examines the effects of exposing legumes to nitrogen fertilizer
- SpaceX back in delivery business with futuristic pop-up room
- Crystal structure of PKG I suggests a new activation mechanism

Astronomy & Space news

	Scientists say the 'R' in RNA may be abundant in space New research suggests that the sugar ribose - the "R" in RNA - is probably found in comets and asteroids that zip through the solar system and may be more abundant throughout the universe than was previously thought.
	The colour-changing comet Rosetta's comet has been seen changing colour and brightness in front of the ESA orbiter's eyes, as the Sun's heat strips away the older surface to reveal fresher material.
	Searching for far out and wandering worlds Astronomers have made great strides in discovering planets outside of our solar system, termed "exoplanets." In fact, over the past 20 years more than 5,000 exoplanets have been detected beyond the eight planets that call our solar system home.
	How do massive young star clusters form? Young massive star clusters are systems of stars with more than about ten thousand solar-masses of material and ages less than about one hundred million years that are gravitationally bound together. In these clusters the stellar densities can reach and even exceed the densities found in stellar globular clusters, more evolved systems that host hundreds of thousands of stars in volumes only tens of light-years across. Observations suggest that the young massive clusters come in all sizes: their mass distribution ranges from low mass, open clusters with about one hundred solar-masses to high-mass ones with a hundred million solar-masses.
	Team identifies clathrate ices in comet 67P For decades, scientists have agreed that comets are mostly water ice, but what kind of ice—amorphous or crystalline—is still up for debate. Looking at data obtained by ESA's Rosetta spacecraft in the atmosphere, or coma, around comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, scientists at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) are seeing evidence of a crystalline form of ice called clathrates.
	SpaceX back in delivery business with futuristic pop-up room SpaceX stands ready to resume station deliveries for NASA and it couldn't have a more attention-grabbing payload: the first inflatable room ever built for astronauts.
	Tiny CubeSat tracks worldwide air traffic Since its launch six months ago, a satellite small enough to fit in an airline passenger's carry-on bag has been tracking aircraft in flight across the entire globe.
	Will orbiting flying carpets light the world? Imagine a rocket emerging from Earth's atmosphere. Its nose cone opens and out comes a flying carpet.
	Satellite touchdown in run up to Galileo launch The latest pair of navigation satellites has reached Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, beginning a new Galileo launch campaign, which will culminate in a launch on 24 May.
	Space weather satellite ICON on course for summer 2017 launch NASA's newest space weather research satellite, the Ionospheric Connection Explorer, is on course for a summer 2017 launch after UC Berkeley scientists and their colleagues shipped its four instruments to Utah for testing, prior to being packed into the final satellite.
	Physics professor explains the appeal of viewing a solar eclipse in person What's the big deal about solar eclipses? Seen one, seen 'em all. Why would you travel more than 18,600 miles for two minutes of totality?
	NASA celebrates 25 years of breakthrough gamma-ray science Twenty-five years ago this week, NASA launched the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, an astronomical satellite that transformed our knowledge of the high-energy sky. Over its nine-year lifetime, Compton produced the first-ever all-sky survey in gamma rays, the most energetic and penetrating form of light, discovered hundreds of new sources and unveiled a universe that was unexpectedly dynamic and diverse.
	The missing brown dwarfs When re-analysing catalogued and updated observational data of brown dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood, astronomers from Potsdam have found that a significant number of nearby brown dwarfs should still be out there, awaiting their discovery. The corresponding study by Gabriel Bihain and Ralf-Dieter Scholz from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) challenges the previously established picture of brown dwarfs in the solar neighbourhood.

Technology news

	Microorganisms in cow manure used to build rechargeable battery (Tech Xplore)—For the first time, researchers from Wetsus, the European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology; and Wageningen University, both in The Netherlands, have combined two microbial processes—microbial fuel cells and microbial electrosynthesis—in a single device to create the first microbial rechargeable battery.
	Startup eyes industrial robotics payoff in random picking Moving boxes around is tedious but easy for humans; it is not tedious but it may not be at all easy for robots. Advances in using robots on the factory and warehouse floor are in evidence thanks to advanced vision technology and gripping techniques. Robotics experts nonetheless see room ahead for improvements.
	Using data from social networks to understand and improve systems In the course of our day-to-day lives, we produce vast amounts of data. Whether gathered through online communications platforms, tracking devices, or other sources, these data reveal information about our behavior, decisions, and preferences. Researchers can ultimately use the data to improve systems across a variety of domains. In the process, there are great challenges and opportunities in the work of understanding the flow of ideas through groups, determining which incentives are effective, measuring network dynamics, and managing the inherent issues of privacy.
The future is here: Interactive screens on your packages Instead of reading a label, consumers could be interacting with an electronic screen on packaging in the future, thanks to a revolutionary new development by scientists at the University of Sheffield.
	Experts caution self-driving cars aren't ready for roads Self-driving cars are more likely to hurt than help public safety because of unsolved technical issues, engineers and safety advocates told the government Friday, countering a push by innovators to speed government approval.
	IBM going TrueNorth in system lookout for seizures (Tech Xplore)—IBM researchers are working on a system that may prevent brain seizures. Cade Metz in Wired had a detailed story on Thursday about a Melbourne, Australia, team exploring how a computing can analyze brain waves to foretell an epileptic seizure.
Uber settles driver background-check case for at least $10M Ride-hailing company Uber will pay at least $10 million to settle allegations by California prosecutors that it misled passengers about the quality of its driver background checks.
Barnes & Noble hands off some tech services for Nook Book retailer Barnes & Noble is bringing in help to manage its struggling Nook reader in a cost-cutting move that will lay off 99 workers.
University of Michigan, IBM team up on computer project A new collaboration between the University of Michigan and IBM will help scientists and engineers run computer simulations faster than they have been able to previously, with applications ranging from predicting climate change to designing aircraft wings to studying the origins of the universe.
	Twisted light could dramatically boost internet speeds Fibre optics allow for the communication of data at the speed of light.
	Why robots need to be able to say 'No' Should you always do what other people tell you to do? Clearly not. Everyone knows that. So should future robots always obey our commands? At first glance, you might think they should, simply because they are machines and that's what they are designed to do. But then think of all the times you would not mindlessly carry out others' instructions – and put robots into those situations.
	Can you detect driverless cars based on driving behaviours? Members of the public are being sought to take part in a new study by the University of Southampton to understand people's perceptions of automated vehicles.
	Timber skyscrapers could transform London's skyline London's first timber skyscraper could be a step closer to reality this week after researchers presented Mayor of London Boris Johnson with conceptual plans for an 80-storey, 300m high wooden building integrated within the Barbican.
	US keeps Apple encryption battle alive in drug case The US government on Friday kept its encryption battle with Apple alive, pressing the high-tech giant to help crack an iPhone in a drug case in New York.
Twitter names PepsiCo CFO to its board of directors Twitter has appointed PepsiCo's chief financial officer to its board.
	Senate bill draft would prohibit unbreakable encryption A draft version of a Senate bill would effectively prohibit unbreakable encryption and require companies to help the government access data on a computer or mobile device with a warrant.
Yahoo extends deadline for opening bids: report Yahoo has given prospective buyers an added week to make preliminary bids for the company's core assets, tech news website Re/Code reported on Friday
	France's Vivendi, Italy's Mediaset deal in challenge to Netflix France's media firm Vivendi and Italy's Mediaset said Friday they had clinched a deal as part of the French group's strategy to build a European media giant to rival US streaming powerhouse Netflix.
Personal data revolution takes first step A new way of managing personal information set to maximise people's chances of privacy is being developed by computer scientists, led by a researcher at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

Medicine & Health news

	Study shows individual differences in brain activity can be predicted using task-free fMRI (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with Oxford University has found that it is possible to use task-free fMRI images to predict brain activity during the performance of certain tasks. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes their study and analysis of brain scans, what they found, the model they built and what their results might be used for in the future.
	Disrupting circadian rhythm of acute myeloid leukemia cells—a possible therapeutic pathway According to a popular saying, 'timing is everything.' For acute myeloid leukemia (AML), that adage may be true. In a paper published in the April 7 issue of Cell, an international team led by researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School (HMS), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) report that AML stem cells, which give rise to an aggressive form of blood cancer, cannot survive without their internal "clockworks."
	In times of energy stress, brain turns to emergency generator The human brain takes up only 2% of our body weight but uses 20% of the body's energy budget to power the communication between neurons. Stressful conditions put a strain on this energy supply, and disruption of this metabolic state, even briefly, can severely disrupt the brain's cognitive functions.
	Cognitive scientists discover new perceptual illusion Fingers are a human's most important tactile sensors, but they do not always sense accurately and can even be deceived. Researchers at the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) of Bielefeld University demonstrated this in a new study in which they 'outwit' human perception. Test subjects placed their index finger in an apparatus and touched an object whose softness changed at random without the person noticing. While touching the object, the test subjects were under the illusion that it was the position of their finger that changed, not the softness of the object. The curious thing here was that the test subjects felt an "illusory" finger displacement, much larger in extent than the actual, "real" displacement. The researchers published their findings this Thursday, 7 April in the scientific journal Current Biology.
	Common prostate cancer treatments suppress immune response and may promote relapse Prostate cancer patients and their doctors may want to think twice about the best timing for chemotherapy or radiation therapy in conjunction with a common nonsurgical treatment, based on international research findings led by UT Southwestern Medical Center investigators.
	Is a popular painkiller hampering our ability to notice errors? It's been known for more than a century that acetaminophen is an effective painkiller, but according to a new U of T study it could also be impeding error-detection in the brain.
	Maternal obesity and diabetes in pregnancy result in early overgrowth of baby in the womb The babies of obese women who develop gestational diabetes are five times as likely to be excessively large by six months of pregnancy, according to new research led by the University of Cambridge. The study, which shows that excessive fetal growth begins weeks before at-risk women are screened for gestational diabetes, suggests that current screening programmes may take place too late during pregnancy to prevent lasting health impacts on the offspring.
	Incidence of psoriatic arthritis 2.7/100 psoriasis patients (HealthDay)—The incidence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is 2.7 cases per 100 psoriasis patients, with risk factors including severe psoriasis phenotype and low level of education, according to a study published in the April issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
	New dietary guidelines for Americans issued for 2015-2020 (HealthDay)—New U.S. dietary guidelines have been released for 2015 to 2020, according to a health policy brief published online March 31 in Health Affairs.
Simultaneous cocaine, alcohol use linked to suicide risk In a general sense, medical studies support the popular intuition—a staple of movies and literature—that suicidal behavior and substance misuse are linked. But the relationship between the two is not so simple. A new study of hundreds of suicidal emergency department (ED) patients from around the U.S. found that the significance of the link varied with age, gender and race. Across the board, however, the use of cocaine and alcohol together was a red flag.
	Curiosity leads us to seek out unpleasant, painful outcomes Curiosity is a powerful motivator, leading us to make important discoveries and explore the unknown. But new research shows that our curiosity is sometimes so powerful that it leads us to choose potentially painful and unpleasant outcomes that have no apparent benefits, even when we have the ability to avoid these outcomes altogether.
California battles killer drug epidemic Ten people have died in northern California and scores more have overdosed as an epidemic of street drugs laced with a powerful painkiller sweeps the region.
Why are so few kids getting the HPV vaccine? Ten years after the federal government approved the first vaccines to combat the cancer-causing human papillomavirus, nine years after those vaccines were recommended for all adolescent girls, and five years after they were recommended for all adolescent boys, less than half of girls and only a fifth of boys are getting immunized.
	Selective biomarkers can ID risk of impaired glucose tolerance (HealthDay)—Selective biomarkers can identify the risk of isolated impaired glucose tolerance (iIGT), according to a study published online April 5 in Diabetes Care.
	Coffee beans deemed hazardous to workers' health A warning for coffee workers in roasting factories and corner cafes across the country: keep your face away from the bins of roasted beans.
	Scientists discover gene responsible for the development of myocardial infarction A team of Lomonosov Moscow State University scientists investigated the genetic mechanisms underlying the development of coronary atherosclerosis. The results are potentially valuable for estimating the risk of the myocardial infarction. An article on the research project was published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine.
Taking on melanoma, one cell at a time Single-cell analysis is a groundbreaking approach now being used across biological fields to explore a common problem: how to study cellular diversity in cell environments with heterogeneous populations. Such diversity can have profound implications for cell survival and proliferation, response to drug therapies and interventions, as well as myriad other biological processes. Single-cell techniques have already been used for a variety of studies—for instance, to explore heterogeneity of immune response in autoimmune disease, to examine host-pathogen interactions in infectious disease, and to survey the human transcriptome. It is now being used to probe cancer tissue—a diverse and complex cellular environment that has often stymied researchers.
	Research finds health cost for motivated, disadvantaged youth There may be a hidden cost to the old adage of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps: Research out of the University of Georgia suggests the unintended stress spurred by upward mobility can pose an unintended health risk later down the road.
	Scientists develop potential roadmap for personalized brain cancer treatments UCLA researchers have developed a promising method to assess how changes in a person's immune response can help predict the effectiveness of a new immunotherapy in people with glioblastoma, the most common and deadly type of brain cancer.
	Kids face higher lead exposure playing in urban gardens Cornell and New York state scientists estimate that some gardeners who toil in urban gardens and children who play in them could be exposed to lead levels that exceed U.S Food and Drug Administration thresholds. Their new research, which also offers mitigation strategies, was published in the journal Environmental Geochemistry and Health.
	Research shows that athletes who accept loss are best prepared to win In 1997, Nike unveiled a marketing campaign depicting its top asset—the world's biggest sporting star at the time, and perhaps ever—as a failure, or at least as having failed on numerous occasions.
	Bone-lengthening device reduces pain, infection risk Orthopedic surgeons have developed a new device that reduces the pain, scarring and infection risk associated with lengthening a leg bone. It replaces an external brace, which must be attached outside the leg using pins through the skin, with a sleek, magnet-powered telescoping rod that is bolted entirely inside the bone.
	When picky eating is too great a luxury Poor families, like families everywhere, share an age-old parental challenge: getting kids to eat healthy.
	Scientists identify possible double drug combination to attack leukaemia Manchester scientists have identified a potential double drug combination against B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, according to a study published in the journal Cell Death and Disease today.
New study finds skateboarding sent about 176 youth to US EDs every day Skateboarding is a popular recreational sport and participation has increased the last several decades, faster than any other sport or recreation activity between 1998 and 2007. With growing participation, has come an increasing rate of injuries from skateboarding.
	Violent video games eventually lose their ability to produce guilt in gamers Rapidly advancing technology has created ever more realistic video games. Images are sharp, settings have depth and detail, and the audio is crisp and authentic. At a glance, it appears real. So real, that research has consistently found that gamers feel guilty committing unjustified acts of violence within the game.
	Some 9/11 first responders suffer severe sinus problems: study (HealthDay)—Sinus surgery is more common among firefighters who responded during the first two days of the World Trade Center disaster than those who had less intense or shorter exposures, a new study shows.
	Schools in most states skimp on phys ed, study finds (HealthDay)—Most states don't provide students with enough physical education, a new report finds.
New assay offers improved detection of deadly prion diseases Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are a family of rare progressive, neurodegenerative illnesses that affect both humans and animals. TSE surveillance is important for public health and food safety because TSEs have the potential of crossing from animals to humans, as seen with the spread of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). A study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes an advanced assay that offers better sensitivity than currently available tests for detecting a prion disease affecting elk.
Many ICU patients trade critical illness for new illness, ICU-acquired weakness A growing number of patients are being discharged from intensive care units, cured of the critical illness that put them there but facing a new and potentially debilitating condition—ICU-acquired weakness.
	Six-step hand-washing technique found most effective for reducing bacteria New research demonstrates that the six-step hand-hygiene technique recommended by the World Health Organization is superior to a three-step method suggested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in reducing bacteria on healthcare workers' hands. The study was published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
Transcranial direct current stimulation can boost language comprehension How the human brain processes the words we hear and constructs complex concepts is still somewhat of a mystery to the neuroscience community. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can alter our language processing, allowing for faster comprehension of meaningful word combinations, according to new research from the department of Neurology the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The work is published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder symptoms improve, relapse preventable with sustained medication People with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) fare better and are less likely to relapse when treated with medication on a long-term basis, according to researchers at Rhode Island Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital.
	Noviplex device will diagnose and track Zika in the Amazon A University of Nebraska-Lincoln researcher is partnering with Brazilian officials to distribute a device that could accelerate testing for the Zika virus and monitor contamination of the country's freshwater food sources.
	Pivotal inflammatory players revealed in diabetic kidney disease In a new study, published in the online edition of the journal EBioMedicine, a multi-disciplinary team led by researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has identified key inflammatory mechanisms underlying type 1 diabetes and obesity-related kidney dysfunction.
	ACEI/ARBs up AMI outcomes regardless of renal status (HealthDay)—For acute myocardial infarction (AMI) survivors, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) treatment is associated with improved long-term survival, according to research published in the April 12 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Variation in estimates of sepsis-linked mortality by data source (HealthDay)—There is considerable variation in estimates of sepsis mortality using death certificates and health services utilization data (administrative claims), according to a report published in the April 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Cocoa pod extract deemed effective as antiwrinkle gel (HealthDay)—Cocoa pod extract (CPE) can be used as an active ingredient of antiwrinkle products, with effects seen after three weeks of application of CPE gel, according to a study published online April 4 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	Foreign body reaction induced by bee sting therapy (HealthDay)—Foreign body reaction can be induced by bee sting therapy, according to a letter to the editor published online March 31 in the Journal of Cutaneous Pathology.
	Cushing's sx described in infant treated with ophthalmic steroid (HealthDay)—In a case report published online April 7 in Pediatrics, iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome (ICS) is described in an infant following intranasal usage of dexamethasone ophthalmic solution.
	White matter hyperintensities predate Alzheimer's onset (HealthDay)—Autosomal dominant Alzheimer's disease is associated with increased white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on magnetic resonance imaging well before expected symptom onset, according to a study published online March 26 in the Annals of Neurology.
	Common infection caused first US uterus transplant to fail, hospital says (HealthDay)—A common fungus caused the complication that forced Cleveland Clinic doctors to remove a transplanted uterus from a 26-year-old woman just two weeks after the groundbreaking procedure was performed, hospital officials said Friday.
Could there be a vegetarian gene? Those who favor a plant-based diet may be hardwired that way.
	Novel research lays the groundwork for new therapies against sepsis Sepsis represents a serious complication of infection and is one of the leading causes of death and critical illness worldwide due in part to the lack of effective therapies. A report in the American Journal of Pathology provides evidence from both mouse and human studies that SHARPIN, a protein involved in regulating inflammation, has anti-septic effects. These findings may spur development of novel sepsis treatments.
Maternal obesity and poor nutrition in the womb impairs fertility in female offspring New research involving mice, published in the April 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal, suggests that maternal obesity and poor nutrition during pregnancy affects the egg reserves of female offspring. This discovery improves scientific understanding of the long-term, generational, effects of obesity and poor nutrition. This understanding is the first step toward devising interventions to protect the fertility of females who experienced very difficult womb environments.
'Marijuana receptor' might hold the key to new fertility treatments for men In a research report appearing in the April 2016 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists show that a cannabinoid receptor, called "CB2," helps regulate the creation of sperm. Not only does this provide more evidence that marijuana can disrupt fertility in males, but it also suggests a therapeutic strategy for treating male infertility.
Proposed health charges for migrants fail test against government's own principles Proposals by the UK government to charge non-EEA residents for access to the NHS fail to abide by the government's principles for the NHS, are ideologically driven and unlikely to result in substantial savings. These are the conclusions of an essay published today by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, written by public health experts from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Belize wary over US suspicion woman caught Zika on trip The government of Belize issued a statement Thursday saying it was treating with caution information from US health authorities that a woman who was recently in the country caught Zika there.
	The biological and psych-social reasons behind teen sleep patterns More than 50% of teenagers do not get enough sleep on school nights, often due to the onset of puberty and social media-internet interaction.
	The gamification of rehabilitation Peter Scannell, E'16, is one of five student engineers working to harness the power of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset to help stroke patients overcome hemispatial neglect. Also called unilateral visual inattention or hemi-inattention, it's a neuropsychological condition preventing stroke victims from perceiving stimuli on one side of their body or environment.
HIV agencies yield insights on improving services Agencies that serve people with HIV in the U.S. are at the forefront of delivering medical care, shelter, psycho-social counseling and other services to their vulnerable clients. These services are offered through a mix of different types of agencies, including local health departments, state government agencies, non-profits and faith-based organizations. Collaboration among these various entities is essential for holistically serving the needs of their clients. Now, a University of Missouri researcher has published two studies after studying collaboration among these types of agencies in Baltimore, a severely HIV-affected city. Her research offers suggestions for improving HIV prevention, treatment and care and provides an innovation in measuring collaboration among agencies.
Bronchial carcinoma: Added benefit of crizotinib for first-line treatment not proven The drug crizotinib (trade name: Xalkori) has been available since 2012 for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (bronchial carcinoma) who have a high activity of the enzyme anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and have already received another treatment. In November 2015, the approval was extended to first-line treatment.
	Puerto Rico sees 436 Zika cases; 60 pregnant women infected Zika cases in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico have jumped to 436 so far this year.
	Steatosis in more than half of liver transplant recipients (HealthDay)—Steatosis affects more than half of liver transplant (LT) recipients, although it is not associated with worse patient survival, according to a study published online April 5 in Liver Transplantation.
Patient should talk to doctor about interest in discontinuing anti-epileptic medication Dear Mayo Clinic: I was diagnosed with epilepsy three years ago at the age of 29. I've been on medication since then and haven't had another seizure. Is it true that, for some people, epilepsy is not necessarily a lifelong condition? Is there a way to determine if I can safely go off of the medication to see if I need it anymore?
New Jersey pols, Whoopi: Say yes to pot for menstrual cramps With a nod to Whoopi Goldberg, lawmakers in New Jersey announced legislation that would loosen the state's strict medical marijuana law to allow women to get pot-based products to ease menstrual cramps.

Biology news

	Are plants the puppet masters in the pollination game? While pollination is a subject that most of us don't give much consideration, behind the scenes it plays a significant role in the production of the food we consume each day.
	Scientists discover how Chinese medicinal plant makes anti-cancer compound New research led by Professor Cathie Martin of the John Innes Centre has revealed how a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine produces compounds which may help to treat cancer and liver diseases.
	Study examines the effects of exposing legumes to nitrogen fertilizer Plant biologists at the University of Illinois and Michigan State University have pinpointed the area of genomes within nitrogen-fixing bacteria in roots, called rhizobia, that's being altered when the plant they serve is exposed to nitrogen fertilizer.
	A newly discovered way for cells to die Some cells are meant to live, and some are meant to die. The linker cell of Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny worm that is a favored model organism for biologists, is among those destined for termination. This cell helps determine the shape of the gonad in male worms—and then it dies, after two days, just as the worms are transitioning from larvae into adults. This programmed cell death is a normal part of the animal's development, yet the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning it have not been worked out.
	Australia plan to protect 'long-haul' birds They are the international travellers who come to Australia each year to rest and feast, but migratory birds face a perilous journey, officials said Friday as they launched a plan to help protect them.
	Hungry penguins chase Antarctic's shifting krill Waddling over the rocks, legions of penguins hurl themselves into the icy waters of Antarctica, foraging to feed their young.
Thousands plead to keep beloved manatee on 'endangered' list On the final day for public comment on whether to downgrade the West Indian Manatee from "endangered" to "threatened," the unofficial consensus was overwhelmingly clear.
	Clownfish share their sea anemone homes when space is limited Clownfish share their sea anemone homes when space is limited, say Australian researchers. They have found that multiple species of clownfish live together in the same host anemone and divide up the space, pushing more subordinate species to the periphery.
	New method developed for testing herbicide resistance in weeds Herbicide-resistant weeds are becoming increasingly common in agricultural landscapes. Existing methods for confirming herbicide resistance require knowledge of the genes responsible for target-site resistance, but this information is not always known. A new method, developed by University of Illinois researchers for waterhemp, can test for herbicide resistance without prior knowledge of the genes involved.
	Discovery and synthesis of AMOR sugar chains that guide pollen tube growth A group of scientists at Nagoya University has succeeded in discovering AMOR, a sugar chain molecule that increases the fertilization efficiency in plants. AMOR was found to be responsible for activating pollen tubes to lead to fertilization. Moreover, through the collaboration between biologists and chemists, the group has synthesized a disaccharide, i.e. a double sugar, which exhibits the same properties as AMOR. This discovery is expected to lead to advances in research to improve plant fertilization efficiency as well as carbohydrate chemistry for plants.
	Restoring ecosystems – how to learn from our mistakes In a joint North European and North American study led by Swedish researcher Christer Nilsson, a warning is issued of underdocumented results of ecological restorations. The researchers show that continuous and systematic evaluations of cost-efficiency, planning, implementations and effects are necessary in order to make use of experiences in future projects. The results have been published in the journal Ecology and Society.
	Switching specific G-protein-coupled signalling pathways on and off Researchers in Bochum have utilised light-sensitive proteins from nerve cells of the eye – so-called melanopsins – to switch on specific signalling pathways in brain cells with high temporal precision. Depending on what kind of melanopsin the researchers used, signalling pathways were switched on either transiently or sustained. In mammals, the protein typically regulates the circadian rhythm.
Viruses work together to attack their hosts Research at the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology of the University of Valencia, led by professor Rafael Sanjuán, reveals that viruses work in groups to attack host cells more effectively.  The results of this study were published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.
	Scientists to unlock the secrets of DNA sequence The prevailing hypothesis has suggested that the the functions of DNA, such as the way the DNA is organized, largely depend on its interactions with protein molecules. However, a new study, affiliated with UNIST finds that DNA molecules directly interact with one another in a way that's dependent on the sequence of the DNA and epigenetic factors.
	Scientists study wild pig impact on bobwhite quail populations As part of an effort to understand the reasons behind the decline in wild quail populations, researchers from Texas A&M AgriLife Research have studied whether the continued increase in numbers and distribution of wild pigs, commonly referred to as feral hogs, may be a contributing factor.
Nine things to know about animal vaccine development Animal diseases pose significant threats to health and food security. Here are nine things to know about animal vaccine development according to three Kansas State University scientists involved in vaccine research.
Maryland gives OK to bill to protect bees from pesticides Maryland would become the first state in the country to take pesticides found to harm bees off of retail store shelves, under a bill that has passed the General Assembly.

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