Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, May 20

RESPEKT!

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Telomere and telomerase in stem cells

More sperm cells may be needed to overcome high mortality rate

What can be done about a water shortage?

NASA soil moisture mission begins science operations

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, May 21, 2015 at 3:47 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, May 20
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

*FREE* Webinar >> Simulating Food Industry Processes: http://goo.gl/LDYJu1

Processes such as cooking, freezing, and drying are used by the food industry for packaging and preparation. Learn the simulation techniques used in food production applications with this free webinar. Register today!

***************************************************

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 20, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Physicists find ways to increase antihydrogen production
- Brains, Genes, and Primates: The future of higher research on the planet of the apes
- Astronomers observe a supernova colliding with its companion star
- Researchers find a way of tuning light waves by pairing two exotic 2-D materials
- Shedding new light on 175-year-old principle: New class of swelling magnets have the potential to energize the world
- Oldest-known stone tools pre-date Homo
- LG Display shows off a thin, wall-stuck OLED panel of the future
- Algorithm reduces size of data sets while preserving their mathematical properties
- Researcher charts quantum signatures of electronic transport in graphene
- Lymphatic cells grown in the lab for the first time
- American energy use up slightly, carbon emissions almost unchanged
- People tend to locate the self in the brain or the heart—and it affects their judgments and decisions
- Air Force launches hush-hush mini-shuttle into space
- One simple molecule regulates sexual behavior in Drosophila
- Researchers help video gamers play in the cloud without guzzling gigabytes

Nanotechnology news

	Researchers find a way of tuning light waves by pairing two exotic 2-D materials Researchers have found a way to couple the properties of different two-dimensional materials to provide an exceptional degree of control over light waves. They say this has the potential to lead to new kinds of light detection, thermal-management systems, and high-resolution imaging devices.
	Researcher charts quantum signatures of electronic transport in graphene Over the last seven years, Javier Sanchez-Yamagishi has built several hundred nanoscale stacked graphene systems to study their electronic properties. "What interests me a lot is that the properties of this combined system depend sensitively on the relative alignment between them," he says.
	New X-ray microscopy technology to 'see' both the chemical and physical aspects of materials A new patent blazes a path forward for a way to simultaneously determine the physical structure and chemical makeup of materials close to the atomic level using a combination of microscopy techniques.
	Tiny batteries made in nanopores manage ions and electrons for high power and extended life Tiny batteries formed inside nanopores demonstrate that properly scaled nanostructures can use the full theoretical capacity of the charge storage material. These nanobatteries delivered their stored energy efficiently at high power (fast charge and discharge) and for extended cycling.
	Carbon nanothreads from compressed benzene A new carbon nanomaterial – the thinnest possible one-dimensional thread that still retains a diamond-like structure – was created by the controlled, slow compression and decompression of benzene. The diamond-like structural unit consists of six-sided rings of carbon atoms bonded together in chains surrounded by a halo of hydrogen atoms.

Physics news

	Physicists find ways to increase antihydrogen production (Phys.org)—There are many experiments that physicists would like to perform on antimatter, from studying its properties with spectroscopic measurements to testing how it interacts with gravity. But in order to perform these experiments, scientists first need some antimatter. Of course, they won't be finding any in nature (due to antimatter's tendency to annihilate in a burst of energy when it comes in contact with ordinary matter), and creating it in the lab has proven to be very technically challenging for the same reasons.
	Shedding new light on 175-year-old principle: New class of swelling magnets have the potential to energize the world A new class of magnets that expand their volume when placed in a magnetic field and generate negligible amounts of wasteful heat during energy harvesting, has been discovered by researchers at Temple University and the University of Maryland.
	More sperm cells may be needed to overcome high mortality rate It's one of the true miracles of life, that moment when hundreds of little sperm make it all the way to an unfertilized egg and one breaches its walls. But what of all those other spermatozoa, the hundreds of millions of little guys that never make anything of themselves, that never fertilize an egg?
	Researchers first to measure thermoelectric behavior by 'tinkertoy' materials Sandia National Laboratories researchers have made the first measurements of thermoelectric behavior by a nanoporous metal-organic framework (MOF), a development that could lead to an entirely new class of materials for such applications as cooling computer chips and cameras and energy harvesting.
	New portable device could test how 'squishy' cancerous tumors are Tumors come in all shapes, sizes ... and squishiness. And it turns out that matters, if you want to know how to treat them.
	Gamma ray camera may help with Fukushima decontamination Japanese researchers have significantly improved the performance of a gamma ray-imaging "Compton" camera. The new technology has potential applications in scientific research, medical treatment and environmental monitoring, as well as radioactive decontamination work.
Tiny grains of lithium dramatically improve performance of fusion plasma Scientists from General Atomics and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have discovered a phenomenon that helps them to improve fusion plasmas, a finding that may quicken the development of fusion energy. Together with a team of researchers from across the United States, the scientists found that when they injected tiny grains of lithium into a plasma undergoing a particular kind of turbulence then, under the right conditions, the temperature and pressure rose dramatically. High heat and pressure are crucial to fusion, a process in which atomic nuclei - or ions - smash together and release energy—making even a brief rise in pressure of great importance for the development of fusion energy.
	Amazing microdroplet structures may lead to new technologies Unexpected shapes of mesoscale atoms—structures built of microdroplets encapsulated within microdroplets—have been created at the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw, Poland. The discovery was possible with a new method for precise control over placement of tiny segments of liquid, one in another. With further progress in innovative microfluidic systems, the method may find use in medicine and materials science.
	Laser technology advances microchip production A new process for cutting silicon wafers could streamline the production of smaller and more powerful microchips for electronic devices.

Earth news

	Ancient lake challenges understanding of evolution An ancient lake could hold the key to our understanding of how complex life evolved on Earth, according to research carried out by the University of Aberdeen.
	Efforts underway to scrub spilled oil from California coast (Update) Cleanup crews fanned out Wednesday along a stretch of scenic California coastline stained by thousands of gallons of crude oil that spilled from broken pipe and flowed into the Pacific Ocean.
	Researcher developing water usage model that could help California As California heads into a fourth year of drought, water agencies are scrambling for new ways to conserve.
	Oceanographer publishes atlas of seafloor volcanoes and deep-ocean life A University of Washington oceanographer has helped create the first full-color photographic atlas of the ocean floor. "Discovering the Deep: A Photographic Atlas of the Seafloor and Ocean Crust" (Cambridge University Press, 2015) was almost a decade in the making and contains more than 500 original illustrations and color photos, and access to online educational resources and high-definition videos.
	New clues for the long-term viability of geological carbon dioxide storage The carbon dioxide (CO2) at the Bravo Dome gas field in New Mexico is volcanic in origin, and its emplacement began more than a million years ago, not 10 thousand years ago, as previously estimated. Averaged across the reservoir, only 20% of the CO2 has dissolved into the field's saline brine over 1.2 million years, while the rest remains as a free gas trapped by the cap-rock, suggesting that safe long-term storage in geological sites is viable.
	Early season forecast updates for Lake Erie harmful algal blooms In response to increased demand for harmful algal bloom information and data, beginning today, NOAA researchers, and their partners at Heidelberg University, will issue new experimental, early season forecasts of the seasonal harmful algal bloom in western Lake Erie. This information could be used by resource and public health managers deal with the toxic blooms, which can affect human and animal health.
	Why enough water will never be enough for California These days, it seems everyone is looking for a silver bullet solution to California's drought. Some advocate increasing supply through more storage, desalination or water reuse. Others propose controlling demand through conservation or restriction of water use by urban and agricultural users.
	New evidence links Arctic warming with severe weather Professor Edward Hanna and PhD student Richard Hall, from the University of Sheffield's Department of Geography, are part of a select group of international climate scientists investigating links between Arctic climate change and extreme weather in the northern mid-latitudes.
	What can be done about a water shortage? The water crisis in the western United States – most notably in California and Washington – may be the most severe and most publicized, but other threats to the nation's water supply loom, says Dr. Joel Burken, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology.
	Tracing the toxic legacy of PBB contamination In 1973, bags of a fire-retardant chemical called PBB, polybrominated biphenyl, were accidently mixed into livestock feed and sold to farmers throughout the state of Michigan.
	Researchers first to detect air quality effects of natural gas extraction in Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale region A team led by environmental engineers from Drexel University are the first independent researchers to take a closer look at the air quality effects of natural gas extraction in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania. The group used a mobile air quality monitoring vehicle to survey regional air quality and pollutant emissions at 13 sites including wells, drilling rigs, compressor stations and processing areas. Their work establishes baseline measurements for this relatively new area of extraction.
	Natural gas versus diesel: Examining the climate impacts of natural gas trucks Some major trucking companies are turning to natural gas to fuel their fleets—and to earn "green" credit among customers. But celebrating lower emissions could be premature, according to an analysis in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers have found that converting heavy-duty trucks to run on natural gas could lead to negative climate impacts if steps are not taken to improve engine efficiency and reduce methane emissions from the fuel's supply chain.
	California farmers propose water cuts to avoid bigger pinch Farmers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta who have California's oldest water rights are proposing to voluntarily cut their use by 25 percent to avoid the possibility of even harsher restrictions by the state later this summer as the record drought continues.
	Scientists tackle mystery of thunderstorms that strike at night Thunderstorms that form at night, without a prod from the Sun's heat, are a mysterious phenomenon. This summer scientists will be staying up late in search of some answers.
	Rubber plantation brings both work and worries to Gabon When one of the world's biggest traders of agricultural commodities went to Gabon's government with a multi-million-dollar plan to produce rubber, the authorities jumped at the chance to diversify an oil-dependent economy.
	Urban gardeners can take simple precautions to avoid contaminants Green thumbs, do not fret. Pockets of soil in urban areas are still available for the increasingly popular practice of urban gardening.
	Obama to warn rising sea levels could cost US $200 bn President Barack Obama will on Wednesday warn that a one-foot rise in sea levels could cost the United States as much as $200 billion, in a speech warning of the security risks of climate change.
	Family legacy examined for soil viability More than 20 years after her family planted blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus) on their Great Southern property UWA Masters student Sylvia Leighton is trying to determine what effect the trees have had on the region's soil fertility.
	NASA analyzed the winds of Tropical Storm Ana In mid-May 2015, Ana became the first named tropical storm of the North Atlantic hurricane season. May is early to see large storms in the Atlantic; the season begins in earnest on June 1. But on May 10, Tropical Storm Ana made landfall along the Carolina coast and carried maximum sustained winds of 74 kilometers per hour (46 miles per hour).

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers observe a supernova colliding with its companion star Type Ia supernovae, one of the most dazzling phenomena in the universe, are produced when small dense stars called white dwarfs explode with ferocious intensity. At their peak, these supernovae can outshine an entire galaxy. Although thousands of supernovae of this kind were found in the last decades, the process by which a white dwarf becomes one has been unclear.
	The dreadful beauty of Medusa Astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile have captured the most detailed image ever taken of the Medusa Nebula. As the star at the heart of this nebula made its transition into retirement, it shed its outer layers into space, forming this colorful cloud. The image foreshadows the final fate of the Sun, which will eventually also become an object of this kind.
	Image: Star formation and magnetic turbulence in the Orion Molecular Cloud With blue hues suggestive of marine paradises and a texture evoking the tranquil flow of sea waves, this image might make us daydream of sandy beaches and exotic holiday destinations. Instead, the subject of the scene is intense and powerful, because it depicts the formation of stars in the turbulent billows of gas and dust of the Orion Molecular Cloud.
	Supernova ignition surprises scientists Scientists have captured the early death throes of supernovae for the first time and found that the universe's benchmark explosions are much more varied than expected.
	Air Force launches hush-hush mini-shuttle into space A mysterious space plane rocketed into orbit Wednesday, carrying no crew but a full load of technology experiments.
	Image: Asteroid 1999 FN53 Scientists from the Arecibo Observatory captured images of the asteroid 1999 FN53, which was visible since this past Tuesday until today Friday, May 15, 2015.
	Engineering mechanical parts for space activity For more than four decades, an unremarkable building in an industrial estate on the edge of Warrington, UK, has played a crucial role in the success of most European space missions with moving parts – which means nearly all of them.
	Giant spiraling molecular gas arms as cradles of dense, massive molecular cores A research team led by Hauyu Liu at the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica (ASIAA) observed the luminous OB cluster-forming massive molecular clump G33.92+0.11 with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), and unveiled the fine molecular gas structures deeply embedded at the center of the parent molecular cloud. This finding provides a greatly simplified picture of overall cloud geometry and kinematics, which represents a crucial step forward in the understanding of the upper end of the stellar and molecular core mass functions. The research was published in the April 28 issue of the Astrophysical Journal.
	NASA soil moisture mission begins science operations NASA's new Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission to map global soil moisture and detect whether soils are frozen or thawed has begun science operations.
	Image: Journey to space in a vacuum chamber When you need to test hardware designed to operate in the vast reaches of space, you start in a vacuum chamber.  NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has many of them, but Vacuum Chamber 5 (VF-5) is special.  Supporting the testing of electric propulsion and power systems, VF-5 has the highest pumping speed of any electric propulsion test facility in the world, which is important in maintaining a continuous space-like environment.
	Signs of extensive groundwater system on Mars In its early years, planet Mars comprised large volumes of groundwater, which regularly flowed to the surface. This is the conclusion reached by Utrecht University's PhD candidate Wouter Marra following observations and scale experiments. Regardless of the climate, the water in the ground was liquid and was, for a long time, the main source of water on Mars. Marra will defend his PhD thesis from the User Support Programme Space Research on 22 May.
	Video: NASA's Webb 'strutting its stuff' The newest video in the "Behind the Webb" series, called "Strutting its Stuff," provides a look at three "struts" or poles that fold and unfold the secondary mirror on the James Webb Space Telescope. The video series takes viewers behind the scenes to understand more about the Webb telescope, the world's next-generation space observatory and successor to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Designed to be the most powerful space telescope ever built, Webb will observe the most distant objects in the universe, provide images of the first galaxies formed and study unexplored planets around distant stars.

Technology news

	LG Display shows off a thin, wall-stuck OLED panel of the future What if you could stick an OLED panel on your wall with a magnetic mat? A detachable OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panel that would just as easily be taken off as stuck on the wall? Reports surfaced on Tuesday that South Korea-based LG Display has fashioned just the thing, a 0.97 mm thick 55" flat OLED TV panel and only 1.9 kilos (4.2 pounds). LG Display showcased the screen in Korea.
	Algorithm reduces size of data sets while preserving their mathematical properties As anyone who's ever used a spreadsheet can attest, it's often convenient to organize data into tables. But in the age of big data, those tables can be enormous, with millions or even hundreds of millions of rows.
	FOVE eye-tracking VR headset looks to marketplace reality An eye-tracking virtual reality headset is in the works. Hands-free, you can play and interact with your digital environment. FOVE knows exactly where the user is looking. Its built-in technology allows for precise control and significantly reduces simulation sickness.
	Review: Curves and 'self-healing' in super-premium phones For those not satisfied with just a premium phone, Samsung and LG are offering two models best described as the Lamborghinis of smartphones.
	Robotic sonar system inspired by bats Engineers at Virginia Tech have taken the first steps toward building a novel dynamic sonar system inspired by horseshoe bats that could be more efficient and take up less space than current man-made sonar arrays. They are presenting a prototype of their "dynamic biomimetic sonar" at the 169th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America held May 18-22, 2015 in Pittsburgh.
	A folding drone that's ready for takeoff in a snap Thanks to the power of its rotors, this fold-up quadrotor extends its articulated arms and takes off in a fraction of a second. This prototype will be viewed by specialists on May 25 at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle.
	New printing process makes three-dimensional objects glow Conventional electroluminescent (EL) foils can be bent up to a certain degree only and can be applied easily onto flat surfaces. The new process developed by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in cooperation with the company of Franz Binder GmbH & Co. now allows for the direct printing of electroluminescent layers onto three-dimensional components. Such EL components might be used to enhance safety in buildings in case of power failures. Other potential applications are displays and watches or the creative design of rooms.
	American energy use up slightly, carbon emissions almost unchanged Americans' energy use continued to grow slowly in 2014, fueled by increases in the use of natural gas, wind and solar, according to the most recent energy flow charts released by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
	Researchers help video gamers play in the cloud without guzzling gigabytes Gamers might one day be able to enjoy the same graphics-intensive fast-action video games they play on their gaming consoles or personal computers from mobile devices without guzzling gigabytes, thanks to a new tool developed by researchers at Duke University and Microsoft Research.
	With one false tweet, computer-based Hack Crash led to real panic A false tweet from a hacked account owned by the Associated Press (AP) in 2013 sent financial markets into a tailspin. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 143.5 points and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost more than $136 billion of its value in the seconds that immediately followed the post.
YouTube's toddler app full of disturbing videos, say child advocates who want FTC to investigate Searching for videos on how to juggle knives while balancing a chain saw? Taste battery acid? Make chlorine gas? Tie a noose?
Tim Armstrong reinvents a flagging AOL In 2009, when Tim Armstrong took over as chief executive of AOL Inc., he faced a daunting task: Turn around a company that had gone from an Internet pioneer to near obsolescence in less than a decade.
	MixRadio expands amid streaming battle MixRadio, the streaming service originally launched by Nokia, on Tuesday expanded availability to major smartphone platforms as the market for on-demand music keeps growing.
	Oregon to test pay-per-mile idea as replacement for gas tax Oregon is about to embark on a first-in-the-nation program that aims to charge car owners not for the fuel they use, but for the miles they drive.
	Cyber attacks a growing threat for US financial system Online attacks by ever-skillful hackers are a growing threat to the stability of the US financial system, according to a report by a top-level government panel released Tuesday.
	Japan nuclear watchdog approves one more reactor Japan's nuclear watchdog on Wednesday gave the green light to restart one more atomic reactor, weeks after the government said a fifth of the country's electricity supply should come from atomic power.
	For US allies, paradigm shift in intelligence collection Fearful of an expanding extremist threat, countries that for years have relied heavily on U.S. intelligence are quickly building up their own capabilities with new technology, new laws and—in at least one case—a searing debate on how much the American government should be allowed to spy on their own citizens.
	Europe's Altice enters US cable frenzy with Suddenlink deal There's a new player in the U.S. cable dating game.
	Ultrasonic production of skimmed milk Recently, scientists from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) have jointly demonstrated cream separation from natural whole milk at liter-scales for the first time using ultrasonic standing waves—a novel, fast and nondestructive separation technique typically used only in small-scale settings.
	Researchers demonstrate electrical advantages of direct CU etch scheme for advanced interconnects Today, at the IEEE IITC conference, nano-electronics research center imec and Tokyo Electron Limited (TEL) presented a direct Cu etch scheme for patterning Cu interconnects. The new scheme has great potential to overcome resistivity and reliability issues that occur while scaling conventional Cu damascene interconnects for advanced nodes.
	New book reveals the link between robot and child development Robots that learn and acquire motor and cognitive skills in the same way that human babies do are now a reality according to a new book jointly written by an expert at Plymouth University.
	NIST to demonstrate tests of grasping by robot hands The act of grasping and shaking hands is a defining human ritual, with the grip intimating traits of each person involved. But what about our android counterparts?
	How a hacker could hijack a plane from their seat Reports that a cybersecurity expert successfully hacked into an aeroplane's control system from a passenger seat raises many worrying questions for the airline industry.
	Performance enhancing sensor ready for commercialisation A wearable device being developed by the University of Strathclyde will provide real-time data analysis of fluid loss during exercise to enhance the performance of fitness enthusiasts and elite athletes.
	VERIFI code optimization yields three-fold increase in engine simulation speed For engine designers in the digital age, time is money. And that time is measured in computer cycles.
	How nuclear power-generating reactors have evolved since their birth in the 1950s There is no credible path to climate stabilization that does not include a substantial role for nuclear power.
	Yahoo's Alibaba spinoff to proceed despite tax review Yahoo acknowledged Wednesday that US authorities are reviewing the tax-free status of its planned spinoff of its stake in Chinese online giant Alibaba, but said the deal would proceed anyway.
In privacy, Americans lack trust in government: poll Americans are worried about the privacy of their online information, and have little confidence the government will keep that data secure, a poll showed Wednesday.
	Spotify introduces video, radio service While saying that it is still a music company at heart, Spotify says it is expanding its lineup to include podcasts, news radio and video streaming.
	Americans tweet, text, surf ... while driving It's not just texting: American motorists admit to surfing the Web, posting tweets and even taking selfies while behind the wheel, a new survey shows.
	Spark electric car's price sparks a sales run It took a price cut to generate a run on Chevrolet's 2015 Spark EV, with savvy car buyers realizing the lower price and federal electric vehicle tax credit can make for a super deal.
CareFirst says data breach affects about 1.1M people In the latest disclosure of a cyberattack against a health insurer, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield says attackers gained access to a database that included the names of 1.1 million people.
	Internet search pioneer Lycos selling patents Internet search pioneer Lycos on Wednesday said it is selling some of its technology patents as the company prepares to lauch "a suite of hard good products."
	Online safety: If you want something done right, do it yourself When it comes to keeping online information safe from hackers and other criminals, it's up to the individual user to keep his or her data secure.
Banned from driving, Saudi women flock to ride-share apps When Hala Radwan returned to Saudi Arabia after obtaining a business degree in France, she was eager to put her new skills to use.
Silicon Valley aims for Cuba, but treads carefully If Horacio Nunez grew up in the United States instead of Cuba, the 26-year-old software engineer might have spent hours of his youth surfing the Web. But he had no Internet connection to his Havana home, so he learned how to code under conditions most of his Bay Area programmer peers are too young to remember.
	Researchers develop novel metallization method During the IEEE IITC conference in Grenoble, the nanoelectronics research center imec and Lam Research Corporation today presented a novel bottom-up prefill technique for vias and contacts. The technique, based on Electroless Deposition (ELD) of Cobalt (Co) is a highly selective method resulting in void-free filling of via and contact holes. Potentially increasing the circuit performance, it is a promising path to scaling advanced interconnects and enabling future logic and DRAM nodes at the 7 nm node and below.
	Developing "greener" household products The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore is working with a Japanese multinational company to develop safer, anti-odour and anti-bacteria household products that eliminate the use of harmful biocides.
More cycling with e-bikes According to a new study, electric bikes make people cycle longer and more often. The effect is best on women.
Standard knowledge for robots What do you know? There is now a world standard for capturing and conveying the knowledge that robots possess—or, to get philosophical about it, an ontology for automatons.
St. Louis Fed says research section hacked The St. Louis branch of the Federal Reserve Bank has acknowledged that hackers manipulated settings on its website for research data, but that the central bank itself was not compromised.

Chemistry news

	Defects can 'Hulk-up' materials: Properly managed damage can boost material thermoelectric performances In the story of the Marvel Universe superhero known as the Hulk, exposure to gamma radiation transforms scientist Bruce Banner into a far more powerful version of himself. In a study at Berkeley Lab, exposure to alpha-particle radiation has been shown to transform certain thermoelectric materials into far more powerful versions of themselves.
Energy-generating rubber combines flexibility and high-output Ricoh today announced that it has created a novel flexible material that converts pressure and vibration into electric energy with high efficiency.
	Light-emitting fork made with sprayed LEC technology Light-emitting electrochemical cells, LEC, is a newly invented lighting technology. In his thesis, physicist Amir Asadpoordarvish, Umeå University, shows how a LEC can be produced through spraying three layers of ink on a substrate and emit light by the current from an ordinary battery. LEC components can be sprayed onto complicated surfaces, for example to make a light-emitting fork.
	Mesoporous particles for the development of drug delivery system safe to human bodies A research group led by MANA Scientist Kohsaku Kawakami, postdoctoral researcher Shaoling Zhang and MANA Principal Investigator Katsuhiko Ariga, at the International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), NIMS (Sukekatsu Ushioda, President), succeeded in developing porous particles (mesoporous particles) consisting solely of phospholipids, a biological component, that are suitable for use as a drug delivery system. This study had been published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry C on 16 March, 2015.
	Uncovering the real history of art using a graphene scanner Museum curators, art restorers, archaeologists and the broader public will soon be able to learn much more about paintings and other historic objects, thanks to an EU project which has become a pioneer in non-invasive art exploration techniques, based on a graphene scanner.
	What happens inside a membrane A new SISSA study has achieved two important results with a single effort: to devise an innovative method to analyse the structure of biological proteins immersed in their physiological context, and to closely observe a major ion channel, discovering as yet unseen details about its opening/closing mechanism.
Natural plant chemicals could help fight tooth decay, study shows Oral care products containing a natural chemical that stops bacteria harming teeth could help prevent decay, a study suggests.
	Toward 'green' paper-thin, flexible electronics The rapid evolution of gadgets has brought us an impressive array of "smart" products from phones to tablets, and now watches and glasses. But they still haven't broken free from their rigid form.
	Rubber is produced using renewable raw materials as an alternative to petroleum by-products TECNALIA and KEREON Partners have set up a new technology-based enterprise to produce biological rubber. The enterprise Biosyncaucho will be basing its activity on technology developed and protected by four families of patents developed by TECNALIA and transferred to the new enterprise. This move will enable the problems of non-renewable raw materials —volatility, environmental impact and depletion— to be turned into a business opportunity. This technology addresses the problems in obtaining 1,3-butadiene, a chemical compound whose best-known use is the production of rubber to manufacture tyres. In addition to the above, 1,3-butadiene is also used as the basis for producing everyday products, such as tyres, raincoats, footwear or casings for electronic equipment, among many other things.

Biology news

	Brains, Genes, and Primates: The future of higher research on the planet of the apes (Phys.org)—'Brains, Genes, and Primates' is the title of a curious perspective article recently published in the journal Neuron. In it, a who's who of dignitaries and luminaries from the field of neuroscience toss out a life raft to the now ailing vocation that has operated under the umbrella of 'primate neurophysiology'. Beginning with an eclectic mix of primate-exclusive features and skillsets, the authors make the case for the continued necessity of nonhuman primates as essential models for studying the human brain. That salvation comes via the extension to the primate realm of the ability to manipulate the genome and subsequent evo-development of rodents with godlike prowess.
	What did the first snakes look like? The ancestral snakes in the grass actually lived in the forest, according to the most detailed look yet at the iconic reptiles.
	Climate change could cause cold-blooded animals' thermal tolerance to shrink Cold-blooded animals can tolerate body temperatures only a few degrees above their normal high temperatures before they overheat, which could be a problem as the planet itself warms, according to San Francisco State University researchers.
	What's love got to do with it? A lot for eavesdropping bats, singing katydids A new eavesdropping study of bats and katydids provides evidence that sensory differences can influence the "evolutionary arms race" between predators and prey.
	Researchers use CRISPR to create 'kill switch' for GMOs (Phys.org)—A pair of researchers at MIT has developed what amounts to a "kill switch" for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, Brian Caliando and Christopher Voigt describe the process they developed and how it might impact the development and use of GMOs.
	Mountain gorilla mamas sidestep having inbred offspring Some mountain gorilla females linger into adulthood in the group into which they were born. In the process they also remain in the company of their father, who is often their group's dominant male. To curb inbreeding, though, they appear to tactically avoid mating with their fathers. This strategy works so well that the chances of alpha gorilla males siring the offspring of their own daughters are effectively zero, according to Linda Vigilant of the Max Planck Institute for Anthropology in Germany. The findings are published in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
	Male Java sparrows may 'drum' to their songs Male Java sparrows may coordinate their bill-clicking sounds with the notes of their song, according to a study published May 20, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Masayo Soma and Chihiro Mori from Hokkaido University, Japan.
	Ants color vision may help march towards robot technology Researchers at The University of Western Australia have discovered how ants see in colour, a breakthrough that one day could help scientists create more autonomous robots.
	One simple molecule regulates sexual behavior in Drosophila The common vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster is a very well-studied animal. For decades, the fly has been used as a model organism in genetic research; its genome was fully sequenced in 2000. However, until now researchers have failed to identify the specific pheromone in this species that leads to mating success. Although the pheromones that inhibit mating in Drosophila were known, the positive pheromone signal that elicits courtship behavior and mating remained a mystery. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, have succeeded in identifying a relatively simple molecule that is able to regulate complex mating behavior in vinegar flies: a fatty acid methyl ester called methyl laurate. Verification was a result of the combination of state-of-the-art chemical analytic techniques, physiological measurements in the fly brain, and behavioral assays.
	Japan's whaling science under the microscope When Japanese researchers said earlier this year that eating whale meat could help prevent dementia and memory loss, the news provoked snorts of derision—it couldn't be real science, went the retort.
	Production of broccoli on East Coast proves viable Picked by hand on West Coast farms, chilled to 32 degrees within five hours and packed on ice for a road trip east, broccoli is a finicky crop to provide fresh to East Coast consumers.
	Deepwater Horizon oil spill contributed to high number of Gulf dolphin deaths As part of an unusual mortality event investigation, a team of scientists has discovered that dead bottlenose dolphins stranded in the northern Gulf of Mexico since the start of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill have lung and adrenal lesions consistent with petroleum product exposure according to a paper published today in the peer-reviewed online journal PLOS ONE.
	Video: Napoleon Bonaparte and the insulin revolution A team of Sydney researchers has drawn inspiration from a 19th century map, commissioned by Napoleon to chart his defeat in Russia, to show how insulin works in the human body.
	The case for chimpanzee 'personhood' Hercules and Leo don't know it, but a decision about their future has made history. In granting an order to show cause on whether Hercules and Leo (who just happen to be chimpanzees) are illegally imprisoned, a Supreme Court judge in Manhattan has kept open the possibility that some nonhuman animals will be granted legal rights under common law.
	Clever fish around the coast of Mallorca Island To avoid overfishing and aid in sustainable exploitation, the status of the fish stocks has to be monitored regularly. In many cases stock assessment is based on fishery-dependent data generated from fish markets or creel surveys. The assumption is: the lower the catches in a certain unit of time, the smaller the stock of fish should be. The scientists Dr. Josep Alós and Prof. Dr. Robert Arlinghaus from the German Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have now shown that some fish species show enhanced gear-avoidance behaviour in regions with high angling intensity compared to fish exposed to low levels of exploitation near marine protected areas. The consequence is the impression that there are less fish in the sea, which does not necessarily agree with underwater reality.
	Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde: Telomere and telomerase in stem cells When a human cell divides, its daughter cells should each receive an identical copy of the mother cell's genome. Occasionally mistakes occur during this process, generating mutations that can give rise to cancer. To avoid detrimental outcomes for the organism, cells with mutations that generate deviations from the normal chromosomal number are eliminated by cellular protection mechanisms. Researchers from the Leibniz Institute for Age Research – Fritz Lipmann Institute (Jena, Germany) have now identified a crucial role of telomeres, the end structures of chromosomes, for sensing cells with an incorrect chromosome number, referred to as aneuploidy. Telomeres respond to aneuploidy by generating stress signals that suppress the proliferation of aneuploid cells. However, telomerase, the enzyme, which can synthesize telomeres, may also support the survival of aneuploid cells by alleviating telomere-induced stress signals in response ! to aneuploidy. Thus, it promotes carcinogenesis instead of preventing it.
Researchers ID novel virus in US piglets affected by diarrhea epidemic A novel virus affecting young piglets and swine blood meal, an ingredient in pig feed, has been isolated and identified by researchers at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va.
	No trace of ancient colonizers' canines in Madagascar Their migration spanned half the globe and their culture was spread across the Pacific and Indian Oceans; but in Madagascar, the ancient Indonesians left behind a mystery.
	Metal pollutants in earthworms may threaten forest predators, study finds Invasive earthworms in New England's forests are absorbing toxic metal pollutants in potentially hazardous levels that may be contributing to a decline in birds, amphibians and mammals that feed on them, a Dartmouth-led study finds.
Nicotinoid and fungal disease team up to break down termites' tough defenses Purdue University research shows that a small amount of nicotinoid pesticide substantially weakens termites' ability to fight off fungal diseases, a finding that could lead to more effective methods of pest control.
	Wild 'teddy bear' of Louisiana no longer endangered The Louisiana black bear, which inspired the popular stuffed animals known as teddy bears, is no longer an endangered species, US officials said Wednesday.
British invasion of the harlequin ladybird threatens other species The harlequin ladybird, officially known as Harmonia axyridis, was widely introduced across continental Europe as a way to limit the population of small sap-sucking insects called aphids.
Offshore wind turbine construction could be putting seals' hearing at risk Noise from pile driving during offshore wind turbine construction could be damaging the hearing of harbour seals around the UK, according to ecologists who attached GPS data loggers to 24 harbor seals while offshore wind turbines were being installed in 2012. Data on the seals' locations and their diving behaviour was combined with information from the wind farm developers on when pile driving was taking place. Models revealed that half of the tagged seals were exposed to noise levels that exceeded hearing damage thresholds.
	China illegally fishing in Africa, Greenpeace study finds Chinese companies have been illegally fishing off the coast of West Africa, environmental campaign group Greenpeace said in a study Wednesday, at times sending incorrect location data suggesting they are as far away as Mexico.
	Japanese zoos, aquariums vote over dolphin hunt Japan's zoos and aquariums were expected to decide Wednesday whether to remain part of a global body that suspended them over their use of dolphins caught by the controversial drive hunt method.
	Zambia lifts ban on hunting of big cats Zambia has lifted a ban on the hunting of big cats that was imposed over allegations of corruption in the awarding of government hunting concessions, officials said Wednesday.
	Resin tapping modifications may yield greater production After assessing the effects of climate on resin production, researchers from UPM suggest new techniques to optimize the results of this traditional industry and boost its development.
	US forest service research team releases bats treated for WNS USDA Forest Service scientists, collaborators, and supporters gathered at Mark Twain Cave Complex in Hannibal, Mo., on Tuesday evening to express cautious optimism about a possible treatment for White-nose Syndrome (WNS). The purpose of the gathering was to release bats that had WNS last fall but were successfully treated during a field trial over the past winter.
	Service dogs that sniff out seizures improve kids' lives When Alyssa Howes was 4, she lost her sight and started having seizures—up to 20 a day.

Medicine & Health news

	The dark side of the 'love hormone'; similarities with the effects of alcohol Researchers at the University of Birmingham have highlighted significant similarities between the behavioural effects of oxytocin and alcohol.
	Study sheds new light on the impact of video gaming on the brain A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B by the teams of Dr. Gregory West (Assistant Professor at the Université de Montréal) and Dr. Véronique Bohbot (Douglas Institute researcher and associate Professor at McGill University and the Douglas Research Institute of the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île de Montréal) shows that while video game players (VGPs) exhibit more efficient visual attention abilities, they are also much more likely to use navigation strategies that rely on the brain's reward system (the caudate nucleus) and not the brain's spatial memory system (the hippocampus). Past research has shown that people who use caudate nucleus-dependent navigation strategies have decreased grey matter and lower functional brain activity in the hippocampus.
	Elite athletes' brains 82 percent faster Elite athletes are blessed with an area of the brain that performs 82 percent faster than average under intense pressure, a study published on Wednesday claims.
	Levels of iron could be linked to progression to Alzheimer's disease, according to study Higher levels of ferritin, an iron storage protein, may be associated with the transition from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease, according to new research published today in Nature Communications.
	Old bones can regain youthful healing power Broken bones in older people are notoriously slow to heal, but researchers at Duke Medicine have identified a potential way to speed the process.
	Genome study reveals patterns and properties of human de novo mutations (Medical Xpress)—A large team of researchers with members from the Netherlands and the U.S. has conducted a genome analysis on a large human population and as a result has found patterns and properties that were not formerly known regarding de novo mutations. In their paper published in Nature Genetics, the team describes the study they conducted, their findings and the map they created using the data they had obtained.
	Pilot clinical trial finds injected immune cells safe in multiple myeloma patients In a report on what is believed to be the first small clinical trial of its kind, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say they have safely used immune cells grown from patients' own bone marrow to treat multiple myeloma, a cancer of white blood cells.
	Potential new drug target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, in collaboration with colleagues the University of California, San Diego, identified a novel drug target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis that focuses on the cells that are directly responsible for the cartilage damage in affected joints.
	Lymphatic cells grown in the lab for the first time For over one hundred years, scientists have debated the question of the origins of the lymphatic system - a parallel system to the blood vessels that serves as a conduit for everything from immune cells to fat molecules to cancer cells. This issue has now been resolved by Dr. Karina Yaniv of Weizmann Institute's Biological Regulation Department. In a study reported online today in Nature, she and her team revealed how the lymphatic system develops in the embryo and for the first time managed to grow lymphatic cells in the lab.
	Paracetamol in pregnancy may lower testosterone in unborn boys Prolonged paracetamol use by pregnant women may reduce testosterone production in unborn baby boys, research has found.
	People tend to locate the self in the brain or the heart—and it affects their judgments and decisions Whether people locate their sense of self in the brain or the heart can have a major influence on people's decision-making, according to a new study by management and business experts at Rice University and Columbia University.
	Re-engineered antibiotic shows potential for treatment of drug-resistant bacteria Researchers led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have developed a second-generation antibiotic that shows early effectiveness against common bacterial infections that pose a serious health threat to children and adults. The findings appear today in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine.
More people are dying in hospices in England The proportion of people dying in hospices in England has nearly doubled since 1993, but the gap in hospice deaths between people living in the least and most deprived areas appears to be growing, find a new study by the Cicely Saunders Institute at King's College London.
	Family history of breast cancer doesn't mean a poor prognosis for women who develop the disease A new large study finds that women who are diagnosed with breast cancer and have a family history of the disease face no worse of a prognosis after treatment than other women with breast cancer. The study, which was published recently in the BJS (British Journal of Surgery), offers a positive message for women who may worry about their future in light of a family history of breast cancer.
Gun violence restraining orders: A promising strategy to reduce gun violence in the US Gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) are a promising strategy for reducing firearm homicide and suicide in the United States, and should be considered by states seeking to address gun violence, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of California, Davis, argue in a new report.
	Chemo before surgery benefits patients with advanced ovarian cancer Women with advanced ovarian cancer have fewer side effects and tend to have a better quality of life if given chemotherapy before surgery, according to a Cancer Research UK study published today (Wednesday) in The Lancet.
	Discovery of a treatment to block the progression of multiple sclerosis A drug that could halt the progression of multiple sclerosis may soon be developed thanks to a discovery by a team at the CHUM Research Centre and the University of Montreal. The researchers have identified a molecule called MCAM, and they have shown that blocking this molecule could delay the onset of the disease and significantly slow its progression. These encouraging results from in vitro tests in humans and in vivo tests in mice were published today in the Annals of Neurology. "We believe we have identified the first therapy that will impact the quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis by significantly reducing the disability and the disease's progression," said Dr. Alexandre Prat, lead author of the study, researcher at the CRCHUM, and professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the University of Montreal.
	A statistical study of first-year college rape Beginning in the fall when they arrived on campus and continuing through the following summer, 18.6 percent of freshmen women surveyed at a university in upstate New York in 2010 endured at least one—completed or attempted rape, according to a new study that is the is the first to examine the risk of sexual attack on first-year women in detail.
	Meds offer slight symptom relief in overactive bladder (HealthDay)—For women with overactive bladder, medications delivered as a daily dose correlate with small reductions in urge incontinence episodes and voiding, according to a review published online May 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Oncologist recs plus motivation package increases exercise (HealthDay)—For breast and colorectal cancer survivors, the level of exercise participation is significantly increased for those receiving an oncologist's exercise recommendations with an exercise motivation package, according to a study published online May 12 in Cancer.
Stroke risk clarified following routine clot removal after heart attack Clearing blood clots from arteries during treatment for an acute myocardial infarction was a relatively common practice until a recent, large-scale study showed that the technique, known as thrombectomy, might actually increase the risk of stroke. Now, new insights from the TOTAL trial, presented here at EuroPCR 2015, indicate that the risk of stroke with thrombectomy during angioplasty, compared to angioplasty alone is evident very early following the procedure.
	Project brings whole genome sequencing into the clinic More than 10 years after the completion of the Human Genome Project doctors are a step closer to using whole genome sequencing to diagnose and treat patients with genetic diseases. This follows a study by researchers from the University of Oxford and the DNA sequencing company Illumina. Results from this 'WGS500' study, published in Nature Genetics, showed that genome sequencing provided definitive diagnoses for up to 60% of patients with some types of genetic disorder, for whom standard genetic testing had previously failed.
	Lowering risk of a major eye disease Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a chronic, progressive disease, is a leading cause of blindness among people aged 65 and older. Vision impairment due to advanced AMD significantly reduces quality of life and incurs substantial health care costs. Naturally, strategies to prevent AMD or delay its progression are important. Several Agricultural Research Service-funded scientists have been studying the possibility of reducing—by way of dietary modification—the risk of AMD.
	Men experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence have higher incidence of mental health problems Men visiting their GP with symptoms of anxiety or depression are more likely to have experienced or carried out some form of behaviour linked to domestic violence and abuse, according to a new University of Bristol study. Researchers say the findings highlight the need for GPs to ask male patients with mental health problems about domestic abuse.
	Brief alcohol screening misses mark for people who most need help, study says As screening for alcohol problems during doctor visits has become more mainstream, a new study published in the journal Addiction finds that the technique does not increase successful referrals to alcohol counseling and treatment.
	Kidney failure impacts survival of sepsis patients Researchers at Duke Medicine have determined that kidney function plays a critical role in the fate of patients being treated for sepsis, a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection.
Study examines occupational sun-safety policies for local government workers in Colorado Few local government organizations in Colorado had policies on environmental controls, such as the provision of outdoor shade, or administrative procedures, including training and resource allocation, to improve sun protection for their workers and most policies addressed employees' use of personal protection practices, according to an article published online by JAMA Dermatology.
Inhaled corticosteroids for COPD decrease mortality risk from pneumonia and other causes Treatment of COPD with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) may decrease the risk of dying from pneumonia and from other causes despite being associated with an increase in the occurrence of pneumonia, according to a new meta-analysis presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society International Conference.
People with metabolic syndrome face higher cardiovascular death risk People who have metabolic syndrome are more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than people who do not have the condition, and having diabetes or high blood pressure worsens the risk, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
	Mothers of sons more likely to develop diabetes during pregnancy An unborn child's gender can affect the mother's risk of developing gestational diabetes or Type 2 diabetes later in life, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
	Students develop wearable device that monitors anxiety in autistic children A wearable device developed by students at the University of British Columbia shows promise in preventing meltdowns in children with autism.
	Health risks beneath the painted beauty in America's nail salons The desire for beautiful nails has fueled an entire nail salon industry that's growing rapidly, with storefronts cropping up on every major street across the nation. Yet, the recent articles from the New York Times exposed an industry that's left workers struggling both with unlivable wages and with damaged health. Everyone who enters a nail salon can be affected, yet the workers are the ones left entirely unprotected.
	Herpes offers big insights on coughing – and potential new remedies Cough treatments could change dramatically after the herpes virus helped researchers discover that the respiratory tract links to two different parts of the nervous system.
	Smoking and drug abuse could more than triple annual ER visits Smokers are four times more likely than non-smokers to become frequent visitors of emergency rooms.
COPD is independent risk factor for cardiovascular death, but not risk of stroke Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is associated with increased risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease such as heart failure or a heart attack, as well as diseases not associated with the heart. However, COPD is not by itself associated with increased likelihood of having a stroke or a systemic embolism, according to a new research study.
	Caffeine intake associated with reduced levels of erectile dysfunction Men who drink the equivalent caffeine level of two to three cups of coffee a day are less likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED), according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).
	Victims of childhood bullying at higher risk of cardiovascular disease in later life People who experienced bullying in childhood are more likely to be overweight and show higher levels of blood inflammation in later life, finds new research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London. This puts them at higher risk of heart attack and various age-related conditions, including type-2 diabetes, according to the study authors.
	Zambian children report happiness levels on par with Canadian counterparts Spirituality and connection to nature are good predictors of Zambian children's well-being, according to a UBC study published in the current issue of the Journal of Happiness Studies.
	After a sip of milkshake, genes and brain activity predict weight gain The way the brain responds while sipping a delicious milkshake can predict who will gain weight and who will not—but only if the individual has just eaten and has a certain genetic profile, a new brain imaging study by Yale School of Medicine researchers show.
	Drug-resistant lung cancer may have Achilles heel Drugs introduced more than a decade ago that target mutations in a protein known as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) held the promise of personalized treatments for a common form of non-small cell lung cancer. But most patients quickly develop resistance to these drugs and are left with few or no treatment options, because it has been very difficult to design new drugs that act selectively upon the drug-resistant form.
	Why the 'love hormone' may be less rosy and more rose than we thought A decade ago, a revolutionary paper showed that a hormone called oxytocin can actually make us trust other people. This spawned a flurry of research that revealed oxytocin's potential to boost social interactions. Now a new study has shown that the hormone is actually very similar to alcohol, a well-known social lubricant. However, just like alcohol, it has a dark side.
	New paper from Food Research Collaboration reviews impact of taxes overseas The UK Government must face the "mounting" evidence in support of taxes on unhealthy food and drinks, according to the authors of a new report.
	Obese 4-5 year olds likely to remain overweight throughout their primary school life A new study, published in The Journal of Public Health which examined changes in BMI in children aged 4-11 years, found that that the number of obese children approximately doubles between the first and last years of primary school and that children who are obese when they start school are likely to continue to be overweight by the time they leave for secondary school.
	Twitter could provide valuable details about transgender individuals' health, social needs Transgender and gender nonconforming people are at high risk for diseases such as AIDS and are vulnerable to depression and other mental health issues, but may be reluctant to disclose their identities to researchers due to stigma. As a result, very little is known about their health and social needs.
	Animals' presence may ease social anxiety in kids with autism When animals are present, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have lower readings on a device that detects anxiety and other forms of social arousal when interacting with their peers.
	Molecule designed to treat lung cancer shows promising results in mice A multidisciplinary team led by Johns Hopkins researcher Venu Raman, Ph.D., with notable contributions from Guus Bol, Farhad Vesuna and Phuoc Tran of Johns Hopkins, has identified a new therapy for lung cancer, the most common cancer worldwide. The therapy has been in development for six years and involves a first-in-class molecule designed by the team. The molecule, RK-33, interrupts the cell cycle of lung cancer cells without harming normal cells, and it is effective both on its own and in combination with radiation therapy.
Hospital admissions strongly linked to disability for older adults in last year of life Yale researchers found a close association between acute hospitalizations and the development and progression of disability among older adults at the end of life. Their findings may have profound implications for medical decision-making for older people and those who care for them.
	Surgery followed by ipilimumab in melanoma patients improves survival Melanoma is predicted to result in approximately 10,000 deaths in 2015. The majority of these deaths are due to advanced stage disease that has spread or metastasized to other sites. The prognosis for patients with metastatic melanoma remains poor, with 5-year survival rates of 63 percent in patients who have metastatic disease in regional lymph nodes, and only 17 percent in patients who have metastatic disease in distant sites. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers participated in an international phase 3 study that demonstrated that a drug called ipilimumab improves the relapse-free survival of advanced stage melanoma patients rendered free of disease surgically but at high risk for relapse.
	Experimental Ebola treatment boosts survival in mice The number of new Ebola cases is tapering off, but the search for new treatments continues. Now, one research team has found potential drug candidates that successfully treated up to 90 percent of mice exposed to the Ebola virus. They report their findings in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases.
Public not being informed about dangers of medical overdiagnosis A national survey reveals that only one in ten Australians report being told about the risk of overdiagnosis by their doctors, according to research published today in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.
Metabolic abnormalities may increase cardiovascular risk more in black women than white women Large waistline, cholesterol disorders and other metabolic abnormalities may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease more among black women than among white women, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association.
Support group, home exercise improves mobility for PAD patients Group behavioral therapy that encouraged walking at home significantly improved and prevented mobility loss among patients with clogged arteries in the legs, according to research in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
	People with depression may be more likely to develop Parkinson's disease People with depression may be more likely to develop Parkinson's disease, according to a large study published in the May 20, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Study findings linking ovulation, racial bias questioned Is ovulation related to higher racial bias? Though recent research, from Michigan State University, suggested that there was a link, new research from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business was unable to replicate those findings.
	Include men in osteoporosis screening guidelines, study says Most people associate osteoporosis with women. But the truth is, one in four men over the age of 50 will break a bone as a result of this condition. That's more men than will have prostate cancer, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
	Researchers focus on potential tool for predicting survival, staging prostate cancer Researchers with the Indiana University School of Medicine have identified a molecule that promotes metastasis of advanced prostate cancer to the bone, an incurable condition that significantly decreases quality of life. The research, published online in the journal Cancer Cell, may offer new targets for diagnosing and treating this common disease.
	Bleeding complications up with multicompartment mesh removal (HealthDay)—For women undergoing vaginal mesh removal, bleeding complications are higher for removal from multiple vaginal compartments versus a single vaginal compartment, according to research published May 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Adherence to mediterranean diet not linked to risk of RA (HealthDay)—Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is not associated with incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in U.S. women, according to a study published in the May issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
	More evidence C-sections riskier for moms (HealthDay)—Women who deliver their first baby by cesarean section are more likely to need blood transfusions and be admitted to intensive care units than women who opt for a vaginal delivery, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday.
	Hospital stays longer without prophylactic laxatives (HealthDay)—Failure to use prophylactic laxatives in elderly congestive heart failure (CHF) patients who use laxatives at home is associated with a significantly longer hospital length of stay (LOS), according to a study published online May 13 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Enoxaparin prevents VTEs in advanced pancreatic cancer (HealthDay)—For patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (APC), enoxaparin is effective for prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolic events (VTEs), according to a study published online May 18 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Changes observed in HbA1c during ramadan (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, during Ramadan, the greatest change among metabolic parameters is seen for glycemia, according to a study published online May 13 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
	Drinking chamomile decreases risk of death in older Mexican American women Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have found that drinking chamomile tea was associated with a decreased risk of death from all causes in Mexican-American American women over 65. The findings were recently published online in The Gerontologist.
New studies contradict earlier findings on Rett syndrome Independent reproduction of other scientists' results is a cornerstone of solid research, but scientists are rarely recognized for successfully reproducing published findings, much less for demonstrating that scientific findings cannot be reproduced. However, failure to reproduce a finding may suggest doubt about the robustness of the original work, which carries implications for anyone looking to build on those findings.
Researchers address controversial kwashiorkor treatment The latest issue of Paediatrics and International Child Health sees leading experts in the field of oedematous malnutrition address the ongoing controversy surrounding the use of albumin for treatment of oedema in children with kwashiorkor in shock.
Kenya cholera death toll rises to 65 At least 65 people are confirmed to have died in a nearly five-month-old cholera outbreak in Kenya, with infections also continuing to rise in the capital Nairobi, health officials said Wednesday.
	A non-invasive tool for diagnosing cancer Researchers in Singapore have developed an ultrasensitive method to detect micro-RNAs: tiny molecules that can indicate the presence of tumours. They are applying the technology toward a non-invasive screening test for gastric cancer.
Improving nutrition in people with dementia With over 850,000 people with dementia in the UK, ensuring dignity in their care and wellbeing is a critical issue. New research from Bournemouth University, funded by the Burdett Trust, has been investigating how to improve nutrition in people with dementia. With Dementia Week 2015 now underway, new training and subsequent resources based on research from project aim to support busy nursing and caring professionals in their role.
New Zealand's maternity statistics should be better, says expert New Zealand should be one of the safest places in the world to give birth with maternity statistics that are as good as or better than most other countries, says Professor Stacie Geller, an international maternal morbidity and mortality expert.
	The fear of dying in misery in a hospital is driving the assisted dying debate, says medical ethics expert The fear of a miserable death in a hospital bed rather than at home is driving public support for mercy-killing law in the UK, a Birmingham City University academic has warned.
NHS pressures at risk of stifling cancer research, says report Daily pressures on the NHS are having a serious impact on its ability to support world-leading research into cancer, according to a Cancer Research UK-commissioned report from the University of Birmingham.
Dasabuvir in hepatitis C: Indication of added benefit in certain patients The drug dasabuvir (trade name Exviera) has been available since January 2015 for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C infection. 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.
	Scripps reports results at first all pencil-beam proton center in US The nation's first and only proton therapy center to treat patients exclusively with pencil-beam scanning is reporting exceptional results in delivering cancer treatment since opening for patient care just more than a year ago.
Johnson & Johnson expects lucrative return on drug pipeline Johnson & Johnson expects a lucrative return from its pharmaceutical business, with plans to seek approval by 2019 for more than 10 new products, each with the potential to top $1 billion in annual sales.
DEA wrapping up 4-state prescription drug crackdown in South Federal drug agents raided medical clinics, pharmacies and other locations across the South on Wednesday, wrapping up what a federal official called a long-running crackdown on prescription drug abuse.
	Chinese herbal mixture significantly reduces fatigue in cancer patients Cancer patients suffering from moderate to severe fatigue reported significantly less fatigue within 2-3 weeks of treatment with the traditional Chinese medicine herbal mixture Ren Shen Yangrong Tang (RSYRT), a soup containing 12 herbs. The safety and efficacy of RSYRT in this Phase I/II trial are presented in an article in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.
'Insufficient evidence' on degenerative brain disease in athletes Available research does not support the contention that athletes are uniquely at risk of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) or other neurodegenerative disorders, according to a review in the June issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Regrets? Opting out of clinical trials may prompt more than a few Women who choose not to participate in a clinical trial may be significantly more likely to later regret that decision than women who choose to participate in the study, according to a team of Penn State researchers.

Other Sciences news

	Oldest-known stone tools pre-date Homo Scientists working in the desert badlands of northwestern Kenya have found stone tools dating back 3.3 million years, long before the advent of modern humans, and by far the oldest such artifacts yet discovered. The tools, whose makers may or may not have been some sort of human ancestor, push the known date of such tools back by 700,000 years; they also may challenge the notion that our own most direct ancestors were the first to bang two rocks together to create a new technology.
	Paleontologists discover the first dinosaur fossil in Washington state Burke Museum paleontologists have published a description of the first dinosaur fossil from Washington state. The fossil was collected by a Burke Museum research team along the shores of Sucia Island State Park in the San Juan Islands.
	Hitmen bury their feelings for a successful 'hit' Hitmen succeed in contract killing where they successfully bury any feelings or emotions, a study into the psychology of novice assassins has found.
How the global press reports on the 'hactivism' of Anonymous A study of global media reporting on the activities of the 'hactivist' group Anonymous has revealed that the press generally portrays them as simple pranksters – even though the vast majority of their operations are motivated by the defence of free speech or political causes.
	Professors prepare national tool kit for police use of body-worn cameras Two ASU criminology and criminal justice professors are the primary authors of a new online tool kit for police departments nationwide to implement the use of body-worn video cameras.
	Walkable neighbourhoods ease stranger danger fears Creating pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods with trees, footpaths, parks, shops and cafes could be the key to allaying parents' age-old fears about stranger danger, according to a Perth study.
	How archetypal myths shape the way people think about science "One doesn't expect Dr Frankenstein to show up in a wool sweater," wrote political commentator Charles Krauthammer, ominously, in the March 1997 issue of Time magazine. He was referring to British scientist Dr Ian Wilmut, who eight months earlier had successfully created Dolly, the world's most famous sheep, by cloning her from another adult sheep's cell.
Pressure to expand is crucial key to firms' success Whole Foods Market encourages its employees to connect with the supermarket's "core values" on a personal level and make them "come to life" every day in their work.
	Do CEOs deserve all the attention they get? New research provides answers Media interest in CEOs has soared to stratospheric heights in recent years, with the likes of Jeff Bezos and Steve Jobs becoming household names. But do corporate top dogs deserve all that attention? New research from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business shows that a CEO does indeed often have an outsized effect on firm performance.
Museum defends artist's call for drugs to fuel teens' creativity An Australian museum has defended an artist who suggested that teenagers be given marijuana to unlock their potential, describing the proposal as "brave and creative".
	John Glenn: Evolution should be taught in schools John Glenn, who declared as a 77-year-old in a news conference from space that "to look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible," says facts about scientific discovery should be taught in schools—and that includes evolution.
	Strengthening governance through open data A research network is exploring how open data can help address specific challenges and bring about positive change in developing countries.
	Einstein and Hitler, the hero and the villain of world history What do Einstein, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Newton, Jesus, Mandela, Edison, Lincoln and the Buddha all have in common? They all make up the top 10 heroes in world history. As regards the villains, the first 10 positions are occupied by Adolf Hitler, Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush, Stalin, Mao, Lenin, Genghis Khan, Saladin, the emperor Qin and Napoleon.
New survey on academic diversity shows little progress Despite efforts over decades to diversify the ranks of university faculty, only 4 percent of chemistry professorships at 50 leading U.S. colleges and universities are held by underrepresented minorities. That key finding and others related to diversity in academia came from a new survey conducted by a program called Open Chemistry Collaborative in Diversity Equity (OXIDE) in partnership with Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.

---

This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
(....)
You are subscribed as pascal.alter@gmail.com