Fwd: Science X Newsletter Monday, Jul 27

RESPEKT!

Sleep makes our memories more accessible, study shows

HOT!

Study identifies 'major player' in skin cancer genes

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Tue, Jul 28, 2015 at 3:56 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Monday, Jul 27
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 27, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- We will find organic materials on Asteroid Bennu, says OSIRIS-REx principal investigator
- Scientists harvest energy from beam's self-induced, self-sustaining vibrations in airflow
- Driving myelination by actin disassembly
- Twin discoveries, 'eerie' effect may lead to manufacturing advances
- Best of Last Week – Dark matter acting like pions, changes to astronaut skin and illusion of knowledge by experts
- Neural efficiency hypothesis confirmed
- Superfast fluorescence sets new speed record
- Researchers predict material with record-setting melting point
- New blow for 'supersymmetry' physics theory
- Past and present genomes tell the story of Native American biological origins
- Software turns smartphones into tools for medical research
- 3-D image of malaria 'conductor' aids search for antimalarial drugs
- Smaller, faster, cheaper: A new type of modulator for the future of data transmission
- Hiding in plain sight: Undergraduates discover the densest galaxies known
- Dust pillars of destruction reveal impact of cosmic wind on galaxy evolution

Nanotechnology news

	Superfast fluorescence sets new speed record Researchers have developed an ultrafast light-emitting device that can flip on and off 90 billion times a second and could form the basis of optical computing.
	Wafer-thin material heralds future of wearable technology UOW's Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM) has successfully pioneered a way to construct a flexible, foldable and lightweight energy storage device that provides the building blocks for next-generation batteries needed to power wearable electronics and implantable medical devices.

Physics news

	Scientists harvest energy from beam's self-induced, self-sustaining vibrations in airflow (Phys.org)—In an attempt to harvest the kinetic energy of airflow, researchers have demonstrated the ability to harvest energy directly from the vibrations of a flexible, piezoelectric beam placed in a wind tunnel. While the general approach to harvesting energy from these "aeroelastic" vibrations is to attach the beam to a secondary vibrating structure, such as a wing section, the new design eliminates the need for the secondary vibrating structure because the beam is designed so that it produces self-induced and self-sustaining vibrations. As a result, the new system can be made very small, which increases its efficiency and makes it more practical for applications, such as self-powered sensors.
	Twin discoveries, 'eerie' effect may lead to manufacturing advances The discovery of a previously unknown type of metal deformation - sinuous flow - and a method to suppress it could lead to more efficient machining and other manufacturing advances by reducing the force and energy required to process metals.
	Researchers predict material with record-setting melting point Using powerful computer simulations, researchers from Brown University have identified a material with a higher melting point than any known substance.
	New blow for 'supersymmetry' physics theory In a new blow for the futuristic "supersymmetry" theory of the universe's basic anatomy, experts reported fresh evidence Monday of subatomic activity consistent with the mainstream Standard Model of particle physics.
	Quantum networks: Back and forth are not equal distances Quantum technology based on light (photons) has great potential for radically new information technology based on photonic circuits. Up to now, the photons in quantum photonic circuits have behaved in the same way whether they moved forward or backward in a photonic channel. This has limited the ability to control the photons and thus build complex circuits for photonic quantum computers. Now researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute have discovered a new type of photonic channels, where back and forth are not equal distances! Such a system has been a missing component for building quantum photonic circuits on a large scale.
	Smaller, faster, cheaper: A new type of modulator for the future of data transmission Transmitting large amounts of data, such as those needed to keep the internet running, requires high-performance modulators that turn electric signals into light signals. Researchers at ETH Zurich have now developed a modulator that is a hundred times smaller than conventional models.
	Selection of a desired dynamical behavior Multi-stability, or coexistence of multiple behaviors, is a universal phenomenon found in almost all areas of science in nature, from lasers and chemical reactions to climate or the brain. The phenomenon of multi-stability also contributes to fundamental dynamics of neurons and neural networks related to cell diversification. Multi-stability has been proposed as a basic mechanism for storing associative memory and pattern recognition in the brain. In the case of perception of ambiguous images, different cognitive brain states represent particular objects, which can be selected by the neural network to give some input information depending on prior knowledge.
	Magnetic temperature meter revealed Those who wish to renovate their houses and make them more energy-efficient often use the well-known yellow to blue thermal images to visually identify weak spots applying infra-red measurements. Thermographic imaging is also used in industry for materials testing. Depending on the material, however, the method can result in large measurement errors. Scientists at Kiel University have now developed a technology that visually identifies the slightest temperature differences with high spatial resolution, whatever the material. This new principle competes with other procedures as well, as reported by researchers in the current edition of the scientific journal, Advanced Materials.
NY wins $600 million hub for photonics research, development A $610 million research and manufacturing hub dedicated to the science of photonics—the use of light in technology—will be developed in western New York, federal and state officials said Monday, which could mean thousands of jobs for the region.

Earth news

	Research suggests western US deserts were relatively wet up until 8,200 years ago All around the deserts of Utah, Nevada, southern Oregon, and eastern California, ancient shorelines line the hillsides above dry valley floors, like bathtub rings—remnants of the lakes once found throughout the region. Even as the ice sheets retreated at the end of the last ice age, 12,000 years ago, the region remained much wetter than it is today. The earliest settlers of the region are likely to have encountered a verdant landscape of springs and wetlands.
	Drought and climate change fuel high-elevation California fires, study finds Wildfires in California's fabled Sierra Nevada mountain range are increasingly burning high-elevation forests, which historically have seldom burned, reports a team of researchers led by the John Muir Institute of the Environment at the University of California, Davis.
	Predictors of climate change awareness and risk perception vary around the globe Using data from the largest cross-sectional survey of climate change perceptions ever conducted, researchers writing in Nature Climate Change today report the first global assessment of factors underlying climate change awareness and risk perception. They say results indicate that to be most effective, climate-related messages must be tailored to public awareness and perceptions specific to each nation.
	Researchers find reasons behind increases in urban flooding Scientists at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science investigating the increasing risk of 'compound flooding' for major U.S. cities have found that flooding risk is greatest for cities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts when strong storm surge and high rainfall amounts occur together. While rising sea levels are the main driver for increasing flood risk, storm surges caused by weather patterns that favor high precipitation exacerbates flood potential.
	Twin volcanic chains above a single hotspot with distinct roots Many processes inside the earth are still enigmatic. One of the open questions is how neighboring chains of volcanoes, supplied by the same volcanic hotspot, can emit material of distinct geochemical composition over tens of millions of years? Researchers of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel have now found a possible explanation in the South Atlantic. The study is published today in the international journal Nature Communications.
Greenhouse gas source underestimated from the US Corn Belt, study shows Estimates of how much nitrous oxide, a significant greenhouse gas and stratospheric ozone-depleting substance, is being emitted in the central United States have been too low by as much as 40 percent, a new study led by University of Minnesota scientists shows.
	A cataclysmic event of a certain age At the end of the Pleistocene period, approximately 12,800 years ago—give or take a few centuries—a cosmic impact triggered an abrupt cooling episode that earth scientists refer to as the Younger Dryas.
Wildfire watching: Rangers in towers are out, cameras are in For decades, forest rangers in wooden towers across the West scanned the horizon with binoculars for smoke that could signal the start of a wildfire.
	No, we aren't heading into a 'mini ice age' Wouldn't it be great if scientists could make their minds up? One minute they're telling us our planet is warming up due to human activity and we run the risk of potentially devastating environmental change. Next, they're warning that the Earth is heading for a mini ice age in the next 15 years.
	California water agencies don't know how much their pipes leak, report finds With California homeowners taking steps to save water during the drought, they may be dismayed to hear that a new UCLA report found that water agencies are unable to keep close track of how much their own pipes are leaking.
	Multiple factors may shape toxicity of Lake Erie cyanobacterial blooms The most detailed genetic study of western Lake Erie's shifting cyanobacterial communities is yielding new insights into the factors that were at play last August when high levels of a bacterial toxin shut down the drinking water supply to more than 400,000 Toledo-area residents.
	The ultimate buddy system at the West Antarctic Divide Sheet Where does a glaciologist find a best buddy? At scientific ice camp in Antarctica!
	Drivers of temporal changes in temperate forest plant diversity Climate change, environmental pollution or land use changes – there are numerous influences threatening biodiversity in forests around the globe. The resulting decrease in biodiversity is a matter of common knowledge today – amongst scientists as well as amongst the general public.
	Wildfire in Spain ravages 1,200 hectares A wildfire raging in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia on Monday has destroyed over 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) of land and forced the evacuation of some 800 people, local officials said.
	Worldwide strengthening El Nino giveth and taketh away In California, they're counting on it to end an historic drought; in Peru, they've already declared a pre-emptive emergency to prepare for devastating flooding. It's both an economic stimulus and a recession-maker. And it's likely to increase the price of coffee, chocolate and sugar.
	NASA hosts 'Quest for Quakes' data challenge A new NASA challenge is looking for evidence to support a theory that electromagnetic pulses (EMP) may precede an earthquake, potentially offering a warning to those in the quake's path.
China accepts group's case against ConocoPhillips, CNOOC A Chinese court says it has accepted a case brought by a social organization against oil giants ConocoPhillips China and China National Offshore Oil Corp. over oil spills in northern China in 2011.
	White House enlists top US firms in climate fight The White House on Monday said that more than a dozen of America's biggest companies have pledged to tackle climate change, backing President Barack Obama ahead of a global summit.
	A dire warning on rapid climate change Sea level rise from melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland threaten catastrophe for coastal cities within decades unless strong measures are taken to reduce CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels, argues climate scientist James Hansen.
	Isolated indigenous group reaches out in Peru's Amazon Members of an isolated indigenous group made contact over the weekend with villagers in Peru's Amazon basin seeking food and supplies, a Lima newspaper reported Monday.

Astronomy & Space news

	We will find organic materials on Asteroid Bennu, says OSIRIS-REx principal investigator (Phys.org)—In September 2016, NASA plans to launch its first-ever asteroid sample return mission loaded with tasks that will help us better understand the composition of asteroids, their origin, and possibly even Earth's origin. The Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission designed to study asteroids, which are the leftover debris from the solar system formation process, could teach us a lot about the history of the sun and planets.
	Fossil star clusters reveal their age Using a new age-dating method, an international team of astronomers has determined that ancient star clusters formed in two distinct epochs – the first 12.5 billion years ago and the second 11.5 billion years ago.
	Hubble looks in on a galactic nursery This dramatic image shows the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's view of dwarf galaxy known as NGC 1140, which lies 60 million light-years away in the constellation of Eridanus. As can be seen in this image NGC 1140 has an irregular form, much like the Large Magellanic Cloud—a small galaxy that orbits the Milky Way.
	The search for molecular oxygen among cosmic oxygen atoms Oxygen is the third most abundant element in the universe (after hydrogen and helium) and of course it is important: all known life forms require liquid water and its oxygen content. For over thirty years, astronomers have been searching for molecular oxygen, O2, as part of an accounting of cosmic oxygen atoms. Despite early predictions that O2 should be abundant in the molecular clouds that form new stars and planetary systems, it is virtually absent.
	Dust pillars of destruction reveal impact of cosmic wind on galaxy evolution Astronomers have long known that powerful cosmic winds can sometimes blow through galaxies, sweeping out interstellar material and stopping future star formation. Now they have a clearer snapshot of how it happens.
	Hiding in plain sight: Undergraduates discover the densest galaxies known Two undergraduates at San José State University have discovered two galaxies that are the densest known. Similar to ordinary globular star clusters but a hundred to a thousand times brighter, the new systems have properties intermediate in size and luminosity between galaxies and star clusters.
	Image: Pluto Dazzles in False Color New Horizons scientists use enhanced color images to detect differences in the composition and texture of Pluto's surface. When close-up images are combined with color data from the Ralph instrument, it paints a new and surprising portrait of the dwarf planet.
	UK satellite Twinkle will boost search for Earth-like exoplanets NASA's recent discovery of 12 more exoplanets, including the most Earth-like yet, brings the number of exoplanets – those outside our solar system – discovered to nearly 2,000. It's now thought that almost every star has a planetary system, with Earth just one of several billion planets in our galaxy alone.
	What is the search for extraterrestrial intelligence actually looking for? The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) last week got a US$100 million dollar shot in the arm from wealthy, Russian Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Yuri Milner.
	Is science drawing closer to an alien world? NASA's discovery of Earth-like exoplanet Kepler-452b, nicknamed "Earth 2.0", has social media buzzing about the chances of finding a faraway world, possibly with alien life or key resources such as water.
	Venus As the morning star, the evening star, and the brightest natural object in the sky (after the Moon), human beings have been aware of Venus since time immemorial. Even though it would be many thousands of years before it was recognized as being a planet, its has been a part of human culture since the beginning of recorded history.
What if a black hole met an antimatter black hole? I've wondered out loud how it might be possible to destroy a black hole because I talk to myself and sometimes there's a camera watching.
	USAF High Throughput Tactical Satcom takes flight in stunning Florida sunset blastoff An advanced military communications satellite that will significantly fortify tactical communications amongst U.S. and allied military forces took flight this evening, July 23, during a stunning sunset blastoff of a United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket from the Florida space coast as threatening weather luckily skirted away from the launch site in the waning hours of the countdown.

Technology news

	Spotted in Nintendo patent trio: Sensors, projector for sleep state NeoGAF, a video game forum, spotted a set of patents last week igniting much interest among game- and gadget-watching sites. Nintendo filed for a device the size of an alarm clock, which also involves a ceiling projector, docking station and speakers.
	Software turns smartphones into tools for medical research Jody Kearns doesn't like to spend time obsessing about her Parkinson's disease. The 56-year-old dietitian from Syracuse, New York, had to give up bicycling because the disorder affected her balance. But she still works, drives and tries to live a normal life.
	Google throttles back vision for its social network Google on Monday said it is throttling back on its vision of having profiles at its social network serve as people's identities across its range of online offerings.
	Salt water for lamp designed to serve people without electricity A startup team calls their work a product. They also call it a social movement. Many people in the over-7,000 islands in the Philippines lack access to electricity .The startup would like to make a difference. Their main ingredient is salt.
Healthy profit rise for Philips Rising sales of medical equipment helped drive a 12 percent increase in second quarter net profit at Dutch electronics manufacturer Philips, the company said Monday.
	What if all cars were electric? A century ago, Switzerland decided to electrify its railways. Out went coal, coal pollution and energy dependency. Today, what about switching all our cars over to electricity? The air would be cleaner, but what would be the impact on electricity demand, employment and tax income? This is the topic of Cihan Cavdarli's Master Thesis in Energy Management.
	Apple Watch will be sold at some Best Buy stores The Apple Watch is heading to some Best Buy stores ahead of the holiday shopping season.
	China lifting ban on sales of video game consoles China is lifting its ban on sales of video game consoles to promote the industry and a new manufacturing zone in Shanghai.
	Interdisciplinary research project to develop a heat pump powered by waste heat As part of the National Research Program "Energy Turnaround" NRP 70 the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) is supporting the interdisciplinary research project "THRIVE". With IBM Research – Zurich and the Hochschule für Technik Rapperswil as leading houses, scientists from Empa, ETH Zurich, HEIG-VD and PSI will be teaming up with industrial partners until 2017 to develop a heat pump that is powered by waste heat. Compared to today's compression heat pumps, this technology only requires very little electricity and can also use waste heat efficiently to air-condition buildings. The project is part of the SNSF initiative to support the Swiss government's "Energy Strategy 2050" and is open to further industrial partners interested in collaborating.
	Fantasy sports company DraftKings raises $300 mn DraftKings, a leading player in the booming fantasy sports business, announced Monday that it raised $300 million from a group of investors that includes Fox Sports and three major sports leagues.

Chemistry news

	Findings illuminate animal evolution in protein function Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond researchers recently teamed up to explore the inner workings of cells and shed light on the 400–600 million years of evolution between humans and early animals such as sponges.
	Smart hydrogel coating creates "stick-slip" control of capillary action Coating the inside of glass microtubes with a polymer hydrogel material dramatically alters the way capillary forces draw water into the tiny structures, researchers have found. The discovery could provide a new way to control microfluidic systems, including popular lab-on-a-chip devices.
	Controlling polymorphisms using lasers for pharmaceutical synthesis Research reported in Applied Physics Express (APEX) by Kenji Ikeda and co-workers describes a new technique using lasers to induce selective crystallization of the metastable form of indomethacin. These results have potential applications for the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients that can change their form for the development of therapeutic drugs.

Biology news

	Driving myelination by actin disassembly (Phys.org)—If a metallurgist wanted to determine how a blade was made they might cut a small cross section, mount, polish, and etch it, and then look at it under a microscope. They could probably tell right away whether it was forged, cast, or perhaps even 3D printed. If the blade was of a particularly high quality, like a Samurai sword, they could see the multiple layers that were created the through laborious cycles of heating, hammering and refolding that are typically used to optimize the grain structure for both toughness, hardness, and grain orientation. The point here is that the structure evident in the Samurai sword cross section didn't just passively polymerize out of thin air like a snowflake, or get made by some other passive thermochemical series of events, it took a more directed driving force.
	Some vaccines support evolution of more-virulent viruses Scientific experiments with the herpesvirus such as the one that causes Marek's disease in poultry have confirmed, for the first time, the highly controversial theory that some vaccines could allow more-virulent versions of a virus to survive, putting unvaccinated individuals at greater risk of severe illness. The research has important implications for food-chain security and food-chain economics, as well as for other diseases that affect humans and agricultural animals.
	DeepBind predicts where proteins bind, uncovering disease-causing mutations A new tool called DeepBind uses deep learning to analyze how proteins bind to DNA and RNA, allowing it to detect mutations that could disrupt cellular processes and cause disease.
	Researchers find short tracks of DNA may aid in regulating human gene expression (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from Washington University, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Polish Academy of Sciences has found that problems with RNA appear to be behind protein translation interruptions and that short segments of DNA may assist in regulating gene expression. They have published a paper describing their research and findings in the journal Science Advances.
	3-D image of malaria 'conductor' aids search for antimalarial drugs The first three-dimensional image capturing a critical malaria 'conductor' protein could lead to the development of a new class of antimalarial drugs.
	Study shows how a kernel got naked and corn became king Ten thousand years ago, a golden grain got naked, brought people together and grew to become one of the top agricultural commodities on the planet.
	Bangladesh discovers only 100 tigers in famed Sundarbans Bangladesh has only about 100 tigers living in the world's largest mangrove forest, far fewer of the endangered animals than previously thought, following a recent survey, a top forestry official said Monday.
	Hiding in plain sight – a new species discovered in South East Queensland A University of Queensland graduate has identified a previously unknown species of insect living within reach of Australian suburbia.
	Life in the fast spray zone: Four new endemic tooth-frog species in West African forests No earlier than last year, did the first, and up until recently only, endemic to Upper Guinea family of torrent tooth-frog come to light. Now, Dr. Michael F. Barej from the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, and his colleagues verify the existence of as many as four new highly endangered species. In their study the researchers provide crucial insights for the conservation of the biodiversity hotspot. Their research on the suggested existence of a complex of cryptic (structurally identical) species is published in the open-access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
	Sub-Antarctic fur seal found in unexpected waters The discovery of a sub-Antarctic fur seal on the northern coast of Kenya – 210 km outside the species' normal range – has caused great excitement among conservationists and community members alike.
	Blitz survey uncovers Mid West mat rush The recent discovery of the plant species Lomandra marginata (commonly known as mat rush), began with a casual conversation during a Bush Blitz survey.
	Fire-wise Hakea's invest in larger, fewer seeds Some of the south-west's iconic Hakea plants that are able to survive bushfires are more likely to have bigger, fewer seeds than those killed by flames, researchers have discovered.
	Classifying microbial species in the genomics era The rapid explosion in the throughput of DNA sequencing due to new technology platforms is fueling an increase in the number of sequenced microbial genomes and driving much greater availability of these data to the research community. Traditionally, identifying the microorganisms selected for sequencing is often decided on the basis of a single universal marker gene. More recently, however, researchers have noticed that the identity of microbes for which whole-genome information has become available does not always match up with the identity determined by the approaches commonly used prior to the advent of next-generation high-throughput sequencing.
	Humpback whales make a comeback in Australian waters A review of the scientific research on the recovery of Australia's humpback whale populations has revealed that they are increasing at a remarkable rate and that the increase is among the highest documented worldwide, according to a paper published in the journal, Marine Policy.
	Essential parts of the polar bear Y chromosome decoded For the first time, a team of scientists, led by Prof. Axel Janke of the Senckenberg Research Center for Biodiversity and Climate, reconstructed part of the male chromosome in polar bears. The scientists were able to assign 1.9 million base pairs specifically to the polar bear Y chromosome. In their study, published today in the scientific journal Genome Biology and Evolution, they show that more than 100,000 years ago, the male polar bear lineages split and developed in two separate genetic groups.
Half of Columbia River sockeye salmon dying due to hot water More than a quarter million sockeye salmon returning from the ocean to spawn are either dead or dying in the Columbia River and its tributaries due to warming water temperatures.
Mosquito spraying in South Florida scaled back to protect rare butterflies In the annual battle to rid steamy South Florida of swarming summer mosquitoes, new research has found routine spraying may pose a far greater risk to an innocent bystander: butterflies.
	Scientists study predator-prey behavior between sharks and turtles A new collaborative study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science & Abess Center for Ecosystem Science & Policy examined predator-prey interactions between tiger sharks and sea turtles off the northwestern Atlantic Ocean.
Grand Canyon biologist sets up cameras to document wildlife A biologist has installed more than two dozen motion-sensing cameras along a 50-mile stretch of the Grand Canyon in pursuit of images of an elusive skunk species.

Medicine & Health news

	Neural efficiency hypothesis confirmed One of the big questions intelligence researchers grapple with is just how differences in intelligence are reflected in the human brain. Researchers at ETH Zurich have succeeded in studying further details relating to suspected functional differences in the brains of intelligent people.
	Sleep makes our memories more accessible, study shows Sleeping not only protects memories from being forgotten, it also makes them easier to access, according to new research from the University of Exeter and the Basque Centre for Cognition, Brain and Language. The findings suggest that after sleep we are more likely to recall facts which we could not remember while still awake.
	Why Alfred Hitchcock grabs your attention: Researchers identify neural signature of tunnel vision The movies of Alfred Hitchcock have made palms sweat and pulses race for more than 65 years. Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have now learned how the Master of Suspense affects audiences' brains. Their study measured brain activity while people watched clips from Hitchcock and other suspenseful films. During high suspense moments, the brain narrows what people see and focuses their attention on the story. During less suspenseful moments of the film clips, viewers devote more attention to their surroundings.
	Study finds non-genetic cancer mechanism Cancer can be caused solely by protein imbalances within cells, a study of ovarian cancer has found.
	Go ahead, be sarcastic: Research uncovers creative benefits in using sarcasm when people trust each other "Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job." That was how The Onion famously announced Barack Obama's election as president in 2008.
	Study may show a way to predict whether children with a genetic disorder will develop autism or psychosis Doctors and researchers have long known that children who are missing about 60 genes on a certain chromosome are at a significantly elevated risk for developing either a disorder on the autism spectrum or psychosis—that is, any mental disorder characterized by delusions and hallucinations, including schizophrenia. But there has been no way to predict which child with the abnormality might be at risk for which disorder.
	Taking an interdisciplinary approach to exploring motor function The simple actions that humans make and take for granted every day are visible results of complex, unseen engineering at work: neuron-activated muscles throughout the body generate forces for movement, with each movement particular to each individual, influenced by a staggering number of potential neuromechanical solutions.
	In CRISPR advance, scientists successfully edit human T cells In a project spearheaded by investigators at UC San Francisco, scientists have devised a new strategy to precisely modify human T cells using the genome-editing system known as CRISPR/Cas9. Because these immune-system cells play important roles in a wide range of diseases, from diabetes to AIDS to cancer, the achievement provides a versatile new tool for research on T cell function, as well as a path toward CRISPR/Cas9-based therapies for many serious health problems.
	Gene therapy may improve survival of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer Use of gene therapy to deliver a protein that suppresses the development of female reproductive organs may improve the survival of patients with ovarian cancer that has recurred after chemotherapy, which happens 70 percent of the time and is invariably fatal. In their report receiving online publication in PNAS Early Edition, a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team describes how a single injection of a modified version of Mullerian Inhibiting Substance, a protein critical to sexual development, carried on a commonly used viral vector suppressed the growth of chemotherapy-resistant ovarian tumors in a mouse model. While not all the tested tumors - grown from cells grafted from patient tumors - were sensitive to this treatment, the investigators also outline a noninvasive way of screening cancer cells in vitro for treatment responsiveness.
New technique to map hormone levels in near real-time could help surgeons detect and remove tumors with precision As many as 20 percent of people may have a benign cyst or tumor in their pituitary gland. The vast majority of pituitary tumors are noncancerous, but can cause headaches and profound fatigue, and can also disrupt hormone function. Currently, surgeons rely on radiologic images and MRIs to gather information about the size and shape of the tumor, but the resolution of such imaging technologies is limited, and additional surgeries to remove more of the tumor may be needed if a patient's symptoms persist. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on July 27, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) present a new technique that could help surgeons more precisely define the locations of tumors in near real-time.
	In mice, experimental drug treatment for Rett syndrome suggests the disorder is reversible A team at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has developed a strikingly new approach for treating Rett syndrome, a devastating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that affects 1 in 10,000 people in the US, mostly girls. In a paper appearing online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Professor Nicholas Tonks, FRS, and colleagues, demonstrate that treatment with small-molecule drug candidates significantly extends lifespan in male mice that model Rett syndrome and ameliorates several behavioral symptoms of the disorder in model female mice.
	Flow means 'go' for proper lymph system development The lymphatic system provides a slow flow of fluid from our organs and tissues into the bloodstream. It returns fluid and proteins that leak from blood vessels, provides passage for immune and inflammatory cells from the tissues to the blood, and hosts key niches for immune cells. How this system develops hasn't been well understood, but now researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have found from experiments in mice that the early flow of lymph fluid is a critical factor in the development of mature lymphatic vessels.
	Babies' brains show that social skills linked to second language learning Babies learn language best by interacting with people rather than passively through a video or audio recording. But it's been unclear what aspects of social interactions make them so important for learning.
	Small genetic differences could spell life-and-death for gut infections When it comes to fighting gut infections, we are not equal. EPFL scientists have shown how apparently insignificant genetic variation can lead to big differences in the gut's immunity. The study could change the way we treat gut disease.
	New treatment options for a fatal leukemia In industrialized countries like in Europe, acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common form of cancer in children. An international research consortium lead by pediatric oncologists from the Universities of Zurich and Hannover has now succeeded in decoding a specific form of this leukemia, which is regarded as incurable, and in obtaining insights for new therapeutic possibilities.
	Study identifies 'major player' in skin cancer genes A multidisciplinary team at Yale, led by Yale Cancer Center members, has defined a subgroup of genetic mutations that are present in a significant number of melanoma skin cancer cases. Their findings shed light on an important mutation in this deadly disease, and may lead to more targeted anti-cancer therapies.
	It don't mean a thing if the brain ain't got that swing Like Duke Ellington's 1931 jazz standard, the human brain improvises while its rhythm section keeps up a steady beat. But when it comes to taking on intellectually challenging tasks, groups of neurons tune in to one another for a fraction of a second and harmonize, then go back to improvising, according to new research led by UC Berkeley.
New HIV cases soar in Florida The number of reported HIV cases in Florida has increased 23 percent so far this year, the biggest rise in a continuing upward trend that began in 2012 after several years of decreases.
Many young cancer patients may have limited awareness of fertility preservation options A new study points to the need for increased awareness of fertility preservation options for young patients with cancer. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study found that factors such as gender, education, and insurance status may impact whether patients and their physicians have discussions and take actions to preserve fertility during cancer treatment.
	Many new mothers report no physician advice on infant sleep position, breastfeeding Many new mothers do not receive advice from physicians on aspects of infant care such as sleep position, breastfeeding, immunization and pacifier use, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
	Lingering lymphocytes lash out against Leishmania Immune cells that hang around after parasitic skin infection help ward off secondary attack, according to a study in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. These skin squatters may prove to be the key to successful anti-parasite vaccines.
	Malaria's key to the liver uncovered Scientists uncover a port of liver entry for malaria parasites in a report published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine. If these results hold up in humans, drugs that target this entry protein might help prevent the spread of disease.
	Support from grandparents linked with lower levels of obesity in children A new pilot study from Karolinska Institutet and the University of Oxford has shown how important the support from grandparents could be in protecting against child obesity.
	Researchers delve into what happens during sleep In the classic fairy tale, Snow White bites into an apple and slips into a state of suspended animation. For her fellow figment of fiction, man-about-the-Catskills character Rip Van Winkle, a sip of moonshine affords the luxury of sleeping through the American Revolutionary War. Sleep has long featured in our collective storybook as an enigmatic netherworld, a far away place where strange things happen and then are forgotten upon our return to reality.
	Research provides strong link between delirium and inflammation in older patients Delirium is an acute state of confusion that often affects older adults following surgery or serious illness. Now a study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) confirms that inflammation - an immune response that develops when the body attempts to protect itself from harmful stimuli—plays a role in the onset of delirium.
Simple procedure using a nasal balloon can help treat hearing loss in children For children with a common middle-ear problem, a simple procedure with a nasal balloon can reduce the impact of hearing loss and avoid unnecessary and ineffective use of antibiotics, according to a randomized controlled trial published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
Improved survival of HIV patients facilitates heart disease research The improved survival rate of HIV patients in sub-Saharan Africa due to effective treatment programs is increasing the ability of researchers in Africa to study the impacts of cardiovascular disease in HIV patients, according to a guest editor page published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Admission rates increasing for newborns of all weights in NICUs Admission rates are increasing for newborns of all weights at neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the United States, raising questions about possible overuse of this highly specialized and expensive care in some newborns, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
Insulin resistance increases risk for Alzheimer's disease, study finds The fact that obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and some cancers is well known. But a new Iowa State University study adds to the growing evidence that memory loss should also be a top concern.
Some adverse drug events not reported by manufacturers to FDA by 15-day mark About 10 percent of serious and unexpected adverse events are not reported by drug manufacturers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under the 15-day timeframe set out in federal regulations, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Increased protein turnover contributes to the development of pulmonary fibrosis Scientists of the Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC) at the Helmholtz Zentrum München have identified a new mechanism which contributes to the development of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). They showed that the pathological changes of lung tissue are accompanied by an increase in protein turnover by the central protein degradation machinery of the cell – the proteasome. Their study has now been published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Treatment failure in parasite infection tied to virus​ Two new studies explain why some parasite infections, such as those common in developing countries, sometimes can't be cured with standard treatments.
	Oral piercings can cause serious dental problems, warns dentist If you've been considering getting a tongue piercing, you may want to hold off. Having the piercing may be cool, but research shows it can cause serious oral health problems.
	A scientific smartphone tool for personalized health Adults frequently report that they enjoy the outdoors, including recreational sports, walking in nature, and spending time outside with loved ones. But surveys from the National Recreation and Park Association indicate that 30 percent of adults spend minimal time outdoors—and those who do venture outside daily typically spend less than 30 minutes being active. Computer science and predictive models can offer tools to support desired behaviors and better foster this connection.
	Study shows most teenage friendships doomed to fail The psychiatrist Harry Sullivan believed that nothing is a more significant determinant of psychological well-being than the nature of our closest social bonds. In adolescence, research has consistently linked the quality of friendships to important outcomes such as emotional health, self esteem, the ability to overcome social anxiety, and achievement at school.
	More obesity among the less educated in rich countries In rich countries, obesity is more common among the lower educated, whilst in poor countries, obesity is more common among the higher educated. This was shown in a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, which confirms earlier research.
	On the front lines of the heroin epidemic, offering a lifesaving treatment Deaths from opioid overdose are at an all-time high across the United States, and Birmingham has been hit particularly hard. In the past four years, heroin overdose deaths in Jefferson County and surrounding areas rose from 12 individuals to 137. But a team of UAB researchers is taking action to respond.
	Low-dose lithium reduces side effects from most common treatment for Parkinson's disease Low-dose lithium reduced involuntary motor movements - the troubling side effect of the medication most commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) - in a mouse model of the condition that is diagnosed in about 60,000 Americans each year. The third in a series of studies from the Andersen lab involving PD and low-dose lithium, the results add to mounting evidence that low-doses of the psychotropic drug could benefit patients suffering from the incurable, degenerative condition.
Scientists' silk structure is secret to process of regenerating salivary cells The silkworm, which produces the essential ingredient for fine silk fabric, also plays a critical role in a new process designed to provide relief for millions of individuals with dry mouth, a devastating oral and systemic health issue.
World champion sprinter has muscle profile built for speed A former world champion sprinter is the first human tested to have nearly a quarter of his leg muscle fibers categorized as "super fast," says a report from Ball State University.
Family income and mother's education affect whether students skip breakfast Teenagers are more likely to eat breakfast if their mothers are highly educated or they come from families with lower incomes, research from the Middle East reveals.
Potential avenue to protect male germ cells against heat stress A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has demonstrated for the first time that hydrogen sulphide (H2S), when applied exogenously, could protect testicular germ cells, which are male reproductive cells, against heat-induced injury, which is one of the major causes of male infertility. The findings may provide a new approach to treating male infertility.
Exercise mimic molecule may help treat diabetes and obesity Scientists from the University of Southampton have developed a molecule that acts as an exercise mimic, which could potentially help treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
	Diabetes—Tuberculosis link found in Australia A 20-year study by James Cook University scientists has found a strong link between diabetes and tuberculosis in tropical Australia.
Sausage or broccoli on your pizza? How decision frames influence people's food orders Whether restaurant customers have the option to add sausage or broccoli to their pizzas or make healthier substitutions to their salads or sandwiches ultimately can make or break a food retailer. A paper forthcoming in the September 2015 issue of the Journal of Retailing seeks to explain the way people decide to customize their food orders and the implications for retailers and customers alike.
	Teens using e-cigs more prone to take up smoking (HealthDay)—Teenagers who use electronic cigarettes may be more likely to smoke the real thing, new research suggests.
	Researchers identify protein in mice that helps prepare for healthy egg-sperm union Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered a protein that plays a vital role in healthy egg-sperm union in mice. The protein RGS2 can delay an egg's development into an embryo in order to allow time for sperm to arrive and merge with the egg in a healthy fertilization process. The embryo cannot survive without the male chromosomes.
Home births lead to higher infant mortality at least for mothers living in poorer areas Home births lead to higher infant mortality than hospital births, at least for mothers living in poorer areas. This is the conclusion of a new study conducted by N. Meltem Daysal (University of Southern Denmark and IZA), Mircea Trandafir (University of Southern Denmark and IZA) and Reyn van Ewijk (VU University Amsterdam and University of Mainz) that examines 356,412 low-risk Dutch women who delivered between 2000 and 2008 and who were allowed to choose between a home and a hospital birth.
Weight loss for a healthy liver Weight loss through both lifestyle modification and bariatric surgery can significantly reduce features of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a disease characterized by fat in the liver, according to two new studies published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
	Mum's the word: Maternal language has strong effect on children's social skills Psychologists at the University of York have revealed new evidence showing how specific language used by parents to talk to their babies can help their child to understand the thoughts of others when they get older.
	At what age does hard work add a shine to lousy prizes? Putting in a lot of effort to earn a reward can make unappealing prizes more attractive to kindergartners, but not to preschoolers, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings revealed that when 6-year-olds worked hard to earn stickers that they ultimately didn't like, they were loath to give them up, whereas 4-year-olds were comparatively eager to give the unappealing stickers away.
	In lab tests, new therapy slows spread of deadly brain tumor cells The rapid spread of a common and deadly brain tumor has been slowed down significantly in a mouse model by cutting off the way some cancer cells communicate, according to a team of researchers that includes UF Health faculty.
Selective imitation shows children are flexible social learners, study finds Psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin found that children flexibly choose when to imitate and when to innovate the behavior of others, demonstrating that children are precocious social learners.
	Researchers uncover blood markers to identify women at risk for postpartum depression Postpartum depression is a debilitating disorder that affects nearly 20 percent of new mothers, putting their infants at increased risk for poor behavioral, cognitive and social development.
UK hospital wing closed over suspected MERS cases A British hospital's accident and emergency wing was shut down on Monday as it investigated two cases of suspected Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
EU suspends sale of 700 generic drugs made in India European Union nations have until August 20 to suspend the sale of some 700 generic drugs made in India, the EU's executive confirmed on Monday.
Alarm sounded over Myanmar's betel habit As he manoeuvres his taxi through the barely moving traffic of downtown Yangon, Myo Min Htaike's jaw methodically pounds a pulpy mass of nuts and tobacco, his teeth stained a dark blood-red.
	Israel's Teva buys Allergan generic drug company for $40.5B Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. said Monday it is purchasing Dublin-based Allergan PLC's generic pharmaceuticals business for $40.5 billion, in what Israeli analysts called the largest-ever acquisition by an Israeli company.
	Scotland's first long-term ageing study to improve lives of the elderly A major Scotland-wide study of the health, economic and social circumstances of people aged 50-plus will enable future improvements to be made to their health and wellbeing.
Return-to-work outcomes better for SSDI beneficiaries who use vocational rehab services Researchers have published results of a study showing a relationship between enrollment in state vocational rehabilitation agency (SVRA) services and return-to-work outcomes for beneficiaries of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Employment outcomes were better among those who enrolled in SVRA services compared with beneficiaries who did not enroll for these services. The article, "Return to work of disability insurance beneficiaries who do and do not access state vocational rehabilitation agency services" appears in a special issue of the Journal of Disability Policy Studies. The authors are John O'Neill, PhD, of Kessler Foundation, Arif Mamun, PhD and Elizabeth Potamites, PhD, of Mathematica Policy Research. Fong Chan, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Elizabeth da Silva Cordoso, PhD, of the City University of New York.
Study shines the spotlight on schistosomiasis In a special free issue of Future Medicinal Chemistry, leading experts explore current and potential new treatment options for the deadly neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis.
	Experts provide insight on causes of child obesity, tactics to end it Encouraging more social interaction for children rather than just limiting TV time and enforcing strong nutritional policies in schools are two of the ways to decrease child obesity rates, according to researchers from the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus.
Emergency transport times for stroke patients still in need of improvement Despite efforts to close the time gap between symptom onset and stroke treatment - including improvements in public education, 911 dispatch operations, pre-hospital detection and triage, hospital stroke system development, and stroke unit management - a new study presented today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS) 12th Annual Meeting suggests that delays in emergency transport are still prevalent and that improvements are needed to ensure patients can be treated within the optimal time window.
Device innovation is driving improvement in stroke treatment outcomes In the last decade, Intra-Arterial (IA) stroke therapy (a technique in which thrombolytic agents and devices are passed through the arteries directly to the clot site) has gained notable momentum as an effective and safe treatment option for patients. Two new studies released today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, further reinforce the value and progress of IA treatment with conclusions that the innovative new devices that facilitate this approach are reducing treatment times, improving outcomes and decreasing mortality rates.
	Novel therapeutic strategy for single gene disorders delivers RNA that encodes the missing protein Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of delivering an RNA that encodes for the protein alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT)—which is missing or nonfunctional in the genetic disorder AAT deficiency—into cells in the laboratory, enabling the cells to produce highly functional AAT. This innovative approach to treating single gene disorders such as AAT deficiency offers and safe, simpler, and more cost-effective alternative to gene therapy or protein replacement, according to the authors of the study published in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
Some stroke treatments proven to reduce health care costs Use of mechanical thrombectomy on qualifying stroke patients could result in major savings to the healthcare economy in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and other western countries with a similar healthcare structure, according to a new study presented at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.
Mobile stroke treatment units may greatly improve survival rates, chance of recovery for ischemic stroke patients Two new studies presented today at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery 12th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, report that Mobile Stroke Treatment Units (MSTUs) can significantly reduce the time it takes to diagnose and treat patients for stroke, greatly improving survival rates and enhancing a patient's chance of recovery.
Analysts expect more tie-ups in generic drug business Analysts say they expect more tie-ups are coming in the generic drug industry in the wake of Teva's mammoth deal for the generic drug business of Allergan.

Other Sciences news

	Best of Last Week – Dark matter acting like pions, changes to astronaut skin and illusion of knowledge by experts (Phys.org)—It was an interesting week for physics as a team made up of international researchers came up with a new theory that says dark matter acts like a well-known particle—they suggest it has similarities to pions, which bind atomic nuclei together. Also, a macroscopic quantum phenomena was discovered in ice by a team of researchers in China—at very cold temperatures the ice behaved in a way that could only be explained by quantum tunneling, a rare example of quantum phenomena emerging on a macroscopic scale.
	The couple who Facebooks together, stays together Becoming "Facebook official" is a milestone in modern romance, and new research suggests that activities on the popular social networking site are connected to whether those relationships last.
	Past and present genomes tell the story of Native American biological origins The first human inhabitants of the Americas lived in a time thousands of years before the first written records, and the story of their transcontinental migration is the subject of ongoing debate and active research. A study by multi-institutional, international collaboration of researchers, published this week in Science presents strong evidence, gleaned from ancient and modern DNA samples, that the ancestry of all Native Americans can be traced back to a single migration event, with subsequent gene flow between some groups and populations that are currently located in East Asia and Australia.
Connection found between audience reaction and candidate debate success With the first round of presidential primary debates just two weeks away, a new study analyzes their historic effectiveness on shifting public perception of a candidate.
Race to the Top initiative spurs U.S. education policy reform, study finds Five years have passed since the Obama administration announced the winners of the $4 billion Race to the Top contest, a major federal initiative designed to stimulate education reform among the states. While supporters and critics have argued whether the program has encouraged meaningful reform, UChicago scholar William Howell finds that the program had a substantial impact on education policy across the United States.
	What is the best way to protect the community from sex offenders? Managing sex offenders with punitive measures alone may not be the best way to make communities safer, according to a Deakin University forensic psychology expert.
	We need to protect the fossil heritage on our doorstep From about the age of eight onwards I regularly collected fossils from around the beach area on the Beaumaris foreshore of Melbourne's Port Philip Bay.
	Ancient storage jar discovered under Roman Road An archaeological dig in a rural Devon village is yielding more ancient secrets.
	Big cats' predatory strategy reflected by a 2-million-year-old bovid fossil from Gansu, China A nearly complete Leptobos brevicornis mandible from the Early Pleistocene of Longdan locality in Gansu Province, northwestern China was described by LI Yikun, one of Ph.D. students from Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His paper was recently published in Issue 3, Volume 53 of Vertebrata PalAsiatica.
	Scientists discover an early modern human with a recent neanderthal ancestor Neanderthals are thought to have disappeared in Europe approximately 39,000–41,000 years ago but they have contributed 1–3% of the DNA of present-day people in Eurasia. Surprisingly, analyses of present-day genomes have not yielded any evidence that Neanderthals mixed with modern humans in Europe, despite the fact that Neanderthals were numerous there and cultural interactions between the two groups have been proposed. Dr. FU Qiaomei, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of Chinese Academy of Sciences (IVPP), and scientists from Germany, USA, Romania and Canada, discovered that a 37,000–42,000-year-old modern human from Peştera cu Oase, Romania had the order of 6–9% of the genome derived from Neanderthals, more than any other modern human sequenced to date.
Research reveals universities not yet as international as they think Universities' internationalisation rankings have limited significance according to new research from the University of Warwick. This is because the way internationalisation is measured only takes into account the quantity of foreign students at each institution and not the extent to which they network with their counterparts from the UK. Thus, there is a strong emphasis on structural aspects of internationalisation and less on social ones.
New research on the causes of the Viking Age The Viking hit-and-run raids on monastic communities such as Lindisfarne and Iona were the most infamous result of burgeoning Scandinavian maritime prowess in the closing years of the Eighth Century.
Sochi Winter Olympics 'cost billions more than estimated' As the International Olympic Committee prepares to choose between Beijing (China) and Almaty (Kazakhstan) as the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics, a new report shows that the cost of last year's Games in Sochi, Russia, has been underestimated by billions of dollars.
Stephen Hawking fields questions on artificial intelligence Have a question about artificial intelligence and think theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking is the man to ask?
Opinion: Tour de France race etiquette seems silly in the context of doping I have always found it funny how some of the Tour de France riders get so annoyed when someone transgresses on race etiquette around seemingly minor issues. The latest example of this grumbling was from Chris Froome on stage 19 yesterday - Vincenzo Nibali apparently attacked when he shouldn't have.
Compulsory schooling laws could bolster free community college argument Providing two years of free community college to qualifying students is expected to be a hot topic during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Consumers don't view GMO labels as negative 'warnings', new study shows A new study released just days after the U.S. House passed a bill that would prevent states from requiring labels on genetically modified foods reveals that GMO labeling would not act as warning labels and scare consumers away from buying products with GMO ingredients.

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