Fwd: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jun 19

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Jun 20, 2014 at 2:21 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jun 19
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for June 19, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Superconducting refrigerator cools via tunneling cascade
- New approach may be key to quantum dot solar cells with real gains in efficiency
- 'Game of Thrones' scenario seen in Neandertal ancestors
- Researchers use new method to calculate gravitational constant
- Nanostructured material based on repeating microscopic units has record-breaking stiffness at low density (w/ Video)
- Study finds 'lumpy' universe cannot explain cosmic acceleration
- Evolution depends on rare chance events, 'molecular time travel' experiments show
- Astronomers pierce galactic clouds to shine light on black hole development
- Researchers find link between amount of silica in subduction zones and frequency of 'slow' earthquakes
- Researchers develop genetic control mechanism for major livestock pest
- Seeing the inner workings of the brain made easier by new technique
- Diabetes susceptibility gene regulates health of cell's powerhouse
- Humans and monkeys of one mind when it comes to changing it
- The genes tell crows to choose partners that look alike
- Who's your daddy? Researchers program computer to find out

Astronomy & Space news

	The role of amateur astronomers in Rosetta's mission Amateur astronomers play an important role in observational campaigns of almost every celestial object in the sky, but especially so in the area of comets. Given that some comets might be making their first – or only – passage into the inner Solar System, it is important to collect as much information as possible about them. Then there's the "once-in-a-lifetime" visits, such as the famous comet 1P/Halley, which orbits once every 76 years. But there is also much excitement to observe comets on much shorter periods, learning about any changes they exhibit since their last apparition.
Chilean mountaintop blasted for giant telescope Astronomers in Chile are blasting away the top of a mountain to install what they say will be the world's largest optical telescope.
	Two low-cost Canadian nanosatellites launched today Two nanosatellites were launched from Yasny, Russia, at 15:11:11 Eastern Daylight Time today by Anthony Moffat, of the University of Montreal and the Centre for Research in Astrophysics of Quebec, and the Canadian research and technology team he leads. Costing a fraction of conventional space telescopes and similar in size and weight to a car battery, the satellites are two of six that will work together to shed light on the structures and life stories of some of the brightest stars in the sky, uncovering unique clues as to the origins of our own Sun and Earth.
	Image: Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's view of Tycho central peak (Phys.org) —Today, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) celebrates its fifth anniversary in space. LRO launched from Florida on June 18, 2009. After a four-day journey, the orbiter successfully entered lunar orbit on June 23. In the succeeding five years, LRO has continued to shape our view of our nearest celestial neighbor.
	Image: Soaring over Lunar Mt. Hadley (Phys.org) —Apollo mission planners selected an adventurous landing site for Apollo 15 located on a relatively small patch of lava plains, called "mare" on the moon. This site is nestled between the towering Apennine mountains to the east, attaining heights of 3-5 km (about 10,000-16,000 feet), and the 200-meter-deep (about 650 feet) valley (~650 ft) of Hadley Rille to the west.
	Astronomers use Hubble to study bursts of star formation in the dwarf galaxies of the early Universe They may only be little, but they pack a star-forming punch: new observations from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope show that starbursts in dwarf galaxies played a bigger role than expected in the early history of the Universe.
	Cosmic impacts may help create suitable habitat for life Cosmic impacts are known to trigger mass extinctions on Earth. However, a new study adds to evidence that asteroid and cometary bombardment can also shelter life by generating pores in rocks that shelter microbes from damaging radiation.
	Spacewalkers complete tiring antenna installation A pair of spacewalking astronauts managed to install a new antenna Thursday outside the International Space Station, despite some equipment trouble.
	Rock that whizzed by Earth may be grabbed by NASA NASA is zeroing in on the asteroids it wants to capture, haul near the moon and have astronauts visit.
	Astronomers pierce galactic clouds to shine light on black hole development An international team of scientists including a Virginia Tech physicist have discovered that winds blowing from a supermassive black hole in a nearby galaxy work to obscure observations and x-rays.

Medicine & Health news

	Federal funding cliff could cause health safety net clinics to shrink by one-quarter A special federal fund to support community health centers expires after September 2015, creating a funding cliff for primary care clinics located in medically underserved areas. If this funding is not restored, and if more states do not expand Medicaid, the number of patients cared for by safety-net health centers could fall more than 25 percent – or 7 million patients - by 2020. The loss of care for 7 million patients is equivalent to the population of the state of Arizona or the combined populations of Los Angeles and Houston.
	Kids value support at disability specific camp –— want similar experiences in home communities Camps for children with disabilities or life-threatening illnesses can provide fantastic social and self-affirming opportunities for campers that just can't be matched outside of camp—and this can be a problem, found Indiana University researchers.
Living with a disability in rural Australia Rural families in Western NSW who have a child with a disability are faced with difficult decisions about whether or not to stay in their communities, according to a study by the University of Sydney.
Study investigates online information available to lung cancer patients (Medical Xpress)—Researchers from The University of Manchester have begun a study to look at the online information available to lung cancer patients in an era of diagnosis by google.
Healing bone defects using regenerative medicine Regenerating bones based on a mixture of tissue engineering approaches is coming of age.
	Babies' early social relationships influence life skills By sharing experiences such as book-reading, cooking or pretend play with babies as young as two, parents can help shape their children's lives for the better.
Telephone call is effective support when breast cancer treatment includes weight loss A series of simple telephone calls can make a profound difference in helping women to meet their treatment goals for breast cancer, according to a randomized trial of women who are also obese, published online today in Journal of Clinical Oncology by Dr. Pamela Goodwin of Mount Sinai Hospital and the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute.
MA healthcare reform does not have early impact on disparities in cardiovascular care New research by the Brigham and Women's Hospital, in partnership with Howard University College of Medicine, explores the effect of healthcare reform in Massachusetts on coronary intervention and mortality in adults by race/ethnicity, gender and the level of education in the neighborhood where the patient resides.
Stem cell mobilization therapy may effectively treat osteoarthritis Researchers in Taiwan have found that peripheral blood stem cells can be "mobilized" by injection of a special preparation of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) into rats that modeled osteoarthritis (OA). The bone marrow was stimulated to produce stem cells, leading to the inhibition of OA progression. The finding, they said, may lead to a more effective therapy for OA, a common joint disease that affects 10 percent of Americans over the age of 60.
	Synaptic levels of clathrin protein are important for neuronal plasticity Researchers of the group of cellular and molecular neurobiology of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University of Barcelona, led by researcher Artur Llobet, have shown that synaptic levels of the protein clathrin are a determinant factor for synaptic plasticity of neurons.
	RNA aptamers targeted to plasminogen activator inhibitor Plasminogen activators are proteins involved in the breakdown of blood clots, and an elevated level of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is associated with an increased risk for clotting and cardiovascular disease. No PAI-1 inhibitors are currently available for clinical use, but a novel therapeutic approach using a targeted RNA aptamer drug that has been shown to block PAI-1 activity and prevent PAI-1-associated vascular events is described in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
Emerging HIV epidemics among people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa HIV epidemics are emerging among people who inject drugs in several countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Though HIV infection levels were historically very low in the Middle East and North Africa, substantial levels of HIV transmission and emerging HIV epidemics have been documented among people who inject drugs in at least one-third of the countries of this region, according to findings published today in PLOS Medicine.
African American women with breast cancer less likely to have newer, recommended surgical procedure African American women with early stage, invasive breast cancer were 12 percent less likely than Caucasian women with the same diagnosis to receive a minimally invasive technique, axillary sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, even as the procedure had become the standard of surgical practice, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Poll: Many still struggle to pay health premiums Most Americans who signed up under President Barack Obama's health care law rate their new insurance highly, but a substantial number are struggling with the cost, according to a poll released Thursday.
UK's Cameron launches world's biggest dementia study The world's largest study of dementia was launched by British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday as part of a drive to speed up the search for treatments.
Guinea frets as Ebola virus spreads A second spike in Ebola virus cases has panicked residents and health officials in Guinea, who fear a west African outbreak of the killer disease may now be out of control.
Important differences in hospitalization rates among racial and ethnic groups on dialysis There are significant racial and ethnic differences in hospitalization rates among kidney failure patients on dialysis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The differences are not consistent across age groups and also differ by causes of hospitalization. Additional studies are needed to determine why these differences exist and how to address them in order to reduce hospitalizations among all dialysis patients.
	Job loss linked with higher incidence of depression in Americans compared with Europeans A new study published online in the International Journal of Epidemiology (IJE) today shows that while job loss is associated with depressive symptoms in both the USA and Europe, the effects of job loss due to plant closure are much stronger in American workers as compared with European workers.
Improving academic performance with physical fitness Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence is beneficial for both physical and mental health throughout life. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that it may also play a key role in brain health and academic performance. In a new study scheduled for publication in the Journal of Pediatrics, researchers studied the independent and combined influence of components of physical fitness on academic performance.
	Depressed patients perceive worse hand functioning (HealthDay)—Patients with depression or catastrophization perceive worse hand function before and after treatment for atraumatic hand/wrist conditions, according to a study published in the May 21 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
	Clinical guidelines issued for drug-induced liver injury (HealthDay)—Herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) account for an increasing proportion of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI), according to practice guidelines published online June 17 in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
	Cost of prostate cancer surgery varies widely in the US (HealthDay)—The open market cost of a radical prostatectomy (RP) varies widely in U.S. hospitals, according to research published in the March issue of Urology.
US, Japanese immunologists awarded Tang Prize for cancer quest An American and a Japanese immunologist were Thursday named joint recipients of the Tang Prize, touted as Asia's version of the Nobels, for their contributions in the fight against cancer.
Study reveals a common genetic link in fatal autoimmune skin disease Autoimmune disease occurs when the body's own natural defense system rebels against itself. One example is pemphigus vulgaris (PV), a blistering skin disease in which autoantibodies attack desmoglein 3 (Dsg3), the protein that binds together skin cells. Left untreated, PV can be fatal, as skin layers slough off and leave the body vulnerable to dehydration and infection. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania recently found a shared genetic link in the autoimmune response among PV patients that provides important new clues about how autoantibodies in PV originate. Full results of the new study are available today in Nature Communications.
	US lawmakers grill e-cigarette makers US senators ripped at electronic cigarette makers Wednesday for their aggressive marketing campaigns to lure youths that have drawn parallels to those once used by Big Tobacco.
Food safety specialist says food poisoning cases underreported (Medical Xpress)—You've probably heard of norovirus, salmonella and E. coli, but would you know if you were sick with one of these foodborne illnesses? A Kansas State University food safety specialist says there are distinct symptoms for food poisoning and reporting them to your doctor is an important step in improving food safety.
	Hippocampal activity during music listening exposes the memory-boosting power of music For the first time the hippocampus—a brain structure crucial for creating long-lasting memories—has been observed to be active in response to recurring musical phrases while listening to music. Thus, the hippocampal involvement in long-term memory may be less specific than previously thought, indicating that short and long-term memory processes may depend on each other after all.
	Progesterone could become tool versus brain cancer (Medical Xpress)—The hormone progesterone could become part of therapy against the most aggressive form of brain cancer. High concentrations of progesterone kill glioblastoma cells and inhibit tumor growth when the tumors are implanted in mice, researchers have found.
	Study finds acute alcohol misuse among suicidal people (Medical Xpress)—One-third of all suicides in the U.S. involve acute use of alcohol before the fatal attempt, according to a study led by UCLA social welfare professor Mark Kaplan. The researchers say the findings underscore the need to link suicide prevention and alcohol-control strategies.
	Why artificial sweetener can be dangerous for some people When you buy a diet coke, or any other consumables containing the artificial sweetener aspartame, you'll see a warning against consuming the product if you have phenylketonuria, an inherited metabolic disorder.
When couples disagree on stroke recovery, one partner can suffer An innovative study from a University of Cincinnati (UC) social work researcher has found that when a stroke survivor and his or her caregiving spouse disagree on the survivor's rate of recovery, the caregiving spouse is more likely to experience depression and emotional distress.
	Drug combating severe nausea in pregnancy begins clinical trial Pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum, the extreme and debilitating form of morning sickness that Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, famously experienced, may find relief from a medication prescribed for seizure patients.
	Antibiotic developed 50 years ago may be the key to fighting 'superbugs' (Medical Xpress)—Scientists at the University at Buffalo are turning to an old class of antibiotics to fight new superbugs resistant to modern medicine.
	Men should do these seven things for cardiac health (Medical Xpress)—Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men, and the hearts of one of eight men over age 40 will at some point suddenly stop beating – an event known as sudden cardiac arrest.
Australian children and adolescents increasingly use psychotropic drugs (Medical Xpress)—More Australians, particularly children and adolescents, are using psychotropic drugs, a University of Sydney study examining prescribing patterns shows.
	Group exercise crucial for people with MS (Medical Xpress)—Group exercise should become a standard health practice in South Australia's public health system to provide much-needed support for people with multiple sclerosis (MS), Flinders University Professor of Physiotherapy Sheila Lennon says.
	Targeting a key driver of cancer (Medical Xpress)—In the epic fight against cancer, a protein called Ras has been one of the arch-villains.
	Playing a musical instrument can help rehabilitate stroke survivors (Medical Xpress)—Researchers at Goldsmiths, University of London have found that playing a musical instrument could help the rehabilitation of stroke survivors.
Study reverses current thought on treatment of cirrhosis Researchers at Mayo Clinic released a new study reversing current thought on the treatment of cirrhotic patients with type 2 diabetes. The study found that the continuation of metformin after a cirrhosis diagnosis improved survival rates among diabetes patients. Metformin is usually discontinued once cirrhosis is diagnosed because of concerns about an increased risk of adverse effects associated with this treatment in patients with liver impairment. The Mayo Clinic study was recently published in Hepatology.
	The gamer in your life isn't ignoring you, they're blind to your presence It's irritating when you try to talk to someone playing a videogame. You tell them dinner is ready and they completely ignore you. Their eyes are glued to the screen, their fingers frantically pushing buttons. We find it rude and it has led to many an argument in the family home.
'Natural' moisturisers can cause food allergies (Medical Xpress)—A woman has experienced a life-threating allergic reaction after using a moisturiser with 'natural' ingredients.
	Why reaching the top in football is all in the mind, not the feet (Medical Xpress)—As a youthful England football team prepares to take on Uruguay in World Cup 2014, new research has uncovered the rare mental attributes needed for talented young players to rise to the top of the English Premier League pyramid.
	Brief PTSD therapy strongly reduces symptoms of chronic pain, study reports Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a growing epidemic among veterans and military service members returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Along with PTSD, a large percentage of veterans also experience chronic pain affecting the nervous system, internal organs and musculoskeletal tissues. These physical symptoms can be debilitating, and so far no formal treatment guidelines exist.
Smoking at trendy hubble-bubble cafes may increase risk of heart disease, say experts People who smoke shisha regularly could be increasing the threat of heart disease, according to new research.
	Blood test distinguishes premature births from 'false alarms' Women who give spontaneous preterm birth have specific genetic signatures which doctors can now detect with a simple blood test.
	How pollution may be changing the ratio of girls to boys (Medical Xpress)—More girls than boys are being born in some parts of central Scotland and in some years – and industrial pollution could be the cause.
The effectiveness of antibiotics in treating cholera Researchers from the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, co-ordinated through the editorial base in LSTM, conducted an independent review of the effects of treating cholera with antimicrobial drugs, published in The Cochrane Library today.
	Following direction: How neurons can tell top from bottom and front from back The question of how neurons and their axons establish spatial polarity and direction in tissues and organs is a fundamental question of any organism or biological system. Our cells and axons precisely orient themselves in response to external cues, but what are the core pathways and how are they integrated?
Children consuming a Mediterranean diet are 15 percent less likely to be overweight A study of 8 European countries presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO)in Sofia, Bulgaria, shows that children consuming a diet more in line with the rules of the Mediterranean one are 15% less likely to be overweight or obese than those children who do not.
Protein inhibits tumor growth Cleveland: A previously unknown variant of an extensively studied protein has been found to inhibit the growth of tumors and slow the development of new blood vessels necessary for cancers to metastasize, according to Cleveland Clinic research published today in Cell.
UV-induced beta-endorphin production causes addiction-like symptoms in mice Why has it been so hard to discourage people from spending time in the sun when the dangers of ultraviolet light exposure are so well recognized? A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators adds important support to the theory that ultraviolet (UV) light can actually be addictive, finding that chronic UV exposure raises circulating levels of beta-endorphin in mice and that UV-habituated mice exhibit withdrawal symptoms if beta-endorphin activity is blocked. Their report appears in the June 19 issue of Cell.
Stem cell-based transplantation approach improves recovery from stroke Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability in developed countries, and there is an urgent need for more clinically effective treatments. A study published by Cell Press June 19th in Stem Cell Reports reveals that simultaneous transplantation of neural and vascular progenitor cells can reduce stroke-related brain damage and improve behavioral recovery in rodents. The stem cell-based approach could represent a promising strategy for the treatment of stroke in humans.
	Recreational football reduces high blood pressure in mature women The World Cup in Brazil may be attracting a global armchair audience of millions, but new research has shown that playing football could help lower blood pressure in women aged 35-50.
	Study offers evidence that sunscreen use in childhood prevents melanoma in adults Research conducted at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute, published in the latest issue of the scientific journal Pigment Cell and Melanoma, has established unequivocally in a natural animal model that the incidence of malignant melanoma in adulthood can be dramatically reduced by the consistent use of sunscreen in infancy and childhood.
	Football improves strength in men with prostate cancer Men with prostate cancer aged 43‒74 achieve bigger and stronger muscles, improve functional capacity, gain positive social experiences and the desire to remain active through playing football for 12 weeks. These are the findings of the "FC Prostate" trial, jointly conducted by the University Hospitals Centre for Health Care Research at The Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet and the Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health at the University of Copenhagen.
New mobile app provides faster, more accurate measurement of respiratory rate A new mobile app developed by researchers at the Child & Family Research Institute (CFRI) at BC Children's Hospital and the University of British Columbia can measure respiratory rate in children roughly six times faster than the standard manual method.
	Finding the Achilles' Heel of ovarian tumor growth A team of scientists, led by principal investigator David D. Schlaepfer, PhD, professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that small molecule inhibitors to a protein called focal adhesion kinase (FAK) selectively prevent the growth of ovarian cancer cells as tumor spheroids.
	New cocaine tracking system could lead to better drug enforcement Law enforcement authorities need to better understand trafficking patterns of cocaine in the United States to address one of the world's largest illegal drug markets, according to a Michigan State University researcher whose new methodology might help.
Can injuries to the skin be painless? When the body receives an injury to the skin, a signal is sent to the brain, which generates a sensation of pain. Teams led by Priscille Brodin in Lille and Laurent Marsollier in Angers have studied lesions in patients with Buruli ulcer, a tropical disease. In an article published in the journal Cell, they show that, despite the extent and severity of these wounds, they are less painful than others that seem relatively minor (e.g. scratches, low-degree burns). They discovered an analgesic mechanism that limits the transmission of pain signals to the brain. An understanding of this mechanism may be useful in developing new drugs for pain relief.
Haters spend more time... hating? Study sheds light on activity levels based on one's attitude disposition We already know haters are predisposed to be that way. Now we see they also spend a lot of time at fewer activities than their non-hater counterparts. But in a twist of irony, that grumpy person at work may actually be pretty good at their job since they spend so much time on fewer activities, thereby giving them the opportunity to hone their skills in specific tasks.
	Possible new combination treatment for cancer Scientists at the Sahlgrenska Academy have developed a new cancer treatment that has proved to be effective in mice. The treatment, which is presented in the prestigious scientific journal PNAS, is based on newly discovered properties of the so-called BET bromodomain inhibitors.
In hairless man, arthritis drug spurs hair growth—lots A man with almost no hair on his body has grown a full head of it after a novel treatment by doctors at Yale University.
Kids with strong bonds to parents make better friends, can adapt in relationships What social skills does a three-year-old bring to interactions with a new peer partner? If he has strong bonds to his parents, the child is likely to be a positive, responsive playmate, and he'll be able to adapt to a difficult peer by asserting his needs, according to a new University of Illinois study published in Developmental Psychology.
Tiny molecule could help diagnose and treat mental disorders According the World Health Organization, such mood disorders as depression affect some 10% of the world's population and are associated with a heavy burden of disease. That is why numerous scientists around the world have invested a great deal of effort in understanding these diseases. Yet the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie these problems are still only partly understood.
Scientists identify link between stem cell regulation and the development of lung cancer UCLA researchers led by Dr. Brigitte Gomperts have discovered the inner workings of the process thought to be the first stage in the development of lung cancer. Their study explains how factors that regulate the growth of adult stem cells that repair tissue in the lungs can lead to the formation of precancerous lesions.
	Drug shows promise for the first time against metastatic melanoma of the eye For the first time, a therapy has been found that can delay progression of metastatic uveal melanoma, a rare and deadly form of melanoma of the eye.
Evolution of equine influenza led to canine offshoot which could mix with human influenza Equine influenza viruses from the early 2000s can easily infect the respiratory tracts of dogs, while those from the 1960s are only barely able to, according to research published ahead of print in the Journal of Virology. The research also suggests that canine and human influenza viruses can mix, and generate new influenza viruses.
New target: Researchers identify pancreatic cancer resistance mechanism Pancreatic cancer tumors addicted to mutant Kras signaling for their growth and progression have a ready-made substitute to tap if they're ever forced to go cold-turkey on the mutant oncogene, scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the journal Cell.
Mechanism discovered for attaching an 'on' switch that helps cells accessorize proteins St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have discovered how an important "on" switch is attached to the machinery that cells rely on to adapt thousands of proteins to meet changing conditions. The research appears in the current issue of the journal Cell.
Stroke hospitalizations are up among middle-aged blacks in South Carolina Stroke hospitalizations among middle-aged blacks are increasing in South Carolina—highlighting the need for intervention among younger, high-risk groups, according to new research published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.
A shorter time to the first cigarette of the day is associated with risk of lung cancer Standard markers of nicotine dependency include cigarettes smoked per day, duration of smoking, and cumulative exposure (pack years), but another marker of addiction, time to first cigarette (TTFC) of the day, may also be associated with the risk of getting lung cancer in both heavy and light smokers, according to a study published June 19 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researcher discovers ovarian cancer treatment Doctors at the University of Arizona Cancer Center at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix reported today in Lancet Oncology that a new treatment for ovarian cancer can improve response rates (increase the rate of tumor shrinkage) and prolong the time until cancers recur. In addition, this breakthrough showed a trend in improving survival although these data are not yet mature.
75 US scientists may have been exposed to anthrax: CDC Around 75 scientists may have been accidentally exposed to anthrax at a US government health facility in Atlanta, Georgia, authorities said Thursday.
	New driver of atherosclerosis offers potential as therapeutic target A new driver of atherosclerosis has been identified by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. This molecule, known as 27HC (27-hydroxycholesterol), has been found to exacerbate the development of the condition, and may prove to be a promising therapeutic target.
	A new tool to confront lung cancer Only 15% of patients with squamous cell lung cancer – the second most common lung cancer – survive five years past diagnosis. Little is understood about how the deadly disease arises, preventing development of targeted therapies that could serve as a second line of defense once standard chemotherapy regimens fail.
	Additional challenges in KRAS-driven cancers identified Cancers driven by – and dependent on – the potent mutated cancer gene KRAS have an especially poor prognosis, and three decades of scientific attempts have failed to produce drugs that can attack KRAS and halt the tumors' runaway growth.
	Computer-designed protein triggers self-destruction of Epstein-Barr-infected cancer cells A protein molecule, "BINDI," has been built to trigger self-destruction of cancer cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus.
	Do salamanders hold the key to limb regeneration? The secret of how salamanders successfully regrow body parts is being unravelled by University College London researchers in a bid to apply it to humans.
	Chronic intake of Western diet kills mice (Medical Xpress)—When Cornell researchers fed high-fat Western diets to mice engineered without key immune system receptors to recognize pathogens, the mice died from lethal lung damage.
	Diabetes susceptibility gene regulates health of cell's powerhouse A team led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that a susceptibility gene for type 1 diabetes regulates self-destruction of the cell's energy factory. They report their findings this week in Cell.
	Researchers tie social behavior to activity in specific brain circuit A team of Stanford University investigators has linked a particular brain circuit to mammals' tendency to interact socially. Stimulating this circuit—one among millions in the brain—instantly increases a mouse's appetite for getting to know a strange mouse, while inhibiting it shuts down its drive to socialize with the stranger.
	Seeing the inner workings of the brain made easier by new technique Last year Karl Deisseroth, a Stanford professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, announced a new way of peering into a brain – removed from the body – that provided spectacular fly-through views of its inner connections. Since then laboratories around the world have begun using the technique, called CLARITY, with some success, to better understand the brain's wiring.
	Exploring how the nervous system develops The circuitry of the central nervous system is immensely complex and, as a result, sometimes confounding. When scientists conduct research to unravel the inner workings at a cellular level, they are sometimes surprised by what they find.
	Researchers learn how botulism-causing toxin enters bloodstream UC Irvine School of Medicine researchers have discovered the mechanism by which bacterial toxins that cause food-borne botulism are absorbed through the intestinal lining and into the bloodstream. Their study, which appears in the June 20 issue of Science, points to new approaches to blocking this poisonous substance.
New monkey model for AIDS offers promise for medical research HIV-1, the virus responsible for most cases of AIDS, is a very selective virus. It does not readily infect species other than its usual hosts – humans and chimpanzees. While this would qualify as good news for most mammals, for humans this fact has made the search for effective treatments and vaccines for AIDS that much more difficult; without an accurate animal model of the disease, researchers have had few options for clinical studies of the virus.

---

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