Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, May 12

RESPEKT!

Obama approves oil drilling in Arctic

Shell Arctic exploration conditional approval "a backward move": WWF

Mapping the future of global surgery

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, May 13, 2015 at 3:44 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, May 12
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for May 12, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- When an electron splits in two
- Experimental studies of ionic interactions near a hydrophobic surface in an aqueous environment
- Study reveals why prolonged light exposure leads to weight gain
- Controlling swarms of robots with light and a single finger
- New shield makes certain types of searches for physics beyond Standard Model possible for first time
- Ice cores store atmospheric bubbles from a million years ago
- Ether compounds could work like DNA on oily worlds
- Device measures the distribution of tiny particles as they flow through a microfluidic channel
- New evidence that global warming will hurt US wheat production
- Family genetics study reveals new clues to autism risk
- Shifting winds: An early warning for reduced energy
- Seasonal immunity: Activity of thousands of genes differs from winter to summer
- Researchers discover how the brain balances hearing between our ears
- Plant breeder boosts soybean diversity, develops soybean rust-resistant plant
- Tweaking the beak: Retracing the bird's beak to its dinosaur origins, in the laboratory

Nanotechnology news

Nano memory cell can mimic the brain's long-term memory RMIT University researchers have mimicked the way the human brain processes information with the development of an electronic long-term memory cell.
	Device measures the distribution of tiny particles as they flow through a microfluidic channel A new technique invented at MIT can measure the relative positions of tiny particles as they flow through a fluidic channel, potentially offering an easy way to monitor the assembly of nanoparticles, or to study how mass is distributed within a cell.

Physics news

	When an electron splits in two (Phys.org)—As an elementary particle, the electron cannot be broken down into smaller particles, at least as far as is currently known. However, in a phenomenon called electron fractionalization, in certain materials an electron can be broken down into smaller "charge pulses," each of which carries a fraction of the electron's charge. Although electron fractionalization has many interesting implications, its origins are not well understood.
	New shield makes certain types of searches for physics beyond Standard Model possible for first time The Standard Model of particle physics, sometimes called "The Theory of Almost Everything," is the best set of equations to date that describes the universe's fundamental particles and how they interact. Yet the theory has holes—including the absence of an adequate explanation for gravity, the inability to explain the asymmetry between matter and antimatter in the early universe, which gave rise to the stars and galaxies, and the failure to identify fundamental dark matter particles or account for dark energy.
	Researchers create microscope allowing deep brain exploration A team of neuroscientists and bioengineers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have created a miniature, fiber-optic microscope designed to peer deeply inside a living brain.
	How we recreated the early universe in the laboratory One of the all-time great mysteries in physics is why our universe contains more matter than antimatter, which is the equivalent of matter but with the opposite charge. To tackle this question, our international team of researchers have managed to create a plasma of equal amounts of matter and antimatter – a condition we think made up the early universe.
	Researchers make precise measurements of the half-lives of previously unmeasured nuclei Using RIKEN's Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory—one of the world's most powerful devices for the creation of exotic atomic nuclei—scientists from RIKEN have, with international collaborators, made precise measurements of the half-lives of 110 nuclei, 40 of which had never been measured before. These nuclei are located at the boundary of the known nuclear chart, and despite their short lifetimes—measured in milliseconds—these nuclei imprint their properties on the chemical composition of the universe. This research, published in Physical Review Letters, is a major step forward toward providing an experimental ground for models of the mysterious astrophysical "r-process" which is believed to be responsible for the creation of many of the elements in the universe heavier than iron.
	Topological insulators become a little less 'elusive' They are 'strange' materials, insulators on the inside and conductors on the surface. They also have properties that make them excellent candidates for the development of spintronics ('spin-based electronics') and more in general quantum computing. However, they are also elusive as their properties are extremely difficult to observe. Now a SISSA study, published in Physical Review Letters, proposes a new family of materials whose topological state can be directly observed experimentally, thus simplifying things for researchers.

Earth news

	Ice cores store atmospheric bubbles from a million years ago (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from Princeton University, the University of Maine and Oregon State University has found that greenhouse gasses a million years ago, were only slightly higher than they were between 450,000 and 800,000 years ago. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes their study of the newly retrieved ice cores and how it is helping to better understand the changes to the Earth's ice ages.
	Record Antarctic sea ice a logistic problem for scientists Growing sea ice surrounding Antarctica could prompt scientists to consider relocating research stations on the continent, according to the operations manager of the Australian Antarctic Division.
	Years of results regarding secondary organic aerosols reduce uncertainty in climate projections For the past 20 years, a large portion of the particles measured in the atmosphere were missing from models. At best, models were able to explain one-tenth of the carbon-rich secondary organic aerosols, or SOA, measured in the air. The problem turned out to be a series of fundamental assumptions used in the models due to a lack of experimental data. The models assumed the particles were liquids that responded to changes in the surrounding atmosphere by rapid condensation or evaporation and in-particle mixing. The models predicted the particles, especially the small ones, were rather short-lived on their journey away from their sources. All of these assumptions and more were proven false by Dr. Alla Zelenyuk and her colleagues at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Imre Consulting, University of Washington, and University of California at Irvine.
	Researchers clarify impact of permafrost thaw As the Earth's climate continues to warm, researchers are working to understand how human-driven emissions of carbon dioxide will affect the release of naturally occurring greenhouse gases from arctic permafrost. As the perennially frozen soil continues to thaw, the increase of greenhouse gas emissions could significantly accelerate warming conditions changes on Earth.
	New evidence that global warming will hurt US wheat production (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers, one each from Mississippi State University, Kansas State University and the University of Arkansas has found evidence that suggests global warming will cause a reduction in U.S. wheat production in the years ahead. In their study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jesse Tack, Andrew Barkley and Lawton Lanier Nalley describe how they studied winter wheat production for an area in Kansas and compared it against weather data and what they found by doing so.
	Brazilian beef industry moves to reduce its destruction of rain forests Expansion of cattle pastures has led to the destruction of huge swaths of rain forest in Brazil, home to the world's largest herd of commercial beef cattle. But a new study led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Holly Gibbs shows that market-driven "zero deforestation agreements" have dramatically influenced the behavior of ranchers and the slaughterhouses to which they sell.
	El Nino will be 'substantial' warn Australian scientists Australian scientists Tuesday forecast a "substantial" El Nino weather phenomenon for 2015, potentially spelling deadly and costly climate extremes, after officially declaring its onset in the tropical Pacific.
	Obama approves oil drilling in Arctic US President Barack Obama's administration on Monday approved petroleum giant Shell's request to drill for oil and gas in the Arctic under certain conditions, despite opposition from environmental groups.
	Gaza engineer seeks solution to water woes With Gaza's supply of drinking water expected to dry up by 2020, a Palestinian engineer is pioneering a machine to make seawater potable for residents of the coastal territory.
	Farmland management changes can boost carbon sequestration rates Well-maintained pastures prevent erosion, protect water and, as it turns out, can restore the soil's organic matter much more quickly than previously thought, according to a team of researchers from the University of Georgia and the University of Florida.
	Microplastics 'pollution puzzle' in PNAS News feature In May, PNAS published an article that describes how research developed from finding unexpectedly high numbers of plastic particles in the marine environment to developing methods for identification and to effect assessment studies aimed at defining effect thresholds. This news feature is based on interviews with a series of leading scientists in the field.
	Scientists develop new methods to track ocean biodiversity How can you track changes in complex marine ecosystems over time? MBARI scientists are part of a team trying to do just this with a five-year, $7 million grant through the National Ocean Partnership Program. The proposed Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) will combine species counts and ecological data from existing research programs with newer data gathered using cutting-edge satellites, robots, and genetic analyses.
	Stormwater innovations mean cities don't just flush rainwater down the drain More than half the world's population lives in metropolitan centers. The built environment of a city is very different from that of rural and natural areas. When it rains over a rural landscape, much of the rainwater sinks into the ground or is evaporated or transpirated by trees, crops and other plants.
Second quake part of chain reaction: scientists The 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on Tuesday, 17 days after a lethal 7.8 temblor, is part of a chain reaction in a notorious seismic hotspot, scientists said.
	New research will help forecast bad ozone days over the western US New research published in Nature Communications led by Meiyun Lin of NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory and NOAA's cooperative institute at Princeton University, reveals a strong connection between high ozone days in the western U.S. during late spring and La Niña, an ocean-atmosphere phenomena that affects global weather patterns.
	Bacteria the newest tool in detecting environmental damage The reaction most people have when they hear the word bacteria is rarely a good one.
	Lime treatment tests crops and soil nutrients Applying lime to acidic soils may offer a way to improve crops yield and boost soil nutrient availability, according to research in the Wheatbelt.
	NASA satellite data helps protect endangered whales Bruce Mate has been tagging blue whales since 1979. After 35 years, he has yet to lose his sense of wonder.
	More severe weather in store for middle states in US Today's imagery from NASA's AIRS instrument on the Aqua satellite indicates more severe weather is in store for the Midwest from Texas to Michigan. There is another extremely strong storm that is stretching from south to north and into Canada, and that system can be seen in this AIRS image from May 11, 2015. The first image (left) was taken at 3:35 am EDT, by the time the second image (right) was taken at 2:41 pm EDT the system had come together and was stretching across the nation vertically across the country.
Arizona called "one of nature's best natural laboratories for weather" The state of Arizona, long known for its desert climate and hot summers, hosts an array of surprising weather contrasts. Many identify the state as warm and dry; however, violent flash floods and even heavy snowstorms typically occur each year. According to a recent article published in Weatherwise, titled "The Weather and Climate of Arizona," extreme weather events, ranging from "heat to cold and dryness to floods… dust storms, forest fires, and unparalleled lightning displays" are all too common in  Arizona. As a result, the state has been named "one of nature's best natural laboratories for weather" by the article's authors, Ronald L. Holle, Nancy Selover, Randy Cerveny, and H. Michael Mogil.
	Two new environmental observation systems for shippers Two southeast Louisiana shipping hubs critical to the U.S. economy will see the installation of NOAA's Physical Oceanographic Real Time System (PORTS) this week. The new multi-sensor systems will increase navigation safety and allow for increased efficiency on ships transiting through the Port of Morgan City and Port Fourchon, Louisiana.
	Shell Arctic exploration conditional approval "a backward move": WWF In what WWF-US has termed "a backward move" the US government has given conditional approval to Royal Dutch Shell to conduct exploratory drilling for oil in the Chukchi Sea in America's Arctic ocean.
	New study assesses risks of extreme weather to North Texas roads, runways A new study by researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington finds a high likelihood that extreme storms and higher precipitation will lead to transportation disruption and widespread damage to roads, railways and airport runways in the Dallas-Fort Worth region by the end of the 21st century.
	New national database of coastal flooding launched Scientists have compiled a new database of coastal flooding in the UK over the last 100 years, which they hope will provide crucial information to help prevent future flooding events.
	Ana becomes first 2015 Atlantic tropical storm and weakens ashore On May 9, 2015 at 1626 UTC ( 12:26 PM EDT) the GPM satellite flew over when ANA was making the change from subtropical storm to tropical storm. Convective storms near the inner-core region were warming the center of the storm with heat generated by condensation. GPM's Microwave Imager (GMI) measured rain falling at at rate of over 58.7 (2.31 inches) per hour in these convective storms near ANA's center. The lighter swath to the west of ANA's center shows the area viewed by GPM's Ku/Ka-band Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR).
	All NASA eyes on Tropical Storm Dolphin Three NASA satellite instruments took aim at Tropical Storm Dolphin. Dolphin responded by posing for pictures as it headed west towards Guam gathering strength and speed as it moves. The MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite captured the image above on May 12, 2015. An eye was not present in this image so Dolphin still has some more developing to do. It is moving west at 7 knots. AIRS produced the image below of Dolphin on May 12, 2015 and lots of cold temps in the upper atmosphere are present and the storm is developing into a tropical cyclone.
	Ex-Super Typhoon Noul's final warning issued by Joint Typhoon Warning Center Noul's outer bands lashed Luzon's eastern coast with strong winds and rain throughout Sunday afternoon (May 10) as it drew nearer, packing maximum sustained winds of about 260 kph (160 mph) and gusts as strong as 315 kph (195 mph). Over 3,800 persons evacuated the northeastern tip of the Philippines and two persons were killed by the storm, however the damage sustained by the islands was much less than anticipated.

Astronomy & Space news

	Delta Cephei's hidden companion To measure distances in the universe, astronomers use cepheids, a family of variable stars whose luminosity varies with time. Their role as distance calibrators has brought them attention from researchers for more than a century. While it was thought that nearly everything was known about the prototype of cepheids, named Delta Cephei, a team of researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), the Johns Hopkins University, and the European Space Agency (ESA), have now discovered that this star has a hidden companion. They have published an article about the discovery in The Astrophysical Journal.
	More evidence that the Milky Way has four spiral arms Astronomers have been arguing over just how many spiral arms our galaxy exhibits. Is the Milky Way a four or two-armed spiral galaxy? Astronomers had often assumed the Milky Way was potentially a four-armed spiral galaxy, but comparatively recent observations from NASA's Spitzer telescope implied the galaxy had two spiral arms. In 2013, astronomers mapped star forming regions and argued they had found the two missing arms, bringing the total number of arms back to four.
	Image: Serene Saturn From a distance Saturn seems to exude an aura of serenity and peace.
	Ether compounds could work like DNA on oily worlds In the search for life beyond Earth, scientists have justifiably focused on water because all biology as we know it requires this fluid. A wild card, however, is whether alternative liquids can also suffice as life-enablers. For example, Saturn's frigid moon Titan is awash in inky seas of the hydrocarbon methane.
	Russian launch failure delays landing for space station crew The launch failure of an unmanned Russian cargo spaceship has prompted the nation's space agency to delay both the landing of some of the International Space Station's crew and the launch of their successors, officials said Tuesday.
	NASA selects advanced space technology concepts for more study NASA has selected 15 proposals, including one from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, for study under Phase I of the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC), a program that aims to turn science fiction into science fact through the development of pioneering technologies.
	Despite heavy storms and rough seas, team captures missile flight data "Everything was very successful, but this was the toughest mission we've ever supported." That was the assessment of Steve Yakuma, LLNL's ICBM flight test director, when asked to sum up his team's support of the recently completed GT214 and GT215 missile flight tests off of Saipan in the South Pacific.
	What shape is the universe? The universe. It's the only home we've ever known. Thanks to its intrinsic physical laws, the known constants of nature, and the heavy-metal-spewing fireballs known as supernovae we are little tiny beings held fast to a spinning ball of rock in a distant corner of space and time.
NASA funds SwRI instrument to date moon and Mars rocks NASA has approved $2.6 million to advance development of Southwest Research Institute's (SwRI) Chemistry, Organics, and Dating Experiment (CODEX) instrument. The device will allow unmanned rovers to analyze the decay of radioactive elements to determine the age of rocks on the Moon and Mars.

Technology news

	Controlling swarms of robots with light and a single finger Using a smart tablet and a red beam of light, Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have created a system that allows people to control a fleet of robots with the swipe of a finger. A person taps the tablet to control where the beam of light appears on a floor. The swarm robots then roll toward the illumination, constantly communicating with each other and deciding how to evenly cover the lit area. When the person swipes the tablet to drag the light across the floor, the robots follow. If the operator puts two fingers in different locations on the tablet, the machines will split into teams and repeat the process.
	The $9 computer wants you. CHIP heats up on Kickstarter Headlines about a computer's pricetag beyond consumer imaginations have been rolling in this week. They're calling it the Raspberry Pi killer. The crazy-cheap computer. The every-hacker's dream toy. By now you may have seen the stories about this $9 computer called CHIP. The computer is up on Kickstarter and aims to make some history and enough dollars to get it to market. CHIP is also making news simply based on its quick climb up to its crowdfunding goal, and far beyond. The team hoped to raise $50,000, to help them buy components, they said, "in extremely large quantities." They instead gathered $858,147 at the time of this writing with 25 days still left to go.
	Verizon barges into online video, buying AOL for $4.4B Verizon is buying AOL for about $4.4 billion, advancing the telecom's push in both mobile and advertising fields.
	Shifting winds: An early warning for reduced energy The Rocky Mountains certainly aren't known for their mild winters. But in contrast to the upper Midwest, which seems to exist in a perpetually frozen state from November through March, the plains just east of the Rockies do get an occasional reprieve from the bitter cold: the Chinook winds. When these strong, warm winds blow, they can raise temperatures as much as 50 degrees Fahrenheit and melt away the snow—a welcome respite for residents sick of sweeping slick sidewalks and wearing puffy parkas.
	Researchers create a promising solution for urban toilets They call them frogmen. Their job is to climb into 8-foot-deep pit latrines, empty them with a bucket, then cart away mountains of human waste.
	Women drivers closing the mileage gap While men still drive more miles annually, women are slowly catching up, says a University of Michigan researcher.
	Switzerland's first driverless car hits Zurich roads Swiss telephone firm Swisscom on Tuesday unveiled a driverless car that is being tested on the roads of Zurich, a first in the country.
E-skin and pocket-sized diagnostic machines give patients the power back Wearable E-skin that can measure heart rate and blood pressure, and paper diagnostic machines the size of a credit card that can give instant readings on blood and saliva samples are two new bio-sensing technologies presented at Elsevier's 4th International Conference on Bio-Sensing Technology in Lisbon, Portugal on 12 May 2015.
Verizon Wireless, Sprint settle allegations of bogus charges Verizon Wireless will pay $90 million and Sprint $68 million to settle charges that the mobile giants allowed phony charges on their customers' monthly bills so they could keep a cut of the profit, federal regulators announced Tuesday.
	AOL signs off after 30-year connection Over its 30-year history, the company got America on the Internet, became a corporate power, lost its luster and reinvented itself several times in an effort to stay relevant.
Renewable energy vital for Internet lifestyles: Greenpeace A Greenpeace report released on Tuesday charged utilities with hampering efforts to use renewable energy to power data centers needed for services hosted in the cloud.
	Volvo Trucks first with automatic all-wheel drive—for improved driveability and economy Volvo Trucks' new feature Automatic Traction Control activates the drive on the front axle automatically when in motion, if the truck risks getting stuck. The driver enjoys improved manoeuvrability, and the owner benefits from lower fuel consumption and less wear and tear on the truck.
	DARPA seeks a "100x zoom lens" for seeing distant space objects more clearly Imaging of Earth from satellites in space has vastly improved in recent years. But the opposite challenge—using Earth-based systems to find, track and provide detailed characterization of satellites and other objects in high orbits—has frustrated engineers even as the need for space domain awareness has grown. State-of-the-art imagery of objects in low Earth orbit (LEO), up to 2,000 km (1,200 miles) high, can achieve resolution of 1 pixel for every 10 cm today, providing relatively crisp details. But image resolution for objects in geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO), a favorite parking place for space assets roughly 36,000 km (22,000 miles) high, drops to just 1 pixel for every 2 meters, meaning many GEO satellites appear as little more than fuzzy blobs when viewed from Earth. Enabling LEO-quality images of objects in GEO would greatly enhance the nation's ability to keep an eye on the military, civilian and commercial satellite! s on which society has come to depend, and to coordinate ground-based efforts to make repairs or correct malfunctions when they occur.
	Researchers develop a novel organic device for obtaining hydrogen from water and sunlight Hydrogen has great potential as a fuel. Researchers at the Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices Group at the Universitat Jaume I have developed an organic device reduces water into hydrogen using only sunlight. Currently, organic materials used in these devices offer greater versatility and efficiency at a lower cost than the available inorganic ones, but they show stability problems when in contact with an aqueous medium. A study published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry achieves an exceptional stability in these devices and represents an important step in obtaining solar fuels from organic materials.
JPMorgan to convert Chase cards to chip technology JPMorgan Chase will replace all of its customers' debit cards with more secure chip-based cards nationwide, the bank said Tuesday, and expects to have chips on 70 percent of its debit cards by the end of 2015.

Chemistry news

	Experimental studies of ionic interactions near a hydrophobic surface in an aqueous environment (Phys.org)—The way a protein folds in aqueous solutions is largely determined by hydrophobic effects with the hydrophobic portions of the protein residing within the protein core or within the active site. Oftentimes, ionic interactions will occur in the hydrophobic active site. In theory, an ion pair will form a stronger interaction the closer the ions are to a hydrophobic surface, which is attributed to how the ions and the hydrophobic surface interact with the bulk water.
	New high-volume joining process expands use of aluminum in autos Researchers have demonstrated a new process for the expanded use of lightweight aluminum in cars and trucks at the speed, scale, quality and consistency required by the auto industry. The process reduces production time and costs while yielding strong and lightweight parts, for example delivering a car door that is 62 percent lighter and 25 percent cheaper than that produced with today's manufacturing methods.
	Water use by trees is a key part of the hydrological process linking soil to climate and local weather Los Alamos Lab researchers have made the first simultaneous measurements of Ultra-Low-Field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ULF-NMR) and neutron imaging to visualize the movement of water in trees. Water use by trees is a key part of the hydrological process linking soil to climate and local weather. Despite decades of research and method development, non-destructive, in vivo measurements of water uptake and flow in trees are unavailable for field-based measurement. The lack of measurements limits progress towards understanding this important climate factor.
Nothing fishy about new way to produce sunscreen pill and lotion Scientists from Oregon State University have discovered that fish can produce their own sunscreen. They have copied the method used by fish for potential use in humans.
	Molecular chaperones help with folding Chaperones are molecular helpers that assist other proteins with folding. One such chaperone is the so-called heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60). This protein forms structures in mitochondria that resemble barrels in which folding processes take place. A team of researchers at the University of Freiburg led by the assistant professor Dr. Thomas Becker worked with research groups led by Prof. Dr. Bettina Warscheid and Prof. Dr. Sabine Rospert in a study in which they discovered how these barrels, or protein machines, form. The scientists recently published their research results in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Biology news

	Plant breeder boosts soybean diversity, develops soybean rust-resistant plant It took decades of painstaking work, but research geneticist Ram Singh managed to cross a popular soybean variety ("Dwight" Glycine max) with a related wild perennial plant that grows like a weed in Australia, producing the first fertile soybean plants that are resistant to soybean rust, soybean cyst nematode and other pathogens of soy.
Bacterial forensics: Tracing a suspect from the microbes on their shoes The microbial 'signatures' found on an individual's personal items, such as their shoes and cell phone, could be used to determine their previous location and trace their movements, according to a small pilot study published in the open access journal Microbiome.
	Beaked whales B-stroke for long dives Foraging animals tread a narrow metabolic tightrope, rationing the energy they expend in the pursuit of food to make the most of a catch. And marine mammals that dive on a single breath of air have to be even more frugal to eke out their meagre oxygen stores. Lucía Martín López and colleagues from the University of St Andrews, UK, and the University of La Laguna, Spain, explain that bigger diving mammals should be able to dive and forage for longer than more diminutive species with the same foraging style, as larger divers should be able to carry more oxygen on board: but the data didn't hold up. '25,000 kg sperm whales and 1000 kg beaked whales perform dives of comparable duration (30–50 min) and depth (600–1200 m),' says Martín López. Intrigued by the beaked whales' powers of endurance, Martín López and her colleagues, Mark Johnson, Patrick Miller and Natacha Aguilar de Soto, realised that they needed to know ! more about the diving styles of beaked whales – ranging in size from Blainville's beaked whales to Cuvier's beaked whales and northern bottlenose whales – to find out more about the impressive duration of their dives.
	All invasive parakeets come from a small region in South America The parakeets that have invaded Europe and North America over the last forty to fifty years, creating massive nests in many urban areas, seem to have originated from the same small geographical area in South America. In addition, the invasive populations are genetically identical and are recognised by a relatively rare dominant haplotype in the source population. This has been the conclusion of an international study in which Spanish scientists have participated.
	Researchers discover how nature enables cells to act intelligently Researchers at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) have discovered a Lévy walk pattern of movement when living cells eat. When the food is transported within the cell by so-called endosomal active transport, it is the same mathematical pattern of movement that many animals follow when foraging for food.
New light on bacterial microcompartments Bacteria contain "microcompartments," which are poorly understood organelles that play critical roles in metabolism. Understanding how they work may ultimately enable engineering them for useful applications. In salmonella, which possess two microcompartment types, coexpression is prevented by gene regulation. Concurrent expression rendered them nonfunctional, and resulted in release of toxic metabolic intermediates into the cell cytoplasm, damaging the cell. But by engineering a regulatory override, Thomas Bobik, PhD, and collaborators shed new light on how microcompartments work. The research is published in the Journal of Bacteriology, a publication of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Researchers confirm cell wall of anammox bacteria contains the structural molecule peptidoglycan Contrary to what you will read in textbooks, the cell wall of anammox bacteria contains the structural molecule peptidoglycan after all. This is the conclusion of a group of microbiologists from Radboud University, Umeå University (Sweden) and Indiana University (the US) in an article in Nature Communications, published on May 12.
	Best conservation practices consider both genetics and biology Restoring diverse vegetation along the Atlantic seaboard after devastating hurricanes or replanting forests after destructive wildfires rests mightily upon one tiny but important ingredient: the seed.
	Study shows that rats will try to save members of their own species from drowning Rats have more heart than you might think. When one is drowning, another will put out a helping paw to rescue its mate. This is especially true for rats that previously had a watery near-death experience, says Nobuya Sato and colleagues of the Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan. Their findings are published in Springer's journal Animal Cognition.
	Mining pollution alters fish genetics in southwest England Pollution from historic mining activities in south west England has led to a reduction in genetic diversity of brown trout according to new research from the University of Exeter. The findings, which will be published on Friday 15 May in the journal Evolutionary Applications, indicate that human activity can alter the genetic patterns of wild populations - an important issue in modern conservation.
How the presence of conservation researchers affects wildlife In a study that compared three sites within the Dja Conservation Complex in Cameroon, Africa, investigators found that the presence of a conservation research project acts as a deterrent to chimpanzee and gorilla poachers, and community awareness and involvement in research lead to an increased value of apes and intact forests to local people, thus limiting hunting practices.
	Researchers develop new device to collect bed bugs In recent years, bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) have been appearing more and more often in beds around the world, and entomologists need specimens for research purposes.
Exogenous microRNAs in maternal food pass through placenta, regulate fetal gene expression In a new study published in the Protein & Cell, Chen-Yu Zhang's group at Nanjing University reports that small non-coding RNAs in maternal food can transfer through placenta to regulate fetal gene expression.
	Kissing cousins, arranged marriages and genetic diversity In the first study of its kind, a research team led by Massey University professor Murray Cox et al., in a publication in the advanced online edition of Molecular Biology and Evolution, has examined the effects of arranged marriages on genetic diversity.
	Using microbial communities to assess environmental contamination First there were canaries in coal mines, now there are microbes at nuclear waste sites, oil spills and other contaminated environments. A multi-institutional team of more than 30 scientists has found that statistical analysis of DNA from natural microbial communities can be used to accurately identify environmental contaminants and serve as quantitative geochemical biosensors. This study was sponsored by ENIGMA, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science "Scientific Focus Area Program" based at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).
Monkey farms in Florida under scrutiny from officials Tucked away in Florida's Hendry County, amid the scrub brush and saw palmetto grasslands just southwest of Lake Okeechobee, are three monkey breeding farms containing thousands of primates.
	Video shows mother bear rushing at tourists in Yellowstone Dramatic video captured by a Montana wildlife official shows a mother black bear with cubs running toward a knot of camera-clicking tourists as the animals try to cross a bridge in Yellowstone National Park.
	Seventeen endangered monkeys stolen from French zoo Two families of endangered monkeys were stolen from a zoo in central France over the weekend, the sanctuary's director told AFP late on Monday.
	European sturgeon research network established to boost prehistoric giants Sturgeons are among the most threatened fish species worldwide. To ensure that one day these living fossils will return to our rivers in large numbers, scientists have joined forces in a Europe-wide network. Seven partner institutions collaborate on research related to the conservation and development of stable sturgeon stocks and therefore pool their resources. In order to discuss a common strategy they all come together in Neu Wulmstorf on May 13th, 2015. The network has been initiated by the World Sturgeon Conservation Society (WSCS) and the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin, a pioneer of the sturgeon reintroduction program for almost 20 years.
	Projects for sustainable fishing not effective enough Projects that stimulate sustainable fishing in developing countries often get no further than good intentions. Thus, some of the imported fish sold in European and North American shops may be less sustainably caught than claims suggest. To prevent the MSC quality label for sustainable fish catches being undermined, the requirements for market access should be made more exacting, argue Simon Bush from Wageningen University and his international colleagues in an article in Science published on 1 May.
	Feds approve wider testing of spinach defenses against citrus greening disease In a landmark step in the fight against citrus greening disease, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved Southern Garden Citrus' application for an Experimental Use Permit under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.

Medicine & Health news

	Study reveals why prolonged light exposure leads to weight gain (Medical Xpress)—A study conducted by a combined team of researchers from Leiden University Medical Center and the Academic Medical Center, both in The Netherlands, has found the underlying cause of weight gain in mice exposed to a long periods of light. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes how they tested the food burning efficiency of mice exposed to different amounts of light over an extended period of time and what it revealed about weight gain.
	Study shows how E. coli thrive in patients with inflammatory bowel disease The survival and proliferation of usually harmless Escherichia coli in the gut of inflammatory bowel disease patients may now be better understood, as researchers have defined a fundamental mechanism through which the bacteria can thrive during flare-ups.
	Blocking a metabolic pathway may shrink aggressive form of common kidney cancer The first mouse model of an aggressive form of kidney cancer has identified an Achilles' heel in the disease that could lead to new treatment approaches in humans, according to a study by researchers at the School of Medicine.
	Children exposed to multiple languages may be better natural communicators Young children who hear more than one language spoken at home become better communicators, a new study from University of Chicago psychologists finds. Effective communication requires the ability to take others' perspectives. Researchers discovered that children from multilingual environments are better at interpreting a speaker's meaning than children who are exposed only to their native tongue. The most novel finding is that the children do not even have to be bilingual themselves; it is the exposure to more than one language that is the key for building effective social communication skills.
	Family genetics study reveals new clues to autism risk A study of 2,377 children with autism, their parents and siblings has revealed novel insights into the genetics of the condition.
	Seasonal immunity: Activity of thousands of genes differs from winter to summer Our immune systems vary with the seasons, according to a study led by the University of Cambridge that could help explain why certain conditions such as heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis are aggravated in winter whilst people tend to be healthier in the summer.
	Researchers discover how the brain balances hearing between our ears UNSW researchers have answered the longstanding question of how the brain balances hearing between our ears, which is essential for localising sound, hearing in noisy conditions and for protection from noise damage.
	Unraveling the mystery of a-synuclein in neurodegenerative disease and reversing its course A team of neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center has shown how a protein, known to accumulate in Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, activates the brain's immune response.
	New report: First compilation of global addictions The world's first comprehensive report on global addictions has revealed Australians smoke less tobacco and drink less alcohol than the British, but Aussies take more illicit drugs.
Cardiovascular risk factors extremely high in people with psychosis Extremely high levels of cardiovascular risk factors have been found in people with established psychosis, with central obesity evident in over 80 per cent of participants, in a study by researchers from the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and King's College London.
	MRI shows potential to improve breast cancer risk prediction Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides important information about a woman's future risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new study published in Radiology. Researchers said the findings support an expanded role for MRI in more personalized approaches to breast cancer screening and prevention.
	Deciphering the neural code that links food to aging Diet exerts a major impact on health and ageing. The nervous system plays an important role in this process but, thus far, how food signals are interpreted by the nervous system has been a mystery. This is an important question because the perception of food by the nervous system impacts not just ageing, but also other processes associated with health and disease, including metabolism, reproduction, and development.
	Exoskeleton that helps paralyzed walk faces barrier in Japan Yuichi Imahata's 9-year-old daughter is thrilled her dad stands tall above her head. It's an experience that is new to her.
	New malaria test could lead to global eradication of the disease One of the biggest difficulties faced by worldwide programs aimed at eliminating malaria is that the tests they use are not sensitive enough to detect all people who have the disease and need treatment. A study appearing online today in Clinical Chemistry, the journal of AACC, shows that a new test known as capture and ligation probe-PCR (CLIP-PCR) could diagnose the malaria cases that would typically escape detection and lead to new infections.
	Plant extracts offer hope against diabetes and cancer Diabetes is the fastest growing metabolic disease in the world. A new study has shown that traditional Aboriginal and Indian plant extracts could be used to manage the disease and may also have potential use in cancer treatment.
New research could lead to a blood test for common pain syndrome fibromyalgia New UK research could lead to a blood test to diagnose the common pain condition, fibromyalgia.
	Psychotic hallucinations, delusions rarely precede violence Mass shootings at the hands of unhinged loners – such as those in Aurora, Colorado; Santa Barbara, California, and Newtown, Connecticut – perpetuate a commonly held belief that mental illness triggers violent crimes.
	Study shows role of disease-fighting cells in HIV-related neurological damage Despite symptom-stifling anti-retroviral drugs, as many as half of all patients living with HIV experience neurological damage tied to chronic inflammation in the brain fueled by the body's own immune defenses.
	Binge drinking is major risk in some countries says OECD Binge drinking is emerging as a major hazard for the young in some countries, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Tuesday in its first probe into alcohol abuse.
	Emerging doctors call for action on global epidemic of non-communicable disease This week, special guest-bloggers and Australian doctors-in-training, Rebecca Kelly and Tim Martin of the Australian Medical Students' Association, call for greater focus, discussion and action on the world's leading causes of death.
	The key to stopping sarcomas' spread When sarcomas become large enough and outgrow their blood supply, they become vulnerable to hypoxia—a lack of oxygen. That adaptation not only enables them to survive the stress of low oxygen—it also enables them to withstand cancer drugs.
	New technology may reduce deadly complication of bone marrow transplants Researchers have designed a way to mitigate graft-versus-host disease, a common and often life-threatening complication of bone marrow transplants that are used to treat leukemia and other blood cancers.
	Tight family budget may lessen impact of food commercials on children Young children in households with no financial restraints may be at risk for poor eating habits by watching television commercials about fast food, sugary drinks and salty snacks.
	Mapping the future of global surgery A map can tell you where you are, and it can also help lead to where you want to be.
	Study details how key protein protects kidney and heart from injury A new study describes how the protein renalase, first identified at Yale, protects cells from the type of severe injury that could result in a heart attack or kidney failure. The finding may lead to new treatments that protect against those conditions.
	Obesity increases risk of developing cancer Cancer is more likely to develop in people who are very overweight (obese), because surplus body fat interferes with various hormone cycles and with glucose and fat metabolism. On the occasion of European Obesity Day this coming Saturday (16 May), metabolic expert Alexandra Kautzky-Willer, Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) at MedUni Vienna and Vienna General Hospital, draws attention to the fact that, even in Austria, more and more people are suffering from obesity. Several studies are therefore being conducted at CCC to investigate the links between obesity, metabolic disorders and cancer.
	Particular diets serve up top athletes Fuelling athletes has come a long way from just carb-loading before the big event.
	Can cycling improve mental health in old age? The University of Reading is asking for the local community's help for a study which will examine the mental health benefits for older people who regularly cycle.
	Researchers identify cell‑changing gene that can cause cancer Researchers at Dalhousie Medical School have discovered that a gene found in a common herpes virus plays a key role in the development of several AIDS-related cancers – including a form of skin cancer known as Kaposi's sarcoma.
Gender difference in vital cell count of HIV patients Male HIV patients in rural South Africa reach the low immunity levels required to become eligible for antiretroviral treatment in less than half the time it takes for immunity levels to drop to similar levels in women, according to new research from the University of Southampton.
	Significant progress made toward individualized cancer immunotherapy Mainz-based researchers have made significant advances with regard to the development of individualized immunotherapy strategies for treating cancer. They have managed to identify the relevant genetic changes or mutations associated with various types of cancer and have determined their individual blueprints. This makes it possible for the scientists to readily produce customized cancer vaccines of the kind that have already been demonstrated to be effective in animal models. Here they have proven effective in the regression and even elimination of experimental tumors. Headed by cancer researcher Professor Ugur Sahin, participants in the successful project included researchers at the biopharmaceutical research institute TRON – Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz gGmbH, the biotech company BioNTech AG, the Mainz University Medical Center, and the Californian La Jolla Inst! itute for Allergy and Immunology in the USA. Their results have recently been published in the journal Nature.
	Malaria testing yet to reach its potential In a study published this month in Malaria Journal, researchers from Uppsala University and other institutions present a new model for systematically evaluating new malaria treatment programs in routine conditions across multiple countries.
	How do neurons and blood vessels "talk" to each other? Neurons and blood vessels often traverse the body side by side, a fact observed as early as the 16th century by the Flemish anatomist Andreas Vesalius. Only over the last ten years, however, researchers have discovered that the growth of neuronal and vascular networks is controlled by the same molecules. Prof. Amparo Acker-Palmer, a pioneer in this area, performs groundbreaking research on the communication between neurons and blood vessel cells in the brain. She hopes to use her findings to gain important insights into brain diseases such as dementia and mental illness. The European Research Council will fund her project with an Advanced Investigator Grant of 2.5 million euros over the next five years.
	Baby talk: Babies prefer listening to their own kind A McGill University/UQAM research team has discovered that six-month-old infants appear to be much more interested in listening to other babies than they are in listening to adults. The researchers believe that an attraction to infant speech sounds may help to kick start and support the crucial processes involved in learning how to talk.
	Alcohol treatment programmes effective in cutting reoffending Offenders enrolled in alcohol treatment programmes as part of their sentence are significantly less likely to be charged or reconvicted in the 12 months following their programme, a study led by Plymouth University has shown.
WHO works on plan to tackle disease outbreaks after Ebola fiasco The World Health Organization, reeling under stinging criticism for its late response to the worst ever Ebola outbreak, on Tuesday said it was creating a blueprint to handle future disease outbreaks.
	Researchers take step toward bringing precision medicine to all cancer patients Researchers from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center and Thermo Fisher Scientific have developed and tested a new tool that searches for the most common genetic anomalies seen in cancer. The assay demonstrates the ability to make gene sequencing easier over a large volume of samples.
	New device provides chikungunya test results in an hour Scientists at a U.S. Army research center have modified an assay that tests whether or not a sample of mosquitoes harbors the virus responsible for the disease known as chikungunya (CHIKV), long a problem in the Old World tropics but recently established in the Americas.
Survival from rare bone cancer remains low Among the deadliest cancers is a rare malignancy called mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, which begins in cartilage around bones and typically strikes young adults.
Public health advisories linked with reduction of codeine dispensing to postpartum women Public health advisories from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada were associated with significant reductions in the rate of dispensing of codeine to postpartum women, according to a study in the May 12 issue of JAMA.
	Finding should enhance treatments that stop immune system attack Scientists at The University of Manchester have made an important discovery about an immune cell which is already being used in immunotherapy to treat diseases such as type I diabetes.
	Cause of regression in individuals with Down syndrome identified Down syndrome, the most common chromosomal disorder in America, can be complicated by significant deterioration in movement, speech and functioning in some adolescents and young adults. Physicians previously attributed this regression to depression or early-onset Alzheimer's, and it has not responded to treatments. Now, a researcher at the University of Missouri has found that Catatonia, a treatable disorder, may cause regression in patients with Down syndrome. Individuals with regressive Down syndrome who were treated for Catatonia showed improvement, the researcher found.
Rethinking the rebound: Unexpected effects of rejection It's portrayed in movies again and again - a character gets rejected by someone attractive and then falls willingly into the arms of someone perhaps less attractive. According to a new study, it's not so simple: Rejection by an attractive man actually led women to socially distance themselves from an unattractive man, even when he offered acceptance.
	siRNA-toting nanoparticles inhibit breast cancer metastasis Researchers at Case Western Reserve University combined finely crafted nanoparticles with one of nature's potent disrupters to prevent the spread of triple-negative breast cancer in mouse models.
	Many fixed-dose drug combinations in India lack central regulatory approval Fixed-dose drug combinations (FDCs) which have not received central regulatory approval are sold in substantial numbers in India—despite concerns over the safety and efficacy of these combinations—according to new research led by Queen Mary University of London and published in PLOS Medicine.
	Smoking and angioplasty: Not a good combination Quitting smoking when you have an angioplasty can help maximize the procedure's benefits, meaning better quality of life and more relief from your chest pain, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	Men benefit from vaccinating girls against HPV but remain at risk of some cancers Men benefit indirectly from vaccinating girls against human papillomavirus (HPV), but remain at risk of cancers associated with the virus, finds a study from The Netherlands published in The BMJ this week.
Medical journals should not avoid political issues that have a bearing on health Criticism of Israeli government policy "is not ipso facto antisemitic, and to label it as such is a tactic to stifle debate," argue leading doctors in an editorial in The BMJ this week.
	Dopamine-producing neurons fulfil important function in the brain Nerve cells that produce dopamine for the purpose of transmitting signals to other cells affect numerous crucial brain functions. This becomes evident in diseases such as Parkinson's and schizophrenia, where dopamine transmission in the brain is impaired. In collaboration with researchers from Bonn, RUB scientists at the Mercator Research Group "Structure of Memory" have now identified in what way a specific form of this important cell is generated and which networks it forms in the course of brain development. In the process, the researchers discovered a data highway of sorts: the nerve cells use not only dopamine for signal transmission, but also the much-faster glutamate.
Scientists regenerate bone tissue using only proteins secreted by stem cells Scientists have discovered a way to regrow bone tissue using the protein signals produced by stem cells. This technology could help treat victims who have experienced major trauma to a limb, like soldiers wounded in combat or casualties of a natural disaster. The new method improves on older therapies by providing a sustainable source for fresh tissue and reducing the risk of tumor formation that can arise with stem cell transplants.
	Moderate costs incurred by living kidney donors (HealthDay)—Living kidney donors (LKDs) incur moderate costs related to the completion of donation evaluation, according to a study published online May 5 in the American Journal of Transplantation.
	Age-related macular degeneration, mortality linked (HealthDay)—Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a predictor of poor survival, especially among women aged 80 years and older, according to a study published online May 4 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Active video games offer health benefit for children/Teens (HealthDay)—Active video games (AVGs) are a good alternative to sedentary behavior, and can provide health benefits comparable to laboratory-based exercise or field-based physical activity, according to research published online May 6 in Obesity Reviews.
	Ultrasound accurate for groin hernia diagnosis (HealthDay)—Ultrasound accurately diagnoses groin hernias, according to a study published online May 6 in the Journal of Clinical Ultrasound.
	Shortened fasting feasible for children undergoing surgery (HealthDay)—The incidence of pulmonary aspiration is low in children undergoing elective surgery, even when allowed free clear fluids until called to the operating suite, according to research published online May 4 in Pediatric Anesthesia.
	CCHD screening would detect many nonsyndromic cases (HealthDay)—Universal critical congenital heart defect (CCHD) screening is expected to detect a considerable number of nonsyndromic CCHD cases, but a similar number of false-negative screenings are also likely, according to a study published online May 11 in Pediatrics.
	AMA: Six traits of financially prepared female physicians (HealthDay)—The traits of a financially prepared female physician include having a retirement portfolio that is on track or ahead of schedule for age and career stage, having a liquid emergency fund, and feeling adequately protected in the event of a disability, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Survival improving for women with ovarian cancer (HealthDay)—Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are now much more likely to survive the disease than they were several decades ago, according to research published online May 6 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Comprehensiveness of PCP care tied to costs, hospitalizations (HealthDay)—Increasing family physician comprehensiveness of care correlates with lower Medicare costs and hospitalizations, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Failure to expand ACA Medicaid coverage widens disparities in breast and cervical cancer screenings Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center researchers recently conducted a study that found low-income and uninsured women in states that are not expanding their Affordable Care Act Medicaid coverage are less likely to receive breast and cervical cancer screenings compared to those in states that are implementing expansions.
How sexual minority men cope with harassment, masculinity, and body image What does an ideal man or woman look like? How do they dress and behave? These are questions that every young person agonizes over. For those who don't compare to the typical man or woman, ridicule from peers and insecurities about oneself can often be the result.
Pediatric warning system helps doctors identify hospitalized patients at risk of critical illness The Ronald McDonald Children's Hospital at Loyola University Medical Center has implemented a pediatric early warning scoring system to better identify children who are at-risk of becoming critically ill while in the hospital.
	Nine tips for parents and kids on how to stay healthy over the summer More than one-third of children and adolescents in the U.S. is overweight or obese. In Miami, more than 40 percent of young children are overweight or obese with most parents not being aware of their child's current health status.
Aclidinium bromide/formoterol in COPD: Added benefit for certain patient groups The fixed-dose combination aclidinium bromide/formoterol has been approved since November 2014 for long-term treatment of adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug combination offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.
Prenatal exercise lowers risks of C-sections, higher birth weights Pregnant women who exercise can significantly lower the risk of undergoing Caesarean sections and giving birth to large babies, a University of Alberta study has found.
	Muscle inflammation susceptibility predicts THA recovery (HealthDay)—Muscle inflammation susceptibility (MuIS) status seems to be able to predict recovery after total hip arthroplasty (THA), according to research published in the April 15 issue of the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism.
	Decision support can help family doctors cut radiation exposure (HealthDay)—Point-of-care decision support can help family physicians select imaging that lowers pediatric radiation exposure and is in accordance with current guidelines, according to a study published in the May-June issue of the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine.

Other Sciences news

	Tweaking the beak: Retracing the bird's beak to its dinosaur origins, in the laboratory Scientists have successfully replicated the molecular processes that led from dinosaur snouts to the first bird beaks.
	Unearthing slave artifacts in South Carolina When Sharon Moses and a group of NAU students conduct an historical archaeology field school later this month, they will be looking for relics buried beneath former slave quarters to gain additional insights on religious practices among different ethnicities and cultures.
	Student studies Twitter tactics of ISIS supporters This year BYU student Alex Miller has been using Twitter to keep up with a new crop of terrorists.
	We need to stop punishing scientists for talking to the public As scientists, my colleagues and I are often told we need to engage the general public and decision makers, to use our expertise to inform public discourse and debates and to reach a far wider audience than just our professional colleagues.
	Even in 'conservative' West Germany, four fifths of mothers work A study of 500 couples shows that only a fifth (21%) of couples born between 1956 and 1965 in 'conservative West Germany' followed the traditional model of having a stay-at-home mum and a male breadwinner as their children grew up. Oxford University researcher Laura Langner analysed decades of SOEP data gathered by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), in which households were interviewed on a yearly basis.
	Six times more expensive to travel by car than by bicycle: study It is six times more expensive for society - and for you individually - if you travel by car instead of cycling. This has been shown in a Lund University study of Copenhagen, a city of cyclists. It is the first time a price has been put on car use as compared to cycling.
Political talk on Facebook mirrors political talk offline Political discussions conducted on social networking sites like Facebook mirror traditional offline discussions and don't provide a window into previously untapped participants in the political process, according to a new study that includes two University of Kansas researchers.
Bragging: Researchers find self-promotion often backfires Bragging to coworkers about a recent promotion, or posting a photo of your brand new car on Facebook, may seem like harmless ways to share good news.
	A gap year does not weaken study success A gap year between high school and the start of university studies does not weaken young people's enthusiasm to study or their overall performance once the studies have commenced. On the other hand, adolescents who continue to university studies directly after upper secondary school are more resilient in their studies and more committed to the study goals. However, young people who transfer directly to university are more stressed than those who start their studies after a gap year. These research results have been achieved in the Academy of Finland's research programme The Future of Learning, Knowledge and Skills (TULOS).
	Ants' movements hide mathematical patterns When ants go exploring in search of food they end up choosing collective routes that fit statistical distributions of probability. This has been demonstrated by a team of mathematicians after analysing the trails of a species of Argentine ant. Studies like this could be applied to coordinate the movement of micro-robots in cleaning contaminated areas for example.
	Seven in ten take early pension payout As governments and corporations around the world face pension shortfalls, a groundbreaking study in Croatia by a team of U.S. researchers explores the likelihood and circumstances under which people will accept partial payouts.
	FBI hair analysis problems reveal limits of forensic science Kirk Odom was convicted of a 1981 rape and robbery after a woman identified him as her attacker and an FBI specialist testified that hair on her nightgown was consistent with hair on Odom's head.
	College readiness declines when school's focus is improving test scores, study finds Education reform policies that penalize struggling schools for poor standardized test scores may hinder—not improve—students' college readiness, if a school's instructional focus becomes improving its test scores, suggests a new study that explored efforts to promote a college-going culture at one Texas high school.
	Baby boomers open up about old age Kathy Glasgow, who is graduating with a PhD in Social Policy this week, interviewed mid-life baby boomers around New Zealand to explore their views about old age and compare their expectations and values with current policies for older people.
	Philadelphia teens are left behind in jobs recovery, with black male teens faring worst of all Since the end of the Great Recession in early 2010, the economy has rebounded, adding nearly 11.5 million jobs and increasing employment above pre-recession levels. In the last year alone, the nation generated more than one quarter of these jobs, expanding employment levels by 3.3 million. But as the economy has bounced back, how have teens fared?
Newborns of immigrants in rural communities at bigger disadvantage Starting life as the child of impoverished immigrant parents is tough enough in America's traditional gateway cities for immigration.
	Study suggests caution over asset test changes Research into attitudes to retirement saving suggests the federal government's plan to tighten the assets test for the age pension may not have the desired effect.
	Egg, turkey meat prices begin to rise as bird flu spreads Prices for eggs and turkey meat are rising as an outbreak of bird flu in the Midwest claims an increasing number of chickens and turkeys. Market experts say grocery stores and wholesalers are trying to stock up on eggs, but there's no need to worry about having enough turkeys for Thanksgiving.

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