News in Brief

Astronomy

Milky Way galaxy’s dust clouds shown in 3-D map

A new three-dimensional map of interstellar dust in the Milky Way wraps 180 degrees around the sky and extends over 16,000 light-years from Earth.

Psychology

Just four questions can identify which ER patients need prompt care

A simple decision tree may find serious ailments in ER patients’ fuzzy complaints.

Health & Medicine

Simple blood test detects heart transplant rejection

Heart transplant recipients whose bodies are starting to reject the new organ might carry genetic warning signs.

Genetics

Gene variant tied to diabetes in Greenlanders

Greenlanders who carry two copies of a newly discovered gene variant have upwards of 10 times the chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

Neuroscience

Stress hormone kicks brain cells into gear

Norepinephrine, a stress hormone, wakes up cells called astroglia, possibly shifting brain into vigilant state.

Animals

In emergencies, fire ants get lots of grips to form rafts

First look inside fire ant architecture shows how lots of leg grips assemble rafts, bridges and balls.

Life

Avian flu could strike Asian poultry markets outside China

H7N9 influenza has a higher chance of spreading to humans in urban areas close to water, researchers predict.

Health & Medicine

Ulcer microbe changes quickly to avoid immune attack

During the initial weeks of infection, Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes stomach ulcers, mutates at a high rate, apparently to evade the body’s defenses.

Environment

E-cigarettes may inflame lungs as much as cigarettes do

Acute lung impacts of e-cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes are nearly identical, new study finds.

Physics

Energy-efficient laser works at room temperature

A room-temperature polariton laser, which requires little electricity, could improve electronics and medical devices.

Neuroscience

Crayfish get anxious, too

After receiving a shock, crayfish act anxious, avoiding brightly lit areas.

Paleontology

Ancient fish may have set stage for jaws

A fish called Metaspriggina walcotti, which lived roughly 500 million years ago, had body parts that may have later evolved into jaws.