My picks from ScienceDaily

With Skate Eyes, Scientists Peer Into Human Disease:

Paradoxically, the photoreceptor cells in our retinas release more of their neurotransmitter, glutamate, in the dark, when there is nothing to see, than they do in the light. This is doubly surprising since although glutamate is a major signaling molecule in the retina and throughout the central nervous system, it is also a potent cytotoxin that, in large doses, can kill nearby cells.

New Algorithm Significantly Boosts Routing Efficiency Of Networks:

A time-and-money-saving question shared by commuters in their cars and networks sharing ever-changing Internet resources is: "What's the best way to get from here to there?"

New And Improved Test For West Nile Virus In Horses:

A new test for West Nile virus in horses that could be modified for use on humans and wildlife may help track the spread of the disease, according to an article in the September issue of the Journal of Medical Microbiology.

Insomnia: Changing Your Bedtime Habits Could Help:

Many people sleep better when they are on holiday and wish that they could sleep as well all the time. But according to the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), it is not only being free of daily worries that can make a difference to sleep. Good bedtime habits can help people to sleep well all year round. Medication provides short-term relief at best.

Hormone Replacement Therapy Improves Sleep, Sexuality And Joint Pain In Older Women:

One of the world's longest and largest trials of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has found that post-menopausal women on HRT gain significant improvements in quality of life.

Is It Possible To Teach Experience? European Researchers Say Yes:

Business veterans claim you cannot teach 'experience', but European researchers say you can. The team developed software that helps players acquire real-life skills and realistic experiences through game playing. But this game is no executive toy.

Genome Of Simplest Animal Reveals Ancient Lineage, Confounding Array Of Complex Capabilities:

As Aesop said, appearances are deceiving--even in life's tiniest critters. From first detection in the 1880s, clinging to the sides of an aquarium, to its recent characterization by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (DOE JGI), a simple and primitive animal, Trichoplax adhaerens, appears to harbor a far more complex suite of capabilities than meets the eye.

Genes And Nutrition Influence Caste In Unusual Species Of Harvester Ant:

Researchers trying to determine whether nature or nurture determines an ant's status in the colony have found a surprising answer. Both.