This week in biology/medicine (April 14-20, 2014)

Hey science lovers!
As I'm starting to ramp up my preparation for my upcoming PhD defense, I will most likely not be writing my usual posts.  But since science never stops, I'll continue with my normal Sunday summary.  So, this week in science:

Stress and trauma affect sperm RNA in mice.  This has implications for the heritability of depressive mood disorders.

Thanks to rare male advantage - a type of sexual selection where females of a species prefer a male with an uncommon trait - beards may be on their way out!

Coupling role reversals: insects have been found where the females have penises and the males have vaginas.

Babies may be crying at night so that mom and dad can't get it on.  No sex, no siblings.

In astrobiology news: new insights were outlined on the origins of life (Open Access)

Fearing the cuckoo mafia: birds know they're raising cuckoo offspring, but they're afraid of retaliation if they do something about it.

A new technique has been designed for facilitating the genetic characterization of the genes involved in photosynthesis. (Open Access)

Lifestyle determines gut flora, which directly influences health. (Open Access)

Nano-particle combinations used to deliver multiple cancer treatments.

Researchers have discovered when flesh eating bacteria developed their flesh eating capability (Open Access)

New insights into shark evolution: a skeletal gill-supporting structure from Paleozoic Arkansas shows a connection with bony fishes.

Vitamin B3 may have come from meteors striking the Earth.

Five anthropogenic factors that will drastically change North American forests in 50 years. (Open Access)