Science X Newsletter Thursday, Nov 13

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 13, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Did men evolve navigation skills to find mates? Study links spatial ability, roaming distance and number of lovers
- X-ray telescopes find black hole may be a neutrino factory
- Magnetic fields frozen into meteorite grains tell a shocking tale of solar system birth
- Lightning will increase by 50 percent with global warming, research says
- Bacteria become 'genomic tape recorders'
- Engineers efficiently 'mix' light at the nanoscale
- 'Topological insulators' promising for spintronics, quantum computers
- Self-repairing software tackles malware
- Scientists find way to 'keep the lights on' for cell self-renewal
- It's not always the DNA: Damaged messenger RNA can jam cellular machines that make protein
- Cats and athletes teach robots to fall
- Bio-inspired bleeding control: Researchers synthesize platelet-like nanoparticles that can do more than clot blood
- Time for cyberattack conversation on automated cars
- Chemists develop porous molecules that bind greenhouse gases
- Wearable tech for the battlefield and people at risk for heart attacks

Astronomy & Space news

	Magnetic fields frozen into meteorite grains tell a shocking tale of solar system birth The most accurate laboratory measurements yet made of magnetic fields trapped in grains within a primitive meteorite are providing important clues to how the early solar system evolved. The measurements point to shock waves traveling through the cloud of dusty gas around the newborn Sun as a major factor in solar system formation.
	X-ray telescopes find black hole may be a neutrino factory (Phys.org) —The giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way may be producing mysterious particles called neutrinos. If confirmed, this would be the first time that scientists have traced neutrinos back to a black hole.
	Scientists hope for data after historic but dodgy comet landing European scientists were hoping for a stream of data Thursday after a robot lab made the first-ever landing on a comet, a key step in a marathon mission to probe the mysteries of space.
	Space agency releases first picture from comet The European Space Agency on Thursday published the first image taken from the surface of a comet, and said that its Philae lander is still "stable" despite a failure to latch on properly to the rocky terrain.
	Comet lander ends up in cliff shadow (Update) A shadow was cast—literally—across Europe's historic mission to land on and explore a comet. Scientists said Thursday the landing craft not only bounced twice, it also came to rest next to a cliff that's blocking sunlight from its solar panels.
	Mars, too, has macroweather Weather, which changes day-to-day due to constant fluctuations in the atmosphere, and climate, which varies over decades, are familiar. More recently, a third regime, called "macroweather," has been used to describe the relatively stable regime between weather and climate.
	The answer is blowing in the intergalactic wind Astronomers from the University of Toronto and the University of Arizona have provided the first direct evidence that an intergalactic "wind" is stripping galaxies of star-forming gas as they fall into clusters of galaxies. The observations help explain why galaxies found in clusters are known to have relatively little gas and less star formation when compared to non-cluster or "field" galaxies.
	Research reveals the real cause of death for some starburst galaxies Like hedonistic rock stars that live by the "better to burn out than to fade away" credo, certain galaxies flame out in a blaze of glory. Astronomers have struggled to grasp why these young "starburst" galaxies—ones that are very rapidly forming new stars from cold molecular hydrogen gas up to 100 times faster than our own Milky Way—would shut down their prodigious star formation to join a category scientists call "red and dead."
	New Horizons set to wake up for Pluto encounter (Phys.org) —NASA's New Horizons spacecraft comes out of hibernation for the last time on Dec. 6. Between now and then, while the Pluto-bound probe enjoys three more weeks of electronic slumber, work on Earth is well under way to prepare the spacecraft for a six-month encounter with the dwarf planet that begins in January.
	Despite landing fumble, comet probe working well (Update) Europe's comet probe Philae was "working well" despite a rough-and-tumble touchdown that left it partly shadowed from battery-boosting sunlight, ground controllers said Thursday.
	ICON cleared for next development phase NASA has officially confirmed the Ionospheric Connection Explorer, or ICON, mission, clearing it to move forward into the development phase. ICON will explore a swath of Earth's atmosphere where weather close to the ground impacts the dynamic space environment above in unexpected ways.
	How Rosetta made an epic journey through space and overcame incredible challenges Imagine launching a robotic spacecraft on a ten-year mission to land on a comet, 600 million kilometres from Earth, knowing that you will not be able to make any physical repairs to the craft during the journey. This daunting engineering challenge has been the ultimate goal of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Rosetta mission.
	Comet photos awaken wonder at space exploration It took a set of retro-looking images to reawaken the world's sense of wonder about space exploration.
	GOES-S satellite EXIS instrument passes final review One of the instruments that will fly aboard NOAA's GOES-S satellite has completed its final review.
New findings could help keep satellites and space debris from colliding Half a million objects, including debris, satellites, and the International Space Station, orbit the planet in the thermosphere, the largest layer of Earth's atmosphere. To predict the orbits—and potential collisions—of all this stuff, scientists must forecast the weather in the thermosphere.

Technology news

	Microsoft patches two-decade crack in Windows software Microsoft issued an emergency patch for a dangerous flaw that has existed in Windows operating software for nearly two decades.
	Microsoft is making .NET Core open source, cross-platform Most of you are old enough to remember when you would never use the word Linux in the same sentence as Microsoft without a middle word such as versus. How times have changed. Microsoft's announcement on Wednesday indicates a corporation smart and agile enough to adjust its views. Microsoft, talking about its developer tools and services, said it was open-sourcing the full server-side .NET stack and expanding .NET to run on Linux and Mac OS platforms. The move is said to be an effort to broaden Microsoft's reach beyond Windows developers, making .Net a cross-platform framework. "With billions of devices in the market today, developers need tools that target many different form factors and platforms," said S. Somasegar, the company corporate vice president, developer division.
	TV sound system for the hard of hearing Families often watch TV together, but what happens when one member has hearing difficulties? Usually the result is a compromise on listening volume that doesn't really satisfy anyone.
	Cats and athletes teach robots to fall A cat always lands on its feet. At least, that's how the adage goes. Karen Liu hopes that in the future, this will be true of robots as well.
	Time for cyberattack conversation on automated cars Jonathan Petit and Steven E. Shladover have written a paper for the IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems that sends a message about the potential of cyberattacks in automated vehicles.
	Self-repairing software tackles malware University of Utah computer scientists have developed software that not only detects and eradicates never-before-seen viruses and other malware, but also automatically repairs damage caused by them. The software then prevents the invader from ever infecting the computer again.
	Wearable tech for the battlefield and people at risk for heart attacks Wearable devices can count the steps you take and the calories you burn. But can they help soldiers in the field? Or prevent someone from having a heart attack?
	Ex-Microsoft CEO Ballmer making gift to Harvard Harvard University has announced that former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, a Harvard graduate, is supporting a major initiative to significantly expand its computer science studies.
	Comcast CEO: Full steam ahead on Time Warner deal Comcast CEO Brian Roberts is moving "full steam ahead" with the company's proposed $45 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable despite the uncertainty raised by President Barack Obama's call for tougher regulations on high-speed Internet service providers.
	Music streaming under fire, but soaring Taylor Swift has unleashed a debate on streaming by pulling her music from Spotify, but plenty of others are rushing to join in, rather than trying—in the singer's words—to shake it off.
Twitter shares take flight on plans for future Twitter shares soared on Wednesday as the popular social network evidently won over Wall Street analysts with its battle plan for winning users and revenue.
Amazon Web business jumps 40 percent Amazon Web Services, which sells computing services to companies over the Internet, grew more than 40 percent in revenue last year, the business' top executive told a Las Vegas conference Wednesday morning.
	Honda widens air bag recall after Malaysia death Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co. expanded its recalls related to defective air bags on Thursday, saying a driver in Malaysia died in an air bag-linked accident earlier this year.
	'Virtual wallets' keep Uber driving in India The taxi-hailing app Uber has changed its payment method for Indian customers after new central bank regulations threatened its operations in the country.
	Toshiba to conduct experiment of energy supply system utilizing renewable energy and hydrogen Toshiba Corporation today announced that the company has agreed with Kawasaki City to conduct a cooperative demonstration experiment of an independent energy supply system utilizing renewable energy and hydrogen. This system will be set up in the Kawasaki Marien public facility and Higashi-Ogishima-Naka Park in the Kawasaki Port area, and demonstration will be conducted from April next year until the end of fiscal 2020.
	Research spawns eco-friendly cement substitute When he was a Ph.D. student in the University of Arizona Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science, David Stone won a student innovation competition with the invention of an eco-friendly substitute for Portland cement.
	Pilot hydrogen storage and production facility offers glimpse into the fueling stations of the future The pilot hydrogen storage and production facility that EPFL has built in Martigny (VS) had a public open house yesterday. It was an opportunity to get a glimpse into the fueling stations of the future.
	Refreshable Braille gets an engineer's touch When Katherine (Katie) Cagen '14 was applying to Harvard, she made a new friend on campus who happened to be visually impaired. "I saw how much she relied on technology to be able to access her course materials," says Cagen. "Spending time with Sally made me realize that there's this whole other world out there of adaptive technology."
	Would we be better off if we sent email into retirement? This year saw the 43rd anniversary of email. Compared to a human working life, email has after more than four decades on the job now reached retirement age. Is it time for email to step aside to allow us to embrace the alternative?
	Facebook addresses privacy fears while ramping ad targeting Facebook on Thursday made it easier for people to understand and control how their information is used at the leading social network while expanding its quest to better target ads.
	Researchers develop sustainable concrete using plastic waste as a partial replacement for sand Academics from the University of Bath are collaborating with Indian researchers in a two-year project to create environmentally-friendly concrete that uses plastic waste as a partial replacement for sand.
	New website compares the influence of individuals on social media Dutch social media expert Robin Effing, doctoral degree candidate at UT CTIT research institute and lecturer at the Saxion Academie voor Creatieve Technologie, has collaborated to develop a program that has been christened Social Indicator and which can objectively compare the influence of individuals on Social Media. An initial demo of the program is launched, which compares the influence of 34 Dutch politicians. A demo version will soon be available in which everyone can fill in their own profile. The program stems from research for which Effing obtained his doctoral degree at the University of Twente on 12 November.
	Europe's 3-D printer set for Space Station Europe's very first 3D printer in space is scheduled for installation aboard the ISS next year.
Turing computing award boosted fourfold to $1M Recipients of the A.M. Turing Award, one of the most prestigious honors in computing, will now receive $1 million, a fourfold increase.
	Uber X service wins OK in much of Pennsylvania The ride-sharing service Uber X has won a conditional two-year license to match riders with personal vehicles throughout much of Pennsylvania.
	Sony launching cable-style television service Japanese entertainment colossus Sony on Thursday said it will debut a cable-style television service delivered through its popular PlayStation video game consoles.
	Hachette, Amazon end nasty feud with deal on book sales Publisher Hachette and Amazon ended Thursday an acrimonious feud over online book sales that highlighted Amazon's market dominance and fuelled protests from leading authors like John Grisham and Stephen King.
US village is cell phone free and loving it In this rural speck of hyper-connected America, it's easier to hear a cow moo than a cell phone ring. That's because Green Bank is home to the world's most sensitive radio telescope, a device that catches the birth and death of stars and signals so faint they are mere whispers from space.
	BlackBerry expanding its mobile-security arsenal BlackBerry is expanding its efforts to sell mobile-security software on its rivals' smartphones and tablets to help counter the waning popularity of its own devices.
	S&P gives Twitter debt 'junk' rating (Update) Standard & Poor's gave Twitter's recent $1.8 billion debt issue a "speculative" rating of BB- on Thursday, weighing the company's push for acquisitions against likely slow growth in earnings.
Demand surges for drones on film and TV sets Demand for drones on film and TV sets is soaring. Southern California companies that supply unmanned aircraft systems for filming say they have received a surge in orders from clients since the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the way for their use in September.
Taiwan's Hon Hai profit up 11 percent in Q3 Taiwan's tech giant Hon Hai Precision Industry, a major supplier to Apple, said Thursday that its net profit in the three months to September increased 11 percent on-year.
Target buys Pittsburgh shopping technology firm Target Corp. has acquired a Pittsburgh company that says its software platform brings "an Amazon-like shopping experience" to in-store customers.
No quick fix for threats to women on Twitter The Women, Action and the Media (WAM) activist group announced on Friday a collaboration with Twitter to address online harassment of women, which it claims has "reached crisis levels".
	Training in the virtual world 3D visualization software makes it possible for users to immerse themselves in a virtual model of a facility. In-depth training sessions prepare technicians for future challenges.
Ex-DHS official warns of more USIS breach victims A former senior Department of Homeland Security official says the hacking incident that compromised the private files of more than 25,000 DHS workers also exposed data belonging to numerous workers at other federal agencies.

Medicine & Health news

Tumor suppressor also inhibits key property of stem cells A protein that plays a critical role in preventing the development of many types of human cancers has been shown also to inhibit a vital stem cell property called pluripotency, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Psychiatrist suggests better tracking of positive drug side-effects that improve mental health (Medical Xpress)—Noted British psychiatrist and former advisor to the British government, David Nutt is suggesting in a World View column in the journal Nature, that a means be created for noting side-effects of drugs that offer improvements in mental health maladies. He suggests that a database be created that allows people with mental illnesses who inadvertently experience improvements in mental health by taking drugs for other reasons, to submit their findings, because it might lead to the discovery of new mental health therapies.
	Researchers getting closer to understanding why odors are so difficult to describe (Medical Xpress)—Ask someone to describe something they are looking at, and they will offer words that have evolved to describe seen objects, but ask them to describe odors, and they will almost always use comparative words based on detection of prior odors. Why this is has puzzled scientists for quite some time, though now it appears that some are getting closer. One team working at Northwest University has been using brain scans to understand what happens when we try to identify smells—they've published a paper describing their findings in The Journal of Neuroscience. Meanwhile, another team has been studying the differences between cultures and how they describe odors and have found that some do a much better job than others. They published a paper earlier this year in the journal Cognition.
	Team develops novel method to prevent, cure rotavirus infection Activation of the innate immune system with the bacterial protein flagellin could prevent and cure rotavirus infection, which is among the most common causes of severe diarrhea, says a Georgia State University research team that described the method as a novel means to prevent and treat viral infection.
	Direct drug screening of patient biopsies could overcome resistance to targeted therapy A new screening platform using cells grown directly from tumor biopsy samples may lead to truly individualized treatment strategies that would get around the problem of treatment resistance, which limits the effectiveness of current targeted therapy drugs. In a paper that will appear in Science and is receiving advance release on the Science Express website, researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center describe how screening samples grown from treatment-resistant tumors against a panel of current and potential targeted therapy drugs identified previously unknown resistance mechanisms, several of which could not be found by gene sequencing.
	Total recall: The science behind it Is it possible to change the amount of information the brain can store? Maybe, according to a new international study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). Their research has identified a molecule that puts a brake on brain processing and when removed, brain function and memory recall is improved. Published in the latest issue of Cell Reports, the study has implications for neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases, such as autism spectral disorders and Alzheimer's disease.
Pre-pregnancy body weight affects early development of human embryos New research indicates that the embryos of women who are overweight or obese at the time they conceive display distinct differences in early development compared to embryos from women of a healthy weight.
Moms with rheumatoid arthritis more likely to give birth prematurely Researchers from Denmark and the U.S. report that babies of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or pre-clinical RA—the period prior to symptoms—are 1.5 times more likely to be born prematurely in Denmark. Findings published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), indicate that body measurements of the baby at birth were only slightly lower in children exposed to maternal or preclinical RA compared to those with no exposure to the disease. Paternal RA was not found to impact fetal growth or preterm birth risk.
Video tool improves health literacy in prostate patients A video-based tool given to prostate cancer patients significantly improved their understanding of key terms essential to making decisions about prostate cancer treatment, according to a study initiated by the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and published today in Cancer, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
	Researcher develops an injectable antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning When Joseph Roderique was a first-year student in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, he had an idea for an injectable antidote for carbon monoxide poisoning. It was a big idea, one that could have dramatic and wide-ranging results if he could make it work.
Sleep disorders found to be highly prevalent in firefighters Sleep disorders are independent risk factors for heart attacks and motor vehicle crashes, which are the two leading causes of death for firefighters in the United States. In a national sample of almost 7,000 firefighters, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) examined the prevalence of common sleep disorders and their association with adverse health and safety outcomes and found that sleep disorders are highly prevalent, and associated with substantially increased risk of motor vehicle crashes and cardio-metabolic diseases among firefighters.
Hedgehog signaling pathway for breast cancer identified Molecules called long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in breast cancer but exactly why they cause metastasis and tumor growth has been little understood...until now.
	Molecular time signalling controls stem cells during brain's development Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have succeeded in explaining how stem cells in the brain change to allow one type of stem cell to produce different cell types at different stages. In a study being published in the journal Neuron, researchers show that the signal molecule TGF-beta acts as a time signal that regulates the nerve stem cells' potential at different stages of the brain's development - knowledge that may be significant for future pharmaceutical development.
	Next-gen polio vaccine tackles wild virus emergency Vaccine technology being developed at The University of Queensland could hold the key to completely eradicating polio by removing live virus from the vaccine production process.
	Researchers report breakthrough in qualitative and reliable EEG monitoring systems At next week's Neuroscience 2014, held Nov. 15-19 in Washington, D.C., nanoelectronics research center imec and Holst Centre will present their next-generation wireless electroencephalography (EEG) headset achieving increased EEG data quality. The headset combines dry electrodes with integrated skin-to-electrode impedance monitoring to provide information about the contact quality throughout the entire EEG recording. Unique signal processing is integrated to cancel out motion artefacts. This breakthrough technology paves the way to wireless EEG monitoring solutions for environments without specialized technical assistance, such as at family doctors, psychiatrists, paramedic care, ICU or even at home.
	The geographic origin of AIDS is now known A study published in Science magazine reveals for the first time where, when and how the world's AIDS pandemic originated. Thanks to a statistical analysis of all the genetic data available on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), an international research team has just confirmed that the scourge broke out in 1920 in Kinshasa, the capital of what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By comparing this result with historical data, researchers explain how, from a single contamination by a chimpanzee, HIV spread to humans.
	Integrating force feedback into therapies for impaired hands The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has successfully developed a novel training programme using haptic technology for impaired hands that cannot function normally. This programme is unique as it provides force feedback, which creates a true sense of weight to the user through the control device.
	The real disease burden of foodborne infections in Denmark Campylobacter is the foodborne bacteria that contributes most to the burden of disease in Denmark. This is the finding of a study from the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, which for the first time in Denmark ranks three foodborne bacteria according to the burden of disease they impose on society as a whole. The study provides authorities and other decision makers with the scientific basis to prioritize initiatives aimed at increasing food safety and reducing the health consequences of infection with one of the three bacteria.
Study finds marked benefits for cancer prevention with a higher intake of fatty fish A new research review published today will once again have people asking for a second helping of wild Alaskan salmon at the dinner table. While several other studies have recently challenged the long-held belief of the benefits of a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, this new study led by Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute Cardiovascular Research Scientist James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD, cites compelling evidence that eating the right kinds of fatty fish, in the right quantity, and prepared the right way, can in fact help prevent the body's development of adenocarcinomas, a common type of cancerous tumor. A high proportion of the cancers arising in the breast, prostate, pancreas, colon, and the rest of the gastrointestinal tracts are adenocarcinomas.
Cancer-killing virus combined with a chemotherapy drug might effectively treat recurrent ovarian cancer In six out of 10 cases, ovarian cancer is diagnosed when the disease is advanced and five-year survival is only 27 percent. A new study suggests that a cancer-killing virus combined with a chemotherapy drug might safely and effectively treat advanced or recurrent forms of the disease.
	Personality predicts our driving behaviour Personality traits can be used to predict a lot about a person. They can tell about their probable career success, if they're likely to get divorced, their risk at dying early from disease – and now, how safe they are as drivers.
	What about the mental health of kids with intellectual disability? High-quality epidemiological research shows children and adolescents with intellectual disability are four times more likely to have diagnosable mental health problems compared to others their age. This mental health inequality clearly needs attention.
	Preventing iPosture pain Technology has its benefits but sometimes it can be a pain in the neck – literally. Health care professionals often use the terms "text neck" or "iPosture" to describe the position we take when using our electronic devices, which can often lead to headaches, back pain, and aching shoulders. And for younger users, there are long-term health consequences for their developing bodies.
	New treatment strategies in race against rapidly evolving 'bugs' Evolution kills people. Andrew Read has been saying so for years. But he never actually saw it firsthand until he worked this summer in a hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
	Researcher works to uncloak how memories affect attention When is a sharp memory not a desirable trait?
	Oxford to lead trial of experimental drug in Ebola patients A clinical trial is to be carried out in West Africa to see whether a novel antiviral drug called brincidofovir is effective against Ebola, subject to regulatory approval.
	Why is it so hard to see a psychiatrist? Getting psychiatric care in the United States is a lot harder than it should be. Patients around the country are having a hard time booking appointments for outpatient care, and face significant hurdles when it comes to receiving inpatient psychiatric care. Why is this the case?
Studying links between EI and delinquency Young women with high levels of emotional intelligence (EI) are far more likely to engage in delinquency than their male counterparts, and those with apparently lower ability to regulate their emotions.
	Researchers create new guide to help men lose weight A new 'How to' guide launched today by the Men's Health Forum charity - and based on research led by the University of Aberdeen - is the first to show how to adapt and run weight-loss programmes so they are tailored specifically for men.
Cold-induced pain linked to the garlic and mustard receptor Some people experience cold not only as feeling cold, but actually as a painful sensation. This applies even to fairly mild temperatures – anything below 20°C. A group of researchers from Lund University in Sweden have now identified the mechanism in the body that creates this connection between cold and pain. It turns out that it is the same receptor that reacts to the pungent substances in mustard and garlic.
	Genetic testing could improve breast cancer prevention Scientists used mathematical models to show that analysing genetic data, alongside a range of other risk factors, could substantially improve the ability to flag up women at highest risk of developing breast cancer.
Novel cancer vaccine approach for brain tumors Glioblastoma is the most common aggressive primary brain tumor, and despite advances in standard treatment, the median survival is about 15 months (compared to 4 months without treatment). Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University have been working on a cancer vaccine that would extend that survival by activating the patient's immune system to fight the brain tumor. A study published online November 13th in the journal Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy drilled down to the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the vaccine, paving the way for further development and refinement of this new experimental treatment.
African Americans at greater risk from stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases Researchers at The University of Texas have found that compared to Caucasian Americans, African Americans have impaired blood flow regulation in the brain that could contribute to a greater risk of cerebrovascular diseases such as stroke, transient ischaemic attack ("mini stroke"), subarachnoid haemorrhage or vascular dementia. These findings were published in Experimental Physiology.
Premature infants exposed to unsafe levels of chemical in medical products Hospitalized premature infants are exposed to unsafe levels of a chemical found in numerous medical products used to treat them, raising questions about whether critically ill newborns may be adversely affected by equipment designed to help save their lives.
	How the breast cancer cells transform normal cells into tumoral ones? Researchers at the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute of Bellvitge, the Catalan Institute of Oncology and the University Hospital of Bellvitge have participated in an international study published in the journal Cancer Cell that describes how exosomes secreted by tumor cells contain protein and microRNA molecules capable of transform neighboring cells into tumoral cells promoting tumor growth.
	Tubouterine implantation can undo hysteroscopic sterilization (HealthDay)—Tubouterine implantation is feasible for hysteroscopic sterilization reversal and results in promising rates of pregnancy and live birth, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Biomarkers ID disease activity in elderly with low back pain (HealthDay)—Serum biomarkers can be used for assessment of active disease in older patients with low back pain, according to a study published online Nov. 3 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	High-intensity statin effect independent of lipoprotein, CRP (HealthDay)—High-intensity statin therapy is associated with coronary atherosclerosis regression, regardless of baseline lipoprotein or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, according to a study published in the Nov. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Anemia prevalent among older patients with diabetes (HealthDay)—For older patients with diabetes, the prevalence of anemia is 59 percent, with determinants including older age and longer duration of diabetes, according to research published in the October issue of Clinical Diabetes.
	Medical bills pricey for Americans, even with private insurance (HealthDay)—Many Americans may believe that private insurance can keep major medical bills at bay. But a new survey finds that one-fifth of people with private plans still spend at least 5 percent of their income on out-of-pocket health care costs.
	Omega-3 PUFAs can reduce smoking, cut tobacco craving (HealthDay)—Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) can reduce daily smoking and tobacco craving, according to a study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
	Tiny needles offer potential new treatment for two major eye diseases Needles almost too small to be seen with the unaided eye could be the basis for new treatment options for two of the world's leading eye diseases: glaucoma and corneal neovascularization.
	Canadians with cystic fibrosis living 20 years longer than they did two decades ago Canadians with cystic fibrosis are living almost 20 years longer than they did two decades ago, according to a research paper published today.
Genotype found in 30 percent of ALS patients speeds up disease progression Mice bred to carry a gene variant found in a third of ALS patients have a faster disease progression and die sooner than mice with the standard genetic model of the disease, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. Understanding the molecular pathway of this accelerated model could lead to more successful drug trials for all ALS patients.
Oxytocin helps to better overcome fear Frightening experiences do not quickly fade from memory. A team of researchers under the guidance of the University of Bonn Hospital has now been able to demonstrate in a study that the bonding hormone oxytocin inhibits the fear center in the brain and allows fear stimuli to subside more easily. This basic research could also usher in a new era in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The study has already appeared in advance online in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The print edition will be available in a few weeks.
	Researchers discover that the liver and brain communicate in order to regulate appetite The liver stores excess glucose, sugar, in the form of glycogen—chains of glucose—, which is later released to cover body energy requirements. Diabetic patients do not accumulate glucose well in the liver and this is one of the reasons why they suffer from hyperglycemia, that is to say, their blood sugar levels are too high.
	Software to automatically outline bones in X-rays Amidst a national shortage of radiographers in the UK and an increasing requirement for researchers to work with large databases of radiograph images, the software which is being funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is being designed to automatically pick out the shapes of bones in the images, rather than relying on individual researchers.
Study finds Alzheimer's drug may reduce the urge to binge eat The Alzheimer's drug memantine may perform double-duty helping binge eaters control their compulsion. Researchers have demonstrated that memantine, a neuroprotective drug, may reduce the addictive and impulsive behavior associated with binge eating.
Legally prescribed opioid use may increase mortality in chronic pain patients Associations between opioid-related overdoses and increased prescription of opioids for chronic noncancer pain are well known. But some suggest that overdose occurs predominately in individuals who obtain opioids from nonmedical sources. In a new study published in the November issue of the journal Pain, researchers in Denmark found an increased risk of death associated with chronic pain without opioid treatment, as well as an even higher risk among those prescribed opioids for long-term use and a somewhat lower risk associated with short-term use.
	Scientists develop scoring scheme that predicts ability of cancer cells to spread Scientists at the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and their collaborators have developed a scoring scheme that predicts the ability of cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body, a process known as metastasis. This system, which is the first of its kind, opens up the possibility to explore new treatments that suppress metastasis in cancer patients. The findings were published in EMBO Molecular Medicine in September.
	Facial motion a clue to difficulties in social interaction among autistic adults People on the autistic spectrum may struggle to recognise social cues, unfamiliar people or even someone's gender because of an inability to interpret changing facial expressions, new research has found.
	Researchers silence leading cancer-causing gene Researchers from the UNC School of Medicine and colleagues at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new approach to block the KRAS oncogene, one of the most frequently mutated genes in human cancer. The approach, led by Chad Pecot, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at UNC, offers another route to attack KRAS, which has proven to be an elusive and frustrating target for drug developers.
	Disgust leads people to lie and cheat, cleanliness promotes ethical behavior, study shows While feelings of disgust can increase behaviors like lying and cheating, cleanliness can help people return to ethical behavior, according to a recent study by marketing experts at Rice University, Pennsylvania State University and Arizona State University. The study highlights the powerful impact emotions have on individual decision-making.
	People show 'blind insight' into decision making performance People can gauge the accuracy of their decisions, even if their decision making performance itself is no better than chance, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
New contraceptive shot to reach 69 poor countries A contraceptive shot will soon be available at one dollar per dose in 69 of the world's poorest countries, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Pfizer pharmaceuticals announced Thursday.
Common cholesterol-fighting drug may prevent hysterectomies in women with uterine fibroids Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, in collaboration with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), Baylor College of Medicine and the Georgia Regents University, report for the first time that the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin inhibits the growth of human uterine fibroid tumors. These new data are published online and scheduled to appear in the January print edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
	Scientists make breakthrough in understanding Parkinson's disease Scientists at Trinity College Dublin have made an important breakthrough in our understanding of Parkin - a protein that regulates the repair and replacement of nerve cells within the brain. This breakthrough generates a new perspective on how nerve cells die in Parkinson's disease. The Trinity research group, led by Smurfit Professor of Medical Genetics, Professor Seamus Martin, has just published its findings in the internationally renowned, peer-reviewed Cell Press journal, Cell Reports.
Lax contact lens use main cause of eye infections A new government report says sloppy care of contact lenses is a main reason for hundreds of thousands of eye infections each year.
	Molecule fights cancer on two fronts Researchers at the University of Leeds have made a new synthetic anti-cancer molecule that targets two key mechanisms in the spread of malignant tumours through the body.
Forecasting diseases using Wikipedia Analyzing page views of Wikipedia articles could make it possible to monitor and forecast diseases around the globe, according to research publishing this week in PLOS Computational Biology.
Harnessing the digital sharing revolution to drive global health research The Global Health Network's suite of innovative free research tools can help tropical medicine researchers to collaborate, as reported in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases article, Strengthening Neglected Tropical Disease Research through Enhancing Research-Site Capacity: An Evaluation of a Novel Web Application to Facilitate Research Collaborations, Furtado et al 2014, in an evaluation of one of the Network's newest tools, SiteFinder. The Global Health Network is a Bill & Melinda Gates-funded research group, with the operational team situated at the University of Oxford. The group have created a free online platform, where researchers can share best practice and build applications to facilitate their work. SiteFinder is one such application - it helps research groups in low/middle income countries promote their expertise, and helps those planning studies to find new sites with whom to work.
	Ebola a stark reminder of link between health of humans, animals, environment For many, global public health seems like an abstract and distant problem - until the Ebola virus is diagnosed among people in our midst.
Without security, there can be no health care Beyond deaths, injuries, and displacements, the ongoing Syrian war is causing growing infectious disease epidemics. A short review published on November 13th in PLOS Pathogens reports on some of the epidemics spreading among vulnerable populations in Syria and neighboring countries.
	ADHD stimulant drug abuse common among young adults: survey (HealthDay)—Nearly one in every five college students abuses prescription stimulants, according to a new survey sponsored by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. The survey also found that one in seven non-students of similar age also report abusing stimulant medications.
	US prices soaring for some generic drugs (HealthDay)—Market forces are dramatically driving up the cost of some generic drugs, prompting U.S. investigations into the pricing of what should be cheap alternatives to brand-name medications.
	Many US doctors wary of genetic testing (HealthDay)—Many American doctors may not support genetic testing in patients without a major family history of certain illnesses, suggests a new survey of physicians. The report appears in the Nov. 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Detection up with one-step gestational diabetes screening (HealthDay)—A two-hour, one-step screening process increases gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) detection, but has no impact on maternal or neonatal outcomes, according to research published in the October issue of Clinical Diabetes.
	More than one-fifth of high school students smoke: CDC (HealthDay)—More than a fifth of American teens smoke or use tobacco in some way, which means that millions of them are putting themselves at risk for early death, a federal government study warns.
Cookie Monster teaches self-control Who would have thought a Sesame Street video starring the Cookie Monster, of all characters, could teach preschoolers self-control?
Scientists find way to reduce ovarian cancer tumors, chemo doses In a potential breakthrough against ovarian cancer, University of Guelph researchers have discovered how to both shrink tumours and improve drug delivery, allowing for lower doses of chemotherapy and reducing side effects.
	Researchers identify key mechanism and potential target to prevent leukemia Researchers have identified two proteins that appear crucial to the development—and patient relapse—of acute myeloid leukemia. They have also shown they can block the development of leukemia by targeting those proteins.
Telemedicine screening for diabetic retinopathy finds condition in one in five patients A telemedicine program to screen for diabetic retinopathy (a leading cause of blindness) at urban clinics and a pharmacy predominantly serving racial/ethnic minority and uninsured patients with diabetes found the condition in about 1 in 5 people screened, according to a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Study offers new clue into how anesthesia works Anesthesia, long considered a blessing to patients and surgeons, has been a mystery for much of its 160-plus-year history in the operating room.
Researchers identify estrogen's role in regulating common health disease risks What makes some women more susceptible to heart disease than others? To help answer that question, researchers at Western University's Robarts Research Institute have identified that an estrogen receptor, previously shown to regulate blood pressure in women, also plays an important role in regulating low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. LDL, also known as bad cholesterol, drives the process that leads to heart disease.
	New Alzheimer's-related memory disorder identified A multi-institutional study has defined and established criteria for a new neurological disease closely resembling Alzheimer's disease called primary age-related tauopathy (PART). Patients with PART develop cognitive impairment that can be indistinguishable from Alzheimer's disease, but they lack amyloid plaques. Awareness of this neurological disease will help doctors diagnose and develop more effective treatments for patients with different types of memory impairment.
'Tis the season to indulge in walnuts Researchers at UC Davis and other institutions have found that diets rich in whole walnuts or walnut oil slowed prostate cancer growth in mice. In addition, both walnuts and walnut oil reduced cholesterol and increased insulin sensitivity. The walnut diet also reduced levels of the hormone IGF-1, which had been previously implicated in both prostate and breast cancer. The study was published online in the Journal of Medicinal Food.
Surgeon held over botched Indian sterilisations Indian police announced Thursday they had detained the doctor behind botched mass sterilisation surgeries that left 13 women dead, as campaigners called for urgent reform of the government's family planning programme.
Survivors cheat deadly Ebola in new Battle of Hastings In a town called Hastings in western Sierra Leone a battle every bit as deadly as the Norman Conquest is being fought every day—against the Ebola virus.
First Ebola treatment trials to start in west Africa (Update) Global aid agency Doctors Without Borders said on Thursday it would begin unprecedented trials on patients in west Africa to test Ebola drugs and the use of survivors' blood as therapy.
	Could walking to work help fix the nation's health woes? Businesses will be encouraging their workers to walk to work as part of a new £1 million trial which gets underway this month.
Liberia lifts Ebola state of emergency Liberia lifted its state of emergency Thursday, announcing huge gains in the fight with Ebola as Africa pinned its hopes on trials for a "miracle drug" to be tested on patients in Guinea.
	'Unacceptable' UK variation in waiting times for radiology results A 'chronic' shortage of radiologists is causing wide variation in waiting times for x-ray and scan results, experts claim.
Patients suffering from hip fracture receive higher quality of care in smaller hospitals For several years the Danish health service has been moving towards increased centralisation and specialisation in large hospital departments based on the thesis that this provides better results for patients. A new study involving more than 12,000 Danish patients with hip fractures presents a different picture, however:
	Clinical trials on tap for possible Ebola vaccine A top U.S. health official says long-anticipated clinical trials of a possible Ebola vaccine will start soon in West Africa, as the global response to the outbreak took on added urgency with new cases in Mali and reports that the death toll has surpassed 5,000.
Many dialysis patients unprepared for emergencies and disasters Patients on dialysis are very vulnerable during emergencies or disasters, but many are unprepared for such situations, according to two studies that will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2014 November 11-16 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
New theory may help demystify pregnancy-related condition Preeclampsia, a late-pregnancy disorder that is characterized by high blood pressure and organ damage, may be caused by problems related to meeting the oxygen demands of the growing fetus, experts say in a new Anaesthesia paper.
	Response to Ebola needs flexibility, experts say Many beds are empty at newly opened Ebola treatment units in Liberia's urban centers because the outbreak is now flaring in more rural parts of the country. In Sierra Leone's capital, there aren't enough treatment units as the epidemic spreads there.
	Sharpening state spending on seniors As our society ages, a University of Montreal study suggests the health system should be focussing on comorbidity and specific types of disabilities that are associated with higher health care costs for seniors, especially cognitive disabilities. Comorbidity is defined as the presence of multiple disabilities. Michaël Boissonneault and Jacques Légaré of the university's Department of Demography came to this conclusion after assessing how individual factors are associated with variation in the public costs of healthcare by studying disabled Quebecers over the age of 65 who live in private homes. "Healthcare spending accounts for a growing share of the budgets of economically developed countries. While technological innovations have been identified as the main driver of the increase in costs in recent decades, population aging could contribute more in the years to come. It is therefore important to understand the individual characteristics associated with the high costs of health care," Légaré said.
WHO confirms Uganda's Marburg-free status The World Health Organization confirmed on Thursday that Uganda was free of the Ebola-like Marburg virus after completing a 42-day surveillance period with no new cases.
Gene variants in organ donors linked to shorter survival of transplanted kidneys Transplanted kidneys may not function long-term if they come from donors with variants in a particular gene, according to a study that will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2014 November 11-16 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.
'Distress Thermometer' a new focus of patient concern When the staff at Abington Memorial Hospital handed the breast cancer patient its new "Distress Thermometer" questionnaire, she instantly felt conflicted.
CDC: E-cigarette use rising in high school kids Health officials say high schools students' use of electronic cigarettes tripled over three years.
Guidelines say nearly all patients with chronic kidney disease should take statins Almost all people with pre-dialysis kidney disease should receive statins by current guidelines, reports a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
	Modified DNA backbone enables success of existing and novel oligonucleotide therapeutics The two U.S. FDA approved oligonucleotide-based drugs on the market both have a modified chemical backbone made of phosphorothioates. The therapeutic advantages of the phosphorothioate group and the new types of gene expression-regulation oligonucleotide drugs that it is enabling are detailed in a Review article in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
	USAID urges emergency funds for Ebola hot spots A U.S. official estimates there are 3,000 active cases of Ebola in West Africa, many in small clusters dotted throughout the countryside that require a more rapid and flexible response.
Woman rises from the dead at Polish morgue A 91-year-old Polish woman surprised morgue workers when she started moving, 11 hours after being declared dead at home, public television reported Thursday.

Biology news

	Did men evolve navigation skills to find mates? Study links spatial ability, roaming distance and number of lovers A University of Utah study of two African tribes found evidence that men evolved better navigation ability than women because men with better spatial skills - the ability to mentally manipulate objects - can roam farther and have children with more mates.
	Bacteria become 'genomic tape recorders' MIT engineers have transformed the genome of the bacterium E. coli into a long-term storage device for memory. They envision that this stable, erasable, and easy-to-retrieve memory will be well suited for applications such as sensors for environmental and medical monitoring.
	Switching on a dime: How plants function in shade and light Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert energy from the sunlight into chemical energy in the form of sugars. These sugars are used by plants to grow and function, as well as food for animals and humans that eat them.
	It's not always the DNA: Damaged messenger RNA can jam cellular machines that make protein Damage to DNA is an issue for all cells, particularly in cancer, where the mechanisms that repair damage typically fail. The same agents that damage DNA also damage its sister molecule messenger RNA (mRNA), which ferries transcripts of the genes to the tens of thousands of ribosomes in each cell. But little attention has been paid to this damage.
	Marching to our own sequence: Study finds DNA replication timing varies among people Imagine being asked to copy a library of books. Doing it yourself would take forever. You'd probably call some friends and come up with a plan to divide and conquer.
	Intimidating chimpanzee males are more likely to become fathers In a long-term study of interactions between chimpanzees in the famous Gombe National Park in Tanzania, researchers have found that males who consistently bully females tend to father more babies with their victims.
	Scientists find way to 'keep the lights on' for cell self-renewal One remarkable quality of pluripotent stem cells is they are immortal in the lab, able to divide and grow indefinitely under the right conditions. It turns out this ability also may exist further down the development path, with the workhorse progenitor cells responsible for creating specific tissues.
	Females protect offspring from infanticide by forcing males to compete through sperm Previous research has shown that infanticide by males is widespread in many mammal species, but most commonly occurs in those species where females live in social groups dominated by one or a few males.
	Mongoose sentinels respond flexibly to threats Just as soldiers on sentry duty constantly adjust their behaviour to match the current threat level, dwarf mongoose sentinels exhibit flexible decision-making in relation to predation risk, new research from the University of Bristol has shown.
	Nature reserves on the rise but funds lacking: UN Vast areas of land and sea have become environmental sanctuaries in recent years but the world is not funding them adequately, the United Nations warned Thursday.
	Bird battles promote unity on the front line Like the Three Musketeers' famous strategy of 'all for one, and one for all', birds marshal their troops to defend key resources when threatened by rivals, new research from the University of Bristol has found.
How adult fly testes keep from changing into ovaries New research in flies shows how cells in adult reproductive organs maintain their sexual identity. The study, publishing online on November 13 in the Cell Press journal Developmental Cell, also identified a mutation that can switch the cells' sexual identity. The findings could lead to new insights on how to alter cells for therapeutic purposes.
	Overhunting of large animals has catastrophic effects on trees The elephant has long been an important spiritual, cultural and national symbol in Thailand. At the beginning of the 20th century, its numbers exceeded 100,000.
	Insects enhance diversity of nectar-producing plants Some plants form into new species with a little help from their friends, according to Cornell research published Oct. 27 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Techniques for analysing smart phone data may help researchers understand marine species Over the past 30 years, satellite tracking has revealed the otherwise invisible lives of the animals that occupy the skies, forests and oceans - and now scientists hope to apply the latest techniques used to understand how humans move, to learn even more about the migrations of the biggest marine animals.
	Pushing Western Australia's reef fish bounty into the limelight From the tropical waters of the Kimberley to the temperate coast of Esperance, Western Australia is home to more than a thousand reef fish species.
Combatting illegal fishing in offshore marine reserves Researchers at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) at James Cook University in Australia have found a way to predict illegal fishing activities to help authorities better protect marine reserves.
	New Megaselia fly inspires the invention of innovative method for streamlined descriptions Scientists from the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles describe a new distinctive fly species of the highly diverse genus Megaselia. The study published in the Biodiversity Data Journal proposes an innovative method for streamlining Megaselia species descriptions to save hours of literature reviews and comparisons.
Enterotoxigenic E. coli worldwide are closely related The strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) that infect adults and children in Asia, Africa, and the Americas, have notably similar toxins and virulence factors, according to research published ahead of print in the Journal of Bacteriology. That bodes well for vaccine development, says corresponding author Åsa Sjöling, now of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. ETEC infects 400 million people annually, or 5.3 percent of the world's population, killing 400,000.
	How Campylobacter exploits chicken 'juice' highlights need for hygiene A study from the Institute of Food Research has shown that Campylobacter's persistence in food processing sites and the kitchen is boosted by 'chicken juice.'
	Research reveals promising technology to expand hard cider industry A new study by researchers at Washington State University shows that mechanical harvesting of cider apples can provide labor and cost savings without affecting fruit, juice, or cider quality.
	Fungus behind deadly disease in walnut trees mutates easily, complicating control Researchers from Purdue and Colorado State universities have discovered that the fungus responsible for thousand cankers disease, a lethal affliction of walnut trees and related species, has a rich genetic diversity that may make the disease more difficult to control.
Four Kansas laboratories work on ending famine Can a wasp feed the world? It can help. If its larvae are nurtured near millet fields where a devastating moth steals harvests from the field, they can grow to become predators that destroy the pests and save a crop. And that might put more food in more mouths and earn money for struggling farmers in the world's poorest countries.
	Plants have little wiggle room to survive drought, scientists report Plants all over the world are more sensitive to drought than many experts realized, according to a new study by scientists at UCLA and China's Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden. The research will improve predictions of which plant species will survive the increasingly intense droughts associated with global climate change.
Monsanto to pay Pacific Northwest wheat farmers Monsanto Co. said Wednesday it will pay nearly $2.4 million to settle a dispute with farmers in the Pacific Northwest over genetically modified wheat.
	Poaching-weary South Africa mulls legalising rhino horn trade Pelham Jones bought his first rhinos for a private game park in South Africa some 25 years ago, completing his collection of the "Big Five" animals that visitors especially want to see.
	The midge that eats more kale Three years ago, Tony Lehouillier began to worry about some of his purple kale. "It was just weird looking," he says, cupping his hands around a tall stalk on his farm near Johnson, Vt. "Then the top would start to die. Plants would fold over." Others had strangely puckered leaves and brown scarring. The blighted kale didn't necessarily die, but it wasn't marketable either. For Lehouillier, one of Vermont's largest organic growers of kale and other cabbage-family crops—like broccoli—the mysterious damage looked like disaster.
	By introducing DNA from other organisms, scientists enhance production of compounds in fungus The enzymes and compounds produced by fungi are of great interest to the pharmaceutical, textile, paper and food industries. These organisms are capable of secreting, their nutritional needs are low and have high growth rate. A group of researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the Center for Research and Advance Studies from the National Polytechnic Institute (CINVESTAV) successfully managed to enhance such properties.
	Fauna & Flora International trials new approach to forest conservation A new pilot project aims to put financial responsibility for conservation in the hands of the businesses that benefit from healthy ecosystems.

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