Science X Newsletter Thursday, Nov 6

Mechanical Simulation Showcase

The analysis of mechanical systems and designs is crucial for optimizing your designs throughout the product life cycle. Check out this online resource to see different examples from a wide variety of mechanical applications: http://goo.gl/qZAXMM

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 6, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Rare 2.5-billion-year-old rocks reveal hot spot of sulfur-breathing bacteria
- Ghost illusion created in the lab: Neuroscientists awaken 'ghosts' hidden inside the cortex (w/ Video)
- Tiny scallop-like robotic swimmers could deliver drugs to treat diseases
- Ancient DNA shows earliest European genomes weathered the Ice Age
- Caltech rocket experiment finds surprising cosmic light
- Princeton team explores 3D-printed quantum dot LEDs
- Chemical engineers borrow technique to store solar energy
- Researchers create unique graphene nanopores with optical antennas for DNA sequencing
- European satellite could discover thousands of planets in Earth's galaxy
- Human stem cell-derived neuron transplants reduce seizures in mice
- Sustainability, astrobiology illuminate future of life in universe, civilization on Earth
- Microsoft releases Office apps for iPhones, iPads
- Before there will be blood: Pro-inflammatory signaling plays surprising role in creation of hematopoietic stem cells
- New research shows vulnerability in mobile phones' applications offering voice communication security
- Japan scientists make see-through mice

Astronomy & Space news

	European satellite could discover thousands of planets in Earth's galaxy A recently launched European satellite could reveal tens of thousands of new planets within the next few years, and provide scientists with a far better understanding of the number, variety and distribution of planets in our galaxy, according to research published today.
	Caltech rocket experiment finds surprising cosmic light Using an experiment carried into space on a NASA suborbital rocket, astronomers at Caltech and their colleagues have detected a diffuse cosmic glow that appears to represent more light than that produced by known galaxies in the universe.
	Synthetic biology could be big boost to interplanetary space travel (Phys.org) —Genetically engineered microbes could help make manned missions to Mars, the moon and other planets more practical, according to a new analysis by UC Berkeley and NASA scientists.
	Birth of planets revealed in astonishing detail in ALMA's 'best image ever' Astronomers have captured the best image ever of planet formation around an infant star as part of the testing and verification process for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array's (ALMA) new high-resolution capabilities.
	Neutron stars could shine new light on universe expansion Astrophysicists have developed a new way to use gravitational waves to measure the expansion rate of the universe.
	Jets, bubbles, and bursts of light in Taurus The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has snapped a striking view of a multiple star system called XZ Tauri, its neighbour HL Tauri, and several nearby young stellar objects. XZ Tauri is blowing a hot bubble of gas into the surrounding space, which is filled with bright and beautiful clumps that are emitting strong winds and jets. These objects illuminate the region, creating a truly dramatic scene.
	Sustainability, astrobiology illuminate future of life in universe, civilization on Earth Human-caused climate change, ocean acidification and species extinctions may eventually threaten the collapse of civilization, according to some scientists, while other people argue that for political or economic reasons we should allow industrial development to continue without restrictions.
	Hubble surveys debris-strewn exoplanetary construction yards (Phys.org) —Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have completed the largest and most sensitive visible-light imaging survey of dusty debris disks around other stars. These dusty disks, likely created by collisions between leftover objects from planet formation, were imaged around stars as young as 10 million years old and as mature as more than 1 billion years old.
	CEO: Virgin Galactic looks to resume tests in 2015 (Update) The space tourism company that suffered a tragic setback when its experimental rocket-powered spaceship broke apart over the California desert could resume test flights as early as next summer if it can finish building a replacement craft, its CEO said Wednesday.
	Behind-the scenes account of seven specks of interstellar dust returned by the Stardust probe This August, a consortium of 65 scientists announced in the journal Science that they have so far found seven probable but not confirmed ("level 2" ) interstellar dust specks in a collector returned to Earth by the Stardust spacecraft in 2006. An entire issue of the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science was also devoted to the hunt for the dust.
	Black holes come to the big screen The new movie "Interstellar" explores a longstanding fascination, but UA astrophysicists are using cutting-edge technology to go one better. They're working on how to take pictures of the black hole at the center of the galaxy.
	Engineering students embedded intelligence systems headed to International Space Station Two embedded intelligence systems designed and developed by undergraduate students in Texas A&M University's Dwight Look College of Engineering were aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket headed to the International Space Station (ISS).
	Earth science on Mars "All systems go!" I said cautiously with a long sigh of relief. I had approved plans for the first soil analysis that would give humankind clues to the past and future habitability of Mars.
	Is your religion ready to meet ET? How will humankind react after astronomers hand over rock-solid scientific evidence for the existence of life beyond the Earth? No more speculating. No more wondering. The moment scientists announce this discovery, everything will change. Not least of all, our philosophies and religions will need to incorporate the new information.
	Image: Orion prepares to move to launch pad On Dec. 4, Orion is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 37 in Florida. During the test, Orion will travel 3,600 miles in altitude above Earth. 4 1/2 hours later, the spacecraft will reenter the atmosphere at 20,000 mph and splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Orion's first flight will verify launch and high-speed reentry systems such as avionics, attitude control, parachutes and the heat shield.
	NASA test flight still on track despite accidents (Update) NASA's biggest test flight in years remains on track for next month, despite last week's space-related accidents.
	Rosetta: The dark side of the comet (Phys.org) —Rosetta's scientific imaging system OSIRIS has caught a glimpse of the southern side of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. During the past months, this side has continuously faced away from the Sun making it impossible to determine shape and surface structures. Only the light scattered from dust particles in the comet's coma very slightly illuminates this uncharted territory.
	Orion launch to test human flight risks in deep space With memories still fresh of two commercial space flight accidents in the past 10 days, NASA is readying its first test flight of the Orion spacecraft that could one day carry humans to Mars.

Technology news

	Princeton team explores 3D-printed quantum dot LEDs Some of the most important developments marking advances in the 3D printing industry are in the realm of material science, notes 3d Printing Industry. "The more materials we can print, the more useful the technology becomes." As an example, researchers exploring possibilities with strength-to-weight material ratio are coming up with surprisingly strong yet lightweight composites for industries such as aerospace. In February, The Conversation reported that scientists were exploring a bone-like material lighter than water yet as strong as steel. 3D Printing Industry also reported last year of a project funded by the U.S. Army, where researchers at MIT 3D-printed a material that they said was fracture-resistant and resembled human bone. One of the major goals of the study was to develop a meta-material that could be used for engineering purposes. Now a Princeton University team's study has been published in Nano Letters, "3D Printed ! Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes" which further challenges the limits of 3D printing, taking the technology beyond its plastics and a few biological materials.
	Tiny scallop-like robotic swimmers could deliver drugs to treat diseases Researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany have developed a tiny robot small enough to travel through the bloodstream—and it doesn't require an engine or batteries. In their paper published in Nature Communications, the researchers describe their new robot and how it might one day be used to treat a variety of human ailments.
	By analyzing carbon dioxide in the breath, an algorithm could help determine how to treat patients Paramedics respond to a 911 call to find an elderly patient who's having difficulty breathing. Anxious and disoriented, the patient has trouble remembering all the medications he's taking, and with his shortness of breath, speaking is difficult. Is he suffering from acute emphysema or heart failure? The symptoms look the same, but initiating the wrong treatment regimen will increase the patient's risk of severe complications.
	On-site fabrication process makes taller wind turbines more feasible Wind turbines across the globe are being made taller to capture more energy from the stronger winds that blow at greater heights.
	Study finds unprecedented production of metals needed to meet some solar energy goals Several government agencies, academic researchers, and firms have proposed scenarios for the future in which photovoltaic (PV) technologies grow rapidly. To support such growth, PV technologies would need to be developed with resource constraints in mind. For some PV technologies, the production of the required input materials would need to grow at a rate never before seen in the metals industry, according to a new analysis by MIT researchers.
	New malware can infect iPhones via Mac computers (Update) A newly discovered family of malware has the capacity to infect iPhones via Apple computers, posing a security threat to devices that have been largely resistant to cybercriminals, researchers said.
	New research shows vulnerability in mobile phones' applications offering voice communication security University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers are explaining why there are concerns with the end-to-end security of an increasingly popular means of communication, and what users can do to defend against potential threats.
	Leading the charge for panel-powered car A car powered by its own body panels could soon be driving on our roads after a breakthrough in nanotechnology research by a QUT team.
	Microsoft's bone-conducting headset helps blind navigate in cities Microsoft has teamed with Guide Dogs, a charity that pairs blind people with seeing eye dogs and the UK government's Future Cities Catapult project, to develop a headset that can help the blind better navigate while moving around out in the world. The headset is part of an effort called Cities Unlocked that seeks to provide more freedom to the blind—studies have found that the majority of blind people leave their homes far less than sighted people due to the difficulties in getting around, and many remain unemployed as a result.
	Cockroach cyborgs use microphones to detect, trace sounds North Carolina State University researchers have developed technology that allows cyborg cockroaches, or biobots, to pick up sounds with small microphones and seek out the source of the sound. The technology is designed to help emergency personnel find and rescue survivors in the aftermath of a disaster.
	Microsoft releases Office apps for iPhones, iPads Microsoft is releasing new, beefed-up versions of its popular Office software apps for iPhones and iPads, part of the company's push to stay relevant to workers in an increasingly mobile world.
	ShadowCrypt research project shows encryption approach A team of researchers from UC Berkeley and University of Maryland believe they have come up with a previously unexplored design point, ShadowCrypt, that enables encrypted input/output without trusting any part of the web applications. That means they are suggesting a tool that can bring simple encrypted messaging to webmail and social networking sites. That means you could send and receive encrypted text on Facebook and Twitter. MIT Technology Review refers to it as a prototype browser extension, where the site operator or anyone intercepting the posting sees only a garbled string of letters and numbers. The researchers, in their paper, "ShadowCrypt: Encrypted Web Applications for Everyone," prepared for presentation at the ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, discussed the chokepoint in their design.
	Amazon debuts Siri-style virtual assistant in speaker Internet retail titan Amazon on Thursday introduced a home virtual assistant always at the ready to answer questions, fetch news, play music or help with to-do lists.
	French watchdog urges no 3D for under sixes A French health watchdog recommended Thursday that children under six be denied access to 3D films, computers and video games, and that those up to 13 have "moderate" access.
	Shares drop at China's Lenovo despite 19% quarterly profit jump (Update) Shares in Lenovo dropped by five percent Thursday after the Chinese technology giant posted weaker than expected revenue figures, despite a 19 percent jump in quarterly net profit.
	US mulls new tactics to stem wave of cyberattacks As hacking attacks reach epidemic proportions, the US cybersecurity community is looking at new ways to step up defense, including counterattacking the hackers themselves.
CNN commentators use Microsoft Surface tablet as a stand for iPads Microsoft's Surface tablets can't seem to catch a break. First came the NFL blunders, when Fox commentators, ESPN announcers and local television stations confused the Surface devices for Apple's iPads.
	Start-ups say skills, not taxes behind Ireland's draw Technology businesses taking part in this week's Web Summit in Dublin said there was more to Ireland than the low taxes that have drawn fierce criticism from other European countries.
Singaporeans aid Vietnam tourist victim of phone scam Singaporeans outraged by an electronics shop that left a Vietnamese tourist in tears after a phone-sale scam have raised thousands of dollars to compensate him, a crowdfunding site showed Thursday.
Casting light on the Internet's shadows (and shadowing) The specter of a faceless system collecting data from Web users and compiling personal profiles has raised alarms among privacy advocates worldwide. Arvind Narayanan, an assistant professor of computer science at Princeton University, founded the Web Transparency and Accountability Project (WebTAP) at the Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) to address difficult questions related to Internet privacy. How can regular Web users protect themselves from third-party trackers? What can policymakers can do? Could greater transparency and awareness benefit both businesses and everyday Web users?
	Hypermancer reveals social chatter insights in real–time A new social media monitoring tool developed at The University of Queensland will help journalists, bloggers and public relations practitioners find out what the public is really saying about people, brands and trends while a conversation gains momentum.
	Taiwan's Acer posts third consecutive quarterly profit Taiwan's struggling personal computer maker Acer said Thursday it made a net profit of Tw$651 million ($21.38 million) in the three months to September, its third profitable quarter in a row.
	Using public money to expand internet access In the developed world, internet access is getting close to saturation point throughout the population, with the proportion of those online in many countries in the West approaching 80% for fixed broadband access and 30% on mobile phones.
	Better locks to secure our data are the inevitable result of too many prying eyes Robert Hannigan, the new head of British signals intelligence agency GCHQ, has accused technology companies of aiding terrorists and criminals by providing them secure communications through their products and networks.
	Many parenting apps are reinforcing the gender divide Almost every day, a smartphone app emerges offering some new and exciting functionality. But it's come to my attention that many of these apps are continuing an old trend: they are purveyors of gender-based marketing.
Q&A: Working towards 5G Prof. Chenhao Qi of Southeast University, China, and Columbia University in the US, researches wireless communications technologies and sparse signal processing. Here, he talks about the significance of his paper 'Uplink channel estimation for massive MIMO systems exploring joint channel sparsity'.
State, federal role in electric utilities' labor issues should be reexamined, study says Power outages have never been more costly. Electricity is critical to communication, transportation, commerce and national security systems, and wide-spread or prolonged outages have the potential to threaten public safety and cause millions, even billions, of dollars in damages.
	Novel 3-D printing process enables metal additive manufacturing for consumer market Lower-cost 3D printers for the consumer market offer only a limited selection of plastic materials, while industrial additive manufacturing (AM) machines can print parts made of high-performance metals. The application of a novel process called Selective Inhibition Sintering (SIS) in a consumer-priced metal AM machine is described in an article in 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing.
	Home Depot says 53 mn email addresses taken in breach Cybercriminals snatched 53 million email addresses of Home Depot customers in what has been touted as one of the largest data breaches on record, the US retail giant said Thursday.
	Facebook launches Ebola charity donation button Facebook is stepping up its efforts to fight Ebola by adding a button designed to make it easier for its users to donate to charities battling the disease.
	Testing the "safety alarm 2.0" If scientists get their way, we will soon be able to measure grandma's acceleration. If she has a fall, that is.
	Airtightness of homes determined The airtightness of many Dutch homes will be determined thanks to researchers from the University of Twente. Based on more than one hundred reports of 'blower door tests' (which determine the airtightness of a home) that have been made available by companies, the University aims to make recommendations in the field of airtightness for municipalities and builders.
HealthCare.gov gets cybersecurity upgrades Officials say HealthCare.gov has gotten cybersecurity upgrades ahead of a Nov. 15 start for the second open enrollment season under President Barack Obama's health care law.
	Silk Road 2.0 shut down, alleged US operator charged (Update) A second version of the Silk Road online black market bazaar for drugs and other illicit goods has been shut down and its alleged 26-year-old operator charged, US authorities said Thursday.
Feds announce 1st bitcoin securities fraud case A New York prosecutor says the federal government has brought its first bitcoin securities fraud case, accusing a 32-year-old Texas man of engineering a bitcoin Ponzi scheme.
	Spain arrests 10 for 'terrorist' Twitter, Facebook posts Spanish police arrested 10 people accused of glorifying terrorism and inciting attacks by the Basque group ETA in Twitter and Facebook messages, authorities said Thursday.
	CBS launches 'always on' streaming news service (Update) CBS on Thursday launched an on-demand streaming news service with live "anchored" news reports that can be viewed on any Web-connected device.
Target names chief risk and compliance officer Target Corp. has named a General Motors executive to be chief risk and compliance officer as the retailer continues to overhaul its security department in the wake of last year's massive data breach.
	LivingSocial cuts 400 jobs in latest reorganization Online deals firm LivingSocial said Thursday it was slashing 400 jobs, or 20 percent of its staff, in the latest cutback in the sector that includes companies like Groupon.

Medicine & Health news

	Ghost illusion created in the lab: Neuroscientists awaken 'ghosts' hidden inside the cortex (w/ Video) Ghosts exist only in the mind, and scientists know just where to find them, an EPFL study suggests. Patients suffering from neurological or psychiatric conditions have often reported feeling a strange "presence". Now, EPFL researchers in Switzerland have succeeded in recreating this so-called ghost illusion in the laboratory.
	Does life satisfaction increase with age? Only in some places, new study finds Life satisfaction dips around middle age and rises in older age in high-income, English-speaking countries, but that is not a universal pattern, according to a new report published in The Lancet as part of a special series on ageing. In contrast, residents of other regions—such as the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa—grow increasingly less satisfied as they age.
Cellular extensions with a large effect: Study explains the link between cilia and diabetes Tiny extensions on cells, cilia, play an important role in insulin release, according to a new study, which is published in Nature Communications. The researchers report that the cilia of beta cells in the pancreas are covered with insulin receptors and that changed ciliary function can be associated with the development of type 2 diabetes.
	Genetically modified cells learn to fight mesothelioma It's been called the "fifth pillar" of cancer treatment: genetically re-engineering the human immune system to recognize cancers and fight them.
	Chemicals found in everyday fruits could minimise organ damage after heart attack and stroke (Medical Xpress)—Scientists have identified chemicals found in some everyday fruit that could protect vital organs from long-term damage following a heart attack or stroke, according to new research carried out in mice. The researchers now hope the chemicals will provide a starting point for developing new injectable drugs that could be used to prevent some of the long-term damage caused by heart attack and stroke.
	MicroRNA molecule modulates behavioural response to stress Chronic stress influences our mood and behavior. Scientists of the "Max Planck – Weizmann Laboratory for Experimental Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Neurogenetics" investigated the molecular mechanisms of how the brain reacts to stress. For the first time, they could link changes in the level of the microRNA molecule miR19b in stress-related brain areas to different behavior in mice. These findings may pave the way for a better understanding of the way our brain copes with stress.
	Discovery may revolutionise diabetes treatment Research published in the journal Nature Medicine on Monday by my team provides hope for a new approach to treating type 2 diabetes. In animal models of the disease, our treatment restores natural control of blood sugar.
	Biotech company develops way to carry antibodies across blood-brain barrier to treat Alzheimer's (Medical Xpress)—A team of researches with the biotech firm Genentech Inc has found a way to carry an antibody across the blood-brain barrier using transferrin in a monkey. In their paper published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, the team describes how they came up with the technique, how it works, and how it might be used to help prevent Alzheimer's disease.
	Researchers provide first peek at how neurons multitask Researchers at the University of Michigan have shown how a single neuron can perform multiple functions in a model organism, illuminating for the first time this fundamental biological mechanism and shedding light on the human brain.
	Human stem cell-derived neuron transplants reduce seizures in mice McLean Hospital and Harvard Stem Cell Institute scientists have new evidence that stem cell transplantation could be a worthwhile strategy to help epileptics who do not respond to anti-seizure drugs.
	Team genetically 'edits' human blood stem cells Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers at Massachusetts General (MGH) and Boston Children's hospitals (BCH) for the first time have used a relatively new gene-editing technique to create what could prove to be an effective technique for blocking HIV from invading and destroying patients' immune systems.
	Scientists discover a key to mending broken hearts Researchers at the Salk Institute have healed injured hearts of living mice by reactivating long dormant molecular machinery found in the animals' cells, a finding that could help pave the way to new therapies for heart disorders in humans.
Antibiotics: On-the-spot tests reduce unnecessary prescriptions Fast, on-the-spot tests for bacterial infections may help to reduce excessive antibiotic use. A systematic review published in The Cochrane Library, found that when doctors tested for the presence of bacterial infections they prescribed fewer antibiotics.
Orange is not the new black: Just highly allergenic for one toddler Many people don't realize allergies and asthma go hand-in-hand, and about 90 percent of kids with asthma also have allergies. Even more important, when asthma is undiagnosed or poorly controlled, children are at risk for suffering difficult-to-treat allergic reactions to food.
New airport security screening method more than 20 times as successful at detecting deception Airport security agents using a new conversation-based screening method caught mock airline passengers with deceptive cover stories more than 20 times as often as agents who used the traditional method of examining body language for suspicious signs, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
	Researchers use ultrasound and microbubbles to improve stroke treatment When University of Virginia biomedical engineering professor John Hossack and colleagues in the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the School of Medicine consider bubbles, they think of something much more useful than a child's plaything or sparkling wine. They are building an entire technology around tiny, microscopic bubbles – a technology that has the potential to play an important role in diagnosing as well as treating disease like stroke and cancer.
	Australia a world leader in safe IVF Australia and New Zealand are world leaders when it comes to safe IVF practice thanks to their focus on single-embryo transfer, according to the Assisted Reproductive Technology in Australia and New Zealand 2012 report by the National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit at UNSW Australia.
	How parents help toddlers catch up on language skills A conversation about the day's events can play a critical role in a toddler's language development.
Skin disease drug finally wins approval A synthetic hormone developed years ago at the UA can now be marketed in Europe, and U.S. approval will be sought next.
	Ricin vaccine shows promise in pilot study A recent study at the Tulane National Primate Research Center showed for the first time that an experimental vaccine could completely protect nonhuman primates exposed to deadly ricin toxin, a potential bioterrorism agent.
	Battling drug-resistant pathogens 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.
	Overuse of antibiotics tied to increase in painful gut infection Going to the hospital can save your life, but it is not without risks. Patients can be exposed to dangerous infections while receiving treatment. In the United States, health care-associated infections are the fifth leading cause of death among hospitalized patients, accounting for nearly 100,000 deaths in the US each year.
	Further evidence of potential for new anti-cancer drug (Medical Xpress)—Manchester scientists have shown that a new drug inhibits the growth of tumours in the lab and that its effectiveness is improved by combining it with radiotherapy – suggesting a new approach that could be used in the clinic.
	Immune system research also may help reveal new asthma clues A new method of developing vaccines could point the way forward in the fight against infectious diseases for which traditional vaccination has failed, according to a new Rutgers study.
	New study shows strong link between selenium levels and depression A new University of Otago study has found that selenium levels that are both too high in the body, and worse, too low, can place young people at greater risk of depression.
	Engineers and physicians propose new approach to single-ventricle heart surgery for infants Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, are proposing a new surgical intervention for children born with a single ventricle in their heart—instead of the usual two. The new approach would potentially reduce the number of surgeries the patients have to undergo in the first six months of life from two to just one. If successful, it would also create a more stable circuit for blood to flow from the heart to the lungs and the rest of the body within the first days and months of life.
Bats identified as hosts of Bartonella mayotimonensis The modern sequencing techniques have shown that bats can carry a bacterial species previously been shown to cause deadly human infections in USA.
	Discovery of genetic and environmental links to lymphomas In 2001, Christine Skibola, Ph.D., now a professor of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, joined forces with a small group seeking a large goal – discovery of genetic and environmental links to the white blood cell tumors that collectively are called lymphomas.
Social support critical to women's weight-loss efforts, study finds Being accountable to another person and receiving social support may be vital in motivating some women to lose weight and keep it off, a new study says.
	Researcher's weight management program helps adolescents On her way out of the pediatrician's office with her son, Becky Loftus noticed a flyer seeking adolescents interested in learning about nutrition, exercise and maybe shedding a few pounds in the process. Intrigued, she inquired about the weight management program at UVM, which in 12 weeks time would turn her son's poor eating habits into healthy ones and convert a high percentage of fat into muscle.
	Athlete exhaustion tool measures up to training regime A tool to help athletes consistently and reliably measure their level of post-performance exhaustion has been developed by Murdoch University researchers.
	East and West African sickle cell anaemia are genetically similar Sickle cell anaemia is most common in Africa and up to 11,000 children are born with the condition every year in Tanzania alone. Yet most of what is known about the genetic basis of this inherited disease comes from studies of US-based or UK-based African-Caribbean populations.
Allergy sufferers are allergic to treatment more often than you'd think Whether allergy sufferers have symptoms that are mild or severe, they really only want one thing: relief. So it's particularly distressing that the very medication they hope will ease symptoms can cause different, sometimes more severe, allergic responses.
Sorting bloodborne cancer cells to better predict spread of disease For most cancer patients, primary tumours are often not the most deadly. Instead, it is the metastatic tumours - tumours that spread from their original location to other parts of the body - that are the cause of most cancer deaths.
	Diversity Outbred mice better predict potential human responses to chemical exposures A genetically diverse mouse model is able to predict the range of response to chemical exposures that might be observed in human populations, researchers from the National Institutes of Health have found. Like humans, each Diversity Outbred mouse is genetically unique, and the extent of genetic variability among these mice is similar to the genetic variation seen among humans.
Hepatitis A hospitalization rate declines in US New research reports that the rate of hospitalization due to hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection has significantly declined in the U.S. from 2002 to 2011. Findings published in Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, show that older patients and those with chronic liver disease are most likely to be hospitalized for HAV. Vaccination of adults with chronic liver disease may prevent infection with hepatitis A and the need for hospitalization.
First-in-class nasal spray demonstrates promise for migraine pain relief Researchers are developing a novel prochlorperazine nasal spray formulation as a potential new treatment for migraines. This work is being presented at the 2014 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting and Exposition, the world's largest pharmaceutical sciences meeting, in San Diego, Nov. 2–6.
	Scientists create Parkinson's disease in a dish A team of scientists led by The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute successfully created a human stem cell disease model of Parkinson's disease in a dish. Studying a pair of identical (monozygotic) twins, one affected and one unaffected with Parkinson's disease, another unrelated Parkinson's patient, and four healthy control subjects, the scientists were able to observe key features of the disease in the laboratory, specifically differences in the patients' neurons' ability to produce dopamine, the molecule that is deficient in Parkinson's disease. In addition, the scientists also identified a potential strategy for developing novel therapies for Parkinson's disease.
Body weight heavily influenced by microbes in the gut, finds twin study Our genetic makeup influences whether we are fat or thin by shaping which types of microbes thrive in our body, according to a study by researchers at King's College London and Cornell University.
	A cause of age-related inflammation found As animals age, their immune systems gradually deteriorate, a process called immunosenescence. It is associated with systemic inflammation and chronic inflammatory disorders, as well as with many cancers. The causes underlying this age-associated inflammation, and how it leads to diseases, are poorly understood. New work in Carnegie's Yixian Zheng's lab sheds light on one protein's involvement in suppressing immune responses in aging fruit flies. It is published in Cell.
	New knowledge about the human brain's plasticity The brain's plasticity and its adaptability to new situations do not function the way researchers previously thought, according to a new study published in the journal Cell. Earlier theories are based on laboratory animals, but now researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have studied the human brain. The results show that a type of support cell, the oligodendrocyte, which plays an important role in the cell-cell communication in the nervous system, is more sophisticated in humans than in rats and mice – a fact that may contribute to the superior plasticity of the human brain.
	Research strategy supports GSIG's efforts to integrate aging into chronic disease research Scientists who have been successful in delaying mammalian aging with genetic, dietary and pharmacological approaches have developed a research strategy to expand Geroscience research directed at extending human healthspan. The strategy comes at a critical time, given the dramatic increase in the elderly population and a growing recognition that aging is the greatest risk factor for a majority of the chronic diseases that drive later-life disability and death. The strategy is set forth in a commentary published in the November 6th edition of Cell.
Transplant of stem-cell-derived dopamine neurons shows promise for Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease is an incurable movement disorder that affects millions of people around the world, but current treatment options can cause severe side effects and lose effectiveness over time. In a study published by Cell Press November 6th in Cell Stem Cell, researchers showed that transplantation of neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can restore motor function in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, paving the way for the use of cell replacement therapy in human clinical trials.
New research adds spice to curcumin's health-promoting benefits The health benefits of over-the-counter curcumin supplements might not get past your gut, but new research shows that a modified formulation of the spice releases its anti-inflammatory goodness throughout the body.
	Scientists discover new step in a molecular pathway responsible for birth defects Mary R. Loeken, Ph.D., Investigator in the Section on Islet Cell and Regenerative Biology at Joslin Diabetes Center and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, has discovered a molecular pathway responsible for neural tube defects in diabetic pregnancies. Her latest research findings in this pathway were published in the October issue of Diabetes.
Is violent injury a chronic disease? Study suggests so and may aid efforts to stop the cycle Teens and young adults who get seriously injured in an assault are nearly twice as likely as their peers to end up back in the emergency room for a violent injury within the next two years, a new University of Michigan Injury Center study finds.
Arm pain in young baseball players is common, preventable The most in-depth survey of its kind found that arm pain is common among supposedly healthy young baseball players and nearly half have been encouraged to keep playing despite arm pain. The findings suggest that more detailed and individualized screening is needed to prevent overuse injury in young ballplayers. The study, led by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers, was published this week in the online edition of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Lifestyle education crucial to help young Americans control their blood pressure Far too many "teachable moments" are lost in a doctor's office during which young adults with hypertension could have learned how to reduce their blood pressure. In fact, only one in every two hypertensive young Americans does in fact receive such advice and guidance from a healthcare provider within a year from being diagnosed, says Heather M. Johnson of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in the US. She led a study which examined how regularly such education is provided and documented by one of the ten largest physician practice groups in the US. The findings appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.
All kidding aside: Medical clowns calm children during uncomfortable allergy test The dreaded scratch or puncture test is the most common way of assessing allergic reactions to as many as 40 different substances at once. But because the test involves needles that prick multiple points along the skin's surface, it's a particularly high-stress examination for children—and their understandably anxious parents.
Research resolves contradiction over protein's role at telomeres Mice and humans share a lot more than immediately meets the eye, and their commonalities include their telomeres, protective ends on chromosomes. But in recent years, the role of one particular protein at telomeres has puzzled scientists.
Failed Alzheimer's test shows in which direction the research should continue Disappointing results in clinical Alzheimer's studies discourage doctors and scientists from continuing their research into ɣ-secretases and a possible treatment against Alzheimer's disease. In the prestigious journal Cell, the Alzheimer's expert Bart De Strooper (VIB-KU Leuven) argues that these studies are not pointless, but merely indicate what the next steps should be for the Alzheimer's research. This article - or rather, this message - will be spread at the largest Neuroscience meeting that will take place mid-November in Washington.
Pneumonia vaccine reducing pediatric admissions In Tennessee, the introduction in 2010 of a new pneumococcal vaccine for infants and young children coincides with a 27 percent decline in pneumonia hospital admissions across the state among children under age 2.
	Pregnant women with PTSD more likely to give birth prematurely, study finds Pregnant women with post-traumatic stress disorder are at increased risk of giving birth prematurely, a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs has found.
	Carving memories at their joints How the brain decides when to modify old memories and when to carve new memories is revealed in a study published this week in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Location of oral cancers differs in smokers, nonsmokers The location of oral cancers differed in smokers and nonsmokers with nonsmokers having a higher proportion of cancers occur on the edge of the tongue, according to a study published online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
Black, Hispanic kids underrepresented in autism identification The number of children diagnosed with autism has increased in recent years, but a new study co-authored by a University of Kansas professor shows that while the number of students with autism increased in every state from 2000 to 2007, black and Hispanic children were significantly underrepresented.
	Migration negation: Blocking a receptor may combat cancer metastasis Most cancer deaths occur because of metastasis, yet progress in preventing and treating migratory cancer cells has been slow.
Olaparib shows success in tumor response rate for patients with BRCA-related cancers Olaparib, an experimental twice-daily oral cancer drug, produces an overall tumor response rate of 26 percent in several advanced cancers associated with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, according to new research co-led by the Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The positive response provides new hope for patients with ovarian, breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers whose conditions have not responded to standard therapies. Results of the phase II study are available online in the current issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Study shows integrative medicine relieves pain and anxiety for cancer inpatients Pain is a common symptom of cancer and side effect of cancer treatment, and treating cancer-related pain is often a challenge for health care providers.
	Vaccine spray may not work for swine flu in kids Health officials say the nasal spray version of the flu vaccine did not protect young children against swine flu last winter and might not work again this year.
	Lower doses of rheumatoid arthritis drugs may work for some (HealthDay)—Some people in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis may be able to safely lower their medication doses once their symptoms are well under control, a new study suggests.
	Walking program feasible, safe for older adults in hospital (HealthDay)—A clinical demonstration program of supervised walking for older adults admitted to the hospital is feasible and safe, and its participants are more often discharged directly to home, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	ASCO endorses guideline for radiation after prostatectomy (HealthDay)—The American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has endorsed a recent guideline for adjuvant and salvage radiotherapy after prostatectomy. The endorsement was published online Nov. 3 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Weight-loss surgery has low complication rates, study finds (HealthDay)—People with type 2 diabetes who undergo a weight-loss procedure called laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery have a low risk for complications or death, according to a new study.
	Collaborative care cuts depression with diabetes (HealthDay)—Using a nurse case-manager-based collaborative primary care team can cut depressive symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in Diabetes Care.
The Lancet: 'Ageing well' must be a global priority A major new Series on health and ageing, published in The Lancet, warns that unless health systems find effective strategies to address the problems faced by an ageing world population, the growing burden of chronic disease will greatly affect the quality of life of older people. As people across the world live longer, soaring levels of chronic illness and diminished wellbeing are poised to become a major global public health challenge.
	Secure genetic data moves into the fast lane of discovery Today, the international open-access open-data journal GigaScience (a BGI and BioMed Central journal) announced publication of an article that presents GWATCH, a new web-based platform that provides visualization tools for identifying disease-associated genetic markers from privacy-protected human data without risk to patient privacy. This dynamic online tool, developed by an international team of researchers from Russia, Australia, Canada, and the US, allows and facilitates disease gene discovery via automation and presentation of intuitive data visualization tools. GWATCH provides results in three dimensions via a scrolling (Guitar Hero-like) chromosome highway. The reviewers get an extremely useful, visually appealing bird's-eye view of positive disease-association results, while all sensitive information and raw data remain secure behind firewalls.
	US preterm birth rate hits healthy people 2020 goal seven years early The national preterm birth rate fell to 11.4 percent in 2013 – the lowest in 17 years—meeting the federal Healthy People 2020 goal seven years early. Despite this progress, the U.S. still received a "C" on the 7th annual March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card because it fell short of the more-challenging 9.6 percent target set by the March of Dimes, the group said today.
Despite losses, GMO label backers aren't quitting Not even Oregon's backyard chicken owners and vegan foodies had enough money and clout to persuade voters to require labeling of genetically modified foods.
AstraZeneca profits tumble in third quarter British pharmaceuticals group AstraZeneca announced on Thursday a slump in quarterly profits, in part on higher investment costs, but raised its outlook for full-year revenues.
UN health agency sounds alarm over needs for elderly The explosion in the world's ageing population presents herculean challenges for health systems, especially in poorer countries, the UN's World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Thursday.
	Prison and probation risk assessment tool is not effective in judging re-offending A psychological risk assessment tool used by prisons and the probation service (NOMS) is not effective when evaluating the future risk of convicted male sex offenders.
	A means of combatting childhood obesity Recently, the World Health Organisation has highlighted that child obesity is a major problem. More than 40 million pre-school children worldwide are now overweight, the UK being no exception. Child obesity tends to track into adulthood, and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers in later life.
	Convincing psoriasis sufferers to seek treatment Stigma surrounding psoriasis has persisted as long as people have manifested its dry red scaly patches on their skin. Doctors suspect that this includes references in the Bible to "lepers."
Women's Health Issues launches Special Collection on Women Veterans' Health In honor of Veterans Day, the peer-reviewed journal Women's Health Issues (WHI) today released a new Special Collection on women veterans' health, with a focus on mental health. The special collection also highlights recent studies addressing healthcare services, reproductive health and cardiovascular health of women veterans.
To eat fish or not to eat fish? That is the question for pregnant and breastfeeding women There is no doubt that pregnant and breastfeeding women try to do everything they can to ensure a healthy outcome for their baby, including eating a healthy, well-balanced diet that provides the necessary nutrients for fetal growth and development. In recent years, there has been significant debate about the consumption of fish among pregnant and breastfeeding women.
'Thousands' of Ebola deaths likely unreported: WHO expert The raging Ebola outbreak has likely killed far more people than the 4,818 deaths reported by the World Health Organization, an expert at the UN health agency said Thursday, warning that thousands of fatalities were likely not accounted for.
Ebola watch period nears end in Texas Texas is almost done watching for Ebola in people who had contact with either a Liberian patient or two nurses who were infected while caring for him, officials said Thursday.
Drug treatment may help restore kidney function in patients with renovascular disease A drug that's currently available for treating a certain type of hypertension may help patients with a kidney condition that can lead to heart problems and premature death, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).
Study highlights prevalence of mistreatment between nursing home residents Inappropriate, disruptive, or hostile behavior between nursing home residents is a sizable and growing problem, according to new research from Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University.
	UN Ebola chief optimistic of future drop in cases The U.N.'s Ebola chief said an extraordinary global response over the past month has made him hopeful the outbreak could end in 2015, though he cautioned that the fight to contain the disease is not even a quarter done.
	Colon cancer on the rise for U.S. adults under 50 (HealthDay)—There's good news and bad news in the war against colon cancer: While rates have fallen among older Americans, cases among adults aged 20 to 49 are rising and expected to continue to do so, a new study finds.

Biology news

	Zebrafish stripped of stripes Within weeks of publishing surprising new insights about how zebrafish get their stripes, the same University of Washington group is now able to explain how to "erase" them.
	From strangers to mates in 15 minutes Ah, to be a fruit fly. No meddling matchmakers, creepy dates or frog kissing. Females process the sights, smell, sounds and touch of love to choose Mr. Right in 15 minutes. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University discovered the neural circuitry that allows females to make this decision. The work was published in the journal PLoS Biology and is featured on the cover of its October issue.
	Humans and baboons share cumulative culture ability The ability to build up knowledge over generations, called cumulative culture, has given mankind language and technology. While it was thought to be limited to humans until now, researchers from the Laboratoire de psychologie cognitive (CNRS/AMU), working in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Edinburgh (UK), have recently found that baboons are also capable of cumulative culture. Their findings are published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on 5 November 2014.
	The origins of multicellular life The biological world around us is dominated by multicellular plants and animals. All of these intricate forms have evolved from far simpler, single celled ancestors.
Direct generation of neural stem cells could enable transplantation therapy Induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) created from adult cells hold promise for therapeutic transplantation, but their potential in this capacity has been limited by failed efforts to maintain such cells in the desirable multi-potent NSC state without continuous expression of the transcription factors used initially to reprogram them.
	Before there will be blood: Pro-inflammatory signaling plays surprising role in creation of hematopoietic stem cells Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) give rise to all blood and immune cells throughout the life of vertebrate organisms, from zebrafish to humans. But details of their genesis remain elusive, hindering efforts to develop induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) replacements that might address a host of blood disorders.
	Japan scientists make see-through mice Researchers at the RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center in Japan, together with collaborators from the University of Tokyo, have developed a method that combines tissue decolorization and light-sheet fluorescent microscopy to take extremely detailed images of the interior of individual organs and even entire organisms. The work, published in Cell, opens new possibilities for understanding the way life works—the ultimate dream of systems biology—by allowing scientists to make tissues and whole organisms transparent and then image them at extremely precise, single-cell resolution.
	Hungry bats compete for prey by jamming sonar In their nightly forays, bats hunting for insects compete with as many as one million hungry roost-mates. A study published today in Science shows that Mexican free-tailed bats jam the sonar of competitors to gain advantage in aerial foraging contests.
	Discovering the undiscovered—advancing new tools to fill in the microbial tree of life To paraphrase a famous passage from Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner: microbes, microbes everywhere, though most we do not know. This is changing, though.
	Of dragonflies and dinosaurs: Researchers map insect origins, evolution When the dinosaurs ruled the earth, they were already bugged by creatures who had gotten there many millions of years earlier: Dragonflies and damselflies. In fact, says Rutgers University-Newark biologist, Dr. Jessica Ware, the first creatures to take to the skies of earth did so 406 million years ago.
	The tiger beetle: Too fast to see Speed is an asset for a predator. Except when that predator runs so fast that it essentially blinds itself.
	Invasive species threaten global biodiversity Until a few decades ago, there were no beavers in Patagonia. That changed when 20 pairs of the tree-chewing creature were introduced with the hopes of creating a fur industry.
	Never-before-seen insights into deer movement offered on research website Two years into a study of factors influencing forest regeneration in Pennsylvania, researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences are offering never-before-seen insights into deer movement.
	Mosquito-feeding study may help stem dangerous viruses Mosquitoes bite male birds nearly twice as often as they bite females, a finding that may help scientists understand how to stem some viruses from spreading to humans, new University of Florida research shows.
	Towards genetically-improved conifers Pines are long-lived; between 100 and 1,000 years. And they are a tree species, of high commercial importance. Indeed, they are valued for their timber and wood pulp. Now, a European Research project, called ProCoGen, is planning to unravel the pine genome by 2016. The trouble is that pines have a complex genome—seven times larger than the human genome—with an estimated size of 3.2 billion base pairs. The project's goal is to identify genes and gene networks controlling important traits of ecological and economic relevance. These include traits able to control tree productivity, growth, drought and cold stress, in trees subjected to climate change.
	Blight-resistant American chestnut trees take root at SUNY-ESF Scientists at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) are growing the first American chestnut trees that can withstand the blight that virtually eliminated the once-dominant tree from the eastern United States.
Scientists find that SCNT derived cells and IPS cells are similar A team led by New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute scientists conducted a study comparing induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and embryonic stem cells created using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The scientists found that the cells derived from these two methods resulted in cells with highly similar gene expression and DNA methylation patterns. Both methods also resulted in stem cells with similar amounts of DNA mutations, showing that the process of turning an adult cell into a stem cell introduces mutations independent of the specific method used. This suggests that both methods of producing stem cells need to be further investigated before determining their suitability for the development of new therapies for chronic diseases.
	For tiger populations, a new threat: Canine distemper virus could be significant driver toward extinction Along with the pressures of habitat loss, poaching and depletion of prey species, a new threat to tiger populations in the wild has surfaced in the form of disease, specifically, canine distemper virus (CDV). According to a new study from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and its partners, CDV has the potential to be a significant driver in pushing the animals toward extinction.
Biodiversity offsets need a national strategy to succeed In a paper published by PLOS ONE, researchers concluded that a national strategy must be implemented in order to compensate for environmental damage caused by development projects in Africa.
	Koala study reveals clues about origins of the human genome Eight percent of your genome derives from retroviruses that inserted themselves into human sex cells millions of years ago. Right now the koala retrovirus (KoRV) is invading koala genomes, a process that can help us understand our own viral lineage and make decisions about managing this vulnerable species.
	How viruses expand their host range: Insights from parvoviruses in domestic and wild carnivores Virus multiplication continually generates new variants at a rate that is much faster than their hosts. One consequence of their higher mutation rate is that many viruses can rapidly adapt to new hosts. A study published on November 6th in PLOS Pathogens reports on the systematic analysis of the host range of canine parvovirus (CPV) and reveals different factors that determine which carnivores the virus can infect.
Who will come to your bird feeder in 2075? The distribution of birds in the United States today will probably look very different in 60 years as a result of climate, land use and land cover changes.
	Maize analysis yields whole new world of genetic science A groundbreaking paper from a team of Florida State University biologists could lead to a better understanding of how plants could adapt to and survive environmental swings such as droughts or floods.
	Biodiversity of plant cell culture collections offers valuable source of natural insecticidal and fungicidal products Screening large cell culture collections containing plant samples obtained from diverse geographic regions, climates, and soil and growing conditions for biological activity can reveal a wealth of natural compounds with potential applications for crop improvement and protection. The capability to do reproducible screening and genomic analysis of the more than 2,000 plant cell lines maintained in culture at the Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering, in Kiev, Ukraine is describe in an article in Industrial Biotechnology.
	Chinese officials 'on illegal African ivory buying sprees' Chinese diplomatic and military staff went on buying sprees for illegal ivory while on official visits to East Africa, sending prices soaring, an environmental activist group said Thursday.
	India gets its first MSC certified fishery Sustainable fisheries in the developing world have taken a significant step forward today with the certification of India's first clam fishery in Kerala, southern India.
	The standards that shape the burgeoning $35 billion organics industry Melissa Bailey has been director of the standards division for the National Organic Program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture since 2010. She helps the USDA develop the rules for how all sorts of agricultural products—from cotton fibers to chicken wings—become certified as organic.
Study compares relationship between cattle welfare and trailer microclimate during cattle transport Humane transport of livestock is important for both carcass quality and animal welfare. However, it is difficult to mitigate stress for animals in-transit. During a typical journey, calves lose weight due to the stress of weaning and being withdrawn from feed and water during transport. Many factors contribute to this stress, including welfare of the calves before transportation, and temperature and space allowance inside the trailer during transportation. A better understanding of the pre- and post-transportation risk factors and in-transit factors that influence calf welfare will inform strategies for improving animal welfare outcomes.
Using wheat as an energy source for beef cattle Wheat, along with corn and barley, is one of the three major feed grains used in North America. Most of the feed-class wheat is fed to poultry and swine. Beef producers are reluctant to use large quantities of wheat in diets of feedlot cattle because wheat ferments considerably more rapidly in the rumen than corn or barley and increases the risk of ruminal acidosis, which can compromise the health, wellbeing, and productivity of cattle.
Grocery byproduct proves effective as energy supplement in cattle Food waste has become a serious problem in the United States and other countries. Approximately 34 million tons of food waste is deposited in landfills each year in the United States alone (EPA, 2014). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the use of food waste as animal feed as one of the best means to add value to food waste, while reducing landfill costs and greenhouse gas emissions, and at the same time improving food security.

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