Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Nov 5

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 5, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Physicists hit milestone in accelerating particles with plasma
- Genesis of genitalia: We have one. Lizards have two. Why?
- Madagascar: Fossil skull offers insights into the life habits and relationships of early mammals
- Clearing a path for electrons in polymers: Closing in on the speed limits
- 'Direct writing' of diamond patterns from graphite a potential technological leap
- Study shows direct brain interface between humans
- How corals can actually benefit from climate change effects
- Engineered for tolerance, bacteria pump out higher quantity of renewable gasoline
- Coexist or perish, new wildfire analysis says
- How the shape of eggs can help explain the evolutionary history of birds
- Shape of things to come in platelet mimicry
- Protein linked to aging identified as new target for controlling diabetes
- First amphibious ichthyosaur discovered, filling evolutionary gap
- Having Y chromosome doesn't affect women's response to sexual images, brain study shows
- Increase in ozone-destroying substances—but Montreal Protocol on track

Astronomy & Space news

	Curiosity Mars rover finds mineral match (Phys.org) —Reddish rock powder from the first hole drilled into a Martian mountain by NASA's Curiosity rover has yielded the mission's first confirmation of a mineral mapped from orbit.
	Living off the land in the final frontier Safely sending human explorers to and from Mars will be the challenge of a generation. We don't yet know what clues astronauts will uncover in the Martian soil or atmosphere that reveal new knowledge about our solar system, but one thing is certain, Mars contains critical resources that can sustain human presence. Harvesting those resources will be key to pioneering the Red Planet.
	ESA space ferry moves Space Station to avoid debris The International Space Station was threatened by space debris last week but ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle saved the day by firing its thrusters to push the orbital outpost and its six occupants out of harm's way.
	MAVEN continues Mars exploration begun 50 years ago by Mariner 4 When the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, spacecraft arrived at the Red Planet on Sept. 21, it marked the continuation of exploration of one of Earth's nearest celestial neighbors that began 50 years ago. In 1964, the Mariner 4 probe became the first to successfully fly by Mars, opening the way for future human exploration.
	Sources of the solar wind The solar chromosphere is the region between the Sun's surface and its hot, million-degree corona. Within this complex interface zone, only a few thousand kilometers deep, the density of the gas drops by a factor of about one million and the temperature increases from about five thousand to one million kelvin. Almost all of the mechanical energy that drives solar activity is converted into heat and radiation within this interface. Many physical processes shape the intricate system of solar magnetic fields, energetic particles, and radiation that power the corona. The solar wind itself has long been suspected of originating in this region, perhaps in the cooler "coronal holes," but identifying the precise origin sites required high spatial resolution observations.
	China's success means October wasn't all bad news for space exploration The final week in October was widely reported as having been disastrous for space exploration. First we had the explosion of the crewless Antares launcher as it lifted off to take provisions to the International Space Station (ISS). Then there was the loss of Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo over the Mojave Desert on a test flight.
	Five space travel accidents that shaped the modern era Last week was a particularly grim one for private space flights. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo crashed in the Mojave Desert, about 150km north of Los Angeles, killing a pilot, Michael Alsbury, and seriously injuring another, Peter Siebold.
	Engine in failed rocket launch likely to be pulled Orbital Sciences says it will likely stop using the type of engines that were employed when its unmanned Antares commercial supply rocket bound for the International Space Station exploded moments after liftoff last week.
	Orbital blames rocket engine failure for launchpad blast Orbital Sciences Corporation said Wednesday a preliminary probe into last month's unmanned rocket blast shows an engine failure was to blame for the explosion shortly after liftoff from Wallops Island, Virginia.

Technology news

	Jet-fueled electricity at room temperature: New fuel cell can run without high heat University of Utah engineers developed the first room-temperature fuel cell that uses enzymes to help jet fuel produce electricity without needing to ignite the fuel. These new fuel cells can be used to power portable electronics, off-grid power and sensors.
	Google going where no search engine has gone before: Amit Singhal Google search guru Amit Singhal believes the search-engine of the future will be "a perfect personal assistant"—knowing what you want, when you want it.
	Drone in flight test learns on the fly with special chip The great computer challenge for many scientists centers around how well a computer can learn, react and adapt from the environment. Tom Simonite of MIT Technology Review on Tuesday had a report about recent experiments at corporate and academic labs using neuromorphic chips, with networks of "neurons" that communicate in spikes of electricity. Simonite wrote that some can even automatically reprogram themselves to learn new skills. The latest news, he reported on Tuesday, is that "a neuromorphic chip has been untethered from the lab bench, and tested in a tiny drone aircraft that weighs less than 100 grams." Specifically, the drone was six inches square, 1.5 inches high, and weighed 93 grams, including the battery. The chip used only 50 milliwatts of power (not enough for a conventional computer to run software that could learn to recognize rooms). The chip mounted in the center of the aircraft has 576 silicon neurons. In the te! st it took in data from sensors—optical, infrared, and ultrasound—as it flew between three rooms.
	Review: Adapting to new Google email is a chore My first reactions to Google's new email app, Inbox, boiled down to one part frustration, one part irritation. It's meant to make your life easier, but it's more complicated to use than Google's Gmail app.
	Intel contest prize goes to wearable camera that can fly A wristband that can be set free to become a selfie-taking, camera-equipped drone has won $500,000 in Intel's Make It Wearable competition. The prize money is intended to help the competition winners bring their prototype to market.
Target quietly testing mobile payment app to rival Apple Pay At a time when the future of mobile payments is still up for grabs, Best Buy and Target have aligned themselves with a competitor to Apple Pay.
	LG, Google strike patent-sharing deal LG Electronics said Wednesday it had signed a long-term cross-licence deal with Google as the South Korean firm tries to expand its smartphone business.
	Toyota raises forecast on profit jump, weak yen Toyota raised its annual earnings forecast after posting a 23 percent jump in quarterly profit Wednesday as a favorable exchange rate added to the momentum of the Japanese automaker's sales growth.
	As Samsung falters, mysterious scion in the wings As Samsung's smartphone business suffers a dizzying decline, another issue is vexing investors. Command of one of the world's most valuable consumer brands will eventually pass to the son of its ailing patriarch whose business abilities remain a mystery despite being elevated two years ago to a top role at the company.
	Survey finds people text and drive knowing dangers Nearly everyone agrees that texting and driving is dangerous. Many people do it anyway.
	Graduate student exploring ways to make riding a motorcycle safer using connected driving data What if cars could talk to motorcycles, alerting them to road hazards that might be annoying for drivers of four-wheel vehicles, but dangerous to motorcyclists?
	ORNL microgrid could standardize small, self-sustaining electric grids When Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher Yan Xu talks about "islanding," or isolating, from the grid, she's discussing a fundamental benefit of microgrids—small systems powered by renewables and energy storage devices. The benefit is that microgrids can disconnect from larger utility grids and continue to provide power locally.
	Ask yourself not how to defeat our privacy tools, but why we feel we need them The language Robert Hannigan, the new head of GCHQ, uses in his opening statement is well considered in his appeal to openness, democratic values, and the need for corporate responsibility towards helping the security services.
	Drones over French nuclear plants: what's the risk? French authorities have been left scratching their heads as unidentified drones zoom over nuclear plants across the country and while they pose no danger to the rock-solid structures, the mysterious phenomenon raises several concerns, experts say.
	Next for DARPA: 'Autocomplete' for programmers Writing computer programs could become as easy as searching the Internet. A Rice University-led team of software experts has launched an $11 million effort to create a sophisticated tool called PLINY that will both "autocomplete" and "autocorrect" code for programmers, much like the software to complete search queries and correct spelling on today's Web browsers and smartphones.
	India leads Facebook's global list for content restriction Facebook restricted access to almost 5,000 pieces of content from India during the first six months of 2014 following requests by government agencies, a report by the social networking giant said.
Government requests for Facebook user data are up 24 percent in six months Government requests for Facebook data increased 24 percent in just six months, the social media giant said Tuesday, and nearly half of those requests came from the United States.
Internet of Things will transform life, but experts fear for privacy and personal data It will help you avoid traffic jams as you travel from work to that hot new spot you've been dying to try out, tell you on the way about the bar's half-price coupons and let you check your home video monitors while knocking back a few to see if your cat is clawing the couch again.
Retailers use smartphone technology to upgrade shopping Chris Mason thinks of Brookstone stores as the retail version of canaries in the coal mine - harbingers of change in the air. And this year, the chain is all over the smartphone as a weight-bearing pillar of American life.
Green jobs debate should look beyond short-term benefits, says UKERC report A new study by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) suggests that renewable energy and energy efficiency create up to ten times more jobs per unit of electricity generated or saved than fossil fuels. However, in itself labour intensity may not be a desirable quality and support for green jobs should not solely focus on short-term gains but also look towards long-term economic growth.
	5G is NOT 4G+1 Recently, Spaniards had to re-tune all television sets as a result of the introduction of 4G mobile networks. Their data transmission speed (10 times higher than the 3rd generation's) required a release of the frequency band hitherto occupied by several TDT channels. 4G is a fact, but we are nearing the 5G revolution. 5G network development is now underway to provide a network capacity one thousand times higher than that of existing mobile networks. But, what is 5G? How will it impact our lives and when will it become available? Who is going to make possible this leap in communications technology?
	Endoscopy with panoramic view Whether physicians examine or operate on the bladder wall with an endoscope, they can catch a glimpse of only a miniscule section of the organ—their viewpoint is like that of someone looking through a keyhole. But soon, however, this perspective could be broadened to a panorama. 'Endorama', a new software program, assembles this panorama from all the images acquired. Researchers from Fraunhofer IIS will present their research project at MEDICA, the medical device technology fair in Düsseldorf, from November 12th to 15th, 2014.
	Time Warner boosts annual guidance Time Warner is raising its guidance for the full year, boosted by a tax settlement and better-than-expected third-quarter results driven by strong subscription revenue from its Turner and HBO units.
	Toronto Star to launch tablet edition next year Canada's largest circulation newspaper, the Toronto Star, announced Wednesday plans for a tablet edition in the new year, following in the footsteps of another major local newspaper.
Tim Cook's announcement could spur Silicon Valley to push for social change Apple chief executive Tim Cook's announcement last week that he is gay caps years of efforts by an industry that has long championed gay rights at home. It also may help propel Silicon Valley to the forefront of global struggles for equality, underscoring the reach tech powerhouses have not only with their gadgets and software but with their positions on heated social issues.

Medicine & Health news

	Study shows direct brain interface between humans Sometimes, words just complicate things. What if our brains could communicate directly with each other, bypassing the need for language?
	Researchers capture images of a protein complex that keeps hearts beating For years, a multidisciplinary team of Johns Hopkins researchers has tracked an elusive creature, a complex of proteins thought to be at fault in some cases of sudden cardiac death. As they report Nov. 5 in the online edition of Nature Communications, they have finally captured images of the complex. Those images reveal the connection between some genetic mutations and electrical abnormalities of the heart and provide a starting point for designing therapies.
	Environmental carcinogens leave distinctive genetic imprints in tumors Genetically engineering tumors in mice, a technique that has dominated cancer research for decades, may not replicate important features of cancers caused by exposure to environmental carcinogens, according to a new study led by UC San Francisco scientists. In addition to pointing the way to better understanding of environmental causes of cancer, the findings may help explain why many patients do not benefit from, or develop resistance to, targeted drug therapies.
	Team explores links between grammar, rhythm A child's ability to distinguish musical rhythm is related to his or her capacity for understanding grammar, according to a recent study from a researcher at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.
	Protein linked to aging identified as new target for controlling diabetes Indiana University School of Medicine researchers have identified a small protein with a big role in lowering plasma glucose and increasing insulin sensitivity. Their research appeared online today in Diabetes, the journal of the American Diabetes Association.
	Vaccine for hepatitis C inches closer to reality (HealthDay)—An initial study suggests that a potential vaccine against hepatitis C, a liver disease that affects at least 130 million people worldwide, is safe in people.
	Having Y chromosome doesn't affect women's response to sexual images, brain study shows Women born with a rare condition that gives them a Y chromosome don't only look like women physically, they also have the same brain responses to visual sexual stimuli, a new study shows.
Gene 'switches' could predict when breast cancers will spread to the brain Scientists have found a pattern of genetic 'switches' – chemical marks that turn genes on or off - that are linked to breast cancer's spread to the brain, according to research* presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Cancer Conference in Liverpool today.
Trial results reveal first targeted treatment to boost survival for oesophageal cancer Patients with a specific type of oesophageal cancer survived longer when they were given the latest lung cancer drug, according to trial results being presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference today.
Scientists uncover potential drug to tackle 'undruggable' fault in third of cancers Scientists have found a possible way to halt one of the most common faults in many types of cancer, according to research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool today.
Brain science: How to manage fear and anxiety Everyone knows what it's like to be afraid. A snake slithers unexpectedly across the path ahead, and your body automatically responds. You spring backward should it strike. Your heart pounds, muscles tense, breath quickens. You begin to perspire. All attention is on the snake.
New study finds no link between movie, video game violence and societal violence Since the 1920s, scholars and politicians have blamed violence in movies and other media as a contributing factor to rising violence in society. Recently the responses to mass shootings in Aurora, CO and at Sandy Hook Elementary followed this theme as media consumption came into the equation. But can consumption of violent media really be a factor in real-world violence? A recent study published in the Journal of Communication by a researcher at Stetson University found that there were no associations between media violence consumption in society and societal violence.
BRCA-targeting drugs could treat prostate cancer, leading expert says A pioneering cancer drug set to become the first to be approved specifically for inherited cancers could also be used much more widely to treat prostate cancer, a world-leading expert said today.
	Study gives insight into breast cancer recurrence Work by University of Manchester scientists has explored what allows some cases of Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), a non-invasive form of breast cancer, to resist treatment and come back, as well as identifying a potential new target to improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy.
	Researchers explore the relationship between empathy and aggression Empathy is among humanity's defining characteristics. Understanding another person's plight can inspire gentle emotions and encourage nurturing behaviors.
	How terminally ill kids and their parents can plan for a better death The diagnosis of a palliative illness in a child or adolescent is devastating for all involved: parents, family members and the children themselves, as they grieve for life they had planned and believed they would have. The child, their parents (and sometimes siblings) and clinicians will soon begin the difficult process of talking about death and the options for the child's end-of-life care.
	What sleeping babies can teach us about cognitive development There are few sights more peaceful than a quietly sleeping infant, and a good night's rest for baby may offer much more than just a respite for weary parents.
	Targeting key cells for a dengue virus infection model Dengue virus infects hundreds of millions of people living in tropical countries every year. Transmitted via mosquito bites, the virus typically causes fever, but may also lead to potentially fatal organ failure. The development of mouse models of dengue virus infection could hasten an effective response to the disease, for which no specific treatments or licensed vaccines currently exist.
	Malaria-infected cells may latch onto healthy blood cells for protection The distinctive 'clumping' of blood cells that blocks vessels and causes tissue damage in malaria-infected patients is the focus of a multinational collaboration, which includes A*STAR researchers.
	Abnormalities within muscle signaling pathways may influence insulin resistance among South Asians Ethnicity plays a significant role in the likelihood of developing certain diseases, such as diabetes. South Asians, for example, are known to be more insulin resistant than other Asians, and scientists have long believed that this is because South Asians tend to accumulate fat around the waist more than other Asian ethnicities. Now, a team of researchers from Singapore, including scientists at A*STAR, have established that problems with muscle insulin signaling pathways, rather than how fat is distributed, may explain these differences in insulin resistance.
	Robotic hospital beds are the future of patient transportation A new autonomous hospital bed is set to revolutionise hospital practices and patient transportation. A team from the UTS Centre for Health Technologies in collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology has developed the world's first robotic hospital bed frame and mattress.
	Smokers with rheumatoid arthritis face extra barriers to quitting Smokers who suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may need more targeted support to successfully quit a habit that will likely worsen their disease, latest University of Otago research suggests.
	Tiny patient prompts advance in neuro-genetics Take a deep breath and hold it. Keep holding it. Keep waiting … wait … don't breathe yet … Feel that burning in your lungs?
	Team pieces together signaling pathway leading to obesity As scientists probe the molecular underpinnings of why some people are prone to obesity and some to leanness, they are discovering that weight maintenance is more complicated than the old "calories in, calories out" adage.
	A vaccine-resistant polio strain discovered The global initiative to eradicate poliomyelitis through routine vaccination has helped reduce the number of cases by more than 99% in 30 years, from an estimated 350,000 cases in 1988 to 650 reported cases in 2011. However, major epidemics are still occurring today, such as the ones in the Republic of the Congo in 2010, Tajikistan in 2010, and China in 2011. The epidemic outbreak in 2010 in the Republic of the Congo differed from the others in its exceptionally high mortality rate of 47%: out of the 445 confirmed cases, nearly 210 died. The researchers first attributed the seriousness of the epidemic to low vaccine coverage.
	Neuroscience risks being the next science research bubble Science, like any other field that attracts investment, is prone to bubbles. Overly optimistic investments in scientific fields, research methods and technologies generate episodes comparable to those experienced by financial markets prior to crashing.
	Vitamin D levels examined for long-term health effects A West Australian study has recorded the vitamin D levels of local children, along with the genes involved in its production, setting the foundation for future research into vitamin D effects on a person's health from childhood to adulthood.
	Coordination eases the transition from pediatric to adult health care New research in the Journal of Adolescent Health finds that when a young person moves from pediatric care to an adult practice, the transition is eased and better care is provided when formal processes are in place for the handoff. The transition of care was found to be most effective if planning begins when patients are 12 to 14 years old.
	Study reveals mechanisms of dry age-related macular degeneration University of Kentucky researchers led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati, professor and vice-chair in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Kentucky, have made revealing discoveries about the precise mechanisms of retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE) death in the late stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The findings were released last week in the Proceedings in the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
	Teens living close to high number of tobacco shops more likely to smoke Teenagers are much more likely to take up smoking if they live in neighbourhoods with a large number of shops that sell tobacco products, a study suggests.
	New supplement superior to calcium and vitamin D for bone health A new study by a Florida State University researcher reveals that a new dietary supplement is superior to calcium and vitamin D when it comes to bone health.
	Mothers can pass toxic metals to children through breast milk, study shows It helps mothers bond with their newborns, passes critical antibodies from mother to child, and contributes to infants' psychological well-being. The benefits of breast-feeding are well understood by many mothers.
Preventing sudden infant death from unsafe sleep environments Pediatricians are advocating for safe infant sleep practices, concerned by too many sudden unexplained infant deaths in recent years and a rise in bed-sharing among families with infants. According to UMass Medical School pediatrician Linda Sagor, MD, MPH, most of these deaths could have been prevented.
	Cost and effect: Cheaper remedies should rule for diabetes nerve pain Millions of people with diabetes take medicine to ease the shooting, burning nerve pain that their disease can cause. And new research suggests that no matter which medicine their doctor prescribes, they'll get relief.
	Researchers engineer a 'smart bomb' to attack childhood leukemia Fatih Uckun, Jianjun Cheng and their colleagues have taken the first steps towards developing a so-called "smart bomb" to attack the most common and deadly form of childhood cancer—called B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
	Oregon research team scores with 'The Concussion Playbook' Recognize. Report. Respond. Rest. A University of Oregon researcher wants those "R" words to resonate among young athletes. They are key terms used in an online educational tool designed to teach coaches, educators, teens and parents about concussions.
Blocking mitochondrial fission: An effective treatment for Parkinson's disease? A study led by a researcher from Plymouth University in the UK, has discovered that the inhibition of a particular mitochondrial fission protein could hold the key to potential treatment for Parkinson's Disease (PD).
	Back to basics In an article published in Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience by Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University's Professor Robert Sinclair, he suggests that there still is a place in science in modern times for the interpretation of results using rational numbers or simple ratios. In a time where supercomputers dominate scientific analysis, Prof. Sinclair argues that there is not enough attention being paid to the basic approaches to science of the past, which were able to profoundly illuminate our understanding of the natural world through the simplification of very complex topics and systems. Mendel (1822-1884) did this through his discoveries about heredity in plants, describing some of the most important principles in genetics through very simple numerical observations. The connection between mathematics and various other scientific disciplines, even the roles simple rational numbers may play, is somethi! ng that Prof. Sinclair believes to be still potentially important in modern science.
	Why women buy magazines that promote impossible body images A new study reveals the secret of how some fashion and beauty magazines continue to attract devoted audiences, even though they glamorize super-thin models that would seem to taunt normal-sized women.
	High-fat diet postpones brain aging, study suggests New Danish-led research suggests that signs of brain aging can be postponed in mice if placed on a high-fat diet. In the long term, this opens the possibility of treatment of children suffering from premature aging and patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The research project is headed by the Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen and the National Institute of Health.
More funding, collaboration could lead to significant advances in prevention and treatment of neurological conditions Despite great advances in understanding how the human brain works, psychiatric conditions, neurodegenerative disorders, and brain injuries are on the rise. Progress in the development of new diagnostic and treatment approaches appears to have stalled. In a special issue of the Cell Press journal Neuron, experts look at the challenges associated with "translational neuroscience," or efforts to bring advances in the lab to the patients who need them.
	Our brain dissociates emotional response from explicit memory in fearful situations Researchers at the Cognition and Brain Plasticity group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University of Barcelona have been tracking the traces of implicit and explicit memories of fear in human. The study has been published in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and describes how in a context of fear, our brain differently encodes contextual memory of a negative event (the place, what we saw...) and emotional response associated.
	Osteoporosis, not just a woman's disease Each year nearly two million Americans suffer osteoporosis-related fractures, and as the population ages that number is expected to increase dramatically, placing a major burden on the health care system. While osteoporosis prevention and treatment efforts have historically been focused on post-menopausal women, a new study from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) suggests that critical opportunities are being lost by not focusing more attention on bone loss and fracture risk in older men.
	Bone drug should be seen in a new light for its anti-cancer properties Australian researchers have shown why calcium-binding drugs commonly used to treat people with osteoporosis, or with late-stage cancers that have spread to bone, may also benefit patients with tumours outside the skeleton, including breast cancer.
	Researchers create a mouse model that reproduces Noonan syndrome Noonan syndrome is a rare disease that is characterised by a set of pathologies, including heart, facial and skeletal alterations, pulmonary stenosis, short stature, and a greater incidence of haematological problems (mainly juvenile myeloid leukaemia, or childhood leukaemia). There is an estimated incidence of 1 case for every 1,000–2,500 births, and calculations show some 20,000–40,000 people suffer from the disease in Spain. From a genetic point of view, this syndrome is associated to mutations in 11 different genes —the K-Ras gene among them— that belong to the same cell signalling pathway: RAS/MAPK. Despite mutations in the K-Ras gene not being the most frequent, 2-5% of patients, they are associated with more aggressive manifestations of the disease.
One in 10 US women miss cervical cancer screenings Eight million US women have not been screened in the last five years for cervical cancer, even though regular checkups can help prevent the fatal disease, US health authorities said Wednesday.
	Ah-choo! Expect higher grass pollen and allergen exposure in the coming century Results of a new study by scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst strongly suggest that there will be notable increases in grass pollen production and allergen exposure up to 202 percent in the next 100 years, leading to a significant, worldwide impact on human health due to predicted rises in carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone (O3) due to climate change.
Readmission rates above average for survivors of septic shock, study finds A diagnosis of septic shock was once a near death sentence. At best, survivors suffered a substantially reduced quality of life.
Retinal-scan analysis can predict advance of macular degeneration, study finds Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have found a new way to forecast which patients with age-related macular degeneration are likely to suffer from the most debilitating form of the disease.
	Breathing dirty air during pregnancy raises odds of childhood ADHD-related behavior problems Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAH, a component of air pollution, raises the odds of behavior problems associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, at age 9, according to researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health. Results are published online in the journal PLOS ONE.
	Dulled sense of taste may boost weight-loss surgery results (HealthDay)—Some people can't taste food as well after undergoing weight-loss surgery, but this side effect may help them shed more weight, new research suggests.
	High iron intake at night may disrupt glucose metabolism (HealthDay)—Dietary intake of iron may affect the circadian rhythm of glucose metabolism in the liver, according to research published online Oct. 14 in Diabetes.
	Urinary retention seen in ~5% of posterior lumbar surgeries (HealthDay)—The risk of developing postoperative urinary retention (POUR) after posterior lumbar spine surgery is approximately 5 percent, with certain patient factors associated with higher risk, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 issue of Spine.
	Ambulance use with MI tied to higher mortality (HealthDay)—Using an ambulance for hospital transport of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with higher mortality, according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	AMA: new mapping tool IDs areas in need of physicians (HealthDay)—A new interactive mapping tool can help physicians and their staff determine locations to establish or expand their practice, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Pediatricians' communication with parents critical to overcoming obesity in Latino children UT Southwestern Medical Center physician-researchers found that 1-in-5 parents of overweight Latino children is not directly told that the child is overweight. Furthermore, sometimes no discussion of weight occurred when a language barrier existed – a finding that signifies the challenges of reversing the rapidly rising rates of obesity in minority children. The study is published in the November edition of the journal Pediatrics.
	Expansion of gambling does not lead to more problem gamblers, study finds In the past decade, online gambling has exploded and several states, including New York, have approved measures to legalize various types of gambling. So, it's only natural that the number of people with gambling problems has also increased, right?
Young patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer anticipated to nearly double by 2030 In the next 15 years, more than one in 10 colon cancers and nearly one in four rectal cancers will be diagnosed in patients younger than the traditional screening age, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. This growing public health problem is underscored by data trends among 20- to 34-year-olds in the U.S., among whom the incidence of colon and rectal cancer (CRC) is expected to increase by 90% and 124.2%, respectively, by 2030.
More evidence arthritis/pain relieving drugs may contribute to stroke death Commonly prescribed, older drugs for arthritis and pain may increase the risk of death from stroke, according to a study published in the November 5, 2014, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	For leaders, looking intelligent is less important than looking healthy People look for candidates with a healthy complexion when choosing a leader, but don't favor the most intelligent-looking candidates except for positions that require negotiation between groups or exploration of new markets. These results are published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.
	CT lung screening appears cost-effective A new statistical analysis of results from the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) concludes that performing low-dose computerized tomography screening can be cost-effective compared to doing no screening for lung cancer in aging smokers.
Hospital medical errors reduced 30 percent with improved patient handoffs Improvements in verbal and written communication between health care providers during patient handoffs can reduce injuries due to medical errors by 30 percent, according to a multicenter study led by researchers from Boston Children's Hospital. Reported Nov. 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), study results show that I-PASS—an original system of bundled communication and training tools for handoff of patient care between providers—can greatly increase patient safety without significantly burdening existing clinical workflows.
	The female nose always knows: Do women have more olfactory neurons? Individuals show great diversity in their ability to identify scents and odors. More importantly, males and females greatly differ in their perceptual evaluation of odors, with women outperforming men on many kinds of smell tests.
Scientists step up work to find and contain 'the Ebolas of the future' Headlines about alarming new viruses have been hard to escape. In just the past few months, Dallas has confronted its first cases of Ebola, of the mosquito-borne virus chikungunya and of the respiratory disease enterovirus D68. Many other threats, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and new strains of the flu, lurk a plane ride away.
Piglet brain atlas new tool in understanding human infant brain development A new online tool developed by researchers at the University of Illinois will further aid studies into postnatal brain growth in human infants based on the similarities seen in the development of the piglet brain, said Rod Johnson, a U of I professor of animal sciences.
Australia steps up Ebola response Australia stepped up its response to the Ebola crisis Wednesday in announcing Aus$20 million (US$17 million) to help staff a 100-bed British-built treatment centre in Sierra Leone.
	China factory whirs overtime to make Ebola suits Far from the Ebola hot zone, the sewing and gluing machines at a factory in China have been whirring more than usual to produce crucial yellow suits that protect the front-line medics more than 11,000 kilometers (7,000 miles) away in West Africa.
Kidney failure later in life can be predicted based on measurements taken in adolescence Researchers at Örebro University found that high blood pressure, being overweight, elevation of a blood marker indicating inflammation, or the presence of protein in the urine in otherwise healthy teenage males were all independent predictors of end stage renal disease (ESRD) in later in life.
	Doctor offers refugees mental health assistance from afar Saleem Al-Nuaimi didn't know what to expect when he first visited Turkey on a medical mission in 2012 to help refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war. A psychiatric resident at the University of Alberta, Al-Nuaimi was eager to offer assistance to people suffering from the horrors of war. He wasn't prepared for what he saw.
Researchers develop urban health index A team of researchers at Georgia State University's School of Public Health has developed an Urban Health Index to guide health care professionals, policy makers and researchers around the world, with the support of funds from the World Health Organization (WHO) Kobe Centre in Japan.
Patients benefit from caregiver involvement in hospital discharge intervention Results of a new study published in The American Journal of Managed Care show that the presence of a family caregiver during patient recruitment is associated with a greater rate of completion of a post hospital transitional care coaching intervention, particularly among men. Discharge is a crucial component of the hospitalization process. Patients' understanding and engagement in discharge plans greatly influence their experiences, health outcomes, such as hospital readmission, and overall costs.
	WHO's next Africa chief is elected As Ebola continues to burn its way through three West African countries, the World Health Organization on Wednesday elected its next Africa director, a doctor from Botswana who is a longtime veteran of the U.N. agency.
	US state of Oregon votes to legalize marijuana Marijuana activists who have longed for decades to end America's drug war celebrated more major victories Tuesday, with Oregon and the U.S. capital approving recreational pot use.
	Opening visitation access boosts patient, family experience (HealthDay)—Opening visitation access across all facilities can improve patient and family experience, according to research published in the July/August issue of the Journal of Nursing Administration.
Polio incidence hits 15-year high in Pakistan The incidence of polio in Pakistan hit a 15-year high on Wednesday, as the prime minister vowed to rid the country of the crippling disease in the next six months despite a Taliban campaign to kill workers distributing vaccines for it.
IBS is managed effectively with the right drugs, for the right symptoms Up to 15 percent of the general adult population is affected by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and most patients struggle to find effective drug therapy. A new guideline from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) provides these patients and their physician's guidance. The new guideline and accompanying technical review have been published in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the AGA Institute.
Risk stratification model may aid in lung cancer staging and treatment decisions A risk stratification model based on lymph node characteristics confirms with a high level of confidence the true lack of lung cancer in lymph nodes adequately sampled with endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration and classified as negative.
High rate of insomnia during early recovery from addiction Insomnia is a "prevalent and persistent" problem for patients in the early phases of recovery from the disease of addiction—and may lead to an increased risk of relapse, according to a report in the November/December Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Obama seeks $6.2 billion for Ebola fight President Barack Obama is asking Congress for $6.2 billion in emergency funds to confront Ebola at its source in West Africa and to secure the United States against any possible spread.
Venezuela in grip of severe tropical disease outbreak: NGOs Venezuela is in the grip of one of the worst outbreaks of tropical diseases in decades, and the response by public health authorities has been slow and inefficient, two non-governmental groups reported Tuesday.
Few adverse events found in noninvasive, minimally invasive cosmetic procedures Minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, including fillers, neurotoxins and laser and energy device procedures are exceedingly safe and have essentially no risk of serious adverse events, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study that analyzed more than 20,000 procedures around the country.
US officials unveil novel plan to test Ebola drugs (Update) The quest for an Ebola treatment is picking up speed. U.S. officials have unveiled a plan to test multiple drugs at once, in an umbrella study with a single comparison group to give fast answers on what works.
WHO reduces Ebola death toll to 4,818 The World Health Organization on Wednesday reduced its Ebola data, showing a smaller death toll in eight countries than earlier indicated as some cases recorded previously turned out to have arisen from other factors.
Allina Health heart procedure complications reduced with simple tool Every year in the U.S., 600,000 heart procedures are performed by threading thin tubes through patients' arteries to access their hearts. Percutaneous coronary intervention – or PCI – is an alternative to open heart surgery for many common heart problems.

Biology news

	Genesis of genitalia: We have one. Lizards have two. Why? When it comes to genitalia, nature enjoys variety. Snakes and lizards have two. Birds and people have one. And while the former group's paired structures are located somewhat at the level of the limbs, ours, and the birds', appear a bit further down. In fact, snake and lizard genitalia are derived from tissue that gives rise to hind legs, while mammalian genitalia are derived from the tail bud. But despite such noteworthy contrasts, these structures are functionally analogous and express similar genes.
	Mosquitofish genitalia change rapidly due to human impacts The road that connects also divides. This dichotomy – half-century-old roads connecting portions of Bahamian islands while fragmenting the tidal waters below – leads to rapid and interesting changes in the fish living in those fragmented sections, according to a new study from North Carolina State University.
	Tasmanian devils survived two big falls in numbers but now need help Most people probably know the Tasmanian devil as the iconic animal from Australia's island state of Tasmania. Fewer know that, up until a few thousand years ago, devils were widespread across mainland Australia.
	Adding fat found to offer sea mammal foraging benefits (Phys.org) —A team of researchers with members from Japan and the U.S. has found that at least for one marine mammal, adding blubber provides a foraging advantage. As the team writes in their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, it appears that female northern elephant seals gain an advantage in foraging from extra blubber because of the extra buoyancy it provides.
	New thinking about species extinctions reinforces need for big populations Many species are on the cusp of disappearing forever, from the Yosemite toad to the cave katydid in South Africa. One of the pivotal tipping points is when a population becomes very small and is geographically isolated. Then, extinction is almost certain.
	How the shape of eggs can help explain the evolutionary history of birds The eggs of amniotes - mammals, reptiles and birds – come in a remarkable variety of shapes and sizes.
	How corals can actually benefit from climate change effects Researchers from Northeastern University's Marine Science Center and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found that moderate ocean acidification and warming can actually enhance the growth rate of one reef-building coral species. Only under extreme acidification and thermal conditions did calcification decline.
	Engineered for tolerance, bacteria pump out higher quantity of renewable gasoline An international team of bioengineers has boosted the ability of bacteria to produce isopentenol, a compound with desirable gasoline properties. The finding, published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, is a significant step toward developing a bacterial strain that can yield industrial quantities of renewable bio-gasoline.
	A fraction of the global military spending could save the planet's biodiversity A fundamental step-change involving an increase in funding and political commitment is urgently needed to ensure that protected areas deliver their full conservation, social and economic potential, according to an article published today in Nature by experts from Wildlife Conservation Society, the University of Queensland, and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).
Turning pretty penstemon flowers from blue to red While roses are red, and violets are blue, how exactly do flower colors change?
	Research team is hell-bent on saving hellbender salamanders Snot otter. Devil dog. Mud devil. The eastern hellbender – a freshwater salamander that can grow to more than two feet long – has a collection of folksy aliases and oversized charisma. The giant amphibians are native to New York and other eastern states, but today you'd be lucky to see one in the wild. Over the past decade, hellbenders have nearly disappeared from New York watersheds.
Toxic algae blooms cause illness, death in dogs Dogs are known to play, swim and lap up water in lakes and ponds, but these simple joys can lead to illness and even fatal poisoning when harmful algae blooms muck up the water.
	Bird brains may help drones fly and avoid crashing Imagine a sky full of autonomous flying machines delivering anything from fast-food to important documents, medical supplies or just a surprise gift for someone special. How do you stop them all colliding with each other and any other obstacles on their journey?
	Coffee tree genome sequenced In the study published in Science, the researchers were interested in Robusta coffee because of its average sized genome (710 million pairs of DNA bases) and its diploid nature (contrary to Coffea arabica, which is tetraploid). The genetic map of the coffee tree studied, produced in the 1980s by IRD in Cote d'Ivoire, also had the advantage of being a homozygous plant (two identical sets of eleven chromosomes), which is easier to analyse than natural heterozygotes.
	Urban ecologist conducts research for the birds Dead birds might be the last thing you would think of collecting, but they were the target of a recent campus-based research initiative.
	Thinking small to stop superbugs With the help of cutting edge microscopy, new research at U of T Mississauga could help stop "superbugs" in their tracks.
	'Miracle' Chinese panda triplets celebrate 100-day milestone A set of panda triplets, the world's only known surviving trio, celebrated reaching their 100-day milestone in a Chinese zoo Wednesday as the public were allowed to visit them for the first time.
	Understanding of global freshwater fish and fishing too shallow, scientists say What sounds counter-intuitive to an activity commonly perceived as quiet is the broad recommendation of scientists at Michigan State University (MSU) recommending that small-scale fishing in the world's freshwater bodies must have a higher profile to best protect global food security.
	Scientists discover new coral species off California A NOAA-led research team has discovered a new species of deep-sea coral and a nursery area for catsharks and skates in the underwater canyons located close to the Gulf of Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries off the Sonoma coast.
	Pet owners urged to take firework precautions early Research from the University of Liverpool has led to calls for pet owners to talk to their vets well before the fireworks season to avoid unnecessary distress to their animals.
	Rooting olive trees for organic farming Researchers at UPM have shown good results by using products that facilitate olive tree rooting and are authorized for organic farming.
	Protecting Africa's bees for world food security Scientists in a new, world-class laboratory in Kenya will work to protect Africa's bees and help farmers produce top-quality honey and wax for international markets. Located at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, Kenya, it will improve our understanding of these unique creatures and boost food security by protecting these important pollinators.
	New e-Incubator enables real-time imaging of bioengineered tissues in controlled unit The e-incubator, an innovative miniature incubator that is compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), enables scientists to grow tissue-engineered constructs under controlled conditions and to study their growth and development in real-time without risk of contamination or damage. Offering the potential to test engineered tissues before human transplantation, increase the success rate of implantation, and accelerate the translation of tissue engineering methods from the lab to the clinic, the novel e-incubator is described in an article in Tissue Engineering, Part C.

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