Science X Newsletter Friday, Sep 25

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 25, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Researchers use disordered matter for computation, evolving breakthrough nanoparticle Boolean logic network
- Rigidity transition and cell migration in biological tissues
- Spinning ring on a table found to behave more like a boomerang than a coin
- Perplexing new 'snakeskin' image of Pluto terrain from New Horizons
- Yeast protein could offer clues to how Alzheimer's plaques form in the brain
- A different type of 2-D semiconductor
- What powers the pumping heart?
- Ground-based Schlieren technique looks to the sun and moon
- New system makes 3-D animation easy
- Study adds to evidence that viruses are alive
- Study shows GATA4 plays a key role in cell senescence
- New hybrid solar panel roof slashes energy bills
- Two-million-year-old fossils reveal hearing abilities of early humans
- Scientists discover new system for human genome editing
- Study shows using oat hulls for power has considerable benefits to the environment and human health

Astronomy & Space news

	Perplexing new 'snakeskin' image of Pluto terrain from New Horizons The newest high-resolution images of Pluto from NASA's New Horizons are both dazzling and mystifying, revealing a multitude of previously unseen topographic and compositional details. The image below—showing an area near the line that separates day from night—captures a vast rippling landscape of strange, aligned linear ridges that has astonished New Horizons team members.
	"Fossils" of galaxies reveal the formation and evolution of massive galaxies An international team led by researchers at Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich observed massive dead galaxies in the universe 4 billion years after the Big Bang with the Subaru Telescope's Multi-Object InfraRed Camera and Spectrograph (MOIRCS). They discovered that the stellar content of these galaxies is strikingly similar to that of massive elliptical galaxies seen locally. Furthermore, they identified progenitors of these dead galaxies when they were forming stars at an earlier cosmic epoch, unveiling the formation and evolution of massive galaxies across 11 billion years of cosmic time.
	Ground-based Schlieren technique looks to the sun and moon In the wake of recent success with air-to-air schlieren photography using the speckled desert floor as a background, researchers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, are now looking to the heavens for backgrounds upon which to capture images of supersonic shock waves using ground-based cameras. A bright light source and/or speckled background – such as the sun or moon – is necessary for visualizing aerodynamic flow phenomena generated by aircraft or other objects passing between the observer's camera and the backdrop. This patent-pending method, made possible by improved image processing technology, is called Background-Oriented Schlieren using Celestial Objects, or BOSCO.
	Space experts swoon for 'The Martian' despite inaccuracies Surviving in space is hard and scientists say "The Martian" shows precisely what challenges astronauts will face on a pioneering mission to Mars, even though it contains some big inaccuracies right from the get-go.
	Image: Unprecedented detail in enhanced high-resolution color image of Pluto NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured this high-resolution enhanced color view of Pluto on July 14, 2015. The image combines blue, red and infrared images taken by the Ralph/Multispectral Visual Imaging Camera (MVIC).
	Ballooning experiment to study bacteria on the edge of space Could some of the hardiest bacteria on Earth hitchhike on a Journey to Mars and survive after landing in a new world? NASA researchers intend to find out.
	Experiment to measure cosmic radiation in the stratosphere aboard a NASA high-altitude balloon Using a smartphone as a flight computer and data-recording device, University of Virginia undergraduate students soon will launch a payload they designed, built and tested – to measure cosmic radiation in the stratosphere – aboard a NASA high-altitude balloon.
	Fact over fiction on the 'apocalyptic' super blood moon For many people, the sight of the moon turning deep red – some would say blood red – during a lunar eclipse is a wonderful sight. And that's precisely what many millions of sky gazers will be able to see this Sunday or Monday, depending on their location on Earth.
	Rosetta scientists unveil the source of ice and dust jets on comet 67P After a decade-long journey through space, the Rosetta spacecraft has spent the past year less than 100km from the nucleus of comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko, capturing some stunningly detailed images. But despite this wealth of visual evidence for researchers there is a lot we still don't know about the comet – including why it is covered in organic material rather than just ice and what causes its powerful jets of dust and ice.
Video: Completing the census of exoplanetary systems with microlensing Measurements of the demographics of exoplanets over a range of planet and host star properties provide fundamental empirical constraints on theories of planet formation and evolution.  Because of its unique sensitivity to low-mass, long-period, and free-floating planets, microlensing is an essential complement to our arsenal of planet detection methods.

Technology news

	Supersonic Bloodhound Car aiming for land speed record unveiled Don't want to do your maths homework? A rocket-powered car that could break the world land speed record and travel at over 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 kilometres) per hour could be the solution.
	Branson outlines world powered by wind, solar power Entrepreneur Richard Branson outlined a vision of the world powered by renewable energy and said it would be "pretty dreadful" if a forthcoming UN climate summit is not a success.
	RePhone kit offer calls up maker dreams of DIY modules Introducing an open source and modular phone—these words, as we know from the anticipation engulfing Project Ara—are music to the ears of hobbyists and hackers who are always interested in taking fuller control of how their mobile companion should look and function.
	New system makes 3-D animation easy Andy Nealen, an assistant professor of game engineering, computer graphics, and perceptual science at the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, has created a system that makes it possible for even beginners to create sophisticated and complex 3D animation. AniMesh, as he and his fellow researchers are calling the system, supports interleaved modeling and animation creation and editing and is particularly suitable for rapid prototyping.
	New hybrid solar panel roof slashes energy bills Scientists at Brunel University London have designed a new hybrid roofing system which could halve energy bills in new homes.
	Snowden on video at NYC forum to promote privacy treaty Domestic digital spying on ordinary citizens is an international threat that will only be slowed with measures like a proposed international treaty declaring privacy a basic human right, Edward Snowden said Thursday in a video appearance at a Manhattan forum.
	Lucasfilm shows off VR prototype for 'Star Wars' filmmaking Before a planet in a galaxy far, far away is completely constructed inside a computer or entirely built somewhere in the real world, "Star Wars" filmmakers are now able to visit it in virtual reality before production commences.
	Tips on using new iPhone feature for animating still photos If you're getting one of the new iPhones, you'll be able to turn still images into video.
	Sell, sue or stay put: considerations for Volkswagen owners If you're driving a diesel-powered four-cylinder Volkswagen, you're stuck with a fun-to-drive machine that's belching unhealthy pollutants from its tailpipe.
	Audit finds slipshod cybersecurity at HealthCare.gov The government stored sensitive personal information on millions of health insurance customers in a computer system with basic security flaws, according to an official audit that uncovered slipshod practices.
	Apple under fire for factory conditions as iPhone launches A labour rights group marked the launch of Apple's latest iPhone Friday with a report accusing one of the smartphone giant's Chinese suppliers of exploiting factory workers.
IBM's Watson supercomputer to open second office near Silicon Valley Watson, IBM Corp.'s supercomputer that famously competed on the television show "Jeopardy," is coming West.
	EPA to change diesel tests to thwart VW-like cheating The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans sweeping changes to the way it tests for diesel emissions after getting duped by clandestine software in Volkswagen cars for seven years.
Some millennials digging into news, contrary to stereotype Don't believe everything you see tweeted, shared or posted about the millennial generation being uninformed.
Aussie woman sends 'robot' to queue for new iPhone Don't want to wait in line for your new iPhone? Why not send your iPad instead?
	Why Volkswagen share price slump goes beyond market logic It has been an extraordinary week for Volkswagen managers and investors alike as markets issued their punishment for the company's admission of emissions test cheating. Standard financial economics theory states that trading trends are based on rational investors' expectations of future cashflows, discounted back to wherever the stock had got to at that point. But has the VW share price reaction followed that rationale?
	Hackers have finally breached Apple's security but your iPhone's probably safe (for now) Cyber security experts recently discovered that the almost impenetrable Apple App Store had been hacked. While cyber break-ins have become routine news for many companies, Apple has long prided itself on providing technology for its phones and tablets that was incredibly secure.
	Hyundai recalls 470,000 Sonatas to fix big engine problem Hyundai is recalling nearly a half-million midsize cars in the U.S. to replace key engine parts because a manufacturing problem could cause them to fail.
	Google's Arabic-German translations surge amid migrant influx As Middle Eastern migrants flocked to Germany, Google said Friday demand for its Arabic-German translation service had surged five-fold, urging native speakers to help improve the service.
	US regulators probe Google's Android: report US regulators are launching an anti-competition probe into Google's Android operating system, the software that runs most of the world's smartphones, Bloomberg News said Friday.
New device to reduce wind turbine noise and increase efficiency Noise pollution is a big public concern associated with operating wind turbines. A group of European scientists claims to have found a solution to this problem, assembling an innovative device on the blades. They are collaborating with a European project called Windtrust, which aims to reduce the cost of wind energy generation by further improving the reliability of key components of the turbine.
	Future of immersive gaming gear for the blind Researchers explore how their real-world assistive technology could bring better, augmented gaming experiences to people who can't see.
	Scientists stop and search malware hidden in shortened urls on Twitter Cyber-criminals are taking advantage of real-world events with high volumes of traffic on Twitter in order to post links to websites which contain malware.
	Armed police drones—we need to keep careful watch of these eyes in the sky Drones are everywhere, and now – in North Dakota, at least – they're armed. The state government recently passed an ordinance allowing the police to use drones equipped with non-lethal weapons such as tasers, tear gas or rubber bullets.
	Facebook rebrands free Internet service, expands Facebook has changed the name of its program offering free Internet to developing countries to "Free Basics" and added more services.
	US and China agree to stop cyber-theft for profit The United States and China have agreed not to conduct or condone cyber attacks on each other's private sector for commercial gain, US President Barack Obama and his counterpart Xi Jinping said Friday.
	Study outlines how to achieve improved airline fuel savings The airline industry has the ability to sustain significant fuel savings and greatly reduce its greenhouse emissions, according to the conclusions reached in a Virginia Tech led study for the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) for traffic in the North Atlantic oceanic airspace.
	BlackBerry unveils Android phone in new reboot effort BlackBerry announced plans Friday to sell an Android-powered smartphone, in the latest reboot effort from the faded star of the sector.
California regulators to restore emissions-cutting fuel rule California regulators are poised to restore a first-in-the-nation climate change program that requires a 10 percent cut in carbon emissions on transportation fuels sold in the state by 2020, despite oil industry objections that it could drive up gas prices.
	Activision expanding 'Call of Duty' e-sports competition Activision is widening the scope of e-sports competition for "Call of Duty" players.
	Researcher examines complexities of data-sharing in four research projects Christine Borgman, who studies how research information is retrieved, processed, curated and conveyed, is in the right place at the right time—when the demand for data by researchers and scholars in many different disciplines is greater than ever before.
	Integrating technology in the classroom Studies show that students succeed with digital learning, but making the transition from text book to tablet has its challenges.
	How one astronomer uses art to understand science Lucianne Walkowicz is about to ride her bike 300 miles to convince people that science is approachable and creative.
HP to use Professor Sal Stolfo's host-based defense technology for embedded devices Computer Science Professor Sal Stolfo and his former student Ang Cui PhD'15, whose cybersecurity research has discovered dozens of serious flaws, have developed Symbiote defense technology that significantly reduces the threat of embedded device malware attacks on end users and organizations. This work originated from Stolfo's laboratory at Columbia University's Engineering School and is now commercially available through his company, Red Balloon Security.

Medicine & Health news

	Yeast protein could offer clues to how Alzheimer's plaques form in the brain Fibrous protein clumps known as amyloids are most often associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, where they form characteristic plaques in the brain.
Cells' lack of glucose dulls immune system's ability to fight cancers One of scientists' great hopes in fighting cancer is the immune system. If the same cells that battle viruses and other invaders recognize a tumor as foreign, the expectation is that they should be able to attack the cancer.
	Researchers pinpoint when our brains convert speech sounds into meaning Researchers from Trinity College Dublin have identified the precise moment our brains convert speech sounds into meaning. They have, for the first time, shown that fine-grained speech processing details can be extracted from electrical brain signals measured through the scalp.
	Study shows GATA4 plays a key role in cell senescence (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers from Harvard Medical School and Buck Institute for Research on Aging has conducted a study that has revealed that GATA4 (a transcription factor) plays a significant role in cell senescence. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes their work and what they learned about cell aging. Liam Cassidy and Masashi Narita of the University of Cambridge offer a Perspectives piece on the work done by the team.
	What powers the pumping heart? Researchers at the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research have uncovered a treasure trove of proteins, which hold answers about how our heart pumps—a phenomenon known as contractility.
	Discovery of genetic differences between relapsing/non-relapsing breast cancers Although most patients with breast cancer are cured after treatment, in about one in five the cancer will recur, returning either to the same place as the original tumour or spreading to other parts of the body (metastasis). Now, researchers have taken an important step towards understanding why some primary breast cancers return while others do not.
Information handling by some health apps not as secure as it should be Some health apps that have been clinically-accredited may not have been complying with principles of data protection, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. In some instances health apps were found to be sending unencrypted personal and health information, which means users of these apps may have had their privacy put at risk.
	One in 10 pregnant women drink alcohol in US Drinking alcohol during pregnancy puts infants at risk of developmental problems and brain damage, but one in 10 US women say they drink while pregnant, US health authorities said Thursday.
	Family intervention can help anxious parents raise calm kids A woman who won't drive long distances because she has panic attacks in the car. A man who has contamination fears so intense he cannot bring himself to use public bathrooms. A woman who can't go to church because she fears enclosed spaces. All of these people have two things in common: they have an anxiety disorder. They're also parents.
	Mutated gene found in families with multiple tumors, including cardiac angiosarcoma A few years ago, Javier Benítez, director of the Human Genetics Group at the CNIO, received a call from Pablo García Pavía, from the Cardiology Unit of the Puerta de Hierro University Hospital. This cardiologist was treating two brothers with a rare form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma (CAS). Could the experts in genetics do something? "At that time we tried a few ideas, but unsuccessfully," says Benítez. We have had to wait for modern genome analysis techniques to discover the brothers' genetic problem. The finding opens a way to identify CAS families who are carriers of a mutation in the gene responsible for the disease. Family members could then benefit from an early diagnosis and the appropriate treatment.
	Seniors who keep working are healthier, study says Is retirement hazardous to your health? It's an intriguing question in light of a new study that finds senior citizens who work are in better health than their counterparts who don't.
Second trimester screening still necessary Pregnant women are not receiving screening for spina bifida in the second trimester of their pregnancies, and 11.4 percent of infants born with the defect in the neural tube are not identified before birth, according to a study by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine that was recently in the American Journal of Perinatology.
'Immune Camouflage' may explain H7N9 influenza vaccine failure The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus has been a major concern since the first outbreak in China in 2013. Due to its high rate of lethality and pandemic potential, H7N9 vaccine development has become a priority for public health officials. However, candidate vaccines have failed to elicit the strong immune responses necessary to protect from infection. A study published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics has revealed that it may be due to immune camouflage.
New drug targets the source of cancer renewal A new class of drug that reduces cancer recurrence and spread may soon be available, with South Australian biopharmaceutical company Bionomics having passed review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with their product BNC101.
What constitutes good treatment of tennis elbow? What is the best treatment for acute tennis elbow? Physiotherapy? Cortisone? A combination? Or might you just as well forego treatment?
Researchers argue against ban on important fetal tissue research Proposed legislation in Wisconsin will have a devastating impact on the ability of researchers to create lifesaving treatments for patients, Robert Golden, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, told members of a Wisconsin Senate committee in a public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 22.
	Software piggybacks on electronic medical records, saves clinician time Many people assume that electronic medical records would simplify doctoring, helping medical staff retrieve symptoms, diagnoses and prescriptions at computer speed. But Jonathan Baran, a Madison entrepreneur who began developing medical automation software while a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says providers often don't see the promised efficiencies.
Online resource designed to help 'navigate the diagnosis' of neuropathic pain A new online resource has been launched for the more than 2.5 million of Canadians living with neuropathic pain.
	Biomedical engineering student develops new Lyme disease test, now working in cancer detection Temple Douglas of Lucketts, Virginia, is one of several doctoral students working in a Virginia Tech microfluidics lab helping discover new cancer detection methods. The task is well suited for her. While in high school, Douglas developed a new test for Lyme disease that uses urine.
	Reproducible neuroscience with real tango Consonant results resonate in the brain Most neuroscientific studies rely on a single experiment and assume their findings to be reliable. However, the validity of this assumption needs to be tested before accepting the findings as the ground truth. Indeed, the lack of replication studies in addition to the inconsistency of neuroimaging findings severely limits the advancement of knowledge in the field of neuroscience, all of which has recently become a hot topic within the neuroscientific community.
New app demystifies glaucoma Researchers from City University London have developed a highly engaging new app, supported by Allergan Pharmaceuticals, to educate people who have been newly diagnosed with glaucoma about the condition.
	Plum good health benefits Researchers from Texas A&M University and the University of North Carolina have shown a diet containing dried plums can positively affect microbiota, also referred to as gut bacteria, throughout the colon, helping reduce the risk of colon cancer.
	Pain receptors in the skin also play an important role in wound healing A*STAR researchers have found that specialized skin receptors associated with sensing pain also loosen the bonds between cells in skin wounds, enhancing the cells' ability to move into the wound and accelerate the healing process.
	MRI provides insight into myocardial mechanics after a heart attack Quantifying the damage caused to specific parts of the heart by cardiac arrest is key to providing effective treatment and accurate prognoses for millions of people worldwide. Now, A*STAR researchers have developed a computational method that uses magnetic resonance imaging data to assess the extent of damage to the left ventricle, the heart's powerhouse.
	DNA repair mechanism manipulated to delete genes without leaving a scar Genes may now be deleted without creating a scar in certain strains of Escherichia coli and other microorganisms, thanks to A*STAR researchers. The technique makes it easier to string together several genetic engineering steps without interference caused by a deletion scar.
	A shift in energy processing pathways occurs in immune cells that tolerate pathogens A fundamental metabolic shift in immune system cells has been identified by A*STAR researchers as responsible for whether they attack or tolerate disease recognized by our immune defenses. If the cells do not respond correctly, cancer and other diseases are allowed to thrive rather than being challenged by an immune response. "Targeting the metabolic switch that regulates this balance could form the basis of new and rationally designed cancer immunotherapies," says John Connolly of the A*STAR team.
	Research may soon lead to better therapies for itching and acne The sensation flutters across your back like a butterfly and crawls up your neck like a spider, provoking an irresistible urge to scratch. For most of us, an itch ends there, but thousands of unlucky people continue to suffer for days, months or even years with only momentary relief.
	Should we treat chronic disease patients only if they agree to lifestyle monitoring? Being overweight and inactive are two of the major causes of chronic diseases suffered by 50% of US adults. In 2012, the direct costs of diabetes in the US was estimated at being US $176 billion. At the same time, the standard clinical practice of doctors recommending lifestyle changes in patients with a variety of chronic diseases has yielded no substantial long term benefits. This has been largely because patients either do not know how to make the recommended changes or find it too hard to comply with the doctor's instructions.
	Early life infections may be a risk factor for coeliac disease in childhood Children with frequent infections in the first 18 months of life have a slightly increased risk of later developing coeliac disease compared with children who have few infections. This is the conclusion from a study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
	Identification of a novel protein that protects against bowel inflammation A group of researchers, led by Prof. MATOZAKI Takashi and Associate Prof. MURATA Yoji at the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine Division of Molecular and Cellular Signaling, were the first to demonstrate the role of stomach cancer–associated protein tyrosine phosphatase (SAP)-1 in the pathogenesis and prevention of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory bowel disorders. Their findings, published online ahead of print on July 20, 2015, by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, are expected to accelerate the development of targeted therapies for inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.
Diabetes medication could be used to treat alcohol dependence A new study on mice and rats at Sahlgrenska Academy shows that a medication used for diabetes and obesity also could be a valuable tool for the treatment of alcohol dependence.
	One more step along the long road towards brain-to-brain interfaces Imagine being able to communicate with others through only your thoughts. No words, no signs are exchanged: only pure information travelling directly from one brain to another. Of course, that is the stuff of dreams and science-fiction flicks: in the real world, the closest that scientists have come to establishing direct communication between brains involves an extremely convoluted apparatus and would take hours to transmit the amount of information you typically exchange in a 2-minute conversation. Nevertheless, research on these brain-to-brain interfaces, as they are called, is valuable because it might one day allow patients with brain damage who cannot speak to communicate using other means. In a recent PLOS ONE report, Andrea Stocco, Rajesh Rao and colleagues from the University of Washington, USA, expand on previous research to demonstrate that BBIs can actually be used to solve problems, albeit in the narrow sense of the experimental laboratory.
	Dental trial chews on improving aged-care options A local trial bringing dental healthcare to elderly patients at a Perth aged-care facility is aiming to bridge the gap provided to people living in care.
New survey tool on sexual harassment, assault now available The University of Michigan Institute for Social Research has partnered with SoundRocket, an Ann Arbor-based social science research firm, to provide the nation's college campuses with a scientifically designed survey on student sexual assault and harassment.
	A new role for an old Alzheimer's-related protein Loss of memory is a well-established symptom of Alzheimer's disease. Also, cognitive impairment and personality changes are also observed in these patients. Many studies investigating the causes of Alzheimer's have focused on the biochemical pathways and molecules involved in the pathology of the disease. One of the main goals of such studies is to understand how amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, two of the biochemical hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease pathology, lead to the brain degeneration typically observed in these patients.
Scientists publish first complete record of genetic mutations behind rare vascular disease The genetic architecture of a debilitating and potentially fatal vascular disease has for the first time been detailed in its entirety, providing clinicians with the comprehensive data needed to improve diagnosis and deliver more personalised patient care.
	Food choices are often influenced by forces out of your control Following a healthy diet can be hard. From deciding when and what to eat to how much food you actually put on your plate, the average person makes over 200 food-related decisions each day, most of which are automatic. These automatic choices – dubbed "mindless eating" by some experts – happen when we eat and drink without consciously considering what kind of or how much food to consume. We'll keep eating from a bowl of chips past the point of fullness simply because they're in front of us.
Tumor necrosis factor in colitis—bad actor or hero? Investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have found that a common therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may actually protect against intestinal inflammation by inhibiting pathogenic T-cells. This discovery, reported in the October 2015 issue of Gastroenterology, could lead to new treatment options for the 65 percent of individuals with IBD who do not respond or become resistant to anti-TNF medications.
	With liposuction, weight should guide fat removal limits, study finds (HealthDay)—Although there's no magic bullet for weight loss, new research suggests that surgeons may be able to safely remove more fat during liposuction surgery than previously believed.
	Adding benign breast dz to risk model may boost preventive care (HealthDay)—Greater numbers of high-risk women eligible for primary prevention of breast cancer are identified by incorporating benign breast disease (BBD) diagnoses into the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) risk model, according to a study published online Aug. 17 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Saxagliptin not linked to increased fracture risk in T2DM (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, treatment with saxagliptin is not associated with increased fracture risk, according to a study published online Sept. 10 in Diabetes Care.
	Surveillance beats radical nephrectomy for small masses (HealthDay)—Patients with small renal masses who have a radical nephrectomy are significantly more likely to experience up staging to a more advanced chronic kidney disease stage based on glomerular filtration rate ranges, compared to those undergoing partial nephrectomy, active surveillance, or cryoablation, according to a study published in the October issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Study looks at costs for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (HealthDay)—Most patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (MSPP) are prescribed medications, with six-month total direct costs of $11,291 per patient, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Preoperative breast MRI use increased from 2003 to 2012 (HealthDay)—From 2003 to 2102 there was a significant increase in preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) use in women with breast cancer, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in JAMA Oncology.
	Subclavian vein catheterization beats jugular, femoral placement (HealthDay)—For patients in intensive care units who need a catheter, placement in the subclavian vein appears to lower the risk of bloodstream infection and deep-vein thrombosis, compared to jugular or femoral placement, a new study finds. The report was published in the Sept. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Should I stay or should I go? On the importance of aversive memories and the endogenous cannabinoid Memory is not a simple box of souvenirs; it is also, and most importantly, a safety system for organisms. With the help of negative memories, known as "aversive" memories, we can avoid a threat that we have already confronted. Researchers from Inserm and University of Bordeaux have just discovered that the cannabinoid receptors of the brain control these memories that are crucial for survival. This study is published in Neuron.
	Tick spit protein may trigger allergic reactions Ticks have had millions of years to figure out how to bite without triggering their victims' immune response. Proteins in the arachnids' spit evolved to manipulate immune cells so that the bloodsuckers can suck blood and transmit pathogens in peace. But these measures may not always have the desired effect when ticks bite humans, leading to severe allergic reactions, argue infectious disease specialists in an Opinion published on September 25 in Trends in Parasitology. The researchers believe a vaccine for tick bite allergies could be developed from the spit allergen, once it is identified.
COPD heightens deadly lung cancer risk in smokers Smokers who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) may face nearly twice the risk of getting small cell lung cancer (SCLC)—the deadliest form of lung cancer—than smokers who don't have COPD, according to a large worldwide study led by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Countries have a long way to go to reduce the burden of non-communicable disease A new method published in the Lancet of monitoring countries' performance in reducing the burden of NCD (non-communicable disease), shows that many countries have a long way to go to reduce suffering and deaths from NCD.
	Multiple factors cause high prescription drug prices in US Sticker-shocked patients increasingly wonder why prices for prescription drugs continue to rise in the U.S.
Kenyan journalists covering life-threatening events at increased risk of psychological harm The first major study of the emotional well-being of journalists covering violent events in an African country replicates findings from Western media, namely that journalists who report on life-threatening events are at increased risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Two major Kenyan news organisations took part in the research, published today by JRSM Open, which focused on two traumatic events, the 2007 election violence that left 1,000 Kenyans dead and the attack on the Westgate Mall in 2013 when Al-Shabab insurgents killed 67 Kenyans. The research found that psychological counselling was offered to less than a quarter of journalists reporting conflict in Kenya.
	1 1/2-pound baby born on cruise ship beats odds to survive A Utah woman who unexpectedly gave birth on a cruise ship months before her due date says she wrapped towels around the 1 1/2-pound boy and, with the help of medical staff, managed to keep him alive until the ship reached port.
	Women urge FDA to pull contraceptive device linked to pain More than a dozen women who received a metallic birth control implant are urging health regulators to pull the device from the market, citing problems including severe pain, irregular bleeding and weight gain.
Brazilian breast implant maker insists products are safe A Brazilian manufacturer of breast and other implants insisted Thursday its products are safe, as several countries suspended their sale upon reports of contamination.
	Analysis of blood parameters helps to establish prognosis for patients with brain metastases A new MedUni Vienna study conducted in the Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) Vienna shows that certain laboratory results, which have previously not been used specifically for this purpose, can help to predict survival in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases and to decide on the most appropriate treatment strategy. The study is being presented as part of the European Cancer Congress ECC2015, being held in Vienna between 25 and 29 September 2015.
	Defining precision medicine When President Obama uttered the words "Precision Medicine" in the state-of-the-union address, I scoffed at a politician's finally noticing a field that's been around for decades: medical genetics. Was it another case of rebranding, as chemistry has morphed into nanotech? But the definition of Precision Medicine that has emerged is, well, precise: "An approach to disease treatment and prevention that seeks to maximize effectiveness by taking into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle."
LEGO kits to help the women of India Finding a toilet in India can be Mission: Impossible. Overpopulation and the lack of sanitary facilities lead to contamination of the soil and groundwater. Making matters worse, women are frequently assaulted when they have no other choice but to relieve themselves in the open. These observations spurred Marc-Edouard Schultheiss and Alexandre Bouchet, two students in the School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), to head to India for a three-month humanitarian project supported by Engineers of the World, a student association at EPFL.
Rwandan child mortality sharply on the decline After the genocide in the mid-1990s, Rwanda initiated major social and health reforms to improve the survival of all children. In his dissertation, Aimable Musafili from Uppsala University and the University of Rwanda reports an impressive decline in child mortality in Rwanda including disappearing social divides.
WHO takes Nigeria off global list of polio-endemic countries The World Health Organization on Friday took Nigeria off the list of polio-endemic countries, hailing a "historic achievement" more than a year after the last recorded case of the disease in Africa's most populous nation.

Biology news

	I've got your back—fishes really do look after their mates When it comes to helping each other out, it turns out that some fish are better at it than previously thought.
	Seasonal body clock discovered in animals Scientists have discovered the cells driving the annual body clock in animals which adapts their body to the changing seasons.
	First demonstration of cumulative cultural evolution in the laboratory How did humans get from using stone tools to using power tools? Not on their own, according to the results of an Arizona State University study released Thursday in the journal Nature Communications.
	Researchers map the main protein entry gateway of mitochondria (Phys.org)—A team of researchers from Australia, Germany, Japan and Sweden has succeeded in successfully mapping the main protein entryway into mitochondria. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes their exhaustive effort which covered a 15 year period.
	Mimicking diet changes of global travel reveals clues to gut health​ When travelers embark on a world tour, they may look forward to encounters with new people, traditions and cultures, including unfamiliar foods. But experienced globetrotters also know that partaking of the local cuisine, while tasty, often changes their bowel habits.
	Scientists discover new system for human genome editing A team including the scientist who first harnessed the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 system for mammalian genome editing has now identified a different CRISPR system with the potential for even simpler and more precise genome engineering.
	Study adds to evidence that viruses are alive A new analysis supports the hypothesis that viruses are living entities that share a long evolutionary history with cells, researchers report. The study offers the first reliable method for tracing viral evolution back to a time when neither viruses nor cells existed in the forms recognized today, the researchers say.
	Great Barrier Reef turtles exposed to thousands of chemicals New Queensland research is indicating that green turtles living near urban and farming areas are absorbing possibly thousands of chemicals.
	Scientists devise new platform to view metabolism Metabolism is essential for the maintenance of life, in organisms ranging from yeast to humans. To deepen understanding of metabolism and its role in diseases such as type 2 diabetes, Yale researchers have developed a new analytical platform they call MIMOSA. Their research published online Sept. 24 in Cell Metabolism.
	Researchers identify new butterfly species to Hawaiian Islands UHM Professor Daniel Rubinoff and researcher William Haines of the Department of Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, have conclusively identified a newcomer to the Hawaiian Islands: the Sleepy Orange butterfly (Abaeis nicippe). The last time a new butterfly was identified in Hawai'i was in 2008, when the Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina otis) was found.
	Standard purification process changes the structure of antibodies—and then changes them back Monoclonal antibodies represent one of the most important segments of international biopharma, and how they are purified is a major factor in their success. Now, A*STAR researchers have revealed an unexpected physical structure change during a standard purification process that could have major implications for antibody purification going forward.
	Scientists show how timed feeding could help fight "metabolic jetlag" Breakfast, lunch and dinner? For too many of us, the three meals of the day go more like: morning meeting pastry, mid-afternoon energy drink and midnight pizza. In Cell Metabolism on September 24, Salk Institute scientists present daily food and beverage intake data collected from over 150 participants of a mobile research app over three weeks. They show that a majority of people eat for 15 hours or longer, with less than a quarter of the day's calories being consumed before noon and over a third consumed after 6 p.m.
	Demo plants show potential of algae as sustainable energy source The BIOFAT project – which runs until April 2016 – has confirmed algae's potential as a sustainable source of biofuel and bio-products with low greenhouse gas emissions. Pilot-scale processing facilities, each one-half hectare in size, were constructed in Italy and Portugal, and a scaled-up 10-hectare demonstration facility is currently being finalised.
Indications that two types of parasites are actually one with several host species Tropical medicine experts from Tübingen have discovered malaria parasites of the Plasmodium brasilianum species in Yanomami indigenous Indians on the border between Venezuela and Brazil. These had only been found in monkeys in the past. The parasites are also described as quartan plasmodia, as they cause outbreaks of fever every four days. The infection can lead to complications and chronic sicknesses. This form of malaria is less well-known than the disease caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite, which is often serious and sometimes fatal.
	Stanford scientists help discover Pacific bluefin tunas' favorite feeding spots After chowing down a big meal, you might feel your belly warm as your stomach muscles and digestive organs set to work breaking your food into smaller and smaller pieces rich in nutrients. A bluefin tuna's stomach experiences a similar spike in temperature when it gulps down a mouthful of juicy sardines.
Root microbiome engineering improves plant growth Humans have been breeding crops until they're bigger and more nutritious since the early days of agriculture, but genetic manipulation isn't the only way to give plants a boost. In a review paper published on September 25 in Trends in Microbiology, two integrative biologists present how it is possible to engineer the plant soil microbiome to improve plant growth, even if the plants are genetically identical and cannot evolve. These artificially selected microbiomes, which can also be selected in animals, can then be passed on from parents to offspring.
New diversity for lager beers Unlike ales, lager beers differ little in flavor. But now, by creating new crosses among the relevant yeasts, Kevin Verstrepen, PhD, Stijn Mertens, and their collaborators have opened up new horizons of taste. The research is published in the September 25 Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Dead walruses found on northwest Alaska beach Walrus carcasses were found last week on a northwest Alaska beach, but the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the deaths appear to be natural.
	How predictive models for flavour levels of vegetables and fruits can benefit breeders Following on from the tomato, it has recently become possible to predict the flavour levels of both sweet pepper and galia melons using a model developed by Wageningen UR. These types of models provide plant breeders with a tool that allows them to make a strong pre-selection in their breeding programme based on solid arguments and at low costs, says scientist Wouter Verkerke of Wageningen UR Glastuinbouw in Bleiswijk. "As of next year, we will also be able to predict the taste level of strawberries, for example."
	Microalgae used to clean up oil refinery wastewater in successful test facility At a Chevron oil refinery in Hawaii, researchers are growing microalgae in a 5,000-liter photobioreactor, flowing wastewater from the refinery through the reactor, and taking advantage of the algae's appetite for chemical nutrients to polish the water, removing noxious chemicals, including 90% of the ammonia-nitrogen and 97% of the phosphorus. As the microbes feed, they grow and multiply, providing a wealth of algae-based biomass for producing bioenergy and high-value biobased chemicals and specialty products, as described the article "Algae-Mediated Valorization of Industrial Waste Streams" in Industrial Biotechnology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Industrial Biotechnology website until October 25, 2015.
Plants with jobs Two University of Toronto Scarborough scientists have developed a new research framework for the agricultural sector that offers evidence-based understanding of the relationship between short-term yields, long-term sustainability and biodiversity.
The origin and spread of 'Emperor's rice' Black rice has a rich cultural history; called "Forbidden" or "Emperor's" rice, it was reserved for the Emperor in ancient China and used as a tribute food. In the time since, it remained popular in certain regions of China and recently has become prized worldwide for its high levels of antioxidants. Despite its long history, the origins of black rice have not been clear. Black rice cultivars are found in locations scattered throughout Asia. However, most cultivated rice (species Oryza sativa) produces white grains, and the wild relative Oryza rufipogon has red grains. The color of rice grains is determined by which colored pigments they accumulate (or fail to accumulate, in the case of white rice). For instance, the pro-anthocyanidins that give wild rice grains their characteristic red color are not produced in white rice due to a mutation in a gene controlling pro-anthocyanidin biosynthesis. The color in black rice is known to b! e due to anthocyanin pigments, but how these came to be made in the grains was not known.

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