Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Sep 15

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 15, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Most precise test of Lorentz symmetry for the photon finds that the speed of light is indeed constant
- Change in early human ancestor diet came earlier than thought
- Sculpting a conjugated polymer using DNA origami
- Solar Observatory discovers its 3,000th comet
- Toyota launches hydrogen-fueled sedan
- A small, inexpensive high frequency comb signal generator
- How much water does US fracking really use?
- New mouse brain map may illuminate origins of mental illnesses
- New DNA research reveals genetic heritage of elusive vaquita
- Specific fatty acids may worsen Crohn's disease
- Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to launch from Cape Canaveral this decade (Update)
- New tool for studying magnetic, self-propelled bacteria that resemble compass needles
- Under Saturnian moon's icy crust lies a 'global' ocean
- LRO discovers Earth's pull is 'massaging' our moon
- New way to repair nerves: Using exosomes to hijack cell-to-cell communication

Astronomy & Space news

	Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to launch from Cape Canaveral this decade (Update) The commercial space race got a little more crowded Tuesday when the aerospace company Blue Origin, headed by Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, said it will begin launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida, later this decade.
	LRO discovers Earth's pull is 'massaging' our moon Earth's gravity has influenced the orientation of thousands of faults that form in the lunar surface as the moon shrinks, according to new results from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft.
	Under Saturnian moon's icy crust lies a 'global' ocean By measuring with exquisite precision the tiny wobbles of Saturn's moon Enceladus – whose cosmic quavers are detectable only in high-resolution images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft – Cornell University researchers have learned that a global ocean lies beneath the moon's thick icy crust.
	Solar Observatory discovers its 3,000th comet On Sept. 13, 2015, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory—a joint project of the European Space Agency and NASA—discovered its 3,000th comet, cementing its standing as the greatest comet finder of all time. Prior to the 1995 launch of the observatory, commonly known as SOHO, only a dozen or so comets had ever even been discovered from space, while some 900 had been discovered from the ground.
Video: NASA scientist sheds light on rare Sept. 27 supermoon eclipse Coming soon for the first time in more than 30 years: you'll be able to witness a supermoon in combination with a lunar eclipse.
	Video: NASA's SDO catches a double photobomb On Sept. 13, 2015, as NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, kept up its constant watch on the sun, its view was photobombed not once, but twice. Just as the moon came into SDO's field of view on a path to cross the sun, Earth entered the picture, blocking SDO's view completely. When SDO's view of the sun emerged from Earth's shadow, the moon was just completing its journey across the sun's face.
	Forest-mapping instrument for space station passes major milestone A laser-based instrument for mapping the 3-D structure of Earth's forests has passed a major milestone toward deployment on the International Space Station (ISS). The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI), led by the University of Maryland, College Park, and built by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, successfully transitioned to "Phase B," moving from requirements development and mission definition to preliminary design. GEDI will provide the first comprehensive, high-resolution measurements of the vertical canopy structure of Earth's temperate and tropical forests.
	NASA astronaut hits halfway point of yearlong spaceflight Space station astronaut Scott Kelly is halfway home.
	Image: Good morning from the International Space Station NASA astronaut Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) shared this photograph on social media, taken from the International Space Station on Sept. 10, 2015. Kelly wrote, "#GoodMorning Texas! Great view of you, the #moon, and #Venus this morning. #YearInSpace"
	The moons of Jupiter Jupiter was appropriately named by the Romans, who chose to name it after the king of the gods. In addition to being the largest planet in our Solar System – with two and a half times the mass of all the other planets combined – it also has the most moons of any Solar planet. So far, 67 natural satellites have been discovered around the gas giant, and more could be on the way.

Technology news

	All-electric propulsion satellite by Boeing now fully operational An all electric propulsion satellite from Boeing is a world-first and it has started operations. Boeing announced it earlier this month. The satellite started service on August 31 —that is, the date marks the time when the satellite became fully operational.
	Toyota launches hydrogen-fueled sedan Toyota is taking the next step in its quest for carbon-free travel with the launch of the Mirai hydrogen-fueled sedan.
	German automakers take on Tesla in race of electric cars Germany's mighty auto industry is stepping on the accelerator so it won't be left behind by a US upstart racing ahead in the market for luxury electric cars.
	Researchers call for 'crazy new science' to save the planet Delia Milliron wants your windows to stop being so stupid. Mika Järvinen wants to lay waste to the concept of waste. Joel Dawson wants the world's cell phone systems to save the energy equivalent of 7 million cars, while Yi Cui wants to put you into a shiny new Tesla.
	Researcher uses microwave to 'bake' experiments An electrical engineer at Missouri University of Science and Technology is using microwave energy to test concrete and rehabilitated aluminum, and in the future her work could lead to safer bridges and aircraft parts.
	Wikipedia world view 'shaped by editors in the West' A new Oxford University study has found that nearly half of all edits to articles about places on Wikipedia were made by editors living in just five countries: the UK, US, France, Germany and Italy.
	Target tests grocery delivery service Target is testing the online grocery delivery waters.
	2016 candidates jump to raise money via new Twitter service Think of it as tweeting for dollars.
	Making a smart material smarter A team of researchers, including some from Michigan State University, is making a smart material smarter.
Dew helps ground cloud computing The most obvious disadvantage of putting your data in the cloud is losing access when you have no internet connection. According to research publishes in the International Journal of Cloud Computing, this is where "dew" could help. Yingwei Wang of the Department of Computer Science, at the University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada, describes what he refers to as a "cloud-dew" architecture that offers an efficient and elegant way to counteract cloud downtime and communication difficulties.
	Snapchat expands 'replay,' for a fee Snapchat is expanding its "replay" feature for those disappearing messages, giving users an option to get another look at three "snaps" for a fee of 99 cents.
	Eyes on elephants as Google cameras snap Kenya reserve For once, Google was unlikely to face privacy complaints as the US Internet giant on Tuesday launched its Street View service in Kenya's Samburu park, in a move conservationists said could help protect endangered elephants.
	Amid China woes, European carmakers look to home market European automakers are shrugging off the threat to sales from China's struggling economy and focusing instead on growing demand in their home market, where competition is getting increasingly fierce, particularly for mass market cars.
Russian pleads guilty in major hacking case A Russian national accused of hacking payment systems of major retailers and the Nasdaq stock market, resulting in $300 million in losses, pleaded guilty Tuesday to US criminal charges.
Hewlett-Packard sees up to 30,000 job losses in split Hewlett-Packard said Tuesday its upcoming corporate split will lead to job losses of 25,000 to 30,000.
	Guyana to ask Google to remove street names in disputed border region Guyana intends to ask Google to remove certain street names near its disputed shared border with Venezuela, the foreign minister said.
New tool helps researchers using computers Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a computational technology called Eclipse Integrated Computational Environment (Eclipse ICE) that assists those conducting research on computers to focus on their studies of science without being bogged down with mechanics of the computers.
	New platform to encourage social interaction A Monash University Masters student has developed a new platform to encourage social interaction among children. The prototype is an interactive environment that assists children to conquer fear during social communication.
	Opinion: Diplomacy, not sanctions, are needed to tackle state cyberespionage The war of words between China, Russia and the US has escalated recently with the White House declaring its intention to apply sanctions in response to what the US sees as state-sponsored cyberattacks from the east.
	Engineering professor brings antenna capabilities to military armor For the past four years, Villanova University Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Ahmad Hoorfar, PhD, director of the Antenna Research Laboratory, has been working on wideband low-profile antennas that provide electronic warfare, jamming and communication capabilities for fiberglass ballistic and blast-resistant armor panels. Project leader Applied Nanotech, Inc. (ANI)—an expert in printed electronics—recently announced the panels' completion and successful testing in providing multi-channel communications and advanced active protection for vehicles, ships and buildings.
IBM helps automakers build Internet of Things connected vehicles IBM today announced a new IBM Cloud-based service to help automakers turn driver and vehicle data into actionable insights for predictive vehicle maintenance, real-time diagnostics on engine trouble,and to guide drivers to the most efficient traffic routes.
	Video: 'Terawatt challenge' seeks game changers in photovoltaics Modern society is very much defined by its access to electricity. What if researchers could advance sustainable energy technologies to the point where everyone around the world had access to clean, cheap energy sources? Richard Smalley, 1996 Nobel Prize winning chemist, called it the greatest challenge facing the world in the 21st century and coined the phrase 'terawatt challenge.'
	Professor wins patent for recyclable building materials A University of Colorado Denver professor and former graduate student have been awarded a patent for a new, eco-friendly construction system that turns 100 percent recycled fibers into high strength, easy-to-assemble building materials. The patent is the first for CU Denver's College of Architecture and Planning.
Things to know about automatic license plate readers Authorities chasing the suspect in a fatal shooting at Delta State University in Mississippi used an automatic license plate reader to track the man as he traveled across state lines. The technology was also used in Virginia weeks ago when a disgruntled former television reporter fatally shot two former colleagues during a live interview.

Medicine & Health news

	Pregnancy intervals may affect autism risk, study suggests (HealthDay)—The amount of time between a woman's pregnancies may matter when it comes to the possible risk of her children developing autism, new research suggests.
	Breastfeeding tied to better emotion perception in some infants Researchers found that among 44 babies with a particular autism "risk" gene, those who were breast-fed longer spent more time looking at images of "happy" eyes and shied away from "angry" eyes.
	Double discovery boosts global quest for leukaemia cures Researchers at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre have discovered how a form of leukaemia fights back against a ground-breaking treatment, providing vital new leads on how to outwit the deadly disease.
	New electrostatic stimulation technique improves damaged-nerve function in rats (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers at the University of Washington in the U.S. has developed a new technique to help restore function in an animal with a damaged spine. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes their new technique and why they believe it will eventually lead to helping human patients.
	Virus in cattle linked to human breast cancer A new study by University of California, Berkeley, researchers establishes for the first time a link between infection with the bovine leukemia virus and human breast cancer.
	Specific fatty acids may worsen Crohn's disease Some research has suggested that omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fish oils, can relieve inflammation in Crohn's disease. But a new study using software developed by Duke scientists hints that we should be paying closer attention to what the other omegas—namely, omega-6 and omega-7—are doing to improve or worsen the disease.
	New mouse brain map may illuminate origins of mental illnesses Scientists at Duke University have released a highly detailed model of connections in the mouse brain that could provide generations of neuroscientists new insights into brain circuits and origins of mental illness, such as depression and schizophrenia. The findings are published in the journal Cerebral Cortex.
	In first, scientists use sound waves to control brain cells Salk scientists have developed a new way to selectively activate brain, heart, muscle and other cells using ultrasonic waves. The new technique, dubbed sonogenetics, has some similarities to the burgeoning use of light to activate cells in order to better understand the brain.
	Immune cells may help fight against obesity While a healthy lifestyle and "good genes" are known to help prevent obesity, new research published on September 15 in Immunity indicates that certain aspects of the immune system may also play an important role. In the new study, scientists observed that mice lacking a particular type of immune cell gained excess weight and developed metabolic abnormalities even when they consumed a standard diet.
	New way to repair nerves: Using exosomes to hijack cell-to-cell communication Regenerative medicine using stem cells is an increasingly promising approach to treat many types of injury. Transplanted stem cells can differentiate into just about any other kind of cell, including neurons to potentially reconnect a severed spinal cord and repair paralysis.
Widely used software doesn't note differences in care quality among hospital readmissions The 3M software program, increasingly used to make payments to US hospitals based on readmission rates, doesn't clearly distinguish differences in care quality—one of the key factors involved in readmission—between readmissions that are preventable and those that aren't, suggests research published online in BMJ Quality and Safety.
Both sedentary behavior, lack of physical activity linked with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Prolonged sitting time as well as reduced physical activity contribute to the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a study of middle-aged Koreans. These findings support the importance of both reducing time spent sitting and increasing physical activity, say researchers. Their results are published in the Journal of Hepatology.
	MRI improves diagnosis of microbleeding after brain injury in military personnel Imaging patients soon after traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs can lead to better (more accurate) detection of cerebral microhemorrhages, or microbleeding on the brain, according to a study of military service members, published online in the journal Radiology.
Video game warnings fall far short in rating tobacco content Video games are not adequately rated for tobacco content, according to a new UC San Francisco study that found video gamers are being widely exposed to tobacco imagery.
Effects of prenatal myelomeningocele closure on the need for a CSF shunt Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) investigators analyzed updated data on the effects of prenatal myelomeningocele closure on the need for placement of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt within the first 12 months of life. These researchers reaffirm the initial MOMS finding that prenatal repair of a myelomeningocele results in less need for a shunt at 12 months and introduce the new finding that prenatal repair reduces the need for shunt revision in those infants who do require shunt placement. The researchers also found that patients with extensive hydrocephalus at the time of the prenatal evaluation did not show improved outcomes following prenatal surgery.
Combining epigenetic therapies with immunotherapies likely to improve cancer patient outcomes Recent data suggest that epigenetic therapies are likely to provide additional clinical benefit to cancer patients when rationally combined with immunotherapeutic drugs, according to a review published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Link between air pollution, increased deaths and increased deaths from heart disease affirmed In what is believed to be the largest, most detailed study of its kind in the United States, scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center and elsewhere have confirmed that tiny chemical particles in the air we breathe are linked to an overall increase in risk of death.
Study reveals England's improving health performance compared to other wealthy countries In 2013, England performed better than average on a variety of key health outcomes compared with 18 other high-income countries in the European Union, and Australia, Canada, Norway, and the USA (EU15+), according to new research published in The Lancet.
	Diabetes takes a toll on women's hearts (HealthDay)—Diabetes may be harder on women's hearts than it is on men's.
	Researchers explore cocoa as novel dietary source for prevention of cognitive deterioration in Alzheimer's Disease The potential benefits of dietary cocoa extract and/or its final product in the form of chocolate have been extensively investigated in regard to several aspects of human health. Cocoa extracts contain polyphenols, which are micronutrients that have many health benefits, including reducing age-related cognitive dysfunction and promoting healthy brain aging, among others.
	Scan may identify best candidates for fetal spina bifida surgery Fetuses with enlarged ventricles—the fluid-filled cavities inside the brain—may be less likely than their counterparts to benefit from surgery in the womb to treat spina bifida, according to a study supported by the National Institutes of Health.
	People in their 50s benefit most from low-dose aspirin, report says (HealthDay)—Daily low-dose aspirin is best used as a preventive measure against heart disease for people in their 50s, top U.S. experts in preventive medicine have determined.
	Flu shot a must for moms-to-be (HealthDay)—Catching the flu early in pregnancy doubles the risk of having a baby with a serious birth defect, which is why getting a flu shot is so important for women who are expecting, the March of Dimes warns.
	Removing all visible cancer is key to treating aggressive brain tumors (HealthDay)—Surgery that removes all visible cancer significantly improves the chances of survival for children with aggressive brain tumors, especially girls.
	Sleep apnea treatment may reverse unhealthy brain changes (HealthDay)—Sleep apnea treatment may reverse changes in brain stem activity associated with increased risk of heart disease, a new study suggests.
	ADHD may mask autism in young kids (HealthDay)—Symptoms attributed to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may overshadow or mask autism spectrum disorder in very young children, a new study reveals.
	Lasting analgesia for subcompartmental GON block (HealthDay)—For patients with cervicogenic headache (CH), the classical technique for greater occipital nerve (GON) block results in two weeks of analgesia, compared with at least 24 weeks for the subcompartmental technique, according to a study published in the September issue of Pain Practice.
	Case report describes contact dermatitis from ultrasound gel (HealthDay)—An atypical presentation of contact dermatitis due to ultrasound gel has been reported in a 67-year-old male patient. The case report was published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of Dermatology.
	Anticoagulation report has little impact in discharge summary (HealthDay)—For patients on warfarin, an anticoagulation report that is embedded in the discharge summary has no impact on clinical outcomes, although it is perceived to improve patient safety, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
	Bronchiolitis clinical practice guidelines vary in quality (HealthDay)—Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on acute viral bronchiolitis vary in quality, with the highest scoring domains being "scope and purpose" and "clarity of presentation," according to a study published online Sept. 8 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
	No increase in febrile seizures with 2010-2011 TIV or PCV13 (HealthDay)—For the 2010-2011 influenza season, there was no increase in the risk of febrile seizures (FS) with the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) or the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), according to research published online Sept. 14 in Pediatrics.
	Ethical framework developed for genomic testing results (HealthDay)—An ethical framework has been developed to guide the professionally responsible disclosure of results of genomic sequencing in pediatric practice. The guidance is presented in a special article published online Sept. 14 in Pediatrics.
	Staying one step ahead of cancer cells BRD4 inhibitors are among the most promising new agents in cancer therapy that are currently evaluated in clinical trials. In a study published in Nature today, a team of researchers at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) and Boehringer Ingelheim in Vienna reveals how leukemia cells can evade the deadly effects of BRD4 inhibition. Understanding this adaptation process could aid the development of sequential therapies to outsmart resistant leukemias.
	Using 'fitness' labels on foods may cause consumers to eat more, exercise less People who are dieting or who try to balance exercise and healthy eating often seek out food that is thought to fit into their regimen. However, a study co-authored by Hans Baumgartner of the Penn State Smeal College of Business found that "fitness branding" can encourage people who are concerned about their weight to eat more and exercise less.
Next-gen sequencing test identifies cancerous thyroid nodules with high degree of accuracy A next-generation sequencing test is successfully predicting which thyroid nodules are cancerous and require surgical removal, reducing the need for multiple invasive diagnostic procedures, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and Pitt School of Medicine. Their findings were recently published online in the journal Thyroid.
Anxiety and depression in children, adolescents Childhood mental health awareness has increased in recent years, but the majority of children and adolescents with mental health issues remain undiagnosed and untreated.
	Jamming with toddlers trumps hitting the books Playing music with toddlers could benefit their development even more than shared reading, according to University of Queensland research.
	Research demonstrates benefits of word repetition to infants New research from the University of Maryland and Harvard University suggests that young infants benefit from hearing words repeated by their parents. With this knowledge, parents may make conscious communication choices that could pay off in their babies' toddler years and beyond.
	Rural children in India have better immunization rates Children in rural India have higher vaccination rates than those in cities, and Hindu kids are more likely to get their shots than Muslim youth, say University of Michigan researchers.
	Do you know the signs of being too sleepy to drive? Drivers with tired eyes are three times more likely to cross the centre line, according to QUT research, which has pinpointed four eye symptoms to help drivers recognise the signs they are too sleepy to get behind the wheel.
	A study of antidepressants reveals how treatment helps depression management Researchers in Japan have shown that several different classes of antidepressants increase early growth responses in astrocytes, star-shaped glial cells, which could help develop new treatments.
	Potential new therapeutic approach found for liver cell cancer In a recent study, scientists from the Institute for Cancer Research at MedUni Vienna have shown that the growth factor receptor FGFR3 increases the rate of growth and aggressiveness of hepatocellular carcinomas (liver cell cancer). Inhibition of this receptor could be a new and effective way of treating patients. The paper has now been published in the top-ranking journal, Hepatology.
	Patients 'a third more likely' to die if discharged at the weekend Hospital patients are up to a third more likely to die if they are sent home from hospital at weekends, a major Aston University research has revealed.  The study of nearly one million hospital patients admitted to hospital in England between 2000 and 2013 shows far higher mortality rates among those who are discharged on Saturdays and Sundays – especially for the elderly.
Acetic acid, found in vinegar, shown to be effective against bacteria found in burn wounds Highly diluted acetic acid, an active ingredient of household vinegar, has been shown to be an effective alternative agent to prevent infection and kill bacteria found in burn wounds.
Whole-body PET scan with new imaging agent can locate hidden blood clots A novel radiopharmaceutical probe developed at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has the potential of providing physicians with information that could save the lives of patients with ischemic stroke or pulmonary embolism - conditions caused when important blood vessels are blocked by a clot that has traveled from another part of the body. In a report that will appear in the October issue of the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology and has been published online, the MGH team describes using this new probe to conduct full-body scans in an animal model. Preliminary results also were reported earlier this year at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
New drugs could stop the growth of drug-resistant childhood tumors Current drugs may stop working against the most common type of brain tumor in children, medulloblastoma, but the tumor could be targeted in a new way, according to Stanford University scientists.
	Research breakthrough in fight against muscle wasting diseases It is estimated that half of all cancer patients suffer from a muscle wasting syndrome called cachexia. Cancer cachexia impairs quality of life and response to therapy, which increases morbidity and mortality of cancer patients. Currently, there is no approved treatment for muscle wasting but a new study from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and University of Alberta could be a game changer for patients, improving both quality of life and longevity. The research team discovered a new gene involved in muscle wasting that could be a good target for drug development.
Study finds growing public support in the US and Canada for smokefree outdoor laws A new study has found increasing support in the United States and Canada for smokefree laws for outdoor areas, especially in playgrounds and school grounds.
	Skin microbiome influences common sexually transmitted disease For years, researchers have known that the human skin is home to a diverse community of microorganisms, collectively known as the skin microbiome. Now a new study has shown that individuals with a particular skin microbiome can effectively clear bacteria that cause chancroid, a sexually transmitted disease common in the developing world that has been linked to enhanced HIV transmission. The study, published in the September 15th issue of mBio, is the first prospective study to show that the skin microbiome can influence the outcomes of a bacterial infection.
Hookah tobacco smoking seems to be increasing in both prevalence and frequency Nearly 1 in 5 recently surveyed high school seniors report having smoked tobacco from a hookah in the past year, and more than a third of them reported smoking hookahs often enough to be considered regular users, an analysis led by the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health (CRMTH) revealed.
Researchers document self-reported use of new synthetic drugs by teens and young adults In recent years, there has been an increase in emergence and use of a variety of new drugs, so-called "novel psychoactive substances" (NPS) in the US and worldwide. However, there is little published survey data estimating the prevalence of use in the US. Media reports about use of new drugs such as "Spice" ("synthetic marijuana") and "bath salts" such as "Flakka" are now common, yet very few health surveys ask about use of such drugs.
Factors for higher risk of death following hip fracture surgery than hip replacement Patients undergoing surgery for a hip fracture were older and had more medical conditions than patients who underwent an elective total hip replacement, factors that may contribute to the higher risk of in-hospital death and major postoperative complications experienced by hip fracture surgery patients, according to a study in the September 15 issue of JAMA.
	A technique dating back to 1935 is recovered for cancer research in flies A study conducted by ICREA researcher Cayetano González, at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine, and published in Nature Protocols describes a forgotten technique used in the fly Drosophila melanogaster dating back 80 years. This method allows the transplantation of tissue from larvae to adult flies, thus allowing research into tumor growth and other biological processes of biomedical interest, such as tissue regeneration.
	Popular hypertension drugs linked to worse heart health in blacks compared to whites Drugs commonly used to treat high blood pressure, and prevent heart attacks and strokes, are associated with significantly worse cardiovascular outcomes in hypertensive African Americans compared to whites, according to a new comparative effectiveness research study led by researchers in the Department of Population Health at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Women are less likely than men of similar age, experience, specialty to be full professors at US medical schools Women physicians are substantially less likely to be full professors than men of similar age, experience, specialty and research productivity.
	Beta-blockers promote heart muscle cell survival following a heart attack A commonly prescribed drug for heart disease may do more good than previously thought. Researchers at York University have found that β-blockers may prevent further cell death following a heart attack and that could lead to better longer term patient outcomes.
	Spleen may provide new target for treating stroke's debilitating chronic inflammation Stroke injures the brain, but a new University of South Florida (USF) study indicates an abdominal organ that plays a vital role in immune function, the spleen, may be a target for treating stroke-induced chronic inflammation leading to further brain cell death.
Teen marijuana use down despite greater availability Marijuana use among American high school students is significantly lower today than it was 15 years ago, despite the legalization in many states of marijuana for medical purposes, a move toward decriminalization of the drug and the approval of its recreational use in a handful of places, new research suggests.
Additional time spent outdoors by children results in decreased rate of nearsightedness The addition of a daily outdoor activity class at school for three years for children in Guangzhou, China, resulted in a reduction in the rate of myopia (nearsightedness, the ability to see close objects more clearly than distant objects), according to a study in the September 15 issue of JAMA.
	Yoga improves arthritis symptoms and mood, study finds A randomized trial of people with two common forms of arthritis has found that yoga can be safe and effective for people with arthritis. Johns Hopkins researchers report that 8 weeks of yoga classes improved the physical and mental wellbeing of people with two common forms of arthritis, knee osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The study is believed to be the largest randomized trial so far to examine the effect of yoga on physical and psychological health and quality of life among people with arthritis.
Michigan resident diagnosed with plague, state's first case Michigan health officials say they have confirmed the first ever case of the plague in a Michigan resident.
Cohort study explores association between SSRI use and violent crime Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use is modestly associated with violent crime, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. The cohort study, by Seena Fazel from the University of Oxford, and colleagues, showed in subgroup analysis that this association was evident in participants aged 15-24, but not significant for individuals aged 25 and older.
Electronic reminders keep TB patients on track with medication in China Giving electronic reminders to tuberculosis (TB) patients in China can reduce the amount of medication doses they miss by half, according to new research published in PLOS Medicine.
	CDC develops state-level chronic disease cost calculator (HealthDay)—A chronic disease cost calculator (CDCC) has been developed to estimate state-level costs, according to a study published online Sept. 3 in Preventing Chronic Disease.
	Allergy to soy reported after percutaneous sensitization (HealthDay)—Reduced skin barrier function seen in patients with atopic dermatitis may cause percutaneous sensitization by various proteins, such as food, according to a case report published in the September issue of The Journal of Dermatology.
	Geographic variation in costs of posterolateral fusion (HealthDay)—There is significant geographic variation in the costs of posterolateral fusion (PLF), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and TKA with major complications or comorbidities, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
	Half of HIV-positive patients see family docs exclusively for care (HealthDay)—A large percentage of HIV-positive patients may see family physicians exclusively for their care, and these patients are more likely to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) if their doctor has more experience in HIV care, according to research published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Characteristics ID'd for those who voluntarily stop eating (HealthDay)—Most patients who hasten death by voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED) are in poor health, and family physicians are often involved in the process, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Low HDL-C, high CRP ups mortality for patients with CAD (HealthDay)—For patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) on statin therapy after undergoing a first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), the risk of all-cause mortality is increased with low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Analysis of 21 studies shows exposure to pesticides is associated with increased risk of developing diabetes A meta-analysis of 21 studies presented at this year's annual meeting the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) shows that exposure to pesticides is associated with increased risk of developing diabetes by 61%, with different types of pesticides showing varying levels of risk. The study is by Giorgos Ntritsos, University of Ioannina, Greece, and Dr Ioanna Tzoulaki and Dr Evangelos Evangelou, Imperial College London, UK, and colleagues.
	Study from England shows no garden access for young children linked to childhood obesity later in childhood A study of 6467 children from England—presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Stockholm—shows that no access to a garden at age 3-5 years is linked to an increased risk developing obesity by age 7 years. The research is by Annemarie Schalkwijk, VU University Medical Centre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues.
Banning trans fats in England could prevent 7,000 heart deaths over next five years A total ban on trans fatty acids (trans fats) in processed foods in England could potentially prevent or postpone about 7,200 deaths from coronary heart disease over the next five years, suggest experts in The BMJ this week.
	Diet, exercise, smoking habits and genes interact to affect AMD risk People with a genetic predisposition for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) significantly increased their odds of developing the blinding eye disorder if they had a history of heavy smoking and consistently did not exercise or eat enough fruits and vegetables, according to an observational study of women funded by the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Study demonstrates genes' major role in skin and organ development Knocking out one or both crucial regulatory genes caused cleft lip, skin barrier defects, and a host of other developmental problems in mice, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, hinting that abnormalities in these molecular pathways could underlie many birth defects that are presently not well understood. The two closely related regulatory genes are active in the normal development of mammals and govern how RNAs produced from the genes are joined to make final versions of the encoded protein, a process called alternative splicing.
	New study reports low consumption of whole grains by pregnant women in Singapore Pregnancy leads to alterations in glucose metabolism, including gestational diabetes mellitus, a common health problem that increases the risk of a caesarean birth, and is associated with development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the mother and in her infant later in life.
	De-mystifying stop smoking services FACT: Support from Stop Smoking Services, when used with prescription medications, such as nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), roughly triples your chances of successfully quitting smoking, in comparison to trying to go it alone.
	Attitudes towards cyclists hinges on fellow motorists A Perth psychologist has delved into the testy relationship between motorists and cyclists, determining drivers are more likely to be unpleasant to bike riders if they think fellow motorists are behaving aggressively towards cyclists on the road.
	A journey into the world of global public health It's not every day you read something that completely alters your perspective. A couple of years ago, I stumbled upon the book "Betrayal of Trust: the Collapse of Global Public Health" by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Laurie Garrett. At the time, as a PhD-student, I did not think of public health and genetics in the same sentence, but this changed upon reading this book. What Garrett did was to explore the conditions contributing to the epidemics she described and to stress the importance of genetics in current and future public health.
	New genome sequence to provide insight into tiger mosquito and how deadly diseases are transmitted to humans Pathogens and Global Health journal has just published details of the first draft genome sequence of Aedes albopictus, commonly known as the tiger mosquito and responsible for transmitting several deadly diseases to humans, such as dengue and chikungunya, potentially offering hope to millions around the world.
A study shows that smoke from forest fires aggravates the respiratory health of children Research coordinated by lecturer of the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Valencia Ferran Ballester has shown that air pollution from forest fires aggravates the respiratory health of children. The results of this work have just been published in Environmental Geochemistry and Health.
Brazil's cancer curse The startling discovery that hundreds of thousands of Brazilians have a genetic mutation that undermines their ability to resist cancer is helping labs worldwide in their search for new treatments for the disease. Sue Armstrong reports.
Number of people at high risk of fracture set to double by 2040 Nyon, Switzerland A study from the University of Southampton and Sheffield Medical School in the UK projects a dramatic increase in the burden of fragility fractures within the next three decades. By 2040, approximately 319 million people will be at high risk of fracture -double the numbers considered at high risk today.
Sex differences in academic faculty rank, institutional support for biomedical research Women are less likely than men to be full professors at U.S. medical schools, and receive less start-up support from their institutions for biomedical research, according to two studies in the September 15 issue of JAMA.
	Mylan opens $27.14 billion hostile bid for Perrigo Shares of Mylan are edging up before the opening bell after the pharmaceutical company went ahead with its hostile, $27.14 billion bid for Perrigo.
Sierra Leone quarantines 700 after new Ebola death Health authorities in Sierra Leone said Tuesday they had quarantined almost 700 people as they battled to contain a new outbreak of Ebola which killed a 16-year-old girl.
	Twenty-five years ago Professor Thomas Jentsch opened up a new field of research A quarter of a century ago, the physicist, physician and cell biologist Professor Thomas Jentsch and his research team opened up an entirely new field of research in the field of ion transport. Now the British journal The Journal of Physiology has devoted a special section in its latest issue to his discovery.
US regulators bar sales of four kinds of cigarettes US regulators on Tuesday ordered tobacco giant RJ Reynolds to stop selling and distributing four kinds of cigarettes because they are too different from previously approved cigarettes.
Women exposed to organic pollutants in early pregnancy have more than four-times increased risk of gestational diabetes New research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Stockholm shows that a 10-times increased exposure to organic pollutants in early pregnancy is associated with a 4.4 times increased risk of a pregnant woman developing gestational diabetes. The research is by Assistant Professor Leda Chatzi, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece.
Obama nominates FDA's No. 2 official to lead agency President Barack Obama has nominated the Food and Drug Administration's second-highest ranking official, Dr. Robert Califf, to lead the agency, which regulates consumer products ranging from medications to seafood to cigarettes.

Biology news

	Study confirms bats' value in combating crop pests It's dusk in the countryside, and in the fading golden light a small, winged shape takes to the air over a local cornfield. Darting this way and that, the creature executes maneuvers far beyond what any modern fighter jet could manage.
	For worms, positive thinking is the key to finding food Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny roundworm, spends much of its lifetime searching for soil bacteria to eat. This humble creature possesses 302 neurons, which may not seem like a lot compared to the billions of nerve cells that make up the human brain. Nonetheless, it uses sophisticated strategies to reach nutritionally promising places.
	Connecting the dots for cell adhesion University of Queensland researchers have discovered a new signalling pathway that controls cell adhesion, an important process that is disrupted in diseases such as skin cancer and inflammation.
	Bond gene in fruit flies controls fertility of rival males For many animals, pheromones, which are chemical cues used for communication, guide important decisions such as whom to mate and whom to fight. New research from scientists at the University of Hawai'i - Mānoa's (UHM) Pacific Biosciences Research Center (PBRC), a newly integrated research unit of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), identified a single gene in fruit flies (Drosophila) that controls male pheromone production, male fertility, and, surprisingly, the fertility of rival males.
	New DNA research reveals genetic heritage of elusive vaquita A new method of teasing information from scarce and highly degraded genetic samples is helping NOAA Fisheries and Mexican scientists unravel the genetic heritage of the enigmatic vaquita, the most endangered marine mammal on Earth.
	Previously unknown flea genus and species discovered in fossilized dominican amber Dr. George Poinar, Jr., an entomologist from Oregon State University, has found a fossilized flea the like of which he has never seen. Its basic characteristics are so strange, he says, that it deserves its own genus. And in fact, the name of the genus he has applied to the insect, Atopopsyllus, means "strange flea" in Greek.
	Queer fish: 'Living fossil' sports a lung The coelacanth, an elusive deep-sea dweller long thought extinct, had another item added Tuesday to an already-long list of unusual physical traits: an obsolete lung lurking in its abdomen.
	French winemakers hunt for climate change-resistant grape Amid the bustle of a busy harvest in France's famed Beaujolais wine-making region, a quiet effort is underway to counter one of the industry's biggest potential threats: climate change.
	What sewage can tell us about health The maxim "one man's trash is another man's treasure" certainly describes the work of Mariana G. Matus: The fourth-year PhD student in computational and systems biology at MIT is part of a team collecting samples of sewage to understand community health and behavior.
	Biologists parse evolutionary 'arms race' between insects, predators and plants Many scientists believe the very same dynamics that have shaped conflict between nations since the early 20th century also may govern how species evolve on Earth.
	Plastic tubs may hold secrets to producing more rice for the world Dozens of plastic tubs stacked in a room may look ordinary, but they store what could be the secrets to more rice to feed the world.
	Explainer: What is the molecular clock? In the 150 years since Charles Darwin recognised the kinship of all life, scientists have worked to fulfil his dream of a complete Tree of Life. Today, the methods used to trace the evolutionary branches back through time would exceed Darwin's expectations. Scientists across a range of biological disciplines use a technique called the molecular clock, where the past is deciphered by reading the stories written in the genes of living organisms.
	Metagenomic analyses lend insights into how microbes break down wastewater contaminants Researchers conducted analyses of microbial communities in laboratory-scale bioreactors breaking down contaminated wastewater from gold ore processing.
	Sweeping study of US farm data shows loss of crop diversity the past 34 years U.S. farmers are growing fewer types of crops than they were 34 years ago, which could have implications for how farms fare as changes to the climate evolve, according to a large-scale study by Kansas State University, North Dakota State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Less crop diversity may also be impacting the general ecosystem.
	Project Bay Bones investigates bonefish decline Bonefish catches are on the decline, and researchers in the Southeast Environmental Research Center at Florida International University are trying to get to the bottom of this concerning trend.
	Young chum salmon may get biggest nutrition boost from Elliott Bay restored beaches In the midst of ferry boats, container ships and tourists crowding Seattle's Elliott Bay, young salmon are just trying to get a decent meal.
Data-driven approach could help improve allocation of biomedical research resources A new computational model developed by scientists from the University of Chicago could help improve the allocation of U.S. biomedical research resources. The tool, called the Research Opportunity Index (ROI), measures disparities between resources dedicated to a disease and its relative burden on society. ROI identifies diseases that receive a disproportionate share of biomedical resources, which represent opportunities for high-impact investment or for the realignment of existing resources. It is designed to provide an unbiased, data-driven framework to help scientific and political communities assess resource investment and identify unmet medical needs. ROI is described in the August issue of Nature Biotechnology.
	Need for reliable data on sharks It is a fact – there have been 25 shark attacks in the past eight months in Australia, compared with 23 in all of 2014. However, scientists dispute this nominal increase is cause for a shark cull in northern NSW.
	Humans may be culprit in latest South Texas invasive insect problems An insect considered beneficial in many parts of the world is causing havoc on vegetable crops in South Texas, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologist in Weslaco.
An introduction to start-ups in synthetic biology When did you first hear the phrase "synthetic biology"? Was it many years ago, or did it just happen when you clicked on this blog?
Flexibility and self-repair of the cell skeleton Researchers at the CEA, the CNRS and the Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble have discovered several mechanical properties, as fascinating as they are unexpected, in microtubules, the main elements in the cell skeleton, and especially their capability of adapting to stress and of self-repair. These discoveries have been possible thanks to the creation of a microfluidic device that makes it possible to attach, fold and measure distortions in microtubules. Microtubules play a crucial role in various processes such as cell division and neuron activity. Their repair dynamic could serve as an inspiration for materials engineering. These results were published in Nature Materials magazine on 7 September 2015.
	GM crop database launched to ensure safety of EU animal feed supply The IPAFEED database – a key deliverable of the EU-funded MARLON project – contains searchable data for monitoring possible impacts of genetically modified (GM) crops on the health of livestock animals. Through providing guidance and the means to closely monitor GM feed-related risks in livestock, the project seeks to help regulators and the food supply chain ensure that any such health risks can be identified early and effectively.
	Agency nixes proposed rafts where walrus can rest off Alaska The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has declined for now to create artificial floating platforms for Pacific walrus that come ashore in Alaska because they lack summer sea ice.
	Researchers apply super-resolution methods to study organization of receptors on B lymphocytes Antigen receptors on B lymphocytes sense foreign molecules, such as pathogens or vaccines, and activate the B cells to produce antibodies that protect humans against many diseases. Prof. Dr. Michael Reth, Scientific Director of BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, and his group have applied three different super-resolution methods to study the distribution of the two major classes of antigen receptors on mature B lymphocytes: IgM and IgD. It had been previously assumed that all proteins on the membrane, including receptors, are freely diffusing molecules that only become organized upon binding to specific ligands. Reth's group found out that IgM and IgD receptors are organized in protein islands.

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