Science X Newsletter Friday, Mar 11

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 11, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Star-forming ring spotted around distant supergiant star Kappa Ori
- 'Sticky waves'—molecular interactions at the nanoscale
- Circuit for experience-informed decision-making ID'd in rats
- Spray-on coating could ice-proof airplanes, power lines, windshields
- Seismic for the spine: Vibration technology offers alternative to MRI
- Physics pair show that Ising model can be used as a universal spin model
- Experiment shows magnetic chips could dramatically increase computing's energy efficiency
- A foldable material that can change size, volume and shape
- Newly discovered bacteria can eat plastic bottles
- Nanotech breakthrough could create cheaper solar power and medical devices
- Configurable analog chip computes with 1,000 times less power than digital
- Split light wave switches nano-enhancers of light on and off
- World's thinnest lens to revolutionize cameras
- Skin has the nerve to tell you to scratch
- In worm-bacteria symbioses some microbes remain faithful to their hosts, others to their location

Astronomy & Space news

	Star-forming ring spotted around distant supergiant star Kappa Ori (Phys.org)—Astronomers have spotted a star-forming ring around a distant star Kappa Ori, located at the south-eastern corner of the constellation of Orion. The star, also known as Saiph, is a supergiant with a mass of approximately 15 solar masses about 650 light years from Earth. According to the scientists, the newly-detected ring contains several groups of stars. The results were published in a paper on Mar. 1 in the arXiv journal.
	Telescopes combine to push frontier on galaxy clusters Galaxy clusters are enormous collections of hundreds or even thousands of galaxies and vast reservoirs of hot gas embedded in massive clouds of dark matter, invisible material that does not emit or absorb light but can be detected through its gravitational effects. These cosmic giants are not merely novelties of size or girth - rather they represent pathways to understanding how our entire universe evolved in the past and where it may be heading in the future.
	NASA selects instruments to study air pollution, tropical cyclones NASA has selected two proposals for new Earth science investigations that will put new instruments in low-Earth orbit to track harmful particulate air pollutants and study the development of tropical cyclones.
	The more we learn about Mercury, the weirder it seems For such a tiny planet, Mercury is a pretty big puzzle for researchers. NASA's MESSENGER probe already has revealed that the planet is surprisingly rich in elements that easily evaporate from the surface, such as sulphur, chlorine, sodium and potassium. This is incredibly odd as these kind of substances most likely would disappear during a hot or violent birth – exactly the type of birth a planet so close to the sun, such as Mercury, would have had.
	Hubble sees a legion of galaxies Peering deep into the early universe, this picturesque parallel field observation from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals thousands of colorful galaxies swimming in the inky blackness of space. A few foreground stars from our own galaxy, the Milky Way, are also visible.
	Space station astronauts ham it up to inspire student scientists On Thursday, March 10, 2016 astronauts on the International Space Station logged their 1,000th educational contact with the ground. NASA astronaut Tim Kopra answered questions posed by the North Dakota Space Grant Consortium in Grand Forks, North Dakota. No matter how many times it happens, talking directly with someone orbiting above the Earth remains a thrill for students.
	Image: First contact with Ariane 5 Ariane 5 flight VA229 lifted off yesterday morning at 05:20 GMT (02:20 local time, 06:20 CET) from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, to deliver a telecom satellite into geostationary orbit.
	The European Solar Telescope, chosen as a strategic scientific installation for Europe Today, March 10th, an official announcement was made about the updating of the ESFRI (Forum for a European Strategy in Research Inrastructures) route map at a meeting in Amsterdam. This route map includes the EST (European Solar Telescope) project, together with five other projects (ACTRIS, DANUBIUS-RI, E-RIHS, EMPHASIS Y KM3NeT 2.0) and two others which are considered to be emblematic (CERN LHC Y ESRF EBS).

Technology news

	A foldable material that can change size, volume and shape Imagine a house that could fit in a backpack or a wall that could become a window with the flick of a switch.
	GE Global Research is exploring renewable energy system Tables are turned on declaring CO2 as one of the key enemies of mankind and the future, at least in one initiative. Scientists there have come up with a twist. While CO2 emissions are notorious contributors to climate change, thinkers working in the realm of renewable energy are seeing CO2 not as either-or clean energy sources, but as an and-and.
	Configurable analog chip computes with 1,000 times less power than digital Researchers have built and demonstrated a novel configurable computing device that uses a thousand times less electrical power – and can be built up to a hundred times smaller – than comparable digital floating-gate configurable devices currently in use.
	Social networks used in the assessment of damage caused by natural disasters An international scientific study, involving Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), has carried research into the use of social networks such as Twitter, as tools for monitoring, assessing and even predicting levels of economic damage caused by natural disasters.
	Google is hitting the road—literally—for user feedback Google is about to embark on an old-school search, swapping its Internet algorithm for a custom-built van that will cruise across the U.S. to find out how people use its online services and react to new features.
	How an autonomous Ford hybrid manages to drive in the snow Ford motor company, along with all the other major car manufacturers, has been working on self-driving cars, but unlike others, such as Google, Ford has begun demonstrating an autonomous vehicle that is capable of driving in the snow, where lane lines and other identifiable markers become hidden by the blanket of flakes. In a recent press release, Ford outlines how it works and offers a video of its test vehicle successfully finding its way around a snow covered private roadway.
	US rebuts Apple claim on password reset in iPhone case A decision to reset the password on an iCloud account associated with one of the San Bernardino attackers did not effectively thwart the investigation into the shooting, FBI officials said in a court filing as part of the Justice Department's ongoing encryption dispute with Apple Inc.
	Yahoo snubs activist shareholder with two new directors Yahoo has set up a battle for control of its board by appointing two directors likely to further agitate an activist shareholder threatening an attempt to oust CEO Marissa Mayer unless she bows to demands to sell the company's Internet operations.
Feds invest nearly $7M in small business to boost clean tech The federal government is investing nearly $7 million in 33 small businesses across the country to build partnerships with national laboratories in hopes of speeding up development of clean energy technology, the U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday.
	Capital One to let users pay bills via Amazon's Echo Capital One has teamed with Amazon to let owners of Amazon's Echo smart speaker system pay their bills and get other account information through voice commands.
	Kodak Moments app seeks to separate precious photo memories Kodak, a brand once synonymous with photographic memories, is creating an app meant for highlighting special moments such as birthdays.
	Orchestration of systems of mobile robots for border protection, search and rescue, and personal security Modern mobile robots have increasingly practical capabilities. Amazon.com is developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones for package delivery. Autonomous cars can safely navigate our streets without a driver. Yet, while the capabilities of such mobile robots are impressive, how useful is a single mobile robot? What is required for mobile robots to contribute to applications that directly benefit society – social applications – are systems of robots working cooperatively to address large-scale opportunities.
	Android smartphone data spies exposed like bank robbers When a bank is robbed, the loot will often contain a wad of manipulated banknotes. These will explode en route and release a colorful dye, marking the money as stolen. Researchers use a similar principle to identify spyware on smartphones. Computer scientists from the Center for IT Security, Privacy and Accountability (CISPA) have now developed a matching application for the current version of the Android smartphone operating system, allowing for a more precise monitoring of malicious apps.
	Meeting the electric vehicle challenge From an environmental perspective, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs) are good because they produce little to no greenhouse gases. From a driver's perspective, though, EVs can cause "range anxiety" – that is, worrying if the car's battery will run down before you reach your destination.
	Wearable modular device to facilitate walking rehabilitation In collaboration with Suncall Corporation, and with support provided by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) under the Center of Innovation (COI) Program, Professor Tadao Tsuboyama of the Graduate School of Medicine and his collaborators have recently succeeded in developing an "Attached Robotic Unit Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthothesis", a modular wearable walking assist device designed to aid the rehabilitation of people with walking difficulties.
	Hitachi develops technology to anonymize encrypted personal data Hitachi announced the development of technology to securely anonymize encrypted personal data. Anonymization converts information related to individuals, personal information, to a form which cannot identify the individual. This newly developed technology which conducts anonymization in a more secure manner will be applied to respond to the expected increase in market needs for anonymized personal data resulting from the revision of the Japanese legislation on the Protection of Personal Information in September 2015.
	New analytical model for e-sports predicts who is winning – and why A new analytical model for e-sports developed by researchers in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, not only helps game developers better understand how players perform, but can also predict the outcome of the game.
	Researchers develop supercondenser that can be charged by the sun Researchers at the Laboratory for Organic Electronics at Linköping University, Sweden, have created a supercondenser that can be charged by the sun. It contains no expensive or hazardous materials, has patents pending, and it should be fully possible to manufacture it on an industrial scale.
	GM buys software company to speed autonomous car development With hopes of speeding development of self-driving cars, General Motors has acquired a small software company that's been testing vehicles on the streets of San Francisco.
	FDA approves Indego exoskeleton for clinical and personal use The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given clearance to market and sell the powered lower-limb exoskeleton created by a team of Vanderbilt engineers and commercialized by the Parker Hannifin Corporation for both clinical and personal use in the United States.
	Hollywood learns a new storytelling language for VR What happens to a film's story when blades of grass are more interesting than the plot? When you can lean in so close to an actor you ought to feel their breath? When a few simple steps around a room can make you dizzy?
	Sticky lawsuit: $400M dispute lingers over Post-it inventor Alan Amron has invented a battery-powered squirt gun, a digital photo frame, even a laser system that may someday provide a visible first-down line for fans inside NFL stadiums. He holds 40 U.S. patents, but he's most interested in an invention for which he gets no credit: the Post-it Note, that ubiquitous sticky-back product made into a worldwide success by the 3M Company.
	Never tried virtual reality? Here's what it's like It doesn't take a high-tech headset to see that virtual reality is the rage. It's being touted as the future for all things sensory, from games to film and television, from storytelling to visual art.
	Review: Apple Nanoleaf Smarter Kit has nice bulbs, but the hub is key I'm becoming more and more convinced that voice control is going to be the future of home automation.
Thwarted by the iPhone, code-breakers turn their attention to other products Computer hacker Will Strafach had no trouble seizing control of the original iPhone. Same went for later generations over the next five years.
Yellow Cab fights for relevance in ride-hail age For a man who's losing cash and cachet to the much-less-regulated ride-hail companies such as Uber and Lyft, you'd think Anthony Palmeri, president of Yellow Cab in San Diego, would have a big chip on his shoulder.
The lab where they blow up hoverboards on purpose The sign on the reinforced door read "Projectile Testing" and the crowd gathered in the corridor outside had been warned to expect a small explosion.
Cruz campaign updates smartphone app to fix security flaws The campaign of Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz updated its mobile app after an independent review found security flaws that could have allowed hackers to access personal data from users.
	New scheduling optimisation tool for handball, football and volleyball tournaments With help from SINTEF, the northern Norwegian company Profixio is aiming to become a world leader in fixture scheduling for handball, football and volleyball tournaments.
Unlocking the secrets of the brain's intelligence to develop smarter technologies Of all the fast and powerful computers in the world, our brain remains by far the most impressive. Now an interdisciplinary team of scientists, led by Baylor College of Medicine, aims to reveal the computational building blocks of our brain and use them to create smarter learning machines.
	How do economic conditions change consumer preferences when it comes to energy conservation? Every day, thousands of families choose between larger and smaller cars or basic and advanced appliances. In turn, these choices determine whether the technologies that leave the factory floor will consume more or less of the world's energy resources.
	Three-phase power router tested with distributed electricity sources along New Tram line As part of the "Super Cluster Program", one of the Industry-Academia Collaborative R&D Programs administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Professor Takashi Hikihara of the Graduate School of Engineering (GSE) and his collaborators have been working since FY2013 on a "three-phase power router" that utilizes a silicon carbide (SiC) power device.
	Ford establishing subsidiary to invest in new mobility Ford Motor Co. said Friday that it is establishing a Silicon Valley-based subsidiary to build and invest in new mobility options like car-sharing and ride-hailing services.

Medicine & Health news

	Seismic for the spine: Vibration technology offers alternative to MRI Magnetic resonance image isn't everything. A new University of Alberta study shows that vibrating the spine may reveal more when it comes to treating back pain. Teaming with the University of South Denmark to study the lumbar spine of twins, Greg Kawchuk and his team demonstrate that structural changes within the spine alter its vibration response significantly.
	Circuit for experience-informed decision-making ID'd in rats How is the brain able to use past experiences to guide decision-making? A few years ago, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health discovered in rats that awake mental replay of past experiences is critical for learning and making informed choices. Now, the team has discovered key secrets of the underlying brain circuitry—including a unique system that encodes location during inactive periods.
	A younger sibling may be good for your child's health Becoming a big brother or big sister before first grade may lower a child's risk of becoming obese, a new study led by the University of Michigan suggests.
	Burning more calories linked with greater gray matter volume, reduced Alzheimer's risk Whether they jog, swim, garden or dance, physically active older persons have larger gray matter volume in key brain areas responsible for memory and cognition, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UCLA.
	Can nutritional supplements impact genetic hearing loss in children? An enhanced diet helped reduce hearing loss in mice with the genetic mutation most commonly responsible for childhood deafness, new research suggests.
	Saturated fat 'short-circuits' immune cells to trigger inflammation Research by UC San Francisco scientists has opened up a surprising new avenue for potential therapies to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders that are associated with chronic tissue inflammation in obesity.
	Skin has the nerve to tell you to scratch No matter the trigger—bug bites, a medication side-effect or an itchy wound—the urge to scratch can be a real pain. Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center have identified a potential drug target in the skin for that itchy feeling.
	Differential immuno-capture biochip offers specific leukocyte counting for HIV diagnosis Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a highly sensitive biosensor based on a differential immuno-capture technology that can detect sub-populations of white blood cells. As part of a small, disposable biochip, the microfluidic biosensor can count CD4+/CD8+ T cells quickly and accurately for AIDS diagnosis in the field. This is a follow-up of the work earlier published by the group in Science Translational Medicine.
	Heart attacks could be reduced by rethinking the way we prescribe statins Millions of people today take statins to help lower their cholesterol level. Currently statins are prescribed to patients based on their future risk of cardiovascular disease - mainly driven by age - which excludes many individuals who may benefit from them. A new study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) in Montreal, with collaborators from the United-States, is changing the way we think about prescribing statins. The research team has developed a new approach to determine which individuals should receive these important medications. The findings, which are published online in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, could improve prevention of heart disease, especially in younger people.
Light exposure improves depressive symptoms among cancer survivors Light therapy decreased depressive symptoms and normalized circadian rhythms among cancer survivors, according to new research from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai presented today at the American Psychosomatic Society in Denver, CO.
Mother's smoking may increase her children's risk of lung disease as adults An Australian study that followed patients over five decades reveals that children of mothers who smoke have an increased likelihood of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adulthood.
	Things to know about GMO mosquito test proposed in Florida The spread of the Zika virus in Latin America is giving a boost to a British biotech firm's proposal to deploy a genetically modified mosquito to try to stop transmission of the disease.
	Adapting training to age Researchers at the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country have analysed the effect of different training exercises in football, known as small-sided games, on some physical and physiological variables of players aged 12 and 13 in order to find out which formats are most suited to their development. According to the study, some of these formats are not suitable for the youngest players.
	Scientists discover a trigger of Alzheimer's disease A group of the Lomonosov Moscow State University scientists, together with their colleagues from the Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences and the King's College London, determined the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease development and possibly distinguished its key trigger. Their article was published in Scientific Reports.
	Spring daylight saving time may cause an increased risk of heart attacks Many people may groan about losing an hour of sleep March 13, but there may be a more serious reason to be mindful of daylight saving time.
	Sexism still a barrier for women working in football Professional women working in roles across the UK's lucrative football industry are still finding sexism a barrier to success, according to research by the University of Liverpool's Professor Sue Bridgewater.
Discrimination linked to increased stress, poorer health, survey finds Nearly half of U.S. adults report they have experienced a major form of unfair treatment or discrimination, including being unfairly questioned or threatened by police, being fired or passed over for promotion or treated unfairly when receiving health care. These acts of discrimination are associated with higher reported stress levels and poorer reported health, according to the survey Stress in America: The Impact of Discrimination released today by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Fat and salt combined is a toxic mix for our health and waistlines Deakin University sensory scientists have found that salt promotes overconsumption of fatty foods adding weight to calls to reduce the salt content of foods.
Patients with anorexia feel less bodily pleasure Patients with anorexia nervosa perceive physical touch in social interactions as less pleasurable than healthy people of the same age, reveals new research by University of Hertfordshire PhD student Laura Crucianelli. The cause of this reduced feeling of pleasantness may be a problem with a nerve system (called CT-afferents) specialised for perceiving pleasant touch.
	Healthy vs unhealthy food—the challenges of understanding food choices We know a lot about food but little about the food choices that affect the nation's health. Researchers have begun to devise experiments to find out why we choose a chocolate bar over an apple – and whether 'swaps' and 'nudges' are effective.
	Why the clitoris doesn't get the attention it deserves – and why this matters Did you know the clitoris is a large and complex organ? If not, it's probably not your fault: in anatomical textbooks, few words and diagrams are devoted to understanding the clitoris. Most label the very small portion of the organ visible on diagrams of the vulva, when in fact it's almost entirely under the skin.
	Lifestyle and luck both factors in a long, healthy life More people may be living to 100 and beyond than ever before, but the real challenge is how to become one of them yourself, and how to care for an aging population.
	Researchers discover colorectal cancer biomarker, potential personalized treatment UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have discovered that a deficiency in a key protein that regulates immune system warning signals could be a new biomarker for colorectal cancer, the second largest cancer killer in the United States. They believe the marker could be used to gauge response to a potential new treatment for the disease.
	If you treat a parent's depression, will their child's asthma improve? Studies have shown that children with asthma are at higher risk for depression. Research also has shown an association between a parent or caregiver's depression and worsening symptoms in an asthmatic child.
Scientists identify sensor that modulates key metabolic pathway Only recently have scientists begun to tease apart the molecular links between specific nutrients and mTORC1, a cellular signaling pathway that controls growth and metabolism. Now Whitehead Institute researchers have elucidated how mTORC1 senses the amino acid arginine, which is associated with roles in injury repair, cell division, and immune function.
Caution urged over planned introduction of new cervical screening test The Minister of Health's announcement of the introduction within two years of a new test for cervical cancer to replace the current screening method poses a risk to "our well-established, high-quality" screening programme, say leading New Zealand experts and researchers in the New Zealand Medical Journal (NZMJ) this week.
	Researchers track how brain routes visual signals Understanding how the brain manages to process the deluge of information about the outside world has been a daunting challenge. In a recent study in the journal Cell Reports, Yale's Michael Higley and Jessica Cardin from the Department of Neuroscience provide some clues to how cells in the visual cortex direct sensory information to different targets throughout the brain.
	Research leads to diaper cost reduction program Needy families will pay less for diapers under a pilot program announced by the White House March 10 and inspired by research conducted through a partnership between Yale, local mothers, the City of New Haven, and community groups.
	Neurologist finds a new suspect in the search for what causes debilitating headaches One of the things Egilius L.H. Spierings has learned over nearly 40 years of practice remains controversial in headache medicine, but it seems intuitive to anyone who has found that a shoulder massage can ease a headache.
	Acupuncture for oral pain When George Maloney, a clinical professor at the Tufts School of Dental Medicine, sees a patient in pain, he first determines whether the ache emanates from the nerves or the muscles. For nerve-based pain, he often prescribes medications. For muscle pain, he reaches for his needles.
Dentists, physicians, psychologists and others work together to ease their patients' pain Like a lot of the patients who come to the Tufts Craniofacial Pain Center, the 30-something Ph.D. student was at her wit's end. Since high school, she'd suffered from three or four migraine headaches a year. Then she woke up one morning with a sharp pain in her cheek that never went away. She began having one or two migraine headaches a week and feared her condition might ruin her career in academia.
Bus drivers' health at risk due to sedentary behaviour, Loughborough research reveals A new pilot study into bus drivers' sedentary behaviour (prolonged sitting) during and outside working hours.
	Researchers have revealed how a rare genetic skin condition causes aggressive skin tumours Fragile skin that blisters easily: 90 percent of the patients that suffer from the skin condition recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) develop rapidly progressing cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, a type of skin cancer, by the age of 55. 80 percent of these patients will die due to metastasis within five years after the cancer has been first detected. Researchers from the University of Freiburg and the University's Medical Center have discovered how the two diseases are connected and which molecular mechanisms underlie the aggressive behaviour of squamous cell carcinomas in RDEB patients.
	New, non-invasive method allows to determine whether a child is celiac or not with just a puncture in the finger Researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) have developed a new, simple and non invasive method that determines whether a child aged two to four suffers from celiac disease without the necessity of a blood extraction.
Family-based counselling increases physical activity and improves diet quality in children A recent Finnish study showed that individualised and family-based lifestyle counselling helps 6-8-year-old children increase their physical activity levels and improve their diet quality during a two-year follow-up. The results of the study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland were recently published in Preventive Medicine.
	Soap bubbles for treating stenosed blood vessels Liposomes are currently used as drug delivery vehicles but recognized by the immune system. Scientists from the universities of Basel and Fribourg have shown that special artificial liposomes do not elicit any reaction in human and porcine sera as well as pigs. The study was published in the Journal Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine.
	Why do some people recover from major trauma better than others? Eleven girls and five boys aged five and six, together with their 45 year-old schoolteacher, were killed at Dunblane Primary School in Scotland on March 13, 1996. Many other children were injured, some seriously. The gunman, Thomas Hamilton, then turned his weapon on himself. It was one of the worst recorded firearms incidents in British history.
	Can trendy baby classes really boost a child's development? Parent and baby classes are increasingly popular, and the choice greater than ever. These days you can even take newborns on courses ranging from massage, yoga, music and swimming, to "signing" (teaching babies simple gestures to communicate needs), and "sensory" (letting babies explore different textures, sights, sounds and so on). Many of these courses promise a range of benefits. For example, signing classes and music groups are often claimed to boost language development while baby massage is supposed to enhance sleep and parent-child bonding.
	Video games can improve decision-making Research on decision-making bias found that interactive training exercises using video games actually improved participants' general decision-making abilities and when used alongside other traditional training methods. The implication being that such training could reduce costly errors associated with biased judgments and decisions.
	Severe migraines linked to complications during pregnancy, childbirth (HealthDay)—Severe migraines are associated with an increased risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, especially among older women, new research suggests.
	Guinness: Israel Holocaust survivor, 112, world's oldest man (Update) A 112-year-old Israeli who lived through both World Wars and survived the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz is the world's oldest man, Guinness World Records announced on Friday.
	Unpacking space radiation to control astronaut and earthbound cancer risk NASA limits an astronaut's radiation exposures to doses that keep their added risk of fatal cancer below 3 percent. Unfortunately, that ceiling restricts the time an astronaut may spend in space, which in turn restricts the ability to perform longer missions, say a mission to Mars. Now a network of research laboratories seeks to understand the mechanisms and effects of space radiation with the goal of predicting and preventing radiation-induced cancers, both in space and at home. One of these laboratories is that of Michael Weil, PhD, investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and professor in the Colorado State University Department of Environmental & Radiological Health Sciences, whose paper recently published in the journal Frontiers in Oncology describes attempts to personalize the assessment of radiation-induced cancer risk in astronauts.
	Lack of TRPV2 impairs thermogenesis in mouse brown adipose tissue Brown adipose tissue (BAT), a major site for mammalian non-shivering thermogenesis, could be a target for prevention and treatment of human obesity. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2), a Ca2+-permeable cation channel, plays vital roles in the regulation of various cellular functions. Professor Makoto Tominaga, Assistant Professor Kunitoshi Uchida and Postdoctoral Research Fellow Wuping Sun from National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Professor Teruo Kawada from Kyoto University, and Professor Yuko Iwata, Professor Shigeo Wakabayashi from National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, and their team members have revealed that lack of TRPV2 impairs thermogenesis in mouse brown adipose tissue. This study was supported by grants from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and Takeda Science Foundation, and published online in EMBO reports on Feb. 12, 2016.
	Study finds that retirement leads to positive lifestyle changes A landmark study led by University of Sydney has found that people become more active, sleep better and reduce their sitting time when they retire.
'Cadillac tax' on health benefits will hit middle class hardest Although both liberal and conservative economists have denounced the longstanding exemption of employment-based health benefits from taxes as tantamount to a "regressive" tax subsidy that unfairly favors the rich, and have lauded a provision of Affordable Care Act that will impose a hefty tax on costlier ("Cadillac") benefit packages, those who stand to be hit hardest by the new provision are middle-income families.
	Researchers testing most effective seizure treatments Drexel University College of Medicine researchers are conducting an emergency medicine study to find out the most effective drug for treating established status epilepticus—a life-threatening condition in which the brain is in a state of persistent seizure.
Experts warn that touting 'naturalness' of breastfeeding could backfire Breastfeeding campaigns that extol breastfeeding as the "natural" way to feed infants could result in harmful decision-making by some parents on other important health matters, according to experts from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Writing in a Perspectives column in the April issue of Pediatrics, Jessica Martucci, PhD, and Anne Barnhill, PhD, Medical Ethics and Health Policy researchers at Penn Medicine, warn that "[t]his messaging plays into a powerful perspective that 'natural' approaches to health are better." Promoting breastfeeding in this way may therefore indirectly undercut important health practices not viewed as natural, the authors say, highlighting childhood vaccination in particular.
	Functional heart muscle regenerated in decellularized human hearts Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have taken some initial steps toward the creation of bioengineered human hearts using donor hearts stripped of components that would generate an immune response and cardiac muscle cells generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which could come from a potential recipient. The investigators described their accomplishments - which include developing an automated bioreactor system capable of supporting a whole human heart during the recellularization process—earlier this year in Circulation Research.
Ultrasonic surgery reduces pain and swelling after chin surgery For patients undergoing plastic surgery of the chin (genioplasty), the use of ultrasonic "piezosurgery" equipment reduces trauma, pain, and swelling, compared to traditional surgical drills, reports a study in the The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.
	Parents of premature babies get confidence boost from home-from-hospital project Researchers from the University of Bristol have found new parents benefit from help to prepare them to bring their premature babies home from hospital.
	Diabetes may raise risk for dangerous staph infection (HealthDay)—People with diabetes may be significantly more likely to develop potentially deadly "staph" blood infections than those without diabetes, a new study suggests.
	Smoothing the transition to daylight saving time (HealthDay)—Be prepared to lose a bit of sleep this weekend with the switch to Daylight Saving Time, but one doctor offers some tips for a smooth transition.
	Triple-handed approach eases palpation of ticklish patients (HealthDay)—A novel triple-handed approach allows for examination of lymph-node basins without eliciting a ticklish response, according to a letter to the editor published in the March 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Five strategies employed to help promote behavior change (HealthDay)—Five key strategies are employed by clinicians to help promote patient behavior change, according to a study published in the March/April issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Analgesics plus exercise therapy feasible for knee OA (HealthDay)—A combined intervention of optimized analgesic prescription and exercise therapy is feasible and associated with significant reductions in pain and activity limitation in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and severe knee pain, according to a study published in the March issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
	Allergen components ID latex-induced occupational asthma (HealthDay)—High levels of specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) reactivity to recombinant Hevea brasiliensis (rHev b) can diagnose natural rubber latex (NRL) allergy, according to a study published online March 4 in Allergy.
	Rebound growth for one in four with infantile hemangioma (HealthDay)—About 25 percent of patients with infantile hemangioma (IH) have rebound growth, according to a study published online March 7 in Pediatrics.
	CYP3A7*1C allele linked to cancer mortality, progression (HealthDay)—The CYP3A7*1C allele appears to be associated with mortality and disease progression in specific cancers, according to a study published online March 10 in Cancer Research.
	Elderly with advanced CRC often get costly, unnecessary tx (HealthDay)—Expensive medications are being given far more often to elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, but they offer almost no benefit, according to a study published online Feb. 19 in Medical Care.
Rates of prophylactic mastectomy have tripled in past decade despite no survival benefit The use of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), the surgical removal of a breast unaffected by cancer as part of the course of treatment for breast cancer, has more than tripled from 2002 to 2012 despite evidence suggesting no survival benefit over breast conservation, according to a new study from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) published in Annals of Surgery on March 11, 2016.
	CPAP may not improve glycemic control in people with diabetes People with type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may not experience improved glycemic control by using continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, as some studies have suggested, according to the results of a randomized, controlled trial published online ahead of print in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
FDA expands use of Pfizer drug for rare form of lung cancer The Food and Drug Administration expanded approval of a Pfizer drug to treat a small subset of lung cancer patients with a rare mutation.
Neurofeedback reduces pain, increases quality of life for cancer patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced neuropathy A new study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center evaluating the use of neurofeedback found a decrease in the experience of chronic pain and increase quality of life in patients with neuropathic pain.
Bolivia touts llama as healthy alternative to beef Danish chef Kamilla Seidler is carefully preparing steak tartare at Gustu, an upscale restaurant in the Bolivian capital La Paz.
Tiny village becomes Indonesian anti-smoking champion Nestled amid mountains in remote central Indonesia, Bone-Bone looks like any other rural hamlet in the archipelago, with a modest collection of houses, shops and mosques and people quietly going about their daily lives.
Multi-gene test identifies early breast cancer patients who can be spared chemo Researchers have shown for the first time that it is possible to use a multi-gene test to identify patients with early breast cancer who can be spared chemotherapy and who will still be alive and well five years after diagnosis.
Measuring eye pressure in glaucoma research using iPerfusion Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a tool that could change our understanding of one of the eye's critical systems. The results, which were part-funded by Fight for Sight, could make it easier to develop new drugs for glaucoma that target the main cause of elevated eye pressure.
	Combatting multiple sclerosis with smartwatches A Queensland researcher's goal of using smartwatches to combat the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) will see her fly to the USA on an MS Research Australia grant.
Using avatars and robots to treat social disorders EU researchers are demonstrating how avatars and robots can be used to help patients suffering from schizophrenia, autism and other social phobias.
	New app advises and reminds pregnant women about vaccinations A new app to guide and remind pregnant women about vaccines recommended during pregnancy has been launched by researchers.
Insufficient knowledge of stroke patient's last hours of life Caregivers are displaying insufficient knowledge of how things are for stroke patients the week before they die – for example, staff have difficulties stating whether the patients had someone with them at their death, or if they were experiencing pain. Care for stroke patients therefore risks becoming worse compared to patients who die from cancer.

Biology news

	Collective memory in bacteria Individual bacterial cells have short memories. But groups of bacteria can develop a collective memory that can increase their tolerance to stress. This has been demonstrated experimentally for the first time in a study by Eawag and ETH Zurich scientists published in PNAS.
	Molecular experiment reverses evolution in birds obtaining a dinosaur-like lower leg Anyone who has eaten roasted chicken can account for the presence of a long, spine-like bone in the drumstick. This is actually the fibula, one of the two long bones of the lower leg (the outer one). In dinosaurs, the ancestors of birds, this bone is tube-shaped and reaches all the way down to the ankle. However, in the evolution from dinosaurs to birds, it lost its lower end, and no longer connects to the ankle, being shorter than the other bone in the lower leg, the tibia. Scientists noted long ago that bird embryos first develop a tubular, dinosaur-like fibula. Afterward, it becomes shorter than the tibia and acquires its adult, splinter-like shape.
Research resolves old polymorphism puzzle The coexistence within species of two or more different forms has puzzled biologists for more than a century. According to evolutionary theory, natural selection should remove inferior individuals from the population, and thereby erode diversity and promote monomorphism. New research published in the journal Scientific Reports demonstrates that polymorphism as such can be beneficial for both individuals and populations by offering protection against predators.
	A virus common among livestock depends on a micro-RNA to replicate In the ongoing arms race between pathogenic viruses and the cells they infect, each side needs every advantage it can get. One way wily viruses can get a leg up is by subverting the microRNAs (miRNAs) of their host. These miRNAs are small stretches of RNA made by host cells to regulate gene expression. If a virus can co-opt one, it can manipulate its host without having to make its own protein. This strategy saves valuable space in the viral genome and allows the virus to better hide from the host's immune system.
	In worm-bacteria symbioses some microbes remain faithful to their hosts, others to their location If your favourite pub moves – would you move too or look for another pub? For bacteria living in symbiosis with marine worms it all depends on whether they sit outside or inside the pub. Scientifically speaking: bacteria living on the body surface of their hosts are loyal to those, while bacteria living inside their hosts prefer to stay local, as scientists from the Max-Planck-Institute for Marine Microbiology from Bremen now revealed.
	Quality control for genetic sequencing Researchers in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering at ETH Zurich in Basel have developed a new method that allows them to record the vast range of antibodies in an individual, genetically in one fell swoop. For example, they can track very precisely how the immune system produces antibodies following a vaccination or an infection. The new genetic method, established by scientists led by Sai Reddy, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, delivers far more information than the previous decades-old antibody detection techniques.
	Summer-dormant, cool-season grasses good option for perennial pastures The past El Nino autumn and winter offered a good opportunity to establish pastures of summer-dormant tall fescue in Texas and Oklahoma, according to Dr. Dariusz Malinowski, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research forage agronomist and plant breeder in Vernon.
	Beware of insect pests that can reduce your home's value, says bug man With arthropods being the most diverse and successful organisms on the planet, it shouldn't be a surprise that insects and their relatives have been highly successful at invading our homes, said Dr. Mike Merchant, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service urban entomologist in Dallas.
	Grain sorghum growers urged to look out for sugarcane aphids Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts in South Texas are warning grain sorghum growers to keep a sharp eye out for populations of sugarcane aphids. The tiny insects caused minimal damage to last year's crop due to wet conditions, but the recent dry spell could trigger explosive populations, they said.
	New research shows that Collies can border on the impulsive Border Collies are on average more impulsive than Labrador Retrievers, according to new research published today (Thursday 10th March 2016).
	New plastic-munching bacteria could fuel a recycling revolution We manufacture over 300m tonnes of plastics each year for use in everything from packaging to clothing. Their resilience is great when you want a product to last. But once discarded, plastics linger in the environment, littering streets, fields and oceans alike. Every corner of our planet has been blighted by our addiction to plastic. But now we may have some help to clean up the mess in the form of bacteria that have been found slowly munching away on discarded bottles in the sludge of a recycling centre.
	Why some humans developed a taste for milk and some didn't Imagine a dinner party somewhere in Italy to which, as it turns out, my dad has been invited. On the menu tonight is a sliced tomato, basil and mozzarella salad, pasta with a creamy mushroom sauce topped with parmesan cheese, and Italian gelato ice cream to finish. However, except for the sliced tomatoes and basil, my dad cannot eat anything on offer and is destined to leave the party hungry. My dad is, as I am, ethnically Chinese – and, like the majority of Chinese folk, lactose intolerant.
	Can we 'vaccinate' plants to boost their immunity? When you pick up the perfect apple in the supermarket it's easy to forget that plants get sick just like we do. A more realistic view might come from a walk outside during summer: try to find a leaf without a speck, spot or blemish. Tough, huh? Those are the signs of a microscopic battle waged every day in and on plants.
	Researchers dig up new molecular details on 'the other type' of stem cells Scientists at IRB Barcelona and CSIC have discovered that the combination of two molecular signals determines which cells that have already differentiated can regain their stem cell properties.
	'Popular girls' have less lice—in the monkey world Parents know all too well the nightmare of ridding lice infestations. But for Japanese macaques at least, 'popular girls' need not fret so much. In new research published in Scientific Reports, primatologists have found that females at the center of their social network had less lice thanks to the extra grooming they receive from their many friends.
	FDA: No significant impact from test of modified mosquitoes (Update) A field trial releasing genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys would not harm humans or the environment, according to documents released Friday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The impact of climate change on global food security—a fisheries perspective Jessica Spijkers is a PhD student at the Stockholm Resilience Center and at James Cook University. After having studied a Master's in European Studies (Catholic University of Leuven) and a Master's in Social-Ecological Resilience for Sustainable Development (Stockholm Resilience Center), she now conducts research on the effects of climate-change induced distribution changes to internationally shared fish stocks on governance arrangements. She shares her thoughts on the impacts of climate change on global food security, shifting the focus to marine resources. Views are her own.
	Feds seek rules for swims with Hawaii dolphins Allison Alterman likes to swim in the ocean for exercise near her home on Hawaii's Big Island. Sometimes her swimming group will see spinner dolphins gliding or jumping near their course.

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