Science X Newsletter Monday, Mar 14

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for March 14, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Researchers develop a family tree for better prediction of influenza mutations
- Fish and insects guide design for future contact lenses
- Research helps bacteria-powered microrobots plot a course
- Light illuminates the way for bio-bots: Biological machine muscle actuator
- Chemical may be new tool for depression therapy
- Newly discovered dinosaur reveals how T. rex became king of the Cretaceous
- How the brain detects short sounds: Study unveils key part of animal and human communication
- Best of Last Week–Bacteria that eats plastic, Go champion beat by computer and blueberries fighting Alzheimer's disease
- Water dimer captured inside a fullerene-C70
- Method turns glass from clear to opaque with the flick of a switch
- Researchers develop new lens for terahertz radiation
- Injectable nanoparticle generator could radically transform metastatic cancer treatment
- Cyborg cardiac patch may treat the diseased heart
- You are what your parents ate
- Warming ocean water undercuts Antarctic ice shelves

Astronomy & Space news

	Europe-Russia mission departs on hunt for life on Mars (Update) A joint European-Russian mission aiming to search for traces of life on Mars left Earth's orbit Monday at the start of a seven-month unmanned space journey to the Red Planet, space agency managers said.
	What's eating at Pluto? Far in the western hemisphere, scientists on NASA's New Horizons mission have discovered what looks like a giant "bite mark" on Pluto's surface. They suspect it may be caused by a process known as sublimation—the transition of a substance from a solid to a gas. The methane ice-rich surface on Pluto may be sublimating away into the atmosphere, exposing a layer of water-ice underneath.
	Why we should worry about powerful geomagnetic storms caused by solar activity The sun's violent activity and many unexpected and unpredictable events taking place on its surface suggest that we should prepare for the worst. Huge explosions of magnetic field and plasma from the sun's corona, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), could one day produce extremely powerful geomagnetic storms striking Earth with enormous power, showing no mercy to our planet.
	Kuiper Belt objects point the way to Planet 9 On January 20th, 2016, researchers Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown of Caltech announced that they had found evidence that hinted at the existence of a massive planet at the edge of the Solar System. Based on mathematical modeling and computer simulations, they predicted that this planet would be a super-Earth, two to four times Earth's size and 10 times as massive. They also estimated that, given its distance and highly elliptical orbit, it would take 10,000 – 20,000 years to orbit the Sun.
	How the ExoMars mission could sniff out life on Mars—and what to do next "It (could be) life Jim, but (perhaps) not as we know it." This is not just a sci-fi catchphrase, but also something some planetary scientists have uttered in response to the discovery of methane in Mars' atmosphere. That's right – scientists believe that some kind of past or present microbial lifeform on Mars could have produced the methane. While it is far from the only possible explanation, it is actually so plausible that a special mission is being sent there to find out.
	NASA test fires SLS flight engine destined to launch astronauts back to the moon NASA engineers have successfully test fired the first flight engine destined to power the agency's mammoth new SLS rocket that will launch American astronauts back to the moon and deep space for the first time in nearly five decades.
	A Swiss camera is going to Mars The Trace Gas Orbiter, which will search for traces of biological life on the red planet, was launched into space this morning. The probe's array of instruments includes a high-tech camera built at the University of Bern with the help of EPFL researchers.

Technology news

	Light illuminates the way for bio-bots: Biological machine muscle actuator A new class of miniature biological robots, or bio-bots, has seen the light - and is following where the light shines.
	Fish and insects guide design for future contact lenses Making the most of the low light in the muddy rivers where it swims, the elephant nose fish survives by being able to spot predators amongst the muck with a uniquely shaped retina, the part of the eye that captures light. In a new study, researchers looked to the fish's retinal structure to inform the design of a contact lens that can adjust its focus.
	Research helps bacteria-powered microrobots plot a course The problem with having a microscopic robot propelled by a horde of tail-flailing bacteria is you never know where it's going to end up. The tiny, bio-robots, which amount to a chip coated with a "carpet" of flagellated bacteria, emerged from the primordial ooze of microrobotics research a few years ago as a concept for building microscopic devices and delivering medication at the cellular level. But as with any robot, the challenge for making them useful is bridging the gap from movement to automation. A team of engineers at Drexel University might have done just that, according to research recently published in IEEE Transactions on Robotics about using electric fields to direct the robots in a fluid environment.
	Might Intel Optane memory tech come to MacBooks? (Tech Xplore)—Intel's superfast Optane drives could soon be coming to Apple MacBooks, according to reports. This may represent a new class of memory and storage technology.
	Battery substitutes produce current by burning fuel-coated carbon nanotubes like a fuse The batteries that power the ubiquitous devices of modern life, from smartphones and computers to electric cars, are mostly made of toxic materials such as lithium that can be difficult to dispose of and have limited global supplies. Now, researchers at MIT have come up with an alternative system for generating electricity, which harnesses heat and uses no metals or toxic materials.
	Robot learning companion offers custom-tailored tutoring Parents want the best for their children's education and often complain about large class sizes and the lack of individual attention.
Engineers design next-generation non-reciprocal antenna Researchers in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin have designed an antenna that is able to process incoming and outgoing radio-wave signals more efficiently and without the need for separate bulky and expensive electrical components commonly used in antenna systems. This new technology could lead to significantly faster, cheaper and clearer telecommunications in the future.
	Toyota partners in making wind-power hydrogen for fuel cells Toyota Motor Corp. is responding to the main criticism of fuel cell cars, that making the hydrogen for the fuel is not clean, with plans to help make the hydrogen using wind power.
	Durability tests: Samsung phones survive water, not falls You can dunk Samsung's new smartphones in water, but don't drop them on a sidewalk, a new study finds.
	Machines in dialogue and the future of cyber-physical systems Cyber-physical systems are in strong demand for their ability to increase road traffic safety and optimize electricity consumption from renewable sources. They link vehicles to sensors that monitor traffic and order the car to brake if a dangerous situation arises, for example. Or they distribute electricity from multiple power plants to consumers as efficiently as possible. Rupak Majumdar, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems in Kaiserslautern, develops mathematical methods for ensuring the reliability of these networked systems.
	Silencing noisy ship propellers Finnish engineering firm, Wärtsilä, has successfully collaborated with marine engineering researchers at City University London to identify the specific design parameters creating the risk of 'singing propellers'.
	New study to tackle piracy issues caused by growing use of 3-D printers University of Exeter experts will work to develop a solution to the growing problem of piracy caused by the increasing use of 3D printers.
	Metals smart enough to save gas Imagine engines that conserve fuel by automatically dialing down internal friction, water pipes that seal their own cracks and iPhones that protect themselves when dropped. Metallurgist Pradeep Rohatgi has – and he invented the futuristic materials necessary to build these smart products.
	Using Minecraft to build more intelligent technology In the airy, loft-like Microsoft Research lab in New York City, five computer scientists are spending their days trying to get a Minecraft character to climb a hill.
Could wearable technology give 'super powers' to humans? More than just a fad, wearable technology (WT) can change the way we work and give us 'super powers' – according to a new study in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education.
	New virtual reality app Timelooper takes you back in history Imagine watching frantic shopkeepers busily extinguish the Great Fire of London, or sheltering from Nazi bombing raids during the Blitz.
	Searching for big insights from online reviews There is no question that data are big: 2.5 quintillion new bytes are added every day from our keyboards, sensors, entertainment, and medical scans, to name but a few. Data scientists have begun refining tools to encourage civilians to join them in extracting important insights from the aggregation and analysis of big data sets.
	New 'machine unlearning' technique wipes out unwanted data quickly and completely Machine learning systems are everywhere. Computer software in these machines predict the weather, forecast earthquakes, provide recommendations based on the books and movies we like and, even, apply the brakes on our cars when we are not paying attention.
Smartphone 'voices' not always helpful in a health crisis It can give you street directions or find the nearest deli, but how helpful is your smartphone's virtual voice in a health crisis? A study says the answer is often "not very."
	Ex-worker says VW destroyed documents, obstructed justice Volkswagen deleted documents and obstructed justice after the U.S. Environmental Protection accused the company of cheating on emissions tests, a former employee alleged in a lawsuit.
	Aimed at cable cord-cutters, Sony TV service goes nationwide Sony's streaming TV service is expanding nationwide Monday, giving TV lovers throughout the U.S. a new, potentially cheaper way to get cable channels such as AMC and ESPN.
	VR's future to become clearer at video game conference With the release of a pair of high-definition headsets on the horizon, virtual reality will soon be, well, a reality for consumers curious about the immersive medium.
	Sony in nationwide US launch of online TV 'bundles' Sony said Monday its Internet-based television service aimed at luring consumers away from cable subscriptions was being expanded to the entire US market.
Twitter topples CBS selection show with leaked NCAA bracket The first blockbuster upset of March Madness: Twitter over CBS on Selection Sunday.
	Mapping the brain's cortical columns to develop innovative brain-computer interfaces The EU-funded COLUMNARCODECRACKING project has successfully used ultra-high fMRI scanners to map cortical columns, a process that opens the door to exciting new applications, such as brain-computer interfaces.

Medicine & Health news

	Chemical may be new tool for depression therapy A chemical discovered in the Bruce Hammock laboratory at the University of California, Davis, may be a new, innovative tool to control depression, a severe and chronic psychiatric disease that affects 350 million persons worldwide.
	How the brain detects short sounds: Study unveils key part of animal and human communication For humans to understand speech and for other animals to know each other's calls, the brain must distinguish short sounds from longer sounds. By studying frogs, University of Utah researchers figured out how certain brain cells compute the length of sounds and detect short ones.
	Hidden in plain sight: Well-known drug could yield new treatment for herpes viruses Today, there is only one class of antiviral medicines against herpesviruses—a family of viruses that cause mononucleosis, herpes, and shingles, among other illnesses - meaning options for treating these infections are limited. If viruses become resistant to these frontline treatments, a growing problem particularly in clinical settings, there are no alternative drugs to serve as backup.
	Leukemia study reveals role of RNA binding protein in driving cancer A study of gene expression in leukemia cells has identified an RNA binding protein that plays an important role in driving the development of cancer. The protein is normally active in fetal tissue and switched off in adults, but it is reactivated in some cancer cells. This expression pattern makes it an attractive target for cancer-fighting drugs, because blocking its activity is unlikely to cause serious side effects.
	New research will guide development of new anti-influenza drugs By analyzing the molecular details of how artificially created drug-resistant flu strains manage to survive treatment, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have developed insights to guide development of powerful new anti-influenza drugs. These compounds will target a viral enzyme critical to the virus' proliferation in the body.
	New method detects multiple diseases via DNA released from dying cells into blood In a series of experiments involving 320 patients and controls, researchers developed a blood test that can detect multiple pathologies, including diabetes, cancer, traumatic injury and neurodegeneration, in a highly sensitive and specific manner. The novel method infers cell death in specific tissue from the methylation patterns of circulating DNA that is released by dying cells.
	Potential new therapeutic target for hypertension may offer less side effects A team of Vermont investigators has been issued a patent for their discovery of a molecule that rescues damaged blood vessels, yet preserves healthy vessels and could serve as a springboard for a new pharmaceutical therapy with fewer side effects for hypertension - a major risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease that effects roughly one in three people in the U.S.
	You are what your parents ate Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München, in collaboration with researchers from Technical University of Munich and the German Center for Diabetes Research, have shown that diet-induced obesity and diabetes can be epigenetically inherited by the offspring via both the oocytes and the sperm. The results were recently published in the journal Nature Genetics.
	Cyborg cardiac patch may treat the diseased heart More than 25% of the people on the national US waiting list for a heart will die before receiving one. Despite this discouraging figure, heart transplants are still on the rise. There just hasn't been an alternative. Until now.
	Researchers identify when Parkinson's proteins become toxic to brain cells Researchers have used a non-invasive method of observing how the process leading to Parkinson's disease takes place at the nanoscale, and identified the point in the process at which proteins in the brain become toxic, eventually leading to the death of brain cells.
	No dramatic shifts in BMI for overweight girls a year after receiving fitness assessment Teens being classified as overweight in school fitness reports does not appear to have any impact on short-term changes in body mass index, finds a new study by New York University's Institute for Education and Social Policy, the Center for Policy Research at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and Columbia University.
	Psychologist shows that while environmental intervention can raise general intelligence, the effects aren't permanent Scientists have long agreed that we humans are a complex combination of our inherited traits and the environments in which we are raised. How the scales tip in one direction or the other, however, is still the subject of much debate.
Starving eye cells contribute to blindness in elders Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual impairment in people over 50 in developed countries. Although this condition affects up to 20% of people between the ages of 65 and 75, what drives abnormal blood vessels to invade the retina is unknown. Researchers from Montreal and Boston now provide a new mechanism for that blinding retinal disease in a study just published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature Medicine.
New SARS-like virus is poised to infect humans A SARS-like virus found in Chinese horseshoe bats may be poised to infect humans without the need for adaptation, overcoming an initial barrier that could potentially set the stage for an outbreak according to a study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
	Active surveillance for prostate cancer can give men good quality of life Choosing ongoing monitoring instead of immediate curative treatment (surgery or radiotherapy) leads to a better overall quality of life for men with low-risk prostate cancer. In fact, the Quality of life (QoL) is about the same as for men who do not have cancer. These are the findings of a new long-term study comparing Active Surveillance, immediate curative treatment, and a reference group of men without cancer, presented at the European Association of Urology Congress in Munich.
Study shows patients prefer iPads to doctors when discussing surgery Often patients undergo procedures without real informed consent being achieved due to technical language, jargon and time pressure, with up to half of patients finding it difficult to understand what their doctor tells them. Now a group of Australian doctors has prepared patients for surgery using iPads, and found that patients' understanding was much better than after a face-to-face consultation.
Yoga improves quality of life in patients with atrial fibrillation Yoga improves quality of life in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, according to research published today in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. Heart rate and blood pressure also decreased in patients who did yoga.
	Many cancer survivors experience financial burdens An analysis of US data from 2011 indicates that nearly 29 percent of cancer survivors are financially burdened as a result of their cancer diagnosis and/or treatment. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study also reveals that such hardships can have lasting physical and mental effects on cancer survivors.
	Population health program decreases heart disease risk factors across an entire community In 2009, Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF), along with Allina Health, New Ulm Medical Center (NUMC) and the community of New Ulm, Minnesota, began a 10-year population health research project to learn if heart attacks and heart disease risk factors within a community could be decreased through community efforts. Results for the first five years have been released, and the initial findings are positive.
	Decrypting a collagen's role in schizophrenia A small peptide generated from a collagen protein may protect the brain from schizophrenia by promoting the formation of neuronal synapses, according to a paper published in The Journal of Cell Biology. The study, "Collagen-Derived Matricryptins Promote Inhibitory Nerve Terminal Formation in the Developing Neocortex" by Jianmin Su and colleagues, may lead to new approaches to treating the mental disorder.
	ROBO1 helps cells put up stiff resistance A protein called ROBO1 may delay the progression of breast cancer, according to a paper published in The Journal of Cell Biology. The study, "Loss of miR-203 regulates cell shape and matrix adhesion through ROBO1/Rac/FAK in response to stiffness" by Lily Thao-Nhi Le and colleagues, identifies a signaling pathway that may protect breast cells from the tumorigenic effects of stiff extracellular matrices.
One in four seniors have superbugs on their hands after a hospital stay, new research finds One in four seniors is bringing along stowaways from the hospital to their next stop: superbugs on their hands.
Condom use among high school girls using long-acting contraception High school girls who used intrauterine devices and implants for long-acting reversible contraception were less likely to also use condoms compared with girls who used oral contraceptives, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
	Obesity is risk factor for rare type of stroke in women using oral contraceptives Obese women who used oral contraceptives appeared to have increased risk for a rare type of stroke known as a cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) compared with women of normal weight who did not use oral contraceptives, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology.
	What does your smartphone say when you tell it you were raped? What does a smartphone say when you tell it you were raped, want to commit suicide, feel depressed or are being abused?
Exercise helps young people with psychosis symptoms, study shows An exercise programme devised by researchers at the University of Manchester has dramatically reduced symptoms among young people with first-episode psychosis.
A how-to guide to prescribing exercise for chronic health conditions Exercise helps to alleviate the symptoms of many chronic health conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, heart disease and more, yet it is often overlooked as a treatment. A review in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to provide an easy-to-use how-to guide for health care professionals to prescribe exercise for specific chronic diseases.
	How can twins have different fathers? The recent report from northern Hòa Bình province in Vietnam of twins born to two different fathers has been making headlines around the world. The father of the twins took the infants for DNA tests where it was revealed he was the biological father to just one of them - the other twin was fathered by another man. How could a set of twins have different fathers?
	When performers are in the zone, it's spiritual, researcher finds Prima ballerinas Anna Pavlova and Margot Fonteyn reported entering altered states of consciousness and having "spiritual" experiences during performance, a University of Queensland researcher says.
	Researchers develop functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging device NIRSIT, a functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging device, is set to change the landscape of neuroscience research and the medical sector by offering high spatial resolution as well as high temporal resolution in a portable and wireless manner.
	Unique smartphone app to reduce suicide deaths Suicide is now the greatest killer of Australians aged 15 to 44 according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
	How the brain infers causal structure for visual awareness Our brain must deal with a lot of uncertainty. Incoming sensory information is noisy and incomplete; our environment is continuously changing and unpredictable. Researchers at the Radboud University show that the brain creates a coherent story by considering multiple probabilities about the state of the body and the environment. PLoS Computational Biology publishes their results on March 11.
	Physical performance enhanced by beetroot 'superjuice' Next time you're making your morning nutribullet with fruit and veg, adding some beetroot may well help to enhance your day's physical performance, according to scientists.
	The dangers and risks of binge drinking Researchers estimate that each year 1,825 college students ages 18-24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle collisions. About 20 percent of college students meet the criteria for an alcohol use disorder, with one in four college students report adverse academic consequences from drinking, including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.
New drug combination shows promise against childhood brain cancer Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) have identified a new combination therapy for the most aggressive form of medulloblastoma, a fast growing type of pediatric brain cancer. The study was published online today in Cancer Cell, and is expected to lead to a clinical trial to confirm the benefits of the novel drug combination.
	New agent overcomes drug resistance in HER2-positive breast cancer, preclinical study shows A type of breast cancer that often develops resistance to targeted therapies was driven back into remission in mice by a drug that blocks the division of cancer cells, a new study led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has found. The results, reported today in Cancer Cell, prompted investigators to launch a clinical trial of the new agent in women with a metastatic form of this cancer, known as HER2-positive breast cancer.
	The views of under-18s to e-cigarettes A new study by researchers at the University of Glasgow has investigated the views of under-18s to e-cigarettes for the first time and found they support strict regulation.
Sedentary behaviour 'increases even in active children' Sedentary behaviour increases in children between the ages of nine and 12 – even if they are otherwise physically active, according to research at the Universities of Strathclyde and Newcastle.
	The up- and downside of caloric restriction for aging and health It's already well known that a diet may have a life-extending effect. Researchers from Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena, Germany, now showed that besides improving the functionality of stem cells in mice, a caloric restriction also leads to a fatale weakening of their immune system – counteracting the life-lengthening effect of a diet. The results are published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine on March, 14. 2016.
	Has history proved Eysenck right about genes and IQ? Hans J. Eysenck, one of the most famous and infuriating British psychologists of the 20th century, would have been 100 years old this month. While Eysenck pioneered behaviour therapy (paving the way for the acceptance of cognitive behavioural therapy) and argued for the necessity of evidence-based medicine and meta-analysis, in later years his reputation was eroded by his hugely controversial writings on race and IQ and his largely unproductive forays into astrology, and research on smoking.
	Only 20 per cent of men over 50 would opt for surgical treatment if faced with localised prostate cancer Only 20 per cent of men over 50 would opt for surgical treatment if faced with localised prostate cancer, according to a study by Plymouth University.
	Letting kids stand more in the classroom could help them learn Study after study has connected inactivity with negative health outcomes, including heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. But most of this attention has been focused on adults in an office environment, and the negative impact of sitting on physical health. Hence, the growing popularity of standing desks in offices.
	Medical students, burnout and alcohol Medical students are more prone to alcohol abuse than their peers not attending medical school, especially if they are young, single and under a high debt load. That's according to a study on medical student burnout by researchers at Mayo Clinic. The findings appear in the journal Academic Medicine.
Researchers refute traditional measures of inducing pain in exercise experiments Senior lecturer Dr. Lex Mauger and PhD student Ali Astokorki of the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Kent have showed that traditional methods of measuring pain in experiments - such as thermal, pressure or electrical stimuli - may be unsuitable for investigating the relationship between exercise and pain. They also found that people who are ready to engage in greater amounts of pain perform better in exercise activities.
	Genetic cause of neurological disease identified Using the genetic information of two different families with three generations of disease, researchers have identified a new mutation responsible for a degenerative and ultimately fatal movement disorder. Through induced pluripotent stem cell techniques, researchers also grew neurons from one patient in the laboratory to be used in future experiments.
	New imaging technique may give physicians clearer picture of stroke damage According to the American Heart Association, ischemic strokes account for nearly 90 percent of all strokes. They occur when a blocked artery prevents blood from getting to the brain and usually result in long-term disability or death. Now, a team of researchers led by the University of Missouri School of Medicine has developed a new, real-time method of imaging molecular events after strokes - a finding that may lead to improved care for patients.
	New drug hope for mesothelioma A new drug is showing promise as a treatment for mesothelioma - one of the most lethal cancers of all.
	Which neuron is more mature? Single cell transcriptome knows The human brain is extremely complex, containing billions of neurons forming trillions of synapses where thoughts, behavior and emotion arise. However, when an individual is performing a particular task, not many but only a few neural circuits are in action. The enormous cellular heterogeneity of the brain structure has made dissections of the molecular basis for neural circuitry function particularly challenging, because previous studies on genetic and epigenetic profiling using a block of brain tissues simply do not have the sufficient precision and accuracy to correspond to the activities of a few activated circuitries in the brain.
	First-ever dissolving heart stent gets FDA review A disappearing medical implant will get a closer look from the Food and Drug Administration this week.
Singapore to ban cigarette displays in stores Singapore's parliament on Monday voted to ban the display of cigarettes in a bid to further curb the habit in a nation which already has one of the world's lowest smoking rates.
	Broccoli ingredient has positive influence on drug efficacy Colon cancer cells that are pretreated with an ingredient found in cruciferous vegetables are more likely to be killed by a cancer drug that is currently in development, found ETH scientists. This is one of only a few examples of a food ingredient that, in moderate amounts, has a positive influence on the efficacy of a cancer drug.
HIV drug could stop skin cancer becoming drug-resistant An HIV drug could stop one of the early changes in skin cancer cells that leads to them becoming resistant to treatment, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study published in Cancer Cell today.
Where we live affects our bias against mixed-race individuals, psychology study finds Whites living in areas where they are less exposed to those of other races have a harder time categorizing mixed-race individuals than do Whites with greater interracial exposure, a condition that is associated with greater prejudice against mixed-race individuals, a new experimental study shows.
Stenting of narrow pulmonary artery benefits patients with congenital heart disease The use of a stent to repair pulmonary artery stenosis in children and adults with congenital heart disease was successful in the majority of patients, but many also experienced serious complications, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Largest genomic study on kidney cancer brings hope for more effective treatments Understanding the complexity of cancer is a major goal of the scientific community, and for kidney cancer researchers this goal just got closer. Dr. Chad Creighton, associate professor of medicine and member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center Division of Biostatistics at Baylor College of Medicine, led the study that analyzed close to 900 kidney cancers at the molecular level. The team discovered that what have historically been considered three major types of kidney cancer according to their characteristics under the microscope, could be further distinguished into nine major subtypes through molecular analyses. Each subtype was unique in terms of altered molecular pathways and patient survival. This study made use of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas.
Genetically inherited high cholesterol twice as common as believed Genetically inherited high levels of cholesterol are twice as common in the United States as previously believed, affecting 1 in 250 adults, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
New study finds no increased risk in providing flu vaccine to surgical patients Surgical patients who received the flu vaccine during their hospital stay did not have an increased risk of emergency department visits or subsequent hospitalizations in the week following discharge, compared with surgical patients who did not receive the vaccine. The new study from Kaiser Permanente, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, also found that compared with unvaccinated surgical patients, vaccinated surgical patients did not have an increased risk of fever nor did they have an increased number of laboratory tests checking for infection.
	Stopping smoking abruptly is a better strategy than cutting down before quit day, study shows Smokers who try to cut down the amount they smoke before stopping are less likely to quit than those who choose to quit all in one go, Oxford University researchers have found. Their study is published in journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
'Difficult' patients increase doctors' misdiagnosis risk regardless of case complexity Patients regarded as 'difficult' increase doctors' risk of getting a diagnosis wrong, irrespective of the time spent or the complexity of the case, finds research published online in BMJ Quality & Safety.
New research suggests first-line anti-staph drug oxacillin safer than nafcillin Nafcillin and oxacillin, two antibiotics commonly prescribed in hospitals, have been used without preference for one over the other. Costs and effectiveness are similar for both. But a new study suggests that oxacillin is significantly safer than nafcillin. The research is published ahead of print March 14th in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
Parent-infant learning programs need to be tailored for at-risk families To more effectively and efficiently meet the needs of at-risk families, a Georgia State University study suggests the introduction of a technological enhancement to improve acquisition of skills developed during parent-infant sessions.
	Team work shines light on how to improve cancer immunotherapy UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers today report on a strategy to make a major advance in cancer treatment even better, and a means to test and refine this new type of immunotherapy.
Anticancer drug restores hearing in some patients with neurofibromatosis In a small clinical study with an anticancer drug that halts blood vessel growth, a handful of people with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and hearing loss had restoration of hearing.
	Need your thyroid removed? Seek a surgeon with 25+ cases a year A new study from Duke Health suggests that patients who need to have their thyroid gland removed should seek surgeons who perform 25 or more thyroidectomies a year for the least risk of complications.
	Excessive fat in legs of children with spina bifida suggests risk for metabolic disorders Children with a severe type of spina bifida called myelomeningocele have a high prevalence of obesity and excess fat accumulation in their lower extremities. In a study designed to assess bone, muscle and fat tissue distribution in the lower legs of children with this disease, researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles determined that this excess fat tissue is within the muscle boundary (muscle-associated) rather than subcutaneous. These findings are significant as muscle-associated fat tissue has been linked to insulin resistance and metabolic disorders. The study is published online in the Journal of Child Neurology.
	Cancer-causing gene triggered by alcohol may increase breast cancer risk A University of Houston researcher and his team have discovered an important link between alcohol and breast cancer by identifying a cancer-causing gene triggered by alcohol.
Drug combination shuts down cancer stem cells and tumor growth in aggressive lung cancer Researchers on Mayo Clinic's Florida campus have shut down one of the most common and lethal forms of lung cancer by combining the rheumatoid arthritis drug auranofin with an experimental targeted agent.
Include 'added sugars' in overhaul of Canada's food labels Canada's overhaul of food labels should include a separate 'added sugar' column to help Canadians manage their sugar intake and be in line with US standards, states a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
	Psychological science—the good, the bad, and the statistically significant Discussing political science's (possible) contributions to scientific understanding of our current bizarre political scene here last week, I mentioned long-standing critiques of social science research, psychology in particular. Meantime, a new set of critiques of the psychology literature had erupted. In the pages of the journal Science, no less, making said eruption exceptionally newsworthy.
	The influence of the epigenome I first learned about epigenetics in a "fish bowl" meeting room at the University of Pennsylvania in the summer of 2013, when I worked as a research intern in the Ted Abel lab. We were in the middle of a weekly lab meeting, discussing if we need to buy a new sonication machine to do certain experiments. My research mentor, a fifth-year Ph.D. student, drew a strip of nucleosomes in my notebook and explained that the sonication process uses high-energy sound waves to grind up and remove proteins from DNA, which could be examined in later studies.
Tackling female circumcision through human rights treaties is complex and takes time Compliance with the international human rights framework to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is a complex process requiring a lot of time and effort, concludes human rights lawyer Annemarie Middelburg on the basis of her PhD research conducted in Senegal. Middelburg will defend her PhD thesis on Friday, 18 March.
The role of organic transporters in pharmacokinetics and nephrotoxicity of newer antiviral therapies Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and direct acting antiviral agents (DAAs) are key elementsin the effective pharmacotherapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) respectively.
Appeals court upholds injunction against pot delivery app A state appeals court has upheld a judge's decision to block a smartphone app that allowed people in Los Angeles to have medical marijuana delivered to them.
Literature review finds Canadians in jails and prisons have poor health The vast majority of Canadians in correctional facilities have mental health and substance abuse issues as well as a high rate of suicide attempts and completions compared to the general population, a comprehensive review of studies on detainees' health has found.

Biology news

	Researchers develop a family tree for better prediction of influenza mutations (Phys.org)—Once exposed to the influenza virus, humans mount an immune response that can be recalled by the adaptive immune system when they are exposed a second time. However, the virus mutates rapidly, and individuals can suffer from recurrent infections as a result. One of the problems health officials confront when trying to control influenza outbreaks is predicting the genetic mutations of existing strains from year to year.
	Civil war among the mongooses—and why it's all about sexual success The banded mongoose, a small social mammal of the African savannah, is known to be one of the most cooperative and helpful of all animals.
Researcher says now is the time to prioritize endangered species Human impact on Earth is becoming indelible and as a result humans, like no other species, have an obligation to take care of the planet and all of those who inhabit it. One case in point is the human effort to save endangered species.
	Mouse urine reveals mechanism for individual scents Most mammals communicate information about their individual identity, territory, gender, mating potential and even health status through scents found in urine.
	Learning to program cellular memory What if we could program living cells to do what we would like them to do in the body? Having such control—a major goal of synthetic biology—could allow for the development of cell-based therapies that might one day replace traditional drugs for diseases such as cancer. In order to reach this long-term goal, however, scientists must first learn to program many of the key things that cells do, such as communicate with one another, change their fate to become a particular cell type, and remember the chemical signals they have encountered.
	Bacterial biofilms in hospital water pipes may show pathogenic properties The human microbiome, a diverse collection of microorganisms living inside us and on our skin, has attracted considerable attention for its role in a broad range of human health issues. Now, researchers are discovering that the built environment also has a microbiome, which includes a community of potentially-pathogenic bacteria living inside water supply pipes.
	Bee flower choices altered by exposure to pesticides Scientists have shown that low levels of pesticides can impact the foraging behaviour of bumblebees on wild flowers, changing their floral preferences and hindering their ability to learn the skills needed to extract nectar and pollen.
	Inbreeding impacts on mothering ability, red deer study shows Inbred animals have fewer surviving offspring compared with others, a study of red deer in the wild has found.
	Unsaturated fatty acids play a role in winter hibernation The duration of the periods for which animals hibernate in winter is affected by the quantity of unsaturated fatty acids that they absorb from their food. How animals react to an excess – or a lack – of unsaturated fatty acids is now being studied in an Austrian Science Fund FWF project.
	New understanding of how plants respond to environmental stresses Researchers from the Spanish National Research Council have uncovered a family of proteins that play a vital role in coordinating the cellular response of plants to various environmental stresses, in particular drought and temperature fluctuations.
	Now researchers can follow the hectic life inside a cell Living cells are constantly on the move. They move around and divide, and they are responsible for transporting molecules around inside themselves. Now SDU researchers have developed a method that makes it possible to become a spectator at this hectic traffic. The method is of particular importance for disease research.
	More than bugs: Spiders also like to eat vegetarian Spiders are known to be the classic example of insectivorous predators. Zoologists from the University of Basel, the US and UK have now been able to show that their diet is more diverse than expected. Their findings show that spiders like to spice up their menu with the occasional vegetarian meal. The Journal of Arachnology has published the results.
	Inventory of moths: Entomologist identifies nearly 2,000 moth species in the Andes The rain forests in the mountains of the tropical Andes are amongst the most biodiverse regions on the planet. But the multitude of ants, beetles, moths and butterflies which can be found here are largely unknown. An international team of researchers recently drew up a thorough inventory of the family of the species of looper moths (Geometridae). They came up with a surprising result: The diversity of these moths is much greater than was previously assumed. The scientists working with Dr Gunnar Brehm of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Germany) give an account of it in the online open access science journal PLOS ONE.
Lake Huron's Chinook salmon fishery unlikely to recover due to ongoing food shortage Lake Huron's Chinook salmon fishery will likely never return to its glory days because the lake can no longer support the predatory fish's main food source, the herring-like alewife, according to a new University of Michigan-led computer-modeling study.
Global shift in farmed fish feed may impact nutritional benefits ascribed to seafood The fish-farming industry is increasing its use of plant-based ingredients in its feed and moving away from traditional feed made from fish, which could impact some of the health benefits of eating certain types of seafood, suggests a new analysis from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
	Scientists using crowdfunding to sequence the genome of Joshua tree Scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center have teamed up with researchers at Willamette University, a liberal arts college in Salem Oregon, to develop genetic tools that could save the Joshua tree from extinction. Together with scientists from The University of Georgia and the University of British Columbia, and with the support of several Mojave Desert conservation organizations, researchers are inviting members of the public to help get the project off the ground by making donations at the crowdfunding site Experiment.com. In the past two weeks, more than 100 backers have donated more than $4,000 to The Joshua Tree Genome Project. The project aims to raise $8,500 by March 24th.
	Efficient cropping project furthers global food security A West Australian-based researcher has helped boost global food security, with trials that have shown a 45 per cent increase in lentil crop production in some of the poorest communities in Asia.

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