Science X Newsletter Thursday, Sep 15

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for September 15, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

MRI scanner sees emotions flickering across an idle mind

A tight squeeze for electrons – quantum effects observed in 'one-dimensional' wires

Black hole hidden within its own exhaust

Uniform 'hairy' nanorods have potential energy, biomedical applications

Levitating nanoparticle improves 'torque sensing,' might bring new research into fundamentals of quantum theory

For first time, researchers see individual atoms keep away from each other or bunch up as pairs

'Living fossil' crabs mysteriously dying in Japan

Can long naps cause diabetes?

VR arrives at Tokyo Game Show, counted on to revive industry

Galaxy Note 7 recall shows challenges of stronger batteries

Small quadrotors make their moves around poles and narrow window gaps

Study investigates crowd behaviour under stress in a virtual environment

Fish lose their unique personality when they go to 'school'

Dung excreted on fruits by vinegar flies contains sex pheromones and invites conspecifics to join the meal

Newly discovered gene critical to embryo's first days

Astronomy & Space news

	Black hole hidden within its own exhaust Supermassive black holes, millions to billions of times the mass of our Sun, are found at the centers of galaxies. Many of these galactic behemoths are hidden within a thick doughnut-shape ring of dust and gas known as a torus. Previous observations suggest these cloaking, tire-like structures are formed from the native material found near the center of a galaxy.
	China launches second space station, Tiangong 2 China has launched its second space station in a sign of the growing sophistication of its military-backed program that intends to send a mission to Mars in the coming years.
	Hubble takes close-up look at disintegrating comet NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured one of the sharpest, most detailed observations of a comet breaking apart, which occurred 67 million miles from Earth.
	Starving black hole returns brilliant galaxy to the shadows The mystery of a rare change in the behaviour of a supermassive black hole at the centre of a distant galaxy has been solved by an international team of astronomers using ESO's Very Large Telescope along with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. It seems that the black hole has fallen on hard times and is no longer being fed enough fuel to make its surroundings shine.
	Researchers find Earth composed of different materials than primitive meteorites Scientists from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have found that, contrary to popular belief, the Earth is not comprised of the same material found in primitive meteorites (also known as chondrites).
	Some ancient Mars lakes came long after others Lakes and snowmelt-fed streams on Mars formed much later than previously thought possible, according to new findings using data primarily from NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
	Studies find echoes of black holes eating stars Supermassive black holes, with their immense gravitational pull, are notoriously good at clearing out their immediate surroundings by eating nearby objects. When a star passes within a certain distance of a black hole, the stellar material gets stretched and compressed—or "spaghettified"—as the black hole swallows it.
	Israeli Shavit rocket delivers malfunctioning spy satellite into orbit Israel launched a Shavit2 rocket from its facility at Palmachim airbase on Sept. 13. The launch was the 10th one for the Shavit rocket system, which had its initial launch in 1988. The launch and delivery were successful, but Israeli media is reporting that the payload, the Ofek-11 satellite, is malfunctioning.
	Image: Cool scene for MetOp-C A perfect satellite test set-up inside ESA's vast Large Space Simulator chamber – the only thing missing is a satellite.
	Cornell's quest: Make the first CubeSat to orbit the moon A satellite propelled by the Earth's most abundant natural resource? Yes, it's true.
	At ISO 400,000, this 6-minute film shows why we love the night sky Obviously, you've seen timelapse videos of the night sky because we share them here on Universe Today all the time. But you've probably not seen a video like this one before. This one isn't a timelapse, and you'll see the night sky in all its splendor, in real time.

Technology news

	VR arrives at Tokyo Game Show, counted on to revive industry Virtual reality has arrived for real at the Tokyo Game Show, one of the world's biggest exhibitions for the latest in fun and games.
	Galaxy Note 7 recall shows challenges of stronger batteries Samsung's recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones after several dozen caught fire and exploded may stem from a subtle manufacturing error, but it highlights the challenge electronics makers face in packing ever more battery power into ever thinner phones, while rushing for faster release dates.
	Small quadrotors make their moves around poles and narrow window gaps (Tech Xplore)—Quadrotors with a difference—here is your chance to see an impressive display of what the team at the Penn Engineering GRASP Lab have been up to. The title of the video is "Estimation control and planning for aggressive flight with a small quadrotor with a single camera and IMU." The video credits list the Penn Engineering GRASP Lab and Qualcomm Technologies.
	Calculating the financial risks of renewable energy For investors, deciding whether to invest money into renewable-energy projects can be difficult. The issue is volatility: Wind-powered energy production, for instance, changes annually—and even weekly or daily—which creates uncertainty and investment risks. With limited options to accurately quantify that volatility, today's investors tend to act conservatively.
	New tech promises to boost electric vehicle efficiency, range Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new type of inverter device with greater efficiency in a smaller, lighter package – which should improve the fuel-efficiency and range of hybrid and electric vehicles.
	US regulators: Official recall of 1M Samsung Note 7 phones U.S. regulators issued an official recall of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 phone on Thursday because of a risk of fire.
	Apple seeks fresh momentum with iPhone launch With new iPhones hitting the markets Friday, Apple is seeking to regain momentum and set new trends for the smartphone industry and tech sector.
	Uber riders in Pittsburgh get a taste of driverless future Taylor Pollier got an offer from Uber he couldn't refuse—to be part of an experiment with a car of the future.
Scientists develop remote sensor for studying atmospheric effects of wildfire and volcano eruptions Observers of wildfire and volcano eruptions have a new tool for studying their atmospheric effects, and they have two University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers to credit for it.
Self-driving vehicles will have limited impact on productivity Safety and mobility are cited as the chief advantages of self-driving vehicles, but productivity may be another. Or maybe not, say University of Michigan researchers.
	Kangaroo Island could be powered by 100 percent renewable energy South Australia's iconic Kangaroo Island could be powered by up to 100 per cent renewable energy at a comparable cost to replacing the aging undersea electrical cable connecting the island to the mainland grid, a new study announced today.
	Virtual love on display at annual Tokyo Game Show Game geeks with a heart for digital romance have something to celebrate as sensual, soft-spoken cyber women are blurring the line between reality and fantasy at the Tokyo Game Show.
	Researchers use expanded computing power to accelerate big-data science What do the human brain, the 3 billion base-pair human genome and a tiny cube of 216 atoms have in common?
EU court backs Wi-Fi providers in German copyright case The European Union's highest court has ruled that the manager of a business offering free Wi-Fi to customers can't be held liable for copyright infringements by users.
	Agency says hackers revealed more medical data Three-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has "no issue" with his medical data being leaked, in an alleged criminal attack by Russian hackers on a World Anti-Doping Agency database.
Hyundai recalls SUVs; software flaw may stop acceleration Hyundai is recalling about 41,000 small SUVs in the U.S. because a software glitch can stop the vehicles from accelerating.
	Pandora revamps its $5 a month radio service Pandora said it has revamped its $5 a month Internet radio service, giving listeners the ability to skip and replay more songs.
TED conference creator in $10M lawsuit over sale of spinoff The man who created the TED conference is embroiled in a multimillion-dollar legal dispute over the sale of a TED spinoff.
	Wearable tech market cools, as consumers step back Wearable tech, which was seeing sizzling sales growth a year ago, is cooling this year amid consumer hesitation over new devices, a survey showed Thursday.
Traders selling dangerously dirty fuel across Africa: study European oil companies, especially Swiss commodity traders, are exploiting weak African fuel standards by selling toxic diesel and gasoline across the continent, a campaign group said Thursday.
	Advanced nano-cutter boosts emerging materials research The University of Wisconsin–Madison College of Engineering is the new home of a unique machine capable of milling in three dimensions with nanometer precision.
GlobalFoundries to invest over $2B to make new computer chip GlobalFoundries says it will invest more than $2 billion to produce cutting-edge 7 nanometer computer chips at its upstate New York facility.
	What to do to if you own a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Do you have a Galaxy Note 7 that was the subject of an official recall Thursday?
NYC to pull plug on sidewalk internet after porn complaints The web-browsing feature of New York City's sidewalk Wi-Fi kiosks will be disabled after critics complained that homeless people were monopolizing them and using them to watch porn, officials said Wednesday.
	New NIST resources help organizations protect systems from mobile threats IT security departments have used guidance from NIST and other sources to help them defend the vulnerable connections between mobile devices and enterprise computer systems from malware, viruses and other types of attacks. Recently, organizations from both the public and private sectors have requested more specific information on threats and ways to mitigate them. The draft Mobile Threat Catalogue (MTC) and the accompanying draft Assessing Threats to Mobile Devices & Infrastructure (NIST Interagency Report 8144) seek to answer those requests.
Slovenian airline bans use of Galaxy Note 7s on its flights Slovenian airline Adria Airways has banned the use of Samsung's latest mobile phone on its flights due to safety concerns.

Medicine & Health news

	MRI scanner sees emotions flickering across an idle mind As you relax and let your mind drift aimlessly, you might remember a pleasant vacation, an angry confrontation in traffic or maybe the loss of a loved one.
	Can long naps cause diabetes? A study presented at a scientific congress Thursday reported a link between long naps and a higher risk of diabetes, though it couldn't say if daytime sleeping was a symptom or a cause.
	Unravelling the genetic mystery behind mitochondrial disease Researchers from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute in Melbourne have identified two new genes linked to a major cause of mitochondrial disease. Their research opens the way for better genetic diagnosis of the disease and could also help to identify potential therapeutic targets for treatment.
	Prospect of shorter treatment and cure for chronic myelogenous leukemia Although targeted drugs like Gleevec have revolutionized the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), patients generally must take them for the rest of their lives and may cease benefiting from them over time. In new research that could suggest a road to a cure, scientists at Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital have found that CML stem cells die when a protein called Ezh2 is inhibited. Drugs that target the protein are currently in clinical trials for other cancers.
	Implant facilitates early detection of metastatic cancer cells and improves survival, study finds A small device implanted under the skin can improve breast cancer survival by catching cancer cells, slowing the development of metastatic tumors in other organs and allowing time to intervene with surgery or other therapies.
Distinct neurological syndromes can be the result of variations in gene ATAD3A A team of scientists from a number of institutions around the world, including Baylor College of Medicine, has discovered that rare neurological syndromes for which there was no cause can be the result of variations in the gene ATAD3A. The study, which appears in the American Journal of Human Genetics today, sheds light on the causes of these diseases and opens the possibility for developing better diagnostic tools and potential treatments in the future.
	Fantasy play helps creative thinking in children Engaging in fantasy play could benefit creative thinking in children suggests a study presented today at the British Psychological Society's Developmental Psychology Section annual conference.
	Scientists discover molecular handle behind some cancers' preference for fat Cancers are such notorious sugar addicts that PET scans searching for the disease light up when they detect sugar-gobbling tumor cells. But a handful of cancers appear to favor fat over sugar, a propensity that has long mystified scientists. Now, a study from Harvard Medical School reveals how certain tumors develop a taste for fat as their life-sustaining fuel.
	Female sex hormone progesterone may protect women from worst effects of the flu In mouse studies, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found that progesterone – a female sex hormone contained in most forms of hormone-based birth control – appears to stave off the worst effects of influenza infection and, in an unexpected finding, help damaged lung cells to heal more quickly.
	Team identifies how hepatitis A virus causes liver injury Hepatitis researchers have long thought that immune cells sent by the body to attack virus-infected cells in the liver cause the acute liver injury associated with hepatitis A virus (HAV) and other hepatitis viruses. Yet, investigators at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered that it is an immediate, intrinsic response of the HAV-infected cell that results in liver inflammation. These results were published in the journal Science.
	Belgium gets world's biggest pickled brain collection A new collection in the psychiatric hospital of Duffel in the north of Belgium makes for a ghoulish sight: around 3,000 preserved brains that were originally saved by a British doctor.
Metformin influences nitrogen and urea metabolism The most frequently prescribed oral antidiabetic drug metformin significantly affects metabolic pathways. This was reported by scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum München together with colleagues from the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) in Düsseldorf. The underlying study was conducted with further scientists of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD). These results have now been published in the journal Diabetes.
	Study suggests pancreatic cancer could be detected early in patients with newly developed type 2 diabetes New research presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Munich, Germany (12-16 September) suggests that screening patients newly diagnosed with diabetes for pancreatic cancer could be an effective way of diagnosing and treating pancreatic cancer early.
	Study explores potency of antibodies to combat HIV infection Rutgers' New Jersey Medical School's Clinical Research Center (NJMS-CRC) is participating as a clinical trial site in a novel study that could signal a new way of protecting people from developing HIV infection, the virus that causes AIDS.
Can headband sensors reduce underreported concussions in kids? In one of the most exciting soccer games of the season, Kelly jumped to head the ball and score, imagining this would be the game-winning goal. Out of nowhere, the goalie jumped and met Kelly's head with both fists. Kelly felt the jolt and landed harshly on the grass. Most of all, she was furious she had been robbed of the opportunity to score.
Vitamin D improves insulin sensitivity in mice New research presented at this year's European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Munich, Germany (12-16 Sept) shows that giving vitamin D improves insulin sensitivity in mice that have become insulin resistant due to a chronic high fat high sugar diet. Vitamin D also reduces the accumulation of fat in muscles (myosteatosis), another sign of improving metabolism. The study is by Dr Elisa Benetti and colleagues from the University of Turin, Italy.
Early-onset menopause associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, CVD mortality, all-cause mortality In a study published online by JAMA Cardiology, Taulant Muka, M.D., Ph.D., of Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues evaluated the effect of age at onset of menopause and duration since onset of menopause on certain cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and all-cause mortality.
More positive words in discharge summaries associated with reduced suicide risk Words in narrative hospital discharge notes may help to identify patients at high risk for suicide, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Barriers to skin cancer prevention in uninsured, minority, immigrant populations A survey of uninsured patients at a large free medical clinic in South Florida identified barriers to skin cancer prevention in minority and immigrant populations, including a lack of knowledge, the belief that dark skin was protective, and that using sun protection made the wearers feel too hot, according to an article published online by JAMA Dermatology.
	Why isn't there a gene for depression? Depression is sometimes categorised as a mental, rather than a physical illness – as though somehow mental health is different from physical health. But the brain is not a magical black box inside your head. It is an organ, just like the heart or lungs, made up of cells and supplied with blood.
	Tobacco industry tactics influential in e-cigarette policy By employing the same tactics it used to drive policymaking from the 1970s-1990s, the tobacco industry has become successful in influencing pro-industry e-cigarette laws at the state level, according to a UCSF study published in the September issue of Milbank Quarterly.
Mother with hearing loss discovers rare tumor, helps pioneer surgery through ear Ana Placencia stretched in bed after waking up one Saturday morning, when suddenly the hearing in her left ear became muffled.
Testing for damage to airways caused by drinking and smoking Cells in the lung are constantly exposed to oxygen and intermittently exposed to other environmental factors, resulting in a susceptibility to oxidative injury.
	Professor improves wheelchairs to reduce injuries Manual wheelchairs offer mobility and exercise to people who can't walk, but improper use can result in carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tears and other injuries.
Cancer patients not getting adequate pain relief Many terminal cancer patients are not getting adequate pain relief early enough, according to a University of Leeds study.
Neglected tropical diseases—progress towards addressing the chronic pandemic The Lancet published a review of the progress made in addressing, as lead author David Molyneux calls it, the chronic pandemic of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
	Dying tumour cells release intracellular ions in a last-ditch attempt to block the immune system Researchers at the National Cancer Institute in the USA and the Babraham Institute, UK, have discovered how a mineral ion leaked from tumour tissue as it dies acts to stop the work of anti-tumour immune cells. This discovery provides a new approach in the development of treatments to engage the immune system in the fight against cancer.
	Largest UK trial of treatment for prostate cancer publishes first results Active monitoring is as effective as surgery and radiotherapy, in terms of survival at 10 years, reports the largest study of its kind, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
	"Math disability" may reflect problems in a crucial learning system in the brain Children differ substantially in their mathematical abilities. In fact, some children cannot routinely add or subtract, even after extensive schooling. Yet the causes of these problems are not fully understood. Now, two researchers, at Georgetown University Medical Center and Stanford University, have developed a theory of how developmental "math disability" occurs.
	South Asian patients have worse experiences of GP interactions, study suggests Communication between doctors and South Asian patients is poor, according to national GP surveys, but a question has been raised about whether this reflects genuinely worse experiences or differences in responding to questionnaires. Now, a new study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge has shown that it is in fact the former – South Asian patients do experience poorer communication with their GP than the White British majority.
Keeping medical imaging safe for children When a doctor recommends medical imaging for a child, parents may find themselves confused and concerned.
	Nearly half of nightclub attendees reported use of at least one of 58 new designer drugs Novel Psychoactive Substances are synthetic or "designer" drugs which have increased in popularity in recent years. Such drugs include Foxy, Smiles, "bath salts" such as Flakka and Meow Meow, psychedelics such as NBOMe (pronounced "N-bomb" a.k.a.: "25i"), and synthetic cannabinoids (commonly referred to as Spice and K2 drugs). Many of these new drugs are marketed as "legal" highs, appearing on the drug market and out in the open in an effort to circumvent controlled substance legislation.
	Study reduces violence against pregnant women Results of a Johns Hopkins School of Nursing-led study on intimate partner violence show that pregnant victims saw a significant reduction in exposure to such acts after participating in the Domestic Violence Enhanced Home Visitation Program (DOVE). The brochure-based empowerment intervention was developed by Phyllis Sharps, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate dean for community programs and initiatives at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON), with researchers from the University of Virginia.
	Value-driven outcomes tool can cut health care costs (HealthDay)—A multifaceted value-driven outcomes tool that identifies variability in costs and outcomes can reduce health care costs, according to a study published in the Sept. 13 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Lowering systolic blood pressure would save more than 100,000 lives per year Intensive treatment to lower systolic (top number) blood pressure to below 120 would save more than 100,000 lives per year in the United States, according to a study led by Loyola University Chicago researcher Holly Kramer, MD, MPH.
	New computer program beats physicians at brain cancer diagnoses, could eliminate costly and risky brain biopsies Computer programs have defeated humans in Jeopardy!, chess and Go. Now a program developed at Case Western Reserve University has outperformed physicians on a more serious matter.
	Scientists discover, treat new variant of antibiotic-resistant E. coli bacterium Researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear have discovered a new mutation in a highly antibiotic-resistant strain of E. coli that resists clearance by the body's own immune system by inhibiting white blood cells that ordinarily kill and remove bacteria. In a paper published online today in JAMA Ophthalmology, the researchers describe the case that led them to discover the mutation, and offer suggestions for how to recognize and address this particular microbe if encountered in the future.
Seven-year study pays off with 'most detailed' picture of head and neck cancer stem cells to date Cancer stem cells resist therapy and are a major cause of relapse, long after the bulk of a tumor has been killed. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute provides the most comprehensive picture to date of head and neck cancer stem cells, identifying genetic pathways that cancer stem cells hijack to promote tumor growth and visualizing the process of "asymmetric division" that allows a stem cell to create tumor tissue cells while retaining its own stem-like profile. The study is the result of seven years of research and innovation, including the development of novel techniques that allowed researchers to identify, harvest, and grow these elusive stem cells into populations large enough to study. This major body of work provides specific targets for the development of new cancer therapeutics.
	Researchers use stem cells to grow 3-D lung-in-a-dish By coating tiny gel beads with lung-derived stem cells and then allowing them to self-assemble into the shapes of the air sacs found in human lungs, researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have succeeded in creating three-dimensional lung "organoids." The laboratory-grown lung-like tissue can be used to study diseases including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which has traditionally been difficult to study using conventional methods.
Potential new target for treatment of spinal muscular atrophy discovered For the first time, scientists found that in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the affected nerve cells that control muscle movement, or motor neurons, have defects in their mitochondria, which generate energy used by the cell. Impaired mitochondrial function and structure in motor neurons were discovered before symptoms occurred, suggesting a role in disease development.
At Canada conference, $13 billion sought for anti-AIDS fight International donors gather in Montreal this weekend with a goal of raising another $13 billion for the fight to eradicate AIDS and two other major deadly diseases—tuberculosis and malaria—by 2030.
One in nine ER patients with injuries caused by violence will visit ER again within two years Approximately one in nine people sent to Florida emergency rooms (ERs) for injuries caused by acts of intentional violence – including shootings, stabbings, assaults, etc. – in 2010 ended up being violently injured again within two years. The findings come from the most comprehensive study to date on recurrent violent injury, its costs and risk factors. Risk factors for recurrent violent injury included homelessness, residence in low income neighborhoods, and other ER visits for psychiatric emergencies or alcohol abuse. The nearly 70,000 ER visits for initial and recurring injuries included in the study generated almost $600 million in medical charges. The study is co-led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and appears this month in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
Study details how workplace stress contributes to cardiovascular disease University of California, Irvine and SUNY Downstate Medical Center researchers have created a model illustrating how economic globalization may create stressful employment factors in high-income countries contributing to the worldwide epidemic of cardiovascular disease.
For prostate cancer, monitoring is an option, but higher metastasis rate is a risk Among otherwise healthy younger men with an early diagnosis of prostate cancer, foregoing aggressive treatment in favor of active monitoring spares patients an abrupt disruption of sexual and urinary function, new research shows.
Insurers may insist on counseling before genetic tests for breast cancer Health care providers and insurers agree that it's in everyone's best interest to refer women for genetic testing if their family history of breast or ovarian cancer puts them at higher risk. What they don't agree on is what should happen before testing, specifically whether women need to be advised by a certified genetic counselor or someone with similar training before the test is ordered.
Immunotherapy a hot topic in treating cancers Last Friday was Rebecca Hertzog Burns' birthday. She turned 2. She says that's her age, though she's really 27. After a relapse in her fight with acute myelogenous leukemia, Burns received a stem cell transplant on Sept. 9, 2014, through an infusion of umbilical cord blood from a baby boy.
	31 million older Americans aren't getting enough exercise (HealthDay)—More than one-quarter of Americans over 50 don't exercise, a new federal report estimates, increasing their risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
	Hearing loss widespread, 'progressive' in older Americans (HealthDay)—A new study finds widespread hearing loss among elderly Americans, with an especially high rate for those 90 and older.
	Diet or exercise: What's best for the middle-aged heart (HealthDay)—If you're a middle-aged couch potato in serious need of boosting your heart health, is it better to exercise or diet?
	Stem cells transplanted in monkeys without anti-rejection drugs (HealthDay)—Scientists report they have successfully transplanted reprogrammed monkey stem cells into the eyes of other monkeys without the need for anti-rejection drugs.
	Thirty-day readmission rate 2.8 percent after hysterectomy (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign indications, the 30-day readmission rate is 2.8 percent, with most readmissions occurring within 15 days, according to a study published in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Learning collaborative model cuts door-to-needle times (HealthDay)—A learning collaborative model can reduce door-to-needle (DTN) times in patients with acute ischemic stroke treated with tissue-type plasminogen activator, according to a study published online Sept. 13 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
	Many spirometers used in primary care deemed inaccurate (HealthDay)—Spirometers used in primary care offices are frequently inaccurate, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
	Importance of drug as assessed by doctor not tied to adherence (HealthDay)—Physician-assessed drug importance is not associated with patient-reported drug adherence, according to a study published in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
	Experimental zoster vaccine effective in adults aged 70+ (HealthDay)—An experimental vaccine against herpes zoster may offer lasting protection for most older adults who receive it, according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Study may help reassure women taking tamoxifen for breast cancer A study led by Loyola Medicine researchers may help reassure patients who worry the breast cancer drug tamoxifen could increase their risk of uterine cancer.
Since passing medical marijuana laws, states have seen lower numbers of fatal car crashes involving opioids A study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that there were fewer drivers killed in car crashes who tested positive for opioids in states with medical marijuana laws than before the laws went into effect. The study is one of the first to assess the link between state medical marijuana laws and opioid use at the individual level. Findings will be published online in the American Journal of Public Health.
What do you know about pneumonia? Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia.
Canada amplifies label warnings on common pain reliever Over-the-counter pain-relief drugs containing widely used acetaminophen will have clearer warning labels in Canada to help reduce potential liver damage that can be fatal, health authorities said Thursday.
The long-sought cure to Huntington's disease The current lack of a treatment proven effective against 'Huntington's disease' (HD) is leaving one in every 10 000 people with psychiatric, movement, feeding and communication problems that are very difficult to live with. An EU consortium believes it has found the long-sought after cure and is getting very close to its first preclinical studies.
The prevalence of mental disorders among older people is greater than previously assumed Previous studies have largely assumed that the prevalence of mental disorders declines with old age. The results of a new large-scale study with innovative diagnostic methods conducted in six European countries reveal that, considering the previous year retrospectively, approximately one third of the respondents in the age group between 65 and 85 had suffered from a mental disorder, and roughly one quarter were mentally ill at the time of the interviews. The results have now been published in the renowned British Journal of Psychiatry.
New clinical guidelines for lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare lung disease The American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the Japanese Respiratory Society (JRS) have published new clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a rare lung disease that primarily affects women of child-bearing age.
Link discovered between touch of individuals with autism and their social difficulties The sense of touch may play a more crucial role in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than previously assumed. The main findings of the doctoral research of Eliane Deschrijver, which are now published, show that individuals with ASD may have difficulties to determine which tactile sensations belong to the action of someone else.
	Research provides clues to how Zika virus breaches the placental barrier New research reveals that in pregnant women, Zika virus infection damages certain cells that affect placental formation and function. Furthermore, herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2) infection augments placental sensitivity to Zika virus by enhancing the expression of receptors that allow Zika virus to enter cells.
	Poison in the brain Spherical structures in the nucleus of nerve cells, so-called nuclear spheres, are suspected to trigger Alzheimer's disease. A team headed by Dr Thorsten Müller from the research group Cell Signaling in Neurodegeneration has for the very first time demonstrated the presence of the presumably toxic protein aggregates in the human brain. The researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum have published their article in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.
Study of potential new treatment for mesothelioma open to patients The Baylor College of Medicine Mesothelioma Treatment Center at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center has begun enrolling patients in a clinical research study looking at an investigational drug in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who have started on chemotherapy or whose cancer has progressed after initial chemotherapy.
Thyroid health important to all, says expert Thyroid problems are five to eight times more likely to impact women than men. However, Baylor College of Medicine's Dr. Ruchi Gaba cautions that any person, regardless of gender or age, can be affected by thyroid issues.
Patient overcomes rare acute necrotizing pancreatitis Larry Jacob got the call every parent fears. His daughter was sick, away at college and needed help. Mr. Jacob left his home in the Chicago suburbs and was driving to Western Illinois University when he suddenly doubled over in pain.
Bloomberg's $300M gift to Hopkins focuses on public health Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is giving $300 million to Johns Hopkins University to deal with public health challenges.
Children in federally assisted housing have lower blood lead levels than expected According to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health, U.S. children living in federally assisted housing have lower blood lead levels than comparable children who did not receive housing assistance.
University of Florida awarded $1.7M to study Zika in Haiti The University of Florida says it has been awarded a U.S. grant of roughly $1.7 million to research the mosquito-borne Zika virus in Haiti.

Biology news

	'Living fossil' crabs mysteriously dying in Japan Hundreds of horseshoe crabs—known as "living fossils" as they are among the earth's oldest creatures—have washed ashore dead in southern Japan, confounding experts who study the alien-like sidewalkers.
	Fish lose their unique personality when they go to 'school' New research carried out by scientists at the University of Bristol has shown that despite individual animals having their own personality, this gets suppressed when they make decisions together in a group.
	Dung excreted on fruits by vinegar flies contains sex pheromones and invites conspecifics to join the meal Like many other insects, vinegar flies produce pheromones to call their conspecifics to an interesting food source. A research team of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, demonstrated in a new study that the flies' frass also contains these pheromones. Fruits that have been covered by the insects' fecal excretions seem to be especially attractive to other flies. These fruits are probably a more easily digestible food after many flies have been feeding on them. The new results are a first step toward understanding the importance of feces in the communication of vinegar flies.
	Newly discovered gene critical to embryo's first days A previously unknown gene plays a critical part in the development of the human embryo during the first days of fertilisation, researchers from Karolinska Institutet show. The paper, which is published in the scientific journal Development, describes the molecular mechanisms governing early embryonic development and can help in the understanding of what causes certain kinds of infertility.
	Tracking technology shows some individual color-sensing cells in the eyes do not help us see color (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers from the University of California and the University of Washington has found that not all of the color-sensing cells in the back of the eyeball actually help us to see color. Instead, as they note in their paper published in the journal Science Advances, some of them sense only white light.
	Ancestral gene sequence reconstruction benchmarked via synthetic phylogeny Remnants of extinct monkeys are hiding inside you, along with those of lizards, jellyfish and other animals. Your DNA is built upon gene fragments from primal ancestors.
	Fishing pressure risks erasing largest marine animals Humans risk causing a mass extinction of large sea creatures on a scale never before seen because of overfishing, scientists warned this week.
	Floating DNA reveals urban shorelines support more animal life Every living thing leaves a genetic trail in its wake. As animals, plants and microbes shed cells and produce waste, they drop traces of their DNA everywhere—in the air, soil and water.
	Bats use second sense to hunt prey in noisy environments Like many predators, the fringe-lipped bat primarily uses its hearing to find its prey, but with human-generated noise on the rise, scientists are examining how bats and other animals might adapt to find their next meal. According to a new study, when noise masks the mating calls of the bat's prey, túngara frogs, the bat shifts to another sensory mode—echolocation.
	How plant roots sense and react to soil flooding While we already knew that plant roots were capable of sensing many individual soil characteristics (water, nutrients and oxygen availability), we did not have any understanding of how they integrated these signals in order to respond in an appropriate way. Researchers from CNRS and INRA have just discovered a mechanism that allows a plant to adjust its water status and growth according to different soil flooding conditions. The results of this study, published on 15 September 2016 in the journal Cell, describe how roots sense and respond to soil oxygen and potassium levels jointly, so as to change their water uptake capacity. Aside from their scientific importance, these findings could make it possible to optimize crop flood tolerance.
	DiCaprio unveils free technology to spy on global fishing (Update) American movie star Leonardo DiCaprio unveiled Thursday a free technology that allows users to spy on global fishing practices, in a bid to curb illegal activity in the oceans and rebuild imperiled fish stocks.
	Obama declares new marine reserve at Oceans summit US President Barack Obama was to announce the creation of a new marine reserve on Thursday as Washington hosted a major world summit on protecting the planet's oceans.
Injecting citrus tree trunks with bactericide may help stem greening A chemical treatment known as a bactericide could help preserve citrus trees from the potentially deadly and costly greening disease, a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences study shows.
	Maize genetics may show how crops adapt to climate change With the onset of climate change and changes in irrigation, adapting food crops to grow in diverse environments could help feed the world. Now University of California, Davis, scientists are leading a major new project, funded by the National Science Foundation with $4.1 million over five years, to study genetic adaptation to different environments in maize.
	More than one in 10 UK species threatened with extinction, new study finds Some of the UK's leading nature experts have delivered a clarion call for action to help save many of the nation's native wildlife species from extinction.
	Britain doubles ocean protection around overseas territories Britain on Thursday announced plans to double the area of ocean under marine protection around the country's overseas territories to a size greater than the landmass of India.
Researchers capture first-ever footage of larval bonefish: Endangered game fish in Florida likely spawned in Cuba What appears to be a ghostly creature moving through space is actually the first-ever video footage of a larval bonefish. The video can be viewed below.
	Dust baths and longer beaks can make cage-free chickens into mite-free chickens Life is improving for America's chickens. Due to consumers' increasing interest in animal welfare, large portions of the poultry industry are shifting towards less restrictive housing. Many poultry farmers are replacing the conventional conjoined small wire cages, called "battery cages," with cage-free housing in large open poultry houses. Cage-free housing gives chickens freedom to walk around, spread their wings, and lay their eggs in real nest boxes. But life in this improved housing isn't just sweeter for the chicken, it may also be sweeter for the chicken's ectoparasites.

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