Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Dec 6

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for December 6, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Researchers suggest increased instances of C-sections are causing evolutionary changes

Second-generation stars identified, giving clues about their predecessors

Clam analysis reveals how the oceans affected climate over the past 1,000 years

Growing mosquito populations linked to urbanization and DDT's slow decay

Asian countries dominate, science teaching criticised in survey

Headlamp innovation is talked up at Mercedes-Benz

Cassini makes first ring-grazing plunge

Pathway linked to slower aging also fuels brain cancer

Time constraints and the competition determine a hunter's decision to shoot

Engineers find that a new memory technology may be more energy efficient than previously thought

Humans play computer game using only direct brain stimulation

Neuroimaging categorizes four depression subtypes

System lets users design and fabricate drones with a wide range of shapes and structures

Smart plants learn new habits

New application of existing drug offers personalized therapy for lung cancer

Astronomy & Space news

	Second-generation stars identified, giving clues about their predecessors University of Notre Dame astronomers have identified what they believe to be the second generation of stars, shedding light on the nature of the universe's first stars.
	Cassini makes first ring-grazing plunge NASA's Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft has made its first close dive past the outer edges of Saturn's rings since beginning its penultimate mission phase on Nov. 30.
	Curiosity rover team examining new drill hiatus NASA's Curiosity Mars rover is studying its surroundings and monitoring the environment, rather than driving or using its arm for science, while the rover team diagnoses an issue with a motor that moves the rover's drill.
	Rhode Island School of Design works with NASA on Mars suit When scientists are trying to figure out how to live in near-isolation in a dome to simulate a Mars mission, the last thing they'll need is an ill-fitting space suit. So one of the nation's top design schools has come to the rescue.
	Image: Chaos at Hyperion The moon Hyperion tumbles as it orbits Saturn. Hyperion's (168 miles or 270 kilometers across) spin axis has a chaotic orientation in time, meaning that it is essentially impossible to predict how the moon will be spinning in the future. So far, scientists only know of a few bodies with such chaotic spins.
	New telescope chip offers clear view of alien planets Scientists have developed a new optical chip for a telescope that enables astronomers to have a clear view of alien planets that may support life.
	Image: Vega lofts Turkey's Earth observation satellite Arianespace today launched a Vega rocket on a commercial mission to deliver a Turkish Earth observation satellite into orbit.

Technology news

	Headlamp innovation is talked up at Mercedes-Benz (Tech Xplore)—New technology news from Mercedes-Benz reflects headway into headlamps. The news is about headlamps that are designed to deliver high precision, brightness without glare and much more. Cars of the future from Mercedes-Benz are to use these developments.
	Engineers find that a new memory technology may be more energy efficient than previously thought Scientists often discover interesting things without completely understanding how they work. That has been the case with an experimental memory technology in which temperature and voltage work together to create the conditions for data storage. But precisely how was unknown.
	Humans play computer game using only direct brain stimulation In the Matrix film series, Keanu Reeves plugs his brain directly into a virtual world that sentient machines have designed to enslave mankind.
	System lets users design and fabricate drones with a wide range of shapes and structures This fall's new Federal Aviation Administration regulations have made drone flight easier than ever for both companies and consumers. But what if the drones out on the market aren't exactly what you want?
	Combining conventional and concentrated solar technology results in efficiency gains (Tech Xplore)—An international team of researchers has found a way to increase solar cell efficiency in areas where there is small degree of cloudiness. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes how they combined two solar technologies to produce a product that was more efficient than either alone in certain geographical areas.
	Wall-jumping robot is most vertically agile ever built Roboticists at UC Berkeley have designed a small robot that can leap into the air and then spring off a wall, or perform multiple vertical jumps in a row, resulting in the highest robotic vertical jumping agility ever recorded. The agility of the robot opens new pathways of locomotion that were not previously attainable. The researchers hope that one day this robot and other vertically agile robots can be used to jump around rubble in search and rescue missions.
	Taking back control of an autonomous car affects human steering behavior There you are, cruising down the freeway, listening to some tunes and enjoying the view as your autonomous car zips and swerves through traffic. Then the fun ends and it becomes time take over the wheel. How smooth is that transition going to be?
	Samsung prevails over Apple in $399 mn patent appeal (Update) The US Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a $399 million patent infringement penalty imposed on Samsung for copying Apple's iPhone design, in a case watched for its implications for technology innovation.
	Solar panels repay their energy 'debt': study The climate-friendly electricity generated by solar panels in the past 40 years has all but cancelled out the polluting energy used to produce them, a study said Tuesday.
	Scientists develop robotic hand for people with quadriplegia Scientists have developed a mind-controlled robotic hand that allows people with certain types of spinal injuries to perform everyday tasks such as using a fork or drinking from a cup.
	Low-cost paper-based skin patch monitors dehydration by changing color from sweat Researchers have developed a low-cost skin patch that changes color to indicate different levels of hydration, representing a potential new medical technology.
New York Times sees digital subscriptions surge The New York Times has seen an exceptional surge in digital subscriptions in the period just before and after the November election, its top executive said Monday.
'Spy' toys face complaints from EU, US watchdogs EU and US consumer watchdogs announced Tuesday they are filing complaints against a clutch of smart toys that can "spy" on children and their homes, for allegedly breaching privacy and data protection laws.
	China users complain of combustible iPhones: consumer watchdog Several Chinese iPhone users have claimed that their handsets caught fire or exploded, according to a Shanghai consumer watchdog which called on tech giant Apple to address the complaints.
	Panasonic develops first IPS liquid crystal panel with contrast ratio of over 1,000,000:1 Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation, today announced it has developed a new model of its IPS liquid crystal panel that achieves a contrast ratio of over 1,000,000:1, which is 600 times that of conventional liquid crystal panels. With Panasonic's unique IPS liquid crystal technologies that feature wide viewing angles, high brightness, and high reliability, the new IPS panel has achieved a high contrast ratio of over 1,000,000:1 by integrating newly developed light-modulating cells that permit pixel-by-pixel control of backlight intensity. This achieves a faithful and high-grade video display, ranging from dazzling light to pitch-black.
Scientific breakthrough reveals unprecedented alternative to battery power storage Ground-breaking research from the University of Surrey and Augmented Optics Ltd., in collaboration with the University of Bristol, has developed potentially transformational technology which could revolutionise the capabilities of appliances that have previously relied on battery power to work.
The science behind tweeting in times of crisis When tragedy struck on 9/11, Jeannette Sutton was a graduate student. She remembers receiving the same calls as many others did—"Turn on your TV." But shortly after, she received another call that would change the trajectory of her career and research path.
Expectation versus reality in the acceptance of self-driving cars As interest in the development of automated cars increases, public and media attention has focused on the speculative benefit of having an abundance of in-vehicle work and leisure time that would otherwise be spent driving. Although initial reports have suggested that the public is beginning to embrace this idealistic portrayal of self-driving cars, these emerging expectations may not align with the current state of technology's ability to fully automate the driving task. Research published in the Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2016 Annual Meeting examined how the public's acceptance of automated vehicles changes when presented with a more realistic driving scenario.
	Google hits renewable energy goal in quest to pare pollution Google is crossing a milestone in its quest to reduce pollution caused by its digital services that devour massive amounts of electricity.
	PewDiePie threatens to shut down YouTube channel PewDiePie, the world's most watched video blogger, has accused YouTube of trying to "kill" his channel and has threatened to shut it down once he reaches 50 million subscribers.
	EU approves Microsoft buyout of LinkedIn with conditions (Update) The European Union on Tuesday approved Microsoft's mega buyout of the professional networking site LinkedIn, provided the US tech giant meets commitments to allow fair competition.
	Turning point as social media tackles online 'terror' Facing mounting pressure to use their technological clout to curb the spread of jihadist propaganda, major US social networks have finally joined forces in an effort to curb "terrorist content."
	Internet giants must do more to combat hate speech, says EU Internet giants Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube are not doing enough to fight online hate speech despite "moving in the right direction", the European Commission said on Tuesday.
	Three rule-of-law issues threaten Mexico's energy reform: experts Three major issues with Mexico's weak rule of law threaten to foil the successful implementation of the new reforms made possible when Mexico opened its energy sector to private and foreign investment in 2013, according to a new paper from the Mexico Center at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Online shopping reaches new highs for the holidays In a converted former broom factory in Baltimore, employees of PlayBetter.com checked inventory and pricing, prepared email blasts and packed up cartloads of gadgets to help golfers improve their game.
Amazon's commander of the Cloud shares his vision Andy Jassy, a 19-year Amazon veteran, is arguably the most powerful man in the cloud.
	Unbelievable news? Read it again and you might think it's true In the weeks since the U.S. election, concerns have been raised about the prominence and popularity of false news stories spread on platforms such as Facebook. A BuzzFeed analysis found that the top 20 false election stories generated more shares, likes, reactions and comments than the top 20 election stories from major news organizations in the months immediately preceding the election. For example, the fake article "Pope Francis Shocks World, Endorses Donald Trump for President, Releases Statement" was engaged with 960,000 times in the three months prior to the election.
	Sense-making processes of human-robot encounters Today, most of us have integrated all sorts of digital devices as part of our lives so far that it is hard to imagine life without smartphones, tablets and computers. All aspect of our lives have been transformed by their use, from entertainment, through work and socializing, even to love. As media they significantly shape our reality, but when it comes to social relationships they remain just that – tools that help us connect to others.
	NREL 2016 standard scenarios outlook shows continued growth in renewables and gas in the U.S. power sector The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has released the 2016 Standard Scenarios: A U.S. Electricity Sector Outlook. The outlook shows significant projected growth in natural gas and renewables through 2050 driven by abundant, low-cost natural gas and renewable energy cost declines and performance improvements. The Standard Scenarios are designed to capture a range of possible futures across a variety of factors that could impact power sector evolution.
	Review: A rearview camera may be closer than it appears with this app Did you know that starting in May 2018, all new vehicles sold in the United States will have to have a backup camera?

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers suggest increased instances of C-sections are causing evolutionary changes (Medical Xpress)—A small team of researchers with members from Austria and the U.S. has found statistical evidence that an increase in the number of mothers giving birth via C-section over the past several decades has been causing an evolutional change—babies' heads are getting bigger, even as the birth canal size remains fixed. The team has published the results of their analysis in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Pathway linked to slower aging also fuels brain cancer While a particular metabolic pathway shows potential to slow down the aging process, new research indicates a downside: That same pathway may drive brain cancer.
	Neuroimaging categorizes four depression subtypes Patients with depression can be categorized into four unique subtypes defined by distinct patterns of abnormal connectivity in the brain, according to new research from Weill Cornell Medicine.
	New application of existing drug offers personalized therapy for lung cancer Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In contrast to other tumour types, lung tumours present a high number of genomic alterations—this is a consequence of exposure to carcinogenic substances found in tobacco smoke, which is the main cause of lung cancer. About 10 percent of lung tumours carry mutations in a gene called ATM. However, there are no drugs available in the clinic to treat ATM mutant lung cancer.
	Anticoagulants to reduce stroke risk may increase incidence of heart attacks Medical researchers at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich have discovered why a new class of anticoagulants designed to reduce the risk of strokes can—in rare cases—increase the incidence of heart attacks.
	Epigenetics may help explain link between prenatal smoking and adolescent substance use New research from King's College London and the University of Bristol has found that smoking during pregnancy is associated with substance use in adolescence, and that this link may be partially explained by epigenetic changes evident at birth.
	Early signs of Alzheimer's disease identified Researchers from the University of Aberdeen have detected key changes in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.
	Study uses 'Sherlock' to reveal how shared experiences shape our memories We tend to think of our memories as unique, but a Princeton University-led study shows that memories are often shared rather than idiosyncratic.
	How the tuberculosis vaccine may protect against other diseases The tuberculosis vaccine is well known to help protect against other infectious diseases, as well as cancer, but the exact mechanisms have not been clear. A study published December 6 in Cell Reports now shows that the broad-spectrum effects of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine—the most widely used vaccine in the world—could be mediated by metabolic and epigenetic changes in white blood cells called monocytes through a process called trained immunity. This discovery could pave the way for strategies that combine immunological and metabolic stimulation to boost the effectiveness of vaccines and anti-cancer therapies.
	Autism brain response theory a dead end, study says A new study out today in the journal Cerebral Cortex challenges the hypothesis that nerve cells in the brains of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders do not reliably and consistently respond to external stimuli.
	Scientists discover a molecular trigger of fat-cell 'browning' program A signaling pathway in fat cells may one day provide the key to better treatments for obesity, according to new research by scientists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. They reported their findings online ahead of print in Genes & Development.
	Rhythm of breathing affects memory and fear Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered for the first time that the rhythm of breathing creates electrical activity in the human brain that enhances emotional judgments and memory recall.
	Blood-brain barrier on a chip sheds new light on 'silent killer' The blood-brain barrier is a network of specialized cells that surrounds the arteries and veins within the brain. It forms a unique gateway that both provides brain cells with the nutrients they require and protects them from potentially harmful compounds.
Combination immune therapy shows promise against Hodgkin lymphoma The combination of two new drugs that harness the body's immune system is safe and effective, destroying most cancer cells in 64 percent of patients with recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma, according to the results of an early-phase study.
Arts programming may help lower stress in economically disadvantaged preschoolers Previous research has determined that poverty can harm children's educational, social-emotional, and physical health, in part by damaging the bodily systems that respond to the chronically high levels of stress that children in poverty are more likely to experience. A new study has found that intensive arts programs—music, dance, and visual arts—may address this phenomenon by lowering the stress levels of economically disadvantaged preschoolers, as measured through cortisol.
Preschool programs found to benefit low-income Latino children Enrollment of Latino children in early care and education programs is relatively low, with six in 10 not attending preschool before kindergarten. In addition, few long-term evaluations of early care and education programs have included Latino children. Now a new study has found that low-income Latino children who attended either public school prekindergarten or center-based care with child care subsidies at age 4 did well through the end of third grade, but those in public school prekindergarten did better academically than those in center-based care, especially English language learners.
Immunotherapy shows promise in preventing leukemia relapse Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center announced promising results from an early trial in which patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia received genetically engineered immune cells. Of the 12 AML patients who received this experimental T-cell therapy after a transplant put their disease in remission, all are still in remission after a median follow-up of more than two years.
	Cancer drug may cause women to grow new eggs, study suggests Women treated with a common chemotherapy drug combination have more young eggs in their ovaries afterwards, research has found.
	Social eating leads to overeating, especially among men Gorging at a holiday meal or friend's BBQ might have more to do with your ego than the quality of the food—especially if you're a man.
New link discovered between class of rogue autoantibodies and poor health outcomes Results of a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers offer new evidence for a strong link between angiotensin receptor autoantibodies and increased risk of frailty. In a report on the work, published online in the journal Circulation on Nov. 30, the team says a large class of common blood pressure drugs that target the angiotensin receptor, called angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), may help patients depending on the levels of the autoantibodies.
Immunotherapy agent yields full and partial remissions in aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas An immunotherapy drug able to induce lasting remissions in classical Hodgkin lymphoma may be equally effective in patients with either of two rare, aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, results from a small case series indicate. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators who treated the patients will report their findings at the 58th annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) on Monday, December 5, 2016.
	Brain blocks new memory formation on waking to safeguard consolidation of existing memories During consolidation, the brain produces new proteins that strengthen fragile memory traces. However, if a new experience occurs while an existing memory trace is being consolidated, the new stimuli could disrupt the consolidation process. Some memory consolidation occurs while we are asleep. But what happens if we wake up during consolidation? How does the brain prevent events that occur just after awakening from interrupting the consolidation process? Bar-Ilan University researchers have the answer.
New research suggests doctors' burnout should be treated as organisation-wide problem Current approaches to dealing with burnouts in doctors on an individual case-by-case basis is not effective and the issue should instead be tackled with organisation-wide initiatives, according to researchers at The University of Manchester and the University of Southampton.
Addressing the psychological demands on endurance athletes What are the psychological demands commonly faced by endurance athletes? New research published in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology has identified psychological stressors common to endurance athletes across different sports at different performance levels. The article underscores where researchers can make effective recommendations to athletes of all abilities in helping them cope with pervasive psychological difficulties. The new research is therefore an important set of findings for anyone interested in improving performance in endurance sports.
	Research finds that older people's sexual problems are being dismissed Older people's sexual activity problems and desires are being dismissed by health practitioners due to their age, a new study has suggested.
	New treatment for chemotherapy patients a step closer to the clinic Patients at risk of life-threatening infections following chemotherapy could benefit from a new cell-based treatment developed from University of Queensland research.
	New discovery at heart of healthy cereals A new discovery at the University of Queensland could help reduce heart disease and boost nutrition security – the access to balanced nourishment - globally.
	Antipsychotic medications worsen delirium symptoms and hasten death Antipsychotic medication typically used to treat patients with delirium may be ineffective at best and hasten death at worst, new research shows.
	Protein that promotes 'cell-suicide' could revolutionise eye cancer treatment New research from the University of Liverpool has identified the role of a specific protein in the human body that can help prevent the survival and spread of eye cancer, by initiating cancer 'cell-suicide'.
	Side effects of leukaemia drug can be safely reduced by halving dose Patients with a chronic type of leukaemia could safely reduce the side effects of life-long treatment by cutting their dose in half, according to the results of a University of Liverpool led study presented at an international conference in America this week.
An unexpected role for epigenetic enzymes in cancer To better understand how cancer initiates and spreads, Yale associate professor of pathology Qin Yan turned to the field of epigenetics, which examines changes in the expression of genes and proteins that do not affect the underlying genetic codes.
U.S. sees significant shortage in minority dentists Underrepresented minority dentists represent a smaller percentage of the dental workforce and are unevenly distributed in relation to minority populations in the United States, according to a study by researchers at UC San Francisco and the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center Dental Department.
Adolescent perceptions about smoking have changed over decade California adolescents perceive smoking cigarettes to be riskier – and less socially acceptable – than they did a dozen years ago, according to a new study that comes amid a changing tobacco product landscape.
Holidays and cancer—tips for celebrating the season with less stress The holiday season is often a time for family get togethers, festivities and traditions. When one is being treated for cancer – or has a loved one undergoing treatment – it also can be a time of stress and anxiety.
	Experts pinpoint more than 30 infections as likely candidates for the next major pandemic Experts have pinpointed more than 30 infections that are likely candidates for the next major pandemic.
High rates of smoking among schizophrenia patients attributed to nicotine's ameliorative effect The smoking rate among individuals with schizophrenia has been shown to be as high as 90 percent, compared to between 20 and 23 percent of the general population, or 50 percent among individuals with other mental disorders.
	Don't say yes to antibiotics too quickly Please be aware of antibiotic resistance, stresses researcher Nienke Beerlage from the University of Twente. "Think along with your doctor and do not allow yourself to be fobbed off immediately with antibiotics."
	New device could save glaucoma patients' eyesight People with high-risk glaucoma will be able to monitor their disease, anywhere, anytime, thanks to a new device developed by an FIU professor.
Higher death rates associated with routine handoffs of hospital patients Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found higher mortality rates among hospitalized patients during routine transitions of care from one medical resident to another.
Use of recommended strategies to improve resident shift handoffs in internal medicine residency programs Survey responses from internal medicine residency program directors reported large variation in implementation of recommended handoff techniques and educational strategies to teach handoffs in internal medicine training programs, according to a study appearing in the December 6 issue of JAMA, a medical education theme issue.
Prevalence of disability among students in US medical schools New research has identified a higher prevalence of disability among students in U.S. allopathic medical schools (2.7 percent) than prior studies (0.3 percent to 0.6 percent), according to a study appearing in the December 6 issue of JAMA, a medical education theme issue.
Study finds high rate of depression, suicidal ideation among medical students A review and analysis of nearly 200 studies involving 129,000 medical students in 47 countries found that the prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms was 27 percent, that 11 percent reported suicidal ideation during medical school, and only about 16 percent of students who screened positive for depression reportedly sought treatment, according to a study appearing in the December 6 issue of JAMA, a medical education theme issue.
	Researchers discover a new gatekeeper controlling T cell release into the bloodstream A team of scientists led by Julie Saba, MD, PhD at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, has unveiled a novel role of thymic dendritic cells, which could result in new strategies to treat conditions such as autoimmune diseases, immune deficiencies, prematurity, infections, cancer, and the loss of immunity after bone marrow transplantation.
	Medical glue is the clue to reducing IV drip failure Aussie researchers have found a new way to make one of the most common medical procedures in the world - placing drips or intravenous (IV) lines - safer, less painful and potentially more cost effective.
	Keeping minors from tanning beds would save thousands of lives, study says (HealthDay)—Restricting people younger than 18 from indoor tanning could prevent thousands of skin cancers and deaths in the United States, according to a new study.
	Are catholic women less likely to breast-feed? (HealthDay)—Could religion play a role in breast-feeding practices?
	Missing just one hour of sleep may double drivers' crash risk (HealthDay)—Missing just an hour or two of sleep at night nearly doubles your chances of a car crash the next day, a new report suggests.
	Announcement training ups HPV vaccination for adolescents (HealthDay)—Training providers to use announcements can increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage in young adolescents, according to a study published online Dec. 5 in Pediatrics.
	Thromboprophylaxis not effective after knee arthroplasty, casting (HealthDay)—The use of thromboprophylaxis seems not to prevent venous thromboembolism after knee arthroplasty or casting of the lower leg, according to a study published online Dec. 3 in The New England Journal of Medicine.
	Speed data for the brain's navigation system In order to guide us accurately through space, the brain needs a "sense" of the speed of our movement. But how do such stimuli actually reach the brain? Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) have now identified a signal pathway in mice that feeds speed information directly into the brain's navigation system. Scientists led by Stefan Remy report on this in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Similar neural pathways exist in humans. They are known to be damaged by Alzheimer's disease – a possible explanation why spatial orientation is frequently impaired in this form of dementia.
	Sleep apnea treatment showing good results Daniel Tarro had a bad snore. It kept his family up at night. It woke up the neighbors if the windows were open. It once disturbed a gymnasium full of sleeping rescue volunteers, forcing Tarro to move to a private area to sleep during the night.
Obesity: Tiny fat-burning molecule might help fight giant problem A small molecule could provide valuable help in combating the global epidemic of obesity. When it was fed to obese mice, the animals' metabolism sped up and their excess weight was shed. It is doing so by recruiting the help of a body's own genes in countering the effects of a high-fat diet. The research team conducting the study believes their findings may provide a new unexplored therapeutic approach to fighting excessive weight gain in cases where diets or exercise have no effect. The study was led by Julien Santo, Celia Lopez-Herrera and Cécile Apolit of a French biotechnology company, and is published in Springer Nature's International Journal of Obesity.
New data shed light on potential advantages of pacritinib for patients with myelofibrosis Compared with standard therapy, pacritinib significantly reduces spleen size among people with myelofibrosis who have very low levels of platelets, according to a late-breaking study being presented today during the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego. The study investigators also reported that patients taking a twice-daily dose of this investigational oral multikinase inhibitor experienced significant improvements in symptoms.
	Research providing promising new treatments for melanoma In a paper published online November 30, 2016, in Melanoma Management, Adam Riker, MD, Professor of Surgery and Chief of Surgical Oncology at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, reviews approaches to manage melanoma, including one tested at LSU Health New Orleans that provoked a complete response in a patient with a long history of the disease.
Ban on triclosan shows need for new chemicals to demonstrate efficacy and safety A new commentary from Patrick McNamara and Stuart Levy cautions that the Food and Drug Administration's ban on triclosan and 18 other biocidal chemicals that promote antibiotic resistance is only a starting point. Triclosan's long-term impact, as well as the risks substitute chemicals may pose, must also be addressed.
How should patients be monitored for prostate cancer after a negative biopsy? If, when, and how men with negative biopsies for prostate cancer should continue to be monitored are questions facing patients and health care providers in view of concerns and criticisms about over detection, overtreatment, and under detection due to sampling errors in standard biopsies. An expert panel of urologists and radiologists from the American Urological Association (AUA) and the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) has published a set of consensus statements in The Journal of Urology indicating that MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) targeted biopsy, when properly incorporated into clinical practice, can address such issues.
Hispanic adults with diabetes could benefit from peer support interventions Diabetes is a global health problem that disproportionally affects individuals of ethnic and racial minorities. Minorities are more likely to experience complications from the disease, and the death rate from diabetes among Hispanics is 50 percent higher than non-Hispanic whites, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.
Risk for misuse of opioids and stimulants: What does employment status have to do with it? Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health found that employment status is a factor in nonmedical use of prescription opioids and prescription stimulants. Unemployed workers had the highest risk of misusing prescription opioids, and those out of the workforce entirely were most at risk for misusing prescription stimulants.
Uterine microbiota play a key role in implantation and pregnancy success in in vitro fertilization Endometrial microbiota (bacteria in the uterine cavity) play an important role in determining whether women are able to get pregnant via in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
	Want to give a good gift? Think past the 'big reveal' Gift givers often make critical errors in gift selection during the holiday season, according to a new research article in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	'I find peace there': The role of spirituality in treating postpartum depression in mothers of color Churches and other faith-based communities are an untapped resource that health-care providers should consider when suggesting treatment options for African-American and Latina mothers who have histories of postpartum depression (PPD), according to the findings of a newly published study by a University at Buffalo-led research team.
	Researchers find how Ebola disables the immune system A new study at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston sheds light on how Ebola so effectively disables the human immune system.
	Researchers fret as info lags on pot effects on older adults Surveys show a small but growing number of older adults are using marijuana—a trend that worries researchers who say not enough information exists about how pot affects older users.
Researchers find new biomarker for brain cancer prognosis Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found a new biomarker for glioma, a common type of brain cancer, that can help doctors determine how aggressive a cancer is and that could eventually help determine the best course of treatment.
	Rare infant seizure disorder often missed (HealthDay)—Many infants with a rare form of epilepsy known as infantile spasms aren't promptly diagnosed, and that delay can lead to devastating health consequences, new research indicates.
	Post-op readmission linked to delays in functional recovery (HealthDay)—For older adults, readmission after elective surgery is associated with delays in functional recovery, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Resistance band exercise aids nursing home residents (HealthDay)—A resistance band exercise program lessens depression and behavioral problems among older, wheelchair-bound nursing home residents with dementia, according to a study published Nov. 23 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Clinical practice guidelines cut pediatric hospitalizations for DKA (HealthDay)—Implementation of clinical practice guidelines can reduce the length of hospitalizations among children experiencing diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), according to a study published Nov. 29 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
	HPV16 DNA from fine-needle aspirations OK for diagnosis (HealthDay)—HPV16 DNA detected in fine-needle aspirations from neck masses is a reliable indicator for diagnosis of an HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), according to a study published Nov. 29 in Head & Neck.
	Colonic diverticular disease may increase dementia risk (HealthDay)—Patients with colonic diverticular disease may be at an increased risk for dementia, according to a study published Nov. 23 in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Erectile dysfunction tied to subclinical myocardial injury (HealthDay)—Erectile dysfunction is tied to higher circulating concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI), indicating subclinical myocardial injury, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Low thromboembolism risk for contraceptive use in diabetes (HealthDay)—For women with diabetes who are using hormonal contraception, the absolute risk of thromboembolism is low, with the lowest rates seen with use of intrauterine and subdermal contraceptives, according to a study published online Nov. 29 in Diabetes Care.
	Potentially unsafe med scripts up for dual users with dementia (HealthDay)—For veterans with dementia, Veterans Affairs (VA)-Medicare Part D (dual-system) users have increased rates of potentially unsafe medication (PUM) prescribing, according to a study published online Dec. 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Study: Elders who use tech tools feel less lonely, more physically fit Forget bingo and shuffleboard. Use of computers and cellphones is linked to higher levels of mental and physical well-being among those over age 80, according to new research.
	Raising the curtain on cerebral malaria's deadly agents Using state-of-the-art brain imaging technology, scientists at the National Institutes of Health filmed what happens in the brains of mice that developed cerebral malaria (CM). The results, published in PLOS Pathogens, reveal the processes that lead to fatal outcomes of the disease and suggest an antibody therapy that may treat it.
School shootings less likely in states with background checks on gun purchases School shootings are less likely in US states with mandatory background checks on gun and ammunition purchases, and with higher levels of spending on mental health services and public education, reveals research published online in the journal Injury Prevention.
Cancer's deadly toll grows in less developed countries as new cases increase globally While cancer is the world's second leading cause of death after cardiovascular diseases, the chances of getting cancer and dying from it look radically different depending on where you live, according to a new analysis of 32 cancer groups in 195 countries or territories.
Scientists show NLRP2 protein's role in maintaining fertility later in life Led by Prof. Mohamed Lamkanfi (VIB–Ghent University), researchers have demonstrated in animal models that a protein called NLRP2 plays an important role in early embryogenesis, the process of cell division in fertilized eggs that occurs before they implant into the lining of the uterus. In addition, the protein was shown to become more important with increasing maternal age, as blocking NLRP2 in eggs prevented them from developing in blastocysts. As a similar protein exists in humans, these insights may lead to greater understanding of reproductive disorders and novel paths to treatment. The study was recently published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
Body composition may affect older women's risk of urinary incontinence In a study of older women, the prevalence of stress- and urgency urinary incontinence (SUI and UUI) was at least two-fold higher among women in the highest category of body mass index (BMI) or fat mass compared with women in the lowest category.
Clinical implications of cancer genomics—a special issue of PLOS Medicine This week's edition of PLOS Medicine, featuring four Research Articles and two Perspectives, begins a special issue devoted to research on cancer genomics. Research and discussion papers selected along with two leaders in the field, Guest Editors Elaine Mardis and Marc Ladanyi, will highlight progress in the study of important cancer types, and assess the clinical implications of progress in this fast-moving field.
IKZF1 gene mutations found to increase hereditary risk for ALL in children A late-breaking abstract being presented today during the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego identifies inherited genetic mutations in the gene IKZF1 that confer a higher likelihood of developing pediatric acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The findings are among the latest evidence to point to a strong inherited genetic basis of ALL risk in children. Some of the variants identified also appear to reduce cancer cells' sensitivity to a chemotherapy drug used to treat some types of ALL, potentially contributing to drug resistance.
Additions to standard multiple myeloma therapy do not appear to yield additional benefit Trial results being presented today during the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego suggest two therapies that are often added to standard therapy in patients with multiple myeloma do not improve rates of progression-free survival compared with the current standard course of treatment alone. The study is the largest randomized controlled trial of post-transplant therapy for multiple myeloma ever conducted in the United States.
Cancer drug ibrutinib found helpful in treating graft versus host disease after transplant A late-breaking abstract being presented today during the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego shows patients who experience graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after stem cell transplantation that is not resolved by corticosteroid treatment may benefit from the use of ibrutinib, an anti-cancer drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating certain blood cancers.
First multicenter trial; CAR T-cell immunotherapy effective for lymphoma A late-breaking abstract being presented today during the 58th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego demonstrates that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a promising option for treating refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma and practical to implement in a variety of real-world clinical settings. The study, which involved 22 institutions and tested a product called KTE-C19 (anti-CD19 CAR), is the first multicenter trial of this cellular immunotherapy-based treatment approach for lymphoma.
	Direct link between REM sleep loss and the desire for sugary and fatty foods discovered The researchers at the University of Tsukuba's International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (IIIS) used a new method to produce REM sleep loss in mice along with a chemical-genetic technique to block prefrontal cortex neurons and the behaviors they mediate. As a result, the IIIS researchers discovered that inhibiting these neurons reversed the effect of REM sleep loss on sucrose consumption while having no effect on fat consumption.
South African court rules against right-to-die South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal on Tuesday overturned a ruling that granted a man the right to medically-assisted death and could have opened the way to legalise euthanasia.
	Do cannabis users think package warnings are needed? Legalization of cannabis for medical or leisure use is increasing in the U.S., and many experts and cannabis users alike agree that package warnings stating the health risks are needed. The warnings suggested by cannabis users are not necessarily the same as those of medical experts though, as shown in a new study published in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.
	Mount Sinai establishes 3-D printing services for clinicians and researchers Mount Sinai Health System today announced the creation of the Medical Modeling Core, a collaboration led by the Department of Neurosurgery, where clinicians can confer and order 3D models for their cases. Virtual reality, simulation, and 3D printing services will be provided on a low-cost fee-for-service basis with quick turnaround times. This resource will be the first of its kind catering to the unique patient-specific modeling requirements of clinicians at Mount Sinai.

Biology news

	Growing mosquito populations linked to urbanization and DDT's slow decay Mosquito populations have increased as much as ten-fold over the past five decades in New York, New Jersey, and California, according to long-term datasets from mosquito monitoring programs. The number of mosquito species in these areas increased two- to four-fold in the same period.
	Time constraints and the competition determine a hunter's decision to shoot What prompts a hunter to shoot an animal after it is spotted? Wageningen and Norwegian researchers studied more than 180,000 choice situations where hunters had spotted an animal and had to decide whether or not to shoot. They found that competition among hunters and the season coming to an end led to an increased likelihood of pulling the trigger. The research team published an article this week in the scientific journal PNAS in which they recommend that future wildlife management should take into account the social conditions surrounding hunting.
	Smart plants learn new habits A new study led by The University of Western Australia has demonstrated for the first time that plants can learn about their environment by making links between events, an ability thought to be exclusive to animals.
	Male Manogea porracea spiders found to care for young (Phys.org)—A trio of Brazilian researchers has found that a species of spider, Manogea porracea, is unique in that the male plays a major role in web upkeep and protection of their young. In their paper published in the journal Animal Behavior, Rafael Rios Mouraa, João Vasconcellos-Netob and Marcelo de Oliveira Gonzagac, describe their study of the spider that lives throughout Central and South America.
	Study finds key mechanism important for sex determination in vertebrates In various vertebrate species, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, the DMRT1 gene is a master sex regulator, working to develop and maintain 'maleness' -either the sex cells (or germline) into testis and/or maintaining masculinization throughout the other cells in the body (i.e., Latin for soma, or somatic cells). But little is known about the how the DMRT1 gene is turned on and off in vertebrate testicular somatic cells or germ cells.
	Critical genes unravelled to understand human diseases and support drug discovery Throughout evolutionary history, there have been genetic elements that have duplicated - giving rise to genes with different functions. These are called 'paralogs'. They are able to form and evolve new functions, which have similar functions in relation to cellular signalling. This also means that there are many duplicated genes within the genome that might be redundant or less prominent when it comes to key cellular signalling pathways.
	Scientists learn more about how motors maneuver our cells' roadways Much like motors power our cars, they also ensure that proteins get to the right place in our cells, and a wide variety of diseases - from cancer to heart problems - can result when they don't.
	What makes a neuron a neuron? Study finds clues in RNA-binding proteins in brain cells It remains unclear to scientists why almost every RNA-binding protein has a sibling - or "paralog." While such sibling proteins have the same origins and are similar to each other in a number of ways, they are presumed to fulfill different functions in the cell.
	Some bats develop resistance to devastating fungal disease Bat populations in some places in North America appear to have developed resistance to the deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. Researchers from UC Santa Cruz analyzed infection data and population trends of the little brown bat in the eastern United States and found that populations in New York that had stabilized after initial declines had much lower infection levels at the end of winter than populations that were still declining.
	Transforming plant cells from generalists to specialists As a growing plant extends its roots into the soil, the new cells that form at their tips assume different roles, from transporting water and nutrients to sensing gravity.
	Canada caribou and monarch butterfly "endangered": experts Canada's caribou population has reached "all-time low" levels, particularly in the eastern Arctic, where the animal was classified as endangered Monday along with the monarch butterfly, according to a committee of scientific experts.
	Study of wild plants contribute to understanding of high risks associated with a warming climate New research, published today in Botany, investigates how well native California wild mustard species withstand increasing temperatures with the goal of developing a better understanding of heat stress on plants in a warming climate. This study makes an important contribution to a growing body of research aimed at better understanding the effects of global climate change on our ability to grow plants for food.
	What happens in the cell nucleus after fertilization A team of scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum München shows changes in the immediate environment of DNA after the ovum and sperm fuse to form the zygote. The results suggest why all conceivable somatic cells can develop from the germ cells. The study has been published in the journal Genes and Development.
	Researchers compare biodiversity trends with the stock market Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) have the potential to help stop species loss. An international research team is using an analogy to explain what these variables are. Just as the price of a share varies according to supply and demand and the prices of all individual shares are used to calculate the index of a stock exchange, data from observations of nature is used to calculate biodiversity variables. From these it is possible to calculate indices which are crucial to policy decisions. By using this analogy, the researchers aim to show how important EBVs are to the protection of biodiversity and where efforts in this area are being hampered by global gaps in our knowledge.
	A new perspective on microbes Most of us considered microbes little more than nasty germs before science recently began turning our view of the microbial world on its head. A "microbe" is a bacterium and any other organism too small to see with the naked eye. After decades of trying to sanitize them out of our lives, the human microbiome – the communities of microbes living on and in us – is now all the rage. And yet, some insist that we can't really call microbes "good." That's nonsense.
	Protein complex FACT able to unwind nucleosomes without expending energy A group of researchers from the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the RAS and Moscow State University, in collaboration with the University of Utah, has for the first time successfully made use of the FRET microscopy method to demonstrate the ability of nucleosomes to reversibly unwind under the action of FAST without expending any energy. The data obtained will illuminate the role this protein complex plays in actively dividing cells in tumor tissues. The results were published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology.
	Honey bee teenagers speed up the ageing process of their elders In honey bee colonies, a single queen is laying eggs from which thousands of worker bees are born. At a young age, workers care for the brood, then build and defend the nest and eventually, towards the end of their lives, leave the safety of the nest to forage for food. This major step in their lives is speeding up ageing because searching the environment for food exposes these foragers to a wide range of stressors, such as pathogens, predators and adverse weather conditions.
	Happy salmon swim better What makes young salmon decide to leave their rivers and head out to Sea has been a hot topic for decades now. Current research from Umeå University shows that the young salmon's desire to migrate can partly be limited by anxiety. The complete study can be found in the journal Nature Communications.
	Bacteria produce aphrodisiac that sets off protozoan mating swarm Researchers seeking the evolutionary roots of the animal kingdom have discovered a bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, that acts as an aphrodisiac by releasing an enzyme that sends the choanoflagellate, Salpinogoeca rosetta, one of the closest living relatives of animals, into a full mating frenzy. Choanoflagellates are eukaryotes. Their cells have a membrane-bound nucleus containing their genetic material, and they live free as single cells and in multicellular colonies.
	An amino acid controls plants' breath Plants breathe and "sweat" through stomata, microscopic pores found on leaves, stems and other plant organs. Through the stomata, plants take up carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and breathe out the products of this process, oxygen and water vapor. Group leader Dr. June M. KWAK and his colleagues at the Center for Plant Aging Research, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), identified a novel calcium channel and found out how it regulates stomatal closure. Published in Cell Reports, this discovery helps to clarify how plants maintain and adjust an adequate intracellular calcium level for their growth and breathing.
	Tibetan Mastiff gained high altitude adaptation after domestication by wolf interbreeding The Tibetan Mastiff is famed for its high-altitude prowess, showing a remarkable strength and endurance to 3-mile elevations and even higher. Evolutionary biologists have successfully identified the genes responsible for this adaptation, yet an elusive question remained: Exactly how did they acquire the adaptation?
	The balancing act in membrane turnover—an enzyme that links endocytosis to membrane recycling All cells have surface membranes, and this membrane is especially important in the light-sensitive cells of the eyes in your body. Within your eyes are millions of photoreceptors - nerve cells that capture light to form images of the world around you. The surface membranes of these nerve cells are packed with rhodopsin, a protein that detects light. These are the light-sensing membranes of the eyes that absorb packets of light to trigger nerves causing the sensation of sight.
	Assassins on the rise: A new species and a new tribe of endemic South African robber flies Discovery of a new species of assassin flies led to the redescription of its genus. This group of curious predatory flies live exclusively in South Africa, preferring relatively dry habitats. Following the revisit, authors Drs Jason Londt, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, South Africa, and Torsten Dikow, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, USA, publish updated information about all species within the genus, now counting a total of seven species, and also establish a new tribe. Their study is published in the open access journal African Invertebrates.
	Global habitat loss still rampant across much of the Earth As 196 signatory nations of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD) meet this week in Cancun, Mexico, to discuss their progress towards averting the current biodiversity crisis, researchers from a range of universities and NGOs report in the international journal Conservation Letters that habitat destruction still far outstrips habitat protected across many parts of the planet.
	Ice age vertebrates had mixed responses to climate change New research examines how vertebrate species in the eastern United States ranging from snakes to mammals to birds responded to climate change over the last 500,000 years. The study, recently published in the journal Ecology Letters, reveals that contrary to expectation, the massive glaciers that expanded and contracted across the region affected animal populations in different ways at different times. The analysis provides a window into how animals might react to any kind of climate change, whether glacial cycles or global warming.
Controlling gene activity in human development Researchers at the Babraham Institute have revealed a new understanding of the molecular switches that control gene activity in human embryonic stem cells. This insight provides new avenues for improving the efficiency of being able to drive stem cells to create a desired cell type - an essential requirement to fulfil their promise in regenerative medicine.
	Put people at the center of conservation, new study advises People must be part of the equation in conservation projects. This will increase local support and the effectiveness of conservation.
	Scientists improve predictions of how temperature affects the survival of fish embryos Scientists closely tracking the survival of endangered Sacramento River salmon faced a puzzle: the same high temperatures that salmon eggs survived in the laboratory appeared to kill many of the eggs in the river.
From penguin hearts to addax embryos: 'Frozen zoo' helps preserve, save lives There's another zoo in St. Louis, and it sits in the shadow of Highway 40, behind wooden gates and laboratory doors, inside 13 freezers and 10 tanks filled with liquid nitrogen.
S. Korea expands cull to contain bird flu South Korea on Tuesday said it was expanding a cull of chickens and ducks to try to contain a damaging bird flu outbreak.
River blindness vaccine to begin cattle trials A new vaccine with the potential to prevent millions of cases of blindness is a step closer to commercialisation.

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