Science X Newsletter Friday, Nov 21

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 21, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Multiphysics invisibility cloak manipulates both electric current and heat
- LiquidPiston unveils quiet X Mini engine prototype
- Built for speed: paranodal junction assembly in high performance nerves
- New semiconductor device could lead to better photodetectors
- New 2-D quantum materials for nanoelectronics
- Asteroid impacts on Earth make structurally bizarre diamonds
- Startup creates VetiGel, a plant based polymer that seals wounds in seconds
- Jumping hurdles in the RNA world
- Amazon frogs found to build mental maps of their local area
- Mysterious glowworm found in Peruvian rainforest
- Life's extremists may be an untapped source of antibacterial drugs
- More genetic clues found in a severe food allergy
- Space station rarity: Two women on long-term crew
- European space plane set for February launch
- New terahertz device could strengthen security

Astronomy & Space news

	Space station rarity: Two women on long-term crew For the 21st-century spacewoman, gender is a subject often best ignored. After years of training for their first space mission, the last thing Samantha Cristoforetti and Elana Serova want to dwell on is the fact they are women.
	European space plane set for February launch Europe's first-ever "space plane" will be launched on February 11 next year, rocket firm Arianespace said Friday after a three-month delay to fine-tune the mission flight plan.
	Why the Rosetta mission is this generation's moon landing The thing everyone seems to talk about with the moon landings is the idea of the whole world stopping to watch. It was a mission that overcame nationalism, it wasn't "America" putting a man on the moon, it was "Us" – humankind. With Rosetta, the whole world not only watched but they were part of a real-time conversation with mission control.
	'Blockbuster' science images At this point, the blockbuster movie Interstellar has created such a stir that one would almost have to be inside a black hole not to know about it. And while the science fiction thriller may have taken some liberties with science to make its Hollywood plot work, the imagery comes straight from science—National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded science, in fact.
	Swift gamma-ray burst mission marks ten years of discovery (Phys.org) —NASA's Swift spacecraft lifted off aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., beginning its mission to study gamma-ray bursts and identify their origins. Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the cosmos. Most are thought to be triggered when the core of a massive star runs out of nuclear fuel, collapses under its own weight, and forms a black hole. The black hole then drives jets of particles that drill all the way through the collapsing star and erupt into space at nearly the speed of light.
	Anticipating the 2017 solar eclipse Where will YOU be on August 21st, 2017?
	First Orion flight will assess radiation risk as NASA thinks about human Mars missions If you wanna get humans to Mars, there are so many technical hurdles in the way that it will take a lot of hard work. How to help people survive for months on a hostile surface, especially one that is bathed on radiation? And how will we keep those people safe on the long journey there and back?

Technology news

	LiquidPiston unveils quiet X Mini engine prototype LiquidPiston has a new X Mini engine which is a small 70 cubic centimeter gasoline powered "prototype. This is a quiet, four-stroke engine with near-zero vibration. The company said it can bring improvements to applications such as lawn equipment, small generators, mopeds, auxiliary power units for boats, and UAVs. The engine's improved noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics, said the company, will increase product performance, enhance operator comfort and prolong application life.
	Algorithm, not live committee, performs author ranking Thousands of authors' works enter the public domain each year, but only a small number of them end up being widely available. So how to choose the ones taking center-stage? And how well can a machine-learning algorithm rank the most notable authors in the world? Allen B. Riddell at Dartmouth College set out to deliver some answers and he published his work, "Public Domain Rank: Identifying Notable Individuals with the Wisdom of the Crowd", on the ArXiv server.
	New battery technology for electric vehicles Scientists at the Canadian Light Source are on the forefront of battery technology using cheaper materials with higher energy and better recharging rates that make them ideal for electric vehicles (EVs).
	Twitter boss launches global cash register service Twitter's co-founder outlined plans to make cash registers a thing of the past on Thursday as he held a global launch for new software that he said would help small businesses grow.
3-D printing innovation capable of making stronger, lighter metal works for auto, aerospace industries A Purdue innovation that produces stronger, lighter metal parts that work for the automotive and aerospace industries through a new, 3-D printing technology is being commercialized through Frontier Additive Manufacturing LLC, a Crawfordsville, Indiana-based company.
	How to keep the world's eyes out of your webcam There are concerns that thousands of private webcams around the world could be streaming live images to anybody who wishes to view them – without their owner knowing – thanks to a Russian website providing a convenient list of every camera that can be accessed.
	Singapore moves to regulate taxi booking apps Singapore on Friday announced new rules for mobile taxi booking apps, including US-based Uber, in the latest move by governments around the world to regulate the increasingly popular services.
	Forging a photo is easy, but how do you spot a fake? Faking photographs is not a new phenomenon. The Cottingley Fairies seemed convincing to some in 1917, just as the images recently broadcast on Russian television, purporting to be satellite images showing the MH17 airliner being fired upon by a jet fighter, may have convinced others.
	Researchers study impact of power prosthetic failures on amputees Powered lower limb prosthetics hold promise for improving the mobility of amputees, but errors in the technology may also cause some users to stumble or fall. New research examines exactly what happens when these technologies fail, with the goal of developing a new generation of more robust powered prostheses.
	Novel robotic walker helps patients regain natural gait Survivors of stroke or other neurological conditions such as spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and Parkinson's disease often struggle with mobility. To regain their motor functions, these patients are required to undergo physical therapy sessions. A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Faculty of Engineering has invented a novel robotic walker that helps patients carry out therapy sessions to regain their leg movements and natural gait. The system also increases productivity of physiotherapists and improves the quality of rehabilitation sessions.
	TV-over-Internet service Aereo seeks Chapter 11 (Update) Aereo, an online startup that tried to offer a cheaper alternative to cable TV, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection less than five months after an unfavorable ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
	Theatre Arts research provides insight into human behavior for scientists, engineers who build social robots As an actress, producer, director and theatre arts lecturer at The University of Texas at Arlington, Julienne Greer knows the techniques that help draw people's deepest emotions to the surface. Now, she's building on her experience and research to help scientists and robotics engineers better understand the human experience so that they can build more responsive robots.
	Senators get no clear answers on air bag safety There were apologies and long-winded explanations, but after nearly four hours of testimony about exploding air bags, senators never got a clear answer to the question most people have: whether or not their cars are safe.
Japan orders air bag maker to conduct probe Japan's transport ministry said Friday it has ordered air bag maker Takata to conduct an internal investigation after cases of its air bags exploding triggered safety concerns in the United States and other countries.
	Seattle Sounders score with SQL Server and fitness-tracking technology The Emerald City's football fans aren't limited to those cheering for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Huskies. Here, footballers also include the soccer heroes of the Seattle Sounders FC, who are heading into Major League Soccer's Western Conference Championship this weekend with LA Galaxy.

Medicine & Health news

	Built for speed: paranodal junction assembly in high performance nerves (Medical Xpress)—The nervous system is host to some of the most sophisticated cellular structures found anywhere in the body. The orderly phalanxes of sterocilia which arm the ear's inner hair cells, and the photosensitive dishes stacked into precision-built lipid cup boards in cones of the eye are two fine examples of structures whose function is well understood. An equally intriguing, and perhaps even more elaborate cellular creation, is the uniquely geometric front that is established on the borderland between two myelinating cells that wrap adjoining segments of an axon. In a recent paper in Nature Neuroscience, researchers describe the critical role played by molecules known as ankyrins in the assembly of axoglial junctions, and reveal the surprising origins of these cytoskeletal scaffold proteins.
Researchers tease out glitches in immune system's self-recognition Immunity is a thankless job. Though the army of cells known as the immune system continuously keeps us safe from a barrage of viruses, bacteria and even precancerous cells, we mainly notice it when something goes wrong: "Why did I get the flu this year even though I got vaccinated?" "Why does innocent pollen turn me into a red-eyed, sniffling mess?"
Novel regulatory mechanism for cell division found A protein kinase or enzyme known as PKM2 has proven to control cell division, potentially providing a molecular basis for tumor diagnosis and treatment.
	Dominant people can be surprisingly social In contrast to the lay stereotype, dominant people prove to be avid social learners, just like dominant individuals in the animal kingdom. Neuroscientists from Radboud University show this with a complex decision task published in Current Biology on November 20. They offer a more subtle perspective on the lay view wherein dominant individuals ignore others' views and advice.
	Researchers find how mutant gene can cause deafness Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered how one gene is essential to hearing, uncovering a cause of deafness and suggesting new avenues for therapies.
	Dopamine leaves its mark in brain scans Researchers use functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to identify which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks. The method reveals areas of the brain, in which energy use and hence oxygen content of the blood changes, thus indirectly showing which cell-populations are particularly active at a given moment. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen now demonstrate that activity induced by signalling molecules such as dopamine may yield hitherto unpredictable up or down modulations of the fMRI signals, with the result that the neural and vascular responses dissociate. In such cases, far more precise data can be obtained when fMRI is combined with concurrent measurements of cerebral blood flow.
	Damage to brain networks affects stroke recovery (Medical Xpress)—Initial results of an innovative study may significantly change how some patients are evaluated after a stroke, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Bee brains offer insights into how human memories form (Medical Xpress)—University of Queensland scientists have discovered that genes switch off as memories are being formed, allowing for new connections between nerve cells.
	Startup creates VetiGel, a plant based polymer that seals wounds in seconds (Medical Xpress)—Brooklyn based startup Suneris has developed a plant based polymer called VetiGel that can be used to seal virtually any type of wound in just 15 to 20 seconds, potentially saving lives—cofounded by Joe Landolina, who is now the CEO of the company, the gel is already being used by veterinarians to treat animal wounds.
	More genetic clues found in a severe food allergy Scientists have identified four new genes associated with the severe food allergy eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Because the genes appear to have roles in other allergic diseases and in inflammation, the findings may point toward potential new treatments for EoE.
	Stress reaction may be in your dad's DNA, study finds Stress in this generation could mean resilience in the next, a new study suggests. Male mice subjected to unpredictable stressors produced offspring that showed more flexible coping strategies when under stress, according to a study published online Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.
	Dermatologists present seven referral tips for rheumatologists (HealthDay)—Dermatologists and rheumatologists often refer to one another, and in an article published in the November issue of The Rheumatologist, dermatologists present seven tips for rheumatologists to improve this collaboration.
	US seniors' health poorest, global survey shows (HealthDay)— Seniors in America have more chronic health problems and take more medications than seniors in 10 other industrialized countries do, according to a new global survey. The United States also stood out among the 11 nations surveyed by The Commonwealth Fund for having more seniors struggling to get and afford the health care they need.
	Risk of adverse outcomes up with PCI in adults with diabetes (HealthDay)—For adults with diabetes and multivessel or left main coronary artery disease, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is associated with increased likelihood of a composite outcome compared with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), according to a review and meta-analysis published in the Nov. 18 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Brain-dwelling worm in UK man's head sequenced For the first time, the genome of a rarely seen tapeworm has been sequenced. The genetic information of this invasive parasite, which lived for four years in a UK resident's brain, offers new opportunities to diagnose and treat this invasive parasite.
	Study on health impact of wheat challenges Stone Age myths and costly diets– providing you go whole grain A review, undertaken by scientists at the University of Warwick, of the current evidence on the dietary and health impact of whole grain cereal consumption finds that many of the myths attributed to wheat free diets are just that – myths, and that whole grains such as wheat are beneficial for the majority of people.
	Shopping vouchers for breastfeeding set for wide-scale trial A pioneering project aimed at boosting breastfeeding rates in areas where levels remain stubbornly low will be tested in a large-scale trial by researchers at the Universities of Sheffield, Dundee and Brunel.
	Half a million California seniors fall repeatedly but many don't seek medical attention More than half a million older Californians—12.6 percent of the state's senior population—fall more than once a year, but nearly 60 percent of them fail to seek medical attention afterward, according to a new study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
	Brain images focus on stress eaters' neurological response to comfort foods Stress eaters who load up on high-calorie goodies as a source of comfort when life gets tough may end up battling overweight or obesity. Either condition can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke or chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. That's the reason why U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition researcher Kevin D. Laugero and colleagues are taking a close look at pathways inside the brain that link stress to unhealthy eating or, technically speaking, the neurophysiology of stress eating.
	New sheep obesity research that could affect future generations Obesity in female sheep during pregnancy can impact the metabolic profile and health of the animals' granddaughters, as well as their daughters, suggests a study published in the International Journal of Obesity Oct. 30.
	Researcher tests fecal microbial transplant to treat recurring C. difficile infection and inflammatory bowel disease Dina Kao has never been as satisfied with her work as she is today. A practising gastroenterologist at the University of Alberta Hospital, she says much of that satisfaction comes from seeing patients benefit from her unique research.
Study identifies early warning signs of stroke risk in blacks Researchers in The University of Texas at Austin's College of Education have found that a blood flow impairment in blacks that puts them at higher risk for cerebrovascular diseases like stroke appears at a much earlier age than previously thought.
	Could there be a bright side to depression? (Medical Xpress)—A group of researchers studying the roots of depression has developed a test that leads them closer to the idea that depression may actually be an adaptation meant to help people cope with complex problems such as chronic illnesses or marriage breakups.
Cardiologist explains why snow can be dangerous for those with heart disease (Medical Xpress)—Cardiac deaths during this week's storm have occurred not just while people are shoveling but while they have been using snowblowers as well.
	Brains transform remote threats into anxiety Modern life can feel defined by low-level anxiety swirling through society. Continual reports about terrorism and war. A struggle to stay on top of family finances and hold onto jobs. An onslaught of news coverage about Ebola. At the heart of issues like these lies uncertainty – the unknown likelihood of how ongoing crises will evolve over time.
	Clumped cancer cells spread more efficiently through the body than lone ones Nine out of ten cancer patients die because cancer cells enter the blood circulation, spread and form tumours at distant organs. In circulation, cells can move individually or in a cluster. It is believed that cells moving individually pose the highest risk of forming tumours and are the primary "villains".
	Ice bath after exercise? The benefits might be in your head Whether an athlete has endured the repeated joint stresses of a marathon run, or the relentless battery of hits during a football match, many will opt for a post-activity polar plunge into an ice-cold bath.
Discovery could lead to new drugs to stop many solid-tumor cancers In a step forward in the battle against cancer, researchers have identified promising compounds to inhibit a key driver of many forms of the disease, including lung, prostate, colon, bladder and pancreatic cancer.
	Amateur photographers aid in remote skin sore trial Paediatric infectious disease specialists are bringing novel skin sore research methods to WA in the form of a protocol allowing non-professional photographers to capture high-quality images of skin sores for use in treatment trials.
	Regular consumption of olive oil can improve heart health (Medical Xpress)—Regular consumption of olive oil can drastically improve heart health – especially in people who do not normally eat a Mediterranean diet.
	Depression and dementia in older adults increase risk of preventable hospitalizations New research in the Journal of General Internal Medicine finds that mental health conditions in older adults such as depression, cognitive impairment and dementia are risk factors for hospitalization for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSCs) – conditions that can often be managed effectively on an outpatient basis. The research also found that older adults with depression or cognitive impairments have a higher risk of readmission within 30 days after a hospital stay for pneumonia, heart attack or congestive heart failure.
	A single protein activates the machinery needed for axon growth and holds the axons together for collective extension During brain development, neurons extend projections called axons to connect with other neurons. Axons from groups of neurons with the same function tend to extend together, but the mechanisms involved in keeping the growing axons in contact for collective extension have been unclear. Masatoshi Takeichi, Shuichi Hayashi and colleagues from the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology and RIKEN Quantitative Biology Center have now revealed that the protein protocadherin-17 (Pcdh17) plays a crucial role in this coordinated axon growth and correct development of the nervous system.
Patients getting free meds take them as well as those who pay Patients receiving free or low-cost medications may not stick to their prescription perfectly, but they're not much different than patients with insurance, according to a study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Study reveals much higher prevalence of fetal alcohol exposure Nearly five percent of U.S. children may be affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, according to a new study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The number is significant given that previous estimates put the occurrence of these disorders at around one percent.
	Need to see a psychiatrist? Call your insurance company first Last week, a patient contacted me to find a psychiatrist because his anxiety was beginning to get out of control. He wanted to see someone who could do therapy and prescribe medications if he needed them. I gave him some names but warned him that none of them took insurance. If he wanted to find a psychiatrist that took his insurance, he'd need to call his insurance company to find one.
	Mouse study reveals potential clue to extra fingers or toes Researchers working with mice have uncovered a potential clue to polydactyly a birth defect involving extra fingers on the hand or extra toes on the feet. The researchers have found that a mouse version of polydactyly results from a malfunction of the cellular machinery that processes one of the cell's internal transportation vehicles. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), part of the National Institutes of Health, provided funding for the study.
	Flu season off to a slow start ... for now (HealthDay)—This year's flu season is off to a slow but detectable start. And it appears to be a typical one that's likely to peak in January or February, a leading U.S. health official says.
	Senior-to-senior aggression common in US nursing homes (HealthDay)—Elderly adults who live in nursing homes may commonly deal with aggressive or inappropriate behavior from fellow residents, a new study suggests.
	Hookahs deliver toxic benzene in every puff, study shows (HealthDay)—Many young people consider hookahs a hip and safer way to smoke, but a new study finds fumes from the water pipes contain the toxin benzene.
	In landmark study of cell therapy for heart attack, more cells make a difference Patients who receive more cells get significant benefits. That's a key lesson emerging from a clinical trial that was reported this week at the American Heart Association meeting in Chicago.
Obesity-attributable absenteeism among US workers costs the nation more than $8 billion annually A study conducted by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health shows that obesity costs the U.S. $8.65 billion per year as a result of absenteeism in the workplace —more than 9% of all absenteeism costs. The consequences of obesity among the working population go beyond healthcare and create a financial challenge not only for the nation but for individual states as well. Findings are published online in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Digoxin associated with higher risk of death and hospitalization Digoxin, a drug commonly used to treat heart conditions, was associated with a 71 percent higher risk of death and a 63 percent higher risk of hospitalization among adults with diagnosed atrial fibrillation and no evidence of heart failure, according to a Kaiser Permanente study that appears in the current online issue of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
	Study finds that rejecting unsuitable suitors is easier said than done You're at a slumber party with your friends. One friend asks "if a guy at school asked you out, but you weren't really attracted to him, would you go?" You laugh and shake your head no: "Why would I, if he's not my type?"
	Self-regulation intervention boosts school readiness of at-risk children, study shows An intervention that uses music and games to help preschoolers learn self-regulation skills is helping prepare at-risk children for kindergarten, a new study from Oregon State University shows.
Research shows anti-HIV medicines can cause damage to fetal hearts A study by a Wayne State University and Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Medical Center research team is shedding new light on the troubling question of whether the drugs often given to HIV-positive pregnant women can cause significant long-term heart problems for the non-HIV-infected babies they carry.
	Cuban doctor arrives in Switzerland for Ebola aid A Cuban doctor who contracted Ebola in Sierra Leone arrived in Switzerland for treatment and was able to walk off the transport plane, a Geneva medical official said Friday.
Results of new drug, ASP8273, show response in patients with treatment-resistant NSCLC In a second presentation looking at new ways of treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has both the EGFR and T790M mutations, researchers will tell the 26th EORTC-NCI-AACR Symposium on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in Barcelona, Spain, that an oral drug called ASP8273 has caused tumour shrinkage in patients in a phase I clinical trial in Japan.
Effectiveness of campaigns addressing violence against women and girls examined Levels of violence against women and girls—such as female genital mutilation, trafficking, forced marriage and intimate partner violence—remain high across the world despite the global attention the issue has received. The focus needs to shift to preventing violence, rather than just dealing with the consequences, according to a new series on violence against women and girls published Friday in The Lancet.
Turkey launches crackdown on synthetic drug 'bonzai' Turkey is launching an "all-out war" against the use of bonzai, a synthetic drug which has become a serious social problem in the country, the health minister said Friday.
Two dead from Ebola-like Lassa fever in Benin: officials Two people have died in Benin from the Ebola-like virus Lassa fever, the country's government and a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Friday.
Bird flu found on three more Dutch farms Dutch officials have detected bird flu on three more farms, but cannot yet say if the strains are a highly contagious variety discovered earlier this week, officials said Friday.
	Study shows dire consequences from elevated HIV cases among US black gay men Despite efforts to reduce disparities in HIV transmission among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States by optimizing treatment outcomes, significant racial disparities in HIV prevalence will likely persist for decades due to an alarmingly high concentration of HIV in black gay men, a new report finds.
	New medical device to make the mines safer Dehydration can be a serious health issue for Australia's mining industry, but a new product to be developed with input from Flinders University's Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) is set to more effectively help mine managers implement their health and safety policies.
WHO confirms DR Congo Ebola-free status The World Health Organization confirmed Friday that the Democratic Republic of Congo was Ebola-free, as 42 days had passed since the last case in an outbreak that killed at least 49 people.
Mental disorders due to permanent stress Activated through permanent stress, immune cells will have a damaging effect on and cause changes to the brain. This may result in mental disorders. The effects of permanent stress on the immune system are studied by the research group headed by Prof Dr Georg Juckel at the LWL university clinic at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB). The RUB's science magazine "RUBIN" reports on their research.
Immunotherapy set to revolutionise cancer treatment Immunotherapy is set to revolutionise the treatment of cancer, according to ESMO President Professor Rolf A. Stahel. His comments come as the ESMO Symposium on Immuno-Oncology 2014 is about to open in Geneva, Switzerland (21-22 November)
	Helping babies survive A healthy baby is born in the Haydom Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania. She is given the name Precious and her proud mother is ready to take her back to the village. Many children born in the same hospital, or in other places in low and middle-income countries, are not as fortunate as Precious.
Heterosexuals in Kent become the highest group diagnosed with HIV Findings of a recent international research project, undertaken by academics at Christ Church University, show that more heterosexuals, both men and women, are diagnosed with HIV than men who have sex with men.
	Research team treats brain injuries in mice using bone marrow stem cells and antioxidants Researchers of CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU-UCH) for the first time transplanted bone marrow stem cells into damaged brain tissue while applying lipoic acid (a potent antioxidant), with the aim of improving neuroregeneration in the tissue. This new way of repairing brain damage, which combines cellular treatment with drug therapy, has shown positive results, especially in forming blood vessels (a process called angiogenesis) in damaged areas of the brains of adult laboratory mice. Angiogenesis is a process that is essential to the recovery of damaged neural tissues. The investigation was led by José Miguel Soria López, deputy director of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at CEU-UCH, and its results were published in the international medical journal Brain Injury.
Possibilities for personalised vaccines revealed at ESMO Symposium The possibilities for personalised vaccines in all types of cancer are revealed today in a lecture from Dr Harpreet Singh at the ESMO Symposium on Immuno-Oncology 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
New model of follow up for breast cancer patients Public health researchers from the University of Adelaide have evaluated international breast cancer guidelines, finding that there is potential to improve surveillance of breast cancer survivors from both a patient and health system perspective.
Type 2 diabetes: Added benefit of canagliflozin plus metformin is not proven The fixed combination of canagliflozin with metformin (trade name: Vokanamet) has been approved since April 2014 for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in whom diet and exercise do not provide adequate glycaemic control. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) now examined in a dossier assessment whether the new drug combination offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy. No such added benefit can be derived from the dossier, however, because the manufacturer did not present any suitable data for any of the possible subindications.
Update on new treatments for liver diseases Cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two serious liver conditions with limited pharmacological treatments. The December issues of AGA's journals—Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Gastroenterology—highlight important updates into treatments for these two debilitating diseases.
Portugal declares end to deadly Legionnaire's disease outbreak An outbreak of Legionnaire's disease at a Lisbon suburb that has killed 10 people and infected over 300 others over the past two weeks has ended, Portugal's health minister said Friday.
	AMA: Hospital staff should consider impact of CMS rule (HealthDay)—Hospital medical staff members need to consider the impact of a final rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that revised the conditions of participation for hospitals and made two major changes to the hospital governance, according to an article published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
Immune checkpoint inhibitors may work in brain cancers New evidence that immune checkpoint inhibitors may work in glioblastoma and brain metastases was presented today by Dr Anna Sophie Berghoff at the ESMO Symposium on Immuno-Oncology 2014 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ebola death toll rises to 5,459: WHO The World Health Organization said Friday that 5,459 people had so far died of Ebola out of a total 15,351 cases of infection in eight countries since late December 2013.

Biology news

	Plant immunity comes at a price Plants are under permanent attack by a multitude of pathogens. To win the battle against fungi, bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, they have developed a complex and effective immune system. And just as in humans, this can also overshoot its target when some of the plant's own proteins are mistakenly identified as foreign. Such autoimmune reactions can lead to tissue defects and growth arrest, and is particularly apparent in hybrids, where two divergent immune systems meet. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tübingen, Germany, have now pinpointed the most common culprits for autoimmunity. Surprisingly, these are components of the immune system itself, which are mistakenly recognized by other immune receptors as intruders.
	Nail stem cells prove more versatile than press ons There are plenty of body parts that don't grow back when you lose them. Nails are an exception, and a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) reveals some of the reasons why.
	Amazon frogs found to build mental maps of their local area (Phys.org) —A quartet of researchers with the University of Vienna has found that the brilliant-thighed poison frog is able to build a mental map of its immediate surroundings and use it to navigate. The finding, the team reports in their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, suggests that such frogs have the mental ability to understand the environment in which they live.
	Mysterious glowworm found in Peruvian rainforest (Phys.org) —Wildlife photographer Jeff Cremer has discovered what appears to be a new type of bioluminescent larvae. He told members of the press recently that he was walking near a camp in the Peruvian rainforest at night a few years ago, when he came upon a side of exposed earth upon which there were many little green glowing dots. Taking a closer look, he found that each dot was in fact the glowing head of a worm of some sort. He posted pictures of what he'd found on Reddit which were eventually spotted by entomologist Aaron Pomerantz, with the Tambopata Research Center. After contacting Cremer, Pomerantz made a pilgrimage to see the worms, gathered some samples and set to work studying them. Shortly thereafter, he determined that the worms were the larvae of an unknown type of beetle, likely a type of click beetle.
	Life's extremists may be an untapped source of antibacterial drugs One of the most mysterious forms of life may turn out to be a rich and untapped source of antibacterial drugs.
Scientists develop 3-D model of regulator protein bax Scientists at Freie Universität Berlin, the University of Tubingen, and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) provide a new 3D model of the protein Bax, a key regulator of cell death. When active, Bax forms pores in the membranes of mitochondria, causing the release of proteins from the intermembrane space into the cytoplasm. This in turn triggers a series of operations ending in cell death, which are often impaired in cancer cells.
	Revolutionizing the interaction between plants and bacteria Production of legumes, such as lentils, beans, peas and chickpeas, important for human nutrition, could increase, thanks to the contributions of a scientific group that revolutionized the study of interactions between plants and microorganisms at the University of Salamanca in Spain, leaded by Martha Trujillo Toledo.
Researchers discover a nitrogen sensor widespread in the plant kingdom Quantitatively, nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for the growth of plant organisms – from simple green algae to highly developed flowering plants. Nitrogen supply is essential for the development of all cell components, and as a good supply results in faster plant growth, it is commonly used as a fertiliser in agriculture. Nitrogen is assimilated in the chloroplasts of plant cells to produce the amino acid glutamine. This molecule serves as a storage form and central distributor that feeds nitrogen into various metabolic pathways. Scientists from the research group of Professor Karl Forchhammer at the Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine have investigated how plants keep track of their nitrogen supply. In cooperation with Dr. Marcus Hartmann at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology and colleagues from the University of St. Petersburg, they discovered that plants possess a sophisticated glutamine sensor. So-called PII signalling proteins act as a "fuel gauge" for the amount of available nitrogen by measuring the glutamine concentration. This information is then used by the plants to precisely control their growth.
	Sonic nets viewed as a safe, humane way to shoo hungry birds Scarecrows have never worked, and history shows that advancements in technology haven't worked much better when it comes to shooing birds away from ripening crops.
	Cameras detect 'extinct' wallabies near Broome Yawuru Country Managers have found a spectacled hare wallaby (Lagorchestes conspicillatus) population, a species which for the last decade was feared to be locally extinct at Roebuck Plains, adjacent to Broome.
	Gene responsible for cholesterol production could lead to potatoes with lower toxin levels In many parts of the world, potatoes are a reliable dietary staple. However, potato plants also produce the toxins solanine and chaconine, which can protect growing sprouts from potential predators such as insects and fungi. These toxins, known as steroidal glycoalkaloids (SGAs), occur at very low levels in the edible tubers, but their levels in green skin and sprouts can be highly poisonous and even deadly to humans.
	Laser scanning accurately 'weighs' trees A terrestrial laser scanning technique that allows the structure of vegetation to be 3D-mapped to the millimetre is more accurate in determining the biomass of trees and carbon stocks in forests than current methods, according to new research involving UCL.
	Cohesin molecule safeguards cell division The cohesin molecule ensures the proper distribution of DNA during cell division. Scientists at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna can now prove the concept of its carabiner-like function by visualizing for the first time the open form of the complex. The journal Science publishes the new findings in its current issue.
Researchers discover natural resistance gene against spruce budworm Scientists from Université Laval, the University of British Columbia and the University of Oxford have discovered a natural resistance gene against spruce budworm in the white spruce. The breakthrough, reported in The Plant Journal, paves the way to identifying and selecting naturally resistant trees to replant forests devastated by the destructive pest.
	Next-door leopards: First GPS-collar study reveals how leopards live with people In the first-ever GPS-based study of leopards in India, led by WCS and partners has delved into the secret lives of these big cats, and recorded their strategies to thrive in human-dominated areas.
	Rare new species of plant: Stachys caroliniana The exclusive club of explorers who have discovered a rare new species of life isn't restricted to globetrotters traveling to remote locations like the Amazon rainforests, Madagascar or the woodlands of the Congo River basin. Just ask professor John Nelson and alumnus Douglas Rayner—they're having their membership cards stamped with a long-hidden plant found nowhere but South Carolina.
	Under threat: Kenya's iconic Nairobi national park It is an image famous in a thousand postcards: giraffe, rhino and zebra pacing the savannah with city skyscrapers towering in the background.
Researchers hope their work will help predict which dogs may get a deadly disease Veterinary researchers at Cummings School are teaming with scientists at Harvard, MIT and Nestlé Purina PetCare to decipher the genetics of bloat, a common cause of death in large dogs.
	The unknown crocodiles Just a few years ago, crocodilians – crocodiles, alligators and their less-known relatives – were mostly thought of as slow, lazy, and outright stupid animals. You may have thought something like that yourself the last time you were in a zoo and saw them lying still for hours, making people wonder if they were alive or made of plastic.
Vermicompost leachate improves tomato seedling growth Worldwide, drought conditions, extreme temperatures, and high soil saline content all have negative effects on tomato crops. These natural processes reduce soil nutrient content and lifespan, result in reduced plant growth and yield, and ultimately translate to lower profits for tomato producers. As an alternative to unsustainable practices such as the use of synthetic fertilizers, producers are looking to environment-friendly soil ameliorants such as verimcompost leachate, an organic liquid produced from earthworm-digested material and casts that occur during the vermicomposting process.
	Polyethylene mulch, glazing create optimal conditions for soil solarization Soil solarization, a process that uses solar radiation to rid the soil of pests, is most common in regions with high solar radiation and high temperatures during the summer season. An alternative to soil fumigation, the process is used either alone or in combination with fumigants. To accomplish solarization, solar radiation is used to passively heat moist soil covered with clear plastic sheeting, with the goal of increasing soil temperatures to the point where they are lethal to soilborne organisms. The effectiveness of solarization is based on the actual maximum soil temperature reached and the amount of time the high temperatures can be sustained.

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