Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jan 14

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 14, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- DNA does design: 3D plasmonic photonic crystals are the first devices prepared by DNA-guided colloidal crystallization
- New idea on how the zebra got its stripes
- Acceleration in sea level rise far larger than initially thought, study shows
- Carbon nanotube finding could lead to flexible electronics with longer battery life
- Meteorite material born in molten spray as embryo planets collided
- Engineers develop graphene-based biosensor that works in three ways at once
- Laser-induced graphene 'super' for electronics
- Sustainability challenged as many renewable resources max out
- Predicting coral reef futures under climate change
- Laser pulses used to track motion of electrons in metals with attosecond precision
- Out of the pouch: Ancient DNA from extinct giant roos
- 'Titin' gene mutations will help identify patients at risk of heart failure
- Artificial intelligence helps physicists predict dangerous solar flares
- Lack of exercise responsible for twice as many deaths as obesity
- Apple, Google reach new settlement in high-tech wage case

Astronomy & Space news

	Meteorite material born in molten spray as embryo planets collided Asteroids may be a byproduct of planet formation rather than planetary building blocks, according to a recent paper in Nature.
	Hubble gazes at R Sculptoris and its hidden companion This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the region around a star known as R Sculptoris, a red giant located 1,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Sculptor. Recent observations have shown that the material surrounding R Sculptoris actually forms a spiral structure—a phenomenon probably caused by a hidden companion star orbiting the star. Systems with multiple stars often lead to unusual or unexpected morphologies, as seen, for example, in the wide range of striking planetary nebulae that Hubble has imaged.
	New exoplanet-hunting telescopes on Paranal The Next-Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) has achieved first light at ESO's Paranal Observatory in northern Chile. This project will search for transiting exoplanets—planets that pass in front of their parent star and hence produce a slight dimming of the star's light that can be detected by sensitive instruments. The telescopes will focus on discovering Neptune-sized and smaller planets, with diameters between two and eight times that of Earth.
	Alarm sends astronauts to shelter at space station (Update) Astronauts at the International Space Station rushed to take shelter Wednesday after a system failure signaled a possible ammonia leak, but NASA said later it was likely a false alarm.
	One of the Milky Way's arms might encircle the entire galaxy Given that our Solar System sits inside the Milky Way Galaxy, getting a clear picture of what it looks like as a whole can be quite tricky. In fact, it was not until 1852 that astronomer Stephen Alexander first postulated that the galaxy was spiral in shape. And since that time, numerous discoveries have come along that have altered how we picture it.
	Asteroid to fly by Earth safely on January 26 An asteroid, designated 2004 BL86, will safely pass about three times the distance of Earth to the moon on January 26. From its reflected brightness, astronomers estimate that the asteroid is about a third of a mile (0.5 kilometers) in size. The flyby of 2004 BL86 will be the closest by any known space rock this large until asteroid 1999 AN10 flies past Earth in 2027.
	Artificial intelligence helps physicists predict dangerous solar flares Solar flares can release the energy equivalent of many atomic bombs, enough to cut out satellite communications and damage power grids on Earth, 93 million miles away. The flares arise from twisted magnetic fields that occur all over the sun's surface, and they increase in frequency every 11 years, a cycle that is now at its maximum.
	NASA launches sounding rockets into auroras to study atmospheric effects The interaction of solar winds and Earth's atmosphere produces northern lights, or auroras, that dance across the night sky and mesmerize the casual observer. However, to scientists this interaction is more than a light a display. It produces many questions of the role it plays in Earth's meteorological processes and the impact on the planet's atmosphere.
	Huygens mission: Ten years at Titan Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the pioneering Huygens mission to Saturn's moon Titan, the first successful landing on an outer Solar System world.
	What other worlds have we landed on? Think of all the different horizons humans have viewed on other worlds. The dust-filled skies of Mars. The Moon's inky darkness. Titan's orange haze. These are just a small subset of the worlds that humans or our robots landed on since the Space Age began.
	Astronauts back in US side of space station; no ammonia leak The astronauts are back in the American side of the International Space Station.
	SOFIA airborne observatory begins 2015 science campaign The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, Program began its third season of science flights on Jan. 13, 2015. SOFIA is NASA's next generation flying observatory and is fitted with a 2.5-meter (100-inch) diameter telescope that studies the universe at infrared wavelengths.
	Fresh supplies and experiments delivered to ISS Yesterday, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore captured the Dragon spacecraft with its supplies and new experiments for the six astronauts living 400 km above our planet.
Video: Exciting space missions ahead for 2015 After a very fruitful 2014, there is no time to rest, another busy space year is already underway.
	Experts explore the medical safety needs of civilian space travel The commercial aviation industry has medical care standards, as does NASA for traditional space missions, and the emerging commercial space transportation industry will need to define medical care practices as well. The unique risks posed by commercial spaceflight warrant the establishment of Medical Levels of Care to account for the different phases of suborbital and orbital missions, as described in an article published in New Space.

Technology news

	Computer model could help anticipate overreactions to disease outbreaks Sometimes the response to the outbreak of a disease can make things worse—such as when people panic and flee, potentially spreading the disease to new areas. The ability to anticipate when such overreactions might occur could help public health officials take steps to limit the dangers.
	Largest-ever study quantifies the value of rooftop photovoltaics A multi-institutional research team of scientists led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkley Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, universities, and appraisers found that home buyers consistently have been willing to pay more for homes with host-owned solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems —averaging about $4 per watt of PV installed—across various states, housing and PV markets, and home types. This equates to a premium of about $15,000 for a typical PV system. The team analyzed almost 22,000 sales of homes, almost 4,000 of which contained PV systems in eight states from 1999 to 2013—producing the most authoritative estimates to date of price premiums for U.S. homes with PV systems.
	Six-legged 'snake monster' is first of new breed of reconfigurable modular robots (w/ Video) (Phys.org)—Carnegie Mellon University's latest robot is called Snake Monster, however, with six legs, it looks more like an insect than a snake. But it really doesn't matter what you call it, says its inventor, Howie Choset—the whole point of the project is to make modular robots that can easily be reconfigured to meet a user's needs.
Apple, Google reach new settlement in high-tech wage case A revised settlement has been reached in a class-action lawsuit alleging Apple and Google conspired with other Silicon Valley companies to block more than 60,000 high-tech employees from getting better job offers.
	Google expects public in driverless cars in two to five years The head of self-driving cars for Google expects real people to be using them on public roads in two to five years.
Pro-IS hackers hijack Facebook page linked to N.Korea airline Hackers declaring support for Islamic State jihadists appeared on Wednesday to have taken over a Facebook page promoting North Korea's state-run airline Air Koryo, deriding the communist nation's leader Kim Jong-Un as a "crying pig".
	What we know about tablets and how your child learns to read A recent US survey commissioned by the children's books publisher Scholastic found that 65% of 6-11 year olds prefer to read print books even when e-books are available on tablets. In the UK, a National Literacy Survey found that children who read stories both on tablets and in print are more likely to have above-average vocabulary than those who read in printed books alone.
	Mathematical model controls a micromanipulation system more accurately A mathematical model can improve the accuracy and repeatability of a positioning system by learning to anticipate tiny errors in its movements, show A*STAR researchers.
	Now Skype can translate for us, why learn a language? New technology has the habit of making certain professions redundant. Power looms put cotton workers out of job, leading to the rise of the Luddites. Word processors put an end to the typing pool. Now free, computerised translation services could put the language teaching profession under threat.
	Engineer explores use of Google Glass to enable better health care Google Glass Explorers are using the novel wearable computers for applications ranging from wildlife preservation and museum tours to precision sports training and on-the-go language translation.
	More reliable software thanks to mathematical demonstrations It is possible to test computer programs using tools borrowed from mathematicians and their famous demonstrations. A team from the EPFL is exploring new territory in this area.
Review: CES shows Internet of Things' potential and challenges The Internet of Things may be in its early stages but it's evolving rapidly - and experiencing some difficult growing pains.
Bitcoin's development plagued by scandal and speculation Several sensational scandals in the United States and abroad have increased U.S. and foreign governments' scrutiny of bitcoin, an expanding digital currency that critics say is ripe for criminal abuse.
Listo app seeks to overcome language barrier for moviegoers While viewing the movie "Iron Man 2" in 2010, Roberto Garcia watched as a man in the audience and a child sitting next to him were kicked out of the theater in Austin, Texas.
Dialing for dollars: Banks use smartphones to eliminate ATM cards Want to see just how profoundly the smartphone can change a trip to the bank ATM?
	Ultra-realistic radiation detection training without using radioactive materials Training of first responders on the hazards of actual radiological and nuclear threats has been challenged by the difficulties of adequately representing those threats.
	Microsoft unveils low-cost smartphones in some markets Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled two new low-cost smartphones aimed at pushing its Windows Phone operating system to users in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
	Offshore wind would boost jobs, energy more than oil: study Developing offshore wind technology in the Atlantic Ocean would produce twice the energy and job growth as drilling for oil would, an environmental group said Wednesday.
	Over 1,000 French sites hacked since Charlie Hebdo attacks More than 1,000 French websites have been targeted by self-described Islamist hackers in the week since the attack by jihadists on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo left 12 people dead, Internet security experts said on Wednesday.
Uber agrees to share passenger trip data with Boston Uber has reached an agreement with Boston to share information about the trips passengers take using its on-demand service, a turnaround for a company that in the past has been reluctant to hand over data to government regulators.
	Obama criticizes state laws that hurt broadband competition Wading into a states' rights dispute over Internet access, President Barack Obama on Wednesday called for the repeal of laws that prevent local communities from creating their own broadband networks.
	Microsoft launches Skype for iOS testing program Microsoft wants users to help make Skype for iOS better.
	Is bitcoin the wave of the future or a dangerous fad? As customers ate lunch at a popular restaurant in Washington's Adams Morgan neighborhood, few had any inkling they were on the front lines of an international monetary war that's featured FBI raids, the Deep Web, allegations of money laundering and millions vanishing in a nanosecond.
BlackBerry denies report of takeover talks after stock spike (Update) BlackBerry Ltd. denied a report Wednesday that said it has had talks with Samsung over a possible takeover of the Canadian company.
	Innovation, optimism on display at Detroit auto show The mood is exuberant at this year's North American International Auto Show. Automakers are flush with profits and the show gleams with performance cars, beefy trucks and exciting experiments, from plug-in hybrids to cars carved by a 3-D printer. Here are some key takeaways from the show, which opens to the public Saturday.
	Large area industrial crystalline silicon n-PERT solar cell with 22 percent efficiency Nano-electronics research center imec announced today that it has improved its large area n-type PERT (passivated emitter, rear totally diffused) crystalline silicon (Si) solar cell on 6" commercially available n-type Cz-Si wafers, now reaching a top conversion efficiency of 22.02 percent (calibrated at ISE CalLab). This is the highest efficiency achieved for this type of 2-side-contacted solar cell on an industrial large area wafer size.
	Charlie Hebdo issues offered on eBay for thousands of euros Copies of the latest edition of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, which sold out within hours across France on Wednesday, are being offered on eBay for thousands of euros, prompting a media watchdog to blast sellers for "indecent" profiteering.
Researchers develop permeable pavements for Nordic conditions In co-operation with industrial partners, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd has developed permeable pavements to reduce the problems caused by storm and runoff water in urban areas. The project also aims to prepare for the higher volumes of rainfall and more intense storms that can be expected in the future. The pavement solutions developed in the project are well suited for areas with low traffic volume, such as car parks, pavements, courtyards, fields and squares. The first Finnish pilots of the surfacing layers will take place in the cities of Espoo, Helsinki, Vantaa and Oulu in the spring of 2015.
Toward nano-powered cars How can electric cars increase their driving range before they need to stop and recharge? Traditional batteries cannot keep up with the high storage demand but the complete redesign of lithium ion batteries open up new possibilities
How to make solar energy systems more widespread Retrofitting existing buildings with adequate cutting-edge technologies is thought to guarantees spectacular energy savings, by about 50%. The objective of the EU funded project BRICKER is precisely to demonstrate such possibility. Luigi Crema, a physicist who is the head of the Applied Research on Energy System (ARES) group at the Bruno Kessler Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to research and controlled by the Province of Trento, in Italy, talks to youris.com about the challenges of applying solar technologies to smart buildings, smart communities and smart cities.
Consumer study reveals widening gap between consumer expectations A new IBM study released today at the 2015 National Retail Federation convention (#NRF15) found that while consumers are growing more enthusiastic about online shopping and digital interaction with retailers, their actual behavior lags behind. The findings, indicating that consumer expectations are not being met, identify clear opportunities for retailers to close the gap and create new loyalty.
	The sound of chirping birds in the control center When the alarm light starts blinking in the control room of a factory, the problem has already occurred. Computer scientists at the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interactive Technology (CITEC) at Bielefeld University and the University of Vienna have developed a method that allows control room staff to monitor several processes at the same time, which enables them to take preventative action. The trick: processes are coded with sounds. Workers hear, for example, whether there is enough material on the conveyor belt and can react before the supply is used up.
	Obama pitching more access to fast Internet President Barack Obama is once again challenging major cable and telephone companies by encouraging the Federal Communications Commission to pre-empt state laws that stifle competition for high-speed Internet service.
Mexican billionaire becomes largest NY Times shareholder The New York Times Co. says Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim is now the largest holder of its publicly traded shares.
Amazon executive hopes for era of peace with publishers The overseer of Amazon.com's Kindle e-book and publishing divisions is preaching peace.

Medicine & Health news

	Possible treatments identified for highly contagious stomach virus Antibiotics aren't supposed to be effective against viruses. But new evidence in mice suggests antibiotics may help fight norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus, report scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Eye surgeon uses stem cells to repair damaged corneas In Hyderabad, India, Sayan Basu is using stem cells in a pilot project to restore the eyesight of patients with damaged corneas. If proven successful, the procedure could mean that Indian citizens can avoid long waiting lists for cornea transplants and avoid eye surgery altogether.
	Lack of exercise responsible for twice as many deaths as obesity A brisk 20 minute walk each day could be enough to reduce an individual's risk of early death, according to new research published today. The study of over 334,000 European men and women found that twice as many deaths may be attributable to lack of physical activity compared with the number of deaths attributable to obesity, but that just a modest increase in physical activity could have significant health benefits.
	'Titin' gene mutations will help identify patients at risk of heart failure A new study has identified genetic mutations that cause the heart condition dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), paving the way for more accurate diagnosis.
	A paradox revealed: Cues associated with infant abuse may help reduce stress in adult brain Neurobiologists at NYU Langone Medical Center and elsewhere have found a surprising and paradoxical effect of abuse-related cues in rat pups: those cues also can lower depressive-like behavior when the rat pups are fully grown.
	One punch to knock out flu: Researcher sees universal flu vaccine ahead The fact that this year's flu shot is not a good match against this year's influenza strain is well known, and has happened before.
Research group identifies GLUT2 protein's role in zebrafish brain development Researchers from the University of Barcelona (UB) have described the key role that GLUT2 protein plays in embryonic brain development in zebrafish. A new article —highlighted on the cover of the January issue of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism— proves that this molecule depletion alters the development of brain basic structures involved in glucose sensing.
	US slipping as global leader in medical research Once the undisputed center of global innovation in medicine, the U.S. is steadily losing ground to Asia and Europe and will, if trends continue, relinquish its leadership in the coming decade. That is the conclusion of an analysis appearing today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	UR tests HIV vaccine pill Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are testing a new oral vaccine to prevent infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The vaccine is unique because it is given as a pill, unlike most HIV vaccines tested to date that have been given as shots.
	Researchers propose new regulations for off-label uses of drugs and devices Off-label use of drugs and medical devices—using approved remedies in unapproved ways—has long been a part of medicine. The practice provides public health benefits but also presents some risks.
	Children of melanoma survivors need better protection from sun's harmful rays UCLA researchers have found that children of melanoma survivors are not comprehensively adhering to sun protection recommendations, despite them being at an increased risk for developing the disease as adults.
	Online registry will help cancer patients preserve their fertility In a world-first, the Randwick Hospitals Campus and UNSW Australia have launched an online registry that will capture a cancer patient's journey from diagnosis through to survivorship, and which can be used to help them plan for a family.
Study challenges notions of Australian men's openness to counseling Australian men have a reputation for being macho and practical, but when it comes to using phone helplines most men just want to talk about their feelings, according to researchers at the University of Adelaide.
	Revamped drug may overcome resistance in brain tumours Cancer Research UK scientists have taken steps to overcome drug resistance in glioblastoma, the most common type of brain tumour in adults, according to research published in Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.
	We need new antibiotics to beat superbugs, but why are they so hard to find? We've heard a lot lately about superbugs – bacteria that are resistant to current antibiotics. But as the threat of superbugs continues to rise, the number of new treatments available has flatlined. This has placed us dangerously close to the edge of a return to the pre-antibiotic era, when even simple infections caused death.
	Advance in the development of the first reversible male contraceptive The outer membrane of sperm cells was first described as a result of the work by a Mexican biotechnologist.
	Genetic test classifies kidney cancer Singaporean researchers have developed a genetic test that can reliably identify different subtypes of a specific kind of kidney cancer. The test has the potential to improve treatment, as it can assess a patient's prognosis and likely response to therapy.
Scientists look to heart disease and strokes for clues to treating Alzheimer's A growing body of research suggests that the most common cause of dementia in older people is a mix of vascular and Alzheimer's-related brain abnormalities, and that approximately half of people who die with Alzheimer's also have evidence of strokes in their brains. Furthermore, when strokes and hallmark Alzheimer's plaques and tangles are combined, it increases a person's likelihood of experiencing dementia. Stroke, or as it is known more generally as cerebrovascular disease, occurs with aging and is made worse by conditions like smoking, hypertension or diabetes.
Cardiac specialists recommend donor heart allocation changes A group of leading cardiac specialists has proposed new guidelines for the allocation of donor hearts to patients awaiting transplant. The changes are aimed at improving the organ distribution process to increase the survival rate of patients awaiting transplant and posttransplant.
	For obesity research, self-reported diet and physical activity data too inaccurate Asking patients to self-report their nutrition and physical activity is a common data-collection method used by obesity investigators. But a newly published expert opinion—signed by leading scientists and led by investigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham—says this often misleading information can lead to disappointing research outcomes.
	Teens abusing prescription pills are a growing concern Parents and physicians still aren't doing enough to address the rise of "pharming," or recreational use and abuse of prescription drugs, among teenagers, according to public health researchers at Drexel University.
	Opinion: Will legal marijuana lead to more addicts? At present, cannabis is fully legalized in Colorado and Washington and will soon be fully legalized in Oregon and Alaska. Additionally, medical cannabis is legal in 23 states. The writing is on the wall that more and more states are going to legalize cannabis in various ways and that access will become easier and easier. In the face of this reality, two big questions arise: will cannabis usage skyrocket? Will addiction rates go through the roof?
	Testing for bovine tuberculosis is more effective than badger culls at controlling the disease Modelling produced by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) has found that the only effective potential Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) control strategies are badger culling, cattle testing, controlling cattle movement, and ceasing the practice of housing farm cattle together during winter. The modelling found that in a region containing about 1.5m cows of which 3000 to 15,000 might have TB, badger culling could account for a reduction of 12 in the number of infected cattle. While reducing the testing interval by one month could reduce the number of those infected by 193.
	The math of one-night stands and long-term relationships Popular wisdom and established evolutionary science hold that the sexes seek fundamentally different relationships: men want short-term, no-strings-attached relationships whereas women value longer-term, loyal partnerships.
	You are what you 'like', according to new Facebook personality test Pretty much all of us work with computers these days. The problem with computers is that while they can complete complex calculations and recall distant details, they're terrible at sensing how you're feeling. And that can make them very frustrating.
Total milk intake dropped by nearly half when chocolate milk removed from School program Researchers from the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan measured milk consumption (plain milk and flavoured milk) by children in a sample of Saskatoon elementary schools. This is the first study in a Canadian elementary school population to investigate the impact of removing chocolate milk from schools.
Study links biomarkers to long-term kidney damage and death in critically ill High levels of two novel urinary biomarkers early in critical illness are associated with adverse long-term outcomes in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI), according to an international, multi-center study led by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Researchers. AKI is a condition that often affects those in intensive care and can occur hours to days after serious infections, surgery or taking certain medications.
	Long duration weightlessness in space induces a blood shift In a study published today in The Journal of Physiology, researchers found that in space, the shift of blood and fluid from the lower to the upper body caused by weightlessness is much higher and the blood pressure much lower than previously thought.
	Neck artery stents may not be worthwhile in 'real world' setting (HealthDay)—Placing stents in the neck arteries, to prop them open and help prevent strokes, may be too risky for older, sicker patients, a new study suggests.
The doctor is in … your mobile device It was 11:45 a.m. and Dr. Christopher Bailey's laptop was chirping, indicating a patient was on the line.
Clinical trial examines safety, effectiveness of drug to treat binge eating disorder At some doses, the medication lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a drug approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, was effective compared with placebo in decreasing binge-eating (BE) days in patients with binge-eating disorder (BED), a public health problem associated symptoms of mental illness and obesity and for which there are no approved medications, according to a study published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Patients with advanced colon cancer having less surgery, better survival With the dawn of the modern era of new chemotherapeutic and biologic agents available for managing their disease, patients with metastatic colorectal cancer are undergoing less surgery for the removal of their primary tumors, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Depression, behavioral changes may precede memory loss in Alzheimer's Depression and behavioral changes may occur before memory declines in people who will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Team associates rare gene variants with side effects from chemotherapy with paclitaxel Paclitaxel is a chemotherapeutic drug that has been shown to be highly effective when treating solid tumours, such as breast, ovarian and lung tumours. However, its use frequently causes peripheral neuropathies, neurological problems that affect the vast majority of patients. Symptoms include tingling and pain in the extremities, cramping, muscular weakness and difficulty walking, in addition to others. In severe cases, the severity of these adverse effects mandates dosage reduction, and even stopping the treatment.
	Shoulder to the wheel: Parental intervention improves teen driving Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of teenage death in America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seven 16- to 19-year-olds die every day as a result of injuries incurred from road crashes. But attempts to address the problem through legislation and technological innovation have yielded limited results.
	Scientists develop novel platform for treatment of breast, pancreatic cancer Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have identified a novel synthetic compound that sharply inhibits the activity of a protein that plays an important role in in the progression of breast and pancreatic cancers.
	Advanced 3-D facial imaging may aid in early detection of autism Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders diagnosed in patients who exhibit a shared core of symptoms, including delays in learning to communicate and interact socially. Early detection of autism in children is the key for treatments to be most effective and produce the best outcomes. Using advanced three-dimensional imaging and statistical analysis techniques, researchers at the University of Missouri have identified facial measurements in children with autism that may lead to a screening tool for young children and provide clues to its genetic causes.
People conform to the norm—even if the norm is a computer Often enough it is human nature to conform. This tendency makes us follow the lead of computers, even if the machines give us the wrong advice. This is the finding of a study in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review that investigates how people make judgment calls after playing role-playing video games. The research was led by Ulrich Weger of the University of Witten/Herdecke in Germany.
	Combat veterans' brains reveal hidden damage from IED blasts The brains of some Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans who survived blasts from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and died later of other causes show a distinctive honeycomb pattern of broken and swollen nerve fibers throughout critical brain regions, including those that control executive function. The pattern is different from brain damage caused by car crashes, drug overdoses or collision sports, and may be the never-before-reported signature of blast injuries suffered by soldiers as far back as World War I.
Taking sightlessness for a spin can harm people's attitudes toward blindness Using simulation to walk in the shoes of a person who is blind—such as wearing a blindfold while performing everyday tasks—has negative effects on people's perceptions of the visually impaired, according to a University of Colorado Boulder study.
Potassium salts aid bone health and limit osteoporosis risk, new research finds Latest research from the University of Surrey has found that the potassium salts (bicarbonate and citrate) plentiful in fruit and vegetables, play an important part in improving bone health. For the first time, the results also showed that these potassium salts reduce bone resorption, the process by which bone is broken down, therefore increasing their strength.
	Mutations linked to repair of chromosome ends may make emphysema more likely in smokers Mutations in a gene that helps repair damaged chromosome ends may make smokers—especially female smokers—more susceptible to emphysema, according to results of a new study led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers.
New study reports worsening health conditions increase risk of mortgage default and disclosure The mortgage strain of American home ownership can lead to poor health but a new study finds that the inverse may also be true— changes in health can serve as a predictor to mortgage distress.
	US needs harm-reduction approach to drug use, researcher says The United States' law-and-order approach to reducing the supply of drugs and punishing sellers and users has impeded the development of a public health model that views drug addiction as a disease that is preventable and treatable. A new policy paper from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy advocates that a harm-reduction approach would more effectively reduce the negative individual and societal consequences of drug use.
Health outcomes improve in states where nurse practitioners independently provide care As America's population ages, life spans lengthen and more individuals enroll in insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act, the need for health care professionals will increase. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that the health care market will fall short of demand by 45,000 primary care physicians in 2020. Many states do not allow advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to perform primary care duties to their full potential; however, University of Missouri researchers say APRNs can help relieve the shortage of healthcare workers and expand access to care for underserved populations. In a recently published study, MU Sinclair School of Nursing researchers, Gina Oliver, Lila Pennington, Sara Revelle and Marilyn Rantz, found that quality of health care is improved in states where APRNs are allowed to practice independently.
Platelet transfusions increase odds of death in some rare blood cell disorders People hospitalized with certain rare blood cell disorders frequently receive a treatment that is associated with a two- to fivefold increase in death, according to a new study that reviewed hospital records nationwide. The study authors recommend that for these rare disorders, doctors should administer the treatment, a platelet transfusion, only in exceptional circumstances.
	Brazil approves marijuana derivative for medical treatment Brazil on Wednesday for the first time approved the use of a marijuana derivative to treat people suffering from severe seizures and other conditions.
US approves new weight-loss device for obese people US regulators on Wednesday approved a new kind of pacemaker-like device that aims to help people lose weight by stimulating a nerve that runs from the brain to the stomach.
Debunking aging myths in financial decisions Growing older leaves many with a gloomy prognosis, namely that cognitive aging will slow the mind and the ability to make decisions. However, when it comes to making financial decisions, many baby boomers would be pleased to know that experience, knowledge, and expertise can compensate for the challenges that age-related deterioration present in finance, according to new research from Columbia Business School.The study, "Sound Credit Scores and Financial Decisions Despite Cognitive Aging" recently published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found evidence that "crystallized intelligence," which is gained through experience and accumulated knowledge, can be more important that "fluid intelligence," the ability to think logically and process new information.
Lab creates pint-size weapon in pancreatic cancer fight Long Island scientists have developed miniature pancreatic "organoids" that for the first time provide investigators with living three-dimensional models of the human gland to aid understanding of pancreatic cancer and ways to stop it.
Dangerous 'poppers' contain toxic aerosol chemicals While it is widely known that "huffing" -  inhaling organic solvents or propellants to achieve a "high" - is extremely dangerous, new products being sold as "poppers" and distributed throughout the US,  primarily to men who have sex with men (MSM), actually contain harmful solvents and propellants and pose the same health risks as huffing. In their article titled "Sometimes Poppers Are Not Poppers: Huffing as an Emergent Health Concern among MSM Substance Users", authors Timothy M. Hall MD PhD, Steven Shoptaw PhD, and Cathy J. Reback PhD point out that these products marketed as "poppers" are not equivalent to conventional poppers, which are based on alkyl nitrites and related to the medication amyl nitrite.
More birds culled as Taiwan battles worst avian flu in 10 years A major outbreak of avian flu in Taiwan has spread to 19 more farms with a total of 160,000 birds slaughtered in the island's worst bout of the disease in a decade, authorities said Wednesday.
	Encouraging wheelchair users to become more physically active Many people will have started 2015 with strong intentions to 'get more active', but for individuals with spinal cord injuries the barriers in doing this means living a healthier lifestyle can sometimes be more challenging.
	Sierra Leone president predicts 0 Ebola cases by March end Even as his country registered 19 new Ebola cases over a 24-hour period, Sierra Leone's president is predicting there will be zero new confirmed cases by the end of March.
Saudis organise public run to tackle rising obesity Levels of diabetes and obesity are rising in Saudi Arabia, an official said on Wednesday, as Riyadh announced its first publicly organised run to promote a more active lifestyle.
	Online training to help stop violence against children and young people A ground-breaking set of online training tools will help teachers, youth workers and health professionals across Europe identify and challenge controlling and abusive behaviour against young people.
Dead US soldier did not have Ebola: military A US soldier found dead at his home in Texas after returning from duty in West Africa was not carrying the Ebola virus, the US military said Wednesday.
Unified suite of educational resources designed specifically for the IM clerkship Third-year medical students in the core internal medicine clerkship now have a single integrated suite of educational materials to help them care for patients, prepare for clinical rounds, and study for the end-of-rotation and USMLE Step 2 examinations.
	Egypt's military prosecutor to investigate 'AIDS detector' An Egyptian judicial official says the country's chief prosecutor has asked military prosecutors to investigate a set of devices that inventors said detect and cure AIDS and hepatitis C—a claim widely dismissed by experts in Egypt and abroad.
	Yale YODA Project announces first availability of medical device trial data The Yale University Open Data Access (YODA) Project is announcing the first-ever broad availability of clinical trial data for medical devices and diagnostics by a company. This historic expansion of data sharing is made possible through collaboration with Johnson & Johnson.
	Nemours, Therapy Box create app for kids, adults with speech deficits to use own voices The UK-based Therapy Box has released the first app that allows people who have limited vocal ability or are losing their voices due to ALS and other disabling conditions to replace generic text-to-speech synthesis with a synthesizer based on their own voice. The app breaks new ground via the integration of ModelTalker, a program developed by Tim Bunnell, PhD and colleagues at the Nemours Speech Research Laboratory in Wilmington, DE.
IOM report proposes standards for sharing clinical trial data Stakeholders in clinical trials should foster a culture in which data sharing is the expected norm and commit to responsible strategies aimed at maximizing the benefits, minimizing the risks, and overcoming the challenges of sharing data, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The report lays out recommended guidelines about which data from a clinical trial should be shared and when, such as the analytic data set that supports publication of results should be shared no later than six months after publication and the full analyzable data set should be shared no later than 18 months after study completion or 30 days after regulatory approval.
NIH expands early-stage human testing of infectious disease treatment candidates The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded contracts to three organizations to support early-stage human clinical trials of investigational infectious disease treatments. The new awards for the Phase I Clinical Trial Units for Therapeutics increases the number of funded organizations under the program from two to three, expanding capacity for conducting early safety testing of novel investigational drugs.
Endobronchial forceps effective in retrieval of tip-embedded inferior vena cava filters When retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters were approved for use in the United States in 2003 to prevent pulmonary embolism among patients unable to receive the standard blood thinner treatment, many experts anticipated most of them would be removed when no longer needed and IVC filter complications would decrease. Instead, the number of IVC filters placed has more than doubled in the last 10 years, and by some estimates, less than half of these retrievable devices are actually removed each year. Leaving the devices in place risks filter fracture or symptoms from penetration of filter components outside of the vein into adjacent structures, increased risk of new blood clots in the legs, and other complications.
Spain boosts fight against female genital mutilation Parents in Spain will be asked to sign a declaration promising their daughters will not undergo female genital mutilation when they visit nations where the practice is common, under a new government protocol approved Wednesday.
Ecuadoran beauty queen dies following liposuction A young beauty queen has died in Ecuador after undergoing liposuction surgery that she had received as a prize, her family said, calling the operation a case of medical malpractice.
Cholera kills 20 in Nigeria A cholera outbreak in southern Nigeria's Rivers State has killed 20 people and infected scores more, the state health commissioner, Sampson Parker, said Wednesday.
HIV/AIDS patients in Deep South have lower survival rates The southern U.S. had the nation's lowest five-year survival rate among those diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in 2003-2004, according to new research.
Health overhaul sign-ups edge higher With a month to go in the 2015 open enrollment season, the Obama administration says sign-ups under the president's health care law are edging higher.
Judge overturns home health care wage, overtime rules A federal judge on Wednesday overturned Labor Department regulations requiring overtime and minimum wage protection for 2 million home health care workers.

Biology news

	New idea on how the zebra got its stripes (Phys.org) —A small team of researchers affiliated with the University of California has found little evidence to support prior theoretical explanations of why zebras have evolved to have stripes and instead suggest that temperature appears to be a factor. In their paper published in Royal Society Open Science, the team describes how they tested other theories and found them wanting and instead found temperature variation to be a predictive factor in striping.
	How cells communicate During embryonal development of vertebrates, signaling molecules inform each cell at which position it is located. In this way, the cell can develop its special structure and function. For the first time now, researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have shown that these signaling molecules are transmitted in bundles via long filamentary cell projections. Studies of zebrafish of the scientists of the European Zebrafish Resource Center (EZRC) of KIT revealed how the transport of the signaling molecules influences signaling properties. A publication in the Nature Communications journal presents the results.
	Iron overload disease causes rapid growth of potentially deadly bacteria Every summer, the news reports on a bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus found in warm saltwater that causes people to get sick, or die, after they eat raw tainted shellfish or when an open wound comes in contact with seawater.
Coenzyme A plays leading role in nitric oxide function so essential to cell metabolism Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center researchers and physicians have discovered that the molecule known as coenzyme A plays a key role in cell metabolism by regulating the actions of nitric oxide. Cell metabolism is the ongoing process of chemical transformations within the body's cells that sustains life, and alterations in metabolism are a common cause of human disease, including cancer and heart disease. Their findings about the mechanisms of action for coenzyme A, as well as discovering a new class of enzymes that regulate coenzyme A-based reactions, appear in the Dec. 15 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
DNA analysis reveals origin and dispersal of the microorganism Cyanidiophyceae in Iceland The microbial species assigned to the taxonomic class Cyanidiophyceae display worldwide, but discontinuous, distribution. How they came to be found in some parts of the world is a matter of debate among scientists. The Cyanidiophyceae, unicellular organisms that diverged from ancestral red algae about 1.3 billion years ago, live in hot springs and other geothermal habitats. Scientists are using DNA sequences to discover biogeographic patterns of these microorganisms, as shown by a study in the journal Phycologia.
	Scientists discover new species of legless amphibian in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains Scientists have discovered a new species of legless amphibian in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains.
	Scientists study effects of La Nina on frogs in tropical Costa Rica Extreme climate events such as an El Niño or La Niña weather patterns can wreak havoc on global economies, health systems, and plant and animal communities. In tropical Costa Rica, where rainfall is usually abundant, researchers from the University of New Mexico and the University of Costa Rica (UCR) set out to study the effects of a record-breaking La Niña event on frogs in their natural habitat.
Bet-hedgint dry forest resilience to climate-change threats New research shows that the most significant current threat to western dry forests is from insect outbreaks and droughts, not wildfires; and historically abundant small trees offer the greatest hope for forest survival and recovery after these events. Dry forests are low-elevation western forests with tall pines. The study used government records of insect and wildfire damage to compare current threats to dry forests and used records from land surveys conducted in the late-1800s to understand how dry forests persisted for thousands of years in spite of insect outbreaks, droughts, and fires. These forests persisted, this study suggests, by having both young and old trees that together provided bet-hedging.
	For sea turtles, there's no place like magnetic home Adult sea turtles find their way back to the beaches where they hatched by seeking out unique magnetic signatures along the coast, according to new evidence from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
How E. coli passes safely through stomach acid In some parts of the world, many small children become infected with severe diarrhea which often proves fatal. The condition is usually caused by strains of Escherichia coli (commonly known as E. coli) bacteria, and bacteria of the genus Yersinia. These bacteria attach themselves to the wall of the small intestine and use a needle-like apparatus to inject toxins into the tissue. Yet these bacteria usually enter the human body via the mouth – and you would expect them to be killed off by the strong acid in the stomach, which provides a barrier against infection.
	Captive breeding alters snail behaviour Research published today in the Journal of Molluscan Studies carried out by Dr Sarah Dalesman, Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow at Aberystwyth University's IBERS, and James Liddon (University of Exeter) has discovered that rearing snails in the laboratory can cause important changes in their behaviour.
Root hydraulic conductance linked to trees' post-transplant recovery Survival of field-grown trees grown for transplanting into landscapes depends on many factors, such as transplant timing and tree size. Species-specific characteristics also contribute to trees' ability to withstand and survive environmental stresses. In a newly published study researchers report on the relationship between tree roots' hydraulic conductance—the roots' ability to take up water from a growing medium and transport the water to other parts of a tree—and post-transplant recovery. The study was also designed to determine whether size and transplant timing affects trees' transplant recovery.
Sweet potato leaves a good source of vitamins Sweetpotato is known to be a good source of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and certain B vitamins that are considered essential to human health. Besides the commonly consumed root of the plant, certain tissues in sweetpotato are also edible and high in nutritional value. Although studies have confirmed that water-soluble vitamins exist in sweetpotato roots and leaves, there has been limited information about how these vitamins are actually distributed in the plants. Wilmer Barrera and David Picha from Louisiana State University Agricultural Center published a research study in HortScience that shows that mature and young leaves of sweetpotato can provide significant amounts of vitamin B6 and other essential vitamins.
	Climate and friends influence young corals choice of real estate Researchers in Australia have found that where baby corals choose to settle is influenced by ocean temperature and the presence of their symbiotic algae in the water.
Early protection, fungicide effectively reduce downy mildew in basil Sweet basil, a consumer favorite culinary herb, has a tough adversary. Downy mildew caused by the fungus Peronospora belbahrii has become the most devastating disease of basil plants grown in the United States. Discovered in Uganda in 1933, the first outbreak of downy mildew in the U.S. occurred in Florida in 2007. The disease has since spread to more than 30 states in the U.S., making many commercially produced basil crops unsuitable for the fresh market; some long-time basil growers in Florida even stopped basil production in 2013 on the heels of disastrous crop losses attributed to downy mildew. Jaimin Pate, Shouan Zhang, and Maria Costa de Novaes of the University of Florida discovered several solutions to this challenging problem in their research on the effect of basil plant age and fungicide applications to control downy mildew. The study in HortScience contains vital information that may help basil growers revitalize produ! ction of the popular herb.
Abscisic acid treatments can prevent tomato blossom-end rot Plants are subjected to numerous environmental stresses—drought, extreme temperatures, and excess light can all affect plant growth and quality. Looking for methods to improve the quality of tomato plants, researchers at the University of Tennessee turned to abscisic acid, a plant hormone known to help plants acclimate to these types of severe environmental stresses. The research results and recommendations for growers were published in HortScience.
	California unveils strictest rules on pesticide California farmers now must abide by the nation's strictest rules for a widely used pesticide in a change designed to protect farmworkers and people who live and work near agricultural fields but is likely to raise prices on produce.
Helicopter parenting better for pets than for kids Helicopter parenting may not be the best strategy for raising independent kids. But a healthy measure of clinginess and overprotectiveness could actually be advantageous when rearing dogs and cats, according to new research from UC Berkeley and California State University, East Bay.
Report: Tests of ballast water treatment systems are flawed Government-sanctioned tests of equipment designed to cleanse ship ballast water of invasive species are seriously flawed because they don't determine whether the systems will remove microbes that cause gastrointestinal illnesses, scientists said Wednesday.
The anatomy of petal drop in sunflowers Despite their consumer popularity as cut flowers, some sunflowers are difficult to market because of their tendency to lose petals soon after their flowers open. This characteristic, "petal drop", which in some varieties can occur within a day of the flowers' opening, ruins the appearance of sunflowers and damages their market value. Sunflower growers interested in finding cultivars that are less prone to this condition have had limited information about petal drop, but a new study in the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science contains findings can inform both sunflower breeding programs and consumers' choices.
Native grasses identified for use in western US urban landscapes As natural resources dwindle across the globe, low-maintenance and low-input plant materials are gaining favor for use in urban landscapes. The popularity of ornamental grasses for use in landscapes, parks, median strips, parking lot borders, and for erosion control on slopes is increasing steadily. These ornamental plants are an integral part of ecological systems worldwide, offering aesthetic value and significant economic benefits. A team of scientists from the US Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service and Utah State University evaluated a collection of native fine-leaved Festuca for the grasses' potential use in urban landscapes in the western US. The research revealed a variety of native grasses suitable for these purposes.
New non-destructive device measures root growth in smaller plants Researchers from North Carolina State University's Department of Horticultural Science recently introduced a new apparatus called the "mini-Horhizotron", a device used to non-destructively measure treatment and substrate effects on plant root growth in greenhouse production. "The mini-Horhizotron was designed to measure root growth of small plant material such as seedlings, herbaceous plugs, or woody plant liners normally grown in containers less than 3.8 L," explained corresponding author Leslie Judd.
	Ted Turner ranch aims to aid endangered black-footed ferrets A more than half-million-acre ranch that straddles the New Mexico-Colorado border and is owned by media mogul Ted Turner has asked for permission to import black-footed ferrets.
	US auctioneer fined $1.5 million for selling rhino horns A Florida auction house owner pleaded guilty to selling illegal rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory and will pay a $1.5 million fine as well as face possible jail time, US authorities said Wednesday.

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