Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Feb 4

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 4, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Study shows cockroaches have individual personalities that impact group dynamicscockroaches
- Why do our photoreceptors respond to light by turning off?
- Researchers reprogram plants for drought tolerance
- Cheap and abundant chemical outperforms precious metals as a catalyst
- Engineers create smartphone accessory for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases—HIV and syphilis—at point of care
- The brain's social network: Nerve cells interact like friends on Facebook
- Artificially intelligent robot scientist 'Eve' could boost search for new drugs
- Study suggests similarity between how pigeons learn the equivalent of words and the way children do
- Stay or stray? Study delves into sexual behaviour
- US proposal seeks to head off Internet 'fast lanes' (Update)
- X-ray pulses uncover free nanoparticles for the first time in 3-D
- How eyes reveal the brain's focus
- Brain marker hints at depression, anxiety years later
- New catalyst uses light to convert nitrogen to ammonia
- Eero Wi-Fi system aims to conquer dead zones, buffering

Astronomy & Space news

	VISTA stares right through the Milky Way A new image taken with ESO's VISTA survey telescope reveals the Trifid Nebula in a new light. By observing in infrared light, astronomers can see right through the central parts of the Milky Way and spot many previously hidden objects. In one of the VISTA surveys, astronomers have discovered very distant Cepheid variable stars. They are the first such stars found that lie in the central plane of the Milky Way beyond its central bulge.
	New Horizons returns new images of Pluto (Phys.org)—Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh could only dream of a spacecraft flying past the small planet he spotted on the edges of the solar system in 1930. Yet the newest views of Pluto from NASA's approaching New Horizons probe – released today, on the late American astronomer's birthday – hint at just how close that dream is to coming true.
	Progress toward the understanding of the galactic structure Researchers at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias are studying the evolution and formation of hundreds of close galaxies and have just published new scientific images.
	Rare images of red sprites captured at ESO At the ESO's observatories located high in the Atacama Desert of Chile, amazing images of distant objects in the Universe are captured on a regular basis. But in January 2015, ESO photo ambassador Petr Horálek captured some amazing photos of much closer phenomena: red sprites flashing in the atmosphere high above distant thunderstorms.
	Scientists predict earth-like planets around most stars Planetary scientists have calculated that there are hundreds of billions of Earth-like planets in our galaxy which might support life.
	How do cats deal with being weightless? Since my previous post was about dogs, its time to give equal time to the cats … although I'm guessing the cat lovers of the world won't have a great reaction to this one. Here's some footage from some the Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories which include a test of the effects of weightlessness on cats in a C-131 "vomit comet" that simulates weightlessness. Best I can tell, this research was done in 1947. Think of it in the same vein as all those weird tests the early astronauts had to endure.
	This is what war (and borders) look like from space There's an oft-used idiom that you can't see political borders from space, but we've known for a while it's no longer true. Between higher resolution cameras and the increase in human activity, there have been several examples of borders visible from space. Here's one more.

Technology news

	Artificially intelligent robot scientist 'Eve' could boost search for new drugs Eve, an artificially-intelligent 'robot scientist' could make drug discovery faster and much cheaper, say researchers writing in the Royal Society journal Interface. The team has demonstrated the success of the approach as Eve discovered that a compound shown to have anti-cancer properties might also be used in the fight against malaria.
	High-speed images capture patterns by which raindrops spread pathogens among plants Farmers have long noted a correlation between rainstorms and disease outbreaks among plants. Fungal parasites known as "rust" can grow particularly rampant following rain events, eating away at the leaves of wheat and potentially depleting crop harvests.
	Alibaba deploys drones to deliver tea in China Echoing US online retailer Amazon, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba on Wednesday tested a drone delivery service, promising to whisk ginger tea to customers within an hour despite close controls on airspace.
	Showing the 3D-printed brick way to cool a room How about cooling a room with a 3D-printed ceramic "Cool Brick" using only water? This is an example of how 3D printing technology can take advantage of a known approach called evaporative cooling, which, long before refrigeration came on the scene, was used.
	Floating wind turbines bring electricity where it's needed It's a balloon that lifts a wind turbine. That's the easiest way to describe the technology being developed by Altaeros Energies, led by Ben Glass, inventor and CEO of the young company. Glass has reimagined the possibilities of balloon and airship technology to lift a wind turbine.
	US proposal seeks to head off Internet 'fast lanes' (Update) The top US telecom regulator proposed Wednesday to regulate broadband Internet service providers as "public utility" carriers, in a renewed effort to enforce "net neutrality" rules.
	Eero Wi-Fi system aims to conquer dead zones, buffering The makers of a sleek-looking white box called Eero are pointing out that this is no router—it's a Wi-Fi system with features that are capable of blanketing every inch of your home with speedy coverage. With Eero, you create a network easily. "Pick up your phone, type in your name and password, you're done," said its promotional video. An Eero comes with built-in Bluetooth, which allows the Eero app to connect with your first Eero for setup. A set of three Eeros covers a typical home. They connect to create a mesh network for a home with reliable Wi-Fi. After you plug your first Eero into your existing cable or DSL modem; additional ones just need power from a standard outlet. The app helps place them for optimal Wi-Fi coverage. The team said the setup takes under 60 seconds with "no Ethernet wiring or IT degree required." The distinctive aspect of Eero is that the Eeros work together to form a mesh network, a technology familia! r in enterprise settings.
	China tightens rules on Internet use, online comments China announced Wednesday that users of blogs and chat rooms will be required to register their names with operators and promise in writing to avoid challenging the Communist political system, further tightening control over Internet use.
	Sony trims full-year loss forecast to $1.4 billion (Update) Sony Corp. trimmed its forecast of losses and gave a figure for damages from the Sony Pictures hack, but said it would suffer no significant harm from the cyberattack in the long run.
	'Sharing economy' reshapes markets, as complaints rise Want to make a bit of extra cash driving strangers around in your car, taking care of someone's dog, renting your apartment or cooking a meal?
FutureGen to be shut down after feds withdraw $1B in funding Coal companies working with the government on the long-planned $1.65 billion FutureGen clean-coal project said Tuesday they have no choice but to shut it down after the Department of Energy suspended the majority of its funding.
	The Fine Print: Unlimited data plans have limits With cellular-data plans, unlimited doesn't really mean unlimited. Some carriers threaten to slow down speeds after heavy use or curb how much you can stray from their own networks.
	Investors' appetite for startups fed by stock market gains Some Entrepreneurs looking for startup funding got a wad of money near the end of last year, but there are concerns the boom may not last.
	Yahoo gains search share thanks to Firefox In December, Yahoo replaced Google as the default search engine on the Firefox browser. The result: Yahoo's highest market share numbers in more than five years.
Energizer turns to recycled materials to power up its battery business Consumers will soon have the option to power their radios, remote controls and other devices with AA and AAA batteries made from recycled battery materials, an industry first that Energizer Holdings says will pave the way for all its batteries to be made with recycled material.
Drone maker plans software to block Washington flights The Chinese maker of a drone that a hobbyist crashed at the White House says it is taking steps to ensure that cannot happen again.
A wave of financial tech firms is shaking up the world of banking Digital technology and pervasive access to the internet have reshaped many industries, and banking is no exception: Hampden and Co is the latest in a short but growing list of digital-only banks built not of bricks and mortar, safes and strongboxes, but which instead operate entirely virtually in the realm of cloud computing.
Understanding air pollution from biomass burners used for heating As many places in the U.S. and Europe increasingly turn to biomass rather than fossil fuels for power and heat, scientists are focusing on what this trend might mean for air quality—and people's health. One such study on wood-chip burners' particulate emissions, which can cause heart and lung problems, appears in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels. The scientists say the findings could help manufacturers reduce the negative impact of this fuel in the future.
	To catch a drone: Govts seek ways to counter tiny fliers What's the best way to counter an unwelcome drone: a bigger, faster drone, laser guns, sky-high netting or devices that block remote controls?
3-D printers to make human body parts? It's happening It sounds like something from a science fiction plot: So-called three-dimensional printers are being used to fashion prosthetic arms and hands, jaw bones, spinal-cord implants - and one day perhaps even living human body parts.
Nadella wraps up first year as Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's first year at the helm of Microsoft is in the books.
ARM CEO sets sights on servers, Internet of Things Just about everyone knows about PCs that have Intel inside. But you may actually own more devices now that have ARM inside.
Beijing-based Xiaomi is fast emerging as the Apple rival to watch It wasn't long ago that everybody wondered whether Apple Inc. could effectively compete against a tough bunch of homegrown smartphone makers in China.
Review: Sling TV a promising new take on pay TV, but needs work I really like the idea of Sling TV - and a lot of other folks might appreciate a twenty-buck pay TV bill as well - but right now, Dish's new low-cost TV service requires too many compromises for me and probably for you, too.
Man convicted of operating underground website Silk Road A San Francisco man was swiftly convicted Wednesday of creating and operating an underground website that prosecutors said enabled drug dealers around the world to reach customers they would never find on the street.
Q&A: Some things to know about Internet open-access proposal After being swamped with heated opinions on both sides of the issue, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has finally released a proposal to overhaul Internet regulation in an effort to ensure everyone has equal access to all legal content available online.
	Sony says studio hack cost $15M, trims loss forecast Sony Corp. trimmed its forecast of losses and estimates the Sony Pictures hack cost it about $15 million, but expects no significant harm from the cyberattack in the long run.
	US to destroy its largest remaining chemical weapons cache The United States is about to begin destroying its largest remaining stockpile of chemical-laden artillery shells, marking a milestone in the global campaign to eradicate a debilitating weapon that still creeps into modern wars.
	Japan hacker jailed after cat-and-mouse game with police A Japanese hacker who hijacked computers in order to issue death threats, leading to the arrest of several innocent people, was jailed on Wednesday for his high-stakes games of cat and mouse with police.
NY jury preparing to decide fate of Silk Road creator Prosecutors say a San Francisco man enabled drug dealers worldwide to reach customers they would never find on the street through the underground website Silk Road, but a defense lawyer says the 30-year-old was set up by manipulated evidence.
TechDay startup expo coming to Los Angeles A sprawling showcase of tech startups expects to draw more than 5,500 people in June to its first Los Angeles event.
	Imec introduces new snapshot hyperspectral image sensors with mosaic filter architecture At next week's SPIE Photonics West 2015, imec will present a new set of snapshot hyperspectral CMOS image sensors featuring spectral filter structures in a mosaic layout, processed per-pixel on 4x4 and 5x5 'Bayer-like' arrays.
	Improved planning for the evacuation of buildings A simulation software from Siemens can analyze people's behavior in emergency situations. The software known as "Crowd Control" calculates how individuals or crowds will behave and move in emergencies. The program allows experts to observe and optimize evacuation and rescue measures in advance and in real time. Making such improvements is one of the most complex tasks that security officers have to perform.
	Developing radically new technologies for X-ray systems Siemens is investigating entirely new concepts for X-ray systems. The aim is to achieve a radical increase in imaging resolution and to enable phase-contrast X-ray imaging. This entirely new technique helps, for instance, in the identification of tumors. Moreover, examinations involving cardiovascular diseases can be carried out without contrast agents. Nearly one out of ten patients suffer from allergic reactions to these substances. A multi-year R&D project, which is scheduled to run until 2017, brings together experts from Siemens Healthcare und Corporate Technology and includes external partners. An article on this subject is now available on the online magazine Pictures of the Future.
	Bringing open source cameras to the film-making industry What had started off as a handful of enthusiasts' bid to build the first open digital cinema, camera, AXIOM, from scratch has now become a platform for film-makers, creative industry professionals, artists and enthusiasts – and they have just received good news.
Supercapacitors poised to help boost vehicle fuel efficiency Unlike slow and steady batteries, supercapacitors gulp up energy rapidly and deliver it in fast, powerful jolts. A growing array of consumer products is benefiting from these energy-storage devices, reports Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, with cars and trucks—and their drivers—poised to be major beneficiaries.
	China, Argentina agree on work for new nuclear power plants Chinese and Argentine leaders on Wednesday signed a batch of agreements, including collaboration on two new nuclear power plants, as Beijing is strengthening its relations with the South American country.
	'Kim Kardashian' game maker Glu creating Katy Perry game Glu Mobile, the developer of the popular "Kim Kardashian: Hollywood" game, said it will develop a new mobile game with singer Katy Perry.

Medicine & Health news

	Why do our photoreceptors respond to light by turning off? (Medical Xpress)—An enduring neurobiological mystery is why do vertebrate rods and cones shut down their transmitter release in response to a light stimulus. If that particular question is too broad, then consider a slight refinement: why do we use two kinds of hyperpolarizing detectors in our retina while invertebrates like flies use a single depolarizing photoreceptor instead? That might be something we could answer, if only our understanding of invertebrate phototransduction was as complete as that of our own. Fortunately, a theory which ties together some of the absent details has been conveniently supplied in a recent review article in Current Opinion in Neurobiology.
	The brain's social network: Nerve cells interact like friends on Facebook Neurons in the brain are wired like a social network, report researchers from Biozentrum, University of Basel. Each nerve cell has links with many others, but the strongest bonds form between the few cells most similar to each other. The results are published in the journal Nature.
	Engineers create smartphone accessory for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases—HIV and syphilis—at point of care A team of researchers, led by Samuel K. Sia, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia Engineering, has developed a low-cost smartphone accessory that can perform a point-of-care test that simultaneously detects three infectious disease markers from a finger prick of blood in just 15 minutes. The device replicates, for the first time, all mechanical, optical, and electronic functions of a lab-based blood test. Specifically, it performs an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) without requiring any stored energy: all necessary power is drawn from the smartphone. It performs a triplexed immunoassay not currently available in a single test format: HIV antibody, treponemal-specific antibody for syphilis, and non-treponemal antibody for active syphilis infection.
New study details how cocaine really works in the brain, suggests possibile addiction treatment A research team led by the University of Colorado Boulder has discovered a mechanism in the brain that is key to making cocaine seem pleasurable, a finding that could lead to a drug treatment for fighting addiction.
	How eyes reveal the brain's focus Whether you're taking a test or walking your dog across a busy street, your ability to tune out irrelevant sights and sounds in the environment—or your openness to detecting potential dangers—is crucial for success and survival.
	Brain marker hints at depression, anxiety years later A car accident, the loss of a loved one and financial trouble are just a few of the myriad stressors we may encounter in our lifetimes. Some of us take it in stride, while others go on to develop anxiety or depression. How well will we deal with the inevitable lows of life?
Newly discovered protein has link to gestational diabetes For at least 40 years, scientists who study how the body metabolizes sugar have accepted one point: there are four enzymes that kick-start the body's process of getting energy from food.
	Scientists call for antibody 'bar code' system to follow Human Genome Project (Update) More than 100 researchers from around the world have collaborated to craft a request that could fundamentally alter how the antibodies used in research are identified, a project potentially on the scale of the now-completed Human Genome Project.
	Research on life expectancy in fruit flies opens up a new line of inquiry into longevity Some studies on the genetic roots of aging will need a second look after the discovery that a common lab chemical can extend the life span of female fruit flies by 68 percent.
	An extra protein gives naked mole rats more power to stop cancer A protein newly found in the naked mole rat may help explain its unique ability to ward off cancer.
	Potential pancreatic cancer treatment could increase life expectancy Pancreatic cancer cells are notorious for being protected by a fortress of tissue, making it difficult to deliver drugs to either shrink the tumor or stop its growth. Now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a device that could change all that: By using electric fields, the device can drive chemotherapy drugs directly into tumor tissue, preventing their growth and in some cases, shrinking them.
	Compound found in grapes, red wine may help prevent memory loss A compound found in common foods such as red grapes and peanuts may help prevent age-related decline in memory, according to new research published by a faculty member in the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
	Healthy diet linked to lower risk of chronic lung disease Eating a diet rich in whole grains, polyunsaturated fats and nuts—and low in red and processed meat, refined grains and sugary drinks—is associated with a lower risk of chronic lung disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD), finds a study published in The BMJ this week.
	One in two people in UK will get cancer, study says One in two people will develop cancer at some point in their lives, according to the most accurate forecast to date from Cancer Research UK, and published in the British Journal of Cancer today.
Oxygen uptake in respiratory muscles differs between men and women during exercise Muscles necessary for breathing need a greater amount of oxygen in women than in men, according to a study published today in The Journal of Physiology.
	Study finds link between early menopause and CFS A newfound link between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and early menopause was reported online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). This link, as well as links with other gynecologic problems and with pelvic pain, may help explain why CFS is two to four times more common in women than in men and is most prevalent in women in their 40s. Staying alert to these problems may also help healthcare providers take better care of women who may be at risk for CFS, say the authors of this population-based, case-control study.
Politicians debate vaccines as US faces measles outbreak US President Barack Obama and American health authorities appealed to the public to vaccinate their children as the country faces an outbreak of measles due to some parents believing vaccines against deadly diseases are dangerous.
Novartis Japan facing penalty over drug side effects Japanese health authorities said Wednesday that they will soon make a decision on a possible penalty against the local unit of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis for failing to report drug side effects.
	Delay in funds may have helped Ebola spread, study says Delays by international donors in providing money promised to fight Ebola may have allowed the disease to spread, driving up the amount of the final bill, a study said Wednesday.
Try, try again: More apps joining anti-smoking arsenal You don't need a crystal ball to make this projection about the future: Ditching the cigarettes is - and will likely continue to be - the single most important thing you can do for your health.
Debate heats up over safety of electronic health records Department of Health and Human Services officials said Tuesday that the safety benefits of electronic health records far outweigh any potential problems, but critics say regulators are pushing health care providers to use them while downplaying the risks to patients.
	Tips provided for transitional care management code usage (HealthDay)—In an article published Dec. 18 in Medical Economics, information is provided on transitional care management (TCM) codes and how to implement a process to use these codes.
	Review: hormonal Rx not indicated as acne monotherapy (HealthDay)—Hormonal therapy is recommended for treatment of acne in patients who do not respond to standard therapies, according to a review published online Jan. 27 in the British Journal of Dermatology.
	58 million Americans exposed to secondhand smoke: CDC (HealthDay)—Although fewer Americans are smoking and more communities have smoke-free laws, 58 million nonsmokers are still being exposed to secondhand smoke, U.S. health officials said Tuesday.
Researchers question treatment of infertility with stem cells New studies by Swedish researchers at institutions including the University of Gothenburg and Karolinska Institute are questioning the notion that infertility can be treated with stem cells.
	Newborn foals may offer clues to autism Veterinary researchers at the University of California, Davis, are teaming up with their colleagues in human medicine to investigate a troubling disorder in newborn horses and are exploring possible connections to childhood autism. The common link, the researchers suggest, may be abnormal levels of naturally occurring neurosteroids.
	New research finds link between telomere length and lung disease Brigham Young University biologist Jonathan Alder has a startling secret he doesn't freely share: he knows when most of us are going to die.
	Researchers use Blue Waters supercomputer to understand gene expression in the brain The release of the film, "Still Alice," in September 2014 shone a much-needed light on Alzheimer's disease, a debilitating neurological disease that affects a growing number of Americans each year.
High risk of bowel cancer for gene carriers Researchers from the University of Melbourne have found that screening for bowel cancer in genetically high-risk populations should begin early.
New immunotherapy study will pit PD-1 inhibitor against advanced lung cancer Penn Medicine researchers have begun a new immunotherapy trial with the "checkpoint inhibitor" known as pembrolizumab in patients with oligometastatic lung cancer—a state characterized by a few metastases in a confined area—who have completed conventional treatments and are considered free of active disease but remain at a high risk for recurrence.
	Mathematics to reveal the secrets of the brain Ten years ago, when the team of Marianne Fyhn and Torkel Hafting Fyhn cooperated with the Nobel Prize winning team of May-Britt and Edvard Moser at NTNU, they discovered the sense of orientation in the brain.
	Food for thought University of Tsukuba researchers discover an exciting new link between nutrition and development in fruit flies that involves a direct association between the brain and parts of the insect organ secreting the important hormone. It helps to explain when and how caterpillars turn into butterflies and may help us to understand how and when children develop into adults.
	Understanding the origins and function of CD14+ immune cells Dendritic cells and macrophages are immune cells that orchestrate diverse immune functions within many body tissues, including the skin. New work by A*STAR researchers and colleagues shows that CD14+ cells in the skin—long classified as dendritic cells—are actually macrophages derived from blood monocytes which means they operate differently within the human immune system.
Researchers discover key to lung cancer's spread In a breakthrough in the understanding of how cancer spreads, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified a substance secreted by lung cancer cells that enables them to metastasize, beginning their deadly march to other sites in the body. By blocking that process in lab studies, the researchers were able to confine cancer cells to a single tumor site, offering hope that drugs could one day block the spread of cancers in people.
	A protein on which two molecular pathways converge could be the key to new cancer therapies Two molecular pathways—one that causes cancer and one that protects against it—compete to control cellular levels of one protein, according to a new study by A*STAR researchers and colleagues.The finding highlights a central role for the protein in cancer, and could lead to new therapies.
	Study seeks to understand why Virginia girls aren't getting HPV vaccine Virginia was one of the first states in the union to pass legislation mandating the human papillomavirus vaccine for sixth-grade girls in an effort to prevent cervical cancer and other types of sexually transmitted cancers. But in the years since the measure's 2008 passage, opt-outs have been more the rule than the exception.
	Lymph node removal presents higher lymphoedema risk Cancer patients who have had lymph nodes removed or damaged due to surgery or treatments have an increased risk of developing secondary lymphoedema—a debilitating swelling of the limbs.
Information sheet can help women avoid pregnancy and acne medication-related birth defects An information sheet for women being treated for severe acne improves understanding of contraceptive effectiveness and ways to avoid pregnancy and medication-induced birth defects, a study published today in JAMA Dermatology has found.
Five-year outcomes following bariatric surgery in patients with BMIs of 50 to 60 The bariatric surgical procedure biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch resulted in more weight loss and better improvement in blood lipids and glucose five years after surgery compared with usual gastric bypass surgery but duodenal switch was associated with more long-term surgical and nutritional complications and more adverse gastrointestinal effects, according to a report published online by JAMA Surgery.
Different mental disorders cause same brain-matter loss, study finds In a study analyzing whole-brain images from nearly 16,000 people, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine identified a common pattern across a spectrum of psychiatric disorders that are widely perceived to be quite distinct.
	Study looks to tap strengths of ADHD students People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), some studies suggest, are more creative and more willing to take risks. Those traits are exactly what the field of engineering needs, say a team of researchers, but the traditional model of teaching is driving away potential pioneers in the field.
Time-based training can decrease impulsivity, research finds A study conducted by researchers at Kansas State University is the first to demonstrate increases in both self-control and timing precision as a result of a time-based intervention. This new research may be an important clue for developing behavioral approaches to treat disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, substance abuse and obesity.
	Brain waves indicate listening challenges in older adults The elderly often complain about hearing difficulties, especially when several people are talking all at once. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig have discovered that the reason for this does not just concern the ear but also changes in the attention processes in the brain of older people. Particular importance is attached to the alpha waves whose adaption to altered hearing situations improves speech comprehension in everyday situations.
Hepatitis C more prevalent than HIV/AIDS or Ebola yet lacks equal attention More than 180 million people in the world have hepatitis C, compared with the 34 million with HIV/AIDS and the roughly 30,000 who have had Ebola. Yet very little is heard about the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the way of awareness campaigns, research funding or celebrity fundraisers.
	How early do children's brains distinguish objects and movement? Human beings are born with a visual system already predisposed to see (and mentally representing) objects as discrete perceptual units. Movement is an important visual feature, but how early in a child's development is it represented independently from the object itself? And what function does this skill serve in the development of cognitive abilities? Research conducted with the collaboration of SISSA, and published in Cognition, shows that this skill develops very early in infancy. Not only: its presence in mice suggests a genetic basis for it.
	Crucial role of breast cancer tumour suppressor revealed A new study led by José Javier Bravo-Cordero, Spanish researcher at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, details how cells with low levels of the profilin 1 protein in breast tumours increase their capacity to metastasise and invade other tissues.
	Humans are wired for prejudice but that doesn't have to be the end of the story Humans are highly social creatures. Our brains have evolved to allow us to survive and thrive in complex social environments. Accordingly, the behaviors and emotions that help us navigate our social sphere are entrenched in networks of neurons within our brains.
	FDA approves high-tech breast imaging system After more than a decade of development and data-gathering—including breast scans on nearly 700 women and 79 patents issued—the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a breast-cancer imaging system invented by a University of Rochester Medical Center professor.
	Researchers reprogram tumor's cells to attack itself Inserting a specific strain of bacteria into the microenvironment of aggressive ovarian cancer transforms the behavior of tumor cells from suppression to immunostimulation, researchers at Norris Cotton Cancer Center and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth have found. The findings, published in OncoImmunology, demonstrate a new approach in immunotherapy that can be applied in a variety of cancer types.
	Drinking green tea before taking supplements may offer protection from toxicity As high doses of green tea extract supplements for weight loss become more popular, potential liver toxicity becomes a concern. In the last decade, dozens of people have been diagnosed with the condition. However, drinking green tea in the weeks before taking supplements likely reduces risk, according to researchers in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
	Lung cancer now top cancer killer for women in rich nations For the first time, lung cancer has passed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths for women in rich countries.
Researchers identify peptide that reduces urge to eat Researchers have identified a peptide and hormone that when administered to a specific area of the brain may reduce the desire for food. The study, which appears in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, may one day lead to medications that treat obesity and binge eating disorders.
	Brain scans predict effectiveness of talk therapy to treat depression UNC School of Medicine researchers have shown that brain scans can predict which patients with clinical depression are most likely to benefit from a specific kind of talk therapy.
Unnecessary antibiotics frequently given for respiratory infections in outpatient settings A new study found 45 percent of patients with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were inappropriately prescribed antibiotics in an outpatient practice of general internal medicine and family medicine. The study was published in the February issue of Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA).
Rapid and unexpected weight gain after fecal transplant A woman successfully treated for a recurrent Clostridium difficile infection with stool from an overweight donor rapidly gained weight herself afterwards, becoming obese, according to a case report published in the new journal Open Forum Infectious Diseases.
	Kidney images reveal the secrets of how organ develops Striking images reveal new insights into how the kidney develops from a group of cells into a complex organ.
	Scientists find more DNA and extra copies of disease gene in Alzheimer's brain cells Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found diverse genomic changes in single neurons from the brains of Alzheimer's patients, pointing to an unexpected factor that may underpin the most common form of the disease.
Opioid and heroin crisis triggered by doctors overprescribing painkillers According to researchers at Brandeis University, the University of North Florida and Johns Hopkins University, policymakers must look beyond painkiller abuse, also called non-medical use, in their efforts to reduce opioid overdose deaths. In a comprehensive investigation, the scientists show that since 2002, new cases of non-medical abuse have declined, yet painkiller overdose deaths have soared; evidence, they say, that recreational use of painkillers is not a key driver of the opioid crisis. The authors suggest that policymakers should instead focus on preventing new cases of opioid addiction caused by both medical and non-medical use and expanding access to opioid addiction treatment.
	Mining the immune systems of Ebola survivors for therapeutic gold Does the blood of Ebola virus disease survivors contain antibodies and immune cells that could help doctors fight Ebola infections in other people?
	Anti-epilepsy drug preserves brain function after stroke New research suggests that an already-approved drug could dramatically reduce the debilitating impact of strokes, which affect nearly a million Americans every year.
	Premature babies grow out of asthma Large-scale Danish study from the University of Copenhagen shows that premature babies grow out of the asthma which they are likely to develop in early life.
Bioengineered miniature structures could prevent heart failure The delivery of tiny biodegradable microstructures to heart tissue damaged by heart attack may help repair the tissue and prevent future heart failure. A team led by cardiovascular researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) bioengineered the microstructures to be the same size, shape and stiffness as adult heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, with the goal of releasing biologically active peptides that act as cardioprotective agents.
	E-cigarette exposure impairs immune responses in mouse model, new research finds In a study with mice, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers have found that e-cigarettes compromise the immune system in the lungs and generate some of the same potentially dangerous chemicals found in traditional nicotine cigarettes.
	Disneyland measles outbreak isn't largest in recent memory The largest U.S. measles outbreak in recent history isn't the one that started in December at Disneyland. It happened months earlier in Ohio's Amish country, where 383 people fell ill after unvaccinated Amish missionaries traveled to the Philippines and returned with the virus.
	Scripps offers new treatment for peripheral artery disease A doctor at Scripps Green Hospital this week became the first in California to use a new drug-coated balloon to treat peripheral artery disease in a patient since regulatory approval of the IN.PACT Admiral device in January by the Food and Drug Administration.
	Paramedics may be first source of treatment for stroke patients, study finds In the first study of its kind, a consortium led by UCLA physicians found that paramedics can start medications for patients in the first minutes after onset of a stroke. While the specific drug tested, magnesium sulfate, did not improve patient outcomes, the research has resulted in a new method to get promising treatments to stroke patients quickly.
	Americans confused about cancer risks (HealthDay)—Fewer than half of Americans are aware that some major lifestyle factors can affect their cancer risk, a new survey suggests.
	Imaging tests may help stem amputations for circulatory disorder (HealthDay)—Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) who face amputation of a foot or leg can have their limb saved by minimally invasive surgery to improve blood flow, a new study suggests.
	Money tops Americans' list of stressors (HealthDay)—Money continues to be the leading cause of stress for Americans, a new survey finds.
	Monounsaturated fatty acids may improve adipose dysfunction (HealthDay)—Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) may reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue, according to research published online Jan. 27 in Diabetes.
Study identifies factors predicting infection risk in patients with serious burns A team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has identified a set of characteristics - including differences in gene expression - that may indicate which patients recovering from severe burns are at greatest risk for repeat infections. The ability to predict the risk of infection before it occurs would indicate which patients should receive preventive treatment and should reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics in those at low risk.
	Final results of the HIV prevention study VOICE published Researchers who conducted VOICE, a major HIV prevention trial involving more than 5,000 women in Africa, describe the study's primary results in this week's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), outlining in detail how the three products tested were safe but overall not effective in preventing HIV.
Recent gut and urinary tract infections may curb risk of rheumatoid arthritis Recent gut and urinary tract infections may curb the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, suggests research published online in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Fifteen million unwanted pregnancies a year caused by underuse of modern contraception Fifteen million out of 16.7 million unwanted pregnancies a year could be avoided in 35 low- and middle-income countries if women had the opportunity to use modern methods of contraception, according to a study that applies to about one-third of the world's population.
Staff turnover and complaints in mental health trusts could be suicide warning signs Researchers from The University of Manchester's National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness investigated whether suicides were related to the way mental health services were organised based on staff and patient surveys, national databases and other records. Their report "Healthy Services and Safer Patients" is based on 13,960 patient suicides from 2004-12.
Obama dismissive as US House votes to repeal 'Obamacare' US House Republicans took the increasingly routine step Tuesday of voting to repeal "Obamacare," a seemingly doomed effort that President Barack Obama ridiculed as making "absolutely no sense."
	Anxiety over Supreme Court's latest dive into health care Nearly five years after President Barack Obama signed his health care overhaul into law, its fate is yet again in the hands of the Supreme Court.
Only a third of Ebola aid pledges delivered: study Only about a third of the $2.89 billion (2.52 billion euros) in aid money pledged to fight Ebola was actually delivered as of December 31, according to an analysis in the British Medical Journal.
How do "graduation" ceremonies effect addiction treatment? As 64 percent of Americans entering addiction treatment are repeat patients, many health care professionals have questioned the significance of addiction graduation ceremonies. In a new article published in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, addiction clinician and researcher Izaak L. Williams explores this disconnect and its origins in the treatment context.
Shocking new figures show Indigenous child removal crisis is getting worse New figures from the Productivity Commission show a huge spike in the number of Indigenous children being removed from their families by child protection agencies across Australia.
	Novel concept for HIV and cancer vaccines A team of specialists from the Institute of Biomedical Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is developing a vaccine against HIV / AIDS and cancer. An experimental trial has demonstrated success by inducing serum in mice and has been highly neutralizing towards those ailments.
Making equal access to cancer treatment a priority Access to treatment and care is a fundamental right of any patient. Yet despite the fast rate of new agent development, there are still astounding inequalities in the availability of and accessibility to cancer medications across Europe. On World Cancer Day 2015, ESMO confirms its commitment to acknowledging this patient right and highlights our collaborative efforts towards improving access for all.
Ebola-hit Sierra Leone's schools to reopen on March 30 Sierra Leone said on Wednesday it would reopen the country's schools on March 30, after a seven-month shutdown to limit the spread of the Ebola virus.
	Drugmaker Merck posts spike in 4Q profit, beats forecasts Drugmaker Merck & Co.'s fourth-quarter profit skyrocketed to $7.32 billion, skewed by an $11.2 billion gain from selling its consumer health business to Germany's Bayer AG.
	Detecting cancer through breath analysis Although it is possible to detect diseases by studying a person's breath, this is by no means an easy task. However, scientists in the New Technology Field for Chemical and Optical Systems at Siemens Corporate Technology have become specialists in professionally capturing people's breath and analyzing the molecules it contains. Their goal is to detect diseases such as lung cancer merely on the basis of the breath's composition, and to do so when the illness is still at an early stage and therefore easier to treat.
	Samsung premium ultrasound system enhances fetal heart imaging and diagnosis Samsung Electronics America today introduced the Samsung WS80A with Elite performance package, its flagship ultrasound product for women's healthcare designed to streamline exam workflows and deliver exceptional image clarity. This high resolution premium system offers enhanced diagnostic capabilities and expanded 5D features – including a new 5D Heart application – building on Samsung's WS80A platform.
The Affordable Care Act is another way to ration health care The Affordable Care Act has enabled millions of previously uninsured people to obtain health insurance at reasonably low rates and has fixed some of the most vexing – and unfair – peculiarities in the US commercial insurance market. It has eliminated lifetime coverage caps and denials for coverage because of pre-existing conditions, to mention just two of the most popular reforms.
Ebola drug study canceled due to declining cases Doctors Without Borders says that human testing on a potential Ebola drug is being stopped because there aren't enough patients because of a decline in Ebola cases.
	Advancing the validation of new markers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's A team at the Institute of Neurosciences, joint centre of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) in Elche and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has published a paper titled "Heteromers of amyloid precursor protein in cerebrospinal fluid" in the online edition of the journal Molecular Neurodegeneration. This project studies the validation of new biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The head researcher is Javier Sáez Valero, Professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the UMH.
Drugs giant GSK says net profits plummet in 2014 GlaxoSmithKline's net profits almost halved last year, hit partly by a large Chinese fine following a bribery probe, the British drugmaker said Wednesday.
Bariatric surgery may reduce life expectancy for super obese diabetic patients Bariatric surgery improves life expectancy for many obese diabetic patients, but it may cut life expectancy for patients who are super obese with very high body mass indexes, according to a University of Cincinnati researcher.
Panel passes abortion, stem cell research ban bills A bill to further restrict abortion in Oklahoma and another to make embryonic stem cell research illegal both cleared a House committee on Wednesday, despite concerns from a doctor on the panel.
Is surgery a viable treatment option for patients age 80-plus with acute spinal conditions? As the number of Americans age 80 and older continues to rise, so does the percentage of patients with acute spinal conditions. A new study appearing in the February 4th issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS) found significant benefit from surgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis with and without degenerative spondylolisthesis—debilitating spinal conditions causing leg and back pain, numbness and weakness—and no higher overall complication rate and no higher mortality for patients age 80 and older when compared to patients younger than age 80.
Number of new Ebola cases rises for first time in 2015: WHO The weekly number of new Ebola cases registered across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone rose in the last week of January, marking the first hike in 2015, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
	Supreme Court's new health law case cuts both ways The Supreme Court is taking another look at President Barack Obama's health care law, and this time it's not just the White House that should be worried.
Internal tissue adhesive approved (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first tissue adhesive for internal use.
	California lawmakers aim to limit vaccine exemptions California lawmakers proposed legislation Wednesday that would require parents to vaccinate all school children unless a child's health is in danger, joining only two other states with such stringent restrictions.

Biology news

	Stay or stray? Study delves into sexual behaviour Scientists said Wednesday they had amassed the first evidence to back theories that people fall into two broad categories—promiscuity or faithfulness—when it comes to sex.
	Study shows cockroaches have individual personalities that impact group dynamicscockroaches (Phys.org) —A team of researchers working at Université libre de Bruxelles has found that not only do cockroaches have unique individual personalities, but their differences can also have an impact on group dynamics. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes the experiments they conducted as part of their study and why what they learned might help explain why roaches are so good at surviving in different types of environments.
	Researchers reprogram plants for drought tolerance Crops and other plants are constantly faced with adverse environmental conditions, such as rising temperatures (2014 was the warmest year on record) and lessening fresh water supplies, which lower yield and cost farmers billions of dollars annually.
	Study suggests similarity between how pigeons learn the equivalent of words and the way children do The more scientists study pigeons, the more they learn how their brains—no bigger than the tip of an index finger—operate in ways not so different from our own.
	Machine learning offers insights into evolution of monkey faces Computers are able to use monkey facial patterns not only to correctly identify species, but also distinguish individuals within species, a team of scientists has found. Their findings, which rely on computer algorithms to identify guenon monkeys, suggest that machine learning can be a tool in studying evolution and help to identify the factors that have led to facial differentiation in monkey evolution.
	Biologists find tropical wasps attack intruders with unfamiliar faces Researchers at Queen Mary University of London in collaboration with the University of Florence, have discovered that a species of tropical wasps can memorize the faces of members of their colony and will attack any individual with an unfamiliar face. These wasps can also recognize the smell of their nestmates, but pay more attention to the unique facial patterns in their species when considering whether an individual is friend or foe.
	Researchers conduct study to determine impact of using drones to study birds (Phys.org)—A team of researchers working in various parts of France has conducted a study to determine the impact on birds when researchers use drones to study or watch them. In their paper published in Royal Society Biology Letters, the team describes the experiments they carried out and offer suggestions based on what they learned to others planning to use drones in their bird studies.
What studies into male birds tell us about reproduction in later life Studies into male birds that produce offspring well into their old age could deepen concerns over the trend for delaying parenthood until later in life, for both men and women.
	Bacterial adaptive defenses could aid in disease prevention Bacteria have a sophisticated means of defending themselves, and they need it: more viruses infect bacteria than any other biological entity.
	Scientists discover viral 'Enigma machine' Researchers have cracked a code that governs infections by a major group of viruses including the common cold and polio.
	Culture shock: Are lab-grown cells a faithful model for human disease? Cell cultures used in biology and medical research may not act as a faithful mimic of real tissue, according to research published in Genome Biology.
	'Arabian Ark' helps save wildlife from extinction Oryx, giraffes and cheetahs roam an "Arabian Ark" nature reserve on a desert Gulf island where species once facing extinction in the region are making a comeback.
	A rare new plant inspires the first genus named after Sir David Attenborough A new genus and species of flowering plants from the custard apple family, Annonaceae, has been discovered in the jungles of Gabon by French and Gabonese botanists. The extraordinary genus was named Sirdavidia, after Sir David Attenborough to honour his influence on the life and careers of the scientists who discovered it. The study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys.
	Complete genomes from single cells still elusive DOE Joint Genome Institute researchers review the status of single-cell genomics, and how close scientists are to being able to reconstruct an individual cell's genome.
	Ingenious fine-tuning of plant photosynthesis Malgorzata Pietrzykowska has investigated the specific roles of the two most abundant membrane proteins on Earth, Lhcb1 and 2. Both of them are responsible for light harvesting which is the basis of photosynthesis, the process which sustains life on Earth by providing the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat. She defends her thesis at Umeå University on Friday 6 February.
	Hormone sensitive gene regulation in seasonal singing birds Nature lovers are fascinated by the increasing number of singing birds when spring is approaching. Scientists also take advantage of this seasonal phenomenon because they are able to investigate the underlying mechanism, however the evolutionary and molecularbiological background is largely unknown. A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen and from the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have now identified the genome of the canary. With these data they were able to decipher the evolution of hormone-sensitive gene regulation in seasonal singing birds.
	A bright-yellow new species of water frog from the Peruvian Andes Scientists discovered a new water frog species from the Pacific slopes of the Andes in central Peru. The discovery was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
	Lonely zoo orca in Florida gets 'endangered' protection Lolita, a captive orca that has spent more than four decades in an aquarium tank, deserves the same endangered species protection as her wild relatives, officials said Wednesday.
	New method to assess hormone metabolite concentrations in wildlife research Measuring hormone metabolites in urine and faeces are essential for studies in wildlife conservation. Scientists from the German Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) developed a new method with which they can match metabolite concentrations obtained from different measurements during long-term studies or from analyses carried out in different laboratories. The study has been published in the scientific journal "Methods in Ecology and Evolution".
	How happy and healthy is your rabbit? Rabbits are the UK's third most popular pet, after cats and dogs, with around 1.7 million kept as pets but very little is known about their quality of life. A new University of Bristol study has found although many pet rabbits are happy and healthy several issues, including living alone or with unsuitable animals, affect many rabbits.
What is the benefit of protected European areas for reptiles and amphibians? In a new project of the University of Twente, researchers of the faculty ITC will be studying how much reptiles and amphibians are protected by the network of European protected areas which are together called the Natura 2000 network. Natura 2000 areas cover almost 20% of the land surface of the 28 member states. They already make a major contribution to the economy of Europe by providing a vital range of goods and (ecosystem) services that contribute to jobs and human wellbeing.
	Pigeon pageant for beautiful birds dispels 'rats with wings' Dogs aren't the only animals that vie for best in show. Hundreds of breeds of pigeons compete in their own version of the Westminster show, strutting on long, thick legs or fluttering curly, lacy feathers in their bid to be best bird.
Birds cleaned of mysterious gray goo to return to shorelines A second batch of birds that have recovered after getting covered in a mysterious gray substance will be released back onto San Francisco Bay Area's shorelines.

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