Science X Newsletter Friday, Aug 28

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 28, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Sign language recruits the same neural systems as spoken language
- Artificial leaf harnesses sunlight for efficient fuel production
- Seeing quantum motion
- Study shows female frogs susceptible to 'decoy effect'
- Is Hawking any closer to solving the puzzle of black holes?
- Soil-dwelling fungi study shows extent of worldwide distribution
- Just how good (or bad) is the fossil record of dinosaurs?
- New technique could enable design of hybrid glasses and revolutionize gas storage
- Researchers use DNA 'clews' to shuttle CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool into cells
- Laboratory research mimics blast-induced brain trauma in soldiers
- Beyond royal jelly: Study identifies plant chemical that determines a honey bee's caste
- New 'Tissue Velcro' could help repair damaged hearts
- The alien within: Fetal cells influence maternal health during pregnancy (and long after)
- New synthetic tumor environments make cancer research more realistic
- How programming term search turned into his first day at Google

Astronomy & Space news

	Is Hawking any closer to solving the puzzle of black holes? Stephen Hawking said something! And again the international media is all a'buzz.
	Astronaut Andreas to try sub-millimetre precision task on Earth from orbit Early September will see the very first force-feedback-based teleoperation of a rover-based robotic arm system on Earth from the International Space Station, orbiting 400 km above our heads.
	60 days and 60 nights in bed On 9 September, the first of 12 men will go to bed for 60 days as part of important research into stopping the wasting effects that spaceflight has on the human body. Although they may be putting their feet up, it is set to be a far from relaxing experience.
	China rocket parts hit villager's home: police, media Debris from a rocket carrying a Chinese satellite into orbit crashed into a villager's home minutes after the launch, local police and media reports said.
	NASA concludes series of engine tests for next-gen rocket NASA has completed the first developmental test series on the RS-25 engines that will power the agency's new Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on missions deeper into space than ever before.
	Orbital ATK on the rebound with Antares return to flight in 2016 Orbital ATK is on the rebound with return to flight of their Antares rocket slated in early 2016 following the catastrophic launch failure that doomed the last Antares in October 2014 on a resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station (ISS).
	Ice giants at opposition It seems as if the planets are fleeing the evening sky, just as the Fall school star party season is getting underway. Venus and Mars have entered the morning sky, and Jupiter reaches solar conjunction this week. Even glorious Saturn has passed eastern quadrature, and will soon depart evening skies.
	Russia launches Proton rocket with British satellite (Update) Russia on Friday successfully launched a Proton rocket with a British satellite in the first such launch since an engine failure in May resulted in a Mexican satellite being destroyed.
	Hawaii Supreme Court hears Mauna Kea telescope case Hawaii's Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case involving building one of the world's largest telescopes on Mauna Kea.
	The dwarf planet Quaoar The vast Kuiper Belt, which orbits at the outer edge of our solar system, has been the site of many exciting discoveries in the past decade or so. Otherwise known as the Trans-Neptunian region, small bodies have been discovered here that have confounded our notions of what constitutes a planet and thrown our entire classification system for a loop. Of these, the most famous (and controversial) discovery was undoubtedly Eris.

Technology news

	How programming term search turned into his first day at Google Google is seldom boring; its hiring strategies can be as refreshing as its product launches. One would assume you get any job through a job board, website with relevant listings or through recruiters, hoping to be asked for a resume, portfolio of some sort and three references. Cut to Google.
	Smart home heating and cooling Smart temperature-control devices—such as thermostats that learn and adjust to pre-programmed temperatures—are poised to increase comfort and save energy in homes.
	Smallest 3-D camera offers brain surgery innovation To operate on the brain, doctors need to see fine details on a small scale. A tiny camera that could produce 3-D images from inside the brain would help surgeons see more intricacies of the tissue they are handling and lead to faster, safer procedures.
	What human emotions do we really want of artificial intelligence? Forget the Turing and Lovelace tests on artificial intelligence: I want to see a robot pass the Frampton Test.
	Wind-powered train travel is on Dutch rail schedule Can the Dutch rail network run on wind? Julian Turner, writing in Railway-technology.com, reported that the Dutch rail network will run entirely on renewable wind energy by 2018.
Messaging app Line says still considering IPO Popular Japanese messaging app Line said Friday it was still considering plans for an initial public offering, after a report said it had shelved the sale for a second year in a row.
Pentagon funding new high-tech venture Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Friday that the Pentagon is funding a new venture to develop cutting-edge electronics and sensors that can flex and stretch and could be built into clothing or the skins of ships and aircraft.
	An app to steer clear of Kenya's road hazards The roads in Nairobi are studded with potholes, ditches and other rough spots. There are no signs to warn people driving matatus – the ubiquitous minibuses in the region – of the hazards lying in wait. And in a city of 3.1 million residents, where the state of the roads reflects that of the economy, repair work often only comes in fits and starts. But a new app called CommuniSense, developed with EPFL, intends to change things.
	Researcher magnifies minuscule vibrations in structures to detect damage For Justin Chen, a PhD student in the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), there is more to observe in the built environment than meets the eye. So much more, in fact, that he has designed his entire academic attention CEE to center on structural health monitoring.
	Human mobility can be modelled as mixture of different transportation modes Computer scientists studied human mobility in urban areas from the point of view that mobility can be described as random walk with many short steps and fewer extremely long steps. Combining GPS data with information on transportation modes they model the average movement patterns of mobile users. Understanding of human mobility is important not just for, e.g., tracking epidemic diseases but also in planning sustainable urban areas with functional data resources.
	Turning breath into words – new device unveiled to give paralysis victims a voice A new device which transforms paralysis victims' breath into words – believed to be the first invention of its kind – has been developed by academics from Loughborough University.
Apple's music service losing key player as exec resigns Apple's online music subscription service is losing a key player as millions of listeners near the end of a free three-month trial period that has drawn mixed reviews.
Snapchat adds three more publishers to Discover Snapchat Inc. is adding three more publishers to its Discover feature, a coveted platform for media organizations to share articles and videos as well as generate advertising revenue on the popular social media app.
Amazon Prime Instant Video to launch in Japan next month Netflix isn't the only streaming service that has its sights set on Japan. Rival Amazon will launch Prime Instant Video in the country next month.
Robot wars: Giant robot gears up to battle Japanese rival The hulking, 15-foot-tall robot rests on its tank treads in a West Oakland warehouse, waiting for the coming war against its powerful nemesis across the sea.
Appeals court reverses ruling that found NSA program illegal A federal appeals court on Friday ruled in favor of the Obama administration in a dispute over the National Security Agency's bulk collection of telephone data on hundreds of millions of Americans.
	What's in a billion? Facebook users hit milestone in 1 day A billion people logged in to Facebook on a single day this week, marking the first time that many members used the world's largest online social network in a 24-hour period. The number amounts to one-seventh of the Earth's population.
	After Uber and Airbnb, meal-sharing sites under fire in France First taxis rose up against Uber, then hotels challenged Airbnb and now, restaurants in France are taking on meal-sharing sites they believe create unfair competition and could sap jobs.
	Digital systems smarten up water networks About a quarter of all drinking water is lost on its way to consumers. A new type of online platform equipped with networked measuring devices, sensors, and pumps, promises to provide the information needed to improve efficiency.
	Ashley Madison CEO steps down in wake of hacking The CEO of the company that runs adultery website Ashley Madison is stepping down in the wake of the massive breach of the company's computer systems and outing of millions of its members.
	Nothing but water: Hydrogen fuel cell unit to provide renewable power to Honolulu port A new chapter in clean energy is starting in Hawaii. At Young Brothers Ltd.'s Port of Honolulu facility, Sandia National Laboratories is leading the Maritime Hydrogen Fuel Cell project to test a hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered generator as an alternative to conventional diesel generators.

Medicine & Health news

	Sign language recruits the same neural systems as spoken language (Medical Xpress)—Sign languages such as American Sign Language (ASL) comprise the same structural characteristics as spoken language, including tight grammatical constraints and rich expressiveness. Nonetheless, because its grammatical features are conveyed via gestures, some researchers have compared elements of sign language to the non-lexical, symbolic gestures that often accompany spoken language. Specifically, they have focused on so-called "classifier constructions," also known as "verbs of motion," which, in sign languages, include a root expressing the motion event, morphemes marking the manner and mode of direction, and a classifier that specifies the semantic category, such as "vehicle."
	The alien within: Fetal cells influence maternal health during pregnancy (and long after) Parents go to great lengths to ensure the health and well-being of their developing offspring. The favor, however, may not always be returned.
	Closing the loop with optogenetics An engineering example of closed-loop control is a simple thermostat used to maintain a steady temperature in the home. Without it, heating or air conditioning would run without reacting to changes in outside conditions, allowing inside temperatures to vary dramatically.
	Laboratory research mimics blast-induced brain trauma in soldiers Researchers have developed a procedure to mimic in laboratory experiments a form of brain trauma commonly seen in combat veterans, and findings suggest a new diagnostic tool for early detection and a potential treatment.
	New 'Tissue Velcro' could help repair damaged hearts Engineers at the University of Toronto just made assembling functional heart tissue as easy as fastening your shoes. The team has created a biocompatible scaffold that allows sheets of beating heart cells to snap together just like Velcro.
Goth teens could be more vulnerable to depression and self-harm Young people who identify with the goth subculture might be at increased risk of depression and self-harm, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.
	Researchers use brain scans to predict response to antipsychotic medications Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered that brain scans can be used to predict patients' response to antipsychotic drug treatment. The findings are published online in the latest issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.
	Contact lens makers take fight over price law to court Contact lens makers struggled Thursday to defend their pricing policies in a federal appeals case that could have wide-ranging effects on the $4 billion industry.
	Amgen wins approval for second biotech cholesterol drug Amgen Inc. has won federal approval for the second medicine in a new class of pricey biotech drugs that reduce artery-clogging cholesterol more than older statin drugs that have been used for decades.
	CDC: Most US children getting vaccinated (HealthDay)—More than nine out of 10 U.S. children entered kindergarten last school year protected with the proper immunizations, federal health officials reported Thursday. But, vaccination rates continue to lag in a number of states. The report was published in the Aug. 28 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
	Can you avoid hangovers after heavy drinking? Are some people immune to hangovers, and can eating or drinking water after heavy drinking prevent a hangover? The answers appear to be 'no' and 'no' according to new research presented the ECNP conference in Amsterdam.
	Tricking cells can lead to strong anti-cancer response Scientists have discovered the mechanism by which certain epigenetic drugs improve the effects of immunotherapies and chemotherapies, providing them with vital information to aid in the design of novel approaches for fighting a number of cancers.
	"Gravitational Wellness" weightlifting participants lift 1,000 pounds with potential health benefits An Emory researcher in musculoskeletal medicine says the use of a once-a-week Russian weightlifting technique in individuals of both sexes and all ages tested, can quickly double their strength to enormous levels while possibly receiving significant health benefits. The Gravitational Wellness technique involves lifting free weights using a special harness without holding the weights. The results were published recently in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Research links borderline personality traits with lowered empathy Those with borderline personality disorder, or BPD, a mental illness marked by unstable moods, often experience trouble maintaining interpersonal relationships. New research from the University of Georgia indicates that this may have to do with lowered brain activity in regions important for empathy in individuals with borderline personality traits.
Vitamin D may play key role in preventing macular degeneration Vitamin D has been studied extensively in relation to bone health as well as cancer. Now, a team led by a researcher at the University at Buffalo has discovered that vitamin D may play a significant role in eye health, specifically in the possible prevention of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, among women who are more genetically prone to developing the sight-damaging disease.
Lower-back work injury claimants treated with opioids stay off work longer, study finds An analysis by McMaster researchers has found that workers disabled by low back pain and receiving disability benefits are more likely to stay on claim if they are treated with opioids.
	MicroRNA panel shows early potential as biomarker of pancreatic precancers Assessing blood plasma levels of certain micro-RNAs (miRNAs) distinguished individuals with noninvasive pancreatic precancers called intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) from healthy individuals and discriminated between patients with high-risk and low-risk IPMNs, according to a preliminary, proof-of-principle study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	Youth with solid educational goals may steer clear of violence Young African-American men who have well-established educational aspirations by the time they are in 9th grade are less likely than their peers to engage in violent behavior at age 22, researchers from the University of Michigan have found.
	To improve radiotherapy for patients, we need to improve its profile Most people have heard of radiotherapy, and know that it's a type of cancer treatment involving radiation, often used alongside surgery and/or chemotherapy.
Autoimmune disease Sjogren's invisible symptoms Sjögren's syndrome is a common autoimmune disease, affecting as many as 4 million Americans, 90 percent of them women. Dry mouth and dry eyes are its hallmark symptoms, a result of the body's own white blood cells attacking the glands that produce saliva and tears. The dryness can lead to constantly burning eyes, tooth loss, acid reflux and trouble swallowing.
	Overthinking could be driving creativity in people with neurotic disorders People who suffer from neuroticism – a condition characterised by anxiety, fear and negative thoughts – are extremely tuned in to looking for threats. For that reason, you may expect them to perform well in jobs requiring vigilance: stunt pilots, aviators and bomb defusement. Yet, the evidence suggests they are actually more suited to creative jobs.
Researchers discover new mechanism in adrenal gland tumors Scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum München have elucidated a mechanism that is responsible for the development of adrenal gland tumors. They discovered that the BMP7 protein plays a key role in this process and that it could be a possible target for future treatments. The results have been published in the journal Oncotarget.
	Nasal spray device for mental illness Researchers at the University of Oslo have tested a new device for delivering hormone treatments for mental illness through the nose. This method was found to deliver medicine to the brain with few side effects.
	Is lack of guidance on the Sunshine Act hampering publication of clinical trial results? A research article, published today in Postgraduate Medicine, has concluded that a lack of professional guidance on how to interpret elements of The Physician Payments Sunshine Act (2010) may be having a "chilling effect" on physicians' desire to participate in clinical trials and publish results.
Prostate cancer patients go 'behind the scenes' in research Researchers in the biomedical proteomics group in UCD will host an All-Ireland Cooperative Oncology Research Group (ICORG) patient open event with colleagues in St Luke's Institute of Cancer Research on Friday, 28 August 2015.
Tips on insomnia, snooze buttons, hot baths, putting phones away and more Have trouble sleeping or waking up? You are not alone. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates 30-35 percent of adults complain of insomnia. It is common in groups such as older adults, women, people under stress, and people with certain medical and mental health problems.
Chronic chikungunya symptoms have large public health impact Prolonged and chronic symptoms of chikungunya fever, persisting up to six months after the acute infection period, were found to have substantial impact on individuals' daily routines and ability to work, and required additional medical resources to manage, according to research presented at the 2015 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
	Light-activated learning A German-French team has developed a light-sensitive switch that regulates a protein implicated in the neurobiology of synaptic plasticity. The agent promises to shed new light on the phenomenology of learning, memory and neurodegeneration.
	Tumour suppressor genes curb growth in neighbouring cells Researchers at IRB Barcelona unravel a role for tumour suppressor genes in restricting the growth of neighbouring cell populations. The study, published yesterday in PloS Biology, might have implications for understanding the early events of tumorigenesis and the selection of the tumour-initiating cells.
Unreported past child maltreatment may contaminate research results Researchers may unknowingly be overlooking a critical factor that could aid in more consistent results in studies involving child abuse. Penn State Network on Child Protection and Well-Being faculty member Chad Shenk is opening the door to more precise results in the realm of child abuse and maltreatment and is hoping to use his findings to strengthen the research process as a whole.
	Lack of folic acid enrichment in Europe causes mortality among fetuses A new international study shows that 5,000 foetuses in Europe annually are affected by spina bifida and other severe defects on the central nervous system. Seventy per cent of these pregnancies are terminated, while increased mortality and serious diseases affect the children who are born. At least half of the cases can be avoided by adding folic acid to staple foods as is already being done in seventy non-European countries.
	Could oral contraceptives help ease rheumatoid arthritis? (HealthDay)—Oral contraceptives—also known as birth control pills—may ease pain and improve functioning in women with rheumatoid arthritis, a small German study suggests.
Oysters harbor, transmit human norovirus: Avoid raw ones Oysters not only transmit human norovirus; they also serve as a major reservoir for these pathogens, according to research published August 28 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. "More than 80 percent of human norovirus genotypes were detected in oyster samples or oyster-related outbreaks," said corresponding author Yongjie Wang, PhD.
	CPR: It's not always a lifesaver, but it plays one on TV If you think that performing CPR on a person whose heart has stopped is a surefire way to save their life, you may be watching too much TV.
	British people are living longer but have more ailments, study reveals People in the UK are living longer but are coping with more medical ailments causing illness or disability in their older years, according to a major new international study published in The Lancet today.
Microbeam radiation therapy Both the efficacy and side effects of radiation therapy depend not only on the exposure dose but also on the volume of tissue exposed to that radiation. As a general rule, the smaller the volume, the greater the tolerance. As such, microbeam radiation therapy, which relies on the high power and pinpoint accuracy of synchrotron X-rays has for the last two decades or so been the focus of pre-clinical studies on various laboratory mammals. The planar microbeams are generated by a multi-slit collimator in the synchrotron, which cuts the emerging X-rays into horizontal beam slices tens of micrometres thick. Typically, target tissues are exposed to multiple quasi-parallel slices separated by a few hundred micrometres.
Leptospirosis in New York City—a risk from rats to dogs and people In New York City, leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals, is most often spread to both people and dogs from rats, according to a study presented at the 2015 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Mylan shareholders approve pursuit of Perrigo Mylan NV's shareholders approved the company's hostile pursuit of Perrigo Co. and the generic drugmaker hopes to push ahead with a formal offer soon.

Biology news

	Study shows female frogs susceptible to 'decoy effect' (Phys.org)—A pair of researchers has found that female túngaras, frogs that live in parts of Mexico and Central and South America, appear to be susceptible to the "decoy effect." In their paper published in the journal Science, Amanda Lea and Michael Ryan describe lab experiments they carried out with female frogs and recorded calls by males, and what they found during their observations.
	Beyond royal jelly: Study identifies plant chemical that determines a honey bee's caste A closer look at how honey bee colonies determine which larvae will serve as workers and which will become queens reveals that a plant chemical, p-coumaric acid, plays a key role in the bees' developmental fate.
	Research advances on transplant ward pathogen The fungus Cryptococcus causes meningitis, a brain disease that kills about 1 million people each year—mainly those with impaired immune systems due to AIDS, cancer treatment or an organ transplant. It's difficult to treat because fungi are genetically quite similar to humans, so compounds that affect fungi tend to have toxic side effects for patients.
	Soil-dwelling fungi study shows extent of worldwide distribution (Phys.org)—An international team of researchers has conducted a worldwide census of fungi that live in plant roots and in so doing has found them to be surprisingly broadly spread. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes their far-flung study, what they found and offer theories on a mystery that was also uncovered.
	Researchers use DNA 'clews' to shuttle CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool into cells Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have for the first time created and used a nanoscale vehicle made of DNA to deliver a CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool into cells in both cell culture and an animal model.
	Milkweed plants in CO2 growth chambers provide glimpse of biosphere change The milkweed plants growing in 40 cube-shaped chambers on a hilltop at the University of Michigan Biological Station provide a glimpse into the future that allows researchers to ask a question: How will monarch butterflies fare?
	Ant communication—secrets of the antennae A research group has identified chemosensory proteins (CSPs) that play important roles in communications between worker ants. CSPs may represent a starting point for elucidation of the molecular mechanisms involved in the sophisticated system of communication that supports ants' complex societies, and the evolution of these mechanisms. These findings were published in Scientific Reports on August 27.
	Rules of communication in the nucleus Nuclear pores in the nuclear membrane do not only control the transport of molecules into and out of the nucleus but also play an important role in gene expression. Researchers at the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) of the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna have deciphered a mechanism by which nuclear pores use "interpreters" to directly influence gene expression. The findings recently published in Cell resulted in collaboration with scientists at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) and at the Pennsylvania State University.
Biochemists identify detection signal for breaking down excess ribosomal RNA A growing, dividing cell uses most of its energy store to make its "protein factories", the ribosomes. An important player in their "assembly" is the exosome, a molecular shredding machine that breaks down excess ribonucleic acid (RNA). Researchers working with Prof. Dr. Ed Hurt at the Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center (BZH) have discovered how the exosome identifies its target RNA. The team identified a specific detection signal, comparable to a postal code or bar code that targets the exosome to the remote RNA. The results of the research were published in the journal Cell.
USDA to approve Simplot's genetically engineered potato The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a potato genetically engineered by Idaho-based J.R. Simplot Co. to resist the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine and that still damages crops around the world.
	'It's a boy,' US zoo says of surviving panda The newly arrived baby panda in Washington is male, zoo authorities said Friday, a week after the tiny creature was born along with a twin brother who later died.
	Taking the temperature of water-thirsty plants When crops get thirsty, they get hot. Scientists can use canopy temperatures to determine if crops are water stressed. An Agricultural Research Service engineer in Colorado has found a way to simplify this process for farmers. The goal is to manage irrigation water more effectively in an area where saving water has become a top priority.
	A new forage comes to the Midwest, courtesy of nature A forgotten forage grass imported from Europe in the 1800s could soon be helping to boost cattle and dairy production. The grass, which has adapted well to parts of the Upper Midwest, has been released by Agricultural Research Service scientists in Madison, Wisconsin.

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