Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Nov 10

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 10, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Two amyloid-beta antibodies found to cause neuronal dysfunction in mice
- New derivation of pi links quantum physics and pure math
- Doomed quasar is heading for a powerful explosion
- Invention of forge-proof ID to revolutionise security
- Analyzing the parameters that made societies likely to adopt agriculture
- Close-up view of galaxies prompts re-think on star formation
- Researchers develop antibiotic alternative for wound infections
- Researchers find way to create wide variety of new holograms
- Wheat disease-resistance gene identified, potential to save billions
- Rates of ancient climate change may be underestimated
- For a happier life, give up Facebook, study says
- Data privacy in app-verse challenging: study
- Faster brain waves make shorter gaps in the visual stream
- Research effort reveals gene variants that play a role in HIV viral load in patients
- Google Maps guides travellers offline

Astronomy & Space news

	Doomed quasar is heading for a powerful explosion (Phys.org)—PKS 1302-102 is one of the few known quasars with a pair of black holes within its accretion disc. It is also a curious case for astronomers as it will produce a powerful explosion when these two black holes merge. The scientists trying to determine the scale of this merger estimate that it could result in an enormous release of energy.
	One year after comet touchdown, what's next for Philae? A year ago on Thursday, the world held its collective breath as a European spacecraft dropped a tiny robot lab onto the surface of a comet hurtling towards the Sun.
	Frozen cones on Pluto—the first discovery of ice volcanoes? Ice volcanoes have shaped my life, and until today I didn't even know if they actually existed. Now, thanks to NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, there's a good chance we've found a frozen volcanic cone on the surface of Pluto.
	Close-up view of galaxies prompts re-think on star formation Astronomers have identified for the first time one of the key components of many stars, a study suggests.
	UCLA professor proposes simpler way to define what makes a planet Since the late 1980s, scientists have discovered nearly 5,000 planetary bodies orbiting stars other than the sun. But astronomers are still working on what exactly we should call them.
	Mercury gets a meteoroid shower from comet encke The planet Mercury is being pelted regularly by bits of dust from an ancient comet, a new study has concluded. This has a discernible effect in the planet's tenuous atmosphere and may lead to a new paradigm on how these airless bodies maintain their ethereal envelopes.
	Mars' moon Phobos is slowly falling apart The long, shallow grooves lining the surface of Phobos are likely early signs of the structural failure that will ultimately destroy this moon of Mars.
	Image: Understanding the atmosphere of Venus On 9 November 2005, 10 years ago today, ESA's Venus Express spacecraft left Earth and began its 153-day journey to Venus. The craft then spent eight years studying the planet in detail before the mission came to an end in December 2014.
	Image: Layers and fractures in Ophir Chasma, Mars Ophir Chasma forms the northern portion of the vast Mars canyon system Valles Marineris, and this image, acquired on Aug. 10, 2015, by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, features a small part of its wall and floor.
	Video: SDO sees active region outbursts This close-up video by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows an active region near the right-hand edge of the sun's disk, which erupted with at least a dozen minor events over a 30-hour period from Nov. 3-5, 2015.
	What's it like to see auroras on other planets? Witnessing an aurora first-hand is a truly awe-inspiring experience. The natural beauty of the northern or southern lights captures the public imagination unlike any other aspect of space weather. But auroras aren't unique to Earth and can be seen on several other planets in our solar system.
	Mars will come to fear my botany powers NASA seems to believe that making space habitable will require more finesse than Elon Musk's "let's nuke Mars" plan, and has funded a couple of synbio projects which seek to provide "the means to produce food, medical supplies and building materials on site at distant destinations". Dr Mark Blenner of Clemson University is working on recycling space waste (or 'turning poop into food') and explains that "it is impractical for astronauts to travel with all necessary supplies in future long-term space exploration missions…NASA has long been interested in converting space waste into useful molecules, such as fertilizer and propellant. These processes have typically focused on physical-chemical treatments. NASA's recent interest in synthetic biology, in my opinion, is driven by the complex molecules that biochemistry can make, and by the wide variety of products that can be made."
	Opportunity rover driving between 'lily pads' in search of Martian sun and science Just shy of an unfathomable 4200 Sols traversing ravishing alien terrain on the Red Planet, the longest living 'Martian' – NASA's robot 'Opportunity' – is driving between "lily pads" down steep walled Marathon Valley in search of life giving sun that enables spectacular science yielding clues to Mars watery past. All this as she strives to survive utterly harsh climate extremes, because 'winter is coming' for her seventh time on the fourth rock from the sun!
	Will we contaminate Europa? Europa is probably the best place in the solar system to go searching for life. But before they're launched, any spacecraft we send will need to be squeaky clean so don't contaminate the place with our filthy Earth bacteria.
Medicines do not seem to degrade faster in space The results of an opportunistic, pilot-scale study led by Virginia Wotring of the Center for Space Medicine and Department of Pharmacology at Baylor College of Medicine in the US suggest that medication degradation on the International Space Station (ISS) does not differ from what is typically seen on Earth. The study, which used medicine samples sent back to Earth from the ISS, appears in The AAPS Journal.
	Recreating a heavenly chorus of plasma waves on Earth Recent experiments at the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at the University of California, Los Angeles, have successfully excited elusive plasma waves, known as whistler-mode chorus waves, which have hitherto only been observed in the Earth's near-space environment. These chorus waves were accidentally discovered as early as World War I by radio operators deploying long lines intended to intercept enemy communication, and were subsequently dubbed "dawn chorus" since the sound of the radio signal when played through loudspeakers sounded like the distant chirping of a rookery of birds.
	NASA's beach ball coronagraph What's better at blocking sunlight: a traditional flat occulter disk or a beach ball?

Technology news

	Going back in time to locate short circuits in power grids EPFL researchers have come up with a method to determine the exact location of short circuits in a power grid. This is an important step towards operating complex power grid topologies that enable the massive integration of renewable energy resources.
	For a happier life, give up Facebook, study says Always envious? Got a non-existent social life and struggle to concentrate? All this might be down to Facebook if you believe a study showing those who go a week without using the social network feel happier than others.
	Data privacy in app-verse challenging: study US smartphone users are anxious to protect their private data, but it can be challenging in a massive system of applications with various policies and technical needs.
	Custom circuit board printer invention wins International James Dyson Award Voltera V-One, a custom circuit board printer developed by University of Waterloo engineering students, has taken top prize in this year's International James Dyson Award competition, beating out a record 710 entries from 20 countries.
	The uBeam vision: Lift phone in the air to charge it Filed under Digital Disruptors by the BBC: Could we soon charge our phones through the air? Meredith Perry, CEO of uBeam, spoke about her vision: no more wires, no more international adapters every time you cross borders and no more electrical outlets—"you will not need electrical outlets."
	Google Maps guides travellers offline Google on Tuesday updated its free map service to guide users of Android-powered smartphones to destinations without relying on Internet connections.
	Functionality of smartphones integrated into ordinary glasses Spin-off company Dispelix Oy will commercialise a new display – developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland – which brings visual information directly into the user's field of vision, as a high-definition image on an eyeglass lens. This will enable smartglasses to replace even smartphones or tablets, while still allowing users to see the world around them. Also integrable with current smartglasses, this product should be available to consumers within a year.
	A 'clear path' to solar power Solar cells integrated into new construction, particularly skyscrapers, are an enticing energy option. However, this effort can be hampered by the cost and architectural considerations sometimes needed to mount traditional photovoltaic (PV) cells.
	Most people want fully autonomous weapons banned Public opinion is against the use of autonomous weapons capable of identifying and destroying targets without human input, according to a new survey by researchers at the University of British Columbia.
	Uncanny valley—why we find human-like robots and dolls so creepy The "uncanny valley" is a characteristic dip in emotional response that happens when we encounter an entity that is almost, but not quite, human. It was first hypothesised in 1970 by Japanese roboticist Masahiro Mori who identified that as robots became more human-like, people would find them to be more acceptable and appealing than their mechanical counterparts. But this only held true to up a point. When they were close to, but not quite, human, people developed a sense of unease and discomfort. If human-likeness increased beyond this point, and the became very close to human, the emotional response returned to being positive. It is this distinctive dip in the relationship between human-likeness and emotional response that is called the uncanny valley.
Largest ensemble simulation of global weather using real-world data Using the powerful K computer, scientists have run an enormous global weather simulation. They ran 10,240 simulations of a model of the global atmosphere divided into 112-km sectors, and then used data assimilation and statistical methods to come up with a model closely fitting the real data for a historical time period, between November 1 and November 8, 2011.
	Glove for sensing heat and cold in virtual reality apps Can you imagine burning your fingertips or feeling that ice freezes your hand as you interact in a virtual reality program? The Mexican company Vivoxie has created Power Claw, a pair of gloves with an interface that stimulates the skin and allows the sense of touch in cyber worlds.
	Reliable wireless system prevents break-downs in machinery caused by vibrations By making a thorough analysis of vibrations in machines, it is possible to ascertain their mechanical condition. The recently completed European EU-FP7 research project makes it possible to interpret vibrations in industrial machinery better. Kallol Das, a PhD researcher at the University of Twente, is involved in this project and has developed a reliable wireless sensor network that can predict mechanical breakdowns. Das was awarded his PhD on this subject on Friday 6 November, and a symposium was held before the defence ceremony.
	How trillions of tiny solar panels could power the internet of things It could herald a great leap forward in the way we live our lives. The internet of things, the idea that objects can be interconnected via a global network, will run your home, keep you healthy and even check how much food is in your fridge. It will mean a trillion new "smart sensors" being installed around the world by 2020. But what's going to power these devices?
	As Belgium threatens fines, Facebook's defence of tracking visitors rings hollow Facebook has been ordered by a Belgian court to stop tracking non-Facebook users when they visit the Facebook site. Facebook has been given 48 hours to stop the tracking or face possible fines of up to 250,000 Euro a day.
	Online tracking more common than most realize, new study finds Think of how often sit with your phone, tablet, or computer, quietly shopping or reading the latest headlines. Browsing the internet certainly feels like a solitary activity, but as a new study in the International Journal of Communication reveals, you may be surprised by just how many companies are observing.
	Apple chief warns UK against new spying law: report A new planned Internet spying law in Britain could have the perverse effect of giving cyber criminals a "back door", Apple's chief executive Tim Cook said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph out on Tuesday.
Dutch Philips in major deal with Canadian hospitals Dutch electronics giant Philips announced Tuesday the inking of a multi-million-euro contract with Canada's Mackenzie Health to install and run a raft of state-of-the-art hospital equipment over the next 18 years.
	Google Maps offers offline option when Internet is spotty Google Maps is getting disconnected.
	EU gives Volkswagen 10 days to clarify CO2 irregularities EU regulators have given Volkswagen 10 days to clarify its own admission that nearly a million of the company's cars emit more CO2 pollution than originally claimed, the European Commission said on Tuesday.
End of an era: Sony to stop making Betamax tapes Sony announced on Tuesday the company will stop making Betamax video tapes, ending the storied four-decade history of the product that had been ousted years ago by the more popular VHS format.
	Copenhagen company to re-invent fresh air for city dwellers Breathe in Beijing, and you might as well smoke 40 cigarettes a day. Live in London and a significant slice of your taxes go to paying fines for your cities illegal air quality. Be sporty in Santiago but refrain from running out of doors unless rain has recently cleared the air. Air pollution is making city living detrimental to health at an increasing clip. Now a new company with roots at the University of Copenhagen wants to develop clean air solutions for urbanites with greying lungs.
	Gift Guide: Gadgets that make your wrist smarter If you're looking for a device to track your fitness, alert you to incoming messages and occasionally let you buy stuff with a scan or a tap, there's no shortage of computerized wristwatches to choose from.
'Sharing economy' firms urge safety net for workers A coalition of "sharing economy" startups joined labor activists and others Tuesday to endorse efforts for a "flexible safety net" for workers without traditional job protection.
	Four indicted in massive hack of JP Morgan Chase, others Four people were charged Tuesday in a massive hacking scheme that compromised personal data from tens of millions of customers of banking giant JPMorgan Chase and other companies.
	T-Mobile exempts streaming video from some data caps Streaming video from Netflix, HBO and other leading services will no longer count toward data limits under T-Mobile's higher data plans.
	Seamless software—made to measure for Europe's fashion industry The EU-funded TAILORFIT project is developing cost-efficient software and automated material cutting technologies that will enable fashion houses from Italy and abroad to offer personalised, made to measure menswear quickly and at competitive prices. 'All fashion houses that manufacture menswear are focused on providing made to measure products to their customers,' explains project coordinator Mirko Zilli, CEO of Crea Solution. 'This market is lucrative, but at the same time also increases in-house costs.'
	Helping wildlife conservation, one ultra-low power processor at a time In the North Cascades of Washington state, the onset of winter, with its deep snow and avalanche conditions, keeps hikers away from the backcountry and other logistically challenging terrain. But that's when the animals come out. High-elevation species such as wolverines, lynx, fishers and gray wolves cover a lot of ground in these remote areas, and they're not too keen on people observing them.
	Department of Energy's ESnet and NERSC blaze 400G production network path The Department of Energy's Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) and the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) have built a 400 gigabit-per-second (Gbps) super-channel, the first-ever 400G production link to be deployed by a national research and education network.
JP Morgan Chase breach was among the biggest in recent years Last year's data breach at JPMorgan Chase affected more than 76 million households and seven million small businesses. The bank said hackers may have stolen names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, although no account numbers or passwords were believed to have been exposed.

Medicine & Health news

	Two amyloid-beta antibodies found to cause neuronal dysfunction in mice (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers working in Germany has found that giving two different types of amyloid-β antibodies to mice genetically engineered to have Alzheimer's type symptoms caused them to develop a type of neuronal dysfunction in their brains. In their paper published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, the team described the studies they undertook of the impact of the antibodies on mouse brains and what it could mean for the development of such antibodies for use in treating human patients.
Genome of Sezary syndrome points to potential treatment targets A genomic analysis of 37 patients with Sézary syndrome, a rare form of T-cell lymphoma that affects the skin and causes large numbers of atypical T-lymphocytes (an immune system disease) to circulate, reveals mutations in genes that affect T-cell signaling and those that interfere with cell cycle checkpoints that govern cell division, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in a report in the journal Nature Genetics.
	Chance for advance flu warning in search-based tracking method Harvard statisticians have devised a new method to track the flu via Internet search data, potentially providing public health officials and consumers alike with advance warning this flu season.
	3-D model of human retronasal olfactory sense The sweetness of a peppermint candy can be experienced with the nose pinched shut, but flavor is detectable only when the pinch is released and volatiles in the candy are exhaled back into the nose where smell receptors exist.
	Scientists discover neural communication pathways for prosody Researchers from the Leipzig-based Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences have decoded, for the first time, the connecting pathways via which the areas of our brain communicate with one another when we perceive subtle changes in the tone of voice of a speaker. The research results of the Otto Hahn Group headed by Daniela Sammler show the connections in a complex network in the right hemisphere and prove the involvement of the motor system in the perception of tone of voice. Precise knowledge of this prosody network helps in the understanding of interpersonal communication and related disorders.
	Neuroscientists find that children's ability to count is key to distributing resources based on merit There are many ways to divvy up a pile of cookies. Among the possibilities: Everyone can get an equal number, or those who contributed more to the cookie baking can get a larger share.
	Neuroscientists describe brain chemicals that create PTSD response A new study by University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientists shows how stress chemicals reshape the brains of rodents, research that could lead to better treatments for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
	Research points to development of single vaccine for Chikungunya, related viruses​ What if a single vaccine could protect people from infection by many different viruses? That concept is a step closer to reality.
	New SARS-like virus can jump directly from bats to humans, no treatment available Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have discovered a new bat SARS-like virus that can jump directly from its bat hosts to humans without mutation. However, researchers point out that if the SARS-like virus did jump, it is still unclear whether it could spread from human to human.
	Research effort reveals gene variants that play a role in HIV viral load in patients (Medical Xpress)—A large international team of researchers has conducted a study that has shed some light on the role genetic variation plays on HIV viral load levels in patients infected with the virus. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes their study and results and what they believe needs to be done going forward.
	Faster brain waves make shorter gaps in the visual stream "Blink and you'll miss it" isn't only for eyelids. The human brain also blinks, dropping a few frames of visual information here and there.
Opioid addiction originates from prescribed painkillers for half of female methadone clinic patients Painkillers prescribed by doctors are the starting point for addiction to opioids for more people than heroin. This is according to a new study of 503 patients attending methadone clinics, published in the open access journal Biology of Sex Differences. The study highlights the differences in profile of those who currently seek treatment and people that treatment plans were originally designed for.
	Death row, last stop for many US veterans Executed this year in Georgia, Andrew Brannan is one of hundreds of US soldiers who serve, come home from battle with mental scars, commit murder and are put to death.
Liquid biopsy of cerebrospinal fluid for more effective policing of brain tumors Reported in the journal Nature Communications, the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology´s (VHIO) Gene Expression and Cancer Group, led by Joan Seoane, has pioneered research evidencing the use of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as liquid biopsy for the potential prognosis, treatment, identification and tracking of brain tumor genomic alterations not only in real time but over time. Concentrations of circulating central nervous system tumor DNA are very low in plasma, but very high in CSF.
New therapy calms inflammation in 'butterfly' skin Children with the rare genetic disease epidermolysis bullosa face a lifetime of pain due to constant blistering of their skin and other body surfaces.
Blood-brain barrier opened noninvasively with focused ultrasound for the first time The blood-brain barrier has been non-invasively opened in a patient for the first time. A team at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto used focused ultrasound to enable temporary and targeted opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), allowing the more effective delivery of chemotherapy into a patient's malignant brain tumor.
	Researchers discover a novel double dagger anti-cancer agent Cancer is a highly complex disease in which the tumor recruits its surrounding tissue, as well as the immune system to support and promote its own growth. This realization explains why tumor therapy has been difficult for physicians. Researchers now realize that not only does the tumor need to be targeted, but also its microenvironment and the immune system, which is subverted by the tumor to support it.
'Broca's area' processes both language and music at the same time When you read a book and listen to music, the brain doesn't keep these two tasks nicely separated. A new study shows there is an area in the brain which is busy with both at the same time: Broca's area. This area has been long associated with language. That it is also involved in music processing may tell us more about what music and language share.
	Why sleep could be the key to tackling mental illness We are only beginning to unravel the genetic and biochemical basis of mental illness – a vague term including conditions as diverse as anxiety, depression, and mood and psychotic disorders. With millions of people suffering from such conditions, it is crucial that we find ways to improve diagnosis and treatment. But an increasing body of scientific evidence is now suggesting that we should turn our attention to one of our most basic functions: sleep.
	Women cardiologists do different work, make less money than men Despite efforts to increase gender diversity in cardiology, major differences in job characteristics and pay persist between men and women who treat heart patients, according to a Duke Medicine-led study presented at the annual American Heart Association meeting.
	New study shows race, neighborhood, income affect availability of single cigarettes The Tobacco Prevention and Evaluation Program (TPEP) at UNC Family Medicine has found that where a person lives determines the likelihood of there being single cigarettes or improperly marketed and displayed tobacco products for sale in their neighborhood – potentially leading to easier and cheaper access to tobacco. This study is the first national evaluation of tobacco retailers who operate in violation of Federal Drug Administration (FDA) tobacco and sales regulations.
Avoiding colds and flu Celebrating fall and looking forward to the holiday season is exciting for most of us. We look forward to bonfires, falling leaves, social gatherings and holiday events. We share laughs and visits with friends and family. Along with all the fun, we may be visited by some unwelcomed guests and share unwanted gifts—colds and flu. It is that time again. Colds and influenza (flu) make us miserable, and the flu even can be life threatening for some people. The University of Alabama's Dr. Debra Whisenant provides the following recommendations to decrease your risk of colds and flu and also to prevent the spread of both to others.
	Lung test finds 'healthy' smokers at risk for COPD A noninvasive and quick lung-function test frequently used to evaluate whether or not a smoker is at risk for developing pulmonary disease is likely mislabeling a significant percentage of smokers as healthy, a research team led by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators suggests.
Smartphone app validated for use in diagnosis of brain condition A smartphone application developed by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher has been validated for use by physicians to diagnose minimal hepatic encephalopathy, a common brain condition in people with liver cirrhosis.
	The heart of the matter for Indigenous mothers Indigenous women journeying though pregnancy with the added complication of rheumatic heart disease have the best outcomes with collaborative and culturally appropriate care according to the lead researcher in a four-year study of the issue.
	Fitter legs linked to a 'fitter' brain Researchers at King's College London have found that muscle fitness as measured by power in the legs is strongly associated with an improved rate of ageing in the brain.
Domestic help needed by older people Most people in advanced age have someone to provide extra help with daily activities, especially domestic help with housework, washing, shopping and managing money.
	Stressed? Meditation or some quiet time alone may help... if only you can find the time After a few relatively manic weeks at work, I was recently unpacking the dishwasher contemplating the new, easier phase of life that my husband and I were about to enter. Both of us had spent the last six months attempting the stressful and impossible juggle of family and part-time work .
	Biologists discover peptides that inhibit metastatic spreading in pancreatic cancer Due to their rapid metastatic spread, pancreatic tumors are among the most aggressive types of cancer. Only three to five percent of patients have a survival rate of five years. A team of KIT researchers has now established the basis for new therapeutic approaches. In the Gastroenterology journal they report that in various pancreatic cancer mouse models CD44v6-specific peptides do not only inhibit the spread of tumor cells, but may even lead to the regression of already existing metastases.
Genes may determine the side effects of menopausal hormone therapy, study suggests A woman's genes may influence whether hormone therapy after menopause will provide her some protection against heart disease.
	A treasure trove of new cancer biomarkers Biomarkers, which allow diseases to be diagnosed and staged based on relatively non-invasive blood tests, have been identified for several types of cancers, but for most cancers remain elusive. Now, research conducted at the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies (CLST) in Japan and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Australia has identified a large number of genes that are upregulated in many different types of cancer, opening the door for developing biomarker tests that could be used to detect cancers early, allowing for prompt treatment.
New method enables the early detection of ovarian cancer Every year, around 1,000 women in Austria develop the extremely aggressive condition known as ovarian cancer. Around 75 per cent of these tumours arise from the fallopian tube. There are currently no options for detecting this condition early or preventing it. With the help of an innovative, "three-way" catheter developed by Paul Speiser from the University Department of Gynaecology at the MedUni Vienna and the Molecular Oncology working group, along with a new investigation concept associated with it, this situation may be different in the future. This is the hope from the first results of a study, which has now been published in the highly respected Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Changes in humour may be an early sign of dementia Researchers at University College London (UCL) have revealed that a change in sense of humour could be an early sign of dementia. The findings could help improve dementia diagnosis, by highlighting changes not commonly thought to be linked to the condition. The study was funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, the Wellcome Trust, Medical Research Council (MRC) and NIHR Queen Square Dementia Biomedical Research Unit. The research was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on 10 November 2015.
	Database translates schizophrenia research into one 'language' SchizConnect, a new meta-database that translates all clinical schizophrenia studies into a single scientific "language," has been launched to help researchers long stymied by inconsistent findings between traditionally small studies.
	Does alcohol consumption affect the risk for Parkinson's disease? For many years, researchers have been investigating whether there are any associations between Parkinson's disease (PD) and lifestyle choices such as smoking and coffee and alcohol consumption. In a review published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, the literature concerning alcohol consumption presents conflicting information.
Gaucher disease may protect against Parkinson's disease-related color visual impairment Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients have a five-fold greater risk of carrying genetic mutations in the β-glucocerebrosidase gene (GBA), which are commonly associated with Gaucher disease (GD). Patients with both PD and GD tend to experience earlier onset of PD and more serious cognitive changes than PD patients without the mutations. A new study published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease suggests that GD or the presence of GBA mutations may actually shield patients from deficiency in visual color discrimination, which is a hallmark of PD.
Evidence shows low energy sweeteners help reduce energy intake and body weight Use of low energy sweeteners (LES) in place of sugar, in children and adults, leads to reduced calorie intake and body weight – and possibly also when comparing LES beverages to water – according to a review led by researchers at the University of Bristol published in the International Journal of Obesity today.
	Sports jerseys exposing children to junk food, alcohol and gambling To adults they may seem fairly innocuous, however the sponsor logos that adorn the jerseys of professional sports people could be increasing children's awareness of junk food, alcohol and gambling.
Brain patterns in ADHD and bipolar disorder Researchers identify unique and shared brain patterns in ADHD and bipolar disorder, which could aid diagnosis and treatment in the future.
Binge eating disorder can be treated When most people hear the term "eating disorder," they usually think of anorexia or bulimia nervosa. While anorexia and bulimia are more commonly recognized, doctors are concerned about a different kind of eating disorder that is on the rise.
First, do no harm: Hospital patients given anti-heartburn drugs have higher risk of dying Right now, in any American hospital, about half of the patients have a prescription for an acid-reducing drug to reduce heartburn or prevent bleeding in their stomach and gut.
	Novel stem cell line avoids risk of introducing transplanted tumors Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) can become any type of cell in the adult body, offering great potential in disease modeling, drug discovery and creating replacement cells for conditions ranging from cardiovascular to Alzheimer's disease.
Weight loss and lipid improvements sustained eight years after surgery Eight years after having gastric bypass surgery as teenagers, patients continue to have significant weight loss and improvement in their lipid profiles.
Obese kids young as age 8 show signs of heart disease Imaging tests of obese children—some as young as 8 years old—showed signs of significant heart disease and heart muscle abnormalities, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
Short bursts of high-intensity exercise does more for type 2 diabetes Short bursts of high-intensity exercise improved cholesterol, blood sugar and weight among Type 2 diabetes patients more than 30 minutes of sustained, lower-intensity exercise, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
College football linemen face greater risk of heart problems College freshmen who play football linemen positions may face a greater risk of specific heart problems than other players, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Session 2015.
Lung cancer surgery can be beneficial for high-risk patients with early stage disease Surgical lung resection, in which part of a lung is removed, can be a safe and effective treatment option for high-risk patients with early stage lung cancer, according to an article posted online by the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
Heart valve patients may benefit from managing own blood thinners Allowing select patients to self-manage blood thinners following heart valve surgery may lead to a lower risk of major complications, according to an article posted online by the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
	LocoMouse—innovative tool sheds light on motor deficits Gymnastic feats like balance beam routines clearly require a great deal of coordination. But even seemingly trivial actions such as crossing stepping-stones on a river or just walking in a straight line require these very same skills. The group of Dr. Megan Carey, principal investigator at Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, has developed a novel tool to investigate how the brain generates coordinated movement.
	Using copper to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses New research from the University of Southampton has found that copper can effectively help to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, which are linked to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).
	Dengue: Asymptomatic people transmit the virus to mosquitoes Scientists at the Institut Pasteur in Cambodia, the Institut Pasteur in Paris and the CNRS provided proof that people infected by dengue virus but showing no clinical symptoms can actually infect mosquitoes that bite them. It appears that these asymptomatic people - who, together with mildly symptomatic patients, represent three-quarters of all dengue infections - could be involved in the transmission chain of the virus. These findings, published in the journal PNAS, on the 9 of November, question established theories concerning the epidemiology of dengue.
	The gut microbiota can influence the effectiveness of dietary treatments Why a dietary treatment works for some but not others seems to depend on interactions between the gut microbiota and the diet. A new study, published in Cell Metabolism, shows that people with better control of blood sugar after eating barley kernel bread also have a different balance of microbes in the gut.
Chronic arsenic exposure can impair ability of muscle to heal after injury Chronic exposure to arsenic can lead to stem cell dysfunction that impairs muscle healing and regeneration, according to an animal study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health. In a report published online in Stem Cells, they noted that inhibiting a certain protein in an inflammatory pathway can reverse the harmful effects and that environmental exposures might explain why some people don't recover easily after injury or surgery.
'Post-hospital syndrome' found to be a risk factor for elective surgery A condition known as "post hospital syndrome" (PHS) is a significant risk factor for patients who undergo elective outpatient surgery, a Loyola study has found.
	Protein mutation affects spread and virulence of respiratory virus Quebec researchers have discovered that a mutation in a coronavirus protein slows the spread of the virus in the central nervous system and reduces its neurovirulence. It is the first time that this phenomenon has been observed in the coronavirus family, which is responsible for one-third of common colds and is also suspected of being associated with the development or aggravation of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and encephalitis. The discovery, which has just been published in the prestigious journal PLoS Pathogens, was achieved in the Laboratory of Neuroimmunovirology at INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier.
Study shows why four-year-olds don't thrive in Head Start classes Most Head Start classrooms serve children of mixed ages and that hurts the academic growth of older children, a new national study suggests.
	Controlling levels of specific gut bacteria could help prevent severe diarrhea Everyone has suffered from it. It's ranged from mild to severe. It's a condition that's most-often described in a whisper.
Is aging a disease? Scientists call for new classification of aging The paper explores the evolution of disease classification practices and the progress made since William Cullen's seminal Nosolagae Methodicae synopsis published in 1769. It discusses some of the additions to the ICD-10 including some of the less obvious conditions like obesity that may set the precedent for classifying aging as a disease.
WHO urges routine meningitis vaccine to avoid resurgence in Africa Meningitis A has almost been eradicated in Africa but could stage a "catastrophic" comeback if countries fail to include a groundbreaking vaccine in routine immunisation, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday.
Adding antiangiogenesis increases effectiveness of radiation against NF2-associated tumors Treatment with antiangiogenesis drugs may improve the effectiveness of radiation treatment of nervous system tumors that interfere with the hearing of patients with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2). A team of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators reports in PNAS Early Edition that use of an antiangiogenesis drug reduced the radiation dose required to shrink tumors in animal models of the NF2-associated tumors called vestibular schwannomas. They also discovered several mechanisms behind this effect and determined the time window during which radiation therapy produces the best results in the tested model.
	Childhood obesity is linked to poverty and parenting style In 2013, 42 million infants and young children worldwide were overweight or obese. If current trends continue, that number will increase to 70 million by 2025, according to the World Heath Organization.
	Ebola remains in Guinea, where the outbreak began After killing more than 11,000 people, West Africa's Ebola outbreak is down to a handful of cases. They are all in Guinea where the disease first emerged nearly two years ago and where health workers battle community resistance in their bid to extinguish the disease.
FDA clears first new tobacco products under federal pathway The Food and Drug Administration has cleared the first new tobacco products for the U.S. market, under a system authorized more than 5 years ago.
	Heavy drinking may strain the heart (HealthDay)—Heavy drinking may dramatically increase a person's risk of heart failure, even if they're young and healthy, a new study suggests.
	Heart transplant mental toll may be greater for women (HealthDay)—Women may have more mental stress after a heart transplant than men, a new study finds.
	'Missing' data complicate picture of where patients choose to die An NIHR-funded study from the University of Cambridge has raised questions about the widely-held assumption that most patients at the end of their lives prefer to die at home rather than a hospice or hospital.
	How a mutant worm's reaction to a foul smell could lead to new disease treatment avenues Several years ago, University at Buffalo biologists noticed something odd.
A clinical score for predicting risk of venous thromboembolism A new clinical prediction model can help identify high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among patients with a leg cast, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. The study was conducted by Banne Nemeth of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and colleagues and utilized data from three large cohorts to develop and validate two prediction models and a risk score, the L-TRiP(cast) score, to help doctors deciding whether to prescribe anticoagulants for thromboprophylaxis.
Smartphone compatible listening device may rival gold standard stethoscope HeartBuds, a smartphone compatible listening device for cardiovascular sounds, works as well as widely used FDA-approved traditional and digital stethoscopes and better than FDA-approved disposable stethoscopes, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
Lowering China's pollution could prevent about 900,000 cardiovascular deaths by 2030 Air pollution is a leading cardiovascular disease risk factor in Beijing and urban China. Lowering air pollution to the level it was during the 2008 Beijing Olympics could prevent about 900,000 cardiovascular deaths and gain millions of life years in urban China by 2030, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
Intellectual disabilities share disease mechanisms, study suggests Brain disorders that cause intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorders may share common defects despite having different genetic causes, a study has found.
Tighter local alcohol licensing curbs linked to fewer drink-related hospital admissions Tighter local alcohol licensing curbs are linked to fewer drink-related hospital admissions in these areas, reveals research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
	Prevention of macular degeneration possible, research shows A University of Arizona-led study on age-related macular degeneration - the eye disease that gradually destroys the ability to read, drive, write and see close-up in 30 percent of older Americans - likely will lead to a way to delay or prevent the disease, researchers say.
	Changing habits to improve health: New study indicates behavior changes work Improving your heart health may be as simple as making small behavioral changes - a new study of behavioral health interventions suggests that they are effective at helping people alter their lifestyles and lead to physical changes that could improve overall health.
	Study finds teasing girls about weight is more than a playground joke Current research about childhood obesity has illustrated the complexity of the epidemic—how it intertwines with hunger, poverty, food deserts and socioeconomic status. A new University of Houston study examined a practice that may seem like a harmless playground antic, but could have long-lasting and harmful effects to a young girl's perception of herself and of food.
Taste perception is influenced by extreme noise conditions Eating is a fundamentally multisensory experience: we don't just eat our food, we also see it, smell it, and hear ourselves chewing it. However, perception of non-food components of the dining experience can also influence flavor perception. For instance, desserts are rated as sweeter if they are presented on a white vs. black plate, and exposure to loud noise reduces affective food ratings.
Researchers describe strategies to decrease immune responses in IBD New research led by scientists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) helps explain the role of an immunosuppressive pathway associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition that develops in genetically susceptible individuals when the body's immune system overreacts to intestinal tissue, luminal bacteria or both.
	Bystander CPR on kids has increased, survival odds improve for some Bystander CPR on kids is increasing and is improving survival from cardiac arrest outside the hospital, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
	Case report highlights dangers of natural remedies (HealthDay)—A case of accidental overdose of an Atropa belladonna preparation highlights the dangers of the use of herbal remedies, according to a case report published online Nov. 5 in BMJ Case Reports.
	Normal coronary angiogram at 65 predicts survival (HealthDay)—Patients with normal or near-normal coronary angiogram (CA) results at age 65 years or older have significantly longer survival than the general population, according to a study published in the Nov. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	D-dimer levels predict DVT in cervical spinal cord injury (HealthDay)—For patients with acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), D-dimer levels can predict the likelihood of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), according to a study published in the Nov. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
	Three renal biomarkers predict outcome in diabetes (HealthDay)—Three renal biomarkers, acute kidney injury (AKI), albuminuria, and low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), considered separately or together, can predict adverse outcomes in diabetes, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in Diabetes Care.
Cotellic approved for advanced melanoma (HealthDay)—Cotellic (cobimetinib) in combination with another chemotherapy, vemurafenib (Zelboraf) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat melanoma skin cancer that has spread or cannot be surgically removed, the agency said Tuesday in a news release.
	Side effects cause some to stop taking blood thinner brilinta (HealthDay)—Side effects like bleeding or shortness of breath cause some heart attack survivors to stop taking a potentially lifesaving new blood thinner during clinical trials, researchers report.
	Knee arthritis: Steroid shots may not help long-term, ozone injections promising (HealthDay)—Millions of aging Americans are plagued by arthritic knees, and two new studies offer insight into what might—or might not—help curb the condition.
	Some kids with heart defects struggle in school (HealthDay)—Children born with heart defects often do worse in school than their peers, a new study finds.
	AHA: women more often receive suboptimal post-MI care (HealthDay)—Women are less likely than men to get the recommended treatments for myocardial infarction (MI) survivors, and that could explain much of the gender gap in long-term survival, according to research scheduled for presentation at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association, held from Nov. 7 to 11 in Orlando, Fla.
	ACR: resistance training program beneficial in hand osteoarthritis (HealthDay)—A progressive resistance strength training program can improve some aspects of hand osteoarthritis (OA), such as pain, function, and treatment satisfaction, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, held from Nov. 6 to 11 in San Francisco.
	ACR: chondroitin sulfate cuts cartilage volume loss in knee OA (HealthDay)—For patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), chondroitin sulfate (CS) is associated with additional benefits in terms of cartilage volume loss (CVL) compared with celecoxib, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, held from Nov. 6 to 11 in San Francisco.
Low-income, elderly, women less likely to complete cardiac rehab after bypass Bypass patients who are older, female and/or from lower-income neighbourhoods are more likely to face delays in beginning cardiac rehabilitation (CR), making them less likely to complete CR, which can lead to a higher mortality risk, suggests a new study.
	Wrist fractures could predict susceptibility to serious fractures in postmenopausal women Wrist fractures are common among postmenopausal women who are younger than 65 and a new UCLA-led study suggests that they may also predict more serious fractures in other parts of their bodies later in life.
	Emotionally supportive relationships linked to lower testosterone Science and folklore alike have long suggested that high levels of testosterone can facilitate the sorts of attitudes and behavior that make for, well, a less than ideal male parent.
	Rare Her2 mutations may not always spur breast cancers on their own Results of a new laboratory study by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers suggests that some rare "missense" mutations in the HER2 gene are apparently not—on their own—capable of causing breast cancer growth or spread. In a related finding, the research team said such mutations, which are found in about five percent of breast cancers, may, thus, also fail to predict response to anti-cancer drugs that target the HER2 gene, unlike the more common alterations of the gene that amplify or overexpress it.
No source found for E. coli; Chipotle could reopen midweek Washington state health officials said Monday they have found no source for the E. coli outbreak related to Chipotle, and the chain's Pacific Northwest restaurants could reopen later this week.
Phase I clinical trial of anti-cancer drug FF-10101 in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia FUJIFILM Corporation today announced to conduct a clinical trial of its anti-cancer drug FF-10101 in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in the United States next year. FF-10101 is a new drug candidate discovered by Fujifilm, tapping into its advanced technology to synthesize and design chemical compounds nurtured through the photographic film business.
	Pilot program finds success among smoking prisoners A pilot quit smoking program trialled on prisoners in the Goldfields has helped quash the inmate's nicotine dependency, thereby laying the foundation for smoke-free prisons throughout WA.
Dementia is leading cause of death for women in England and Wales New figures released by the Office for National Statistics have shown that Alzheimer's disease and other dementias were the leading cause of death for women in England and Wales in 2014, and the second leading cause of death for men.
Fighting over fatigue In the summer of 1989, Leonard Jason fell ill with the worst sore throat of his life. He couldn't shake it. As the leaves turned red and gold that fall, his energy and weight dropped dramatically, eventually forcing him to stop teaching at DePaul University in Chicago. For 14 years, he had been a highly successful psychology professor, flush with research grants, president of the community psychology division of the American Psychological Association, and director of clinical training at DePaul. Now just a simple phone call was enough to leave him exhausted and bedbound.
New ACP paper explores impact of 'concierge' and other direct patient contracting practices The American College of Physicians (ACP) today released a position paper exploring the factors driving the growth of "concierge" and other "direct patient contracting practices" (DPCPs) and the "limited" evidence on their impact on patient care. A summary of the paper, Assessing the Policy and Patient Care Implications of 'Concierge' and Other Direct Patient Contracting Practices, is in today's Annals of Internal Medicine online edition, with a link to the full paper.
	An effective integrated reproductive strategy for hearing loss Hearing impairment is a major public health problem in the world, affecting over 5% of the world's population - 360 million people, including 328 million adults and 32 million children. Professor WANG Qiuju and her group from Institute of Otolaryngology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, cooperating with Professor CHEN Zi-Jiang from Center for Reproductive Medicine of Shandong University and, BGI, set out to tackle the transmission of hearing loss by preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), and noninvasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD). They have successfully helped a family carrying mutations causing hearing loss to give birth a hearing normal baby. In addition, they developed an effective strategy in reproductive management of similar cases and potentially other monogenic disorders.
Services insufficient in supporting those affected There is an urgent need to do more to recognize prenatal alcohol exposure at an early stage and to integrate better pathways for diagnosis, assessment and support, finds a special issue of the SAGE journal Adoption & Fostering. The issue highlights the importance of raising awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) as there are unclear protocols and guidelines in place to adequately support those directly affected.
Study compares outcomes for different methods of drug-releasing stent implantation Myeong-Ki Hong, M.D., Ph.D., of the Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea and colleagues randomly assigned 1,400 patients with long coronary lesions to receive intravascular ultrasound-guided (n = 700) or angiography-guided (n = 700) everolimus-eluting stent implantation. This JAMA study is being released to coincide with its presentation at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
	Home-based educational intervention improves asthma among Hispanic children Significant improvements in frequency of asthma attacks and symptoms, hospitalization rates and acute care visits, quality of life, and asthma knowledge were reported among a largely Hispanic population with a high asthma hospitalization following a home-based approach to educating families that have children with asthma. The design, results, and implications of this study are published in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology.
Achieving Life's Simple 7 reduces more than heart disease Achieving the seven heart-health metrics of the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 also helps reduce many other chronic diseases, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
Cardiac rehab coverage expands for chronic heart failure patients with symptoms Medicare's and Medicaid's newly extended cardiac rehabilitation coverage for chronic heart failure patients with symptoms has tripled the number who are now eligible, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
Tobacco use fueled by e-cigs, hookah remains high among US Hispanics/Latinos Tobacco use remains a serious problem among Hispanic/Latino adults, with increasing use and acceptance of e-cigarettes and hookah among younger tobacco users living in the United States, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2015.
Virginia Tech shooting has lessons for strengthening college mental health services As the nation reels from another mass shooting on a college campus, analysis of the 2007 attack at Virginia Tech University highlights the need for "comprehensive and coordinated mental health services on college campuses, according to a paper in the November/December issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
Nanotechnology advances could pave way for implantable artificial kidney Research that could lead to the development of a surgically implantable, artificial kidney, was presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3-8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA. Advances in nanofilter technology were produced in collaboration between investigators from UCSF and Vanderbilt University. The research recently received a new $6 million grant through the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering's Quantum Program.
New treatment option may be on the horizon for polymyalgia rheumatica A drug approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis, tocilizumab (Actemra, Genentech), is a potential new therapy for patients with polymyalgia rheumatica, according to an open-label, phase II study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals on November 10. The inflammatory disorder impacts 1% of people over the age of 50 and is predominantly found in individuals over the age of 65.

Biology news

	Forager bees 'turn on' gene expression to protect against microorganisms, toxins When honeybees shift from nurse bees to foragers, or from caring for the brood to foraging for nectar and pollen, the bees "turn on" gene expression with products that protect against microorganisms and degrade toxins, three University of California, Davis, scientists have discovered.
	Wheat disease-resistance gene identified, potential to save billions An international team of scientists has identified a gene that can prevent some of the most significant wheat diseases—creating the potential to save more than a billion dollars in lost production in Australia each year.
	Lionfish study explores idea of eating an ecological problem The lionfish is a ferocious ocean carnivore with a flamboyant "mane" of venomous spines. This exotic maroon-and-white creature, native to the Indo-Pacific, made its way west through the aquarium trade. During recent years, however, wild lionfish became established in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic. Releases of lionfish and their eggs from aquariums have been blamed for this invasion.
	Ray of hope for critically endangered Mekong dolphin but mega-dams threaten its chances of survival Years of effective conservation work has slowed the rapid rate of decline of the critically endangered Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin, providing a glimmer of hope for its future – according to the latest data.
	Using evolution to identify cell types Despite similarities in form, function, and even DNA, cells that appear to be related may have traversed very different evolutionary paths. Science magazine spotlights a new approach to identifying cell types based on a recent working group at SFI.
	Black mouse-eared bat goes green: First case of a fruit-eating bat in the largest genus Out of more than 110 allegedly well-studied mouse-eared bat species, there turns out to be one that has been keeping its diet a mystery. Belonging to the largest group of bats, known to be feeding on insects exclusively, the widely common Black mouse-eared bat (Myotis nigricans) is found to also seek fruits. The Brazilian team of researchers, led by biologist Roberto Leonan Morim Novaes, Fiocruz, conducted their work in the Rio de Janeiro's reserve Reserva Ecologica de Guapiacu (REGUA), a 5,500 ha remnant of Atlantic Forest, and have their findings and discussion published in the open-access Biodiversity Data Journal.
	Immaculate white: New moth species preferring dry habitats is a rare case for Florida Spreading its wings over the sandhills and scrub of peninsular Florida, a moth species with immaculately white wings has remained unnoticed by science until Mr. Terhune Dickel brought it to the attention of Dr. James Hayden of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. As a result of their research, published in the open-access journal ZooKeys, the authors have also included a key to facilitate the recognition of different pale-winged moths and their close relatives.
	Early maternal loss has lifelong effects on chimpanzees Wild-caught chimpanzees, who were orphaned and imported from Africa in their early infancy, exhibit an impaired social behaviour also as adults. So far long-term effects of early traumatic experiences on social behaviour were known only for humans and socially isolated chimpanzees. An Austrian-Dutch research team led by Elfriede Kalcher-Sommersguter and Jorg Massen published these results in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.
	Study unlocks faster way to assess ocean ecosystem health A new study published today identifies a set of features common to all ocean ecosystems that provide a visual diagnosis of the health of the underwater environment coastal communities rely on. Together, the features detail cumulative effects of threats—such as overfishing, pollution, and invasive species—so responders can act quickly to increase ocean resiliency and sustainability.
	Scientists date the origin of the cacao tree to 10 million years ago Chocolate, produced from seeds of the cacao tree Theobroma cacao, is one of the most popular flavors in the world, with sales around 100$ billion dollars per year. Yet, as worldwide demand increases, there are fears the industry will fail to cope with growing public hunger for the product. The main problem, common to many crops, is the lack of genetic variation in cultivated cacao, which makes it vulnerable to pests and blights. Lack of genetic variation also puts cacao trees at risk from climate change, jeopardizing the long-term sustainability of the industry.
Swine researchers say feeding amino acids cuts costs, benefits environment In human nutrition, amino acids are considered the good guys. As the building blocks for protein, they are a key ingredient in improving muscle.
	Participatory breeding program assists organic tomato growers Organic tomato production is growing rapidly in Midwestern states in the US, as evidenced by a USDA study that found certified organic tomato production increased more than 277% in the region from 2007-2011. The authors of a report in the September 2015 issue of HortScience say that to keep up with high consumer demand, organic tomato growers need to identify cultivars that are well-adapted to local conditions, are viable under organic management practices, and have the quality characteristics that consumers want.
	Peruvian rainforest 22 times the size of Chicago named a national park The Peruvian government announced on Sunday the designation of 3.3 million acres of Amazonian rainforest as a national park in the Sierra del Divisor mountain range. Chicago's Field Museum played a key role in the international effort that led to the creation of this conservation area.

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