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Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 11, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Team creates a curved waveguide able to significantly bend X-ray beams
- Astronomers discover oldest stars ever seen
- First 'porous liquid' invented
- Venus' twin? Earth-sized rocky planet orbiting a nearby star
- Asteroid ripped apart to form star's glowing ring system
- Early farmers exploited beehive products at least 8,500 years ago
- Study reveals why chemotherapy may be compromised in patients with pancreatic cancer
- Plate tectonics thanks to plumes?
- Change in a single DNA base drives a childhood cancer
- Researchers detail how to control shape, structure of DNA and RNA
- Thermal sensitivity of marine communities reveals the most vulnerable to global warming
- A protein-RNA structure hints at how viruses commandeer human proteins
- Machine learning could solve riddles of galaxy formation
- Little Tally in trial, spots item highs, lows, price goofs
- Nanopores could take the salt out of seawater

Astronomy & Space news

	Asteroid ripped apart to form star's glowing ring system The sight of an asteroid being ripped apart by a dead star and forming a glowing debris ring has been captured in an image for the first time.
	Astronomers discover oldest stars ever seen An international team of astronomers, led researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Australian National University, have identified some of the oldest stars in our galaxy, which could contain vital clues about the early Universe, including an indication of how the first stars died.
	Venus' twin? Earth-sized rocky planet orbiting a nearby star Scientists have discovered a new exoplanet that, in the language of "Star Wars," would be the polar opposite of frigid Hoth, and even more inhospitable than the deserts of Tatooine. But instead of residing in a galaxy far, far away, this new world is, galactically speaking, practically next door.
	Machine learning could solve riddles of galaxy formation A new machine-learning simulation system developed at the University of Illinois promises cosmologists an expanded suite of galaxy models - a necessary first step to developing more accurate and relevant insights into the formation of the universe.
	Orion's European module ready for testing A test version of ESA's service module for NASA's Orion spacecraft arrived in the US yesterday after leaving its assembly site in Italy last weekend.
	Ariane 5's sixth launch this year An Ariane 5 has delivered two telecom satellites, Arabsat-6B and GSAT-15, into their planned orbits.
	Physicist helps explain characteristics of swirling solar wind Just a few hundred yards from the house where Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) lived in Arcetri for the last nine years of his life, the University of Delaware's William Matthaeus is working to further the world's understanding of the heliosphere – the big bubble of magnetism that holds the solar system together – and especially its turbulent nature.
Bangladesh signs $250m satellite deal with French firm Bangladesh on Wednesday signed a $250 million deal with French-Italian firm Thales Alenia Space in Dhaka to build the country's first communications satellite, officials said.
	Prospects for the 2015 November Leonid meteors A November rain hails from the Sickle of the Lion. Hot on the heels of the October Orionids and the Halloween fireballs of the Taurid meteors comes the Leonid meteor shower. On most years, the Leonids are a moderate shower, with hourly local rates reaching around 20. Once every 33 years, however, the Leonids are responsible for putting on one of the greatest astronomical shows ever witnessed, producing a grand storm with a zenithal hourly rate topping thousands per hour.

Technology news

	Shape-changing LineFORM may belong to interface future LineFORM from the Tangible Media Group at MIT Media Lab is the result of its creators asking questions. What if we have a shape-changing material that consists of a Line? Using such material, how will interactions with computers or tools change?
	Little Tally in trial, spots item highs, lows, price goofs Missing shelf items spell lots of missed opportunities. The customer sees the store is out of animal crackers and leaves, as the store nearby will not only carry the rest of the items on the grocery list but also the missing crackers.
	New pop-up sensor may help robotic surgery Robots have taken over the O.R. Today, more and more surgeries are performed from behind a computer console as multi-million dollar, multi-armed surgical robots like the Zeus or Da Vinci systems replace hand-held scalpels. These robotic systems have been shown to reduce hospital stays and the likelihood of error and infection, while increasing a surgeon's field of vision and range of motion inside the body. New flexible and soft robotic tools that can snake through twisting and hard-to-reach areas of the body offer even more promise.
	World nations reach landmark deal on using satellites to track flights World nations struck a landmark deal Wednesday on using satellites to track flights, which could prove key to preventing a repeat of the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370 in March 2014.
	After poking Facebook, life ain't easy for a site named Tsu Suppose every time you posted on Facebook, the social network tallied up the ad revenue it earned against your update and passed a percentage back to you. Of course, Facebook does nothing of the sort—but its much smaller rival Tsu.co does.
US official: Charges possible if Chinese hackers keep it up The U.S. could consider criminal charges or sanctions against China if the U.S. determines hackers there are violating an agreement not to conduct economic cyber espionage on American industry, a senior Justice Department official said Tuesday.
	Netflix hit by outage, vexing users An unexpected Netflix outage temporarily stymied unspecified numbers of members trying to stream television shows in the United States, Mexico and Brazil.
	Apple Music picks up beat on Android phones Apple's freshly launched music service became available Tuesday on rival mobile devices powered by Google-backed Android software.
	China splurges on world's biggest online shopping spree Shoppers spent around $9 billion in the first 12 hours of China's "Singles Day" sale on Wednesday, e-commerce giant Alibaba said, in the world's biggest online shopping day.
	Blocked Internet firms on Chinese charm offensive Google, Facebook and Twitter are all banned in China, but the Internet giants' top executives are increasingly frequent visitors to Beijing as they seek opportunity and profit from the world's second-largest economy, despite concerns over censorship.
Fidelity markdown suggests Snapchat is overvalued Snapchat Inc. is the latest startup to fall victim to fears that investors have become overzealous in valuing privately held technology companies.
	Microsoft to keep German customers' cloud data in country (Update) Microsoft said Wednesday it will give German customers of its online services the option of storing their data in Germany, addressing persistent privacy concerns in Europe following revelations about U.S. online surveillance.
Improving battery performance for Android apps App developers could see the energy footprint of their programs on smartphone batteries reduced by participating in a program created by a Purdue-related software startup that promises to find an energy optimization plan or provide a money-back guarantee.
	Facial recognition software solves Gaskell silhouette mystery On the 150th anniversary of the death of Elizabeth Gaskell (12 November 1865), a long-held mystery surrounding the true identity of a silhouette suspected to be of the Victorian novelist has been solved.
	Apple to create 1,000 more jobs in Ireland by 2017 US tech giant Apple will create around 1,000 jobs at its European headquarters in Ireland by mid-2017, chief executive Tim Cook announced Wednesday during a visit to the country.
UN urges more investment in cutting-edge technologies to drive growth Japan, the United States but also increasingly China, are among the few nations driving global innovations like 3D-printing, the UN said Wednesday, urging more investments in fields expected to carry future economic growth.
	Building taller, sturdier wood buildings University of Alabama researchers are leading an effort that could lead to the construction of taller and sturdier wood-framed buildings in earthquake-prone areas.
	New washer can accurately measure a bolt's clamping force A piezoelectric load-sensing washer being developed by a professor and a recent graduate at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) provides a more accurate way to measure the clamping force exerted by the bolt it is on.
	Microsoft agrees to store customer data in privacy-minded Germany (Update) US tech giant Microsoft said Wednesday it is setting up centres to keep customer data in Germany, following a series of US surveillance scandals that have alarmed Europeans.
	Boston Children's Hospital to tap IBM Watson to tackle rare pediatric diseases In an initial project focused on kidney disease, Watson will analyze the massive volumes of scientific literature and clinical databases on the Watson Health Cloud to match genetic mutations to diseases and help uncover insights that could help clinicians identify treatment options.
	German transport agency is testing emissions on 23 brands Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority says it's testing the emissions of vehicles made by 23 foreign and domestic brands following revelations that Volkswagen installed software on some 11 million vehicles allowing them to fake emissions results.
	Apple boss Cook says he'll resist UK government spy law plan Tech giant Apple will resist the British government's efforts to get access to encrypted data through a new spying law, CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday.
	Moscow tells Twitter to store Russian users' data in the country Moscow has warned Twitter that it must store Russian users' personal data in Russia, under a new law, the national communications watchdog told AFP on Wednesday.
	Focusing on user habits key to preventing email phishing The cumulative number of successful phishing cyberattacks has risen sharply over the last decade, and in 2014 that figure surged past the total U.S. population.
Skype founder gives thumbs-up to European IT sector Skype co-founder Niklas Zennstrom on Wednesday praised European information technology, saying 2015 had been an "amazing year" for the sector.
Amazon flies high in the Internet cloud Amazon is widely known for its prowess as an online retail colossus, but is also thriving when it comes to sending business aloft in the Internet cloud.
High-tech means higher sales for many small retailers An independent retailer may not look like the cutting edge of technology, but these small businesses increasingly turn to apps and sophisticated software to connect with customers.
Iraq to allow fourth mobile telecom service provider Iraq is to allow a fourth mobile service provider to operate in the country and has invited interested companies to submit documents.
	Supercomputer project to study solid-state drives under data-intensive workloads The addition of the 800GB (gigabyte) Seagate SAS SSDs will significantly boost Comet's data analytics capability by expanding its node-local storage capacity for data-intensive workloads. Pairs of the drives will be added to all 72 compute nodes in one rack of Comet, alongside the existing SSDs. This will bring the flash storage in a single node to almost 2TB (terabytes), with total rack capacity at more than 138TB.
	Studying artificial 'consciousness' could pave the way for artificial intelligence Imagine a world where "thinking" robots were able to care for the elderly and people with disabilities. This concept may seem futuristic, but exciting new research into consciousness could pave the way for the creation of intuitive artificial intelligence.
	Engineers don't just build things, they can help save the world Engineers like to claim their primacy as problem solvers. But while this ability will always be critical for engineers, there is more to engineering than just solving problems.
	J.J. Abrams, 'Infinity Blade' maker join forces for new game Two years ago, when the creator of the hit mobile game series "Infinity Blade" joked at the latest iPhone unveiling that the device would boast "lens flares that would make J.J. Abrams proud," Chair Entertainment co-founder Donald Mustard was actually making an inside reference to his top-secret collaboration with the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" filmmaker.

Medicine & Health news

	Computer model reveals deadly route of Ebola outbreak Using a novel statistical model, a research team led by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health mapped the spread of the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, providing the most detailed picture to date on how and where the disease spread and identifying two critical opportunities to control the epidemic. The result, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, matches with details known about the early phase of the Ebola outbreak, suggesting the real-time value of the method to health authorities as they plan interventions to contain future outbreaks, and not just of Ebola.
	Mindfulness meditation trumps placebo in pain reduction Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have found new evidence that mindfulness meditation reduces pain more effectively than placebo.
	Researchers report effective immune suppression therapy following traumatic brain injury (Medical Xpress)—The growing awareness of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in professional, collegiate and amateur sports has resulted in legal pressures, media coverage and medical research related to the pathology of head injuries. The problem is particularly acute in contact sports such as U.S. football, but even lower-impact sports have produced examples of the disabilities induced by even minor head trauma.
	Scientists ID genetic factors that influence body weight and neurological disorders Many neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, are marked by impaired motor skills. In addition, growing evidence suggests there's a link between some neurodegenerative diseases and body weight. A recent NIH study, for example, found that adults who are obese or overweight at midlife may be at risk for earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease.
	World-first blood cancer drug trial reveals life-changing results Researchers from the University of Leicester and Leicester's Hospitals have announced a breakthrough advance in the results of the world-first clinical trial with actual patients of a new drug to treat particular blood cancers.
	New research raises questions about using certain antibiotics to treat 'superbug' MRSA A new study sheds light on how treatment of the "superbug" known as MRSA with certain antibiotics can potentially make patients sicker. The findings by Cedars-Sinai scientists, published today in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, could have implications for managing the bug, a virulent form of the common staph infection that can be difficult to control.
	Social media offers neuroscientists a treasure trove of research material Because social media is used so pervasively in modern society to tap into people's behaviors and thoughts, neuroscientists are finding Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms to be very useful tools in a broad range of research areas. A review published November 11 in Trends in Cognitive Sciences describes some of the approaches that neuroscientists can use to gain valuable insights from social media and highlights some of the questions that might be answered by social media-based studies.
	Brain circuits involved in cravings unraveled Dartmouth researchers studying rats have discovered that activation of designer neural receptors can suppress cravings in a brain region involved in triggering those cravings.
	Change in a single DNA base drives a childhood cancer Pediatric oncology researchers have pinpointed a crucial change in a single DNA base that both predisposes children to an aggressive form of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma and makes the disease progress once tumors form.
	Study reveals why chemotherapy may be compromised in patients with pancreatic cancer A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center may explain why chemotherapy drugs such as gemcitabine are not effective for many pancreatic cancer patients, and perhaps point to new approaches to treatment including enhancing gemcitabine's ability to stop tumor growth.
	Study suggests some gut microbes may be keystones of health University of Oregon scientists have found that strength in numbers doesn't hold true for microbes in the intestines. A minority population of the right type might hold the key to regulating good health.
	Pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis: Mouse model offers new insights into rare lung disease New research from an investigative team at the University of Cincinnati (UC) has identified biomarkers and potential therapeutic approaches that may hold the key to treating pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis (PAM), a rare lung disease.
	Batten disease may benefit from gene therapy In a study of dogs, scientists showed that a new way to deliver replacement genes may be effective at slowing the development of childhood Batten disease, a rare and fatal neurological disorder. The key may be to inject viruses that carry the codes for the gene products into the ventricles, which are fluid-filled compartments in the center of the brain that serve as a plumbing system. The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health.
	Blood test detects when hormone treatment for breast cancer stops working Scientists have developed a highly sensitive blood test that can spot when breast cancers become resistant to standard hormone treatment, and have demonstrated that this test could guide further treatment.
	Self-calibration enhances BrainGate brain computer interface ease, reliability A new study in Science Translational Medicine describes three software innovations that substantially improved the user experience and performance of the BrainGate brain computer interface (BCI). Researchers said the gains are a significant advance in their ongoing work to develop and test a practical BCI assistive technology that people with paralysis could use easily, reliably, independently, and on demand to regain control over external devices.
	Diagnosis before disease breaks out Many patients with serious diseases are not helped by their medications because treatment is started too late. An international research team led from Linköping University is launching a unique strategy for discovering a disease progression in its earliest phase.
First-in-class investigational therapeutic shows early promise for lymphoma patients Pevonedistat is a first-in-class, investigational small-molecule inhibitor of the NEDD8-activating enzyme, explained Shah. "This enzyme is part of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which is the target of a number of FDA-approved anticancer therapeutics, including bortezomib (Velcade), which is used to treat multiple myeloma and various types of lymphoma. Pevonedistat also alters the ability of cancer cells to repair damaged DNA," he said.
How mobile phones are making childbirth safer in Ethiopia In Ethiopia where almost nine in every 10 women give birth at home after pregnancies with little or no medical support, a mobile phone app is coming to the rescue with lifesaving guidelines when things go wrong.
	Outside Chipotle outbreak, foodborne illness a wider problem Chipotle is preparing to reopen its restaurants in the Pacific Northwest after an E. coli outbreak sickened about 45 people, a high-profile example of foodborne illnesses that are more common than the public realizes, health experts say.
New research reveals combined cell therapy enhances cardiac performance following heart attack A new study from the Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute (ISCI) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine finds that combination stem cell therapy, using c-kit+ cardiac stem cells (CSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can significantly enhance cardiac performance in chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy following a heart attack. This is the first time a combination of cells has been used in a large animal pre-clinical trial of established heart failure by researchers at ISCI.
	More steps a day keep the doctor away Landmark research by The George Institute for Global Health has found that exercise can save lives, with an increase in the number of steps walked each day having a direct correlation with long term mortality.
	Ensuring defibrillators are accessible when heart attacks are most likely to happen Walking through an office building on St. George Street, Engineering's Christopher Sun quickly spots a portable automated external defibrillator (AED) conveniently tucked near the side of the entrance.
Angioplasty procedure reduces need for additional drug even when blockages remain Heart patients who had undergone an angioplasty procedure that opened only some blocked arteries tended to have a resolution of their chest pain, making it unnecessary to add another medication to treat the symptom, according to a study led by the Duke Clinical Research Institute.
	Knowns and unknowns of US drug pricing In the U.S. spending on drugs represents 10% of overall health care costs.(1) Together, hospital and physician expenditures account for 6 times the spending on drugs.(2) Despite a recent uptick in the rate of drug cost growth, over the past 10 years the pace of hospital and physician expenditures has exceeded prescription drugs.(2) Apparently, these facts do not make for eye-catching headlines. By contrast, the recent surge in the price of drugs targeting hepatitis C, HIV, and various cancer and orphan diseases, is salient and the focal point of media attention. For example, last month's reported 50-fold price increase of Daraprim drew the ire of politicians, policymakers, and patient advocates. Here, we unravel several mysteries surrounding drug pricing and alignment of price and value.
Medical marijuana should be held to same standard as other drugs, pharmacist says When medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon opened their doors to sell to anyone who is 21 years or older last month, the lines between recreation and medicine were officially blurred, said Edward Bednarczyk, PharmD, pharmacy practice chair in the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
	Understanding the causes of type 2 diabetes to treat it more effectively To date, no cure has been found for type 2 diabetes, the most common form of this chronic disease which affects nearly 2.5 million Canadians. Marc Prentki's research seeks to understand how the functioning of the cells of the pancreas is disrupted when this disease occurs. Marc Prentki is a full professor at Université de Montréal's Department of Nutrition and a researcher at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal Research Centre (CRCHUM).
	'Empathy gaps' causing trauma in community mental health care Failed, traumatised, stigmatised and often left feeling worse off than when they started.
	Tackling a neglected disease with math Schistosomiasis, or bilharzia, is a parasitic disease that infects people who expose themselves to contaminated lakes and rivers. Over the past decade, campaigns to treat infected individuals have managed to bring down the morbidity of the disease, but eliminating it from entire regions will require an orchestrated approach involving the entire infectious cycle of the disease. In a study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, a group of researchers led by EPFL show how human mobility and water resource development contribute to the spread of the disease and layout challenges for the development of more effective treatment strategies in Burkina Faso.
	Dentist toolkit helps in fight against oral cancer A University of Liverpool researcher has helped develop a GP and dentist toolkit to help detect oral cancer.
New study investigating how to support people with disability to have sex Supporting people with disability to have active sex lives is the subject of a unique study by researchers at Deakin University.
	Putting exercise under the microscope According to the Centers for Disease Control, newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes have quadrupled since 1980, when 4.5 million cases were diagnosed, to 20.9 million in 2011.
	Why we look at pretty faces Few visual impressions can be compared to humans' interest for faces. New research suggests that our brain rewards us for looking at pretty faces.
One course of antibiotics can affect diversity of microorganisms in the gut A single course of antibiotics has enough strength to disrupt the normal makeup of microorganisms in the gut for as long as a year, potentially leading to antibiotic resistance, European researchers reported this week in mBio, an online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	What happens to your brain when you're pregnant? My friend recently asked me: "Why have I become so forgetful since I became pregnant?" I told her I didn't know, but that I'd look into it. She then followed with: "I was going to ask you to explain something else to me, but I totally forgot what it was."
	New research finds failing to weigh emergency stroke patients leads to wrong dose of drugs A new study has revealed stroke patients receiving emergency clot busting drugs, the correct dose of which depends on the patient's weight, may be receiving the wrong dose because the UK (and much of Europe) does not weigh patients prior to its administration.
Does psychotherapy research with trauma survivors underestimate the patient-therapist relationship? When I first arrived at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center to practice psychology in 2001, my patients – mainly male Vietnam veterans – were leery. I had a PhD and could be viewed as an authority figure, a likely trigger for distress for those who felt mistreated by the military or the Department of Veterans Affairs.
	Gentle yoga safe in late pregnancy, small study suggests (HealthDay)—Yoga, even late into pregnancy, appears to be safe for expectant moms, according to a small new study.
Death of a parent in childhood associated with increased suicide risk The death of a parent in childhood was associated with a long-term risk of suicide in a study of children from three Scandinavian countries who were followed for up to 40 years, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Hospital readmission common after emergency general surgery A study of patients who underwent an emergency general surgery procedure found that hospital readmission was common and varied widely depending on patient factors and diagnosis, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery.
	PFOA exposure in utero linked to child adiposity and faster BMI gain Children whose mothers were exposed to relatively high levels of the chemical PFOA during pregnancy experienced more rapid body fat gain and higher body fat by age 8 than children whose mothers were less exposed, according to a new analysis in the journal Obesity.
	New online tool created to tackle complications of pregnancy and child birth Mother Nature (aka evolution) has been particularly guarded when it comes to her secrets regarding human pregnancy, which has made it particularly difficult for medical researchers seeking answers to the complications of gestation and childbirth, such as preterm birth, which is the leading cause of infant mortality worldwide.
Elderly with dementia, diabetes and kidney problems risk dehydration One in every five older people living in UK care homes has dehydration, suggesting that they are not drinking enough to keep themselves healthy. Those with dementia, diabetes and kidney problems are at most risk of dehydration - according to research from the University of East Anglia.
Study finds sexually transmitted infection affecting up to 1 percent of the population aged 16-44 in the UK A new study strengthens growing evidence that Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). The findings are recently published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Researchers improve safety, decrease risks of new blood thinners Researchers at McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton have successfully tested an antidote that reverses the effects of two new blood thinners named apixaban and rivaroxaban. By reversing the effects of blood thinners within minutes, this new antidote may help to save the lives of patients taking blood thinners that experience major bleeding complications.
Brain scans may help predict recovery from coma Brain scans of people in a coma may help predict who will regain consciousness, according to a study published in the November 11, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at connections between areas of the brain that play a role in regulating consciousness.
	A network of artificial neurons learns to use human language A group of researchers from the University of Sassari (Italy) and the University of Plymouth (UK) has developed a cognitive model, made up of two million interconnected artificial neurons, able to learn to communicate using human language starting from a state of "tabula rasa", only through communication with a human interlocutor. The model is called ANNABELL (Artificial Neural Network with Adaptive Behavior Exploited for Language Learning) and it is described in an article published in the international scientific journal PLOS ONE. This research sheds light on the neural processes that underlie the development of language.
Men with Alzheimer's gene at risk of brain bleeding, study finds A common genetic variation, ApoE4, linked to Alzheimer's disease greatly raises the likelihood of tiny brain bleeds in some men, scientists have found.
	Global health team pioneers development of a new antimalarial drug screening model A University of South Florida Center for Global Health & Infectious Diseases Research team has demonstrated a new screening model to classify antimalarial drugs and to identify drug targets for the most lethal strain of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum.
	Prior oral contraceptive use associated with better outcome for ovarain cancer patients Patients who develop ovarian cancer appear to have better outcomes if they have a history of oral contraceptive use, according to a study by Mayo Clinic researchers published in the current issue of the journal BMC Cancer.
	Drug might help breast cancer patients avoid heart damage Many cancer treatments have a dark side—they can damage the heart. New research suggests this risk might be lowered in women with breast tumors if they take a heart drug as a preventive measure during their cancer care.
	Melanoma's genetic trajectories are charted in new study An international team of scientists led by UC San Francisco researchers has mapped out the genetic trajectories taken by melanoma as it evolves from early skin lesions, known as precursors, to malignant skin cancer, which can be lethal when it invades other tissues in the body.
Reducing misdiagnosis: Time for the next chapter in improving patient safety An estimated 12 million people in the United States experience diagnostic errors annually, but it's time for a change, , said researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center and RTI International in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina in a call to action.
	Natural selection and inflammation may hold key to age-associated cancer risk The incidence of cancer increases with age. Conventional wisdom blames this on age-dependent accumulation of cancer-causing mutations. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation tells another story: healthy cells are optimized for the ecosystem of healthy tissue; changes in this tissue ecosystem leave room for another, fitter "species" to emerge; inflammation frequently (but not necessarily!) associated with aging is a common mechanism of tissue disturbance that allows cells with cancer-causing mutations to out-compete their healthy rivals; this leads to a shift in the dominant population from healthy to cancerous cells.
	'Sorry' doesn't heal children's hurt, but it mends relations Most adults know that a quick apology for a minor transgression, such as bumping into someone, helps maintain social harmony. The bumped-into person feels better, and so does the person who did the bumping. It's all part of the social norm.
Adults with OCD can benefit from exposure therapy when common drug treatment options fail Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can improve their symptoms significantly by adding exposure and response prevention therapy to their treatment regimen when common drug treatment options have failed, according to new research from psychiatrists at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Exposure and response prevention therapy is a type of cognitive behavior therapy in which the patient is asked to confront triggers that give rise to their obsessions in order to refrain from performing the rituals in response to these obsessions. The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.
	He was left with no scars after they reconstructed his face Scar-free facial reconstruction is now a reality. A team led by Daniel Borsuk, a doctor at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont and a professor at the University of Montreal, recently conducted the very first such procedure in the history of plastic surgery in Canada. The hospital is part of the CIUSS de l'Est-de-l'île-de-Montréal health network. In an eight-hour operation on an adult patient, Dr. Daniel Borsuk carried out the facial reconstruction using virtual surgery and 3D models, removing a vascularized piece of pelvic bone and reshaping it to adapt it to the rest of the face before transplanting it through the inside of the mouth, with no scars left at all.
	Warning signs a teen might be suicidal What should I do if I suspect my teen is suicidal?
Medicare announces 'Part B' premiums for outpatient care Medicare has announced the monthly "Part B" premiums for outpatient care next year.
Veterinary task force wants antibiotic resistance solutions at top of public health agenda A national task force report on the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in animal agriculture spotlights the need to make finding solutions a top public health priority, said Willie Reed, dean of the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.
	Preventing radiation in cancer therapies to damage healthy organs When a person receives radiation cancer treatment, he or she is exposed to ionizing radiation; to prevent damaging healthy tissue, Dr. Guerda Massillon, researcher at the National University of Mexico (UNAM), studied the properties of various materials called dosimeters that measure radiation doses.
	Children's mental health survey launched The first report on the mental health of young people between the ages of two and 19 will involve an expert researcher from the University of Exeter Medical School.
Researcher to launch project to teach Tai Chi to people with dementia A Bournemouth University researcher has been awarded a prestigious fellowship to launch a health and wellbeing project for people with dementia.
Orchestra helps boost confidence and mood for those with dementia A special orchestra for people with dementia has helped boost their confidence and mood, according to a new research project. The orchestra group has been set up by the Bournemouth University Dementia Institute (BUDI) in Dorset to create a sense of community among participants and also includes professional musicians, carers and students.
	Express Scripts sues Horizon, fight over prescriptions grows The drugmaker Horizon Pharma is questioning its relationship with an Express Scripts business after the pharmacy benefits giant sued Horizon for about $140 million and dumped a pharmacy that dispenses its drugs.
	Experts call for a new approach to reducing cases of pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer survival rates have remained at an alarmingly low 3 to 6% for more than 40 years. Ahead of World Pancreatic Cancer Day, 13 November 2015, United European Gastroenterology (UEG) call for greater action from healthcare providers and governments on pancreatic cancer and new public health initiatives to raise awareness of symptoms and risk factors and ensure earlier diagnosis and an increase in survival rates.
	Researchers aim to regenerate human knees and limbs by 2030 On Veteran's Day the University of Connecticut announced the launch of its new grand research challenge: regeneration of a human knee within 7 years, and an entire limb within 15 years.
Researchers building digital pathology tools to predict cancer outcomes Case Western Reserve University researchers have been awarded two grants totaling $3.16 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create analytic software for managing, annotating, sharing and analyzing digital pathology imaging data.
Brazilian man being tested for Ebola; results in 24 hours Brazil's heath minister says a officials are testing a 46-year-old Brazilian man for a suspected case of Ebola.

Biology news

	Intensive farming link to bovine tuberculosis Intensive farming practices such as larger herd size, maize growth, fewer hedgerows and the use of silage have been linked to higher risk of bovine TB, new research has concluded.
	Japan researchers find chimps caring for disabled infant A chimpanzee mother cared for her disabled infant in the wild in Tanzania, Japanese researchers reported in a study published this week, research they hope will help in understanding the evolution of social care in humans.
	Study of crabs suggests they are capable of feeling pain (Phys.org)—A pair of researchers with Queen's University in the U.K. has found via testing, that contrary to conventional thinking, crabs appear to be capable of feeling pain. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, Robert Elwood and Laura Adams describe how they subjected a group of crabs to jolts of electricity and the ways they tested them to see if the shocks elicited a pain response.
	Study shows transfer of immunity over two generations in pigeons (Phys.org)—(Phys.org)—A team of researchers with Sorbonne Universités and Prédictive CEREEP-Ecotron Ile-De-France has found that grandmothers of pigeon chicks are somehow able to transfer immunity to a third generation, though the means is not apparent. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the team describes how they injected three generations of pigeons with a protein to monitor their level of immunity response and what they found by doing so.
	The secret to safe DNA repair Michael Hendzel knows all too well that there is little that people can do to control the stability of their genetic code. But he hopes his latest research will help impact this elusive and crucial aspect of medicine. Published in Nature Cell Biology, this research explores a previously unknown secret to DNA repair.
	A protein-RNA structure hints at how viruses commandeer human proteins Researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the University of Michigan have produced the first image of an important human protein as it binds with ribonucleic acid (RNA), a discovery that could offer clues to how some viruses, including HIV, control expression of their genetic material.
	Thermal sensitivity of marine communities reveals the most vulnerable to global warming The sensitivity of marine communities to ocean warming rather than rising ocean temperatures will have strong short-term impacts on biodiversity changes associated with global warming, according to new research.
	Power up: Cockroaches employ a 'force boost' to chew through tough materials New research indicates that cockroaches use a combination of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers to give their mandibles a 'force boost' that allows them to chew through tough materials.
	A 'nervous system' for ant colonies? Colony responds to predation simulation as a 'superorganism' Colonies of ants are incredibly complex, and at the same time intensely cooperative, so much so that they are often referred to as single 'superorganisms'. But to what extent do they actually behave as a single entity?
	Mapping to help preserve Broome's rare ecology Broome householders, businesses and agencies are closer to being able to preserve fragile, unique ecological communities in the region while conserving the town's natural heritage as it develops.
	Metabolite maps provide more information and can help reduce harvest losses It is possible to make metabolite maps of living plant tissues both quickly and accurately by using laser ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging. Researchers at Wageningen UR describe this in their article in the scientific journal Plant Physiology. The maps are 2-D at present, but the researchers are planning to investigate whether they can also use the technique to make 3-D maps.
	Biologists piece together history of deadly fungus New research from two San Francisco State University biologists is filling in some pieces of the puzzle about how a deadly fungus arrived in California and began wiping out amphibian populations.
	Contact, connect and fuse: An ultra-structural view of the muscle formation process For an avid exerciser, a muscle pull or tear is a painful and fairly common occurrence. A sudden turn or an unusually vigorous bout of aerobics can leave one with a muscle tear that will effectively confine a person to bed for a few weeks. However, muscles do heal—a set of quiescent cells called myosatellite cells in muscles are activated by injury to divide and form myoblasts, which in turn fuse with muscle cells to repair damaged muscles. The mechanistic basis of myoblast fusion with muscle fibers is now clearer thanks to recent work from Vijayraghavan's group at the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS).
Southern right whale calf wounding by Kelp Gulls increased to nearly all over four decades Wounding of southern right whale calves and mothers by Kelp Gulls has increased from 2% to 99% over four decades, according to a study published Oct. 21, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Carina Marón from the University of Utah and colleagues.
	The owls beyond the Andes: Divergence between distant populations suggests new species They might be looking quite identical, while perched above humanised farmlands and grasslands across several continents, but each of the populations of two owl species, living in the opposite hemispheres, might actually turn out to be yet another kind. This suggestion has been made by Dr. Nelson Colihueque and his team from Universidad de Los Lagos, Chile, based on new genetic divergence analyses of the Common Barn and the Short-eared Owl populations from southern Chile and comparing them with those from other geographic areas. The study is published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
Environmental groups want thorny skate on endangered list A pair of environmental groups want the U.S. government to add a species of skate to the list of animals protected under the Endangered Species Act, touching off a drive from some fishermen who say there are already burdened with too many regulations.
Digging deeper into DNA: An efficient method to sequence chloroplast genomes To fully understand a plant's nuclear genome, scientists must also study two other genomes found within plant cells—-in the "powerhouse" mitochondria and in the photosynthesizing chloroplast organelles. Researchers from the Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria (National Institute of Agricultural Research) in Uruguay have developed a chloroplast genome-sequencing strategy to facilitate this research. The new method could unlock a wealth of untapped chloroplast genome sequence data that can be applied to evolutionary studies.
The last decade's culture wars drove some states to fund stem cell research It wasn't what President George W. Bush had in mind. In 2001, Bush restricted the use of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, giving conservatives what looked like a major victory in the nation's culture wars.
	Eliminating fungi that attack produce with oregano and eucalyptus oil Researchers at the National University of Mexico (UNAM) have demonstrated anti-fungal in vitro activity of the essential oil of oregano and eucalyptus in a vapor phase, which have already proven effective in controlling fungi that cause diseases in fruits and vegetables.
	Reconstructing evolutionary history Biologist Angela Hancock's current ERC funded project brings the Cape Verde Islands to the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL): Research with the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana helps her reconstruct the evolutionary history of the plant and uncovers general principles of adaptation.

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