Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Nov 4

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Dear Reader ,

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

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Quantum process demonstrates superposition of ordered events
- Mapping the landscape of research funding
- New glass almost as tough as steel
- Exploiting video game software yields broadcast-quality 3-D video of soccer games in real time
- Physicists measure force that makes antimatter stick together
- Facebook grows user base to 1.55 bn, profits up
- Young adults are more envious than their elders—and about more things
- Math anxiety doesn't equal poor math performance
- Researchers transform humble blood cells into 'Franken-platelets'
- Protostar growth spurts
- Novel 'crumpling' of hybrid nanostructures increases SERS sensitivity
- The Greenland ice sheet contains nutrients from precipitation
- Designing ice repellent materials
- Researchers discover size gene for salmon
- Scientists uncover mechanism that propels liver development after birth

Astronomy & Space news

	Radar images provide details on Halloween asteroid The highest-resolution radar images of asteroid 2015 TB145's safe flyby of Earth have been processed and yield new information about its surface features.
	Whopping galaxy cluster spotted with help of NASA telescopes Astronomers have discovered a giant gathering of galaxies in a very remote part of the universe, thanks to NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The galaxy cluster, located 8.5 billion light-years away, is the most massive structure yet found at such great distances.
	Martian valleys could have been carved by surprisingly little water New calculations suggest that vast valley networks that spider across the southern highlands of Mars may have been carved by a surprisingly small volume of water.
	Protostar growth spurts Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have discovered an adolescent protostar that is undergoing a rapid-fire succession of growth spurts. Evidence for this fitful youth is seen in a pair of intermittent jets streaming away from the star's poles.
	Upgraded Hobby-Eberly Telescope sees first light After several years and a massive team effort, one of the world's largest telescopes has opened its giant eye again. The Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) at The University of Texas at Austin's McDonald Observatory has completed a $25 million upgrade and, now using more of its primary mirror, has achieved "first light" as the world's third-largest optical telescope.
	Image: Robotic eyes to assist satellite repairs in orbit NASA is developing and demonstrating technologies to service and repair satellites in distant orbits. Robotic spacecraft—likely operated with joysticks by technicians on the ground—would carry out the hands-on maneuvers, not human beings using robotic and other specialized tools, as was the case for spacecraft like the low-Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.
	First observations from SEPIA: New APEX instrument for finding water in the universe Installed on APEX earlier this year, SEPIA is sensitive to light with wavelengths in the range 1.4-1.8 millimetres. The exceptional observing conditions on the extremely dry Chajnantor Plateau in northern Chile mean that, although this light is blocked by water vapour in the atmosphere at most places on Earth, SEPIA is still able to detect the faint signals coming from space.
NASA's GRIPS balloon team arrives in Antarctica Members of the GRIPS balloon team began arriving at McMurdo Station in Antarctica in late October 2015. GRIPS, short for Gamma-Ray Imager/Polarimeter for Solar flares, is an instrument that studies the extremely high-energy particles released by solar flares, information that will help scientists pinpoint the processes which set off these explosive events. GRIPS will launch this December, suspended underneath a football-field-sized balloon, and will circle above the frozen Antarctic for several weeks.
	Ion propulsion—the key to deep space exploration When we think of space travel, we tend to picture a massive rocket blasting off from Earth, with huge blast streams of fire and smoke coming out the bottom, as the enormous machine struggles to escape Earth's gravity. Rockets are our only option for escaping Earth's gravity well—for now. But once a spacecraft has broken its gravitational bond with Earth, we have other options for powering them. Ion propulsion, long dreamed of in science fiction, is now used to send probes and spacecraft on long journeys through space.
	The moon greets the planets in the November dawn So did this past weekend's shift back to Standard Time for most of North America throw you for a loop? Coming the day after Halloween, 2015 was the earliest we can now shift back off Daylight Saving Time. Sunday won't fall on November 1st again until 2020. Expect evenings get darker sooner for northern hemisphere residents, while the planetary action remains in the dawn sky.
	Solar storm knocks out flight control systems in Sweden Aviation officials say a solar storm knocked out the air traffic control systems in Sweden on Wednesday, prompting them to close the country's airspace for more than an hour.
	Got the right stuff? NASA is hiring astronauts Think you have the right stuff to be an astronaut?
	New visualization shows incredible variety of extraterrestrial worlds Here's a great new poster showing over 500 extrasolar planets (about one quarter of the total) that have been discovered since 1988. This visualization, created by graphic artist and writer Martin Vargic from Slovakia, is based on the estimated radius and temperature of the planets, however other factors, such as density, age or stellar metallicity were also taken into consideration. All the various known classes of exoplanets are shown on the graphic, such as super-Earths, hot Jupiters, hot Neptunes, water worlds, gas dwarfs or superdense diamond planets.

Technology news

	Exploiting video game software yields broadcast-quality 3-D video of soccer games in real time By exploiting the graphics-rendering software that powers sports video games, researchers at MIT and the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) have developed a system that automatically converts 2-D video of soccer games into 3-D.
	Watch for sidewalk delivery robots from Starship Technologies Look who or rather what is carrying bags down a busy street. A little robot in the future might be spotted often making its rounds, thanks to Starship Technologies, a company launched by Skype co-founders. The company has announced local-delivery, 40-pound robots. These are self-driving machines. They are intended to be mostly useful for local neighborhood restaurants and retailers.
	Study shows some 3D printed objects are toxic Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have found parts produced by some commercial 3D printers are toxic to certain fish embryos. Their results have raised questions about how to dispose of parts and waste materials from 3D printers.
	Consent granted to Scotland's floating offshore wind development How feasible are multiple floating wind turbines in a region with optimal wind conditions? That is what energy planners are to find out from an ambitious floating wind farm pilot project off the Scottish coast. Floating wind represents a renewable energy source that will complement existing alternative energy projects in Scotland.
	Facebook grows user base to 1.55 bn, profits up Facebook said Wednesday its profit in the third quarter jumped 11 percent to $891 million as advertising revenues soared.
	Tesla's 3Q loss widens, but shares rise on production Tesla Motors' net loss more than tripled in the third quarter as expenses and research costs rose, but investors cheered news that the company expects to meet or exceed its production targets this year.
CEO says ad-free CBS All Access for $10 is 'very possible' CBS is contemplating offering its online service CBS All Access free of ads for $10 a month, a $4 surcharge that matches what online video service Hulu charges for stripping out commercials.
Porsche halts diesel Cayenne sales in US, Canada Porsche is voluntarily halting the sale of some diesel SUVs in the U.S. and Canada after U.S. regulators accused the brand of using software to cheat on emissions tests.
	What waste: human excrement can fuel developing world Gas produced by decaying human waste is a potentially major source of energy, providing electricity for millions of homes while improving sanitary conditions in developing countries, says a UN report.
	Third teen arrested over cyber attack on UK's TalkTalk British police said Tuesday they had arrested a third teenager in connection with a cyber attack on Internet and telephone provider TalkTalk that put millions of customers' data at risk.
San Francisco voters reject anti-Airbnb measure San Francisco voters on Tuesday rejected a measure that would have limited short-term housing rentals in their city in what was seen as a referendum on surging startup Airbnb.
	In VW inquiry, states scrutinize ads to build case For years, Volkswagen lured customers with "clean diesel" ads that sent cars zooming off the lot and the company's revenues spiraling. Now, in the wake of VW's admission that its software cheated emissions tests, those ads could bring major sticker shock for the German automaker.
	Robotic worm for head surgery can cut around corners Removing tumors from within the inner ear is a very delicate matter that typically requires surgeons to remove the entire mastoid bone. However, in the future, all doctors will need to do is cut a tunnel of 5 mm in diameter through the bone using a miniature robot named NiLiBoRo. The system is capable of adjusting its path while drilling through bone to steer around sensitive tissue such as blood vessels and nerves. Researchers will be displaying the new technology at the Compamed exhibition from November 16-19 in Düsseldorf (Hall 08a, Booth K38).
	Bringing state-of-the-art text analysis techniques to the social sciences According to a 2015 Global Web Index report, today's average adult spends 6.15 hours a day online. More than a quarter of this time is spent on social networking sites. Life in the digital age means an abundance—arguably an overabundance—of online information and communication.
	Embattled VW sinks deeper into mire of emissions-cheating scandal Shares in Volkswagen took a fresh battering Wednesday after a massive pollution scandal engulfing the company widened to include petrol as well as diesel engines.
	Fast and efficient detection of hand poses could lead to enhanced human-computer interactions A mobile phone that responds to hand signals rather than the touch of a button may soon be possible thanks to technology developed by A*STAR researchers that efficiently detects three-dimensional human hand movements from two-dimensional images in real time. Combining this technology with devices such as laptops or mobile phones can facilitate robot control and enable human-computer interactions.
	Is that a human or machine driving? Mistaken identity can lead to tragedy Many of Shakespeare's plays depend on mistaken identity. In Twelfth Night, Viola disguises herself as a boy, and is mistaken for her twin brother Sebastian, complicating an already complicated love triangle.
	What problems will AI solve in future? An old British gameshow can help explain The Crystal Maze, the popular UK television show from the early 1990s, included a puzzle that is very useful for explaining one of the main conundrums in artificial intelligence. The puzzle appeared a few times in the show's Futuristic Zone, one of four zones in which a team of six contestants sought to win "time crystals" that bought time to win prizes at the Crystal Dome at the end of the show.
	Stoked by Bond and other fiction, our fear of surveillance is worse than the real thing The latest Bond film, Spectre, presents 007 with the very modern problem of cyber-security. Yet Bond cares more about being right, and about revenge – against both the man who wronged him and the government's efforts to put the "00" spy programme out of business by replacing it with better information – the sort of broad data collection and sharing that gets a bad rap. Bond is a fictional character, but his reaction follows the public's inability to understand how this sort of information sharing is necessary.
	How to distinguish lifelike robots from humans Can you imagine being in front of an android and a human and not able to identify which one is real? Mexican researcher David Silvera-Tawil discovered, after conducting a study in Australia, that exposure to Geminoids robots caused high anxiety and even fear in people.
	Britain seeks greater access to citizens' online activity (Update) The British government plans to make telecommunications firms keep records of customers' Web histories and help spies hack into computers and phones under a new cyber-snooping law unveiled Wednesday.
	Autonomous shuttles in Switzerland For the first time in Switzerland, autonomous shuttles could make the rounds of a city center. Researchers at EPFL, in association with the startup BestMile and the public bus operator PostBus, are working on how to integrate these vehicles into the public transport system.
	Dutch firm KPN starts network for 'Internet of Things' Dutch telecoms firm KPN announced Wednesday it had launched in two cities a new wireless technology known as LoRa to wirelessly connect objects, ahead of a country-wide rollout.
	'Netflix for pirates' shut down by courts Hollywood's film trade group is hailing the shutdown of two online services used to circulate pirated copies of hit movies, including one that became known as "Netflix for pirates."
	98,000 petrol cars hit in VW's CO2 emissions scandal: minister Around 98,000 petrol cars count among the 800,000 Volkswagen vehicles found to show irregularities on their carbon emission levels, Germany's Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt said Wednesday.
	Saunas and metal rockers: Finland to launch national emojis Finland is launching a series of 'national emojis' that include people sweating in saunas, classic Nokia phones and heavy metal head-bangers.
	Pressure grows on Volkswagen as bad news piles up The fallout from Volkswagen's emissions-cheating scandal intensified Wednesday, as investors dumped the company's stock and a credit ratings agency downgraded its debt. European regulators demanded VW speed up its investigation into the cheating, while the company halted sales of seven models in the U.S. that allegedly were part of the plot.
Time Warner CEO signals delays for DC shows on Netflix, Hulu Fans of superhero shows based in the DC Comics universe like "The Flash," ''Arrow" and "Gotham" might have to wait a lot longer for past seasons' episodes to come to Netflix and Hulu.
Groupon takes fresh hit as new CEO outlines strategy Take another discount on the stock price: Groupon fell hard on Wednesday as the company's new chief executive laid out his strategy in the face of a weakening sales.
Comcast expanding data caps to new markets Comcast is further expanding its Internet data caps to new markets in 5 Southern states.
	Expedia unveils $3.9 bn deal for HomeAway US online travel booking giant Expedia said Wednesday it agreed to acquire the vacation marketplace HomeAway for $3.9 billion.
	Chinese still 'jumping' firewall to use Twitter: study China's blocking of Twitter has failed to keep activists, journalists and others from using the messaging platform to connect with the rest of the world, said a study released Wednesday.
	As Facebook grows, look for more ads on Instagram If you're starting to notice more ads on Instagram, it's all part of Facebook's plan.
	Healthier indoor climate for heavy industry A dust extraction unit that exploits the laws of nature has made the indoor climate on the 'shop-floor' of the Thamshavn smelter in Norway 75 percent cleaner.
UK fines prosecutors for data breach in stolen laptops case Britain's Information Commissioner's Office has fined the national Crown Prosecution Service 200,000 pounds ($308,000) for negligence in failing to ensure the security of laptops containing police interviews of victims and witnesses—some in historic abuse allegations.
	Epson develops compact atomic oscillator Seiko Epson Corporation has developed a small, highly stable atomic oscillator, the AO6860LAN, for telecommunications networks and industrial applications. The development of the new oscillator will be presented on November 4, 2015, in Edinburgh, UK, at the upcoming ITSF 2015 (the International Telecom Sync Forum). Volume production is scheduled to begin in 2016.
	C-suite executives see "Uberization" as primary competitive threat, according to IBM study The trend of "uberization" or industry disruption caused by an unlikely competitor has become a dominant concern of the C-suite, finds a new IBM study. In just two years, the percentage of C-suite leaders who expect to contend with competition from outside their industry increased by more than a quarter—rising from 43 percent in 2013 to 54 percent today.

Medicine & Health news

	A protein atlas of the brain Just as in the Middle Ages when there were still many uncharted areas on Earth, researchers today are aware that there is still a great deal to learn about cells in our microcosm. But instead of sextants and compasses, researchers nowadays use modern methods such as mass spectrometry to look into the world of protein molecules. Neuroscientists are focussed particularly on resolving brain complexity with its billions of specialized cells.
	Researchers decode lupus using DNA clues People with systemic lupus erythematosus can experience a variety of symptoms, such as fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes and kidney problems. Often the symptoms come and go in episodes called flares. In lupus, the immune system goes haywire and produces antibodies that are directed against the body itself.
	Scarlet fever making a comeback An international study led by University of Queensland (UQ) researchers has tracked the re-emergence of a childhood disease which had largely disappeared over the past 100 years.
	DNA in blood can track cancer development and response in real time Scientists have shown for the first time that tumour DNA shed into the bloodstream can be used to track cancers in real time as they evolve and respond to treatment, according to a new Cancer Research UK study published in the journal Nature Communications today.
	'Odometer neurons' encode distance traveled and elapsed time Animals navigate by calculating their current position based on how long and how far they have traveled and a new study on treadmill-running rats reveals how: neurons called grid cells integrate information about time and distance to support memory and spatial navigation, even in the absence of visual landmarks. The findings, published November 4 in the journal Neuron, challenge currently held views of the role of grid cells in the brain.
	Can scientists agree on a definition of curiosity? Philosopher Thomas Hobbes called it "the lust of the mind." Former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt said it was "the most useful gift." And, yes, we all know what killed the cat. But ask a group of scientists to define curiosity and you'll get a rousing debate, and a lot of unanswered questions about its biology. No more, argue two University of Rochester researchers in a review of curiosity science published November 4 in Neuron. They propose that it's time for researchers to organize and focus on curiosity's function, evolution, mechanism, and development.
	Vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus shows promise in early trial Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers say a new candidate vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) made with a weakened version of the virus shows great promise at fighting the disease, the leading cause of hospitalization for children under the age of one in the U.S.
	'JEDI' technology awakens new understanding of how immune system works When it comes to fending off disease and helping prevent people from falling ill, the body's immune system—armed with T-cells that help eliminate cancer cells, virus-infected cells and more—is second to none. But exactly how the immune system works remains, in many ways, a mystery, as there are numerous cell types whose functions and interactions with our immune systems have not been well understood. Now, a team of scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed the Just EGFP Death-Inducing T-cell, or JEDI T-cells, which enable the visualization of T-cell antigens, allowing researchers to study T-cell interactions with different cell types, model disease states, and finally determine the functions of otherwise poorly characterized cell populations.
	A way to target the Achilles heel of neuroblastoma Australian scientists have identified a critical molecular 'feedback loop' that helps initiate and drive neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system in children that is triggered in embryonal nerve cells.
	Young adults are more envious than their elders—and about more things "Mirror, mirror, on the wall - who's the fairest of them all?" New research doesn't have an answer to that. But it does give clues as to who is the "enviest" and would have been more likely to pester (and fester) with the question in the first place: Snow White, not her stepmother. If only fairy tales lined up with data.
	Blood test picks out prostate cancer drug resistance Scientists have developed a blood test that can identify key mutations driving resistance to a widely used prostate cancer drug, and identify in advance patients who will not respond to treatment.
	More than skin deep: Researchers discover new way to help skin heal faster Most products on the market today that are used to treat skin problems target the effects of the disease or wound such as inflammation, which can prolong the healing process and result in scarring. However, LSU Assistant Professor Wei Xu and collaborators at Northwestern University discovered a new way to prevent inflammation and to speed up the skin's healing process. After five years of research, they identified the gene regulation pathway, which involves the body's sodium sensor called Nax (scn7a) that triggers inflammation. They found a way to block it using a nanoparticle-carried small interference RNA, which enables the skin to heal faster.
	Scientists uncover mechanism that propels liver development after birth Any expectant mother will tell you that she wants her baby's organs to develop properly in the womb.
'Chemsex' needs to become a public health priority Chemsex - sex under the influence of illegal drugs - needs to become a public health priority, argue experts in The BMJ this week.
Study highlights risks of prescribing or monitoring errors in UK general practice Around one in 100 patients in a study of over 500 UK general practices are at risk of receiving an inappropriate prescription and around one in 250 have no record of monitoring within the recommended time period, finds a study in The BMJ this week.
New drug provides safer alternative to conventional IVF treatment The hormone kisspeptin could be a safer and more effective way for harvesting eggs during IVF treatment, according to a new study presented today at the Society for Endocrinology annual conference in Edinburgh.
New computational approach to predicting adverse drug reactions with higher confidence A new integrated computational method helps predicting adverse drug reaction—which are often lethal—more reliably than with traditional computing methods. This improved ability to foresee the possible adverse effects of drugs may entail saving many lives in the future. The study that is being conducted by researchers from IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Pompeu Fabra University, and the company Chemotargets, within the framework of the European eTOX project, was chosen for the cover of the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.
As menopause approaches, fluctuating estrogen increases sensitivity to stress, depression If you're feeling a little blue during the transition to menopause, there's good reason, according to a new study being reported online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). The study from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests that the estradiol (a form of estrogen) fluctuation that is common during the menopausal transition may enhance emotional sensitivity to psychosocial stress. When combined with a very stressful life event, this sensitivity is likely to contribute to the development of a depressed mood.
Depression and weight gain in pregnancy linked to sitting down A link between depression in pregnancy and long periods of sitting down has been identified by researchers from the University of Warwick.
Country-to-country aid for health varies dramatically An analysis of country-to-country aid for health over a 20-year period suggests wide variations among donor countries' giving that do not always reflect recipient countries' health needs.
Health campaigns that tap teen culture curtail risky adolescent behavior Health campaigns that target teens based their social groups and subcultures, such as hip hop, preppy or alternative, can be an effective tool in dissuading adolescents from engaging in risky behaviors such as smoking and drinking, suggests a survey of the literature and a case study.
Teenage exposure to pesticides may lead to abnormal sperm, new study says Adolescent exposure to environmental pollutants known as organochlorines may lead to defective sperm, according to a study published today by researchers at Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University and co-authors. The research is the first to look for associations between exposure to these chemicals in the teenage years and abnormalities in sperm that are associated with fertility problems later in life.
Debunking myths about autism This past October was Canadian Autism Awareness Month. While studies show as many as one in every 165 Canadians has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), many people do not understand the disorder.
	New treatment to overcome peanut allergies in children A new study is successfully helping children to overcome peanut allergies by exposing them to peanuts and desensitising them to their allergy.
	Having consistent source of health care is key factor in limiting kids' repeat visits to the hospital It's a question of major importance to parents, health policy makers and health care professionals—and a focus of national health care quality improvement initiatives. What keeps children from being readmitted to hospitals in the weeks after they're discharged?
A look at treating those nagging tendon injuries Treating tendons has definitely changed in the last 20 years. Many people are used to the term tendinitis, which was used for many years to describe injuries to the tendon. But as we learn more about them, we have learned that injured tendons are not inflamed, therefore not truly tendonitis (the –itis means swelling). Instead, the tendons become degenerative, which is actually tendinopathy.
Possible biological function for the Alzheimer protein amyloid-beta A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that amyloid-β-peptides, which are thought to be toxic and a suspected cause of Alzheimer's disease, actually have a biological function. The discovery, which is published in the journal Brain, can help to explain why the so-called cholinergic signal systems are the first to be damaged on the onset of the disease.
New thesis identifies risks for urinary incontinence due to fistula Four per cent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 in western Uganda live with urinary and/or faecal incontinence caused by genital fistulas. In a new doctoral thesis, Justus Barageine identifies the risk factors in this setting as caesarean section performed by unskilled medical officers, short stature, large babies and prolonged labour.
	Trial to study smoking-cessation therapy tailored to a smoker's DNA A study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis may aid efforts to tailor smoking-cessation treatments to individual cigarette smokers, based on their DNA.
	Traumatised refugees in desperate need of psychiatric support, says report Almost half of the current flood of refugees arriving in Germany could be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to a paper co-authored by Flinders University's Matthew Flinders Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry Julio Licinio.
	10-year jump in life expectancy for rich nations, US lags: OECD Rich countries have gained more than 10 years in life expectancy on average since 1970, a study released by the OECD said Wednesday, but the United States has slumped to near the bottom.
Cryotherapy use spreads, though it's unproven, unregulated From Japan to Europe and now in the U.S., a growing number of people are seeking cryotherapy—a treatment that subjects their bodies to cold temperatures far below those found anywhere on Earth.
	Revealing the differences between subsets of immune cells in the blood The tweaking of genetic material that instructs immune cell function may be able to slow or stop the progression of disease, research by A*STAR suggests.
	Easing PTSD symptoms with exercise A novel trial at the QUT Health Clinics' exercise physiology clinic investigating the use of exercise to alleviate the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is producing new findings on the needs of those with the condition.
New drug candidate developed against NF1 cancers tumours Bath researchers have worked with colleagues from the University of Michigan to design a promising new anticancer drug candidate. This new drug would be used in the fight against Neurofibromatosis (NF1). The work, from Professor Barry Potter's group, was published last week in the Nature journal British Journal of Cancer.
	Research shows that patients fear antidepressants a 'dirty little habit' Research by University of Westminster, along with partner Universities both in Australia (Monash & New South Wales) and the UK (Oxford and Nottingham), shows that nearly 30 years after the introduction of Prozac, people diagnosed with depression are still questioning the legitimacy of antidepressants.
	Pinpointing the genetic basis of disease The human genome contains 3.2 billion nucleotides, chained together in long, linear sequences of DNA. Differences in single nucleotides known as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) account for a lot of the genetic variation in a population, and can be associated with disease. Jianjun Liu, head of the Human Genetics group at the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), is using genome-wide association studies to scan large volumes of genetic data for that single unit out of place in people suffering psoriasis, a condition characterized by scaly, flaky or itchy skin that affects approximately three per cent of the world's population.
	Hepatitis B exposure trains newborns' immune cells, enhancing their ability to respond to pathogens Exposure to Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in utero can help 'mature' a human neonatal immune system and may improve the capacity of human neonatal immune cells to respond to secondary infections, an international research team has shown.
	Reducing harmful proteins in the fight against dementia We probably all know someone who has dementia. By 2025, there will be 1 million people affected by it in the UK. Alzheimer's disease is well known as the most common cause of dementia. But what about the third most common cause of dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)?
Premature ejaculation isn't a true illness A new review argues that premature ejaculation—which has become the center of a multimillion dollar business—should not be classified as a male sexual dysfunction. By pointing to false assumptions about premature ejaculation, as well as female sexual dysfunction, the review's authors question whether it has become an illness constructed by sexual medicine experts under the influence of drug companies.
	Gastric reduction procedures increase probability of developing allergies Amongst other things, operations to reduce the size of the stomach can significantly increase the patient's risk of developing an allergy. This is the conclusion of a study conducted by the Medical University of Vienna. The study was set up jointly between the University Department of Surgery, headed up by Gerhard Prager, and the Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research at MedUni Vienna. With a large part of the stomach removed, bits of food pass almost "unchanged" into the intestine, because the stomach is no longer able to produce enough digestive juices. This increases the risk of allergies developing in the gut. Study author, Eva Untersmayr-Elsenhuber, stresses this point on the occasion the upcoming World Bowel Day on 7 November.
	How the engineering of bridges might help your knees The structural engineering principles used to build safe bridges could help prevent osteoarthritis in the knee, research suggests.
	Study to explore cocaine's impact on liver disease progression in people with HIV Given the advances of the last two decades, HIV is no longer a death sentence for most patients. However, for drug users and hepatitis C- (HCV) infected patients—especially cocaine users—HIV is still life threatening. This problem is being tackled by a team of experts lead by FIU Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work professor Marianna K. Baum.
	Understanding the beneficial effects of green tea and apples to produce health-promoting polyphenols Dietary studies have consistently shown that people who eat large amounts of fruit and vegetables have a reduced risk of developing chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Now researchers working on the BACCHUS project have shown exactly how. Naturally occurring compounds – called polyphenols – in green tea and apples block signalling molecules called VEGFs, which can trigger atherosclerosis (plaque build-up inside the arteries). Atherosclerotic plaques and plaque rupture can cause heart attacks and stroke.
	Psychology predicts where your relationship is headed Is he or she the one? You know… the one to introduce to my parents, the one to move in with, the one to start a family with, the one to marry? At some point in every dating relationship, you ask yourself some version of these questions.
Mammography screening—only one in three women is well-informed Only one in three women participating in Germany's mammography screening programme (MSP) is well-informed about it: the higher the level of education, the greater the chance of women making an informed decision. These are the results of a study that health care researchers at Bielefeld University are publishing today (03.11.2015) in the international specialist journal PLoS One. 'Further information and support services are needed to spread more knowledge about the programme – especially to women with little education and women with a Turkish migration background,' sums up Junior professor Jacob Spallek, who ran the study together with Professor Petra Kolip.
	Speaking in tongues—the many benefits of bilingualism We live in a world of great linguistic diversity. More than half of the world's population grows up with more than one language. There are, on the other hand, language communities that are monolingual, typically some parts of the English-speaking world.
Racial anxiety may alter time perception for some white Americans, research finds Time may appear to slow down for white Americans who feel threatened by an approaching black person, raising questions about the pervasive effects of racial bias or anxiety in the United States, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
	Estrogen drug may not benefit women with Alzheimer's dementia An estrogen-like drug, raloxifene, has no demonstrated benefit on memory and thinking skills for women with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the November 4, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Adult ADHD has become epidemic—experts explain why Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is growing up. Stephen Hinshaw and Katherine Ellison authors of the newly published book, ADHD: What Everyone Needs to Know, confirm that adults—and particularly women—are reporting to clinics in record numbers, becoming the fastest-growing part of the population receiving diagnoses and prescriptions for stimulant medications.
Virtual doctor visits offer convenience, lower costs When you're coming down with a cold, there are a few items you typically reach for to start feeling better: cough drops, herbal tea, maybe an over-the-counter medication.
Chemotherapy-induced hearing loss affects cognition in pediatric brain tumor survivors More children are surviving malignant brain tumors than in the past, thanks to the use of intense treatments using platinum-based chemotherapy (cisplatin and high-dose carboplatin). Unfortunately, the therapy has a known side effect of permanent hearing loss, resulting from damage to the inner ear. Investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles now report that this type of chemotherapy may not only impact hearing, but that the hearing loss may then contribute to long-term neurocognitive deficits.
	Better sex life may be a weight-loss surgery bonus (HealthDay) —Following weight-loss surgery, activity in the bedroom may pick up as the pounds fall away, a new study finds.
	New electronic health record regulations released (HealthDay)—New electronic health record (EHR) regulations modify Stage 2 of the meaningful use program and finalize requirements for Stage 3, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Expressive writing shows some benefits for returning vets In a study of nearly 1,300 returning veterans reporting reintegration problems, those who completed online expressive-writing sessions showed more improvements than peers who had not written at all or who had engaged only in factual writing.
	CK5 marks cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer A University of Colorado Cancer Center study recently published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer shows that protein cytokeratin 5 (CK5), known to be a marker of poor prognosis in breast cancer, also marks ovarian cancers likely to be resistant to the common chemotherapy cisplatin.
Resistance exercise during pregnancy has perceived positive effects Swimming, walking and other mild physical activities, along with avoidance of resistance exercise, are often recommended for pregnant women. But a new PhD thesis at Sahlgrenska Academy has found that resistance exercise can relieve symptoms related to pregnancy and improve sense of control.
Study identifies patients most likely to have joint pain reduction after bariatric surgery In the three years following bariatric surgery, the majority of patients experience an improvement in pain and walking ability, according to the preliminary results of a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health-led analysis presented today in Los Angeles at ObesityWeek, the annual international conference of the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery and The Obesity Society.
Evidence-based practice model can help hospitals deliver best care, cut costs Amid continued pressures to minimize errors and cut costs, hospitals are continuing to scramble to find solutions to problems plaguing health systems nationwide.
Study points to more individualized treatment options for youth with onset type 2 diabetes New results from the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Youth study (TODAY) examined predictors of the outcomes in youth with onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) based on early characteristics at diagnosis, and suggests the need for specific criteria for adolescents that are different from those in adults. The findings indicate that if youth with T2D have an A1C greater than 6.3 percent three months after beginning treatment with metformin, the drug generally accepted as the first drug to be used in the treatment of T2D, they have nearly four times the risk for losing glucose control, within a median time of 11 months.
Virtual selves can help boost better real world health and exercise habits Customizing an avatar to better resemble its human user may lead to improved health and exercise behaviors, according to a team of researchers.
Study rejects biologic age as limiting factor for stem cell transplants More than 40 percent of older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can remain in long-term cancer remission through a modified, less aggressive approach to donor stem cell transplantation, according to the results of a phase 2 study led by oncologists at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC—James).
	Formation of new blood vessels may explain intractable symptoms of Parkinson's disease Unwanted formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) in the brain is likely to be the cause of intractable walking and balance difficulties for people who suffer from Parkinson's disease. This conclusion is supported by new research from Lund University in Sweden.
	Used alone, weight loss apps might not help overweight young adults Used alone, a cell phone app that tracks exercise, calories and weight loss goals is, on average, not enough to create meaningful weight loss in young adults, according to new research from Duke Medicine.
	Why is osteoarthritis more common among athletes? Osteoarthritis and reduced range of motion in the hip and groin are more common among athletes and other people who engage in strenuous physical activity. The cause may be microscopic injuries due to high load on the hips and subsequent joint changes. A PhD thesis at Sahlgrenska Academy studied elite soccer and hockey players.
Senate panel investigates drug price hikes A Senate committee tasked with protecting seniors is launching an investigation into prescription drug pricing, responding to public anxiety about companies hiking prices for once-inexpensive medicines.
	Study: New docs' suicidal thoughts eased with online therapy Doctors-in-training face long, stressful hours, sleepless nights and a high risk of depression and suicidal thoughts, but often are too stoic and time-starved to seek help. A study suggests online self-help behavior therapy could be a solution.
Drug overdose epidemic top cause of US injury deaths Drug overdoses have reached epidemic levels in the United States where they are the leading cause of injury deaths, surpassing car accidents and gunshots, the Drug Enforcement Administration said Wednesday.
	'Liquid biopsy' promotes precision medicine by tracking patient's cancer A team of researchers, including scientists from the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), has reported that analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) can track how a patient's cancer evolves and responds to treatment.
	Connections discovered between masculinity, energy drink use, and sleep problems Energy drinks have grown in popularity for many Americans, but there is growing concern about the health risks of consuming them in large quantities. Because men are the main consumers of energy drinks, a research team lead by Dr. Ronald F. Levant, a professor of psychology at The University of Akron, set out to study a possible link between masculinity, expectations about the benefits of consuming energy drinks, how those expectations affect energy drink use, and the impact on sleep. Their findings were published in the November 2015 issue of Health Psychology.
Breakfast preferences of healthy weight people Time and again we've been told: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This refrain has proven particularly truthful for people who are trying to lose weight. To gain insight into what breakfast eating habits would be beneficial to those seeking to lose weight, a Cornell Food & Brand Lab research team sought to find out what healthy weight people eat for breakfast.
	Children of stressed parents may be prone to obesity (HealthDay)—Hispanic children are more likely to be obese if their parents have high levels of stress, a new study suggests.
	SLC16A11 linked to type 2 diabetes in american indians (HealthDay)—SLC16A11 A allele is modestly associated with type 2 diabetes in North American Indians, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in Diabetes.
	HIV does not worsen outcomes of liver transplant in HCC (HealthDay)—HIV infection has no impact on prognosis of liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Hepatology.
Brain's immune system could be harnessed to fight Alzheimer's A new study appearing in the Journal of Neuroinflammation suggests that the brain's immune system could potentially be harnessed to help clear the amyloid plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
GME squeeze for US med school graduates unlikely, commentary says Will U.S. medical students have trouble securing residency positions in the future as they have been warned by media and groups representing organized medicine? Not likely, according to a new analysis by researchers at the George Washington (GW) University Health Workforce Institute.
Warning over online access to sleeping tablets The prescription only sleeping tablet zopiclone, that can become addictive if used for more than a few weeks, is easily available online, warn experts in The BMJ today.
Experts 'amazed' by tapeworm that spread tumors to man Stunned scientists described on Wednesday the first known case of a man infected with tumors by a common parasitic tapeworm, raising concern about more such infections that may go undetected.
	E. coli outbreak tests Chipotle's vow to track ingredients Chipotle's industry-leading commitment to tracking its ingredients from farm to table is being put to the test by an E. coli outbreak that has sickened at least 37 people as of Tuesday, nearly all of whom ate recently at one of the chain's restaurants in Washington state or Oregon.
Study examines issues related to prenatal detection of trisomies Cell-free (cf) DNA analysis of maternal blood for trisomies 21, 18 and 13 is superior to other methods of screening, but it's expensive. One strategy to maximize cfDNA testing at reduced cost is to offer it contingent on the results of the currently used first-trimester test.
	Antiepileptic drugs may progressively impair balance In a study of 26 twin and sibling pairs where one of each pair had received long-term antiepileptic drug therapy, participants who were taking these medications swayed more during static and dynamic balance tests compared with their siblings who were not taking antiepileptic medications. They also showed a greater deterioration in sway tests over an average interval of 3 years.
France to lift ban on gay men giving blood France said Wednesday it will lift a ban on gay men giving blood, but only if they abstain from sex in the months beforehand—an exclusion denounced as discriminatory by rights groups.
	Ohio votes down legalizing pot for medical, recreational use Ohio voters rejected a ballot proposal Tuesday that would have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana in a single stroke—a vote-getting strategy that was being watched as a potential test case for the nation.
York report recommends enhanced care for under-25s with life-limiting conditions The number of babies, children and young people in Scotland with life-limiting conditions is rising and an increase in palliative care services is required to meet their needs, according to a new study by University of York researchers.
	How to model the immune system—10 billion components at a time The complexity of the human immune response has been difficult to characterize on a 'big picture' level, but researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have written the book on how it can be done.
Requiring drug makers to take back unused pharmaceuticals About $5 billion worth of unused prescription drugs get flushed down toilets, tossed in the trash or left in medicine cabinets across the U.S. each year. These practices can contribute to a host of problems, including water pollution and drug abuse. To address these issues, some local governments are starting to intervene, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.
Sexual dysfunction is prevalent among recently deployed veterans In a recent study of 247 US veterans returning from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, almost 18% screened positive for sexual functioning difficulties. Self-reported sexual dysfunction was most strongly linked with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and female sex.
Study examines factors that may contribute to hypersexuality In a study of European men, hypersexuality—a preoccupation with sexual fantasy or an excessive indulgence in sexual activity—correlated with proneness to sexual boredom and problems with erectile function.
	Home remediation in low-income housing shows significant effect on childhood asthma Children with asthma living in low-income, urban public housing had significantly fewer visits to the emergency department (ED), less use of rescue medication, and less disrupted sleep with a program that combines home repairs to reduce asthma triggers, training, and comprehensive care, called Controlling Asthma Through Home Remediation. Preliminary program findings also showed a reduction in daytime asthma symptoms, as reported in Environmental Justice.
	Can virtual reality body-swapping technique improve body image? In a new study using a body-swapping illusion, women shown images of themselves in virtual reality with a skinny belly estimated their body size more accurately compared to their estimates of various body parts made before the virtual body was substituted for their own. Virtual reality body-swapping may be able to change a person's "allocentric memory" of the body and be useful in treating individuals suffering from eating or weight disorders who overestimate their body size, according to an article published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.

Biology news

	Research catches double-stranded RNA virus in the act of transcription In separate studies published in the peer-reviewed journals eLife and Nature, scientists at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA have revealed the three-dimensional atomic structure of a double-stranded RNA, or dsRNA, virus. The research demonstrates for the first time how viruses sense environmental conditions inside a host cell to trigger transcription, and presents key findings about how the dsRNA genome is organized inside the virus and RNA's mechanism for self-replication.
	DNA sequencing shows divergent genomes in malaria vectors of Brazilian rainforest The Amazon rainforest occupies more than 2 million square miles (5.5 million square kilometers) in South America, 60% of it in Brazil. Far from being homogeneous, this vast region contains rivers and mountain ranges that foster biodiversity. Scientists are currently studying whether these natural barriers affect genomic diversity in Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) darlingi Root, the primary malaria vector in this area.
	In cordon bleus, song develops independently of sex differences in the brain In female songbirds, brain areas responsible for song learning are usually smaller and have fewer neurons compared to males. However, in many species such as the blue-capped cordon bleu, females possess an elaborate song. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen now found in this species pronounced sex differences in the brain already in juvenile birds, where females had up to 50% less neurons in the song control areas. However, this had no effect on the song learning process. Only when adult, females had developed a different song with shorter and simpler strophes than males.
	Dung beetles found to use celestial chromatic gradient to navigate (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with Lund University in Sweden and the University of Witwatersrand, in South Africa has found evidence that suggests that dung beetles use elements of the celestial chromatic gradient to navigate as they push balls of dung in a near straight line. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the team describes an artificial environment they set up in their lab to test the navigational abilities of dung beetles and what they learned by doing so.
	How plant cell compartments 'chat' with each other A team of researchers led by scientists from the University of Bonn has discovered a basis of communication in plant cells: The "MICU" protein controls the calcium ion concentration in the cellular power stations. Using these chemical signatures, the plants regulate, for instance, the formation of organs and react to water stress. The results may be used in the future to optimize agricultural crops. The reputable journal Plant Cell reports on the results in its current issue.
	When crows connect An international team led by scientists at the University of St Andrews has studied social networks to understand how information might spread within and between groups of tool-using New Caledonian crows, according to a paper published in Nature Communications today (Tuesday 3 November 2015).
	Researchers discover size gene for salmon The size of returning Atlantic salmon is largely dependent on the number of years that the salmon remains at sea before returning to spawn in the river. The genetic basis of this trait has not been previously known, making the management of the impact of fishing difficult. In many Atlantic salmon populations, the sea-age at maturity, i.e. the number of years at sea, has been declining.
Veterinary researchers discover mystery virus that causes tremors in piglets A team of veterinary researchers at Iowa State University has pinpointed a virus that has caused mysterious tremors in piglets dating back decades.
	Researchers identify crucial genes and proteins behind the processes that regenerate amputated cricket legs "The two-spotted cricket Gryllus bimaculatus has a remarkable regenerative capacity to restore a missing distal leg part," say Hideyo Ohuchi, Tetsuya Bando and Yoshimasa Hamada and their colleagues in their recent paper. However, as they to explain, the mechanisms behind regeneration "remain elusive." Their latest research identifies key genes and proteins involved in these epigenetic changes that allow regeneration to occur.
	Controls of specialization unraveled Two phases of the cell cycle of human embryonic stem cells have been shown, for the first time, to actively employ pathways that maintain pluripotency—the potential to develop into almost any type of cell in the body.
	Bottle-nose dolphins at risk in Perth rivers Dolphin Watch, one of Western Australia's premier citizen science projects, focuses on one of the Swan Canning Riverpark's most iconic species; Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus).
	How to catch hair from a bear Brown bears' hair and droppings contain their DNA. This is important for research and management of brown bears. All good in theory, but how does one practically go about collecting DNA?
	Urban environments boost pathogen pressure on honey bees Researchers from North Carolina State University have found that urban environments increase pathogen abundance in honey bees (Apis mellifera) and reduce honey bee survival. The finding raises significant questions as urban areas continue to grow at the expense of rural environments, and urban beekeeping becomes more popular.
	Rat poison at marijuana farms is killing increased numbers of rare forest mammal The situation is growing worse for fishers being poisoned by rodenticides on illegal marijuana grow sites in California, according to a study by a team of researchers led by the University of California, Davis, and the Integral Ecology Research Center, based in Blue Lake, California.
	Mississippi entomologists report on benefits of neonicotinoid seed treatments on rice According to researchers from Mississippi State University, rice seeds that are pre-treated with neonicotinoid pesticides yield better than untreated crops and suffer less damage from rice water weevil, the most widely distributed and destructive early-season insect pest of rice in the United States. However, the economic benefits of investing in pre-treated seed depend on the level of insect pressure. The results of their study have been published in the Journal of Economic Entomology.
	Research reveals new discoveries on a bug with bifocals While study has long been conducted on vertebrates with sight-sensory systems involving a lens, retina and nervous system, new research reported by the University of Cincinnati and supported by the National Science Foundation is the first to examine how the complex eye system of an invertebrate - the Sunburst Diving Beetle - coordinates the development of its components. Despite the complexity of their eyes, including a bifocal lens, extremely rapid eye growth of the Sunburst Diving Beetle occurs during the transitions between larval stages. In addition, they temporarily go blind as the eye is quickly redeveloped. The findings by Shannon Werner, a recent University of Cincinnati master's degree graduate in the biological sciences, and Elke Buschbeck, a UC professor of biological sciences, is published in the November issue of Comparative Physiology A.
Native field-foraging bees exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides and other pesticides According to the first-ever study of pesticide residues on field-caught bees, native bees are exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides and other pesticides. This report was conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and published in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
	Illegal marijuana farms continue to threaten fishers in California The relatively rare, forest-dwelling fisher is increasingly becoming the innocent victim of illegal marijuana farms in forested lands in California. According to a recently published study in the journal PLOS One, researchers found that the annual rate of poisoning deaths of fishers (Pekania pennant) rose 233 percent compared to a study in 2012. The toxicants were discovered to be associated with illegal marijuana farms on public and tribal lands in Northern and Southern California.
	Faster digestion in kangaroos reduces methane emissions Animals produce methane during the digestion process - some more than others. Currently, around 20 percent of the world's methane emissions stem from ruminants. If this gas is released into the atmosphere, it aggravates the greenhouse effect and aids global warming. Previous studies revealed that ruminants, which include cows and sheep, release more methane into the environment than kangaroos, for instance - even though the latter also possess a foregut, where bacteria break down the plant fibers and produce methane (much like in a cow's rumen). Exactly why kangaroos produce less methane, however, remained a mystery. The belief was that a different intestinal flora composition to a cow's was responsible.
Backswimmers use buoyancy aid like a gill Ever since he can remember, Karl Jones has been fascinated by the animals that live in streams. 'I grew up next to a river in the Adelaide Hills where I spent many hours catching the creatures that live there', he recalls; and one group of aquatic insects that caught his eye was the backswimmers. However, two members of the Family (Anisops and Buenoa) have an even more remarkable talent: they can swim at depths that other backswimmers can only reach fleetingly.
	Gulls follow ducks to find dinner Gulls have learned to follow diving ducks and take the bottom-dwelling mussels that the ducks bring to the surface, a food source that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Gulls are one of the most adaptable groups of birds, able to exploit a wide variety of food resources and respond to new opportunities, and a study forthcoming in The Auk: Ornithological Advances documents this previously unrecognized behavior in Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and Mew Gulls (Larus canus) on a brackish lagoon on the Germany-Poland border.
	Nest cavity competition may threaten an endangered Tasmanian songbird The Forty-spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus), an endangered Tasmanian songbird, has been experiencing unexplained declines in its remaining habitat, and a new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications describes how competition with a related species for nest cavities may be putting extra pressure on these vulnerable birds. Amanda Edworthy of Australian National University spent two years monitoring nests of Forty-spotted Pardalotes and Striated Pardalotes at three sites around Tasmania, documenting that about 10% of Forty-spotted Pardalote nests were ultimately taken over by their bigger, more aggressive cousins.
	University student successfully innovates sweet potato flour and makes company to commercialize it After noting that the sweet potato is not fully exploited in Mexico and that its nutritional properties can help reverse nutritional deficiencies during childhood, old age and pregnancy, a student of the Institute of Biotechnology (IBT) at the National University (UNAM) formulated and developed powdered products made from this root.
Researchers provide detailed genetic information on fish commonly used in environmental toxicology studies The fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) has long been a premier animal model for research and regulation related to environmental toxins. Unfortunately, however, genetic information about this species is incomplete. The lack of genome sequence information for the species has limited scientists' ability to dissect complex traits, evaluate genetic markers, identify gene regulatory sequences, and elucidate biological pathways.

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