Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Dec 29

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 29, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New half-meter record for quantum superposition at macroscopic level
- Year in Review—The most important research of 2015: December
- Apple wins holiday race as screen sizes grow, survey says
- Improving accuracy in genomic mapping with time-series data
- Modeling Amazonian transitional forest micrometeorology
- 'Spectre' villain fails neuroanatomy in latest Bond film
- Spotify hit with $150 million copyright suit
- New approach provides images of single cell with micrometer resolution via contrast based on cell's thermal properties
- New breast cancer drug may be effective against other types of cancer
- Reptile fossils offer clues about elevation history of Andes Mountains
- ORNL cell-free protein synthesis is potential lifesaver
- No easy answers in study of legal marijuana's impact on alcohol use
- Being anxious could be good for you—in a crisis
- Skulls in ancient cemetery on Vanuatu suggest Polynesians as first settlers
- Germany gives green light to bicycle highways

Astronomy & Space news

	Image: Boulders on a Martian landslide The striking feature in this image, acquired by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on March 19, 2014, is a boulder-covered landslide along a canyon wall. Landslides occur when steep slopes fail, sending a mass of soil and rock to flow downhill, leaving behind a scarp at the top of the slope. The mass of material comes to rest when it reaches shallower slopes, forming a lobe of material that ends in a well-defined edge called a toe.
	SOFIA completes busy year, highlights of 2015 2015 was an exciting year for NASA's flying observatory, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA. By flying at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet, above more than 99% of the water vapor in Earth's atmosphere, SOFIA can make observations with its 2.5-meter diameter infrared telescope and crew of pilots and scientists that no other current ground or space observatory can.
	Five key findings from 15 years of the International Space Station The International Space Station is the longest-running continuously inhabited human outpost in space – this year it celebrated its 15th anniversary. As the ISS orbits the Earth it is essentially in a state of free fall, counteracting the Earth's gravity and providing an ideal platform for science in space.
	The top 101 astronomical events for 2016 Here it is… our year end look at upcoming events in a sky near you. This is not a top 10 listicle, and not a full-fledged almanac, but hopefully, something special and unique in between. And as always, some of the events listed will be seen by a large swath of humanity, while others grace the hinterlands and may well go unrecorded by human eyes. We'll explain our reasoning for drilling down each category, and give a handy list of resources at the end.
	Birth of high mass stars and the origin of life Takeshi Sakai, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, discusses recent work. "I am using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) facilities in Chile to study the formation of stars," says Sakai. "In particular I am looking at 'high-mass' stars formed in clusters that are approximately 10,000 light years from the Earth. High mass stars play an important role in the evolution of galaxies and ultimately hold the secrets of the origins of life on Earth."

Technology news

	Germany gives green light to bicycle highways It's every cyclist's dream: no red lights, no trucks, just a clear, smooth lane to zoom down with the wind in your face. Welcome to Germany's first bicycle Autobahn.
	BMW Group to show car tech detecting hand movements The many advances of networking technologies linking driver, car and environment will be in evidence at the CES show in Vegas. BMW like other car companies are seriously looking for special footing in the marketplace with their various offers of smart tech in cars. Chances are quite good that those attending will hear the buzz phrase "seamlessly networked vehicles" more than once.
	Spotify hit with $150 million copyright suit An artist has filed a $150 million lawsuit against Spotify, alleging that the leader of the streaming sector has knowingly reproduced copyrighted songs.
	Apple wins holiday race as screen sizes grow, survey says Apple came away the winner in mobile device holiday sales worldwide amid a shift to bigger screens, a survey showed.
An intelligent battery for industrial production Energy consumption can be one of the most critical cost factors in manufacturing, especially for processes requiring a continuous and intensive use of energy. IK4-IKERLAN, a Spanish technology centre based in the Basque Country, is busy engineering integrated tools for battery packs used in industry with innovative energy efficiency features. These tools can contribute to control strategies aimed at providing energy when it is most needed, in step with market price peaks.
	Snake robot range-sensing control system avoids tail-end collisions Rescue operations at disaster scenes often use robots to avoid further human danger. Modelling robots on snakes can provide better access through narrow paths in rubble, but previous models that control snake robots by the head do not adequately avoid collisions between the body of the robot and surrounding obstacles. Researchers at the University of Electro-Communications and Kyoto University have now demonstrated an improved control system for avoiding collisions along the full length of snake robots.
	Random additions efficiently anonymize large data sets Balancing transparency and freedom of information with the right to privacy lays high demands on data handling methods. So far methods for anonymizing shared data sets have assumed that there is a distinction between details that can be used to identify an individual (quasi-identifiers) and details that are deemed 'sensitive' and private, but this is not always the case. Now Yuichi Sei and Akihiko Ohsuga from the University of Electro- Communications, alongside Takao Takenouchi from NEC Corporation in Japan, have devised an algorithm that efficiently anonymizes data sets without assuming this distinction.
	Movie pirates break records for stolen previews of latest Hollywood movies Hollywood has broken two very different records this holiday season. Star Wars: The Force Awakens has become the first movie to reach US $1 billion in gross sales in just 12 days. This beats the previous record of the movie "Jurassic World" which had the additional benefit of sales from the world's second biggest market, China. Star Wars opens in China in January and so it will likely push its sales to even more astronomical levels.
	Need a good password? Here's help from a sixth-grader It's cheaper than a couple of subway rides, more powerful than almost any hacker (except maybe the NSA). And, if you think about it, not so hard to remember.
	Scientists unveil social and telepresence robots Say hello to Nadine, a "receptionist" at Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore). She is friendly, and will greet you back. Next time you meet her, she will remember your name and your previous conversation with her.
PRO as a sustainable energy production system is crippled by biofouling Researchers at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) and Yale University have determined that pressure-retarded osmosis technology is not feasible primarily due to biofouling (the accumulation of organic material as well as different organisms such as algae and bacteria on various surfaces that impairing structures and hinder system performance).
Penn State helps the Navy learn 'the art of the possible' Its scientists have developed "anti-torpedos" - seafaring interceptors akin to Patriot missiles.
	Tech outlook for 2016 Virtual reality, connected cars, e-sports, the on-demand economy - all are becoming important elements in the Southland economy, and all are poised for rapid growth in 2016 - along with some challenges. And then there's Snapchat Inc., based in Venice, and one of the most highly valued companies currently competing in the latest venture-capital-juiced start-up cycle, which many believe is way overheated.
Fitbit shares jump on first sign of healthy holiday sales Shares of Fitbit Inc. climbed after the fitness-tracking device-maker saw its first sign of strong Christmas sales.
	How to get started with home automation If you're not, shall we say, technically inclined, the idea of using home automation might seem out of this world. But the good news is, there's a variety of gadgets and gizmos on the market to help even the least tech-savvy person live in a smart home.
	DuPont moves ahead on job cuts ahead of Dow merger DuPont will cut 1,700 jobs in its home state of Delaware and thousands more globally as it prepares for its merger with Dow Chemical.
	Twitter acts to curb 'abusive,' 'hateful' content Twitter said Tuesday it was taking new steps to stem "abusive behavior and hateful conduct" on the global messaging platform.
	End of the road for rideshare operator Sidecar Sidecar, a ridesharing operator that sought to compete against bigger rivals Uber and Lyft, announced Tuesday it was shutting down its service on December 31.
How to raise the number of nZEBs in Europe? Experts provide their insights into probing questions DIRECTION's second replication workshop took place in September, organised by Eurac in Bolzano, Italy. This is one of three workshops aimed at maximising replicability potential as the project enters its final months.
	Researchers advance software-defined radio technology The field of 'software-defined radio' (SDR) technology, a wireless communications system implemented by means of software on a computer to replicate the work of traditional hardware, has potential in future cognitive radio systems. Advantages of SDRs include the ability to comply with various wireless protocols without hardware modification. It may be possible not only virtualizing the wireless transceiver but also compensating for the instability of the wireless protocol at the receiving end, or launching the wireless transceiver corresponding to the signal automatically.

Medicine & Health news

	Being anxious could be good for you—in a crisis New findings by French researchers show that the brain devotes more processing resources to social situations that signal threat than those that are benign.
	Early-life exercise alters gut microbes, promotes healthy brain and metabolism The human gut harbors a teeming menagerie of over 100 trillion microorganisms, and researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered that exercising early in life can alter that microbial community for the better, promoting healthier brain and metabolic activity over the course of a lifetime.
	Researchers develop powerful interactive tool to mine data from cancer genome St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have developed a web application and data set that gives researchers worldwide a powerful interactive tool to advance understanding of the mutations that lead to and fuel pediatric cancer. The freely available tool, called ProteinPaint, is described in today's issue of the scientific journal Nature Genetics.
	'Spectre' villain fails neuroanatomy in latest Bond film James Bond's nemesis in the most recent film likely failed neuroanatomy, said real-life neurosurgeon and scientist Dr. Michael Cusimano of St. Michael's Hospital.
	No easy answers in study of legal marijuana's impact on alcohol use Does legal marijuana tempt pot users to consume more alcohol—or are they likely to opt for cannabis instead of chardonnay?
	New breast cancer drug may be effective against other types of cancer Palbociclib, a new oral drug whose efficacy in combating breast cancer has been demonstrated alone and in combination with endocrine therapy, also has potential to combat other types of cancer, according to a literature review and additional original research conducted by experts at the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) in the University of Pennsylvania published this month in JAMA Oncology.
	WHO announces Ebola milestone as Guinea outbreak ends (Update) The UN's health agency on Tuesday declared Guinea's Ebola outbreak over two years after it emerged, spreading death across west Africa and pushing the region's worst-hit communities to the brink of collapse.
	The workings of human interaction and improvisation With the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF, Michael Kimmel from the University of Vienna investigates the workings of human interaction and improvisation. The cognitive scientist is trying to find out more about the complex mechanisms guiding the interplay between the body and its skills.
	Researchers study neurology of balancing on two legs Walking on two legs is inherently unstable, meaning that the human central nervous system must work hard to maintain balance. Walking motion is maintained by two control approaches—feedforward control, in which the body anticipates possible disturbances to steady walking, and feedback control, when the body reacts to an unseen disturbance to stay upright. The precise mechanisms underlying these control approaches are not yet fully understood.
	Creating realistic computational models of the cerebellum In spite of gigantic advances in medical science over the last century there are still huge gaps in our knowledge of the inner workings of the human brain. For example, how do people in their eighties still remember sights, sounds, and fragrances from their childhood; what are dreams; and why certain people can master many different languages and others have their hands full with just one? Underscoring the deep interest in uncovering the functions of the brain, multi-billion dollar projects have been launched in the USA, EU, and Japan to address these and much deeper aspects of the brain.
	Self-control expert offers six tips for creating successful New Year's resolutions Unfortunately, USC Dornsife researchers have not unlocked the key to keeping you from sleeping through your 5 a.m. spin class or avoiding the 4 p.m. trip to the vending machine.
Plain packaging effective in reducing misperceptions of tobacco products among Australian Indigenous Following the introduction of plain packaging on tobacco products in 2012, Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were 12 per cent less likely to think certain tobacco brands were less harmful than others, a new study found.
	Quit smoking for the sake of your pets Smokers are being urged to quit smoking for their New Year resolution for the sake of the health of their pets.
	Chronic and progressive nature of gout if left untreated Emeritus professor of medicine, Elisio Pascual, at the Miguel Hernández Univeristy (UMH) in Elche and former head of the Rheumatology Unit at Alicante University Hospital has published a research paper presenting previously unknown data that contribute to our understanding of gout as a crystal deposition disease.
	Liquid salts deliver drugs through the skin with enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity Formulating drugs as liquid salts may provide a safe and efficient strategy for topical delivery of drugs that cause skin toxicity. A team of researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in Santa Barbara, CA has demonstrated a novel formulation of propranolol as a liquid salt which enables delivery through skin with reduced toxicity. The report appears in the December 2015 issue of the journal Technology.
	Efficacy of azithromycin in chlamydia remains high (HealthDay)—Azithromycin is not noninferior to doxycycline for treatment of urogenital chlamydia infection among adolescents; however, the efficacy of both types of treatment is high, according to a study published in the Dec. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Is the 'no-shampoo' trend a healthy one? (HealthDay)—A new trend in beauty is based on the idea that less is more—at least when it comes to shampooing your hair.
A deadly superbug was hiding in plain sight The hunt for a deadly superbug that sickened 22 patients at a Dutch hospital began just before noon on a spring day in 2012.
Should there be age restrictions on tanning beds? Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration proposed steps to prevent the use of indoor tanning beds. They want to restrict usage to people 18 years of age and older, and they want tanning bed manufacturers and facilities to ramp up safety measures. The FDA reports that their goal is to protect young people from skin cancer, as well as other dangers such as eye damage.
	Second cancer risk persists for Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors (HealthDay)—Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors have an increased risk of a second cancer, with risk still elevated at 35 years or more after treatment, according to a study published in the Dec. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Study finds opioid prescribing guideline significantly decreases prescription rates Emergency medicine physicians at Temple University Hospital have found that an opioid prescribing guideline had an immediate and sustained impact on opioid prescribing rates for minor conditions and chronic noncancer pain in an acute care setting. The results of the study are published in the January 2016 Journal of Emergency Medicine.
	Study ties insurgency phase of Iraq War to higher PTSD rates Guerilla tactics such as suicide attacks and roadside bombs may trigger more posttraumatic stress than conventional warfare, suggests a Veterans Affairs study of 738 men and women who served in Iraq.
	Cohesive care team ups health benefit of EHR use in diabetes (HealthDay)—Electronic health record (EHR)-related health improvement is greater for patients with diabetes cared for by primary care teams with higher cohesion, according to a study published online Dec. 10 in the American Journal of Managed Care.
	Impact of 2012 USPSTF guideline against PSA screening explored (HealthDay)—Patients undergoing prostate needle biopsies after the 2012 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation against prostate-specific antigen-based screening for prostate cancer for men of any age are more likely to be diagnosed with high-risk disease, according to research published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Surgery, chemo best for elderly with advanced ovarian cancer (HealthDay)—Primary debulking surgery and chemotherapy in an optimal timeframe is associated with the longest survival time for elderly women with advanced ovarian cancer, according to a study published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Finances affect patient decisions about cancer clinical trials (HealthDay)—For patients with cancer, financial concerns are associated with psychological factors that may impact their quality of decision making regarding clinical trials, according to research published online Dec. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Expanded regimens associated with improved treatment response in MDR-TB Treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) with regimens that include a greater number of drugs may improve outcomes, and baseline drug susceptibility testing (DST) could identify drugs with the greatest likelihood of success, according to a paper published this week in PLOS Medicine. The prospective cohort study, conducted by Peter Cegielski of the Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia, and colleagues, used information on regimen composition, baseline DST, and time to sputum conversion from 1,137 adults with MDR TB, from nine countries.
Increased long-term death risk for adolescents hospitalized for adversity-related injury Adolescents discharged from hospitals in England after an admission for violent, drug- or alcohol-related, or self-inflicted injuries have increased risks of subsequent death and emergency re-admission up to a decade later, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine. The study, conducted by Annie Herbert at University College London, UK, and colleagues, showed that in England, risks of death after all types of adversity-related injury were higher than after accident-related injury (61% (95% CI 43%-82%) higher in girls and 113% (95% CI 98%-129%) higher in boys).
Clinical research experts comment on the state of their fields In an Editorial published this week in PLOS Medicine, editors ask an international panel of eleven expert researchers and clinicians spanning a range of specialties to answer questions on their field and what developments they hope and expect to see in 2016.
Factors predicting low patient accrual in cancer clinical trials Nearly one in four publicly sponsored cancer clinical trials fail to enroll enough participants to draw valid conclusions about treatments or techniques. Such trials represent a waste of scarce human and economic resources and contribute little to medical knowledge. Although many studies have investigated the perceived barriers to accrual from the patient or provider perspective, very few have taken a trial-level view and asked why certain trials are able to accrue patients faster than expected while others fail to attract even a fraction of the intended number of participants. According to a study published December 29 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, a number of measurable trial characteristics are predictive of low patient accrual.
Microorganisms in the womb set stage for diseases Researchers review importance of microorganisms that exist in the gut, suggesting perturbation of the environment during pregnancy, delivery and early infancy could impact the developing baby's early microbiome and set the stage for health problems later in life. The term "microbiome" refers to the trillions of organisms we harbor, on our skin and within our respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts.
	Understanding the intermittencies that lurk in smooth movements Apparently smooth continuous movements to trace moving objects harbour jerks. These jerks are absent when there is no object to be traced and so are thought to stem from changes in motor instructions anticipated and fed forward by the brain to compensate for sensorimotor time lags. So far, there is no conclusive evidence that this is the case. Now, Yasuyuki Inoue and Yutaka Sakaguchi at the University of Electro-communications have demonstrated a method for analysing apparently smooth movements that may help to understand their jerky components.
Peru warns against ritual New Year effigy-burning Peru warned the public Tuesday against its popular New Year tradition of burning national hate figures in effigy, saying the smoke poses a cancer risk.

Biology news

	Improving accuracy in genomic mapping with time-series data If you already have the sequenced map of an organism's genome but want to look for structural oddities in a sample, you can check the genomic barcode—a series of distances between known, targeted sites—by cutting a DNA sequence at those sites and examining the distance between the cuts. However, if the original map—obtained through next-generation sequencing involving PCR—contains any amplification biases, there is room for systematic error across studies. To remedy this, researchers at the University of Minnesota and BioNano Genomics have improved a nanochannel-based form of mapping by using dynamic time-series data to measure the probability distribution, or how much genetic material separates two labels, based on whether the strands are stretched or compressed.
	ORNL cell-free protein synthesis is potential lifesaver Lives of soldiers and others injured in remote locations could be saved with a cell-free protein synthesis system developed at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
	New arachnids living in symbiosis with birds A research team involving a WA scientist have determined that a citizen of a bustling bird metropolis in South Africa is actually a new type of miniscule arachnid.
	High-throughput evaluation of synthetic metabolic pathways A central challenge in the field of metabolic engineering is the efficient identification of a metabolic pathway genotype that maximizes specific productivity over a robust range of process conditions. A review from researchers at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI covers the challenges of optimizing specific productivity of metabolic pathways in cells and new advances in pathway creation and screening.

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