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Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 16, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Year in Review—The most important research of 2015: May
- Deep-learning algorithm predicts photos' memorability at "near-human" levels
- Preserved embryos illustrate seed dormancy in early angiosperms
- Team adds to quantum computing toolkit with mixed-atom logic operations
- Researchers tailor power source for wearable electronics
- Plants crawled onto land earlier than we give them credit, genetic evidence suggests
- Solar cells that can face almost any direction and keep themselves clean
- Skewed expression of mRNA components correlates with fine tuning of protein production
- Plants use a molecular clock to predict when they'll be infected
- Tiny phytoplankton have big influence on climate change
- Understanding body language: Scientists create new technology to read complex patterns of behavior
- Land use may weaken amphibian's capacity to fight infection and disease
- How to see a mass extinction if it's right in front of you
- Study finds people transformed how species associated after 300 million years
- Scary movies can curdle blood

Astronomy & Space news

	ALMA reveals planetary construction sites Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found the clearest indications yet that planets with masses several times that of Jupiter have recently formed in the discs of gas and dust around four young stars. Measurements of the gas around the stars also provide additional clues about the properties of those planets.
	Meanwhile, in a galaxy not so far, far away... The fantasy creations of the "Star Wars" universe are strikingly similar to real planets in our own Milky Way galaxy. A super Earth in deep freeze? Think ice-planet "Hoth." And that distant world with double sunsets can't help but summon thoughts of sandy "Tatooine."
	Hubble captures first-ever predicted exploding star The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the image of the first-ever predicted supernova explosion. The reappearance of the Refsdal supernova was calculated from different models of the galaxy cluster whose immense gravity is warping the supernova's light.
	Monster planet is 'dancing with the stars' A team made up almost entirely of current and former Carnegie scientists has discovered a highly unusual planetary system comprised of a Sun-like star, a dwarf star, and an enormous planet sandwiched in between.
	Nearby star hosts closest alien planet in the 'habitable zone' UNSW Australia astronomers have discovered the closest potentially habitable planet found outside our solar system so far, orbiting a star just 14 light years away.
	History of Andromeda galaxy studied through stellar remains The Andromeda galaxy (or M31) is the massive galaxy nearest to us, and it is an excellent laboratory to study the characteristics and the history of great galactic spirals such as our own Milky Way. An international group of researchers headed by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) has used the Gran Telescopio Canarias to study a sample of planetary nebulae situated inside the two main substructures of M31 and has found that they could be the result of an interaction between Andromeda and its satellite galaxies.
	Cosmic jets light up black hole's snack A black hole is often thought of as a giant galactic vacuum cleaner constantly sucking in cosmic material, tearing it apart and swallowing it. So black holes should do exactly the same thing with stars, right?
	Catch this season's 'other' comet—S2 PanSTARRS Now is the time to catch binocular Comet C/2014 S2 PanSTARRS, as it tops +8 magnitude ahead of predictions this month and crosses circumpolar northern skies. Will this Christmas comet stay bright post-perihelion, rivaling other comets into early 2016?
	NASA to launch FORTIS to study extra-galactic dust This month, the NASA-funded FORTIS sounding rocket—short for Far-ultraviolet Off Rowland-circle Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy—will launch from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to investigate the properties of galaxy NGC 1365, also known as the Great Barred Spiral Galaxy.
	Image: Launch of Soyuz TMA-19M to the ISS The launch of Soyuz TMA-19M seen from 113 m by an automatic camera – standing this close to 274 tonnes of rocket fuel would not be a good idea.
NUS takes the quantum leap into space Two satellites designed and built by students, researchers and faculty from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have been successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh, India, on Wednesday, 16 December 2015. These are the University's first satellites in space, and they are part of six Singapore satellites that were launched in the same operation.
	Telescope equipment coming down from Hawaiian mountain Construction equipment and vehicles that have sat idle since protesters blocked crews from building a giant telescope are being removed from a mountain that's considered sacred to some Native Hawaiians.

Technology news

	Deep-learning algorithm predicts photos' memorability at "near-human" levels Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have created an algorithm that can predict how memorable or forgettable an image is almost as accurately as humans—and they plan to turn it into an app that subtly tweaks photos to make them more memorable.
	Hydrogen fuel cells may turn corner in commercial drone use A fuel cell can keep drones in flight in hours, not minutes. The company behind the technology will show it at CES 2016.
	Eye on safety, California sets rules for self-driving cars California regulators have unveiled a roadmap that would let consumers begin using self-driving cars, though manufacturers would have to prove the emerging technology is safe before a licensed driver could get chauffeured around town.
	Facebook review service pops up, Yelp shares drop A Facebook service that provides reviews of local businesses popped up on the Internet on Tuesday, and shares in crowd-sourced reviews star Yelp dropped.
	Lamar Odom's downfall tops Google's list of 2015 searches Lamar Odom's bizarre downfall from a former Los Angeles Lakers star to a lost soul in a Nevada brothel had the world searching Google for answers more than any other topic this year.
	Every country should govern its own Internet: China's Xi Every nation should have independent authority over its own Internet, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday, telling a government-organised conference that "freedom and order" are both necessary in cyberspace.
Ford to test self-driving cars on California roads Ford on Tuesday said that it has a green light to test self-driving cars in California, and should have them on roads in the most populous US state next year.
	QTemp—a weather station you can wear Living in Canada means living with unpredictable weather. Neda Ghazi and Alireza Monam, co-founders of Comfable, have made it their goal to help people lead healthier and more comfortable lives with QTemp, a wearable weather station.
	Google CEO outlines vision to bring millions of Indians online Google's new chief executive Sundar Pichai used his first official visit to India Wednesday to outline plans to bring hundreds of millions of Indians online, including installing free wifi at railway stations.
	Ding dong measurement on high Bells are a popular source of festive delight during the Christmas period – and now beautiful images showing in unprecedented detail how bells vibrate to make a harmonious sound have been produced by the commercial team at the University of Leicester's Advanced Structural Dynamics Evaluation Centre (ASDEC).
	Continuous adaptation makes for more natural interactions between robots and humans in shared tasks A robot's role in a shared task could be continuously adjusted during the activity, thanks to a new adaptive robot control system developed by A*STAR researchers that can sense whether a human operator wants to lead or follow. The innovation takes human–robot interactions to a new level of sophistication and opens a range of applications for robots that were previously too difficult to achieve.
	The drive towards ethical AI and responsible robots has begun Roboticist Sabine Hauert, from the Britain's University of Bristol, wrote in Nature earlier this year:
	No aircraft is too small to kill – fitting flight recorders could prevent further deaths When a police helicopter plunged into the Clutha pub in Glasgow city centre two years ago, killing ten, an accident investigation was launched to find out what happened and why – a process that is essential to preventing future accidents and loss of life. But smaller aircraft are not required to carry flight data recorders – the black box so vital to air crash investigations. So while the recently published report into the crash revealed some of the reasons behind, there were details – potentially vital details – that couldn't be known because they weren't recorded. It's about time this changed.
	Hackers pose a real threat against Norwegian energy providers Consider the following:
	How to crack British intelligence service's devilish Christmas puzzle Calling all aspiring spooks. Robert Hannigan, director of Britain's security and intelligence organisation GCHQ, has included a rather tantalising puzzle with his Christmas card this year. He hopes that it will exercise your grey cells over the holiday period.
	Novel material backed by NFL to protect against brain injuries Funding has been awarded to world-leading, US-based helmet designer and manufacturer, Roy Burek of Charles Owen Inc., to develop a novel material created by researchers from Cardiff University's School of Engineering that can improve the safety of athletes, members of the military and others from brain injuries by better absorbing and dissipating impact.
	Amazon UK urges customers to throw away hoverboards The British branch of online retailer Amazon on Wednesday urged customers to throw away defective "hoverboards", two-wheeled scooters that have become a craze ahead of the Christmas season.
	There's a new crop of coding toys for techie tykes Want even your younger kids to join the tech revolution by learning to code? Maybe you should get them a robot—or at least a video game.
	An app to digitally detox from smartphone addiction: Lock n' LOL When a fake phone company released its line of products, NoPhones, a thin, rectangular-shaped plastic block that looked just like a smartphone but did not function, many doubted that the simulated smartphones would find any users. Surprisingly, close to 4,000 fake phones were sold to consumers who wanted to curb their phone usage.
New study explores the mind of a cyberterrorist A new study by Max Kilger, director of Data Analytics Programs at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) College of Business, is delving into an aspect of cybersecurity rarely explored before now: the human component. Kilger's research utilizes his talents as a social psychologist to show that at the beginning of any digital threat is a real person with unique motivations.
	Travel industry embraces virtual reality as marketing tool From roller coasters to cruises to destinations, virtual reality is exploding as a way to market travel.
	Facebook Messenger lets users call Uber cars Facebook on Wednesday announced an alliance with Uber that lets people summon cars from the ride sharing service using the Messenger smartphone application.
A look at robots and other coding toys for the youngest kids It's no longer tough to find coding toys for young kids. Here's a look at your current options. All of the toys are either sold through major retailers or online.
	Facebook expands 'Instant Articles' to Android Facebook said Wednesday it had signed up 350 global media partners for its "Instant Articles" service as it expanded the program to Android devices.
	Speeding up the hydrogen highway Drivers are seeing more hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on the road, but refueling stations for those vehicles are still few and far between. This is about to change, and one reason is a new testing device being validated at California refueling stations that will greatly accelerate station commissioning.
	Review: Don't expect Apple to transform television Since the turn of the century, Apple has shaken up both the music and wireless industries. But if you're hoping it will have the same revolutionary effect on the television industry, you may want to adjust your expectations.
Sandoval calls special session for Faraday tax breaks Gov. Brian Sandoval called Nevada lawmakers into a special legislative session starting Wednesday to approve tax breaks and incentives for electric carmaker Faraday Future, which wants to build a $1 billion plant in North Las Vegas.
	Smart key system brings national award for software engineer An innovative electronic smart key system has secured a software system engineer a major national award following a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between the University of Lincoln, UK, and Lincoln Security Ltd.
	Massive year-end spending bill includes cybersecurity act The massive year-end spending measure includes a provision that will encourage companies to share cyber threat information with the government.
Wearable electronics move beyond rigid wristbands It's not every day that there's a news story about socks. But in November, a pair won the Best New Wearable Technology Device Award at a Silicon Valley conference. The smart socks, which track foot landings and cadence, are at the forefront of a new generation of wearable electronics, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.

Medicine & Health news

	In US, poverty dampens genetic influence on IQ An analysis of data gathered from 14 independent studies indicates that the influence of genes on intelligence varies according to people's social class in the US, but not in Western Europe or Australia. The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	To stop cancer's spread, take out its communication channels Metastasis - or the spread of cancer from one part of the body to other parts - accounts for more than 90 percent of cancer-related deaths. Although the cells that seed metastasis and the sites that they tend to travel to have been increasingly studied over the years, little has been known about how cancer migrates from a primary site, such as breast tissue, to a secondary site, such as the brain or bone marrow. A study by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), published in Nature Communications, offers a new view of how cancer cells extend their reach, co-opting and transforming normal cells through "metastatic hijacking." The researchers also find that in pre-clinical models, pharmacological intervention can prevent this hijacking from occurring, pointing to new therapeutic targets for preventing cancer cells from spreading.
	Researchers elucidate network of genes that control when puberty begins In expanding our knowledge of how the brain controls the process of sexual development, researchers at Oregon Healthy & Science University and the University of Pittsburgh have identified for the first time members of an elaborate superfamily of genes that regulate the timing of puberty in highly evolved nonhuman primates. The Zinc finger, or ZNF, gene family comprises approximately 800 individual genes.
	Mitochondria, an exciting new target for the treatment of anxiety disorders One third of patients with anxiety disorders do not respond to currently available anxiolytic treatments. In their latest study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have shown for the first time that manipulation of mitochondria exerts anxiolytic effects. This improved understanding of how mitochondrial changes affect anxiety may provide the key to novel treatments.
Unexpected molecular partners may offer new way to counter inflammatory diseases When overactive or off target, certain cells in the immune system that normally fight infection instead attack a person's own tissue. This process fuels inflammation as part of autoimmune diseases. Now, a study from researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center publishing on December 16 in Nature has revealed a new way to curtail these mechanisms that could shape the design of future drugs.
	Understanding body language: Scientists create new technology to read complex patterns of behavior It might not rival Newton's apple, which led to his formulating the law of gravity, but the collapse of a lighting scaffold played a key role in the discovery that mice, like humans, have body language.
	Scientists reveal new phase of HIV infection Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have identified a new life cycle stage in HIV infection, thanks to a novel technique they developed to take images of intact infected cells. They've shown that this phase of infection, dubbed intra-nuclear migration, by principal investigator Abraham L. Brass, MD, PhD, relies on the human protein CPSF6 to guide the virus through the host cell's nucleus and position it at active genes where it prefers to make its home. Details of HIV's intra-nuclear migration and the imaging techniques used to find it were published in Cell Reports.
	How brain architecture leads to abstract thought Using 20 years of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from tens of thousands of brain imaging experiments, computational neuroscientists Hava Siegelmann and a postdoctoral colleague at the University of Massachusetts have created a geometry-based method for massive data analysis to reach a new understanding of how thought arises from brain structure.
	Implant acts as a countermeasure ETH Professor Martin Fussenegger calls them molecular prosthetics: cells with specially developed gene circuits that can be implanted into an organism, where they take over metabolic functions that the organism cannot perform itself. Fussenegger and his team at ETH Zurich's Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel have now succeeded in developing a molecular prosthesis of this kind where the functions are far more complex than before. The prosthesis is tailored to the treatment of psoriasis, a complex and chronic inflammatory disease of the skin.
	Scientists discover the function and connections of three cell types in the brain How the brain functions is still a black box: scientists aren't even sure how many kinds of nerve cells exist in the brain. To know how the brain works, they need to know not only what types of nerve cells exist, but also how they work together. Researchers at the Salk Institute have gotten one step closer to unlocking this black box.
	Researchers discover way to improve image sharpness for blind people with retinal implants Retinal implants that deliver longer pulses of electrical current may noticeably improve image sharpness for individuals who have lost their sight due to retinitis pigmentosa, according to a new study by researchers from the USC Eye Institute and USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
	New compound successfully targets hard-to-treat breast cancer Findings from a new study led by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) suggest a potent new therapeutic approach for a number of hard-to-treat breast cancers.
	Scary movies can curdle blood Watching horror, or 'bloodcurdling,' movies is associated with an increase in the clotting protein, blood coagulant factor VIII, finds a small study in The BMJ Christmas issue this week.
	Certain antidepressants linked to heightened risk of mania and bipolar disorder Taking certain antidepressants for depression is linked to a heightened risk of subsequent mania and bipolar disorder, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
	Low cost, safe and accurate test could help diagnose rare childhood cancers A non-invasive, low cost blood test that could help doctors diagnose some types of malignant childhood tumour has been developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Health NHS Foundation Trust.
	There's an app for that: An easy, fast and reliable way to record causes of death Researchers have developed a revolutionary new app to capture accurate global cause of death data on tablets and mobile phones.
Helping children at high risk for aggressive behavior found to have long-term benefits A new longitudinal study that examined an intervention for children at high risk of developing behavior problems has found that teaching so-called soft skills was key to preventing criminal and delinquent problems later in life. Soft skills, such as self-control and social skills, are personality traits, attitudes, and motivations not included in traditional measures of intelligence.
	Children's ADHD symptoms and peer relationships influence each other over time Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are restless, inattentive, and impulsive, and they have difficulty with social functioning, often having fewer friends and being rejected more than children without ADHD. In a new longitudinal study from Norway, researchers investigated the bidirectional relationship between the development of ADHD symptoms in young children and rejection by peers.
Ethnic differences in CF genetic coding not addressed in screening tests for nonwhite patients Cystic fibrosis (CF) occurs less frequently in nonwhites than in whites, and nonwhites tend to be diagnosed at a later age. This late diagnosis often comes only once they have become symptomatic, rather than through newborn screening programs or molecular diagnostic testing. Delaying diagnosis can result in postponed treatment and clinical deterioration. A new study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics found that one reason for this ethnic disparity in CF diagnoses is that the variants examined in the most common CF newborn screening panels do not sufficiently include the variants present in nonwhite populations.
Poverty may increase childhood risk of neurological impairment, study suggests Children from low income environments appear to have a higher risk of neurological impairment than those from more economically secure circumstances, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. This neurological impairment appears to be distinct from the risk of cognitive and emotional delays known to accompany early-life poverty.
At menopause, weight, exercise, education, income play big roles in metabolic risks At midlife, overweight and obesity, lack of exercise, less education, and low income put women at much higher risk of having metabolic syndrome, the cluster of conditions predisposes people to diabetes and heart disease, shows a large study published today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.
The human cost of cuts to Spain's prized health system "Either we eat or I take my pills," Maximiliano Diego recalled a patient confessing after stopping treatment because cuts in Spain's public health system forced him to pay for medication from his own pocket.
India and Pakistan set to benefit from new autism treatment In a world first, clinical researchers from the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester have collaborated with colleagues in south Asia to adapt a parent-led autism therapy.
	New evidence shows regular exercise improves blood cholesterol and reduces cardiovascular disease risk A new analysis of six exercise intervention studies shows that regular aerobic or endurance-type exercise produced substantial beneficial changes in the cholesterol subfraction profiles of more than 1,500 study participants, according to an article published in the journal Atherosclerosis.
Researchers find hospital prices vary significantly for the privately insured A new "Big Data" project from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania and the London School of Economics demonstrates that the prices hospitals negotiate with private health insurance companies vary considerably within and across geographic regions in the United States.
Zinc deficiency alters gut bacteria makeup and function A new study reveals that zinc deficiency – a condition that affects 25 percent of the world's population, especially in the developing world – alters the makeup of bacteria found in the intestine.
	Want to get fit without hitting the gym? Follow these tips Here are five gym-free workout tips to help you build a fitter physique, with insight from Rui Li, an associate clinical professor in the Department of Health Sciences who studies training strategies for fitness and sport performance.
Many unexpected genetic variants hamper personalised medicine In recent decades much hope was based on the development of personalised drug treatments, in which genetic tests determine the choice and optimal dose of medication for each individual patient. However, the real breakthrough is still to be seen, and now researchers at Karolinska Institutet show in two separate scientific papers that many more gene variants affect how a person responds to medication than previously thought – and thus that today's analytical tools are too coarse.
	New weapon in the fight against breast cancer The first clinically-relevant mouse model of human breast cancer to successfully express functional estrogen receptor positive (ER+) adenocarcinomas has been developed by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The tumors generated in this system bear a striking resemblance to the class of tumors found in the vast majority of women with breast cancer, and especially to those whose cancer proves treatment-resistant. This model should be a powerful tool for testing therapies for aggressive ER+ breast cancers and for studying the biology and etiology of luminal cancers—the most prevalent and deadliest forms of breast cancer.
	Filtering the blood to keep cancer in check A new diagnostic system used to detect cancer cells in small blood samples could next be turned towards filtering a patient's entire system to remove those dangerous cells – like a dialysis machine for cancer – says an Australian researcher who helped develop the system.
	Feeling undervalued is more stressful to nurses than the work Feeling unappreciated and undervalued may cause more stress to nurses than the demands of the work itself.
	Putting a block on inflammation Increasing the proportion of an anti inflammatory immune cell subtype can reduce damage to joints in mice infected with Chikungunya virus, research by A*STAR reveals. These findings are significant for the potential treatment of people infected by the virus, and have implications for related conditions.
	Some notes on the female orgasm in 2015 Without the perennially interesting problem of the female orgasm, it sometimes seems that the oddly sex-segregated world of men's and women's magazines would run out of content.
Study examines obesity in relation to breast cancer related lymphedema Each year, about 1.38 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer. Advances in treatment have facilitated a 90% five-year survival rate among those treated. Given the increased rate and length of survival following breast cancer, more and more survivors are facing life-time risk of developing late effects of cancer treatment that negatively impact long-term survival. In particular, breast cancer-related lymphedema is one of the most distressing and feared late effects.
Lifespan—genetic background and physical activity Animal studies have already shown that a strong link exists between genetic background and physical activity level. The purpose of our study was to investigate the associations between genetic background, physical activity level, and lifespan.
Research reveals promising novel strategy to target cancer-causing protein A team of scientists, comprising researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, and the VIB Laboratory of Molecular Cancer Biology (VIB/KU Leuven), has revealed the mechanism by which tumor cells elevate levels of MDM4, a protein that is highly expressed in cancer cells but not in normal adult tissues. The team has also found that the mechanism can be interfered with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to suppress cancer growth. The study which paves the way for the development of novel cancer therapeutics was published in the leading Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
	How compositional data analysis can help us optimise our daily routine to be healthy What is the recipe for a healthy day?
	Researchers find a compound helping to regenerate neurons in damaged areas of the brain Many neurology pathologies cause irreversible loss of neurons. They are mostly the so-called neurodegenerative diseases although there exist other causes for a focal loss of neurons, as it is the case in strokes or traumatic brain injuries. All these pathologies lack nowadays of an efficient treatment not being possible to regenerate dead neurons. In fact, although the brain has the ability to regenerate as many studies has proved, this regeneration is very low, ranging from 0.2% to a maximum of 10% depending on the type of injury and the damaged area.
	Fat-burning fat exists, but might not be the key to weight loss When you think about body fat, it's probably white fat that comes to mind. That's where our bodies store excess calories, and it's the stuff you want to get rid of when you are trying to lose weight.
	Research shows typical American diet can worsen chronic pain Sufferers of chronic pain are more susceptible to prolonged and pronounced health issues when practicing poor diet habits, according to new research published by University of Alabama at Birmingham researcher Robert Sorge, Ph.D., and team in the Journal of Pain.
	How e-health applications can boost health literacy and improve quality of care among the elderly Growing demand for elderly e-health applications – the delivery of healthcare and services by electronic means – and m-health applications – the delivery of healthcare services via mobile communication devices such as Smartphones – has created an opportunity for SMEs to develop innovative internet, mobile phones and tablets-based solutions along with video games that can improve the health of older people.
Scientists find new vessel for detecting autism Evidence of autism may be found in the composition and malfunction of the brain's blood vessels, a team of scientists has found. Their research sheds new light on the causes of autism, which previously had pointed to neurological make-up rather than to the vascular system, and identifies a new target for potential therapeutic intervention.
	Drug use trends remain stable or decline among teens The 2015 Monitoring the Future survey (MTF) shows decreasing use of a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers, and synthetic cannabinoids ("synthetic marijuana"). Other drug use remains stable, including marijuana, with continued high rates of daily use reported among 12th graders, and ongoing declines in perception of its harms.
Beyond early adversity: A multidimensional approach linking early experiences to successful aging Adverse childhood experiences such as poverty, abuse and neglect have been linked to poor mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood. However, characterizing early experiences only in terms of extreme stressors fails to capture the full spectrum of childhood for most people.
	The eyes have it: Mutual gaze potentially a vital component in social interactions A person in love gazes longingly and attentively at the object of his or her desire. When we want to grab another person's attention, we look directly into their eyes. Why do we behave this way? What happens during our gazing?
	Researchers find out cause of mutations which are not in genetic material Proteins are like bricks that form our cells and they are built by the orders given by our genetic material, DNA. In human diseases, eventually DNA alterations modify proteins and they don't do their normal function, either by excess or defect. But recently we have started to find alterations of proteins without an obvious damage of the gene that produces them.
	Making bicycling safer for kids with ADHD Child development experts have long known that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely to have an accident while crossing the street on their bicycles.
In hyperparathyroidism patients with kidney transplantation, surgery is more effective than drug treatment A study led by researchers from the Nephrology group at Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University Hospital of Bellvitge (HUB), compared the results of surgery with drug therapy in patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism, ie after a kidney transplant. The results of the research have been published in the journal of greatest impact in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Link between anemia and mild cognitive impairment In a large population-based study of randomly selected participants in Germany, researchers found that participants with anemia, defined as haemoglobin
Immigrant parents at lower risk of preterm birth than Canadian-born couples Couples who immigrate to Canada are generally at lower risk of having a preterm birth than Canadian-born couples, new research has found.
	Weight loss through diet changes can improve sleep at any body weight, says study Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleepiness at any weight, says a study published by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania this month in the journal Sleep. The findings offer new insights into how weight fluctuations impact numerous aspects of sleep independent of body weight.
	Vessel discovery a major step toward growing kidneys In a significant step toward growing replacement kidneys, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified the cells that give rise to the blood vessels within the kidney. It's a discovery of critical importance, as efforts to grow kidneys have long been frustrated by the inability to create the vasculature necessary for a functional organ.
Families choosing treatment options for uncomplicated appendicitis in children When chosen by the family, nonoperative management with antibiotics alone was an effective treatment strategy for children with uncomplicated appendicitis, incurring less illness and lower costs than surgery, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery.
Antibiotics alone can be a safe, effective treatment for children with appendicitis Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis is a reasonable alternative to surgery when chosen by the family. A study led by researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that three out of four children with uncomplicated appendicitis have been successfully treated with antibiotics alone at one year follow-up. Compared to urgent appendectomy, non-operative management was associated with less recovery time, lower health costs and no difference in the rate of complications at one year.
	Early childhood depression alters brain development The brains of children who suffer clinical depression as preschoolers develop abnormally, compared with the brains of preschoolers unaffected by the disorder, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Minding the gap: International team defines spaces through which nerve cells communicate In a report published in the journal Neuron, an international team of researchers defined the makeup of the cellular structures through which nerve cells communicate with each other. These "synaptic clefts" are the small gaps between nerve cells (neurons) that relay information in the brain. Synapses, including the synaptic clefts, are formed rapidly shortly before and after birth. Mutations in the proteins that make up the cleft increase vulnerability to developmental disorders, notably autism spectrum disorders.
	Activating beige fat in humans could combat obesity The body's ability to harness heat production by converting white fat cells, which store calories, into beige fat cells, which burn energy, could help fight obesity, according to researchers at Georgia State University.
New statistics show one of every three US deaths caused by cardiovascular disease One of every three deaths in the U.S. in 2013 were from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, while heart disease and stroke were the No. 1 and No. 2 killers worldwide, according to American Heart Association's 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update.
	Chewing slowly helps prevent excessive weight gain in children Waiting 30 seconds in between bites of food allows children to realize they're no longer hungry before they overeat—preventing excessive weight gain. That's the conclusion of a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Pediatric Obesity by an international team of researchers, including bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego.
Research offers recommendations for use of aspirin to prevent preeclampsia To prevent preeclampsia, new research suggests that low-dose aspirin should be given prophylactically to all women at high risk (those with diabetes or chronic hypertension) and any woman with two or more moderate risk factors (including obesity, multiple gestation and advanced maternal age).
	When rejection comes from within A new cellular structure responsible for previously unexplained rejection of organ transplants has been identified by researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM.) This discovery could one day revolutionize transplantation practice by modifying risk assessment of rejection in people who receive heart, lung, kidney, or liver transplants.
	New 'exercise hormone' promotes physical endurance A new study in mice shows that exercise causes muscle to release a peptide that builds the muscle's capacity for energy production and increases physical endurance, allowing for longer and more intense exercise.
Free mobile app to improve the world's cardiovascular health Leading cardiologist Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, has developed a free mobile application called "Circle of Health" to empower individuals around the globe to take action to comprehensively assess and enhance their daily overall heart health. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of mortality in the world. Dr. Fuster has created "Circle of Health" for the daily promotion of cardiovascular health worldwide and to reduce the epidemics of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
	Kids find help for anorexia more often than 'pro-ana' posts on YouTube (HealthDay)—For years, people surfing YouTube may have accidently or intentionally encountered so-called "pro-ana" videos extolling the virtues of a deadly disease: anorexia.
	Girls given risky meds don't get contraceptive advice (HealthDay)—New research from a Midwestern hospital suggests a wide majority of teen girls and young women fail to get information about contraceptives when they take medications that could cause birth defects.
	PT beats surgery for quick relief of carpal tunnel pain (HealthDay)—For women with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), physical manual therapies are similarly effective to surgery in the medium and long term, and may be more effective in the short term, according to a study published in the November issue of The Journal of Pain.
	Greater racial, ethnic diversity of doctors found in Ob-Gyn (HealthDay)—Among adult medical specialists, greater racial and ethnic diversity is found among obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns), according to research published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	No lasting benefit for early Tx of patent ductus arteriosus (HealthDay)—Early treatment to induce closure of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants does not improve long-term outcomes, according to a clinical report published online Dec. 15 in Pediatrics.
	Nasal, pharyngeal EPX levels linked to sputum eosinophilia (HealthDay)—For individual patients with poorly-controlled asthma, nasal and pharyngeal eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) levels are strongly associated with the eosinophil percentage of induced sputum, according to a study published online Dec. 8 in Allergy.
	Why do chronically lonely teens stay lonely? For chronically lonely adolescents, even the rare invitation to a social event is likely to be met with suspicion: "It's not that I'm worthy, I just got lucky," they'll tell themselves.
'Hunger hormone' may treat severe peripheral artery disease A new study by a team of researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago and Japan suggests that the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin could be used clinically for the early treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), an advanced form of peripheral artery disease.
	Why epilepsy may account for more lost years of life than other brain disorders Recent studies conclude that people with epilepsy have a 27-fold greater risk of sudden death than people without the disorder. However, many of these deaths could be prevented through greater identification of epilepsy as a cause of death, and in educating the public more effectively about the disease's life-threatening dangers.
FDA approves cheaper version of top-selling diabetes drug Federal health officials have approved a cheaper version of the world's top-selling insulin from Sanofi for millions of U.S. patients with diabetes.
	Many Americans unsure that flu shots do any good, poll finds With the height of the influenza season fast approaching, a survey published Tuesday by the federal Department of Health and Human Services found a sizable number of Americans are skeptical that a flu shot makes much of a difference.
Where are STDs rampant? Google wants to help researchers find out With sexually transmitted diseases on the rise, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago think they might have a powerful new weapon to fight their spread: Google searches.
Does living alone make you thinner? Score one for the singles crowd. People who live alone tend to be thinner than married couples or co-habitors, according to research out of Western Washington University.
	Canadian researchers improving child nutrition in Vietnam The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada, through the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), are contributing $1.16 million to support researchers from Vietnam's National Institute of Nutrition and Canada's Ryerson University to implement proven methods to improve children's health. Researchers will work to increase local production and distribution of complementary and therapeutic foods for children that are high in nutrients and energy dense, such as micronutrient-enriched pastes, bars, instant flours, and pablums.
24,000 female patients missing out on vital cardiac rehabilitation services New research conducted by the University of York and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) indicates that more than 24,000 female heart patients are missing out on crucial rehabilitation, putting them at risk of further heart attacks.
	A simple saliva test could replace blood tests for heart failure Research on a new non-invasive method of screening for the 'silent killer', heart failure, by testing saliva instead of blood being developed at QUT, has received a $75,000 Heart Foundation Vanguard Grant.
	When disaster strikes Behind makeshift orange fencing, the Ebola isolation unit in Bo, Sierra Leone, lies shrouded in a haze of smoke from the constant fires burning contaminated bedding and clothing. UC San Francisco physician Andrea Tenner, MD, MPH, looking like an astronaut in a head-to-toe protective suit, peers through foggy goggles as she reviews duty lists with local colleagues before entering the hot zone – the testing ward for patients with possible Ebola virus infection. She weaves her way through the labyrinth of protective barriers, ending up in the suspect ward, where patients who've exhibited Ebola symptoms anxiously await their test results.
	Police-related killings are countable public health data What is the purpose of public health? Public health is a societal approach to protecting and improving the health and well-being of populations. Rather than focus on the health of individuals – that's medicine – public health practitioners identify and address system-level influences on the health of overall populations. Issues such as clean water supplies, school vaccination programs, and public smoking bylaws all fall in the domain of public health. Social justice is often, and should always be, an overarching focus of public health campaigns. The aim to improve the health of populations means all people in the population, however the 'population' is defined. To protect and improve everyone's health often means different strategies for different segments of the population. Specific 'at-risk' or 'vulnerable' groups are those who face the largest societal burden of ill health through adverse living conditions, and who often ha! ve insufficient financial or social means to avoid health risks.
Survey of new mothers highlights improvements The state of maternity care in Scotland has been examined by University of Stirling researchers working with the Scottish Government.
Males and under 30 at greatest risk of hospital admission for drug related poisonings Poisonings from recreational drug and alcohol use account for 9 percent of all poisoning-related hospital admissions, says a new University of Sydney study revealing that males and people under 30 are at greatest risk.
Aspirin maker Bayer seeks to flex muscles in OTC sector As French rival Sanofi seeks to become the world leader in the market for non-prescription or over-the-counter drugs, Bayer, the German inventor of Aspirin, is also on the look-out for acquisitions to hold on to its position in the sector.
Medical aid in dying: Is Quebec's law too restrictive? Quebec's legislation on medical aid in dying has many aspects in common with laws passed in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2002 to regulate euthanasia, but it is more restrictive in nature because it only concerns people at end-of-life.

Biology news

	Baby fish will be lost at sea in acidified oceans The ability of baby fish to find a home, or other safe haven, to grow into adulthood will be severely impacted under predicted ocean acidification, University of Adelaide research has found.
	New evidence of tool use discovered in parrots Psychologists at the University of York and University of St Andrews have uncovered the first evidence of tool use by greater vasa parrots (Coracopsis vasa).
	Predators key to helping prey evolve with climate change The key to helping animals evolve quickly in response to climate change could actually be their predators, according to a new UBC study.
	Long term study shows bacteria continue to show sustained fitness in unchanging environment (Phys.org)—A team of researchers working on Michigan State University's Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) has found that even after nearly thirty years living in an unchanging environment, generations of Escherichia coli continue to show improvements in fitness. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the team describes the nature of their long term experiment and their surprise at the continual evolution of the simple bacteria.
	Infrared video reveals how hummingbirds dissipate heat (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with George Fox University in Oregon and the University of Montana has uncovered the ways in which calliope hummingbirds (Selasphorus calliope) get rid of the large amount of heat that is generated as they rapidly beat their wings. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the team describes their experiments and results and why they believe what they found could be problematic for the birds in the coming years.
New insights into cooperativity in gene regulation In a study published in Nature, Dirk Schübeler and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) describe how the interplay between transcription factors and epigenetic modifications of DNA influences gene regulation. The scientists found that transcription factors can cooperate indirectly, via changes in DNA methylation patterns: by removing methyl groups, some transcription factors prepare surrounding regions for the binding of other transcription factors. This research thus elucidates a further aspect of the complex role methyl groups play in gene regulation.
	Study finds people transformed how species associated after 300 million years A study published today finds a surprising and very recent shift away from the steady relationship among species that prevailed for more than 300 million years.
	How to see a mass extinction if it's right in front of you A Yale-led study urges scientists to move their focus from species extinction to species rarity in order to recognize, and avoid, a mass extinction in the modern world.
	Land use may weaken amphibian's capacity to fight infection and disease Man-made changes to the environment may be damaging the immune systems of a species of frog whose populations have drastically declined since the 1970s, according to a new study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the Holden Arboretum.
	Plants use a molecular clock to predict when they'll be infected Plants are able to predict when infections are more likely to occur and regulate their immune response accordingly, new research has found.
	Skewed expression of mRNA components correlates with fine tuning of protein production Long cast as a simple link between DNA and protein, messenger RNA has never offered much intrigue. But new research at The Rockefeller University suggests the molecule is up to something unexpected.
	Plants crawled onto land earlier than we give them credit, genetic evidence suggests Plant biologists agree that it all began with green algae. At some point in our planet's history, the common ancestor of trees, ferns, and flowers developed an alternating life cycle—presumably allowing their offspring to float inland and conquer Earth. But on December 16 in Trends in Plant Science, Danish scientists argue that some green algae had been hanging out on land hundreds of millions of years before this adaptation and that land plants actually evolved from terrestrial, not aquatic, algae.
	Big moves in protein structure prediction and design The potential of modular design for brand new proteins that do not exist in the natural world is explored Dec. 16 in the journal Nature. The reports are the latest in a recent series of developments toward custom-designing proteins.
	Hot water puts crocs at risk Australia's saltwater crocodiles appear to be in hot water, with a University of Queensland study linking climate warming to shorter dives, putting the crocs' survival at risk.
	Isolated Utah bison herd new stronghold for conservation of iconic remnant of 'Wild West' Scientists from Utah State University and Texas A&M University confirm a remnant of the Wild, Wild West lives on in a remote region of southeastern Utah.
	Climate researchers employ tool from 1800s: Whaling logs Maritime historians, climate scientists and ordinary citizens are coming together on a project to study the logbooks of 19th-century whaling ships to better understand modern-day climate change and Arctic weather patterns.
	GM salmon may be safe but they're not coming to a store near you just yet We have all, most likely unknowingly, eaten products that have contained some form of genetically modified (GM) crops, which remain controversial to some people despite having been under commercial production for nearly two decades.
New twist in tale of dogs' origins The origin of dogs has inspired a lingering controversy in academia. Where and when did dogs first split off from wolves? One of the top dogs in this dispute, population genetics expert Peter Savolainen of Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology, isn't about to roll over. He hopes his latest research will finally settle the matter.
	The double life of a bacteria—living off both iron and pure electricity Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science and the University of Tokyo have demonstrated that the bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can take electrons needed for growth directly from an electrode power source when iron—its already known source of energy—is absent. The study, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, shows that A. ferrooxidans can use direct uptake of electrons from an electrode to fuel the same metabolic pathway that is activated by the oxidation of diffusible iron ions.
	Researchers uncover multiple adaptations to temperature in birds and mammals Understanding the different ways organisms can adapt to environmental temperatures is central to understanding how they will respond to climate change.
	Western Australia's rarest bird species headed for extinction One of the last known populations of WA's rarest bird species is tipped to disappear from a global biodiversity hotspot unless action is taken to address climate change.
	West Coast marine mammals respond to shifting conditions, new research shows Humpback whales off the West Coast consume thousands of pounds of krill, plankton and small fish each day. Research shows that humpback diets reflect their surroundings, with the truck-sized whales filter-feeding on vast amounts of krill when cold upwelling waters prevail, but switching to schooling fish such as anchovies when warmer waters take over and the fish grow abundant.
	Dogs give friends food Compared to the rest of the animal kingdom, the human capacity for cooperation is something quite special. Cooperating with one another requires a certain amount of prosocial behaviour. This means helping others without any direct personal benefit.
	Three new fishing snake species fished out of the Andean slopes in South America Commonly known as fishing snakes, the Synophis genus has been expanded with as many as three new species following a research in the Andean cloud forests of Amazonian Ecuador and Peru. Not only is the discovery remarkable due to the rarity of new snake species being discovered, but also because this is the first time this mysterious and already eight-member genus is recorded from Peru. The study is published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
	Washington zoo ready for baby panda Bei Bei's public debut The National Zoo in Washington is bracing for a flood of visitors in the New Year to greet its latest star, Bei Bei, the rare giant panda born in August.
	Aphids balance their diets by rebuilding plant amino acids Aphids suck up an almost endless supply of sugary sap from their plant hosts. They can survive on this junk food diet because bacterial partners help them convert the handful of amino acids in the sap into other, essential amino acids—not by recycling them, but by breaking them down and rebuilding from scratch, a new study finds.
	Penguin cam captures hunt for prey Little penguins were more likely to work together to hunt schooling prey than solitary prey, according to observations made using animal-borne cameras published Dec. 2, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Grace Sutton from the Deakin University, Australia, and colleagues.
	Enemy odors help flies protect their offspring Female Drosophila flies avoid laying eggs at sites that smell of parasitic wasps.
	Mediterranean sperm whales show great size variation An analysis of Mediterranean sperm whale 'clicks' suggests that individuals range from 7.5 to 14 meters long, according to a study published Dec. 9, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Francesco Caruso from the University of Messina and Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Italy, and colleagues.
	Researchers discover six new African frog species, uncover far more diversity Researchers have discovered half a dozen new species of the African clawed frog, and added back another to the list of known species, in the process uncovering striking new characteristics of one of the most widely studied amphibians in the world.
	Red palm weevils can fly 50 kilometers in 24 hours The red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) has been a pest of coconut palms in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines for a long time. More recently, it's become a pest of 40 different palm species in the Middle East and North Africa after it was found there in the 1980s.
	Bling for dogs helps fight global problem In many parts of the world, transmission of rabies and other diseases in free-roaming dogs is a serious health problem – and not only for the animals.
	Special collection explores origin and evolution of play Research on the evolution and function of play at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) has culminated in a special issue of the journal Adaptive Behavior. The papers represent the first systematic use of computational and mathematical models to investigate the theoretical and empirical origins of play.
More bad news on California salmon California drought regulators, deliberating on a controversial plan to withhold water from farms and cities next year to preserve an endangered species of salmon, were handed a fresh dose of bad news Tuesday: The fish are doing worse than previously believed.

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