Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jan 20

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 20, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Researchers find evidence of a real ninth planet
- Switchable material could enable new memory chips
- Phylogenetic analyses suggests fairy tales are much older than thought
- Neutral result charges up antimatter research
- Memory capacity of brain is 10 times more than previously thought
- New largest prime number found
- Self-heating lithium-ion battery could beat the winter woes
- A new study puts temperature increases caused by CO2 emissions on the map
- Researchers developing sponge-like material to more efficiently store natural gas
- Evidence of a prehistoric massacre extends the history of warfare
- Researchers pinpoint place where cancer cells may begin
- Glass-based ultraviolet absorbers act as 'biological shields'
- Copper deposition to fabricate tiny 3D objects
- Can three pigeons be in two pigeonholes with no two pigeons in the same hole?
- Breakthrough imaging tool maps cells' composition in 3-D

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers find evidence of a real ninth planet Caltech researchers have found evidence of a giant planet tracing a bizarre, highly elongated orbit in the outer solar system. The object, which the researchers have nicknamed Planet Nine, has a mass about 10 times that of Earth and orbits about 20 times farther from the sun on average than does Neptune (which orbits the sun at an average distance of 2.8 billion miles). In fact, it would take this new planet between 10,000 and 20,000 years to make just one full orbit around the sun.
	Upgraded MOIRCS instrument achieves better images MOIRCS, the Multi-Object Infrared Camera and Spectrograph for the Subaru Telescope, has undergone a significant upgrade during 2015. Members of the project team were delighted to achieve first light (the term for the first time an instrument sees starlight), on the night after Christmas of 2015. The upgraded MOIRCS with new detectors, a new temperature control system, and new instrument control system software, demonstrated its good performance on the night of December 26, 2015, with an infrared image of the spiral galaxy NGC 3521 (Figure 1). The distance is 26 million light years, toward the constellation Leo. MOIRCS's FOV is large enough as for the near infrared instrument, to have this galaxy in 7 arcminute in the angular size in one view.
	Image: Microscopic statoliths in seedling grown in space How do plants know which way is up? This might seem like an obvious question, but how exactly does a plant know which way to grow its roots and which way to grow towards the Sun?
	Image: Compact AIS antenna What might look like an abstract artwork is actually a novel antenna, small enough for a minisatellite, to track global ship traffic from orbit.
	Image: First flower grown in space station's veggie facility On Jan. 16, 2016, Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly shared photographs of a blooming zinnia flower in the Veggie plant growth system aboard the International Space Station. Kelly wrote, "Yes, there are other life forms in space! #SpaceFlower #YearInSpace"

Technology news

	Self-heating lithium-ion battery could beat the winter woes A lithium-ion battery that self heats if the temperature is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit has multiple applications, but may have the most impact on relieving winter "range anxiety" for electric vehicle owners, according to a team of researchers from Penn State and EC Power, State College.
	To hear a pitter-patter from afar: Catching heartbeats with millimeter-wave radar Heartbeats can now be measured without placing sensors on the body, thanks to a new technology developed in Japan. Researchers at the Kyoto University Center of Innovation, together with Panasonic Corp, have come up with a way to measure heartbeats remotely, in real time, and under controlled conditions with as much accuracy as electrocardiographs.
	New Intel chip technology designed to foil hackers Intel Tuesday announced a chip technology that the company said was designed to foil hackers who use fake emails to trick employees into revealing their usernames and passwords.
	Voice analytics software helps customer service reps build better rapport with customers Customer service calls can be frustrating for consumers and agents alike. But MIT spinout Cogito believes it can use behavioral analytics to make those experiences less onerous.
	This smartphone technology 3-D maps your meal and counts its calories How many calories are on the plate of food you're about to eat?
	Copper deposition to fabricate tiny 3D objects A new 3-D microprinting process allows scientists to easily manufacture tiny, complex metal components. The used technology was designed by ETH researchers years ago for biological research and has now been further developed for a completely different application.
	Ultrasound proximity software may outshine phone sensors Can ultrasound software usurp the kingdom of proximity sensors in smartphones? It will be interesting to see how Elliptic Labs fares in its new BEAUTY ultrasound proximity software.
	Microsoft donates cloud computing 'worth $1 bn' Microsoft said Tuesday it will put a billion dollars' worth of cloud computing power in the hands of non-profit groups and university researchers free of charge.
General Motors revs ride-sharing tech with Sidecar Fresh from taking a $500 million stake in ride-sharing service Lift, US auto giant General Motors has bought assets and hired employees from an Uber competitor that ran out of gas.
Navy launches carrier group powered partly by biofuels The Navy is launching a carrier strike group to be powered partly by biofuel, calling it a milestone toward easing the military's reliance on foreign oil.
Apple files with India government to open first stores Apple said Wednesday it has asked the Indian government for permission to open its first stores in the country, paving the way for its feted brands to join the fast-growing smartphone market.
Dutch hi-tech group ASML posts 'record' year in 2015 Leading Dutch manufacturer of computer chip making systems ASML Wednesday declared 2015 a "record" year for sales which rose to 6.3 billion euros ($6.9 billion), with net profits leaping by 15 percent.
Music streamer Deezer raises 100M euros after abandoned IPO France-based music streaming service Deezer says it has raised 100 million euros ($109 million) from its two largest shareholders to fuel its expansion after abandoning plans for an initial public offering of stock last year.
	Kennedy airport in NYC using face recognition technology John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City has started using new face recognition technology.
	Senior's 3-D printed, sustainable clothing wins scholarship With his idea for 3-D-printed, custom-fit activewear, Eric Beaudette '16 hopes professional young men can go from the workplace to the gym without breaking a sweat.
	Charging an electric car as fast as filling a tank of gas Electric cars will only be truly competitive when it doesn't take longer to charge them than it does to fill a gas tank. The storage capacity of batteries is improving exponentially, but the power grid is the weak link: how could it possibly charge thousands of cars at the same time? This is especially problematic in the case of ultra-fast charging, which requires more than 10 times more power. EPFL researchers have found the solution: intermediate storage.
Dutch hold 10 for Bitcoin money laundering Dutch police have arrested 10 people in the Netherlands as part of an international probe into money-laundering through sales of the shadowy virtual currency Bitcoin, prosecutors said Wednesday.
	Google unveils virtual tour of Buckingham Palace Web surfers will be able to peek into the gilded interiors of Queen Elizabeth II's home in a new virtual reality tour launched by Google on Wednesday.
	'Squishy' robot fingers aid deep sea exploration During a 2014 talk on his exploration of deep-sea coral reefs, Baruch College marine biologist David Gruber showed a video of clunky robotic hands collecting fragile specimens of coral and sponges from the ocean floor. Harvard engineer and roboticist Robert J. Wood was in the audience—the two scientists were being recognized as Emerging Explorers by the National Geographic Society—and a lightbulb went off.
	Crowdfunding grows for new journalism projects Crowdfunding has been growing as a way to finance journalism projects around the world as news media industry struggles deepen.
	Bluetooth and Wi-Fi sensing from mobile devices may help improve bus service On any given bus ride, a good share of passengers are reading, texting or rocking out to music on their phones or tablets. In the future, though, those mobile devices may add more value to our transit commutes than simply filling time.
Microchip Technology to buy Atmel for $3.56B Microchip Technology Inc. says it has a deal to acquire rival chipmaker Atmel for roughly $3.56 billion in cash and stock.
New Mexico sues Volkswagen over emissions scandal New Mexico is suing Volkswagen and other German automakers over an emissions cheating scandal that involves millions of cars worldwide, the first state to do so but almost certainly not the last.
	Indian regulator slams Facebook in row over free Internet India's telecom regulator has attacked Facebook over an aggressive campaign to drum up support for its controversial free Internet project after being deluged with millions of comments asking it not to ban the service.

Medicine & Health news

	Memory capacity of brain is 10 times more than previously thought Salk researchers and collaborators have achieved critical insight into the size of neural connections, putting the memory capacity of the brain far higher than common estimates. The new work also answers a longstanding question as to how the brain is so energy efficient and could help engineers build computers that are incredibly powerful but also conserve energy.
	Are people suffering as a result of ultrasound in the air? New research from the University of Southampton indicates that the public are being exposed, without their knowledge, to airborne ultrasound.
	Toxins from algal blooms may cause Alzheimer's-like brain changes A group of villagers on the Pacific island of Guam has offered some key insight into the role that an environmental toxin may play in brain changes that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. And scientists studying that neurotoxin appear to have found a possible antidote.
	Study reveals why your brain makes you slip up when anxious As musicians, figure skaters and anyone who takes a driving test will know, the anxiety of being watched can have a disastrous effect on your performance.
	A closer look at heart cell connectors could catch 'hidden' rhythm disorders in the future Diseased hearts may be thrown out of rhythm by structural differences—now visible for the first time—in protein groups that connect heart muscle cells, according to the authors of a study to be published in the journal Nature Communications online Jan. 20.
	Researchers start to understand how the environment impacts state of mind Anxiety disorder is the most common mental illness, affecting at least one in five adults. In their latest study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have shown that an enzyme called Dnmt3a is crucial in how the frontal cortex mediates stress-induced anxiety. Manipulation of this enzyme might represent a new therapeutic target.
	Study links childbearing to accelerated aging A new study by Yale anthropologists has uncovered the first evidence that childbearing may cause accelerated aging in women.
	Under the weather? A blood test can tell if antibiotics are needed Researchers at Duke Health are fine-tuning a test that can determine whether a respiratory illness is caused by infection from a virus or bacteria so that antibiotics can be more precisely prescribed.
	How the brain compensates for sensory loss and points to its early evolutionary roots The human brain has the remarkable capacity to respond to sensory loss by boosting the remaining functioning senses. Through a compensation mechanism in the brain, known as cross-modal plasticity, some senses are enhanced following the loss of other sensory input, such as the improvement of hearing in people who are blind.
	Like air traffic, information flows through neuron 'hubs' in the brain Just as most of the world's air travel passes through a few major hubs, the majority of information in the brain flows through similarly well-traveled routes, Indiana University scientists have found.
	Depression of either parent during pregnancy linked to premature birth Depression in both expectant mothers and fathers increases the risk of premature birth, finds a study published in BJOG: an International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).
Easier access to children's GP appointments linked to reduced use of emergency departments Children whose GPs are easy to access are less likely to visit A&E than those whose GPs are less able to provide appointments. During weekdays, children's visits to A&E peak after school hours.
	Researchers find meals at 92 percent of dining establishments tip the scales Meals consumed at fast-food restaurants are often seen as one of the biggest contributors to the obesity epidemic. But according to a new study in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 92 percent of 364 measured restaurant meals from both large-chain and non-chain (local) restaurants exceeded recommended calorie requirements for a single meal. In 123 restaurants in three cities across America, the research team found that a single meal serving, without beverages, appetizers, or desserts sometimes exceeded the caloric requirements for an entire day.
	Study finds no link between surgical anesthesia and mild cognitive impairment A Mayo Clinic study of people who received anesthesia for surgery after age 40 found no association between the anesthesia and development of mild cognitive impairment later in life. Mild cognitive impairment is a stage between the normal cognitive decline of aging and dementia. The findings are published in the February issue of the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
New North Korean alcohol leaves 'no hangover' North Korea has created a hangover-free liquor that is between 30 and 40 percent alcohol but leaves you clear-headed in the morning, according to state media.
Seven 2016 diet trends: What's smart, what's myth? For your New Year's resolution, maybe you have vowed to go gluten-free. After all, your neighbor said it's her secret for shedding pounds and having that healthy, happy glow.
	Soldiers with PTSD more 'tuned' to angry faces because of over-connected brain circuits Soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are more 'tuned' to perceive threatening facial expressions than people without PTSD because of more over-connected brain circuits, according to a new study published in the journal Heliyon. The researchers behind the study, from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces, say understanding how this works could help researchers develop better ways to assess when soldiers are ready to be redeployed.
Novel study shows lower surgical mortality in hospitals with best nursing care Patients are often unaware that choosing the right hospital is very important to having a good outcome. A novel study published today in the prominent surgery journal JAMA Surgery showed that patients undergoing surgery at Magnet hospitals recognized for nursing excellence, and good nurse staffing, have better outcomes at the same or lower costs as other hospitals.
Preoperative frailty associated with increased risk of death following surgery The presence of frailty-defining diagnoses before surgery were strongly associated with an increased risk of death at one year after surgery, particularly in the early postoperative period, in younger patients, and after joint replacement, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery.
	Biomarker predicts which stage II colon cancer patients may benefit from chemotherapy A multicenter research team has identified a biomarker that predicts which stage II colon cancer patients may benefit from chemotherapy after surgery to prevent a recurrence of their disease.
Waiting until early 20s to have kids brings no health benefits later on Since the 1960s social policies have discouraged teen pregnancy and promoted the benefits of women having children later in life and getting married.
Neural networks show hope for axonal repair in the brain, with minimal disruption to brain tissue Lab-grown neural networks have the ability to replace lost axonal tracks in the brains of patients with severe head injuries, strokes or neurodegenerative diseases and can be safely delivered with minimal disruption to brain tissue, according to new research from Penn Medicine's department of Neurosurgical Research. Their work is published in the Journal of Neural Engineering.
	Parents who pass on genetic conditions are likely to opt for prenatal testing in future Having a child with a severe genetic condition will heavily impact on a parents' decision to have future prenatal testing, according to a new study co-conducted by Plymouth University.
	New research reveals mindful parenting reduces child stress Mindfulness in parenting significantly reduces children's stress levels, according to a new study by the University of Melbourne's Director of Positive Psychology, Professor Lea Waters.
Research reveals connection between tauopathies and disruption in protein synthesis Assistant Professor Joe Abisambra, researcher at the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, has demonstrated for the first time that tau impairs protein synthesis—a key component in memory loss.
Expert explains the latest guidelines for mammograms The USPSTF has issued another set of recommendations for breast cancer screening. What are they?
Obesity debate threatens sugary drinks industry Soft drink companies see the obesity debate as the biggest threat to their products, according to leading nutrition commentator Professor Marion Nestle.
Support is growing for laws that permit physician aid-in-dying The United States may be on the cusp of changing its collective policy mind on the issue of physician aid-in-dying. Bans remain in 38 states, but in a new Viewpoint essay in the Journal of the American Medical Association, two Brown University authors point out that the momentum is building in favor.
	'Junk' DNA now center stage The classes of RNA molecules encoded by DNA sequences previously considered non functional may play a vital role in cell stress responses, and could one day lead to cancer treatments. A*STAR researchers have identified a class of the long non-coding RNAs responding upon oxidation stress and characterized and specified their functions across stress stimuli and cell types.
	Study may explain why stroke risk in women changes after menopause Risk of stroke in women may come down to a compound the body produces from estrogen known as 2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME). Furthermore, the compound's therapeutic potential may extend beyond treating stroke in women to healing brain injuries in men, a new study in American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism reports.
Genetic component of alcohol consumption confirmed in Western populations How much alcohol you drink and how hard it affects you are rooted in your DNA. Much studied in Asian populations, this study at the University of Valencia contributes conclusive evidence to an emerging Western scientific literature on the subject.
	Exercise for people with dementia improves balance and reduces dependence Regular exercise improves balance for people with dementia and reduces dependence on assistance. This according to new research on healthcare for people suffering from dementia conducted at Umeå University in Sweden, which has now been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
	Empathy and attention come into focus for preterm kids Local research has confirmed children born extremely prematurely or 'preterm' have a less developed sense of empathy and poorer attention skills than typically developing children but the work has failed to determine if there is link between the two.
Social anxiety is highly heritable but is affected by environment Genes play a crucial role over time although environmental factors matter most in the short term, according to a major study into social anxiety and avoidant personality disorders from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
	Baker's yeast used to discover new ways to tackle the malaria parasite New anti-malarial drugs could be developed after researchers discovered a new mechanism used by the malaria parasite when it infects humans.
Psychological technique helps women who have bulimia Researchers from the University of Granada have proven that there are two psychological techniques that help reduce body dissatisfaction and its associated symptoms in women with bulimia nervosa, both of them based on the exposure of their bodies in a mirror.
NHS urged to screen stroke patients for silent heart disease to prevent thousands of deaths A new study has revealed that more than a third of stroke patients with no known history of heart disease have significant tightening of the arteries around their heart (coronary artery disease) and three percent will go on to suffer a heart attack within a year.
	Flashing lights and music turn rats into problem gamblers Adding flashing lights and music to gambling encourages risky decision-making—even if you're a rat.
	Depression experts question effectiveness of stress hormone drug Pioneering research by mood disorder experts at Newcastle University has questioned the effectiveness of metyrapone, a drug suggested to treat depression.
Gene therapy for rare bleeding disorder achieves proof-of-concept Hematology researchers have used a single injection of gene therapy to correct a rare bleeding disorder, factor VII deficiency, in dogs. This success in large animals holds considerable potential for a safe, effective and long-lasting new treatment in humans with the same bleeding disorder.
	Weekend binges just as bad for the gut as a regular junk food diet, study suggests Yo-yoing between eating well during the week and bingeing on junk food over the weekend is likely to be just as bad for your gut health as a consistent diet of junk, new UNSW research suggests.
It's mom who sees troubles for teens with food allergies Teens with food allergies are more likely to have depression, anxiety or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)—and it's mom that notices it.
	Age-related response to the hepatitis B vaccine linked to inflammation Physicians have known for years that patients respond differently to vaccines as they age. There may soon be a new way to predict and enhance the effectiveness of vaccinations, in particular the hepatitis B vaccine. Researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Merck Research Laboratories have found that common biomarkers of inflammation can help to identify which patients might respond to vaccination and inform age-related vaccination schedules as well as interventions that might boost effectiveness, such as anti-inflammatory drugs.
Study results define optimal waiting time before surgery following chemoradiotherapy Researchers analyzing data from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) have found that patients who had a cancer operation at precisely eight weeks—56 days—after the end of combined chemoradiotherapy had the best overall survival and successful removal of their residual tumors. The six-year study of almost 12,000 patients may bring clarity to doctors who have long debated the ideal waiting time between combined chemotherapy and radiation for rectal cancer and surgical removal of the cancer.
Up to 50 percent of women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer could be cured with 1 treatment model Up to half of women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer might be cured, compared to the current 20 per cent survival rate, argues Dr. Steven Narod, senior scientist at Women's College Research Institute, who calls for a new standard of treatment for women with late-stage ovarian cancer.
	The importance of children at play In the early stages of life, peer play is an important factor in the developmental growth of a child. It is during play and children's interactions with peers when many essential and vital skills are learned, from social connections to emotional, language, and cognitive abilities.
Cleveland clinic finds pregnancy-associated melanoma is associated with higher death rates Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, is on the rise in women of child-bearing age. Those at the greatest risk, according to new Cleveland Clinic research, are women younger than 50 who are pregnant or have recently been pregnant.
Legal, policy changes can lead to shifts in use of medical marijuana A Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analysis of registered medical marijuana users found that a hodgepodge of law and policy changes since 2001 had varying effects on the number of people consuming what in many states remains an otherwise illegal drug for its purported health benefits.
	Long-term exposure to ozone may increase lung and cardiovascular deaths Adults with long-term exposure to ozone (O3) face an increased risk of dying from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, according to the study "Long-Term Ozone Exposure and Mortality in a Large Prospective Study" published online ahead of print in the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Study finds strong link between pre-pregnancy obesity and infant deaths Pre-pregnancy obesity is strongly associated with infant mortality, and compliance with weight-gain guidelines during pregnancy has a limited impact on that mortality risk, a new study led by Boston University School of Public Health researchers shows.
	No evidence of seasonal differences in depressive symptoms A large-scale survey of U.S. adults provides no evidence that levels of depressive symptoms vary from season to season, according to new research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings are inconsistent with the notion of seasonal depression as a commonly occurring disorder.
How much does African-American race play a role in stroke risk? Even though young African-Americans are at three times greater risk of a first stroke than their white counterparts, they may not be at a higher risk for a second stroke, according to a study published in the January 20, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study is one of the first of its kind to look at race and second stroke risk.
Fewer than one in five nurses comply with guidelines for standard precautions Only 17.4 percent of ambulatory care nurses reported compliance in all nine standard precautions for infection prevention, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
Genetic variation may explain Asian susceptibility to Kawasaki disease Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Yokohama, Japan, in collaboration with researchers from a number of hospitals around Japan, have found two variations in a gene called ORAI1, one of which may help explain why people of Asian descent are more susceptible to Kawasaki disease, a poorly understand ailment that mostly afflicts young children. The work was published in PLOS ONE.
	Eating healthier fats could reduce heart disease deaths worldwide Eating healthier fats could save more than a million people internationally from dying from heart disease, and the types of diet changes needed differ greatly between countries, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association.
Building a health care information economy based on patients' control of data The time is right for a broad range of stakeholders to push for a health care information economy founded on the basic principle that patients should have control over their data, Boston Children's Hospital informatics researchers say in a Perspective article in The New England Journal of Medicine. The technologies, demand and benefits are there, they note; what remains are the incentives and will to make it happen.
Florida reports first three Zika virus cases Three cases of Zika virus, Florida's first, were recorded in people who had recently traveled in Latin America, health authorities said Wednesday.
Majority of Americans support strengthening Medicare law to require coverage of obesity programs More than two years after the American Medical Association declared obesity a disease, a strong majority of Americans believe Congress should approve legislation to require Medicare to cover FDA-approved medicines to treat obesity.
Dangerous driving puts kids at higher risk of getting hit during school drop-offs Dangerous driving when dropping children off at schools may put kids at increased risk of getting injured in the vicinity of their schools, a recent York University and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) study indicates.
	Emotion-processing networks disrupted in sufferers of depression Regions of the brain that normally work together to process emotion become decoupled in people who experience multiple episodes of depression, neuroscientists report. The findings may help identify which patients will benefit from longterm antidepressant treatment to prevent the recurrence of depressive episodes.
	Chickenpox, shingles vaccine may cause corneal inflammation in some patients In use for more than 20 years, the varicella zoster virus vaccine for chickenpox and shingles is considered an essential medicine by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine have found, in rare instances, a link between the vaccine and corneal inflammation. It is a finding the researchers say should be discussed by primary care physicians and patients with a history of eye inflammation before getting vaccinated.
Genetics and environment impact familial depression Building on a 30-year, three-generation study of depressed individuals, their children and offspring, a study published in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging provides a better understanding of the familial risk for depression and the role neuroplasticity might have in increasing the risk of developing depression.
	Suspected microcephaly cases in Brazil rise to 3,893 (Update) The suspected number of cases of microcephaly, a rare brain defect in babies, continues to rise in Brazil, reaching 3,893 since authorities began investigating the surge in October, Health Ministry officials said Wednesday.
	Ob-gyns received considerable payment from industry in 2014 (HealthDay)—In 2014, obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) received substantial payments from industry, according to a study published in the February issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Pre-op fasting times often exceed guidelines in cirrhosis (HealthDay)—For patients who have hepatic cirrhosis or have undergone liver transplantation, medically ordered pre-procedural fasting times frequently exceed existing guidelines, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
	Fluorescence visualization-guided Sx efficacious in oral CA (HealthDay)—For patients with oral cancer, fluorescence visualization (FV)-guided surgery is associated with a reduction in local recurrence, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
	Less hypoglycemia with weight-based insulin in hyperkalemia (HealthDay)—Weight-based insulin dosing is associated with less hypoglycemia than standard dosing for patients with acute hyperkalemia weighing less than 95 kg, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
	Novel technique measures internal nasal valve surface area (HealthDay)—Endoscopic suction-assisted evaluation of the internal nasal valve can measure internal nasal valve area and function, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
	Shorter surgery, lower costs for one-layer vasovasostomy (HealthDay)—For men undergoing bilateral vasovasostomy, a modified one-layer technique results in shorter operative times and lower costs compared with formal repair, according to research published in the February issue of The Journal of Urology.
	TB therapy-linked medication errors occur frequently (HealthDay)—Medication errors associated with antituberculosis therapy occur frequently in an inpatient setting, according to a study published online Jan. 13 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
	Childhood trauma associated with worse impulse control in adulthood The scars of childhood abuse and neglect affect adults' brains for decades to come - including their ability to process and act on information both quickly and accurately, new research suggests.
	Inherited genetic markers may predict melanoma survival—and help plot course of disease Melanoma is the most dangerous and lethal form of skin cancer. But just how long will a patient survive following the removal of a melanoma tumor?
Fatty acids from GM oilseed crops could replace fish oil Oil from genetically modified (GM) oil seed crops could replace fish oil as a primary source of the beneficial Omega 3 fatty acid EPA - according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).
Public launch of new telemedicine system AASM Sleep innovates sleep medicine Today the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) officially launched AASM Sleep, a new state-of-the-art telemedicine platform that will dramatically increase patient access to the expertise of board-certified sleep medicine physicians and accredited sleep centers. By eliminating the barriers of regional boundaries and travel times, AASM SleepTM will ensure that all patients have access to high quality sleep health care, regardless of where they live.
What you need to know about lead poisoning The recent news about high lead levels in the Flint, Mich., water supply has raised concerns about lead poisoning in general.
	Senate panel approves bill to make school lunches tastier School meals could become a bit tastier under legislation approved by a Senate committee.
Increased diabetes risk associated with youth antipsychotic treatment, rare with small absolute incidence rates A review of medical literature suggests antipsychotic treatment in youth was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, although the condition appeared to be rare with small absolute incidence rates, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
Study finds link between indoor tanning and substance abuse Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have shown a direct link between indoor tanning and substance abuse among Colorado high school students.
	Curiosity is not a 'bad' defect in mice When an unexpected event occurs, it is often necessary to act, even if one does not control all of the consequences.
Global Vaccine promises $5 million to develop Ebola vaccine The global vaccine alliance GAVI says it will donate $5 million toward developing the leading Ebola vaccine, hoping that it will be approved by a regulator by the end of 2017.
	Robotics exoskeleton for shoulder rehabilitation A team from the Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR, UPM-CSIC) has developed a robotic exoskeleton for efficient rehabilitation therapies for patients with shoulder injuries. By using strength and motion sensors, the system assesses the degree of an injury and its evolution as the treatment progresses.
	Ordering food by iPad leads to healthier choice Imagine you are in a restaurant and you can choose between a healthy fruit salad or a high-calorie chocolate mousse. If you order orally, chances are high that you will go for the high-calorie chocolate mousse. However, if you order a dish via button pressing, for instance, you are more likely to opt for the fruit salad.
Report highlights increase in Alzheimer's drug prescriptions A new report released today shows that Alzheimer's drug prescriptions have increased six times in the last decade, the proportion of people receiving a dementia diagnosis has increased over the last year by 112 per 100,000, and 39 per cent of carers who looked after someone with dementia spent 100 or more hours each week doing so in 2014/15.
Leading medical journals propose mandate on clinical data sharing The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) proposes new rules that will require authors to share clinical trial data as a prerequisite for their manuscripts to be considered for publication. The goal is to improve the benefit to society from the efforts of patients who volunteer to participate in clinical trials. The ICMJE proposal is outlined in an editorial published simultaneously today in Annals of Internal Medicine and 13 other ICMJE member journals.
Frequent use of post-acute care associated with higher hospital readmission rates UCLA research finds wide variations in whether hospitals refer patients to inpatient facilities or home health care following surgery
Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty: A promising new weight loss procedure In the fight against obesity, bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment; however, only 1 to 2 percent of qualified patients receive this surgery due to limited access, patient choice, associated risks and the high costs. A novel treatment method—endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty—might offer a new solution for obese patients. Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty is a minimally invasive, safe and cost-effective weight loss intervention, according to a study1 published online in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Charity buys Merck vaccine to thwart Ebola comeback Charity alliance Gavi committed to buy $5 million (4.6 million euros) worth of an experimental Ebola vaccine on Wednesday from US drugmaker Merck, enough it hopes to thwart any return of the epidemic that killed thousands.
New study of gene mutations causing Leigh syndrome shows effects on embryonic development Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) prove to be an excellent model system for determining at what stage the mutations in the Complex I gene, known to cause Leigh syndrome, begin to affect embryonic development. The mutations leading to Complex I deficiency disrupt the energy-producing processes in cells, and in mouse ESC models have a negative effect on neuronal development and the initiation of a heartbeat in embryoid bodies, according to a new study published in Stem Cells and Development.
Wistar startup immunaccel aims to accelerate the translation of immuno-oncology therapies Cancer immunotherapies have proven to be very successful in stimulating the body's own immune system to recognize and combat cancer, placing the groundbreaking drugs at the forefront of research and development in cancer research communities across the world. The Wistar Institute, the nation's first independent biomedical research institute and a NCI-Designated Cancer Center, has a long history of scientific contributions made to the study of cancer biology and immunology and continues to make important, cutting-edge immuno-oncological research strides every day. Immunaccel, a start-up recently launched out of Wistar, seeks to leverage research infrastructure, proprietary technology and key expertise to help biotech and pharmaceutical partners advance their drug candidates in the rapidly expanding and challenging immuno-oncology space.
Close to 40% of formerly suicidal Canadians subsequently achieve complete mental health Close to 40% (38%) of formerly suicidal Canadians have reached a state of complete mental health, not only being free of symptoms of mental illness, suicidal thoughts or substance abuse in the preceding year, but also reporting almost daily happiness or life satisfaction, and social and psychological wellbeing according to a new study from researchers at the University of Toronto. The study will appear online this month in the journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.

Biology news

	'Twilight zone' fish swim silently with forked tails An international team of researchers has identified a way to predict which reef fish can live across a greater range of depths, increasing their chances of surviving natural disasters such as cyclones and coral bleaching.
	How crabs smell New research published last week in Journal of the Royal Society Interface examines the sniffing behaviour of terrestrial hermit crabs.
	Male bees protect female bees from sexually transmitted diseases A team of researchers from The University of Western Australia's Centre for Integrative Bee Research (CIBER) have discovered that the seminal fluid of male bees kills the widespread sexually transmitted fungus Nosema apis, offering queen bees protection from the parasite which can be passed on during bee sex.
	Molecular biology meets computer science tools in new system for CRISPR A team of researchers from Microsoft and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has developed a new system that allows researchers to more quickly and effectively use the powerful gene editing tool CRISPR.
	Small but deadly: The chemical warfare of sea slugs Brightly coloured sea slugs are slurping deadly chemicals and stockpiling the most toxic compounds for use on their enemies.
	Biologists discovered a new facet of the mechanism of protein biosynthesis A significant proportion of our genetic information encoded in DNA is expressed in a living cell as proteins. In order to synthesize a protein, this information needs to be converted from nucleotide sequence to the language of amino acids. The process of the decoding is called translation, and it involves the distinct nucleic acid molecule, messenger RNA (mRNA) - the "temporary carrier" of the information, which is a copy of one particular gene. Special molecular machine - the ribosome - moves along the mRNA and reads nucleotide triplets. Each triplet encodes a particular amino acid.
	Advance improves cutting and pasting with CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing University of California, Berkeley, researchers have made a major improvement in CRISPR-Cas9 technology that achieves an unprecedented success rate of 60 percent when replacing a short stretch of DNA with another.
	Researchers pinpoint place where cancer cells may begin Cancer cells are normal cells that go awry by making bad developmental decisions during their lives. In a study involving the fruit fly equivalent of an oncogene implicated in many human leukemias, Northwestern University researchers have gained insight into how developing cells normally switch to a restricted, or specialized, state and how that process might go wrong in cancer.
	Genetically modified mosquitoes combat Zika virus in Brazil Genetically modified mosquitoes could help Brazil combat the Zika virus, tests results released Tuesday by a British biotech firm suggest.
New study will lead to more resilient and nutritious edible crops New University of Adelaide research has reveal for the first time exactly how plants protect themselves from elements such as boric acid, which in soils at high concentration becomes toxic to plants.
	Are running shoes stopping the spring in your step? Researchers from The University of Western Australia's School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health have helped uncover how arch support in footwear affects the spring in your step - literally.
	Land reclamation benefits Alberta grizzly bears In the face of ongoing demand for resource extraction, scientists are challenged to minimize disruption to sensitive wilderness species. A team from the University of Alberta has studied the effects of human disturbance—specifically mining and reclaimed mines—on grizzly bear movements.
	Amazing muriqui monkey discovered in new hideout A new group of one of the world's most threatened primates, the northern muriqui, was recently discovered in Brazil's Caparaó National Park during survey work funded by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP), a partnership that includes Fauna & Flora International (FFI).
	Clarifying the mechanism for making blood cells In 1917, Florence Sabin, the first female member of the US National Academy of Sciences, discovered hemangioblasts, the common precursor cells for blood cells and blood vessel endothelia. Her discovery faced a great deal of critical opinions, but by the end of the 20th century, those opinions were overcome, and the existence of hemangioblasts had at long last come to be acknowledged. In the present day, the existence of hemangioblasts has been proven not only in chicken embryos, which Sabin had studied, but in the embryos of humans, mice, and fish as well. Furthermore, it has become clear that the precursor cells are present not only during the fetal period, but also in adult organisms. However, the mechanism by which hemangioblasts differentiated into blood cells and vascular endothelia remained a mystery in many aspects.
	Exercise helps young baleen whales develop ability to store oxygen for extended dives Baleen whale calves develop oxygen-carrying myoglobin as they mature, and exercise may drive the key component of early development, according to a study published January 20, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Rachel Cartwright from the California State University, Channel Islands, and colleagues.
	New genus of tree hole breeding frogs found in India Scientists describe and name a new genus of tree hole breeding frogs from India, according to a study published January 20, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by S. D. Biju from the University of Delhi and colleagues.
Land management could help wildlife beat the challenges brought by climate change Land management could help wildlife beat the challenges brought by climate change
Researchers measure fish abundance in a lake using a few water samples Researchers from Université Laval and Quebec's Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks have shown that the DNA suspended in lake water can be used to effectively estimate the abundance of fish living in it. The details of this new approach, which could revolutionize how fish stocks are managed in lakes, are presented in a recent issue of the Journal of Applied Ecology.
	Newly discovered photosynthetic bacteria is surprisingly abundant A bacterium found in the remote Gobi Desert has shown talents for using the sun's light as energy, and now researchers reveal that it can be found in surprisingly many different places, including water treatment plants. The bacterium may become a valuable partner for researchers working with environmentally friendly biofuels.
	Gloop from the deep sea ETH scientists are researching the unusual secretions of the hagfish. Over the next three years, the researchers will try to find out how this natural hydrogel can be harnessed for human use.
	New species of bird discovered in India and China A new species of bird has been described in north-eastern India and adjacent parts of China by a team of scientists from Sweden, China, the US, India and Russia, led by Professor Per Alström, Uppsala University and Swedish University of Agricultural Science.
	The lizard of consistency: New iguana species which sticks to its colors found in Chile During a field trip at 3000 metres above sea level, a group of scientists, led by Jaime Troncoso-Palacios, Universidad de Chile, discovered a new endemic iguana species, in the mountains of central Chile, scientists. Noticeably different in size and scalation, compared to the rest of the local lizards, what initially grabbed the biologists' attention was its colouration. Not only was it unlike the already described ones, but also appeared surprisingly consistent within the collected individuals, even regardless of their sex. Eventually, it was this peculiar uniformity that determined the lizard's name L. uniformis. The study is published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
	Invasive amphibian fungus could threaten US salamander populations A deadly fungus causing population crashes in wild European salamanders could emerge in the United States and threaten already declining amphibians here, according to a report released today by the U.S. Geological Survey.
GenomeSpace 'recipes' help biologists interpret genomic data Many biomedical researchers are striving to make sense of the flood of data that has followed recent advances in genomic sequencing technologies. In particular, researchers are often limited by the challenge of getting multiple bioinformatics tools to "talk" to one another. To help address this need, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, in collaboration with labs at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Stanford University, Weizmann Institute and Pennsylvania State University, developed GenomeSpace, a cloud-based, biologist-friendly platform that connects more than 20 bioinformatics software packages and resources for genomic data analysis.
	Spotted eggshells may indicate sickly mothers in great tits The many colors and patterns of bird eggs can provide camouflage and help parents tell their own eggs apart from those of invaders, but a forthcoming study in The Auk: Ornithological Advances suggests another function for eggshell patterns—they can provide information about the health of the mother. The researchers behind the new study found that the patterns of reddish-brown spots on the white eggs of Great Tits reflect the quality and health of the mother bird, with sicker, duller mothers laying eggs patterned with darker spots.
	Q&A: Details about the latest round of bird flu In just a few days, a bird flu virus has led to the deaths of more than 400,000 turkeys and chickens on 10 farms in a southwest Indiana county that's the state's largest turkey producer. Here are some questions and answers about the bird flu virus outbreak in Dubois County, about 70 miles west of Louisville, Kentucky:
	Vietnam's beloved sacred turtle dies: state media A sacred giant turtle venerated as a symbol of Vietnam's independence struggle has died, state media said, prompting an outpouring of grief and fears the death bodes ill for an upcoming communist leadership handover.
	A sticky situation: New insight into manufacturing safer biopharmaceuticals at lower cost Monoclonal antibodies are an important new class of drugs to treat cancer, heart disease and a range of other conditions. However, their production in mammalian cells introduces a large number of contaminants that are difficult to remove during purification. Now, by looking at how antibodies change chemically during purification, A*STAR scientists have identified a better way to eliminate contaminants.
	Success in the development of a gamma-tubulin specific inhibitor Microtubules, one component of a cell's skeleton, are hollow tubes formed from the polymerization of α- and β-tubulin, which are themselves important structural proteins of the mitotic spindle that equally separates chromosomes during cell division. As such, several α/β-tubulin inhibitory agents are used as therapeutic drugs against cancer cells, which are undergoing vigorous cell division. However, microtubules perform important work even outside of cell division, and normal cells not undergoing division can be harmed as well, so the side effects of such treatments have become problematic. A wide variety of research has shown that γ-tubulin activates during cell division and that it is overexpressed in a portion of cancer cells, so it holds potential as a target protein for new anticancer agents with few side effects. Despite this research, no specific inhibitors have thus far been discovered.
British vets warn against throwing sticks for dogs British vets on Wednesday warned against throwing sticks for dogs to chase, saying that thousands of pets every year impale themselves or get dangerous infections from biting into the wood.
Nearly all 400K birds at Indiana farms with bird flu killed Animal health officials responding to a bird flu outbreak in southwest Indiana say crews have nearly finished killing more than 400,000 birds ordered euthanized at the 10 affected commercial poultry farms.
	Preventative measures can help to control squash bugs If there's one word that describes the squash bug (Anasa tristis), it is frustrating, according to Hélène Doughty, the lead author of an article that appears in the Journal of Integrated Pest Management.

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