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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 27, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Carbon dioxide captured from air can be directly converted into methanol fuel
- Stellar parenting: Making new stars by 'adopting' stray cosmic gases
- How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? Researchers solve an apparently impossible problem
- Brain study suggests consciousness a matter of optimal degree of connectedness in neural network
- Synthetic strategy for enantioselective aldol reactions with fluoroacetate
- Nano-coating makes coaxial cables lighter
- 'Lifespan machine' probes cause of aging: Findings suggest that aging has no single mechanism
- Let them see you sweat: What new wearable sensors can reveal from perspiration
- Genetic study provides first-ever insight into biological origin of schizophrenia
- Team devises easier way to make 'bijels,' a complex new form of liquid matter
- Face value: How fertile women spot rivals
- Game over? Computer beats human champ in ancient Chinese game
- CRISPR used to repair blindness-causing genetic defect in patient-derived stem cells
- With climate, fertilizing oceans could be zero-sum game
- Seagrass genome sequence lends insights to salt tolerance

Astronomy & Space news

	Stellar parenting: Making new stars by 'adopting' stray cosmic gases Among the most striking objects in the universe are glittering, dense swarms of stars known as globular clusters. Astronomers had long thought globular clusters formed their millions of stars in bulk at around the same time, with each cluster's stars having very similar ages, much like twin brothers and sisters. Yet recent discoveries of young stars in old globular clusters have scrambled this tidy picture.
	The Milky Way's clean and tidy galactic neighbor IC 1613 is a dwarf galaxy in the constellation of Cetus (The Sea Monster). This VST image shows the galaxy's unconventional beauty, all scattered stars and bright pink gas, in great detail.
	ESA image: Inside a rocket's belly An unusual view of a spacecraft – looking from below, directly into the thruster nozzles. This is a test version of ESA's service module for NASA's Orion spacecraft that will send astronauts further into space than ever before.
	Getting real — on Mars NASA wants you to know that it's only a matter of months before you can wake up in a Martian habitat, grab some breakfast, jump into your spacesuit, and head out for a stroll across the Red Planet's surface. Granted, the experience will be virtual, but it promises be the most realistic vision of human Mars habitation that a team comprising NASA engineers, a digital media developer, and MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics doctoral candidate Sydney Do can generate.
	Exciting missions that could unlock secrets of the solar system in 2016 From the mystery of methane on Mars to how Jupiter formed and whether there is microbial life on Saturn's moon Enceladus, there are many questions about our solar system waiting to be answered this year.
	NASA Webb Telescope mirrors installed with robotic arm precision Inside a massive clean room at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland the James Webb Space Telescope team is steadily installing the largest space telescope mirror ever. Unlike other space telescope mirrors, this one must be pieced together from segments using a high-precision robotic arm.
	NASA image: Space station flyover of the Mediterranean Expedition 46 flight engineer Tim Peake of the European Space Agency (ESA) shared this stunning nighttime photograph with his social media followers on Jan. 25, 2016.
	AggieSat4 scheduled to deploy from ISS The AggieSat4 (AGS4) satellite carrying Bevo-2 will be unpacked and assembled aboard the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday (Jan. 27), and released into outer space on Friday (Jan. 29). AggieSat4 launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for the ISS on last month.

Technology news

	Let them see you sweat: What new wearable sensors can reveal from perspiration When engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, say they are going to make you sweat, it is all in the name of science.
	Game over? Computer beats human champ in ancient Chinese game In a milestone for artificial intelligence, a computer has beaten a human champion at a strategy game that requires "intuition" rather than brute processing power to prevail, its makers said Wednesday.
	Three tracks planned to test 'hyperloop' transportation idea It's a race befitting the goal of moving passengers and cargo at the speed of sound: Three Southern California companies are building separate test tracks to see how well the "hyperloop" transportation concept works in the real world.
	Uber pilot uses phone tech to improve safety proactively Uber has made a name globally in over 50 countries as a ride-getting service using apps to connect needful passengers to drivers. According to The Guardian, Uber's app has been downloaded millions of times and it claims to have served up more than 1 billion rides.
	Simplifying solar cells with a new mix of materials An international research team has simplified the steps to create highly efficient silicon solar cells by applying a new mix of materials to a standard design. Arrays of solar cells are used in solar panels to convert sunlight to electricity.
End of an era? Apple warns iPhone sales to fall for first time Apple raised the specter of the end of a technological era after reporting Tuesday the slowest growth sales ever of its market-leading, life-changing iPhone and warning it expects worse to come.
	Is Theranos a tech revolution in healthcare or marketing hype cloaked in secrecy? If one company were to symbolise the entire ethos of Silicon Valley, it would be Theranos. Founded by Elizabeth Holmes who was 19 at the time, the company set out to "reinvent" the laboratory blood testing industry by using "revolutionary finger-stick technology" which would make testing hundreds of different tests possible from blood obtained by a single prick of a finger.
	Blockchain could challenge the accepted ways we shape and manage society In only a few years, digital currency bitcoin has emerged from the shadows to become something debated by politicians and pondered by economists. Now it is blockchain, the technology that makes bitcoin possible, that is having its moment in the sun: the UK government's Chief Scientist Sir Mark Walport laid out a possible role for it in delivering public services.
	Could encryption 'backdoors' safeguard privacy and fight terror online? Since so much of life has moved online, a clash has emerged between the opposing values of internet freedom, and internet control. Should the internet be a public arena free of all interference and influence from the authorities? Or does too much freedom result in anarchy, turning the internet into a safe haven for criminals and terrorists?
	Ericsson Q4 profits, sales surge on growth in China Wireless equipment maker Ericsson said Wednesday that an improvement in business in China despite the market turmoil there helped its fourth-quarter profit jump nearly 70 percent.
	Apple shares plunge 5% as iPhone sales slow Apple shares sank in opening trade Wednesday, after the company warned that iPhone sales could fall for the first time in the coming quarter.
Researchers have discovered multiple botnets Ben-Gurion University of the Negev cyber security researchers have discovered and traced approximately six botnets by analyzing data collected from past cyber attacks. The research was conducted at Deutsche Telekom Innovation Labs@BGU and was announced at Cybertech 2016 in Tel Aviv today.
	Spotify gathering $500 mn growth investment: Swedish media Sweden's world number one music streaming provider Spotify is on the point of raising $500 million in investor notes in order to underpin projected future growth, the Svenska Dagbladet daily reported Wednesday.
FCC wants more companies making cable boxes The government wants to make it easier for you to buy and use cable boxes from companies other than your cable provider.
	Cable-industry disruptor is back with new Internet service Cable's pricey Internet packages may get some competition from the founder of Aereo, whose first attempt to shake up the cable industry was quashed by the Supreme Court.
	Apple loses luster on fears that 'wow' days over Apple's image took a bruising Wednesday amid signs of a shift from wowing the world with wonders to making steady money from lovers of its devices.
	Facebook posts strong 4Q as company closes gap with Google (Update) Facebook is growing at an exceptional pace as it enters adolescence, propelling it into a better position to challenge Google as the Internet's most powerful company.
	Zero fighter flies over Japan for 1st time since WWII One of Mitsubishi's legendary Zero fighter planes took to the skies over Japan on Wednesday for the first time since World War II.
	Tackling inequality in computer science Riaz Moola is a Gates Cambridge Scholar doing a master's in Technology Policy, but he also runs a company which aims to revolutionise the study of Computer Science in South Africa.
	Putting a window and lasers in a ship's hull Every shipping manager wages an endless battle against fouling – the bacteria, seaweed, barnacles and other marine life that take residence on the hull of ships. This biofouling is thought to add more than 20 per cent to the fuel costs of commercial shipping. That's a big cost for the maritime trading nations of Australia and Indonesia.
	EU seeks new powers on cars after VW scandal The EU on Wednesday pushed to take control of car regulation in Europe in the wake of the Volkswagen scandal, unveiling proposals that would grant Brussels new powers to impose huge fines and recall vehicles.
	Soft robotic grippers non-destructively manipulate deep sea coral reef organisms The first use of soft robotics in the deep sea describes the non-destructive interaction and sampling of fragile organisms in their natural environments. The design and grasping capabilities of these innovative soft robotic grippers and their successful use at deep sea depths are described in an article in Soft Robotics.
	RIT faculty studies productivity and international computer tech transfer It's hard to imagine life today without computers, but computer technology was not warmly welcomed in Germany following World War II.

Medicine & Health news

	Brain study suggests consciousness a matter of optimal degree of connectedness in neural network (Medical Xpress)—A team of European researchers has found evidence that suggests that human consciousness is a state where the neural network that makes up the brain operates at an optimal degree of connectedness. In their paper published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the team describes their study of the human brain using volunteers undergoing fMRI scans while succumbing to the effects of an anesthetic that caused them to lose consciousness, and what was revealed in reviewing the scan data.
	Genetic study provides first-ever insight into biological origin of schizophrenia A landmark study, based on genetic analysis of nearly 65,000 people, has revealed that a person's risk of schizophrenia is increased if they inherit specific variants in a gene related to "synaptic pruning"—the elimination of connections between neurons. The findings represent the first time that the origin of this devastating psychiatric disease has been causally linked to specific gene variants and a biological process. They also help explain decades-old observations: synaptic pruning is particularly active during adolescence, which is the typical period of onset for schizophrenia symptoms, and brains of schizophrenic patients tend to show fewer connections between neurons. The gene, called complement component 4 (C4), plays a well-known role in the immune system but has now been shown to also play a key role in brain development and schizophrenia risk. The insight may allow future therapeutic strategies to be directed at the disorder's roots, rather than just its symptoms.
	'Lifespan machine' probes cause of aging: Findings suggest that aging has no single mechanism Aging is one of the most mysterious processes in biology. We don't know, scientifically speaking, what exactly it is. We do know for sure when it ends, but to make matters even more inscrutable, the timing of death is determined by factors that are in many cases statistically random.
	One in ten suicide attempt risk among friends and relatives of people who die by suicide People bereaved by the sudden death of a friend or family member are 65% more likely to attempt suicide if the deceased died by suicide than if they died by natural causes. This brings the absolute risk up to 1 in 10, reveals new UCL research funded by the Medical Research Council.
	Twenty-five-point drop in IQ caused by lack of gene copy No autism is alike. This is also true of most mental disorders. "We now understand that each gene mutation has a specific effect, which adds to other effects to draw a unique picture of the disease in each patient," said Dr. Sébastien Jacquemont, a geneticist who sees on a daily basis children who are referred to him for a potential genetic diagnosis of mental disorder such as autism. To understand this additive effect, a precise quantification of the effect each identified mutation has in these patients is necessary.
	CRISPR used to repair blindness-causing genetic defect in patient-derived stem cells Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and University of Iowa scientists have used a new gene-editing technology called CRISPR, to repair a genetic mutation responsible for retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an inherited condition that causes the retina to degrade and leads to blindness in at least 1.5 million cases worldwide.
	Paracetamol use in pregnancy can cut female fertility, study finds Using painkillers in pregnancy may reduce fertility in subsequent generations, research suggests.
	The brain communicates on several channels In the brain, the visual cortex processes visual information and passes it from lower to higher areas of the brain. However, information also flows in the opposite direction, e.g. to direct attention to particular stimuli. But how does the brain know which path the information should take? Researchers at the Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience in Frankfurt in Cooperation with Max Planck Society have now demonstrated that the visual cortex of human subjects uses different frequency channels depending on the direction in which information is being transported. Their findings were only possible thanks to previous research with macaque monkeys. They might help to understand the cause of psychiatric illnesses in which the two channels appear to be mixed up.
	3D images reveal the body's guardian against urinary infection Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have obtained the first 3D structure of uromodulin, the building block of the unique safety net that constantly protects our urinary tract against bacterial infections. Uromodulin also plays a part in certain chronic diseases of the kidney. By analysing the structure of uromodulin, the researchers write in the journal PNAS that they can better understand the mutations that cause these kidney diseases.
	HIV is still growing, even when undetectable in the blood A team of international scientists led by Northwestern University found that HIV is still replicating in lymphoid tissue, even when it is undetectable in the blood of patients on antiretroviral drugs.
	Slender mice, heart disease and diabetes—what do they have in common? Removal of a gene protected mice against arterial disease, and they stayed lean even when they ate more. The phenomenon underlying this beneficial phenotype is more active brown adipose tissue.
Researchers mine the epigenome to identify likely origins of childhood brain tumor subtype Researchers have identified the cells that likely give rise to the brain tumor subtype Group 4 medulloblastoma. The finding removes a barrier to developing more effective targeted therapies against the brain tumor's most common subtype. A St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientist helped lead the international research, results of which appear online today in advance of publication in the scientific journal Nature.
	Important falls in death rates from leukemia in Europe predicted for 2016 Death rates from leukaemia among people of all ages in Europe are falling, according to the latest predictions for European cancer deaths in 2016, published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today.
Sedentary lifestyle spells more menopause misery Sedentary middle-aged Hispanic women in Latin America have significantly worse menopause symptoms than their active counterparts, shows a study of more than 6,000 women across Latin America, which was published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS). The analysis also linked sedentary lifestyle with depression, anxiety, insomnia, and obesity.
	Uncorrected farsightedness linked to literacy deficits in preschoolers A study funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, has shown that uncorrected farsightedness (hyperopia) in preschool children is associated with significantly worse performance on a test of early literacy.
	Edited stem cells offer hope of precision therapy for blindness Using a new technology for repairing disease genes—the much-talked-about CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing—University of Iowa researchers working together with Columbia University Medical Center ophthalmologists have corrected a blindness-causing gene mutation in stem cells derived from a patient. The result offers hope that eye diseases might one day be treated by personalized, precision medicine in which patients' own cells are used to grow replacement tissue.
Slow waves may explain the brain's disconnect during dreaming When we're dreaming, our brains appear almost as active as when we are awake, yet we remain asleep and oblivious to our surroundings.
	Not all psychopaths are criminals – some psychopathic traits are actually linked to success Tom Skeyhill was an acclaimed Australian war hero, known as "the blind solider-poet." During the monumental World War I battle of Gallipoli, he was a flag signaler, among the most dangerous of all positions. After being blinded when a bomb shell detonated at his feet, he was transferred out.
Survival period for esophageal cancer is tied to race and income African-American patients with esophageal cancer survive fewer months after diagnosis than white patients, but only if they also have low incomes, according to a new study from Duke Health researchers.
	Research supports 'structural health monitoring' to reduce head trauma in contact sports Researchers citing data on the effects of repeated head impacts on high school football players are advocating a greater use of medical imaging to reduce brain trauma in contact sports, particularly in players who do not have symptoms of concussion.
	Inflammatory changes in the brain twenty years before Alzheimer onset Roughly twenty years before the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease appear, inflammatory changes in the brain can be seen, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in the medical scientific journal Brain. The findings of the researchers, who monitored several pathological changes in the brain, suggest that activation of astrocytes at an early stage can greatly influence the development of the disease.
	Study finds men with depression often their own toughest critics Society views men struggling with depression with compassion and understanding, while men view their problems in a very negative light, according to a new study from UBC, funded by the Movember Foundation.
	Aggressive behavior more common in children with half- and step-siblings About one in six U.S. children—more than previously thought—live with half- or step-siblings just before starting kindergarten, according to a new study.
	Better diagnosis for a rare syndrome Understanding Li–Fraumeni syndrome (LFS)—a genetic disorder that substantially increases the risk of a young person developing cancer such as the bone cancer osteosarcoma—is a first step to improving diagnosis and counseling.
	Macrophages are shown to originate from two distinct sources during the earliest stages of development in the embryo A long-held misconception over the origin of macrophages, a type of white blood cell that plays a vital role in development and immunity, has been dismissed. Researchers at A*STAR used state-of-the-art technology to verify that adult tissue-resident macrophages stem from two sources in the early stages of embryonic development.
	Monocytes switch roles during sepsis During the course of the deadly disease sepsis, monocytes—a type of white blood cell that helps the body stave off bacteria and viruses—undergo a profound change, A*STAR researchers show. This discovery will help scientists find effective strategies for treating the disease.
	A cocktail party in a dish: How neurons filter the chatter While dining with a friend at a noisy restaurant, you listen attentively to her entertaining account of last night's date. Despite the cacophony flooding your auditory system, your brain remarkably filters your friend's voice from the irrelevant conversations at neighboring tables. This "cocktail party effect," the ability to attend to select input amidst a distracting background, has fascinated researchers since its characterization in the 1950's. Although psychological and sensory models have offered insight into why human brains are so exquisitely equipped to perform this selective attention, researchers haven't yet pinned down how neurons process mixed information to respond to the important and suppress the irrelevant. In their new paper published in PLOS Computational Biology, researchers from the University of Tokyo revealed that individual neurons learn to "tune in" to one input while ignoring others, offering an intriguing explanation for how rapid neural plasticity may give rise to the cocktail party effect.
How can peers, parents, schools and new media stop bullying? A new review of research out today outlines roles and recommendations for peers, parents, schools and new media platforms to stop bullying. This review was published in Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, a Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences (FABBS) journal published in partnership with SAGE Publishing.
More Zika cases found in European tourists returning from South America (Update) Denmark and Switzerland on Wednesday joined a growing number of European countries to report Zika infections among travellers returning from Latin America, where the mosquito-borne virus has been blamed for a surge in birth defects.
	New theory linking brain activity to brain shape could throw light on human consciousness UNSW Australia scientists have shown that complex human brain activity is governed by the same simple universal rule of nature that can explain other phenomena such as the beautiful sound of a finely crafted violin or the spots on a leopard.
	Parents often ill-informed about food-allergy emergencies (HealthDay)—Many parents of children with food allergies say doctors did not discuss emergency care for their youngsters, a new study finds.
	Weight may influence outcomes after lung cancer surgery (HealthDay)—Lung cancer surgery patients are most likely to have complications and to die if they're either too thin or fat, a new study suggests.
	After heart surgery, house calls by physician assistants help (HealthDay)—Heart surgery patients who receive home visits from physician assistants are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital, a new study finds.
	Cancer's financial burden tied to poorer survival, study finds (HealthDay)—The staggering cost of cancer care forces many patients to file for bankruptcy, and that financial stress may play a role in cutting their lives short, new research suggests.
	Single-stage procedure treats cellulite, lipodystrophy (HealthDay)—A single-stage procedure can provide simultaneous treatment for cellulite and lipodystrophy, according to a clinical report published in the January issue of Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
	Botulinum toxin successfully treats senile entropion (HealthDay)—For patients with spasmodic senile entropion, injection of botulinum toxin results in a high success rate, according to a study published online Jan. 18 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.
	HIV protein manipulates hundreds of genes to advance progression into AIDS, study shows UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have deciphered how a small protein made by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS manipulates human genes to further its deadly agenda.
Scientists make an important contribution to decoding the language of cells PD Dr. Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis, PhD, Dr. Jimmy Masjkur and Dr. Steven W. Poser are stem cell researchers at the Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital in Dresden. They have shown that pancreatic islet cells and neural stem cells interpret signals in their environment in a similar manner. This may make it possible to manipulate cells in such a way that they repair tissue damage and stimulate regeneration. This could lead to new approaches to the treatment of metabolic disease and diabetes. The result of this project was recently published in Diabetes.
	New tool to determine the risk of prostate cancer death Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have identified a new prognostic biomarker: the neuropeptide pro-NPY, which may help determine the risk of dying from prostate cancer. This particular type of protein is very specific to prostate cancer cells and could help identify whether newly diagnosed patients require radical prostatectomy surgery or if it is safe to delay surgery.
	Both hemispheres of the brain process numbers Researchers of the Jena University and of the Jena University Hospital located an important region for the visual processing of numbers in the human brain and showed that it is active in both hemispheres. In the Journal of Neuroscience the scientists published high resolution magnetic resonance recordings of this region.
Life expectancy three years longer for children born into smaller families Children born into smaller families in the world's poorest nations will live an expected three years longer than those born into larger families, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.
Spending more on food is associated with a healthier diet and weight According to an epidemiological study carried out by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), increasing the money you spend on food is linked to a better quality diet, particularly increased consumption of fruit and vegetables, leading to a healthier weight and decreased risk of cardiometabolic diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems.
	Federal pain panel rife with links to pharma companies A federal panel that has recently criticized efforts to cut back on painkiller prescriptions is studded with members who have financial ties to drug companies.
Evidence lacking to support use of costlier biologic mesh for abdominal hernia repair A UT Southwestern Medical Center study comparing two types of materials used in abdominal wall hernia repair surgery found no evidence to support the use of costlier biologic mesh versus synthetic mesh.
Experts: High drug price trend has 'infected' generics An article published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), suggests that pharmaceutical companies use several strategies to keep affordable generic drugs from the market, illustrating an emerging trend that authors say is becoming as harmful to consumers as high-cost brand-name drugs.
	JAMA Viewpoint: Emerging Zika pandemic requires more WHO action now The World Health Organization's Director-General should convene "urgently" a meeting of International Health Regulations' Emergency Committee to advise on the emerging Zika pandemic and galvanize global action, say two Georgetown University professors.
	Women younger than 40 at melanoma diagnosis indoor tanned earlier, more Women younger than 40 when diagnosed with melanoma reported initiating indoor tanning at an earlier age and more frequent tanning than older women diagnosed with the potentially fatal skin cancer, according to an article on a study in Minnesota published online by JAMA Dermatology.
Child abuse exposure, suicidal ideation in Canadian military, general population Military personnel in Canada were more likely to have had exposure to child abuse than individuals in the general population and that exposure was associated with an increased risk of suicidal behavior that had a stronger effect on the general population than military personnel, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.Suicide is an important public health problem among both military and civilian populations. The ability to accurately anticipate who will think about, plan, and attempt suicide is a difficult task.
	Prenatal exposure to flame retardants linked to poorer behavioral function in children New research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine suggests that prenatal exposure to flame retardants and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) commonly found in the environment may have a lasting effect on a child's cognitive and behavioral development, known as executive function.
MS drug tied to rising JC virus antibody levels People who take the drug natalizumab for multiple sclerosis may have up to a 10 times greater risk of developing a risk biomarker for activity of a virus that can lead to an often fatal brain disease, according to a study published in the January 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology, Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Growth factor in brain tied to slower mental decline Older people with higher amounts of a key protein in their brains also had slower decline in their memory and thinking abilities than people with lower amounts of protein from the gene called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, according to a study published in the Jan. 27, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Honeybees, ants may provide clues to suicide in humans Could human suicide have evolutionary roots in self-sacrificial behaviors like those seen in species such as honeybees and ants?
	Asthma and allergies: A protective factor in farm milk Fresh, unprocessed cow's milk has a higher content of omega-3 fatty acids than does pasteurized, homogenized or low-fat milk. This factor partly explains why children who consume the unprocessed product are less likely to develop asthma.
Treating major depression in older adults with diabetes may lower risk of death According to a new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, effective treatment for depression could go a long way toward improving health status and even preventing death among older adults who also have diabetes.
More than one in 20 US children have dizziness and balance problems More than 1 in 20 (nearly 3.3 million) children between the ages of 3 and 17 have a dizziness or balance problem, according to an analysis of the first large-scale, nationally representative survey of these problems in U.S. children. Prevalence increases with age, with 7.5 percent of children ages 15-17 and 6.0 percent of children ages 12-14 having any dizziness or balance problem, compared with 3.6 percent of children ages 6-8 and 4.1 percent of children ages 3-5. The research was led by investigators at the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health.
	Depressive symptoms prevalent among Division I college athletes Nearly a quarter of Division I college athletes reported depressive symptoms while enrolled at a liberal arts university on the East Coast, says a new study published in the February issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Women were almost two times more likely to experience symptoms than their male peers.
Eating soy may protect women from health risks of BPA Consuming soy regularly may protect women who are undergoing infertility treatments from poor success rates linked to bisphenol A exposure, according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Opioid prescribing for chronic pain—achieving the right balance through education In recent decades, the United States has seen a dramatic increase in opioid prescribing for chronic pain. That growth has been associated with increasing misuse of these medications, leading to alarming increases in unintentional opioid overdose deaths.
	Small number of physicians linked to many malpractice claims, researchers say A substantial share of all malpractice claims in the United States is attributable to a small number of physicians, according to a study led by researchers at Stanford University and the University of Melbourne.
Drug provides better kidney transplant survival rates than current standard of care For the first time, an immunosuppressive agent has shown better organ survival in kidney transplant recipients than a calcineurin inhibitor, the current standard of care, according to a worldwide study led by UC San Francisco and Emory University investigators.
	Neuroticism predicts anxiety and depression disorders A new Northwestern University and UCLA study has found for the first time that young people who are high on the personality trait of neuroticism are highly likely to develop both anxiety and depression disorders.
	Four factors predict neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with low birth weight Four factors - medical complications at birth, maternal education, early motor assessments, and early cognitive assessments - help predict later cognitive function and motor performance for children born early and at a very low birth weight, finds a new study by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development.
	Losing fat while gaining muscle: Scientists close in on 'holy grail' of diet and exercise Researchers at McMaster University have uncovered significant new evidence in the quest for the elusive goal of gaining muscle and losing fat, an oft-debated problem for those trying to manage their weight, control their calories and balance their protein consumption.
Basic research led to first FDA-approved immunotherapy for pediatric cancer Building upon more than two decades of basic research conducted at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Araz Marachelian, MD, of CHLA, and her colleagues at pediatric academic centers across the U. S., have shown that an immunotherapy that until now has only been available to patients enrolled in research studies, is equivalent to the product that has been manufactured for commercial use and can be made available to all patients. The data, published in the journal Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology on January 20, was pivotal to the FDA approval of the first immunotherapy for the treatment of a pediatric cancer.
	Using virtual reality to make experiments more realistic Avatars are all around us: they represent real people online and colonise new worlds in the movies. In science, their role has been more limited. But avatars can be extremely useful in linguistics, new research shows. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics use virtual avatars to investigate how real people behave in interaction. The method makes it possible to study with great precision how people adjust to each other in conversation.
Study shows zinc supplement boosted serum zinc levels and immunity in older adults The immune system weakens as the body ages, making older adults more susceptible to infections. Low levels of zinc impair immunity, particularly in older adults. A research team set out to determine if it was feasible to increase serum zinc concentrations in older adults in nursing homes who were zinc-deficient. Their work appears today in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
	Antidepressants during pregnancy do not pose risk to unborn child, new study says Women who take antidepressants during pregnancy do not appear to be at greater risk of giving birth to children with congenital heart defects compared to women who are not exposed to the drugs, according to new research from UCL.
New strategy for reducing readmissions: Get the family involved A new study finds that educating and involving family members in the care of a loved one who has memory loss may significantly reduce hospital readmissions.
	Brazil: 270 of 4,180 suspected microcephaly cases confirmed New figures released Wednesday by Brazil's Health Ministry as part of a probe into the Zika virus have found fewer confirmed cases of a rare brain defect than first feared.
Gene study points towards therapies for common brain disorders Scientists have pinpointed the cells that are likely to trigger common brain disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis and intellectual disabilities.
Obama urges swift action on Zika virus US President Barack Obama has called for faster research on the quick-moving Zika virus, which is spread by mosquitoes and has been linked to a rise in birth defects in Brazil.
Flavonoids from fruits and vegetables may help with weight maintenance Eating fruit and vegetables that contain high levels of flavonoids, such as apples, pears, and berries, may be associated with less weight gain, suggests findings from a study published in The BMJ today.
Zika virus found in Danish tourist returning from South America A Danish tourist returning from Latin America has been diagnosed with the Zika virus, which has been blamed for a surge in birth defects in the region, triggering a major health scare.
Asset sales pump up Novartis profits Net profits jumped 73 percent at Novartis last year to $17.7 billion (16.1 billion euros) thanks to asset sales, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant said Wednesday, but without the disposals its performance flagged.
Colombia issues alert over expanding Zika virus Colombia issued an alert Tuesday over the Zika virus, which has already infected 13,800 people in the country, as it warned that the number is likely to uptick as the disease spreads.
Zika virus spreads to Costa Rica The Zika virus sweeping Latin America and blamed for a surge in brain-damaged babies has spread to Costa Rica, the health ministry said Tuesday.
Why the calorie is broken Calories consumed minus calories burned: it's the simple formula for weight loss or gain. But dieters often find that it doesn't work. Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley of Gastropod investigate.
Mental health nurses under 'intolerable pressure' Mental health nurses are facing huge pressures because cuts and merging of services are causing a strain on services not seen since the 1980s, according to Alan Simpson, a Professor of Collaborative Mental Health Nursing at City University London.
French lawmakers vote on terminal sedation, not euthanasia France's lawmakers are set to vote on a bill that would allow doctors to keep terminally ill patients sedated until death comes, but stop short of legalizing euthanasia or assisted suicide.
	Blood donors needed after East Coast storm: Red Cross (HealthDay)—Jonas, the massive snowstorm that hammered the East Coast, has led to a shortage of blood products and there is an emergency need for both blood and platelet donors, the American Red Cross said Tuesday.
	Smartphones and intelligent socks to help prevent diabetic amputations Diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage associated with the development of foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. Resulting from anatomical deformation, excessive pressure and poor blood supply, it affects over 130 million individuals worldwide. It is also the leading cause of amputation, costing the United States economy alone more than $10 billion annually.
UPMC-developed test rapidly, accurately profiles genetics and treatment of brain tumors Brain tumors can be rapidly and accurately profiled with a next-generation, gene-sequencing test developed at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Diabetes, heart disease, smoking increase risk of death for older adults with dementia Dementia (a decline in memory and other mental abilities) is a serious condition, and its prognosis (the likely course of the disease) is marked by progressive loss of cognitive function and complications such as infections and falls. Dementia has no cure, and is increasingly a cause of death in the United States. Heart disease and diabetes, which affect blood vessels and circulation, have similar risk factors to dementia, so it's important for healthcare professionals to understand links between these conditions.
New findings point to central nervous system role in painful diabetic peripheral nerve disease Emerging evidence suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) is a key contributor to the problem of painful peripheral nerve disease in people with diabetes, according to a special article in the February issue of Pain, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
Recommendation to omit radiation therapy after lumpectomy is not frequently implemented Nearly two thirds of U.S. women age 70 or older with stage I breast cancer1 who undergo lumpectomy and are eligible to safely omit subsequent radiation therapy (RT) according to national cancer guidelines still receive this treatment, according to new study results. The researchers looked at more than 205,000 cases of breast cancer nationwide, and their study is published as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication.
Massachusetts is investigating high cost of hepatitis C drug The Massachusetts attorney general's office said Wednesday that it is investigating whether the makers of a breakthrough treatment for hepatitis C are violating state law by pricing the drugs too high.
Double flu blow forces Saint Petersburg school closures An outbreak of swine flu has claimed some 22 lives in Russia's second city Saint Petersburg and combined with high rates of seasonal flu to force authorities to close schools and send residents flocking to pharmacies.
MERS virus kills man in UAE The MERS coronavirus has killed a man in the United Arab Emirates, the Abu Dhabi health authority said on Tuesday.
Venezuela doctors fume at official silence on Zika Venezuela's medical community is demanding the government publish statistics about the Zika virus and warning that the South American country, which borders nations that are hotbeds of the illness, could already be facing an epidemic.
Wearing glasses improves reading fluency for kids with 'high' astigmatism For children with severe astigmatism, wearing glasses to correct blurred vision can significantly improve accurate reading speed, reports a study in the February issue of Optometry and Vision Science, official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.
American College of Prosthodontists issues guidelines on maintaining tooth-borne and implant-borne dental restorations Patients with dental restorations such as crowns, bridges and veneers that are supported by natural teeth, as well as those with restorations supported by implants, can keep their teeth healthy with careful lifelong maintenance.
Transplant centers often reject potential donor livers for sickest patients in need As patients in desperate need of a liver transplant lay waiting, many livers that might give them a new life go unused by centers across the nation, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The new findings are published in the Journal of Hepatology.
A better way to image metastatic prostate cancer Conventional imaging methods have limited sensitivity for detecting metastatic prostate cancer. With appropriate, timely treatment vital to survival and quality of life, better imaging has been an ongoing goal.
Belgian euthanasia cases hit record high Belgium carried out more than 2,000 mercy killings last year, the most since euthanasia was controversially legalised in 2002, the government said Wednesday.
	A glance at Zika cases and complications in Latin America A glance at the number of Zika cases and complications by country in Latin America and the Caribbean:

Biology news

	Face value: How fertile women spot rivals It is not only animals that rely on physical cues to gauge the fertility of potential rivals for a mate, an unusual study asserted on Wednesday.
	Forest corridors prove critical to biodiversity and pollination success in the tropics As tropical forests become increasingly broken up by roads, farm fields, pastures and other developments, corridors of trees provide vital pathways for pollinators and contribute to a rich diversity of plant species, scientists have confirmed.
	Uncovering hidden microbial lineages from hot springs Although global microbial populations are orders of magnitude larger than nearly any other population in, on or around the planet, only a fraction has been identified thus far. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking to uncover the true extent of the planet's microbial diversity in order to learn more about the genes, enzymes and metabolic pathways that play key roles in regulating critical biogeochemical cycles. More thorough surveys could lead to new strategies for DOE researchers to advance their energy and environmental investigations.
	Researchers identify target of disease-causing plant pathogens A new study from a University of Nebraska-Lincoln research team led by plant pathologist Jim Alfano found that a bacterial plant pathogen suppresses a plant's immune system through the action of a protein called HopE1.
	Devils Hole pupfish found to be a lot younger than thought (Phys.org)—A team of researchers from several institutions in the U.S. has found evidence that suggests that pupfish living in Devils Hole are not nearly as ancient as has been previously assumed. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the team describes a genetic study they conducted on the fish and others that are related to them, and what they found as a result.
	New finding shows that males can drive creation of new species Evolutionary biologists often debate on whether sexual selection can lead to new species. Most studies have focused on natural selection or, for the few studies that considered sexual selection, on how picky females select mates and drive evolution.
	Head shape and genetics augment understanding of rattlesnake species Using head shape and genetic analyses, new research challenges the formerly designated subspecies within the western rattlesnake species. These findings have important implications for ecological conservation efforts across the United States and could provide the basis for new species designations.
	What a moth's nose knows Moths sniff out others of their own species using specific pheromone blends. So if you transplant an antenna—the nose, essentially—from one species to another, which blend of pheromones does the moth respond to? The donor species', or the recipients'? The answer is neither.
	Pollinator competition may drive flower diversification Male hummingbirds drive female birds away from their preferred yellow-flowered plant, which may have implications for flower diversification, according a study published Jan. 27, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Ethan Temeles from Amherst College, and colleagues.
	Seagrass genome sequence lends insights to salt tolerance To mitigate carbon emissions in the atmosphere, researchers have turned to sinks—reservoirs that accumulate and store carbon such as tropical rainforests, but also including a variety of terrestrial plants as well as oceans. However, another lesser known but very large carbon sink is located along the earth's soft-sediment shorelines.
	New way to detect human-animal diseases tested in lemurs Advances in genetic sequencing are uncovering emerging diseases in wildlife that other diagnostic tests can't detect.
	Ancient rodent's brain was big ... but not necessarily 'smart' If new U of T research on the brains of an ancient rodent tells us anything, it's that bigger does not necessarily mean better.
Sequence of rare Hawaiian crow's genome will assist conservation efforts In collaboration with PacBio, scientists at San Diego Zoo Global and the University of Hawaii, Hilo have fully sequenced the genome of the 'Alalā, or Hawaiian crow and shared the results of this effort at the recent annual Plant and Animal Genomics XXIV Conference in San Diego. The 'Alalā was once reduced to a population of about 20 birds, and the sequencing of the species' genome will be important to track any genetic challenges that may occur due to the reduced genetic diversity now seen in the species.
Earthworms could be a threat to biodiversity The humble earthworm may be a threat to plant diversity in natural ecosystems, says a study just published by researchers from Université Laval and Université de Sherbrooke. Their work found an association between the presence of these European-introduced invertebrates and reductions in the abundance of certain tree and other plant species in the understory of sugar maple forests in southern Québec (Canada).
	New detection method for Goby invasion Conventional methods of stock monitoring are unsuitable for certain fish species. For example, the infestation of an area with invasive Ponto-Caspian gobies cannot be identified in time by standard methods. Researchers at the University of Basel have developed a simple, effective and cost-efficient test for these introduced non-native fish, they report in the magazine PLOS ONE.
	Single no more: First females of a Madagascan chameleon described with modern technologies The first females of a scarcely known chameleon species from Northeast Madagascar have been described. Because of lack of genetic data, X-ray micro-computed tomography scans of the chameleon's head were used for species assignment. Regrettably, the habitats of this and many other chameleon species are highly threatened by the ongoing deforestation in Madagascar. The study is published in the open-access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
	Welcome to the world: New chameleon emerges from wilds of Tanzania WCS announced today that a team of scientists discovered a new species of chameleon in Tanzania.
	Palmer amaranth could affect Illinois soybean yield Although agricultural weed Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) primarily impacts southern U.S. states, new research shows it could soon spread further north and damage soybean yields in Illinois.
	Extinct pink-headed duck derived its unique color from carotenoids The exotic Pink-headed Duck (Rhodonessa caryophyllacea), whose rose-colored plumage set it apart from any other species of waterfowl, was last seen in the wild in India in 1949. Scientists never discovered what pigment was responsible for its unique and vivid coloration—until now. A forthcoming study in The Auk: Ornithological Advances confirms that carotenoids, pigments that provide the bright colors of birds such as cardinals and flamingos but are much rarer among gamebirds, were responsible for the namesake trait of the extinct Pink-headed Duck.
	Stanford scholar unearths conflicted human history of South American parks Nestled along the border between Argentina and Brazil are the spectacular, thundering Iguazu Falls. Surrounding them are two national parks – legally protected areas of subtropical rainforest that appear free of both people and politics.
Panel asks Obama for additional Asian carp control study Advocacy groups want President Barack Obama to support further study of long-term measures to prevent Asian carp and other invasive species from migrating between the Great Lakes and Mississippi River watersheds.
Feds expand critical East Coast habitat for right whales Right whale calving grounds off the Southeast coast and feeding grounds off New England are being added to federally-designated critical habitat areas for the endangered animals, increasing those areas by thousands of square nautical miles.
	Researchers examine the unintentional effects of different fishing hooks and bait on sharks and rays By examining relevant studies related to fishing in the open ocean, researchers have found that while using circle instead of J-shaped hooks and fish instead of squid for bait may avoid harm to sea turtles, dolphins, certain whales, and possibly seabirds, it may increase the catch and injury of some sharks and rays.

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