Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Feb 10

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 10, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Optical rogue waves reveal insight into real ones
- Materials by design: A radical shift in transforming bulk matter into useful technology
- Trees found to break at near the same wind speed regardless of size or species
- How particles pack in a confined space
- X-ray laser turns crystal imperfections into better images of important biomolecules
- Math reveals unseen worlds of Star Wars
- Blocking stress protein relieves chronic pain in mice
- Study finds beliefs about all-knowing gods fosters co-operation
- Clues about human migration to Imperial Rome uncovered in 2,000-year-old cemetery
- Why you may skimp on your Valentine's Day gift
- Optical strontium atomic clock sets new stability record
- Daters move toward (or away from) marriage in four different ways—where do you fit?
- Anger, contempt and disgust fuel hostility, new research shows
- You scratch my back and I might scratch yours: The grooming habits of wild chimpanzees
- New hope in global race to beat malaria parasite's deadly new resistance

Astronomy & Space news

	A star's moment in the spotlight The glowing region in this new image from the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope is a reflection nebula known as IC 2631. These objects are clouds of cosmic dust that reflect light from a nearby star into space, creating a stunning light show like the one captured here. IC 2631 is the brightest nebula in the Chamaeleon Complex, a large region of gas and dust clouds that harbours numerous newborn and still-forming stars. The complex lies about 500 light-years away in the southern constellation of Chamaeleon.
	ESA image: The ESA-Roscosmos Plasma Kristall-4 (PK-4) experiment How atoms interact and behave is common high-school knowledge, but what we know is based on assumptions or snapshots. Electron microscopes have taken images of atoms so we know how they settle, but we have never recorded atoms moving.
	Image: Landing on an asteroid This is the micro-lander that ESA's proposed Asteroid Impact Mission would put down on its target asteroid.
	Could a meteorite really have killed a bus driver in India? There is nothing more certain in life than death – a cheerful thought for a dismal February. Even though we are aware of that inevitability, we don't expect death literally to strike out of an empty sky, which reportedly is what happened to Kamraj, a bus driver in Vellore, a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
	NASA unveils Orion pressure vessel NASA officials proudly unveiled the pressure vessel for the agency's new Orion capsule destined to launch on the EM-1 mission to the moon in 2018, after the vehicle arrived at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida last week aboard NASA's unique Super Guppy aircraft.
	Vesta rules the February dusk skies Missing out on the morning planetary action?
	Meteorite not responsible for killing man in India: NASA NASA on Wednesday said it was unlikely a meteorite was responsible for killing a man at a college campus in India last week, as local scientists continued to examine the mysterious object recovered from the scene.
	Rocket with defense payload launches from California A rocket carrying a U.S. national defense payload was successfully launched from California before dawn Wednesday, the Air Force said.

Technology news

	Math reveals unseen worlds of Star Wars Using a new computer program, EPFL researchers offer unusual insight into the universe of Star Wars, which includes more than 20,000 characters spread among 640 communities over a period of 36,000 years.
	Museum yanks us back to good old bad days of early malware We are often given a comforting thought: "You cry now but one day you will look back and laugh." A new museum of sorts offers amusement of that kind for those who suffered through the pranks and taunts in the 1980s and 1990s from attacks on their home computers.
	Study predicts world economy unlikely to stop relying on fossil fuels On the heels of last year's historic climate agreement in Paris, a new study concludes that fossil fuel consumption is likely to grow without clear and decisive global action to put an adequate price on carbon dioxide emissions and increased clean energy technology.
	Twitter lets hot tweets rise to top of timelines Twitter revamped its timeline Wednesday, allowing the "best" tweets to rise to the top, despite warnings of a revolt from members loyal to the real-time flow of the messaging platform.
	Computer as driver? 'Yes' from feds boosts self-driving cars (Update) Computers that control cars of the future can be considered drivers just like humans, the federal government's highway safety agency has decided.
	World record for Rubik's Cube robot race: the beat goes on Yet more world record news in how fast a machine can work out the Rubik's Cube. This time a cube-solving robot was unleashed and solved the Rubik's Cube in 0.900 seconds.
	Twitter looks to outside help in fighting abuse Twitter on Tuesday announced that it is pulling together a council of outside experts and organizations to battle abusive behavior at the one-to-many messaging service.
US unable to crack San Bernardino attacker's phone US agents cannot access a telephone used by the Islamist attackers in the San Bernardino shooting, the head of the FBI said Tuesday, complaining that encryption is hampering investigations.
	Japan camera makers battle smartphone onslaught Highschooler Nao Noguchi is a perfect illustration of why Japanese camera sales have plunged the past few years—she uses her smartphone for everything and cannot understand why anyone would bother with a separate device for photos.
US agency: Separate rechargeable battery shipments on planes Accident investigators are recommending the U.S. government require air shipments of rechargeable batteries be separated from other flammable cargo to prevent uncontrollable fires that can destroy planes.
Amazon launches free engine for video games Amazon Web Services is launching a free video game engine to enable studios to make sophisticated games and connect them to the cloud.
	Many Indians still without electricity India has made progress bringing electricity to its people, but satellite images of the country show that some local governments have exaggerated the success.
	Crowdsourcing software could help us move house and stay where we are The concept of moving your house without actually going anywhere isn't new—adaptive architecture has been around since the 1920s. But that was long before sensors and computing. So, how do we bring all those long held ideas and that new technology together?
	Drones learn to search forest trails for lost people Researchers at the University of Zurich, the Università della Svizzera italiana, and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland have developed software enabling drones to autonomously detect and follow forest paths. With the new drones, missing persons can be found and rescued quickly in forests and mountain areas.
Terahertz wireless technology could bring fiber-optic speeds out of a fiber Hiroshima University, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, and Panasonic Corporation announced the development of a terahertz (THz) transmitter capable of signal transmission at a per-channel data rate of over ten gigabits per second over multiple channels at around 300 GHz. The aggregate multi-channel data rate exceeds one hundred gigabits per second. The transmitter was implemented as a silicon CMOS integrated circuit, which would have a great advantage for commercialization and consumer use. This technology could open a new frontier in wireless communication with data rates ten times higher than current technology allows. Details of the technology were presented at the "International Solid-State Circuit Conference (ISSCC) 2016," held from January 31 to February 4 in San Francisco, California.
	New prototype for remote detection of hazardous gases Researchers at UPM are developing a low-cost prototype that will remotely detect hazardous gases from the analysis of color changes adopted by certain compounds in the presence of such gases.
When eagles scare—there are other ways to stop a rogue drone Reckless or criminal uses of drones are on the rise and police forces have reported "a spike" in the number of drone-related incidents in the UK, mirroring the growth in the technology's popularity. This ranges from hobbyist operators fined for "flying dangerously" and a rise in close-calls with manned aircraft, to incidents of drones ferrying drugs into prison and even unspecified "sexual offences". Authorities around the world have also warned of the growing use of drones by hostile actors, including insurgents and terrorists.
Chinese investors bid $1.2B for Norwegian tech firm Opera Opera Software, a Norwegian company behind one of the world's most popular browsers, says Chinese investors have made a $1.2 billion takeover offer, causing its stock to jump more than 30 percent.
	Fukushima chief confident new disaster won't threaten clean-up The chief of Japan's shuttered Fukushima nuclear power plant warned Wednesday that the biggest risk the crippled facility faces is another major earthquake and tsunami—though insisted the chaos of nearly five years ago won't be repeated.
	London black cab drivers block streets in Uber demo Drivers of London's traditional black cabs blocked some of the city's busiest streets Wednesday in a protest at the lack of regulations imposed on Uber.
	Key things to know about changes in Twitter's timeline Twitter's tweaking its timeline to emphasize certain tweets from people you follow, but don't expect dramatic changes from the chronological feed you're used to.
	Battle for net neutrality isn't over If you thought the fight over net neutrality ended when the Federal Communications Commission issued its strong new "Open Internet" rules last year, think again.
Why emojis are a no-brainer for digital communication When the Oxford English Dictionary declared an emoji its 2015 word of the year, it was a bit of a head-scratcher.
Watch, meet smartwatch: Fossil and Misfit think they're a perfect match It seems like everyone came back to work from Christmas vacation with a rubber or plastic band on their wrist.
	Twitter user base stalls at 320 million Twitter said Wednesday its growth stalled at the end of last year, holding at 320 million active monthly users, in a disappointing quarterly update for the struggling messaging platform.
	For virtual reality pioneers, no rush to succeed in 2016 Palmer Luckey doesn't just want to sell a bunch of virtual reality headsets. He wants buyers to use them every day.
Tesla's 4Q net loss doubles Electric car maker Tesla Motors says its net loss more than doubled to $320 million in the fourth quarter, hurt by lower-than-planned production of its new Model X SUV.
	Japan Internet company SoftBank's profit suffers over Sprint Japanese telecommunications and Internet company SoftBank is reporting an 88 percent drop in fiscal third quarter profit as it struggles to turn around its U.S. carrier Sprint.
	HBO Now has 800,000 paying subscribers since April launch HBO Now, the standalone online version of the premium TV channel, has gained about 800,000 paying subscribers since it launched in April, contributing significantly to the 2.7 million net new HBO customers last year.
	6 tips to keep your Facebook clean, secure and private Got hundreds of Facebook friends you hardly know?
	NATO, EU sign agreement on cyberdefense cooperation NATO and the European Union have signed an agreement to improve cooperation in cyberdefense, which NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called a concrete example of the two Brussels-based organizations joining forces to counter modern forms of hybrid warfare.
Rwanda hopes to use drones to deliver medical supplies Rwanda's government has signed an agreement with a U.S.-based robotics company to build infrastructure for drones that would deliver medical supplies to health facilities across the country.

Medicine & Health news

	Blocking stress protein relieves chronic pain in mice A group of drugs being developed to treat mood disorders could also relieve chronic pain, finds new UCL (University College London) research funded by the Medical Research Council.
	Stronger evidence found for link between prenatal exposure to paracetamol and the risk of developing asthma Researchers have provided new evidence that developing asthma can be linked to pregnant women and infants being exposed to paracetamol; by testing that the association was not simply due to the medical complaint for which the person is taking paracetamol. The findings were published today (Wednesday) in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
	Anger, contempt and disgust fuel hostility, new research shows Individuals experiencing anger, contempt and disgust are more likely to act and behave in a hostile manner toward those they disagree with, new research from San Francisco State University shows.
	Scientists find leukemia's surroundings key to its growth Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered that a type of cancer found primarily in children can grow only when signaled to do so by other nearby cells that are noncancerous. The finding, published in this week's edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, contributes to a growing body of research that implicates the environment around a cancer in its spread—an area of study that holds promise for new alternatives to treat the disease.
	Daters move toward (or away from) marriage in four different ways—where do you fit? A University of Illinois researcher has identified four distinct approaches that dating couples use to develop deeper commitment.
	Teaching neurons to respond to placebos as potential treatment for Parkinson's They found that it is possible to turn a neuron which previously hasn't responded to placebos (placebo 'non-responder' neuron) into a placebo 'responder' by conditioning Parkinson patients with apomorphine, a dopaminergic drug used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD).
	Pregnancy and PTSD: Surprising findings could help moms-to-be at risk For most women, expecting a baby brings intense joy —and a fair amount of worry.
FDA panel backs lower-cost version of J&J's top-selling drug Federal health advisers have endorsed a lower-cost version of Johnson & Johnson's blockbuster drug Remicade, a pricey biotech medicine used to treat a number of inflammatory diseases.
	Fish, other mosquitoes now warriors in Zika battle With larva-chomping fish and genetically modified insects, Latin Americans are deploying legions of little helpers to destroy mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus in the world's latest mass health scare.
Stakeholder involvement in clinical trial design leads to greater recruitment, retention By seeking the advice of patients, families and other stakeholders in designing a clinical trial investigating pediatric appendicitis, researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital found a way to significantly increase the number of people recruited and retained in the trial.
Pregnant woman diagnosed with Zika in Australia A pregnant woman has been diagnosed with the Zika virus in Australia, officials said Wednesday, adding that the disease was acquired overseas.
	Mathematics will help choose the optimal treatment for bladder cancer MIPT scientists together with their colleagues from St. Petersburg and Israel have analyzed more than 500 previously published scientific articles and proposed their own approach to the choice of methods used for the treatment of one of the most common cancers. Details are published in the review of the International Journal of Cancer.
	Controversial CDC recommendations for women supported by data, neurologist says If you're a sexually active woman of childbearing age, either use birth control or don't drink. That's the latest message from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency cited the oft-hidden damage of fetal alcohol syndrome.
	Meditation and aerobic exercise done together helps reduce depression, according to a new study The study, published in Translational Psychiatry this month, found that the mind and body combination – done twice a week for only two months – reduced the symptoms for a group of students by 40 percent.
	Flipping Fifty Shades eroticises equality Christine Grey would have been just as sexy as Christian Grey as the lead character in Fifty Shades of Grey – and resulted in less ambivalence about rape.
	Psychologist gives advice on how news media can better handle the reporting of mass shootings Mass shootings have become part of life in the United States, with deadly attacks occurring with an unsettling frequency. Since 2006, the U.S. has seen more than 200 mass killings with four or more victims, according to USA Today. Following these tragedies, the news media often produces wall-to-wall coverage—but is it possible that this coverage may actually be helping to fuel the problem?
Advising moms not to bed share with infants does not discourage breastfeeding Following advice to sleep in the same room with their infants —but not in the same bed—does not appear to discourage new mothers from breastfeeding, as some experts had feared, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
	Uptake of free vaccinations in US varies depending on ethnicity and income, says study The uptake of free vaccines for children in the United States varied significantly depending on the relative income of different ethnic and racial groups, according to research by academics from City University London and National University of Ireland, Galway.
	Suicide six times more likely in chronic fatigue syndrome patients compared to general population People diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are more likely to die by suicide than the general population, but overall mortality rates for people with CFS are comparable to the general population, according to a new study from researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.
Stress of social disadvantage increases risk of osteoporosis New research shows that the stress of social disadvantage could be putting people at higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
	Study identifies new target for severe asthma, chronic inflammatory diseases Platelets, the colorless blood cells responsible for clotting, play a critical role in controlling inflammation, but their effect on the immune system is less clear. A new Yale-led study has identified a protein from platelets—Dkk-1—that contributes to chronic inflammation and has also revealed the role of platelets in the immune response.
	Expert says Texas should devote resources toward developing vaccines for neglected tropical diseases Neglected tropical diseases have become widespread in the United States, particularly in Texas, which has an opportunity to devote state resources toward developing vaccines for these afflictions, according to a tropical-disease policy expert at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Aging may worsen the effects of a high-salt diet Aging is associated with a number of changes that cause the body to function less efficiently, including the way the body controls water and sodium levels. Research has shown that as humans and animals age, they are less able to regulate sodium and water retention, urine concentration and thirst compared to their younger counterparts. A new article in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology finds that age significantly impaired the ability of rats to get rid of excess sodium when exposed to a high-salt diet. These findings could have implications for salt consumption in the elderly; they suggest older people could be at greater risk for the negative consequences of consuming a high-salt diet.
	New compounds for the treatment of infectious tropical diseases Researchers at the Universitat Jaume I (James I Univeristy, UJI) have developed new compounds for the treatment of infectious tropical diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. Patented by this university, these new compounds show significant improvements over existing treatments and fewer side effects.
	Researchers discover a genetic mutation that prevents diabetes complications A number of complications are associated with diabetes, but they are more prevalent in some patients than in others. A Finnish study has now revealed two genetic mutations which seem to lower the risk of contracting a diabetic retinal or kidney disease.
Atherosclerosis—a short cut to inflammation The enzyme Dicer processes RNA transcripts, cutting them into short segments that regulate the synthesis of specific proteins. An Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich team has shown that Dicer promotes the development of atherosclerosis, thus identifying a new drug target.
Real-time Ebola fusion system yields clues to stopping infection Researchers have developed the first real-time system to watch directly through the microscope as Ebola-like virus particles fuse with human cells to infect them. Their findings, published this week in mBio, an online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, reveal key host cell and viral proteins that direct fusion and Ebola infection. Such knowledge is crucial for designing future drugs or vaccines to prevent this deadly disease.
	Using price to avoid vaccine shortages No one worries about vaccine supply—until there's a shortage. New research from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business studied the market tensions that can keep manufacturers out of the business and the price points needed to entice them in.
	New biomarker assay offers hope for Parkinson's patients EU researchers have developed a Parkinson's disease biomarker assay that could lead to early diagnoses and faster, more effective treatments.
	Education and the brain—what happens when children learn? Have you lost your house keys recently? If so, you probably applied a spot of logical thinking. You looked first in the most obvious places – bags and pockets – and then mentally retraced your steps to the point when you last used them.
	Chinese male teens aren't smoking as much, research finds Younger Chinese teenage boys are less likely to start smoking than those born longer ago, according to research from Saint Louis University and Chongqing University.
Alcohol-impaired driving crimes spike immediately after drinking age A new study led by a Northern Medical Program (NMP) researcher shows that alcohol-impaired driving crimes spike immediately after the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is reached, indicating that minimum legal drinking age legislation in Canada can have a major impact on young drivers.
Attention problems persist in childhood leukemia survivors treated with chemotherapy alone Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients treated with chemotherapy alone remain at risk for attention and learning problems that persist after treatment ends, according to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators. The research appears online this week in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Babies have a grasp of the physics of liquids We are born with a basic grasp of physics, just enough not to be surprised when we interact with objects. Scientists discovered this in the past two decades. What they did not know yet was that, as early as five months of age, this 'naïve' physics also extends to liquids and materials that do not behave like solids (for example, sand), as demonstrated by a new study just published in Psychological Science.
	Study offers treatment hope for sleep disordered breathing People with a condition that causes them to stop breathing in their sleep could be helped by new research.
	New study reveals that prelinguistic infants can categorize colors A joint group of researchers from Chuo University, Japan Women's University and Tohoku University has revealed that infants aged between 5 and 7 months hold the representation of color categories in their brain, even before the acquisition of language.
	Rise in marijuana use not as high as previously reported Marijuana use is on the rise, with an estimated 12.5 percent of adults living in the United States reportedly using the drug at least once in 2013, according to a new study that looked at drug usage over the span of a decade.
Study finds high rate of elective surgery for uncomplicated diverticulitis after few episodes Vlad V. Simianu, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Washington, Seattle, and colleagues examined patterns of episodes of diverticulitis before surgery and factors associated with earlier interventions using inpatient, outpatient, and antibiotic prescription claims. The study was published online by JAMA Surgery.
Gastric bypass surgery at ages older than 35 years associated with improved survival Lance E. Davidson, Ph.D., of Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, and colleagues examined whether gastric bypass surgery is equally effective in reducing mortality in groups undergoing surgery at different ages. The study was published online by JAMA Surgery.
Study examines euthanasia, assisted suicide of patients with psychiatric disorders A review of euthanasia or assisted suicide (EAS) cases among patients with psychiatric disorders in the Netherlands found that most had chronic, severe conditions, with histories of attempted suicides and hospitalizations, and were described as socially isolated or lonely, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
	Alcohol also damages the liver by allowing bacteria to infiltrate Alcohol itself can directly damage liver cells. Now researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report evidence that alcohol is also harmful to the liver for a second reason—it allows gut bacteria to migrate to the liver, promoting alcohol-induced liver disease. The study, conducted in mice and in laboratory samples, is published February 10 in Cell Host & Microbe.
	Inhibiting age-related inflammation maintains healthy gut microbiota and extends lifespan Aging is associated with a wide range of tissue dysfunctions. Among these are metaplasias - conditions in which one kind of tissue is replaced by another type, causing misregulation of regional tissue functions. Metaplasias in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are common maladies that have been associated with cancers and other diseases. Research at the Buck Institute uses the fruit fly Drosophila to study the origin of metaplasias and to identify ways to reverse or delay them.
	The new health 'desert'? Reliable weight loss programs hard to find A new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers concludes that people with medically serious weight problems can rarely find or have access to proven, reliable programs to help them shed pounds.
Research finds new target in search for why statin drugs sometimes cause problems for some patients Research by the University of Warwick, the University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW), and Tangent Reprofiling Limited, has discovered that statin drugs interact with a gap junction protein called GJC3 that releases ATP, a major signaling molecule for inflammation in the body. This discovery provides a significant new target in the search for why statin drugs can sometimes cause harmful effects such as muscle toxicity in some patients.
Precise visualization of myocardial injury: World's first patient-based cardiac MRI study using 7T MRI In a world-first, researchers from Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) have performed cardiac MRI imaging using a 7T MRI scanner in a patient-based study. 7T MRI imaging is a powerful new technology that allows high resolution images of the beating heart, and has the capability to provide valuable information of the myocardial (heart muscle) tissue structures. Results of the study, which has been published in the current issue of PLOS ONE, show that the technology allows the visualizing of very subtle changes of the myocardial tissue structure in patients with abnormal thickening of the heart muscle.
	Couch potatoes may have smaller brains later in life Poor physical fitness in middle age may be linked to a smaller brain size 20 years later, according to a study published in the February 10, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Baby's breath: A new way to study neonatal lung disease Investigators at The Saban Research Institute of Children's Hospital Los Angeles have created a novel model for studying a lung disorder of newborn babies. Their study, published in PLOS ONE on February 10, describes the first model that allows investigators to consider the chronic effects of developmental lung disease.
	US tuberculosis cases drop almost 20 percent among foreign-born entrants from 2007-2011 The reasons behind a 19% drop in US tuberculosis (TB) cases among foreign-born people between 2007-2011 vary depending on the person's country of origin and when they entered the U.S., according to a study published February 10, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Dr. Brian Baker from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and colleagues.
New study reveals incidence of dementia may be declining Despite the concern of an explosion of dementia cases in an aging population over the next few decades, a new study, based on data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), suggests that the rate of new cases of dementia actually may be decreasing.
	Research uncovers more inherited genetic mutations linked to ovarian cancer Previous research has established a link between genetic mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes to an increased risk of developing ovarian, fallopian tube or peritoneal cancer in women. A recent publication documents the efforts of a team of researchers affiliated with the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) to determine if inherited genetic mutations other than BRCA1 and BRCA2 can also put a woman at risk of developing these diseases.
	Enhancing neuronal activity promotes axon regeneration in adult central nervous system Damage to axons in the central nervous system (CNS) typically results in permanent functional deficits. Boosting intrinsic growth programs can dramatically augment the axon regeneration of injured neurons. If injured neurons can regenerate sufficient number of axons, the CNS may recover and overcome such functional deficits.
	Prostate cancer survivors' risk of heart disease studied The 3 million prostate cancer survivors in the United States are likely to die from something other than cancer, thanks to early detection, effective treatment and the disease's slow progression.
Computerized rehab aids those suffering from brain injuries For the first time, researchers have shown that computerized cognitive rehabilitation (a program to help brain-injured or otherwise cognitively impaired individuals to restore normal functioning) can improve attention and executive functioning in brain injury survivors including traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke.
Cardiac repair: Neutrophils to the rescue Following an acute heart attack, immune cells called neutrophils coordinate an inflammatory response which can exacerbate the damage to the organ. Now researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have shown that neutrophils also promote cardiac repair.
Study sheds light on source of drug addicts risk-taking behavior A study out today provides new insight into how the brains of drug addicts may be wired differently. The findings, which appear in the journal Psychopharmacology, show that while drug users have very strong motivation to seek out "rewards," they exhibit an impaired ability to adjust their behavior and are less fulfilled once they have achieved what they desire. Addressing this disconnect between the craving for a drug and the ability to regulate behavior may be one of the keys to breaking the cycle of addiction.
	Starting age of marijuana use may have long-term effects on brain development The age at which an adolescent begins using marijuana may affect typical brain development, according to researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas. In a paper recently published in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, scientists describe how marijuana use, and the age at which use is initiated, may adversely alter brain structures that underlie higher order thinking.
	Two in five individuals with schizophrenia have attempted suicide A new study by the University of Toronto (U of T), released today, found that those with schizophrenia who'd been physically abused during childhood were five times more likely to have attempted suicide.
	Lipid-based diets effectively combat Alzheimer's disease in mouse model Alzheimer´s disease (AD) is the most common disease underlying memory problems and dementia in the elderly. One of the invariable pathologies in AD is degeneration of cholinergic synapses in brain cortex and hippocampus. Despite enormous effort to find out an efficient treatment, current pharmacological interventions are limited to a few drugs that alleviate symptoms but do not slow down the underlying disease processes. These drugs include inhibitors of cholinesterases, enzymes that degrade the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, or memantine, a modulator of glutamate neurotransmission.
	Many US women still smoke before, during pregnancy: report (HealthDay)—Despite the potential risks to their baby's health, roughly one in 10 women smoke in the three months before getting pregnant, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday.
	Birth defect tied to zika virus can leave children with lifetime of health woes (HealthDay)—The thousands of babies born in Brazil with abnormally small heads and brains—believed to be caused by infection in the womb with the Zika virus—typically face a lifetime of health challenges, doctors say.
	No need to avoid statins in hep C compensated cirrhosis (HealthDay)—Statin use is associated with decreased risk of cirrhosis decompensation and death in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated cirrhosis, according to research published in the February issue of Gastroenterology.
	Higher risk of chronic kidney disease in 'healthy' obese (HealthDay)—Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk of development of chronic kidney disease (CKD), even in patients who are metabolically healthy, according to research published online Feb. 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Cola intake increases exposure of erlotinib (HealthDay)—Cola intake leads to a clinically relevant and statistically significant increase in the bioavailability of erlotinib during esomeprazole treatment, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Fat repositioning in lower blepharoplasty effective (HealthDay)—The fat repositioning technique in lower blepharoplasty improves pseudofat herniation and adds volume to the lower periorbital and cheek areas, according to research published online Feb. 4 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
	Recurrent erythema seen with H. cinaedi bacteremia (HealthDay)—Recurrent superficial cellulitis-like erythema is associated with Helicobacter cinaedi (H. cinaedi) bacteremia, according to a case report published online Jan. 30 in The Journal of Dermatology.
	Low vitamin D linked to dry eye syndromes (HealthDay)—Vitamin D deficiency is associated with dry eye and impaired tear function, according to a study published in the January issue of the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Research findings could lead to new treatments for chronic inflammatory pain New research uncovers a cascade of reactions within nerve cells that relay sensations of pain associated with inflammation. The findings, which are published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, indicate that drugs designed to curb this pathway may help relieve inflammatory pain in sufferers.
Ability to navigate between cultures is good for Mexican-American youth Approximately 40 million foreign-born persons, representing about 13 percent of the population live in the United States. Many Latino immigrants find it best to maintain their cultures and identities while acclimating to mainstream American culture, thereby becoming bicultural. New research from the University of Missouri points to biculturalism as an indicator of positive self-evaluation and prosocial tendencies, such as empathy towards others, for Mexican-American youth.
Lower oxygen saturation levels increase risk of death in extremely preterm infants The risk of death by age two among infants born before 28 weeks' gestation is up to 45 per cent higher when they receive targeted oxygen saturation in the range of 85-89 per cent compared to 91-95 per cent, according to a paper published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Reverse US funding freeze on research into gun violence, say experts A ban on federal funding of research into gun violence initiated by Congress in 1997 must be overturned to improve understanding of gun use and how best to control it, argue experts in The BMJ today.
New alcohol guidelines unlikely to have a direct impact on drinking The UK's new alcohol guidelines are unlikely to have a direct impact on drinking, but they do raise awareness of harm and so may alter social attitudes towards alcohol, suggests an expert in The BMJ today.
How Zika made its way from Uganda to the US Beginning with the first incidence occurring in monkeys in Uganda in 1947, the Zika virus has trickled across the globe until the recent outbreak in Brazil and many other Latin American and Caribbean countries and territories. A look at the origins of Zika:
What can we learn from people who stay slim without all of the blood, sweat, and tears? You know that one friend that never worries about weight and seems to stay effortlessly slim? That friend, and others like them might unknowingly possess secrets to helping those who struggle with their weight.
	Researchers offer new approach to treating cocaine addiction In the ongoing fight against drug addiction, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing and Perelman School of Medicine have discovered a unique application for an FDA-approved drug currently used for obese patients and type 2 diabetics: treatment for cocaine dependence.
	Zika research to be published rapidly, and free: statement Top research institutions, funders and publishers said Wednesday they would make all scientific findings on the Zika virus assailing Latin America available speedily, and free.
	Refugee mental health needs could overwhelm, experts fear For the thousands of Syrian refugees expected to arrive in the U.S. in coming months, the first order of business will be securing the basics—health care, jobs, education and a safe home.
	Australia introduces medicinal cannabis legislation Australia Wednesday introduced legislation into parliament to legalise the growing of cannabis for medicinal purposes, with the government calling it "the missing piece in a patient's journey".
	Utah becomes latest place to debate ending tax on tampons The international debate over eliminating sales tax on tampons and other feminine hygiene products that women must use has made its way to conservative Utah.
Doctors stage second strike in English hospitals (Update) Thousands of junior doctors at English hospitals staged a second strike Wednesday against proposed new conditions and pay rates for working unsociable hours.
	India launches campaign for deworming millions of children Millions of Indian children are getting deworming treatment in a massive national campaign to prevent parasitic worms from infecting them and impairing their mental and physical development.
Gender registration should be as easy as changing names South Australia should have a system that allows adults to change their registered sex or gender by a simple application to the Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages, according to law experts from the University of Adelaide.
	Sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis—a multitude of healthy carriers Humans can tolerate the parasites responsible for sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis for many years. These parasites belong to the same family of pathogens known as trypanosomatids. IRD and Cirad researchers have highlighted this tolerance phenomenon in humans, which results from the genetic evolution of the populations being exposed.
UPMC 'personalizes' medications for heart patients through innovative gene testing Patients who go to UPMC Presbyterian for heart catheterization and who receive a stent to treat clogged arteries are now being screened with a simple blood test to determine if they have a gene variant that makes them less likely to respond to a blood-thinning medication commonly prescribed after the procedure. This unique program, one of the first of its kind in the country, aims to use clinical pharmacogenomics knowledge to individualize patient treatments—part of a broader program at UPMC that could eventually include a wide variety of drugs to improve outcomes for patients.
Surprise insurance fees often follow medical emergencies Recovering from a medical procedure is always a challenge, but getting hit with unexpected insurance fees can add financial hardship to the process.
The lowdown on sports nutrition supplements Competitive athletes train hard, eat right and often turn to supplements to boost their performance. But do nutrition powders, pills and drinks really help? Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society looks at the science—or lack thereof—behind the sports nutrition market.
	Strategy for increasing survival of mothers and newborns in South Asia In several South Asian countries, midwifery is not an established profession. As a result, complications in both mothers and newborns are extremely common. Malin Bogren has been commissioned by the UN to work in Nepal, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. In her thesis, she presents a strategy on how the midwifery profession can be established in low-income countries - and in this way, improve the health of mothers and newborns.
Latest clinical information on Zika virus available at info centers on Elsevier Connect and The Lancet To help healthcare professionals, medical researchers and the public understand the ongoing outbreak of the Zika virus, Elsevier has created a Zika Virus Resource Center on Elsevier Connect, Elsevier's public news and information website.
Report describes first known case of Zika in US resident returning from Costa Rica A report published in Annals of Internal Medicine describes the first known case of Zika virus in a U.S. resident following travel to Costa Rica.

Biology news

	Starfish reveal the origins of brain messenger molecules Biologists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) have discovered the genes in starfish that encode neuropeptides - a common type of chemical found in human brains. The revelation gives researchers new insights into how neural function evolved in the animal kingdom.
	Horses can read human emotions, study shows For the first time horses have been shown to be able to distinguish between angry and happy human facial expressions.
	You scratch my back and I might scratch yours: The grooming habits of wild chimpanzees Bystanders can influence the way adult male chimpanzees establish grooming interactions according to research by anthropologists at the University of Kent.
	A new method furthers understanding of evolutionary genetics Since Darwin, evolutionary biologists have been fascinated by how different organisms are from one another. The ultimate goal is to understand how mutations in DNA, the genetic blueprint, shape the growth and behavior of animals, plants, and microbes around us. Standard research tools have been available for some time to study the genetics of closely related individuals—for example, the variation of lactose intolerance between humans. But understanding differences between long-separated species has remained a challenge. Publishing online in Nature, Buck Institute professor Rachel Brem and her colleagues have broken through this roadblock by focusing on distantly-related species of yeast, the single-celled organism used to make beer, wine and bread.
	Inhibitory control may affect physical problem solving in pet dogs Inhibitory control may be an indicator of a dog's ability to solve a problem, according to a study published February 10, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Corsin Müller from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna and colleagues.
	Forget butterflies and bees, box like an ant: Study measures speed of trap-jaw ant boxing Boxer Muhammad Ali famously declared his intent to "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee," but perhaps boxers should look to another type of insect for inspiration: the trap-jaw ant.
	Fish fins can sense touch The human fingertip is a finely tuned sensory machine, and even slight touches convey a great deal of information about our physical environment. It turns out, some fish use their pectoral fins in pretty much the same way. And do so through a surprisingly similar biological mechanism to mammals—humans included.
	Climate change 'forcing species to move' Warming temperatures are causing about half of the world's plants and animals to move location, an international conference in Australia heard Wednesday, with every major type of species affected.
	Record 98 shark attacks worldwide in 2015 A record of 98 shark attacks took place worldwide last year, the highest number ever recorded, a US university said Tuesday, citing warmer waters and more beachgoers as possible explanations.
	Hide-and-seek: In some landscapes an effective strategy against predatory bacteria Predators and prey can be found across the tree of life, even among bacteria. Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus is one such bacterial predator, and an efficient killer of the prevalent E. coli bacterium. This bacterial predator enters its prey and devours it from the inside while dividing into four or six progenies. The predator bacteria then burst open their prey and start their hunt for the next. B. bacteriovorus is present in soil, and just like its prey E. coli, it can also be found in our gut. In order to understand how E. coli is able to survive in the presence of such an effective predator in natural environments, scientists from the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience at TU Delft (The Netherlands) together with colleagues from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), studied the struggle in different environments. E. coli did not stand a chance in 'open space', but it maintained a surprisingly large population in an environment wi! th many small chambers.
	Small-scale protein production a big biotech business It's only a slight oversimplification to say that making proteins is the entire job of the DNA that comprises our chromosomes.
	Tiger poo pregnancy test nothing to sniff at A non-invasive pregnancy test for tigers developed at The University of Queensland has played a key role in the latest tiger cub births at Dreamworld on Queensland's Gold Coast.
	Salmonella's strange recipe for defeating the immune system In a surprising new discovery about potentially deadly salmonella, researchers have determined that the foodborne bacteria has a most unexpected way of telling where it is in the body: It uses its food as its GPS.
	Why do some fish eat their own eggs? Many animals go to great lengths to ensure the survival of their offspring - yet some species actually eat some or all of their babies. Nor is there always an obvious explanation – like a food shortage – for such filial cannibalism. Martin Vallon and Dr. Katja Heubel of Tübingen's Institute of Evolution and Ecology have now investigated personality differences between individuals which may play a role in species which practice filial cannibalism. They observed the Common Goby – a marine fish of up to 6cm in length – to see how male individuals behave towards their eggs. The results of their study, published in Ecology and Evolution, suggest that under the same conditions, more generally active individuals ate more of their eggs. In a second study published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Vallon and Heubel show that, faced with a mixed brood of freshly-laid and more developed eggs, Common Goby males preferred the y! ounger, less valuable eggs.
	Penguin parents: Inability to share roles increases their vulnerability to climate change The fixed division of labour between crested penguin parents increases their chicks' vulnerability to food shortages made ever more common by climate change. The parents have been unable to adapt their habits to the challenges of increasingly frequent years of limited food supply and, as a result, will become further threatened by extinction. So says Kyle Morrison of Massey University and the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research in New Zealand, who led a study published in Springer's journal Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.
	The scaled king and his knight: Two new giant bent-toed gecko species from New Guinea The extremely complex geological history of New Guinea has allowed many of its animals and plants the chance to grow different enough to make a name for themselves. In the case of two newly described and unusually large gecko species - only a noble name would do. The two new species whose names respectively mean 'knight' and 'king' were discovered by a team led by Dr. Paul Oliver, The Australian National University and University of Melbourne, are described in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
	Whooping cranes' predatory behavior key for adaptation, survival The whooping crane, with its snowy white plumage and trumpeting call, is one of the most beloved American birds, and one of the most endangered. As captive-raised cranes are re-introduced in Louisiana, they are gaining a new descriptor: natural killer.
	Study of Asian common toad reveals three divergent groups Most species are negatively affected when humans transform natural habitats into urban areas and agricultural lands, but a few species actually benefit from these activities. These species—called human commensals—thrive in human-modified environments. One example, the Asian common toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus), is extremely abundant in villages, towns, cities and agricultural areas across much of Southeast Asia, where it feeds on insects that are attracted to artificial lights. Because of this long and close association with people, Asian common toads are assumed to easily disperse over large distances, including saltwater barriers between islands, when they are accidentally transported with land and sea cargo. Such long-distance dispersal abilities infers that the toad's genes also easily move among populations, and that toads in different parts of Southeast Asia are genetically similar.
	Eagles and agriculture coexist in South Africa To biologists' surprise, an eagle population living in a South African landscape dominated by agriculture appears to be thriving, according to a new paper in The Condor: Ornithological Applications—even out-performing their neighbors in undeveloped mountain habitat.
	Nest size variation not related to breeding success Contrary to expectations, the size of the Blue Tits' nests is unrelated to their breeding success. The researchers behind a forthcoming study in The Auk: Ornithological Advances spent 18 years making more than 1,200 measurements of Blue Tit nests in southern France and found that bigger nests don't produce better birds after all.
	Studying climate change impact on maple syrup quality As maple sugaring season approaches, plant ecologist Kristina Stinson at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently received a two-year, $149,800 grant to study the impact of climate change on the quantity and quality of sugar maple sap, including its chemical composition, and of sap from red maples, a species less sensitive to climate change.
Estrogen, antibiotics persisted in dairy farm waste after advanced treatment, study finds When University at Buffalo chemists began studying waste disposal at a dairy farm in New York State, they thought that the farm's advanced system for processing manure would help remove estrogens and antibiotics from the excrement.
Breeding wildness back into our fruit and veg Wild tomatoes are better able to protect themselves against the destructive whitefly than our modern, commercial varieties, new research has shown.
Obese British pets fed cake and alcohol: charity Takeaway food, cake and even alcohol is helping make British pets dangerously overweight and develop diabetes and heart disease, an animal charity warned on Wednesday.
	A striking new crape myrtle for Florida's gardens and landscapes A striking type of pink crape myrtle could soon be gracing lawns and gardens in southern Florida because of a chance discovery by Agricultural Research Service scientists.
	Drones at the service of biodiversity To study how living systems respond to climate change, it is necessary to take a look at the ecological living conditions of animal and plant species. For most of these organisms (insects, reptiles, plants, etc.), observations must be made at a scale of approximately one centimetre.

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