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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 24, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Express this: Gene-specific transcription in humans linked to long-range connectivity of surface brain layers
- Pentanuclear iron catalyst oxidizes water
- Study shows low-dose chemo keeps cancer under control
- Mapping the nuclear pore complex: 1.5 billion years of innovation
- Inspired by a desert beetle, cactus and pitcher plant, researchers design a new material to collect water droplets
- New fast radio burst discovery finds 'missing matter' in the universe
- Lockdown: Apple could make it even tougher to hack Phones
- Pancreatic cancer is four diseases, each with new treatment possibilities
- Ocean acidification slowing coral reef growth
- Predicting human evolution: Teeth tell the story
- New model shows Earth may be more unique than thought
- New climate model better predicts changes to ocean-carbon sink
- Study finds surprising variability in shape of Van Allen Belts
- What makes penguin feathers ice-proof
- Study predicts salt marshes will persist despite rising seas

Astronomy & Space news

	New fast radio burst discovery finds 'missing matter' in the universe An international team of scientists using a combination of radio and optical telescopes has for the first time managed to identify the location of a fast radio burst, allowing them to confirm the current cosmological model of the distribution of matter in the universe.
	ATLASGAL survey of Milky Way completed APEX, the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment telescope, is located at 5100 metres above sea level on the Chajnantor Plateau in Chile's Atacama region. The ATLASGAL survey took advantage of the unique characteristics of the telescope to provide a detailed view of the distribution of cold dense gas along the plane of the Milky Way galaxy. The new image includes most of the regions of star formation in the southern Milky Way.
	New model shows Earth may be more unique than thought (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers, three with Swedish Institutions and one from the U.S. has created a computer model of the known universe and in using it to estimate the number of likely other exoplanets able to hold life, has found that there might be fewer Earth-like planets than has been thought. In their paper they have uploaded to the preprint server, arXiv (soon to be published in The Astrophysical Journal), the team describes how they went about creating their model and what it showed.
	Study finds surprising variability in shape of Van Allen Belts The shape of the two electron swarms 600 miles to more than 25,000 miles from the Earth's surface, known as the Van Allen Belts, could be quite different than has been believed for decades, according to a new study of data from NASA's Van Allen Probes that was released Friday in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
	The prolonged death of light from type Ia supernovae Three years after its explosion, a type Ia supernova continues to shine brighter than expected, new research finds. The observations, made with the Hubble Space Telescope and published today in The Astrophysical Journal, suggest that the powerful explosions produce an abundance of a heavy form of cobalt that gives the heat from nuclear decay an extra energy boost. The work could help researchers pinpoint the parents of type Ia supernovae—a type of stellar explosion that is frequently used to measure distances to faraway galaxies—and reveal the mechanics behind these explosions.
	Surprise meteor shower on New Year's Eve A new network of video surveillance cameras in New Zealand has detected a surprise meteor shower on New Year's Eve. The shower is called the Volantids, named after the constellation Volans, the flying fish, from which the meteoroids appear to stream towards us.
	New CubeSats to test Earth science tech in space Sometimes we need to leave our home planet to better understand it. Before Earth-observing missions launch, NASA must verify instruments on board will work as expected. This is not always an easy task when space presents such a different environment than Earth. But thanks to CubeSats, cube-shaped satellites that can be small enough to fit in the palm of your hand or as big as a large shoebox, testing new technologies in space is easier than ever. To take advantage of the space-bound opportunities these small satellites offer, the Earth Science Technology office, or ESTO, part of NASA's Earth Science Division, has selected four new projects to be developed, built and launched into low-Earth orbit. These four projects will test emerging technologies that could enable new and improved understanding of the planet. These include two projects from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
	Double shadow transit season for Jupiter's moons begins Watching the inky-black shadow of a Jovian moon slide across the cloud-tops of Jupiter is an unforgettable sight. Two is always better than one, and as the largest planet in our solar system heads towards opposition on March 8th, so begins the first of two seasons of double shadow transits for 2016.
	NASA thinks there's a way to get to Mars in three days We've achieved amazing things by using chemical rockets to place satellites in orbit, land people on the moon, and place rovers on the surface of Mars. We've even used ion drives to reach destinations further afield in our solar system. But reaching other stars, or reducing our travel time to Mars or other planets, will require another method of travel. One that can approach relativistic speeds.
	Advanced NASA-developed instrument flies on Japan's Hitomi Now that Japan's Hitomi spacecraft is safely in orbit, a team of NASA scientists is now ready to begin gathering data about the high-energy universe with an advanced instrument that carries never-before-flown technologies.
	Climate of Jupiter and Saturn may yield clues to Earth's weather What can the climates of other planets tell us about the Earth's weather? According to a researcher at the University of Houston, data being collected from Jupiter, Saturn and Saturn's largest moon, Titan, can offer clues to the Earth's past and future atmospheric conditions.
	NASA contributes to global standard for navigation, studies of Earth The surface of Earth is constantly being reshaped by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, floods, changes in sea levels and ice sheets, and other processes. Since some of these changes amount to only millimeters per year, scientists must make very precise measurements of the landscape and ocean in space and time in order to study their evolution and help mitigate their impacts.
	James Webb Space Telescope coming together over next two years The year 2015 marked big progress on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and there are still a number of large milestones before the next generation telescope is launched in 2018. Recently, all of the 18 segments of the Webb telescope primary mirror segments were installed on the observatory's backplane at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. But that's just one component of the Webb.

Technology news

	With its new S7 phone, Samsung looks even more like Apple Apple and Samsung phones, which have been looking more and more alike over the past few years, are much closer to virtual twins with Samsung's latest Galaxy S7.
	Facebook's 'like' button gets 'angry' and 'sad' as friends Facebook's "like" button isn't going away, but it's about to get some company.
	Record efficiency with tandem solar cells On Thursday Alice Furlan receives her PhD for her study in which she experimented with stacking different types of material layers in flexible, thin solar cells. By combining these with a thin layer of silicon into a 'tandem solar cell' she, along with researchers from TU Delft, achieved a record level of efficiency in this kind of hybrid solar cell.
	FlexEnable shows vision in wrist-hugging display at MWC Please. Could you ever really expect to walk away from Mobile World Congress without hearing vendor words such as "bendy" "curve" and "flex"?
	Lockdown: Apple could make it even tougher to hack Phones Suppose the FBI wins its court battle and forces Apple to help unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers. That could open all iPhones up to potential government scrutiny—but it's not the end of the story.
	Fitbit shares fall on fears for the long run Fitbit shares tumbled more than 20 percent on Tuesday on an earnings forecast that signaled that the maker of fitness-focused bracelets may have trouble making it in the long run.
	Honda plans no Takata rescue, bullish on green vehicles Honda's president is sticking to its stance that the Japanese automaker plans no independent financial bailout for supplier Takata, which is embroiled in a massive recall crisis over air-bag inflators that may explode.
Google reverses course with closure of car insurance service Google is shifting into reverse and leaving behind a service that compares auto insurance prices.
	China's top phone maker Xiaomi unveils new flagship handset China's leading smartphone maker, Xiaomi, unveiled Wednesday its new flagship device, the Mi 5, which it hopes will strengthen its hold on the world's biggest domestic market for handsets.
	Stadiums ramp up wireless technology to seduce fans Forget the selfie. Fans cheering on their idols at concerts or sporting events are using their phones for more than just snaps, ordering food and even checking the length of toilet lines as venues use technology to draw in spectators.
	FBI vs Apple—giving up security and privacy could hurt us all "You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide" is an argument that is used often in the debate about surveillance. The latest incarnation of that debate is currently taking place in the case of the US government versus Apple. The concern that technology experts have is not whether you have anything to hide, but whom you might want to hide your information from.
	18th century passive solar building design used for heating and cooling modern buildings Researcher Marwa Dabaieh from Lund University in Sweden has come up with a way to adapt the so-called Trombe wall – a passive solar building design from the 19th century – to not only heat but also cool buildings, while drastically reduce associated carbon emissions. The new design is now being tested by locals in Saint Catherine, Egypt.
	British MPs criticise 'small' Google tax deal A tax deal last month between Britain and US Internet giant Google that forced Prime Minister David Cameron on the defensive was "disproportionately small", a group of British MPs said on Wednesday.
IBM announces new and advanced Watson APIs on the cloud IBM today announced new and expanded cognitive APIs for developers that enhance Watson's emotional and visual senses, further extending the capabilities of the industry's largest and most diverse set of cognitive technologies and tools.
	Why hoverboards explode On Thursday, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission addressed a letter to "manufacturers, importers, and retailers of self-balancing scooters," or hoverboards. The agency warned that hoverboards that didn't meet the new safety standards set by the independent safety-science group UL could be detained, seized, or recalled by the CPSC Office of Compliance and Field Operations.
	Passwords, privacy and protection—can Apple meet FBI's demand without creating a 'backdoor'? The San Bernardino terrorist suspect Syed Rizwan Farook used an iPhone 5c, which is now in the possession of the FBI. The iPhone is locked. The FBI wants Apple to help unlock it, presumably so they can glean additional evidence or information about other possible attacks. Apple has declined, and appears to ready to defy a court order. Its response is due February 26. So what's the technology they're fighting over?
	Cyberwar is here to stay Last week, The New York Times revealed that the Obama administration had prepared a cyberattack plan to be carried out against Iran in the event diplomatic negotiations failed to limit that country's nuclear weapons development.
	Finance tech firm offers door for non-US startups Online payments startup Stripe on Wednesday set out to give Internet entrepreneurs around the world behind-the-scenes business benefits of locating in the United States.
	'Uncharted 4' creators plot Nathan Drake's last hurrah The creators of "Uncharted 4"—much like cliff-diving, treasure-hunting series protagonist Nathan Drake—aren't afraid to take a few risks.
Sonata Hybrid leads pack with warranty coverage, pricing The 2016 Sonata Hybrid, Hyundai's only gasoline-electric offering, is a roomy sedan with improved fuel economy, value pricing and the longest warranty coverage in the industry.
	CIA chief Brennan supports FBI in Apple encryption case America's top spy said in an interview Wednesday that he supports the FBI's high-profile battle to force Apple to unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino attackers.
	France demands 1.6 bn euros in tax from Google: sources French authorities have demanded that US Internet giant Google pay 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion) in back taxes, a source close to the matter said Wednesday.
	Study: Lexus, Porsche and Buick are most dependable Lexus, Porsche and Buick are the most dependable vehicle brands based on the number of problems reported by owners, according to a study released Wednesday by the consulting firm J.D. Power.
	Ruling raises objections to release of personal student data A recent federal court ruling ordering the release of personal data on more than 10 million California students highlights the growing amount of information schools now collect—and the loopholes that allow it to be released.
	Apple: Congress, not courts, must decide Apple Inc. will tell a federal judge this week in legal papers that its fight with the FBI over accessing a locked and encrypted iPhone should be kicked to Congress, rather than decided by courts, The Associated Press has learned.
	Google boss backs Apple in encryption battle with FBI Google chief Sundar Pichai on Wednesday expressed his support for Apple in its standoff with the FBI over unlocking an iPhone as part of a terror probe, warning that creating so-called "backdoors" into encrypted communications could have "bad consequences".
	Google speeds news to smartphones, challenging Facebook Google on Wednesday began delivering "blazingly fast" articles to smartphones and tablets in a stepped-up challenge to Facebook to be the leading mobile news hub.
	One-third of US tech 'innovators' are immigrants: study More than one-third of America's technology "innovators" are foreign born, according to a study released Wednesday that debunks many commonly held beliefs about the sector.
	Google funds 128 news projects in Europe Google announced Wednesday it would provide 27 million euros ($29.7 million) to 128 news organisations in Europe as part of its "Digital News Initiative."
	Africa's first music download service launches in Senegal Africa's first home-grown platform for legal music downloads launched in Senegal on Wednesday with a mission to promote African artists, pay them properly, and fight internet piracy.
	Impact of DSA process variations on electrical performance of DSA-formed vias Today, at SPIE Advanced Lithography Conference (San Jose, Feb 21-25), world-leading nanoelectronics research center imec will present electrical results of DSA (directed self-assembly)-formed vias, gaining insight in the impact of DSA processing variations on electrical readout. The results accelerate learning towards implementation of DSA for via patterning at the N7 technology node and beyond.
	Novel honeycomb design for better thermochemical energy storage capabilities EU researchers have successfully designed and validated an innovative redox thermochemical energy storage reactor/heat exchanger that promises to make a concrete contribution to the EU's energy and climate change ambitions.
Five years after the Arab Spring, how does the Middle East use social media? In 2011, the Arab Spring rocked many parts of the Middle East.

Medicine & Health news

	Express this: Gene-specific transcription in humans linked to long-range connectivity of surface brain layers (Medical Xpress)—One of the most fascinating and fast-growing areas in neuroscience is evolutionary neurobiology - an interdisciplinary scientific research field at the intersection of neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and – after the so-called neo-Darwinian synthesis in the 20th century – comparative neuroanatomy and developmental genetics. Recently, a collaboration of scientists at The George Washington University, Washington, DC, Massachusetts General Hospital, and The National University of Singapore drew on an even wider range of disciplines, adding graph theory, molecular neurobiology, human cognitive neuroscience, and phylogenetic comparative brain evolution to determine if the expansion of the brain's cortical surface and associated long-range cortical connections in the supragranular layers of the cortex might be related to changes in underlying molecular architecture and thereby related genetic expression. They demonstrated that transcriptional expression of certain genes reflects the classic subdivision of the cerebral cortex into different types (sensory/motor, paralimbic, and heteromodal association), and that while the genes that best distinguish these subdivisions are selectively enriched in upper layers of the cortex in humans but not in mice, the researchers noted that the question of whether their findings apply only to humans or are common to other great apes or primates remains a hypothesis to be tested in future work.
	Study shows low-dose chemo keeps cancer under control Rather than try to wipe out cancer with powerful doses of chemotherapy, researchers said Wednesday an experimental approach using lower amounts of medication may work better to keep tumors under control.
	'Squishiness' can indicate embryo viability, researchers find Selecting the right fertilized embryo for in vitro fertilization (IVF) might be as simple as choosing a ripe piece of fruit: Just give it a squeeze. If it's too firm or too soft, it might not be good. The sweet spot in between is just right.
	Scientists tune switch for contraction to fix heart disease For the first time, scientists at The Ohio State University have engineered new calcium receptors for the heart to tune the strength of the heartbeat in an animal model. The research is published online by the journal Nature Communications.
	Targeting cancer proteins for degradation Cancer research is increasingly focusing on therapeutic approaches in which disease causing proteins are marked for early degradation. Nicolas Thomä and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research have now shown how pharmaceutical compounds hijack an ubiquitin ligase to target such proteins for degradation. This new mechanism could provide opportunities for targeted degradation of cancer proteins.
	Pancreatic cancer is four diseases, each with new treatment possibilities An international team led by Australian researchers has studied the genetics of pancreatic cancer, revealing it is actually four separate diseases, each with different genetic triggers and survival rates, paving the way for more accurate diagnoses and treatments.
	Researchers make groundbreaking discovery, use skin cells to kill cancer In a first for medical science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pharmacy researchers turn skin cells into cancer-hunting stem cells that destroy brain tumors known as glioblastoma - a discovery that can offer, for the first time in more than 30 years, a new and more effective treatment for the disease.
	Study shows financial engineering could make life-saving drugs more available, affordable At a time when breakthrough therapies for certain cancers, hepatitis C, and rare diseases remain out of reach for many patients due to their prohibitive cost, new research by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and MIT Sloan School researchers offers a potential remedy: securitized consumer healthcare loans (HCLs).
	Poor short-term memory linked to inability to ignore distraction Simon Fraser University researchers have discovered that differences in people's working memory capacity correlate with their brain's ability to actively ignore distraction.
	More hands-on training for doctors required if policy changes Research into views on whether doctors should be fully registered to practise on graduation has highlighted scope for improvements in the medical education training system. Students would benefit from more hands-on training and responsibility, research carried out at the Universities of Exeter, Cardiff, Dundee and Queen's University Belfast indicates.
Innovative collaboration leads to improved discharge outcomes for children with asthma A new study demonstrates that pediatric patients with asthma who left the hospital with their prescription medications made fewer emergency department (ED) visits after they were discharged than if they were discharged still needing to go to a pharmacy to pick-up their medications. Led by physicians and pharmacists at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and highlighted in this month's issue of Pediatrics, "Meds-in-Hand" helps simplify the lives of patients and families and provides them the opportunity to learn more about how to properly use the medications from the doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who know them best.
	Trial for potential new drug that could help immune system fight cancer Cancer Research UK's Centre for Drug Development (CDD), in partnership with Amgen Inc., has launched a new clinical trial to test a drug that could stop a patient's immune system from protecting tumours.
WHO chief 'confident' Olympics will be safe despite Zika The head of the World Health Organization expressed confidence Tuesday that Brazil can host the Rio Olympics safely despite the Zika threat, while warning of a long battle against the mosquito-borne virus.
	US, Brazilian health teams brave slums to start Zika study Teams of U.S. and Brazilian health workers ventured into dicey slums, fought through snarled traffic and braved torrential downpours on the first day of their effort to determine if the Zika virus is causing babies to be born with a birth defect affecting the brain.
	Probe: HealthCare.gov 'passive' on heading off fraud With billions in taxpayer dollars at stake, the Obama administration has taken a "passive" approach to identifying potential fraud involving the president's health care law, nonpartisan congressional investigators say in a report released Wednesday.
	Research links frailty to income stress in older women Money might not guarantee happiness, but it could buy you physical health in older age, new University of Queensland research shows.
	Metformin confers anti-tumor immunity by reactivating exhausted CD8T lymphocytes Anti-cancer effect of tumor infiltrating CD8+T lymphocyte (CD8TIL) is suppressed by interaction between immune-checkpoint molecules such as PD-1 and CTLA-4 expressed on CD8TIL and their ligands expressed on cancer cells, which is referred to as immune-exhaustion. Cancer immunotherapy with antibody-mediated, immune-checkpoint blockade is now promising in preventing advanced melanoma and non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Such antibody-mediated immunotherapy, however, faces their enormous financial problem and significant side effects like autoimmune diseases.
	Anorexia is not a choice Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. In fact, more than 10 percent of people with anorexia nervosa – dieting and/or exercising to the point of emaciation – will die prematurely from complications related to their eating disorder.
	Cardiologists use 3-D printing to personalise treatment for heart disease University of Melbourne doctors and engineers are using supercomputers to create 3D models from patients with heart disease, with photos from a camera thinner than a human hair.
	Shining a fluorescent light on the brain Scientists have now described the engineering of a bright red fluorescent protein-based voltage indicator, providing pathways to understanding complex neurological disorders. Designated as FlicR1 (fluorescent indicator for voltage imaging red), these indicators enable imaging of the electrical activity of many genetically targeted neurons with high spatial and temporal resolution.
Antipsychotic drug clozapine found to have significant gastrointestinal side effects New research from the University of Otago, Wellington, and Capital and Coast Health District Health Board (CCDHB) shows that the antipsychotic drug clozapine dramatically slows bowel function. Rarely, this can lead to serious or life-threatening consequences.
Sweeping review of human genome IDs stroke risk genes Researchers seeking to better understand how our genes contribute to stroke risk have completed what is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive review of the human genome to identify genes that predispose people to ischemic stroke, the cause of approximately 85 percent of all stroke cases.
	Stress wakes up sleeping herpes viruses – but how? Hiding their DNA genome inside the nuclei of the infected cells, the herpes viruses establish a lifelong infection in humans. Poorly defined stress conditions are known to wake up these parasites from their latent phase and reactivate the production of new viral progeny, eventually causing cell death by lysis, the lytic phase. This process allows the virus to multiply and spread, usually through lesions of the skin, as in the case of the well known herpes simplex virus. Unlike herpes simplex, however, some other herpes viruses can cause cancer.
	Genetically engineered immune cell therapy found to boost survival in mice with brain tumors Nagoya University-led research team shows in mice the potential of a special immune cell that targets a key protein in tumor growth that helps stop brain cancer.
	Regulation of Parkinson's disease inflammatory responses by a microRNA A small regulatory RNA called microRNA-155 appears to play a key role in the brain inflammation that helps foster Parkinson's disease. This finding, using a mouse model, implicates microRNA-155 as both a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for this progressive neurodegenerative disorder, according to a University of Alabama at Birmingham study published Feb. 23 in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Mitophagy in macrophages is a key step toward pulmonary fibrosis Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating disease, and recently approved therapies have limited efficacy. Lungs become damaged with fibrotic scarring, and the median length of survival after diagnosis is three to five years.
Depressed patients at higher risk for complications and hospital readmission after complex cancer surgery Cancer patients who report significant symptoms of depression before undergoing a complex abdominal surgery are at increased risk of postoperative complications and unplanned hospital readmissions, according to a University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) study published in today's Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Researchers seek clues among an exceptional group of injury-free athletes As evidence has mounted that distance running is not just a natural human activity enjoyed by millions, but one that played a key role in evolution, a puzzle has emerged.
Quality of care for in-hospital cardiac arrest varies among US hospitals Adherence to recommended care following an in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) varies significantly among U.S. hospitals, and patients treated at hospitals with greater adherence to these recommendations have higher survival rates, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology.
Cardiovascular disease risk prediction models appear to work well in black adults Although cardiovascular disease risk prediction models are developed with predominantly white populations, application of models to a large black population finds that they work well in black individuals and are not easily improved on, suggesting that a unique risk calculator for black adults may not be necessary, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology.
Study examines heart structure, function of NBA players An analysis of the cardiac structure and function of more than 500 National Basketball Association (NBA) players provides information that can be incorporated into clinical assessments for the prevention of cardiac emergencies in basketball players and the athletic community at large, according to a study published online by JAMA Cardiology.
Sounds can help develop speech and gestures in children with autism Children with autism and other similar conditions often have difficulties in several areas of communication. A new doctoral thesis in linguistics from the University of Gothenburg shows that these children can develop speech, gestures and a sense of rhythm and melody by listening to various speech sounds.
	Impaired immune response as cause of rare autoimmune diseases In the context of the multicentre EU project "INTRICATE" under the management of Renate Kain of the Clinical Institute for Pathology of MedUni Vienna, the effects of infections on the generation of rare autoimmune diseases such as granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA), a systemic disease of the vascular system, are examined. The central result: impaired immune response is significantly involved in these diseases.
	Could a bacteria-killing protein lead to a new treatment for diabetes? Why would a bacteria-killing protein be present in an area of the body that is not normally exposed to bacteria, like the pancreas? Researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa puzzled over this question for some time, until they eventually discovered that the protein in question was doing something entirely unexpected - it was actually helping the pancreas regenerate and produce insulin. This ground-breaking discovery, recently published in the journal Diabetes, could lead to new treatments for this devastating disease.
Study: Experimental Ebola drug ZMapp may benefit patients, but insufficient data According to initial results from a randomized, controlled trial of the experimental Ebola treatment ZMapp, the monoclonal antibody cocktail was well-tolerated and showed promise. Due to decreasing incidence in Ebola, the study could not enroll enough volunteers to determine definitively whether it is a better treatment for Ebola virus disease (EVD) than supportive care only. Initial findings from the clinical trial known as PREVAIL II were presented today at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston.
Ebola survivor study yields insights on complications of disease Preliminary findings from PREVAIL III, a study of Ebola virus disease (EVD) survivors being conducted in Liberia, indicate that both Ebola survivors and their close contacts have a high burden of illness. However, the prevalence of eye, musculoskeletal, and neurological complications was greater among the individuals who survived EVD.
Study finds effect of PrEP on bone density is reversible The slight loss in bone mineral density associated with HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) antiretroviral use is reversible in young adult patients who stop taking the drugs, according to findings presented by researchers today at the 23rd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston. PrEP is an HIV prevention strategy in which at-risk HIV-negative people take a daily pill of Truvada, which contains the antiretroviral drugs tenofovir and emtricitabine, to prevent them from becoming infected.
Experimental Ebola vaccines well tolerated, immunogenic in phase 2 study Two investigational vaccines designed to protect against Ebola virus disease were well-tolerated and induced an immune response among 1,000 vaccinated participants in the Phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial called PREVAIL I. These findings were presented by one of the co-principal investigators, Fatorma Bolay, Ph.D., director of the Liberian Institute for Biomedical Research, this evening at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston. The PREVAIL I study, which launched in Monrovia, Liberia in February 2015, was conducted by a Liberian-U.S. clinical research partnership and sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. It was originally designed to advance to a Phase 3 trial among 28,000 volunteers but was scaled back because the decline in new Ebola cases made it impossible to conduct the larger study.
	Research pinpoints devastating impacts of fetal alcohol syndrome Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are affected by a range of problems, including anxiety, depression, aggression, delinquency and diminished learning capacity a new review of evidence reveals.
	Dopamine signaling pathway that controls cocaine reward in mice identified Researchers have thus far been unable to define how dopamine influences cocaine reward. A recent report published in Neuron has shown that cocaine administration increases dopamine levels in the striatum, activating a signaling pathway that was previously unknown.
Malignant brain tumors most common cause of cancer deaths in adolescents and young adults A new report published in the journal Neuro-Oncology and funded by the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) finds that malignant brain tumors are the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 and the most common cancer occurring among 15-19 year olds.
	Do speakers of different languages hear music differently? Neuroscientists have been wondering whether the distortions in the way we perceive foreign languages related to our knowledge of our mother tongue also characterize how we perceive non-linguistic sounds (e.g., music). A new SISSA study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, shows that, despite many clues seemingly pointing in that direction, speakers of languages with a different rhythm do not differ in their perception of non-linguistic sound sequences.
Antibiotic stewardship practices widely implemented in VA health-care system New research highlights the robust presence of antibiotic stewardship practices in most Veterans Administration-affiliated facilities, manifested in both formal and informal policies. The study was published online today in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America.
Attention bias modification treatment in depressed adolescents A study to be published in the March 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP) reports that adolescents with major depression who performed a computer-based task designed to shift attention from sad to neutral to positive word associations showed reductions in negative attention biases and clinician-rated depressive symptoms.
	Researchers fight aplastic anemia using a therapy designed to delay ageing Aplastic anaemia is a rare, and potentially fatal, disease of the blood, by which the bone marrow is unable to generate blood cells at the appropriate pace. Many forms of aplastic anaemia share an important link with the ageing process: the shortening of telomeres, structures that protect the ends of chromosomes. Four years ago, a group at the CNIO created a new anti-ageing therapy based on repairing the telomeres. Now, the same researchers have proven that this therapy may be effective against the types of aplastic anaemia caused by short telomeres. It is a completely new strategy against aplastic anaemia.
	Omega-3 fatty acids may lower breast cancer risk in postmenopausal obese women Omega-3 fatty acids may lower the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal obese women, according to researchers.
	Zika epidemic highlights need for priority vaccine research for pregnant women The recent outbreak of Zika virus disease and its link to fetal development highlights the need for pregnant women and those of reproductive age to be a priority group for developing and evaluating new vaccines and vaccine guidelines for Zika and other emerging infectious diseases, say the authors of a new Viewpoint article in JAMA.
Results for concussion sideline vision tests may vary when English is a second language Popular sideline vision tests used to help detect immediate signs of concussion may present challenges in the interpretation of results for athletes who speak English as a second language (ESL).
	Too much salt could potentially contribute to liver damage A sprinkle of salt can bring out the flavor of just about any dish. However, it's well known that too much can lead to high blood pressure, a potentially dangerous condition if left untreated. Now scientists report a new animal study that found a high-salt diet might also contribute to liver damage in adults and developing embryos. It appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Study shows genetic counseling helps psychiatric patients A new University of British Columbia study shows that genetic counselling helps patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and similar conditions understand and cope with their illness.
Ketamine for the difficult-to-sedate ER patient For the small segment of the emergency population whose acute behavioral disturbance does not respond to traditional sedation, ketamine appears to be effective and safe, according to an Australian study published online last Thursday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("Ketamine for Difficult to Sedate Severe Acute Behavioral Disturbance in the Emergency Department").
High school football helmets offer similar protections despite different prices Despite prices, promises and even ratings systems, all helmets approved for high school football players appear to offer similar protection against concussion, according to a new study from the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
Researchers find noninvasive way to view insulin in pancreas A new study in the journal Diabetes by Arvan and his fellow U-M researchers finally allowed them to see exactly how much insulin was present in the pancreas of a living animal.
International study finds rectal microbicide gel safe when used daily and with sex A reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir gel was found safe when used daily and around the time of sex, according to the first extended safety study of a rectal microbicide for HIV prevention from anal sex. Presented today at the 23rd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2016), the study, led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Microbicide Trials Network (MTN), also indicated that participants were as likely to follow through using the gel with sex as they were to using daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) - a prevention strategy in which people who are HIV-uninfected take a daily pill to reduce their risk of infection.
Sleep changes seen with fetal alcohol exposure partly explain learning and mood problems Slow-wave sleep - the deeper sleep during which the brain turns each day's events into permanent memories - is fragmented in adulthood in people exposed to high levels of alcohol in the womb.
Small study suggests ZMapp may boost Ebola virus survival A tiny study suggests that the experimental Ebola treatment ZMapp sharply increases the chance of surviving the deadly virus.
Laser treatment may boost effectiveness of brain tumor drugs The human brain has a remarkable defense system that filters bacteria and chemicals. For brain tumor patients, the barrier works almost too well by blocking most chemotherapy drugs.
	How does COPD care by physicians compare with nurse practitioners/physician assistants? Researchers from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston investigated differences in care given to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients by medical doctors compared with nurse practitioners and physician assistants. This study is currently available in the journal, PLOS ONE.
	Want to be seen as a leader? Get some muscle Forget intelligence or wisdom. A muscular physique might just be a more important attribute when it comes to judging a person's leadership potential.
	Flu vaccine more effective this year; milder season so far The flu vaccine is doing a better job this year.
	Active mind, body may only do so much against Alzheimer's (HealthDay)—There's plenty of evidence suggesting that people who are active socially, intellectually and physically may stave off Alzheimer's disease. However, a new study shows those efforts may only go so far to keep dementia at bay.
	Exercise + classwork may = better math scores (HealthDay)—Schoolchildren may have an easier time learning if exercise is part of their math and spelling lessons, a new study suggests.
	Nerve block technique might help ease chronic back pain (HealthDay)—A procedure that uses radio waves to treat chronic low back pain provided long-lasting relief to a small group of patients, researchers report.
	Plasma branched-chain amino acids linked to insulin sensitivity (HealthDay)—Plasma branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are associated with insulin sensitivity (SI) and metabolic clearance rate of insulin (MCRI), according to a study published online Feb. 19 in Diabetes Care.
	Authors urge caution before adopting new systolic BP goals (HealthDay)—A small reduction as the primary composite outcome may not justify the increased adverse events and costs associated with an intervention targeting systolic blood pressure (BP) less than 120 mm Hg, according to an Ideas and Opinions piece published online Feb. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	AAPM: intradiscal biacuplasty improves outcomes in LBP (HealthDay)—For patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) of discogenic origin, 12-month outcomes are superior for intradiscal biacuplasty plus conservative medical management (IDB+CMM) versus CMM alone, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, held from Feb. 18 to 21 in Palm Springs, Calif.
	Women have lower mortality than men at one year after TAVR (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), women have lower mortality than men at one year, according to a study published online Feb. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Lower 25-OH D tied to adverse pathology in full prostatectomy (HealthDay)—For men with localized prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) insufficiency/deficiency is associated with increased odds of adverse pathology, according to a study published online Feb. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Research offers hope for better treatments for retinal degenerative diseases Transplantation of RPE cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is one therapeutic approach that researchers have explored to treat retinal diseases such as macular degeneration, but life-long immune suppression drugs are necessary because the "mother" cells are derived from donors unrelated to the patient.
	Using thin or obese avatars in motion-controlled gaming can influence physical activity Those New Year's Resolutions to get fit slowly wane as February comes to a close. Buying the new shoes and athletic gear can motivate you to get into the gym or take on a sport at the beginning, but not seeing quick results can be disheartening. What we want to see in our reflections isn't taking shape. But what if an ideal version of yourself was reflected in an avatar? A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that gamers using thin avatars showed increased physical activity compared to those using obese avatars.
Colorado visitors using marijuana more likely to end up in emergency room Out-of-towners using marijuana in Colorado—which has legally allowed sales of the drug in retail dispensaries since 2014—are ending up in the emergency room at an increasing rate, reports a new study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Colorado School of Medicine.
Zika crisis to 'get worse before it gets better': WHO chief The Zika virus, believed to be linked to the serious birth defect microcephaly, presents a "formidable" challenge that will be hard to stamp out, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said Wednesday.
German aspirin maker Bayer names new CEO (Update) German pharmaceuticals giant Bayer, maker of Aspirin, on Wednesday named Werner Baumann as its new chief executive to replace Marijn Dekkers, who is stepping down at the end of April.
	Confronting Zika After its emergency meeting on Zika virus two weeks ago, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan wrote in an official statement, "the Committee advised that the recent cluster of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil, following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014, constitutes an 'extraordinary event' and a public health threat to other parts of the world."
	Are antibiotics effective for low back pain? It is estimated that four in five Australians will experience low back pain during their lifetime. Treatment options are limited, and low back pain remains the leading cause of disability worldwide.
	How to help the women and girls rescued from Islamic State Violence against women, especially in war, is so pervasive around the world it's often not considered news. But the barbaric treatment of women by the group known as Da'esh or Islamic State (IS) has for once managed to attract some specific attention.
People with dementia urged to consider volunteering for research studies People affected by dementia, particularly those in the early stages of the condition, are being urged to consider volunteering for research, to help vital new studies get off the ground.
	Weedkiller traces found in 'organic' panty liners in France, Canada Some 3,000 boxes of "organic" women's panty liners have been yanked from the shelves in France and Canada after they were found to contain tiny amounts of pesticide, Italian manufacturer Corman said Wednesday.
	How to tackle the Zika virus Health officials, drug companies, governments and the public are scrambling to understand and combat the Zika virus. The virus was first identified almost 70 years ago, but little is known about it. And now, officials suspect it could be related to a rise in microcephaly cases in affected countries. An article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, details the scientific challenges ahead.
Monitoring and support help patients and primary care physicians dealing with chronic pain Within the past 10 years, the prescription of opioids for the treatment of chronic pain has increased and the abuse of opioid medications leading to addiction has been described as epidemic. Primary care practitioners (PCPs) are increasingly concerned regarding the misuse of opioid medications, and many PCPs have little training in the area of pain management. PCPs and other health care professionals may be reluctant to prescribe opioids for patients with chronic pain because of concerns regarding addiction, adverse effects, and the long term commitment necessary to properly care for pain patients who require opiods.
Maraviroc-containing regimens safe, tolerable when taken for HIV prevention Maraviroc, an oral drug used to treat HIV infection, is safe and well-tolerated when taken daily as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection by HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM) at increased risk for acquiring HIV. These findings from the Phase 2 HPTN 069/ACTG 5305 trial were presented today at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston. The trial was sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and conducted by the NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network, in collaboration with the AIDS Clinical Trials Group.
Update on advances in gene therapy from National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences New initiatives by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) to use gene therapy approaches to treat rare diseases and especially promising aspects of gene transfer and gene editing technology, such as adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors and CRISPR-Cas9 are highlighted in an editorial published in Human Gene Therapy.
Study finds critical population adheres to PrEP with coordinated care New findings suggest that black men who have sex with men (BMSM) with access to a novel coordinated care program can adhere to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication regimen that helps prevent HIV infection in uninfected individuals. Researchers reported their results today at a press conference at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston.
Stroke patients show higher recovery in MultiStem therapy Data presented by the biotech company Athersys indicate that stroke patients treated by an adult stem cell therapy called MultiStem did significantly better than others who received a placebo one year after treatment. The results are from a Phase 2 study involving clinical sites in the United States and the United Kingdom, including University Hospitals Case Medical Center. The study examined the safety and effectiveness of the new therapy developed for the treatment of ischemic stroke. The data were presented Feb. 17 at the 2016 International Stroke Conference in Los Angeles.
200 students at Miami University of Ohio sick from norovirus Miami University of Ohio says some 200 students have been sickened in a norovirus outbreak.

Biology news

	Mapping the nuclear pore complex: 1.5 billion years of innovation (Phys.org)—If asked to describe the differences between humans and frogs, a child might say that one hops and rib-its while the other walks and talks. If we ask that same child how to build a frog, they will probably need a few minutes with Google. Assuming they are good, they might find that for humans you start with a diameter of 5.2nm for their nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), while for frogs the parameter you use is 10.7nm. That one detail determines a lot about what is possible in the cell, and therefore the entire organism.
	Tackling Zika—using bacteria as a Trojan horse Bacteria in the gut of disease-bearing insects - including the mosquito which carries the Zika virus - can be used as a Trojan horse to help control the insects' population, new research at Swansea University has shown.
	Social sunbathing in the mint-sauce worm Self-organizing social behaviour in the so-called plant-animal, a 'solar-powered' species of marine flat worm that gains all its energy from the algae within its own body, has been demonstrated by researchers from the University of Bristol, UK.
	Human children and wild great apes share their tool use cognition Young children will spontaneously invent tool behaviours to solve novel problems, without the help of adults, much as non-human great apes have been observed to do. The findings, from the University of Birmingham, are contrary to the popular belief that basic tool use in humans requires social learning.
	Study suggests that longer-distance migratory birds may be smarter Birds that migrate the greatest distances have more new neurons in the regions of the brain responsible for navigation and spatial orientation, suggests a new paper published in Scientific Reports.
	Model suggests genetic backburn may inhibit rapid spread of invasive species (Phys.org)—A trio of Australian researchers is proposing in a paper they have had published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, that using a technique developed to prevent the spread of wildfires might also help slow the spread of an invasive species. They have created a computer model that shows that using backburning inhibits the spread of a virtual organism.
	New way to reduce plant lignin could lead to cheaper biofuels Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have shown for the first time that an enzyme can be tweaked to reduce lignin in plants. Their technique could help lower the cost of converting biomass into carbon-neutral fuels to power your car and other sustainably developed bio-products.
	Simpler technique yields antibodies to a range of infectious agents Researchers hope to develop vaccines, therapeutics and new diagnostic tests for a broad range of diseases. To accomplish this, they will need to gain a much better understanding of a critical class of biological components. Known as surface membrane proteins, these vital ingredients in the disease process form a structurally and functionally diverse assemblage of enormous complexity.
	Research challenges Darwin, shows how a gene cheats Mendel's law of segregation R2d2 is selfish. It is a true selfish gene. It propagates itself through generations but not for some evolutionary advantage. Quite the opposite.
	Short-lived killifish reveals link between gene expression and longevity It's well known that genetic differences among individuals influence lifespan, but a new study appearing February 24 in Cell Systems suggests that differences in patterns of gene expression in youth may also predict longevity. Researchers of the shortest-lived vertebrate—the African turquoise killifish—found that when genes involved in a cell's energy production are less active at a young age, the animals tend to live longer.
	Importance of introgression on intra-specific genetic differentiation and adaptive divergence The origin of alpine plants in Japan can be traced back to migration from northern regions such the northern Pacific and Arctic during the Pleistocene glacial period. In contrast to this biogeographic history, alpine plants in Japan have to overcome different environmental conditions compared with more northern populations, such as higher temperature and shorter photoperiods. As a result, some adaptive divergence may have accumulated between northern and southern populations. To elucidate the mechanistic basis for adaptive evolution, analyzing genetic variation is an efficient approach.
	Creation of virus-resistant plants with artificial DNA-binding proteins In order to resolve global food crisis, it is important to prevent plant viruses from spreading infections as they infect a wide variety of agricultural crops and significantly reduce yields. For example, gemini-virus, which forms a large family in a DNA virus, has caused over 200 billion yen worth of damage to cassava, which is a major staple food in Africa. So there is demand for effective methods to prevent such damage. A possible solution to this problem is the use of commercially available virus-resistant agricultural crops created by breeding that have some degree of resistance to viral infections. However, such crops become a new source of infection, as it is not possible to eliminate the infected virus from them. Therefore, scientists are still searching for long term solutions.
	How the microenvironment can guide secretory cavities into tubes by mechanical forces A team of scientists from Singapore and France has revealed the underlying mechanism for the formation and growth of a fundamental type of tissue – epithelial tubes. Defects in the architecture of epithelial tubes lead to diseases such as cholestasis, atherosclerosis and polycystic kidney disease. The research findings contribute towards a deeper understanding of the principles that underlie epithelial tube formation, and offer opportunities for developing better therapies for such diseases.
	Video series explores how woodpeckers avoid brain injury Lorna Gibson's twin passions for birding and innovative instruction have generated a "first" for MITx: an eight-part, short-form video series designed for public viewing. "I've long wanted to do a project on how birds work from an engineering perspective," says Gibson, a MacVicar Fellow and the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and Engineering. "I hope this series will be a way to reach people who might not be interested in picking up an engineering book."
	Freshwater biodiversity has positive impact on global food security Inland freshwaters with a greater variety of fish species (biodiversity) have higher-yielding and less variable fisheries according to a new study from the University of Southampton and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
	The castaway: New monitor lizard fills top-order predator role on remote Pacific island Separated by several hundred kilometres from its next of kin, a new species of blue-tailed monitor lizard unique to the remote Mussau Island has been described. Unknown to science until recently and formally termed the "isolated", it is the only large-sized land-living predator and scavenger native to the island.
	Honeybee hive collapse mystery rooted in hive size University of Idaho professor Brian Dennis is helping scientists understand a baffling but vitally important puzzle: What is causing the decline of honeybees? Working in collaboration with William Kemp, a U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist and UI alumnus, Dennis has built a mathematical model that lays the blame squarely on the bees themselves.
	Adult male gorillas call more during feeding than females, juveniles Gorillas in the wild frequently 'sing' and 'hum' during feeding and adult males call more than their younger or female counterparts, according to a study published February 24th, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Eva Maria Luef and Simone Pika at the Humboldt Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Germany, and their colleague Thomas Breuer from the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York.
	Adaptable, ecology-based US National Vegetation Classification debuts today The U.S. National Vegetation Classification  (USNVC), a reporting standard organized around ecological principles for the study of plant communities, launches today. It is the first classification of its kind designed to adapt to new ecological knowledge and expand to absorb new vegetation types.
	Designer DNA-binding proteins to combat viral infections in agriculture and medicine "Having trained as a chemist, in the early days of my research career I wanted to find ways of treating cancer based on knowledge of organic chemistry," says Takashi Sera, Professor at Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology. "But I soon realized that chemical molecules are hard and too rigid for such purposes. That is when I decided to focus on the use of proteins."
	Checking the health of captive rhinos White rhinoceroses are among the largest rhinoceroses in the world. Their natural habitat is southern Africa. Due to the great demand for their horn, the animals are poached intensely and threatened with extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) therefore placed the southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium s. simum) on the red list of endangered animals. In zoos, southern white rhinoceroses are considered easy to keep. The reproductive success of captive animals has not been so good, however.
	Endangered monkey-eating eagle shot and wounded in Philippines An endangered monkey-eating eagle which was released into the wild under a conservation programme is now fighting for survival after being shot, a Philippine conservation group said Wednesday.
	Wild potatoes bring increased calcium for better tubers Have you ever cut into a potato to find a dark spot or hollow part? Early research shows that these defects are likely the result of calcium deficiencies in the potato—and that tuber calcium is genetically linked to tuber quality.
EU decision process hinders use of genetically modified trees Just like other crops, trees can also be genetically modified in order to introduce new, useful characteristics. Although such trees offer many socio-economic and environmental benefits, complex and unpredictable EU procedures are hindering their introduction to the market. This is the conclusion reached by researchers in a joint text drawn up as part of a European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) project about genetically modified trees. The researchers state that Europe is lagging behind in worldwide GM developments and call for a more scientifically substantiated decision process. René Custers, Regulatory & Responsible Research Manager at VIB and Prof. Wout Boerjan (VIB/UGent) contributed to the text.

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