Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Jan 8

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Newsletter for January 8, 2016:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Jan 9, 2016 at 3:40 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Jan 8
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 8, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Intercity quantum key distribution method outperforms quantum repeaters
- Musical melodies obey same laws as foraging animals
- Adding cesium to perovskite in solar cells boosts performance of silicon
- Most distant massive galaxy cluster identified
- Physicists offer theories to explain mysterious collision at Large Hadron Collider
- Researchers reveal mechanisms of how body remembers, fights infections
- X-rays reveal details of plastic solar cell production
- Small males have more sex appeal, new research shows
- Novel metasurface revolutionizes ubiquitous scientific tool
- Researchers' metallic glue may stick it to soldering and welding
- Scientists find key driver for treatment of deadly brain cancer
- Xistential crisis: Discovery shows there's more to the story in silencing X chromosomes
- Mechanical properties of nanomaterials are altered due to electric field, researchers find
- Stir no more: Scientists show that draining speeds up bioassays
- From the high-flying to the practical: CES 2016 in brief

Nanotechnology news

	Mechanical properties of nanomaterials are altered due to electric field, researchers find Mechanical properties of nanomaterials can be altered due to the application of voltage, University of Wyoming researchers have discovered.
	Fabrication of silicon nanowires bridging thick silicon structures A team led by researchers from Koç University, Turkey and EPFL, Switzerland, has developed a monolithic technique to fabricate silicon nanowires spanning ultra-deep trenches in silicon.
	Electronically connected graphene nanoribbons foresee high-speed electronics An international research team at Tohoku University's Advanced Institute of Materials Research (AIMR) succeeded in chemically interconnecting chiral-edge graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with zigzag-edge features by molecular assembly, and demonstrated electronic connection between GNRs. The GNRs were interconnected exclusively end to end, forming elbow structures, identified as interconnection points (Fig. 1a).

Physics news

	Intercity quantum key distribution method outperforms quantum repeaters (Phys.org)—Quantum key distribution (QKD) may one day allow for nearly perfectly secure data communication on a large scale, but before this can happen, QKD networks must extend across distances that are large enough to connect cities and even span continents. Currently, QKD links are limited to about 400 km due to optical fiber losses, and these links can be extended using quantum repeaters, which are, however, challenging to implement at the moment.
	Musical melodies obey same laws as foraging animals (Phys.org)—Most people think of music as more of an art than a science. Although sound is a wave, and can therefore be described by the laws of physics, understanding how certain patterns of sound waves create what we perceive as music requires a much higher-level perspective than merely understanding the properties of waves.
	Physicists offer theories to explain mysterious collision at Large Hadron Collider Physicists around the world were puzzled recently when an unusual bump appeared in the signal of the Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator, causing them to wonder if it was a new particle previously unknown, or perhaps even two new particles. The collision cannot be explained by the Standard Model, the theoretical foundation of particle physics.
	Novel metasurface revolutionizes ubiquitous scientific tool What do astrophysics, telecommunications and pharmacology have in common? Each of these fields relies on polarimeters—instruments that detect the direction of the oscillation of electromagnetic waves, otherwise known as the polarization of light.
	How copper makes organic light-emitting diodes more efficient Use of copper as a fluorescent material allows for the manufacture of inexpensive and environmentally compatible organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Thermally activated delayed fuorescence (TADF) ensures high light yield. Scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), CYNORA, and the University of St Andrews have now measured the underlying quantum mechanics phenomenon of intersystem crossing in a copper complex. The results of this fundamental work are reported in the Science Advances journal and contribute to enhancing the energy efficiency of OLEDs.
	Recent study predicts that Higgs particles are much heavier than earlier observation In 2012, a proposed observation of the Higgs boson was reported at the Large Hadron Collider in CERN.  The observation has puzzled the physics community, as the mass of the observed particle, 125 GeV, looks lighter than the expected energy scale, about 1 TeV.
	Cosmology is in crisis – but not for the reason you may think Science is advancing rapidly. We are eradicating diseases, venturing further into space and discovering a growing zoo of subatomic particles. But cosmology – which is trying to understand the evolution of the entire universe using theories that work well to describe other systems – is struggling to answer many of its most fundamental questions.

Earth news

	'Superdeep' diamonds provide new insight into earth's carbon cycle Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered new insights into previously hidden parts of the earth's carbon cycle. The team found that carbon recycling extends into the deep mantle by plate subduction, but is still primarily constrained to upper mantle depths, above 700km. The researchers made the discovery that certain rare diamonds are formed when carbon that was sequestered from seawater into the Earth's shifting tectonic plates reacts with the mantle after the plate is subducted – a process by which it moves under another tectonic plate and sinks into the mantle as the plates converge.
	Scientists are studying the solid Earth to evaluate magnetic-storm hazards Magnetic storms can interfere with the operation of electric power grids and damage grid infrastructure. They can also disrupt directional drilling for oil and gas, radio communications, communication satellites and GPS systems.
	Warm winter melts Dutch skaters' hopes of legendary canal race Winter is nearing the halfway mark in the Netherlands with record high temperatures, melting fervent Dutch skaters' hopes of gliding over frozen canals or taking part in a near-mythical race last held 19 years ago.
	As rain pummels California, some see a way to fight drought Much of the torrential rain that fell on Southern California this week flowed right into the ocean, just like it did before the state's epic drought.
	Aliso Canyon methane leak emissions sky-high, pilot scientist found A UC Davis scientist flying in a pollution-detecting airplane provided the first, and so far only, estimates of methane emissions spewing from the Aliso Canyon Natural Gas Storage Facility in Southern California since the leak began on Oct. 23, 2015.
	The floor of the ocean comes into better focus The bottom of the ocean just keeps getting better. Or at least more interesting to look at.
	A super-fine solution to sponge up micropollutants A super-fine form of powdered activated carbon captures micropollutants more rapidly than the conventional kind and could by used in Swiss wastewater treatment plants, say EPFL researchers in a new study.
	Southeast Asia's haze – call for better public information For months on end swathes of South East Asia have been blanketed in a thick haze created by seasonal peat forest fires in Indonesia. This recurrent phenomenon has had serious environmental, economic and public health implications. Schools have been forced to close, flights cancelled and sporting events disrupted. Only the onset of the northeast monsoon in November brought respite from the toxic smoke.
	Coastal reefs may add to erosion woes Planning for beachfront homes in WA could be improved following an analysis of Yanchep's reefs and beaches over 34 years which found reefs did not always reduce coastal erosion, as was previously thought.
	Reforestation policies need to consider climate change, study finds For the past six years, researchers at the Universitat Politènica de València (Polytechnic Univeristy of Valencia, UPV) have been studying the performance of 12 Aleppo pine varieties native to different regions of Spain in reforestation campaigns across three national forest areas. Different varieties or genotypes have different levels of resistance to cold and drought, which influence how well they perform in a given geographical region, and researchers wanted to find out which varieties worked best and where.
Los Angeles River banks to be raised for El Nino The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin work next week to temporarily raise the banks along nearly three miles of the Los Angeles River to improve flood protection during El Nino storms, officials announced Friday, just days after the watercourse roared to life during heavy rains.
	NASA looks at storms hitting California Extreme rain events fueled by the current strong El Nino have started to affect California. NASA estimated rainfall over a period of 7 days while NASA/NOAA's GOES Project created a satellite animation showing the storms affecting the region over the past three days.
Unusual January tropical storm forms southwest of Hawaii An El Nino-related tropical storm has formed southwest of Hawaii, only the third such system to develop in January in over 40 years.
	NASA analyzes Tropical Storm Ula's winds Tropical Storm Ula continued to weaken as it pulled farther away from Fiji in the Southern Pacific Ocean. NASA's RapidScat instrument found that the strongest winds in the storm were south of the center. NOAA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image of the storm that showed stronger thunderstorms had recently developed around its center.
	NASA sees out-of-season Central Pacific tropical depression form Infrared data from NASA's Aqua satellite showed powerful thunderstorms persisting in the center of a newly developed out-of-season tropical depression in the Central Pacific Ocean.
	French oceanographer Cousteau's iconic ship to sail again Celebrated French marine explorer Jacques Cousteau's iconic ship the Calypso—out of commission after an accident 20 years ago—will sail again in a few months, its owners said Thursday.
	Tens of thousands of fish moved as Paris canal gets clean-up Paris authorities have moved tens of thousands of fish to clean up the Canal Saint-Martin, a popular waterway commissioned by Napoleon that attracts hordes of tourists and revellers.
	Bolivia, Peru sign $500 mn deal for Lake Titicaca clean-up Bolivia and Peru agreed to provide more than $500 million towards cleaning up Lake Titicaca, whose polluted waters are home to some animals nearing extinction, a Bolivian environment official said.
	Optimized Arctic observations for improving weather forecast in the Northern Sea Route The current reduction in Arctic sea-ice extent causes unpredictable weather phenomena in the Arctic Ocean (strong winds, high waves, and rapid sea-ice movement associated with cyclones) also over the mid-latitudes (heat waves, severe winters, etc.). With such changing background conditions, more accurate weather forecasts are needed to safely navigate along the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and to understand the climatic linkage between the Arctic and the mid-latitudes. However, this is difficult because of the sparse number of atmospheric observations across the Arctic Ocean. As it is highly difficult to make additional observations in Arctic regions because of limited logistical support, a cost-benefit optimized Arctic observing network is required for improving polar predictions.
	Biofilter made from peanut shell degrades air pollutants In order to clean the air of pollutants such as methanol and solvents used in the industry, biotechnology expert Raul Pineda Olmedo, of the National University of Mexico (UNAM), designed a biofilter that uses microorganisms living in the shell of the peanut.
	NASA investigates Tropical Storm Pali's temperatures, winds The Central Pacific Ocean's out-of-season tropical depression has strengthened into a tropical storm and has been renamed Pali. NASA's RapidScat instrument and Terra satellite gathered wind and temperature data on the unusual storm far to the southwest of Hawaii.
	NASA sees stubborn Tropical Cyclone Ula kick up Tropical Storm Ula strengthened over the night-time hours of Jan. 6 to 7 and NOAA's GOES-West satellite and NASA's RapidScat instrument provided a look at the stubborn storm that is expected to continue to intensify and curve south.

Astronomy & Space news

	Most distant massive galaxy cluster identified The early universe was a chaotic mess of gas and matter that only began to coalesce into distinct galaxies hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang. It would take several billion more years for such galaxies to assemble into massive galaxy clusters—or so scientists had thought.
	Ancient gas cloud may be a relic from the death of first stars Researchers from Australia and the USA have discovered a distant, ancient cloud of gas that may contain the signature of the very first stars that formed in the universe.
	Kepler marks 1,000th exoplanet discovery, uncovers more small worlds in habitable zones How many stars like our sun host planets like our Earth? NASA's Kepler Space Telescope continuously monitored more than 150,000 stars beyond our solar system, and to date has offered scientists an assortment of more than 4,000 candidate planets for further study—the 1,000th of which was recently verified.
	Quiet quasar has apparently eaten its fill Astronomers with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) announced that a distant quasar ran out of gas.
	Vietnam probes mysterious 'space balls' (Update) Vietnam's military is investigating the appearance of three mysterious metal balls—believed to be debris from space—which landed in the country's remote north, a senior army official said Friday.
Student-built experiment integrated onto NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission A student-built experiment aboard NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission has been integrated onto the spacecraft.
	NASA office to coordinate asteroid detection, hazard mitigation NASA has formalized its ongoing program for detecting and tracking near-Earth objects (NEOs) as the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO). The office remains within NASA's Planetary Science Division, in the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The office will be responsible for supervision of all NASA-funded projects to find and characterize asteroids and comets that pass near Earth's orbit around the sun. It will also take a leading role in coordinating interagency and intergovernmental efforts in response to any potential impact threats.
	Exploring the solar system—the best of what you can look out for in 2016 This year is shaping up to be another exciting one for space after a bonanza of discoveries and celestial events in 2015.
	NOAA's GOES-S, T and U satellites are shaping up As NOAA's GOES-R satellite goes through mechanical testing in preparation for launch in October 2016, the remaining satellites in the series (GOES-S, T, and U) are also making significant progress.

Technology news

	L'Oreal turns to stretchable electronics for patch to monitor UV exposure Is this the year that the cosmetics industry shows more signs of taking a wearable technology turn in their product portfolios?
	Google to produce Project Tango 3D phone with Lenovo Google and Lenovo said they would team up to produce the first smartphone using three-dimensional mapping developed for the US tech giant's "Project Tango."
	Consumer Electronics Show awash with altered realities Altered realities abounded at the Consumer Electronics Show gadget-fest on Thursday, touching everything from sex and sports to sales and space exploration.
	Researchers find a way to decipher some words in the mind before they are spoken A team of researchers working at Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan and led by Yamazaki Toshimasa, has according to Japanese newspaper Nishinippon, found a way to read certain brain waves and to match them to a database, allowing for recognition of the words before a person speaks them. The paper reported that the team also presented a paper at a recent conference organized by the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers, describing their findings.
	Tasting device monitors sodium intake in hypertension patients Our sense of taste ties directly to our overall health. It helps us know when food has gone bad, when it will not agree with us, or when it simply is not good for us, such as when something is too salty or too sweet. For the aging population, the sense of taste slowly deteriorates over time, so managing diet becomes increasingly tricky.
	From the high-flying to the practical: CES 2016 in brief This year's CES gadget show, like ones before it, showed off a mix of the dreamy and the practical in technology. Gadget prototypes promised us fully autonomous vehicles carrying commuters on the streets and in the sky, while gizmos went on sale that aimed to solve daily problems like restocking your fridge.
	Pedal, solar power aims to be the new hybrid Is it a car, a bike or some other kind of contraption?
	Microsoft blog on Windows 10 raises privacy protection eyebrows Uh-oh. That is the one thought shared by numerous tech sites in response to a Windows Experience blog post earlier this month by Microsoft's Yusuf Mehdi about Windows 10.
	New wave in tech: hacking the brain The next frontier for the tech sector is the human brain.
	Renault-Nissan to introduce 10 self-driving vehicles by 2020 The Renault-Nissan Alliance is entering the race to build autonomous cars with a plan to introduce 10 different models capable of temporarily relieving humans of their driving duties on highways and city streets.
Time Warner Cable says 320,000 passwords possibly stolen Time Warner Cable says the email addresses and passwords of about 320,000 of its customers nationwide may have been stolen by hackers.
	Samsung flags 15% increase in Q4 operating profit Samsung Electronics on Friday flagged a 15 percent increase in 2015 Q4 operating profit, rounding off a year in which the world's largest smartphone producer struggled with intense competition from arch-rival Apple and cut-price Chinese competitors.
	Smart showerhead aims to save precious water French engineer Gabriel Della-Monica was at the gala Consumer Electronics Show with a smart showerhead created to stop precious water from going down the drain.
	New technology puts health care in palm of your hand Managing your health care is moving increasingly to the palm of your hand—with new smartphone-enabled technology and wearable sensors that examine, diagnose and even treat many conditions and ailments.
	CES gadget show: Devices connect us from the crib to old age Umbilical cord? These days, it's more like a USB cord.
	Colleges tell students to leave their hoverboards at home One of the holiday's hottest presents is now considered contraband at many U.S. colleges.
Car talk is electric at Vegas tech show Talk by automakers attending the CES tech show this week in Vegas was nothing short of electric.
	Eagle-eyed subsea camera A new subsea camera has been developed that can see two to three times further under water than existing cameras and calculate distances to objects. This will make work carried out under water much easier.
	Expanding tweets from 140 characters to 10,000? Not nearly radical enough There are as yet unconfirmed reports that Twitter plans to extend its 140 character limit to 10,000. But why would Twitter consider radically changing its most unique characteristic?
	Dirt detector could slash airplane emissions Airlines could significantly reduce their fuel bills and carbon footprint thanks to a new device being developed with the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).
	A small-gap electrostatic micro-actuator for large deflections Researchers from the Mesoscopic Actuators and Systems (MESYS) project group at Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS have been developing novel electrostatic microactuators, so-called nanoscopic electrostatic drives (NED), for three years. Now, this highly interesting scientific approach is being introduced to the public for the first time in an article appearing in the Nature Communications journal.
Carmakers show off tech innovations at CES Speed and cars go hand in hand, whether you're talking acceleration, tight turns in the corners or how high the speedometer will go.
At CES, PCs relegated to sidelines To experience a world empty of PCs, walk around the flashy displays of the latest and greatest technology at CES.
Smart things everywhere to be seen at CES It's not clear what individual gadget will be the next big thing in the tech industry. But the Internet of Things is definitely already here in a big way.
How Blizzard turned a costly failure into the highly anticipated 'Overwatch' Blizzard Entertainment spent millions of dollars and more than five years designing a vast, ambitious video game only to realize that it wasn't fun. The project, code-named Titan, "utterly, completely and miserably" failed, according to the guy who ran it, veteran designer Jeffrey Kaplan.
New museum app: Like GPS, only indoors Scene 1. You're in the middle of nowhere. You pull over in your car. You set the GPS and it's only a moment before you're flying around some hidden switchback on the way to your destination - that stretch of beach with the secret waterfall. You thought you'd never see it again. But there it is!
Digital Savant: 2016 tech predictions include an Internet of Things bust and success for Netflix Sometimes the future is a little more clear in certain years than in others. And so it was for 2015, as celebrated soothsayer Omarstradamus (my future-predicting alter ego) made a round of predictions for the year as 2014 was closing.
Even the Amish are going online to make sales With the explosion of online shopping, few can deny the power of the Internet.
Airline passengers face longer delays under DOT rule, study finds It takes most air passengers far more time to reach their destination despite a federal rule that penalizes airlines for stranding them onboard during lengthy tarmac delays, a Dartmouth College-Massachusetts Institute of Technology study finds.
	Wi-Fi, cell service: Big changes coming to NYC subway (Update) Dropped calls, lost connections and sputtering phone batteries will soon be a thing of the past on the New York subway system, thanks to efforts to bring the nation's busiest transit system into the 21st century.
	French startup aims to be your cup of wine A French startup is looking to change the way people drink wine, one glass at a time.
	Muscle, glitz and a minivan: A look at Detroit auto show That sound of engines revving? It's coming from Detroit.
	The latest in gadgets: Wave your arms, play Pac-Man The latest developments surrounding the consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas known as CES (all times local):
	Self-cleaning toilet makes splash in Las Vegas The demo high-tech toilets from Japan are unabashedly right in the middle of the floor at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Report: Holiday shopping online spurred by mobile sales It was the year smartphones saved Santa.
	Tech tethers dog lovers remotely to their pets Gadgets galore are letting dog lovers stay connected to their pets even when they can't take canine companions with them on the go.
McAfee shifts presidential run, unveils cybersecurity plan John McAfee, the antivirus software pioneer and onetime international fugitive who is running for US president, said Friday he was shifting his campaign to the Libertarian Party.
	White House, US tech giants to discuss fighting terror The White House's top security officials are to meet with leading Internet companies in Silicon Valley Friday in an effort to build cooperation against terrorism.

Chemistry news

	Adding cesium to perovskite in solar cells boosts performance of silicon (Phys.org)—A team of researchers working at Oxford University has found a way to add cesium to perovskite solar cells to boost the performance of silicon, while maintaining the efficiency benefits it offers. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes their process which included finding a way to overcome the problem of efficiency loss in such materials that normally come about due to a limited range of solar spectrum use.
	Saliva test to detect GHB and alcohol poisonings Scientists working at Loughborough University, UK, and the University of Cordoba, Spain, have developed a new method for the rapid diagnosis of poisoning in apparently drunk patients.
	Scientists discover how blue and green clays kill bacteria Since prehistoric times, humans have used clays for medicinal purposes.
	Researchers' metallic glue may stick it to soldering and welding Perhaps no startup was launched for a more intriguing reason than that of Northeastern's Hanchen Huang. From the company website:
	X-rays reveal details of plastic solar cell production Plastic solar cells are light, easy to install, and readily produced using a printer. Nevertheless, the processes that take place on the molecular scale during the production of organic solar cells are not yet entirely clear. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have now managed to observe these processes in real time. Their findings, which are published in the specialist journal Advanced Energy Materials, could help to improve the efficiency of organic solar cells.
	Stir no more: Scientists show that draining speeds up bioassays For many research scientists, idle time has long been an unwelcome feature of the discovery process. Advances in cellular biology have yielded popular and powerful tools to detect cellular proteins and DNA—largely by exploiting the unique and intricate interactions between these microscopic molecules. Scientists use these tools to advance research and diagnose diseases. But these come at a cost in time—from hours to days—before they yield accurate answers.
	Study shows how calcium carbonate forms composites to make strong materials such as in shells and pearls Seashells and lobster claws are hard to break, but chalk is soft enough to draw on sidewalks. Though all three are made of calcium carbonate crystals, the hard materials include clumps of soft biological matter that make them much stronger. A study today in Nature Communications reveals how soft clumps get into crystals and endow them with remarkable strength.
	Coffee flour offers a potentially healthier way of enjoying java Two decades ago, Brandeis biophysicist Dan Perlman '68 and nutritionist K.C. Hayes developed the "healthy fats" blend in the Smart Balance buttery spread. Perlman has now come up with a new invention – the parbaked coffee bean.
	Researchers conduct the first atomic resolution study of perovskites used in next generation solar cells Organic-inorganic perovskite materials are key components of the new generation of solar cells. Understanding properties of these materials is important for improving lifetime and quality of solar cells. Researchers from the Energy Materials and Surface Sciences (EMSS) Unit, led by Prof. Yabing Qi, at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST) in collaboration with Prof. Youyong Li's group from Soochow University (China) and Prof. Nam-Gyu Park's group from Sungkyunkwan University (Korea) report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society the first atomic resolution study of organic-inorganic perovskite.
	Turning on the thyroid: Researchers determine mechanism that triggers normal and abnormal hormone production Thyroid disease affects about 12 percent of the U.S. population. While many people with thyroid disease don't even know they have it, an overactive or underactive thyroid can cause a slew of problems, including weight gain or loss, mood changes and infertility. In children, an underactive thyroid can be fatal, which is why they are tested for a deficiency at birth.
	Biochemists advancing research into autism, Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome Biochemists at The University of Texas at Arlington are mapping the catalytic processes of sulfur-oxidizing enzymes to improve understanding of the chemical imbalances found in patients with autism, Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome.

Biology news

	In defence of pathogenic proteins Protein deposits in cells, such as those associated with diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, can also be beneficial—at least for yeast cells, as biochemists at ETH Zurich have discovered. The researchers found a new form of age-associated deposits in these cells, and they are now asking us to rethink our views on ageing and dementia.
	Monkeys express spite toward those who have more Monkeys, like humans, will take the time and effort to punish others who get more than their fair share, according to a study conducted at Yale. In fact, they can act downright spiteful.
	Small males have more sex appeal, new research shows Female burying beetles are more attracted to small partners because they are less likely to get into fights, a study by researchers at the University of Exeter has found.
	Xistential crisis: Discovery shows there's more to the story in silencing X chromosomes Nearly every girl and woman on Earth carries two X chromosomes in nearly every one of her cells—but one of them does (mostly) nothing. That's because it's been silenced, keeping most of its DNA locked up and unread like a book in a cage.
	US says manatee should lose endangered species status The West Indian manatee, or sea cow, should no longer be considered an endangered species because its population has rebounded, particularly in Florida, US officials said Thursday.
Banning trophy hunting could do more harm than good Trophy hunting shouldn't be banned but instead it should be better regulated to ensure funds generated from permits are invested back into local conservation efforts, according to a new paper co-authored by a leading University of Adelaide conservation ecologist.
	Urban Canid Project tracks coyotes and prevent conflicts When a young male coyote on Madison's west side began acting oddly last month, the Urban Canid Project took to Facebook.
	New year, old beer—professor helps test century‑old brew A bottle of Alexander Keith's beer has been keeping Dal Engineering prof Andrew MacIntosh busy at work this week.
	New website catalogs thousands of deep-sea animals and seafloor features A new online tool makes it easy for anyone to search a treasure trove of information about deep-sea animals and scientific observations. The Deep-Sea Guide, created by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), provides easy access to the institute's database of millions of records of deep-sea animals, seafloor habitats, geological features, and research tools. Previously only available for internal use, the Deep-Sea Guide is now available for scientists and the general public.
	Endangered shorebird nests in NY; first time in over 30 years A pair of piping plovers successfully nested on New York's Lake Ontario shoreline for the first time in more than 30 years, which bodes well for the recovery of the endangered bird's Great Lakes population, according to biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Audubon New York.
Stance that tourism harms wildlife refuted Two Texas A&M University scientists highlighted the conservation benefits of ecotourism worldwide and said a recent research review citing the dangers of ecotourism to wildlife is premature and problematic.
	Milestone resource in wheat research now available for download Leading on from The Genome Analysis Centre's (TGAC) previous announcement of their new bread wheat genome assembly, the landmark resource is now publically available to download at the European Bioinformatics Institute's (EMBL-EBI) Ensembl database for full analysis.
	The status quo on Europe's mussels Mussels are the natural treatment plants of bodies of water and, therefore, just as important as bees. Unfortunately, they are equally threatened: most of the world's mussel stocks are in decline and some species face extinction. For this reason, scientists from 26 European countries have compiled the first comprehensive survey on the status quo of freshwater mussel species in Europe. TUM Professor Juergen Geist and two colleagues from Porto coordinated the project and can now provide recommendations for the future protection of the species.
Anglers' gear, cooperation affect coral reef fisheries, study finds Dartmouth College and University of California, Santa Barbara scientists studying a Caribbean fishing village are shedding new light on the social and ecological factors pressuring coral reef fisheries around the world.

Medicine & Health news

	Lead exposure linked to ADHD in kids with genetic mutation Exposure to small amounts of lead may contribute to ADHD symptoms in children who have a particular gene mutation, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	Having more children slows down aging process, study finds A study by Simon Fraser University researchers suggests that the number of children born to a woman influences the rate at which her body ages.
	Research explains why some people have more difficulty recovering from romantic breakups People carry a heavier burden from rejection when they view it as revealing something about "who they really are" as a person, new Stanford research shows.
	Gene editing technique improves vision in rats with inherited blindness A new technique that has the potential to treat inherited diseases by removing genetic defects has been shown for the first time to hinder retinal degeneration in rats with a type of inherited blindness, according to a Cedars-Sinai study.
	Scientists find key driver for treatment of deadly brain cancer Glioblastoma multiforme is a particularly deadly cancer. A person diagnosed with this type of brain tumor typically survives 15 months, if given the best care. The late Senator Ted Kennedy succumbed to this disease in just over a year.
Researchers reveal mechanisms of how body remembers, fights infections Scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have found a potential way to influence long-term memory formation in the immune system. The researchers published their results today in Nature Communications.
	Small changes in DNA can affect nicotine consumption Nicotine is an addictive substance and genetic factors are known to play a role in smoking behaviors. Recently, a team of researchers at Penn State and the University of Colorado determined how small differences in a particular region of the mouse genome can alter nicotine consumption.
Scientist identifies energy sensor as potential target for cancer drugs An international research team formed by a University of Cincinnati (UC) cancer researcher has shown for the first time that a specific enzyme is responsible for sensing the available supply of GTP, an energy source that fuels the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. The research underscores the enzyme's potential to become a therapeutic target for future cancer drugs.
	Low-income communities more likely to face childhood obesity For a long time researchers have tracked high rates of obesity among black and Hispanic kids, but a closer look at communities shows family income matters more than race in predicting which kids are overweight.
Exercise DVDs could be psychologically harmful for users, new research shows Using fitness DVDs to work out at home may seem like a good way to get started on new exercise goals this year, but those DVDs may also include negative imagery and demotivating language.
	Odds are good that risky gambling choices are influenced by a single brain connection One person's risky bet is another's exciting opportunity.
	'Window of recovery' can reopen after stroke Using mice whose front paws were still partly disabled after an initial induced stroke, Johns Hopkins researchers report that inducing a second stroke nearby in their brains let them "rehab" the animals to successfully grab food pellets with those paws at pre-stroke efficiency.
	Snappy Sleep Stager system identifies gene related to shorter sleep You may have wondered why some people seem to need less sleep. Is it in their genes? It turns out that it likely is. A number of so called short-sleeper genes, which are associated with little need for sleep, have recently been identified through years of arduous research and serendipity.
Study shows superiority of chromoendoscopy in dysplasia detection in patients with IBD Chromoendoscopy is superior to random biopsy or white-light colonoscopy in detecting dysplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), according to a long-term surveillance study led by James F. Marion, MD, Professor of Medicine at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Director of Education and Outreach at The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinical Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital, published online in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Men told to drink far less alcohol in new UK guidelines Guidelines on alcohol intake for men have been slashed by a third in new advice issued by Britain's chief medical officers Friday.
What lessons have we learned from the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa? An academic from the University of British Columbia has analysed, in a review published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology, what could have been done differently in the efforts to prevent the Ebola epidemic in 2014.
	Study shows beneficial effects of blocking brain inflammation in experimental model of Alzheimer's A University of Southampton-led study has found that blocking a receptor in the brain responsible for regulating immune cells could protect against the memory and behaviour changes seen in the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
	Ebola medical team develops guidelines for treating infected children When the Ebola virus outbreak erupted in West Africa in 2014, children infected with the virus—particularly those under age 5—faced overwhelming challenges. Not only was there a high death rate among young children infected with the disease, they often were isolated from their families, leaving them feeling distressed and without the intensive care they needed.
	Scientists show that skin cells can be used to treat injured hearts Following a heart attack or other heart trauma, the heart is unable to replace its dead cells. Patients are often left with little option other than heart transplants, which are rarely available, or more recently cell therapies that transplant heart cells into the patient's heart. In far too many cases, however, the transplanted heart cells do not engraft well, resulting in poor recovery.
	Stem cells regulate their own proliferation and their microenvironment A study by researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) has identified a new mechanism through which hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) control both their own proliferation and the characteristics of the niche that houses them. This control is exercised by the protein E-Selectin Ligand-1 (ESL-1). The research team, led by Drs. Andrés Hidalgo and Magdalena Leiva, detected high expression of ESL-1 in HSCs and also found that it controls their production of the cytokine protein TGF-beta. This is important because TGF-beta has antiproliferative properties and is essential for impeding the loss of HSCs in some diseases, such as some types of anemia.
	Psychiatrist discusses restoring life's balance through neuroscience and self-understanding Dr. Peter Whybrow, best-selling author and director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, is not surprised by the high incidence of obesity, diabetes, depression and other maladies in the U.S. today. The renowned UCLA psychiatrist and endocrinologist believes that a stressful mismatch between the brain's evolved biology and today's seductive, demand-driven culture has helped shape behavior and habits that are disruptive to a life well lived. Whybrow's popular books, including his latest, "The Well-Tuned Brain," explore this cultural mismatch and how we can restore life's balance through neuroscience and self-understanding. He spoke with UCLA Magazine writer and editor Mary Daily.
	Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is as effective as soap and water in reducing bacteria on farmworkers' hands A new study published in the Journal of Food Protection and led by researchers at The Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and collaborators from the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León and GOJO Industries revealed that both soap and alcohol-based hand sanitizers (ABHS) were efficacious hand hygiene solutions at reducing concentrations of bacteria on farmworkers' hands. In the case of ABHS, these products reduced up to 99.5 percent of indicator bacteria on produce handler hands, even when hands are heavily soiled with dirt and organic load from crop handling. Soap-based products had similar efficacy and reduction in indicator bacteria.
	Study finds gaps in patient knowledge of breast reconstruction surgery and complications A study by University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers and collaborators has uncovered a need to better inform breast cancer patients about the pros and cons of breast reconstructive surgery among women undergoing mastectomy.
Nutrition expert applauds latest federal dietary guidelines While early reaction to the new dietary guidelines released by the federal government on Thursday focused on new warnings about added sugar, sodium and meat, a University of Georgia expert noted the report is largely consistent with previous versions.
	What you need to know about E. coli A new drug-resistant superbug gene has been discovered in meat sold in Ontario.
	New research points to source of peripheral vision problems You're hustling across Huntington Avenue, eyes on the Marino Center, as the "walk" sign ticks down seconds: Seven, six, five…. Suddenly bike brakes screech to your right. Yikes! Why didn't you see that cyclist coming with your peripheral vision?
	How pigs are helping researchers tackle antibiotic resistance Scientists at UTS are tackling the growing health crisis of antibiotic resistance at its most significant source – the farmyard.
	Disparity lies at intersection of HIV, Hodgkin lymphoma A new study finds a significant racial disparity within a doubly troubled population of patients: those with HIV and Hodgkin lymphoma. In such cases, blacks are at significantly higher risk than whites of not receiving treatment for the cancer that in many cases would be effective.
	Small molecule drug combined with chemotherapy may deliver a synergistic benefit for colorectal cancer patients A study led by researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has demonstrated the efficiency of a small molecule drug, PRIMA-1met, in inhibiting the growth of colorectal cancer cells. Colorectal cancer is the cancer of the large intestine (colon and rectum) and is the most common cancer in Singapore.
	Insects are a sustainable source of omega-3 Insect oil is a possible new source of the healthy omega-3 fatty acid. Insects make fatty acids by nature and can live on organic waste. Wageningen University examines which insects can best be used for oil and what their optimal diet should be.
	Reducing sugar content in drinks could prevent one million cases of obesity Reducing sugar content in sugar sweetened drinks (including fruit juices) in the UK by 40 per cent over five years could prevent one million cases of obesity, according to research by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). This would in turn prevent around 300,000 cases of type 2 diabetes, over two decades.
Genome-wide study in Labradors reveals a modifier gene for copper toxicosis Wilson disease is a genetic disorder in which copper accumulates to toxic levels in tissues, leading to neurological symptoms and liver disease. Diagnosis of the disease is challenging because symptoms can vary widely across patients. The mechanisms underlying this clinical heterogeneity are unclear. Using a genome-wide approach in a new dog model for copper toxicosis, a team of researchers led by Hille Fieten have now revealed that mutations in a copper transporter gene, ATP7A, can ameliorate symptoms of the disease. This work, which is published in Disease Models and Mechanisms, could pave the way for early detection and treatment of hereditary copper metabolism disorders.
WHO approves S. Korean producer to double cholera vaccine supply The World Health Organization said Friday it had approved a South Korean company as the third producer of an oral vaccine against cholera, in a bid to double global stockpiles and address dire shortages.
Poverty and hardship increase risk-taking in old age As previous studies have shown, people's propensity to take physical, social, legal, or financial risks decreases with age. But does that hold for everyone? Or do international differences exist between countries and cultures? And what is the role of factors such as poverty or income inequality? These are the questions that researchers from the University of Basel and the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin addressed in a study published in the journal Psychological Science.
	Researchers face potential danger from protein particles in the lab Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites are found in the brains of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients. They consist primarily of fibrils of the protein alpha-synuclein (α-Syn), which self-assembles into fibrils in vitro. If introduced into the human body, these seeds can act as prions and trigger the formation of toxic protein deposits. Because α-Syn fibrils are often used in research, it is important that they are not accidentally transferred to humans or cell cultures. Researchers reporting in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease describe three cleaning procedures that effectively remove and disassemble these α-synuclein seeds.
	BRCA1 deficiency increases sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to auranofin An anti-rheumatic drug could improve the prognosis for ovarian cancer patients exhibiting a deficiency of the DNA repair protein BRCA1, a study suggests.
	Can we curb the opioid abuse epidemic by rethinking chronic pain? Over the last few decades, medicine has witnessed a sea change in attitudes toward chronic pain, and particularly toward opioids. While these changes were intended to bring relief to many, they have also fed an epidemic of prescription opioid and heroin abuse.
	Some steps to help protect yourself from cancer (HealthDay)—More than 1 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year, but there are a number of things you can do to reduce the chances you'll be among them.
	Review examines efficacy of PPI Tx for esophageal eosinophilia (HealthDay)—About half of patients with symptomatic esophageal eosinophilia have clinicohistologic remission with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, according to a review published in the January issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Trends in insulin use, glycemic control explored (HealthDay)—Since 1988, the proportion of patients with diabetes currently on any insulin has remained stable, according to research published online Dec. 30 in Diabetes Care.
For kids with hearing loss, new therapy is an option, but it's scarce When Linda Baumgartner was in sixth grade, she played Anne Sullivan - Helen Keller's teacher - in a school play.
	Even children with higher IQs behave better when their sleep apnea is fixed Many doctors will ask about quality of sleep when children have problems at school, but new research shows it's just as important to pay attention to how high achievers are sleeping.
	Postnatal depression linked to challenges in parenting—could Oxytocin be helpful? Caring for an infant is challenging for any mother—but especially so for women with postnatal depression, which may lead to adverse effects on child outcomes. Current evidence on postnatal depression and parenting—including preliminary data on the role of the hormone oxytocin—is reviewed in the January/February issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
	Interaction during reading is key to language development Next time you read to your baby, pay attention to his babbling and respond.
	Questions and answers about new UK drinking guidelines British health officials say drinking any alcohol regularly increases the risk of cancer, and have issued tough new guidelines that could be hard to swallow in a nation where having a pint is a hallowed tradition.
22 Guinea worm cases reported in 2015, Carter Center says Just 22 cases of Guinea worm disease were reported worldwide in 2015, down from 126 cases during the previous year, officials with The Carter Center said this week.
Chile researchers develop vaccine for virus common in children Researchers in Chile said Friday they have developed the first vaccine against a virus that commonly causes lung and respiratory tract infections in children.
	Protect yourself from colds and flu this winter (HealthDay)—Cold and flu season is here, but that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to days of misery. There are a number of ways you can protect yourself.
	More testing, treatment could dramatically cut new HIV cases (HealthDay)—As many as two-thirds of new HIV infections could be prevented in men having sex with men (MSM) if more men were tested for the virus, more were treated, and more who don't have HIV took medication to prevent infection, a new Dutch study estimates. The study is published in the Jan. 6 issue of Science Translational Medicine.
	CDC: TB potentially passed from zoo elephants to people (HealthDay)—Transmission of tuberculosis from infected captive elephants to humans may be possible with long-term, close contact with the animals, according to research published in the Jan. 8 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Monitoring scoliosis patients on brace use prevents curve progression, surgery Bracing often is recommended for adolescents diagnosed with idiopathic adolescent scoliosis, and a spinal curve between 25 and 45 degrees. When worn consistently and as directed, braces have been found to effectively halt or slow further progression of a spinal curve, often preventing surgery.
Study tracks migration of chronically homeless mentally ill adults to Vancouver's DTES A study by Simon Fraser University health sciences professor Dr. Julian Somers reveals that a growing number of those experiencing longstanding homelessness and mental disorders in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES) have migrated from elsewhere. Service use records of more than 400 homeless individuals with psychiatric comorbidities were analyzed to examine patterns of geographic relocation, as well as health, justice, and social welfare service utilization.
South London hospital cuts waiting times for mental health patients Staff at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust have reduced waiting times for mental health patients after redesigning their referral system.
Health workers hail near defeat of flesh-burrowing worm Health workers on Friday celebrated a key step towards eradicating the flesh-burrowing guinea worm after South Sudan, once by far the worst-affected country, recorded a massive drop in infections.
Suspected Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria: minister (Update) Forty people have died in Nigeria in a suspected outbreak of Lassa fever in 10 states across the country, Health Minister Isaac Adewole said Friday.
New report finds no significant increase in health risks for 1960s Project SHAD veterans Veterans who participated in a series of tests during the 1960s known as Project SHAD (Shipboard Hazard and Defense) show no significant increase in adverse health outcomes, specific causes of death, or death rates compared with a similar group of veterans who were not involved in the tests, says a new report from a committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The congressionally mandated report builds on a 2007 Institute of Medicine report, which also found no consistent, specific patterns of poorer health among SHAD veterans.
CTCA at Western Regional Medical Center advances combination immunotherapy clinical trial Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) at Western Regional Medical Center (Western) in Goodyear, Arizona, has announced the launch of Phase II of the NivoPlus clinical trial, which combines the immunotherapeutic agent nivolumab with chemotherapy drugs irinotecan and capecitabine. The use of nivolumab is considered investigational in this study.
	Obama vetoes bill to repeal signature health care law Protecting his signature domestic achievement, President Barack Obama on Friday vetoed Republican-inspired legislation to repeal his health care law, saying to do so "would reverse the significant progress we have made in improving health care in America."
	Needle exchange leaders cheer relaxed federal funding ban Advocates are praising Congress' recent softening of a longtime ban on federal dollars going to needle exchanges amid growing intravenous drug abuse that's spreading hepatitis and HIV in many states.

Other Sciences news

	Roman toilets gave no clear health benefit, and Romanization actually spread parasites The Romans are well known for introducing sanitation technology to Europe around 2,000 years ago, including public multi-seat latrines with washing facilities, sewerage systems, piped drinking water from aqueducts, and heated public baths for washing. Romans also developed laws designed to keep their towns free of excrement and rubbish.
	Archaeologist discovers Maya royal burial Tom Garrison was four hours away from camp down a bumpy jungle road—headed into the city to get treated for poisonwood exposure—when he got the call from his co-director Edwin Román.
Negotiation tip: Gain sympathy and gain the advantage Is sympathy considered a sign of weakness or is there a place for sympathy in negotiations?
	Honduras to make archeological dig for mysterious 'White City' Honduras said Thursday it was starting a major archeological dig for a mysterious, ancient "White City" supposedly hidden in jungle in its northeast that explorers and legends have spoken of for centuries.
	Exchanging handwritten letters strengthens children's literacy skills and family ties, new UTA study finds Young children who write letters back and forth to extended family members improve their literacy skills. They also develop a stronger connection with distant relatives, a University of Texas at Arlington study finds.
	Simple things the secret to success in love Sharing the simple things in life – like having a cup of coffee, gardening or renovating – are most important to couples in a long-term relationship, a Flinders University study shows.
The gender gap in venture capital explored Gender bias in venture capital, particularly in Silicon Valley, has grabbed a number of headlines with stories of challenges that women-led startups face.
	Why the dartboard looks like it does, and how bad players can do better There are many variants of the game of darts, but by far the most common sees players start with a score of 501 and take turns to reduce this score using three darts at a time until one of the players reaches a score of exactly zero.
	A medical pop-up book from the 17th century Archives & Special Collections at Columbia University's Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library announced the digitization of an important anatomical flap book - an early attempt to represent the three dimensionality of the human body in the two dimensional format of the book.
	Training essential for disaster response As people count the cost of the bushfire that has devastated the South West town of Yarloop, one local clinician is investigating how emergency burns staff should prepare for the unexpected.

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