Fwd: Science X Newsletter Monday, Jan 4

RESPEKT!

 Newsletter for January 4, 2016:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 3:42 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Monday, Jan 4
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 4, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Why too much evidence can be a bad thing
- Group develops wearable, stretchable memory device for monitoring heart rate
- Searching for water in the atmosphere of a Neptune-mass exoplanet HAT-P-26b
- Social networks as important as exercise and diet across the span of our lives, research finds
- Scientists teach bacterium a new trick for artificial photosynthesis
- Melting of massive ice 'lid' resulted in huge release of CO2 at the end of the ice age
- Scientists create 'nano-reactor' for the production of hydrogen biofuel
- Strong magnetic fields discovered in majority of stars
- The smart-tech future beckons to us from the CES gadget show
- Do we have free will? Researchers test mechanisms involved in decision-making
- Rotational clock for stars needs recalibration
- The origins of abiotic species
- Discovery of a new drug target could lead to novel treatment for severe autism
- Enough oxygen long before animals rose
- LG Display: Expect display rollable like newspaper at CES

Nanotechnology news

Scientists create 'nano-reactor' for the production of hydrogen biofuel Scientists at Indiana University have created a highly efficient biomaterial that catalyzes the formation of hydrogen—one half of the "holy grail" of splitting H2O to make hydrogen and oxygen for fueling cheap and efficient cars that run on water.

Ternary-layered separator to retard the shuttle of polysulfides towards highly-stable lithium–sulfur batteries High-energy-density batteries are essential to meet the demand for future applications in portable electronics and electrical vehicles. Owing to the theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh/kg, the lithium-sulfur battery is considered one promising candidate for next-generation, high-energy battery solutions. However, shortcomings in fast capacity degradation and low cycling efficiency haven't been solved, which hinders the practical application of lithium sulfur battery system. A researcher at Tsinghua University has proposed a ternary-layered separator system for lithium-sulfur batteries with long lifespan, high coulombic efficiency, and high sulfur utilization.

Physics news

	Coulomb blockade in organic conductors found, a world first Generally, organic conductors has disorder structures so charge transfers from one place with high conductivity to another place with high conductivity. In such occasions, Coulomb blockade of charge transport takes place. It was thought that Coulomb blockade took place in low dimensional aggregates of inorganic particulates only at very low temperatures.
	Cold fermions keep distance from each other Today, quantum optical experiments provide methods to prove the rules that have been thought of and pressed into elegant mathematical equations in those days. In this regard, scientists in the Quantum Many-Body Division of Professor Immanuel Bloch at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have made a big step forward.
	Beam-beam compensation scheme doubles proton-proton collision rates at RHIC Accelerator physicists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have successfully implemented an innovative scheme for increasing proton collision rates at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). More proton collisions at this DOE Office of Science User Facility produce more data for scientists to sift through to answer important nuclear physics questions, including the search for the source of proton spin.
	Quantum foam Quantum foam. It may sound like the name of a new craft beer, but it's something even more amazing.
	Ames Laboratory scientist's calculation featured on cover of PRL Research performed by U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory Associate Scientist Durga Paudyal was recently featured on the cover of the November 13, 2015, issue of Physical Review Letters.

Earth news

	Melting of massive ice 'lid' resulted in huge release of CO2 at the end of the ice age A new study reconstructing conditions at the end of the last ice age suggests that as the Antarctic sea ice melted, massive amounts of carbon dioxide that had been trapped in the ocean were released into the atmosphere.
	Large and increasing methane emissions from northern lakes Methane is increasing in the atmosphere, but many sources are poorly understood. Lakes at high northern latitudes are such a source. However, this may change with a new study published in Nature Geoscience. By compiling previously reported measurements made at a total of 733 northern water bodies - from small ponds formed by beavers to large lakes formed by permafrost thaw or ice-sheets - researchers are able to more accurately estimate emissions over large scales.
Worldwide electricity production vulnerable to climate and water resource change Climate change impacts and associated changes in water resources could lead to reductions in electricity production capacity for more than 60% of the power plants worldwide from 2040-2069, according to a new study published today in the journal Nature Climate Change. Yet adaptation measures focused on making power plants more efficient and flexible could mitigate much of the decline.
	Meltwater from the Greenland ice sheet releasing faster The firn layers of the Greenland ice sheet might store less meltwater than previously assumed. Researchers from the USA, Denmark and the University of Zurich fear that this could lead to increased release of the meltwater into the oceans.
	Boosting farm yields to restore habitats could create greenhouse gas 'sink' New research into the potential for sparing land from food production to balance greenhouse gas emissions has shown that emissions from the UK farming industry could be largely offset by 2050. This could be achieved if the UK increased agricultural yields and coupled this with expanding the areas of natural forests and wetlands to match its European neighbours.
Enough oxygen long before animals rose Oxygen is crucial for the existence of animals on Earth. But, an increase in oxygen did not apparently lead to the rise of the first animals. New research shows that 1.4 billion years ago there was enough oxygen for animals - and yet over 800 million years went by before the first animals appeared on Earth.
	Volcano in Nicaragua spews gas and lava A volcano in Nicaragua that has been dormant for 110 years spewed gas and lava Sunday for the second time in a month.
Traces of islandic volcanoes in a northeastern German lake Traces of volcanic ash originating from islandic volcanoes have been found in the sediments of Laker Tiefer See in the Nossentiner-Schwinzer Heide natural park in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. This allows to more precisely date climate changes of the last 11500 years. An international team of geoscientists lead by the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences detected traces of in total eight volcanic eruptions on Island of which six could be precisely identified. The oldest eruption occurred 11400 years ago and the youngest from AD 1875 has been also described in historical documents.
	Rare chance at never-before-studied Kimberley reef The weather gods conspired to provide a rare chance to survey a remote and rarely visited section of north Kimberley reef recently, with footage that will inform the future study of reefs through climate change.
	Manure applications elevate nitrogen accumulation and loss Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plant growth, and nitrogen fertilization - including the application of manures - is a major management strategy in agriculture across the globe. However, the overuse and misuse of manures has resulted in the accumulation of surplus N in soil and its eventual migration to soil layers and groundwater. The authors of a new study found that the environmental risks of manure applications in high-input greenhouse environments may outweigh the benefits, and recommend that the role of manures be reexamined.
	California braces for series of El Nino storms After all the talk, El Niño storms have finally lined up over the Pacific and started soaking drought-parched California with rain expected to last for most of the next two weeks, forecasters said Monday.
	Guatemala warily monitors erupting volcano Guatemalan authorities Monday warily monitored the eruption of a volcano near its capital that spewed columns of ash up to seven kilometers (four miles) high.
	Italy confirms higher cancer, death rates from mob dumping An Italian parliament-mandated health survey has confirmed higher-than-normal incidents of death and cancer among residents in and around Naples, thanks to decades of toxic waste dumping by the local Camorra mob.
	Search for more US flood victims as water stresses levees Record flooding from the rain-swollen Mississippi River and its tributaries stressed dams and levees to the breaking point in parts of Illinois, one of several central US states reeling from winter storms that have killed some two dozen people.
	Never rains but it pours for guano-hit Rome Weekend rain washed away the dangerous pollution that has afflicted Rome in recent weeks but left city authorities with a new headache: roads and pavements made treacherous by bird droppings.
	Tools for protecting drinking water We place high demands on the quality of our drinking water. If pathogens or toxic substances found their way into the piping system, many people could become infected or injured very quickly. That's why this risk must be kept low. To do this, experts have developed technologies for a comprehensive monitoring, early warning and emergency management system.
	NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite sees Ula moving away from Fiji Tropical Cyclone Ula affected the Fiji group of islands over the weekend of January 2 and 3. Early on January 4, NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite showed the storm moved south as all Fiji warnings were dropped.
	Texas blizzard kills 15,000 cows A freak blizzard killed at least 15,000 dairy cows in the US state of Texas and for almost two days kept farmers from milking some of those that survived, officials said Monday.
	Levees among possible cause of more frequent flooding The Mississippi River floods more often than it used to, and at higher levels. Richard Knaup thinks he knows why.

Astronomy & Space news

	Searching for water in the atmosphere of a Neptune-mass exoplanet HAT-P-26b (Phys.org)—HAT-P-26b is an inflated, Neptune-mass exoplanet located about 437 light years from Earth, which orbits its parent star HAT-P-26 every 4.23 days. The planet has a relatively low surface gravity that is well suited for atmospheric characterization. However, we still know very little about the gas layer around this distant alien world. A team of astronomers led by Kevin B. Stevenson of the University of Chicago wants to change that, presenting new insights on the atmosphere of this celestial body.
	Strong magnetic fields discovered in majority of stars Strong magnetic fields discovered in majority of stars—Finding to impact understanding of stellar evolution
	No fireworks in the galactic center The center of our Milky Way galaxy, about twenty-five thousand light years from Earth, is invisible to us in optical light because of the extensive amounts of absorbing, intervening dust. Radiation at many other wavelengths, however, including the infrared, radio, and energetic X-rays, can penetrate the veiling material. At the heart of the galactic center is a supermassive black hole, SagA*, with about four million solar-masses of material. It is a relatively dim object, and shows some slight flickering that is thought to be the result of small blobs of material randomly accreting onto a disk around it. Its general passivity distinguishes SagA* from many other supermassive black holes in other galactic centers that actively accrete and heat large amounts of material, and then eject powerful bipolar jets of fast-moving charged particles.
	Rotational clock for stars needs recalibration New work from a team of astronomers led by Carnegie's Jennifer van Saders indicates that one recently developed method for determining a star's age needs to be recalibrated for stars that are older than our Sun. This is due to new information about the way older stars spin, as spin rate is one of the few windows into stellar ages. Their findings, published in Nature, have implications for our own Solar System, as they indicate that our own Sun might be on the cusp of a transition in its magnetic field.
	Will 2016 be the year Elon Musk reveals his Mars colonial transporter plans? There are several space stories we're anticipating for 2016 but one story might appear—to some—to belong in the realm of science fiction: sometime in the coming year Elon Musk will likely reveal his plans for colonizing Mars.
	Orbital ATK integration of upgraded Antares kicks into high gear for 2016 'return to flight' Assembly and testing of a significantly upgraded version of Orbital ATK's commercially developed Antares rocket has kicked into high gear and is on target for rebirth – as the clock ticks down towards its 'Return to Flight' by approximately mid-2016 from a launch pad at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) in Virginia, company managers told Universe Today during a recent up close media visit to see the actual flight hardware.
	SpaceX's returned booster rocket back in hangar SpaceX's booster rocket, the Falcon, is back in its nest following a historic landing.

Technology news

	Group develops wearable, stretchable memory device for monitoring heart rate A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in South Korea has developed a stretchable memory device that can be applied to the skin and used as part of a heart rate monitor. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the team describes their memory array and why they believe it is better than the technology that is currently used in bio-sensor wrist bands.
	Gadgets get smarter, friendlier at CES show From drones, cars and robots to jewelry, appliances and TVs, the new technology on display at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show promises to be smarter and friendlier than ever.
	Google helps analyze if rooftop solar panels are good deal The company that lets you compare air fares and translate foreign languages online wants to make it easier to weigh the costs and benefits of installing solar panels on household rooftops.
	Snapdragon Flight platform: Qualcomm smartens drones CES will be the venue for numerous headlines for a while as business after business announces a new concept in smart cars, smart kitchens and smarter robots and as booths keen on attracting business partners tell their stories to pitch why their technology should be taken to the next level.
	Movi camera and companion app impart cinema vibes A camera is being introduced for when you want to capture special moments of a friend reaching the top of a hill or reeling in a fish or anything else special. Movi is a new live event camera that lets you get very filmy— zoom, pan and cut— without having to bring along a camera crew. Livestream's Movi is making its debut on pre-order.
	Breakthrough achieved in ceramics 3D printing technology Researchers at HRL Laboratories, LLC, have achieved a new milestone in 3D printing technology by demonstrating an approach to additively manufacture ceramics that overcomes the limits of traditional ceramic processing and enables high temperature, high strength ceramic components.
	The smart-tech future beckons to us from the CES gadget show Look around. How many computing devices do you see? Your phone, probably; maybe a tablet or a laptop. Your car, the TV set, the microwave, bedside alarm clock, possibly the thermostat, and others you've never noticed.
	Oculus to start taking virtual reality headset orders Facebook-owned Oculus VR will begin taking orders for its Rift virtual reality headsets on Wednesday, as the doors of Consumer Electronics Show gadget extravaganza officially open in Las Vegas.
	LG Display: Expect display rollable like newspaper at CES Anyone following tech stories from month to month will recognize LG Display as those tech people focused on "bendy" and "rollable" displays, bolstered by the company's aggressive attention toward novel organic light-emitting diode (OLED) product concepts.
	Belgian nuclear reactor shut down three days after restarting An ageing Belgian nuclear reactor shut down on Saturday afternoon, just three days after it was restarted, but there was no safety risk, the power utility that operates it said.
Apple raises iPhone prices in Germany over new content levy Apple raised the prices for hand-held devices in Germany at the start of the year, following a deal between the tech industry and content producers that will benefit a range of creative professionals including musicians, actors and pornographic filmmakers.
	Remote-controlled robot inspects suitcase bombs Abandoned items of luggage are frequently found at airports and train stations. This is a case for the emergency services, who have to assume that these items might contain bombs. They must assess the potential threat quickly, avert any possible danger, and preserve evidence for criminal proceedings. In the future, police will have the support of a remote-controlled sensor system as they go about their duties. Fraunhofer researchers are developing this sensor suite in cooperation with industry partners and criminal investigation authorities.
	General Motors invests $500m in Lyft, forms partnership The automotive industry is placing its biggest bet yet that using a device to hail a ride—with or without a driver—is the future of transportation.
More environmentally-friendly concrete made using sugar cane residue Researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (Polytechnic University of Valencia, UPV) and San Paolo State University (Unesp) have developed a new type of concrete that is cheaper and much less polluting to the environment. They have done so by swapping in sugar cane straw ash, a crop residue typically discarded as waste, as a substitute for Portland cement.
	Cosmic glasses for space exploration How are asteroids and planets formed from stony particles? This question is being explored in an experiment by scientists from the universities of Münster and Braunschweig. For the investigation, Fraunhofer researchers have developed beads made of a special type of glass. They form the composition of the rock particles as naturally as possible on a small scale.
	In cyberspace, sharing doesn't always mean caring The "sharing economy" now enables to us to access all manner of things we might need through connecting with others online. In this season that might have included sourcing turkey from a local farm, a chauffeured car to collect the relatives, a week at a stranger's flat somewhere warm, a few hours with an industrial-strength food mixer and a range of other physical and intellectual goods.
	How Betamax bit the dust – and other tales of forgotten tech Sony are to no longer make Betamax video cassette tapes – something that will come as a surprise to many people who thought that Betamax had long since bitten the dust. But 28 years after it lost the battle to the VHS (or Vertical Helical Scan) format produced by JVC, Sony – which stopped manufacturing Betamax recorders in 2002 – will cease production of the tapes, too.
	The latest on gadgets: This year's CES smaller—yet bigger (Update) The latest developments surrounding the consumer-electronics show in Las Vegas known as CES (all times local):
Tesla shares dive as deliveries hit low end of forecast Tesla shares careened sharply lower Monday after the US luxury electric-car maker reported deliveries at the bottom end of its forecast for the 2015 fourth quarter.
Investigators probe Tesla car fire in Norway Norwegian authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that gutted an electric Tesla car at a charging station.
	US sues VW over emissions-cheating software in diesel cars The Justice Department sued Volkswagen on Monday over emissions-cheating software found in nearly 600,000 vehicles sold in the United States, potentially exposing the company to billions of dollars in penalties for clean air violations.
Key ride-hailing companies who are changing the industry Ride-hailing company Lyft Inc. said Monday it's partnering with General Motors Co. on various projects, from hubs where Lyft drivers can rent GM vehicles to an on-demand, autonomous ride service. Even with the investment, Lyft is much smaller than Uber, the giant of the ride-hailing space.
	Natural catastrophe losses total $90 bn in 2015: Munich Re Financial losses from natural catastrophes totalled $90 billion in 2015, the lowest level since 2009, German reinsurer Munich Re said on Monday.
	Belgian nuclear reactor restarts after shutdown Belgium on Monday restarted a reactor that was shut down at the weekend just three days after returning to service amid concern in neighbouring countries over its nuclear safety.
	Africanews channel launches with continent-focused coverage The Africanews channel launched Monday with coverage of the continent in English and French that is only available online for now, but which its backers hope to expand to TV broadcasts soon.

Chemistry news

	Scientists teach bacterium a new trick for artificial photosynthesis Trainers of dogs, horses, and other animal performers take note: a bacterium named Moorella thermoacetica has been induced to perform only a single trick, but it's a doozy. Berkeley Lab researchers are using M. thermoacetica to perform photosynthesis – despite being non-photosynthetic – and also to synthesize semiconductor nanoparticles in a hybrid artificial photosynthesis system for converting sunlight into valuable chemical products.
The origins of abiotic species How can life originate from a lifeless chemical soup? This question has puzzled scientists since Darwin's 'Origin of species'. University of Groningen chemistry professor Sijbren Otto studies 'chemical evolution' to see if self-organization and autocatalysis will provide the answer. His research group previously developed self-replicating molecules—molecules that can make copies of themselves—and have now observed diversification in replicator mutants. They found that if you start with one ancestral set of replicator mutants, a second set will branch off spontaneously. This means that ecological diversity as encountered in biology may well have its roots at the molecular level. The results were published on Jan. 4, 2016, in Nature Chemistry.
	New study models adhesion force as key to contact between two rough, yet elastic, surfaces Imagine a new type of tyres whose structure has been designed to have greater adhesion on the road. Quite a timely discussion during the long winter nights. French physicists have now developed a model to study the importance of adhesion in establishing contact between two patterned, yet elastic, surfaces. Nature is full of examples of amazing adjustable adhesion power, like the feet of geckos, covered in multiple hairs of decreasing  size. Until now, most experimental and theoretical studies have only focused on the elastic deformation of surfaces, neglecting the adhesion forces between such surfaces. This new approach just published in EPJ E, by Laetitia Dies and colleagues from the Paris Sud University, France, matters when the scale of adhesive forces, is comparable to elastic forces on materials such a tyres.

Biology news

	Tiniest chameleons deliver most powerful tongue-lashings Chameleons are known for sticking their tongues out at the world fast and far, but until a new study by Brown University biologist Christopher Anderson, the true extent of this awesome capability had been largely overlooked. That's because the smallest species hadn't been measured.
	A worm with five faces For eight years, a research team headed by Ralf Sommer and Matthias Herrmann travel to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. The scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Developmental Biology have now discovered a new nematode species on the island. The discovered nematodes live inside of fig plants and at first sight they look totally different. Much to their surprise, the scientists found that all the worms belong to a single species, which can develop five different mouth forms. The nematodes are genetically identical, however their food source decides on the mouth form. They are an extreme example of evolutionary divergence within a species.
	An ancient symbiosis founded entirely on exploitation, not mutual benefit Biologists at the universities of Exeter and York have published new research which shows that an ancient symbiosis is founded entirely on exploitation, not mutual benefit.
	Why the real King Kong became extinct The largest ape to roam Earth died out 100,000 years ago because it failed to tuck into savannah grass after climate change hit its preferred diet of forest fruit, scientists suggest.
Humpback whales slow to arrive in Hawaii December usually marks the start of humpback whale season in Hawaii, but experts say the animals have been slow to return this year.
	Australia pushes to boost crocodile exports Australian officials are looking to increase the export of crocodile products in 2016, after decades of official protection to stop them being hunted to extinction have increased their numbers.
	New hope for extending fresh-cut vegetable storage Fresh-cut peppers are handy for snacking and in reducing meal-preparation time for consumers. But sometimes that freshness is short-lived.
	Clarified mechanism of rotation of node cilia Our bodies look symmetrical, but most internal organs are asymmetric in shape or in position. In mouse embryos, a model animal that is closest to humans, cell groups, which are a source of organs, are symmetrical, but become asymmetric some 8 days after fertilization.
	London Zoo begins annual stocktake of 17,000 residents Zookeepers armed with clipboards, calculators and cameras fanned out across London Zoo on Monday to start its annual animal stocktake.
Asian carp could cause some Lake Erie fish to decline, others to increase If they successfully invade Lake Erie, Asian carp could eventually account for about a third of the total weight of fish in the lake and could cause declines in most fish species—including prized sport and commercial fish such as walleye, according to a new computer modeling study.
	A botanical survey to help understand change in our wild flora Volunteers in the north-east of England have created a benchmark survey of common plants with which to identify change in the countryside, its result and causes. This survey will be used in future to monitor the effects of climate change on plants; assess the success of conservation measures and predict future change. Its findings are published in the open-access journal Biodiversity Data Journal, contributing an additional 35,000 observations to the 200,000 observations collected by local recorders since the turn of the millennium .
Virgin births may be common among snakes A new review provides intriguing insights on parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, in snakes.
	Checklist completed for cultivars of Salix L. (willow) Grown around the world, willows are cultivated for their exceptional technical and ornamental characteristics. Willows are commonly used as stock for basket and cricket bat manufacturing, as sources of chemical compounds (such as tannin and salicin), as forage for livestock, as ornamentals, and as amenity plantings. Recently, willow being recognized as an important source for bioenergy production and for various ecosystem services. Willows are members of the genus Salix L. (Salicaceae Mirb., willow), a family that comprises about 450 species with numerous subspecies, varieties, forms, natural and artificial hybrids, and cultivars.
	States divvy up Yellowstone-area grizzly hunt Wildlife officials have divvied up how many grizzly bears can be killed by hunters in the Yellowstone region of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho as the states seek control of a species shielded from hunting for the past 40 years, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.
	Wolf hunting begins in central Sweden Hunters in central Sweden killed a wolf on Saturday as they began an authorized cull of the predators that has been clouded by legal uncertainty.
	Protecting our forests this bushfire season This bushfire season, how can we best protect our forests—and the millions of dollars spent in recreating them?
Challenges to conserving freshwater mussels in Europe New research looks at the status of the 16 currently recognized freshwater mussel species in Europe, finding that information is unevenly distributed with considerable differences in data quality and quantity among countries and species.

Medicine & Health news

	Social networks as important as exercise and diet across the span of our lives, research finds The more social ties people have at an early age, the better their health is at the beginnings and ends of their lives, according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The study is the first to definitively link social relationships with concrete measures of physical well-being such as abdominal obesity, inflammation, and high blood pressure, all of which can lead to long-term health problems, including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
	Mind of blue: Emotional expression affects the brain's creativity network The workings of neural circuits associated with creativity are significantly altered when artists are actively attempting to express emotions, according to a new brain-scanning study of jazz pianists.
	Two studies show father's diet can impact on offspring (MedicalXpress)—Two teams of researchers conducting independent experiments have found evidence that indicates that what a male mouse eats prior to mating with a female mouse can have an impact on the offspring that result. The first group, from several institutions in China, ran experiments testing the impact of male mice eating a high fat diet, on offspring, while the second team, with members from the U.S. and Canada, tested the impact of a low-protein diet by male mice prior to siring offspring. Both teams describe their experiments and results in papers published in the journal Science.
	Researchers identify the brain circuits involved in anhedonia in rats (MedicalXpress)—A combined team of researchers from Stanford and Cornell University's has found what they believe to be the brain circuits that are involved in the development of anhedonia—where a person, or rat, is incapable of feeling pleasure. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team outlines their experiments with rats and why they believe their findings could provide a possible path to curing the disorder in people. Trevor Robbins with the University of Cambridge offers a Perspectives piece on the work done by the team in the same journal issue and outlines possibilities for where such work may head in the future.
	Using genes to understand the brain's building blocks Understanding the cellular building blocks of the brain, including the number and diversity of cell types, is a fundamental step toward understanding brain function. Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science have created a detailed taxonomy of cells in the mouse visual cortex based on single-cell gene expression, identifying 49 distinct cell types in the largest collection of individual adult cortical neurons characterized by gene expression published to date. The work appears this month online in Nature Neuroscience.
	Scientists find minor flu strains pack bigger punch Minor variants of flu strains, which are not typically targeted in vaccines, carry a bigger viral punch than previously realized, a team of scientists has found. Its research, which examined samples from the 2009 flu pandemic in Hong Kong, shows that these minor strains are transmitted along with the major strains and can replicate and elude immunizations.
	Do we have free will? Researchers test mechanisms involved in decision-making Our choices seem to be freer than previously thought. Using computer-based brain experiments, researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin studied the decision-making processes involved in voluntary movements. The question was: Is it possible for people to cancel a movement once the brain has started preparing it? The conclusion the researchers reached was: Yes, up to a certain point—the 'point of no return'. The results of this study have been published in the journal PNAS.
	Effects of obesity on death rates understated in prior research, study shows Researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania have found that prior studies of the link between obesity and mortality are flawed because they rely on one-time measures of body mass index (BMI) that obscure the health impacts of weight change over time.
	Discovery of a new drug target could lead to novel treatment for severe autism Penn State University scientists have discovered a novel drug target and have rescued functional deficits in human nerve cells derived from patients with Rett Syndrome, a severe form of autism-spectrum disorder. The research, led by Gong Chen, professor of biology and the Verne M. Willaman Chair in Life Sciences at Penn State, could lead to a new treatment for Rett Syndrome and other forms of autism-spectrum disorders. A paper describing the research will be published on January 4, 2016 in the online Early Edition of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	New Year's resolutions for 2016: Fight your obesity genes with exercise People from around the world can use a physically active lifestyle to blunt the effect of inherited obesity genes, McMaster University researchers have found.
	Solving the mystery of defective embryos It's the dream of many infertile couples: to have a baby. Tens of thousands of children are born by in vitro fertilization, or IVF, a technique commonly used when nature doesn't take its course. However, embryos obtained when a sperm fertilizes an egg in a test tube often have defects. In a study published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) discovered an important element in understanding how these anomalies occur in the developing embryo.
	Research shows that tiny non-fibrous regions within fibrous tissue affect behavior Injury and degeneration of fibro-cartilaginous tissues, such as the knee meniscus and the intervertebral disc, have significant socioeconomic and quality-of-life costs. But the development of effective treatment strategies to address pathologies in these load-bearing tissues has been hindered by a lack of understanding of the relationships between their structure and their function.
Breast milk banks tackle high infant mortality in S. Africa Patrick, a premature baby weighing a minuscule 1.2 kilos (2.65 pounds), was "saved" by a breast milk bank in South Africa, where child mortality is high despite being the continent's most developed economy.
	Biggest database for cancer drug discovery goes 3-D The world's largest database for cancer drug discovery has been revolutionised by adding 3D structures of faulty proteins and maps of cancer's communication networks, according to Cancer Research UK-funded research published in Nucleic Acid Research today (Monday).
	Researcher reveals that self-criticism can be lethal in new book A new book by Prof. Golan Shahar of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) reveals that self-criticism can be both mentally and physically harmful, leading to mental disorder, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and even suicide.
Nose bandages symbolise Iran cosmetic surgery craze Lying on an operating table in northern Tehran, Nazanine says she wants it all: a third nose job, her eyebrows tattooed and liposuction on her thighs to "fix" her figure.
	Many doctors don't urge HPV shots for preteens, study says Many pediatricians and family doctors are not strongly recommending the cancer-preventing HPV vaccine to preteens and their parents, contributing to low vaccination rates, a survey of nearly 600 doctors suggests.
Golden staph tricked by vitamin mimic Vitamins are good for our health, but what if we could use vitamins to treat infections as well?
Synthetic prion series created for the first time At times, to understand something well, it is useful to rebuild it from scratch. It happens with prions as well: in collaboration with the BESTA Institute in Milan, the Laboratory of Prion Biology at SISSA in Trieste assembled artificial prions, devising a method for synthesizing them in a series. Lab tests showed that synthetic prions act like their biological counterparts. Results will be published on Dec. 31, 2015, in one of the most respected journals in the industry, PLoS Pathogens.
	Many colorectal cancer survivors struggle to cope with daily life Around 7,000 colorectal cancer survivors in the UK struggle to cope with daily life years after their diagnosis, according to new analysis led by University of Leeds researchers.
Game apps underestimate the motor skills of young children Research finds that most interactive games for tablets aimed at children between two and five years of age do not exploit the full range of their motor skills. This is the main finding of a study carried out at the Universitat Politènica de València (Polytechnic University of Valencia, UPV), and published in theInternational Journal of Human-Computer Studies (subscribers only).
	Quickly identifying tumors by using antibodies Antibodies combat viruses and bacteria. They also attach themselves to cancer cells – in a typical, characteristic way. Fraunhofer scientists are using this property to detect cancer cells in tissue samples. Such rapid tests can already be applied by surgeons during operations – within a few minutes and without expensive equipment.
	Public sector workers sleep-deprived, says study Research led by the University of Leeds has found those working gruelling hours across the public sector are being left sleep deprived – with many only managing six hours sleep per night.
	Artificial pancreas to undergo long-term clinical tests Researchers will soon undertake one of the largest-ever long-term clinical trials of a system designed to help regulate blood sugar levels of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. If the so-called artificial pancreas system performs in patients as hoped, it could lead to commercial trials and eventual regulatory approval in the United States and abroad.
Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act linked to more nutritious meals The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) was associated with more nutritious school lunches chosen by students with no negative effect on school meal participation, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
	Higher monthly doses of vitamin D associated with increased risk of falls Higher monthly doses of vitamin D were associated with no benefit on low extremity function and with an increased risk of falls in patients 70 or older in a randomized clinical trial, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
Infertility treatments do not appear to contribute to developmental delays in children Children conceived via infertility treatments are no more likely to have a developmental delay than children conceived without such treatments, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health, the New York State Department of Health and other institutions. The findings, published online in JAMA Pediatrics, may help to allay longstanding concerns that conception after infertility treatment could affect the embryo at a sensitive stage and result in lifelong disability.
	Racial bias may be conveyed by doctors' body language Physicians give less compassionate nonverbal cues when treating seriously ill black patients compared with their white counterparts, a small University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine trial revealed. It is the first to look at such interactions in a time-pressured, end-of-life situation.
Self-esteem gender gap more pronounced in western nations People worldwide tend to gain self-esteem as they grow older, and men generally have higher levels of self-esteem than women, but this self-esteem gender gap is more pronounced in Western industrialized countries, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
How to improve cardiac arrest survival in three easy steps Although survival rates for people who suffer cardiac arrest outside a hospital are extremely low in most places, emergency physicians propose three interventions to improve survival rates and functional outcomes in any community and urge additional federal funding for cardiac resuscitation research in an editorial published online last Wednesday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ("IOM Says Times to Act to Improve Cardiac Arrest Survival ... Here's How").
New paste prevents scarring caused by radiation therapy for cancer An antiscarring paste when applied to the skin of mice halts fibrosis caused by the radiation used in cancer therapy. That is according to a study led by researchers at Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center to be published tomorrow in the January edition of the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
	First-of-a-kind drug approvals continued rise in 2015 Approvals for first-of-a-kind drugs climbed last year, pushing the annual tally of new U.S. drugs to its highest level in 19 years.
	Gene thought to suppress cancer may actually promote spread of colorectal cancer A gene that is known to suppress the growth and spread of many types of cancer has the opposite effect in some forms of colorectal cancer, University of Missouri School of Medicine researchers have found. It is a finding that may lay the foundation for new colorectal cancer treatments.
	Researchers reduce stem cell dysfunction and metabolic disease in aged mice Mayo Clinic researchers have taken what they hope will be the first step toward preventing and reversing age-related stem cell dysfunction and metabolic disease. That includes diabetes, which affects 12.2 million Americans age 60 and older, according to the National Council on Aging. In this study, researchers discovered methods for reducing these conditions in naturally aged mice. Their findings appear in the online journal eLife.
Is your child's achy back more than just growing pains? According to a new literature review in the January issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, it's becoming more common for children and adolescents to seek medical care for back pain. Even with expensive, advanced tests like MRI scans, doctors may not be able to find the exact cause for the pain.
	Pediatricians' group says US lacks resources to treat kids in disasters (HealthDay)—When a major public health emergency, disaster or act of terrorism occurs, the United States may lack adequate resources to treat children who are affected, according to a new statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
	Newer blood pressure drugs as good as older ones: study (HealthDay)—Newer blood pressure drugs are as safe and effective as older medications, new research suggests.
	Families like looser ICU visitation policies (HealthDay)—Many hospitals still restrict who can visit critically ill patients and when. But new survey results suggest that lifting such restrictions can improve family satisfaction and patient well-being.
	Intermediate addition multifocals provide good gait safety (HealthDay)—For healthy long-term multifocal wearers, intermediate addition progression-addition lenses (PALs) are associated with similar gait safety as distance single-vision spectacles, with improved ability to "spot read," according to a study published in the January issue of Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics.
	Interest in tanning practices is seasonal (HealthDay)—Interest in tanning peaks prior to the summer months, with the highest interest seen in March in the United States and Canada, according to a research letter published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Beta-genus human papillomavirus poses skin cancer risk (HealthDay)—β-genus human papillomavirus (β-HPV) is a risk factor for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) in otherwise healthy individuals, according to a review published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Modular component assembly feasible for ear reconstruction (HealthDay)—One porcine rib can be used to create an aesthetic and durable framework for external ear repair using a modular component assembly (MCA) approach, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
	Diagnostic factors may help patients avoid prostate biopsy (HealthDay)—Initial diagnostic characteristics may be able to identify men initiating active surveillance who could avoid confirmatory biopsy, according to a study published in the January issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Powered intracapsular tonsillectomy aids pediatric OSA (HealthDay)—Powered intracapsular tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (PITA) improves severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in pediatric patients, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
	Opioid exposure tied to higher odds of low testosterone levels (HealthDay)—Exposure to opioids is associated with increased likelihood of low testosterone levels, with increased odds as age and number of comorbidities increase, according to a study published in the December issue of Pain Medicine.
	CDC: Heart failure mortality up 2012 through 2014 (HealthDay)—The age-adjusted mortality rates from heart failure decreased from 2000 to 2012 but increased from 2012 through 2014, according to a December data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.
'Born this way' beliefs may not be the key to reducing homophobia In recent years, the argument that sexual orientation is innate has become a principal component of the advocacy for the rights of sexual minorities.
	Prostate cancer surveillance criteria may not be accurate for African American men A new study published in The Journal of Urology revealed that African American men with Gleason score 3+3=6 prostate cancer (PCa) produce less prostate specific antigen (PSA) and have significantly lower PSA density (PSAD) than Caucasian men. These findings could have important implications when selecting patients for inclusion in active PCa surveillance programs.
Study identifies medical specialties receiving highest payments from manufacturers The Physician Payments Sunshine Act, passed under the Affordable Care Act, requires all pharmaceutical and medical device companies to report payments to physicians, including consulting fees, gifts, speaking fees, meals, travel and research grants. This information is searchable to the public on a database called Open Payments, managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medical Services (CMS). A recent study by researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine analyzed this database and compared payments among different specialties and identified which ones topped the list.
	Pediatric sickle cell study stopped early due to positive results A national sickle cell disease study involving Medical University of South Carolina researchers found that for some children with sickle cell disease, the drug hydroxyurea is as effective as blood transfusions to reduce blood flow speeds in the brain. Increased blood flows are a major risk factor for stroke in these children. Study findings were published Dec. 6 in The Lancet and were presented at the American Society of Hematology meeting.
	Medical research influenced by training 'genealogy' By analyzing peer-reviewed scientific papers that examined the effectiveness of a surgical procedure, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine provide evidence suggesting that the conclusions of these studies appear to be influenced by the authors' mentors and medical training. The study is published January 4 by the Annals of Neurology.
	Use of anticholinergic drugs does not increase risk for dementia in Parkinson's disease patients Recent evidence has shown a greater risk of dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease (AD), in individuals using anticholinergic medications regularly. These drugs are widely used by older adults to treat bladder dysfunction, mood, and pain, and many of them are available without prescription. Since these drugs are often used to treat both motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD), there is concern for increased risk of dementia. Contrary to expectations, a study in the current issue of the Journal of Parkinson's Disease determined that the cognitive performance of PD patients taking anticholinergic medications did not differ from those who did not.
Experts question automatic osteoporosis drug holidays A new editorial published by an International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) Working Group urges physicians to individualize treatment decisions based on their patients' fracture risk, rather than automatically interrupting or stopping bisphosphonate therapy after five or three years.
	Two studies cast doubt on credibility of medical research Two studies released Monday found major flaws with a large number of research papers in the biomedical sciences, a problem that authors say wastes billions and slows the pace of life-saving research.
Italy in shock over spate of childbirth deaths Italian health authorities on Sunday ordered investigations after five women died in childbirth in seven days, shocking a nation with one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world.
	Consumers won't know meat origin after US ends labeling law It's now harder to find out where your beef or pork was born, raised and slaughtered.
	Study aims to qualify ADC as predictive imaging biomarker in preoperative regimens Diffusion weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used technique to detect and characterize cancers as well as to monitor response to therapy. DW-MRI offers numerous advantages for patients with cancer and their treating physicians. It is a non-invasive imaging tool which does not require the administration of contrast agents nor ionizing radiation. Furthermore, it can be obtained relatively quickly, in a couple of minutes, and is easily incorporated into routine patient evaluations.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in 25-year-old former football player Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with repetitive head impacts and can be diagnosed only by autopsy after death.
	TOOKAD Soluble approved for prostate cancer therapy in Mexico A therapy invented at the Weizmann Institute of Science and clinically developed in collaboration with Steba Biotech (Luxembourg) has been approved by Cofepris, Mexico's health authority, for the focal treatment of early-stage prostate cancer.
Recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis in children has high disease burden, health care costs The burden of recurrent acute and chronic pancreatitis in children may be higher than previously thought, with high costs related to repeated hospitalizations, report a pair of studies in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition.
	Medicare is changing: What's new for beneficiaries Whether it's coverage for end-of-life counseling or an experimental payment scheme for common surgeries, Medicare in 2016 is undergoing some of the biggest changes in its 50 years.
FDA sets new rules for injury-prone pelvic mesh Mesh implants used to repair pelvic collapse in women will face new federal scrutiny, under rules responding to thousands of injuries reported with the problem-prone devices.
New national perioperative guideline for the delivery of quality care for geriatric surgical patients released CHICAGO: Responding to the needs of the country's growing older adult population, a new collaborative best practices guideline was released today for optimal care of older adults immediately before, during, and after surgical operations (a timeframe known as the "perioperative" period). The new consensus-based guideline was developed by the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP®) and the American Geriatrics Society's (AGS) Geriatrics-for- Specialists Initiative (GSI), with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation. With more than 40 million older adults living in the U.S. today—and with that number expected to nearly double to 89 million by 2050*—providing expert guidance on surgical care is key since the need for surgical services increases with age and targeted guidance during the perioperative period can speed recovery.
Improving access to clinical trials when biopsies are required The requirement for tumor tissue specimens and associated analyses in order to participate in clinical trials appears to be a significant barrier to clinical trial enrollment and may delay treatment. Potential solutions to reducing or eliminating these barriers include routine tissue banking at diagnosis, easing use of available diagnostic samples, development of less invasive tests, faster turnaround time at central laboratories or allowing for local testing and more resources for timely tissue collection.
US emergency departments face serious drug shortages A new study reveals that drug shortages affecting emergency care have skyrocketed in the United States in recent years. While the prevalence of such shortages fell from 2002 to 2007; the number of shortages sharply increased by 373% (from 26 to 123) from 2008 to 2014.
New guide highlights the properties of diverse drug targets The new Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2015/2016 provides a valuable and unique overview of the key properties of more than 1,700 human drug targets, focusing on those exploited currently in the clinic or with future therapeutic potential.
Prostate surgery patients may have unrealistic expectations concerning their recovery Patients who have undergone radical prostatectomy often have largely unrealistic expectations with regard to their postoperative sexual function, new research shows.
Infectious diseases bring millions of elderly to emergency departments each year Investigators estimate that during 2012, there were more than 3.1 million emergency department visits for infectious diseases among elderly US adults.

Other Sciences news

	Why too much evidence can be a bad thing (Phys.org)—Under ancient Jewish law, if a suspect on trial was unanimously found guilty by all judges, then the suspect was acquitted. This reasoning sounds counterintuitive, but the legislators of the time had noticed that unanimous agreement often indicates the presence of systemic error in the judicial process, even if the exact nature of the error is yet to be discovered. They intuitively reasoned that when something seems too good to be true, most likely a mistake was made.
	Students with influence over peers reduce school bullying by 30 percent Curbing school bullying has been a focal point for educators, administrators, policymakers and parents, but the answer may not lie within rules set by adults, according to new research led by Princeton University. Instead, the solution might actually be to have the students themselves, particularly those most connected to their peers, promote conflict resolution in school.
	Improved gun buyer background checks would impede some mass shootings, expert says Stricter gun laws, especially background checks for buyers who are mentally ill or have engaged in criminal misconduct, could help reduce the frequency of mass shooting tragedies, a Stanford law professor says.
	Giant ape Gigantopithecus went extinct 100,000 years ago due to its inability to adapt Scientists from the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment in Tübingen and from the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt examined the demise of the giant ape Gigantopithecus. In their study, published recently in the scientific journal Quaternary International, they reach the conclusion that the presumably largest apes in geological history died due to their insufficient adaptability. Analyses of fossil tooth enamel show that the primates were restricted to forested habitats.
	New enantiornithine bird with an aerodynamic tail found in China A new species of Mesozoic bird was published on December 31 in Current Biology by a collaboration of scientists from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP), Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Nature, providing strong evidence that enantiornithines possessed aerodynamic rectricial fans.
The ugly consumer: Ridiculing those who shop ethically No one wants to knowingly buy products made with child labor or that harm the environment.
Poor transparency and reporting jeopardize the reproducibility of science Reported research across the biomedical sciences rarely provides full protocol, data, and necessary level of transparency to verify or replicate the study, according to two articles publishing in PLOS Biology as part of a new Meta-Research Section, on January 4th, 2016. The authors argue that the information publicly available on reported research is in dire need of improvement.
	The first European farmers are traced back to Anatolia Human material from the Anatolian site Kumtepe was used in the study. The material was heavily degraded, but yielded enough DNA for the doctorate student Ayca Omrak to address questions concerning the demography connected to the spread of farming. She conducted her work at the Archaeological Research Laboratory.
Tackling the 'credibility crisis' in science Widespread failure to reproduce research results has triggered a crisis of confidence in research findings, eroding public trust in scientific methodology. In response, PLOS Biology is launching on January 4th, 2016, a new Meta-Research Section devoted to research on research.

---

This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
(...)
You are subscribed as pascal.alter@gmail.com