Fwd: Science X Newsletter Monday, Jan 12

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Tue, Jan 13, 2015 at 2:41 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Monday, Jan 12
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for January 12, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Best of Last Week – Sun may determine lifespan, super-insulated clothing and a new kind of diet pill
- Metasurface solves calculus problems as an analog computer
- BPA and BPS affect embryonic brain development in zebrafish
- New algorithm could enable household robots to better identify objects in cluttered environments
- Tired of London? Maybe you're living in the wrong place
- Two-faced fish clue that our ancestors 'weren't shark-like'
- Researchers conduct first direct measurement of gravity's curvature
- Study shows how meltwater on Greenland's ice sheet contribute to rising sea levels
- Computers using digital footprints are better judge of personality than friends and family
- Solar cell polymers with multiplied electrical output
- From the bottom up: Manipulating nanoribbons at the molecular level
- People watching: Different brain pathways responsible for person, movement recognition
- Chemists one step closer to new generation of electric car battery
- Sound mind, strong heart: Same protein sustains both
- Imaging study finds first evidence of neuroinflammation in brains of chronic pain patients

Astronomy & Space news

	SpaceX cargo ship reaches International Space Station (Update) SpaceX's unmanned Dragon cargo ship arrived Monday at the International Space Station, carrying 2.6 tons of food and supplies for the astronauts at the orbiting research laboratory.
	NASA's Dawn spacecraft will introduce us to a strange new world, says the mission director NASA's Dawn mission is closing in on a mysterious, unknown world in the asteroid belt. The dwarf planet Ceres named after the Roman goddess of agriculture awaits to unlock its secrets. So far, we've only had a glimpse of this enigmatic orb using the Hubble Space Telescope, so it's more than intriguing what we will find there after Dawn's arrival. Marc Rayman, the Mission Director and Chief Engineer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, can't hide his contagious excitement: "Everyone should be excited by this. Everyone who has ever gazed in wonder at the night sky, everyone who yearns to know what lies beyond the confines of our humble home, everyone who longs for adventure and seeks to peer beyond the horizon, and everyone awed by the mystery, the grandeur, and the immensity of the cosmos can share in this," he told astrowatch.net. "Together we are going to be introduced to a strange new world!"
	Space debris expert warns about dangers of orbital junk The emerging problem of floating space junk becomes more and more evident and bothersome. Spacecraft and satellites are currently subject to high-speed impacts by more than 19,000 trackable objects, mainly old satellites, spent rocket stages, and fragments from disintegration, erosion, and collisions. There are also several hundred thousand objects the size of marbles, and several million the size of sand grains. Even a tiny piece of debris can inflict considerable damage, or even destroy an orbiting operational spacecraft. A report in 2011 by the National Research Council (NRC) warned NASA that the amount of space debris orbiting the Earth was at critical level. So are we now really close to a disaster induced by space debris as depicted in the blockbuster movie 'Gravity'? William Schonberg, professor of aerospace engineering at the Missouri University of Science and Technology who was the member of NRC committee that filed the r! eport in 2011, warns that the movie scenario can come true.
	Did you know there are nine secret items hidden on Pluto craft New Horizons? The New Horizons spacecraft is now just a few months away from its encounter with Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, arriving in July, 2015. Back in 2008, the New Horizons team revealed the secret stowaways they had hidden on board the spacecraft. Nine objects (can you guess why there are nine?!) were attached and sent along on the ten-year journey to the outer reaches of our Solar System. Believe it or not, included in the items are one actual person, and parts of several thousands of other people…
	How to find and make the most of comet Lovejoy Comet Q2 Lovejoy passed closest to Earth on January 7th and has been putting on a great show this past week. Glowing at magnitude +4 with a bluish coma nearly as big as the Full Moon, the comet's easy to see with the naked eye from the right location if you know exactly where to look. I wish I could say just tilt your head back and look up and bam! there it would be, but it'll take a little more effort than that. But just a little, I promise.
	All instruments for GOES-R satellite now integrated with spacecraft All six instruments that will fly on the NOAA's Geostationary Operational Satellite - R (GOES-R) satellite have now completed integration onto the spacecraft.
	Image: Liftoff of SpaceX resupply mission to the space station SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Medicine & Health news

	Tired of London? Maybe you're living in the wrong place "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life," observed the writer Samuel Johnson in the eighteenth century. In fact, research published today suggests such a man may be merely living in the wrong postcode. A study of 56,000 Londoners found that a person's life satisfaction depends, at least in part, on whether their personality suits the place where they live.
	BPA and BPS affect embryonic brain development in zebrafish Bisphenol A, known as BPA, is produced in massive quantities around the world for use in consumer products, including household plastics. In response to public concerns, many manufacturers have replaced BPA with a chemical called bisphenol S (BPS), which is often labeled as "BPA-free" and presumed to be safer.
	May contain nuts: But how much is too much? In a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the researchers identified the level of five of the most common food allergens which would cause a reaction in only ten percent of people who are sensitive to them.
	Study finds brain protein aids influenza recovery Washington State University Spokane scientists have found a brain protein that boosts the healing power of sleep and speeds an animal's recovery from the flu.
Drug dramatically reduces diabetes symptoms in mice Can diabetes be prevented and even reversed? Yes, it can—at least in genetically obese mice, according to a newly published study by led by researchers Bruce Hammock at the University of California, Davis, and Joan Clària at the University of Barcelona. The research involves a potent enzyme inhibitor discovered by Hammock's laboratory that dramatically reduces inflammation, inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain.
	Rare amino acid influences E. coli infection Scientists have discovered how a rare amino-acid in humans influences the behavior of the E.coli bacterium.
	Infants solve invariance problem in new speech study Just about all parents would agree—infants undergo a nearly magical transformation from 3 to 6 months. Seemingly overnight, they can smile and laugh, and they squeal with delight when tickled. They babble, have "conversations" with those around them, and start to respond to their own names.
	New stem cell technology reveals fresh insights into motor neuron disease Scientists at the University of St Andrews have discovered new ways of studying what happens to motor neurons affected by motor neuron disease (MND) by using stem cells derived from patient skin samples, according to research published in Nature Communications today.
	Imaging study finds first evidence of neuroinflammation in brains of chronic pain patients A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has found, for the first time, evidence of neuroinflammation in key regions of the brains of patients with chronic pain. By showing that levels of an inflammation-linked protein are elevated in regions known to be involved in the transmission of pain, the study published online in the journal Brain paves the way for the exploration of potential new treatment strategies and identifies a possible way around one of the most frustrating limitations in the study and treatment of chronic pain - the lack of an objective way to measure the presence or intensity of pain.
	New research on what the nose 'knows' reveals an unexpected simplicity What the nose knows is quite amazing, when you think about it. The moment you encounter an awful odor - spoiled milk, say, or the scent of skunk - you reflexively recoil in disgust. Often, too, you take action, quickly disposing of the bad milk or moving as fast as you can away from the presumed location of the skunk.
	Researchers discover possible new target for treating brain inflammation A team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has identified an enzyme that produces a class of inflammatory lipid molecules in the brain. Abnormally high levels of these molecules appear to cause a rare inherited neurodegenerative disorder, and that disorder now may be treatable if researchers can develop suitable drug candidates that inhibit this enzyme.
	Study identifies new gene mutations linked to colorectal cancer in African-Americans Case Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have identified new gene mutations unique to colon cancers in African Americans - the population with the highest incidence and death rates of any group for this disease.
	Researchers identify mechanism involved in causing cataracts in mice Cataract is one of the most common eye diseases, becoming more prevalent as people age. Over half of adults in the United States develop cataracts before age 80 and more than six million have undergone surgery to prevent vision loss caused by the clouding of the eye lens.
Sound mind, strong heart: Same protein sustains both A Roman philosopher was the first to note the relationship between a sound mind and a sound body. Now the findings of a new Johns Hopkins study reveal a possible biochemical explanation behind this ancient observation.
	People watching: Different brain pathways responsible for person, movement recognition Each time you see a person that you know, your brain seemingly effortlessly and immediately recognizes that person by his or her face and body. Just as easily, your brain understands a person's movements, allowing you to perform critical skills such as interpreting social cues, detecting threats and determining the difference between skipping and jumping.
	Learning a second language after age 10 boosts brain, study finds Plenty of research has shown that learning a second language can boost brainpower, but a new study out Monday suggests that the effects extend to those who begin in middle childhood.
Many cancer survivors have unmet physical and mental needs related to their disease and its treatment Even decades after being cured, many cancer survivors face physical and mental challenges resulting from their disease and its treatment. That's the conclusion of a new study published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The findings could help clinicians and other experts develop interventions that are tailored to the specific types of problems and concerns that cancer survivors may experience.
Potentially targetable signaling pathway generates slowly proliferating, chemo-resistant cancer cells A signaling pathway responsible for the generation of slowly proliferating cancer cells, which are hard to eradicate with current treatments and thought to be a cause of subsequent disease relapse, has been reported in a Rapid Impact study published in Molecular Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	Obese preschoolers may slim down with Head Start, study says Head Start programs have been shown to help poor children do better in school, but they may also help them fight obesity, a study suggests.
	Black women working night shifts have an increased risk of developing diabetes Data from a large ongoing study into the health of African-American women show that those who work night shifts are significantly more likely to develop diabetes than those who have never worked night shifts, with more years working the night shift resulting in a higher risk. Furthermore, the increased risk of diabetes seen in shift workers was more pronounced in younger women than older women. The study is published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) and is by Dr Varsha Vimalananda, Center for Health Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR), Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bedford, MA, USA, and colleagues at Slone Epidemiology Center at Boston University, MA, USA.
Interrupting cycle of violence before young perpetrators and their victims reach adulthood Widespread among adolescents, intimate partner violence and sexual violence can place young people on a lifelong trajectory of aggression—either as victims or perpetrators—endangering their sexual and reproductive health now and in the future.
	One-size-fits-all approach can lead to over-treatment in older diabetes patients Diabetes treatments have saved many lives, but in older patients with multiple medical conditions, aggressively controlling blood sugar with insulin and sulfonylurea drugs, could lead to over-treatment and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), according to new research by Yale School of Medicine researchers.
Mental health care lacking in state and federal prisons A significant portion of state and federal prisoners are not receiving treatment for mental health conditions, according to research by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health. The study was published recently in the American Journal of Public Health.
	New hope to prevent chemotherapy side effects Research at the University of Adelaide is pointing towards a possible prevention of severe gut problems for patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.
	New mechanism involved in skin cancer initiation, growth and progression Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) represents the second most frequent skin cancer with more than half million new patients affected every year in the world. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a population of cancer cells that have been described in many different cancers including skin SCCs and that feed tumor growth, could be resistant to therapy, thus being responsible for tumor relapse after therapy. However, very little is yet known about the mechanisms that regulate CSCs functions.
	Brief observations miss autism symptoms in young children (Medical Xpress)—As the rate of children with autism in the U.S. continues to grow, a new study published today in top-ranked journal Pediatrics shows that medical professionals can't rely solely on their clinical judgment to detect autism risk.
Attempted suicide among young people can be reduced by 50 percent A new study published in journal The Lancet outlines a programme for preventing suicidality among young people. The results provide strong endorsement for a method whereby school students learn to discover signs of mental ill-health in themselves and their friends, while they are also trained to understand, interpret and manage challenging emotions. The European study was led from Karolinska Institutet, and researchers now hope to see the method reach a large number of young people in European schools.
New method of finding drugs more important than new antibiotic itself It was big news this week when Nature published the discovery of a new antibiotic, teixobactin. Teixobactin, which kills bacteria by a different pathway than other antibiotics, represented the first new class of antibiotics to be discovered in 30 years. Not only did the Northeastern University scientists who discovered the drug say it was "exceptionally well-protected from resistance development," it also, remarkably, was grown in the dirt, not on a culture plate.
	Suicide risk high among veterans Suicide is a serious national epidemic. It is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. However, for America's veterans, it is an even more serious epidemic. Veteran's make up 10 percent of the U.S. population, but account for 20 percent of all suicides (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008). The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 18 veterans die by suicide each day.
	Researchers discover new therapeutic target for treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia A study by the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has found new interactions between two molecules involved in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), STAT3 and PRL-3, which may offer a new therapeutic target for cancer treatment. The scientists discovered that STAT3, a molecule which has the potential to cause cancer, associates with and regulates the levels of PRL-3, a gene which has been implicated in various types of cancers.
	New class of antibiotics discovered – and why there may be more to come The rise of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics is a growing worry and threatens to put healthcare back to the early 20th century. Such resistance to drugs was inevitable, because bacteria evolve and learn to defend themselves. But we are worried now because new classes of antibiotics aren't being found.
	Study finds lives and money to be saved from incidental exercise A Melbourne study has found that incidental physical activity from active transport, such as walking to catch the train to work or cycling to the shops, can save lives and money.
New insights into treatment of hypothyroidism An international research team led by physician-scientists at Rush University Medical Center have gained new insights into hypothyroidism – a condition affecting about 10 million people in the U.S. – that may lead to new treatment protocols for the disease, particularly among the approximately 15 percent of patients for whom standard treatments are less effective.
	Video game technology helps measure upper extremity movement in patients with muscular dystrophy Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital have developed a way to measure upper extremity movement in patients with muscular dystrophy using interactive video game technology. Their hope is to expand inclusion criteria for clinical trials to incorporate patients using wheelchairs.
Fish peptide could help in battle against cardiovascular disease A major international review of a peptide originally found in fish that could be used in the battle against cardiovascular disease has been published.
	Research team identifies important control mechanisms for walking Even after complete spinal paralysis, the human spinal cord is able to trigger activity in the leg muscles using electrical pulses from an implanted stimulator. This has already been demonstrated in earlier studies conducted in Vienna. Now, as part of a joint international project, a team of young researchers at the Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering at MedUni Vienna has succeeded in identifying the mechanisms the spinal cord uses to control this muscle activity. These mechanisms still work even if the neural pathways from the brain are physically interrupted as the result of a spinal cord injury. This is the first time throughout the world that the spinal-cord activation patterns for walking have been decoded.
	Researchers discover one of the genetic pieces of bladder cancer Notch genes are a double-edged sword: in some cancers they have a harmful effect because they promote tumour growth, whilst in others they act as tumour suppressors. The reason is still unclear, making it impossible to predict the behaviour of Notch within each tumour, and complicating its use as a drug target. Now, CNIO researchers clear this dilemma up for bladder cancer, in which it exerts an anti-tumour effect. This result calls for caution when using therapeutic strategies based on the deactivation of Notch, because they could increase the risk of developing bladder cancer.
Little or no benefit from nutrient additions to vitamin waters and energy drinks A new study by researchers working at the University of Toronto and Ryerson University investigated the nutritional benefits of novel beverages (vitamin waters, energy drinks, and novel juices) sold in Canadian supermarkets by assessing their micronutrient compositions. The findings were published today in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
Patients rarely learn of at-home provider quality data Say your aunt Betty is ready to be discharged from the hospital after a close call with congestive heart failure. Before she can go, she needs a care plan, and she's relieved that she can return home with care from a home health agency. To choose an at-home provider, Betty and cousin Bob meet with a hospital case manager, but she only offers them a bare bones list of agency names, contact information, and the health insurance they accept.
Beyond the bandages: Study finds pediatric trauma nurses know about trauma-informed care A recent study from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital published in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing reveals pediatric trauma nurses are knowledgeable about practicing trauma-informed care, but points to the need for additional nurse training to help families cope after a child's injury. When an injury occurs, both the child and other family members may experience traumatic stress reactions interfering with a full recovery. Pediatric nurses play a key role in preventing injury-related post-traumatic stress by providing trauma-informed care, which includes recognizing pre-existing trauma, addressing acute traumatic stress reactions associated with the traumatic event, minimizing potentially traumatic aspects of treatment, and identifying children who need additional monitoring or referrals for more help.
Web-based TAVR marketing found to overstate benefits, understate risks Transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR, has been called one of the biggest advances in cardiac surgery in recent years. The procedure delivers a new, collapsible aortic valve through a catheter to the valve site within the heart - a repair that otherwise requires open heart surgery. While a boon for many patients who would not have been a candidate for conventional surgery, Penn Medicine researchers have discovered that marketing for TAVR does not accurately portray the risks associated with undergoing the procedure. Their analysis is available in the January 12 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.
Mortality risks after carotid artery stenting in medicare beneficiaries Medicare beneficiaries who underwent carotid artery stenting (CAS) had a 32 percent mortality rate during an average two-year follow-up, suggesting the benefits of CAS may be limited for some patients, according to a study published online by JAMA Neurology.
Shorter Combination treatment as effective as monotherapy for TB prevention in kids To prevent tuberculosis (TB) in children with latent tuberculosis infection (which is not active but can become active), combination treatment with the medications rifapentine and isoniazid was as effective as longer treatment with only isoniazid, according to a study published online by JAMA Pediatrics.
Attitudes, practices surrounding end of life care in ICUs vary among Asian physicians A majority of physicians surveyed throughout Asia reported almost always or often withholding life-sustaining treatment in end-of-life care for patients in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) when there is little chance of meaningful recovery, although attitudes and practice of end-of-life care varied widely across countries and regions on the continent, according to a report published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
	A virtual reality brain training game can detect mild cognitive impairment Greek researchers demonstrated the potential of a virtual supermarket cognitive training game as a screening tool for patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among a sample of older adults. MCI is a condition that often predates Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is characterized by memory loss and inability to execute complex activities such as financial planning.
	Disruptive children benefit from tailored classroom intervention Young children with disruptive behaviors have fewer opportunities to learn in school than their focused peers, and are at risk for lower levels of academic achievement. These children often have high maintenance temperaments, characterized by high physical activity, low ability to persist at tasks, and negative reactions to even minor situations.
Researchers discover mechanism leading to drug resistance, metastasis in melanoma Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have discovered a mechanism that leads to resistance to targeted therapy in melanoma patients and are investigating strategies to counteract it. Targeted biological therapy can reduce toxicity and improve outcomes for many cancer patients, when compared to the adverse effects of standard chemotherapeutic drugs. However, patients often develop resistance to these targeted therapies, resulting in more aggressive cells that can spread to other sites or cause regrowth of primary tumors.
Ten percent of heart patients may be inappropriately prescribed aspirin More than 10 percent of patients treated with aspirin therapy for primary cardiovascular disease prevention were likely inappropriately prescribed medication, according to a new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that examined practice variations in aspirin therapy.
	Positive factors in youth linked to better heart health later in life Children with favorable psychosocial experiences may have better cardiovascular health in adulthood, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
	Ultrasound promising for detecting potential heart attacks, stroke before symptoms arise A study of portable ultrasound carried out in the USA, Canada and India has revealed the potential of this technology for detecting plaques in peripheral arteries that can lead to heart attacks and stroke before symptoms arise, in both developed and developing country settings, allowing preventive treatment in those affected. The study, published in Global Heart (the journal of the World Heart Federation), is by Dr Ram Bedi, Affiliate Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA, and Professor Jagat Narula, Editor-in-Chief of Global Heart and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA, and colleagues.
$375 billion wasted on billing and health insurance-related paperwork annually Medical billing paperwork and insurance-related red tape cost the U.S. economy approximately $471 billion in 2012, 80 percent of which is waste due to the inefficiency of the nation's complex, multi-payer way of financing care, a group of researchers say.
	New strains of parasites identified About 600 million people around the world live with whipworms. Most are children in the developing world, whose physical and mental development is stunted by these gastrointestinal parasites. The whipworms affect their ability to learn and therefore have a long-term impact on the social and economic situations of some of the world's poorest people. Although the whipworm species Trichuris trichiura is known to inhabit both non-human primates and humans, little is known about the parasite. Indeed, until a recent study by Ria Ghai, a doctoral student in biology at McGill, it was widely assumed that a single species was capable of infecting both primates and humans. But Ghai has discovered that there are three genetically distinct groups of whipworms - and only one of the three appears to be transmissible between humans and non-human primates. It is important information for public health officers around the world.
Researchers dispute warning that drugs for high cholesterol could impair memory, cognitive function Researchers question whether there is substance to the US Food and Drug Agency's recent warning that statins could affect the memory, attention span and other cognitive abilities of people who take this drug to control high cholesterol. This follows a systematic review of 25 clinical trials incorporating nearly 47,000 people. It was led by Brian R. Ott, M.D., director of The Alzheimer's Disease & Memory Disorders Center at Rhode Island Hospital and professor at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University in the U.S. The review findings appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Researchers uncover more clues to how drug reverses obesity, diabetes, fatty liver disease Researchers at the University of Michigan have identified how a promising drug in clinical trials for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders improves the metabolism of sugar by generating a new signal between fat cells and the liver.
	Experience of pain relies on multiple brain pathways, not just one People's mindsets can affect their experience of pain. For example, a soldier in battle or an athlete in competition may report that an injury did not feel especially painful in the heat of the moment. But until now it has been unclear how this phenomenon works in the brain.
	Beyond prevention: Sulforaphane may find possible use for cancer therapy New research has identified one of the key cancer-fighting mechanisms for sulforaphane, and suggests that this much-studied phytochemical may be able to move beyond cancer prevention and toward therapeutic use for advanced prostate cancer.
	Researchers identify key substance that protects against pre-term birth Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified hyaluronon (HA) as a critical substance made by the body that protects against premature births caused by infection. Pre-term birth from infection is the leading cause of infant mortality in many countries according to the World Health Organization. The findings of the study, recently published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, are the first to identify the specific role that HA plays in the reproductive tract.
	As many as two-fifths of never-smoking teens are exposed to secondhand smoke worldwide Many teens who have never smoked are being exposed to the health dangers of tobacco. A new study by the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, in collaboration with East Tennessee State University, the Indian Institute of Technology and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, estimated the prevalence of secondhand smoke exposure worldwide among teens who had never smoked, and found that one third of those teens are exposed to secondhand smoke inside the home. In addition, the study results indicate that more than two fifths of those teens are exposed to secondhand smoke outside the home. The study was recently published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
	Curbing growth of physician self-referrals requires Congress With findings from four recent reports by the Government Accountability Office, the new Congress could close dozens of loopholes that have allowed physicians to increasingly refer patients for medical services to enterprises in which they have a financial stake, write the authors of a new "Viewpoint" in JAMA. Ending the controversial practice might save the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
Scientists design nicotine vaccine that provokes robust immune response When a promising nicotine vaccine failed in clinical trials a few years ago, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) were determined to keep trying to help smokers overcome their addiction.
	'Survival' protein a target in drug-resistant non-Hodgkin lymphomas Melbourne researchers have discovered that targeting a cell 'survival' protein could help treat some lymphomas, including those cancers with genetic defects that make them resistant to many existing therapies.
Up in smoke or bottoms up: How policy could affect substance abuse Half of young drivers who died in car crashes in American states such as California, Hawaii and West Virginia were under the influence of either alcohol or marijuana, or both. This is the story told by the statistics recording fatal road accidents involving 16- to 25-year olds in nine US states. It was used by researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health to gauge how possible policy changes could influence substance use among adolescents and young adults. The study, led by Dr. Katherine Keyes, is published in Springer's Injury Epidemiology, an open access journal.
A world first: Discovery of a personalized therapy for cardiovascular disease Researchers at the Montreal Heart Institute announced today results showing that patients with cardiovascular disease and the appropriate genetic background benefit greatly from the new medication dalcetrapib, with a reduction of 39% in combined clinical outcomes including heart attacks, strokes, unstable angina, coronary revascularizations and cardiovascular deaths. These patients also benefit from a reduction in the amount of atherosclerosis (thickened walls) in their vessels. The detailed results are published in the prestigious journal Circulation Cardiovascular Genetics. This discovery may also pave the way for a new era in cardiovascular medicine, with personalized or precision drugs.
	Family income, child behavior factors in legal disputes about kids with autism Families whose children with autism spectrum disorders spend less than 20 percent of their time in mainstream classrooms are nearly twice as likely to resort to litigation, such as filing for due process hearings or mediation, when they disagree with school officials about their children's education, according to a recent survey of parents.
Merck seeks new OK for cancer drug, reorganization on track Drugmaker Merck & Co. is ratcheting up its race with rival Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. for leadership in one of today's hottest research areas, immuno-oncology, which harnesses the immune system to fight cancer.
	Mechanistic insights into spinal muscular atrophy suggest new paths for treatment Today, a team of researchers from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) sheds new light on the underlying pathology of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare but devastating disease that causes muscle weakness and paralysis and is the leading genetic cause of infant deaths. The newly obtained insights may prove valuable as scientists currently work to define optimal treatment strategies for patients.
	Genetic discovery about childhood blindness paves the way for new treatments Finding genes for retinal degenerations has immediate benefits for people living with blindness and vision loss, their families, and their physicians. Establishing a genetic cause confirms the clinical diagnosis at the molecular level, helps predict the future visual prognosis, suggests therapies, and allows some patients to join clinical trials. While more than 200 genes for retinal degenerations have been identified, approximately 40-50% of cases remain a mystery.
Spain vows hepatitis C action after calls for new drugs Spain's government Monday promised new measures to fight hepatitis C, following protests by patients who complained authorities were denying them the latest drugs to treat the deadly liver disease.
High hepatitis C cure rate seen in NIH-led trial of six-week oral drug regimens Thirty-eight of 40 volunteers with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections who received a combination of three direct-acting oral drugs for six weeks were cured in a clinical trial conducted at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A six-week course of therapy is half the length of time previously shown to achieve a similar cure rate using two direct-acting oral HCV drugs only. The trial findings appear in The Lancet.
Mozambique's beer poisoning toll climbs to 69 (Update) A total 69 people have died of poisoning after drinking traditional beer in northwesten Mozambique, public radio reported Monday.
Girl in China got HIV through blood transfusion: report A five-year-old girl in China contracted HIV through a blood transfusion, state media reported, the latest case to shine a light on an issue that has long bedevilled the country.
Roche taking majority in Foundation Medicine for $1.03B Roche is taking a majority stake in U.S.-based Foundation Medicine in a deal worth $1.03 billion that the Swiss pharmaceutical company says will help it to develop new treatment options for cancer patients.
	Kaiser's 2,600 mental health workers strike in California Hundreds of Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals throughout California kicked off a weeklong strike Monday to protest what they say is a lack of staffing that affects care.
Pellino 3 protein may prevent development of obesity-driven diabetes Maynooth University scientists have identified a protein in the body that may have the potential to prevent the development of obesity-driven diabetes.
	Researchers study Hurricane Sandy's impacts on kidney patients Hospital and dialysis facility disruptions caused by Hurricane Sandy led to increased emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and a slight rise in the death rate of kidney patients in New York and New Jersey, according to a new study published in the January issue of the National Kidney Foundation's American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
	Doctors trained rurally stay rural Medical students with a rural background who train in a rural setting are more likely to practise in regional and remote areas, a University of Queensland study shows.
	AmerisourceBergen expands into animal health with $2.5B deal Pharmaceutical distributor AmerisourceBergen will stretch its reach into veterinary medicine by spending about $2.5 billion to acquire MWI Veterinary Supply.
Fashion isn't cool when cold can freeze fingers, nose, ears, burn expert says With arctic blasts moving in, time to closet trendy clothes and cover up to avoid frostbite. Drawstring casual pants, shorts, baseball caps and flip flops, even with socks, are obvious "no-no's." But what about other usual gear?
	Last wishes and clear choices – learning how to talk about end-of-life care Conversations around end-of-life medical care can be challenging. Consider someone I'll call Mrs. Jones, an elderly patient with advanced heart disease. When her doctor asked her to discuss the kind of care she wanted to receive at the end of her life, Mrs. Jones said that she had devoted a lot of thought to the matter and had clear instructions she wanted her family to follow.
British Ebola nurse 'no longer critical' A British nurse who contracted Ebola while working as a volunteer in Sierra Leone is "no longer critically ill", the London hospital treating her said Monday.
	Findings from the Women of Color HIV Initiative published African Americans currently account for nearly half of all new HIV diagnoses, and among females, 64% of new HIV diagnoses affect Black/African American women. A series of articles reporting results from the Women of Color HIV Initiative, including topics such as linkage and barriers to care, treatment adherence, viral suppression, substance abuse, and violence, are published in a special issue of AIDS Patient Care and STDs.
	Is stem cell therapy less effective in older patients with chronic diseases? A promising new therapeutic approach to treat a variety of diseases involves taking a patient's own cells, turning them into stem cells, and then deriving targeted cell types such as muscle or nerve cells to return to the patient to repair damaged tissues and organs. But the clinical effectiveness of these stem cells has only been modest, which may be due to the advanced age of the patients or the effects of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to a probing Review article published in BioResearch Open Access.
14 dead, dozens ill from alcohol poisoning in India At least 14 people died and dozens of others were seriously ill after consuming toxic liquor in northern India Monday, officials said, in the latest incident of alcohol poisoning in the country.
Revisions to molecular testing guideline continues to give hope to lung cancer patients The College of American Pathologists (CAP), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) are teaming to revise the evidence-based guideline, "Molecular Testing Guideline for Selection of Lung Cancer Patients for EGFR and ALK Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors."

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