Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Nov 20

HOT!

Do you share more genes with your mother or your father?

EPA says VW cheating software may be on more vehicles

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Nov 21, 2015 at 4:00 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Nov 20
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 20, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New study shows inhibiting copper chaperones reduces tumor cell proliferation
- Team develops 'electronic plants'
- Quantum entanglement achieved at room temperature in semiconductor wafers
- Study connects mitochondria to psychological stress response and species resilience
- Dental analysis suggests Homo floresiensis was a separate species from modern man
- Supercomputing the strange difference between matter and antimatter
- Supermodel Aussie finches do a sexy DNA swap at hotspots like we do
- A mystery that settled in stone
- Glider pilots aim for the stratosphere
- New detector perfect for asteroid mining, planetary research
- Inflammation linked to weakened reward circuits in depression
- Addition of sugars plays a key developmental role in distantly related plants
- Polarization vision gives fiddler crabs the edge in detecting rivals
- Export of wood pellets from US to EU more environmentally friendly than coal
- A whiff from blue-green algae likely responsible for Earth's oxygen

Nanotechnology news

Breakthrough allows tracking of single molecules in 3-D with nanoscale accuracy An innovative approach to calibrating high-tech microscopes enables researchers to track the movement of single molecules in 3D at the nanoscale.

Solving global warming with nanoporous materials Removing carbon dioxide gases from the atmosphere to reduce global warming and converting them into green energy is at the heart of a cutting edge research project.

Physics news

	Supercomputing the strange difference between matter and antimatter An international team of physicists including theorists from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory has published the first calculation of direct "CP" symmetry violation—how the behavior of subatomic particles (in this case, the decay of kaons) differs when matter is swapped out for antimatter. Should the prediction represented by this calculation not match experimental results, it would be conclusive evidence of new, unknown phenomena that lie outside of the Standard Model—physicists' present understanding of the fundamental particles and the forces between them.
	Quantum entanglement achieved at room temperature in semiconductor wafers Entanglement is one of the strangest phenomena predicted by quantum mechanics, the theory that underlies most of modern physics. It says that two particles can be so inextricably connected that the state of one particle can instantly influence the state of the other, no matter how far apart they are.
	Ground-breaking research could challenge underlying principles of physics An international team of physicists, including a Plymouth University academic, has published ground-breaking research on the decay of subatomic particles called kaons – which could change how scientists understand the formation of the universe.
	Superfluidity in topologically nontrivial flat bands Researchers at Aalto University have discovered that energy saving superconductors may be possible if the counterintuitive properties of electrons moving in "flat bands" are exploited.

Earth news

	A whiff from blue-green algae likely responsible for Earth's oxygen Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere emerged in whiffs from a kind of blue-green algae in shallow oceans around 2.5 billion years ago, according to new research from Canadian and US scientists.
	Trade may not help a warming planet fight its farming failures, study suggests Warming temperatures will take a heavy toll on agricultural productivity, according to climate scientists. How will society adjust? One possibility might be increased trade: If one country suffers a decline in, say, wheat production but can still grow as much rice as ever, then—in theory—it might grow more rice and trade for its usual amount of wheat instead.
	New element tracking method a boon for geoscientists Geoscientists track how elements cycle across land, air and water to better understand climate change, ecological food webs and resources, plant nutrient cycling, water use and for forensics purposes.
	2015 and 1997 El Ninos—deja vu, or something new? El Niño: An unusually warm pool of water off the west coast of South America, usually arriving around Christmas time, linked with complex, large-scale interactions between the atmosphere and ocean in the Pacific.
A mystery that settled in stone The strange pillarlike formation emerged after Crowley Lake reservoir was completed in 1941: stone columns up to 20 feet tall connected by high arches, as if part of an ancient Moorish temple.
	Export of wood pellets from US to EU more environmentally friendly than coal As the export of wood pellets from the U.S. to the European Union has increased six-fold since 2008, questions have been raised about the environmental impact of the practice. According to a new paper from a University of Illinois expert in environmental economics, even after accounting for factors ranging from harvesting to transportation across the Atlantic Ocean, wood pellets still trump coal by a wide margin in carbon emissions savings.
	Permafrost: hiding a climate time bomb? On the front line of climate change in the Canadian Arctic, scientists hunt for clues to a potentially catastrophic global warming trend: melting permafrost.
Great Lakes levels expected to stay mostly above average Water levels in the Great Lakes should remain mostly above average over the next six months as a powerful El Nino gives the region a break after two bitterly cold winters, but it's unclear whether there will be longer-term effects, federal scientists said Thursday.
	Sunday the day of rest for fires, study suggests Fires are more prevalent on a Tuesday and less likely on a Sunday, according to a new University of Melbourne study, which highlights the dramatic effect humans, religion and culture have on the global climate.
	'Trigger debate' over Indonesian mud volcano sheds light on dynamics of disasters In May 2006, an underground mud volcano erupted in the East Java province of Indonesia, displacing more than 40,000 people as boiling hot mud swept into their fields and villages.
	Sea traffic pollutes our lungs more than previously thought New data presented by researchers at Lund University and others in the journal Oceanologia, show that the air along the coasts is full of hazardous nanoparticles from sea traffic. Almost half of the measured particles stem from sea traffic emissions, while the rest is deemed to be mainly from cars but also industries and natural particles from the sea.
	Zooplankton growth rates key to low fish numbers Small fisheries in Western Australian waters are at the mercy of zooplankton, with short-lived growth in the Kimberley.
	Professor offers primer on energy usage and drinking water In January 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that a staggering $2.6 billion worth of treated drinking water is lost each year due to leaking water mains and approximately 240,000 main breaks. To address this problem, the agency proposed that more than $600 billion be invested in water infrastructure improvements over the next 20 years.
	Climate change: Warm water is mixing up life in the Arctic The warming of arctic waters in the wake of climate change is likely to produce radical changes in the marine habitats of the High North. This is indicated by data from long-term observations in the Fram Strait, which researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) have now analysed. Their most important finding: even a short-term influx of warm water into the Arctic Ocean would suffice to fundamentally impact the local symbiotic communities, from the water's surface down to the deep seas. As the authors recently reported in the journal Ecological Indicators, that's precisely what happened between 2005 and 2008.
	Image: Extremadura, in western Spain captured by Sentinel-2A This true-colour image of Merida was taken by Sentinel-2A on 11 August. Home to some 60 000 people, Merida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, in western Spain.
	Analyzing Ross Ice Shelf radar data The lines of data are slowly creeping across our Ross Ice Shelf GIS map and with each new line comes an improved understanding of Ross Ice Shelf. What can you learn from a 'snapshot' of data? The radar image above contains a nice story. You can see the ice thickness in the Y-axis of the annotated radar image. The ice shelf is approximately 300 meters thick. For scale this means you could stand 3 statues of liberty one on top of another and still have 21 meters of ice layered above them. The top layer on the ice shelf is snow that has accumulated on the surface of the shelf, layered almost flat as it fell on a level ice surface. Below you can see the ice that has flowed in from the Antarctic ice sheet with rumpling and roughness collected as it moved over the rougher terrain of the bed topography. Below that you can see the faint outline of the bottom of the ice shelf. This is where the radar stops, unable to image through the ocean water.
US proposes 17-year delay in start of Hanford nuclear cleanup — until 2039 The Energy Department has proposed a 17-year delay in building a complex waste treatment plant at its radioactively contaminated Hanford site in Washington state, pushing back the full start-up for processing nuclear bomb waste to 2039.
	138 world leaders to attend Paris climate summit: France A total of 138 heads of state and government so far will attend a climate summit due to kick off in terror-hit Paris on November 30, the French government said Friday.
	Mine spill Brazil's worst environmental catastrophe: minister A deadly mine waste spill that buried a village and contaminated a river basin two weeks ago is the worst environmental disaster in Brazilian history, the environment minister said Friday.
	NASA sees In-Fa get better organized, re-strengthen When the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission of GPM core satellite analyzed Tropical Storm In-fa, data showed the storm had become better organized over the previous 24 hours. After GPM, NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite provided a visible image that confirmed a better-organized storm.
	Aqua satellite eyes Tropical Storm Rick in Eastern Pacific NASA's Aqua satellite passed over Rick and captured a visible light image that showed the storm far off the coast of western Mexico. Rick continued to hang on to its status as tropical storm on Nov. 20, although a minimal one.

Astronomy & Space news

	The universe's resolution limit—why we may never have a perfect view of distant galaxies Can you make out the dot at the bottom of this question mark? What if you stand a few metres away? The finest detail the average human eye can distinguish is about the size of a full stop seen at a distance of a metre. This is called "resolution". The best resolution for an optical system – like the eye – is roughly given by the ratio of the wavelength of the light you're viewing in and the size of the aperture that light is passing through.
	Ghostly and beautiful—"planetary nebulae" get more meaningful physical presence A way of estimating more accurate distances to the thousands of so-called planetary nebulae dispersed across our Galaxy has been announced by a team of three astronomers based at the University of Hong Kong: Dr David Frew, Prof Quentin Parker and Dr Ivan Bojicic. The scientists publish their results in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
	New detector perfect for asteroid mining, planetary research The grizzled asteroid miner is a stock character in science fiction. Now, a couple of recent events - one legal and the other technological - have brought asteroid mining a step closer to reality.
	New satellite to measure plant health ESA plans to track the health of the world's vegetation by detecting and measuring the faint glow that plants give off as they convert sunlight and the atmosphere's carbon dioxide into energy.

Technology news

	Team develops 'electronic plants' Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden have created analog and digital electronics circuits inside living plants. The group at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics (LOE), under the leadership of Professor Magnus Berggren, have used the vascular system of living roses to build key components of electronic circuits.
	The 2016 Chevrolet Volt gets top Green Car of Year honors The 2016 Chevrolet Volt has won the Green Car Journal Green Car of the Year award. The honor venue was the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show.
	At the nanoscale, concrete proves effective for nuclear containment One of the main challenges faced by the nuclear industry is the long-term confinement of nuclear waste. Concrete is one of the barrier materials commonly used to contain radionuclides, both in nuclear reactors and nuclear waste-storing facilities. For this reason, it is extremely important that researchers and industry professionals understand the chemical and structural stability of cement (the basic binding ingredient in concrete) containing radioactive materials.
	Glider pilots aim for the stratosphere Talk about serendipity. Einar Enevoldson was strolling past a scientist's office in 1991 when he noticed a freshly printed image tacked to the wall. He was thunderstruck; it showed faint particles in the sky that proved something he had long believed:
	Review: Samsung's Gear VR shows the promise of VR—today Samsung makes history of a sort Friday by launching the first major consumer-oriented virtual-reality headset. (It comes with an asterisk; prototypes and other not-quite-mass-market versions have been available for a while.) And its Gear VR headset is pretty impressive as first-generation devices go.
South Korea considers opt out for child monitoring app South Korea is deciding whether it will allow parents to opt out of installing a monitoring app on their children's smartphones following criticism the system encourages a surveillance culture and has security flaws.
	Square and Match shares jump in stock market debuts Square and Match galloped onto Wall Street on Thursday in a sign that tech startups may still find gold in public markets.
	VMWare co-founder takes charge of Google cloud business Google said Thursday that a VMWare founder was taking charge of its cloud computing business as it looks to close ground on rivals such as Amazon and Microsoft.
	Pressure for Yahoo turnaround puts squeeze on Mayer Lack of a long-awaited turnaround at Yahoo has put pressure on chief executive Marissa Mayer to prove she has what it takes to revive the faded Internet pioneer.
Smart camera tech that could automate cars, home, security settings A startup that licenses Purdue University technology has created a deep-learning camera and hardware package that can be taught to recognize objects or perform tasks that could be used in security, automotive, industrial and defense applications.
	VW weighs finances as it prepares to present US engines fix Volkswagen's board is discussing the automaker's future financial strategy in the wake of its emissions-rigging scandal, and was due to present to U.S. authorities later Friday its plan to fix the affected diesel engines.
Cybersecurity expert analyzes Anonymous' hacking attacks on ISIS Following tragic terrorist attacks committed by ISIS agents in Paris last week, the online hacker group Anonymous declared in a video that it would launch a cyber-attack on ISIS.
	How interactive documentaries represent a new form of innovation in digital journalism From the advent of the printing press to the emergence of photography, radio, television, and now the Internet and mobile devices, journalists have always found ways to adapt to new technologies by changing the way they tell stories and reach audiences. Interactive and participatory documentaries offer a new opportunity in that development. They provide immersive, visual, and mobile-friendly storytelling techniques; provoke creative collaborations across institutions, "desks" and with publics; and stimulate the use of often overlooked assets such as archives. By so doing, they provide an array of solutions for journalistic institutions that wish to reach a new generation of users and make use of today's technological developments.
	SwRI's RANGER localization technology allows precise automated driving Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has developed RANGER, a patented approach to vehicle localization that enables precise navigation for automated vehicles. R&D Magazine recently recognized RANGER as one of the 100 most significant innovations for 2015.
	Are we ready for a world even more connected in the Internet of Things? Imagine a world that is even more connected technologically than ours today.
	Depth-sensing technology enhances games Three new games use Intel RealSense camera to pull players into intuitive, immersive and surreal experiences.
	Hardened steels for more efficient engines Scientists of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are working on the development of a new process for hardening steel: With the help of methylamine, they enrich low-alloy steels with carbon and nitrogen. Low-pressure carbonitration with methylamine saves time and process gas. The steels hardened in this way are suited for use in components subjected to high mechanical and thermal loads in energy-efficient and low-emission engines of the future. The researchers present their process in the HTM - Journal of Heat Treatment and Materials.
	What police can learn from a terrorist's discarded mobile phone The dramatic raid on an apartment in the Paris suburb of Saint Denis that left two dead and eight arrested followed the discovery of a mobile phone by police that was discarded by the terrorists who days earlier had launched their bloody attack. It's understood that the data police were able to extract from the phone led them to the apartment where others of the gang were hiding.
	Volkswagen cutting investments, to present US engine fixes Volkswagen will cut its spending by 1 billion euros ($1.07 billion) next year and "strictly prioritize" investments as it shores up its finances to deal with its emissions-rigging scandal, CEO Matthias Mueller said Friday after a board meeting.
	Review: LG V10 has two screens, two selfie cameras and more Android phones are a dime a dozen. How can any of them really stand out from the crowd?
UPS and FedEx try every tech trick to speed up deliveries Around 8 a.m. at a cavernous warehouse outside Pittsburgh recently, about four dozen delivery drivers for United Parcel Service got their first look at the scheduled drop-offs for the day.
Charter Communications tiptoes into video streaming Very quietly, Charter Communications has been poking a toe into the online video streaming business.
Lyft on track to bring in $1 billion revenue this year, exec says Like the tortoise and the hare, on-demand transportation company Lyft is slowly but steadily gaining ground on its biggest competitor, Uber.
	Review: BlackBerry's keyboard not enough to make it stand out in Android pack BlackBerry, the longtime device maker that helped pioneer the smartphone market but is now struggling to stay relevant, has done what previously might have been considered unthinkable.
Starwood Hotels reveals North America cyber intrusion Starwood Hotels, which operates the Sheraton and Westin chains, said Friday that hackers had infected payment systems in some of its establishments, potentially leaking customer credit card data.
	Tesla recalling all Model S sedans for seat belt issue Tesla Motors is recalling its entire fleet of Model S sedans to check their front seat belts after one passenger's seat belt became disconnected.
	EPA says VW cheating software may be on more vehicles Volkswagen's emissions cheating scandal widened Friday as the Environmental Protection Agency said that software allowing six-cylinder Volkswagen diesel engines to cheat on pollution tests is on more models than originally thought.
Low carbon materials to capture the imagination of homebuilders and owners Innovation in the construction industry will play an important role in reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency, though developing new materials and methods is only half the battle. Convincing architects and homeowners of the performance and long-term financial benefits of a new product presents a significant challenge.
	Opinion: Anonymous takes on Islamic State and that's not a good thing It's been a week since the terrorist attacks in Paris and the hacktivist group Anonymous has further expanded its online confrontation with the Islamic State (IS). Its campaign was originally captured under the #OpISIS banner, but is now titled #OpParis.
	Opinion: After Paris, it's traditional detective work that will keep us safe, not mass surveillance Before the dust has even settled from the attacks on Paris, familiar calls for greater surveillance powers are surfacing. The desire for greater security is understandable, but that doesn't mean we should suspend our judgement on the measures proposed to bring it about.
Brad Smith, Intuit CEO, on selling Quicken It's tough to part with an icon, but according to Intuit CEO Brad Smith, it was time. In August, Smith and his board bit the bullet and put their legacy personal finance program Quicken up for sale.

Chemistry news

	New study shows inhibiting copper chaperones reduces tumor cell proliferation (Phys.org)—Researchers from several institutions have found that copper trafficking chaperones are a good target for suppressing tumor growth without affecting healthy cells.
	Smart supercapacitor fiber with shape memory Wearing your mobile phone display on your jacket sleeve or an EKG probe in your sports kit are not off in some distant imagined future. Wearable "electronic textiles" are on the way. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Chinese researchers have now introduced a new type of fiber-shaped supercapacitor for energy-storage textiles. Thanks to their shape memory, these textiles could potentially adapt to different body types: shapes formed by stretching and bending remain "frozen", but can be returned to their original form or reshaped as desired.
	Better catalysts will remove carcinogenic chlorine compounds from water The Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw has just unveiled two new catalysts developed in close cooperation with the Jagiellonian University in Cracow and the Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce. The catalysts have been designed with the effective treatment of tap water in mind, eliminating harmful chlorine compounds.
	Scientist refines all-natural ingredients to preserve cosmetics All-natural ingredients refined by a visiting scientist in Purdue University's Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering and Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering (LORRE) show promise for next-generation products manufactured by the cosmetics industry.

Biology news

	The cuckoo sheds new light on the scientific mystery of bird migration The cuckoo is not only capable of finding its way from unknown locations; it does this through a highly complex individual decision making process. Such skills have never before been documented in migratory birds. A new study shows that navigation in migratory birds is even more complex than previously assumed. The Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate at the University of Copenhagen led the study with the use of miniature satellite tracking technology.
	Half of all Amazonian tree species may be globally threatened More than half of all tree species in the world's most diverse forest—the Amazon—may be globally threatened, according to a new study.
	Supermodel Aussie finches do a sexy DNA swap at hotspots like we do When we mammals produce egg and sperm, our chromosomes like to swap bits of DNA so that our children actually possess new genetic combinations, helping to keep our genetics diverse and our species healthy. These DNA swapping events tend to occur in 'hotspots' in mammals because of a protein called PRDM9 that assists the swapping process in these areas. Now, an international study with Macquarie researchers, being published in the journal Science, has found that two different species of Australian finch share similar DNA swapping hotspots as well, even though they lack the PRDM9 protein.
	Tomato domestication decelerated the circadian clock All organisms, from bacteria to humans, exhibit endogenous rhythms controlled by the circadian clock. These rhythms are important for synchronization with the environment. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne were able to show that the circadian clock of the cultivated tomato slowed during domestication. This deceleration is likely an adaptation to the long summer days that the cultivated species encountered as it was carried away from the equator.
	Addition of sugars plays a key developmental role in distantly related plants Adding a spoonful of sugar to coffee makes it sweeter, but in plants, researchers have discovered, the addition of sugar molecules to particular proteins plays a surprising variety of roles in basic developmental processes.
	Polarization vision gives fiddler crabs the edge in detecting rivals Fiddler crabs use polarization vision to sense the approach of rivals, scientists at the University of Bristol have found. The research, carried out in Panama, is the first field-based evidence that animals use polarization vision to enhance the detection of objects.
	Spread of Panama disease in banana caused by one single clone of the Fusarium fungus Scientists at Wageningen University have demonstrated that the same clone of the Fusarium fungus is infecting Cavendish bananas in several countries dotted across the globe. This shows that this Fusarium clone, also known as Tropical Race 4, is continuing to spread despite the quarantine measures, with disastrous results for banana growers. The results from the research appeared today in the scientific journal PLOS Pathogens.
	Students search the soil for new antibiotics We're running out of effective antibiotics, and people are starting to die as a result. The problem is so acute that the World Health Organization has declared this week, Nov. 16-22, Antibiotics Awareness Week – but antibiotic discovery is still lagging.
	Shaping contraction You were once a hollow shell. To sculpt that hollow ball into an organism with layers of internal organs, muscle and skin, portions of that embryonic 'shell' folded inwards. The same happens to fruit fly embryos, and researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have now identified a particular group of cells which are crucial for the first such fold. They also showed for the first time that the shape in which cells are arranged determines the direction in which they contract. Published today in Developmental Cell, the findings were obtained thanks to a new technique in which the scientists use a laser as a remote control.
	How fast you move can predict how healthy you'll be Instead of focusing on drawing out the length of life, South Korea's IBS Center for Plant Aging Research and the research group led by Coleen Murphy, a professor at Princeton University have created a tool that can be used for accurately predicting lifespan as well as assessing the current health state, and discovered the regulatory mechanism that extends "healthspan", the time in which an organism is at its optimal health.
	Surprising signal to control male fertility Signaling molecules of the Wnt family are ubiquitous in biology. From cnidaria to man, they are responsible for forming the basic shape of all organisms. Without Wnt, our body would not have a top or bottom, front or rear. In addition, Wnt controls numerous other development processes in the body. Overly active Wnt signaling, on the other hand, promotes carcinogenesis.
Scientists to feds: Great Lakes wolves not endangered Gray wolf populations in Michigan and other Great Lakes states have recovered to the point they no longer should be considered an endangered species. That message came Wednesday not from hunting groups but from 26 scientists - many having advocated for the wolves' protection in years past.
	Research ushers in new era of boutique chocolate A team of Belgian researchers has shown that the yeasts used to ferment cocoa during chocolate production can modify the aroma of the resulting chocolate. "This makes it possible to create a whole range of boutique chocolates to match everyone's favorite flavor, similar to wines, tea, and coffee," says Jan Steensels, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Leuven, and the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Belgium.
	New Atlas charts Kenya's natural assets The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Government of Kenya enlisted support from a consortium of National and international experts and researchers, including ecologists from the University of York, to produce the first Biodiversity Atlas of the Natural Capital for Kenya.
University investigates acute horse disease University of Adelaide researchers are investigating the potential causes of a mystery illness which suddenly struck down 14 horses across South Australia last year, eight of them fatally.
Review examines the extent of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from horses Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents is a significant problem for both human and veterinary medicine, but little research has been done on the prevalence or mechanisms of resistance in horses and other companion animals, and how such resistance might impact human health.

Medicine & Health news

	Study connects mitochondria to psychological stress response and species resilience (Medical Xpress)—Mitochondria are symbiotic organelles that reside in most of the body's cells and power cellular functions. They contain their own DNA, called mtDNA, and they produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which transports energy within cells. Mitochondria have a number of additional biological functions, and there is evidence that the mitochondrion influences an organism's integrated response to psychological stress.
	First-in-man use of virtual reality imaging in cardiac cath lab to treat blocked coronary artery Virtual reality (VR) has potential to revolutionize some aspects of medicine and healthcare. Several medical specialties are already using it to train physicians and assist diagnosis and it also has potential for treatment. A group of cardiologists has now successfully used a VR device to guide the opening up (revascularization) of a chronically blocked right coronary artery. Their report is published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.
	The search for happiness: Using MRI to find where happiness happens Japanese researchers have mapped out using MRI where happiness emerges in the brain. The study, published in Scientific Reports, paves the way for measuring happiness objectively—and also provides insights on a neurologically based way of being happy.
	New tool offers unprecedented insight into brain electrical activity (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers at Stanford University has announced the development of a new tool that they claim will offer unprecedented insight into the actions of neurons inside a living creature. In their paper published in the journal Science the team outlines how the tool works and how they believe it might be used with future research efforts. Emily Underwood, a staff writer with the journal, offers an 'In Depth' piece on the work done by the team in same issue.
	Inflammation linked to weakened reward circuits in depression About one third of people with depression have high levels of inflammation markers in their blood. New research indicates that persistent inflammation affects the brain in ways that are connected with stubborn symptoms of depression, such as anhedonia, the inability to experience pleasure.
Artificial pancreas therapy performs well in pilot study Researchers are reporting a breakthrough toward developing an artificial pancreas as a treatment for diabetes and other conditions by combining mechanical artificial pancreas technology with transplantation of islet cells, which produce insulin.
British hospitals face serious shortage of liver specialists Fewer than one in three hospitals employ a full-time doctor who specialises in liver medicine, according to a survey of 144 hospitals in the UK. The results - published as part of a new report examining progress since The Lancet Commission on Addressing Liver Disease in the UK was published in 2014 - suggest that staffing levels for liver specialists are worryingly low in some regions, and that patient outcomes may be suffering as a result.
	ADHD meds may be a prescription for bullying Kids and teens who take medications like Ritalin to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are twice as likely to be physically or emotionally bullied by peers than those who don't have ADHD, a new University of Michigan study found.
	High school Sex Ed teaching 'Yes means yes' rape prevention This is the new look of high school sex ed: A roomful of teens, 14-year-olds mostly, is told that a girl and boy meet at a school dance. The boy drives her home. They kiss. What happens next, over the girl's protests, leaves him confused and her crying, no longer a virgin.
	A cellular symphony responsible for autoimmune disease Broad core member Aviv Regev thinks about the immune system as if it were an orchestra: "Some instruments need to play strong, others need to pull back or push forward. It all has to form a harmony and this harmony changes with time," she said. "Everything has to know its role and it has to be orchestrated—except you don't have a conductor."
	Fussy baby? Research shows singing works better than persuasive rhetoric When it comes to keeping your baby calm, a song does a much better job than speech.
	Children's developing concept of truth and lies and the implications for child witness testimony Recently, Dr. Victoria Talwar's 4-year-old was caught standing in suspicious circumstances. He was hiding behind the pantry door, but when questioned about what he was doing, he took on an air of complete innocence. "Were you eating one of the cookies?" –one of the forbidden cookies that he had been told he could not have. The 4-year-old shook his head "No!" but there was a chocolate smear around his lips. When questioned about these marks on his face, the 4-year-old paused and his mind feverishly searched for a reply. Finally, the answer came in a sigh "Dirt! I'm just dirty mummy!" Although Dr. Talwar did not smile then, she had to chuckle later. Playing out in her kitchen was a scene she has seen a thousand times before in her research lab at McGill.
	Influenza vaccine had no affect on fetal mortality risk A fresh study from Karolinska Institutet can quell any fears there might be of an increased risk of fetal and neonatal mortality for mothers who have been inoculated with the Pandemrix vaccine for H1N1-influensa while pregnant. The results are published in British Medical Journal (BMJ).
	Scientists unexpectedly find ALS affects sensory neurons involved in movement The same nerves that keep a person from crushing a flower or dropping a water glass are teaching scientists something new about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Poorer areas need better access to mental healthcare People who live in poorer areas in England are more likely to need mental healthcare but are less likely to access support and to recover from their symptoms following treatment, according to researchers at the University of York.
	Exposure to toxic stress in childhood linked to risky behavior and adult disease How a mother responds to her baby's cries can make a big difference in the child's ability to learn, develop, and thrive. While a warm, supportive response can help the baby calm down and feel secure, a distant or angry reaction leaves the child to fend for herself in a scary world. Over time, the lack of nurturing in the face of adversity in childhood can contribute to "toxic stress"—a harmful level of stress that can affect the child's well-being well into adulthood.
	What is Lewy body dementia, which robbed robin williams of his sanity? Oscar-winning actor and comedian Robin Williams died in August 2014 of suicide. His death was not due to substance abuse or suicidal tendencies, as some had speculated in the media. Williams' wife, Susan, told ABC's "Good Morning America" this month that her husband slowly lost his mind because of a neurological disease, later discovered in an autopsy to be Lewy body dementia.
	Potential way to control cholesterol levels via dying cells A discovery about how the body deals with the cholesterol contained within its dying cells has suggested an exciting new approach to control people's cholesterol levels – and thus their risk of developing heart disease.
	Do you share more genes with your mother or your father? Many of your relatives probably have an answer to the question of whether you are more your mother or your father's child. But the correct answer to the question is not as simple as it might seem.
	Personalized drug screening on horizon for multiple ​myeloma patients​​​​ A personalized method for testing the effectiveness of drugs that treat multiple myeloma may predict quickly and more accurately the best treatments for individual patients with the bone marrow cancer. The process, developed by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, also may aid patients with leukemia or lymphoma.
	Anxiety increases error, but not bias, in facial recognition While people in a state of anxiety make more mistakes trying to recognise faces, they don't show an increased ethnic bias, according to research which debunks a commonly-held belief.
	Could a questionnaire identify hearing loss? Twice as many people living in rural areas suffer hearing difficulties compared to urban residents, due to excessive noise exposure from agricultural industries.
	Researchers identify molecular link between schizophrenia and diabetes risk It has long been known that psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, have been associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. In a new study published online in The FASEB Journal, a UMass Medical School research team, led by Rita Bortell, PhD, research professor of molecular medicine and Agata Jurczyk, PhD, instructor in molecular medicine, found that a shared gene (or genes) may underlie the co-occurrence of both diseases. Mutations in Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) have been strongly associated with major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, but not diabetes. This study presented the first evidence to indicate that the DISC1 gene also plays a novel, unexpected role in pancreatic beta cell survival and function. It is also the first to provide a molecular link for a prevalence of type 2 diabetes in individuals with psychiatric disorders.
High frequency stimulation in pain medicine Due to disease-related changes in their brain, pain patients often suffer from an impaired tactile ability in their hands. In a pilot study conducted by scientists at the Ruhr-University Bochum, high frequency repetitive stimulation was investigated as a therapeutic approach for these patients. The results of this study have now been published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology. They show that passive stimulation of this kind is a promising new therapy option.
	NICE endorsed tool launched to support patients and doctors in shared decision-making People with atrial fibrillation (AF) are set to benefit from an innovative online decision support tool launched this week. The tool encourages partnership between them and their healthcare professional when reaching a decision about the use of anticoagulant medicines to reduce their risk of stroke.
	How your genes influence what medicines are right for you You have a headache. Do you reach for Tylenol or Advil? Most people have a preference because they have learned over time that one works better than the other at relieving their pain. This type of variability from person to person is true for nearly every medication, whether it requires a prescription or can be purchased over the counter.
	AAFP: telemedicine can enhance access to care (HealthDay)—Ways in which technology can enhance patient care were shared at a recent American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) State Legislative Conference.
	E-portfolio developed to assess millennial med students (HealthDay)—Electronic portfolios are being used to transform medical students' assessments and track progress as students advance through medical training, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
	Most IV HTN meds ordered for patients with SBP <180 mm hg (HealthDay)—Intravenous (IV) antihypertensives are often ordered and administered for patients with asymptomatic uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) levels that are not associated with immediate cardiovascular risk, according to a study published online Nov. 12 in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.
Decreasing mental health services increases mental health emergencies Countywide reductions in psychiatric services—both inpatient and outpatient—led to more than triple the number of emergency psychiatric consults and 55 percent increases in lengths of stay for psychiatric patients in the emergency department. The before and after study of the impact of decreasing county mental health services was published online Friday in Annals of Emergency Medicine ('Impact of Decreasing County Mental Health Services on the Emergency Medicine').
Technology meets society: New app helps seniors live better A new technological solution developed by researchers from the University of Notre Dame is aimed at enhancing the physical health, vitality and brain fitness of seniors residing in independent living communities.
	Tumor-suppressor p53 regulates protein that stifles immune attack on cancer A crucial tumor-thwarting gene protects an immune attack against lung cancer by blocking the key to an off switch on T cells, the customized warriors of the immune system, a team led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
	Can stem cell technology be harnessed to generate biological pacemakers? Although today's pacemakers are lifesaving electronic devices, they are limited by their artificial nature. For example, their parts can fail or they can become infected. In addition, the devices require regular maintenance, must be replaced periodically, and can only approximate the natural regulation of a heartbeat. A Review article published on November 20 in Trends in Molecular Medicine highlights the promise and limitations of new methods based on stem cell and reprogramming technologies to generate biological pacemakers that might one day replace electronic pacemakers.
	Traditional eye exams using lighted, hand-held instruments now done infrequently; Valuable information may be missed For more than 150 years, physicians have examined patients' eyes with a lighted, hand-held instrument called an ophthalmoscope.
	New patent paves way for breast cancer prevention George Mason University researchers have patented a new breast cancer treatment that uses a common malaria drug to stop cancer in its beginning stages.
Nepal facing 'medical crisis' as supplies run short Bindu Ghimire's chemotherapy appointment is approaching, but supplies of the drugs the 61-year-old desperately needs are in short supply as a political crisis in her native Nepal deepens.
Three new confirmed cases in previously Ebola-free Liberia: WHO (Update) Three new cases of the deadly Ebola virus have been confirmed in Liberia, the country's health ministry and World Health Organization said Friday, after the nation was declared Ebola free in September.
Study reveals extent of addictions in Alberta Addictions directly affect up to one in five Albertan adults. They involve alcohol, gambling, legal and illicit drugs and a variety of other substances and types of behaviour.
	Examining health needs and drug use in Edmonton's inner city Over the years, Shelley Williams has witnessed the negative effects of drug use on the health of Edmontonians.
	Clinical trial in trauma patients to evaluate drug that stops excessive bleeding​ In trauma patients experiencing severe bleeding, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis will evaluate a drug already approved to minimize blood loss in people suffering from hemophilia—a genetic clotting disorder—or heavy menstrual periods.
Infertility a common problem for Otago-Southland women Infertility is common amongst women aged 25–50 years in the south of New Zealand and significant health resources go towards helping them become mothers, new University of Otago research suggests.
Tiotropium/olodaterol in COPD: Disadvantages in some patients, advantages in others The fixed-dose combination of tiotropium and olodaterol (trade name: Spiolto Respimat) has been approved since July 2015 for maintenance treatment in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug combination offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy.
WIC program usage reviewed in new interim report Women and children who participate in the WIC program have low or inadequate intakes of several key nutrients that could be addressed with changes to the program's food packages, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report is the first in a two-phase study that reviews the current food packages in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. This interim report presents a series of findings and conclusions and establishes a set of criteria and a framework that will guide the second phase of the study in which changes to the WIC food packages will be considered. Recommendations for the food packages will be presented in the study's final report, which will build upon the 2006 Institute of Medicine report WIC Food Packages: A Time for Change.
New York launches campaign in drive against K2 "Zero percent marijuana, 100 percent dangerous."
	Obama administration sets stage for a debate on drug costs The Obama administration set the stage Friday for a national debate on the rising cost of prescription drugs, a pressing issue for voters but one that's unlikely to see quick solutions under a lame-duck president facing an opposition Congress.

Other Sciences news

	Dental analysis suggests Homo floresiensis was a separate species from modern man (Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with the National Museum of Nature and Science in Japan, The University of Wollongong in Australia and The National Research and Development Centre for Archaeology, in Indonesia, has performed the first comprehensive analysis of the teeth from the skeletal remains of several of the creatures found on the Indonesian Island of Flores starting back in 2003—they are reporting that their examination has revealed that the creatures were indeed members of a separate species from modern humans, not modern humans with microcephaly. In their paper uploaded to the open access site PLoS ONE, the team describes their analysis and what they found that led them to their conclusions.
Tattoos may be a coping mechanism for some college-age women Texas Tech University sociology professor Jerome Koch has been studying body art – both tattoos and piercings – for years. And in that time, his research has turned up some pretty unexpected results.
Study finds tight school security can have unintended, negative consequences Security measures in American high schools can have unintended consequences that hinder, rather than help students learn, according to research conducted by University at Buffalo education professor Jeremy Finn and Canisius College psychology professor Tim Servoss.
	Groups that eat together perform better together Plenty of companies invest big money to provide their employees with upscale workplace eateries or at least catered meals. (Think Google's cafes and coffee bars serving free organic gourmet meals all day long.) But are those companies getting a good return on their investment? According to a new Cornell study, the answer is yes.
	Office romances are part and parcel of workplace psychology In her book, "The Psychology of Work: Insights into Successful Working Practices," Gautier examines how working environments provide the perfect breeding ground for intimate relationships to flourish.
	Women get a much needed boost in research funding gender equity plan Women make up 44% of Australian academics, but just 24% of professors. One of the contributing factors for this disparity is that there are fewer women applying for research grants than men, even though women are just as successful at winning grants as men.
	The rush to calculus is bad for students and their futures in STEM Two years ago I taught a section of Calculus I to approximately 650 undergrad students in a large auditorium. Perhaps "taught" isn't the right word. "Performed," maybe? Unsurprisingly, my student evaluation scores were not as high as they usually are in my more typical classes of 35 students, but I do remember one comment in particular: "This class destroyed my confidence." According to a new report from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), this outcome is common, even among students who successfully completed a calculus course in high school. So what is going on?
	Studying politics? Huge database of political attitudes and choices now yours Politics students, irrespective of their level of statistical expertise, now have the chance to analyse the opinions of tens of thousands of people surveyed between February 2014 and May 2015.
	Historian uncovers the historical origins of the insidious gay suicide stereotype From films to literature, the stereotype of the suicidal gay or lesbian character is a common one in modern entertainment. In Michael Cunningham's novel The Hours, for instance, there are three gay and lesbian suicides and attempted suicides. In the Netflix series, House of Cards, the only openly gay character kills himself after just a few episodes.
	Scholars gain insight from the geographical and cultural movement of artifacts When preserved specimens of birds of paradise—prized throughout 17th-century Europe for their vivid plumage, rarity and distant origins—were exported from their native Papua, New Guinea, by the Dutch, their feet were routinely cut off for transport. Thus, many Europeans who viewed the footless specimens concluded that these exotic creatures must remain in constant flight as they possessed no feet with which to land.
Call for review of civil justice system A University of Otago PhD candidate is calling for a review of New Zealand's civil justice system after completing research into those who represent themselves in civil court.
Government tax summaries could contribute to anti-welfare views, study finds The way the Government presents its annual tax summaries may contribute to anti-welfare sentiments, according to a new study by the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute (SPERI) at the University of Sheffield.
	The economic significance of cities increases while that of countries falls According to a study by the UPV/EHU-University of the Basque Country, the most competitive cities are those with greater economic and political leadership and innovative activity.

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