Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Dec 16

HOT!

The amount of snowfall in coastal West Antarctica increased during the 20th century

RESPEKT!

What are the parts of an atom?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 17, 2015 at 4:01 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Dec 16
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Simulation Apps are the Future of Product Design: http://goo.gl/bIx7d2

Learn more about building and sharing your own simulation apps with this free online resource.

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Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 16, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Year in Review—The most important research of 2015: May
- Deep-learning algorithm predicts photos' memorability at "near-human" levels
- Preserved embryos illustrate seed dormancy in early angiosperms
- Team adds to quantum computing toolkit with mixed-atom logic operations
- Researchers tailor power source for wearable electronics
- Plants crawled onto land earlier than we give them credit, genetic evidence suggests
- Solar cells that can face almost any direction and keep themselves clean
- Skewed expression of mRNA components correlates with fine tuning of protein production
- Plants use a molecular clock to predict when they'll be infected
- Tiny phytoplankton have big influence on climate change
- Understanding body language: Scientists create new technology to read complex patterns of behavior
- Land use may weaken amphibian's capacity to fight infection and disease
- How to see a mass extinction if it's right in front of you
- Study finds people transformed how species associated after 300 million years
- Scary movies can curdle blood

Nanotechnology news

	This article can be printed on a hair with revolutionary laser printing technology Thanks to a new revolutionary laser printing technology, it is now possible to print this press release in colour on an area no bigger than a hair. This breakthrough in nanotechnology will be published on 14 December 2015 in an article in the scientific journal Nature Nanotechnology.
	The tiniest color picture ever printed Researchers of ETH Zurich and ETH start-up company Scrona achieve a new world record! They have printed a color picture depicting clown fishes around their sea anemone home. This picture is as tiny as the cross-sectional area of a human hair.
	A molecular light switch?... Just add water A bit of stray moisture during an experiment tipped off scientists about the strange behavior of a complex oxide material they were studying—shedding light on its potential for improving chemical sensors, computing and information storage. In the presence of a water molecule on its surface, the layered material emits ultraviolet light from its interior. A team of researchers from Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California at Berkeley, and Temple University recently published its discovery that it is possible to control UV light production via a chemical reaction that functions like flipping a light switch.
	Solar cells that can face almost any direction and keep themselves clean In recent years, a complicated discussion over which direction solar cells should face—south or west—has likely left customers uncertain about the best way to orient their panels. Now researchers are attempting to resolve this issue by developing solar cells that can harvest light from almost any angle, and the panels self-clean to boot. Their report appears in the journal ACS Nano.
	Researchers tailor power source for wearable electronics Wearable power sources for wearable electronics are limited by the size of garments.
	Computer calculations indicate the best places to look for nanowire catalysts to accelerate green reactions A*STAR scientists have created a 'prospector's guide' to help researchers locate the best germanium–silicon nanowires for catalyzing important clean-energy reactions.
	Graphene nanoribbons get metallic Researchers at Aalto University have succeeded in experimentally realizing metallic graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) that are only 5 carbon atoms wide. In their article published in Nature Communications, the research team demonstrated fabrication of the GNRs and measured their electronic structure. The results suggest that these extremely narrow and single-atom-thick ribbons could be used as metallic interconnects in future microprocessors.

Physics news

	Team adds to quantum computing toolkit with mixed-atom logic operations Physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have added to their collection of ingredients for future quantum computers by performing logic operations—basic computing steps—with two atoms of different elements. This hybrid design could be an advantage in large computers and networks based on quantum physics.
Rese demonstrates 'hybrid' logic gate as work towards quantum computer continues Just over a year ago, the UK government announced an investment of £270m over five years to help get quantum technology out of laboratories and into the marketplace.
	Diamonds may be the key to future NMR/MRI technologies Researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California (UC) Berkeley have demonstrated that diamonds may hold the key to the future for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologies.
	New metamaterial manipulates sound to improve acoustic imaging Researchers from North Carolina State University and Duke University have developed a metamaterial made of paper and aluminum that can manipulate acoustic waves to more than double the resolution of acoustic imaging, focus acoustic waves, and control the angles at which sound passes through the metamaterial. Acoustic imaging tools are used in both medical diagnostics and in testing the structural integrity of everything from airplanes to bridges.
	Clues on the development of magnetic sensors with pure spin current "Spintronics" is a new class of electronics where charge and spin are utilized. A pure spin current, flow of spin without charge current, is one of the important physical quantities in its field, which could play an essential role in low energy consumption electronics of the next generation.A group of researchers in Japan and France succeeded in detecting magnetic fluctuations with pure spin current in a much more sensitive way than conventional magnetization measurements.
	Time-resolved measurement of the anomalous velocity The movement of charge carriers perpendicular to an electric driving field – even without a magnetic field – constitutes one of the most intriguing properties of carriers in solids. This anomalous velocity is at the origin of fascinating physical phenomena – with the spin Hall effect and the anomalous Hall effect being two prominent examples – and might be important for future spintronic applications or even new quantum computers. At PTB, researchers have now succeeded in detecting the anomalous velocity in a semiconductor made of GaAs with a sub-picosecond time resolution. On the one hand, this work gives new insight into the microscopic origins of the anomalous velocity. On the other hand, it opens a new area of research for studying important physical effects on ultrafast time scales.
	Team reveals the physics for the mechanism of slow change in microscopic magnetic structures The research group of Professor Hideo Ohno and Associate Professor Shunsuke Fukami of Tohoku University has studied in detail, a slow change of microscopic magnetic structures in metallic wires induced by external driving forces, commonly called "creep" motion. This has allowed them to clarify the physics of how the driving forces, magnetic fields or electric currents, act on the magnetic structure.
	What are the parts of an atom? Since the beginning of time, human beings have sought to understand what the universe and everything within it is made up of. And while ancient magi and philosophers conceived of a world composed of four or five elements – earth, air, water, fire (and metal, or consciousness) – by classical antiquity, philosophers began to theorize that all matter was actually made up of tiny, invisible, and indivisible atoms.
	Lifting a car with two phone books Astonishingly, it turns out to be practically impossible to separate two interleaved phone books by pulling on their spines, however much force is applied. It is even possible to suspend a car from them.

Earth news

	Growth potential remains at risk on even the most remote coral reefs Coral reefs in the Indian Ocean that were severely damaged by a global warming event 17 years ago have bounced back to optimum health and have the potential to keep pace with rising sea levels, but only if they escape the impacts of future warming events, researchers from the University of Exeter have found.
	After the Paris climate deal: What's next for climate change research? The climate accord reached in Paris this month aims to cut planet-warming emissions worldwide with the goal of averting the most disastrous effects of climate change.
	Tiny phytoplankton have big influence on climate change As nations across the globe negotiate how to reduce their contributions to climate change, researchers at Penn are investigating just how the coming changes will impact the planet. What's clear is that the effect extends beyond simple warming. Indeed, the very physics and chemistry of the oceans are also shifting, and are forecast to change even more in the coming decades.
	Catastrophic medieval earthquakes in the Nepal Three quakes, in 1100, 1255 and 1344, with magnitudes of around Mw 8 triggered large-scale collapses, mass wasting and initiated the redistribution of material by catastrophic debris flows on the mountain range.
	Fewer landslides than expected after 2015 Nepal earthquake Fewer landslides resulted from the devastating April 2015 Nepal earthquake than expected, reports a University of Arizona-led international team of scientists in the journal Science.
	Australia seeks corporate sponsorship of Barrier Reef The Australian government is seeking corporate sponsorship for the Great Barrier Reef, sparking fears Wednesday that companies could potentially use such investments to hide poor green credentials.
	India's top court slaps ban on new diesel cars in capital India's top court Wednesday imposed a temporary ban on new diesel-guzzling SUVs and other luxury cars in New Delhi in an attempt to clean up the world's most polluted capital.
	Firms commonly withholding chemical reports on fracking As the growth of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," transforms more rural landscapes across the heartland into industrial zones, companies are less willing to disclose the chemicals they inject into the ground, Harvard researchers have found.
	Retention ponds can significantly decrease runoff, study shows University of Arkansas researchers have simulated the effect of a series of retention ponds in the West Fork of the White River Watershed by using remote sensing data and advanced geographic information system tools.
	How NASA sees El Nino effects from space This winter, weather patterns may be fairly different than what's typical—all because of unusually warm ocean water in the east equatorial Pacific, an event known as El Niño. Because of El Niño, California is expected to get more rain, while Australia is expected to get less. Since this El Niño began last summer, the Pacific Ocean has already experienced an increase in tropical storms and a decrease in phytoplankton.
	New app explores ice and sea level change through time Why does sea level change at different rates? How has it changed in the past? Who will be at risk from more extreme weather and sea level rise in the future? Our scientists often hear questions like these from students, government officials and the media.
	What leaves the citizens of Beijing breathless This week's smog alarm at Beijing underlines the relevance of air pollution in the Chinese capital. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have been studying factors influencing air quality in the megacity for ten years now. The Environmental Mineralogy and Environmental Systems Analysis Working Group headed by Professor Stefan Norra analyzes the development of fine dust pollution among others. A few days ago, the Chinese partners under the direction of Professor Kuang Cen of the China University of Geosciences organized a symposium on this topic in Beijing.
	Researchers confirm groundwater resources can support crops in the West Kimberley Growing crops in the West Kimberley appears to be one step closer after recent findings that groundwater resources in the region will support agricultural development.
	Blue-green alga danger in rivers Summer for most of us is a time to embrace the warmer weather, but it also provides the perfect growing conditions for a potentially lethal blue-green alga that's found in many New Zealand rivers, and which is the subject of new research by a Victoria University of Wellington PhD graduate.
	Our water pipes crawl with millions of bacteria Researchers from Lund University in Sweden have discovered that our drinking water is to a large extent purified by millions of "good bacteria" found in water pipes and purification plants. So far, the knowledge about them has been practically non-existent, but this new research is about to change that.
Valencia is home to the first desert-like microbial community found in a city Researchers at the Universitat de València (Universiity of Valencia, UV) have discovered that besides accumulating microorganisms from the air and dust particles, photovoltaic solar panels can also harbour rich and very well-adapted microbial communities of different bacteria and fungi.
	Number of severe algal blooms in Lake Erie to double, forecast says By the latter half of this century, toxic algal blooms like the one that cut off drinking water to the city of Toledo in 2014 will no longer be the exception, but the norm, a study suggests.
	When trees die, water slows Mountain pine beetle populations have exploded over the past decade due to warmer temperatures and drier summers, and these insects have infected and killed thousands of acres of western pine forests. Researchers have predicted that as trees died, streamflow would increase because fewer trees would take up water through their roots.
A field research network to address looming grain failures Across the United States, record quantities of corn and soybeans have been harvested in recent years. However, according to a BioScience article by David Gustafson of the International Life Sciences Institute Research Foundation and his colleagues, this trend may soon change. "By midcentury," the interdisciplinary team reports, "temperatures in Illinois will likely be closer to those of today's mid-South, and precipitation will range somewhere between that of today's East Texas and that of the Carolinas." Likewise, vapor-pressure deficits, which are a measure of the atmosphere's drying power, will also increase, potentially further stressing crop yields.
	Study sheds light on lake evaporation under changing climate Dartmouth scientists have shown for the first time how winds blowing across lakes affect the chemical makeup of water vapor above and evaporated from lakes, which may aid research into past and present water cycles under changing climate.
	Natural or manmade quakes? New technique can tell the difference A new study by Stanford researchers suggests that earthquakes triggered by human activity follow several indicative patterns that could help scientists distinguish them from naturally occurring temblors.
Greywater reuse for irrigation is safe Researchers at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have determined that treated greywater is safe for irrigation and does not pose a risk for gastrointestinal illness or water-related diseases.
	Composting food waste remains your best option Many people compost their food scraps and yard waste because they think it's the right thing to do.
	Will grassland soil weather a change? There's more to an ecosystem than the visible plants and animals. The soil underneath is alive with vital microbes. They make sure nutrients from dead plant and animal material are broken down and made useable by other plants. This completes the process of nutrient cycling and carbon storage.
	Climate change rapidly warming world's lakes Climate change is rapidly warming lakes around the world, threatening freshwater supplies and ecosystems, according to a study spanning six continents.
New technique both enhances oil recovery and sequesters carbon dioxide A proposed recovery technique for oil extraction developed by a Penn State–led research team not only outperforms existing drilling and recovery techniques, but also has the potential to sequester more carbon dioxide in the process.
	What was really achieved at the COP21 climate summit, and what next? As French foreign minister Laurent Fabius brought his gavel down on the most ambitious climate deal ever struck, at 7:27pm on Saturday December 12, 2015, applause broke out throughout the sprawling conference centre in Le Bourget.
	Researchers advise warning systems and preparation to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events As well as being a time for celebration, winter in Europe is a time for serious weather. Blizzards, flash floods, hurricanes, heavy snow fall can cause chaos, major disruption, economic loss, and endanger lives.
	The amount of snowfall in coastal West Antarctica increased during the 20th century The Amundsen Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has been losing mass in recent decades. However, long records of snow accumulation are needed to place the recent changes in context. In this paper we present 300-year records of snow accumulation from two ice cores drilled in Ellsworth Land, West Antarctica. The records show a dramatic increase in snow accumulation during the twentieth century, which has been linked to a deepening of surface pressure in the Amundsen Sea, a feature known as the Amundsen Sea Low. The persistent climatological low pressure system, indicating increased storm activity, draws warm, maritime air from the mid-latitudes to the Amundsen Sea coast. The increased snowfall is also linked to tropical sea-surface temperatures and a reduction in sea ice in the Bellingshausen Sea, resulting in greater moisture availability.
	Britain accused of 'sneak' tactics to ease fracking laws Environmental campaigners and opposition lawmakers on Wednesday accused the British government of using "sneak" tactics to relax legislation on fracking under national parks despite promising a ban.
Reading the smoke signals Laser-based measurements permit detailed analyses of the amounts of carbon dioxide released by the burning of tropical peatlands - and the data show that the answers depend on how many previous fires have raged in the same spot.
	Aqua satellite sees Tropical Storm Melor affecting northern Philippines As Typhoon Melor weakened to a tropical storm as it moved through the islands of the Philippines, NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the storm on Dec. 16.

Astronomy & Space news

	ALMA reveals planetary construction sites Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have found the clearest indications yet that planets with masses several times that of Jupiter have recently formed in the discs of gas and dust around four young stars. Measurements of the gas around the stars also provide additional clues about the properties of those planets.
	Meanwhile, in a galaxy not so far, far away... The fantasy creations of the "Star Wars" universe are strikingly similar to real planets in our own Milky Way galaxy. A super Earth in deep freeze? Think ice-planet "Hoth." And that distant world with double sunsets can't help but summon thoughts of sandy "Tatooine."
	Hubble captures first-ever predicted exploding star The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the image of the first-ever predicted supernova explosion. The reappearance of the Refsdal supernova was calculated from different models of the galaxy cluster whose immense gravity is warping the supernova's light.
	Monster planet is 'dancing with the stars' A team made up almost entirely of current and former Carnegie scientists has discovered a highly unusual planetary system comprised of a Sun-like star, a dwarf star, and an enormous planet sandwiched in between.
	Nearby star hosts closest alien planet in the 'habitable zone' UNSW Australia astronomers have discovered the closest potentially habitable planet found outside our solar system so far, orbiting a star just 14 light years away.
	History of Andromeda galaxy studied through stellar remains The Andromeda galaxy (or M31) is the massive galaxy nearest to us, and it is an excellent laboratory to study the characteristics and the history of great galactic spirals such as our own Milky Way. An international group of researchers headed by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) has used the Gran Telescopio Canarias to study a sample of planetary nebulae situated inside the two main substructures of M31 and has found that they could be the result of an interaction between Andromeda and its satellite galaxies.
	Cosmic jets light up black hole's snack A black hole is often thought of as a giant galactic vacuum cleaner constantly sucking in cosmic material, tearing it apart and swallowing it. So black holes should do exactly the same thing with stars, right?
	Catch this season's 'other' comet—S2 PanSTARRS Now is the time to catch binocular Comet C/2014 S2 PanSTARRS, as it tops +8 magnitude ahead of predictions this month and crosses circumpolar northern skies. Will this Christmas comet stay bright post-perihelion, rivaling other comets into early 2016?
	NASA to launch FORTIS to study extra-galactic dust This month, the NASA-funded FORTIS sounding rocket—short for Far-ultraviolet Off Rowland-circle Telescope for Imaging and Spectroscopy—will launch from the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to investigate the properties of galaxy NGC 1365, also known as the Great Barred Spiral Galaxy.
	Image: Launch of Soyuz TMA-19M to the ISS The launch of Soyuz TMA-19M seen from 113 m by an automatic camera – standing this close to 274 tonnes of rocket fuel would not be a good idea.
NUS takes the quantum leap into space Two satellites designed and built by students, researchers and faculty from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have been successfully launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh, India, on Wednesday, 16 December 2015. These are the University's first satellites in space, and they are part of six Singapore satellites that were launched in the same operation.
	Telescope equipment coming down from Hawaiian mountain Construction equipment and vehicles that have sat idle since protesters blocked crews from building a giant telescope are being removed from a mountain that's considered sacred to some Native Hawaiians.

Technology news

	Deep-learning algorithm predicts photos' memorability at "near-human" levels Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have created an algorithm that can predict how memorable or forgettable an image is almost as accurately as humans—and they plan to turn it into an app that subtly tweaks photos to make them more memorable.
	Hydrogen fuel cells may turn corner in commercial drone use A fuel cell can keep drones in flight in hours, not minutes. The company behind the technology will show it at CES 2016.
	Eye on safety, California sets rules for self-driving cars California regulators have unveiled a roadmap that would let consumers begin using self-driving cars, though manufacturers would have to prove the emerging technology is safe before a licensed driver could get chauffeured around town.
	Facebook review service pops up, Yelp shares drop A Facebook service that provides reviews of local businesses popped up on the Internet on Tuesday, and shares in crowd-sourced reviews star Yelp dropped.
	Lamar Odom's downfall tops Google's list of 2015 searches Lamar Odom's bizarre downfall from a former Los Angeles Lakers star to a lost soul in a Nevada brothel had the world searching Google for answers more than any other topic this year.
	Every country should govern its own Internet: China's Xi Every nation should have independent authority over its own Internet, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday, telling a government-organised conference that "freedom and order" are both necessary in cyberspace.
Ford to test self-driving cars on California roads Ford on Tuesday said that it has a green light to test self-driving cars in California, and should have them on roads in the most populous US state next year.
	QTemp—a weather station you can wear Living in Canada means living with unpredictable weather. Neda Ghazi and Alireza Monam, co-founders of Comfable, have made it their goal to help people lead healthier and more comfortable lives with QTemp, a wearable weather station.
	Google CEO outlines vision to bring millions of Indians online Google's new chief executive Sundar Pichai used his first official visit to India Wednesday to outline plans to bring hundreds of millions of Indians online, including installing free wifi at railway stations.
	Ding dong measurement on high Bells are a popular source of festive delight during the Christmas period – and now beautiful images showing in unprecedented detail how bells vibrate to make a harmonious sound have been produced by the commercial team at the University of Leicester's Advanced Structural Dynamics Evaluation Centre (ASDEC).
	Continuous adaptation makes for more natural interactions between robots and humans in shared tasks A robot's role in a shared task could be continuously adjusted during the activity, thanks to a new adaptive robot control system developed by A*STAR researchers that can sense whether a human operator wants to lead or follow. The innovation takes human–robot interactions to a new level of sophistication and opens a range of applications for robots that were previously too difficult to achieve.
	The drive towards ethical AI and responsible robots has begun Roboticist Sabine Hauert, from the Britain's University of Bristol, wrote in Nature earlier this year:
	No aircraft is too small to kill – fitting flight recorders could prevent further deaths When a police helicopter plunged into the Clutha pub in Glasgow city centre two years ago, killing ten, an accident investigation was launched to find out what happened and why – a process that is essential to preventing future accidents and loss of life. But smaller aircraft are not required to carry flight data recorders – the black box so vital to air crash investigations. So while the recently published report into the crash revealed some of the reasons behind, there were details – potentially vital details – that couldn't be known because they weren't recorded. It's about time this changed.
	Hackers pose a real threat against Norwegian energy providers Consider the following:
	How to crack British intelligence service's devilish Christmas puzzle Calling all aspiring spooks. Robert Hannigan, director of Britain's security and intelligence organisation GCHQ, has included a rather tantalising puzzle with his Christmas card this year. He hopes that it will exercise your grey cells over the holiday period.
	Novel material backed by NFL to protect against brain injuries Funding has been awarded to world-leading, US-based helmet designer and manufacturer, Roy Burek of Charles Owen Inc., to develop a novel material created by researchers from Cardiff University's School of Engineering that can improve the safety of athletes, members of the military and others from brain injuries by better absorbing and dissipating impact.
	Amazon UK urges customers to throw away hoverboards The British branch of online retailer Amazon on Wednesday urged customers to throw away defective "hoverboards", two-wheeled scooters that have become a craze ahead of the Christmas season.
	There's a new crop of coding toys for techie tykes Want even your younger kids to join the tech revolution by learning to code? Maybe you should get them a robot—or at least a video game.
	An app to digitally detox from smartphone addiction: Lock n' LOL When a fake phone company released its line of products, NoPhones, a thin, rectangular-shaped plastic block that looked just like a smartphone but did not function, many doubted that the simulated smartphones would find any users. Surprisingly, close to 4,000 fake phones were sold to consumers who wanted to curb their phone usage.
New study explores the mind of a cyberterrorist A new study by Max Kilger, director of Data Analytics Programs at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) College of Business, is delving into an aspect of cybersecurity rarely explored before now: the human component. Kilger's research utilizes his talents as a social psychologist to show that at the beginning of any digital threat is a real person with unique motivations.
	Travel industry embraces virtual reality as marketing tool From roller coasters to cruises to destinations, virtual reality is exploding as a way to market travel.
	Facebook Messenger lets users call Uber cars Facebook on Wednesday announced an alliance with Uber that lets people summon cars from the ride sharing service using the Messenger smartphone application.
A look at robots and other coding toys for the youngest kids It's no longer tough to find coding toys for young kids. Here's a look at your current options. All of the toys are either sold through major retailers or online.
	Facebook expands 'Instant Articles' to Android Facebook said Wednesday it had signed up 350 global media partners for its "Instant Articles" service as it expanded the program to Android devices.
	Speeding up the hydrogen highway Drivers are seeing more hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on the road, but refueling stations for those vehicles are still few and far between. This is about to change, and one reason is a new testing device being validated at California refueling stations that will greatly accelerate station commissioning.
	Review: Don't expect Apple to transform television Since the turn of the century, Apple has shaken up both the music and wireless industries. But if you're hoping it will have the same revolutionary effect on the television industry, you may want to adjust your expectations.
Sandoval calls special session for Faraday tax breaks Gov. Brian Sandoval called Nevada lawmakers into a special legislative session starting Wednesday to approve tax breaks and incentives for electric carmaker Faraday Future, which wants to build a $1 billion plant in North Las Vegas.
	Smart key system brings national award for software engineer An innovative electronic smart key system has secured a software system engineer a major national award following a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between the University of Lincoln, UK, and Lincoln Security Ltd.
	Massive year-end spending bill includes cybersecurity act The massive year-end spending measure includes a provision that will encourage companies to share cyber threat information with the government.
Wearable electronics move beyond rigid wristbands It's not every day that there's a news story about socks. But in November, a pair won the Best New Wearable Technology Device Award at a Silicon Valley conference. The smart socks, which track foot landings and cadence, are at the forefront of a new generation of wearable electronics, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.

Chemistry news

	Tiny sensor may have big impact in tackling cancer, cystic fibrosis A new sensor developed at the University of Toronto that provides greater accuracy in pH measurement may help in better understanding and diagnosing a range of diseases including cancer.
	Spider signal threads reveal remote sensing design secrets When you look at a spider web in the garden, one thing is often noticeably absent: the spider. This may be because it is lurking away from the web in a 'retreat', where it can monitor web vibrations through a proxy known as a signal thread.
	Geologists focus on mineral for clues to beginning of biological life on earth On the early Earth, light came not only from the sun but also from the incessant bombardment of fireball meteorites continually striking the planet. Now, the recent work of University of South Florida (USF) associate professor of geology Matthew Pasek, USF researcher Maheen Gull, and colleagues at Georgia Institute of Technology, has demonstrated that these meteorites may have carried within them an extraterrestrial mineral that, as it corroded in water on Earth, could have provided the essential chemical spark leading to the birth of biological life on the planet.
	Native vine's sap eyed as potential gum arabic alternative U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) researchers found a sap oozing from the stem of frost grape, a native U.S. grapevine, which has piqued their interest. This sap has an uncanny similarity to gum Arabic, a common thickening agent and emulsifier used in cake frosting, candies, paints, cosmetics and other products.
Pioneering brain cancer technique could lead to better prognosis for patients Scientists have used Diamond Light Source to advance our understanding of the changes taking place during the progression of brain cancer. This research may lead the way to a new tumour assessment method which could complement traditional approaches.
	Antimicrobials generated using a multidisciplinary fragment-based strategy destroy drug-resistant bacterial membranes A weapon in the battle against antibiotic resistance has been developed by A*STAR and SERI researchers, who have come up with a strategy for rational design of antimicrobials against multidrug-resistant pathogens, such as the gram-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
	Scientists develop a device for shaping cells while viewing under a microscope Materials scientist Ljubomira Schmitt and biologist Tobias Meckel are developing a device that can be used to culture cells under induced movements whilst simultaneously allowing them to be observed through a microscope. The technology could improve drug testing and obviate the need for certain experiments on live animals.
	Toward roads that de-ice themselves As winter approaches, stores, cities and homeowners are stocking up on salt, gravel and sand in anticipation of slippery roads. But this annual ritual in colder climates could soon become unnecessary. Researchers report in ACS' journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research a new road material that could de-ice itself.
	Devising an inexpensive, quick tuberculosis test for developing areas Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease and a major global health problem, especially in countries with developing health care systems. Because there is no fast, easy way to detect TB, the deadly infection can spread quickly through communities. Now, a team reports in ACS Sensors the development of a rapid, sensitive and low-cost method for detecting the disease in resource-limited areas.
Crystal structures of human TIM members: Ebola virus entry-enhancing receptors Since first identified in 1976, Ebola virus has caused a total of 24 outbreaks involving 1,716 cases according to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics. The current outbreak in West Africa, with the first case identified in March 2014, is the largest and most complex Ebola outbreak. It includes more than 28,000 infection cases and over 11,000 deaths as of December 2015. The WHO's emergency committee unanimously agreed that the current outbreak—centered in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone—was "an extraordinary event and a public health risk to other states", and declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern".
	Cost-effective new process gets chitin out of its shell By showing that chitin can be extracted from shells at scale in an efficient and environmentally sustainable manner, the EU-funded CHIBIO project has positive implications not just for Europe's seafood industry but also for a range of sectors keen to replace fossil-based polymers with bio-based polymers. These include catering product manufacturers, packaging manufacturers and tyre manufacturers, to name but a few.

Biology news

	Baby fish will be lost at sea in acidified oceans The ability of baby fish to find a home, or other safe haven, to grow into adulthood will be severely impacted under predicted ocean acidification, University of Adelaide research has found.
	New evidence of tool use discovered in parrots Psychologists at the University of York and University of St Andrews have uncovered the first evidence of tool use by greater vasa parrots (Coracopsis vasa).
	Predators key to helping prey evolve with climate change The key to helping animals evolve quickly in response to climate change could actually be their predators, according to a new UBC study.
	Long term study shows bacteria continue to show sustained fitness in unchanging environment (Phys.org)—A team of researchers working on Michigan State University's Long-Term Evolution Experiment (LTEE) has found that even after nearly thirty years living in an unchanging environment, generations of Escherichia coli continue to show improvements in fitness. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the team describes the nature of their long term experiment and their surprise at the continual evolution of the simple bacteria.
	Infrared video reveals how hummingbirds dissipate heat (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with George Fox University in Oregon and the University of Montana has uncovered the ways in which calliope hummingbirds (Selasphorus calliope) get rid of the large amount of heat that is generated as they rapidly beat their wings. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the team describes their experiments and results and why they believe what they found could be problematic for the birds in the coming years.
New insights into cooperativity in gene regulation In a study published in Nature, Dirk Schübeler and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) describe how the interplay between transcription factors and epigenetic modifications of DNA influences gene regulation. The scientists found that transcription factors can cooperate indirectly, via changes in DNA methylation patterns: by removing methyl groups, some transcription factors prepare surrounding regions for the binding of other transcription factors. This research thus elucidates a further aspect of the complex role methyl groups play in gene regulation.
	Study finds people transformed how species associated after 300 million years A study published today finds a surprising and very recent shift away from the steady relationship among species that prevailed for more than 300 million years.
	How to see a mass extinction if it's right in front of you A Yale-led study urges scientists to move their focus from species extinction to species rarity in order to recognize, and avoid, a mass extinction in the modern world.
	Land use may weaken amphibian's capacity to fight infection and disease Man-made changes to the environment may be damaging the immune systems of a species of frog whose populations have drastically declined since the 1970s, according to a new study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University and the Holden Arboretum.
	Plants use a molecular clock to predict when they'll be infected Plants are able to predict when infections are more likely to occur and regulate their immune response accordingly, new research has found.
	Skewed expression of mRNA components correlates with fine tuning of protein production Long cast as a simple link between DNA and protein, messenger RNA has never offered much intrigue. But new research at The Rockefeller University suggests the molecule is up to something unexpected.
	Plants crawled onto land earlier than we give them credit, genetic evidence suggests Plant biologists agree that it all began with green algae. At some point in our planet's history, the common ancestor of trees, ferns, and flowers developed an alternating life cycle—presumably allowing their offspring to float inland and conquer Earth. But on December 16 in Trends in Plant Science, Danish scientists argue that some green algae had been hanging out on land hundreds of millions of years before this adaptation and that land plants actually evolved from terrestrial, not aquatic, algae.
	Big moves in protein structure prediction and design The potential of modular design for brand new proteins that do not exist in the natural world is explored Dec. 16 in the journal Nature. The reports are the latest in a recent series of developments toward custom-designing proteins.
	Hot water puts crocs at risk Australia's saltwater crocodiles appear to be in hot water, with a University of Queensland study linking climate warming to shorter dives, putting the crocs' survival at risk.
	Isolated Utah bison herd new stronghold for conservation of iconic remnant of 'Wild West' Scientists from Utah State University and Texas A&M University confirm a remnant of the Wild, Wild West lives on in a remote region of southeastern Utah.
	Climate researchers employ tool from 1800s: Whaling logs Maritime historians, climate scientists and ordinary citizens are coming together on a project to study the logbooks of 19th-century whaling ships to better understand modern-day climate change and Arctic weather patterns.
	GM salmon may be safe but they're not coming to a store near you just yet We have all, most likely unknowingly, eaten products that have contained some form of genetically modified (GM) crops, which remain controversial to some people despite having been under commercial production for nearly two decades.
New twist in tale of dogs' origins The origin of dogs has inspired a lingering controversy in academia. Where and when did dogs first split off from wolves? One of the top dogs in this dispute, population genetics expert Peter Savolainen of Sweden's KTH Royal Institute of Technology, isn't about to roll over. He hopes his latest research will finally settle the matter.
	The double life of a bacteria—living off both iron and pure electricity Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science and the University of Tokyo have demonstrated that the bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans can take electrons needed for growth directly from an electrode power source when iron—its already known source of energy—is absent. The study, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, shows that A. ferrooxidans can use direct uptake of electrons from an electrode to fuel the same metabolic pathway that is activated by the oxidation of diffusible iron ions.
	Researchers uncover multiple adaptations to temperature in birds and mammals Understanding the different ways organisms can adapt to environmental temperatures is central to understanding how they will respond to climate change.
	Western Australia's rarest bird species headed for extinction One of the last known populations of WA's rarest bird species is tipped to disappear from a global biodiversity hotspot unless action is taken to address climate change.
	West Coast marine mammals respond to shifting conditions, new research shows Humpback whales off the West Coast consume thousands of pounds of krill, plankton and small fish each day. Research shows that humpback diets reflect their surroundings, with the truck-sized whales filter-feeding on vast amounts of krill when cold upwelling waters prevail, but switching to schooling fish such as anchovies when warmer waters take over and the fish grow abundant.
	Dogs give friends food Compared to the rest of the animal kingdom, the human capacity for cooperation is something quite special. Cooperating with one another requires a certain amount of prosocial behaviour. This means helping others without any direct personal benefit.
	Three new fishing snake species fished out of the Andean slopes in South America Commonly known as fishing snakes, the Synophis genus has been expanded with as many as three new species following a research in the Andean cloud forests of Amazonian Ecuador and Peru. Not only is the discovery remarkable due to the rarity of new snake species being discovered, but also because this is the first time this mysterious and already eight-member genus is recorded from Peru. The study is published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
	Washington zoo ready for baby panda Bei Bei's public debut The National Zoo in Washington is bracing for a flood of visitors in the New Year to greet its latest star, Bei Bei, the rare giant panda born in August.
	Aphids balance their diets by rebuilding plant amino acids Aphids suck up an almost endless supply of sugary sap from their plant hosts. They can survive on this junk food diet because bacterial partners help them convert the handful of amino acids in the sap into other, essential amino acids—not by recycling them, but by breaking them down and rebuilding from scratch, a new study finds.
	Penguin cam captures hunt for prey Little penguins were more likely to work together to hunt schooling prey than solitary prey, according to observations made using animal-borne cameras published Dec. 2, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Grace Sutton from the Deakin University, Australia, and colleagues.
	Enemy odors help flies protect their offspring Female Drosophila flies avoid laying eggs at sites that smell of parasitic wasps.
	Mediterranean sperm whales show great size variation An analysis of Mediterranean sperm whale 'clicks' suggests that individuals range from 7.5 to 14 meters long, according to a study published Dec. 9, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Francesco Caruso from the University of Messina and Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Italy, and colleagues.
	Researchers discover six new African frog species, uncover far more diversity Researchers have discovered half a dozen new species of the African clawed frog, and added back another to the list of known species, in the process uncovering striking new characteristics of one of the most widely studied amphibians in the world.
	Red palm weevils can fly 50 kilometers in 24 hours The red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) has been a pest of coconut palms in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines for a long time. More recently, it's become a pest of 40 different palm species in the Middle East and North Africa after it was found there in the 1980s.
	Bling for dogs helps fight global problem In many parts of the world, transmission of rabies and other diseases in free-roaming dogs is a serious health problem – and not only for the animals.
	Special collection explores origin and evolution of play Research on the evolution and function of play at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) has culminated in a special issue of the journal Adaptive Behavior. The papers represent the first systematic use of computational and mathematical models to investigate the theoretical and empirical origins of play.
More bad news on California salmon California drought regulators, deliberating on a controversial plan to withhold water from farms and cities next year to preserve an endangered species of salmon, were handed a fresh dose of bad news Tuesday: The fish are doing worse than previously believed.

Medicine & Health news

	In US, poverty dampens genetic influence on IQ An analysis of data gathered from 14 independent studies indicates that the influence of genes on intelligence varies according to people's social class in the US, but not in Western Europe or Australia. The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	To stop cancer's spread, take out its communication channels Metastasis - or the spread of cancer from one part of the body to other parts - accounts for more than 90 percent of cancer-related deaths. Although the cells that seed metastasis and the sites that they tend to travel to have been increasingly studied over the years, little has been known about how cancer migrates from a primary site, such as breast tissue, to a secondary site, such as the brain or bone marrow. A study by researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), published in Nature Communications, offers a new view of how cancer cells extend their reach, co-opting and transforming normal cells through "metastatic hijacking." The researchers also find that in pre-clinical models, pharmacological intervention can prevent this hijacking from occurring, pointing to new therapeutic targets for preventing cancer cells from spreading.
	Researchers elucidate network of genes that control when puberty begins In expanding our knowledge of how the brain controls the process of sexual development, researchers at Oregon Healthy & Science University and the University of Pittsburgh have identified for the first time members of an elaborate superfamily of genes that regulate the timing of puberty in highly evolved nonhuman primates. The Zinc finger, or ZNF, gene family comprises approximately 800 individual genes.
	Mitochondria, an exciting new target for the treatment of anxiety disorders One third of patients with anxiety disorders do not respond to currently available anxiolytic treatments. In their latest study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have shown for the first time that manipulation of mitochondria exerts anxiolytic effects. This improved understanding of how mitochondrial changes affect anxiety may provide the key to novel treatments.
Unexpected molecular partners may offer new way to counter inflammatory diseases When overactive or off target, certain cells in the immune system that normally fight infection instead attack a person's own tissue. This process fuels inflammation as part of autoimmune diseases. Now, a study from researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center publishing on December 16 in Nature has revealed a new way to curtail these mechanisms that could shape the design of future drugs.
	Understanding body language: Scientists create new technology to read complex patterns of behavior It might not rival Newton's apple, which led to his formulating the law of gravity, but the collapse of a lighting scaffold played a key role in the discovery that mice, like humans, have body language.
	Scientists reveal new phase of HIV infection Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have identified a new life cycle stage in HIV infection, thanks to a novel technique they developed to take images of intact infected cells. They've shown that this phase of infection, dubbed intra-nuclear migration, by principal investigator Abraham L. Brass, MD, PhD, relies on the human protein CPSF6 to guide the virus through the host cell's nucleus and position it at active genes where it prefers to make its home. Details of HIV's intra-nuclear migration and the imaging techniques used to find it were published in Cell Reports.
	How brain architecture leads to abstract thought Using 20 years of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from tens of thousands of brain imaging experiments, computational neuroscientists Hava Siegelmann and a postdoctoral colleague at the University of Massachusetts have created a geometry-based method for massive data analysis to reach a new understanding of how thought arises from brain structure.
	Implant acts as a countermeasure ETH Professor Martin Fussenegger calls them molecular prosthetics: cells with specially developed gene circuits that can be implanted into an organism, where they take over metabolic functions that the organism cannot perform itself. Fussenegger and his team at ETH Zurich's Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel have now succeeded in developing a molecular prosthesis of this kind where the functions are far more complex than before. The prosthesis is tailored to the treatment of psoriasis, a complex and chronic inflammatory disease of the skin.
	Scientists discover the function and connections of three cell types in the brain How the brain functions is still a black box: scientists aren't even sure how many kinds of nerve cells exist in the brain. To know how the brain works, they need to know not only what types of nerve cells exist, but also how they work together. Researchers at the Salk Institute have gotten one step closer to unlocking this black box.
	Researchers discover way to improve image sharpness for blind people with retinal implants Retinal implants that deliver longer pulses of electrical current may noticeably improve image sharpness for individuals who have lost their sight due to retinitis pigmentosa, according to a new study by researchers from the USC Eye Institute and USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
	New compound successfully targets hard-to-treat breast cancer Findings from a new study led by scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) suggest a potent new therapeutic approach for a number of hard-to-treat breast cancers.
	Scary movies can curdle blood Watching horror, or 'bloodcurdling,' movies is associated with an increase in the clotting protein, blood coagulant factor VIII, finds a small study in The BMJ Christmas issue this week.
	Certain antidepressants linked to heightened risk of mania and bipolar disorder Taking certain antidepressants for depression is linked to a heightened risk of subsequent mania and bipolar disorder, reveals research published in the online journal BMJ Open.
	Low cost, safe and accurate test could help diagnose rare childhood cancers A non-invasive, low cost blood test that could help doctors diagnose some types of malignant childhood tumour has been developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Health NHS Foundation Trust.
	There's an app for that: An easy, fast and reliable way to record causes of death Researchers have developed a revolutionary new app to capture accurate global cause of death data on tablets and mobile phones.
Helping children at high risk for aggressive behavior found to have long-term benefits A new longitudinal study that examined an intervention for children at high risk of developing behavior problems has found that teaching so-called soft skills was key to preventing criminal and delinquent problems later in life. Soft skills, such as self-control and social skills, are personality traits, attitudes, and motivations not included in traditional measures of intelligence.
	Children's ADHD symptoms and peer relationships influence each other over time Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are restless, inattentive, and impulsive, and they have difficulty with social functioning, often having fewer friends and being rejected more than children without ADHD. In a new longitudinal study from Norway, researchers investigated the bidirectional relationship between the development of ADHD symptoms in young children and rejection by peers.
Ethnic differences in CF genetic coding not addressed in screening tests for nonwhite patients Cystic fibrosis (CF) occurs less frequently in nonwhites than in whites, and nonwhites tend to be diagnosed at a later age. This late diagnosis often comes only once they have become symptomatic, rather than through newborn screening programs or molecular diagnostic testing. Delaying diagnosis can result in postponed treatment and clinical deterioration. A new study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics found that one reason for this ethnic disparity in CF diagnoses is that the variants examined in the most common CF newborn screening panels do not sufficiently include the variants present in nonwhite populations.
Poverty may increase childhood risk of neurological impairment, study suggests Children from low income environments appear to have a higher risk of neurological impairment than those from more economically secure circumstances, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions. This neurological impairment appears to be distinct from the risk of cognitive and emotional delays known to accompany early-life poverty.
At menopause, weight, exercise, education, income play big roles in metabolic risks At midlife, overweight and obesity, lack of exercise, less education, and low income put women at much higher risk of having metabolic syndrome, the cluster of conditions predisposes people to diabetes and heart disease, shows a large study published today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.
The human cost of cuts to Spain's prized health system "Either we eat or I take my pills," Maximiliano Diego recalled a patient confessing after stopping treatment because cuts in Spain's public health system forced him to pay for medication from his own pocket.
India and Pakistan set to benefit from new autism treatment In a world first, clinical researchers from the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester have collaborated with colleagues in south Asia to adapt a parent-led autism therapy.
	New evidence shows regular exercise improves blood cholesterol and reduces cardiovascular disease risk A new analysis of six exercise intervention studies shows that regular aerobic or endurance-type exercise produced substantial beneficial changes in the cholesterol subfraction profiles of more than 1,500 study participants, according to an article published in the journal Atherosclerosis.
Researchers find hospital prices vary significantly for the privately insured A new "Big Data" project from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Yale University, the University of Pennsylvania and the London School of Economics demonstrates that the prices hospitals negotiate with private health insurance companies vary considerably within and across geographic regions in the United States.
Zinc deficiency alters gut bacteria makeup and function A new study reveals that zinc deficiency – a condition that affects 25 percent of the world's population, especially in the developing world – alters the makeup of bacteria found in the intestine.
	Want to get fit without hitting the gym? Follow these tips Here are five gym-free workout tips to help you build a fitter physique, with insight from Rui Li, an associate clinical professor in the Department of Health Sciences who studies training strategies for fitness and sport performance.
Many unexpected genetic variants hamper personalised medicine In recent decades much hope was based on the development of personalised drug treatments, in which genetic tests determine the choice and optimal dose of medication for each individual patient. However, the real breakthrough is still to be seen, and now researchers at Karolinska Institutet show in two separate scientific papers that many more gene variants affect how a person responds to medication than previously thought – and thus that today's analytical tools are too coarse.
	New weapon in the fight against breast cancer The first clinically-relevant mouse model of human breast cancer to successfully express functional estrogen receptor positive (ER+) adenocarcinomas has been developed by researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The tumors generated in this system bear a striking resemblance to the class of tumors found in the vast majority of women with breast cancer, and especially to those whose cancer proves treatment-resistant. This model should be a powerful tool for testing therapies for aggressive ER+ breast cancers and for studying the biology and etiology of luminal cancers—the most prevalent and deadliest forms of breast cancer.
	Filtering the blood to keep cancer in check A new diagnostic system used to detect cancer cells in small blood samples could next be turned towards filtering a patient's entire system to remove those dangerous cells – like a dialysis machine for cancer – says an Australian researcher who helped develop the system.
	Feeling undervalued is more stressful to nurses than the work Feeling unappreciated and undervalued may cause more stress to nurses than the demands of the work itself.
	Putting a block on inflammation Increasing the proportion of an anti inflammatory immune cell subtype can reduce damage to joints in mice infected with Chikungunya virus, research by A*STAR reveals. These findings are significant for the potential treatment of people infected by the virus, and have implications for related conditions.
	Some notes on the female orgasm in 2015 Without the perennially interesting problem of the female orgasm, it sometimes seems that the oddly sex-segregated world of men's and women's magazines would run out of content.
Study examines obesity in relation to breast cancer related lymphedema Each year, about 1.38 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer. Advances in treatment have facilitated a 90% five-year survival rate among those treated. Given the increased rate and length of survival following breast cancer, more and more survivors are facing life-time risk of developing late effects of cancer treatment that negatively impact long-term survival. In particular, breast cancer-related lymphedema is one of the most distressing and feared late effects.
Lifespan—genetic background and physical activity Animal studies have already shown that a strong link exists between genetic background and physical activity level. The purpose of our study was to investigate the associations between genetic background, physical activity level, and lifespan.
Research reveals promising novel strategy to target cancer-causing protein A team of scientists, comprising researchers from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, and the VIB Laboratory of Molecular Cancer Biology (VIB/KU Leuven), has revealed the mechanism by which tumor cells elevate levels of MDM4, a protein that is highly expressed in cancer cells but not in normal adult tissues. The team has also found that the mechanism can be interfered with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to suppress cancer growth. The study which paves the way for the development of novel cancer therapeutics was published in the leading Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI).
	How compositional data analysis can help us optimise our daily routine to be healthy What is the recipe for a healthy day?
	Researchers find a compound helping to regenerate neurons in damaged areas of the brain Many neurology pathologies cause irreversible loss of neurons. They are mostly the so-called neurodegenerative diseases although there exist other causes for a focal loss of neurons, as it is the case in strokes or traumatic brain injuries. All these pathologies lack nowadays of an efficient treatment not being possible to regenerate dead neurons. In fact, although the brain has the ability to regenerate as many studies has proved, this regeneration is very low, ranging from 0.2% to a maximum of 10% depending on the type of injury and the damaged area.
	Fat-burning fat exists, but might not be the key to weight loss When you think about body fat, it's probably white fat that comes to mind. That's where our bodies store excess calories, and it's the stuff you want to get rid of when you are trying to lose weight.
	Research shows typical American diet can worsen chronic pain Sufferers of chronic pain are more susceptible to prolonged and pronounced health issues when practicing poor diet habits, according to new research published by University of Alabama at Birmingham researcher Robert Sorge, Ph.D., and team in the Journal of Pain.
	How e-health applications can boost health literacy and improve quality of care among the elderly Growing demand for elderly e-health applications – the delivery of healthcare and services by electronic means – and m-health applications – the delivery of healthcare services via mobile communication devices such as Smartphones – has created an opportunity for SMEs to develop innovative internet, mobile phones and tablets-based solutions along with video games that can improve the health of older people.
Scientists find new vessel for detecting autism Evidence of autism may be found in the composition and malfunction of the brain's blood vessels, a team of scientists has found. Their research sheds new light on the causes of autism, which previously had pointed to neurological make-up rather than to the vascular system, and identifies a new target for potential therapeutic intervention.
	Drug use trends remain stable or decline among teens The 2015 Monitoring the Future survey (MTF) shows decreasing use of a number of substances, including cigarettes, alcohol, prescription opioid pain relievers, and synthetic cannabinoids ("synthetic marijuana"). Other drug use remains stable, including marijuana, with continued high rates of daily use reported among 12th graders, and ongoing declines in perception of its harms.
Beyond early adversity: A multidimensional approach linking early experiences to successful aging Adverse childhood experiences such as poverty, abuse and neglect have been linked to poor mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood. However, characterizing early experiences only in terms of extreme stressors fails to capture the full spectrum of childhood for most people.
	The eyes have it: Mutual gaze potentially a vital component in social interactions A person in love gazes longingly and attentively at the object of his or her desire. When we want to grab another person's attention, we look directly into their eyes. Why do we behave this way? What happens during our gazing?
	Researchers find out cause of mutations which are not in genetic material Proteins are like bricks that form our cells and they are built by the orders given by our genetic material, DNA. In human diseases, eventually DNA alterations modify proteins and they don't do their normal function, either by excess or defect. But recently we have started to find alterations of proteins without an obvious damage of the gene that produces them.
	Making bicycling safer for kids with ADHD Child development experts have long known that children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely to have an accident while crossing the street on their bicycles.
In hyperparathyroidism patients with kidney transplantation, surgery is more effective than drug treatment A study led by researchers from the Nephrology group at Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and the University Hospital of Bellvitge (HUB), compared the results of surgery with drug therapy in patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism, ie after a kidney transplant. The results of the research have been published in the journal of greatest impact in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Link between anemia and mild cognitive impairment In a large population-based study of randomly selected participants in Germany, researchers found that participants with anemia, defined as haemoglobin
Immigrant parents at lower risk of preterm birth than Canadian-born couples Couples who immigrate to Canada are generally at lower risk of having a preterm birth than Canadian-born couples, new research has found.
	Weight loss through diet changes can improve sleep at any body weight, says study Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleepiness at any weight, says a study published by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania this month in the journal Sleep. The findings offer new insights into how weight fluctuations impact numerous aspects of sleep independent of body weight.
	Vessel discovery a major step toward growing kidneys In a significant step toward growing replacement kidneys, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified the cells that give rise to the blood vessels within the kidney. It's a discovery of critical importance, as efforts to grow kidneys have long been frustrated by the inability to create the vasculature necessary for a functional organ.
Families choosing treatment options for uncomplicated appendicitis in children When chosen by the family, nonoperative management with antibiotics alone was an effective treatment strategy for children with uncomplicated appendicitis, incurring less illness and lower costs than surgery, according to a study published online by JAMA Surgery.
Antibiotics alone can be a safe, effective treatment for children with appendicitis Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated acute appendicitis is a reasonable alternative to surgery when chosen by the family. A study led by researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital found that three out of four children with uncomplicated appendicitis have been successfully treated with antibiotics alone at one year follow-up. Compared to urgent appendectomy, non-operative management was associated with less recovery time, lower health costs and no difference in the rate of complications at one year.
	Early childhood depression alters brain development The brains of children who suffer clinical depression as preschoolers develop abnormally, compared with the brains of preschoolers unaffected by the disorder, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Minding the gap: International team defines spaces through which nerve cells communicate In a report published in the journal Neuron, an international team of researchers defined the makeup of the cellular structures through which nerve cells communicate with each other. These "synaptic clefts" are the small gaps between nerve cells (neurons) that relay information in the brain. Synapses, including the synaptic clefts, are formed rapidly shortly before and after birth. Mutations in the proteins that make up the cleft increase vulnerability to developmental disorders, notably autism spectrum disorders.
	Activating beige fat in humans could combat obesity The body's ability to harness heat production by converting white fat cells, which store calories, into beige fat cells, which burn energy, could help fight obesity, according to researchers at Georgia State University.
New statistics show one of every three US deaths caused by cardiovascular disease One of every three deaths in the U.S. in 2013 were from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, while heart disease and stroke were the No. 1 and No. 2 killers worldwide, according to American Heart Association's 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update.
	Chewing slowly helps prevent excessive weight gain in children Waiting 30 seconds in between bites of food allows children to realize they're no longer hungry before they overeat—preventing excessive weight gain. That's the conclusion of a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of the journal Pediatric Obesity by an international team of researchers, including bioengineers at the University of California, San Diego.
Research offers recommendations for use of aspirin to prevent preeclampsia To prevent preeclampsia, new research suggests that low-dose aspirin should be given prophylactically to all women at high risk (those with diabetes or chronic hypertension) and any woman with two or more moderate risk factors (including obesity, multiple gestation and advanced maternal age).
	When rejection comes from within A new cellular structure responsible for previously unexplained rejection of organ transplants has been identified by researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM.) This discovery could one day revolutionize transplantation practice by modifying risk assessment of rejection in people who receive heart, lung, kidney, or liver transplants.
	New 'exercise hormone' promotes physical endurance A new study in mice shows that exercise causes muscle to release a peptide that builds the muscle's capacity for energy production and increases physical endurance, allowing for longer and more intense exercise.
Free mobile app to improve the world's cardiovascular health Leading cardiologist Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, has developed a free mobile application called "Circle of Health" to empower individuals around the globe to take action to comprehensively assess and enhance their daily overall heart health. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of mortality in the world. Dr. Fuster has created "Circle of Health" for the daily promotion of cardiovascular health worldwide and to reduce the epidemics of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
	Kids find help for anorexia more often than 'pro-ana' posts on YouTube (HealthDay)—For years, people surfing YouTube may have accidently or intentionally encountered so-called "pro-ana" videos extolling the virtues of a deadly disease: anorexia.
	Girls given risky meds don't get contraceptive advice (HealthDay)—New research from a Midwestern hospital suggests a wide majority of teen girls and young women fail to get information about contraceptives when they take medications that could cause birth defects.
	PT beats surgery for quick relief of carpal tunnel pain (HealthDay)—For women with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), physical manual therapies are similarly effective to surgery in the medium and long term, and may be more effective in the short term, according to a study published in the November issue of The Journal of Pain.
	Greater racial, ethnic diversity of doctors found in Ob-Gyn (HealthDay)—Among adult medical specialists, greater racial and ethnic diversity is found among obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns), according to research published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	No lasting benefit for early Tx of patent ductus arteriosus (HealthDay)—Early treatment to induce closure of the patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants does not improve long-term outcomes, according to a clinical report published online Dec. 15 in Pediatrics.
	Nasal, pharyngeal EPX levels linked to sputum eosinophilia (HealthDay)—For individual patients with poorly-controlled asthma, nasal and pharyngeal eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) levels are strongly associated with the eosinophil percentage of induced sputum, according to a study published online Dec. 8 in Allergy.
	Why do chronically lonely teens stay lonely? For chronically lonely adolescents, even the rare invitation to a social event is likely to be met with suspicion: "It's not that I'm worthy, I just got lucky," they'll tell themselves.
'Hunger hormone' may treat severe peripheral artery disease A new study by a team of researchers from New Zealand's University of Otago and Japan suggests that the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin could be used clinically for the early treatment of critical limb ischemia (CLI), an advanced form of peripheral artery disease.
	Why epilepsy may account for more lost years of life than other brain disorders Recent studies conclude that people with epilepsy have a 27-fold greater risk of sudden death than people without the disorder. However, many of these deaths could be prevented through greater identification of epilepsy as a cause of death, and in educating the public more effectively about the disease's life-threatening dangers.
FDA approves cheaper version of top-selling diabetes drug Federal health officials have approved a cheaper version of the world's top-selling insulin from Sanofi for millions of U.S. patients with diabetes.
	Many Americans unsure that flu shots do any good, poll finds With the height of the influenza season fast approaching, a survey published Tuesday by the federal Department of Health and Human Services found a sizable number of Americans are skeptical that a flu shot makes much of a difference.
Where are STDs rampant? Google wants to help researchers find out With sexually transmitted diseases on the rise, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago think they might have a powerful new weapon to fight their spread: Google searches.
Does living alone make you thinner? Score one for the singles crowd. People who live alone tend to be thinner than married couples or co-habitors, according to research out of Western Washington University.
	Canadian researchers improving child nutrition in Vietnam The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada, through the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF), are contributing $1.16 million to support researchers from Vietnam's National Institute of Nutrition and Canada's Ryerson University to implement proven methods to improve children's health. Researchers will work to increase local production and distribution of complementary and therapeutic foods for children that are high in nutrients and energy dense, such as micronutrient-enriched pastes, bars, instant flours, and pablums.
24,000 female patients missing out on vital cardiac rehabilitation services New research conducted by the University of York and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) indicates that more than 24,000 female heart patients are missing out on crucial rehabilitation, putting them at risk of further heart attacks.
	A simple saliva test could replace blood tests for heart failure Research on a new non-invasive method of screening for the 'silent killer', heart failure, by testing saliva instead of blood being developed at QUT, has received a $75,000 Heart Foundation Vanguard Grant.
	When disaster strikes Behind makeshift orange fencing, the Ebola isolation unit in Bo, Sierra Leone, lies shrouded in a haze of smoke from the constant fires burning contaminated bedding and clothing. UC San Francisco physician Andrea Tenner, MD, MPH, looking like an astronaut in a head-to-toe protective suit, peers through foggy goggles as she reviews duty lists with local colleagues before entering the hot zone – the testing ward for patients with possible Ebola virus infection. She weaves her way through the labyrinth of protective barriers, ending up in the suspect ward, where patients who've exhibited Ebola symptoms anxiously await their test results.
	Police-related killings are countable public health data What is the purpose of public health? Public health is a societal approach to protecting and improving the health and well-being of populations. Rather than focus on the health of individuals – that's medicine – public health practitioners identify and address system-level influences on the health of overall populations. Issues such as clean water supplies, school vaccination programs, and public smoking bylaws all fall in the domain of public health. Social justice is often, and should always be, an overarching focus of public health campaigns. The aim to improve the health of populations means all people in the population, however the 'population' is defined. To protect and improve everyone's health often means different strategies for different segments of the population. Specific 'at-risk' or 'vulnerable' groups are those who face the largest societal burden of ill health through adverse living conditions, and who often ha! ve insufficient financial or social means to avoid health risks.
Survey of new mothers highlights improvements The state of maternity care in Scotland has been examined by University of Stirling researchers working with the Scottish Government.
Males and under 30 at greatest risk of hospital admission for drug related poisonings Poisonings from recreational drug and alcohol use account for 9 percent of all poisoning-related hospital admissions, says a new University of Sydney study revealing that males and people under 30 are at greatest risk.
Aspirin maker Bayer seeks to flex muscles in OTC sector As French rival Sanofi seeks to become the world leader in the market for non-prescription or over-the-counter drugs, Bayer, the German inventor of Aspirin, is also on the look-out for acquisitions to hold on to its position in the sector.
Medical aid in dying: Is Quebec's law too restrictive? Quebec's legislation on medical aid in dying has many aspects in common with laws passed in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2002 to regulate euthanasia, but it is more restrictive in nature because it only concerns people at end-of-life.

Other Sciences news

	Year in Review—The most important research of 2015: May (ScienceX)—In this new monthly series, we are offering summary articles featuring links to some of the most interesting, intriguing or popular stories that appeared on ScienceX throughout 2015. This is the May 2015 edition.
	Preserved embryos illustrate seed dormancy in early angiosperms The discovery of exceptionally well-preserved, tiny fossil seeds dating back to the Early Cretaceous corroborates that flowering plants were small opportunistic colonizers at that time, according to a new Yale-led study.
	'Freak' ocean waves hit without warning, new research shows Mariners have long spoken of 'walls of water' appearing from nowhere in the open seas. But oceanographers have generally disregarded such stories and suggested that rogue waves - enormous surface waves that have attained a near-mythical status over the centuries - build up gradually and have relatively narrow crests.
Fossils enrich our understanding of evolution Our understanding of evolution can be enriched by adding fossil species to analyses of living animals, as shown by scientists from the University of Bristol.
	Linguistic construction called the "verb second constraint" could explain how people acquire language A new research project examining a linguistic construction called the verb second constraint could, academics believe, help to explain how people acquire language.
	New species of 'sail-backed' dinosaur found in Spain Scientists describe a 'sail-backed' dinosaur species named Morelladon beltrani, which inhabited the Iberian landmass ~125 million years ago, according to a study published Dec. 16, 2015 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by José Miguel Gasulla from Grupo Biología Evolutiva (UNED-UAM) and colleagues.
	Linguistics researcher uses pop music to teach vocabulary Friederike Tegge, who has taught German and English, was inspired to conduct research on pop music when she observed that many of her students showed a surprising memory for song lyrics in a foreign language and could repeat whole verses even years later.
Competitive auctions drive women to bid—and value winning—more than men In the heat of competition, women value winning more than men.
	How a joke can help us unlock the mystery of meaning in language What do you get if you cross a kangaroo with an elephant?
	Shifting sand dunes reveal hidden Bronze Age settlement The remains of a Bronze Age settlement have been unearthed beneath sand dunes in the Orkney Islands.
Green consumers flying in the face of environmental conviction Flying has a high environmental impact and gives rising concerns for CO2 emissions and climate change. Nonetheless, there are few signs of changing behaviour even from committed environmentalists, many of whom continue to fly.
Naughty or nice? Is the way we 'perform' Santa Claus under threat? Santa Claus performers struggle with fulfilling the role of old St Nic due to an acute awareness of the sensitivities around interactions with children, finds a study published by SAGE, in partnership with The Tavistock Institute, in the journal Human Relations.
	Stephen Hawking launches medal for science communication Renowned British cosmologist Stephen Hawking on Wednesday launched an award for science communication that will bear his name.
	Egypt puts King Tut mask on exhibit after botched epoxy fix Egypt put the famed golden burial mask of King Tutankhamun back on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Wednesday evening after the relic was repaired following a botched attempt to reattach the mask's beard with epoxy.
	Berlin gripped by T-rex fever as 'Tristan' stomps into town A towering, 12-metre (40-foot) long Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton with a terrifying jaw goes on display in Berlin's Natural History Museum from Thursday.
Growing diversity in doctoral programs The challenges of increasing diversity in academia have been widely cited. Now a new Northwestern Medicine study is addressing challenges at the Ph.D. level to boost the persistence of underrepresented minority and female students toward academic careers.
	World Bank approves $1.5 billion loan for toilets in India The World Bank has approved a $1.5 billion loan for a state-led sanitation program in India, where millions of people have no access to toilets, the bank said Wednesday.
EU 'breached law' over delay on hormone disrupting chemicals: court The European Commission has breached European Union law by failing to arrange for identifying harmful chemicals in everyday products, the EU's general court ruled Wednesday.
	Divorce: On the decline in sub-Saharan Africa With education, employment and income levels all rising for women in sub-Saharan Africa, many observers have speculated that divorce rates would follow suit - as they have in much of the developed world. But a new study by McGill University researchers finds that divorce rates across 20 African countries over the past 20 years have remained stable or declined.
	Archaeologists discover location of historic battle fought by Caesar in Dutch river area At a press conference held on Friday Dec. 11, 2015 in the Allard Pierson Museum in Amsterdam, archaeologist Nico Roymans from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam announced a discovery that is truly unique for Dutch archaeology: the location where the Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar massacred two Germanic tribes in the year 55 BC. The location of this battle, which Caesar wrote about in detail in Book IV of his De Bello Gallico, was unknown to date. It is the earliest known battle on Dutch soil. The conclusions are based on a combination of historical, archaeological, and geochemical data.
The fiscal impact of refugees in Sweden The world currently has more refugees and internally displaced persons than it has had since World War II. Since late summer 2015 massive numbers of refugees from countries like Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan have streamed into Europe—with policymakers often in disagreement and disarray over how to react. The readiness of many wealthy countries to provide asylum to these refugees is waning. Security is a recent concern but a major underlying reason is the perceived financial burden that would result from larger intakes.

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