Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Feb 3

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Scientists discover organism that hasn't evolved in more than 2 billion years 
- Penta-graphene, a new structural variant of carbon, discovered 
- Rediscovering spontaneous light emission 
- Astronomers find new details in first known spiral galaxy 
- The future of holographic video 
- Research team succeeds in building transistors using silicene 
- Study shows stress in early life can lead to overall bodily wear-and-tear on into middle age 
- Early Newton notebook shows prescient understanding of water ascension in plants 
- New Raspberry Pi 2 carries more power at same price 
- Researchers describe the wavefunction of Schroedinger's cat 
- Superager brains yield new clues to their remarkable memories 
- Researchers discover insulin-decreasing hormone in flies, humans 
- A novel shuttle for fatty acids 
- Researchers find genetic cues for a big heart 
- Fruitful collaboration yields insight on the tomato genome 

Nanotechnology news

	Research team succeeds in building transistors using silicene (Phys.org) —A team of researchers with members from Italy and the U.S. has succeeded in building a transistor based on silicene, for the very first time. In their paper published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, the team describes how they were able to get the notoriously finicky material to cooperate.
	Penta-graphene, a new structural variant of carbon, discovered Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and universities in China and Japan have discovered a new structural variant of carbon called "penta-graphene" - a very thin sheet of pure carbon that has a unique structure inspired by a pentagonal pattern of tiles found paving the streets of Cairo.
	Review highlights the potential for graphene and other 2D crystals in the energy sector Graphene has many potential applications, among them energy generation, conversion and storage. Graphene – a single layer of carbon atoms – and related two-dimensional crystals combine high electrical conductivity with physical flexibility and a huge surface to weight ratio. Such qualities make them suitable for storing electric charge in batteries and supercapacitors, and as catalysts in solar and fuel-cell electrodes.

Physics news

	Researchers describe the wavefunction of Schroedinger's cat Schrödinger's cat highlights a long-standing dilemma in quantum mechanics: is the cat really alive and dead, or is the weirdness just in our head?
	The future of holographic video Holographic video displays, featuring three-dimensional images, are about to "go large" and become a lot more affordable at the same time, thanks to the work of a team of Brigham Young University (BYU) researchers and their collaborators at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
	Rediscovering spontaneous light emission Berkeley Lab researchers have developed a nano-sized optical antenna that can greatly enhance the spontaneous emission of light from atoms, molecules and semiconductor quantum dots. This advance opens the door to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that can replace lasers for short-range optical communications, including optical interconnects for microchips, plus a host of other potential applications.
	Industrial pump inspired by flapping bird wings Birds are unwitting masters of fluid dynamics—they manipulate airflow each time they flap their wings, pushing air in one direction and moving themselves in another. Two New York University researchers have taken inspiration from avian locomotion strategies and created a pump that moves fluid using vibration instead of a rotor. Their results will be published February 3, 2015, in the journal Applied Physics Letters, from AIP Publishing.
	Discovery of Josephson junctions generated in atomic-layered superconductors A research group at the NIMS (Sukekatsu Ushioda, president) International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA, Masakazu Aono, director), consisting of post-doctoral researcher Shunsuke Yoshizawa, MANA researcher Takashi Uchihashi, MANA principal investigator Tomonobu Nakayama, post-doctoral researcher Takuto Kawakami and MANA principal investigator Xiao Hu, and a research team at the Institute for Solid State Physics of the University of Tokyo, consisting of post-doctoral researcher Kim Howon and associate professor Yukio Hasegawa, discovered that in an atomic-scale thick superconductor formed on a silicon surface, a single-atom difference in height between atomic layers (atomic step) acts as a Josephson junction that controls the flow of supercurrent.
	Researchers equip humans with magnetic sense Scientists from Germany and Japan have developed a new magnetic sensor, which is thin, robust and pliable enough to be smoothly adapted to human skin, even to the most flexible part of the human palm. This is feeding the vision to equip humans with magnetic sense.
	Hidden uncertainties uncovered in nuclear forensic measurement A little detective work by nuclear physicists has uncovered hidden uncertainties in a popular method for precisely measuring radioactive nuclides, often used to make reference materials for forensic analyses such as radioactive dating.
Five ways to put tiny targets in front of an X-ray laser X-ray devices have long been used to see the inner structure of things, from bone breaks in the human body to the contents of luggage at airport security checkpoints. But to see life's chemistry and exotic materials at the scale of individual atoms, you need a far more powerful X-ray device.
	The rarely understood ammonium carbonate monohydrate New structural studies of the superficially simple ammonium carbonate monohydrate could shed light on industrial processes, biochemistry and even the interstellar building blocks of life.

Earth news

	Scientists discover organism that hasn't evolved in more than 2 billion years (Phys.org)—An international team of scientists has discovered the greatest absence of evolution ever reported—a type of deep-sea microorganism that appears not to have evolved over more than 2 billion years. But the researchers say that the organisms' lack of evolution actually supports Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
	Study examines role of acoustic-gravity waves as ocean transport, early warning of tsunamis Acoustic-gravity waves—a special type of sound wave that can cut through the deep ocean at the speed of sound—can be generated by underwater earthquakes, explosions, and landslides, as well as by surface waves and meteorites. A single one of these waves can stretch tens or hundreds of kilometers, and travel at depths of hundreds or thousands of meters below the ocean surface, transferring energy from the upper surface to the seafloor, and across the oceans. Acoustic-gravity waves often precede a tsunami or rogue wave—either of which can be devastating.
Most major Chinese cities seen failing on air quality The air quality in 66 of China's 74 major cities, including the capital Beijing, failed to meet basic standards last year, China's Environment Ministry said, underlining the struggles the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter has in reining in threats to public health and quality of life.
	Overcoming the social barriers to climate consensus It can be tempting to think that people who disagree with you are mad, bad or simply stupid. However, not only are such judgements usually wrong, but telling people that they are stupid is unlikely to convince them of the merit of your own view.
	How will ocean acidification impact marine life? Many marine organisms—such as coral, clams, mussels, sea urchins, barnacles, and certain microscopic plankton—rely on equilibrated chemical conditions and pH levels in the ocean to build their calcium-based shells and other structures. A new analysis published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology provides a holistic analysis of how species will be affected worldwide under different climate scenarios.
	Drought and flood prediction gets boost from new Texas network and NASA satellite A new network of underground sensors in the Texas Hill Country will arm those responsible for managing the state's finite water supply with vital information for determining the chances of drought and dangerous floods.
	Online photos provide evidence for the value of clean water Think of the last time you planned a visit to a lake. Why did you choose the lake you did? Did you consider the quality of the water? The answers to these questions are critical to understanding how lake users make decisions about their recreation choices and the value society places on water resources.
	Earth's orbit affects the stability of Antarctica's Eastern ice cap An international research team led by the High Council for Scientific Research (CSIC in its Spanish acronym) and with the participation of the University of Granada, has found that there is a direct relation between the changes in the earth's orbit and the stability of the Eastern ice cap of Antarctica, more specifically, on the continental fringe of Wilkes Land (East Antarctica). 29 scientists from 12 different countries participated in this study, which has been published in the journal Nature Geosciences.
	Role of gravitational instabilities in volcanic ash deposition: Example of Eyjafjallajokull Volcanic ash poses a significant hazard for areas close to volcanoes and for aviation. For example, the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland, clearly demonstrated that even small-to-moderate explosive eruptions, in particular if long-lasting, can paralyze entire sectors of societies, with significant, global-level, economic impacts. In this open-access Geology article, Irene Manzella and colleagues present the first quantitative description of the dynamics of gravitational instabilities and particle aggregation based on the 4 May 2010 eruption.
	NASA's Aqua satellite sees demise of Tropical Cyclone Ola Tropical Cyclone Ola was being battered by vertical wind shear in the Southern Pacific Ocean when NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead and captured an infrared picture of the storm.

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers find new details in first known spiral galaxy Case Western Reserve University astronomers peered deep into space to discover new features of a galaxy that's been sketched and photographed for 170 years.
	How can we protect Mars from Earth while searching for life? The search for life on Mars presents us with many challenges – not the least of which is microbial contamination. How do we ensure that microbes from Earth don't hitchhike all the way to the Red Planet and spread there? When a spacecraft is on the surface of Mars, what steps are needed to protect the environment from changes that could hurt any Martian life that is there?
	Virgin Galactic gets back on track toward space tourism The only thing interrupting the creosote and mesquite that make up one of New Mexico's most remote stretches of desert is a pristine runway where Virgin Galactic plans one day to launch the world's first commercial space-line.
	How Venus Express outperformed expectations for eight years It was a hell of a ride to our hellish sister planet. Eight long years of studying Venus is way more than ESA scientists were expected from its mission. Venus Express spacecraft that launched on Nov. 9, 2005 and entered the orbit of its target planet on Apr. 11, 2006, was originally planned to last for 500 days. The mission was successfully extended three times and ended in slow death while entering Venusian hostile atmosphere this January. "Venus Express fulfilled its original overall goals, gathered most expected data, and in fact could accomplish its objectives beyond what was originally thought by exceeding its nominal mission several times," Patrick Martin, ESA Venus Express mission manager told astrowatch.net. "It did much more than what it was planned for thanks to both a very robust spacecraft and very professional operations teams."
	Is the universe actually shrinking? Whoa, here's something to think about. Maybe the Universe isn't expanding at all. Maybe everything is actually just shrinking, so it looks like it's expanding. Turns out, scientists have thought of this.
	Ten interesting facts about asteroids At first glance, looking at a bunch of space rocks doesn't sound that exciting. Like, aren't they just a bunch of rubble? What use can they be in understanding the Solar System compared to looking at planets or moons?
	Image: ESA's Vega rocket with IXV payload ESA's Vega rocket, with IXV on top, now awaits its fourth flight with liftoff on 11 February at 13:00 GMT (14:00 CET) from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Video: Testing technologies for Europe's Intermediate Experimental Vehicle IXV, Europe's Intermediate Experimental Vehicle, will soon be launched by Vega into a suborbital path.
	The solar system's 'yearbook' is about to get filled in Lined up like familiar faces in your high school yearbook, here are images of the 33 largest objects in the Solar System, ordered in size by mean radius. Engineer Radu Stoicescu put this great graphic together, using the highest resolution images available for each body. Nine of these objects have not yet been visited by a spacecraft. Later this year, we'll visit three of them and be able to add better images of Ceres, Pluto and Charon. It might be a while until the remaining six get closeups.

Technology news

	New Raspberry Pi 2 carries more power at same price Wait a minute, what's with all the headlines this week on Raspberry Pi? We already know there is a Foundation behind it which pioneered this cheaply priced computing item to foster education and support builders, that it runs Linux and costs less than $40. There is, however, genuine news this week—namely, the announcement of the latest Raspberry Pi 2 which The Register called "a turbocharged" version (about six times more powerful than the prior version), featuring a 900MHz quad-core ARM Cortex-A7 CPU, and, last but not least, a Raspberry Pi 2-compatible version of Windows 10 will be available free of charge to makers. The Pi 2 has 1GB of RAM. Joel Hruska of ExtremeTech said this was "a massive upgrade to its initial chip" and "will dramatically improve performance and capabilities." Eben Upton, founder of Raspberry Pi, told the BBC, "We think it's about six times more powerful for most applications."
New technique doubles the distance of optical fiber communications A new way to process fibre optic signals has been demonstrated by UCL researchers, which could double the distance at which data travels error-free through transatlantic sub-marine cables.
	Heady days for tech sector 15 years after bubble burst Fifteen years after the bursting of the dot-com bubble, the tech sector is flying high again, with record amounts of cash pouring in, and renewed fears about inflated valuations.
	Researchers improve artificial intelligence algorithms for semi-autonomous vehicles For decades, researchers in artificial intelligence, or AI, worked on specialized problems, developing theoretical concepts and workable algorithms for various aspects of the field. Computer vision, planning and reasoning experts all struggled independently in areas that many thought would be easy to solve, but which proved incredibly difficult.
	Twitter expands ads to outside websites, apps Twitter unveiled plans Tuesday to sell ads that run outside its own platform in what could be the start of a broader advertising network.
	SolidEnergy pushes ahead for better battery life in phones, cars Innovative mobile device news is everywhere, presenting interesting form factors, from vendors eager to take marketplaces by storm with their information conduits and convenience and good looks—but battery technology to keep these devices running lags. Consumers wonder when good battery ideas as well as good mobile device ideas will translate to breakthroughs ready for primetime. Massachusetts-based SolidEnergy, a spinout of MIT, is eagerly making its mark with a battery design two times the energy density of today's lithium ion batteries.
Lenovo profit falls five percent after Motorola acquisition Lenovo Group said Tuesday its quarterly profit declined 5 percent, reflecting the computer maker's acquisition of the unprofitable Motorola mobile phone business.
	Revenge-porn website operator convicted in San Diego A San Diego man has been convicted of running a "revenge porn" website where people posted nude pictures of their ex-lovers, who then had to pay the man to take down the images.
	Samsung to expand range of smart appliances Samsung is to launch a range of smart refrigerators, air conditioners and washing machines as its seeks to expand its business in Internet-connected homes, a top executive said on Tuesday.
	Sony sells US-based online game unit Japan's Sony has sold its online gaming unit to a US investment firm, in a move that should free it to make titles for consoles other than PlaySation.
	Jack Ma defends Alibaba amid fakes row Alibaba founder Jack Ma has defended his company's reputation after authorities accused it of allowing "illegal" actions on its multi-billion-dollar online shopping platform, saying he does not want it to be seen as a hub for fake products.
	Google puts brakes on Uber rival speculation Google late Monday fired off a terse tweet that appeared aimed at putting brakes on a report that it is readying a ride-sharing service that would rival Uber.
	Intellectual privacy vital to life in the digital age In our increasingly digital world, the balance between privacy and free speech is tenuous, at best.
	Triage wristbands provide faster first aid for catastrophe victims A new system aims to speed up the triage of victims during mass casualty incidents: Instead of colored paper tags, first responders use colored electronic wristbands. These serve to locate victims and transmit vital data to emergency response control centers. FIT also demonstrates an app for Android smartphones that lets victims buried alive under a collapsed building contact rescue teams even though mobile phone networks are down.
	Microsoft's embrace of open source is driven by commercial practicality not principle Microsoft's part in a US$70m investment in CyanogenMod has raised many eyebrows: why is Microsoft investing in a popular version of the Android mobile phone operating system, when it has its own competing Windows Phone product? The firm's motivations behind investing in the most open version of the Android operating system have justifiably made open-source advocates decidedly nervous.
Uber, Carnegie Mellon partnering on Pittsburgh research lab (Update) Ride-hailing service Uber is partnering with Carnegie Mellon University on a Pittsburgh research lab both hope could lead to the development of driverless cars.
	Wind turbines need tailoring to rooftop environments Small wind turbines (SWTs) intended for use in urban environments should be designed to account for fatigue caused by rooftop gusts, research suggests.
China has 649 million people online, less are microblogging Already the world's largest, China's online population grew last year but drifted away from Twitter-like microblogs, with the number of microblog users falling by 32 million.
Students aim to enhance crypto-currency transparency Students at Trinity College Dublin are "looking under the Bitcoin bonnet" in an attempt to make the crypto-currency more transparent. Increasing the transparency should reduce the risk of fraud while maintaining sufficient anonymity to make it appealing to a wide range of legitimate businesses.
	Buffer overflows are the ghosts that will always be among us Following the trend of giving catchy names to serious operating system security flaws, the Linux vulnerability revealed recently by security researchers Qualys has been called Ghost.
	Audio tour app takes Groupon founder on new journey Two years after his ouster as Groupon's CEO, Andrew Mason is embarking on a new entrepreneurial journey selling unconventional audio tours of major cities on a new iPhone app called Detour.
	Researchers develop cheaper 'smart windows' Researchers from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have developed a novel technique that reduces the costs of the 'smart windows', with which the amount of light passing through glass can be controlled. This technology can be activated within seconds, using a switch, causing chemical and physical reactions that makes transparent glass from a window becomes opaque.
	NTU unveils Singapore's first 3-D printed concept car Nanyang Technological University (NTU) students have built Singapore's first urban solar electric car with an innovative 3D-printed body shell that has 150 parts.
Obama tightens rules on use of bulk intelligence data The Obama administration has tightened rules governing how the FBI, CIA and other intelligence agencies use Internet and phone communications of foreigners collected by the National Security Agency.
LendingClub, Alibaba ink deal on financing US startup LendingClub, a leader in so-called peer-to-peer lending, announced a partnership Tuesday with China's Alibaba to be a source of credit for purchases at the online retailer.
Surveillance tweaks illustrate little change after Snowden The Obama administration has announced a series of modest changes in the use of private data collected for intelligence purposes, a move that underscores how little the Edward Snowden revelations have impeded the National Security Agency's exploitation of global Internet communications.
Intel chief warns US tech threatened by China cybertheft The U.S. defense intelligence chief warned Tuesday that America's technological edge over China is at risk because of cybertheft.
	Report: Silicon Valley tech economy booming Silicon Valley's tech economy is continuing to boom, with 58,000 new jobs and 42,000 new residents last year and all indications the record growth will continue, according to study released Tuesday.
	China web portal chastised for 'rumour-mongering' One of China's biggest Internet portals has been accused of "rumour-mongering" and other offences by Communist authorities as Beijing furthers its online clampdown.
	Anti-counterfeiting research gains currency with the banking sector With some 2.6 billion notes in circulation in the UK, the issue of counterfeiting and how to tackle it is big business for the Bank of England and the global companies that produce currency.
A phone so smart it sniffs out disease A research consortium headed by Professor Hossam Haick of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is developing a product that, when coupled with a smartphone, will be able to screen the user's breath for early detection of life-threatening diseases.
MAPPING explores Internet's impact on society Do you remember how the Millennium bug had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats some 15 years ago? If such a blackout occurred right now, we would immediately take stock of how much the Internet has become ubiquitous in our lives, and how much we use it to share valuable and sometimes sensitive information. More than enabling quick access to information and online shopping, the Internet helps us as a society define who we are. It is central to public debates and actions, and it reflects the evolution of our nations with regards to privacy and freedom of speech—which recent events have called into question.
Developing smart services in the cloud More and more manufacturing companies are looking to build on their success by expanding their core business to include services. Particularly promising are smart services, which provide intelligent ways of connecting people, things and data. As part of an EU-funded project entitled Manufacturing Service Ecosystem (MSEE), a total of 19 partners had a hand in designing a cloud-based software platform that helps companies develop smart services.
Examining noise produced by wind power plants The South Karelian Institute of Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT) is examining the disruptiveness of the noise generated by wind power plants in Finland. The study combines the measurement of the noise produced by wind power with the noise experienced by humans in relation to sound pressure levels and the time and frequency behaviour of sound.
At Silk Road closings, jurors hear conflicting accounts (Update) In closing arguments Tuesday, a prosecutor urged jurors to follow the "digital fingerprints" of the San Francisco man who created the underground website Silk Road and to convict him of operating a worldwide online drug network, but a defense lawyer countered that evidence proves his client's innocence.

Chemistry news

	Transparent soft PDMS eggshell created as step towards embryo lab on a chip Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems have registered tremendous progress over the past 20 years. Myriad "chip" schemes have already emerged, ranging from the lung-on-a-chip and heart-on-a-chip to the liver-on-a-chip and kidney-on-a-chip.
	Scientists use pulsed light to modify the protein that causes milk allergy Spanish scientists from the U. of Granada and the Azti-Tecnalia technology centre have designed a type of lactose protein which is easier to digest by humans, and which could lower the allergenicity of milk. They have done this without at all altering its functional properties.
	Researchers develop handheld sensor to sniff out fish fraud Scientists at the University of South Florida's College of Marine Science have developed a handheld sensor capable of debunking fraudulent seafood species claims, helping to ensure that consumers are get what they pay for. It's estimated that up to 30 percent of the seafood entering the U.S. is fraudulently mislabeled, bilking U.S. fishermen, the U.S. seafood industry, and American consumers for an estimated $20-25 billion annually. Passing off other fish as grouper is one of the rackets this sensor aims to stop.
3D reconstruction of a vital interaction Researchers at IBS (CEA/CNRS/Joseph Fourier University) have succeeded for the first time in observing, on an atomic scale, the path taken and the successive changes in form undergone by a disordered vital protein, from its free state to the moment when it binds to another viral protein. The dynamics and mechanisms of this protein interaction, which is involved in the multiplication of the Sendai virus, yield information that could lead to the development of novel anti-viral drugs. This work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society on January 20, 2015.
	Using soft X-ray emission spectroscopy to reveal the behavior of electrons associated with charging and discharging Researchers have used soft X-ray emission spectroscopy to reveal the detailed electronic structure of a cathode (positive electrode) material when charging and discharging a lithium-ion battery.

Biology news

	Early Newton notebook shows prescient understanding of water ascension in plants (Phys.org)—A new review of a notebook filled with scrawlings by Isaac Newton shows that he very nearly uncovered the secret of how plants defy gravity by pulling water up from roots all the way into their stems and leaves. David Beerling with the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, at the University of Sheffield, in the U.K. has published a Comment piece in the journal Nature Plants describing the words written by the great philosopher and scientist in an old notebook.
	Tri-layered artificial blood vessels created for the first time By combining micro-imprinting and electro-spinning techniques, researchers at Shanghai University's Rapid Manufacturing Engineering Center have developed a vascular graft composed of three layers for the first time. This tri-layered composite has allowed researchers to utilize separate materials that respectively possess mechanical strength and promote new cell growth - a significant problem for existing vascular grafts that have only consisted of a single or double layer.
A novel shuttle for fatty acids Oils from plant seeds provide the basis for many aspects of modern life that are taken for granted, being used to make cooking oil, soap, fuel, cosmetics, medicines, flooring, and many other everyday products. Whether derived from olives, oil palm, rapeseed, soybeans, peanuts or sunflowers, the major energy-rich constituents of these oils are lipids containing fatty acids made in the plants' chloroplasts. While most of this process by which plants make fatty acids is well-known, the mechanism by which these important molecules get out of the chloroplast was unclear.
	Fruitful collaboration yields insight on the tomato genome Plant biologist Julin Maloof met fellow researcher Neelima Sinha while beginning his career at the University of California, Davis. Both interested in plant morphology and natural variation, the two first collaborated on a proposal more than six years ago and continue to work together to examine how plants thrive in disparate environments.
	Sea slug has taken genes from algae it eats, allowing it to photosynthesize like a plant How a brilliant-green sea slug manages to live for months at a time "feeding" on sunlight, like a plant, is clarified in a recent study published in The Biological Bulletin.
	Prevention is better than cure for water ecology New research from the University of Adelaide suggests monitoring ecosystems that appear to be stable is more effective than fixing them once they have collapsed.
	Improved soil condition increases moisture for crops Tillage practices that conserve moisture, plants that use water more efficiently and soil with more organic matter have produced higher yields even in dry conditions, according to soil scientist David Clay, professor of plant science.
	Camels betray their best mates in 'Judas' trials Murdoch University researchers have successfully trialled an approach to control feral camel numbers in Australia's outback whereby a single animal is used to betray the whereabouts of its companions.
	Plant scientist works with landowners, law enforcement to protect ginseng American ginseng is disappearing from the forests of Pennsylvania and Appalachia, and a Penn State plant scientist is working with landowners and law enforcement to try to reverse that trend.
	Female sticklebacks prime their offspring to cope with climate change Researchers at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have shown that three-spined sticklebacks in the North Sea pass on information concerning their living environment to their offspring, without genetic changes. This could play an important role in the species´ ability to adapt to the effects of climate change, as AWI experts report in a recently published study in the journal Functional Ecology. Interestingly, this information transfer appears to be primarily the mother's responsibility; in this study, the father's temperature experiences were much less significant.
	First study to demonstrate long-term control of cane toads Preventing cane toads from entering man-made dams to cool down in the hot, arid zones of Australia kills them in large numbers and is an effective way to stop their spread, UNSW-led research shows.
	New yeast species marks milestone The National Collection of Yeast Cultures at the Institute of Food Research has added the 4,000th yeast strain to its publicly-available collection.
	From pecan to walnut: American leafminer invades Italy on a new tree A leafminer that has been invading Italian walnut orchards since 2010, has been shown to be identical to the North American species that feeds on hickories and pecan. The identity of these moths as Coptodisca lucifluella was proved by DNA barcoding and morphological study. Probably the moth invaded the new host plant after it invaded Italy. The leafminer is already widespread in Italy but the level of damage does not seem to be worrisome.
Puget Sound salmon face more ups and downs in river flows Many salmon rivers around Puget Sound have experienced increasing fluctuations in flow over the past 60 years, just as climate change projections predict - and that's unfortunate news for threatened Chinook salmon, according to a new analysis of salmon survival and river flow.
	Scientists to use research and education to guide conservation in central Africa Researchers from Africa, North America and Europe have published a road map on how future evolutionary research and education efforts in Central African forests can guide conservation strategies and actions.

Medicine & Health news

	Study shows stress in early life can lead to overall bodily wear-and-tear on into middle age (Medical Xpress)—A team of scientists with researchers from several institutions in France has found that multiple stress events that occur early in life can cause an increase in overall wear-and-tear on the body, well into middle age. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes how they conducted a study of survey data collected over the course of a national child development study in Britain and what it revealed.
	New strategy pinpoints single protein to reduce allergic responses to multiple medications Every day in hospitals around the world, patients suffer painful allergic reactions to the medicines they are given. The reactions, known as pseudo-allergies, often cause patients to endure itchiness, swelling and rashes as an unwanted part of their treatment plan. The reactions can be so severe they may stop patients from taking their needed medications and sometimes can even prove fatal. It's never been shown conclusively what triggers these allergic reactions—until now.
	Skin based immunity secrets revealed A team of international scientists has discovered a new mechanism by which immune cells in the skin function act as the body's 'border control', revealing how these cells sense whether lipid or fat-like molecules might indicate the presence of foreign invaders.
	Researchers isolate genetic variants responsible for leprosy predisposition (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with members from institutions in China, the U.S. and Singapore has successfully isolated six genetic variants in people that confer a higher predisposition to infection by the bacteria that causes leprosy. In their paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, the team describes the study they undertook to isolate the genetic variants that had thus far gone unknown, and explain why what they have found could help towards developing treatments for people with the disease.
Study finds our thoughts are susceptible to external influence even against our will For a recent San Francisco State University study, participants were asked to look at a commonplace image but avoid thinking of the word that corresponds with the image or how many letters are in that word. The task may seem simple, but the study found that when presented with ☼, for example, nearly 80 percent of people will automatically conjure up the word "sun" and about half will quietly count to three.
	Research team uncovers genetic trigger for immune response The thousands of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules present in each cell are known primarily for their role converting food and oxygen into energy. But Yale researchers have identified an unexpected relationship between mtDNA and the innate immune response.
	Team identifies neurons important for induction of natural REM sleep Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have added another piece to the complex puzzle of how the brain controls one of the most essential functions - sleep. In their report in the January 13 issue of PNAS, they describe finding that activation of cholinergic neurons - those that release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine - in two brain stem structures was able to induce REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep in an animal model. Better understanding of brain mechanisms that control different sleep states is essential for the treatment of sleep disorders.
	Study sheds new light on aggressive cancer in children A new study involving researchers at The University of Nottingham has revealed how children with an aggressive cancer predisposition syndrome experience a never before seen flood of mutations in their disease in just six months.
	Superager brains yield new clues to their remarkable memories SuperAgers, aged 80 and above, have distinctly different looking brains than those of normal older people, according to new Northwestern Medicine research that is beginning to reveal why the memories of these cognitively elite elders don't suffer the usual ravages of time.
	Researchers discover insulin-decreasing hormone in flies, humans An insulin-regulating hormone that, until now, only had been postulated to exist has been identified by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Researchers find genetic cues for a big heart Bigger isn't always better, even when it comes to the body's most vital organs. An enlarged or thickened cardiac muscle can actually force the heart to work harder to pump blood throughout the body, weakening the organ until it eventually wears out.
	Study ties immune cells to delayed onset of post-stroke dementia A single stroke doubles a person's risk of developing dementia over the following decade, even when that person's mental ability is initially unaffected. Why this delayed deterioration occurs has been a mystery. Now, Stanford University School of Medicine investigators think they have discovered a major reason for it.
	New findings on how the brain ignores distractions When we concentrate on something, we also engage in the unsung, parallel act of purposefully ignoring other things. A new study describes how the brain may achieve such "optimal inattention." With this knowledge, scientists at Brown University hope they can harness our power to ignore—for instance, to reduce pain.
	MicroRNAs can limit cancer spread Cancers that have spread throughout the body, a process known as metastasis, are difficult, often impossible, to control. They are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths.
Can we talk? Patients may avoid topic of work-related asthma for fear of losing jobs Certain topics are difficult to discuss with your doctor - work-related asthma is apparently one of them. Identifying a health issue related to your job is scary because you don't want a doctor telling you things may have to change - maybe even how you earn a living. And often, doctors don't bring it up with their patients.
Precision medicine in action: Genomic test helps solve medical mystery Precision medicine is getting a jump-start from a new national initiative announced in President Obama's State of the Union message. One Georgia family has already experienced its benefits: genomic testing called whole exome sequencing helped Mayo Clinic neurologist Zbigniew Wszolek, M.D., solve a medical mystery that had left a boy with painful, jerking spasms that at times prevented him from walking or talking. Dr. Wszolek describes the case in a newly published article in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Study describes behaviors, preferences of picky eaters Although there's no scientific definition of picky eating, parents say they know it when they see it. Now a University of Illinois study shows that picky eaters do exhibit definable preferences and mealtime behaviors.
Scientists develop active substance for fatal muscle wasting in male children Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a congenital disease which causes muscle degeneration and eventual death in teenagers. Recently, researchers from Bern developed an active substance, which they together with an international team tested successfully.
	How to determine how much food you should eat Dietary guidelines broadly recommend a daily intake of 10,000 kilojoules (2,400 calories) for men and 8,000 kilojoules (1,900 calories) for women. But what do these figures mean in the context of the number of kilojoules or calories you personally need to consume to attain and maintain a healthy body weight?
Seniors shouldn't be blinded by old notions of eye disease Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness among older Americans, but new treatments have dramatically changed the course of this disease over the last 10 years, making AMD more manageable than ever. During AMD Awareness Month this February, the American Academy of Ophthalmology is reminding people with AMD that they can save their vision thanks to recent treatment advances, but early detection is a critical first step.
	Add nature, art and religion to life's best anti-inflammatories Taking in such spine-tingling wonders as the Grand Canyon, Sistine Chapel ceiling or Schubert's "Ave Maria" may give a boost to the body's defense system, according to new research from UC Berkeley.
	Meal planning creates most stress for working mums What's for dinner mum? A seemingly harmless questioned asked by millions of children every day is actually the most stressful part of food-related jobs for working mothers, new research from Flinders University shows.
	Study examines prenatal investments, breastfeeding and birth order Many mothers can relate to the experience of having hundreds of pictures of their first-born child, but far fewer of their younger children. A new study by University of Notre Dame economist Kasey Buckles finds that those younger children often get less attention in other ways as well.
Early intervention program for psychosis demonstrates effectiveness Providing comprehensive coordinated care to young people after they experience a first episode of psychosis can help them avoid hospitalization and resume their school and work lives, according to research published today in Psychiatric Services in Advance, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.
NY attorney general targets popular herbal supplements (Update) Numerous store brand supplements aren't what their labels claim to be, an ongoing investigation of popular herbal supplements subjected to DNA testing has found, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Tuesday.
Seniors need two pneumonia vaccines, CDC advisory panel says (HealthDay)—Adults 65 and older need two vaccines to better protect them from bacterial infection in the blood (called sepsis), meningitis and pneumonia, according to a revised vaccination schedule from the 2015 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
	Recommendations presented for MRI use in multiple myeloma (HealthDay)—Recommendations for the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in multiple myeloma are presented in a consensus statement published online Jan. 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Patient engagement can cut costs, improve outcomes (HealthDay)—Patient engagement initiatives can decrease costs without sacrificing quality care, according to an article published Jan. 22 in Medical Economics.
	Medicaid expansion tops savings versus marketplace (HealthDay)—Medicaid expansion is associated with greater reductions in out-of-pocket spending for previously uninsured low-income adults than Marketplace exchange coverage with premium tax credits and generous benefits, according to a report published in the January issue of Health Affairs.
	Researchers seek tools to modulate the synthesis of CoQ10 in human cells A study which includes the participation of University of Granada scientists has provided new data on the Q10 coenzyme (CoQ10), a molecule which is synthesized within the cells of the organism itself and which has essential functions for cellular metabolism. This study opens the door for the development, in the not too distant future, of tools to modulate the synthesis of CoQ10 in human cells according to metabolic needs. This is particularly important for the treatment of diseases caused by primary and secondary deficiencies in CoQ10.
Study uncovers genetics of motion sickness 23andMe, Inc. today announced the publication of the first ever genome-wide association study of motion sickness.
Birth method, gestation duration may alter infants' gut microbiota Environmental factors like mode of delivery and duration of gestation may affect how infants' gut bacteria mature, and that rate could help predict later body fat, international researchers from the EpiGen consortium have found in collaboration with scientists at Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland. The work is published this week in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Smoking linked to higher risk of death among colorectal cancer survivors Colorectal cancer survivors who smoke cigarettes were at more than twice the risk of death than non-smoking survivors, adding to existing evidence that cigarette smoking is associated with higher all-cause and colorectal cancer-specific mortality. The findings come from a new study by American Cancer Society researchers, one of the largest studies of smoking and colorectal cancer survival and the first study to prospectively collect both pre- and post-diagnosis smoking information. It is published early online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Just knowing isn't enough: Issuing hospital report cards had no impact on surgery outcomes If you're an older person having a major operation these days, it is very likely that your hospital is receiving a "report card" on their performance. These reports are designed to prompt hospitals to improve in areas where they perform poorly. That's the good news.
Study compares effectiveness of different transfusion strategies for severe trauma Among patients with severe trauma and major bleeding, those who received a transfusion of a balanced ratio of plasma, platelets, and red blood cells (RBCs) were more likely to have their bleeding stopped and less likely to die due to loss of blood by 24 hours compared to patients who received a transfusion with a higher ratio of RBCs, according to a study in the February 3 issue of JAMA. There was no significant difference in overall death at 24 hours or at 30 days between the two transfusion strategies.
Care of patients prior to making a diagnosis rarely assessed by quality measures An examination of process measures endorsed by the National Quality Forum finds that these measures focus predominantly on management of patients with established diagnoses, and that quality measures for patient presenting symptoms often do not reflect the most common reasons patients seek care, according to a study in the February 3 issue of JAMA.
Hospital readmissions after surgery often related to complications from surgery In a study that included readmission information from nearly 350 hospitals, readmissions the first 30 days after surgery were associated with new postdischarge complications related to the surgical procedure and not a worsening of any medical conditions the patient already had while hospitalized for surgery, according to a study in the February 3 issue of JAMA.
Infections most common cause of readmissions after surgery Surgery patients end up back in the hospital most often because of incision infections that don't show up until after they're sent home, according to a study that found unexpected readmission rates vary widely.
	Britain authorises 'three-parent' babies Britain on Tuesday became the first country in the world to allow the creation of babies with DNA from three people after MPs voted for the controversial procedure.
Panel reverses, says white potatoes ok for WIC recipients Ostracized by health officials for several years, the white potato is back in favor.
Primed memories tempt people into gambling more People are more likely to gamble after having their memories primed, an international team of researchers has found.
	If Facebook use causes envy, depression could follow Browsing Facebook has become a daily activity for hundreds of millions of people. Because so many people engage with the website daily, researchers are interested in how emotionally involved Facebook users can be with the social networking site and how regular use can affect their mental health. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found that Facebook use can lead to symptoms of depression if the social networking site triggers feelings of envy among its users. Margaret Duffy, a professor and chair of strategic communication at the MU School of Journalism, says that how Facebook users use the site makes a difference in how they respond to it.