Science X Newsletter Friday, Jan 30

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Black holes do not exist where space and time do not exist, says new theory
- Toward practical quantum computers: Technique extends duration of fragile quantum states
- The clime's speech: Data analysis supports prediction that human language is influenced by environmental factors
- Planck: Gravitational waves remain elusive
- New method allows for greater variation in band gap tunability
- Meteorite may represent 'bulk background' of Mars' battered crust
- Study shows even newly hatched chicks have a left to right number space map (w/ Video)
- Evidence mounts for quantum criticality theory
- Scaling up armor systems
- Scientists find Ebola virus is mutating
- DNA nanoswitches reveal how life's molecules connect
- Research uncovers connection between Craigslist personals, HIV trends
- BMW fixes security flaw that exposed 2.2M cars to break-ins
- Latent HIV may lurk in 'quiet' immune cells, research suggests
- IBM and Mars join together to make food safer with genetics

Nanotechnology news

Using a single molecule to create a new magnetic field sensor Researchers at the University of Liverpool and University College London (UCL) have shown a new way to use a single molecule as a magnetic field sensor.

DNA nanoswitches reveal how life's molecules connect A complex interplay of molecular components governs almost all aspects of biological sciences - healthy organism development, disease progression, and drug efficacy are all dependent on the way life's molecules interact in the body. Understanding these bio-molecular interactions is critical for the discovery of new, more effective therapeutics and diagnostics to treat cancer and other diseases, but currently requires scientists to have access to expensive and elaborate laboratory equipment.

Physics news

	Black holes do not exist where space and time do not exist, says new theory (Phys.org) —The quintessential feature of a black hole is its "point of no return," or what is more technically called its event horizon. When anything—a star, a particle, or wayward human—crosses this horizon, the black hole's massive gravity pulls it in with such force that it is impossible to escape. At least, this is what happens in traditional black hole models based on general relativity. In general, the existence of the event horizon is responsible for most of the strange phenomena associated with black holes.
	Toward practical quantum computers: Technique extends duration of fragile quantum states Quantum computers are experimental devices that promise exponential speedups on some computational problems. Where a bit in a classical computer can represent either a 0 or a 1, a quantum bit, or qubit, can represent 0 and 1 simultaneously, letting quantum computers explore multiple problem solutions in parallel. But such "superpositions" of quantum states are, in practice, difficult to maintain.
	Evidence mounts for quantum criticality theory A new study by a team of physicists at Rice University, Zhejiang University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Florida State University and the Max Planck Institute adds to the growing body of evidence supporting a theory that strange electronic behaviors—including high-temperature superconductivity and heavy fermion physics—arise from quantum fluctuations of strongly correlated electrons.
	Scaling up armor systems Dermal modification is a significant part of evolution, says Ranajay Ghosh, an associate research scientist in the College of Engineering. Almost every organism has something on its skin that provides important survival properties such as protection from predators, camouflaging, thermal regulation, and sensorial functions. In many animals, this evolution has led to the formation of scales.
	Seeking cracks in the Standard Model In particle physics, it's our business to understand structure. I work on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and this machine lets us see and study the smallest structure of all; unimaginably tiny fundamental particles, held together by fundamental forces to provide the microscopic skeleton of matter.
	The first optically synchronised free-electron laser Scientists at DESY have developed and implemented an optical synchronisation system for the soft X-ray free-electron laser FLASH, achieving facility-wide synchronisation with femtosecond precision. The performance of the system is expected to ultimately be at least ten times better than what has been achieved anywhere so far using electronic techniques. At this level of control, ultrafast experiments can be performed systematically with the highest temporal resolution, as the team led by Holger Schlarb and Sebastian Schulz from DESY's machine control and linear accelerator research groups and Adrian Cavalieri from the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter reports in the journal Nature Communications.

Earth news

	Heat waves becoming more prominent in urban areas, research reveals The world's urban areas have experienced significant increases in heat waves over the past 40 years, according to new research published today.
	Distinctive sounds announce iceberg births Underwater sounds can be used to detect different ways glaciers lose ice as they flow into the ocean, giving scientists new insight into these poorly understood events, according to new research.
	Did carbon emissions fall faster before the carbon price? Emissions fell by six times the rate in the five years before the carbon tax than they did under the carbon tax. – Environment minister Greg Hunt, The Guardian, January 17, 2015.
	Who's been affected by Australia's extreme heat? Everyone Australia has been hit by two years of heat: 2013 was the hottest ever recorded and 2014 wasn't far behind, taking third place. The country has also sweltered through several significant heatwaves, and, though you might not have noticed them so much, episodes of unusual winter warmth too.
	NOAA satellites helped in the rescue of 240 people last year NOAA's fleet of weather satellites helped save 240 people last year from potentially life-threatening situations throughout the United States and its surrounding waters.
	Measuring oxygen concentrations in sea water in the remote past It is possible to measure oxygen concentrations in sea water in the remote past, a study published this month in Nature Geoscience demonstrates.
	First atomic bomb test may mark the beginning of the Anthropocene Human beings don't merely inhabit the world. They alter it, on an increasingly epic scale. It is said that we now live in a new epoch, the Anthropocene, in which geology and climate are controlled as much by human activity as anything else. How should we mark the beginning of this new stage in the life of our Earth?
Renewable energy policies drive production of southern wood pellets for bioenergy A recently released study led by U.S. Forest Service scientists and published by the Forest Service's Southern Research Station (SRS) finds that policies in the European Union (EU) and elsewhere requiring the use of renewable and low greenhouse gas-emitting energy are driving demand for wood pellets used to generate bioenergy. This demand could provide new markets for U.S. timber exports, increase wood prices, and lead to increases in forestland area.
	NASA gathers wind, rain, cloud data on major Tropical Cyclone Eunice NASA's RapidScat, GPM and Terra satellite have been actively providing wind, rain and cloud data to forecasters about Tropical Cyclone Eunice. The storm reached Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale on January 30.
	Arsenic stubbornly taints many US wells, say new reports Naturally occurring arsenic in private wells threatens people in many U.S. states and parts of Canada, according to a package of a dozen scientific papers to be published next week. The studies, focused mainly on New England but applicable elsewhere, say private wells present continuing risks due to almost nonexistent regulation in most states, homeowner inaction and inadequate mitigation measures. The reports also shed new light on the geologic mechanisms behind the contamination. The studies come amid new evidence that even low doses of arsenic may reduce IQ in children, in addition to well documented risks of heart disease, cancer and reduced lung function. The reports comprise a special section in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
	Researchers develop new instrument to monitor atmospheric mercury Researchers at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science developed and tested a new sensor to detect ambient levels of mercury in the atmosphere. Funded through a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant, the new highly sensitive, laser-based instrument provides scientists with a method to more accurately measure global human exposure to mercury. The measurement approach is called sequential two-photon laser induced fluorescence (2P-LIF) and uses two different laser beams to excite mercury atoms and monitor blue shifted atomic fluorescence. UM Rosenstiel School Professor of Atmospheric Sciences Anthony Hynes and colleagues tested the new mobile instrument, alongside the standard instrumentation that is currently used to monitor atmospheric mercury concentrations, during the three-week Reno Atmospheric Mercury Intercomparison Experiment (RAMIX) performed in 2011 in Reno, Nevada.
Water in Canada's Winnipeg safe again after E. Coli scare Authorities in the Canadian city of Winnipeg said Thursday that the tap water was once again safe to drink, bringing to an end a 48-hour boil-water advisory.
	Image: Corsican waters from space The Mediterranean Sea's most mountainous island, Corsica, dominates this image from the Landsat-8 satellite.
Holistic policies needed to realize the potential for fossil fuel divestment Replacing fossil fuel investments with "green energy" stocks has minimal impact on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and is also unlikely to provide a safer haven for investors. But with the right policies in place, divestment could accelerate progress toward a low carbon economy and change social norms over acceptable investment practices.
	Ancient deformation of the lithosphere revealed in Eastern China Seismic investigations from the Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt in eastern China suggest that this region was affected by extreme mantle perturbation and crust-mantle interaction during the Mesozoic era. The Qinling-Dabie-Sulu orogenic belt formed through the collision between the North and South China blocks, which produced large-scale destruction of the cratonic lithosphere, accompanied by widespread magmatism and metallogeny.

Astronomy & Space news

	Meteorite may represent 'bulk background' of Mars' battered crust NWA 7034, a meteorite found a few years ago in the Moroccan desert, is like no other rock ever found on Earth. It's been shown to be a 4.4 billion-year-old chunk of the Martian crust, and according to a new analysis, rocks just like it may cover vast swaths of Mars.
	Planck: Gravitational waves remain elusive Despite earlier reports of a possible detection, a joint analysis of data from ESA's Planck satellite and the ground-based BICEP2 and Keck Array experiments has found no conclusive evidence of primordial gravitational waves.
Japan to launch new spy satellite Japan's government said it will launch a back-up spy satellite on Sunday, after cancelling an earlier lift-off due to bad weather.
	What's happening in the universe right now? There are some topics that get a little frustrating in their pedantry, but can really draw attention to the grand scope and mechanics in our Universe. This is definitely one of them.
	How are planets formed? How did the Solar System's planets come to be? The leading theory is something known as the "protoplanet hypothesis", which essentially says that very small objects stuck to each other and grew bigger and bigger—big enough to even form the gas giants, such as Jupiter.
	NASA delays soil study satellite launch for 'repairs' NASA has pushed back the launch of a satellite to study soil moisture to Saturday, so that it can perform "minor repairs" to the launch rocket.
	Video: What it would look like if the sun was replaced with other stars? How would our horizon look if Earth orbited around another star, such as Alfa-Centauri, Sirius, or Polaris? Roscosmos TV has released two new videos that replace our familiar Sun and Moon with other stars and planets.
	Going a long way to do a quick data collection Like many a scientist before me, I have spent this week trying to grow a crystal. I wasn't fussy, it didn't have to be a single crystal – a smush of something would have done – just as long as it had a bit of long-range order. But no. Hours spent staring at a screen as the sample I wanted to study failed to sort out its atoms into something I could work with.

Technology news

	Gates working on Personal Agent project with Microsoft "Hi, Reddit. I'm Bill Gates..." Like Elon Musk, like Larry Ellison, like Larry Page, certain names draw immense numbers wanting to know what's on their mind, from barbecue-sauce tastes to actual work. A five-line comment earlier this week from Bill Gates about what he is doing sparked a pile of technology sites attempting to connect dots. "One project I am working on with Microsoft is the Personal Agent which will remember everything and help you go back and find things and help you pick what things to pay attention to," he said on the Ask Me Anything in Reddit. "The idea that you have to find applications and pick them and they each are trying to tell you what is new is just not the efficient model - the agent will help solve this. It will work across all your devices," he said. Sites posted stories promptly, wondering how the project might be related to present-day Cortana, which is the voice-controlled virtual assistant that ru! ns on the Windows Phone platform and will arrive on the desktop with Windows 10 (now appearing in a technical preview version).
	What Microsoft didn't say about Windows 10 is important to know There's a lot to like about Windows 10, the next version of Microsoft's flagship operating system. But the tech giant has also worryingly left unanswered a lot of important questions about the software.
	Apple's growing patent portfolio offers clues about future products A computer mouse that doubles as a scanner. A coating that keeps gadgets safe and dry even in the event of a spill. And a smartphone that rotates like a cat midair to avoid landing on its pretty glass face.
	BMW fixes security flaw that exposed 2.2M cars to break-ins German automaker BMW says it has fixed a security flaw that made 2.2 million of its vehicles vulnerable to break-ins.
	Researchers parallelize a common data structure to work with multicore chips Every undergraduate computer-science major takes a course on data structures, which describes different ways of organizing data in a computer's memory. Every data structure has its own advantages: Some are good for fast retrieval, some for efficient search, some for quick insertions and deletions, and so on.
Facebook abuses 'quasi-monopoly' on user data, EU lawmaker says Facebook Inc. is putting profit before its users' privacy with its latest terms and conditions, according to a European Parliament lawmaker who's overseeing amendments to EU data-protection laws.
Renewable biofuel production avoids competition with food resources The efficient production of both biofuel and animal feed from one crop is now possible, and can be done on a farm without the need for off-site processes. The research, published in the open access journal Biotechnology for Biofuels, demonstrates the practical potential of an alternative to fossil fuels that does not compete with food resources.
	The new Candy Crush? Chinese language apps make learning a game Philipp Mattheis knew his gaming app was addictive when he realised he kept checking his phone—hooked by the brightly-coloured reminders telling him to play again or risk falling from the triple-figure level he had reached.
	How can Google snap its stock out of its stupor? Google has turned into a stock market laggard as the shift to mobile devices has lowered the Internet search leader's digital ad prices and the company's expensive investments in far-out technology has trimmed its profit margins.
	Smart Spending: Why investors are applauding Amazon earnings Amazon.com Inc.'s fourth-quarter earnings roundly beat analyst expectations, sending the Seattle e-commerce giant's stock soaring 11 percent in premarket trading Friday. Here's a closer look at what investors applauded and hope continues.
	What Google Fiber may mean for North Carolina, NC state and R&D On Jan. 27, Google announced that it would be expanding its fiber-optic network, Google Fiber, into four new metropolitan areas: Raleigh-Durham, Charlotte, Atlanta and Nashville. So what?
	Running fuel cells on bacteria Researchers in Norway have succeeded in getting bacteria to power a fuel cell. The "fuel" used is wastewater, and the products of the process are purified water droplets and electricity.
	When Facebook goes down it takes big chunks of the internet with it Checking social networks is a morning ritual for many, and when that routine is disrupted – as it was recently when Facebook's servers went down – its absence can come as a surprise. But what also becomes apparent is that when the world's most popular social network is inaccessible, so too are many thousands of websites that rely upon Facebook services.
	Engineers build first-of-its-kind 3-dimensional infrared heat detector Engineers from Trinity College Dublin have developed a first-of-its-kind 3-dimensional infrared (IR) heat detector called 'The Herschel'. It will function by mapping the presence and distribution of IR energy – which has been dubbed 'invisible sunshine' – with unprecedented detail.
	How to harness the wind With the abundance of wind in the Great North, one might think that harnessing it would be a breeze. But that isn't the case. Fortunately, a Ryerson researcher has found a way to address the major challenges related to wind power.
	US reaps $41 bn in wireless spectrum auction (Update) The US government is getting more than $41 billion from an auction of wireless spectrum, highlighting surging demand for new devices that connect to the Internet, officials said Friday.
	Jay Z to acquire Wimp music service US rap star Jay Z will make a $56-million foray into the music streaming business by taking over the Norwegian service Wimp, its shareholders confirmed Friday.
Will our smart gadgets become trusted or oppressive companions? Like legions of hyperactive butlers, many of the brainy gadgets being developed for the Internet of Things will anticipate our needs and make choices for us - without being told what to do - marking a momentous transformation in our relationship with machines.
Airbnb to expand tax collection efforts Online lodging operator Airbnb is expanding its efforts to collect local taxes, responding to complaints that it competes unfairly with the hotel sector.
	Report disputes claims that US hacked reporter's computer A Justice Department inspector general report is disputing allegations by former CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson that the federal government secretly monitored her personal computer.
	Virtual models to make cities greener Making a city or district energy smart is, first and foremost, an exercise in good planning. However, such green planning tools are still in their infancy. The trouble is that every city is different, every district unique. To replicate best practices for use in other context, it is important to develop models that can help better assess the actual source of energy savings. Scientists in Sweden have just started compiling such a virtual model, designed to calculate the energy saving potential of a district.
	Straw houses in the front line of sustainable construction For the first time ever, an EPFL laboratory has carried out a complete energy analysis of a straw house, from planting the grass to the destruction of the materials. The results are based on the specific case of an administrative building in the city of Lausanne, ECO-46.
	Scientists trial system to improve safety at sea A space scientist at the University of Leicester, in collaboration with the New Zealand Defence Technology Agency and DMC International Imaging, has been trialling a concept for using satellite imagery to significantly improve the chances of locating ships and planes, such as the missing Malaysian flight MH370, lost at sea.

Chemistry news

	New method allows for greater variation in band gap tunability If you can't find the ideal material, then design a new one.
	A long-lasting obstacle of solid oxide fuel cells has been overcome One of the major drawbacks of carbon-fueled battery cells is the intrinsic presence of CO2, which impedes CO oxidation and, therefore, lowers the energy density of the cell. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, researchers at Nanjing Tech University and Curtin University in Perth describe a novel dual-phase ion-conducting ceramic membrane that is absolutely gas-tight but highly permeable for CO2. Integrated in a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) with solid carbon as an energy carrier, it enables efficient removal of CO2 resulting in enhanced power density of the electrochemical cell.
	Chemistry in a trillionth of a second Chemists at the University of Bristol, in collaboration with colleagues at the Central Laser Facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and Heriot-Watt University (HWU), can now follow chemical reactions in liquids with unprecedented, atomically resolved detail on sub-picosecond timescales (1 picosecond = 10-12s) – matching the time intervals between molecular collisions.
	Neutron beams reveal how two potential pieces of Parkinson's puzzle fit To understand diseases like Parkinson's, the tiniest of puzzles may hold big answers. That's why a team including scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have determined how two potentially key pieces of the Parkinson's puzzle fit together, in an effort to reveal how the still poorly understood illness develops and affects its victims.
	Pinholes are pitfalls for high performance solar cells The most popular next-generation solar cells under development may have a problem – the top layer is full of tiny pinholes, researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University in Japan have found.
	Bacterial enzyme controls the degradation of defective proteins A study by RIKEN researchers has revealed an important coping mechanism employed by enteric bacteria that allows them to thrive in environments with and without oxygen. The findings could help develop ways to control both harmful and beneficial bacteria in the human gut.
	Egyptian statuettes of Osiris: Production unveiled by neutrons and laser The world's museums exhibit collections of precious artefacts from thousands of years ago. Very often it is the case that not much is known about how those ancient artefacts were created. There is a number of limitations to investigate them as traditional sampling techniques risk damaging the materials. In the search for non-invasive methods, a group of scientists have combined three different techniques to analyse copper alloy figurines. They wanted to know how the figurines were crafted, their composition, and how they are deteriorating.

Biology news

	Study shows even newly hatched chicks have a left to right number space map (w/ Video) (Phys.org) —A team of researchers working at the University of Padova in Italy has found, that like humans, baby chickens appear to have a left to right number space map in their brains. In their paper published in the journal Science, the team describes experiments they conducted that revealed the number space mapping and describe what they believe it represents.
	Taste receptors for hydrogen peroxide allow worms to indirectly detect light Human taste receptors are specialized to distinguish several distinct compounds: sugars taste sweet, salts taste salty, and acidic compounds taste sour. Now a new study from MIT finds that the worm Caenorhabditis elegans has taken its powers of detection a step further: The worm can taste hydrogen peroxide, triggering it to stop eating the potentially dangerous substance.
	Researchers find protein necessary for fertility performs different roles in sperm, eggs The protein necessary for fertility in both sexes performs distinctly different roles in male and female gametes, according to a groundbreaking study, which included researchers from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Known as BRWD1, the protein controls gene expression in maturing sperm while promoting chromosome condensation and stability in female cells called oocytes, which become eggs.
	IBM and Mars join together to make food safer with genetics (Phys.org)—Computer giant IBM, and food giant Mars, have announced a joint project they are calling "Consortium for Sequencing the Food Supply Chain." The idea is to use modern microbiology, computer crunching and analysis techniques to identify all of the things that are in our food, both good and bad, to ultimately make the food we buy and eat safer.
	Genetic basis of color diversity in coral reefs discovered Scientists from the University of Southampton have discovered the genetic basis which allows corals to produce their stunning range of colours.
	Cold-stunned turtles rehabilitated in New Orleans, released Nearly two dozen turtles that were stranded by cold weather last year in Massachusetts have successfully undergone rehab and have been returned to waters off Louisiana's coast.
	Researcher publishes detailed observations of bilateral gynandromorph bird in the wild Western Illinois University biological sciences Professor Brian Peer is receiving attention for his research and publication on a bilateral gynandromorph bird found in the wild.
	Research team to monitor impact of wild beavers on our waterways A team at the University of Exeter is to study England's only breeding population of wild beavers in order to understand their impact on pollution, flooding and water quality after an announcement yesterday.
	Blue mussels not yet the bellwether of NE coastal environment Ecologists sometimes look to mussel species, a well-studied and foundational genus in estuaries, as model organisms for assessing the condition of coastal habitats, which are crucial for people and well as the broader environment.
Officials confirm first sighting of rare fox at Yosemite in nearly 100 years The elusive Sierra Nevada red fox was recently spotted in Yosemite National Park for the first time in nearly 100 years.
	Population genomics unveil seahorse domain In a finding vital to effective species management, a team including City College of New York biologists has determined that the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is more a permanent resident of the western mid-Atlantic Ocean than a vagrant.
	Infrared-based peeling of tomatoes may improve precision, save water Juicy, ripe, Roma-style tomatoes, stocked in the canned goods section of your local supermarket, are already peeled and ready for you to add to your favorite winter stew, soup, or casserole. Equally versatile, and used by restaurant chefs and home cooks alike, are canned stewed or diced tomatoes, perfect for flavorful Italian or Mexican dishes.
	How to raise tasty cannibal crabs Do you like eating crabs? In Jakarta, enjoying the tasty crustaceans has become a hot trend, as more restaurants with names like The Holy Crab and Cut the Crab open up. Crabs are delicious delicacies, great to serve with spicy sauce, either fried or grilled.
Researchers develop new soybean variety The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station has developed and released ND Henson, a conventional soybean variety, according to Rich Horsley, chair of the NDSU Department of Plant Sciences.
Researchers develop new potato cultivar Dakota Ruby is the name of a new potato cultivar developed by the NDSU potato breeding project and released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Dakota Ruby has bright red skin, stores well and is intended for the fresh market.
Compact wool measurement tool may find home on the range Can a field-friendly, reasonably priced fiber measurement tool compare favorably with the high-dollar commercial unit that's set the industry standard for wool fineness measurement since 2000?

Medicine & Health news

	New molecular target identified for treating cerebral malaria A drug already approved for treating other diseases may be useful as a treatment for cerebral malaria, according to researchers at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. They discovered a novel link between food intake during the early stages of infection and the outcome of the disease, identifying two molecular pathways that could serve as new targets for treatment.
	Sex differences found in brain mechanisms important for learning (Medical Xpress)—Women tend to become addicted to drugs and relapse faster than men, though the biological reasons are not completely clear. Now, investigators at the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research and Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered that high levels of estrogen may lead to a unique kind of learning that could explain why women are more susceptible to addiction.
	Scientists find Ebola virus is mutating (Medical Xpress)—Researchers working at Institut Pasteur in France have found that the Ebola virus is mutating "a lot" causing concern in the African countries where the virus has killed over eight thousand people in just several months time. In speaking with the press, they report that multiple mutations of the virus have been observed, though it is still not clear what advantage it has given the virus, if any. They also reported that they have seen many cases of people infected with the virus that did not exhibit any symptoms, which might suggest that at least one of the mutations in the virus has led to infections that are less traumatic to their victim, but which are also likely more easily spread.
	Research uncovers connection between Craigslist personals, HIV trends Craigslist's entry into a market results in a 15.9 percent increase in reported HIV cases, according to research from the University of Minnesota published in the December issue of MIS Quarterly. When mapped at the national level, more than 6,000 HIV cases annually and treatment costs estimated between $62 million and $65.3 million can be linked to the popular website.
	Latent HIV may lurk in 'quiet' immune cells, research suggests Drugs for HIV have become adept at suppressing infection, but they still can't eliminate it. That's because the medication in these pills doesn't touch the virus' hidden reserves, which lie dormant within infected white blood cells. Unlock the secrets of this pool of latent virus, scientists believe, and it may become possible to cure - not just control - HIV.
Biomaterial coating raises prospect of more successful medical implants A novel, bacteria-repelling coating material that could increase the success of medical implants has been created by researchers.
More than one-third of kids in England are overweight/obese More than a third of children in England are overweight/obese, finds a 20 year study of electronic health records, published online in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Repeated head blows linked to smaller brain volume and slower processing speeds Repeated blows to the head sustained during serial boxing or martial arts tournaments are linked to smaller volumes of certain parts of the brain and slower processing speeds, reveals research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
	Facebook shapes women's body image – just not as you'd expect If you're one of the world's 1.3 billion regular Facebook users, you'll know the feeling of being consumed by your news feed.
How poverty may affect memory Working memory, how we actively hold and manipulate information in our mind, is a cognitive skill used on a daily basis.  How effectively working memory performs, however, is not as universal as one may think.  In an open access article published in the Journal of Cognition and Development titled "Working Memory Differences Between Children Living in Rural and Urban Poverty", author Michele Tine investigated whether working memory of children living in rural poverty is distinct from the working memory profiles of children in urban poverty.  Both verbal and visuospatial tests were given to discern how memory deficits compared.
	The future of precision immunology In his State of the Union address, President Obama announced a new precision medicine initiative to work on finding a cure for cancer and other diseases. Howard L. Kaufman, a leading immunotherapy expert from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey recently shared his thoughts in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on the progress doctors have made in precision immunology – a type of precision medicine that involves creating a profile of a patient's immune system to fight disease. Kaufman, associate director for clinical science and chief surgical officer at the Cancer Institute, answered some questions from Rutgers Today on the future of the precision medicine field.
	Why aren't there any human doctors in Star Wars? Though set "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," it isn't hard to see in the Star Wars films a vision of our own not so distant future. But Anthony Jones, a physician with a long background in health care technology development, sees the Star Wars vision of medicine's future as sheer fantasy. Specifically, he is struck by the dearth of doctors – at least human ones. "In Star Wars," he says, "there are no people practicing medicine. Caring for patients seems to have been taken over by machines."
	Sequencing genetic duplications could aid clinical interpretation Copy number variations (deletions or duplications of large chunks of the genome) are a major cause of birth defects, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disorders. Still, geneticists can definitively say how a CNV, once discovered in someone's DNA, leads to one of these conditions in just a fraction of cases.
	Obama calls on Congress to fund 'precision medicine' studies Holding out the promise of major medical breakthroughs, President Barack Obama on Friday called on Congress to approve spending in medical research that tailors treatment to an individual's genes.
Babies' brains could unravel the mystery of stuttering University of Sydney researchers are launching a world-first study to see if it's possible to detect whether a baby will go on to stutter in later life - well before they start to talk.
	Shared symptoms of Chikungunya virus, rheumatoid arthritis may cloud diagnosis A mosquito-borne virus that has spread to the Caribbean and Central and South America and has caused isolated infections in Florida often causes joint pain and swelling similar to that seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
	Further dangers of smoking while pregnant revealed by new study Smoking while pregnant causes chemical changes to the DNA of a foetus detectable from as early as 12 weeks and may predispose children born to smokers to a range of health conditions which last throughout life, new research by Scottish academics has revealed.
	Eyes, ears and nose may aid Alzheimer's disease prevention and treatment Detecting a decline in certain sensory functions may become the future of preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD), with research showing smell testing and retinal imaging to be strong predictors of dementia risk.
	Hot on the trail of the hepatitis-liver cancer connection Using whole genomic sequencing, scientists from RIKEN in Japan have for the first time demonstrated the profound effect that chronic hepatitis infection and inflammation can have on the genetic mutations found in tumors of the liver, potentially paving the way to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which these chronic infections can lead to cancer. Primary liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, and recent studies have shown that particularly in Asia, infection with either hepatitis B or C is often associated with such cancers.
Stress shared by same-sex couples can have unique health impacts Studies of stress and its effects on health have typically focused on the worries of an individual: money, love, health, work. But what about stress shared by two people in a romantic relationship?
Research finds 90 percent of home chefs contaminate food If you're gearing up for a big Super Bowl bash, you might want to consult the best food-handling practices before preparing that feast. New research from Kansas State University finds that most home chefs drop the ball on food safety.
	Sickle-cell disease patient cured after bone marrow transplant A Rochester woman who was born with sickle-cell anemia has been cured of the disease after a bone marrow transplant at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
	What exactly is coronavirus? The conflicts in Syria and Iraq are straining public health systems and public health efforts meant to prevent and detect the spread of infectious diseases. This is generating a "perfect storm" of conditions for outbreaks. Among the infections raising concern is Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, caused by a type of coronavirus, which emerged in 2012.
Team discovers key to preventing blindness and stroke devastation Research led by Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor, Ernest C. and Yvette C. Villere Chair of Retinal Degeneration Research, and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health New Orleans, has discovered gene interactions that determine whether cells live or die in such conditions as age-related macular degeneration and ischemic stroke. These common molecular mechanisms in vision and brain integrity can prevent blindness and also promote recovery from a stroke. The paper is published online in Cell Death & Differentiation, a Nature journal.
Scientists home in on reasons behind cancer drug trial disappointment Scientists based at the University of Helsinki, Finland, have discovered a 'hidden' mechanism which could explain why some cancer therapies which aim to block tumour blood vessel growth are failing cancer trials.
	DNA clock helps to get measure of people's lifespans Scientists have identified a biological clock that provides vital clues about how long a person is likely to live.
	Can Lean Management improve hospitals? Waiting times in hospital emergency departments could be cut with the introduction of Lean Management and Six Sigma techniques according to new research.
Altered dopamine signaling a clue to autism Newly discovered genetic variations linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) disrupt the function of the dopamine transporter, suggesting that altered dopamine signaling contributes to this common developmental condition, according to a Vanderbilt University-led research team.
Tweeting about sexism may improve a woman's wellbeing This is one of the findings of a study by Dr Mindi Foster, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada that is published today, Friday 30 January 2015, in the British Journal of Social Psychology. The study was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
	More measles cases seen in January than in typical year: CDC (HealthDay)—The United States has seen more cases of measles in January than it usually does in an entire year, federal health officials said Thursday.
	Teens, young adults most likely to go to ER after car accidents: report (HealthDay)—In a finding that won't surprise many parents, a new government analysis shows that teens and young adults are the most likely to show up in a hospital ER with injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident.
	Colon cancer rates rising among Americans under 50 (HealthDay)—Although the overall rate of colon cancer has fallen in recent decades, new research suggests that over the last 20 years the disease has been increasing among young and early middle-aged American adults.
	Mobile and interactive media use by young children: The good, the bad and the unknown Mobile devices are everywhere and children are using them more frequently at young ages. The impact these mobile devices are having on the development and behavior of children is still relatively unknown. In a commentary in the journal Pediatrics, researchers review the many types of interactive media available today and raise important questions regarding their use as educational tools, as well as their potential detrimental role in stunting the development of important tools for self-regulation.
New software analyzes human genomes faster than other available technologies Investigators at Nationwide Children's Hospital have developed an analysis "pipeline" that slashes the time it takes to search a person's genome for disease-causing variations from weeks to hours. An article describing the ultra-fast, highly scalable software was published in the latest issue of Genome Biology.
Fluorescent dyes 'light up' brain cancer cells Two new fluorescent dyes attracted to cancer cells may help neurosurgeons more accurately localize and completely resect brain tumors, suggests a study in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Carnegie Mellon, Pitt ethicists question impact of hospital advertising If you have ever "googled" illness symptoms and possible treatments, you are not alone. A national Pew Research Center survey indicated that 72 percent of adults searched the Internet for health information in the past year. But, how reliable is that information and what are the ethical implications?
Study links deficiency of cellular housekeeping gene with aggressive forms of breast cancer UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have identified a strong link between the most aggressive type of breast cancer and a gene that regulates the body's natural cellular recycling process, called autophagy.
	Spain uses stem cell therapy to treat damaged hearts A Spanish hospital has successfully used stem cells culled from healthy donors to treat seven heart attack victims, in what officials said was a world first.
	Milk does a body good? A look at the science Embattled milk producers in the U.S. launched a social media campaign this week to rebuild public confidence in the health benefits of their product.
Flu hospitalizations of elderly hit record high, CDC says Some new evidence this is a particularly bad flu season: Flu-related hospitalizations of the elderly are the highest since the government started tracking that statistic nine years ago.
	White House: Science indicates parents should vaccinate kids Amid the measles outbreak stemming from California, the White House is telling parents that science indicates they should vaccinate their children.
	National prenatal screening program increased CHD detection (HealthDay)—Implementation of a national screening program in the Netherlands increased the prenatal detection rate of congenital heart disease (CHD), according to a study published online Jan. 27 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
	Researchers learning more about deadly pancreatic cancer (HealthDay)—Scientists are working to find new ways to treat pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of cancer in the United States.
Study find loss of certain protein is associated with poor prognosis in breast, lung cancer Moffitt Cancer Center researchers have found that breast and lung cancer patients who have low levels of a protein called tristetraprolin (TTP) have more aggressive tumors and a poorer prognosis than those with high levels of the protein. Their study was published in the Dec. 26 issue of PLoS One.
Second bird flu case confirmed in Canada The husband of a Canadian who was diagnosed earlier this week with bird flu after returning from a trip to China has also tested positive for the virus, health officials said Friday.
Researchers reveal how pancreatic cancer cells sidestep chemotherapy Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease. The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for 2014 show that over 46,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and more than 39,000 will die from it. Now, research led by Timothy J. Yen, PhD, Professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center, reveals that one reason this deadly form of cancer can be so challenging to treat is because its cells have found a way to sidestep chemotherapy. They hijack the vitamin D receptor, normally associated with bone health, and re-purposed it to repair the damage caused by chemotherapy. The findings, which will be published in the January 3 issue of the journal Cell Cycle, raise hopes that doctors will one day find a way to turn this process against the tumor and help chemotherapy do its job.
FDA approves ADHD drug for binge-eating disorder Federal health regulators have approved an attention deficit disorder drug for a new use: A first-of-its kind treatment for binge-eating disorder.
Singapore launches universal health insurance Singapore's parliament has enacted a universal health insurance scheme with nearly $3.0 billion in subsidies to help the elderly and lower-income people, as it responds to demands for better social safety nets.
	Unique EarlyBird study set for historic third phase A unique study which has followed 300 young people from age five since 2000, has received backing for a third phase which will see it become the first study of its kind in the world to track the same group from childhood to adulthood.
	Cardiothoracic surgeon performs unusual surgery on elite athlete From the time he was about 8 years old, Shahab Maslehati had been well aware that his chest was sunken. It had become more pronounced in adolescence, a time when, as he put it, "you're naturally self-conscious about everything." But it hadn't affected his high-school basketball career or his life in general into his early to mid-twenties. He graduated from Colorado State University in 2006 and took a job with the Farm Credit Administration in Denver, where he's worked ever since.
New technologies to help patients with Parkinson's disease Researchers at the UPM are testing new wearable sensor networks and mobile phone applications to monitor and manage patients with Parkinson's disease.
	Minimally invasive treatment based on electrical muscle stimulation corrects spinal curvature in children Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) affects 2 to 3% of children aged between 10 and 16. It is more common in girls than in boys (with a ratio of 10-1). Besides the obvious physical signs derived from the visible spinal deformity, AIS can cause psychological and emotional problems (low self-esteem, poor body image, etc.) that significantly reduce patients' quality of life.
	AbbVie reports better-than-expected 4Q on Humira sales Drugmaker Abbvie posted better-than-expected adjusted results for the fourth quarter on Friday due to double-digit growth of its blockbuster anti-inflammatory drug Humira.