Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Sep 26

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Sep 27, 2014 at 2:19 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Sep 26
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 26, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New technology may lead to prolonged power in mobile devices
- WEDG wants to make a difference in personal cloud privacy
- Hubble team finds male led teams still getting more telescope time than those led by females
- Microsoft event to talk about fresh-start Windows 9
- Argentina UAVs spot pools and mansions, not empty lots
- Green light for clever algae
- Experiment makes Schrodinger's cat choose—things can be real, or certain, but not both
- Hard facts lead to 'green' concrete
- Colour variability in Crimson Rosellas is linked to a virus
- If trees could talk: Forest research network reveals global change effects
- Scientists revolutionize solar power with new "gold nanocluster" technology
- Researchers elucidate how a nitrogen-fixing enzyme also produces hydrocarbons
- Protein 'map' could lead to potent new cancer drugs
- Latest results from European BLUEPRINT initiative shed light on epigenetic effects
- Penn team studies nanocrystals by passing them through tiny pores

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA rover drill pulls first taste from Mars mountain NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has collected its first taste of the layered mountain whose scientific allure drew the mission to choose this part of Mars as a landing site.
	US-Russian crew docks with space station (AP)—A U.S.-Russian crew docked early Friday with the International Space Station, about six hours after launching from Russia's manned space facility in Kazakhstan.
	Image: Looking for comets in a sea of stars On a July night this summer, a 5,200-pound balloon gondola hangs from a crane and moves toward the open doors of a building at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, Md. The telescopes and instruments carried by the gondola, which are part of NASA's Balloon Observation Platform for Planetary Science (BOPPS), are calibrated by taking a long look at the stars and other objects in the sky.
	India's MOM captures first image of the red planet India's "history creating" maiden interplanetary voyager, the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has captured her historic first image of the Red Planet.
	Before the historic comet landing, Philae faces many dangers "Are we nearly there yet?" is a plaintive query that most parents learn to dread, especially if uttered while halted in a traffic jam in the baking hot sun. At least the Rosetta spacecraft has not had to deal with interplanetary traffic on its way to its destination of Comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. It is also well-protected against solar radiation. But the scientists working on the Philae lander might be forgiven for feeling as if their journey is never going to end, as Rosetta makes increasingly delicate manoeuvres towards its final orbit.
	Turning the moon into a cosmic ray detector Scientists from the University of Southampton are to turn the Moon into a giant particle detector to help understand the origin of Ultra-High-Energy (UHE) cosmic rays - the most energetic particles in the Universe.
European Space Agency sets date for comet landing (AP)—The European Space Agency says it will attempt to land the first spacecraft on a comet on Nov. 12.

Medicine & Health news

Protein 'map' could lead to potent new cancer drugs Imperial chemists have gained fresh insights into how a disease-causing enzyme makes changes to proteins and how it can be stopped.
	Scientists have decoded the functioning of the short-term memory School children and university students are often big fans of the short-term memory – not least when they have to cram large volumes of information on the eve of an exam. Although its duration is brief, short term memory is a complex network of neurons in the brain that includes different brain regions. To store the information, these regions must work together. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen have now discovered that the participating regions must be active at the same time to enable us to form short-term memories of things that happen.
Biochemists solve 'address problem' in cells that leads to lethal kidney disease Research by UCLA biochemists may lead to a new treatment—or even a cure—for PH1, a rare and potentially deadly genetic kidney disease that afflicts children. Their findings also may provide important insights into treatments for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative diseases.
Journey from stem cell to blood cell revealed Researchers have discovered previously undetected steps in the process by which stem cells become blood cells, a process called haematopoiesis.  An international collaboration, including Winthrop Professor Wendy Erber, has established that a highly complex series of events determine the fate of closely related populations of blood progenitor cells.
	Latest results from European BLUEPRINT initiative shed light on epigenetic effects Researchers working on the European BLUEPRINT initiative (EBI) have published three papers in the journal Science, each outlining their part of the overall mission and explaining what they have found thus far. The initiative is a very large research project that involves 41 leading European Universities—its mission is to decipher the epigenome of blood cells. Elizabeth Pennisi offers an overview of the efforts of the overall team and explains how the work could result in a whole new era of immunological understanding.
	Protein interaction is crucial for building networks in the brain Neural networks are formed by the interconnection of specific neurons in the brain. The molecular mechanisms involved in creating these connections, however, have so far eluded scientists. Research led by Jun Aruga from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute has now identified an interaction between two proteins that is crucial for making connections between specific types of neurons, with implications for some neurological disorders.
Study identifies unexpected clue to peripheral neuropathies New research shows that disrupting the molecular function of a tumor suppressor causes improper formation of a protective insulating sheath on peripheral nerves – leading to neuropathy and muscle wasting in mice similar to that in human diabetes and neurodegeneration.
Turmeric compound boosts regeneration of brain stem cells A bioactive compound found in turmeric promotes stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the brain, reveals new research published today in the open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy. The findings suggest aromatic turmerone could be a future drug candidate for treating neurological disorders, such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease.
Talk therapy—not medication—best for social anxiety disorder, large study finds While antidepressants are the most commonly used treatment for social anxiety disorder, new research suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is more effective and, unlike medication, can have lasting effects long after treatment has stopped.
	Meta-analysis: anti-TNF therapy deemed safe for children (HealthDay)—For children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), treatment with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy appears to be safe, according to research published in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Computer game could help adolescents with autism improve their social skills Elisabeth Whyte isn't a typical gamer: She has her very own World of Warcraft podcast, a fan following and a blog frequented by 15,000 visitors each month. Though her online persona specializes in dragon slaying, in real life she's a postdoctoral research assistant and psychology lecturer at Penn State who is leveraging her gaming expertise to design a computer game that could help adolescents with autism improve their social skills.
	One in ten people over forty years old in Britain is vitamin D deficient As many as one in ten people in Britain over forty years old may be vitamin D deficient, according to a study carried out by researchers at the University of Cambridge.
	Device lets docs stay 'tuned in' to brain bloodflow For Dr. John Murkin, the medical device business is all about "making a better mouse trap."
	Study ties aging to oxidative damage in mitochondria As long as humans have been alive, they've been seeking ways to extend life just a little longer. So far no one has found the fountain of youth, but researchers have begun to understand how humans age, little by little, offering hope for therapies that may blunt the effects of time on the body.
	Accurately measuring the time children spend performing physical activity To improve health and help combat childhood obesity, more schools are changing physical education requirements and finding new ways to keep children active throughout the day. It's recommended that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Schools are generally expected to provide at least half of this, or 150 minutes of physical activity a week, said Greg Welk, a professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University.
	Strategy to reduce side effects in modern cancer therapy An interdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Vienna (Institute of Inorganic Chemistry) and the Medical University of Vienna (Institute for Cancer Research) has successfully developed a new strategy for reducing the often serious side effects of an important class of modern anticancer drugs (tyrosine kinase inhibitors). The novel drug is supposed to restrict its activity with high selectivity to the malignant tumour.
	How plankton gets jet lagged A hormone that governs sleep and jet lag in humans may also drive the mass migration of plankton in the ocean, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, have found. The molecule in question, melatonin, is essential to maintain our daily rhythm, and the European scientists have now discovered that it governs the nightly migration of a plankton species from the surface to deeper waters. The findings, published online today in Cell, indicate that melatonin's role in controlling daily rhythms probably evolved early in the history of animals, and hold hints to how our sleep patterns may have evolved.
	Simulations provided early warning to deadly potential of Ebola The Ebola epidemic could claim hundreds of thousands of lives and infect more than 1.4 million people by the end of January, according to a statistical forecast released this week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	Psychiatrists alleviate mental illness – don't attack them Psychiatrists are here to try to make sense of the complexities of human behaviour in those who see them, and to help them get better. Many of those who are seen by psychiatrists are very ill indeed, and suffer greatly – hence the battles psychiatrists face are in understanding the causes of mental illness, treating their patients, and convincing others in society that mental illness needs to be taken seriously and adequately funded. This is needed both for research and clinical service, and to a level that equates to its huge burden on people and society.
	New study lists top psychologists of modern era Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Ivan Pavlov, Charles Darwin – all eminent scientists who made major contributions to the understanding of human and animal behavior. They achieved their lofty reputations primarily during the 19th century and the first half of the 20th.
	System designed to improve hand function lost to nerve damage Engineers at Oregon State University have developed and successfully demonstrated the value of a simple pulley mechanism to improve hand function after surgery.
New data may help nutrition monitoring A new combination of household food purchases and nutrition data is being used to assess population exposure to sodium, saturated fat, and sugar in New Zealand.
Popular pain killer linked to behavioural disorders Research at the University of Auckland has reinforced the discovery of a link between mothers taking a common pain killer during pregnancy and their children developing behavioural problems.
Turmeric enhances mood in depression research trial The antidepressant benefits of the Indian spice turmeric have been supported by the results of a trial run by a Murdoch University researcher.
Teens who smoke marijuana are at risk of dangerous brain, health disorders Whether states should legalize marijuana for recreational and medical use is a hot topic across the country. As the debate continues, more preteens, teens and young adults are beginning to use the substance with the feeling that it is safe. In fact, 36 percent of all seniors in high school and 7 percent of eighth-graders report using the drug in the past month, according to a recent study. Though the public's perception that marijuana is a harmless drug continues to increase, research shows it can have a damaging impact on developing brains and may lead to lifelong addiction.
	Only half of U.S. adults over 45 are screened for diabetes A new cross-sectional study in American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that only half of adults in the U.S. were screened for diabetes within the last three years, less than what is recommended by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). As the rates of obesity have increased, so does the incidence of type 2 diabetes, which also increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. Up to one-third of people with diabetes are undiagnosed, note the researchers.
	Research paves path to accelerating, enhancing platelet production Platelets are an expensive biomedical commodity. These microscopic cells that come to the rescue when our blood vessels need to be repaired cannot be frozen and are stable for only three to five days at room temperature.
Study confirms breast cancer link to low alcohol use A newly published study from the University of Victoria's Centre for Addictions Research of BC (CARBC) confirms that moderate drinkers have an increased risk of breast cancer. The study shows that consuming an average of up to two drinks a day is associated with an 8.5 per cent increase in the risk, compared to abstaining from alcohol.
Exploring the connection between empathy, neurohormones and aggression Empathy is typically seen as eliciting warmth and compassion—a generally positive state that makes people do good things to others. However, empathy may also motivate aggression on behalf of the vulnerable other. Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo, examined whether assessed or elicited empathy would lead to situation-specific aggression on behalf of another person, and to explore the potential role of two neurohormones in explaining a connection between empathy and aggression. The study is published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
Experimental Ebola vaccines ready for Africa by 2015: WHO Experimental vaccines to treat Ebola could be ready for use in African countries badly hit by the deadly virus early next year, the World Health Organization said Friday.
	Scientists advance understanding of autoimmunity with discovery of link between major immune cell types Scientists from A*STAR's Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) have established a clearer relationship between two cells which serve our body's natural defence mechanisms against diseases and infections. Their findings, published in the prestigious journal CELL REPORTS, will help the medical community better understand autoimmunity and could pave the way for treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Neurons see what we tell them to see Neurons programmed to fire at specific faces—such as the famously reported "Jennifer Aniston neuron"—may be more in line with the conscious recognition of faces than the actual images seen. Subjects presented with a blended face, such as an amalgamation of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, had significantly more firing of such face-specific neurons when they recognized the blended or morphed face as one person or the other. Results of the study led by Christof Koch at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, and carried out by neuroscientists Rodrigo Quian Quiroga at the University of Leicester, Alexander Kraskov at University College London and Florian Mormann at the University of Bonn, under the clinical supervision of the neurosurgeon Itzhak Fried at the University of California at Los Angeles Medical School, are published online today in the journal Neuron.
Maximizing sleep in adolescents yields reduction in behavior problems While American paediatricians warn sleep deprivation can stack the deck against teenagers, a new study from Taylor & Francis reveals youth's irritability and laziness aren't down to attitude problems but lack of sleep.
	One-in-ten antibiotic prescriptions '€˜fail' Over a 22-year period more than one in 10 of all antibiotic treatments in a primary care setting have failed. This rate has increased and continues to rise, according to a new study which analysed almost 11 million antibiotic prescriptions in the UK.
Skin pigment renders sun's UV radiation harmless using projectiles Researchers at Lund University in Sweden and other institutions have worked out how the pigment of the skin manages to protect the body from the sun's dangerous UV rays. The skin pigment converts the UV radiation into heat through a rapid chemical reaction that shoots protons from the molecules of the pigment.
	Scientists observe rare type of pollen at record levels in air for the first time in forty years (w/ Video) Researchers at the University of Leicester have recorded a rare type of pollen that is a potent trigger of hayfever and asthma symptoms at record levels for the first time in four decades.
Cow behaviour changes in response to deterioration in health When a cow develops mastitis, her behaviour changes and the quality of its milk deteriorates. The stockperson can detect the signs of inflammation in the milk when the cow is milked, but is it possible to recognise the signs of this diseases in other ways and even earlier?
Antibacterial resistance a cause for major concern according to world leading cystic fibrosis expert World-leading cystic fibrosis experts from Queen's University Belfast have called for greater research to address the major concern of antibacterial resistance.
COPD patients breathe easier with Lung Flute Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) report improved symptoms and health status when they use a hand-held respiratory device called the Lung Flute®, according to a new study by the University at Buffalo. Usually caused by smoking, COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.
	Balance impairment in MS involves multiple systems (HealthDay)—Balance impairment in multiple sclerosis (MS) involves constraints across multiple systems and consequently necessitates multimodal treatment, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management.
	Routine post-op labs don't often affect cervical discectomy care (HealthDay)—In most cases, no action is taken on the basis of patient's routine postoperative laboratory data after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
	Higher HDL cholesterol may help protect against cancer (HealthDay)—Higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with a decreased risk of cancer among individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in Diabetes Care.
	Considerable work productivity loss in early arthritis (HealthDay)—For patients with early arthritis (EA), work productivity (WP) loss is considerable during the first three years of disease, according to research published in the September issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
	Oral sodium phosphate doesn't up acute kidney injury (HealthDay)—Use of oral sodium phosphate (OSP) for bowel cleansing prior to a colonoscopy is not associated with the risk of postprocedure acute kidney injury (AKI), according to a study published in the September issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	National prescription drug take-back day set for saturday (HealthDay)—The ninth National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day will be held Saturday at more than 5,200 sites across the United States, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration says.
Children with autism are more sedentary than their peers, new study shows A new Oregon State University study of children with autism found that they are more sedentary than their typically-developing peers, averaging 50 minutes less a day of moderate physical activity and 70 minutes more each day sitting.
	Scanning babies' fingerprints could save lives Each year 2.5 million children die worldwide because they do not receive life-saving vaccinations at the appropriate time.
Smelly discovery challenges effectiveness of antimicrobial textiles Anti-odour clothing may not be living up to its promise, and an ALES researcher is saying it could all be a matter of how the product was tested.
New tool assesses skill development in robotic microsurgery, reports Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery A new standardized assessment provides a useful tool for tracking surgeons' progress as they develop the skills needed to perform robot-assisted microsurgery, reports a study in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Cardiology leaders call for global prevention of heart disease, stroke Heart disease and stroke contribute to 30 percent of global deaths, more than all infectious and parasitic diseases combined, and 11 cardiovascular organizations are calling for the United Nations to address prevention of heart disease and other non-communicable diseases.
Policies of NIH, other funders, have improved data-sharing by life-science investigators Policies put into place by major funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and to a lesser extent by scientific journals, appear to be meeting the goal of increasing the sharing of scientific resources among life science investigators. As reported in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, 65 percent of surveyed investigators at major U.S. research institutions believed that NIH policies instituted in recent years had markedly improved the sharing of scientific data. But the survey also identified some unexpected problems, including the number of researchers who share materials or resources without completing legal agreements required by their institutions.
Disease without borders In a paper published this week online in Global Society, researchers with University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Urban Studies and Planning Program, also at UC San Diego, present a bioregional guide that merges place-based (territorial) city planning and ecosystem management along the United States-Mexico border as way to improve human and environmental health.
Experts call for a moratorium on use of new internet domain .health As the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) moves forward with plans to launch health-related generic top-level domains (gTLD), such as .health and .doctor, a coalition of health policy academics and clinicians are raising concerns about a process they say "favor[s] business interests and the generation of profits over the future integrity of the Health Internet."
3 from FDNY who worked at ground zero die in 1 day (AP)—Three retired firefighters who worked at ground zero have died on the same day from cancer, an illness that many fear might be connected to toxic World Trade Center dust released on Sept. 11, fire officials said Thursday.
Smokers' paradise Austria struggles to stub out habit In the wood-panelled rooms of Vienna's traditional coffee houses, tobacco-lovers can still light up pretty much as they please. But one of the last smokers' havens in Europe may be on course to kick the habit.
Europe must tackle Ebola 'world' threat, experts Health experts from 16 European countries beseeched their governments Friday to massively scale up manpower and resources to fight west Africa's Ebola epidemic, now threatening "the entire world".
Human-animal bonds in disasters The recognition of the bond between people and pets is stronger than ever before, but what happens to the human-animal relationship when disaster strikes?
200mg Avigan administered to a French woman infected with Ebola virus Fujifilm Corporation announced that the anti-influenza drug Avigan tablet 200mg (Favipiravir), developed by Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, has been administered to a patient infected with the Ebola virus disease at a hospital in France.
	Dentists meet increased demand as health care act widens Can dentists and doctors cope with the increased patient traffic since the Affordable Care Act took effect?
Replacing the wheelchair Depicted in fifth century Chinese art, the wheelchair is not a new invention. The invalid carriage, called a Bath chair, was developed in Bath, England, around 1760. The modern, steel-frame, collapsible chair dates to 1933.
	Taking a look at the dark side of tourism in the Dominican Republic In the Caribbean, the tourism industry is a major boost to the economy. Away from the stresses of everyday life, tourists lose their inhibitions and open their wallets, looking for an experience that truly takes them away. But FIU medical anthropologist Mark Padilla has found that what happens on the island is not staying on the island—and that has far-ranging consequences for the entire region.
Discrepancies in access to new cancer drugs revealed Access to potentially life-extending cancer drugs varies significantly in different regions of the world, two new studies show at the ESMO 2014 Congress in Madrid, Spain.
More than 70 percent of young oncologists in Europe suffer symptoms of burnout Across Europe, more than 70% of young cancer specialists are showing signs of burnout, the largest survey of its kind has revealed. The results, reported at the Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO 2014) in Madrid, have prompted calls for serious action to address the issue at all levels.
Six Russians die, 36 in hospital after smoking designer drug Six Russians have died and dozens have been hospitalised after they smoked a legal synthetic drug in the far northern city of Surgut, prosecutors said Friday.
Lack of 'rural-proofed' policy a threat to countryside economy Entrepreneurs are losing out because of a lack of rural-proofing in government policy, say academics from Newcastle University's Queen's Award winning Centre for Rural Economy (CRE).
Geisel researchers contribute to study of trained immunity A study published in the journal science provides support for a new—and still controversial—understanding of the immune system. the research was conducted by collaborators in the U.S. and Europe, including Robert Cramer, PhD, an assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at the Geisel School of Medicine and member of the Dartmouth Lung Biology Center, and Kelly Shepherdson, PhD, at the time a graduate student in Cramer's lab.
US cancer doctor convicted of poisoning lover (AP)—A cancer researcher in Texas was convicted Friday of aggravated assault for poisoning her colleague, who was also her lover, by lacing his coffee with a sweet-tasting chemical found in antifreeze.
Bulgaria makes slow progress in curbing child abandonment Bulgaria, which won dark distinction from the United Nations for having the world's highest rate of child abandonment, has made progress but poverty and cultural practice continue to hamper efforts to protect its most vulnerable, an independent report said Friday.
Severe periodontitis: Sixth most prevalent health condition in the world The International and American Associations for Dental Research (IADR/AADR) have published a paper titled "Global Burden of Periodontitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression." The manuscript, by lead researcher Wagner Marcenes (Queen Mary University of London, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School) is published in the OnlineFirst portion of the IADR/AADR Journal of Dental Research (JDR).
Decision analysis can help women make choices about breast reconstruction Decision analysis techniques can help surgeons and patients evaluate alternatives for breast reconstruction—leading to a "good decision" that reflects the woman's preferences and values, according to an article in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
IMF approves $130 million for stricken countries (AP)—The International Monetary Fund has approved $130 million in emergency aid to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to help these West African countries respond to the Ebola outbreak.
	WHO: Deaths linked to Ebola pass 3,000 (AP)—The World Health Organization says the number of deaths linked to an Ebola outbreak in West Africa has passed 3,000.
Guam attorney seeks to stop marijuana referendum (AP)—A Guam attorney has asked the U.S. District Court in Guam to stop a referendum on medical marijuana scheduled to appear on the November ballot.

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