Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 27

RESPEKT !

The super-resolution revolution

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 28, 2015 at 2:37 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 27
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 27, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Barclays to allow payments by using Twitter handles
- Brain signals turn into drone commands in Lisbon presentation
- Physicists suggest theory versus observational differences in the sun could be due to dark matter
- Life 'not as we know it' possible on Saturn's moon Titan
- Personal care product chemicals found in Antarctica
- Antarctica's retreating ice may re-shape Earth
- Could the Milky Way become a quasar?
- New filter could advance terahertz data transmission
- The sun has more impact on the climate in cool periods
- Newly discovered algal species helps corals survive in the hottest reefs on the planet
- First detailed microscopy evidence of bacteria at the lower size limit of life
- The super-resolution revolution
- Depth of plastic pollution in oceans revealed
- Electrochemical 'fingers' unlock battery's inner potential
- New process recycles valuable rare earth metals from old electronics

Astronomy & Space news

	Life 'not as we know it' possible on Saturn's moon Titan A new type of methane-based, oxygen-free life form that can metabolize and reproduce similar to life on Earth has been modeled by a team of Cornell University researchers.
	Stars found forming at Milky Way's outer edge Brazilian astronomers said Friday they had found two star clusters forming in a remote part of our Milky Way galaxy where such a thing was previously thought impossible.
	Image: Dark Energy Survey catches breathtaking glimpse of Comet Lovejoy On December 27, 2014, while scanning the southern sky as part of the Dark Energy Survey, researchers snapped the above shot of comet Lovejoy. The image above was captured using the 570-megapixel Dark Energy Camera, the world's most powerful digital camera. Each of the rectangular shapes above represents one of the 62 individual fields of the camera.
	Improved vision for James Webb Space Telescope Key science elements of the James Webb Space Telescope have been upgraded ahead of the observatory's launch in 2018.
	Galactic dinosaurs not extinct One of the biggest mysteries in galaxy evolution is the fate of the compact massive galaxies that roamed the early Universe.
	Could the Milky Way become a quasar? A quasar is what you get when a supermassive black hole is actively feeding on material at the core of a galaxy. The region around the black hole gets really hot and blasts out radiation that we can see billions of light-years away.
	What's the brightest star in the sky, past and future? What's the brightest star you can see in the sky tonight?
	The Curiosity robot confirms methane in Mars' atmosphere which may hint that existed life The tunable laser spectrometer in the SAM (Sample Analysis at Mars) instrument of the Curiosity robot has unequivocally detected an episodic increase in the concentration of methane in Mars' atmosphere after an exhaustive analysis of data obtained during 605 soles or Martian days.
	Envisioning the moon as a launch pad to explore the outer solar system For years, Arlin Crotts has been an iconoclast among his peers in the world of lunar science. His beliefs that the moon must have water and could possibly supply all the elements necessary to sustain life were considered unconventional to say the least.
	SMAP satellite extends 5-meter reflector boom Like a cowboy at a rodeo, NASA's newest Earth-observing satellite, the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), has triumphantly raised its "arm" and unfurled a huge golden "lasso" (antenna) that it will soon spin up to rope the best soil moisture maps ever obtained from space.
	Study of atmospheric 'froth' may help GPS communications When you don't know how to get to an unfamiliar place, you probably rely on a smart phone or other device with a Global Positioning System (GPS) module for guidance. You may not realize that, especially at high latitudes on our planet, signals traveling between GPS satellites and your device can get distorted in Earth's upper atmosphere.
	NASA approves Sunday spacewalk despite water leak in helmet (AP)—American astronauts will venture back out for a spacewalk this weekend, despite a helmet water leak on their previous trip outside the International Space Station.

Medicine & Health news

	Study finds cannabis least dangerous of illicit recreational drugs A pair of researchers affiliated with several institutions in Germany, has found that of a number of drugs used by people for recreational purposes (i.e. for non-medicinal reasons and without a prescription) cannabis is the least dangerous—at least when measuring the lethality of a single dose. In their paper published in Scientific Reports, Dirk Lachenmeier and Jürgen Rehm describe their study of the lethality of several illicit drugs and their results.
	Reviving drugs with anti-stroke potential, minus side effects In the 1990s, neuroscientists identified a class of drugs that showed promise in the area of stroke. NMDA receptor antagonists could limit damage to the brain in animal models of stroke. But one problem complicated testing the drugs in a clinical setting: the side effects included disorientation and hallucinations.
Single-step fermentative method for the production of cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers have devised a single-step fermentative method for the industrial production of the active drug pravastatin that previously involved a costly dual-step fermentation and biotransformation process.
	A gene for brain size only found in humans About 99 percent of human genes are shared with chimpanzees. Only the small remainder sets us apart. However, we have one important difference: The brain of humans is three times as big as the chimpanzee brain.
Study challenges theory on unconscious memory system in the brain A new study by a UT Dallas researcher challenges a long-accepted scientific theory about the role the hippocampus plays in our unconscious memory.
	The brain's decision-making structure appears to operate hierarchically A key part of the brain involved with decision making, the striatum, appears to operate hierarchically – much like a traditional corporation with executives, middle managers and employees, according to researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University in Japan.
	Genomic sequence reveals new treatment options for pancreatic cancer An international project assisted by researchers from The University of Western Australia has offered new hope to patients with pancreatic cancer.
Pancreatic cancer has four distinct types Researchers have found that pancreatic cancer can be split into four unique types, a discovery that could be used to improve treatments for the disease, according to a study published in Nature.
	Neurons controlling appetite made from skin cells Researchers have for the first time successfully converted adult human skin cells into neurons of the type that regulate appetite, providing a patient-specific model for studying the neurophysiology of weight control and testing new therapies for obesity. The study, led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and at the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), was published last month in the online issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Mystery of the reverse-wired eyeball solved From a practical standpoint, the wiring of the human eye - a product of our evolutionary baggage - doesn't make a lot of sense. In vertebrates, photoreceptors are located behind the neurons in the back of the eye - resulting in light scattering by the nervous fibers and blurring of our vision. Recently, researchers at the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology have confirmed the biological purpose for this seemingly counterintuitive setup.
Urine test could lead to better treatment of bladder cancer Researchers at the University of Birmingham believe that a simple urine test could help to guide clinicians in the treatment of bladder cancer patients.
Global health experts call into question sub-Saharan cancer data Global health experts believe the current data on cancer prevalence, incidence and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa - which determines how billions of pounds of international development money is spent - are weak and could mean vital funds are being deflected from other priorities. These include diarrhoeal and waterborne diseases, malnutrition, sanitation and the need to strengthen health systems.
Experts warn of stem cell underuse Since the first experimental bone marrow transplant over 50 years ago, more than one million hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) have been performed in 75 countries, according to new research charting the remarkable growth in the worldwide use of HSCT, published in The Lancet Haematology journal.
	Shake it off? Not so easy for people with depression, new brain research suggests Rejected by a person you like? Just "shake it off" and move on, as music star Taylor Swift says.
Suicide rates rising for older US adults Suicide rates for adults between 40 and 64 years of age in the U.S. have risen about 40% since 1999, with a sharp rise since 2007. One possible explanation could be the detrimental effects of the economic downturn of 2007-2009, leading to disproportionate effects on house values, household finances, and retirement savings for that age group. In a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that external economic factors were present in 37.5% of all completed suicides in 2010, rising from 32.9% in 2005.
New approach to assessing effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs Manchester scientists have a developed a new method to monitor the effect of anti-cancer drugs on very rare leukaemia stem cells. The approach potentially allows doctors to screen patients and personalise their treatment.
	Smokers may tap into multiple sources for nicotine (AP)—The first peek at a major study of how Americans smoke suggests many use combinations of products, and often e-cigarettes are part of the mix.
Mediatisation of death and RIP pages on Facebook as virtual shrines In the wake of high a profile death, it is increasingly common to see mass public outpourings of grief on RIP Facebook pages. This article in New Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia explores media coverage of death and its relation to public expression of grief via social media.
	Scientists discover a new mechanism driving cancer metastasis A protein commonly found in human cells could be an important switch that activates cancer cell metastasis, according to a new study by researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro at McGill University and the MUHC. The finding focuses attention on a biological mechanism that until now was largely overlooked. The discovery of the protein's effect significantly expands our understanding of epithelial cancers such as breast and lung cancer.
Research captures transient details of HIV genome packaging Once HIV-1 has hijacked a host cell to make copies of its own RNA genome and viral proteins, it must assemble these components into new virus particles. The orchestration of this intricate assembly process falls to a viral protein known as Gag. For one thing, Gag must be able to discern viral RNA from the host cell's and squirrel it away inside new viral particles — no easy task considering only two to three percent of the RNA found in the cytoplasm is from HIV-1. Exactly how Gag selectively packages viral RNA has been widely speculated but never directly observed.
	Maternity survey tracks changes in health care for mothers A national survey of more than 4,500 recent mothers last year in England, conducted by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU) at Oxford University, found that women were aware of their pregnancies earlier and sought medical care earlier than in previous years.
Alzheimer's disease linked to heart's effect on the brain The prevailing medical wisdom that Alzheimer's Disease has its origins in the brain has a radical and disputed rival with shocking implications for medicine's relentless efforts to forestall disease, ageing and death, according to a new review of the evidence.
	Researchers develop quick test for fish toxin Flinders University researchers have invented a revolutionary method to test for food poisoning in fish.
	New peanut allergy test goes beyond scratching the surface Current peanut allergy tests are not very reliable when it comes to diagnosing the severity of an individual's allergic reaction, which can range from hives to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
Feast-and-famine diet could extend life, study shows Think of it as interval training for the dinner table.
	Researchers developing an artificial vision system for prosthetic legs to improve gait Mo Rastgaar is poised to take a giant step forward in the development of a better prosthetic ankle.
Electronic medical management outperforms paper system in cost and patient safety A recent study into the cost-effectiveness of using an electronic medication management system (eMMs) has shown that monetary savings from reduced adverse drug events can offset the cost of implementing the system, making it more cost effective when compared with paper-based prescribing.
	Liquid biopsy provides real-time blood test for solid lung cancer tumors In the rapidly changing world of molecular profiling for genetic diseases, cancer researchers are increasingly optimistic about the reality of a simple blood test to monitor and treat solid tumor cancers.
	Half a million children predicted to die from smoking as MPs head toward a vote on standard cig packs Around 500,000 children will die from smoking when they are adults unless more is done to cut smoking rates according to new Cancer Research UK figures released today (Friday).
	Using DNA repair processes to target cancer Every day our DNA is under attack.
Antibiotic-resistant listeria in unprocessed salad not as widespread as feared Antibiotic-resistant strains of the food-poisoning microbe Listeria monocytogenes in unprocessed salad products is not quite as widespread as scientists originally suspected. A new study from Malaysia published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health reveals that strains of the microbe falling into six distinct groups can all be found on such products, but 82 percent of those strains succumb to at least one of sixteen common antibiotics used in veterinary and human listeriosis treatment.
	A study relates the level of pollutants accumulated in the body with obesity levels A team of Spanish scientists, which includes several researchers from the University of Granada, has confirmed that there is a relation between the levels of certain environmental pollutants that a person accumulates in his or her body and their level of obesity. Subjects with more pollutants in their systems also present higher levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Cardiac and respiratory function supported by abdominal muscles in muscular dystrophy The muscular dystrophies are known to target various muscle groups differentially. In addition to making limb muscles weak, muscular dystrophy (MD) can also lead to decreased function of specific muscles involved in respiration causing breathing difficulties as well as leading to cardiac problems.
	Do the benefits of drinking raw milk outweigh the risks? Raw milk is milk that has not undergone pasteurization, the bacteria-killing heat treatment designed to reduce human pathogens and increase shelf life. Unpasteurized milk can contain potentially harmful and deadly pathogens, including listeria, salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7 and campylobacter.
Researchers cautious about Vitamin D supplementation to prevent chronic diseases Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk for a variety of chronic diseases, which has led to increased use of vitamin D supplements, often in high doses. However, taking a supplement "just in case" is not recommended to prevent chronic diseases until reliable knowledge about the efficacy or unwanted effects are available. This is the conclusion from a knowledge summary published in the British Medical Journal.
Study seeks to sharpen surgery systems Communication and coordination are important aspects of any workplace - but arguably more important in operating theatres than anywhere else, according to Professor Sharon Parker from The University of Western Australia's Business School.
	Scientists identify a neural circuit involved in translating premotor planning into active movement With half a second's planning, an animal's brain prepares it to quickly and precisely execute complex movements. Scientists at Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Janelia Research Campus have identified a neural circuit that transforms the flurry of activity that occurs during this preparatory period into commands that direct muscle movements.
	Deodorant use ok for radiotherapy patients Women undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer can use deodorant without fear of increased underarm skin reaction, pain, itching or burning, research suggests.
	Trapping the Ebola virus in transit The deadly Ebola virus makes use of host mechanisms – including a specific type of membrane-bound calcium channel – to gain entry into the cell cytoplasm. LMU researchers now show that blocking this channel markedly inhibits infection.
Video: What makes carbon monoxide so deadly? It's colorless, odorless and can be deadly.
	It's time to fix our outdated guidelines for human vaccine trials Recently, Phase II and III trials of two vaccines for Ebola started in West Africa. The development of possible vaccines is welcome news. Like most vaccine trials, the current Ebola trials are being conducted under ethical guidelines derived from US standards for clinical research in human beings.
	Does traffic noise increase the risk of obesity? There is an association between road traffic noise and the risk of obesity among people who are particularly sensitive to noise, according to a study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Quality control for adult stem cell treatment A team of European researchers has devised a strategy to ensure that adult epidermal stem cells are safe before they are used as treatments for patients. The approach involves a clonal strategy where stem cells are collected and cultivated, genetically modified and single cells isolated before being rigorously tested to make sure they meet the highest possible safety criteria. The strategy, which is published online in EMBO Molecular Medicine, is inspired by the approaches the biotechnology industry and regulatory affairs authorities have adopted for medicinal proteins produced from genetically engineered mammalian cells.
	A new tool provides maps of protein interactions for 2,800 diseases Today in the journal Nature Methods, the laboratory headed by ICREA researcher Patrick Aloy, at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), presents a computational tool that allows a greater understanding of the genetic causes of complex diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes.
Women veterans younger, more depressed when referred for heart test Women veterans who had specialized heart tests were younger and more likely to be obese, depressed and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder than men veterans, according to a study published in an American Heart Association journal.
New breast cancer test links immune 'hotspots' to better survival Scientists have developed a new test which can predict the survival chances of women with breast cancer by analysing images of 'hotspots' where there has been a fierce immune reaction to a tumour.
UN says limit use of personal audio players to 1 hour a day (Update) (AP)—People who use personal audio players should consider limiting their use to one hour a day and turn down the volume to prevent permanent hearing loss, the World Health Organization said Friday.
Scientists discover robust evidence that chronic fatigue syndrome is a biological illness Researchers at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health identified distinct immune changes in patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, known medically as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) or systemic exertion intolerance disease. The findings could help improve diagnosis and identify treatment options for the disabling disorder, in which symptoms range from extreme fatigue and difficulty concentrating to headaches and muscle pain.
High stress for new mothers increases secondhand smoke risk for infants Recent mothers who experience higher levels of social stressors are the least likely to have rules that totally ban smoking in the home, which could expose their infants to secondhand smoke and increase health risks, according to a study that includes a University of Kansas researcher.
Aggressive boys tend to develop into physically stronger teens Boys who show aggressive tendencies develop greater physical strength as teenagers than boys who are not aggressive, according to new research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	Home walking program improves erectile function after MI (HealthDay)—For men with recent acute myocardial infarction, a home-based walking program is associated with a reduction in reported erectile dysfunction (ED), according to a study published in the March 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Abdominal obesity ups risk of hip fracture (HealthDay)—Abdominal obesity is associated with increased risk of hip fracture, according to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.
	Epilepsy surgery gets high marks from patients in survey (HealthDay)—More than nine in 10 epilepsy patients who had brain surgery to try to control their seizures are happy they did so, a new survey reveals.
	Black/blue or white/gold? Dress debate goes viral Is the dress black and blue, or white and gold? That question is lighting up the Internet.
Drug research and development more efficient than expected Drug R&D costs have increased substantially in recent decades, while the number of new drugs has remained fairly constant, leading to concerns about the sustainability of drug R&D and question about the factors that could be responsible.
New algorithm increases surgical success with advanced ovarian cancer A surgical algorithm developed and implemented by ovarian cancer specialists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center dramatically increases the frequency of complete removal of all visible tumor - a milestone strongly tied to improved survival.
Study examines physician-industry conflict of interest issue from MS patient perspective If you're one of the nearly half a million Americans living with multiple sclerosis (MS) - a slowly disabling disease of the central nervous system - you are likely dependent on disease-modifying drugs to prevent symptoms such as vision problems, balance issues and weakness. Often, these treatments have been developed through pharmaceutical industry-sponsored clinical trials (ISCT) in collaboration with academic or private practice physicians who care for MS patients. But what do patients know, or want to know, about their physician's financial relationship with the pharmaceutical company sponsoring such research?
Intimate partners with low self-esteem stay in unhappy relationships People with low self-esteem are more likely stay in unhappy relationships, suggests new research from the University of Waterloo.
	Enhancing studies on a possible blood biomarker for traumatic brain injury New technology being introduced at NYU Langone Medical Center could help researchers advance blood biomarker capabilities that show changes in low concentrations of specific proteins present following a neurological injury.
New compounds protect nervous system from the structural damage of MS A newly characterized group of pharmacological compounds block both the inflammation and nerve cell damage seen in mouse models of multiple sclerosis, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published online this week in the journal Nature Neuroscience.
Commuter with measles also dined at Bay Area restaurant (AP)—Officials say the commuter who may have exposed at least 1,500 Bay Area Rapid Transit riders to measles also ate at a popular Northern California restaurant.
Personality and place: New insights on person-environment links Psychological traits, such as personality and well-being, are spatially and regionally clustered within cities, states, countries, and the world. Four presentations showcase cutting-edge research that investigates how traits are spatially and geographically clustered, what mechanisms drive the uneven distribution of traits, and the consequences of these spatial patterns. The presentations are part of a symposium featured at the SPSP 16th Annual Convention in Long Beach, California.
Novartis Japan hit with suspension over side-effect reporting Japanese health authorities said Friday that they have ordered the local unit of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis to temporarily suspend its operations for failing to report drug side effects.
Preventing one case of HIV saves over $225K, study shows How much money would be saved if one high-risk person was prevented from contracting HIV in the United States? A new study led by a researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College and published online Feb. 24 in Medical Care, answers this question: from $229,800 to $338,400, depending on the continuity of treatment.
New app helps monitor depression Scientists from the University of Birmingham have developed an app that can measure the activity patterns of patients with depression and provide the necessary support.
Saudi reports 10 MERS deaths in a week Ten more people in Saudi Arabia have died from MERS over the past week, health ministry figures showed on Friday, after an international mission urged extra measures to combat the virus.
Experts blame anti-vaccine lobby for Bosnia measles outbreak (AP)—Medical experts are warning that the anti-vaccination lobby is growing in Bosnia, often using scientifically discredited arguments to stoke parental fears in the worst-affected country in Europe's measles outbreak.
Amsterdam warns tourists white heroin being sold as cocaine (AP)—Authorities in Amsterdam warned Friday that potentially lethal white heroin is being sold as cocaine in the city after three Danish tourists became ill this week.
Researchers find chemotherapy after bladder cancer surgery improved survival Patients that received chemotherapy after bladder cancer surgery demonstrated an approximately 30% lower risk of death than those that underwent surgery alone, according to an analysis to be presented by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai at the 2015 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.
Crohn's disease not exempt from racial disparities A study published recently in the IBD Journal found significant differences in hospital readmissions, medication usage, and both medical and surgical complications of children with Crohn's disease related to race. In the study, black children had a 1.5 times higher frequency of hospital readmissions because of Crohn's disease compared to white children.
For patients with brain tumors, insurance status linked to differences in patient safety and quality of care Patients that are on Medicaid or uninsured have higher rates of reportable patient safety and quality of care issues during hospitalization for brain tumors, reports a study in the March issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.
Hospitals participating in ACS NSQIP significantly improve surgical outcomes over time The majority of hospitals participating in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) improve surgical outcomes over time, and improvement continues with each year that hospitals participate in the program, according to a new study published online today in Annals of Surgery.
	Native American tribes converge to discuss pot legalization (AP)—Tribal representatives from around the country are converging in Washington state to discuss the risks and rewards of marijuana legalization.

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