Fwd: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Oct 30

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 31, 2014 at 1:27 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Oct 30
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 30, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New study finds oceans arrived early to Earth
- Science casts light on sex in the orchard
- Genetic factors behind surviving or dying from Ebola shown in mouse study
- Many Interacting Worlds theory: Scientists propose existence and interaction of parallel worlds
- Lord of the microrings: Team reports breakthrough in microring laser cavities
- Calculating encryption schemes' theoretical security guarantees eases comparison, improvement
- Use asteroids as stepping stones to Mars: Richard Binzel on NASA's asteroid redirect mission
- Future air passengers may get unique, windowless view
- What's mighty about the mouse? For starters, its massive Y chromosome
- Microsoft unveils fitness gadget, health tracking
- AeroMobil 3.0 transforms from car to flying car
- Researchers develop hybrid fluid transmission enabling light and swift robotic arms
- Neuroscience: Why scratching makes you itch more
- Rewiring cell metabolism slows colorectal cancer growth
- Identifying the source of stem cells

Astronomy & Space news

	Use asteroids as stepping stones to Mars: Richard Binzel on NASA's asteroid redirect mission By the end of this decade, NASA hopes to lasso a space rock: The space agency is actively pursuing proposals for its Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)—a mission that aims to identify, capture, and redirect an asteroid into lunar orbit. Astronauts might then visit the rock to collect and bring back samples—pieces that would presumably hold remnants of the early solar system. ARM has been touted as a steppingstone toward the ultimate goal of sending humans to Mars: The mission would advance technologies and spaceflight experience needed for humans to colonize the Red Planet.
	Planetary atmospheres a key to assessing possibilities for life A planetary atmosphere is a delicate thing. On Earth, we are familiar with the ozone hole—a tear in our upper atmosphere caused by human-created chemicals that thin away the ozone. Threats to an atmosphere, however, can also come from natural causes.
	A low-density planet that won't stick to a schedule (Phys.org) —For their latest discovery, Yale astronomers and the Planet Hunter program have found a low-mass, low-density planet with a punctuality problem.
	Image: Hubble views the whirling disk of NGC 4526 This neat little galaxy is known as NGC 4526. Its dark lanes of dust and bright diffuse glow make the galaxy appear to hang like a halo in the emptiness of space in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
	Asteroid Apophis could experience landslides when it passes near Earth (Phys.org) —A team of space scientists with members from the U.S., China and France has found via computer modeling that an asteroid due to pass close to Earth in 2029 is likely to experience minor landslides. In their paper published in the journal Icarus, the researchers describe the data they input into their model and what the simulation showed.
	When did galaxies settle down? Astronomers have long sought to understand exactly how the universe evolved from its earliest history to the cosmos we see around us in the present day. In particular, the way that galaxies form and develop is still a matter for debate. Now a group of researchers have used the collective efforts of the hundreds of thousands of people that volunteer for the Galaxy Zoo project to shed some light on this problem. They find that galaxies may have settled into their current form some two billion years earlier than previously thought.
	Cassini sees sunny seas on Titan (Phys.org) —As it soared past Saturn's large moon Titan recently, NASA's Cassini spacecraft caught a glimpse of bright sunlight reflecting off hydrocarbon seas.
	Hubble sees 'ghost light' from dead galaxies (Phys.org) —NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has picked up the faint, ghostly glow of stars ejected from ancient galaxies that were gravitationally ripped apart several billion years ago. The mayhem happened 4 billion light-years away, inside an immense collection of nearly 500 galaxies nicknamed "Pandora's Cluster," also known as Abell 2744.
Student science projects explode with rocket Eighteen groups of students have lost science projects that were onboard an unmanned rocket that exploded in Virginia after taking off for the International Space Station.
Burning passion: Chinese rich pay sky-high meteorite prices One small cheque to a businessman, one giant leap for a meteorite: after journeys of millions of kilometres, rocks formed from the primordial soup of the solar system have landed on the walls of a Chinese showroom.
	European Data Relay System on track The first component of Europe's space data highway passed several critical tests this summer replicating the harsh launch and space conditions it will soon have to endure.
	Virtual reality system simulates the International Space Station They say space is the final frontier, but it's just another day at the office at Iowa State University's Virtual Reality Applications Center.
	Steering ESA satellites clear of space debris Improved collision warnings for its Earth observation missions means ESA controllers can now take more efficient evasive action when satellites are threatened by space junk.
	An unmanned rocket exploded. So what? Sputnik was launched more than 50 years ago. Since then we have seen missions launched to Mercury, Mars and to all the planets within the solar system. We have sent a dozen men to the moon and many more to the International Space Station, along with a significant complement of female astronauts. Our communications, banking, television, security and transport sectors rely on satellites orbiting the Earth.
	NASA image: Sunrise from the International Space Station NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman posted this image of a sunrise, captured from the International Space Station, to social media on Oct. 29, 2014. Wiseman wrote, "Not every day is easy. Yesterday was a tough one. #sunrise"
	NASA's Wallops flight facility completes initial assessment after Orbital launch mishap The Wallops Incident Response Team completed today an initial assessment of Wallops Island, Virginia, following the catastrophic failure of Orbital Science Corp.'s Antares rocket shortly after liftoff at 6:22 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Oct. 28, from Pad 0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
	Copernicus operations secured until 2021 In a landmark agreement for Europe's Copernicus programme, the European Commission and ESA have signed an Agreement of over €3 billion to manage and implement the Copernicus 'space component' between 2014 and 2021.
	Is space tourism safe or do civilians risk health effects? Several companies are developing spacecraft designed to take ordinary citizens, not astronauts, on short trips into space. "Space tourism" and short periods of weightlessness appear to be safe for most individuals according to a series of articles on space biomedicine published in New Space.

Medicine & Health news

	Genetic factors behind surviving or dying from Ebola shown in mouse study A newly developed mouse model suggests that genetic factors are behind the mild-to-deadly range of reactions to the Ebola virus.
	Development of four early retinal cell types integral to normal vision University at Buffalo researchers have discovered what regulates generation of the early neurons in the retina during embryonic development. The findings provide clues to how cellular diversity is created in the central nervous system.
	Fruit fly lights up brain wiring (Medical Xpress)—Fluorescent fruit flies have helped University of Queensland researchers take a critical step toward understanding the human brain's neuronal "wiring" and how it can go awry.
Making lab-grown tissues stronger Lab-grown tissues could one day provide new treatments for injuries and damage to the joints, including articular cartilage, tendons and ligaments.
	Heart's own immune cells can help it heal (Medical Xpress)—The heart holds its own pool of immune cells capable of helping it heal after injury, according to new research in mice at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Guarding your girl linked to sperm quality in humans Men who perform "mate guarding" behaviours such as staying close to their wife or girlfriend at a party are likely to have poorer-quality sperm than men who do not, research suggests.
	Neuroscience: Why scratching makes you itch more Turns out your mom was right: Scratching an itch only makes it worse. New research from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that scratching causes the brain to release serotonin, which intensifies the itch sensation.
	Rewiring cell metabolism slows colorectal cancer growth Cancer is an unwanted experiment in progress. As the disease advances, tumor cells accumulate mutations, eventually arriving at ones that give them the insidious power to grow uncontrollably and spread. Distinguishing drivers of cancer from benign mutations open opportunities for developing targeted cancer therapies.
	Hygienic funerals, better protection for health workers offer best chance to stop Ebola Hygienic funeral practices, case isolation, contact tracing with quarantines, and better protection for health care workers are the keys to stopping the Ebola epidemic that continues to expand in West Africa, researchers said today in a new report in the journal Science.
	Link seen between seizures and migraines in the brain Seizures and migraines have always been considered separate physiological events in the brain, but now a team of engineers and neuroscientists looking at the brain from a physics viewpoint discovered a link between these and related phenomena.
Expectant mothers with epilepsy face tough choices over their medication A new study published today in The Cochrane Library, highlights the difficult decisions women with epilepsy have to face when they become pregnant. Taking certain drugs used to control epilepsy during pregnancy may be linked to developmental problems in children. The authors of the study say evidence on the safety of anti-epileptic drugs is limited and that more research is needed to ensure women and their doctors make the most informed choices.
Air quality and unconventional oil and gas sites Research suggesting air pollutants released by unconventional oil and gas production are well over recommended levels in the US is published today in the open access journal Environmental Health. High levels of benzene, hydrogen sulfide and formaldehyde were found. The study is the first to be based on community sampling by people who live near production sites and could be used to supplement official air-quality monitoring programs.
	The 'ultimate' stem cell In the earliest moments of a mammal's life, the developing ball of cells formed shortly after fertilisation 'does as mother says' – it follows a course that has been pre-programmed in the egg by the mother. Extraordinary as this is, what happens then is even more remarkable.
A new tool in drug overdose prevention The Center for Disease Control reported earlier this month that the heroin overdose death rate across 28 states it surveyed doubled between 2010 and 2012. This sharp increase and the chilling statistics that say more than 110 Americans die each day of heroin and prescription opioid overdose are among the reasons law enforcement and public health officials are trying to find new ways to work together to stem the tide of fatalities.
Obesity prevention programs can help improve blood lipids in kids A federally-funded systematic review and meta-analysis of 17 childhood obesity prevention programs (with 20 discrete interventions) in high-income countries has found:
Smoking rates high among people with psychotic illness The rate of smoking among people in Adelaide's northern suburbs who suffer from a psychotic illness is much greater than the national average and is contributing to other major health problems, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.
	Mom's prenatal hardship turns baby's genes on and off In January 1998 five days of freezing rain collapsed the electrical grid of the Canadian province of Québec. The storm left more than 3 million people without electricity for anywhere from a few hours to 45 days – one of the worst natural disasters in Canadian history.
	Students show value of occupational therapy in addiction treatment When Lauren Barrett arrived at the Henwood Treatment Centre for a six-week clinical placement this past year, occupational therapy was barely on the radar.
	Young adults aren't too young to be at risk for a stroke Jennifer Reilly was 28 years old when she began experiencing some odd symptoms. Half of her left hand went numb. She could move her fingers, but she couldn't feel anything on the outer part of that hand.
	Sexualized body image has negative effect on young adolescent girls (Medical Xpress)—Middle-school girls who value sex appeal differ from their peers in troubling ways, according to new research from The University of Texas at Austin.
	Boys who bully peers more likely to engage in sexual harassment Adolescent boys who bully peers and engage in homophobic teasing are more likely to perpetrate sexual harassment later on, suggests a new study of middle-school students conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
	Public need better information about screening, say MPs People are not always provided with sufficient information about the risks of screening for chronic diseases such as cancer, according to an influential group of MPs.
	Researchers decipher the role of nanostructures around brain cells in central nervous system function An accumulation of a protein called amyloid-beta into large insoluble deposits called plaques is known to cause Alzheimer's disease. One aspect of this illness that has not received much attention is which role the structure of the brain environment plays. How do macromolecules and macromolecular assemblies, such as polysaccharides, influence cell interaction in the brain?
	Google data could improve forecasting of influenza levels A study published in Royal Society Open Science today reveals that data from Google searches could help improve estimates of the spread of infectious influenza.
	Nutrition literacy needs cross-curriculum learning Poor diet is a major contributing factor to increasing obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other chronic illness.
	Increased dosing of malaria drug in children could decrease risk of infection Piperaquine is a long-acting malaria drug that kills residual parasites and decreases the risk of reinfection. A study led by Uppsala University researcher Martin Bergstrand shows that increasing the dose used in children could potentially decrease the yearly incidence of malaria by 70 per cent.
	Reconstruction of a patterned piece of spinal cord in 3D culture The central nervous system in vertebrates develops from the neural tube, which is the basis for the differentiation in spinal cord and brain. Professor Elly Tanaka and her research group at the DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden - Cluster of Excellence at the TU Dresden (CRTD) demonstrated for the first time the in vitro growth of a piece of spinal cord in three dimensions from mouse embryonic stem cells. Correct spatial organization of motor neurons, interneurons and dorsal interneurons along the dorsal/ventral axis was observed.
Lou Gehrig's disease study: Renewing brain's aging support cells may help neurons survive Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, attacks muscle-controlling nerve cells – motor neurons – in the brain, brainstem and spinal cord, leading to progressive weakness and eventual paralysis of muscles throughout the body. Patients typically survive only three to five years after diagnosis.
	Depression influences post-op satisfaction in older patients (HealthDay)—For older patients undergoing revision lumbar surgery, preoperative depression influences patient satisfaction two years after surgery, according to research published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
	Scientists set their sights on first whole-eye transplant (HealthDay)—In the world of 21st-century medicine, organ transplantation is nothing new.
	One hormone, two roles: Sugars differentiate seasonality and metabolism Through an extensive national and international collaboration, Professor Takashi Yoshimura and Dr. Keisuke Ikegami (currently at Kinki University) at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (ITbM) of Nagoya University, Prof. Samuel Refetoff of the University of Chicago and co-workers have uncovered the mechanism of how thyrotropin, the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers two different functions, manages to avoid functional crosstalk when released into the bloodstream.
Clock gene dysregulation may explain overactive bladder If you think sleep problems and bladder problems are a fact of life in old age, you may be right. A new report appearing in the November 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal, shows that our sleep-wake cycles are genetically connected to our bladder, and disruptions to one may cause problems with the other. This discovery builds on the hypotheses that under normal circumstances, a primary clock located in the brain controls several other peripheral clocks located throughout the body. These peripheral clocks, in turn, control the activity of functional proteins and receptors, including those in the bladder.
New molecule sneaks medicines across the blood/brain barrier Delivering life-saving drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) might become a little easier thanks to a new report published in the November 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal. In the report, scientists describe an antibody, called "FC5," is one-tenth the size of a traditional antibody and able to cross the BBB. Moreover, FC5 uses the same pathways as nutrients that the brain needs to survive, allowing it to "smuggle" larger antibodies across the barrier. Like a Lego building block, FC5 connects into many types of antibody designs, helping them reach their disease targets in the brain. This research could lead the way for the development of new therapies to fight a wide range of brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, epilepsy, genetic brain diseases, neurodegenerative disease, chronic neuropathic pain, and other conditions.
	BPA exposure by infants may increase later risk of food intolerance If it seems like more people are allergic to, or intolerant of, more and different kinds of foods than ever before, there might be a reason why. A new research published in November 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal, scientists show, for the first time, that there is a link between perinatal exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) at low doses and the risk to develop food intolerance in later life. This research involving rats suggests that early life exposure at a dose significantly below the current human safety limit set by the FDA affects developing immune systems, predisposing offspring to food intolerance in adulthood.
Size matters: Baby's size at birth may predict risk for disease later in life A new research report published in the November 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal suggests that being overweight might be better in the long term than being underweight. Before you reach for that box of Twinkies, however, it's important to note that this discovery only applies to the weight of newborn babies in relation to risk of future disease.
	Can parents make their kids smarter? Reading bedtime stories, engaging in conversation and eating nightly dinners together are all positive ways in which parents interact with their children, but according to new research, none of these actions have any detectable influence on children's intelligence later in life.
Researchers find bat influenza viruses unlikely threaten human health Bats seen at Halloween this year may not be quite as scary as they appear – at least when it comes to the spread of specific viruses. A research project conducted in part by a team of researchers in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University suggests that influenza viruses carried by bats pose a low risk to humans.
	US sues Gerber over claims on infant formula U.S. government regulators announced Thursday they were suing Gerber, the well-known baby food maker, for claiming that its Good Start Gentle formula can prevent or reduce allergies in children.
	Sadness lasts longer than other emotions Why is it that you can feel sad up to 240 times longer than you do feeling ashamed, surprised, irritated or even bored? It's because sadness often goes hand in hand with events of greater impact such as death or accidents. You need more time to mull over and cope with what happened to fully comprehend it, say Philippe Verduyn and Saskia Lavrijsen of the University of Leuven in Belgium. Their research, published in Springer's journal Motivation and Emotion, is the first to provide clear evidence to explain why some emotions last a longer time than others.
Breakdown in gut barriers to bacteria may promote inflammation and craving in alcoholics Bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract fulfill many vital functions and are critical for digestion. Yet, these same bacteria can induce strong inflammatory responses by the immune system if they penetrate the gut and enter the bloodstream.
	Could daylight savings time be a risk to diabetics? Soon, many will turn back the hands of time as part of the twice-annual ritual of daylight savings time. That means remembering to change the alarm clock next to the bed, which will mean an extra hour of sleep before getting up in the morning.
	Toddlers copy their peers to fit in, but apes don't From the playground to the board room, people often follow, or conform, to the behavior of those around them as a way of fitting in. New research shows that this behavioral conformity appears early in human children, but isn't evidenced by apes like chimpanzees and orangutans.
Molecular tumor markers could reveal new therapeutic targets for lung cancer treatment Analysis of 607 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) lung tumors and neuroendocrine tumors (NET) identified common molecular markers among both groups that could reveal new therapeutic targets for patients with similar types of lung cancer, according to research presented today at the 2014 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The University of Chicago Medicine.
	What do American babies eat? A lot depends on Mom's socioeconomic background You have to be at least 2 years old to be covered by U.S. dietary guidelines. For younger babies, no official U.S. guidance exists other than the general recommendation by national and international organizations that mothers exclusively breastfeed for at least the first six months.
	How 'trained immunity' mediates BCG therapy of bladder cancer Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a vaccine widely used in low and middle-income countries to protect against childhood tuberculosis. Besides its specific anti-tuberculosis effects, BCG can also function as a general immune-booster, and in this capacity is used in the treatment of certain bladder cancers. A study published on October 30th in PLOS Pathogens now reports that autophagy (the removal and degradation of unnecessary or dysfunctional components within cells) plays a central role in mediating the non-specific immune effects of BCG.
	Navigation and location can occur without external cues Researchers from The University of Queensland have identified the amount of information the brain needs in order to navigate and accurately estimate location.
	For stroke patients, hospital bed position is delicate balancing act During the first 24 hours after a stroke, attention to detail —such as hospital bed positioning—is critical to patient outcomes.
New optimal screening threshold for gestational diabetes in twin pregnancies A common complication, gestational diabetes affects approximately 6-7% of pregnant women. Currently, screening is done in two steps to help identify patients most at risk; however, the suggested levels for additional testing were based on singleton pregnancy data. Now investigators have analyzed data from twin pregnancies and have determined that the optimal first step cutoff for additional screening appears to be a blood sugar level equal to or greater than 135 mg/dL for women carrying twins. Their findings are published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Novel tinnitus therapy helps patients cope with phantom noise Patients with tinnitus hear phantom noise and are sometimes so bothered by the perceived ringing in their ears, they have difficulty concentrating. A new therapy does not lessen perception of the noise but appears to help patients cope better with it in their daily lives, according to new research.
Mediterranean diet may help protect kidney health Adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet may significantly reduce the risk of developing chronic kidney disease, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
Unlocking the secrets of pulmonary hypertension A UAlberta team has discovered that a protein that plays a critical role in metabolism, the process by which the cell generates energy from foods, is important for the development of pulmonary hypertension, a deadly disease.
	Leprosy still occurs in US, CDC reports (HealthDay)—Leprosy, although quite rare, continues to appear in the United States, a new U.S. government study reports.
	Halloween safety tips for kids with asthma (HealthDay)—Wearing masks made of latex and taking hayrides are among the Halloween festivities that could be risky for children with asthma, according to the American Lung Association.
	Microscope use doesn't up infection risk in spine surgery (HealthDay)—Use of an operating microscope does not appear to have much impact on risk of infection or operating room times in spine surgery, according to research published in the Oct. 15 issue of Spine.
	Adrenal sex hormone level may predict heart disease risk (HealthDay)—Blood levels of the adrenal sex hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate (DHEA-S) may predict an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in elderly men, according to a study published in the Oct. 28 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Pre-angiography high-dose statins cut contrast-induced AKI (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing coronary angiography, pretreatment with high-dose statins reduces the risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI), according to a meta-analysis published in the Nov. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
	Oral bisphosphonate use cuts risk of post-implant revision Sx (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing total joint replacement, oral bisphosphonate use is associated with a reduction in the risk of revision surgery, according to a study published in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
	AMA 'Code of Ethics' offers guidance for physicians (HealthDay)—The American Medical Association (AMA) Code of Ethics and other articles provide guidance for physicians in relation to public health emergencies, according to a report from the AMA.
	Public overinflates time spent by dermatologists on cosmetic Tx (HealthDay)—The public believes dermatologists spend more time performing cosmetic procedures than they actually do, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
	Researchers probe link between newborn health and vitamin A The impact vitamin A has on newborns is virtually unknown, but Penn State nutrition researchers have published two papers that may provide a framework for future investigations of the vitamin and neonatal health.
Frailty increases kidney transplant recipients' risk of dying prematurely Regardless of age, frailty is a strong risk factor for dying prematurely after a kidney transplant. The finding, which comes from a new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation, suggests that patients should be screened for frailty prior to kidney transplantation, and that those who are identified as frail should be closely monitored after the procedure.
Breast and colorectal cancers remain more aggressive in children Breast and colorectal cancers rarely occur in children, but when they do, these conditions are more precarious, according to a pair of National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) studies presented this week at the 2014 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.
Ebola expert says China at risk, seeks Japan aid A scientist who helped to discover the Ebola virus says he is concerned that the disease could spread to China given the large numbers of Chinese workers traveling to and from Africa.
	Research project puts stroke patients back on their feet Finding the will to exercise routinely can be challenging enough for most people, but a stroke presents even more obstacles. Yet aerobic exercise may be crucial for recovery and reducing the risk of another stroke or even death.
Africans in New York complain of Ebola stigma Members of the west African community in New York complained Wednesday that their children were being bullied at school and businesses were losing money because of hysteria over Ebola.
UK opens National Sperm Bank amid donor shortage Britain opened a National Sperm Bank on Thursday to help meet rising demand for donors.
	Social ties matter beyond bushfires In the first major release of findings from the Beyond Bushfires study of the aftermath of the Black Saturday bushfires, researchers from the University of Melbourne have been able to show the social element of disasters.
	Blending faith and science to combat obesity Science and religion may seem like uneasy partners at times, but when it comes to promoting healthy lifestyles, one UConn Health researcher has shown they can be an effective combination.
	National Cancer Institute supports next-generation Austrian HPV vaccine The National Cancer Institute in the USA is supporting the new vaccine developed at the MedUni Vienna against the human papillomavirus (HPV) with at least US$ 3.5 million. This is a major success for the developers and means that the foundations can now be laid for the clinical trials needed for licensing as a vaccine.
	The first UK medical school launches Google Glass technology in curriculum Google Glass is a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display. Earlier this year, Virtual Medics – a group of consultant surgeons at Barts Health NHS Trust and medical students at QMUL – used Google Glass to film a surgical procedure in what was the UK's first global live-streamed surgical teaching session.
Experts urge caution over Ebola hopes (Update) Health authorities called Thursday for renewed vigilance over the Ebola epidemic and caution over claims it is retreating as the World Bank announced a $100-million fund for more health workers.
Model explains why HIV prevention dosing differs by sex A mathematical model developed by NIH grantees predicts that women must take the antiretroviral medication Truvada daily to prevent HIV infection via vaginal sex, whereas just two doses per week can protect men from HIV infection via anal sex. This finding helps explain why two large clinical trials testing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, in women failed to show efficacy. Participants in the VOICE and FEM-PrEP trials of Truvada and tenofovir (another antiretroviral) for HIV prevention were counseled to take one of the medications daily. However, because they actually took the antiretroviral only about 29 percent of the time in VOICE and about 36 percent of the time in FEM-PrEP, the PrEP strategy did not work.
National initiative shows multisystem approaches to reduce diabetes disparities Exciting results from an innovative, multicultural, five-year initiative, known as the Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes (Alliance), have been published in ten peer-reviewed articles in the November 2014 supplemental issue of Health Promotion Practice (HPP). The findings reveal that a new model of chronic disease management for vulnerable populations with diabetes shows significant promise in strengthening coordination of care, reducing diabetes health disparities and improving health outcomes.
	Cochrane Review of RDT for diagnosis of drug resistant TB Researchers from the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group, hosted at LSTM, have conducted an independent review to examine the diagnostic accuracy of the GenoType MTBDRsl assay for the detection of resistance to second-line anti-tuberculosis drugs.
	New guidelines for reproductive and developmental toxicity testing of oligonucleotide drugs Oligonucleotide-based therapeutics present unique challenges when it comes to testing their potential to cause reproductive and developmental harm. New consensus guidelines for toxicity testing that take into consideration the combined chemical and biological characteristics of these novel biopharmaceuticals are presented in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics.
Lung cancer patients with MIA have comparable 97.7 percent five-year survival as patients with AIS Lung cancer patients with minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) have similar, positive five-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates as patients with adenocarcinoma in-situ (AIS), according to research presented today at the 2014 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The University of Chicago Medicine.
Campaign to reduce firearm suicide wins support among firearm retailers in New Hampshire Nearly half (48%) of firearm retailers in New Hampshire displayed materials from a firearm suicide prevention campaign generated by a coalition of gun owners and public health professionals, according to a new study led by Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers. It is the first collaboration between firearm retailers and public health professionals around suicide prevention.
Screening patients at high-risk for lung cancer more likely when prmary care provider is familiar with guidelines Patients at high-risk for developing lung cancer are more likely to receive low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening when their primary care provider is familiar with guideline recommendations for LDCT screening for lung cancer, according to research presented today at the 2014 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The University of Chicago Medicine.
Clinical practice guidelines address multimodality treatment for esophageal cancer The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has released new clinical practice guidelines for treating cancer of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction (area where the esophagus meets the stomach).
Young adults ages 18 to 26 should be viewed as separate subpopulation in policy and research Young adults ages 18-26 should be viewed as a separate subpopulation in policy and research, because they are in a critical period of development when successes or failures could strongly affect the trajectories of their lives, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council. The committee that wrote the report found that young adults' brains and behaviors continue maturing into their 20s, and they face greater challenges achieving independence than their predecessors did, have lengthened pathways into adulthood, and are surprisingly unhealthy. The report calls for an improved understanding and response to the circumstances and needs of today's young adults.
CHEST lung cancer experts present policy statement to CMS Committee on Coverage As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Committee on Coverage studies the decision to cover lung cancer screening for eligible individuals, today's Online First section of the journal Chest published Components for High Quality Lung Cancer Screening: American College of Chest Physicians and American Thoracic Society Policy Statement. The effort, led by lung cancer experts from the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) (Gerard Silvestri, MD, FCCP; Peter Mazzone, MD, FCCP; and Frank Detterbeck, MD, FCCP) in collaboration with the American Thoracic Society, American Cancer Society, and the American Society of Preventive Oncology, aims to provide a framework to help establish safe and effective lung cancer screening programs.
Medicare costs analysis indicates need to decrease use of biopsies as diagnosis tool for lung cancer Biopsies were found to be the most costly tool prescribed in lung cancer diagnosis, according to research presented today at the 2014 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The University of Chicago Medicine.
Post-operative radiation therapy improves overall survival for patients with resected NSCLC Patients who received post-operative radiation therapy (PORT), radiation therapy after surgery, lived an average of four months longer when compared to the patients who had the same disease site, tumor histology and treatment criteria and who did not receive PORT, according to research presented today at the 2014 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The University of Chicago Medicine.
Sustained local control for medically inoperable, early stage lung cancer patients Analysis of data from an institutional patient registry on stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) indicates excellent long-term, local control, 79 percent of tumors, for medically inoperable, early stage lung cancer patients treated with SBRT from 2003 to 2012, according to research presented today at the 2014 Chicago Multidisciplinary Symposium in Thoracic Oncology. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and The University of Chicago Medicine.
Experts recommend tumor removal as first-line treatment for acromegaly The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the diagnosis and treatment of acromegaly, a rare condition caused by excess growth hormone in the blood.
Ebola fears infect Louisiana medical conference Ebola fears have infected a U.S. medical conference on the subject. Louisiana state health officials told thousands of doctors planning to attend a tropical diseases meeting this weekend in New Orleans to stay away if they have been to certain African countries or have had contact with an Ebola patient in the last 21 days.
Pot-infused edibles: One toke over the line in Colorado? Marijuana shops have sprouted across Denver ever since Colorado legalized the drug for adults in January, but the popularity of pot-infused edibles has surprised authorities, and parents are seeking a ban ahead of Halloween.
Study shows vibrating insoles could reduce falls among seniors Findings published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation show that imperceptible vibratory stimulation applied to the soles of the feet improved balance by reducing postural sway and gait variability in elderly study participants. The vibratory stimulation is delivered by a urethane foam insole with embedded piezoelectric actuators, which generates the mechanical stimulation. The study was conducted by researchers from the Institute for Aging Research (IFAR) at Hebrew SeniorLife, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, and Harvard Medical School, all of Boston, Massachusetts; and Merck Sharpe and Dohme (MSD) Consumer Care, Inc., of Memphis, Tennessee.
Removal of heart medications by dialysis may increase risk of premature death Dialysis patients who take heart medications that are easily removed from the circulation through dialysis may be at increased risk of dying prematurely compared with patients whose heart medications are more difficult to remove. The findings come from a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

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