Fwd: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Nov 27

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Fri, Nov 28, 2014 at 2:31 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Thursday, Nov 27
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for November 27, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Genomes of malaria-carrying mosquitoes sequenced
- Engineers create 'superomniphobic' texture capable of repelling all liquids
- Telescopes hint at neutrino beacon at the heart of the Milky Way
- Most American presidents destined to fade from nation's memory, study suggests
- Single-atom gold catalysts may offer path to low-cost production of fuel and chemicals
- Fragile X study offers hope of new autism treatment
- A numbers game: Math helps to predict how the body fights disease
- Another human footprint: Rising anthropogenic nitrate levels in the North Pacific Ocean
- Education is key to climate adaptation
- Bitter food but good medicine from cucumber genetics
- Some people may be pre-wired to be bilingual
- Using social media for behavioral studies is cheap, fast, but fraught with biases
- Secret of tetanus toxicity offers new way to treat motor neuron disease
- Scientists may be cracking mystery of big 1872 earthquake
- Limestone 'Venus' 23,000 years old dug up in France

Astronomy & Space news

	Telescopes hint at neutrino beacon at the heart of the Milky Way (Phys.org) —Identifying the sources of high-energy neutrinos—ghostly but potentially information-rich particles believed to be generated by some of the most violent objects in the sky—is near the top of many an astrophysicist's bucket list.
	Astrobiology acupuncture: Collecting data from non-planar surfaces A team of researchers supported in part by the NASA Astrobiology Program has turned to acupuncture in order to study samples from rough and uneven surfaces, such as rocks and meteorites. Using the technique, scientists at the Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE) at Georgia Tech have developed a robotic system that can collect samples from these non-planar surfaces.
	Rosetta's comet: In the shadow of the coma This NAVCAM mosaic comprises four individual images taken on 20 November from a distance of 30.8 km from the centre of Comet 67P/C-G. The image resolution is 2.6 m/pixel, so each original 1024 x 1024 pixel frame measured about 2.7 km across. The mosaic has been slightly rescaled, rotated, and cropped, and measures roughly 4.2 x 5.0 km.
	Frost-covered chaos on Mars Thanks to a break in the dusty 'weather' over the giant Hellas Basin at the beginning of this year, ESA's Mars Express was able to look down into the seven kilometre-deep basin and onto the frosty surface of Hellas Chaos.
	Huge sunspots and their magnetic structure observed by Hinode In the latter half of October, huge sunspots were observed on the surface of the Sun. These sunspots appeared at the east limb of the Sun on Oct. 16, and moved to the west as the Sun rotated. They rotated out of view after Oct. 30. On Oct. 26, the total area of these sunspots became almost 66 times larger than the Earth's cross section. This was the largest sunspot area in this solar cycle, and the largest observed in the last 24 years (since Nov. 18, 1990). In the middle of November, these sunspots appeared again at the east limb, as the Sun's rotation brought them back into view.
	ESA image: The gold standard The Eutelsat-9B satellite with its EDRS-A payload is shown in the anechoic test chamber of Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France, having completed its final antenna pattern tests today.
Manchester scientists boost NASA's missions to Mars Computer Scientists from The University of Manchester have boosted NASA space missions by pioneering a global project to develop programs that efficiently test and control NASA spacecraft.

Medicine & Health news

	E-cigarettes contain up to 10 times carcinogens: Japan research E-cigarettes contain up to 10 times the level of cancer-causing agents in regular tobacco, Japanese scientists said Thursday, the latest blow to an invention once heralded as less harmful than smoking.
	Some people may be pre-wired to be bilingual (HealthDay)—Some people's brains seem pre-wired to acquire a second language, new research suggests. But anyone who tries to move beyond their mother tongue will likely gain a brain boost, the small study finds.
	Berberine compound may play role in treating obesity (Medical Xpress)—Weight-gain warnings are especially uncomfortable during holiday seasons with all the oversized and double helpings of calorie-rich pies, creamy dips and savory holiday stuffings. Nonetheless, problems of obesity are real and pose serious health risks linked to medical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and increased cancer risk. Researchers from China, with affiliations that include the Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, now suggest that the compound berberine (BBR), which comes from the Chinese medicinal plant Coptis chinensis, increases energy expenditure, limits weight gain, improves cold tolerance and enhances brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity in obese mice. Berberine could be a factor in treating obesity. This medicinal Chinese plant might contribute to those who seek such support. Their paper, "Berberine activates thermogenesis in white and brown adipose tissue," w! as published Tuesday in Nature Communications.
	Expert pilots process multiple visual cues more efficiently, scientists find Landing an airplane is one of the most difficult piloting techniques to master, and the stats show it: 36 percent of all airplane accidents and 25 percent of fatalities occur during the final approach and landing.
	"Body recognition" compares with fingerprint ID (Medical Xpress)—University of Adelaide forensic anatomy researchers are making advances in the use of "body recognition" for criminal and missing persons cases, to help with identification when a face is not clearly shown.
	Stroke damage mechanism identified Researchers have discovered a mechanism linked to the brain damage often suffered by stroke victims—and are now searching for drugs to block it.
	Fragile X study offers hope of new autism treatment People affected by a common inherited form of autism could be helped by a drug that is being tested as a treatment for cancer.
Secret of tetanus toxicity offers new way to treat motor neuron disease The way that tetanus neurotoxin enters nerve cells has been discovered by UCL scientists, who showed that this process can be blocked, offering a potential therapeutic intervention for tetanus. This newly-discovered pathway could be exploited to deliver therapies to the nervous system, opening up a whole new way to treat neurological disorders such as motor neuron disease and peripheral neuropathies.
	Size matters: Men perceived as more masculine if they are taller and heavier, regardless face shape Researchers at the University of St Andrews have found that men are perceived as more masculine if they appear taller and heavier, regardless of how much their face shape differs from women's, in a new study published this week.
	Moderate coffee consumption may lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease by up to 20 percent, study suggests Drinking 3-5 cups of coffee per day may help to protect against Alzheimer's Disease, according to research highlighted in an Alzheimer Europe session report published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC), a not-for-profit organisation devoted to the study and disclosure of science related to coffee and health.
	New research supporting stroke rehabilitation Using world-leading research methods, the team of Dr David Wright and Prof Paul Holmes, working with Dr Jacqueline Williams from the Victoria University in Melbourne, studied activity in an area of the brain responsible for controlling movements when healthy participants observed a video showing simple hand movements and simultaneously imagined that they were performing the observed movement.
Study reveals significantly increased risk of stillbirth in males A large-scale study led by the University of Exeter has found that boys are more likely to be stillborn than girls. Published in the journal BMC Medicine, the study reviewed more than 30 million births globally, and found that the risk of stillbirth is about ten percent higher in boys. This equates to a loss of around 100 000 additional male babies per year.
Expanding waistlines weigh heavy on Malaysia Malaysians have a passionate love affair with their lip-smacking cuisine—rich curries, succulent fried chicken, buttery breads and creamy drinks—but it is increasingly an unhealthy relationship.
UK court to rule on landmark 'pregnancy crime' case A British court is to rule on whether a woman committed a "crime of violence" against her child by drinking heavily during pregnancy, in a case that has raised concerns about criminalising mothers.
	Visual component of UK driving test needs modernising Researchers from City University London have found that the visual component of the UK driving test is outdated.
	Anxiety hits women most about job loss in the family Females are more anxious than men when someone in their family loses a job, found a University of Melbourne report that used interviews from 13,000 Australians.
	Before you go... are you in denial about death? For most of us, death conjures up strong feelings. We project all kinds of fears onto it. We worry about it, dismiss it, laugh it off, push it aside or don't think about it at all. Until we have to. Of course, death – our own, a friend's, a family member's – will arrive sooner or later, and when it does, we are forced to confront it, whether we like it or not …
Data mining study identifies Twitter as lifeline for people with Coeliac Disease Painstaking analysis of hundreds of thousands of tweets by a researcher from the University of Warwick has revealed how Twitter is acting as a lifeline for those with gut-related chronic illness.
	Waiting for uncertain news is easier for some people than for others (Medical Xpress)—Waiting for uncertain news, such as the outcome of a job search or medical test, is easier for some people than others. For the first time, University of California, Riverside psychologists have identified when and for whom waiting periods are most difficult, findings that may help in developing coping strategies.
Why drying washing indoors can pose a health threat (Medical Xpress)—As winter approaches doctors are warning that wet washing dried indoors can pose a serious health threat for people with weakened immune systems or severe asthma.
	Weight stigma a daily experience for obese people Overweight and obese people experience many more episodes of being stigmatised in their everyday lives than was realised, with most suffering almost daily negative treatment, a UNSW-led study shows.
	Gene test aids cancer profile The first round of chemotherapy did little to suppress Ron Bose's leukemia. The second round, with 10 times the dose, knocked the proliferating blast cells down, but only by half.
	Life-saving promise in simple steps The debate over the best time to clamp a baby's umbilical cord has been around forever. In about 350 BCE, Aristotle, reputedly the world's first genuine scientist, advocated delaying clamping until placenta delivery.
	Uterine contractions increase the success of artificial insemination The negative impact of contractions during in vitro fertilisation is a well-known fact. What was unknown until now was the effect it had on artificial insemination. A new study has discovered that it is the contrary to that seen in embryo transfer: there is an improved chance of getting pregnant.
	Isolation of important centres in the brain results in age-related memory deficits Poor memory among the elderly can be explained by regions in the hippocampus complex, an important part of the brain, becoming more co-active during rest, thereby interacting less efficiently with other parts of the brain when we try to memorize information. These are the findings of a study published in the journal PNAS by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden.
Scientists develop drug to reduce side-effects of 'binge drinking' A drug that could reduce the harmful side-effects of 'binge drinking', especially by teenagers, has been successfully developed and tested by a team of European scientists, including the University of Huddersfield's Professor Mike Page and Dr Karl Hemming. There is also the potential for new ways to treat Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases that damage the brain.
Food poisoning bug found on 70 percent of UK chickens Some 70 percent of fresh chickens on sale in Britain are contaminated with a food poisoning bug, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said on Thursday, warning that retailers must raise their game.
HIV infections double in Russia, ex-Soviet states HIV infections have doubled in ten years in Russia and former Soviet states, due mainly to unprotected sex and injecting drugs, a report said Thursday.
Long wait yet for Ebola vaccine: experts It will be months, at least, before a vaccine becomes available to tackle Ebola, experts said Thursday as researchers reported success in early, safety tests with a leading candidate.
	Children's mental health key to future employment prospects Children who experience emotional problems are at high risk of unemployment in early adulthood, according to a University of Stirling study.
	Expert shares gluten-free Thanksgiving tips (HealthDay)—Thanksgiving meals can pose a challenge for people who have to eat a gluten-free diet, an expert says.
	Turkey fryer mishaps can cause serious burns (HealthDay)— Celebration can quickly turn to tragedy if popular turkey fryers are misused on Thanksgiving Day, experts say.
	Don't let chronic heartburn spoil your Thanksgiving feast (HealthDay) —Planning on seconds at Thanksgiving Day dinner this year? If you suffer from chronic heartburn—clinically known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—a few steps may help minimize the aftereffects.
	Want kids to eat better? Get them cooking (HealthDay)—Getting kids involved in the kitchen, through cooking classes or at home, may make them more likely to choose healthy foods, according to a recent review.
	Breast cancer treatments more effective now than in the past (HealthDay)—Comparison of recurrence and outcome patterns shows that current treatments for breast cancer are more effective than previous therapies, according to research published online Nov. 24 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Health care organizations see value of telemedicine (HealthDay)—Health care organizations are developing and implementing telemedicine programs, although many have yet to receive reimbursement, according to a report published by Foley & Lardner.
	Post-PCI bleeding rates vary widely across hospitals (HealthDay)—Patient case-mix and procedural factors may contribute to wide variation in the hospital rates of bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to research published online Nov. 25 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
Long-term complication rate low in nose job using patient's own rib cartilage Using a patient's own rib cartilage (autologous) for rhinoplasty appears to be associated with low rates of overall long-term complications and problems at the rib site where the cartilage is removed, according to a report published online by JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.
Italy bans Novartis flu vaccine after suspicious deaths Italy suspended the use of a flu vaccine made by Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis on Thursday amid fears it may have caused three deaths.
	'Trigger' for stress processes discovered in the brain At the Center for Brain Research at the MedUni Vienna an important factor for stress has been identified in collaboration with the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm (Sweden). This is the protein secretagogin that plays an important role in the release of the stress hormone CRH and which only then enables stress processes in the brain to be transmitted to the pituitary gland and then onwards to the organs. A current study on this molecular switch has now been published in the top-ranked EMBO Journal.
	Mindfulness treatment as effective as CBT for depression and anxiety (Medical Xpress)—Group mindfulness treatment is as effective as individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in patients with depression and anxiety, according to a new study from Lund University in Sweden and Region Skåne. This is the first randomised study to compare group mindfulness treatment and individual cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with depression and anxiety in primary health care.
Leading medical experts call for an end to UK postcode lottery for liver disease treatment and detection Leading medical experts today [Thursday 27 November] warn that rising numbers of deaths from liver disease - already the UK's third commonest cause of premature death - will be unavoidable without radical improvements in treatment and detection services, and tougher government policies to control the excessive alcohol use and obesity responsible for much of the national burden of liver disease.
Global Ebola toll rises to 5,689: WHO The World Health Organization said Thursday that the global death toll from the Ebola virus had increased to 5,689 out of a total of 15,935 cases of infection, mainly in western Africa.
Appropriate reference amounts important for effective use of nutrition labelling information A recent study by Professor Monique Raats of the University of Surrey's Food, Consumer Behaviour and Health Research Centre, in conjunction with the European Food Information Council (EUFIC) in Brussels, has shown that consumers do take into account reference amounts displayed on front of pack nutrition labelling when making their judgements of healthfulness, thus highlighting their importance for the effective presentation of nutrition information.
Majority of women report sexual dysfunction after childbirth Many women notice that their sexual health changes after childbirth, according to researchers from Loyola University Chicago. Loyola researchers have a study under way to determine the extent to which pelvic pain may be related to this change.
	Liver transplant recipient marks 25th anniversary Alyssa Riggan hasn't dwelled on being the nation's first successful recipient of a liver from a living donor.
Sierra Leone goes hungry as Ebola targets prove elusive (Update) Sierra Leoneans are going hungry as the Ebola outbreak devastates farming, the United Nations said Thursday, admitting it was missing its much-touted targets for beating the deadly epidemic.
	Reporting on Ebola and how the media can learn from the past This week Edith Cowan University's Trevor Cullen considers the media's role in spreading the word about diseases, with a focus on the threat posed by Ebola.
Pakistan initiates polio campaign in restive tribal region Pakistan Thursday launched a polio vaccination campaign in the restive North Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan, where Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants have sanctuaries.
Eight dead from Lassa fever in Benin, 170 under observation Eight people have died in the west African nation of Benin from an outbreak of Lassa fever, while 170 others have been placed under observation, officials said Thursday.
Survival differences seen for advanced-stage laryngeal cancer The five-year survival rate for advanced-stage laryngeal cancer was higher than national levels in a small study at a single academic center performing a high rate of surgical therapy, including a total laryngectomy (removal of the voice box), to treat the disease, despite a national trend toward organ preservation, according to a report published online by JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
	Ebola aid dogged by coordination lags in Guinea Eight months into West Africa's Ebola outbreak, aid efforts in Guinea still suffer from poor coordination, hampering deployments of international support to help quell a virus that has killed more than 1,200 people in the former French colony, officials and medical aid providers say.
Canada sending medics to West Africa to fight Ebola Canada will send 40 military medics to West Africa to help fight the Ebola outbreak, officials said Thursday while also encouraging Canadian health care workers to join the fight.

---

This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
(...)
You are subscribed as pascal.alter@gmail.com