Fwd: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Dec 24

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 25, 2014 at 2:23 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Dec 24
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for December 24, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Researchers take 'first baby step' toward anti-aging drug
- Researchers propose ballistic capture as cheaper path to Mars
- Optogenetics captures neuronal transmission in live mammalian brain
- Egg and sperm race: Scientists create precursors to human egg and sperm in the lab
- World's most complex crystal simulated
- Project pinpoints 12 new genetic causes of developmental disorders
- Ants show left bias when exploring new spaces
- America's place in the sun: Energy report sets goal
- Researchers find incest in one mammal species appears to be the safest approach
- Scientists identify rare cancer's genetic pathways
- Ionic liquids open door to better rare-earth materials processing
- High-fat diet, obesity during pregnancy harms stem cells in developing fetus
- Scientists zero in on how lung cancer spreads
- Locking mechanism found for 'scissors' that cut DNA
- Research sheds light on what causes cells to divide

Astronomy & Space news

	Researchers propose ballistic capture as cheaper path to Mars (Phys.org)—Space scientists Francesco Topputo and Edward Belbruno are proposing in a paper they have written and uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, the idea of using ballistic capture as a means of getting to Mars, rather than the traditional Hohmann transfer approach. They suggest such an approach would be much cheaper and would allow for sidestepping the need for scheduling launch windows.
	Hubbles spies the beautiful galaxy IC 335 This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows the galaxy IC 335 in front of a backdrop of distant galaxies. IC 335 is part of a galaxy group containing three other galaxies, and located in the Fornax Galaxy Cluster 60 million light-years away.
	Opportunity rover struggles with flash memory problems NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, also known as "Oppy", is continuing its traverse southward on the western rim of Endeavour Crater despite computer resets and "amnesia" that have occurred after reformatting the rover's flash memory. The problems have forced the controllers to switch the robot to a working mode that avoids use of the flash data-storage system. In the no-flash mode, the rover can continue normal operations of science observations and driving, though it cannot store data during the overnight sleep. The good news is, the restoring of the rover's flash memory will begin soon. "Testing of a work-around to mask the faulty bank of flash will begin shortly after the Christmas-New-Year break," Guy Webster, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) spokesman told astrowatch.net.
	Can astronomy explain the biblical Star of Bethlehem? Bright stars top Christmas trees in Christian homes around much of the world. The faithful sing about the Star of Wonder that guided the wise men to a manger in the little town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. They're commemorating the Star of Bethlehem described by the Evangelist Matthew in the New Testament. Is the star's biblical description a pious fiction or does it contain some astronomical truth?
	Dr. Chris Okubo discusses the most detailed geologic map of Mars Earlier this month, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released its highest-resolution geologic map of Mars. The new geologic and structural map uses the highest-resolution, orbiter-based images currently available for Mars – data from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on board NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) – to illuminate past geological processes in a portion of "Grand Canyon of Mars" - Valles Marineris. The area analyzed, called western Candor Chasma, is one of the largest canyons in the Valles Marineris canyon system. In an interview with astrowatch.net, USGS scientist and map author Dr. Chris Okubo, describes his latest creation and the importance of map-making for future Mars missions.
	NASA image: Frosty slopes on Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater.
	The top 101 astronomical events to watch for in 2015 Now in its seventh year of compilation and the second year running on Universe Today, we're proud to feature our list of astronomical happenings for the coming year. Print it, bookmark it, hang it on your fridge or observatory wall. Not only is this the yearly article that we jokingly refer to as the "blog post it takes us six months to write," but we like to think of it as unique, a mix of the mandatory, the predictable and the bizarre. It's not a 10 ten listicle, and not a full-fledged almanac, but something in between.
	Successful engine test enables SpaceX Falcon 9 soar to space station in Jan. 2015 To ensure the highest possibility of success for the launch of a critical resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX has announced the successful completion of a second static fire test of the first stage propulsion system of the firms commercial Falcon 9 rocket on Dec. 19.
NASA selects commercial space partners for collaborative partnerships NASA announced Tuesday the selection of four U.S. companies to collaborate with NASA through unfunded partnerships to develop new space capabilities available to the government and other customers. The partnerships build on the success of NASA's commercial spaceflight initiatives to leverage NASA experience and expertise into new capabilities.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers take 'first baby step' toward anti-aging drug Researchers could be closing in on a "fountain of youth" drug that can delay the effects of aging and improve the health of older adults, a new study suggests.
	Optogenetics captures neuronal transmission in live mammalian brain Swiss scientists have used a cutting-edge method to stimulate neurons with light. They have successfully recorded synaptic transmission between neurons in a live animal for the first time.
	Project pinpoints 12 new genetic causes of developmental disorders The first results to emerge from a nationwide project to study the genetic causes of rare developmental disorders have revealed 12 causative genes that have never been identified before. The Deciphering Developmental Disorders (DDD) project, the world's largest, nationwide genome-wide diagnostic sequencing programme, sequenced DNA and compared the clinical characteristics of over a thousand children to find the genes responsible for conditions that include intellectual disabilities and congenital heart defects, among others.
	Scientists zero in on how lung cancer spreads Cancer Research UK scientists have taken microscopic images revealing that the protein ties tethering cells together are severed in lung cancer cells - meaning they can break loose and spread, according to research published in Cell Reports today.
Scientists identify rare cancer's genetic pathways An international research team, including four Simon Fraser University scientists, has identified the "mutational landscape" of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), a rare, highly fatal form of liver cancer that disproportionately affects people in Asian countries.
	High-fat diet, obesity during pregnancy harms stem cells in developing fetus Physician-scientists at OHSU Doernbecher Children's Hospital reveal a high-fat diet and obesity during pregnancy compromise the blood-forming, or hematopoietic, stem cell system in the fetal liver responsible for creating and sustaining lifelong blood and immune system function.
	Tackling Parkinson's with targeted therapeutic vaccines Clinical trials are about to begin on a new Parkinson's disease vaccine that could offer patients significant improvements over current treatments. The vaccine, developed through the FP7-funded SYMPATH project, may actually be able to modify disease progression, rather than simply providing symptomatic improvement.
Officials cite progress on health care enrollment The second sign-up season under President Barack Obama's health care law is off to a good start but has a way to go to make it a success, administration officials said Tuesday.
	Longer cooling, lower temperature no improvement for infant oxygen deprivation The standard treatment for newborns whose brains were deprived of oxygen appears to work better than proposed alternatives, according to a study from a National Institutes of Health research network. The standard treatment involves lowering an infant 's body temperature by about 6 degrees Fahrenheit for 72 hours. Attempts to improve on this treatment by further lowering body temperature or increasing the duration of cooling were of no additional benefit, the researchers concluded.
	Biomedical team creates 'nerve on a chip' Michael J. Moore and J. Lowry Curley first met in the laboratory as professor and student. Now the two Tulane University researchers have started a new biomedical company that's winning praise and awards.
Food safety expert shares tips on how a home kitchen can pass a restaurant inspection With the holidays in full swing and family feasts being enjoyed, a Kansas State University food safety expert has cleaning tips on how your home kitchen could pass a restaurant inspection.
	Culture influences incidence of depression Culture influences the link between emotion and depression, according to new research into depression in developing countries.
	No increased risk of second cancers with radiotx in pelvic CA (HealthDay)—For patients with pelvic cancers, the risk of developing a second cancer is not increased with radiotherapy (RT), according to a study published online Dec. 22 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Expert offers tips for preventing holiday migraines (HealthDay)—The holidays can be a challenge for people who suffer migraines, which can be set off by certain foods and drinks.
	BP-lowering therapy reduces stroke, death in grade 1 HTN (HealthDay)—For patients with grade 1 hypertension, blood pressure-lowering therapy is associated with a reduction in blood pressure and a lower likelihood of stroke and death, according to research published online Dec. 23 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	ACOG issues recs to improve access to contraception (HealthDay)—All women should have unhindered and affordable access to contraceptives, although there are many barriers to access, according to a Committee Opinion published in the January issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Abuse in childhood tied to migraines in adulthood (HealthDay)—Adults who experienced childhood abuse or neglect have a higher risk of migraine headaches, suggests a study published online Dec. 24 in the journal Neurology.
	Irish court mulls rights of dead woman vs. fetus A lawyer representing a 17-week-old fetus living inside the clinically dead body of its mother told a Dublin court Wednesday that the unborn child's right to life trumps the woman's right to a dignified death.
	Development of software that "predicts" sudden cardiac death At Galway Hospital in Ireland, a new device is used to "predict" cardiac events in people at risk of sudden cardiac death. This technology was developed by a Mexican researcher, and the city's university patented it, looking to sell it to specialized companies.
Fourth UN staff contracts Ebola in Liberia A fourth member of the UN mission in Liberia, the country hardest-hit by the Ebola epidemic, has been hospitalised after testing positive for the virus.
Sierra Leone bans Christmas parties amid Ebola Alice Marke and her family aren't celebrating Christmas the way they used to: The deadly Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone means no festive parties at the beach, no carolers singing at night.
Sierra Leone declares five-day Ebola lockdown in north The Sierra Leone government on Wednesday declared a five-day lockdown in the country's north to step up efforts to contain the Ebola epidemic, while making an exception for Christmas.

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