Fwd: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Feb 17

RESPEKT !

Dawn captures sharper images of Ceres

Ceres (dwarf planet) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Wed, Feb 18, 2015 at 2:51 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Feb 17
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,
Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 17, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Nano switch could store memory using coordinated 'dance' of atoms
- Study shows long tail on luna moth helps to thwart bat attacks (w/ Video)
- Researchers find hunger pangs drive people to acquire more non-food objects
- Biologist describes optimized cellular replication as a systems engineering problem
- Novel crumpling method takes flat graphene from 2D to 3D
- A close call of 0.8 light years
- New insight into how brain performs 'mental time travel'
- Study details impact of Deepwater Horizon oil on beach microbial communities
- Scientists find deep-ocean evidence for Atlantic overturning decline
- Seasonal flu vaccine induces antibodies that protect against H7N9 avian flu
- Tadpole model links drug exposure to autism-like effects
- Novel solid-state nanomaterial platform enables terahertz photonics
- Researchers test radiation-resistant spintronic material
- Dutch Windwheel draws energy innovations
- Study finds first-ever evidence of climate change of northern China region dating back thousands of years

Astronomy & Space news

	A close call of 0.8 light years A group of astronomers from the US, Europe, Chile and South Africa have determined that 70,000 years ago a recently discovered dim star is likely to have passed through the solar system's distant cloud of comets, the Oort Cloud. No other star is known to have ever approached our solar system this close - five times closer than the current closest star, Proxima Centauri.
	Earth-like planets are more likely to orbit sun-like stars rather than lower-mass stars Simulations by researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology and Tsinghua University indicate that Earth-like planets are more likely to be found orbiting Sun-like stars rather than lower-mass stars that are currently targeted, in terms of water contents of planets.
	Guiding our search for life on other earths A telescope will soon allow astronomers to probe the atmosphere of Earthlike exoplanets for signs of life. To prepare, Lisa Kaltenegger and her team are modeling the atmospheric fingerprints for hundreds of potential alien worlds.
	Dawn captures sharper images of Ceres Craters and mysterious bright spots are beginning to pop out in the latest images of Ceres from NASA's Dawn spacecraft. These images, taken Feb. 12 at a distance of 52,000 miles (83,000 kilometers) from the dwarf planet, pose intriguing questions for the science team to explore as the spacecraft nears its destination.
	Massive clouds erupted 260km into Martian atmosphere – and no one knows why Enormous cloud-like plumes reaching 260km above the surface of Mars have left scientists baffled. This is way beyond Mars's normal weather, reaching into the exosphere where the atmosphere merges with interplanetary space. None of the conventional explanations for such clouds make sense – neither water or carbon dioxide ice nor dust storms nor auroral light emissions usually hit such heights.
	Interesting facts about the planets While the universe is a big place to study, we shouldn't forget our own backyard. With eight planets and a wealth of smaller worlds to look at, there's more than enough to learn for a few lifetimes!
	Are astronauts really weightless? Hey look! It's a montage of adorable astronauts engaging in hilarious space stuff in zero gravity. Look at them throwing bananas, playing Bowie songs, drinking floating juice balls, and generally having a gay old time in the weightlessness of deep space. It's a camera inside a ball of water, you won't believe what happens next! Or whatever it was they told you to get you to click that video.
	Sending a rocket through the northern lights The combination of American electron clouds and Norwegian northern lights spells trouble for navigation and communication in the Northern regions. The ICI4 rocket will provide knowledge that can help us predict the weather in space.
	What makes the solar system interesting to astronomers? While most of us are stuck on planet Earth, we're lucky enough to have a fairly transparent atmosphere. This allows us to look up at the sky and observe changes. The ancients noticed planets wandering across the sky, and occasional visitors such as comets.
	With new data, Planck satellite brings early universe into focus From its orbit 930,000 miles above Earth, the Planck space telescope spent more than four years detecting the oldest light in the universe, called the cosmic microwave background. This fossil from the Big Bang fills every square inch of the sky and offers a glimpse of what the universe looked like almost 14 billion years ago, when it was just 380,000 years old. Planck's observations of this relic radiation shed light on everything from the evolution of the universe to dark matter.

Medicine & Health news

	Researchers find hunger pangs drive people to acquire more non-food objects (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with members from institutions in the U.S. and Hong Kong has found that when people feel hunger, in addition to attempting to quash their pangs by eating, they will also acquire more non-food items. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes five laboratory and field studies they conducted that showed how people respond to non-food objects when they are hungry.
	New insight into how brain performs 'mental time travel' In Proust's novel Recollection of Things Past, the distinctive smell of a lemon madeleine launches the narrator on a long, involved reminiscence of his past that fills seven chapters.
Changing stem cell structure may help fight obesity The research, conducted at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), found that a slight regulation in the length of primary cilia, small hair-like projections found on most cells, prevented the production of fat cells from human stem cells taken from adult bone marrow.
	Forgotten bacterium is the cause of many severe sore throats in young adults New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests that Fusobacterium necrophorum more often causes severe sore throats in young adults than streptococcus—the cause of the much better known strep throat. The findings, published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggest physicians should consider F. necrophorum when treating severe sore throat, known as pharyngitis, in young adults and adolescents that worsens.
	Molecular inhibitor breaks cycle that leads to Alzheimer's A molecular chaperone has been found to inhibit a key stage in the development of Alzheimer's disease and break the toxic chain reaction that leads to the death of brain cells, a new study shows. The research provides an effective basis for searching for candidate molecules that could be used to treat the condition.
	Brain's iconic seat of speech goes silent when we actually talk For 150 years, the iconic Broca's area of the brain has been recognized as the command center for human speech, including vocalization. Now, scientists at UC Berkeley and Johns Hopkins University in Maryland are challenging this long-held assumption with new evidence that Broca's area actually switches off when we talk out loud.
	New pathways discovered to prevent blindness Scientists have made a major new discovery detailing how areas of the brain responsible for vision could potentially adapt to injury or trauma and ultimately prevent blindness.
	Seasonal flu vaccine induces antibodies that protect against H7N9 avian flu Antibodies that protect against H7N9 avian flu, which emerged in China in 2013 and sparked fears of a global pandemic, have been isolated in individuals who received seasonal flu vaccinations. These antibodies account for a small percentage of the total immune response, but appear to broadly neutralize H7 viruses and represent promising new targets for therapeutic development against a wide range of influenza strains, report scientists from the University of Chicago and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on Feb 17.
	Tadpole model links drug exposure to autism-like effects Research suggests that fetal exposure to chemicals or drugs can cause neurological problems. Babies whose mothers take the epilepsy drug valporic acid (VPA) during pregnancy, for example, appear to have an elevated risk of developing an autism spectrum disorder. In a new study, scientists who developed a tadpole model of this exposure directly observed deleterious effects on brain physiology and behavior. Understanding that connection could provide scientists with the opportunity to discover how to stop it.
	Protein clue to sudden cardiac death A team led by Oxford University researchers was looking at how a protein, iASPP, might be involved in the growth of tumours. However, serendipitously they found that mice lacking this gene died prematurely of sudden cardiac death. More detailed investigations showed that these mice had an irregular conductance in the right side of the heart, a condition known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).
Bile duct cancer study may pave way for new treatments Patients with bile duct cancer could be helped by a new class of experimental drug, a study has shown.
Amyloid formation may link Alzheimer disease and type 2 diabetes The pathological process amyloidosis, in which misfolded proteins (amyloids) form insoluble fibril deposits, occurs in many diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, little is known about whether different forms of amyloid proteins interact or how amyloid formation begins in vivo. A study published in The American Journal of Pathology has found evidence that amyloid from the brain can stimulate the growth of fibrils in the murine pancreas and pancreatic-related amyloid can be found along with brain-related amyloid in human brain senile plaques.
	New study reveals how to improve chemotherapy use in prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer for men in the United States. Only one class of chemotherapy called taxanes is effective against the disease. A study published online this week (January 17th) in Clinical Cancer Research, researchers have found that a newer member of the taxane family called cabazitaxel, an FDA approved drug, has properties that could make it more effective for some patients - a hypothesis currently being tested in clinical trials. Researchers also found a genomic marker that could help physicians identify which patients might benefit most from cabazitaxel.
Australians get hepatitis A from Chinese berries Nine Australians have contracted hepatitis A linked with eating contaminated berries from China, with the importer apologising Tuesday as the food scare spreads.
	Medication effective in helping smokers quit gradually Among cigarette smokers not willing or able to quit smoking in the next month but willing to reduce with the goal of quitting in the next 3 months, use of the nicotine addiction medication varenicline for 24 weeks compared with placebo produced greater reductions in smoking prior to quitting and increased smoking cessation rates at the end of treatment and at 1 year, according to a study in the February 17 issue of JAMA.
Drug improves measures of genetic disease that affects liver, spleen Among previously untreated adults with Gaucher disease type 1, a genetic disease in which there is improper metabolism due to a defect in an enzyme, treatment with the drug eliglustat resulted in significant improvements in liver and spleen size hemoglobin level, and platelet count, according to a study in the February 17 issue of JAMA.
Study shows beneficial effect of electric fans in extreme heat and humidity Although some public health organizations advise against the use of electric fans in severe heat, a new study published in the February 17 issue of JAMA demonstrated that electric fans prevent heat-related elevations in heart rate and core body temperature.
Treatment for severe community-acquired pneumonia and high inflammatory response Among patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia and high initial inflammatory response, the use of the corticosteroid methylprednisolone decreased treatment failure, compared with placebo, according to a study in the February 17 issue of JAMA.
Anticoagulant linked with lower risk of death following heart attack compared to heparin Patients who experienced a certain type of heart attack who received the anticoagulant fondaparinux had a lower risk of major bleeding events and death both in the hospital and after six months compared to patients who received low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), although both groups had similar rates of subsequent heart attack or stroke, according to a study in the February 17 issue of JAMA.
Violations in pharmaceutical industry self-regulation of medicines promotion A discrepancy exists between the ethical standard codified in the pharmaceutical industry Codes of Practice and the actual conduct of the pharmaceutical industry in the UK and Sweden, according to a study published by Shai Mulinari and colleagues from Lund University, Sweden in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Primary care nurse-delivered interventions can increase physical activity in older adults A primary care nurse-delivered intervention can lead to sustained increases in physical activity (PA) among older adults, according to an article published by Tess Harris of St George's University of London, and colleagues in this week's PLOS Medicine.
Tuition fee increase has had little effect on students' mental health New research led by the University of Southampton and Solent NHS Trust has found no evidence of a long term impact on students' mental health as a result of the rise in tuition fees, introduced in 2011.
Eating disorders linked with financial difficulties in female students Experiencing financial difficulties at university may increase the risk of female students developing an eating disorder, according to new research from the University of Southampton and Solent NHS Trust.
Analysis shows benefits of endovascular therapy for severe stroke A pooled analysis of two recent clinical trials involving the use of devices to treat stroke-causing blood clots indicates that patients with the most severe strokes stand to benefit the most, new research presented by a University of Cincinnati (UC) neurologist indicates.
Toward more targeted cancer vaccines Scientists from Cardiff have used powerful X-ray technology to visualise how white blood cells interact with skin cancer cells, paving the way for the development of more accurate cancer vaccines.
Unhealthy choices boosted mortality rates for blacks who migrated north Millions of African-Americans left the rural South during the 20th century in search of greater opportunities for work, education and overall quality of life in the urban North, Midwest and West.
	Researchers exploring how digital gaming could help prevent childhood obesity The children file into the Penn State nutrition lab before taking their seats and being handed a tablet. A research assistant helps them turn the devices on and power up a game they're asked to play while the researchers look on. The kids guide their characters through the digital world—across platforms and into the air to collect items.
	New drug target for multiple sclerosis discovered Scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have discovered a promising new approach to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). In a new study, they've identified a previously unknown change in the spinal cord related to MS, and a way to alter this change to reduce the nerve cell damage that occurs with the disease.
	Tool can help assess cognitive impairment in multicultural populations The ability to assess cognitive impairment in multicultural older populations will become more important as demographics change worldwide. A new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) reports that the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) is particularly effective in multicultural populations where English is not a patient's first language.
One in three Dutch doctors would consider assisted suicide for dementia or being 'tired of living' Around one in three Dutch doctors would be prepared to help someone with early dementia, mental illness, or who is 'tired of living' to die, reveals a small survey published online in the Journal of Medical Ethics.
Study finds brain processes that are key to understanding pupils How does the brain of a teacher work? New research has identified the parts of the brain involved in computing mistakes in other people's understanding, which is a key process in guiding students' learning.
	Climate change should not affect near elimination of malaria Some good news in the face of climate change has emerged from health economists: a study into the health economics of combatting malaria in countries nearing elimination has shown that climate change will not have too great an effect and should not dissuade health organisations from continuing to scale- up their current elimination methods.
	After lobbying push, drugmaker resubmits women's sex pill The makers of a twice-rejected pill designed to boost sexual desire in women are hoping a yearlong lobbying push by politicians, women's groups and consumer advocates will move their much-debated drug onto the market.
	Minority kids less likely to get latest type 1 diabetes treatments, study finds (HealthDay)—The care of type 1 diabetes has evolved rapidly over the past few decades, but not all racial and ethnic groups seem to be benefiting from the latest treatments, a new study indicates.
Scientists warn against complacency on Ebola vaccines A team of leading international scientists on Tuesday called for new Ebola vaccines to be made available in months rather than years and warned against complacency after a reduction in infection rates.
	When can you start having sex after a heart attack? Each year in the United States about 720,000 people have heart attacks and about 124,000 people in the UK and 55,000 people in Australia will have them as well. Since the 1980s, survival rates from heart attacks have improved – a lot of people get them, but more and more people are surviving. A recent study of patients in Denmark showed that in 1984-1988 31.4% of patients died within a month of having a heart attack. From 2004-2008 this was down to 14.8%.
Bone-loss score may tip off doctors to gum disease in postmenopausal women Postmenopausal women susceptible to bone fractures may also be a higher risk for gum disease, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and Case/Cleveland Clinic Postmenopausal Health Collaboration (CCCPOHC).
Cancer experience triggers thoughts of healthy lifestyle changes in survivors and their families After studying cancer survivors and their family caregivers, researchers at Case Western Reserve University conclude that the period between the final cancer treatment and first post-treatment checkup may be an ideal time for the entire household to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle.
	Iron may be a factor in dementia Alzheimer's disease is no respecter of fame or fortune. Former US president Ronald Reagan had it. Legendary AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young has been diagnosed. Hazel Hawke suffered until her death in 2013. And author and broadcaster Anne Deveson is experiencing the distressing progression of Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, a group of brain disorders affecting thinking and memory.
	Fathers with mental illness deserve better than stigma Where there is mental illness, there's almost invariably social disapproval and discrimination. And a report released by the Australian Institute of Family Studies today shows fathers with mental illness can face unique hardships.
	Hip protector saves you when you slip Are you well used to wearing studded shoes in winter? If so, you're probably ready for yet another step towards tackling the eternally icy winter streets.
Schizophrenia associated with impaired activity of the selective dopamine neurons Schizophrenia is not only associated with positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, but also with negative symptoms e.g. cognitive deficits and impairments of the emotional drive. Until now, the underlying mechanisms for these negative symptoms have not been well characterized. In the current edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) a German-American team of researchers, with the cooperation of the Goethe University, reports that a selective dopamine midbrain population that is crucial for emotional and cognitive processing shows reduced electrical in vivo activity in a disease mouse model.
	High deductible plans factor into physician-patient relationship (HealthDay)—In an environment where patients are increasingly aware of the costs of health care, physicians need to be prepared to address these issues with their patients, according to an article published Feb. 4 in Medical Economics.
	Medical journals should not be swayed by fear of libel lawsuits (HealthDay)—Fear of corporate defamation lawsuits should not prevent medical journals from investigating corporate products, according to a perspective piece published online Feb. 16 in Pediatrics.
	Certain macrolides linked with higher risk of pyloric stenosis (HealthDay)—New research supports previous findings that erythromycin can increase the risk of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS). The research also indicates that azithromycin is associated with a higher risk of IHPS when given to infants under 6 weeks old. The findings were published online Feb. 16 in the Pediatrics.
	Taking technology from the lab to the patient After finishing his PhD in molecular genetics in the late 1990s, Daniel Anderson found himself conflicted about what to do next: He enjoyed science, but wanted to find a way to have a direct impact on human health.
Government sets up a tricky balance for heart catheter procedure The patient with the bad heart valve will be in his 60s, say, someone who tires easily because of impaired blood flow but is otherwise in pretty good health.
	Some bilinguals use emoticons more when chatting in non-native language Sometimes, a smile can say everything. But has :-)—the emoticon version of a happy grin—crossed that line into becoming a socially acceptable way of communicating?
	Kids can get migraines too (HealthDay)—Migraines aren't just a problem for adults—about 6 percent of children and more than one-quarter of teens aged 15 to 17 have migraines, according to the American Migraine Foundation (AMF).
Organizational culture predicts use of evidence-based treatments for youth with psychiatric disorder Many mental health therapists use treatments that have little evidence to support them. A new multi-institution study led by Penn Medicine has found that an organization's culture and climate are better predictors of the use of evidence-based practices than an individual therapist's characteristics in the treatment of children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders. The study, published in the February 16th issue of JAMA Pediatrics, is the first comprehensive investigation of its kind.
	Shy babies need secure parent bond to help prevent potential teen anxiety Shy babies need to have a strong bond with their parents to avoid developing anxiety disorders in their teens, according to a new study co-authored at the University of Waterloo.
Molecule that provides cellular energy found key to aggressive thyroid cancer Cancer researchers at Mayo Clinic's campus in Jacksonville, Florida, have identified a molecule they say is important to survival of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC)—a lethal tumor with no effective therapies. The molecule also seems to play a role in a wide range of cancers.
	Research finds fertile women seek variety in men and consumer products New research from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) College of Business suggests women seek more options in dating partners near ovulation - when they are most fertile - which may lead them to also seek a greater variety of products and services.
	In the short run, a high-fat diet may help minimize heart attack damage It's well known that over the long run, a high-fat diet increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
	Smoke-free campus policy enjoys wide support, research shows Students, faculty and staff at Oregon State University have largely embraced a new policy that prohibits smoking on the Corvallis campus, but the policy change hasn't completely eliminated secondhand smoke exposure, new research shows.
More measles cases tied to Disneyland, Illinois day care Health officials say the number of U.S. measles cases this year has risen to 141.
	Washington state panel mulls bill to trim vaccine exemptions Personal or philosophical opposition to vaccines would not be an authorized exemption for the parents of school-age children under a measure that received a public hearing before a House committee on Tuesday, drawing at least two dozen opponents to the proposed change.
	Alirocumab shows promise as treatment to reduce LDL-cholesterol in Phase III study A recently published clinical trial report reviewing the first completed Phase III study in the ODYSSEY development program has shown that alirocumab showed significantly better LDL-C lowering than ezetimibe, with a comparable safety profile to ezetimibe.
	City spinout develops revolutionary ophthalmic device A low cost eye-scanning instrument developed by Structured Eye Limited could transform the detection of eye diseases in the developing world as well on Western High Streets.
	Football injuries 12 times more frequent in competition than during training sessions‬ The risk of injury during competition matches is 12 times higher than during training sessions in players of the Professional Football League. The most common are muscular injuries and those resulting from overexertion, which imply recovery periods of around one week. These findings follow an extensive epidemiological study that analyses the characteristics of injuries to professional footballers in Spain conducted by researchers at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón, the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the University of Exeter (UK). The results have been published in the scientific journals Sports Sci and Sports Med Phys Fitness.
Cross-border intensive care medicine Anyone who becomes seriously ill or has an accident while on holiday would like to be treated as well as they are at home. It is vitally important for the patient that the doctor has been well trained, in particular in intensive care medicine. A commission at the European Union under the leadership of Prof. Kai Zacharowski, the Director of the Clinic for Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine and Pain Therapy at the Goethe University Frankfurt is striving for uniform standards across Europe. This commission - shortened to MJC ICM for Multiple Joint Committee Intensive Care Medicine - has worked out general guidelines, which the member states are now expected to ratify. This will certainly not happen without compromises.
	Health groups say AIDS No. 1 killer of adolescents in Africa The 16-year-old Kenyan girl found out she was HIV-positive and pregnant at a clinic in the Korogocho slums two years ago. She still isn't sure how she contracted the virus—her mother died from AIDS-related complications when she was six years old, and she slept with various men after dropping out of school years ago to provide for herself and her two younger sisters.
	Johns Hopkins and CDC prepare emergency department staff to care for patients with infectious disease Four Web-based training modules developed by Johns Hopkins Medicine for emergency department personnel who treat patients with infectious diseases are now available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) YouTube channel.
Nestle USA strips artificial bits from chocoloate candy No more artificial flavors and colors in Butterfinger, Babe Ruth or any Nestle chocolate candies in the United States, because Americans want them gone, the Swiss food giant said Tuesday.
Boston Scientific will pay Johnson & Johnson $600M Boston Scientific will pay $600 million to settle with drugmaker Johnson & Johnson over the medical device maker's $27 billion acquisition of Guidant Corp. in 2006.

---

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