Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Jul 29

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for July 29, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Security CTO to detail Android Fake ID flaw at Black Hat
- Tough foam from tiny sheets
- Audi tests its A7 driverless vehicle on Florida highway
- New type of ransomware more sophisticated and harder to defeat
- London mayor expected to say city will rock 5G by 2020
- Getting a jump on plant-fungal interactions
- Stem cell advance may increase efficiency of tissue regeneration
- Women who smoke while pregnant could alter their children's genes
- Researchers uncover secrets of internal cell fine-tuning
- Alaska fisheries and communities at risk from ocean acidification
- Printing the metals of the future
- Diet affects men's and women's gut microbes differently
- The Quantum Cheshire Cat: Can neutrons be located at a different place than their own spin?
- A new brain-based marker of stress susceptibility
- Optimum inertial self-propulsion design for snowman-like nanorobot

Astronomy & Space news

	NASA-funded X-ray instrument settles interstellar debate New findings from a NASA-funded instrument have resolved a decades-old puzzle about a fog of low-energy X-rays observed over the entire sky. Thanks to refurbished detectors first flown on a NASA sounding rocket in the 1970s, astronomers have now confirmed the long-held suspicion that much of this glow stems from a region of million-degree interstellar plasma known as the local hot bubble, or LHB.
	Cassini spacecraft reveals 101 geysers and more on icy Saturn moon Scientists using mission data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have identified 101 distinct geysers erupting on Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. Their analysis suggests it is possible for liquid water to reach from the moon's underground sea all the way to its surface.
	Long-lived Mars Opportunity rover sets off-world driving record NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, which landed on the Red Planet in 2004, now holds the off-Earth roving distance record after accruing 25 miles (40 kilometers) of driving. The previous record was held by the Soviet Union's Lunokhod 2 rover.
	ESA's Venus Express climbs to new orbit following aerobraking experiment ESA's Venus Express spacecraft has climbed to a new orbit following its daring aerobraking experiment, and will now resume observations of this fascinating planet for at least a few more months.
	Mysterious molecules in space Over the vast, empty reaches of interstellar space, countless small molecules tumble quietly though the cold vacuum. Forged in the fusion furnaces of ancient stars and ejected into space when those stars exploded, these lonely molecules account for a significant amount of all the carbon, hydrogen, silicon and other atoms in the universe. In fact, some 20 percent of all the carbon in the universe is thought to exist as some form of interstellar molecule.
Next-generation Thirty Meter Telescope begins construction in Hawaii Following the approval of a sublease on July 25 by the Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) announces the beginning of the construction phase on Hawaii Island and around the world throughout the TMT international partnership. Contingent on that decision, the TMT International Observatory (TIO) Board of Directors, the project's new governing body, recently approved the initial phase of construction, with activities near the summit of Mauna Kea scheduled to start later this year.
	Image: Tethys in sunlight Tethys, like many moons in the solar system, keeps one face pointed towards the planet around which it orbits. Tethys' anti-Saturn face is seen here, fully illuminated, basking in sunlight. On the right side of the moon in this image is the huge crater Odysseus.
	Image: NASA's SDO observes a lunar transit On July 26, 2014, from 10:57 a.m. to 11:42 a.m. EDT, the moon crossed between NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and the sun, a phenomenon called a lunar transit.
	Prospects for the 2014 Perseids It's that time of year again, when the most famous of all meteor showers puts on its best display.
After early troubles, all go for Milky Way telescope A billion-dollar telescope designed to provide the most detailed map yet of the Milky Way is ready to start work after teething problems, the European Space Agency (ESA) said on Tuesday.

Technology news

	London mayor expected to say city will rock 5G by 2020 London mayor Boris Johnson this week will pledge to bring 5G to London in the next six years, reported The Telegraph on Monday. The pledge is part of a more extensive plan for London's infrastructure between now and 2050. The scheme is also part of a collaboration with the University of Surrey. Mayors of cities typically like to underscore something unique or superior about their place and in Johnson's case, he is emphatic about showing off London's full promise vis a vis digital connectivity. The delivery of 5G would also make London the site of the world's first major 5G mobile network deployment.
	New type of ransomware more sophisticated and harder to defeat A new type of ransomware known simply as Onion, has been discovered by Russian based security firm Kaspersky Lab. To force victims to hand over money, the software encrypts stored data files and then uses Tor (anonymity network) to facilitate transfer of funds anonymously. Thus far, the ransomware appears to be restricted mostly to Windows users in Russia and other eastern European countries.
	Audi tests its A7 driverless vehicle on Florida highway German automaker Audi made use of a Florida law passed in 2012 that allows for testing driverless vehicles on Florida highways this past Sunday and Monday, by requesting a shutdown of Tampa's Lee Roy Selmon Expressway—engineers ran the A7 driverless car through several real-world scenarios to test the cars' abilities. The highway has been specifically designated as a test-bed site for such vehicles.
	Security CTO to detail Android Fake ID flaw at Black Hat Where have you heard this before: A team of security researchers discover a security flaw in Android devices. This is, however, news. This time, experts are talking about a flaw that involves a widespread vulnerability dating back to the release of Android 2.1.
	3D printing helps designers build a better brick Using 3-D printing and advanced geometry, a team at Cornell has developed a new kind of building material – interlocking ceramic bricks that are lightweight, need no mortar and make efficient use of materials.
	Printing the metals of the future 3-D printers can create all kinds of things, from eyeglasses to implantable medical devices, straight from a computer model and without the need for molds. But for making spacecraft, engineers sometimes need custom parts that traditional manufacturing techniques and standard 3-D printers can't create, because they need to have the properties of multiple metals. Now, researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are implementing a printing process that transitions from one metal or alloy to another in a single object.
Connected devices have huge security holes: study The surge Web-connected devices—TVs, refrigerators, thermostats, door locks and more—has opened up huge opportunities for cyberattacks because of weak security, researchers said Thursday.
	Escaping email: Inspired vision or hallucination? (AP)—Dustin Moskovitz is plotting an escape from email.
	Airbnb woos business travelers Airbnb on Monday set out to woo business travelers to its service that lets people turn unused rooms in homes into de facto hotel space.
	OkCupid admits toying with users to find love formula OkCupid on Monday said it messed with members' minds a bit in a bid to refine the formula for finding love at the online matchmaking service.
Full appeals court upholds labels on meat packages (AP)—A federal appeals court has upheld new government rules that require labels on packaged steaks, ribs and other cuts of meat to say where the animals were born, raised and slaughtered.
	Cruising high seas, engineers detect fake GPS signals Cruising the Mediterranean aboard a superyacht, a Cornell professor and grad student took their Global Positioning System (GPS) research to the high seas. For four days in late June, they tested the newest version of their GPS "spoofing" detector, which allows them to differentiate between real or fake GPS signals – a technology that could lead to protection strategies against insidious GPS hackers.
	What 6.9 million clicks tell us about how to fix online education (w/ Video) The rise of online education and massively open online courses (MOOCs) have prompted much naysaying on their effectiveness, with detractors citing single-digit completion rates and short-lived pilot programs.
	A smart wristband for nocturnal cyclists Five EPFL PhD students have developed a wristband that flashes when the rider reaches out to indicate a turn. Their invention was recognized at a European competition.
	C'mon girls, let's program a better tech industry Twitter is the latest tech company to reveal figures showing women are still underrepresented in the information and communication technology (ICT) workforce.
New gadget helps the vision-impaired to read graphs People who are blind can now read more than just words, such as graphs and graphics, following the development of an affordable digital reading system by Curtin University researchers.
Chinese smartphone makers win as market swells Chinese smartphone makers racked up big gains as the global market for Internet-linked handsets grew to record levels in the second quarter, International Data Corp said Tuesday.
Short sellers not to blame for 2008 financial crisis, study finds Contrary to widespread media reports, the collapse of several financial firms during the 2008 economic crisis was not triggered by unsettled stock trades, according to new research from the University at Buffalo School of Management.
	Canada says China hacked its science agency computers Canada accused China on Tuesday of hacking into the computers of its research and development arm, which partners with thousands of Canadians firms each year to roll out new technologies.
T-Mobile deal helps Rhapsody hit 2M paying subs (AP)—Rhapsody International Inc. said Tuesday its partnership with T-Mobile US Inc. has helped boost its number of paying subscribers to more than 2 million, up from 1.7 million in April.
	Communication-optimal algorithms for contracting distributed tensors Tensor contractions, generalized matrix multiplications that are time-consuming to calculate, make them among the most compute-intensive operations in several ab initio computational quantum chemistry methods. In this work, scientists from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and The Ohio State University developed a systematic framework that uses three fundamental communication operators—recursive broadcast, rotation, and reduction, or RRR,—to derive communication-efficient algorithms for distributed contraction of arbitrary dimensional tensors on the IBM Blue Gene/Q Mira supercomputer. The framework automatically models potential space-performance trade-offs to optimize the communication costs incurred in executing tensor contractions on supercomputers. The paper documenting this work, "Communication-optimal Framework for Contracting Distributed Tensors," is a SC14 Best Paper award finalist.
Turning bio-waste into hydrogen Whilst hydrogen cars look set to be the next big thing in an increasingly carbon footprint-aware society, sustainable methods to produce hydrogen are still in their early stages. The HYTIME project is working on a novel production process that will see green hydrogen being produced from grass, straw and food industry residues.
Merck 2Q profit more than doubles A big one-time gain and a tax benefit helped drugmaker Merck & Co. more than double its second-quarter profit, raise the lower end of its profit forecast and easily top analysts' expectations.
Aetna 2Q profit rises 2.4 percent Aetna's second-quarter profit climbed more than 2 percent, as gains from an acquisition helped the health insurer beat analyst expectations and raise its 2014 earnings forecast again.
	Pfizer's 2Q profit sinks 79 pct but tops forecasts Pfizer's second-quarter earnings plunged 79 percent from last year, when the world's second-largest drugmaker booked a $10 billion-plus gain from a business spinoff.
China investigating Microsoft in monopoly case (AP)—China's anti-monopoly agency announced an investigation Tuesday of Microsoft Corp., stepping up regulatory pressure on foreign technology companies.
	India's Flipkart raises $1 bn to tackle Amazon India's top e-commerce company Flipkart said Tuesday it had raised $1 billion (60 billion rupees) in funds as it battles US giant Amazon for supremacy in the hyper-competitive local market.
	BlackBerry buys German anti-eavesdropping firm Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry announced Tuesday the purchase of German voice and data encryption and anti-eavesdropping firm Secusmart, whose customers include NATO and German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her government.
EA tests subscription video game service for Xbox One US video game colossus Electronic Arts on Tuesday began testing a Netflix-style subscription service that lets Xbox One users play a library of online titles by paying monthly fees.

Medicine & Health news

	Women who smoke while pregnant could alter their children's genes The largest study of its kind has shown that smoking during pregnancy could cause epigenetic changes in the fetus, resulting in birth defects and health problems later in life. Christina Markunas of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and her colleagues have found that newborn children of mothers who smoked while pregnant are more likely to have experienced certain changes to their DNA than newborn children of non-smokers. The research appears in Environmental Health Perspectives.
	Researchers seek chronic, reliable, intelligent neural interfaces They are with us every moment of every day, controlling every action we make, from the breath we breathe to the words we speak, and yet there is still a lot we don't know about the cells that make up our nervous systems. When things go awry and nerve cells don't communicate as they should, the consequences can be devastating. Speech can be slurred, muscles stop working on command and memories can be lost forever.
	Researchers identify brain mechanism for motion detection in fruit flies A team of scientists has identified the neurons used in certain types of motion detection—findings that deepen our understanding of how the visual system functions.
A new brain-based marker of stress susceptibility Some people can handle stressful situations better than others, and it's not all in their genes: Even identical twins show differences in how they respond.
Diet affects men's and women's gut microbes differently The microbes living in the guts of males and females react differently to diet, even when the diets are identical, according to a study by scientists from The University of Texas at Austin and six other institutions published this week in the journal Nature Communications. These results suggest that therapies designed to improve human health and treat diseases through nutrition might need to be tailored for each sex.
Doctors urge meningitis shots for vulnerable infants, children (HealthDay)—Infants and children who are at risk of contracting meningitis because of specific health problems should be vaccinated against the infection, according to updated recommendations from the largest pediatrician group in the United States.
Tonsillectomy for sleep apnea may trigger weight gain (HealthDay)—Tonsillectomies are commonly done to relieve sleep apnea in children, but a new study confirms that the treatment can speed kids' weight gain—especially if they're already overweight.
	Preemies may have higher risk of blood clots, even as adults (HealthDay)—Babies born prematurely appear to have a slightly increased risk of potentially fatal blood clots that they will carry into adulthood, Swedish researchers report.
Study tracks worldwide spread of beneficial blood cell gene variant Two beneficial variants of a gene controlling red blood cell development have spread from Africa into nearly all human populations across the globe, according to a new study led by King's College London. The international team studied the genomes of world populations to look for the origin of changes in a key regulator gene which stimulate fetal haemoglobin production into adulthood. Fetal haemoglobin is normally found in fetuses and infants, but some patients with inherited blood disorders who are able to keep making it as adults experience milder symptoms of their condition.
New route to identify drugs that can fight bacterial infections About 100 drugs already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for other purposes can also prevent the growth of certain bacterial pathogens inside human cells, including those that cause Legionnaires' disease, brucellosis, and Mediterranean spotted fever. The findings, published in mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, demonstrate a new way of identifying non-antibiotic drugs that could one day help curb bacterial infections.
First controlled malaria infection trial in Africa paves way for drug and vaccine development An international research team today reports the first-ever clinical trial demonstrating controlled malaria infection in an African nation in the modern era. The study, published online in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (AJTMH) represents a significant milestone in the search for new malaria drugs and vaccines.
Cancer: Tumors absorb sugar for mobility Cancer cells are gluttons. We have long known that they monopolize large amounts of sugar. More recently, it became clear that some tumor cells are also characterized by a series of features such as mobility or unlikeliness to join in an ordered set. Researchers are calling this behavior "mesenchymal," and they suspect it promotes metastasis.
$1,000 Sovaldi now hepatitis treatment of choice (AP)—A new $1,000-per-pill drug has become the treatment of choice for Americans with hepatitis C, a liver-wasting disease that affects more than 3 million.
	Access for pharmaceutical sales reps continuing to decline (HealthDay)—Pharmaceutical sales representatives' access to physicians is continuing to decrease, even in previously rep-friendly specialties, according to a report published by ZS Associates.
Chemical in foam cups again seen as likely cancer cause The National Research Council Monday reaffirmed that styrene - the key chemical component of foam cups and other food service items - may cause cancer in people.
Healthy lifestyle may buffer against stress-related cell aging, study says A new study from UC San Francisco is the first to show that while the impact of life's stressors accumulate overtime and accelerate cellular aging, these negative effects may be reduced by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and sleeping well.
	U.S. suffers from lifespan inequality, says researcher The United States has done worse than other wealthy countries at improving health for working-age adults while it has performed about the same in reducing mortality at ages over 65, according to new Stanford research.
	Are Millennials redefining adulthood? Once upon a time, a spouse, children and a home were among the most typical hallmarks of adulthood. But that definition may be changing, says one researcher involved in an ongoing University of Arizona study of young adults.
	Researchers discover how Hepatitis C virus persists for years Hepatitis C virus (HCV) lingers in the human body for years, slowly damaging the liver and leading to liver diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer, which is often fatal. Research conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has discovered a mechanism that facilitates the virus achieving this life-long persistence. Chronic HCV infection is the leading cause of liver cancer in the United States.
Three of four California children with mental health needs don't get treatment More than 300,000 California children between the ages 4 and 11 need mental health care, but only one in four is treated, according to a new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research—this, despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending early-childhood intervention as a critical step in reducing the severity of mental health problems in adulthood.
Stem cells from nerves form teeth Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that stem cells inside the soft tissues of the tooth come from an unexpected source, namely nerves. These findings are now being published in the journal Nature and contribute to brand new knowledge of how teeth are formed, how they grow and how they are able to self-repair.
	Many depressed preschoolers still suffer in later school years Children diagnosed with depression as preschoolers are likely to suffer from depression as school-age children and young adolescents, new research shows.
	Quick, low-cost procedure developed for early detection of oral cancer A quick and simple procedure that would allow healthcare providers to screen for early signs of oral cancer at little cost has been developed by UTS researchers.
It takes more than practice to excel, psychologist reports Case Western Reserve University's new assistant professor of psychology Brooke N. Macnamara, PhD, and colleagues have overturned a 20-year-old theory that people who excel in their fields are those who practiced the most.
At last, hope for ALS patients? U of T researchers have found a missing link that helps to explain how ALS, one of the world's most feared diseases, paralyses and ultimately kills its victims. The breakthrough is helping them trace a path to a treatment or even a cure.
The role of dairy in maintaining adult bone and skeletal muscle health Understanding that diets are often built around food groups rather than specific nutrients, researchers from Switzerland, France, and North America decided to examine interactions between four nutrients found in dairy products and their role in preserving bone and skeletal muscle. Their Open Access article with these findings, "Dairy in Adulthood: From Foods to Nutrient Interactions on Bone and Skeletal Muscle Health," is now available in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, the Official Publication of the American College of Nutrition and a publication from Routledge.
New research describes trends in substance use among high school athletes Newly published research from Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse (Routledge) reports on the current trends of substance use by high school student athletes and notes an increase in the use of prescription pain medications among football players. "High School Sports Participation and Substance Use: Differences by Sport, Race, and Gender," conducted by Bryan E. Denham of Clemson University, is now available online with Free Access.
Favorite foods can cause serious choking accidents in kids (w/ Video) Most parents never dream that their children's favorite foods can pose choking hazards.
	What is the plague? Cases of plague have been reported in the Chinese city of Yumen, where a man has died of the disease.
	Key element of CPR missing from guidelines Removing the head tilt/chin lift component of rescue breaths from the latest cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines could be a mistake, according to Queen's University professor Anthony Ho.
	Researchers explore what happens when heart cells fail Through a grant from the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation, Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Naomi Chesler will embark upon a new collaborative research project to better understand heart function and failure. "This is unique opportunity to combine theoretical and the experimental approaches and to develop a collaboration with an Israeli investigator," Chesler says.
Collaborative study of uninsured smokers finds benefit from pairing nicotine patches with quitline support Uninsured smokers who used nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) patches in combination with NRT lozenges nearly doubled their quit rates when using the support of a quitline, according to a study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Smoking Cessation.
	Low-carb diet recommended for diabetics A new study involving researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and other institutions says patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes should eat a diet low in carbohydrates.
New anesthesia technique helps show cause of obstruction in sleep apnea A simplified anesthesia procedure may enable more widespread use of preoperative testing to demonstrate the cause of airway obstruction in patients with severe sleep apnea, suggests a study in Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Herpes remains active even when no symptoms appear Scientists investigating the herpes virus have been surprised to find an ongoing conflict in the cells of sufferers, even when the virus is apparently dormant.
Mortality rates increase due to extreme heat and cold Epidemiological studies have repeatedly shown that death rates rise in association with extremely hot weather. The heat wave in Western Europe in the summer of 2003, for example, resulted in about 22,000 extra deaths. A team of researchers led by Dr. Alex-andra Schneider at the Institute of Epidemiology II at the Helmholtz Zentrum München examined the impact of extreme temperatures on the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease in three Bavarian cities and included both high and low temperatures in the study.
Preterm children's brains can catch up years later There's some good news for parents of preterm babies – latest research from the University of Adelaide shows that by the time they become teenagers, the brains of many preterm children can perform almost as well as those born at term.
Congenital heart disease specialists develop nonsurgical technique to correct birth defects A new technique for repairing the most common cardiac birth defect in newborns, commonly referred to as "a hole in the heart," has been used successfully to mend the condition in six premature infants without subjecting the tiny patients to open-heart surgery.
Team studies the social origins of intelligence in the brain By studying the injuries and aptitudes of Vietnam War veterans who suffered penetrating head wounds during the war, scientists are tackling—and beginning to answer—longstanding questions about how the brain works.
Science of brain signals opens new era for advertising Companies in the near future will be able to test public reaction to advertisements, music and films before they are released by monitoring the brain signals of a select group as they watch a trial.
Autistic brain less flexible at taking on tasks, study shows The brains of children with autism are relatively inflexible at switching from rest to task performance, according to a new brain-imaging study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	Menu secrets that can make you slim by design (w/ Video) If you've ever ordered the wrong food at a restaurant, don't blame yourself; blame the menu. What you order may have less to do with what you want and more to do with a menu's layout and descriptions.
	Research may explain how foremost anticancer 'guardian' protein learned to switch sides Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have discovered a new function of the body's most important tumor-suppressing protein. Called p53, this protein has been called "the guardian of the genome." It normally comes to the fore when healthy cells sense damage to their DNA caused by stress, such as exposure to toxic chemicals or intense exposure to the sun's UV rays. If the damage is severe, p53 can cause a cell to commit preprogrammed cell-death, or apoptosis. Mutant versions of p53 that no longer perform this vital function, on the other hand, are enablers of many different cancers.
Pediatric preventive care guidelines need retooling for computerized format, study shows With the increasing use of electronic medical records and health information exchange, there is a growing demand for a computerized version of the preventive care guidelines pediatricians use across the United States. In a new study, researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine and the Regenstrief Institute report that substantial work lies ahead to convert the American Academy of Pediatrics' Bright Future's guidelines into computerized prompts for physicians, but the payoff has the potential to significantly benefit patients from birth to age 21.
Brand-specific television alcohol ads predict brand consumption among underage youth Underage drinkers are three times more likely to drink alcohol brands that advertise on television programs they watch compared to other alcohol brands, providing new and compelling evidence of a strong association between alcohol advertising and youth drinking behavior.
Socialization relative strength in fragile X longitudinal study Standard scores measuring "adaptive behavior" in boys with fragile X syndrome tend to decline during childhood and adolescence, the largest longitudinal study of the inherited disorder to date has found.
Urbanization of rural Africa associated with increased risk of heart disease and diabetes The increasing urbanisation of rural areas in sub-Saharan Africa could lead to an explosion in incidences of heart disease and diabetes, according to a new study carried out in Uganda which found that even small changes towards more urban lifestyles was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Malaria vaccine shows continued protection during 18 months of follow-up A vaccine previously shown to reduce malaria in young infants and children reduces larger numbers of malaria cases in areas of higher malaria transmission, according to results from an ongoing clinical trial published in PLOS Medicine. The effect of vaccination diminished over time, but protection against clinical malaria remained evident 18 months after vaccination.
	ACP expert discusses risks of biocontainment laboratories (HealthDay)—The risks emanating from biocontainment laboratories should be prevented by implementation of appropriate safety policies and procedures, according to an editorial published online July 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	It's 'Buyer beware' for decorative contact lenses, FDA says (HealthDay)—Decorative contact lenses may seem like a fun accessory, but if you're not careful, they can cause serious eye damage.
	Penn team makes cancer glow to improve surgical outcomes The best way to cure most cases of cancer is to surgically remove the tumor. The Achilles heel of this approach, however, is that the surgeon may fail to extract the entire tumor, leading to a local recurrence.
Generation of tanners see spike in deadly melanoma (AP)—Stop sunbathing and using indoor tanning beds, the acting U.S. surgeon general warned in a report released Tuesday that cites an alarming 200 percent jump in deadly melanoma cases since 1973.
Study suggests both high physical activity and less sitting in leisure time may be required to reduce risk of obesity New research published in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) suggests that both higher levels of physical activity and lower levels of sitting in leisure time may be required to substantially reduce the risk of obesity. The research is by Joshua Bell and colleagues, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL (University College London), UK.
ACS NSQIP database helps hospital identify and curb its surgical risk Surgical patients who are placed in contact isolation after their operations are at a particularly high risk for developing life-threatening blood clots, but ensuring they move around has helped curb the occurrence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in one hospital. This case study on how one surgical team prevented VTEs in their patients placed in isolation was presented today by researchers from the department of surgery at Carilion Clinic Roanoke Memorial Hospital, Roanoke, VA at the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) National Conference in New York City. ACS NSQIP is the leading nationally validated, risk-adjusted, outcomes-based program to measure and improve the quality of surgical care in hospitals.
	Over 70 and still driving, who do you listen to? Studies show older drivers self-regulate their actions behind the wheel, but now a QUT road safety researcher is looking to find out who and what influences their driving decisions and how this feedback can improve road safety.
	Elderly can get fit in 60 seconds The health of OAPs can be dramatically improved with high-intensity training (HIT), a new study has shown.
Determine patient preferences by means of conjoint analysis The Conjoint Analysis (CA) method is in principle suitable to find out which preferences patients have regarding treatment goals. However, to widely use it in health economic evaluations, some (primarily methodological) issues still need to be clarified. This is the result of a pilot project by the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG). Following the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), CA is the second method tested by the Institute together with external experts.
West African airline suspends flights amid Ebola (Update) (AP)—Police officers deployed to Liberia's international airport to ensure passengers are screened for Ebola symptoms as a major regional airline announced Tuesday it was suspending flights to the cities hardest hit by an outbreak that has killed more than 670 people.
Genomic analysis of prostate cancer indicates best course of action after surgery There is controversy over how best to treat patients after they've undergone surgery for prostate cancer. Does one wait until the cancer comes back or provide men with additional radiation therapy to prevent cancer recurrence? Now, a new study from Thomas Jefferson University shows that a genomic tool can help doctors and patients make a more informed decision.
Continuing the quest for better stroke therapies Helping people recover from the debilitating effects of a stroke is an immensely complex challenge that requires deep knowledge of neurophysiology as well as effective therapy. Advancing such knowledge to improve therapeutic options and outcomes has been the primary focus of research by Sergei Adamovich, associate professor of biomedical engineering, since he joined the NJIT faculty more than a decade ago. It is work whose significance is underscored by substantial funding from sources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Could summer camp be the key to world peace? According to findings from a new study by University of Chicago Booth School of Business Professor Jane Risen, and Chicago Booth doctoral student Juliana Schroeder, it may at least be a start.
	Top Sierra Leone doctor dies of Ebola (AP)—Authorities say the top doctor treating Ebola in Sierra Leone has died from the disease.
App for headache sufferers shows success A unique app that helps headache sufferers to record the severity and regularity of their pain is being used as part of a Griffith research study.
Informal child care significantly impacts rural economies, study finds The child care industry has grown significantly in recent years, contributing considerably to the national economy through job creation and increased opportunities for parents to work. However, little knowledge exists of the size and economic impact of child care, especially informal child care, on rural economies. Now, University of Missouri researchers have studied the child care sector in Kansas, particularly in rural areas, and have found that informal child care services create a large economic impact in the state.
Time of arrival at hospital impacts time to treatment and survival of heart attack patients Going to the hospital for a heart attack during evenings, weekends and holidays increases your risk of dying 13 percent compared with people arriving during workday hours, according to new research in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Biology news

	Illuminating the dark side of the genome Almost 50 percent of our genome is made up of highly repetitive DNA, which makes it very difficult to be analysed. In fact, repeats are discarded in most genome-wide studies and thus, insights into this part of the genome remained limited. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics (MPI-IE) in Freiburg now succeeded in examining this dark side of the genome. Their analyses revealed that repeat-associated heterochromatin is essential to repress retrotransposons and thereby protects the genomic integrity of stem cells. This work opens the way for future genome-wide analyses of repetitive regions in the genome and is in line with newly emerging functions for heterochromatin.
	Onset of puberty in female bonobos precedes that of chimpanzees Puberty is the threshold between childhood and adulthood. Behavior and appearance change considerably during this period – not only in humans but also in our closest relatives, the great apes. In a current study researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have investigated at which age bonobos and chimpanzees, the closest living relatives of humans, enter puberty. In order to determine the onset of puberty the researchers measured the concentration of the hormone testosterone which rapidly increases when male and female primates reach sexual maturity.
	First metatranscriptome of bee gut finds 19 different bacterial phyla The digestive tract of the world's most important agricultural pollinator, the honey bee, is a complex fermenting tank that serves up energy-providing short-chain fatty acids thanks to a host of microbial groups that reside in what an Indiana University biologist has described as an intensely intertwined and entangled microbiome.
	Evolution in rainforest flies points to climate change survival Scientists believe some tropical species may be able to evolve and adapt to the effects of climate change.
	Stem cell advance may increase efficiency of tissue regeneration A new stem-cell discovery might one day lead to a more streamlined process for obtaining stem cells, which in turn could be used in the development of replacement tissue for failing body parts, according to UC San Francisco scientists who reported the findings in the current edition of Cell.
	Getting a jump on plant-fungal interactions Fungal plant pathogens may need more flexible genomes in order to fully benefit from associating with their hosts. Transposable elements are commonly found with genes involved in symbioses.
	Microscopic rowing—without a cox Many different types of cell, including sperm, bacteria and algae, propel themselves using whip-like appendages known as flagella. These protrusions, about one-hundredth of a millimetre long, function like tiny oars, helping cells move through fluid. Similar, shorter structures called cilia are found on the surfaces of many cells, where they perform roles such as moving liquids over the cell.
	New method provides researchers with efficient tool for tagging proteins Aarhus University researchers have developed an easier method to create DNA–protein conjugates. The method can potentially strengthen the work involved in diagnosing diseases.
Researchers uncover secrets of internal cell fine-tuning New research from scientists at the University of Kent has shown for the first time how the structures inside cells are regulated – a breakthrough that could have a major impact on cancer therapy development.
	Great apes face extinction: conservationist Jane Goodall The world's great apes face extinction within decades, renowned chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall warned Tuesday, in a call to arms to ensure man's closest relatives are not wiped out.
	'Killer sperm' prevents mating between worm species The classic definition of a biological species is the ability to breed within its group, and the inability to breed outside it. For instance, breeding a horse and a donkey may result in a live mule offspring, but mules are nearly always sterile due to genomic incompatibility between the two species.
	Asians eating scaly anteaters to extinction: conservationists The scaly anteater, which looks like an artichoke with legs and a tail, is being eaten out of existence as its tasty meat is served up at banquets across Asia, conservationists said Tuesday.
	Researchers examine population dynamics and disease in mountain lions A Colorado State University research team is examining how illnesses are transmitted in mountain lion populations in an effort to manage future outbreaks of diseases, such as feline leukemia virus, that could threaten the species.
	DNA find reveals new insights into the history of cattle in Europe A research team from the University of Basel made a surprising find in a Neolithic settlement at the boarders of Lake Biel in Switzerland: The DNA of a cattle bone shows genetic traces of the European aurochs and thus adds a further facet to the history of cattle domestication. The journal Scientific Reports has published the results.
	Researcher reveals how amphibians crossed continents There are more than 7,000 known species of amphibians that can be found in nearly every type of ecosystem on six continents. But there have been few attempts to understand exactly when and how frogs, toads, salamanders and caecilians have moved across the planet throughout time.
	Bid to save tiger threatened by poor data, says WWF Efforts to save the tiger are being undermined by a lack of information about how many of the endangered cats live in the wild, the conservation group WWF said on Tuesday.
	Algae under threat from invasive fish Tropical fish invading temperate waters warmed as a result of climate change are overgrazing algae, posing a threat to biodiversity and some marine-based industries.
	Rare Sri Lankan leopards born in French zoo Two rare Sri Lankan leopard cubs have been born in a zoo in northern France, a boost for a sub-species that numbers only about 700 in the wild, the head of the facility said Tuesday.
	Major turtle nesting beaches protected in 1 of the UK's far flung overseas territories But on the remote UK overseas territory of Ascension Island, one of the world's largest green turtle populations is undergoing something of a renaissance.
	Japan wraps up Pacific whale hunt Japan announced Tuesday that it had wrapped up a whale hunt in the Pacific, the second campaign since the UN's top court ordered Tokyo to halt a separate slaughter in the Antarctic.
	Poachers threaten new slaughter of South African elephants Rangers in South Africa's Kruger national park, already struggling to cope with well-armed rhino poachers, said Tuesday they were preparing to face a new onslaught against the park's elephants.

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