Science X Newsletter Sunday, Aug 31

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 31, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- A new way to diagnose malaria, using magnetic fields
- Mixing in star-forming clouds explains why sibling stars look alike
- Gene clues to glaucoma risk
- Memory in silent neurons
- Changing global diets is vital to reducing climate change
- Sea-level surge at Antarctica linked to icesheet loss
- Memory and Alzheimer's: Towards a better comprehension of the dynamic mechanisms
- Discovery reveals how bacteria distinguish harmful versus helpful viruses
- Factor in naked mole rat's cells enhances protein integrity
- A new synthetic amino acid for an emerging class of drugs
- DIY glove-based tutor indicates muscle-memory potential
- Booming electric car sales under fire in Norway
- Indian start-up launches shoes that show you the way
- Pilot sites in energy from coffee waste show good results
- Startups offer banking for smartphone users

Astronomy & Space news

Mixing in star-forming clouds explains why sibling stars look alike The chemical uniformity of stars in the same cluster is the result of turbulent mixing in the clouds of gas where star formation occurs, according to a study by astrophysicists at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Their results, published August 31 in Nature, show that even stars that don't stay together in a cluster will share a chemical fingerprint with their siblings which can be used to trace them to the same birthplace.

Technology news

Startups offer banking for smartphone users The latest banks are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Startups, such as Moven and Simple, offer banking that's designed specifically for smartphones, enabling users to track their spending on the go. Some things haven't changed. Like traditional banks, customers open a checking account, get a debit card and are able to make check deposits and pay their bills. Like many Internet banks before them, they have no maintenance or overdraft fees, there are no physical branches and depositing cash is a challenge. What makes Moven and Simple different is their apps. Every time a debit card is swiped at a store, a notification is sent to the phone letting the user know how much was spent and how much money is left in the account.
	Pilot sites in energy from coffee waste show good results Latin America produces around 70 percent of the world's coffee, but there is a hidden price we have to pay in threats to clean environments and community health. Coffee production generates a great amount of wastewater, which is released untreated into rivers, affecting aquatic fauna and flora and downstream communities. A key problem is that coffee wastewater comes along with tons of organic waste and high toxicity, which affects the soil and generates greenhouse-gas emissions, particularly methane. An international push to address the health and environmental problems caused by coffee wastewater may now turn out to be a milestone in tackling the issue, with Central American farmers using coffee wastewater to generate energy.
	Indian start-up launches shoes that show you the way "Wizard of Oz" heroine Dorothy only had to click her ruby red slippers together and they would spirit her home to Kansas.
	Booming electric car sales under fire in Norway Ministers in Norway—a major and rich oil-producing country—are under increasing public pressure to reduce perks and tax breaks for booming electric car sales.
	DIY glove-based tutor indicates muscle-memory potential A senior editor at IEEE Spectrum worked on a DIY project that enabled his 11-year-old son to improve his touch typing by use of a vibrating glove. His son was already "pretty quick on the keyboard," said his father, David Schneider, but his finger technique could have used some more training. Schneider tried making a glove to serve as a training tool. Eight vibration motors were sewn into the fingers of cycling gloves. He programmed the Arduino to activate a given motor for a quarter of a second corresponding to each character he sent to the microcontroller's serial port—"a "1" would vibrate the motor pressing on the left pinkie, a "2" for the left ring finger, a "3" for the left middle finger, and so forth." He had to write a program that could run on a laptop for his son to associate the stimulation of the fingers with the correct sequence of keystrokes. He chose Tkinter, Python's de-facto standard Graphical User Interface pac! kage. The program presented a word and showed the word spelled out on the screen. It sent the appropriate character to the Arduino so that the corresponding finger was vibrated.
	Tesla Motors dealing as states play factory poker From the start, little has been typical about Tesla Motors' plan for a $5 billion factory to make batteries for a new generation of electric cars.
	Tablet sales slow as PCs find footing Tablets won't eclipse personal computers as fast as once thought, according to studies by market tracker International Data Corporation (IDC).
China's Alibaba plans IPO for week of September 8 Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba plans to hold its initial public offering on the US stock market the week of September 8, the Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Fujifilm vs Ebola: Japan giants turn hands to medicine When Japan announced it was ready to supply a new drug to help combat the deadly Ebola virus, one unusual detail emerged—it would be made by Fujifilm.
	PAX Prime gaming convention kicks off in Seattle The Penny Arcade Expo is in full swing in downtown Seattle.
	'Halo' makers shed light on live-action series "Halo: Nightfall" is returning to familiar territory.
	US cyber-warriors battling Islamic State on Twitter The United States has launched a social media offensive against the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, setting out to win the war of ideas by ridiculing the militants with a mixture of blunt language and sarcasm.
Cleveland welcomes growing field of server farms Northeast Ohio is hardly ready to usurp the Silicon Valley as a high-tech mecca, but a growing number of data centers are locating in and around Cleveland. They're taking advantage of cheap power, an abundance of fiber-optic cable and one of the safest environments in the country for storing digital information.

Medicine & Health news

	A new way to diagnose malaria, using magnetic fields Over the past several decades, malaria diagnosis has changed very little. After taking a blood sample from a patient, a technician smears the blood across a glass slide, stains it with a special dye, and looks under a microscope for the Plasmodium parasite, which causes the disease. This approach gives an accurate count of how many parasites are in the blood—an important measure of disease severity—but is not ideal because there is potential for human error.
The early cost of HIV: Inflammatory response breaks down intestinal lining, but help may come from friendly bacteria Researchers at UC Davis have made some surprising discoveries about the body's initial responses to HIV infection. Studying simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the team found that specialized cells in the intestine called Paneth cells are early responders to viral invasion and are the source of gut inflammation by producing a cytokine called interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β).
	Memory and Alzheimer's: Towards a better comprehension of the dynamic mechanisms A study just published in the prestigious Nature Neuroscience journal by, Sylvain Williams, PhD, and his team, of the Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute and McGill University, opens the door towards better understanding of the neural circuitry and dynamic mechanisms controlling memory as well of the role of an essential element of the hippocampus – a sub-region named the subiculum.
	Memory in silent neurons According to a generally-accepted model of synaptic plasticity, a neuron that communicates with others of the same kind emits an electrical impulse as well as activating its synapses transiently. This electrical pulse, combined with the signal received from other neurons, acts to stimulate the synapses. How is it that some neurons are caught up in the communication interplay even when they are barely connected? This is the chicken-or-egg puzzle of synaptic plasticity that a team at UNIGE is aiming to solve.
	Gene clues to glaucoma risk Scientists on Sunday said they had identified six genetic variants linked to glaucoma, a discovery that should help earlier diagnosis and better treatment for this often-debilitating eye disease.
First multidisciplinary recommendations on management of arrhythmias in ACS patients The first multidisciplinary recommendations on the management of arrhythmias in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are published today in EP Europace.
First recommendations on all new oral anticoagulants in pulmonary embolism published The first recommendations on the use of all new oral anticoagulants in pulmonary embolism are published today in new ESC Guidelines. The guidelines are launched at ESC Congress by Professor Stavros V. Konstantinides (Germany/Greece) and Professor Adam Torbicki (Poland).
First comprehensive ESC Guidelines on aortic diseases published The first comprehensive ESC Guidelines on aortic diseases are published today. They are presented at ESC Congress 2014 by Task Force Chairpersons Professor Raimund Erbel (Germany) and Professor Victor Aboyans (France).
First expert consensus on ventricular arrhythmias published The first expert consensus on ventricular arrhythmias is published today. The novel document compiles current evidence on the diagnosis and management of ventricular arrhythmias and was agreed by international experts from three continents.
New toilets for India's poor, crime-hit village More than 100 new toilets were unveiled Sunday in a poverty-stricken and scandal-hit village in northern India, where fearful and vulnerable women have long been forced to defecate in the open.
Renal denervation more successful when it includes accessory arteries Renal denervation seems to be more successful at reducing blood pressure in patients with resistant hypertension when it includes accessory renal arteries, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Linda Schmiedel from Germany.
New method predicts optimal number and location of AEDs A new method to predict the optimal number and location of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) was presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Benjamin Dahan from France. According to the predictive method, Paris needs 350 AEDs located in public places for optimal prevention of out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
	Obese youths have a nearly six fold risk of hypertension Obese youths have a nearly six fold risk of hypertension, according to research in more than 22 000 young people from the PEP Family Heart Study presented at ESC Congress today by Professor Peter Schwandt from Germany.
	Drinking tea reduces non-CV mortality by 24 percent Drinking tea reduces non-cardiovascular mortality by 24%, reveals a study in 131 000 people presented at ESC Congress today by Professor Nicolas Danchin from France.
Retrievable transcatheter aortic valve effective and safe in real world setting A retrievable and repositionable transcatheter aortic valve is effective and safe in a real world setting, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2014 today by Dr Stylianos Pyxaras from Germany. The direct flow medical (DFM) transcatheter aortic valve has unique features that improve operator control and has the potential to improve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) outcomes in patients with severe aortic stenosis.
	Wine only protects against CVD in people who exercise Wine only protects against cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people who exercise, according to results from the In Vino Veritas (IVV) study presented at ESC Congress today by Professor Milos Taborsky from the Czech Republic.
Batteryless cardiac pacemaker is based on automatic wristwatch A new batteryless cardiac pacemaker based on an automatic wristwatch and powered by heart motion was presented at ESC Congress 2014 today by Adrian Zurbuchen from Switzerland. The prototype device does not require battery replacement.
Medication shows mixed results in reducing complications from cardiac surgery Administration of colchicine, a plant-based medication commonly used to treat gout, before and after cardiac surgery showed mixed results in reducing potential complications from this type of surgery, but it did increase the risk of gastrointestinal adverse effects, according to a study published by JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.
	Energy drinks cause heart problems Energy drinks can cause heart problems according to research presented at ESC Congress 2014 today by Professor Milou-Daniel Drici from France.
Renal denervation reduces recurrent AF after ablation Renal denervation reduces recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) when performed with pulmonary vein isolation ablation in patients with AF and hypertension, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Alexander Romanov from the Russian Federation.
	Tax forms could pose challenge for HealthCare.gov If you got health coverage through President Barack Obama's law this year, you'll need a new form from your insurance exchange before you can file your tax return next spring.
ESC/EACTS revascularization guidelines stress benefit of revascularization in stable CAD The therapeutic benefit of revascularisation in coronary artery disease (CAD) is emphasised in the 2014 ESC/EACTS revascularisation guidelines presented at ESC Congress by joint Task Force Chairs Professor Stephan Windecker (Switzerland) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and Professor Philippe Kolh (Belgium) of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS). The joint guidelines are published today on-line in European Heart Journal (1), on the ESC Website (2), in EuroIntervention and in the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.
Sudden death predictor identifies ICD candidates in new ESC Guidelines Saturday 30 August 2014: A new sudden death predictor for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) identifies candidates for implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in ESC Guidelines published today. They are presented at ESC Congress by Task Force Chairperson Professor Perry Elliott (UK).
Liberia's airport battles to contain Ebola With the last rays of sunlight speckling the departures area at Liberia's international airport, passengers queue patiently to go through medical screening designed to show up the Ebola virus.
Transvenous lead extraction clinically successful in 98 percent of cases Transvenous lead extraction (TLE) is clinically successful in more than 98% of cases according to data from the European Lead Extraction ConTRolled (ELECTRa) registry presented for the first time today at ESC Congress 2014 by Dr Maria Grazia Bongiorni, chair of the registry's executive committee.
AF mortality and morbidity high at one year despite good anticoagulant use Mortality and morbidity of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains high at one year despite good use of oral anticoagulants, according to the one year follow up of the Atrial Fibrillation General Pilot Registry. The findings were presented for the first time at ESC Congress 2014 today by registry chairperson Professor Gregory Lip (Birmingham, UK).
Local anesthetic for TAVI as safe and effective as general anesthetic Local anaesthetic is as safe and effective for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) as general anaesthetic, according to results of the FRANCE 2 registry presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Romain Chopard from France.
Antihypertensive therapy reduces CV events, strokes and mortality in older adults Antihypertensive therapy reduces the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, strokes and mortality in hypertensive older adults, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2014 today by Dr Maciej Ostrowski from Poland. The findings suggest that antihypertensive drugs should be considered in all patients over 65 years of age with hypertension.
Inhibiting inflammatory enzyme after heart attack does not reduce risk of subsequent event In patients who experienced an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event (such as heart attack or unstable angina), use of the drug darapladib to inhibit the enzyme lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (believed to play a role in the development of atherosclerosis) did not reduce the risk of recurrent major coronary events, according to a study published by JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with its presentation at the European Society of Cardiology Congress.
	Resistant hypertension increases stroke risk by 35 percent in women and 20 percent in elderly Taiwanese Resistant hypertension increases the risk of stroke by 35% in women and 20% in elderly Taiwanese patients, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Kuo-Yang Wang from Taiwan. The findings suggest that gender and age should be added to the risk stratification of resistant hypertension to enable more appropriate treatment decisions.
	ALS Ice Bucket Challenge arrives in North Korea It's pretty hard to find a novel way to do the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by now, but two-time Grammy-winning rapper Pras Michel, a founding member of the Fugees, has done it—getting his dousing in the center of North Korea's capital on Sunday.
Japan porn queens raise thousands of dollars from 'Boob Aid' A group of Japanese porn actresses raised tens of thousands of dollars at the weekend by having their breasts squeezed by fans at a "Boob Aid" charity event for AIDS prevention.
	WHO: Senegal Ebola case 'a top priority emergency' (Update) The effort to contain Ebola in Senegal is "a top priority emergency," the World Health Organization said Sunday, as the government continued tracing everyone who came in contact with a Guinean student who has tested positive for the deadly disease in the capital, Dakar.
Health workers death toll mounts in W.Africa as Ebola spreads Nigeria on Sunday confirmed a fresh case of Ebola in a doctor whose husband died from the virus, adding to a growing list of healthcare workers in West Africa hit by the epidemic.
Colombian president: No link of vaccine to illness Colombia's president is dismissing suggestions that a vaccine against cervical cancer is causing a mystery illness that has affected scores of teenage girls in a northern city.

Biology news

	Factor in naked mole rat's cells enhances protein integrity Scientists at the Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies, part of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, have found another secret of longevity in the tissues of the longest-lived rodent, the naked mole rat.
	Discovery reveals how bacteria distinguish harmful versus helpful viruses When they are not busy attacking us, germs go after each other. But when viruses invade bacteria, it doesn't always spell disaster for the infected microbes: Sometimes viruses actually carry helpful genes that a bacterium can harness to, say, expand its diet or better attack its own hosts.
	Leave that iguana in the jungle, expert tells Costa Rica Thousands of parrots, monkeys, iguanas, toucans, turtles and other rainforest animals are kept as exotic pets in Costa Rica, a practice putting some species at risk, according to experts.
Census: Orca population in Puget Sound falling With two new deaths this year and no new calves since 2012, the population of endangered killer whales in the Puget Sound continues to decline.
	14 detained trying to prevent Faroe Island dolphin hunt Fourteen animal rights activists have been detained on the Faroe island of Sandoy in the North Atlantic while trying to stop a controversial dolphin hunt, their organisation said Sunday.

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