Science X Newsletter Friday, Oct 10

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 10, 2014:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Charged graphene gives DNA a stage to perform molecular gymnastics
- Impotence drug might counter common gene mutation in type 2 diabetes, study finds
- Some suggest it's time to rethink which direction we point our solar panels
- Simulation suggests warm Jupiter exoplanets can be pushed closer to their star by another planet
- Team invents sensor that uses radio waves to detect subtle changes in pressure
- Structure of hepatitis C virus envelope protein an early step toward vaccine, therapies
- Using novel biological aging clock, team finds obesity accelerates aging of the liver
- A surprisingly long-lived excited state in a neutron-rich nucleus
- Liquid water fails to keep ions apart
- Mechanism that repairs brain after stroke discovered
- How many scholarly papers are on the Web? At least 114 million, professor finds
- Dissolvable silicon circuits and sensors
- Researchers create plasmonic paper for detecting chemicals and biologically important molecules
- Leaky, star-forming galaxies lead researchers to better understand the universe
- Control system from iRobot aims to simplify robot operations

Astronomy & Space news

	Leaky, star-forming galaxies lead researchers to better understand the universe By focusing on large, star-forming galaxies in the universe, researchers at Johns Hopkins University were able to measure its radiation leaks in an effort to better understand how the universe evolved as the first stars were formed.
	Simulation suggests warm Jupiter exoplanets can be pushed closer to their star by another planet (Phys.org) —A pair of astronomers with the University of California has demonstrated via computer simulation that the reason some hot or warm Jupiter exoplanets orbit their star so closely is because they are pulled there by another planet. In their paper published in the journal Science, Rebekah Dawson and Eugene Chiang describe their simulations and what their observations revealed.
	Virgin spacecraft prototype soars over Mojave, testing re-entry system Virgin Galactic has finished yet another stepping-stone to its first commercial spaceflight. The New Mexico-based company sent SpaceShipTwo aloft on a test of the re-entry system Oct. 7, making a safe landing at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
	Possible mechanism for the early enrichment of heavy elements in the universe One of the big mysteries in cosmology is how supermassive black holes formed in the centers of galaxies. Did they form directly from large concentrations of matter and dark matter, or did they form when early stars collided and accreted into massive black holes? Another idea is that they may have formed from the collapse of supermassive stars. In this idea stars with masses of 10,000 Suns or more could have lived short, violent lives before their core collapsed into a massive black hole. It's an interesting idea, but new research shows that such supermassive stars might have a different fate.
	Topological defects in the fabric of space and time A cosmic string is a very long (possibly as long as the diameter of the visible universe), very thin (less than the width of a proton) high-density object formed during the early moments of the big bang. You can see a rendering of such a string in the image above. There is a reason why it appears next to the starship Enterprise. Both of them are science fiction.
	We must keep exploring space to answer the big questions humanity faces Launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, Sputnik 1 became the world's first artificial satellite – a "simple" battery-powered radio transmitter inside an aluminium shell about the size of a beach ball. This started a race to the stars, for both robotic space exploration and human spaceflight. This legacy continues today with our exploration of the solar system.
	Video: Test flight for NASA's Orion will be a 'trial by fire' NASA is getting ready for the first test flight of the Orion crew vehicle, currently scheduled for December 4, 2014. "Before we can send astronauts into space on Orion, we have to test all of its systems," says NASA engineer Kelly Smith in this new video released by NASA. "And there's only one way to know if we got it right: fly it in space."
	Curiosity rover peers at rocks of Mount Sharp After a couple of years of racing towards Mount Sharp (Aeolis Mons), now it's time for the Curiosity rover to get a better look at its Martian surroundings. The rover has reached its stated science destination and mission planners say now is the time to stop the driving and get deep into the science.
	Comet Siding Spring is a close call for Mars, wake up call for Earth It was 20 years ago this past July when images of Jupiter being pummeled by a comet caught the world's attention. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 had flown too close to Jupiter. It was captured by the giant planet's gravity and torn into a string of beads. One by one the comet fragments impacted Jupiter—leaving blemishes on its atmosphere, each several times larger than Earth in size.
	Scientists name one of the largest boulders on Rosetta's comet after an Egyptian pyramid The scientific imaging system OSIRIS on board ESA's spacecraft Rosetta has caught a spectacular glimpse of one of the many boulders that cover the surface of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. With a maximum extension of approximately 45 meters it is one of the larger structures of this kind on the comet and stands out among a group of boulders located on the lower side of 67P's larger lobe. Since this cluster of boulders reminded the scientists of the pyramids of Giza, the boulder has been named Cheops after the largest pyramid within the Giza Necropolis. The boulder-like structures that Rosetta has revealed on the surface of 67P in the past months are among the comet's most striking and mysterious features.
Retired shuttle paired with space lab The space shuttle Endeavour has been paired once again with a space lab and storage pod it used on some missions, as the countdown to its final exhibit continues at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
	Image: Interact Robot Centaur designed for remote operation aboard the International Space Station Visitors to the ESA Technical Centre's Open Day came face to face with a centaur as they toured the telerobotics laboratory.

Technology news

	Tesla unveils new electric car for bad weather Electric car giant Tesla on Thursday unveiled a new two-engine vehicle designed to perform in bad weather, featuring four-wheel drive and anti-collision technology.
	Control system from iRobot aims to simplify robot operations Innovative robotics engineers tend to think up but beyond vacuum cleaners and Bedford, Massachusetts-based iRobot, famous for its Roomba picker-upper, has explored and entered other markets. Namely, the company has made inroads in security and defense. Allowing responders to operate robot rescue operations without having to undergo lengthy training was the concept that inspired iRobot's latest advance.
	Dissolvable silicon circuits and sensors Electronic devices that dissolve completely in water, leaving behind only harmless end products, are part of a rapidly emerging class of technology pioneered by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Early results demonstrate the entire complement of building blocks for integrated circuits, along with various sensors and actuators with relevance to clinical medicine, including most recently intracranial monitors for patients with traumatic brain injury. The advances suggest a new era of devices that range from green consumer electronics to 'electroceutical' therapies, to biomedical sensor systems that do their work and then disappear.
	How many scholarly papers are on the Web? At least 114 million, professor finds (Phys.org) —Lee Giles, a professor at Penn State's College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), has devoted a large portion of his career to developing search engines and digital libraries that make it easier for researchers to access scholarly articles. While numerous databases and search engines track scholarly documents and thus facilitate research, many researchers and academics are concerned about the extent to which academic and scientific documents are available on the Web as well as their ability to access them. As part of an effort to make the process of accessing documents more efficient, Giles recently conducted a study of two major academic search engines to estimate the number of scholarly documents available on the Web.
	Team invents sensor that uses radio waves to detect subtle changes in pressure Stanford engineers have invented a wireless pressure sensor that has already been used to measure brain pressure in lab mice with brain injuries.
	Some suggest it's time to rethink which direction we point our solar panels Recently, the New York Times newspaper ran an article questioning the logic of tacking solar panels onto rooftops facing south (instead of say, north, east or west). The thinking has gone, they report, that doing so will allow for collecting the most energy over a whole day—for panels that don't move to follow the sun of course. As the sun comes up in the east, some of that light can hit a southern facing panel. Over the course of the day, as the sun rises and then falls, some degree of sunlight will continue to hit the panel, providing the most amount of electricity over the course of a day. But now, some have begun to question that logic and the way solar energy is used in conjunction with the grid.
	Leia Display System uses mist for large interactive screen display An organization in Poland has announced that it has a new kind of screen display for sale, all part of what it calls the Leia Display System. In practice, it's like an empty picture frame that has mist pushed from above or below (to where the picture should be) and upon which video imagery is projected. The systems also have sensors that allow the images that are displayed to be manipulated like a touch screen. The result is an interactive 2D hologram that in some respects, allows for displaying video in ways not seen before—mostly because hands and other body parts can pass right through it.
	Symantec says it will split into two companies Security software maker Symantec is the latest company to announce plans to split itself into two.
	Hackers leap from dark basements to world stage Hackers are shaking off their reputations as nerdy, loner basement dwellers and rebranding themselves on the world stage as members of Internet age tribes with offbeat codes of conduct and capricious goals.
States and corporations grab for reins of the Internet As the US steps back from overseeing the group entrusted to essentially run the Internet, states and corporations are grabbing for the reins.
	Japan court orders Google to delete data A Japanese court has ordered Google to delete search results linking the claimant to a crime he did not commit, the latest in a series of rulings around the world on what search engines should tell users.
Samsung starts mass production of industry's first 3-bit 3D V-NAND flash memory Samsung Electronics today announced that it has begun mass producing the industry's first 3-bit multi-level-cell (MLC) three-dimensional (3D) Vertical NAND (V-NAND) flash memory, for use in solid state drives (SSDs).
Podcast platform opens up dialogue on mental illness, research finds A popular comedian's podcast that has fellow comics talking openly about mental illness has redefined the relationship between celebrity and fan.
	A dozen ways to avoid that $617bn 'fat finger' moment Have you ever ordered too many items online – say, buying 20 courgettes when you meant two? Then you might feel a little sorry for the anonymous broker in Japan who lost US$617 billion to a trading typo error.
	FireChat's revolutionary use will not be revolutionary for long FireChat, the mobile phone app that allows users to communicate directly with each other through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi instead of through the existing telecoms network, has demonstrated its usefulness in Hong Kong recently.
	Improving bridge health condition data On August 1, 2007, when a section of an eight-lane bridge on Interstate 35W in downtown Minneapolis plummeted into the Mississippi River, killing more than a dozen people, Visiting Associate Professor Zhigang Shen—like many hearing the news—was appalled: he had been driving on the bridge himself just one week earlier. Unlike most people, however, Shen was in a position to actually address a significant part of the problems that had led to the horrifying collapse: how to improve the tracking and management of bridge health condition data.
	French parliament votes to cut nuclear power reliance Lawmakers in France, the world's most nuclear-dependent country, on Friday voted to cut reliance on the energy source from more than 75 percent to 50 percent within a decade.
Hackers expose trove of snagged Snapchat images A huge trove of evidently intercepted Snapchat images and videos were exposed online Friday, raising fears about what may be revealed in messages intended to vanish seconds after beng viewed.
Bose agrees to dismiss lawsuit against Beats Attorneys for Bose Corp. and Beats Electronics have agreed to dismiss a patent infringement lawsuit filed by Bose.
Over 1,000 Europeans a day ask Google to scrub Web Google is being swamped with requests from Europeans trying to erase unflattering links to their past from the world's dominant Internet search engine.
Microsoft CEO gaffe fuels debate on women in tech Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella's gaffe over women, pay raises and karma comes as the US tech industry is facing up to questions over diversity and gender equality.
Cargomatic's mobile technology connects truckers to freight and people nearby Truckers who own their vehicles loathe trips with an empty truck bed. But when Mishael Israel faced the money-sapping bind on a recent morning, he had a solution. An Uber-style solution.
In HP split, each unit to face a test If you cut one slow-moving mega-company in half, do you get two fast-moving innovators? Not even Meg Whitman, chief executive of Hewlett-Packard Co., is promising that. Whitman announced Monday that the computer industry giant will cleave itself in two: one company for its personal computer and printer business, another for its "enterprise" computing operations.
GoPro gearing up to share more of its users' videos For years, thrill seekers have worn GoPro video cameras to capture hair-raising skydiving, motorcycle racing and snowboarding footage from a first-person point of view. They've documented up-close and personal encounters with wildlife, even mounting the cameras on the back of a surfing pig and on the beak of a pelican learning to fly.
Yahoo under fire as Marissa Mayer faces critical moment Two years into her reign as Yahoo's chief executive officer, Marissa Mayer is sitting on a mountain of cash from the Alibaba IPO even as she faces an investor revolt that could derail her long-range plans for the Sunnyvale, Calif., Internet giant.
Review: Earplugs crank down the noise while still letting you hear Awhile back, I reviewed the Bean Quiet Sound Amplifier from Etymotic. The Beans are basically hearing aids that amplify sounds so you can hear better.
	Microsoft CEO apologizes for comments on women (Update) Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella apologized Thursday night and said he was wrong for saying that women don't need to ask for a raise and should just trust the system to pay them well.
	China court moves to tighten grip over 'disorderly Internet' China's top court is putting pressure on Internet service providers to provide the personal details of Web users suspected of "rights violations", state media said Friday.
	NUS research team pioneers novel Cloud Arch architectural technology A research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed Cloud Arch, an innovative, ultra-light architecture that will revolutionise the way large open public spaces, such as market, airport, stadium, concert hall, factory, are built.
	Clinton White House records set to be released The National Archives is releasing a batch of documents that might shed light on painful chapters in Hillary Rodham Clinton's life as first lady, just as she ponders a bid for the White House in 2016.
Redbox pulls plug on online streaming Redbox and Verizon Communications plan to shut down their unprofitable online competitor to Netflix on Tuesday night.

Medicine & Health news

	Impotence drug might counter common gene mutation in type 2 diabetes, study finds In a small study, Swedish researchers found that the impotence drug yohimbine might help people with type 2 diabetes who have a particular gene mutation that lowers their insulin production.
	Mechanism that repairs brain after stroke discovered A previously unknown mechanism through which the brain produces new nerve cells after a stroke has been discovered at Lund University and Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The findings have been published in the journal Science.
	Using novel biological aging clock, team finds obesity accelerates aging of the liver Using a recently developed biomarker of aging known as an epigenetic clock, UCLA researchers working closely with a German team of investigators have found for the first time that obesity greatly accelerates aging of the liver. This finding could explain the early onset of many age-related diseases, including liver cancer, in obese subjects
Antiretroviral therapy benefits HIV-infected stimulant users, study shows New clinical research from UC San Francisco shows that 341 HIV-infected men who reported using stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine derived life-saving benefits from being on antiretroviral therapy that were comparable to those of HIV-infected men who do not use stimulants.
Bowel cancer risk reduced by adopting multiple healthy behaviors Adoption of a combination of five key healthy behaviors is associated with a reduction in the risk of developing bowel cancer. Researchers from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke quantified the impact of combined multiple healthy lifestyle behaviors on the risk of developing bowel cancer, and found that this impact is stronger in men than in women.
	Potential clue to Ebola treatments uncovered, researchers say (HealthDay)—Scientists who mapped out the shape and structure of a key protein in the Ebola virus say their discovery could help efforts to develop drugs to prevent or treat infection with the deadly pathogen.
WHO yet to take Canada's experimental Ebola vaccine Doses of a prototype Ebola vaccine developed by Canada remain in the country even though they were offered to the World Health Organization nearly two months ago, the health minister said Thursday.
	Less than half of HIV-positive US Hispanics are getting proper care (HealthDay)—Even though Hispanics in the United States become infected with HIV at rates triple those of whites, less than half of Hispanics with the virus are receiving adequate treatment, a new report finds.
	Modified ACR criteria effective for fibromyalgia diagnosis (HealthDay)—The 2011 modification of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) preliminary criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia (2011ModCr) has acceptable diagnostic accuracy compared with the 1990 ACR criteria, according to research published in the September issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
	Androgen receptor signaling tied to insulin resistance (HealthDay)—Mouse models show tissue-specific androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved in regulation of metabolism, which may explain the link between androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and the development of metabolic syndrome in men, according to research published in the October issue of Diabetes.
	High-intensity ultrasound OK for cesarean scar pregnancy (HealthDay)—High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can play a role in treating cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), according to a small study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
	Cardiometabolic risk factors in early schizophrenia ID'd (HealthDay)—Factors showing increased risk for cardiometabolic disorders are present in patients with first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders (FES), according to research published online on Oct. 8 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	Airborne particulates beyond traffic fumes affect lung health (HealthDay)—Ambient particulates with median aerodynamic diameters of
Widely used sanitation programs do not necessarily improve health A sanitation program currently being widely implemented in low-income communities in India significantly increases latrine coverage but does not actually improve health, a study involving 100 rural villages, published in The Lancet Global Health has found.
In-home visits reduce drug use, depression in pregnant teens Intensive parenting and health education provided in homes of pregnant American Indian teens reduced the mothers' illegal drug use, depression and behavior problems, and set their young children on track to meet behavioral and emotional milestones they may have otherwise missed.
Elevated cholesterol and triglycerides may increase the risk for prostate cancer recurrence Higher levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides, two types of fat, in the blood of men who underwent surgery for prostate cancer, were associated with increased risk for disease recurrence, according to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Hormone loss could be involved in colon cancer Some cancers, like breast and prostate cancer, are driven by hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, but to date, there are none that are driven by the lack of a hormone. New evidence suggests that human colon cells may become cancerous when they lose the ability to produce a hormone that helps the cells maintain normal biology. If verified by further studies, it suggests that treating patients at high risk for colon cancer by replacing the hormone guanylin could prevent the development of cancer.
New technique for increasingly accurate PET scan to detect cancer and heart conditions A novel technique which reduces image degradation caused by respiratory motion during a PET scan was developed in a recent study at the University of Eastern Finland. PET scanning is routinely used to detect cancer and heart conditions. The new technique presented in the PhD thesis of Tuomas Koivumäki, MSc (Tech.), is based on bioimpedance measurement and it allows for image reconstruction at a specific phase of the patient's breathing pattern.. This, in turn, makes it possible to reduce image degradation caused by motion.
	Scientists create mimic of 'good' cholesterol to fight heart disease and stroke Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have created a synthetic molecule that mimics "good" cholesterol and have shown it can reduce plaque buildup in the arteries of animal models. The molecule, taken orally, improved cholesterol in just two weeks.
Researchers find RNA molecules in urine and tissue that detect prostate cancer Researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have identified a set of RNA molecules that are detectable in tissue samples and urine of prostate cancer patients but not in normal healthy individuals. The study sets the stage for the development of more sensitive and specific noninvasive tests for prostate cancer than those currently available, which could result in fewer unnecessary prostate biopsies with less treatment-related morbidity, according to a new study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.
	Company developing radio frequency technology to localize breast tumors Breast cancer may inspire more public discussion, advocacy and charitable giving than almost any other disease besides HIV and AIDS. But people rarely talk about the specific experiences to which cancer patients are subjected.
	New meningitis vaccine only cost-effective at low price The ideal cost per dose for a new meningitis vaccine ranges from £3 up to a possible £22 only if several vaccine favourable factors all coincide, according to research which has analysed how to maximise the reduction in cases while making a new vaccination programme cost-effective.
Gist, not rational analysis, cuts risky behavior Teaching adolescents to think more simply and categorically about risks helps them make healthier choices, finds a recently published, randomized experiment by Cornell psychologist Valerie Reyna. Her research shows that adolescents can be taught to think in these more protective, adult-like ways even though their brains are still developing, she says.
Like the flu shot, message inoculation won't last forever Just as influenza vaccines employ a weakened virus to stimulate the immune system and produce antibodies against the real thing during flu season, message inoculation – with a weakened form of the other side's argument – should arm the public with anti-baloney sentiments against persuasive messages in the future.
	Distinguishing between Progressive Supranuclear palsy and Parkinson's disease Researchers from the University of Melbourne have established how two diseases that present in similar ways are in fact quite different.
	What are the consequences of workplace violence in the health sector? Exposure to violence in the workplace can lead to serious consequences for health sector employees say Stéphane Guay and Nathalie Lanctôt of the Institut universitaire de santé mentale and the University of Montreal, who studied this issue in a systematic review of the literature. "This sector is particularly prone to violence since health personnel are 16 times more likely to be victims of or witnesses to acts of violence compared to other public service personnel," explains Guay, who heads the Centre d'étude sur le trauma and the VISAGE team. "Most of these acts are committed by patients or their relatives and can cause many adverse effects. However, to date, no literature review has identified all the consequences that victims or witnesses of workplace violence may face."
	The dwindling stock of antibiotics, and what to do about it The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that at least 2 million Americans are sickened by antibiotic resistant infections each year and survive. (Twenty-three thousand die.) These experiences leave deep impressions not just on the patients but on their family and friends.
	Researchers describe how lungs stand guard against the flu Influenza viruses mutate annually, making it difficult to produce vaccines that induce antibodies capable of recognizing the changing proteins on the surface of the flu virus and conferring long-term immunity.
	Detecting depressive states in the elderly with on-line monitoring devices Specialists at the Autonomous Metropolitan University (UAM) of Mexico developed a system that detected depression in older adults through monitoring their daily routine. This technology can be used as an auxiliary tool for the care of elderly people, who for various reasons such as family abandonment or a chronic condition, tend to fall into a depressed state.
	Study reveals novel role for the Pin1 molecule Synapses are "dynamic" things: they can regulate their action in neural processes related to learning, for example, but also as a consequence of diseases. A research team – led by SISSA – has demonstrated the role of a small enzyme (Pin1) in synaptic plasticity. The study has just been published in the journal Nature Communications.
	Why losing weight is hard – but not impossible Seeing pictures of preened celebrities, or even slimmer friends, makes many wish that their arms were that little bit thinner or abs more tightly toned. Most of us have an existing desire to be a normal healthy weight, but not everyone seems able to achieve this goal.
	Study sheds light on 'newborn falls' Recent research that has received national attention had its origins in a Vermont hospital where a maternity nurse worked prior to enrolling in an Indiana State University graduate program.
	Exercise key to warding off dementia Exercise is one of the best ways to protect against dementia in later life and the earlier you start, the greater the effect, research suggests.
	Innovative eye-movement treatment found to help post-traumatic stress sufferers (Medical Xpress)—A combined research project by two universities has shown that an innovative treatment that involves rapid eye movements is reducing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress in trauma patients.
	MagLab MRI machine provides in-depth analysis of strokes New research conducted at the Florida State University-based National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has revealed a new, innovative way to classify the severity of a stroke, aid in diagnosis and evaluate potential treatments.
Hand exercises improve function in rheumatoid arthritis patients A new study led by Professor Sallie Lamb of and the University of Warwick and the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, Oxford University, is published today in The Lancet and shows a tailored hand exercise programme improves function and quality of life for patients living with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
Researchers develop approach for early diagnosis of dementia (Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a unique method of diagnosing the earliest stages of dementia by applying tasks commonly used to gauge levels of impulsive or risky behaviors related to financial decisions.
Researchers associate two oncogenes with the agressiveness and incidence of leukaemia in mice Proteins regulating cell division determine tumour growth. Ongoing clinical trials are currently studying inhibitors for two of these proteins, Cdk4 and Cdk6, targeting several types of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and leukaemia. The Cell Division and Cancer Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), led by Marcos Malumbres, has discovered the molecular mechanism behind the interaction of these proteins. Researchers also demonstrated in mice that the simultaneous inhibition of both molecules is more effective than the individual inhibition. The study has been published this week in the medical journal Blood.
	The brain's forgotten glial cells For a long time, researchers have neglected the 100 million glial cells found in our brains, but that is no longer the case. Now they have discovered that the glial cells cleanse the brain of waste.
New study highlights health benefits of social engagement among older people A study investigating the impacts of loneliness on older people in Ireland conducted by Professor Brian Lawlor, Connolly Norman Professor of Old Age Psychiatry and Clinical Director, NEIL Programmme at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, has demonstrated a decrease in loneliness among those who received a volunteer visit to promote social connection for 10 weeks compared to usual treatment.
	Blocking STAT3 could help cancer patients in two ways The STAT transcription factors are involved in the development of many forms of cancer. STAT3 is frequently activated in tumour cells, so drugs targeting STAT3 could be used in cancer therapy. However, STAT3 is also important in the development of the immune system. Dagmar Gotthardt and colleagues at the Vetmeduni Vienna now show that blocking STAT3 in cells of the immune system actually leads to increased anti-tumour immunity. Anti-STAT3 therapy may thus be highly promising.
	AAFP expresses support for bill aiding doc re-entry into practice (HealthDay)—The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has expressed its support for proposed legislation designed to help primary care physicians return to clinical practice after a period away from patient care.
Splints placed improperly in 93 percent of suspected pediatric fractures More than 90 percent of potential pediatric fractures are splinted improperly in emergency rooms and urgent care centers, which can lead to swelling and skin injuries, according to a study by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The findings are being presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
Longer-term outcomes of program to reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions The initial benefits of an outpatient antimicrobial stewardship intervention designed to reduce the rate of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions were lost after discontinuation of audit and feedback to clinicians, according to a study published in JAMA. The study is being released early online to coincide with the IDWeek 2014 meeting.
Real-life social networking prompts people to get tested for HIV Old-school face-to-face social networking is a more effective way to identify people with HIV than the traditional referral method, suggests research being presented at IDWeek 2014. The study shows that social networking strategies (SNS) – enlisting people in high-risk groups to recruit their peers to get tested – is more efficient and targeted than traditional testing and referral programs, resulting in 2-1/2 times more positive test results.
Pneumococcal vaccine reduces antibiotic-resistant infections in children by 62 percent The pneumococcal vaccine recommended for young children not only prevents illness and death, but also has dramatically reduced severe antibiotic-resistant infections, suggests nationwide research being presented at IDWeek 2014™. Pneumococcal infection – which can cause everything from ear infections to pneumonia and meningitis – is the most common vaccine-preventable bacterial cause of death.
Research reveals that some adolescents adept at media multitasking Telling youths who are juggling multiple electronic devices to "focus on the task at hand" may not always be good advice, according to research to be presented by two high school students on Saturday, Oct. 11 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition.
Parental misconceptions about concussions could hinder treatment and recovery With football season in full swing, there's no shortage of talk about young players—from high school down to the pee wee levels—suffering from concussions. Yet many parents may lack knowledge about this mild traumatic brain injury, according to two studies to be presented Friday, Oct. 10 at a pre-conference symposium on pediatric sports medicine at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
SMoms who choose to breastfeed older babies motivated by health, nutrition benefits Mothers who decide to breastfeed their children beyond 1 year of age consider their child's physical and social development to be most important, while the advice of health care professionals, family and friends are least important, according to a study to be presented Monday, Oct. 13 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
Counting pitches can save young players' arms but not always used consistently Youth baseball has morphed into a year-round sport, with some athletes playing on multiple teams in the same season. One result: an increasing number of pitchers sidelined with overuse injuries or needing surgery.
Research shows incorrect use of car seats widespread on first trip home from hospital Nearly all parents unknowingly put their newborn infants at risk as soon as they drive away from the hospital due to mistakes made with car safety seats, according to research to be presented Monday, Oct. 13 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
Computerized surveillance system quickly detects disease outbreaks among preschoolers A web-based system that allows preschools and child care centers to report illnesses to local public health departments could improve the detection of disease outbreaks and allow resources to be mobilized more quickly, according to research to be presented Saturday, Oct. 11 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
LSU Health tumor registry data find acadiana colon cancer rates among nation's highest A special study using data from LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health's Louisiana Tumor Registry has found that colorectal cancer incidence rates in the Louisiana Acadian parishes are among the highest in the United States. This study appears to be the first to identify a high rate of cancer in a large, regional, US founder population, raising the possibility of a genetic predisposition. Alternatively, an unidentified, robust environmental risk factor may be present.
	Specialty drugs may be worth the higher costs (HealthDay)—Despite high costs, specialty drugs may provide value that balances the price difference compared with traditional drugs, according to research published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
	Surgeons vary in treatment of recurrent herniated disc (HealthDay)—A recent survey shows differences among spine surgeons in the United States in preferences for surgical treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation. The results of the survey were research published in the Oct. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
	Anticoagulation use in urology patients requires pre-planning (HealthDay)—Perioperative planning is needed for decisions of timing of anticoagulation therapy in patients undergoing urological procedures, according to a review published in the October issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Alternative beats conventional ABI method for predicting PAD (HealthDay)—Ankle-brachial index (ABI) detected by an alternative method involving the lower of two systolic ankle pressures (LABI) is more sensitive and better for predicting peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Use of placebos in Ebola drug trials unethical: experts Health experts from around the globe said Friday it would be unethical in drug trials to give non-active placebos to people infected with the killer Ebola virus.
	Study: Toilets alone won't fix India sanitation Building toilets in rural India, where hundreds of millions are still defecating outdoors, will not be enough to improve public health, according to a study published Friday.
Researchers begin study of Ebola vaccine in Africa The first study of a possible Ebola vaccine is underway in Africa: University of Maryland researchers say three health care workers in Mali received the experimental shots.
	Europe, others weigh risks of West African flights After seven months in Ebola-stricken Liberia, Vijay Kumar was getting his temperature scanned Thursday at the airport by medical crews in blue gowns and masks—one of dozens who relied on Royal Air Maroc's continuing flights to West Africa.
	US military planes arrive at epicenter of Ebola Six U.S. military planes arrived in the Ebola hot zone Thursday with more Marines, as West Africa's leaders pleaded for the world's help in dealing with a crisis that one called "a tragedy unforeseen in modern times."
Ebola: How it spreads Here are some facts about how Ebola spreads:
Nurse becomes 11th person tested for Ebola in Australia Eleven people in Australia have been tested for Ebola in recent weeks, officials revealed Friday, as a nurse became the latest to return negative blood samples for the deadly virus.
Spain: Ebola nurse "stable" after serious downturn A Spanish hospital official says the nursing assistant infected with Ebola is "stable," hours after authorities described her condition as critical.
	Post-treatment health education program improves quality of life for breast cancer patients A QUT health researcher in collaboration with The Wesley Hospital Kim Walters Choices Program has found that women treated for breast cancer improved their quality of life after completing a specially designed post-treatment health intervention program.
	Health and tech experts outline 3-part strategy to fight Ebola A comprehensive strategy to fight the Ebola epidemic that includes early diagnosis, secure transportation and treatment at both central and temporary remote facilities could contain the disease within months, the authors of a new commentary in The Lancet contend.
	Getting mental health care at the doctor's office It was a routine visit: The woman, in her 20s, was there to see her doctor for follow-up care for ankylosing spondylitis, a rare form of arthritis primarily affecting the spine.
Office workers on the move to better health Sixty Brisbane Telstra office workers are at the front line of a University of Queensland project that aims to combat the health risks that result from prolonged sitting.
Video: Baby talk in any language UConn researcher Nairán Ramírez-Esparza, assistant professor of psychology, has found that how you talk to children matters.
	Pharmacists lead the way in streamlining experimental cancer trials A new way of conducting technical pharmacy reviews that cuts down on the bureaucracy of setting up clinical trials is being pioneered by pharmacists across the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMCs) network, a joint initiative between Cancer Research UK and the four health departments of the UK.
Fighting epidemics with food The deadly outbreak of Ebola in West Africa continues to spread, despite heroic efforts on the part of health-care workers. The death rate—estimated at 70 percent of cases—is staggering. Those patients who contract the disease and survive, however, seem to have something in common. Their bodies are able to stand up to the virus's first attack with a robust immune response, followed by a measured inflammatory response. This keeps the virus from rapidly reproducing and causing lethal damage to key organs.
Clinical study offers new hope for patients with congenital heart disease For over fifteen years, Professor Dr. Axel Haverich, Head of the Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, and his team of cardiac surgeons at Hannover Medical School (MHH) have been working on a new method for biological valve replacements which can overcome the limitations of conventional methods and the need for frequent re-operations in the case of congenital heart defects.
Health gap for disadvantaged people "disturbing" The gap in quality of health between the most advantaged and most disadvantaged Australians persists, according to new national figures released today by University of Adelaide public health researchers.
Ebola panic fears grow as Spanish nurse fights for life A Madrid nurse infected with Ebola fought for her life Friday as authorities worldwide tightened screening of travellers and struggled to prevent public panic over the spread of west African contagion.
	Dramatic drop in maternal mortality in Gambia Long-term research collaboration has helped reduce maternal mortality in the Gambia to less than half its previous level over 14 years. However, the country is still facing numerous challenges in terms of health.
	Ebola screening measures rest on US law The Obama administration's plans to screen certain airline passengers for exposure to Ebola are based on the U.S. Constitution and long-established legal authority that would almost certainly stand up in court if challenged, public health experts say.
WHO: East Asia at risk of Ebola, but more prepared East Asia, with its trade and transport hubs and armies of migrant workers, is at risk from Ebola but is improving its defenses and may be more ready than other areas to respond if cases are diagnosed, World Health Organization officials said Friday.
Americans increasingly anxious about Ebola: poll (HealthDay)—One-quarter of Americans now view Ebola as a major public health threat to the United States, with many saying they'd change their travel plans due to Ebola fears, a new Harris Poll/HealthDay survey reveals.
Hidden population: Thousands of youths take on caregiver role at home While the typical preteen or adolescent can be found playing sports or video games after school, more than 1.3 million spend their free time caring for a family member who suffers from a physical or mental illness, or substance misuse.
Fingolimod in new therapeutic indication: Added benefit not proven The immunosuppressive drug fingolimod (trade name: Gilenya) was approved for an expanded therapeutic indication in May 2014: It is now also available for adults with highly active relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) who had received other pretreatment than interferon beta (IFN-β). In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether the drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy in this patient group.
Brazil quarantines Guinean feared to have Ebola Brazilian health officials on Friday quarantined a Guinean man feared to have Ebola after he checked in at a clinic with a fever following his arrival from Africa last month.
UN envoy: Ebola cases doubling every 3-4 weeks The U.N. special envoy on Ebola says the number of cases is probably doubling every three-to-four weeks and the response needs to be 20 times greater than it was at the beginning of October.
Spanish medics blame budget cuts for Ebola infection Doctors and nurses blame the shock Ebola infection in Madrid on Spanish government cuts that closed a top disease isolation unit.
	US Ebola patient's temperature spiked During his initial visit to an emergency room, the first person to die of Ebola in the United States had a temperature that spiked to 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 Celsius)— a fever that was flagged with an exclamation point in the hospital's record-keeping system, his medical records show.

Biology news

	Making window glass visible – but only to birds Ultraviolet patterns can make window glass visible to birds, thus preventing fatal collisions. However, it has now been shown that such windows are not likely to work for all species, but only for birds like small passerines, gulls and parrots, who have a special type of colour vision. For birds of prey, geese, pigeons and crows, these patterns should be difficult to detect. These conclusions appear today in an article by Olle Håstad and Anders Ödeen in PeerJ.
	Penguins use their personalities to prepare for climate change As the global climate continues to change, the ability of many animal species to adapt is being put to the test. Bird populations may be at particular risk. According to the Audubon Society, nearly half of all North American bird species are severely threatened by shifts in climate. The threat reaches beyond North America and could have similar effects on global bird populations.
	Flies give another twist in the evolving story of heredity Thanks to the father of modern genetics, Gregor Mendel, and his experiments cross-breading peas, the textbooks tell us that we know how inheritance works: we get 50% of our genes from our mums and 50% of our genes from our dads.
	New database provides vast trove of genetic information on tiny single-celled organisms in the ocean The ocean holds a bewildering array of microscopic life. Many of the smaller organisms are difficult to study or even to identify under a microscope. For this reason, scientists often look at the genes of these microbes to figure out how they are related to one another, and what they are doing out there in the ocean. Such genomic analysis often involves searching large databases to compare the genetic material of one microbe to that of others.
	Technique reveals the metabolic state of individual algal cells Photosynthetic microorganisms such as single-cell algae are currently undergoing intensive research for their potential to produce oil and other products from biomass as a means of curbing the use of fossil fuels. Understanding and controlling the metabolic state of these organisms is crucial to optimizing growth conditions for eventual industrialization of algal-based technologies. Kazunari Ozasa and colleagues from the RIKEN Bioengineering Laboratory have now developed a simple technique for investigating the metabolic state of the microalga Euglena gracilis.
	Researcher finds emerald ash borer may have spread to different tree The emerald ash borer, which is destroying ash trees in a large swath of the nation, has apparently spread to a different tree, a researcher at Wright State University suspects.
	Analysis tracks origins of algal light sensors to a shared ancestor one billion years ago Researchers determined the origin of a group of protein-based light sensors in land plants and a series of related phytoplankton by sequencing and comparing RNA in these genomes.
	Citizen science key to keeping pace with environmental change Is it plastic, metal, a fragment, sharp? Does it have a loop in it that a marine animal might stick its head through? Is it small enough and in the color range that an albatross might mistake it for flying fish eggs and eat it?
	Fish moving poleward at rate of 26 kilometres per decade Large numbers of fish will disappear from the tropics by 2050, finds a new University of British Columbia study that examined the impact of climate change on fish stocks. The study identified ocean hotspots for local fish extinction but also found that changing temperatures will drive more fish into the Arctic and Antarctic waters.
	Tiny travellers of the animal world: Hitchhikers on marine driftwood A new study led by a Canadian marine zoologist reviews the world list of specialist driftwood talitrids, which so far comprises a total of 7 representatives, including two newly described species. These tiny animals with peculiar habits all live in and feed on decomposing marine driftwood. Dispersed across distant oceanic islands they use floating driftwood to hitch a ride to their destination. The study was published in the open access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution.
In the wake of drought, a turtle habitat becomes a death trap Biologists strode along the cracked, dry mud surrounding this evaporating north Los Angeles County lake last month, pausing periodically to pick up an emaciated turtle and wash alkaline dust off its head and carapace.
	Comment: No monkeying around—animals can and will have human rights Dr Alasdair Cochrane, Lecturer in Political Theory at the University of Sheffield, comments on animal rights in light of a court case to decide if a chimpanzee has the right to bodily integrity and liberty, just like a person.
	How the organic foods movement has grown, evolved, and suffered Ten years ago, UC Santa Cruz professor Julie Guthman's book Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California, was hailed as precedent setting, the first social science study of organic foods in the United States.
Biologically inspired design inspires a new strategy for Zoo Atlanta Owls are mostly nocturnal animals that depend on stealth to catch their prey. With the help of their wing structure, they also helped create the world's most famous high-speed train by making it less noisy.
	The potential of autochthonous bacteria for use as biofertilizers Neiker-Tecnalia, the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, is working to select autochthonous bacteria with a biofertilizing potential as a result of the stimulating effect they have on the take-up of nutrients by plants, phytohormone production and phytopathogen control. The research is of great interest for farmers because bacteria-based biofertilizers constitute an alternative to conventional chemical fertilizers that are expensive and less sustainable from the environmental point of view.

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