Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Oct 21

Mechanical Simulation Showcase

The analysis of mechanical systems and designs is crucial for optimizing your designs throughout the product life cycle. Check out this newly developed online resource to see different examples from a wide variety of mechanical applications: http://goo.gl/PoU50M

***************************************************

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for October 21, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Physicists experimentally realize a quantum Hilbert hotel
- 76-million-year-old extinct species of pig-snouted turtle unearthed in Utah
- Study reveals how brain multitasks
- Dive of the RoboBee: First insect-size robot capable of flying and swimming (w/ Video)
- Cosmic 'Death Star' is destroying a planet
- Microorganisms in the sea organize their power supply via nanowire power cables
- Astronomers catch a black hole shredding a star to pieces
- Chemists present an innovative redox-flow battery based on organic polymers and water
- Biologists discover bacteria communicate like neurons in the brain
- New device improves full-color image projection
- Magneticum Pathfinder: Evolution of the universe in an unmatched precision
- Scientists predict cool new phase of superionic ice
- New technique permits cell-specific examination of proteins in Alzheimer's brain tissue
- Halloween asteroid to shave past Earth, astronomers say
- Targeting mutant proteins might be silver bullet for neurodegenerative diseases

Astronomy & Space news

	Cosmic 'Death Star' is destroying a planet The Death Star of the movie Star Wars may be fictional, but planetary destruction is real. Astronomers announced today that they have spotted a large, rocky object disintegrating in its death spiral around a distant white dwarf star. The discovery also confirms a long-standing theory behind the source of white dwarf "pollution" by metals.
	Astronomers catch a black hole shredding a star to pieces When a star comes too close to a black hole, the intense gravity of the black hole results in tidal forces that can rip the star apart. In these events, called tidal disruptions, some of the stellar debris is flung outward at high speeds, while the rest falls toward the black hole. This causes a distinct X-ray flare that can last for years.
	Halloween asteroid to shave past Earth, astronomers say A big asteroid is hurtling toward Earth and will shave past our planet on Halloween, but astronomers say there's no need to be spooked—it's definitely not on a collision course.
	Final kiss of two stars heading for catastrophe Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, an international team of astronomers have found the hottest and most massive double star with components so close that they touch each other. The two stars in the extreme system VFTS 352 could be heading for a dramatic end, during which the two stars either coalesce to create a single giant star, or form a binary black hole.
	Milky Way photo with 46 billion pixels is the largest astronomical image of all time Astronomers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum have compiled the largest astronomical image to date. The picture of the Milky Way contains 46 billion pixels. In order to view it, researchers headed by Prof Dr Rolf Chini from the Chair of Astrophysics have provided an online tool (http://gds.astro.rub.de/). The image contains data gathered in astronomical observations over a period of five years.
	Missing gravitational waves lead to black hole rethink Human understanding of galaxies and black holes is being called into question after an 11-year search for mysterious gravitational waves—famously predicted by Albert Einstein 100 years ago—failed to find anything.
	Magneticum Pathfinder: Evolution of the universe in an unmatched precision Within modern cosmology, the Big Bang marks the beginning of the universe and the creation of matter, space and time about 13.8 billion years ago. Since then, the visible structures of the cosmos have developed: billions of galaxies which bind gas, dust, stars and planets with gravity and host supermassive black holes in their centres. But how could these visible structures have formed from the universe's initial conditions?
	Dunes on Pluto? Can a nearly airless world have windblown dunes? Lori Fenton, Senior Research Scientist and Vice-Chair of the Planetary Exploration Research Thrust at the SETI Institute
	First discovery of a magnetic field in a normal delta Scuti star Coralie Neiner, from the Observatoire de Paris (LESIA/CNRS/UPMC/Université Paris Diderot) and Patricia Lampens, from the Royal Observatory of Belgium discovered the first magnetic delta Scuti star through spectropolarimetric observations at the CFHT telescope in Hawaii. The delta Scuti stars are pulsating stars some of which show signatures attributed to a second type of pulsations. The discovery shows that it is actually the signature of a magnetic field. This has important implications for understanding the interior of such stars.
Former telescope to be removed from Hawaiian mountain The University of Hawaii has announced the third Mauna Kea observatory that will be decommissioned, fulfilling the governor's request to remove 25 percent of the telescopes from the mountain.
	Image: Studying astronauts' knees to rehabilitate bedridden, Earth-bound patients This MRI scan shows a knee joint with cartilage covering the articulating joint surfaces to help the bones slide smoothly.

Technology news

	Dive of the RoboBee: First insect-size robot capable of flying and swimming (w/ Video) In 1939, a Russian engineer proposed a "flying submarine"—a vehicle that can seamlessly transition from air to water and back again. While it may sound like something out of a James Bond film, engineers have been trying to design functional aerial-aquatic vehicles for decades with little success. Now, engineers may be one step closer to the elusive flying submarine.
	Friendly robot Pepper makes European debut in France A humanoid robot name Pepper designed as an upbeat companion made its European debut on Tuesday helping shoppers with wine, and more, in a major shop in France.
	Harnessing the power of smartphone for 3D scanning What would you think about turning your smartphone into a scanner? Sydney-based eora 3D is looking to make that quite possible. The eora 3D scanner is designed to work as an add-on for iPhones and Android—the smartphone powers the scanner— and is now up on Kickstarter, being offered at $229. The estimated delivery is June.
	Electric car charging put to test in Marshall Islands Honda is to test EV charging technologies in the Marshall Islands. Honda is doing this with the cooperation of the Marshall Islands government.
	Dash Robotics: Origami-style robots for build-and-play fun Parents eager to see children better prepared for their future digital world like projects that offer DIY tasks combined with simple programming. Summer camps do it; some schools are taking to it; there is also interest in finding toys where children can control objects from smartphone apps and learn about electronics, robotics and programming.
	Review: Microsoft Surface Pro finally has laptop feel With the new Surface Pro 4, typing on a Microsoft tablet finally feels like typing on a regular laptop.
	New device improves full-color image projection A team of researchers at Disney Research and Dartmouth College has developed a new way to display full-color images using only two black patterns printed on transparencies affixed to two sides of a prism.
	YouTube to launch $10-a-month ad-free video, music plan Red YouTube on Wednesday unveiled a new $10-a-month subscription plan in the U.S. called Red that combines ad-free videos, new original series, movies from top YouTubers like PewDiePie, and on-demand unlimited streaming music.
	Google invests in Chinese artificial intelligence firm Google has taken a stake in a Chinese artificial intelligence startup which is aiming to develop smart wearable technologies, the companies said Tuesday.
Uber invests big in China in face of fierce rival The head of Uber on Tuesday said the ride-sharing firm has spent a billion dollars to gain traction in China, where the local champ may not be playing fair.
	Spotify partners with Virgin America for in-air streaming Music streaming leader Spotify said Tuesday it would put its entire catalog on Virgin America flights in its first US airline partnership.
	VW's 'dieselgate' puts spotlight on electric cars in Germany The pollution-cheating scandal that has engulfed auto giant Volkswagen is turning up the heat on the German government to make more determined headway in its self-declared "electromobility" goals, analysts say.
Hold on to your hoverboard: 'Back to the Future' is now Welcome to the future. October 21, 2015 is the date "Back to the Future" professor Doc Brown and Marty McFly journey to in their time-traveling DeLorean in the second installment of the much-loved movie trilogy.
	Austrian lawsuit against Facebook over data breaches 'admissible' Austrian student Max Schrems will be able to bring a lawsuit over alleged privacy breaches against US social media giant Facebook in Vienna, an appeals court ruled Wednesday.
	It's about time cybercrimes appeared in crime figures if we are to take the problem seriously The dramatic 40% increase in the recently published crime statistics for England and Wales might appear an abrupt end to the year-on-year decline in crime rates over the past 20 years or so. But in fact this substantial leap is explained by the inclusion for the first time of estimates of online fraud and cybercrime in the official statistics.
	Great Scott! Flying cars arrive in Perth The creators of Back to the Future II had us believe flying cars, anti-gravity hoverboards and fax machines would be ubiquitous in the early 21st Century.
	Western Digital buying SanDisk in deal worth about $19B Western Digital, a maker of hard drives for businesses and personal computers, is buying SanDisk in a cash-and-stock deal worth about $19 billion as it looks to extend its reach in the storage industry.
	British-Chinese taxi, bus models showcased on Xi visit Zero-emission prototypes of a classic London taxi and red bus were showcased as models of China-Britain collaboration on the second day of President Xi Jinping's state visit on Wednesday.
'Angry Birds' maker Rovio cuts 213 jobs Rovio Entertainment, the maker of "Angry Birds" and other mobile games, said it cut nearly a third of its workforce Wednesday as it restructures its business.
Using patients' trail of digital crumbs for public health surveillance Data is ubiquitous. In the area of heath, there are growing data streams directly initiated by patients through their activities on the internet and on social networks and other related ones such as electronic medical records and pharmacy sales data. These so-called Novel Data Streams (NDS) are very appealing to public health surveillance officials due to their ease of collection.
Alibaba boss calls on Western SMEs to enter Chinese market Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese online commerce giant Alibaba, on Wednesday urged small and medium-sized Western companies to take advantage of China's expanding middle-class by entering the country's markets.
	Chinese star Xiaomi aims beyond smartphones Leading Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi is aiming for a future as an Internet company with the potential to cross swords with titans such as Alibaba.
	Wikileaks warns is about to leak CIA chief's emails Anti-secrecy campaign Wikileaks boasted Wednesday that it had obtained CIA director John Brennan's personal emails and was about to make them public.
	Twitter to 'reboot' growth, relationship with developers: Dorsey Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey said Wednesday the struggling messaging platform is in the midst of "rebooting" as it seeks to fulfill what he sees as its vital mission as a rapid source of information.
	WikiLeaks publishes CIA director John Brennan's emails The WikiLeaks organization posted material Wednesday from what appears to be CIA Director John Brennan's personal email account, including a draft security clearance application containing personal information.
Secret Service allowed to use warrantless cellphone tracking A new policy allows the Secret Service to use intrusive cellphone-tracking technology without a warrant if there's believed to be a nonspecific threat to the president or another protected person.
Lam Research bids $10.6B for KLA-Tencor, creating chip giant Lam Research Corp. is buying KLA-Tencor Corp. for about $10.6 billion, creating a huge player in the semiconductor sector that will rival Applied Materials Inc.
	F-16V takes flight Lockheed Martin successfully completed the maiden flight of the F-16V, the latest and most advanced F-16 on the market today. The October 16 flight marks the first time an F-16 has flown with Northrop Grumman's advanced APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), which will deliver a quantum leap in capability for the venerable F-16.
	Vice goes dark, protests Turkey reporter detention Vice Media's website went dark Wednesday to protest the detention in Turkey of one of its journalists reporting on anti-government unrest in the Kurdish-dominated southeast.
	ESPN is cutting about 300 jobs, or 4 percent of staff Disney's ESPN is cutting about 300 jobs, or 4 percent of its staff, amid signs that the traditional cable bundle is less far-reaching than it once was.
	Congress proposes giveaways to auto, trucking industries At a time of record auto recalls and rising highway deaths, safety advocates say the Republican-run Congress is snubbing their agenda and taking sides with the auto and trucking industries on legislation that they and the Obama administration contend could worsen matters.

Medicine & Health news

	Study reveals how brain multitasks Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center say they have added to evidence that a shell-shaped region in the center of the mammalian brain, known as the thalamic reticular nucleus or TRN, is likely responsible for the ability to routinely and seamlessly multitask.
	How the brain triggers action EPFL scientists have identified specific neurons in the striatum that contribute to driving motivated behaviors like movement. The work may help in designing new ways of treating disorders like Parkinson's disease in the long term.
	Targeting mutant proteins might be silver bullet for neurodegenerative diseases Scientists have unraveled how mutant molecules damage the nervous system of people with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, a group of disorders that hinder people's ability to move and feel sensation in their hands and feet, according to a paper published October 21, 2015 in Nature.
	New technique permits cell-specific examination of proteins in Alzheimer's brain tissue Using 10-year-old archival brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease, a research team from NYU Langone Medical Center has developed a novel method to examine the structure and function of proteins at the cell level—providing greater means to study protein changes found in Alzheimer's disease.
	Using ultrasound to improve drug delivery Using ultrasound waves, researchers from MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found a way to enable ultra-rapid delivery of drugs to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This approach could make it easier to deliver drugs to patients suffering from GI disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease, the researchers say.
	The power of thank you: Research links gratitude to positive marital outcomes A key ingredient to improving couples' marriages might just be gratitude, according to new University of Georgia research.
	Genomic study sheds light on protective effects of malaria vaccine candidate An international team led by researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have used cutting edge genomic methods to uncover key biological insights that help explain the protective effects of the world's most advanced malaria vaccine candidate, RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S).
	Mediterranean diet may keep your mind healthier in old age (HealthDay)—In news that sounds a bit like it came straight from a sci-fi thriller, researchers say that eating too much meat might shrink your brain.
	Researchers measure gait to reduce falls from glaucoma Washington State University researchers have developed a way to carefully analyze a person's gait with sensors, an innovation that could lead to reduced falls and injuries in people with glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the United States.
Fecal transplants show promise, but need careful monitoring, say experts The use of faecal transplants to treat severe infections has rapidly become the treatment of choice, but as use increases and widens proper screening of donors, and good long term trials and monitoring are urgently needed in order to provide sensible advice to patients, say experts in The BMJ today.
Study provides more precise estimates of cancer risks associated with low level radiation More precise estimates of cancer risks associated with prolonged, low level exposure to ionising radiation among nuclear industry workers are published by The BMJ today.
Opt-out system for organ donation is well intentioned but misguided As Wales prepares to become the first country of the United Kingdom to introduce an opt-out system for organ donation, a doctor writing in The BMJ this week, says support for such a system "is well intentioned but misguided."
Study reveals poor levels of use, availability and affordability of vital heart medicines New research published in The Lancet shows that the use of vital life-saving generic (and supposedly inexpensive) medicines for prevention in people with existing heart disease is poor worldwide. In low-income and middle-income countries these medicines are not widely available and, when available, can often be unaffordable. In rich countries, although such medicines are both available and affordable, 35% to 50% of patients who have heart disease or a previous stroke still do not receive them.
More menopause-focused education required for doctors Despite the fact that nearly two million women every year reach menopause (that's equivalent to 6,000 women each day), many experts agree that OB/GYN residents are not being properly prepared to address menopause-related health issues. A new study published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), however, demonstrates how adding a menopause-focused curriculum is helping residents to meet this growing challenge.
UN drugs office urged to publish leaked paper backing decriminalisation Delegates at an international drug-policy conference in Malaysia urged the UN drugs office on Wednesday to officially release a leaked policy paper in which it makes a landmark call for decriminalisation.
	23andMe returns with FDA-approved genetic health tests Genetic testing company 23andMe is reintroducing some health screening tools that federal regulators forced off the market more than two years ago, due to concerns about their accuracy and interpretation by customers.
	Engineered protein prevents dementia in mice carrying Alzheimer's genes A newly developed protein has successfully prevented dementia from occurring in lab mice carrying human Alzheimer's genes, raising the possibility for development of new treatments for the disease.
	Six things parents and athletes need to know about concussions Girls' soccer at the high school level has one of the highest rates of concussion.
	New regulations for producers will benefit consumers, say food safety experts Food safety experts at Iowa State University are taking a lead role to help producers in Iowa and the Midwest comply with new federal regulations to guarantee the food we eat is safe.
Radiation therapy often underused for common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma despite recommendations Patients with an early-stage, indolent form of lymphoma are increasingly being given no treatment, chemotherapy or targeted drug therapies despite strong clinical evidence that shows radiation therapy can have better outcomes, according to a study by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers that is being presented at the 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).
	Study shows algae virus can infiltrate mammalian cells New research led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has provided the first direct evidence that an algae-infecting virus can invade and potentially replicate within some mammalian cells.
New book examines consciousness in brain injury patients The medical community needs a better understanding of people suffering from severe brain injuries, argues a Weill Cornell Medicine professor of medical ethics, whose new book calls for advocacy and awareness.
Study links midwifery experience to survival chances of babies University of Otago researchers have found strong evidence that levels of midwifery experience in New Zealand are associated with baby mortality. The study has been published today in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
	A mouse strain gives the most detailed visualization yet of immune cells in the bone marrow White blood cells called monocytes, that play a vital role in stable immune responses, can now be visualized over time inside the bone marrow using a new reporter mouse developed by A*STAR researchers.
	Advances made against the deadly infection complication, sepsis Sepsis is an inflammatory response to infection that's known to develop in hospital settings and can turn deadly when it's not discovered early on. In a new study, a hospital surveillance program focusing on reducing the risks of sepsis, known as the two-stage Clinical Decision Support (CDS) system, was found to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes, such as death and hospice discharge for sepsis patients, by 30% over the course of one year. This study is published today in the American Journal of Medical Quality.
	Highly reliable urine test developed for the early detection of a common type of bladder cancer A panel of five biomarkers that can detect the presence of transitional cell bladder carcinoma in urine with 100 per cent specificity has been developed by A*STAR researchers. The noninvasive technique could be developed into simple home kits for routine screening of the disease, which accounts for nine out of ten patients with bladder cancer.
	Chikungunya test also distinguishes the illness from other mosquito-borne diseases A detection assay that identifies the presence of viral-specific antibodies in patients with Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has been developed by A*STAR researchers. The technique can also help differentiate between CHIKV and other mosquito-borne viruses.
	How proteome analysis can help to slow down aging Researchers have found differences between normal and pathologic peptidomic changes that may lead to an improved understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying aging. Proteome analysis in combination with therapy may influence pathologic aging.
Glia triggers synapse elimination during development Polyinnervation takes place during the first phases of development, creating a great number of synapses. Then, neuronal circuits require the elimination of the excess synaptic contacts established in the early stages of neuronal development to refine their function. A study developed by the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology of the University of Barcelona and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), published in the journal Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), shows that a protein secreted by glia is a trigger for synapse elimination.
Interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea Researchers from Emory University, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the World Health Organization have carried out an updated Cochrane review to assess the effectiveness of interventions to improve water quality for preventing diarrhoea.
Primary progressive and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis treated with ocrelizumab Three phase three clinical studies using the drug ocrelizumab to treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have yielded positive results for treating two forms of the disease and the first ever positive results for a treatment for the less common primary progressive form (PPMS).
Government strategies for diabetes and childhood obesity encouraging The University of Otago's Edgar Diabetes and Obesity Research Centre (EDOR) welcomes two highly important health strategies targeting childhood obesity and diabetes that the government has launched in recent days.
Researchers develop virtual training tool to help doctors improve their communication skills University of Huddersfield researcher Yeshwanth Pulijala is dedicated to bringing about big improvements in medical training by harnessing the power of virtual reality and 3D technology. Now, he is part of a team that has developed the prototype for an innovative tool that will enable doctors to develop their communication skills – including the breaking of bad news – by conducting a simulated interview with a virtual patient.
Staphylococcus aureus Achilles' heel Staphylococcus aureus is both a transient skin colonizer and a formidable human pathogen, ranking amongst the leading causes of skin and soft tissue infections, as well as severe pneumonia. Scientists attempt to work out new strategies to fight against this pathogen, of which numerous strains are now resistant to antibiotic treatments. One of the bacterium's most impressive weapons is α-toxin, which provokes the destruction of human cells. An international project led by the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, in collaboration with the University of Geneva (UNIGE) in Switzerland, allowed to identify the components of our cells that modulate the virulence of this toxin, in particular the PLEKHA7 protein. By eliminating expression of the latter, cells gained the ability to recover from α-toxin injury, and mice lacking PLEKHA7 exhibited improved healing from bacterial skin infection as well as enhanced survival of pneumonia. T
	A "fuzzy" method for interpreting fMRI recordings A method for data analysis used in medical diagnostics has been tested for the first time on resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. The method, which relies on "fuzziness", proved to be as robust as the well-known and regularly used sample entropy (SampEn) method but with the advantage of offering greater detail than sample entropy The findings have been published in Medical Engineering and Physics.
	New research paves the way to begin developing a computer you can control with your mind A team of researchers led by Angelika Lingnau, from the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway has been able to predict participants' movements just by analysing their brain activity.
Personal stories used to help build atrial fibrillation awareness Who better to help raise the awareness of risks, symptoms and treatments for atrial fibrillation (AFib) than people who are living with it? That's the idea behind a new initiative of the American Heart Association.
	Is your coffee habit thwarting you in sport? A Massey University study is looking for athletic men to help researchers find out more about the effect of caffeine on sporting performance.
Cancer-causing parasite may accelerate wound healing It's short, ugly and deadly. But James Cook University scientists have found a cancer-causing, parasitic worm could help patients recover from their wounds.
	Marijuana use more than doubles from 2001 to 2013; increase in use disorders too The estimated prevalence of adults who used marijuana in the past year more than doubled in the United States between 2001 and 2013 to 9.5 percent, according to an article published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
	Test could predict whether breast cancer will spread to the brain Women with particularly aggressive forms of breast cancer could be identified by a test that predicts whether the disease is likely to spread to the brain.
Blood pressure medication can't undo all damage Treating out-of-control blood pressure with antihypertensive medication can greatly reduce your risk for heart attack, stroke and heart failure, but the current approach to treatment can't undo all of the previous damage or restore cardiovascular disease risk to ideal levels, a new Northwestern Medicine study suggests.
	Children who take antibiotics gain weight faster than kids who don't Kids who receive antibiotics throughout the course of their childhoods gain weight significantly faster than those who do not, according to new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research.
	Antipsychotics use among older adults increases with age Despite known risks of serious side effects, especially in older adults, the fraction of seniors treated with antipsychotic medications increases with age, researchers have found. Such medications may be appropriate for treating certain mental disorders, yet more than three-quarters of seniors receiving an antipsychotic prescription in 2010 had no documented clinical psychiatric diagnosis during the year. Further, among those who did have a diagnosed mental disorder and/or dementia, nearly half of the oldest patients had dementia, regardless of FDA warnings that antipsychotics increase mortality in people with dementia.
	Breast, ovarian cancer risk may have association with sense of smell The association between menstrual cycle activity and breast and ovarian cancer risk may have an unexpected intermediary - odors.
Researchers examine effects of federal recommendations on cartilage repair studies in large animal models More than 21 million people in the United States suffer from cartilage damage, and if left untreated, cartilage defects can cause disability and more widespread joint disease. In recent years, scientists have focused on development of new treatments for cartilage repair. But in the past two decades there has been little to no adherence to the recommendations published by U.S. and European regulatory agencies on the manner in which translational research is conducted and reported in large animal models used to study cartilage repair. A team led by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania detailed their findings, and their recommendations for better compliance, in a paper published in this week's Science Translational Medicine.
Scientists identify genes associated with peripheral artery disease Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences have worked with a number of universities and hospitals in Japan to use gene maps in the Japanese population to identify three genes associated with peripheral artery disease, a common but debilitating disease that makes walking painful and that can, in serious cases, lead to limb loss. The work, published in PLOS ONE, is the first to identify specific genetic factors with the condition.
	Vitamin B3 derivative cuts risk of new skin cancers A year of treatment with nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, significantly lowered the risk of common, non-melanoma skin cancer in high-risk patients, according to University of Sydney research published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Gene therapy could aid weight loss without affecting bone loss Delivering the hormone leptin directly to the brain through gene therapy aids weight loss without the significant side effect of bone loss, according to new collaborative research from Oregon State University and University of Florida.
For Latinos, African ancestry adds to risk of glaucoma Latinos with African ancestry are at a higher risk for high pressure within the eye, a condition that if untreated can damage the optic nerve and impair vision, according to a report in the journal Ophthalmology.
	Crash risk: Lifestyle, occupational factors that may put truck drivers in danger Truck drivers who are frequently fatigued after work, use cell phones while driving, or have an elevated pulse pressure - a potential predictor of cardiovascular disease - may be at increased risk for getting into truck accidents, according to a study by the Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (RMCOEH) at the University of Utah School of Medicine and published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM).
Coagadex approved for rare clotting disorder (HealthDay)—Coagadex (coagulation Factor X) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first coagulation factor replacement therapy for people with a rare blood disorder known as hereditary Factor X deficiency.
	Nocturnal hypoxemia severity linked to renal RAS activity (HealthDay)—In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the severity of nocturnal hypoxemia is associated with the extent to which renal renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activity is increased, according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
	Low hep B vaccine response rate linked to IBD treatment (HealthDay)—For patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), infliximab and/or azathioprine treatment is associated with poor response rate to hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Midlife cardiovascular fitness tied to lower health costs later (HealthDay)—Higher cardiorespiratory fitness in middle age is strongly associated with lower health care costs later in life, according to a study published in the Oct. 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	ASRM: Good results from IVF egg donors over age 35 (HealthDay)—Results of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles using eggs from older donors are as good as those using eggs from younger women, according to findings scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), held from Oct. 17 to 21 in Baltimore.
	ASTRO: Shorter radiation OK for early breast cancers (HealthDay)—Hypofractionated radiation therapy with incorporated boost over a shorter period of time treats early-stage breast cancer as well as longer, conventional radiation therapy, a new study suggests. The findings were scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology, held from Oct. 18 to 21 in San Antonio.
Researcher finds key clues about 'betel nut' addiction that plagues millions worldwide For hundreds of millions of people around the world, chewing betel nut produces a cheap, quick high but also raises the risk of addiction and oral cancer. Now, new findings by a University of Florida Health researcher reveal how the nut's psychoactive chemical works in the brain and suggest that an addiction treatment may already exist.
	Immune responses provide clues for HIV vaccine development Recent research has yielded new information about immune responses associated with—and potentially responsible for—protection from HIV infection, providing leads for new strategies to develop an HIV vaccine. Results from the RV144 trial, reported in 2009, provided the first signal of HIV vaccine efficacy: a 31 percent reduction in HIV infection among vaccinees. Since then, an international research consortium has been searching for molecular clues to explain why the vaccine showed this modest protective effect.
	Study shows value of knee replacement surgery, other options People with knees worn out by arthritis will get more pain relief from joint replacement surgery, but it has more risks and there's a good chance that less drastic approaches also would help. That's the bottom line from the first study to strictly test other treatments against knee replacement, an operation done hundreds of thousands of times a year in the U.S.
	Exposure to secondhand smoke linked to increased risk of tooth decay in young children Although these findings cannot establish causality, they support extending public health and clinical interventions to reduce secondhand smoke, say the researchers.
YouTube videos on peripheral nerve pain may misguide patients Researchers who combed YouTube for videos regarding peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage that causes weakness, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet, found 200 videos, but only about half of them were from healthcare professionals, mostly chiropractors.
New data resource for dementia research An Oxford University-led research programme has launched a new system to help dementia researchers make the most of existing study data. The Dementias Platform UK's new Data Portal is a secure online research environment that will provide researchers with high quality information and tools to help them work together better. It will enable scientists to exploit and share a wealth of data, as well as enabling remote access to, and analysis of, large and complex datasets.
	Veterinarians offer tips for preventing bird flu in backyard chickens With a potential increase in avian influenza this fall when wild waterfowl migrate south from their northern breeding grounds, the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine reminds chicken owners to be extra vigilant to help avoid their birds contracting or passing the virus.
	Gardening therapy helps women on long-term sick leave return to work Being and working in a garden combined with active job coaching can effectively help women on long-term sick leave return to work. A study conducted at Sahlgrenska University explored the reasons for the trend.
Radiological method identifies hip patients who may need to be re-operated Between 5 and 30 per cent of those who receive a new hip prosthesis will require a re-operation during their lifetime. New research shows that a high-resolution X-ray method can predict which patients have the greatest risk of re-operation.
Obesity, diabetes threaten economic health: Saudi minister Obesity and diabetes threaten Gulf states' economic health as well as human wellbeing, Saudi Arabia's health minister has said, as the region struggles with the growing cost of the conditions.
Biogen cutting 11 percent of its workforce Biogen plans to cut about 11 percent of its workforce as it refocuses its research on treatments for Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis.
Belatacept after a kidney transplant: Indication of considerable added benefit Belatacept (trade name: Nulojix) has been approved since June 2011 for adults after a kidney transplant. It is used together with other drugs to prevent the body from rejecting the transplanted organ. After a first early benefit assessment in April 2012, the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) now reexamined whether the drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy. This new assessment was conducted because a limitation of the corresponding decision by the Federal Joint Commission (G-BA) expired in July 2015.
Sick British Ebola nurse 'much better': hospital There has been a "significant improvement" in the health of a British nurse who suffered a relapse after contracting Ebola in Sierra Leone, medics treating her in London said Wednesday.
Obama to announce federal push to fight heroin use Heading to a region grappling with the scourge of drug abuse, President Barack Obama planned to announce new steps to improve doctor training and ease access to drug treatment as part of an effort to help communities battling "epidemic" heroin and prescription painkiller abuse, White House officials said Wednesday.
Infection tied to restaurant leaves 12 in intensive care Public health officials say at least 93 people contracted a bacterial infection after eating at a San Francisco Bay Area restaurant and that 12 of them people have been hospitalized in intensive care.
New care approach to liver operations speeds patient recovery Patients undergoing oncologic liver operations who participated in an enhanced recovery program returned sooner to their normal life function and adjuvant cancer therapies than patients who were treated with a traditional approach to perioperative care, according to a new study published online on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website in advance of print publication.
Valeant shares tumble as report questions company finances Valeant Pharmaceuticals stock plunged Wednesday after Citron Research compared the Canadian pharmaceutical company to the collapsed energy giant Enron and accused it of creating a network of phantom pharmacies to fool auditors.
BRCA1 expression in glioblastoma multiforme tumors predicts patient survival Results of a study conducted by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), now conducting research as NRG Oncology, are the first to show that breast cancer type 1 susceptibility gene (BRCA1) protein expression is an important predictive biomarker of overall survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tumors.
	Obama says US will tackle prescription drug abuse Traveling to a region in the throes of a drug abuse crisis, President Barack Obama promised Wednesday to use his bully pulpit and federal programs to try to combat the "epidemic" of heroin use and prescription painkiller abuse that is upending communities across the U.S.

Biology news

	Microorganisms in the sea organize their power supply via nanowire power cables Electrical energy from the socket - this convenient type of power supply is apparently used by some microorganisms. Cells can meet their energy needs in the form of electricity through nanowire connections. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen have discovered these possibly smallest power grids in the world when examining cell aggregates of methane degrading microorganisms. They consist of two completely different cell types, which can only jointly degrade methane. Scientists have discovered wire-like connections between the cells, which are relevant in energy exchanges.
	Study finds more tunnels in ant nests means more food for colony A UC San Diego study of the underground "architecture" of harvester ant nests has found that the more connected the chambers an ant colony builds near the surface entrance, the faster the ants are able to collect nearby sources of food.
	Mosquitofish populations with more females have greater ecological impact Female mosquitofish are not only bigger than the males, they have bigger impacts on freshwater ecosystems. In a controlled study conducted in experimental ponds, researchers found dramatic differences in pond ecosystems depending on the ratio of males to females in the mosquitofish populations. In ponds dominated by female fish, the researchers observed more pronounced ecological changes, including fewer zooplankton and a greater abundance of algae, than in male dominated ponds.
	Bees to scientists: 'We're more complicated than you think' Chemical signaling among social insects, such as bees, ants and wasps, is more complex than previously thought, according to researchers at Penn State and Tel Aviv University, whose results refute the idea that a single group of chemicals controls reproduction across numerous species.
	Learning from ants how to build transportation networks Using mathematical modeling and field data, researchers at the mathematics department at Uppsala University have found the basic rules that allow ants to build efficient and low cost transport networks without discarding robustness. The study is now published in the Royal Society journal Interface.
	How a flying bat sees space Recordings from echolocating bat brains have for the first time given researchers a view into how mammals understand 3-D space.
Scientist offers hope amid global warming problems from seagrass loss The tiny holes humans tear in the ocean floor on an almost daily basis have major consequences for global warming for generations, a leading Deakin University scientist has found.
	Studies reveal a unified approach to combating several bacterial diseases Researchers at the University of Texas, the University of Connecticut, and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Argonne National Laboratory have discovered structural similarities among bacteria of various types that create the possibility of using similar approaches to fight the infections they cause.
	Amphibious fish found to use evaporative cooling to overcome hot water (Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with the University of Guelph and Brock University, both in Canada, has found the first example of an amphibious fish using evaporative cooling to chill its overheated body. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the researchers describe their study that included raising Kryptolebias marmoratus, aka mangrove rivulus, to adulthood and then testing them by heating the water in which they lived.
	Female glowworms with brighter lights found to attract more mates and to produce more offspring (Phys.org)—A small team of researchers affiliated with the University of Oulu and the University of Helsinki, both in Finland, has found that female glowworms that have a brighter light tend to attract more mates and to produce more offspring. In their paper published in the journal Biology Letters, the team describes their two-pronged research project and what they learned in studying the common beetle.
	Closer look at emperor penguin feathers dispels popular folklore notions (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers, Cassondra Williams, of the University of California, Julie Hagelin, of the University of Alaska and Gerald Kooyman with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, has found that contrary to popular notions that emperor penguins have the densest outer feathers, they actually don't, and that they also have different types of feathers that other researchers have said they don't. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the team describes their study of penguin feathers on penguins that had died naturally and what was revealed by their efforts.
	Biologists discover bacteria communicate like neurons in the brain Biologists at UC San Diego have discovered that bacteria—often viewed as lowly, solitary creatures—are actually quite sophisticated in their social interactions and communicate with one another through similar electrical signaling mechanisms as neurons in the human brain.
	Prawns reveal the secrets of innovation Small and hungry prawns are more likely to be resourceful in the face of adversity than their less desperate counterparts according to new research published today in the journal PLOS ONE. However the study found that size and hunger have different effects depending on whether the prawns are acting alone or in a group. Small individuals were more likely to innovate when alone, but when in a group, size didn't matter and it was the hungry prawns that tended to be most resourceful.
	Cats retain multiple functional bitter taste receptors According to new research from the Monell Center, cats have at least seven functional bitter taste receptors. Further, a comparison of cat to related species with differing dietary habits reveals that there does not appear to be a strong relationship between the number of bitter receptors and the extent to which a species consumed plants in its diet. The findings question the common hypothesis that bitter taste developed primarily to protect animals from ingesting poisonous plant compounds.
	Scientists find cells rhythmically regulate their genes Even in a calm, unchanging environment, cells are not static. Among other actions, cells activate and then deactivate some types of transcription factors—proteins that control the expression of genes—in a series of unpredictable and intermittent pulses. Since discovering this pulsing phenomenon, scientists have wondered what functions it could provide for cells.
	Dead men punching: Cadavers buoy idea our hands are for dexterity and fistfights University of Utah biologists used cadaver arms to punch and slap padded dumbbells in experiments supporting a hotly debated theory that our hands evolved not only for manual dexterity, but also so males could fistfight over females.
	European birdwatchers unravel how birds respond to climate change New details on how birds respond to climate change have been revealed by volunteer bird watchers all over Europe. The information they've gathered shows birds respond to changing conditions in different seasons of the year. While some species benefit from these changes, birds that are adapted to colder regions stand to lose. This knowledge can help predict future bird communities in Europe and focus the effort to tackle the effects of climate change on the most vulnerable species.
	The vulture's scavenging secrets—an ironclad stomach and a strong immune system Vultures have a unique genetic make-up allowing them to digest carcasses and guard themselves against constant exposure to pathogens in their diet, according to the first Eurasian vulture genome published in the open access journal Genome Biology. The study also finds that this species of Asian vulture is more closely related to the North American bald eagle than previously thought.
	Young eagles flock to the landfill drive-thru Imagine for a moment that you're a young bald eagle soaring through the sky, scouring for a nice meal down below. You could hold out for fresh prey to skitter by. But your hunting skills aren't quite up to snuff, and hey, look! All your eagle friends are hanging out around a massive overflowing bowl of potential food in the middle of the landscape not too far off. So, of course, you're going to fly over for a quick bite.
	Researcher reviews ecosystem-based ocean management approaches The director of the University of Maine Darling Marine Center says ecosystem-based approaches to restore ocean health provide a flexible framework for marine management and allow scientists and stakeholders to move beyond reactive and piecemeal solutions.
	The test tube foals that could help ensure rare breed survival The recent birth of two test tube foals in the UK, as part of a collaborative project conducted by leading fertility experts, could help benefit rare breed conservation and horses with fertility problems.
	Physical condition of shelter cats an indicator of housing conditions When animals lose their home, they often end up in a shelter. In order to assess the welfare of shelter animals, researchers from the Vetmeduni Vienna spent one year looking at the physical condition of cats at 30 animal shelters in Austria. The results: A poor coat condition indicates a longer length of stay, and very thin cats often have little space for resting or lying down. The study was published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior.
	Migratory birds need less time to travel longer routes when they optimize for wind support Each year migratory birds travel over thousands of kilometres. In spring and autumn, billions of individuals move from colder and less productive areas across vast distances to warmer and more productive places. To do so, however, it seems that the shortest route does not necessarily grant the fastest journey. Birds can save energy and time if they use wind support. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell Germany have calculated optimal routes in respect to wind support globally. Their research shows that birds using optimal wind conditions can save up to a quarter of travel time. Thus birds optimising on wind support should arrive earlier and in better conditions and have higher chances of survival and reproduction. The knowledge about such optimal flyways could spread over generations in migratory species.
	Bats important to survival of rare frog, other species Bat poop matters. So says a University of Tennessee, Knoxville, study examining a little-known species, the Caucasian parsley frog, and its reliance on insects that breed in bat guano.
	Dynamic social-network analysis reveals animal social behaviors Communities are defined by flux: friendships that form and break, loyalties that shift, and visitors passing through. But these dynamic interactions aren't represented in static maps of social networks. Snapshot diagrams-with lines drawn between individuals to show the ties that connect them based on data collected over time-can't tell the whole story.
	In an urban environment, not all vultures are created equal Not being picky about your food means you can live just about anywhere, and some vultures are good at adapting to landscape fragmentation caused by humans, but new research forthcoming in The Condor: Ornithological Applications shows that different vulture species use city environments in different ways.
	Sharp-toothed creature that bit Hawaii surfer was an eel An eel, not a shark, bit a surfer over the weekend off Hawaii's popular Waikiki Beach, officials said Tuesday.
Why are Australian livestock still turning up in places where they are treated cruelly? Recent days have seen yet more revelations of irregularities in the live export of Australian animals, and a fresh round of protest against the trade. Last week, the ABC's 7.30 reported that many animals shipped to the Middle East are individually sold for private slaughter, rather than going through the Australian-approved abattoir system.
	Chemistry student studies cold tolerance of algae in the search for renewable energy Could a solution to harness renewable energy ultimately rest with gooey seaweed? One Ohio University student spent a research internship at a national laboratory last year helping to find the answer.
	Unmanned NOAA hexacopter monitors health of endangered Southern Resident killer whales A NOAA Fisheries research team flying a remotely operated hexacopter in Washington's San Juan Islands in September collected high-resolution aerial photogrammetry images of all 81 Southern Resident killer whales that showed the endangered whales in robust condition and that several appear to be pregnant.
Cuba launches shark protection plan produced with US group Cuba announced Wednesday that it is launching a long-term plan to preserve its sharks in cooperation with a U.S. environmental group, part of a rapidly accelerating partnership between the two countries aimed at preserving their shared waters in the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Straits.

---

This email is a free service of Phys.org
You received this email because you subscribed to our list.
If you no longer want to receive this email use the link below to unsubscribe.
https://sciencex.com/profile/nwletter/
You are subscribed as jmabs1@gmail.com