Science X Newsletter Sunday, Apr 3

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for April 3, 2016:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Facebook still shows muscle in drawing in young and old
- No, don't get up: These window blinds control light on their own
- Parrot species in US cities may rival that in native Mexico
- Blue Origin rocket makes third successful vertical landing

Astronomy & Space news

	Blue Origin rocket makes third successful vertical landing American space firm Blue Origin successfully completed the third launch and vertical landing of its reusable New Shepard rocket on Saturday, company founder and Internet entrepreneur Jeff Bezos said.
	Russian cargo ship docks successfully with space station The Russian unmanned cargo ship Progress successfully docked with the International Space Station on Saturday, resupplying the crew with food and fuel, Russia's mission control centre said.

Technology news

	Facebook still shows muscle in drawing in young and old Yes, old news. We know. Facebook demographics is believed to be caught up in a troublesome shift and Facebook had better brace itself. Fandom does not last forever. Younger users are fleeing for the likes of Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, with a more comfortable sense that their late nights out and new hobbies will not be studied daily by older relatives. At the same time, so the old news goes, Facebook is becoming more of a landing pad for older users.
	No, don't get up: These window blinds control light on their own Smart objects in the home have been well publicized, from prototype to product stage. We hardly register surprise at the thought of doors that open and close and lights that turn on and off all on their own.
Hospital chain says system 90 percent back after cyberattack MedStar Health says computer systems at its 10 hospitals are 90 percent back after a cyberattack.
Solar farm developers target New York with lease offers Less than a year after New York banned fracking, dashing the hopes of farmers who had hoped to reap royalties from natural gas leases, the commercial solar industry is courting landowners for energy production.
	Amazon makes foray into fashion world Amazon has been making moves over the past few months to position itself as a force in the ready-to-wear fashion world.

Medicine & Health news

Many Western states seek ways to lower high suicide rates Throughout the interior West, states in a belt from Montana to New Mexico are looking for ways to lower their highest-in-the-nation suicide rates, although gun-specific initiatives are a touchy topic.
Autism diagnosis taking too long, experts say Medical experts in Newcastle, UK, say that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are still being diagnosed later than they should be, meaning they are not getting access to specialist services early enough.
Building a better concussion test When athletes gets their bell rung on the field or court, there's often tension between their desire to keep playing and a trainer's responsibility to prevent them from further harming themselves. The problem with standard on-field concussion protocols—including the one most recently used by the National Football League—is that several of their components are subjective and prone to human error.
Global study finds neighborhood design helps put best foot forward for health More walkable neighborhoods, parks and public transit could all reduce your chance of becoming one of the 600 million adults who battle obesity worldwide, according to researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. The study, recently published online in The Lancet, found a neighborhood's design plays a critical role in physical activity and could help reduce non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Age and gender influence risk for certain peripheral vascular diseases New findings from large-scale studies of more than 3.6 million people who underwent screening for cardiovascular disease reveals that a person's age and gender affects the prevalence of certain types of peripheral vascular diseases (PVD), and that diabetes is a major risk factor for developing these diseases, even in patients without heart disease.
Early data from clinical trial indicates safety and efficacy of new weight loss procedure Findings from the early phase of a clinical trial led by Johns Hopkins investigators indicates that a new, minimally invasive weight loss treatment known as bariatric arterial embolization is safe and effective in sustaining weight loss in severely obese people.
Study investigates light, biological clocks, estrogen receptor expression in the breast Researchers are exploring one possible physiologic explanation of why prior studies have demonstrated a higher risk of breast cancer in women who experience high levels of illumination at night. Their study results in an animal model will be presented Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
Researchers find 'simple' methods to prevent heart attacks and stroke worldwide Three simple solutions to prevent heart attacks and stroke worldwide have been proven effective by an international team led by Hamilton medical researchers.
Waist circumference is stronger predictor of heart disease than BMI A new study from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City and John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore lends more evidence to the idea that it's better to be shaped like a pear—with weight around the hips—as opposed to an apple—with weight around the abdomen.
Improving depression symptoms can reduce risk of major cardiovascular problems, study finds Depression is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but as a person's depression improves—or grows worse—their risk for heart disease has remained largely unknown.
Nonsurgical fibroid treatment: Research shows improved sexual desire, function Women who underwent a nonsurgical, image-guided treatment, uterine fibroid embolization (UFE), for the treatment of uterine fibroids experienced improved sexual function and a higher overall quality of life. The research, part of a French multicenter study, presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology's Annual Scientific Meeting, also found the vast majority of women treated with UFE sustained improvement for more than a year.
	Elevated levels of inflammation marker offsets benefits of good cholesterol People with high levels of "good" cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, are not as safe from heart disease when high levels of a newly identified biomarker of inflammation in the arteries are also found in their bloodstream, according to a new study.
Estrogen-deficient female athletes' memory improves with estrogen In young female athletes who stop having their menstrual periods because of excessive exercise, estrogen replacement appears to improve their memory, a new study finds. Researchers will present their study results on Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
Liraglutide may make high-fat foods less desirable to the brain's reward centers A new study finds that the diabetes drug liraglutide leads to weight loss by acting on an area of the brain that controls attention and possibly making desirable foods less rewarding. Researchers will present their results Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
Steroid medicine reduces function of calorie-burning brown fat Steroid medications inhibit the activity of brown fat, which is the "good," calorie-burning fat humans and animals have, Australian researchers have discovered. They will present their study findings Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
	Oxytocin nasal spray improves self-control in overweight men A single dose of oxytocin nasal spray, known to reduce food intake, decreases impulsive behavior in overweight and obese men, according to a preliminary study to be presented Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
	Study links low thyroid function to greater odds of type 2 diabetes Having too little thyroid hormone in the blood—even in the low-normal range—raises the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, especially in people with prediabetes, a new study in nearly 8,500 people finds. The study results will be presented Sunday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston.
A Paleolithic-type diet may help reduce future risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease A Paleolithic-type diet may help obese postmenopausal women lose weight, improve their circulating fatty acid profile and lower their future risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, new research reports. The study results will be presented in a poster Sunday, April 3, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
Dual device-drug therapy improves uncontrolled diabetes and obesity Combining a temporary one-year intestinal bypass device with the drug liraglutide helps patients lose weight and improve their diabetes control better than using either the device or the drug alone, new research from the United Kingdom reports. The one-year results of the two-year study will be presented in a poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston.
Most people cycle and regain weight Most people lose, gain and maintain their weight inconsistently, and those who lose the most weight are most likely to keep it off and keep losing, new research reports. The study results will be presented Friday, April 1, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
	Tanning may protect skin against harmful UV irradiation but block vitamin D synthesis As skin tans, it darkens to protect itself against harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, but the increasing pigment blocks vitamin D synthesis, limiting the skin's ability to produce more vitamin D, a new study from Brazil finds. The results will be presented in a poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
A new drug may help relieve menopausal vulvar and vaginal atrophy symptoms A new low-dose vaginal estrogen capsule may help relieve symptoms of menopausal vulvar and vaginal atrophy, including dyspareunia (pain during sex), new industry-sponsored research reports. The study results will be presented in a late-breaking poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
	Large whey protein breakfast may help manage type 2 diabetes A large breakfast containing whey protein may help manage Type 2 diabetes, new research from Israel reports. The study results will be presented Friday, April 1, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
Radioactive iodine treatment in women affects ovarian reserve and may affect fertility Women of reproductive age who have thyroid cancer should be cautious about receiving radioactive iodine treatment, which affects their remaining egg supply - their ovarian reserve - and may affect their fertility, new research from Israel finds. The results of this ongoing study will be presented Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston.
	More dietary calcium may lower risk of cardiovascular disease In older people, higher dietary calcium intake may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, but not of stroke and fracture, new research from South Korea suggests. The results will be presented in a poster Saturday, April 2, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston.
At New Jersey museum, getting older is a virtual reality A new exhibit at a science museum in New Jersey lets people get a virtual experience of what life is like as you age.
	Abaloparatide may help prevent fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis The investigational drug abaloparatide-SC (subcutaneous) may help increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal women and reduce their risk of fracture, new industry-sponsored research suggests. The results of the subgroup analysis within the ACTIVE clinical trial will be presented Friday, April 1, at ENDO 2016, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston.
Statin intolerance objectively identified in patients In the first major trial of its kind, Cleveland Clinic researchers used a blinded rechallenge with atorvastatin or placebo to objectively confirm the presence of muscle-related symptoms in patients with a history of intolerance to multiple statins and found that evolocumab (a PCSK9 inhibitor) was a more effective option to lower cholesterol than ezetimibe in these patients.
Cholesterol lowering therapies for patients with muscle-related statin intolerance Steven E. Nissen, M.D., of the Cleveland Clinic, and colleagues identified patients with muscle-related adverse effects from statins and compared lipid-lowering efficacy for two nonstatin therapies, ezetimibe and evolocumab. The study was published online by JAMA, and is being released to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session & Expo.
Elevated troponin linked to mental stress ischemia in heart disease patients Some people with heart disease experience a restriction of blood flow to the heart in response to psychological stress. Usually silent (not painful), the temporary restriction in blood flow, called ischemia, is an indicator of greater mortality risk.
Single-gene mutations account for only 2 percent of cases of severely elevated cholesterol A study from an international research team finds that familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) - a genetic condition that causes greatly elevated levels of LDL cholesterol throughout life - accounts for less than 2 percent of severely elevated LDL in the general population. But the team also found that the risk of coronary artery disease is significantly higher in individuals with FH than in people with similarly elevated LDL levels who do not have these mutations. The report is receiving advance online publication in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology to coincide with a presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
	Evacetrapib impacts cholesterol but doesn't reduce cardiovascular events Cleveland Clinic researchers studying evacetrapib have shown that despite reducing levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad" cholesterol) by 37 percent and raising levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good" cholesterol) by 130 percent, the drug failed to reduce rates of major cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke, angina or cardiovascular death.
Study finds testosterone supplementation reduces heart attack risk in men with heart disease A new multi-year study from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City shows that testosterone therapy helped elderly men with low testosterone levels and pre-existing coronary artery disease reduce their risks of major adverse cardiovascular events—including strokes, heart attacks, and death.
Patients with chest pain benefit from decision aid tool used with physician Patients who arrive at the emergency department with low-risk chest pain and talk through treatment options with a physician show improved knowledge of their health status and follow-up options, compared with patients who received standard counseling from a physician, according to Mayo Clinic research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.
	Global competition shows technology aids weight loss A friendly international competition to encourage exercise using pedometers and online tools was successful in helping people lose weight and improve their fitness over the course of three months, researchers said Sunday.
Low levels of two components of vitamin D can help predict risk of heart attack Low levels of total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D can help predict a person's risk of major adverse cardiovascular events such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure or death, according to a first-of-its-kind study from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.
Liberia authorities call for calm after new Ebola case Liberian authorities on Saturday called for calm following the discovery of a fresh case of the deadly Ebola virus, more than two months after the epidemic had been declared over in the country.

Biology news

Parrot species in US cities may rival that in native Mexico U.S. researchers are launching studies on Mexico's red-crowned parrot—a species that has been adapting so well to living in cities in California and Texas after escaping from the pet trade that the population may now rival that in its native country.

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