Science X Newsletter Monday, Aug 3

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 3, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- For faster battery charging, try a quantum battery?
- Sundew discovery on Facebook makes plant science news
- Best of Last Week – A blow for supersymmetry, a saltwater lamp and sleep found to make memories more accessible
- Caterpillar chemical turns ants into bodyguards
- Researchers investigate increased ocean acidification
- Quantitative measurement of oxygen affinity in a single red blood cell
- Study calculates the speed of ice formation
- Scientists bring order, and color, to microparticles
- What would the world look like to someone with a bionic eye?
- Archaeologists uncover entrance gate and fortification of Biblical city
- Magnetism at nanoscale
- 4 million years at Africa's salad bar
- Septic tanks aren't keeping poo out of rivers and lakes
- Ocean changes are affecting salmon biodiversity and survival
- How the finch changes its tune

Astronomy & Space news

	T-minus 12 days to perihelion, Rosetta's comet up close and in 3D With just 12 days before Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko reaches perihelion, we get a look at recent images and results released by the European Space Agency from the Philae lander along with spectacular 3D photos from Rosetta's high resolution camera.
	Space probes: sterile launch into outer space Components used on a space mission must be cleaned meticulously. Fraunhofer researchers designed a cleanroom for the ESA (European Space Agency) in which the most infinitesimal contaminants can be removed. These experts, together with partners, are sterilizing ESA's "ExoMars" Mars rover, scheduled for launch in 2018.
	The Planet Saturn The farthest planet from the Sun that be observed with the naked eye, the existence of Saturn has been known for thousands of years. And much like all celestial bodies that can be observed with the aid of instruments – i.e. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and the Moon – it has played an important role in the mythology and astrological systems of many cultures.
	Curiosity discovers Mars rock like none before, sets drill campaign On the eve of the 3rd anniversary since her nail biting touchdown inside Gale Crater, NASA's car sized Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover has discovered a new type of Martian rock that's surprisingly rich in silica – and unlike any other targets found before.
	An orange a day keeps scurvy away Centuries ago, ships often sailed with crews numbering in the hundreds returning with tens. Cause of death: Scurvy - a severe depletion of Vitamin C. Today's explorers cross miles of space with no hope of finding an island with food and nutrients along the way. All nutritional needs must be met aboard.

Technology news

Cutting costs in aircraft turbine production Compressor disks for aircraft turbines are milled from a single piece of material. During processing, the blades begin to vibrate. Now, a novel clamping system boosts vibration absorption for the blades by more than 400 times, and cuts manufacturing costs by as much as 5000 euros.
	A flexible solution for secure IT in cars Today, almost everything in your car is managed by an electronic control unit (ECU). The problem is that these minicomputers are increasingly coming under attack. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a platform that makes it possible to flexibly install secure devices in a way that is based on open and vendor-neutral hardware and software standards.
	Heating with the sun Solar-Active-Houses heat themselves using heat collectors and water tanks. However, no one had conducted an objective assessment of how efficiently they do so. Fraunhofer researchers put some of these solar houses to the test, identified where there was room for improvement and laid the scientific groundwork for this housing concept.
	Smart driver seat that responds to gestures A multitude of professional drivers suffer from back problems. One cause: driver seats that are inadequately adjusted to each driver's ergonomic needs. Fraunhofer's researchers, in joint collaboration with Isringhausen GmbH & Co. KG, engineered a driver's seat whose shape and position can be adjusted by using simple hand gestures.
AI researchers should not retreat from battlefield robots, they should engage them head-on There are now over 2,400 artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics researchers who have signed an open letter calling for autonomous weapons – often dubbed "killer robots" – to be banned.
	Up next: video-on-demand shakes up the television industry Telstra last week announced that it will launch Telstra TV in September. This could be the "all-in-one" video streaming service many Australians have craved, bundling together the three leading video-on-demand (VoD) services: Netflix, Stan and Presto.
People should have the 'right to wipe' youthful online indiscretions There was a time before Facebook and social media and text messaging. But for the current and subsequent generations they're already here, whether or not they're aware of them. Inevitably this can lead to ill thought-out or regrettable public posts. It's said that "the internet is forever", but a campaign that has garnered ministerial backing aims to give those reaching adulthood a second chance.
	Climate change means we can't keep living in glass houses How do we go about designing buildings today for tomorrow's weather? As the world warms and extreme weather becomes more common, sustainable architecture is likely to mean one major casualty: glass.
	Cybathlon practice session a success Slicing bread in the morning, pouring a cup of coffee and sitting down at the kitchen table are a part of everyday life for most people. But for people with physical impairments such as amputated limbs, the tasks so many of us take for granted are anything but a matter of course - and they are often difficult to accomplish without help. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 15% of the world's population is physically impaired to some degree. In order to overcome the hurdles of everyday life, many disabled people use assistive technologies. This is where the Cybathlon comes in: it aims to drive forward the development of these technologies in a fun and competitive environment.
	ICANN posts proposal to end US oversight of Internet The overseers of the Internet on Monday published a keenly anticipated proposal to step out from under US oversight.
Internet accessibility an important factor in government transparency Public affairs experts say easy and constant access by citizens to important government information, referred to as government transparency, is vital for good governance as well as the perception by citizens that the government is trustworthy.
Apple pushed down to 3rd in China smartphones for Q2 Two Chinese smartphone makers pushed US technology giant Apple into third place in the world's biggest market in the second quarter, an independent analyst firm said Monday.
	AT&T, as new owner of DirecTV, offers TV-wireless discount AT&T customers will save $10 a month and get a single bill for their TV and wireless services under a new package the company is offering after its $48.5 billion purchase of satellite TV company DirecTV 10 days ago.
German automakers buying Nokia's HERE map business A consortium of German automakers Audi, BMW and Daimler announced Monday it is buying Nokia Corp.'s HERE map business in a deal that values the unit at 2.8 billion euros ($3.1 billion) and secures their access to technology that could eventually be used for driverless cars.
Saving energy in industrial parks: new online tool helps economic developers and climate-protection managers New energy-saving concepts for industrial parks have been developed by a team of RUB engineers headed by Prof Dr-Ing. Hermann-Josef Wagner from the Chair of Energy Systems and Energy Economics on behalf of the Federal Ministry of the Environment. Collaborating with partners under the umbrella of the "GET.Min" project, they have analysed four industrial zones to test in what way enterprises in an estate can benefit from each other. Based on those data, the team developed a web tool which interested parties can use to determine energy-saving potentials. "This check is the first one of its kind in Germany, and the first instrument that gives an overview over energy consumption in industrial estates," says Wagner.
India orders telecoms to block more than 850 adult websites India has ordered Internet service providers to block access to more than 850 adult websites in what the government has described as a way to protect social decency.
Indiana medical software company hack affected 3.9M people An Indiana medical software company has reported the private information of 3.9 million people nationwide was exposed when its networks were hacked earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Monday.
	Microsoft buys firm that boosts sales through games Microsoft announced on Monday that it has bought a startup with a winning way of using game play to boost the performance of sales teams.

Medicine & Health news

	Quantitative measurement of oxygen affinity in a single red blood cell Researchers report a system that quantitatively measures cell volume, hemoglobin mass, and oxygen saturation in individual red blood cells. They found that oxygen affinity is different for individual red blood cells. These differences are likely due to the cellular environment rather than hemoglobin concentration.
	How the brain inhibits distractions during goal-directed behavior Exercising goal-directed behavior in the presence of distracting stimuli—for instance, reading a journal-published study amid the crash of surf, the laughter of children, and the crush of beachgoers at a coastal resort on a sunny afternoon—requires the ability to inhibit distracting stimuli. This ability is important in many life settings, including school and work, and is an important pillar of psychological well-being.
	Study describes red meat's cancer-causing mechanism in the colon Over the past 40 years, red meat has changed roles in the American diet from a supporting player to the main attraction, increasing in both portion size and frequency of consumption. The rise in diagnoses of colorectal cancer correlates with this increase, though the mechanism by which red meat consumption results in hyperplasia is not well understood. Now a group of researchers in the Netherlands have published a study that suggests the gut microbiota, a hot subject among biomedical researchers, is pivotal in the heme-induced epithelial damage that leads to hyperplasia. They have published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Character traits outweigh material benefits in assessing value others bring us When it comes to making decisions involving others, the impression we have of their character weighs more heavily than do our assessments of how they can benefit us, a team of New York University researchers has found.
	Study reveals new insight into DNA repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the worst possible form of genetic malfunction that can cause cancer and resistance to therapy. New information published this week reveals more about why this occurs and how these breaks can be repaired.
	Trouble spot in brain linked to learning difficulties in Down syndrome identified New brain research has mapped a key trouble spot likely to contribute to intellectual disability in Down syndrome. In a paper published in Nature Neuroscience, scientists from the University of Bristol and UCL suggest the findings could be used to inform future therapies which normalise the function of disrupted brain networks in the condition.
	Muscle fibers grown in the lab offer new model for studying muscular dystrophy Skeletal muscle is one of the most abundant tissue types in the human body, but has proven difficult to produce in large quantities in the lab. Unlike other cell types, such as heart cells, neurons and cells found in the gut, previous attempts to efficiently and accurately derive muscle cells from pre-cursor cells or culture have not been fruitful. In a new study published this week in Nature Biotechnology, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) report that by identifying and mimicking important developmental cues, they have been able to drive cells to grow into muscle fibers, producing millimeter-long muscle fibers capable of contracting in a dish and multiplying in large numbers. This new method of producing muscle cells could offer a better model for studying muscle diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, and for testing out potential treatment options.
	New insight into how the immune system sounds the alarm T cells are the guardians of our bodies: they constantly search for harmful invaders and diseased cells, ready to swarm and kill off any threats. A better understanding of these watchful sentries could allow scientists to boost the immune response against evasive dangers (e.g., cancer or infections), or to silence it when it mistakenly attacks the body itself (e.g., autoimmune disorders or allergies).
	Fly brains filter out visual information caused by their own movements, like humans Our brains are constantly barraged with sensory information, but have an amazing ability to filter out just what they need to understand what's going on around us. For instance, if you stand perfectly still in a room, and that room rotates around you, it's terrifying. But stand still in a room and turn your eyes, and the same visual input feels perfectly normal. That's thanks to a complex process in our brain that tell us when and how to pay attention to sensory input. Specifically, we ignore visual input caused by our own eye movements.
	What would the world look like to someone with a bionic eye? Various sight recovery therapies are being developed by companies around the world, offering new hope for people who are blind. But little is known about what the world will look like to patients who undergo those procedures.
How language gives your brain a break Here's a quick task: Take a look at the sentences below and decide which is the most effective. (1) "John threw out the old trash sitting in the kitchen." (2) "John threw the old trash sitting in the kitchen out."
It's all connected: Daily changes in mouse gut bacteria moves with internal clock, gender By now, the old saw, "You are what you eat," has been well-used in describing the microbiome. However axiomatic that phrase may be, a new study has also found that who and when that consumption is done can affect microbiome make-up. Changes in the abundance of mouse gut bacteria, over a 24-hour cycle, particularly in females, is tied to rhythms in the internal clock, according to work published online this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Surprising results casts new light on the free radical theory of aging When scientists in the Campisi lab at the Buck Institute bred mice that produced excess free radicals that damaged the mitochondria in their skin, they expected to see accelerated aging across the mouse lifespan - additional proof of the free radical theory of aging. Instead, they saw a surprising benefit in young animals: accelerated wound healing due to increased epidermal differentiation and re-epithelialization. The study published online on August 3rd in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Even moderate picky eating can have negative effects on children's health Picky eating among children is a common but burdensome problem that can result in poor nutrition for kids, family conflict, and frustrated parents.
If you're using drugs, scientists want to help you avoid addiction Abstinence is the best way to avoid drug addiction. But in many societies, drug use is the norm, not the exception, especially by youth. What keeps the majority of users from becoming addicted? How drugs are taken has something to do with it, according to pharmacology researchers at the University of Montreal. "Why do some drug users become addicts? The amount of drugs they take over time is one factor, but the speed with which the substance enters and exits the brain can be just as important," explained Professor Anne-Noël Samaha, who supervised the study into how pharmacokinetic factors govern addiction.
Researchers investigate effect of environmental epigenetics on disease and evolution Washington State University researchers say environmental factors are having an underappreciated effect on the course of disease and evolution by prompting genetic mutations through epigenetics, a process by which genes are turned on and off independent of an organism's DNA sequence.
	Urine test for early stage pancreatic cancer possible after biomarker discovery A combination of three proteins found at high levels in urine can accurately detect early-stage pancreatic cancer, UK researchers have found. The discovery could lead to a non-invasive, inexpensive test to screen people at high risk of developing the disease.
Want to boost your toddler's development? Put a toy chicken on your head! Parents who joke and pretend with their children are teaching them important life skills, research by the University of Sheffield has revealed.
	Fighting cancer head-on Head and neck cancers are the sixth most common malignancies worldwide. Yet few are diagnosed before stage 3 or 4, when the cancer has already spread to the lymph nodes or beyond. New research is helping scientists better understand these cancers and pave the way for therapies that could improve diagnosis and treatment.
Free program helps couples identify emotional 'hot buttons' QUT psychology researcher Katherine De Maria is looking for volunteer couples to help her investigate ways in which people's emotional intelligence can be enhanced to improve their ability to communicate with their intimate partner.
	Alternative therapies for menopausal women – a poor alternative? New research from Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine has found that nearly half a million Australian women aged 40-65 years could be using complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) for menopausal symptoms, despite little evidence of their effectiveness and potential side-effects.
Scientists explain underlying cause of unhealthy brain aging associated with Alzheimer's Doctors commonly recommend patients increase their intake of calcium as a means of combating osteoporosis for aging bones.
	Canadian study sheds surprising light on the causes of cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in children. It has historically been considered to be caused by factors such as birth asphyxia, stroke and infections in the developing brain of babies. In a new game-changing Canadian study, a research team from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) has uncovered strong evidence for genetic causes of cerebral palsy that turns experts' understanding of the condition on its head.
Common medications for dementia could cause harmful weight loss Medications commonly used to treat dementia could result in harmful weight loss, according to UC San Francisco researchers, and clinicians need to account for this risk when prescribing these drugs to older adults, they said.
Diagnosing heart conditions by smartphone In collaboration with an international scientific project team, a Simon Fraser University doctoral student is paving the way for us to be able to one day diagnose heart conditions using our smartphones.
Brain teaser: 3-D printed 'tissue' to help combat disease The brain is amazingly complex, with around 86 billion nerve cells. The challenge for researchers to create bench-top brain tissue from which they can learn about how the brain functions, is an extremely difficult one.
	Combination therapy may be more effective against the most common ovarian cancer High-grade serous ovarian cancer often responds well to the chemotherapy drug carboplatin, but why it so frequently comes back after treatment has been a medical mystery.
Dementia patients, caregivers prefer better care, support over research for Alzheimer's cure More than $100 million in federal funding was spent last year toward searching for a cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, if given the choice, most people with dementia and those caring for them would like to see the money go elsewhere, according to a recent study led by University at Buffalo researcher Davina Porock.
Engineered clotting protein stops bleeding in most common inherited bleeding disorder The first protein engineered to help control bleeding episodes in patients with severe von Willebrand disease (vW disease) has been shown to be safe and effective, according to results of a Phase III trial. Study data were published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology
New survey to distinguishing between expectable vs. worrisome early childhood misbehavior Researchers at Northwestern University are using a novel dimensional method for distinguishing misbehavior that is expectable in early childhood versus that which is cause for clinical concern. Their study is published in the August 2015 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
	Molecular spies to fight cancer Scientists at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), in cooperation with colleagues at the University of Zurich and the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, have for the first time successfully tested a new tumor diagnosis method under near-real conditions. The new method first sends out an antibody as a "spy" to detect the diseased cells and then binds to them. This antibody in turn attracts a subsequently administered radioactively labeled probe. The scientists could then clearly visualize the tumor by utilizing a tomographic method. This procedure could improve cancer treatment in the future by using internal radiation.
Researchers to monitor resistance to HIV drugs in Africa Infectious diseases researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are leading a five-year, $5 million initiative to monitor drug resistance during the rollout of HIV prevention drugs in sub-Saharan Africa.
Big data collaboration to improve chronic disease management Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore (Duke-NUS) and Holmusk, a global tele-health platform, have recently announced a collaboration to further the potential of big data in healthcare. Big data refers to very large, unstructured and diverse datasets that cannot be managed using conventional methods. In healthcare, big data and analytics allow us to discover patterns that would not be found otherwise, and make predictions about disease. This has the potential to improve care and lower costs.
	Stress responder is a first responder in helping repair DNA damage and avoiding cancer DNA damage increases the risk of cancer, and researchers have found that a protein, known to rally when cells get stressed, plays a critical, early step in its repair.
	Researcher discovers trigger of deadly melanoma Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, and melanoma, which accounts for 2% of skin cancer cases, is responsible for nearly all skin cancer deaths. Melanoma rates in the US have been rising rapidly over the last 30 years, and although scientists have managed to identify key risk factors, melanoma's modus operandi has eluded the world of medical research.
Yo-yo dieting not associated with increased cancer risk The first comprehensive study of its kind finds weight cycling, repeated cycles of intentional weight loss followed by regain, was not associated with overall risk of cancer in men or women. The study by American Cancer Society investigators is the largest to date to investigate weight cycling with cancer risk. It appears early online in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
	Potential new therapy approaches to reverse kidney damage identified Adults who are worried or terrified sometimes curl up into a fetal position. Likewise, adult cells that are injured, including genetic injury leading to cancer, initiate a process that was present during embryonic development.
	Further evidence of genetic key to deadliest form of skin cancer Scientists from the University of Leeds have uncovered further evidence that the protective buffers at the ends of chromosomes - known as telomeres - are fundamental to the understanding of the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma.
When farm to table means crossing international borders With Congress currently debating the repeal of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat and poultry - federal law in the US since 2002 - new research from the Sam W. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas shines a spotlight on how COOL labeling affects consumers' purchase decisions.
	Cattle movement estimation study sheds light on disease risk A new technique developed by a Kansas State University researcher helps estimate the movement of beef cattle to determine the risk of disease.
Vaccine with virus-like nanoparticles effective treatment for RSV, study finds A vaccine containing virus-like nanoparticles, or microscopic, genetically engineered particles, is an effective treatment for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), according to researchers at Georgia State University.
	Engineering a better 'do: Researchers are learning how Using heat to style curly hair poses a nagging problem: applying too much causes permanent damage resulting in limp fibers devoid of natural curve.
	High-dose vitamin D supplementation not associated with benefits for postmenopausal women High-dose vitamin D supplementation in postmenopausal women was not associated with beneficial effects on bone mineral density, muscle function, muscle mass or falls, according to the results of a randomized clinical trial published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.
The uneasy, unbreakable link of money, medicine Even after centuries of earnest oaths and laws, the debate about whether money compromises medicine remains unresolved, observes Dr. Eli Adashi in a new paper in the AMA Journal of Ethics. The problem might not be truly intractable, he said, but recent reforms will likely make little progress or difference.
Veterans returning from Middle East face higher skin cancer risk Soldiers who served in the glaring desert sunlight of Iraq and Afghanistan returned home with an increased risk of skin cancer, due not only to the desert climate, but also a lack of sun protection, Vanderbilt dermatologist Jennifer Powers, M.D., reports in a study published recently in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
	New approach for making vaccines for deadly diseases Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have devised an entirely new approach to vaccines - creating immunity without vaccination.
	Punctuating messages encoded in human genome with transposable elements Since the classical studies of Jacob and Monod in the early 1960s, it has been evident that genome sequences contain not only blueprints for genes and the proteins that they encode, but also the instructions for a coordinated regulatory program that governs when, where and to what extent these genes and proteins are expressed. The execution of this regulatory code is what allows for the creation of very different cell- and tissue-types from the same set of genetic instructions found in the nucleus of every cell. A recent study published in PNAS (July 27, 2015) shows that critical aspects of this regulatory program are encoded by genomic sequence elements that were previously thought to be mere "junk DNA" with no important functions.
	Women, blacks face larger loss of life expectancy after heart attack Women and black patients lost more years of their expected life after a heart attack when compared to white men, according to a study publishing today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Residential location affects pregnant women's likelihood of smoking Women are more likely to smoke during pregnancy when they live in areas where socio-economic resources are lower but also where smoking is more socially accepted, according to new study from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
Study finds no benefit in adding third drug to therapy for older patients Triple therapy is no better than dual antiplatelet therapy in preventing major adverse cardiac events in older patients with atrial fibrillation who had a heart attack treated with angioplasty, and triple therapy resulted in more complications, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
	Genetic adaptation keeps Ethiopians heart-healthy despite high altitudes Ethiopians have lived at high altitudes for thousands of years, providing a natural experiment for studying human adaptations to low oxygen, a condition known as hypoxia. One factor that may enable Ethiopians to tolerate high altitudes and hypoxia is the endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) gene. Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now find that mice with lower-than-normal levels of EDNRB protein are remarkably tolerant to hypoxia. The study, published this week by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides a mechanism for the gene's role in adaptation to life at high altitudes and suggests that EDNRB could be targeted to treat sea level diseases that stem from lack of oxygen.
	Simple intervention can moderate anti-vaccination beliefs, study finds It might not be possible to convince someone who believes that vaccines cause autism that they don't. Telling skeptics that their belief is not scientifically supported often backfires - strengthening, rather than weakening, their anti-vaccine views. But researchers say they have found a way to overcome some of the most entrenched anti-vaccine attitudes: Remind the skeptics, with words and images, why vaccines exist.
High academic stress linked to increased illness, injuries among college football players Coaches and trainers strive to keep their players healthy so they can perform at their maximum potentials. Injury restrictions, or limits on athletes' physical activity due to illnesses or injuries, can keep athletes on the bench for a game or even an entire season. Now, University of Missouri researchers have found college football players are more likely to experience injuries during test weeks than during training camp. The effects of academic stress on injury occurrences are even more pronounced among starting players, the researchers found.
	Our elegant brain: Motor learning in the fast lane It takes a surprisingly small cluster of brain cells deep within the cerebellum to learn how to serve a tennis ball, or line up a hockey shot. Researchers at McGill University led by Kathleen Cullen from the Department of Physiology have discovered that to learn new motor skills, neurons within the cerebellum engage in elegant, virtually mathematical, computations to quickly compare expected and actual sensory feedback. They then quickly readjust, changing the strength of connections between other neurons to form new patterns in the brain in order to accomplish the task at hand.
	Global vaccine-development fund could save thousands of lives, billions of dollars Ebola is a preventable disease, and yet a safe and effective vaccine has not been deployed. As with many vaccines, financial barriers persist: pharmaceutical companies see high costs with limited market potential, and government support is lacking.But there may be a solution to this vaccine crisis with the ability to save at-risk populations, according to a perspective piece written by physicians based at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania and the Wellcome Trust.
	FDA clears first 3-D printed prescription drug The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first prescription drug made through 3-D printing: a dissolvable tablet that treats seizures.
	FDA approves new rosacea treatment (HealthDay)—A new prescription treatment for the common skin condition rosacea was approved on Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
	Review: mHealth text messages promote medication adherence (HealthDay)—Mobile health (mHealth) short message service text messages can improve medication adherence, according to a review published online July 27 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
	Factors ID'd for MAPK treatment outcome in melanoma (HealthDay)—For patients with metastatic melanoma treated with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors, gender, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), BRAF genotype, and primary melanoma ulceration status are independent factors associated with treatment outcomes, according to research published online July 28 in Cancer.
	Novel stem cell approach promising for heart failure (HealthDay)—A new method for delivering stem cells to damaged heart muscle has shown early promise in treating severe heart failure, researchers report online July 27 in Stem Cells Translational Medicine.
	L-carnitine may reduce muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis (HealthDay)—L-carnitine appears to be safe and effective for reducing muscle cramps in patients with cirrhosis, according to a study published in the August issue of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
	Older smokers with migraines may face added stroke risk (HealthDay)—Older smokers who experience migraines appear to be at increased risk of stroke, a new study suggests. The findings were published online July 22 in Neurology.
	For obese women, exercise plus phototherapy beneficial (HealthDay)—Exercise training combined with phototherapy is associated with improvements in the metabolic profiles of obese women, according to a study published online July 29 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
	Review: risk of parasitic myoma post laparoscopic morcellation (HealthDay)—For women undergoing laparoscopic morcellation, the subsequent incidence of parasitic myomas is low, but discussion with patients should include this possibility, according to a review published online July 29 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.
	Concomitant administration of 9vHPV with MCV4/Tdap feasible (HealthDay)—For 11- to 15-year olds, concomitant administration of Gardasil 9 (9-valent human papillomavirus [9vHPV] vaccine) and Menactra (MCV4; Neisseria meningitides serotypes A/C/Y/W-135) or Adacel (Tdap; diphtheria/tetanus/acellular pertussis) is noninferior to intermittent administration, according to a study published online Aug. 3 in Pediatrics.
	Case report: pediatric nickel dermatitis caused by belt buckles (HealthDay)—Nickel dermatitis has been observed in a number of children whose symptoms resolved after avoiding contact with dimethylglyoxime (DMG)-positive belt buckles. These observations have been published as a case report online Aug. 3 in Pediatrics.
	Head injury tied to long-term attention issues in kids (HealthDay)—Children who suffer even mild brain injuries may experience momentary lapses in attention long after their accident, new research finds.
Scientists study the benefits of worms Of all the things young children put in their mouths, dirt may provoke the most concern among parents fearful that eating it will give kids worms.
	Researchers develop "intelligent" training tool to treat prostate cancer Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new approach to improve training for cryosurgery, a procedure used to treat prostate cancer by freezing and destroying the diseased tissues. The new approach will shorten the learning curve and improve the quality of the minimally invasive treatment by reducing complications, shortening recovery times and lowering health care costs.
Chronic insomnia sufferers may find relief with half of standard pill dose The roughly nine million Americans who rely on prescription sleeping pills to treat chronic insomnia may be able to get relief from as little as half of the drugs, and may even be helped by taking placebos in the treatment plan, according to new research published today in the journal Sleep Medicine by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Their findings starkly contrast with the standard prescribing practices for chronic insomnia treatment.
Web interventions for alcohol misuse A systematic evidence review published in Annals of Internal Medicine finds that low-intensity electronic interventions may slightly reduce alcohol consumption among adults and college students, but may be ineffective for reducing binge-drinking frequency and the negative social consequences associated with alcohol misuse. The evidence suggests that higher intensity interventions may be needed to reduce drinking to a level that is compliant with recommended drinking limits.
	Waiving Medicare's 3-day rule lessens hospital stay For nearly 50 years Medicare has required patients to endure at least a three-day stint in the hospital before they become eligible for coverage of skilled nursing care afterward. A new study, however, finds that the main consequence of waiving the rule, as Medicare Advantage plans commonly do, has been a good one: less time in a bed and a gown for those who go on to skilled nursing care.
Addressing social factors critical for continued fight against heart disease and stroke in America Deaths from heart attacks, strokes and other heart diseases have been declining, but social factors, including race, income, environment and education could reverse that trend according to a first of its kind scientific statement from the American Heart Association.
	Alps tests to see if altitude can boost athletes' performance Researchers have taken to the peaks of France's Mont Blanc this summer to see whether the body's production of red blood cells at high altitudes has similar effects in athletes to doping agents like EPO.
	'Brain training' app may improve memory and daily functioning of people with schizophrenia A 'brain training' iPad game developed and tested by researchers at the University of Cambridge may improve the memory of patients with schizophrenia, helping them in their daily lives at work and living independently, according to research published today.
Hard liquor: Officials seize Chinese spirits laced with Viagra Chinese authorities have seized thousands of bottles of spirits laced with chemicals used to make erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra, officials said.
	5 things about Congress' fight over Planned Parenthood Republicans will likely lose Monday's Senate showdown over halting federal aid to Planned Parenthood. Yet the political offensive by abortion foes has just started, prompted by a batch of unsettling videos that has focused attention on the group's little-noticed practice of providing fetal tissue to researchers.
Suffering in silence Female genital mutilation (FGM): the United Nations considers it a violation of human rights; the Australian Government, a criminal offence. Though it has been outlawed in many countries, the 2000-year-old practice continues, with devastating outcomes for women and girls. Angela Dawson explains why FGM must end and how we can all contribute to its abolition.
Liver disease may necessitate transplant Your liver processes all the nutrients the body requires. It produces bile, which helps the body absorb food and also eliminates potentially toxic substances. Damage to the liver can impair these and many other processes.
Irradiation of regional nodes in stage I - III breast cancer patients affects overall survival At a median follow-up of 10.9 years, an EORTC study has shown that irradiation of regional nodes in patients with stage I, II, or III breast cancer has a marginal effect on overall survival, the primary endpoint (at 10 years, overall survival was 82.3 % for regional irradiation versus 80.7% for no regional irradiation, (HR=0.87 (95%CI: 0.76, 1.00), p=0.06). The results published in the New England Journal of Medicine also showed that disease-free survival, distant-disease-free survival, and breast cancer mortality were significantly improved. Side effects were very limited, although very long-term toxicity of radiation remains unknown.
Kraft recalls cheese slices for choking risk The Kraft Heinz Co. is voluntarily recalling about 36,000 cases of Kraft Singles cheese products because some of the packaging film may stick to the slices and pose a choking hazard.
Four people dead from Legionnaires' disease in New York Four people have died from Legionnaires' disease in New York since mid-July and another 55 are currently hospitalized, city health officials said Monday.
Unsuccessful fertility treatments not linked with clinically diagnosed depression in women An analysis of data on more than 41,000 Danish women who received assisted reproductive fertility treatment shows that unsuccessful treatment is not linked with an increased risk of clinically diagnosed depression compared with successful treatment.
Not-for-profit hospitals may not trump for-profits in providing uncompensated care While not-for-profit hospitals receive substantial tax benefits, some do not provide free or subsidized care for a higher percentage of patients living in poverty than their for-profit counterparts, according to a study of California medical centers.

Biology news

	Caterpillar chemical turns ants into bodyguards A trio of researchers with Kobe University in Japan has found that lycaenid butterfly caterpillars of the Japanese oakblue variety, have dorsal nectary organ secretions that cause ants that eat the material to abandon their fellow ants to instead hang out with and defend the caterpillar against enemies. In their paper published in the journal Current Biology, Masaru Hojo, Naomi Pierce and Kazuki Tsuji describe their research into the relationship between the two creatures and why they believe the nature of that relationship needs to be reclassified.
	Sundew discovery on Facebook makes plant science news A new species of sundew has been discovered on Facebook. The find is a carnivorous sundew, Drosera magnifica. The new discovery comes from a single mountaintop in southeastern Brazil—the largest New World sundew.
	New lizard named after Sir David Attenborough A research team led by Dr Martin Whiting from the Department of Biological Sciences recently discovered a beautifully coloured new species of flat lizard, which they have named Platysaurus attenboroughi, after Sir David Attenborough.
	A look at living cells down to individual molecules EPFL scientists have been able to produce footage of the evolution of living cells at a nanoscale resolution by combining atomic force microscopy and an a super resolution optical imaging system that follows molecules that have been made to blink.
New method reveals hidden population of regulatory molecules in cells A recently discovered family of small RNA molecules, some of which have been implicated in cancer progression, has just gotten much larger thanks to a new RNA sequencing technique developed by researchers at UC Santa Cruz.
	Ocean changes are affecting salmon biodiversity and survival The biodiversity of two Northern Pacific salmon species may be at risk due to changes in ocean conditions at the equator, reports a study by the University of California, Davis.
	4 million years at Africa's salad bar As grasses grew more common in Africa, most major mammal groups tried grazing on them at times during the past 4 million years, but some of the animals went extinct or switched back to browsing on trees and shrubs, according to a study led by the University of Utah.
How the finch changes its tune Like top musicians, songbirds train from a young age to weed out errors and trim variability from their songs, ultimately becoming consistent and reliable performers. But as with human musicians, even the best are not machines. To learn and improve, the songbird brain needs to shake up its tried-and-true patterns with a healthy dose of creative experimentation. Until now, no one has found a specific mechanism by which this could occur.
An ally for the understudied Y chromosome Alexander Godfrey, a PhD student in biology at MIT, is acutely fascinated by the Y chromosome, which confers maleness. This chromosome is often considered a genetic castaway—because its complexity makes it very difficult to study—but Godfrey is undeterred. Four years into his degree, he continues to push forward, attempting to get to know a chromosome that 50 percent of the population has, but few understand.
	Rutgers tomato reinvented with even more flavor A new tomato that combines the nostalgia-inducing flavor of an heirloom with the durability of supermarket varieties is Rutgers' answer to anyone who wonders what happened to the flavorful Jersey tomatoes of the past.
	Whale shark project lets students dive into genetic research Biology undergraduates at Emory are studying genetics in a big way: They are the first to take a crack at researching the raw data from the sequence of the genome of the whale shark, the world's largest fish.
Scientist proposes new approach for conserving species While worldwide, land managers and conservationists are evaluating methods for preserving species, Paul Beier, a Regents' professor who researches wildlife ecology and conservation biology at NAU, believes one approach has the highest likelihood of success.
	Researchers identify protein crucial for stem cell survival using editing tool CRISPR In a multidisciplinary effort, a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison engineers has identified a protein that is integral to the survival and self-renewal processes of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC).
	NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array brings precision medicine one step closer to the clinic Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute successfully designed a revolutionary, high-throughput, robotic platform that automates and standardizes the process of transforming patient samples into stem cells. This unique platform, the NYSCF Global Stem Cell Array, for the first time gives researchers the scale to look at diverse populations to better understand the underlying causes of disease and create new individually tailored treatments, enabling precision medicine in patient care.
	Shifting winds, ocean currents doubled endangered Galápagos penguin population Shifts in trade winds and ocean currents powered a resurgence of endangered Galápagos penguins over the past 30 years, according to a new study. These changes enlarged a cold pool of water the penguins rely on for food and breeding - an expansion that could continue as the climate changes over the coming decades, the study's authors said.
	Where commerce & conservation clash: Bushmeat trade grows with economy in 13-year study The bushmeat market in the city of Malabo is bustling—more so today than it was nearly two decades ago, when Gail Hearn, PhD, began what is now one of the region's longest continuously running studies of commercial hunting activity. At the peak of recorded activity in 2010, on any given day more than 30 freshly killed primates, such as Bioko red-eared monkeys and drills, were brought to market and sold to shoppers seeking such high-priced delicacies.
	Delta Air Lines bans big game trophy shipments In the wake of the scandal over the killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe, US airline Delta on Monday banned the shipment of big game trophies on its flights.

---

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