Science X Newsletter Sunday, Aug 30

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Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 30, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- One year and counting: Mars isolation experiment begins
- New Horizons team selects potential Kuiper Belt flyby target
- Tiny, wireless pacemaker could be surgery-free option, study shows
- Boeing's weapon against drones: Think laser, think welding torch

Astronomy & Space news

	One year and counting: Mars isolation experiment begins Six people shut themselves inside a dome for a year in Hawaii, in the longest US isolation experiment aimed at helping NASA prepare for a pioneering journey to Mars.
	New Horizons team selects potential Kuiper Belt flyby target NASA has selected the potential next destination for the New Horizons mission to visit after its historic July 14 flyby of the Pluto system. The destination is a small Kuiper Belt object (KBO) known as 2014 MU69 that orbits nearly a billion miles beyond Pluto.
	Don't make us hitch rides with Russia: NASA chief The head of NASA appealed to Congress on Friday to put more money into restoring America's ability to send astronauts into space instead of relying on Russian rockets.

Technology news

	Boeing's weapon against drones: Think laser, think welding torch Consider a contest of unmanned aerial vehicle versus energy. And one where energy wins. Boeing has a compact laser weapons system to pull the win off. The system directs energy on its targets, focusing energy on a spot in order to damage the target. Think of it as a welding torch, said Isaac Neal, Boeing engineer, but from many hundreds of meters away.
	Twitter sets modest goals to diversity its workforce Twitter is setting modest goals to diversify its workforce while it fights a proposed class-action lawsuit that says the online messaging service discriminates against its female employees.
	UK prosecutors mull charges for News Corp. over hacking British prosecutors say they are considering corporate charges against Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. over phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid.
	At a virtual reality expo, VR comes in many forms A few inches above the floor, a man is suspended from a swing-like apparatus pretending he's flying over a mountain. Around the corner, a woman is defending herself against a horde of zombies with a make-believe gun. Several feet away, two guys are seemingly racing in cars over 100 mph while both sit still.
Hong Kong banks turn to start-ups for tech edge Hong Kong's towering skyline is dominated by major banks and investment houses—but smaller start-ups are playing an increasing role on the financial landscape.
Feds win fight for access to indicted Paul aide's Gmail Federal prosecutors prevailed Friday in their yearlong fight to force Google Inc. to turn over the emails of an indicted Republican consultant with close ties to Ron and Rand Paul.

Medicine & Health news

	Tiny, wireless pacemaker could be surgery-free option, study shows A tiny, wireless pacemaker could offer some heart patients a surgery-free alternative to the traditional devices, a new study says. Some doctors, however, say there are lingering safety questions and warned patients not to rush to get the new technology.
A single cocaine dose lowers perceptions of sadness and anger A single dose of cocaine can interfere with the ability to recognise negative emotions, according to new research presented at the ECNP conference in Amsterdam.
Scientists show how magnetic pulses change the brain in treatment for depressed patients A group of UK scientists have found a way of understanding how transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can give relief to severely depressed patients. TMS is used as an alternative to Electro-Convulsive Therapy (ECT), but it is not known how it achieves its therapeutic effect. Understanding how it works may open the door to better, more targeted treatment for depression and other conditions.
How can we prevent suicide? Major study shows risk factors associated with depression A major multi-national study of suicides has identified the behaviour patterns which precede many suicide attempts. This may lead to changes in clinical practice in the care of patients affected with depression, as it shows the clinical factors which confer major risk of suicide attempts.
ESC recommends DNA analysis in post mortems of young sudden death victims ESC Guidelines published today recommend DNA analysis as a fundamental component of post mortem assessment in young sudden death victims. Identification of a genetic cause helps to quickly diagnose and protect relatives.
ESC infective endocarditis guidelines boost role of imaging in diagnosis ESC Guidelines published today on infective endocarditis boost the role of imaging in diagnosis of this deadly disease.
	Confidence in parenting could help break cycle of abuse To understand how confidence in parenting may predict parenting behaviors in women who were abused as children, psychologists at the University of Rochester have found that mothers who experienced more types of maltreatment as children are more critical of their ability to parent successfully. Intervention programs for moms at-risk, therefore, should focus on bolstering mothers' self-confidence—not just teach parenting skills, the researchers said.
Novel treatment algorithm launched in ESC/ERS pulmonary hypertension guidelines A novel treatment algorithm for pulmonary arterial hypertension is launched today in new pulmonary hypertension guidelines from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Respiratory Society (ERS). The protocol aims to give patients the best chance of a good clinical outcome in a condition with dismal prognosis which puts severe limitations on patient choices including avoiding pregnancy, excessive physical activity and certain types of travel.
	Coffee linked with increased cardiovascular risk in young adults with mild hypertension Coffee drinking is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events (mainly heart attacks) in young adults (18-45) with mild hypertension, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Lucio Mos, a cardiologist at Hospital of San Daniele del Friuli in Udine, Italy. The 12 year study in more than 1 200 patients found that heavy coffee drinkers had a four-fold increased risk while moderate drinkers tripled their risk. Future prediabetes attenuated the associations suggesting that the effect of coffee on cardiovascular events may be mediated by its long term influence on blood pressure and glucose metabolism.
	Midday naps associated with reduced blood pressure and fewer medications Midday naps are associated with reduced blood pressure levels and prescription of fewer antihypertensive medications, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Manolis Kallistratos, a cardiologist at Asklepieion Voula General Hospital in Athens, Greece.
Depression and extremes of blood pressure predict highest rates of harmful vascular events Depressive symptoms and extremes of blood pressure predict the highest rates of harmful vascular events in patients with existing heart disease, diabetes or stroke, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Bhautesh Jani, clinical academic fellow in the Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK.
Refractory cardiac arrest patients brought to hospital with ongoing CPR can recover Refractory cardiac arrest patients brought to hospital with ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can survive with good brain function, according to research in nearly 4 000 patients presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Helle Søholm, a cardiologist at Copenhagen University Hospital Righospitalet in Denmark.
Pollution and weather influence outcomes after heart attack Pollution and weather influence outcomes after a heart attack, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Ms Aneta Cislak, research fellow in the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases, Medical University of Silesia in Zabrze, Poland.
Prolonged television watchers have higher risk of fatal pulmonary embolism Prolonged television watchers have a higher risk of fatal pulmonary embolism, a condition associated with long haul flights, reveals research presented at ESC Congress today by Mr Toru Shirakawa, public health research fellow in the Department of Social Medicine at Osaka University in Japan. The 18 year study in more than 86 000 people found that watching an average of five or more hours of television per day was associated with twice the risk of fatal pulmonary embolism as watching less than two and a half hours daily.
CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest should be conducted for at least 35 minutes Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest should be conducted for at least 35 minutes, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Yoshikazu Goto, associate professor and director of the Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine at Kanazawa University Hospital in Kanazawa, Japan. The study in more than 17 000 patients found that nearly all survivals were achieved within 35 minutes and longer CPR achieved little benefit.
	Cold weather linked to increased stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients Cold weather is associated with increased risk of ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Tze-Fan Chao, cardiologist at Taipei Veterans General Hospital and the National Yang-Ming University in Taiwan.1 The study in nearly 290 000 patients suggests that cool climate may be an underrated issue for health that deserves more attention.
Ezetimibe reduces cardiovascular events in diabetics with recent acute coronary syndrome Ezetimibe reduces cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes and a recent acute coronary syndrome, according to a subgroup analysis of the IMPROVE-IT trial presented at ESC Congress today by co-principal investigator Dr Robert Giugliano, physician in cardiovascular medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, US. Ezetimibe achieved greater reductions in LDL cholesterol than statins alone, resulting in lower risks of cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes. The benefits observed in diabetics were greater than in those without diabetes.
Surprise cardiac finding predicts future risk In patients with chronic ischemic heart disease, a small left ventricle with thick walls, is the strongest predictor of morphologic remodelling, which is generally considered a first step towards heart failure, according to unexpected findings presented today at ESC Congress 2015.
Treating left atrial appendage could dampen long standing persistent AF In patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) despite standard treatment, additional electrical isolation of an area called the left atrial appendage (LAA) can improve freedom from AF without increasing complications, results of the BELIEF study show.
Leadless pacemaker study assesses safety and efficacy A leadless cardiac pacemaker showed "good safety and reliable function" during the initial six months of follow-up in the LEADLESS II study, investigators reported during a Hot Line presentation at the ESC congress 2015.
Young adults living in polluted city show early signs of cardiovascular risk Young adults living in a polluted city show early signs of cardiovascular risk, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Krzysztof Bryniarski from Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum in Krakow, Poland. Residing in a polluted city was associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers in otherwise healthy adolescents and young adults, which indicate a greater risk of having a heart attack in future.
Air pollution associated with increased heart attack risk despite 'safe' levels Particulate matter and NO2 air pollution are associated with increased risk of severe heart attacks despite being within European recommended levels, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Jean-Francois Argacha, a cardiologist at University Hospital Brussels (UZ Brussel-Vrije Universiteit Brussel), in Belgium.
Antimineralocorticoids offer no benefit in heart attack patients without heart failure Heart attack patients without heart failure derive no benefit from the addition of mineralocortoid receptor antagonists (MRA), to standard therapy, results of the ALBATROSS study show.
Rapid, more sensitive test speeds up chest pain triage Patients arriving at the emergency department with chest pain suggestive of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can be triaged more quickly and more safely using a new rapid assay with refined cut-offs, German research suggests.
Antiarrhythmia drugs no impact on late AF recurrence In patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation, the addition of antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) for 90 days after the procedure did not reduce arrhythmia recurrence rates at one year, according to results of the Efficacy of Antiarrhythmic Drugs Short-Term Use after Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation (EAST-AF) trial.
	Cold weather associated with higher risk of severe heart attack Cold weather is associated with a higher risk of severe heart attack, according to research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Shuangbo Liu, adult cardiology resident at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. The six year study found that each 10°C drop in temperature was associated with a 7% increased risk of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the most severe form of heart attack.
Multiple risk factors cancel impact of atrial fibrillation on ischemic stroke risk The impact of atrial fibrillation on ischaemic stroke risk in elderly patients is eliminated with multiple risk factors, according to an 11 year study in more than 425 000 patients presented at ESC Congress today. The findings suggest that stroke prevention in the elderly may need to focus on the concomitant effects of multiple risk factors rather than on a specific risk factor such as atrial fibrillation (AF).
Peri-infarct pacing does not improve outcomes in patients with large myocardial infarction In patients with a large myocardical infarction (MI), pacing, with the left ventricular (LV) lead placed in the area of the lesion (peri-infarct) did not prevent further enlargement of the heart (remodeling), nor did it improve functional or clinical outcomes after 18 months, according to results of the Pacing Remodeling Prevention Therapy trial (PRomPT) trial.
Efforts to improve AED usage increase bystander defibrillation in public but not at home Efforts to improve automated external defibrillator (AED) usage increase bystander defibrillation in public places but not at home, reveals a study of more than 25 000 cardiac arrest patients presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Steen Hansen, a PhD student in the Department of Health, Science and Technology at Aalborg University in Denmark. Efforts included increased numbers of AEDs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education and a nationwide AED registry.
Adenosine triphosphate does not improve efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation Late recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) is not reduced in patients whose pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) treatment incorporates the addition of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), according to results of the UNDER-ATP trial.
Bystander CPR linked to lower nursing home admission and brain damage after cardiac arrest Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been linked to a 30% lower risk of nursing home admission and brain damage in survivors of cardiac arrest outside hospital in research presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Kristian Kragholm, a PhD student in the Department of Anesthesiology, Cardiovascular Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark.
	'Awakenings' author, neurologist Oliver Sacks dies at 82 There was the blind man who had the disastrous experience of regaining his sight. The surgeon who developed a sudden passion for music after being struck by lightning. And most famously, the man who mistook his wife for a hat.
	Research shows testosterone changes brain structures in female-to-male transsexuals Brain imaging shows that testosterone therapy given as part of sex reassignment changes the brain structures and the pathway associated with speech and verbal fluency. This result supports research that women in general may deal with speech and interaction differently than men.
Clinical trial: First treatment for 'emotional flatness' associated with schizophrenia Results of a clinical trial seem to show the first effective treatment for the negative symptoms - withdrawal, lack of emotion, and apathy - associated with schizophrenia. This work is presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology conference in Amsterdam.
Psychotic patients distinguished from controls while watching movie 'Alice in Wonderland' Researchers using fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) have found that even first-episode psychotic patients process information differently from a control group. To ensure both groups experienced the same brain stimuli, the measurements were taken while the subjects watched a movie, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. The work is being presented at the 28th ECNP Conference in Amsterdam.
Legionnaires' kills 2 Illinois veterans' home residents Two residents of an Illinois veterans' home have died of Legionnaires' Disease, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Friday.
ESC guidelines recommend radial approach for percutaneous coronary interventions in ACS For the first time, ESC Guidelines published today give the highest degree of recommendation for the radial approach over the femoral one for coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The ACS without persistent ST-segment elevation (NSTE-ACS) guidelines, drafted by an international multidisciplinary Task Force, are published online in European Heart Journal and on the ESC Website.
New ESC guidelines on pericardial diseases published today New ESC Guidelines on pericardial diseases are published today. Until now there was insufficient evidence for strong recommendations in this group of conditions which can severely restrict quality of life.
Patient education does not impact apixaban adherence Adherence to the oral anticoagulant apixaban among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) was no better for those who received an educational program compared to those who did not, results of the international, randomised AEGEAN trial show.
Cyclosporine does not improve outcomes after PCI The immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine did not improve clinical outcomes compared to placebo in patients receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for the more severe form of heart attack known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).
Sierra Leone: Officials confirm new Ebola death Health officials in Sierra Leone on Sunday confirmed an Ebola death less than a week after the country's last known patient was discharged from a hospital.

Biology news

Growing numbers of rhinos poached for horns in South Africa: minister The number of rhinos killed by poachers in South Africa continued to climb this year, with demand for rhino horn in Asia pushing the slaughter ever higher, the government said Sunday.

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