Science X Newsletter Tuesday, Aug 25

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for August 25, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Magnon, meet phonon: Magnetoelastic waves can drive magnetic bubbles through photoexcitation
- Electrical circuit made of gel can repair itself
- Quantum dot solar windows go non-toxic, colorless, with record efficiency
- Another milestone in hybrid artificial photosynthesis
- Study reveals how nanochannels select potassium ions
- Mimic woodpecker fools competing birds, but genetics expose its true identity
- Made faster, costing less, robotic hand wins Dyson award
- Tech startups want to change the way you drive
- Effect of physical activity, nutrient supplementation interventions on cognition
- Biophysicists take small step in quest for 'robot scientist'
- Study shows no benefit of omega-3 supplements for cognitive decline
- Research trio outlines ways nanodiamonds are being used to treat cancer
- Archaeologists unearth ancient Greek palace near Sparta
- University student pleads guilty to making Android spy app
- IRIS and Hinode: A Stellar research team

Astronomy & Space news

	Ceres image: The lonely mountain NASA's Dawn spacecraft spotted this tall, conical mountain on Ceres from a distance of 915 miles (1,470 kilometers).
	Dawn spacecraft sends sharper scenes from Ceres The closest-yet views of Ceres, delivered by NASA's Dawn spacecraft, show the small world's features in unprecedented detail, including Ceres' tall, conical mountain; crater formation features and narrow, braided fractures.
	IRIS and Hinode: A Stellar research team Modern telescopes and satellites have helped us measure the blazing hot temperatures of the sun from afar. Mostly the temperatures follow a clear pattern: The sun produces energy by fusing hydrogen in its core, so the layers surrounding the core generally get cooler as you move outwards—with one exception. Two NASA missions have just made a significant step towards understanding why the corona—the outermost, wispy layer of the sun's atmosphere —is hundreds of times hotter than the lower photosphere, which is the sun's visible surface.
	Eyeing the stars: Ethiopia's space programme High above the crowded streets of Addis Ababa, among fields where farmers lead oxen dragging wooden ploughs, sits Ethiopia's space programme.
Japanese whisky arrives at the International Space Station An unmanned cargo ship loaded with emergency supplies—including Japanese whisky—successfully docked at the International Space Station early Tuesday, officials said.
	Image: Feathery filaments in Mon R2 Fierce flashes of light ripple through delicate tendrils of gas in this new image, from ESA's Herschel space observatory, which shows the dramatic heart of a large and dense cosmic cloud known as Mon R2. This cloud lies some 2700 light-years away and is studded with hot, newly-formed stars.
	How do stars go rogue? Rogue stars are moving so quickly they're leaving the Milky Way, and never coming back. How in the universe could this happen?
	Boosting your body for lift off: NASA's One-Year Mission investigates the metabolism Everyone wants a metabolism boost, but understanding the processes that convert food to energy is challenging, and even more so in space. Achieving optimal health requires a proactive approach and a holistic view of all the integrated functions of the body.

Technology news

	Celebrating Hawaii ocean thermal energy conversion power plant An ocean thermal energy conversion power plant has gone operational; it was celebrated at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority earlier this month. The governor of Hawaii, David Ige, "flipped the switch" to activate the plant.
	Study identifies new cheating method in MOOCs While the proliferation of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has expanded learning opportunities for individuals around the world, the digital classroom is also subject to many of the same issues as the traditional one, such as cheating.
	Surgeons may get remote assistance with new 'telementoring' system Researchers at Purdue University and the Indiana University School of Medicine are developing an "augmented reality telementoring" system to provide effective support to surgeons on the battlefield from specialists located thousands of miles away.
	Researcher develops unmanned aerial vehicles that operate autonomously in constrained spaces and unmapped environments The popular term "drone," which conjures images of remote-controlled flying zombies, is becoming less and less descriptive of the latest unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). New applications are requiring more autonomy and intelligence from UAVs.
	When computers learn to understand doctors' notes, the world will be a better place Train a computer to read medical records, and you could do a world of good. Doctors could use it to look for dangerous trends in their patients' health. Researchers could speed drugs to market by quickly finding appropriate patients for clinical trials. They could also find previously overlooked associations. By keeping track of data points across tens of thousands, or millions, of medical records, computer models could find patterns that would never occur to individual researchers. Maybe Asian women in their 40s with type 2 diabetes respond well to a certain combination of medications, while white men in their 60s do not, for example.
	Biophysicists take small step in quest for 'robot scientist' Biophysicists have taken another small step forward in the quest for an automated method to infer models describing a system's dynamics - a so-called robot scientist. Nature Communications published the finding - a practical algorithm for inferring laws of nature from time-series data of dynamical systems.
	Tech startups want to change the way you drive A veteran computer scientist hates sitting in his car at stop lights, so he creates software that makes the experience less annoying. A former engineering professor wants to double the range of today's electric vehicles. And an aeronautics expert believes flying cars shouldn't be science fiction.
	Made faster, costing less, robotic hand wins Dyson award The Open Bionics robotic hand for amputees, a prototype, has won the Dyson Award UK engineering prize. The hand now has the chance to compete for the international title. The Engineer referred to this winner of "the UK leg of the James Dyson Award, an annual prize established by the prominent industrialist's charitable trust, The James Dyson foundation."
	University student pleads guilty to making Android spy app A Carnegie Mellon University student who hoped to sell enough malicious software to infect 450,000 Google Android smartphones pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal law meant to prevent hacking of phones and computers.
SK Hynix to invest $38 billion over 10 years South Korea's SK Hynix Inc., the world's second-largest memory chip maker, announced Tuesday it would spend 46 trillion won (US$38 billion) in facility investments over the next 10 years.
Nevada man pleads guilty to sending spam to Facebook users A Nevada man pleaded guilty Monday to sending more than 27 million spam messages to Facebook users, federal officials said.
	Comfortable EEG headset increases user comfort and achieves high signal quality Today, imec, Holst Centre, and the Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) faculty of Delft University of Technology, announced the introduction of a new wireless electroencephalogram (EEG) headset that can be worn comfortably and achieves a high-quality EEG signal. The headset enables effective brain-computer interfacing and can monitor emotions and mood in daily life situations using a smartphone application.
	Electric aircraft—the future of aviation or wishful thinking? Since the dawn of aviation, planes have primarily been powered by carbon-based fuels such as gasoline or kerosene. These contain a lot of energy for their weight, providing the vast power required to lift large commercial airliners on journeys across the globe. But with oil resources declining and penalties on greenhouse gas emissions increasing, the future of aviation is dependent on finding an alternative power source. Is electricity the answer?
	Shoreham crash will bring safety changes, but airshows are here to stay The tragic Shoreham Airshow crash has turned the spotlight on the safety of airshows, after a 57-year-old Hawker Hunter T7 failed to pull out of an aerobatic manoeuvre. With 11 and perhaps up to 20 people killed this should cause us to re-examine the industry in detail.
	Drones used to track wildlife Researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) and The University of Sydney have developed a world-first radio-tracking drone to locate radio-tagged wildlife.
	TuneIn radio app starts $8 tier with MLB, soccer, audiobooks TuneIn, the app that gives users free access to thousands of live radio stations around the world, is launching an $8-a-month premium subscription service that throws in ad-free listening, audiobooks and live play-by-play coverage of Major League Baseball and soccer from the Premier League and the Bundesliga.
	Ashley Madison users in US sue cheating website over breach (Update) Eight people across the U.S. who registered to use Ashley Madison are suing the website for cheaters after hackers released personal and detailed information of millions of users, including financial data and sexual proclivities.
The catch of the day: Fishing for research data at the Museum of Science People of all ages recently lined up to do some fishing at the Museum of Science in Boston. And oddly, the fish they hoped to hook were not good ones.
	Chinese smartphone market expected to cool this year: report The once-hot smartphone market in China is expected to cool this year, growing a meager 1.2 percent, according to a report released Tuesday.
Audit: California agencies vulnerable to IT security breach Many California state agencies are not complying with the state's information technology standards, leaving them vulnerable to a major security breach of sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, health information or tax returns, the state auditor reported Tuesday.
Uber to work with UofA on mapping, self-driving cars Uber is partnering with the University of Arizona to develop mapping technology as the ride-hailing company expands its research of driverless car technology.
	Less-lethal weapons get new interest amid police shootings Less-lethal weapons are drawing new interest as a series of fatal police shootings have sparked outrage and protests around the country.
Dutch nutritional supplement maker DSM to cut 900-1,100 jobs Dutch nutritional supplements and chemicals company Royal DSM NV says it is laying off between 900 and 1,100 staff worldwide as part of a reorganization of its businesses.
	Russia lifts Wikipedia ban after it edits drugs entry (Update) Russia's media watchdog said Tuesday it had lifted a short-lived ban on Russian-language Wikipedia over an entry on a form of cannabis.
	Obama makes case for renewable energy US President Barack Obama made a full-throated defense of renewable energy, hitting coal-championing critics as free market hypocrites.
	Kick detection system provides early warnings for safer drilling The perception of oil and gas well control has evolved over the last century. In the late 1800s and early1900s, blowouts were held in high esteem, with "gushers" romanticized as a symbol of prosperity. Over time, however, these gushers became associated with the destruction of materials, human and environmental impacts, and a loss of marketable resources, leading to development of well control technologies.
	The suite life: tour the most-exclusive ways to travel For those with unlimited bank accounts, travel has never been so glamorous.
	Molten glass 3-D printer produces optically transparent glass A new additive manufacturing technique uses an innovative process for printing molten glass at sufficiently high temperatures, layering it to produce strong 3D-printed glass objects able to transmit light. The modular, scalable printer, combined with a Computer-Assisted Design (CAD) printing process, makes it possible to tailor the size, shape, and properties of the printed glass parts, as described in an article in 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing.
	Review: 'Until Dawn' adds clever twists to teen horror genre Years of horror movies have taught us the proper response to an invitation to spend a weekend at a cabin in the woods: No thanks.
	Seven New Yorkers arrested over 'Internet brothel' Seven New Yorkers were arrested and charged with promoting male prostitution on Tuesday through an "Internet brothel" offering sex to paid-subscribers across the world, prosecutors said.

Medicine & Health news

	New study provides links between inflammation and colon cancer metastasis A new Arizona State University research study led by Biodesign Institute executive director Raymond DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., has identified for the first time the details of how inflammation triggers colon cancer cells to spread to other organs, or metastasize.
	Making a mistake can be rewarding, study finds Many political leaders, scientists, educators and parents believe that failure is the best teacher.
	Study suggests the mind flexibly joins the meanings of individual words to form structured thoughts (Medical Xpress)—A pair of researchers with Harvard University has found evidence that supports the idea that the human mind flexibly merges the meanings of single words to form or compose structured thoughts. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Steven Frankland and Joshua Greene describe the study they conducted and why they believe what they learned helps in understanding how the human thought process works.
	Study shows no benefit of omega-3 supplements for cognitive decline While some research suggests that a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids can protect brain health, a large clinical trial by researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that omega-3 supplements did not slow cognitive decline in older persons. With 4,000 patients followed over a five-year period, the study is one of the largest and longest of its kind. It was published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Adaptive mutation mechanism may explain some forms of antibiotic resistance Evolutionary theory says mutations are blind and occur randomly. But in the phenomenon of adaptive mutation, cells can peek under the blindfold, increasing their mutation rate in response to stress.
	Study validates monkey model of visual perception A new study from The Journal of Neuroscience shows that humans and rhesus monkeys have very similar abilities in recognizing objects "at a glance," validating the use of this animal model in the study of human visual perception. In the study, published August 26, humans and monkeys not only demonstrated similar ease in recognizing objects in varied positions and landscapes, but both species also tended to make the same errors.
	Effect of physical activity, nutrient supplementation interventions on cognition Two studies in the August 25 issue of JAMA examine the effect of physical activity and nutrient supplementation on cognitive function.
	Dementia cases to nearly triple by 2050, report says The number of people with dementia worldwide will nearly triple from 47 million today to 132 million in 2050, a report said Tuesday.
	Low-dose aspirin, other painkillers may lower colon cancer risk (HealthDay)—Regularly taking low-dose aspirin or other common pain relievers may lower long-term risk of colon cancer, new research suggests.
	Steroid injections probably won't help your lower back pain (HealthDay)—Steroid injections for lower back pain may provide some relief for certain patients, but any benefits are temporary, a new study finds.
	Travel time can hamper follow-up chemo, study says (HealthDay)—The farther they have to travel, the less likely cancer patients are to receive follow-up chemotherapy after surgery, a new study finds.
	Patients with abnormally fast heart rhythms to benefit from modification to treatment A simple, safe and cost-free modification to a physical technique used to treat patients in the emergency department with an abnormally fast heart rhythm could improve its effectiveness by more than a quarter, according to a study published in The Lancet today (25 August 2015).
Researcher studies how language shapes our ability to process information In an increasingly globalised world, there are many practical benefits to speaking two languages rather than one. Even in the US, which is largely monolingual, more than 20 percent of the population is now thought to speak a second language.
Discovery of novel mechanism for blood vessel formation suggests new vascular therapies An international team of researchers, including scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), has shed new light on how the circulatory system and blood vessels are formed in the embryo. The discovery lays the groundwork for the development of new vascular drugs and treatments. The study was reported in the life sciences journal, eLife.
	First laboratory study explaining effects of marijuana compound Addiction researchers are only beginning to understand how dozens of chemical compounds found in the marijuana plant, known as cannabinoids, influence human health and behavior.
	Scientists develop novel technique for kidney research One in four patients treated with the widely used anti-cancer drug cisplatin develop chronic kidney disease. To better understand how the treatment leads to kidney damage, and possibly prevent it, a team of researchers at Yale School of Medicine developed a new 3D-imaging technique to peer deep into these vital organs.
	Researchers track racers fighting sleep deprivation QUT researchers are monitoring the sleep deprivation of some of the world's best endurance athletes as they race non-stop for up to 10 days, fighting off the "sleep monsters".
	Patent awarded to medical school scientist for new heart failure therapy A patent has been issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to a University of Hawai'i at Mānoa medical researcher who has developed a novel therapy to treat and prevent heart failure.
	Obesity drug may be on the horizon after study pinpoints genetic mechanism Nearly half of all Europeans are genetically predisposed to obesity. The condition is a worldwide epidemic affecting more than half a billion people and rising every year in most countries.
E-health vital in battle against heart disease say European cardiology leaders E-health is vital to winning the battle against heart disease, European cardiology leaders said today in a European Society of Cardiology (ESC) position paper published in European Heart Journal. The novel paper outlines how the ESC will exploit e-health in education and research, while tackling issues of quality control and data security.
Measuring macular pigment offers potential as a biomarker of cognitive health Ongoing European Research Council-funded research at Waterford Institute of Technology's (WIT) Macular Pigment Research Group (MPRG) is investigating the potential link between cognitive function and levels of a vital eye pigment linked to diet. The study suggests that measuring macular pigment offers potential as a biomarker of cognitive health. The results of this study are highlighted to a global audience through the prestigious international medical journal, the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
	Gut feeling restored by growth outside the body University of Manchester scientists have bridged a gap between two separate pieces of small intestine kept alive outside the body, in an advance which could have implications for surgery in human adults and babies.
	New research finds a way to reverse children's racial stereotyping New research by a University of Delaware psychological scientist and his collaborators across the globe has found a simple exercise that can undo the unconscious racial biases that young children have—biases that may begin to develop as early as infancy.
	Is incense bad for your health? The burning of incense might need to come with a health warning. This follows the first study evaluating the health risks associated with its indoor use. The effects of incense and cigarette smoke were also compared, and made for some surprising results. The research was led by Rong Zhou of the South China University of Technology and the China Tobacco Guangdong Industrial Company in China, and is published in Springer's journal Environmental Chemistry Letters.
Holocaust survivors pass on trauma to their children's genes An international team lead by Rachel Yehuda, professor at Mount Sinai hospital in New York, and for the molecular analyses Elisabeth Binder, director at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, studied the genes of 32 Jewish individuals who had been held in concentration camps, experienced torture or had been forced into hiding during the Second World War. The researchers additionally examined the genes of the group's children who are known to have an increased likelihood of stress disorders, and compared the results with Jewish families living outside Europe during the Holocaust.
	Researchers identify signature of microbiomes associated with schizophrenia In the most comprehensive study to date, researchers at the George Washington University have identified a potential link between microbes (viruses, bacteria and fungi) in the throat and schizophrenia. This link may offer a way to identify causes and develop treatments of the disease and lead to new diagnostic tests.
	Flu remedies help combat E. coli bacteria If the intestinal bacteria level becomes unbalanced, it can cause diseases. Physiologists from the University of Zurich reveal how a specific carbohydrate in the intestinal mucosa heavily multiplies certain E. coli bacteria and thus causes inflammations. These could be treated with flu remedies, which opens up new therapeutic possibilities.
Women undergoing fertility treatment can succeed with fewer hormones Since the early days of fertility treatment, women undergoing IVF treatment have had to place a hormonal gel in their vagina on a daily basis for at least 14 days after embryo transfer. The hormone is necessary to increase the chances of pregnancy, but it may also cause some side effects in the form of irritation and leaky discharge.
Lemon juice and human norovirus Noroviruses are the predominant cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in community settings such as hospitals, cruise ships, and schools. The virus is extremely contagious and is mostly transmitted via "fecal-oral-route", i.e., through contaminated hands or contaminated food. Symptoms include violent and sudden onset of diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea.
	Relapse, poor survival in leukemia linked to genetic mutations that persist in remission For patients with an often-deadly form of leukemia, new research suggests that lingering cancer-related mutations - detected after initial treatment with chemotherapy - are associated with an increased risk of relapse and poor survival.
New study finds black women have higher frequency of BRCA mutations than previously reported Women who have inherited mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes are more likely to develop breast cancer or ovarian cancer, especially at a younger age. Approximately 5 percent of women with breast cancer in the United States have mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 based on estimates in non-Hispanic white women. Moffitt Cancer Center researchers recently conducted the largest U.S. based study of BRCA mutation frequency in young black women diagnosed with breast cancer at or below age 50 and discovered they have a much higher BRCA mutation frequency than that previously reported among young white women with breast cancer.
	Smart phone not a smart choice when facing depression Depressed people who turn to their smart phones for relief may only be making things worse.
	'Lazy eye' may bully the brain into altering its wiring Colorful and expressive, the eyes are central to the way people interact with each other, as well as take in their surroundings.
	Pregnancy is a missed opportunity for HIV-infected women to gain control over condition Pregnancy could be a turning point for HIV-infected women, when they have the opportunity to manage their infection, prevent transmission to their new baby and enter a long-term pattern of maintenance of HIV care after giving birth—but most HIV-infected women aren't getting that chance. That is the major message from a pair of new studies in Philadelphia, one published early online this month in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, and the other published in July in PLOS ONE.
	School lunch study: Visual proof kids are tossing mandated fruits and veggies in trash Less than a month before Congress votes on whether to reauthorize a controversial program mandating healthier school lunches, a new study confirms the suspicions of school officials - many students are putting the fruits and vegetables they're now required to take straight into the trash, consuming fewer than they did before the law took effect.
New Yorker cartoons reveal attitudes toward parenting Jaclyn Tabor and Jessica Calarco tap a novel data source to track changing attitudes toward parenting during the 20th and early 21st centuries: cartoons in the New Yorker magazine.
	Less may be more in slowing cholera epidemics An oral cholera vaccine that is in short supply could treat more people and save more lives in crisis situations, if one dose were dispensed instead of the recommended two, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research suggests.
	Genetic study finds association between reduced vitamin D and multiple sclerosis risk Genetic findings support observational evidence that lower vitamin D levels are associated with increased risk of multiple sclerosis, according to a new research article by Brent Richards, from McGill University, Canada, and colleagues published this week in PLOS Medicine.
	Quitting smoking after heart attack gives quick boost to mental health, quality of life A new study shows that quitting smoking after a heart attack has immediate benefits, including less chest pain, better quality of daily life and improved mental health. Many of these improvements became apparent as little as one month after quitting and are more pronounced after one year, according to the research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Misconduct-related separation from the military linked with risk of being homeless Among U.S. veterans who returned from Afghanistan and Iraq, being separated from the military for misconduct was associated with an increased risk of homelessness, according to a study in the August 25 issue of JAMA.
Pitt, Drexel, and NIH team up to study persistence of Ebola virus in wastewater The historic outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa that began in March 2014 and has killed more than 11,000 people since, has raised new questions about the resilience of the virus and tested scientists' understanding of how to contain it. The latest discovery by a group of microbial risk-assessment and virology researchers suggests that the procedures for disposal of Ebola-contaminated liquid waste might underestimate the virus' ability to survive in wastewater.
Delay in administration of adrenaline and survival for children with cardiac arrest Among children with in-hospital cardiac arrest with an initial nonshockable heart rhythm who received epinephrine (adrenaline), delay in administration of epinephrine was associated with a decreased chance of 24-hour survival and survival to hospital discharge, according to a study in the August 25 issue of JAMA.
	Transplanting a womb: Q&A on revolutionary Swedish technique A Swedish doctor has accomplished what many had deemed impossible by transplanting wombs into women and delivering four healthy babies so far—with a fifth soon on the way. Here are questions and answers about the revolutionary procedure.
	Three generations of Swedish family linked by single womb For one family in Sweden, a pioneering procedure has led to a baby being born from the same womb that nurtured his mother, uniting three generations.
Playing adaptive sports linked to higher employment, economic impact Wheelchair rugby and basketball players are aggressive, conditioned and determined, just like people without disabilities. Unlike them, though, is their likelihood of employment and economic independence. A new study from the University of Houston Department of Health and Human Performance (HHP) finds playing an adaptive sport can have dramatic results on the athlete and the economy.
	Injectable cryogel-based whole-cell cancer vaccines New research led by Wyss Core Faculty member David Mooney, Ph.D., in collaboration with researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute could potentially yield a new platform for cancer vaccines. Leveraging a biologically inspired sponge-like gel called "cryogel" as an injectable biomaterial, the vaccine delivers patient-specific tumor cells together with immune-stimulating biomolecules to enhance the body's attack againstcancer. The approach, a so-called "injectable cryogel whole-cell cancer vaccine", is reported online in Nature Communications on August 12.
	Mental visual imaging training improves multiple sclerosis patients' well-being Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS), the most common form of the disease, often have deficits in two neuropsychological functions, autobiographical memory (AM) and episodic future thinking (EFT), which impact quality of life. In a new study published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience, researchers report that training RR-MS patients in mental visual imagery (MVI) can improve AM/EFT functioning.
	Promising target for new drugs found in pancreatic cancer cells Pancreatic cancer is extremely deadly and often has a poor prognosis. Ranked as the fourth deadliest cancer in the U.S. and poised to move up within the next few years, pancreatic cancer is very difficult to detect in its early stages. Seldom diagnosed early and typically spreading rapidly, the disease has no effective treatment once it advances.
	Many parents put 'food pressure' on their kids, study finds (HealthDay)—New research finds that parents of overweight kids are more likely to restrict their children's food intake—a potentially bad idea—if they themselves are carrying extra pounds.
	Acupuncture best for hot flashes in breast cancer survivors, study finds (HealthDay News) —Needles beat pills for treating hot flashes in breast cancer survivors, according to a new trial that compared acupuncture, "sham" acupuncture, the medication gabapentin and a placebo pill.
	Circulating tumor cell assays may play role in managing bladder CA (HealthDay)—Circulating tumor cell assays may have a role in the management of bladder cancer, according to a study published in the September issue of The Journal of Urology.
	Catheter-directed, low-dose fibrinolysis safe, effective for PE (HealthDay)—Ultrasound-facilitated, catheter-directed, low-dose fibrinolysis appears safe and efficacious for acute massive and submassive pulmonary embolism (PE), according to a study published in the Aug. 24 issue of JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
	High uric acid levels linked to greater mortality (HealthDay)—High serum uric acid levels are associated with greater risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, but not cancer mortality, in elderly adults, according to a study published online Aug. 16 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Opioid receptor gene variations associated with neonatal abstinence syndrome severity A new study led by researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) indicates that variations in opioid receptor genes are associated with more severe neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in newborn babies. The findings, published online in Drug & Alcohol Dependence, could help lead to the development of individualized treatment plans tailored to each infants' risk of requiring medication to curb their NAS symptoms, which could help improve these patients' outcomes and reduce how long some stay in the hospital.
	Longer colonoscopies linked to lower cancer rate If a colonoscopy seems like the type of thing you'd like to get done with quickly, think again.
Adverse effects of common prostate enlargement and hair growth drugs: A review Twenty-five percent of men currently taking Finasteride or Dutasteride, popularly known as Proscar and Avodart, for the treatment of benign prostate enlargement (BPH), appear not to benefit from taking these medications. Those prescribed Propecia or Avodart for male pattern hair loss (known as alopecia) are also at risk for adverse events elicited by these drugs.
US reports unusual spike in human plague cases An unusually high number of cases of human plague have been recorded by US health authorities since April—11 in all, with three of them fatal, officials said Tuesday.
Spain detects first case of mosquito-borne chikungunya virus Spain has detected its first domestic case of the painful mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya in a 60-year-old man in the eastern province of Valencia, officials said Tuesday.
	Project in West Africa sees dramatic drop in TB death rates Doctors in Togo, West Africa have seen a 10% drop in tuberculosis death rates after redesigning diagnosis and treatment services in one of the country's health districts.
Comprehensive study of genetic risks for inflammatory bowel disease in African-Americans Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, along with colleagues at Emory University and Cedars-Sinai, have published in the journal Gastroenterology the first major, in-depth analysis of genetic risk factors of inflammatory bowel disease in African-Americans.
	Developing a new tool to detect a frequently missed sex chromosome disorder in boys Klinefelter syndrome is the most common disorder of the male sex chromosomes, yet is rarely diagnosed in children. A new assessment tool is being developed by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) to help pediatricians detect the physical traits of the syndrome. The tool could pave the way for early interventions that prevent and treat a range of physical, psychological, social, and cognitive impairments. The study was published in The Journal of Pediatrics.
	Many parents unaware of e-cigarette dangers to children As the use of e-cigarettes has risen dramatically in the United States in recent years, so have calls to poison centers about them. Yet many parents who use e-cigarettes - or "vape" - aren't aware of the dangers to children, according to a new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
	Doctors recommend early exposure to prevent peanut allergies A pediatricians' group is recommending that infants at high risk of peanut allergies be given foods containing peanuts before they turn 1.
	Researcher discusses neuroscience history and new hope for autistic people To mark the publication of the book NeuroTribes (Aug 25, 2015; Avery/Penguin Random House) by Steve Silberman, whose blog of the same name has been hosted on the PLOS BLOGS Network since 2010, we invited independent science writer Emily Willingham, PhD to review the book and conduct an in-depth interview with the author. Willingham's review and interview follow, with her full bio at the bottom of this post.
Using continuing professional development for quality patient care Research completed by the England Centre for Practice Development on the impact Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has on raising the standard of patient care has been presented to Health Education England.
Medtronic to spend $458M on heart valve developer Medical device maker Medtronic will pay up to $458 million for a privately held company that is developing a heart valve replacement.
WHO to study use of sanctions as part of global epidemic response The World Health Organization said Tuesday it will study the idea of using sanctions to punish countries that do not comply with global health regulations, following widespread failures in the response to the Ebola outbreak.
Study shows how palliative care can improve life for heart failure patients A recent randomized trial conducted by researchers at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of Allina Health, found that inpatient palliative care (PC) visits were associated with improved quality of life and symptom burden for patients with heart failure (HF).
Study finds paramedic care delivered on-scene for 10-35 minutes leads to better outcomes Less than 10 per cent of paediatric patients who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive. There are many factors which can influence survival rates; paramedic care is one of them.
Study finds major lack of resources for rehab patients in Malawi Malawi has a population of 16 million, yet, only one inpatient rehabilitation center for individuals with stroke, spinal cord injury, and similar conditions. With just 40 beds, the Kachere Rehabilitation Center in Blantyre, Malawi's second largest city, provides services to the entire country. Because there is little funding for rehabilitation in the country, there is essentially no rehabilitation and follow-up services for patients after they return to their families, homes, and communities.

Biology news

	Chimpanzees found to survive in degraded and human-dominated habitats A chimpanzee population in Uganda has been found to be three times larger than previously estimated, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Ecology. The study suggests that chimpanzees may adapt to degraded habitats better than expected, but also highlights the importance of new and more focused conservation strategies.
	Micro-sensors stuck to honey bees to help solve mass deaths Australian scientists revealed on Tuesday they are using micro-sensors attached to honey bees as part of a global push to understand the key factors driving a worldwide population decline of the pollinators.
	Community of soil bacteria saves wild tobacco plants from root rot Root bacteria are known to form symbiotic relationships with plants by improving the plants' supply of nutrients. Yet as scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena, Germany, found recently, the bacteria actually play a much more profound role. During field experiments in Utah, in the western USA, researchers discovered that the right mixture of soil microbiota directly influences the survival of Nicotiana attenuata, a species of wild tobacco. Plants that had been unable to establish a protective alliance with the vitally important soil bacteria were susceptible to an infectious wilt disease that could kill them overnight. The pathogens that caused the disease had built up and spread because the researchers had been continuously growing this native plant in the same field. Moreover, a sterile medium had been used for germination before the plants had been planted out on the field, a procedure which prevente! d the plants from recruiting symbiotic bacteria early on, as they normally would do when germinating in nature. The results of the study emphasize the importance of crop rotation to prevent the buildup of soil borne diseases and reveal the complex ecology of plants, especially with respect to the multitude of beneficial and harmful microorganisms that interact with them.
	Four-fifths of a banana is better than half Fractions strike fear in the hearts of many grade schoolers – but a new study reveals that they don't pose a problem for monkeys.
	River prawns stop disease spread in West Africa The Diama Dam that spans between Senegal and Mauritania in West Africa was intended to improve crop irrigation when it was built in 1986. But while preventing saltwater intrusion, the dam also altered the region's ecology, causing a massive disease epidemic.
	Dung beetles found to use different celestial navigation cues depending on species (Phys.org)—A team of researchers with member affiliations to Lund University in Sweden and the University of Arizona in the U.S. has found that two species of dung beetles navigate differently depending on whether they are diurnal or nocturnal. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study and offers a theory on how one species navigates when there is no light from either the sun or moon.
	Mimic woodpecker fools competing birds, but genetics expose its true identity To look tougher, a weakling might shave their head and don a black leather jacket, combat boots and a scowl that tells the world, "don't mess with me."
	Rare nautilus sighted for the first time in three decades In early August, biologist Peter Ward returned from the South Pacific with news that he encountered an old friend, one he hadn't seen in over three decades. The University of Washington professor had seen what he considers one of the world's rarest animals, a remote encounter that may become even more infrequent if illegal fishing practices continue.
	Sequencing of barley genome achieves new milestone Barley, a widely grown cereal grain commonly used to make beer and other alcoholic beverages, possesses a large and highly repetitive genome that is difficult to fully sequence. Now a team led by scientists at the University of California, Riverside has reached a new milestone in its work, begun in 2000, on sequencing the barley genome. The researchers have sequenced large portions of the genome that together contain nearly two-thirds of all barley genes.
	Algorithm helps identify elusive genes that express like clockwork Genes that express in precisely timed patterns, known as oscillatory genes, play an essential role in development functions like cell division, circadian rhythms and limb formation. But without a time-lapse view of genetic expression, these genes have gone largely undiscovered.
	Batting practice in the genome In the biochemical game of genetics, it was thought that the proteins controlling gene regulation in animals were either spectators or players.
	Power lines restrict sage grouse movement in Washington Transmission lines that funnel power from hydroelectric dams and wind turbines across Eastern Washington affect greater sage grouse habitat by isolating fragile populations and limiting movement, a new study finds.
	How plant sensors detect pathogens In the mid-20th century, an American scientist named Harold Henry Flor helped explain how certain varieties of plants can fight off some plant killers (pathogens), but not others, with a model called the "gene-for-gene" hypothesis. Seventy years later, an international team of scientists describes precisely how a plant senses a pathogen, bringing an unprecedented level of detail to Flor's model.
	New Indonesian crayfish species escapes the decor market to become a freedom fighter With its orange to greenishly orange motley tip, the new crayfish species has been long-confused with its relatives by the tradesmen who have been collecting them for ornamental purposes. Being exported to countries in Europe, East Asia and America C. snowden specimens inevitably landed in the hands of the scientists from Lukhaup's team who eventually recognised and proved them as a new crayfish species. Their research is available in the open-access journal ZooKeys.
Brown widow spider reported for the first time in Tahiti Tahiti is a popular tourist destination, but one unwanted visitor has decided to make its home there: the brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus). A paper published in the Journal of Medical Entomology has reported the discovery of the spider for the first time on Tahiti and also on four of the Cook Islands.
	India floods threaten rare one-horned rhinos Hundreds of rare rhinos and other animals are fleeing flooding in India's northeast, raising fears of a rise in poaching during the exodus, a senior wildlife official said Tuesday.
	Hepatitis A-like virus identified in seals Scientists in the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have discovered a new virus in seals that is the closest known relative of the human hepatitis A virus. The finding provides new clues on the emergence of hepatitis A. The research appears in the July/August issue of mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.
	Deforestation in Mexico butterfly reserve more than triples Illegal logging more than tripled in the monarch butterfly's wintering grounds In central Mexico, reversing several years of steady improvements, investigators announced Tuesday.
	Smaller of US panda twins on antibiotics; larger doing well The smaller of the two giant panda cubs born over the weekend at the US's Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington is on antibiotics and being bottle-fed, zookeepers said Tuesday.
	Wildlife veterinarians work with African partners to protect gorillas Only about 900 mountain gorillas—the animals protected by Dian Fossey of Gorillas in the Mist fame—remain in the wild. But the few will probably "be just fine," largely because veterinary care is now a mainstay in their peaceable kingdom, says Chris Whittier, V97, who has treated gorillas in six national parks in Africa.
	Ohio zoo sending endangered rhino to Indonesia to mate An Ohio zoo that has the last Sumatran rhino in the United States announced plans Tuesday to send him to Southeast Asia on a mission to mate and help preserve his critically endangered species.
	Qatar hails veggie growing trial success Desert nation Qatar will use "cutting-edge technology" to grow up to 70 percent of its own vegetables by 2023—a four-fold increase, officials from Doha's biggest agricultural group said Tuesday.
	Researchers study tall larkspur toxicity in cattle In the western foothills and mountain rangelands of the U.S., wild larkspurs (Delphinium spp.) are a major cause of cattle losses.
Study in bats and rodents offers insights on how viruses spread across species Bats are natural reservoirs of several important emerging viruses, and because cross-species transmission appears to be quite common among bats, it's important to study bats in a community context rather than concentrating on individual species.

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