Science X Newsletter Friday, Sep 4

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for September 4, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- New nanomaterial maintains conductivity in 3-D
- Layering technique allows for creating graphene fiber that maintains conductivity and strength
- Mitochondrial function changes as we age
- How nature punches back at giant viruses
- Team demonstrates solar water-splitting technology
- Holographic lens printing method could allow printing of telescope lenses in space
- Using stellar 'twins' to reach the outer limits of the galaxy
- Team identifies viral product that promotes immune defense against RSV
- Plants also suffer from stress
- Community ecology can advance the fight against infectious diseases
- Smartwatches, intelligent homes shine at Berlin mega gadget show
- The million year old monkey: New evidence confirms the antiquity of fossil primate
- Secrets of a heat-loving microbe unlocked
- Highly effective seasickness treatment on the horizon
- Boeing names its new Apollo-style spacecraft the Starliner

Astronomy & Space news

	Using stellar 'twins' to reach the outer limits of the galaxy Astronomers from the University of Cambridge have developed a new, highly accurate method of measuring the distances between stars, which could be used to measure the size of the galaxy, enabling greater understanding of how it evolved.
	Earth observations show how nitrogen may be detected on exoplanets, aiding search for life Observations of nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere by a NASA spacecraft 17 million miles away are giving astronomers fresh clues to how that gas might reveal itself on faraway planets, thus aiding in the search for life.
	"Hedgehog" robots hop, tumble in microgravity Hopping, tumbling and flipping over are not typical maneuvers you would expect from a spacecraft exploring other worlds. Traditional Mars rovers, for example, roll around on wheels, and they can't operate upside-down. But on a small body, such as an asteroid or a comet, the low-gravity conditions and rough surfaces make traditional driving all the more hazardous.
	Astronomers detect the farthest galaxy yet with Keck telescope A team of Caltech researchers that has spent years searching for the earliest objects in the universe now reports the detection of what may be the most distant galaxy ever found. In an article published August 28, 2015 in Astrophysical Journal Letters, Adi Zitrin, a NASA Hubble postdoctoral scholar in astronomy, and Richard Ellis—who recently retired after 15 years on the Caltech faculty and is now a professor of astrophysics at University College, London—describe evidence for a galaxy called EGS8p7 that is more than 13.2 billion years old. The universe itself is about 13.8 billion years old.
	Boeing names its new Apollo-style spacecraft the Starliner Boeing already has the Dreamliner. Now it also has the Starliner.
	September launch could give UW team rare measurements of 'dusty plasmas' Researchers from the University of Washington are awaiting the launch an over 50-foot-long rocket from a launch site in Norway into the upper reaches of the atmosphere to observe and measure a puzzling phenomenon.
	The fate of the universe—heat death, Big Rip or cosmic consciousness? By piecing together an increasing number of clues, cosmologists are getting closer to understanding what the future and ultimate fate of the universe will be. And I'm afraid the news is not good. Star formation will cease and black holes will take over until they eventually evaporate into nothingness. There could even be a "Big Rip" on the horizon. But for those who don't mind waiting another 101050 years or so, things may start to look up as a number of bizarre events could take place.
	Soyuz with Russian, Dane, Kazakh docks at space station A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying three new crew docked at the International Space Station on Friday after a safe but unusually long two-day flight.
Airless space weathering duplicated in lab environment Using laboratory instruments typically used to make semiconductor devices, space weathering of airless bodies in the Solar System has been simulated, allowing researchers to better determine the ages of their surfaces, states a new paper by Kimberly R. Kuhlman of the Planetary Science Institute.
	What do other planets sound like? When humans finally set foot on Mars, they're going to be curious about everything around them.
First Dane in space arrives at ISS The first Dane in space arrived on Friday at the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a three-man team after an unusually long voyage from Earth, the Russian space agency said.
	Pluto's moon Nix Over the course of the past decade, many amazing discoveries have been made at the edge of the Solar System. Thanks to the work of astronomers working out of Earth-based observatories, with the Hubble Space Telescope, and those behind the recent New Horizons mission, not only have new objects been discovered, but additional discoveries have been made about the ones we already knew about.

Technology news

	Apple, Google bring smartphone functions to car dashboards Playing deejay with voice commands will get easier for more Americans this fall as some best-selling cars get updated with software that integrates smartphones into the dashboard.
	Owner-pet blues softened with PetBot, dogs send selfies If your dear companion is your dog, then you will be interested in learning more about how you can stay connected through something called PetBot, now on offer in an Indiegogo campaign.
	Intel putting $50 mn into quantum computing research US chip colossus Intel on Thursday said that it will put $50 million and engineering resources into an alliance on quantum computing that could radically advance complex problem-solving.
	Getaway draws the mansion-averse taking break from city Living the dream. For post-adolescents that means taking off for the big, bad city and ready to thrive to the max on all that is new and noisy. Living the dream. For professionals the meaning changes to sorting out a digital life where careers can be on and off city limits, and where they just want to get the hell out and into a quiet life of balance.
	For these 'cyborgs', keys are so yesterday Punching in security codes to deactivate the alarm at his store became a thing of the past for Jowan Oesterlund when he implanted a chip into his hand about 18 months ago.
	Smartwatches, intelligent homes shine at Berlin mega gadget show Smartwatches, intelligent homes and drones that follow users wherever they go are on show at Berlin's mega consumer electronics fair, which opened its doors to the public on Friday.
	Apple patent looks at fuel cell system for portable device A fuel cell battery to last weeks, not days, is the subject of a patent filed by Apple. According to news reports, the patent is about an energy cell powering a portable electronic device. The Telegraph said this was likely a MacBook.
Judge approves $415M settlement in Apple, Google wage case A federal judge has approved a $415 million settlement that ends a lengthy legal saga revolving around allegations that Apple, Google and several other Silicon Valley companies illegally conspired to prevent their workers from getting better job offers.
	Amazon buys streaming video startup Elemental Amazon on Thursday announced a deal to buy a startup that tailors traditional television broadcast for the vast array of Internet-linked devices used for streaming video.
New York cabs get smart in battle with Uber As New York taxi drivers face surging competition from smartphone cab services, the traditional taxi force in the city that never sleeps is preparing to push back against the likes of Uber.
	Wave of new Windows 10 devices on show at Berlin tech fair Computer manufacturers are unveiling the first big batch of devices running Windows 10 at the IFA home electronics show opening in Berlin on Friday.
	High-tech vest would protect workers, rescue personnel from highway hazards Working at a construction site is loud, dirty, and often dangerous. Roadside construction workers deal with the added risk of being struck by car or truck as it passes through a work zone, its driver unaware or ignoring flags, cones, or other warnings.
	Adapting electricity demand to production—not the other way around Instead of aligning energy production with consumption, wouldn't it be possible to make consumption adapt to the intermittency of renewable energies? François Vuille, director of development at the Energy Center, shares his thoughts.
	Novel method for automatic detection of weld defects in aero engines In a research project carried out by partners in Sweden and Spain, a novel method for automatic inspection of weld in hard to reach areas has been developed. The method is developed to be use it in the aero engine industry where the welds are located in hard to reach areas and the safety regulations are high. The method is called thermography.
Substantial barriers precluding widespread biogas take-up by farmers Land, labour and capital resource-related requirements, as well as significant regulatory and financial barriers are preventing more farmers from adopting an important renewable energy technology – Anaerobic Digestion, or Biogas to give it its shorthand name – according to research published in the International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling.
	Solar chimneys meet fuel cells for power generation Solar chimneys can be teamed with fuel cells to provide more electricity more economically and all year round, according to mathematical analysis.
	3D-printed parts could be hot new technology for keeping power plants cool Cooling systems in power plants require heat exchangers to carry low-grade energy away from the inner-workings of the electrical generation machinery—and improvements to heat exchanger technology aim to increase energy efficiency.
	Using Wikipedia as PR is a problem, but our lack of a critical eye is worse If you heard that a group of people were creating, editing, and maintaining Wikipedia articles related to brands, firms and individuals, you could point out, correctly, that this is the entire point of Wikipedia. It is, after all, the "encyclopedia that anyone can edit".
Taiwan relaxes law on tech production in China Taiwan further relaxed controls Friday on local high-tech companies expanding into China, with the aim of allowing them to compete with giants like Intel and Samsung on the mainland market.
	Computer graphics: Less computing time for sand Computer graphics today can produce amazingly photorealistic images. Many motives, however, require very long computation times. Researchers of KIT, Disney Research, Zurich, and Cornell University have now developed a process, by means of which granular objects made of e.g. sand, snow or sugar can be computed more quickly. It was presented recently at the renowned ACM SIGGRAPH 2015 International Conference for Computer Graphics in Los Angeles.
BlackBerry will buy security company Good Tech for $425M BlackBerry said Friday that it will make another security-related acquisition, buying Good Technology for $425 million in cash.
	Toyota to invest $50M in car-tech research at Stanford, MIT Toyota is investing $50 million with Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in hopes of gaining an edge in an accelerating race to phase out human drivers.
	Google launches Street View app with 360-degree images Google is retiring its Photo Sphere Camera app on iOS and the Street View feature from the Google Maps app on Android in favor of a new app for both operating systems: the Street View app.
Snapchat gets 4 billion video views, challenging Facebook In just three months, Snapchat has doubled the number of video views it gets per day to 4 billion, a spokeswoman for the social media app said.
	Review: Two new phones are serious contenders for Samsung's flagship Samsung is looking for the right combination of features to dethrone the iPhone as king of the smartphone world.
Review: New light bulbs offer alternative to LEDs and CFLs For consumers who are still bemoaning the phaseout of incandescent light bulbs, hate the harsh CFLs and can't figure out LEDs, another option may be on the horizon - a new kind of bulb is slated to hit store shelves this fall.
Arcade-style gambling games inch closer to Nevada casinos Arcade-style slot machines that might require skill to win could be in Nevada casinos as early as next year, according to one game maker's estimate now that a single regulatory vote remains.
Bayer says Covestro unit to go public in Q4 German chemicals and pharmaceuticals giant Bayer said Friday that it plans to float its polymers business Covestro on the stock exchange in the fourth quarter of this year.
	Major study reveals impact of gap in Internet access between rural and urban area in Britain The gap between urban and rural Internet speeds risks damaging business, adding to farming costs, driving young people away from areas in which they have grown-up, and deterring retirees from moving to some areas of the country.
	Specialists create robotic assistance bed with projection to the international market Mexican specialists in mechatronics, industrial and mechanical design, and artificial intelligence have developed a robotic care bed called Camabot, equipped with an intelligent safety system for monitoring patients in hospitals, it also allows to place them in 12 different positions.
Clean electricity ebbs and flows from the Swan River Award-winning technology designed to produce electricity by harnessing the power of waves is being tested in a unique experiment on the Swan River.
	Supply chain AI provides work orders based on an understanding of demand fluctuation Hitachi, Ltd. announced today, the development of artificial intelligence technology (henceforth, AI) that provides appropriate work orders based on an understanding of demand fluctuation and on-site kaizen activity derived from big data accumulated daily in corporate business systems, and its verification in logistics tasks by improving efficiency by 8%. By integrating the AI into business systems, it may become possible to realize efficient operations in a diverse range of areas through human and AI cooperation.
	Lightning-fast switching helps New York City stay bright Together with New York energy provider Con Edison, Siemens is making the power grid in Lower Manhattan more resistant to flooding-related outages.

Medicine & Health news

	Mitochondrial function changes as we age (Phys.org)—A new study finds that age-related onset of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance may be due to the lowered ability of muscle mitochondria to switch from metabolizing fatty acids to metabolizing glucose in healthy elderly people compared to young people. The study was reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	Team identifies viral product that promotes immune defense against RSV Almost all human beings are exposed to the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, before their second birthdays. For most, the symptoms mimic those of the common cold: runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever. But in some very young infants—and some older adults—the disease can be serious, causing respiratory problems that require hospitalization and increase the risk of developing asthma later in life.
	Girls and boys with autism differ in behavior, brain structure Girls with autism display less repetitive and restricted behavior than boys do, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	New role for an old protein: Cancer causer A protein known to play a role in transporting the molecular contents of normal cells into and out of various intracellular compartments can also turn such cells cancerous by stimulating a key growth-control pathway.
	Researchers develop predictive model of how humans estimate speed Most studies of psychological mechanisms involve watching those mechanisms in action and then devising a theory for how they work.
	Long term study shows impact of parental control over their children (Medical Xpress)—A study conducted by a team of researchers at University College London has led to what they claim is a correlation between controlling behavior of parents and emotional well-being problems for the child later in life. In their paper published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, the team describes the nature of their study, and their views on what volunteers reported.
	Community ecology can advance the fight against infectious diseases Despite continued medical advances, infectious diseases kill over 10 million people worldwide each year. The ecological complexity of many emerging disease threats—interactions among multiple hosts, multiple vectors and even multiple parasites—often complicates efforts aimed at controlling disease. Now, a new paper co-authored by a University of Colorado Boulder professor is advancing a multidisciplinary framework that could provide a better mechanistic understanding of emerging outbreaks.
	Highly effective seasickness treatment on the horizon The misery of motion sickness could be ended within five to ten years thanks to a new treatment being developed by scientists.
	Common antidepressant sertraline may change brain structures A commonly prescribed antidepressant may alter brain structures in depressed and non-depressed individuals in very different ways, according to new research at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
	Extra hour of screen time per day associated with poorer GCSE grades An extra hour per day spent watching TV, using the internet or playing computer games during Year 10 is associated with poorer grades at GCSE at age 16 - the equivalent of the difference between two grades - according to research from the University of Cambridge. In a study published today in the open access International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, researchers also found that pupils doing an extra hour of daily homework and reading performed significantly better than their peers. However, the level of physical activity had no effect on academic performance.
	Surgery achieves better long-term control of type 2 diabetes than standard therapy Metabolic or bariatric surgery may be more effective than standard medical treatments for the long-term control of type 2 diabetes in obese patients, according to a new study by King's College London and the Universita Cattolica in Rome, Italy. The study, published in the Lancet, is the first to provide data on five-year outcomes of surgery from a randomized clinical trial specifically designed to compare this new approach against standard medical therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Increased odds for type 2 diabetes after prenatal exposure to Ukraine famine of 1932-33 Men and women exposed in early gestation to the man-made Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 in regions with extreme food shortages were 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in adulthood. In regions with severe famine there was a 1.3 fold rise in the odds of Type 2 diabetes, and there was no diabetes increase among individuals born in regions with no famine.
The science of stereotyping: Challenging the validity of 'gaydar' "Gaydar"—the purported ability to infer whether people are gay or straight based on their appearance—seemed to get a scientific boost from a 2008 study that concluded people could accurately guess someone's sexual orientation based on photographs of their faces.
	Rapid testing for TB aims to reduce drug resistance, lower mortality rate Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have documented the accuracy of three new tests for more rapidly diagnosing drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis (TB), which are much harder and more expensive to treat and which, experts say, represent a major threat to global public health.
	Study shows that teens lose sleep after change to daylight saving time A new study shows that high school students lose sleep on school nights following the change to daylight saving time that occurs in March. The loss of sleep during the school week was associated with a decline in vigilance and cognitive function, which raises safety concerns for teen drivers.
How bacterial and mammalian genomics interact to boost insulin resistance The trillions of bacteria in your digestive system play a major role in your metabolism, and they're linked to your risks of type 2 diabetes, obesity and the related conditions that make up "metabolic syndrome," which has become a global health epidemic. Humans and animal models with diabetes and obesity have different gut bacteria than those who don't, and when scientists transfer microbiota from obese humans or animals to germ-free animals, the recipients are more likely to become obese or diabetic.
	New model of cognitive flexibility gives insight into autism spectrum disorder Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift our thoughts and adapt our behavior to the changing environment. In other words, it's one's ability to disengage from a previous task and respond effectively to a new one. It's a faculty that most of us take for granted, yet an essential skill to navigate life.
	Free e-book offers tips for reducing breast cancer risk Surprisingly, preventing breast cancer can begin as early as age 2. Eating right, being physically active and keeping weight in check - even at a young age - can substantially lower breast cancer risk.
Inexpensive drug saves blood and money Using an inexpensive drug for every hip or knee replacement since 2013 has helped St. Michael's Hospital reduce its number of red blood cell transfusions performed during these surgeries by more than 40 per cent without negatively affecting patients, according to new research.
	Researchers explore memory problems related to Parkinson's (HealthDay)—Many people with Parkinson's disease have memory problems, researchers report.
	Medical research team cures fatal infant disease molybdenum cofactor deficiency type-A Monash Health's pioneering treatment for babies with a disease that was once universally fatal has been validated by research published today in prestigious journal, The Lancet.
	Blood in the urine often an important warning sign Blood in the urine can be a scary sight, yet it's a symptom many people ignore until it is bad enough to land them in a hospital emergency department.
	Camera angle of an interrogation video can actually influence viewers, research finds What if it were possible to present a video of a police interrogation in a way that would influence a jury to believe a suspect's confession is voluntary, even if there's evidence that suspect was threatened or coerced? Actually, it's very possible—and it comes down to something as simple as the camera angle.
Therapeutic claims in pharmaceutical ads come under scrutiny New University of Otago research suggests a need for greater monitoring of pharmaceutical advertising in New Zealand to ensure that the therapeutic claims they make are justified.
	Test for early stage pancreatic cancer could help save lives University of Liverpool scientists, collaborating with a team at Bart's Cancer Institute, have developed a urine test which could give an early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
	The coming third wave of precision cancer medicines Targeted treatments for cancer have been extending and saving lives for more than 15 years—precision medicine isn't a new idea in oncology. Now drugs pioneered on select, specific cancers are, one by one, finding new applications.
	Genetic makeup may make radiation riskier for pediatric cancer patients Genetic vulnerabilities associated with childhood cancers may make children undergoing radiation therapy more susceptible than adults to secondary cancers, according to novel insights from researchers at UC San Francisco.
	Cells transplanted from mouth can be used to treat illnesses causing blindness Researchers at the University of Oslo have made discoveries that can have great consequences for the treatment of blindness caused by so-called limbal stem cell deficiency.
	New research predicts market share for drug makers Lagging behind in launching new medicines means a much smaller market share for pharmaceutical companies—even if they spend just as much on advertising, according to new research from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.
	The stigma against people who use heroin makes it harder for them to get help Heroin use and dependence have grown dramatically in the US over the last decade. Between 2002-2004 and 2011-2013, past-year use increased by 62.5% and abuse/dependence by 90%. And the demographics of heroin use have changed as well. Over a decade ago, heroin was less prevalent and more specific to marginalized individuals in low-income areas and inner cities. But today, use and dependence have increased among all demographic groups. Heroin use has also doubled among those who have historically had low rates of use – women and white individuals.
Cancer culture has changed, but not necessarily for the better Cancer has lost its stigma but that has not necessarily made things easier for patients, according to new research from the University of Warwick.
	Riding into research about cycle rage Following a highly publicised 2012 incident on a mountain bike track in Canterbury's Port Hills, a Victoria University of Wellington academic has begun conducting research into cycle rage.
	Asthma linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease (HealthDay)—Patients with asthma may have an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in Allergy.
	Endovascular AAA repair improves survival for three years (HealthDay)—Endovascular (EVAR) repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm is associated with a survival advantage for three years, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in JAMA Surgery.
	Doctors can stand up for their patients, says appeals court (HealthDay)—A U.S. appeals court has ruled that medical associations have a legal standing to represent their members and members' patients in cases against health insurance companies, according to a report published by the American Medical Association.
	Modest relation between HbA1c, cardiovascular events (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is not significantly associated with cardiovascular events, regardless of clinical manifestation of vascular disease, according to a study published online Aug. 25 in Diabetes Care.
	Daily PrEP prevents HIV infection in high-risk individuals (HealthDay)—None of 657 patients who took a daily pill to prevent HIV infection contracted the virus over a period of more than two years, according to a study from Kaiser Permanente of San Francisco. The findings, published online Sept. 1 in Clinical Infectious Diseases, dispel concerns that use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) would lead to more HIV infections, The New York Times reported.
Supervised tooth brushing and floride varnish schemes benefit kids and the health economy Action to prevent tooth decay in children, such as supervised tooth brushing and fluoride varnish schemes, are not just beneficial to children's oral health but could also result in cost savings to the NHS of hundreds of pounds per child, so says a leading dental health researcher.
Researchers show effectiveness of non-surgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis Patients with spinal stenosis (SS) experienced good short term benefit, lasting from weeks to months, after receiving epidural steroid injections (ESI).
	Spasm at site of atherosclerotic coronary artery narrowing increases risk of heart attack Researchers at Kumamoto University in Japan have found that patients with coronary spasm have a higher risk of experiencing future heart attack particularly when a spasm occurs at the site of atherosclerotic coronary artery narrowing, i.e., coronary atherosclerotic stenosis.
	Aerobic exercise may cut fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis (HealthDay)—Aerobic land-based exercise may be helpful in treating fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to a meta-analysis published in the August issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
	Histologic regression tied to lower odds of SLN positivity (HealthDay)—For patients with primary melanoma, the risk of sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity is significantly lower for those with histologic regression, according to a review published online Sept. 2 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Scope of lymphadenectomy not tied to esophageal CA survival (HealthDay)—For patients undergoing esophageal cancer surgery, the extent of lymphadenectomy seems not to influence all-cause or disease-specific survival, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in JAMA Surgery.
	Suggested response provided for in-flight medical emergencies (HealthDay)—In a review article published online Sept. 3 in the New England Journal of Medicine, guidance is offered for physicians providing emergency in-flight medical care.
	PCOS linked to increased risk of preterm delivery for twins (HealthDay)—Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) diagnosis is associated with increased risk of preterm delivery in twin pregnancies, according to a study published in the September issue of BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
	Review explores postpartum weight-loss strategies (HealthDay)—For postpartum women, lifestyle interventions that include a combined diet-and-exercise approach and those that use self-monitoring are associated with greater weight loss, according to a study published online Aug. 27 in Obesity Reviews.
	Irreversible electroporation promising in pancreatic cancer (HealthDay)—Irreversible electroporation (IRE) in pancreatic cancer cells may improve survival rates for some patients, new research suggests. The findings were published in the September issue of the Annals of Surgery.
	Birth asphyxia tied to fewer than 10 percent of cerebral palsy cases (HealthDay)—Cerebral palsy is likely due to multiple prenatal factors, with the contribution of birth defects exceeding that of other major factors, according to a review published in the Sept. 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
When doctors get it wrong: Misdiagnoses are getting a closer look Doctors and safety advocates have targeted many causes of patient harm - such as bungled prescriptions, excessive imaging scans and wrong-site surgeries - but have given little attention to an equally common cause: making the wrong diagnosis.
	Sandman not doing the job? Use behavioral tips to sleep easy "Many of my patients face sleep difficulties," says Dr. Filza Hussain, Mayo Clinic Health System behavioral health expert. "It's either difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or both. This leads to feeling tired in the morning, having difficulties with daytime sleepiness, attention and concentration problems and irritability. Most of my patients have tried over-the-counter sleep aids or even prescription medications but remain dissatisfied and sleepless."
	Army suspends operations at labs due to anthrax probe Army Secretary John McHugh has suspended operations at four Defense Department laboratories that handle biological toxins, as the military scrambles to explain and correct problems that led to the accidental shipment of live anthrax to dozens of other labs around the country and the world.
	Review cites problems at Texas hospital during Ebola crisis The Texas hospital that treated the first person diagnosed in the U.S. with Ebola was not adequately prepared for a patient with the deadly virus and stumbled because of communication failures, an independent review released Friday found.
Epileptic girl challenges Mexico medical marijuana ban Just eight years old, Graciela could become Mexico's first authorized consumer of medical marijuana to alleviate the hundreds of epileptic seizures that strike her small frame every day.
	New guide on respite care for elders with dementia The first of its kind in Australia, "Getting the most out of Respite Care: A guide for carers of people with dementia" targets the 1.2 million Australians currently involved in caring for someone with dementia.
Village of 1,000 quarantined after Ebola death in SLeone A village of almost 1,000 people has been placed in quarantine in Sierra Leone after the death of a 67-year-old woman from Ebola, officials said on Friday.
	Germany: 30 apparently suffer amphetamine poisoning Authorities say emergency workers called to a conference center in northern Germany found some 30 people staggering and suffering from cramps, apparently as a result of amphetamine poisoning.

Biology news

	How nature punches back at giant viruses (Phys.org)—What have viruses ever done for humans? The question is debatable, but given the prevalence of highly contagious, and sometimes life-threatening illnesses caused by viruses, it's fair to say that most people would like to see the tables turned on these often-nasty bundles of DNA strands.
	Before nature selects, gene networks steer a course for evolution Natural selection is a race to reproduce, a competition between individuals with varying traits that helps direct the evolution of a species. As scientists begin to explore the complex networks of genes that shape the form and function of each individual, they can ask a new question about evolution: How do the structures of these gene networks determine which individuals appear on the starting line, silently influencing evolution before competition has even begun?
	Ancient walnut forests linked to languages, trade routes If Persian walnut trees could talk, they might tell of the numerous traders who moved along the Silk Roads' thousands of miles over thousands of years, carrying among their valuable merchandise the seeds that would turn into the mighty walnut forests that are spread across Asia.
	Plants also suffer from stress High salt in soil dramatically stresses plant biology and reduces the growth and yield of crops. Now researchers have found specific proteins that allow plants to grow better under salt stress, and may help breed future generations of more salt-tolerant crop plants.
Secrets of a heat-loving microbe unlocked Scientists studying how a heat-loving microbe transfers its DNA from one generation to the next say it could further our understanding of an extraordinary superbug.
	Climate change could leave Pacific Northwest amphibians high and dry Far above the wildfires raging in Washington's forests, a less noticeable consequence of this dry year is taking place in mountain ponds. The minimal snowpack and long summer drought that have left the Pacific Northwest lowlands parched also affect the region's amphibians due to loss of mountain pond habitat.
Beyond species counts: Using evolutionary history to inform conservation Earth's species are disappearing at an astonishing—and troubling—rate. As human activity continues to put pressure on ecosystems around the world, the rate of loss continues to climb. How we slow this devastating loss and protect the enormous number of species on Earth is of considerable importance, and debate.
	Resistance genes from wild relatives of crops offer opportunities for more sustainable agriculture worldwide Growing crops with stacks of two or more resistance genes from closely related species, introduced into the crop via for instance genetic engineering, combined with the simultaneous introduction of resistance management, can ensure the long-term resistance of these plants to economically significant and aggressive diseases. The combination offers opportunities to make agriculture more sustainable worldwide, for instance as part of an integrated pest management that only involves chemical means in exceptional situations and in low doses. These were the findings of an international scientific conference held in Wageningen on 3 September on the conclusion of a study into more durable resistance against Phytophthora through the use of resistance genes from related wild potato species (DuRPh), which was funded by the Dutch government for ten years.
	Bring on the night, say National Park visitors in new study Natural wonders like tumbling waterfalls, jutting rock faces and banks of wildflowers have long drawn visitors to America's national parks and inspired efforts to protect their beauty.
Decontamination exterminates antibiotic-resistant bacteria from pig farm Decontamination protocols eradicated both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and antibiotic resistant, pathogenic intestinal bacteria, the Enterobacteriaceae, from a pig farm. The research appears online September 4th in ASM's journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
	Signal replicas make a flexible sensor Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich researchers have shown how signals from the spinal cord adjust the sensitivity of hair cells in the inner ear to accommodate shifts in head position associated with active locomotion—thus ensuring that balance is maintained.
	Polar bears may survive ice melt, with or without seals As climate change accelerates ice melt in the Arctic, polar bears may find caribou and snow geese replacing seals as an important food source, shows a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE. The research, by Linda Gormezano and Robert Rockwell at the American Museum of Natural History, is based on new computations incorporating caloric energy from terrestrial food sources and indicates that the bears' extended stays on land may not be as grim as previously suggested.
	Scientists map genes at work in human embryos' earliest days A team of scientists in Sweden has broken open the genetic recipe for a human embryo's first three days of development, chronicling what happens in the crucial hours that follow the union of egg and sperm.
	Researchers launch new online wildlife disease reporting system Two researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA) were instrumental in creating a new online portal for scientists studying a disease that is threatening the global populations of amphibians, reptiles and fish.

---

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