Fwd: Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 13

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From: Newsletter Phys.org <not-for-reply@physorg.com>
Date: Sat, Feb 14, 2015 at 2:38 AM
Subject: Science X Newsletter Friday, Feb 13
To: Pascal Alter <pascal.alter@gmail.com>

Dear Pascal Alter,

Here is your customized Phys.org Newsletter for February 13, 2015:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

- Scientists go to great lengths to extend superlow friction
- Interstellar technology throws light on spinning black holes
- Researchers find easy way to deposit metal nanoparticles on a surface using tape
- Should we call the cosmos seeking ET? Or is that risky?
- Researchers glimpse distortions in atomic structure of materials
- Correlations of quantum particles help in distinguishing physical processes
- Silver-glass sandwich structure acts as inexpensive color filter
- Study identifies two biomarkers for lack of sleep
- Google, Mattel bring virtual reality to iconic toy
- Distant species produce love child after 60 million year breakup
- 'Danger' molecule may be new therapeutic target for male hypertension
- Thames study: Rivers can be a source antibiotic resistance
- Researchers use isotopic analysis to explore ancient Peruvian life
- How iron feels the heat
- World crop diversity survives in small farms from peri-urban to remote rural locations

Astronomy & Space news

	Interstellar technology throws light on spinning black holes The team responsible for the Oscar-nominated visual effects at the centre of Christopher Nolan's epic, Interstellar, have turned science fiction into science fact by providing new insights into the powerful effects of black holes.
	Should we call the cosmos seeking ET? Or is that risky? Astronomers have their own version of the single person's dilemma: Do you wait by the phone for a call from that certain someone? Or do you make the call yourself and risk getting shot down?
	A full day on Pluto-Charon This time-lapse "movie" of Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, was recently shot at record-setting distances with the Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) on NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. The movie was made over about a week, from Jan. 25-31, 2015. It was taken as part of the mission's second optical navigation ("OpNav") campaign to better refine the locations of Pluto and Charon in preparation for the spacecraft's close encounter with the small planet and its five moons on July 14, 2015.
	Kepler-432b is a dense, massive celestial body with extreme seasons Two research groups of Heidelberg astronomers have independently of each other discovered a rare planet. The celestial body, called Kepler-432b, is one of the most dense and massive planets known so far. The teams, one led by Mauricio Ortiz of the Centre for Astronomy of Heidelberg University (ZAH) and the other by Simona Ciceri of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Heidelberg, report that the planet has six times the mass of Jupiter, but about the same size. The shape and the size of its orbit are also unusual for a planet like Kepler-432b that is revolving around a giant star. In less than 200 million years, this "red giant" will most likely swallow up the planet. The results of this research were published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
	Two years on, source of Russian Chelyabinsk meteor remains elusive Two years after a 20-meter rock slammed into the Earth after a meteoroid dramatically fragmented in the atmosphere over the Chelyabinsk region in Russia and injured hundreds of people, its parent asteroid remains elusive, a new paper published in the journal Icarus shows.
China's first female astronaut becomes mom, resumes training China's first female astronaut has begun training for her next mission after having a baby, state media reported Friday.
	The sun won't die for 5 billion years, so why do humans have only 1 billion years left on Earth? In a few billion years, the sun will become a red giant so large that it will engulf our planet. But the Earth will become uninhabitable much sooner than that. After about a billion years the sun will become hot enough to boil our oceans.
	Where did the Big Bang happen? Close your eyes and imagine the Big Bang. That first moment, where all the energy, matter and light came into existence. It's an explosion right? Fire, debris, sinks, marmots and anvils flying past the camera in an ever expanding cloud of hot gas.
Power hiccup to speed end of Europe's space truck A European supply ship will undock from the International Space Station on Saturday as scheduled but be destroyed 12 days earlier than planned because of a power hitch, the European Space Agency (ESA) said Friday.
	Time for the world's largest radio telescope On a recent trip to Australia, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) visited one of the two sites of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) - a global science and engineering project to build the worlds largest radio telescope.
	Eye on the International Space Station: One-Year Mission Miniseries Have you ever experienced swelling in your legs, become dizzy when you stood up too quickly or suffered from elevated blood pressure? These common ailments faced on Earth are related to the amount of fluids in our bodies and how they redistribute when we change posture. In space, fluids, such as blood and water, shift to the upper body. Fluids play an essential role in our overall health, including the potential to impact vision.

Medicine & Health news

	Consuming oily fish could repair damaged blood vessels Eating oily fish may not only keep your heart healthy but it could actually help to fix damaged blood vessels faster, reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease, University of Reading scientists have found.
	Seven genes for X-linked intellectual disability X-linked intellectual disability is a disorder that predominantly affects men and can have highly variable clinical manifestations. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin have found seven new genes that can cause this genetic disease: Mutations of these genes on the X chromosome lead to various forms of intellectual disability. In their work, the researchers used a method of genetic analysis that significantly simplifies the search for rare genetic defects.
	'Danger' molecule may be new therapeutic target for male hypertension Higher levels of a "danger" molecule may be one reason males tend to become hypertensive earlier and more severely than females, scientists say.
	Stress linked to worse recovery in women after heart attack Young and middle-aged women experience more stress than their male counterparts, which could contribute to worse recovery from acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to new findings by Yale School of Medicine researchers and their colleagues.
	Researchers test device to help deaf children detect sounds At age 3, Angelica Lopez is helping to break a sound barrier for deaf children.
One in four Saudis heading for heart attack in 10 years One in four adults in Saudi Arabia is set to have a heart attack within the next 10 years, reveals research presented at the 26th Annual Conference of the Saudi Heart Association (SHA), held 13 to 16 February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference features sessions from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) on hot topics in cardiovascular disease including prevention.
Short-term use of hormone replacement therapy associated with increased ovarian cancer risk Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause, even for just a few years, is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing the two most common types of ovarian cancer, according to a detailed re-analysis of all the available evidence, published in The Lancet.
Off the wagon: Vietnam's binge-drinking problem A scantily clad DJ gyrates to ear-splitting music as the crowd of drinkers orders more towers of lager: welcome to The Hangover, one of a new crop of 'beer clubs' raising concerns about Vietnam's drinking culture.
	MIT economist explains why randomized trials can improve medical care About 80 percent of studies of U.S. medical interventions use randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard of laboratory research. But only about 18 percent of studies of U.S. health care delivery use RCTs. That can and should change, suggests Amy Finkelstein, the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT, in a Science piece co-written with MIT researcher Sarah Taubman.
	Dealing with love, romance and rejection on Valentine's Day Take care lovers, wherever you are, as Valentine's Day is soon upon us. Whether you're in a relationship or want to be in a relationship, research over a number of years shows that February 14 can be a day of broken hearts and broken wallets.
Rational drug combinations that may overcome mantle cell lymphoma resistance to ibrutinib Genomic analyses of tumor and healthy tissue from patients with mantle cell lymphomas that fail to respond to treatment with the anticancer drug ibrutinib (Imbruvica) or initially respond but then stop responding and progress, provided explanations for these two types of drug resistance and suggested ways to overcome them in the clinic, according to data published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
	Young adults on marriage say it's so important that they put it off With marriage rates declining and the average age at marriage rising, young adults in a new study say that marriage still stands as their most important pursuit in life.
Winter weather depriving city dwellers of vitamin D Residents of snowy, northern U.S. cities are at risk of vitamin D deficiency and worse, may not even know it.
	Immune cells commit suicide to prevent allergy Scientists from the CNRS, INSERM and Université de Limoges, working in the Laboratoire Contrôle de la Réponse Immune B et Lymphoproliférations (CNRS/Université de Limoges) have demonstrated that the production of type E immunoglobulins (IgE) by B lymphocytes induces a loss in their mobility and the initiation of cell death mechanisms. These antibodies, present in small quantities, are the most powerful "weapons" in the immune system and can trigger extremely violent immune reactions or immediate allergies (asthma, urticaria, allergic shock) as soon as their levels rise, even slightly. These findings, published online in Cell Reports on 12 February 2015, thus elucidate how our bodies restrict the production of IgE in order to prevent an allergic reaction.
	Researchers pioneer novel strategy to prevent progression of inflammation-associated cancers A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Caroline Lee from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS), in collaboration with Associate Professor Song Jianxing of the Department of Biological Sciences at the NUS Faculty of Science, has developed a novel strategy in the fight against cancer. They discovered that the interaction between two proteins, namely FAT10 and MAD2, leads to inflammation-associated cancers, such as liver (hepatocellular carcinoma) and colorectal cancers. A disruption of this unique interaction can prevent cancer.
	Ban on smoking in cars with children Smoking in cars carrying children will soon become illegal in England – in a significant victory for protecting under-18s from second-hand smoke.
	Preterm infant hospitalisation tracked The chances of a preterm baby needing rehospitalisation decrease sharply five years after birth, and are similar to those born full-term once the individual has reached adolescence, according to recent research.
Partner caregivers of veterans with traumatic brain injuries may be at risk for inflammatory disease Blame and anger associated with the grief of caring for a loved one with a traumatic-brain injury (TBI) may be related to inflammation and certain chronic diseases, according to researchers from Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. These findings were published in the latest issue of Biological Research for Nursing.
Valentine's Day favorites can offer serious health benefits Will the spoils of celebrating Valentine's Day sabotage your New Year's health and fitness resolutions?
	Women often ignore common precursor to heart attacks As caretakers, women often don't stop and take time for themselves when it comes to matters of the heart. But with Valentine's Day around the corner, Loyola University Health System internal medicine physician Anita Varkey, MD, urges women to protect their health and prevent a common warning sign of heart disease.
	Researcher seeks answers to cognitive decline as we age Aging is not kind to the brain. Memory, for example, begins to fail and multitasking abilities start to deteriorate. But are there ways to slow the natural process of cognitive decline? And if so, how do they work?
Promising results for new Alzheimer therapy Scientists at Karolinska Institutet have evaluated a new Alzheimer's therapy in which the patients receive an implant that stimulates the growth of a certain type of nerve cell. The results, which are published in the scientific journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, suggest that the introduction of a nerve growth factor can prevent neuronal degradation in Alzheimer's patients.
Researchers call for new approach to the secondary prevention of coronary disease The large majority of coronary patients in Europe are failing to achieve their lifestyle, risk factor and therapeutic targets as set out in the latest prevention guidelines. Fewer than one half of all European patients following a heart attack are even receiving the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation and preventive care.
	Diathermy smoke extraction should be compulsory in operations The electrical devices that are used to cauterise tissue during surgical operations cause plumes of smoke to arise as intense heat is applied to flesh. Research has shown that these fumes – known as diathermy smoke – contain compounds that are potentially harmful to the health of the personnel participating in the operation.
Hearing experts break sound barrier for children born without hearing nerve A multi-institutional team of hearing and communication experts led by the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) is breaking sound barriers for children born without a hearing nerve in a clinical trial backed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Launched in March 2014, the three-year study has enrolled five of 10 participants and successfully implanted an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) device in four children who previously could not hear.
	Clinical trial identifies patients at higher risk of second stroke Risk of recurrent stroke is higher in patients who have low blood flow to the back of the brain, a six-year, multi-center trial has found, and the condition can be visualized using specialized software developed at the University of Illinois at Chicago that analyzes blood flow using standard MRI.
Researchers develop expert systems for identifying treatment targets for cancer and rare diseases In recent months, several national initiatives for personalized medicine have been announced, including the recently launched precision medicine initiative in the US, driven by rapid advances in genomic technologies and with the promise of cheaper and better healthcare. Significant challenges remain, however, in the management and analysis of genetic information and their integration with patient data. The sheer scale and complexity of this data, generated using cutting-edge technologies such as next generation DNA sequencing, requires the development of new computer algorithms and systems that can mine this data to get actionable knowledge.
What is successful aging? Gerontologists strive to build consensus Scholars have long debated what successful aging is, how to measure it, and how to promote it. But the latest issue of The Gerontologist lays the groundwork for building consensus on the topic—while pointing out that the answer may differ among academics and the general public, as well as across populations and demographic groups.
	Type 2 diabetes linked to worse performance on cognitive testing Type 2 diabetes is associated with worse performance on cognitive tests measuring abilities involved in the control of emotions, behaviours and thought, says a new study from the University of Waterloo.
	New neurologists receive stroke training with mannequins and other simulation techniques One of the most challenging cases that a first-year neurology resident physician can face is a stroke patient in the emergency department.
Short-term psychological therapy dramatically reduces suicide attempts among at-risk soldiers Short-term cognitive behavioral therapy dramatically reduces suicide attempts among at-risk military personnel, according to findings from a research study that included investigators from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
Door-to-door campaign linked hepatitis C patients to care Working on the streets in medically underserved Philadelphia neighborhoods, members of the Do One Thing program have been able to identify residents chronically infected with hepatitis C and help them overcome the hurdles that prevent people from being cured, according to a new study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
	Survivors of childhood cancer at risk for developing hormone deficiencies as adults Decades after undergoing cranial irradiation for childhood cancer, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators found that adult survivors of pediatric cancer remain at risk for pituitary hormone deficiencies that may diminish their health and quality of life. The findings appear in the February 10 edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Lenvima approved for common thyroid cancer (HealthDay)—Lenvima (lenvatinib) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that has progressed despite radioactive iodine therapy, the agency said Friday in a news release.
Device approved for female fecal incontinence (HealthDay)—The Eclipse System has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat fecal incontinence in adult women aged 18 to 75, the agency said in a news release.
	How to survive Valentine's day without romance (HealthDay)—Valentine's Day can be difficult for some people, but it's important to keep things in perspective, an expert says.
	'Play' may be more stressful for kids with autism: study (HealthDay)—Children with autism appear to approach play differently than typically developing children, a recent study contends.
	Exposure to gas, dust, fumes ups risk of mite sensitization (HealthDay)—Occupational exposure to gas, dust, and fumes (GDF) increases the risk of mite sensitization, and is associated with asthma and wheeze in those who are mite-sensitized, according to a study published online Jan. 30 in Allergy.
	ASCO endorses ACS guideline for prostate CA survivor care (HealthDay)—The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) has endorsed the American Cancer Society (ACS) Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Guidelines, according to a report published online Feb. 9 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
	Prevalence of fibromyalgia varies with criteria applied (HealthDay)—The prevalence of fibromyalgia varies with the different sets of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria, according to a study published in the February issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
	Targeted panel testing superior for neuromuscular diseases (HealthDay)—Targeted panel testing has the highest clinical yield for molecular diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases (NMDs), according to a study published in the February issue of the Annals of Neurology.
	Osteoporosis-treated adults have elevated risk of mortality (HealthDay)—Women and men below age 70 who are treated for osteoporosis have an excess mortality risk, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
	In state with tobacco ties, Kentucky House OKs smoking ban In a state where tobacco interests once had a firm grip on the levers of politics, the Kentucky House of Representatives on Friday passed a ban on smoking in workplaces and indoor public places.
	Scientist finds higher opioid doses associated with increase in depression Patients who increased doses of opioid medicines to manage chronic pain were more likely to experience an increase in depression, according to Saint Louis University findings in Pain.
CDC: Nasty flu season has peaked, is retreating A new report shows this winter's nasty flu season has peaked and is clearly retreating.
Meningitis outbreak declared at Canada university Officials launched a meningitis vaccination campaign at a Canadian university Friday after detecting two cases of the infection, health authorities said.
	HPV vaccine highly effective against multiple cancer-causing strains According to a multinational clinical trial involving nearly 20,000 young women, the human papilloma virus vaccine, Cervarix, not only has the potential to prevent cervical cancer, but was effective against other common cancer-causing human papillomaviruses, aside from just the two HPV types, 16 and 18, which are responsible for about 70 percent of all cases. That effectiveness endured for the study's entire follow-up, of up to four years. The research was published February 4 in Clinical and Vaccine Immunology.
	Team develops new weapon in war against flu pandemics and pneumonia Scientists from NTU Singapore, the world's No. 1 young university, have developed an antibody which boosts the survival chances for patients suffering from influenza and pneumonia.
	Would you take dieting advice from a friend? Is a new diet or exercise program working for a friend? If so, there's a good chance that you will try it, too.
	Marijuana use is associated with excessive daytime sleepiness in adolescents A study published by researchers from Nationwide Children's Hospital, found 10 percent of adolescents sent to a Sleep Center for evaluation of excessive daytime sleepiness with testing results consistent with narcolepsy had urine drug screens positive for marijuana, confounding the results.
New radiotracer helps avoid neck dissection in patients with early head and neck cancer The discovery that the identification and biopsy of the first lymph node to which a cancer spreads (the sentinel node) can lead to more accurate diagnosis and treatment has revolutionised the management of breast cancer. Now a team of researchers has been able to identify accurately the sentinel node (SN) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using a novel tracer; a challenging task because there are up to 150 different lymph nodes in the neck, and the differentiation of true SNs from secondary nodes is difficult. The study, to be reported today (Friday) to the 5th International Conference on Innovative Approaches in Head and Neck Oncology (ICHNO) will reduce significantly the number of HNSCC patients who currently undergo selective neck dissection (SND), a procedure which involves removing a group of lymph nodes from the neck in order to try to eradicate those which may have been reached by the cancer.
New research shows possibility of cure for HPV positive throat cancer patients Patients with cancer of the throat caused by the Human Papilloma virus (HPV+) have a better prognosis than those who are negative for the virus (HPV-). Now, for the first time, researchers have shown with convincing evidence that a group of patients with HPV+ cancer of the oropharynx (the part of the throat located behind the mouth, that makes up the region of the tonsils and the back part of the tongue where it connects to the swallowing part of the throat), can be cured in some cases even after disease has spread to distant organs in the body, like the lungs.
S. Korea cracks down on foreign-focused plastic surgery clinics South Korea on Friday announced a crackdown on illegal brokers and unregistered clinics in a bid to protect medical tourists, especially those drawn by the country's booming plastic surgery industry.
China official's mandatory 'two children' proposal draws rebuke China should roll back its one-child policy and instead mandate that all couples have two children, a family planning official has said, drawing criticism Friday from a ruling Communist Party newspaper.
	New guide to better practice in residential care facilities People living and working in residential care facilities will benefit from a new resource launched by researchers from The University of Western Australia's Centre for Health and Ageing (WACHA).
	Brian Williams told a tale – but it could be how he really remembers what happened Many of us have asked ourselves in the past few days: can you really falsely remember something as significant as being in a helicopter that was shot down? And many of us probably think "No way," and quickly conclude that NBC news anchor Brian Williams invented this story to embellish his public image as a news anchor who put his life in danger.
Berlin measles traced to refugees, but two cases linked to US A spike of measles infections in Berlin has been traced to unvaccinated refugees, but at least two cases appear to have come from the United States, authorities in the German capital said Friday.
Canada reports a case of mad cow disease A case of mad cow disease has been confirmed in a beef cow from Alberta, Canadian officials announced Friday.
Sierra Leone quarantines 700 homes after Ebola case Sierra Leone placed hundreds of homes in the capital under Ebola quarantine Friday, in a huge blow for its recovery less than a month after it lifted all restrictions on movement.
BGRF announces in silico method to predict effectiveness of cognitive enhancers The Biogerontology Research Foundation (BGRF), a UK-based charity committed to the support of aging research to address the challenges of a rapidly aging population and to reduce the impact of disease on future generations, announces the publication of research into personalising nootropic drugs using in silico prediction methods.
Review article provides evidence on the biological nature of gender identity Medical care of transgender patients, including surgical and hormonal treatment, has largely been met with resistance by physicians in favor of psychiatric treatment, owing to misconceptions that gender identity can be changed. According to a review article in Endocrine Practice, there is increasing evidence of a biological basis for gender identity that may change physicians' perspective on transgender medicine and improve health care for these patients.
1.3m back in school in Ebola-hit Guinea: UNICEF More than 1.3 million children have returned to school in Guinea since the restart of lessons that were delayed for months by the Ebola crisis, the United Nations children's fund said on Friday.
	Pot legalization backers discuss next steps in California Marijuana legalization proponents are gathering in San Francisco this weekend to hear about efforts to add the nation's most populous—and arguably most pot-infused—state to the four others where it is now legal for adults to buy and use the drug recreationally.

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