Viruses are more dangerous when they infect their victims in the morning, a University of Cambridge study suggests.

Viruses are more dangerous when they infect their victims in the morning, a University of Cambridge study suggests.

The findings, published in PNAS, showed viruses were 10 times more successful if the infection started in the morning.

And the animal studies found that a disrupted body clock - caused by shift-work or jet lag - was always vulnerable to infection.

The researchers say the findings could lead to new ways of stopping pandemics.

Viruses - unlike bacteria or parasites - are completely dependent on hijacking the machinery inside cells in order to replicate.

But those cells change dramatically as part of a 24-hour pattern known as the body clock.

In the study, mice were infected with either influenza, which causes flu, or herpes virus, which can cause a range of diseases including cold sores.

The mice infected in the morning had 10 times the viral levels of those infected in the evening.

The late viruses were failing after essentially trying to hijack a factory after all the workers had gone home.

Prof Akhilesh Reddy, one of the researchers, told the BBC News website: "It's a big difference.

"The virus needs all the apparatus available at the right time, otherwise it might not ever get off the ground, but a tiny infection in the morning might perpetuate faster and take over the body."

He believes the findings could help control outbreaks of disease.

Prof Reddy said: "In a pandemic, staying in during the daytime could be quite important and save people's lives, it could have a big impact if trials bear it out."

Further tests showed that disrupting the animal's body clock meant they were "locked in" to a state that allowed the viruses to thrive.

Dr Rachel Edgar, the first author, said: "This indicates that shift workers, who work some nights and rest some nights and so have a disrupted body clock, will be more susceptible to viral diseases.

"If so, then they could be prime candidates for receiving the annual flu vaccines."

The researchers used only two viruses in the study.

However, the pair were very distinct (one was a DNA virus the other an RNA virus), which leads the research team to suspect the morning risk may be a broad principle that applies across a wide number of viruses.

About 10% of genes, the instructions for running the human body, change activity throughout the day, and this is controlled by the internal clock.

The research focused on one clock gene called Bmal1, which has its peak activity in the afternoon in both mice and people.

Prof Reddy added: "It's the link with Bmal1 that's important, since when that's low (in the early morning), you're more susceptible to infection."

Curiously, Bmal1 becomes less active in people during the winter months - suggesting it may have a role in the greater risk of infections at that time of the year.

The body clock has been implicated in our susceptibility to infections before, flu jabs appear more effective in morning and jet lag affects the malaria parasite.

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Report: Apple to add 10.5-inch iPad Pro next year

NEW YORK — With new iPhones, Apple Watches and MacBook Pros expected in the coming months, you'd be forgiven for forgetting about the iPad.

There may be good reason. Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities says Apple may be waiting on upgrading its tablet line until next year.

In his latest report, first spotted by MacRumors, Kuo says Apple plans to launch three new iPads next year. This will include a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro as well as a "low-cost" 9.7-inch iPad and 10.5-inch iPad Pro. The new 10.5-inch model is said to be better suited for education, a particular area of interest to Apple as it seeks to build out the iPad market.

Kuo, who studies Apple's supply chain, has a solid track record on gleaning the company's plans. Most recently, he accurately predicted the launch of the iPhone SE and was among the first to speculate that Apple will upgrade the MacBook Pro with a fingerprint sensor and touchscreen display bar, a rumor which picked up steam last week.

Both of the larger iPad Pros will run new Apple 10X processors, according to the report. Unlike the iPhone, which will reportedly see a major redesign next year to coincide with the smartphone's 10th anniversary, Kuo doesn't anticipate the iPad seeing a similar overhaul until 2018, where it may benefit from new features including a "flexible AMOLED" screen.

Once heralded by Steve Jobs as the beginning of the "post-PC era" Apple's tablet has struggled to become the runaway computing platform of the future. It has seen sales drop from its peak of 26.64 million sold in the first quarter of 2014, with only 9.95 million units sold in the company's most recent quarter according to data compiled by Statista.

With no major upgrade anticipated this year, Kuo has lowered his expectations for Apple's tablets, cutting his total 2016 shipment forecast to 35 million to 40 million units from his previous expectation of 45 million to 50 million units.

Even the new 2017 models may not be enough to reverse tablet sales, with Kuo still expecting iPad shipments to fall 10% to 20% next year.

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Google aiming for drones with projectors for virtual meetings

Heard of "virtual meetings"? With a new drone with a projector, this will soon be possible. US tech giant Google has been granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for an "unmanned aerial vehicle for collaboration" called mobile telepresence system.

The objective of a telepresence system is to present interactive video and audio between users in geographically-dispersed locations.

"Many drones come with cameras but Google thinks a drone with a projector could be the answer to mobile telepresence conferencing," technology website zdnet.com reported on Friday.

Google thinks that its unmanned drone could provide significant improvements in speed, maneuverability, energy consumption and facilitate access to cramped spaces.

For stability reasons, Google's quadcopter design is shaped like the letter 'H' with a propeller at the ends of each of the longer strokes, the report said.

In one embodiment, a screen dangles off the front end of the drone while a projector perches at the rear of the vehicle.

The display area of the screen is being described as semi-translucent so that images projected from the rear can be viewed from the front-facing surface of the screen.

"The smartphone may receive images from the user at the remote location, and may project the received images through a projector included with the smartphone," the report added.

The setup could use two mirrors where one bounces an image from the phone to a screen, and a second is used to capture an image from a room and reflect that to the camera of a smartphone.

Telepresence systems sold by companies like HP and Cisco may offer a virtual meeting space but the right equipment needs to be at both ends usually at a fixed location, noted Google.

According to Google, it can solve this with the help of drones equipped with everything that a telepresence system features, including cameras, microphones, projectors, speakers and a display.

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What Is a Duplex? Potentially, 2 Homes for the Price of 1

Homes come in many shapes and configurations, and one type that's popular with extended families or budding landlords is a duplex. But just what is a duplex? It's not just one home, but two. They may be stacked one atop the other on separate floors, or they may be side by side with a shared wall. A duplex may also be called a " multifamily dwelling," because more than one family can live in it.

A duplex is sometimes confused with a "twin home," but they're not the same thing. A twin home may look like a duplex: two separate homes sharing a wall. But with a twin home, the lot line actually runs through the common wall -- so on each side you have an individual home on an individual lot, even though they're connected.

A duplex is different: Rather than owning just one home, you own two. As such, duplexes will likely cost more than a single-family home at the outset. However, if you rent out the other half, this revenue can drastically offset your expenses and potentially make duplex living cheaper than what you'd pay for a freestanding house. It's a popular option for people who want to keep family members nearby or who want a steady income from a place that's not too far away to manage.

The upsides of a duplex

A lower cost: On average, living in one side of a duplex (while renting out the other side) is more affordable than living in a single-family home with a similar number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage, according to Duplex.net.

Help with mortgage payments: Let's say your monthly mortgage payment is $1,700, and you rent out the other half of your duplex for $900. You'll need to come up with only $800 each month to make the payment. Or you could pay off your mortgage even faster by making extra payments on the principal.

Tax deductions: Unlike with a single-family residence, with a duplex you can deduct certain home expenses for maintenance and yardwork because it's an income property. That can make upkeep easier to afford. Just to be sure, check with a tax pro before you make an offer on a particular property, because specifics always vary.

You can keep family close: If your family includes someone who is elderly, has special needs, or is just starting a new career, he or she can stay in the other half of the unit. The family member can maintain a degree of independence while not going too far from the nest.

Security: There's always someone nearby in case you need help, or to watch over your place while you're gone.

You set all the rules: The advantages of being a landlord include getting to set all the rules when it comes to pets, smoking, and landscaping. Note, however, that being a landlord also has its downsides.

The downsides of a duplex

Your tenants live right next to you: This could potentially be awkward if they're knocking on your door at all hours with requests or complaints.

You're responsible for all maintenance: Anything that breaks, the way the yard looks, utility issues -- you have to take care of it all. Being a landlord may not be easy.

Renters are not guaranteed: If the rental market is soft, it can take time to find ideal tenants. If you don't have renters lined up, you'll have to make the entire mortgage payment yourself.

Privacy may be an issue: You could be sharing a floor, ceiling, or wall with another person. You'll have to deal with all the noise, smell, aesthetic, and parking issues that come from living so close to someone else.

You'll have to deal with damage: No matter how carefully you've selected your renters, no one ever takes care of someone else's property as well as they take care of their own. Stuff happens, and you'll have to sort it out.

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Wendy's sales hit by cheaper US grocery prices

Burger chain Wendy's has reported lower-than-expected sales as more consumers decided to eat at home.

Sales at stores open for at least 15 months rose by 0.4%. Analysts had expected 1.9% growth.

Lower food prices helped Wendy's cut costs, but cheaper groceries were also encouraging more people to cook.

Profits for the second quarter fell $13.7m to $26.5m (£20.3m) compared with the same period last year.Total sales at Wendy's restaurants fell 22% to $382.7m.

Todd Penegor, the chain's chief executive, said: "The most notable driver behind the sales slowdown appears to be the continued gap between cost of eating at home and cost of dining out, which is now at its widest point since the recession."

The slide in sales at Wendy's reflects broader problems in the fast food industry, which is increasingly regarded by consumers as unhealthy.

McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks have all posted lower sales in recent quarters.

'Fast casual' competition

New competitors in the fast food market and consumers' growing desire for healthier options have also caused problems for many in the industry.

When people do eat out they are increasing turning to "fast casual" chains that offer a more upmarket experience.

Stephen Dutton, consumer foodservice analyst at Euromonitor, said: "Consumers have a little more disposable income and they are willing to trade up for more premium option, which has driven a demand for new players like Shake Shack and Chipotle."

Newer operators such as Shake Shack and bakery chain Panera are offering what many customers regard as a better choice, despite their higher prices.

Shake Shack reported a lower than expected 4.5% rise in like-for-like quarterly sales on Wednesday, although total revenue rose 37% to $66.5m. Profits rose $2.2m to $3.3m.

Shares sank 9% in after-hours trading to $40.87, bringing the decline over the past 12 months to almost 43%. Shake Shack listed in January 2015 at $21 a share and briefly topped $100 in May last year.

Fast food restaurants are also feeling pressure from increases in the minimum wage which have been introduced in several US cities.

A growing number of chains are trying out new menu items and discounts in a bid to attract customers.Wendy's has been pushing its "four items for $4" menu option, while McDonald's has brought in all-day breakfast and may introduce more fresh ingredients.

Burger King now sells hot dogs in the US and next week introduces the Whopperito - a twist on the Whopper burger that is wrapped like a burrito.

According to Mr Dutton, new offerings can generate a buzz and build brand recognition. However, he warns some consumers are seeking for a better overall experience at the restaurants, which can be costly to introduce.

"There are two ways of dealing with new players," Mr Dutton said. "McDonald's is trying to compete directly against them by making improvements to stores, but they run the risk of alienating a consumer base that is just interested in low prices.

"But there are chains that are doubling down on the value products by offering limited time promotions and creating mash-ups of different foods." Source-BBC

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Why are so many Olympians covered in large red circles?

A number of Olympians - including the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, Michael Phelps - have been photographed with large red circles on their skin.

What are they, and why is everyone suddenly going dotty over them?

The mark of an Olympic athlete, at least at Rio 2016, seems to be a scattering of perfectly round bruises. Swimmers and gymnasts, particularly from Team USA, are among those seen sporting the mysterious dots.

No, not paintballing misadventures or love bites - they are the result of a practice known as "cupping"; an ancient therapy where heated cups are placed on the skin.

So how is 'cupping' done?

The technique, which is a form of acupuncture, is done by lighting flammable liquid in a glass cup.

Once the flame goes out, the drop in temperature creates suction which sticks the cups to the body.

The suction pulls the skin away from the body and promotes blood flow - and leaves those red spots, which typically last for three or four days.

Why are some Olympians using it?

Athletes say they are using it to ease aches and pains, and to help with recovery from the physical toil of constant training and competing.

There are plenty of other recovery techniques competitors use - including sports massage, sauna, ice baths and compression garments - but US gymnast Alex Naddour told USA Today that cupping was "better than any money I've spent on anything else".

"That's been the secret that I have had through this year that keeps me healthy," Naddour told the paper, adding that it had saved him from "a lot of pain".

His team captain Chris Brooks added that many on the squad had started "do-it-yourself" cupping, with cups that can be suctioned with a pump rather than with a flame.

"You're like, 'OK, I'm sore here,'" said Brooks. "Throw a cup on, and your roommate will help you or you can do it yourself."

The marks visible on Michael Phelps as he competed in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay on Sunday had people on social media speculating what they might be, with some guessing he might have been playing paintball or attacked by a giant octopus.

Who else does this?

It's not only athletes who use cupping. The practice has long proved popular among A-listers in search of the next best therapy.

In 2004, Gwyneth Paltrow appeared at a film premiere revealing the signs of cupping on her back.

Justin Bieber, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston have all been photographed with what look like cupping marks.

And Nicole Richie made her dad, singer Lionel Richie try it - although pictures suggest he might not entirely have enjoyed it.

Cupping has also become an increasingly available and popular treatment in beauty parlours and spas, as well as traditional Chinese medicine shops where it is commonly on offer.

Doesn't it hurt?

The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) says cupping is not painful, and the red marks left on the skin are caused by blood being drawn to the surface and small capillaries rupturing.

On the other hand, swimmer Michael Phelps was filmed wincing as he underwent the technique in a recent advert, and other Olympians have posted pictures of what look like painful cupping sessions on social media.

US swimmer Natalie Coughlin posted a picture of cups suctioned to her chest - with the words: "Laughing because it hurts so bad" - and a painful looking pictureof the aftermath of the therapy.

Belarusian swimmer Pavel Sankovich also posted a photo of his legs covered in a dozen of the little domes.

esearchers also looked at the theory that a drop in physical activity was the main reason for rising weight gain.

But they say if a reduction in exercise was solely responsible, every single adult nationally would need to have eliminated more than three-and-a-half hours of daily walking since the 1970s to account for the changes.

They suggest policymakers trying to curb obesity should focus more on reducing calorie intake than promoting exercise.

Public health expert Prof Alan Maryon-Davis described the report as an "interesting and very soundly argued analysis".

He added: "This will send a shudder through the junk-food industry.

"Up until now they've been able to point to what was thought to be a decline in the nation's calorie intake and say there's really no need for tougher measures like a sugar tax, fat tax or calorie-labelling on alcoholic drinks.

"But this latest analysis rather pulls the rug from under their feet."

The Behavioural Insights Team, which is jointly owned by the UK government and charity Nesta, applies insights from academic research in behavioural economics and psychology to public policy and services. BBC

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Britons under-report calorie intake, study suggests

Britons are under-reporting their daily calorie consumption - potentially misleading policymakers attempting to curb obesity, research suggests.

The Behavioural Insights Team points to scientific and economic data showing people eat 3,000 calories, compared to the 2,000 cited in official surveys.

It says this could explain rising obesity levels, despite decades of surveys saying people are eating less.

Government statisticians say the way calorie data is collated will change.

'Tracking snacks'

Several official surveys, including the National Diet and Nutrition Survey and the Living Costs and Food Survey, suggest the amount of food people eat and buy has gone down in recent decades - while obesity rates continue to rise.

But the researchers from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) say if the calorie counts in these surveys were correct, the UK population would be losing weight overall.

Can you lose weight without counting calories?

The BIT is an independent company but started its life in 2010 as a government policy group known as the "nudge unit" because it was tasked with encouraging people into making better life choices.

Its study points to scientific studies including chemical analysis of how much energy people burn, that show people are eating about 1,000 more calories a day per person than surveys would suggest.

National spending figures also suggest we are buying more food than we report in surveys, the authors say.

They suggest there could be many reasons people are not accurately reporting what they eat, including snacks being difficult to track, a desire to lose weight making them less likely to be honest about their eating habits, and fewer people taking part in the surveys overall.

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Asian stocks rise as investors hunt for yield; Aussie shines

Investors flocked to higher-yielding assets on Monday after strong U.S. jobs data on Friday lifted confidence - driving up Asian stocks and the Australian dollar.

Although the strong U.S. data dampened the safe-haven appeal of government debt with Japanese 10-year bond futures tanking in early trade, futures markets <0#FF:> were only pricing in a U.S. rate hike only in 2017 as other major central banks looked set to add more stimulus in the coming weeks.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.3 percent and was just hovering below a one-year high hit last week. It has gained for the last three weeks.

"The general sentiment among investors in emerging markets is to make hay while the sun shines even though this rally is starting to look a bit dangerous," said Cliff Tan, east Asian head of global markets research at Bank of Tokyo- Mitsubishi UFJ based in Hong Kong referring to stretched valuations.

Japan .N225 and Australian markets led regional gainers while mainland China shares.SSEC slipped in early trade as data at the weekend showed a further decline in China's foreign exchange reserves.

U.S. July nonfarm payrolls rose by 255,000 and the June increase was revised upward to 292,000, the Labor Department said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast July payrolls would increase by 180,000.

The strong U.S. jobs data was a rare bright spot of data in the global economic landscape with Australia's central bank and the Bank of England cutting interest rates last week and New Zealand set to follow in coming days.

"The robust U.S. labor market data raise the chances for monetary policy normalization by the Fed, but uncertainties for the U.S. remain high as well," wrote strategists at Barclays.

The dollar was up 0.3 percent at 102.11 yen JPY=. It was steady against the euro at $1.10925 EUR=.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, was broadly flat at 96.240 .DXY, not far from a one-week high of 96.522 hit on Friday after the jobs report.

"The dollar appears to be holding strong for now, but after this week, there are lots of uncertainties," said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief currency strategist for Mizuho Securities.

While major currencies are expected to stick to recent ranges, market participants say thin market conditions could amplify moves, and higher U.S. rates were far from guaranteed.

Despite a cut in interest rates last week, the Aussie was the best performing currency in Asia as its relatively higher interest rate appeal and AAA credit ratings strengthened its appeal. It was up 0.1 percent at 0.7605.

In commodities, spot gold XAU= was up 0.05 percent to $1,335.80 an ounce, a low not seen since July 29.

Crude oil futures, which ended modestly lower on Friday, rose in early trade. U.S. crude CLc1 added 0.2 percent to $42.03 a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 was up 0.09 percent at $44.45.

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Linux Botnets on a Rampage

Linux-operated botnet Distributed Denial of Service attacks surged in this year's second quarter, due to growing interest in targeting Chinese servers, according to a Kaspersky Lab report released this week.

South Korea kept its top ranking for having the most command-and-control servers. Brazil, Italy and Israel ranked among the leaders behind South Korea for hosting C&C servers, according to Kaspersky Lab.

DDoS attacks affected resources in 70 countries, with targets in China absorbing 77 percent of all attacks. Germany and Canada dropped out of the top 10 most-targeted countries, replaced by France and the Netherlands.

The Linux server is the go-to platform for orchestrating DDoS attacks because of its latent vulnerabilities, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. A common problem is that they are not protected by reliable security solutions.

"That makes them prime targets for hackers, especially those that leverage C&C servers to centrally manage and carry out DDoS attacks," he told LinuxInsider. "Deploying leading security solutions, as well as utilizing and updating established Linux distros, can go a long way to protecting against these issues."

Hardware to Protect

All devices are vulnerable -- servers and desktops running any flavor of Linux, along with switches, routers, ADSL modems, wireless devices and cars.

Internet of Things devices running embedded Linux also are vulnerable, said Oleg Kupreev, lead malware analyst at Kaspersky Lab.

"The main reason is in most cases it is hard to update or reconfigure vulnerable software ASAP -- especially on highly loaded, critical servers -- or to update outdated software that is not supported by manufacturer devices," he told LinuxInsider.

Companies that rely on Linux servers must protect them against this growing threat. For Linux servers, it is very important to harden, or tweak, the security of the system, Kupreev said.

It's important to understand and implement SELinux, keep the software and the kernel up to date, and adopt a strong password policy, he explained.

Attack Vectors

It appears that nothing much is new about the methods hackers used in their recently stepped-up activities.

"We don't see any changes in tactics. Brute-forcing passwords, exploiting common vulnerabilities in Web applications, hijacking or sniffing wireless communications -- these are old and well-known threats, said Kupreev. "Of course, each year we see some new threats, like remote-controlled cars -- but it's not a trend, it's just a reality."

SYN DDoS, TCP DDoS and HTTP DDoS remained the most common attack scenarios in the second quarter, according to Kasperky's report.

The share of attacks from Linux botnets almost doubled, to 70 percent.

The proportion of attacks using the SYN DDoS method increased 1.4 times, compared with the previous quarter, accounting for 76 percent.

For the first time, there was an imbalance between the activities of Linux-based and Windows-based DDoS bots, based on the report's findings. Linux bots are the most effective tool for SYN-DDoS.

"Linux is becoming more commonplace and is used in most embedded systems," noted John McCarty, CISSP and senior security consultant at AsTech Consulting.

"These implementations often are not hardened or patched and upgraded regularly, which has led to these systems being compromised and becoming a part of a botnet," he told LinuxInsider.

Time Matters Too

The duration of the DDoS attacks has increased, Kaspersky's report shows. For instance, the proportion of attacks that lasted for up to four hours fell from 68 percent in the first quarter of this year to 60 percent in the second quarter.

The proportion of longer attacks grew considerably. Those lasting 20-49 hours accounted for 9 percent (4 percent in Q1) and those lasting 50-99 hours accounted for 4 percent (1 percent in Q1).

The longest DDoS attack in Q2 2016 lasted 291 hours (12 days), a significant increase from Q1's longest attack, which was eight days.

Contributing Factors

Linux can be an extremely secure operating system, according to AsTech's McCarty. When it is properly configured and locked down, Linux can be hardened to withstand many of the current exploits and attacks.

"However, this reputation can lead to some administrators feeling that these systems are inherently secure and do not need the level of configuration and attention necessary to protect the systems from attack," he said.

Another factor that encourages hackers to exploit Linux loopholes is the lack of security professionals and security software to maintain systems properly, said Dodi Glenn, vice president of cybersecurity at PC Pitstop.

"These systems usually host services, which can be used to reflect malicious activities," he told LinuxInsider.

Linux is not inherently insecure, and it has become ubiquitous, observed Weston Henry, website security research analyst at SiteLock.

"The number of cloud servers and devices running Linux/BusyBox online with security as an afterthought may lead to insecure devices and services," he told LinuxInsider.

Treating the Cause

Companies must ensure they are hiring the right people to maintain the Linux systems, said PC Pitstop's Glenn, and proactive security is key.

"When securing these systems, create a baseline of the system or a profile of the system, noting its usage of resources in normal operation modes," he advised.

Organizations using Linux should ensure the systems are patched, securely configured and hardened, so that unnecessary services and applications are not running or even installed on them. It would help to toss in an intrusion prevention system and next-generation firewall as well.

"This will help minimize the overall attack surface of these systems, limiting the ability of a hacker to take over the system and use it within a botnet or for any other purpose," said McCarty.

DDoS attacks still seem to be about quashing competition -- from online gaming and gold farming sites in the past to bitcoin sites now, noted SiteLock's Henry. The uptick in Linux botnets stems partly from the stated router and set-top box compromises.

"A decreased barrier to entry into cloud servers and services may also add to the vulnerable pool," he said. "Consider security during system design. That is, design security into the system instead of adding it on after deployment."

Other steps to take prior to launch, according to Henry, include assessing network and hosting services for DDoS robustness; beginning a relationship with a DDoS mitigation service; having a DDoS mitigation plan in place; and using a robust content delivery network to take any initial brunt.source-ECT

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Alexa Takes On Smart Home Security Responsibilities

Millions of customers using Amazon's Alexa voice assistant technology now can add locks that can be controlled remotely to the growing ecosystem of smart home capabilities.

August Home last week announced that Amazon's line of voice-assisted products, including the best-selling Echo, now support its smart products, allowing users to lock and unlock their front doors and other points of access using simple voice commands.

August product line includes the August Smart Lock, the August Smart Keypad and the August Smart Doorbell Cam, which allow customers to secure and keep track of home security using a smartphone app.

Connected home devices are gaining wider acceptance due to the increased use of smartphones, Internet availability, and connected devices that solve real consumer problems and needs, said Lisa Auslen, spokesperson for August.

"Consumers are definitely adopting voice-enabled devices, often because voice commands bring added convenience to the products they may already have at home," she told TechNewsWorld.

August Smart Lock customers using the first- or second-generation locks can use the service by enabling the August Smart Lock skill located in the Alexa app. The service also requires the August Connection WiFi bridge to connect the Bluetooth lock.

August officials said the company's product work with a number of different partners, including Airbnb, Apple, Nest, Logitech and Xfinity Home.

Growing Ecosystem

The ability to remotely control home security marks the latest series of capabilities for Alexa voice-command products, which now have about 1,900 third-party skills from a range of companies, including Kayak, Lyft, Honeywell and others.

Customers are using Alexa-enabled devices to listen to music, set alarms, get news, shop online, order pizza, and perform a variety of household talks including controlling lights and window blinds.

One of the biggest issues for accelerating adoption of smart home products is the ability to integrate all the various capabilities that communicate seamlessly with each other.

"The smart home market has been and will continue to be hobbled by a lack of comprehensive and simple methods to integrate the various smart home devices from different manufacturers," said Kevin Krewell, principal analyst at Tirias Research.

"Amazon Alexa integration is one step towards making the integration easy for users, but it still competes with Apple HomeKit, Nest and other home automation solutions," he told TechNewsWorld.

Security Concerns

Voice command is the most compelling feature of home automation systems using the Alexa platform, said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. However, controlling automated locks presents a unique set of challenges.

"The concern is that someone either accidentally issues an unlock command or someone outside the house gets heard by Alexa, which then opens the lock," Enderle said. "The problem with scripts is they too can include locks, and up until now this capability was disabled."

The demand for smart home lock devices took off several years ago, when August and rival Weiss announced early versions of smartphone-controlled door locks, observed Konkana Khaund, principal consultant at Frost & Sullivan.

While demand clearly is growing, there are still concerns about the security of connected home devices from hacker intrusions.

"Most of these systems have confirmed threat potential," Khaund told TechNewsWorld.

Securing them "will require commitments to device hardening on the part of solution providers," she said, "as well as more vigilance in terms of device protection and authentication on the part of the consumer."  source-ECT

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Eating disorders: Patients with 'wrong weight' refused care

Eating disorders ar complicated and might have an effect on anyone.

When Eliza tiny started seriously proscribing her uptake 2 years past, she was referred for specialist facilitate.

Her family had a history of uptake disorders. however she was refused specialist patient mental state treatment as a result of her body mass index (BMI) was too high.

''It created American state desire I wasn't ok at my disorder," she said.

"It created American state desire i might have to be compelled to make a come back at it.''

Which she did. A loved one eventually bought her to possess non-public treatment and he or she was diagnosed with atypical eating disorder - all the symptoms however not the correct weight.

But what's the correct weight?

Prof Tim Kendall, England's most senior mental state authority, says weight should not acquire it.

''If you allow AN disorder till it's ought to the purpose wherever, say with eating disorder, they've lost say a 3rd of their weight, that encompasses a ton of longer-term consequences that create it terribly troublesome to treat, therefore it's wrong in my read to go away this till it's got terribly unhealthy.

"To be told you are not skinny enough - it's nearly AN incitement to urge worse. It's like somebody getting to their medico and being told - you drink one bottle of strong drink every day right now? come once you drink 2.''

Prof Kendall believes patient alternative is vital and community care encompasses a far better probability of success. It ought to ne'er be withdrawn, he says, and hospital treatment ought to be enforced  solely within the most extreme cases.

Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) state that on its own, BMI is AN unreliable live of AN disorder.

BBC Breakfast asked all sixty two mental state trusts in England and Wales if they used BMI to make your mind up United Nations agency would qualify for patient disorder services.

Of the 44 trusts which responded, one-third said they did.

All said they used it along with other indicators - such as the speed of weight loss. Three trusts, however, said it was a primary measure. They were Derbyshire, Coventry and Kent and Medway.

In some areas, patients might be refused access to services if their BMI was over 14. In others, like Kent and Medway, if it was over 17.5.

Some trusts said they had a minimum threshold under which people might be refused outpatient services.

This is what happened to Claire: ''The first thing they did was weigh me and tell me my BMI was too low.

"I would have to go to hospital. I didn't want to, I'd had a bad experience before and I thought I was making good progress as an outpatient. So I was left to my own devices.

"Everyone's eating-disorder experience is completely different, you can't put everybody in the same box - you have to listen to the person, to how they are feeling."

Sarah Hodge, from Kent and Medway Partnership Trust eating disorder service, said they would rather not use it as a measure at all, but the problem was resources.

''You can have much more success when people have a higher BMI, they're much better able to engage with the therapy. But we just don't have the resources.''

The Department of Health says more funding is on the way: "We are investing £150m to develop community services in every area of the country for children and young people." Eating disorder guidelines from NICE are being redrafted. The hope is some of these concerns will be addressed when new guidelines are published later in the year."

Eliza said: ''You wouldn't tell someone with cancer to come back when their condition had deteriorated, why tell someone with an eating disorder?"

Eating disorders:

Research from the eating disorders charity Beat suggests more than 725,000 people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence estimates around 11% of those affected by an eating disorder are male.

The Health and Care Information Centre published figures in February 2014 showing an 8% rise in the number of inpatient hospital admissions in the 12 months to October 2013.

It is estimated that around 40% of people with an eating disorder have bulimia, 10% anorexia, and the rest other conditions, such as binge-eating disorder.

Many eating disorders develop during adolescence, but it is not at all unusual for people to develop eating disorders earlier or later in life.

Source: Beat: Beating eating disorders.

Update 4 August 2016: This story has been amended to remove the Cumbria trust from the list of trusts using BMI as a primary indicator.

Although it told the BBC that BMI was a primary indicator, the trust has since stressed that it is one of a number of criteria used after a diagnosis of anorexia.

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