Science X Newsletter Thursday, May 25

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 25, 2017:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Scientists borrow from electronics to build circuits in living cells

Children with restored vision demonstrate acquired face perception ability

Harvard team creates a cold-atom Fermi–Hubbard antiferromagnet

Researchers develop magnetic switch to turn on and off a strange quantum property

US nuclear regulators greatly underestimate potential for nuclear disaster, researchers say

Collapsing star gives birth to a black hole

Chinese go champion begins 2nd game against computer

A molecule produced by a Thai liver parasite could be the solution to those non-healing wounds

Fighting forgery with paper fingerprints

No evidence that brain-stimulation technique boosts cognitive training: study

Summer rainfall in vulnerable African region can be predicted

High pressure key to lighter, stronger metal alloys, scientists find

Chinese fans trash blackout as Google AI wins again

Nanocar is the first step toward a controlled transport system at the molecular scale

Cassini looks on as solstice arrives at Saturn

Astronomy & Space news

	Collapsing star gives birth to a black hole Astronomers have watched as a massive, dying star was likely reborn as a black hole. It took the combined power of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), and NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to go looking for remnants of the vanquished star, only to find that it disappeared out of sight.
	Cassini looks on as solstice arrives at Saturn NASA's Cassini spacecraft still has a few months to go before it completes its mission in September, but the veteran Saturn explorer reaches a new milestone today. Saturn's solstice—that is, the longest day of summer in the northern hemisphere and the shortest day of winter in the southern hemisphere—arrives today for the planet and its moons. The Saturnian solstice occurs about every 15 Earth years as the planet and its entourage slowly orbit the sun, with the north and south hemispheres alternating their roles as the summer and winter poles.
	Methanol detected for first time around young star Methanol, a key building block for the complex organic compounds that comprise life, has been detected for the first time in the protoplanetary disk of a young, distant star. This finding could help scientists better understand the chemistry occurring during a planet's formation that could ultimately lead to the emergence of life.
	New Neliota project detects flashes from lunar impacts Using a system developed under an ESA contract, the Greek NELIOTA project has begun to detect flashes of light caused by small pieces of rock striking the moon's surface. NELIOTA is the first system that can determine the temperature of these impact flashes.
	Juno mission to Jupiter delivers first science results NASA's Juno mission, led by Southwest Research Institute's Dr. Scott Bolton, is rewriting what scientists thought they knew about Jupiter specifically, and gas giants in general, according to a pair of Science papers released today. The Juno spacecraft has been in orbit around Jupiter since July 2016, passing within 3,000 miles of the equatorial cloudtops.
	Jupiter's complex transient auroras Combined observations from three spacecraft show that Jupiter's brightest auroral features recorded to date are powered by both the volcanic moon Io and interaction with the solar wind.
	New Zealand test rocket makes it to space but not to orbit California-based company Rocket Lab said Thursday it had launched a test rocket into space from its New Zealand launch pad, although the rocket didn't reach orbit as hoped.
	Image: Silicon carbide mirror subjected to thermal-vacuum testing A strong but lightweight mirror for space, made from silicon carbide ceramic, is being subjected to the temperature levels and vacuum encountered in orbit.
	Schiaparelli landing investigation completed The inquiry into the crash-landing of the ExoMars Schiaparelli module has concluded that conflicting information in the onboard computer caused the descent sequence to end prematurely.
	NASA moves up launch of Psyche mission to a metal asteroid Psyche, NASA's Discovery Mission to a unique metal asteroid, has been moved up one year with launch in the summer of 2022, and with a planned arrival at the main belt asteroid in 2026—four years earlier than the original timeline.
	First Juno science results supported by University of Leicester's Jupiter 'forecast' New observations about the extreme conditions of Jupiter's weather and magnetic fields by University of Leicester astronomers have contributed to the revelations and insights coming from the first close passes of Jupiter by NASA's Juno mission, announced today (25 May).

Technology news

	US nuclear regulators greatly underestimate potential for nuclear disaster, researchers say The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) relied on faulty analysis to justify its refusal to adopt a critical measure for protecting Americans from the occurrence of a catastrophic nuclear-waste fire at any one of dozens of reactor sites around the country, according to an article in the May 26 issue of Science magazine. Fallout from such a fire could be considerably larger than the radioactive emissions from the 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan.
	Chinese go champion begins 2nd game against computer China's top player of the ancient board game of go began a second game against a computer Thursday in a competition authorities limited the Chinese public's ability to see.
	Fighting forgery with paper fingerprints Fingerprinting official documents could provide a cost-effective way to prevent forgery, new research shows.
	Chinese fans trash blackout as Google AI wins again Chinese netizens fumed Thursday over a government ban on live coverage of Google algorithm AlphaGo's battle with the world's top Go player, as the programme clinched their three-match series in the ancient board game.
	Sheets of gelatin transform into 3-D shapes when dunked in water "Don't play with your food" is a saying that MIT researchers are taking with a grain or two of salt. The team is finding ways to make the dining experience interactive and fun, with food that can transform its shape when water is added.
	'Memory disaggregation' for large-scale computing made practical For decades, operators of large computer clusters in both the cloud and high-performance computing communities have searched for an efficient way to share server memory in order to speed up application performance.
	Jury out on North Korea link to ransomware attack Was North Korea behind the ransomware epidemic that hit global computer networks earlier this month?
	Serious injuries at Tesla plant double industry average: report The rate of serious injuries at a Tesla factory in California is double the industry average, a worker advocacy group said Wednesday in a report calling for better workplace protections.
	From blue and black dresses to turbine blades—here's the science of 'fake fake' photographs Whether it's a blue and black dress - or white and gold depending on your take - or a pair of legs streaked with white paint, eagle-eyed viewers are always keen to debate a visual illusion when these puzzling images appear online.
	Managing demand can save two power stations' worth of energy at peak times The management of Australia's looming energy crisis has so far focused almost exclusively on the supply side of the equation: exploiting new gas reserves, expanding the Snowy Mountains hydro scheme, and building new infrastructure.
Your mobile phone can reveal whether you have been exposed to radiation In accidents or terror attacks which are suspected to involve radioactive substances, it can be difficult to determine whether people nearby have been exposed to radiation. But by analysing mobile phones and other objects which come in close contact with the body, it is possible to retrieve important information on radiation exposure. This has been shown by a new thesis from Lund University in Sweden.
	Military-funded prosthetic technologies benefit more than just veterans In 1905, an Ohio farmer survived a railroad accident that cost him both of his legs. Two years later, he founded the Ohio Willow Wood company, using the namesake timber to hand-carve prosthetic limbs. The company grew, surviving the Great Depression and a fire that destroyed the plant, and still thrives today in rural Ohio. Few who work there now might remember the curious footnote in the company's history that occurred during World War II, when the rebuilt factory was diversified to build parts for PT boats and B-17 bombers.
	The economics behind Uber's new pricing model Uber is changing the way it calculates fares, moving to a system that charges what customers are "willing to pay", based on factors like whether you are travelling to a wealthy suburb. But while this change has been met with mild outrage, it is actually a very common practice called "price discrimination."
Here's one tally of the losses from WannaCry cyberattack A digital worm powered by stolen National Security Agency software caused $1 billion in damages when it infected hundreds of thousands of computers in less than a week, a Florida digital security company says. And new attacks may be in the offing.
	How to protect your data from cyberattacks The malware attack known as WannaCry (or Wcrypt) has quickly become one of the worst cyberattacks in recent memory. But the damage could've been prevented.
Lost for words? How to search online with your smartphone camera On the hunt for new shoes? Racking your brain for a recipe idea? When you're trying to find information, typing out words in a search bar is probably the first thought that comes to mind.
While Barnes & Nobles close, Amazon is opening real live bookstores A luxury shopping complex on New York's Columbus Circle opens to a new tenant Thursday: Amazon.
Venture capitalist spends time browsing Nextdoor The lauded Silicon Valley venture capitalist Bill Gurley who, along with his partners at Benchmark, was an early investor in companies such as Instagram, Uber, Stitch Fix and Snap Inc., spent a recent afternoon scrolling through the neighborhood social network, Nextdoor, studying the ways people use the service.
Apple's gift to schools: Free app development curriculum Apple is creating a new curriculum designed to teach mobile app development to high school and college students with little to no prior coding experience.
	Zuckerberg urges Harvard grads to build a world of 'purpose' Facebook's CEO returned to Harvard Thursday, telling graduates that it is up to their generation to create a purpose for today's world, to care about others, to fight inequality and strengthen the global community.
	In His Words: Mark Zuckerberg addresses Harvard Class of '17 Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave a commencement speech at Harvard University on Thursday, 12 years after dropping out to focus on what's now the world's biggest social network.
	Facebook's Zuckerberg to give Harvard graduation speech Mark Zuckerberg is giving a commencement address at Harvard, where he dropped out 12 years ago to focus on Facebook.
Russia's disinformation efforts hit 39 countries: researchers Russia's campaign of cyberespionage and disinformation has targeted hundreds of individuals and organizations from at least 39 countries along with the United Nations and NATO, researchers said Thursday.

Medicine & Health news

	Children with restored vision demonstrate acquired face perception ability (Medical Xpress)—The milestones of infant brain development are difficult to study. So researchers often seek out subjects with disabilities that prevented them from reaching those developmental stages in infancy. One early achievement of babies is visually distinguishing between faces and nonfaces. It was unknown whether this ability is subject to a critical period of brain development, or if it is a skill acquired through experience.
	No evidence that brain-stimulation technique boosts cognitive training: study Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)—a non-invasive technique for applying electric current to areas of the brain—may be growing in popularity, but new research suggests that it probably does not add any meaningful benefit to cognitive training. The study is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	Antibody found to reduce weight gain and bone loss in menopausal mice (Medical Xpress)—A team of researchers with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York has found that giving a certain antibody to menopausal mice resulted in less weight gain and reduced bone loss. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes their study of the antibody and its impact on mice.
	Gene science closes in on endometriosis In the world's largest study into the genetic causes of endometriosis, University of Queensland researchers have helped identify five new gene regions linked to the disease.
	Scientists demonstrate the existence of 'social neurons' The existence of new "social" neurons has just been demonstrated by scientists from the Institut de neurosciences des systèmes (Aix-Marseille University / INSERM), the Laboratoire de psychologie sociale et cognitive (Université Clermont Auvergne / CNRS), and the Institut de neurosciences de la Timone (Aix-Marseille University / CNRS). Their research on monkeys has shown that when these animals are made to perform a task, the presence or absence of a conspecific—that is, another monkey—determines which neurons are activated. Published in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, these findings broaden our knowledge of the social brain and help us better grasp the phenomenon of social facilitation.
	Fathers' brains respond differently to daughters than sons Fathers with toddler daughters are more attentive and responsive to those daughters' needs than fathers with toddler sons are to the needs of those sons, according to brain scans and recordings of the parents' daily interactions with their kids.
	Researchers identify brain network organization changes As children age into adolescence and on into young adulthood, they show dramatic improvements in their ability to control impulses, stay organized, and make decisions. Those executive functions of the brain are key factors in determining outcomes including their educational success, and whether they will use recreational drugs, or develop psychiatric illness. In a new study, published this week in Current Biology, a team of University of Pennsylvania researchers report newly mapped changes in the network organization of the brain that underlie those improvements in executive function. The findings could provide clues about risks for certain mental illnesses.
	Study provides better understanding of how brain tumors 'feed' All cancer tumors have one thing in common - they must feed themselves to grow and spread, a difficult feat since they are usually in a tumor microenvironment with limited nutrients and oxygen. A study at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has revealed new details about how an enzyme called acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2) allows brain tumors to grow despite their harsh surroundings. The findings, published in the May 25 online issue of Molecular Cell, portends ACSS2 as a potential player in new approaches to treating this often deadly disease.
	New hair growth mechanism discovered In experiments in mice, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered that regulatory T cells (Tregs; pronounced "tee-regs"), a type of immune cell generally associated with controlling inflammation, directly trigger stem cells in the skin to promote healthy hair growth. Without these immune cells as partners, the researchers found, the stem cells cannot regenerate hair follicles, leading to baldness.
	A new way to slow cancer cell growth Cancer is an extremely complex disease, but its definition is quite simple: the abnormal and uncontrollable growth of cells. Researchers from the University of Rochester's Center for RNA Biology have identified a new way to potentially slow the fast-growing cells that characterize all types of cancer. The findings, reported today in the journal Science and funded by the National Institutes of Health, were made in kidney and cervical cancer cells in the laboratory and are a long way from being applied in people. But, they could be the basis of a treatment option in the future, the authors said.
	CRKL in 22q11.2; a key gene that contributes to common birth defects The 22q11.2 region of human chromosome 22 is a hotspot for a variety of birth defects. Scientists learned about this region because it is deleted in about 1 in 4,000 births, causing the loss or duplication of up to 40 genes. This chromosome microdeletion or microduplication can result in a number of developmental abnormalities that vary greatly in severity among affected individuals. What many of the genes in this region do is not well understood, but when a set of these genes is absent it can cause havoc in the development and function of the heart, immune system and craniofacial features, as well as cognitive and behavioral issues. About 30 percent of individuals with the condition, called DiGeorge syndrome or 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, may also present with developmental abnormalities in the genitourinary system, both the upper- and the lower-tract defects.
Pregnancy complications linked to heightened heart disease risk in young adult offspring Complications of pregnancy, such as high blood pressure and infections, are linked to a heightened risk of early coronary heart disease in the young adult offspring, finds research published in the online journal Heart Asia.
	Breakthrough in how autopsy practice is conducted worldwide A ground-breaking study by University of Leicester pathologists and radiologists could represent a breakthrough in how autopsy practice is conducted in the United Kingdom and around the world.
	Rates of suicide 'worrying' among people with autism, say experts Suicide rates among people with autism in England have reached "worryingly" high levels, according to experts writing in the Lancet Psychiatry today.
	Happiness and harm awareness could keep young people from drinking and smoking Promoting young people's levels of well-being and making them aware of the harms of smoking and drinking could keep them away from alcohol and cigarettes, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health.
Uninsured rise by 23 mn under Republican health bill: forecast The new Republican health care bill approved by the House of Representatives will leave 23 million more Americans uninsured by 2026 than under current law, a congressional forecast announced Wednesday.
New drug therapy could improve brain function and life expectancy of ALS patients Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers are developing a new therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) using part of an existing FDA-approved drug that restores the central nervous system's (CNS) immune defenses and increases life expectancy.
	Resetting balance in reward centers may help treat alcohol addiction The human brain functions on a delicate balance of reinforcing positive behaviors and suppressing negative ones, which takes place in the dorsal striatum, a brain region critical for goal-directed behavior and implicated in drug and alcohol addiction.
Insurance vs. out-of-pocket payment not a big factor in weight-loss outcomes Individuals whose insurance covered the cost of a comprehensive medical weight-loss program had one-year outcomes very similar to those of patients who paid for the treatment out of pocket, according to an observational study conducted at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
Do men have worse chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy than women? Men seem to have worse chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy than women despite receiving similar cancer treatments, according to research presented today at EuroCMR 2017.
	Parents' divorce increases risk of health disorders in children Children's well-being is among the biggest concerns when a couple gets a divorce. Scientists at the universities of Santiago de Compostela and Vigo have carried out a study into how divorce affects children's health, finding increased risk of genitourinary, gastrointestinal, dermatological and neurological issues.
	Scientists focus on 'guardian of the genome' to understand preterm births Scientists have gotten a better look at the effects of a gene known as the "guardian of the genome" in causing premature births and miscarriages.
	Researchers find antibiotic-resistant superbugs in four California parks The anxiety over antibiotic-resistant superbugs, which are responsible for 23,000 deaths a year in the United States, is likely to grow in California, following the recent discovery by UCLA researchers of high levels of antibiotic-resistant genes in parks in four cities.
	Building resilience early in life can help children cope with trauma Childhood trauma can have lifelong health, social and behavioral consequences.
	Babies' slow brain waves could predict problems The brain waves of healthy newborns – which appear more abnormal than those of severe stroke victims – could be used to accurately predict which babies will have neurodevelopmental disorders.
	Cold virus, stem cells tested to destroy deadly brain cancer A first-of-a-kind neural stem cell therapy that works with a common cold virus to seek out and attack a lethal and aggressive brain cancer is being tested at Northwestern Medicine in a Phase I clinical trial for patients newly diagnosed with malignant glioma.
	New approach to colour vision assessment Many people with congenital deficiency who wish to become pilots, air traffic controllers, train drivers or electricians may be able to work safely in such professions due to a test developed by researchers at City, University of London.
	Revealing how neurons communicate MaxWell Biosystems AG's head office is hidden away in a Basel laboratory building previously used by Syngenta, just a stone's throw from ETH Zurich's Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE). Most rooms are still empty, but on the third floor, in a spacious laboratory at the end of a long corridor, the entrepreneurial atmosphere is already palpable. The startup was founded in September 2016 by Urs Frey and Jan Müller, two former electrical engineering doctoral students at ETH Zurich, Michele Fiscella, a biotechnologist from D-BSSE, and Marie Obien, a neuroscientist.
	Nasally administered oxytocin increases emotion perception in autism A recent study has demonstrated that intranasal oxytocin can influence how individuals with autism perceive emotion in others. This is an important first step for a potential pharmacological treatment of autism.
	What needs to happen to build resilience and improve mental health among junior doctors Doctors experience higher levels of suicide and mental distress than their non-medical peers. A review of studies in the area found male doctors had a 26% higher risk of suicide, while female doctors had a 146% higher risk (more than double) than the general population.
	Can chopping your vegetables boost their nutrients? We all know eating vegetables is a good way to improve health. And for many years the focus has been on just eating more vegetables, be it fresh, frozen or tinned.
	Stem cells show promise – but they also have a darker side Everyone seems to be excited about stem cells. Their excellent promise as a treatment for a range of diseases and injuries mean almost guaranteed coverage for research. While some types of stem cells are already being used in treatment – for treating diseases of the blood and leukaemia, for example, multiple sclerosis and problems in the bone, skin and eye – there's still a lot of hype and exaggeration, with some even selling empty promises to seriously ill or injured patients.
	Bouldering envisioned as new treatment for depression A growing body of research suggests that bouldering, a form of rock climbing, can help build muscle and endurance while reducing stress—and a new study co-led by a University of Arizona doctoral student of psychology suggests that the activity also may be used to effectively treat symptoms of depression.
Damaging immune response may be cause of COPD infections Researchers at the University of Dundee have made an important discovery about why patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer frequent chest infections, potentially paving the way for new treatments.
	How to talk to children about terrorism Distressing events like the recent terrorist attack in Manchester affect us all in different ways. While adults often have enough life experience to be able to take a long-term perspective towards such disasters, children can face different challenges.
	New research into delaying the onset of motor neurone disease shows positive results New research conducted by scientists at the University of Sheffield into a drug candidate which could help to delay the onset of motor neurone disease has shown encouraging early results.
	Lonely students at greater risk of mental health problems, study finds Students who feel lonely are at greater risk of developing mental health problems, according to a new study led by the University of Southampton.
	Supercharging exercise with interval training (HealthDay)—If your exercise routine isn't producing lower numbers on the scale, consider kicking it up a notch with high-intensity interval training.
	Are all those 'Fidget spinners' really helping kids? (HealthDay)—Fidget spinners may be the latest must-have kids' toy, but claims that the gizmos help students pay attention aren't backed by science, experts say.
	Team devises a new method that could speed up vaccine development for HIV Around 1% of patients with HIV - known as elite controllers - are able to survive without antiviral treatment, because their immune systems produce certain kinds of HIV-specific antibodies: proteins that recognise features on the surface of the virus and bind to them, making the virus inactive. The challenge in developing an HIV vaccine is to identify specific features in the proteins on the virus's surface which are recognised by the immune system and elicit a response similar to that seen in elite controllers.
	How fear can develop out of others' traumas What happens in the brain when we see other people experiencing a trauma or being subjected to pain? Well, the same regions that are involved when we feel pain ourselves are also activated when we observe other people who appear to be going through some painful experience. This is shown in a study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in Nature Communications. But we are sensitive to different degrees to learning fear from other people and one explanation would appear to be found in the endogenous opioid system.
Study provides understanding of how nerve cells are damaged by accumulation of abnormal proteins A new study has uncovered a molecular mechanism in the prion protein, a protein responsible for neurodegenerative diseases, which may explain why nerve cells degenerate in these disorders.
	Study implicates two genetic variants in bicuspid aortic valve development Researchers are working to determine why the aortic valve doesn't form correctly in patients with the most common congenital heart defect: bicuspid aortic valve.
	Aggressive care at end of life for advanced lung cancer patients linked to poorer outcomes For patients with advanced cancer, aggressive care—chemotherapy, mechanical ventilation, acute hospitalizations and intensive care unit admissions—at the end of life is commonplace. Yet until now, little is known about the relationship between patients' and families' satisfaction with this aggressive care within the last 30 days of life.
Study finds tai chi significantly reduces depression symptoms in Chinese-Americans A 12-week program of instruction and practice of the Chinese martial art tai chi led to significantly reduced symptoms of depression in Chinese Americans not receiving any other treatments. The pilot study conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry enrolled members of Boston's Chinese community who had mild to moderate depression.
	Zika infections could be factor in more pregnancies Zika virus infection passes efficiently from a pregnant monkey to its fetus, spreading inflammatory damage throughout the tissues that support the fetus and the fetus's developing nervous system, and suggesting a wider threat in human pregnancies than generally appreciated.
	Viral protein may help chickenpox virus spread within the body The virus that causes chickenpox—varicella zoster virus (VZV)—possesses a protein that could enhance its ability to hijack white blood cells and spread throughout the body, according to new research published in PLOS Pathogens.
	Multiscale modeling reveals key events during early atherosclerotic plaque development A new computational modeling technique could indicate when atherosclerotic plaques will likely undergo rapid growth, reports a study published this week in PLOS Computational Biology.
Misconceptions about foot disease common among Ethiopian children Podoconiosis, also called nonfilarial elephantiasis or "mossy foot," can be prevented—in the African countries where it's common—by wearing shoes. But many children in podoconiosis-affected families in Ethiopia have misconceptions about risk factors and prevention of the disease, researchers report in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
	Stroke risk factors for pregnant women with preeclampsia uncovered Women with preeclampsia, a common complication of pregnancy, face a heightened risk of stroke during pregnancy and postpartum if they have urinary tract infections, chronic high blood pressure, or clotting or bleeding disorders, according to a study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and NewYork-Presbyterian researchers.
	Children injured through drink or drugs at increased risk of suicide Teenagers injured through drinking, drug abuse or self-harming have a five-fold increased risk of dying from suicide in the next decade.
New technique for repairing knee cartilage damage Dear Mayo Clinic: I'm interested in the new procedure approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that can repair cartilage in the knee. How does it work? Who's a good candidate for this procedure?
Your kid has appendicitis: Surgery, or just antibiotics? If your child comes to Children's Mercy Hospital with appendicitis, you're probably going to be asked whether you want to participate in a clinical trial that could change how the common illness is treated worldwide - and how insurance covers those treatments.
Preliminary study finds BRCA variation may work alongside COMT variation to reduce breast cancer incidence Research looking at genomic data from women with a genetic risk for breast cancer, who may never develop cancer, found their cancer-free state may be related to a second genetic variation. Researchers at the George Washington University (GW) found through looking at data of women with BRCA 1/2 genetic mutations, that some women also have the co-occurrence of a rare COMT genetic variant.
	Why this IndyCar driver is outpacing diabetes New Michigan State University research is the first to help a professional race car driver with diabetes improve his performance during competition, helping him capture two top-5 finishes at the Indianapolis 500.
Cellular stress in the brain may contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Disruptions in a protein folding process occurring in the brain, known as endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, may cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, independent of other factors. A research team at the George Washington University (GW) published their results in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight.
	US deaths from Alzheimer's soar 55 percent since 1999 Deaths from Alzheimer's in America have soared 55 percent since 1999, as the burden of this fatal form of dementia grows and the population ages, a federal health report said Thursday.
FDA approval granted to pediatric device used to treat esophageal birth defect The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted authorization for a magnetic device used to treat pediatric esophageal atresia, a birth defect that causes abnormal formation of the esophagus. The Flourish Pediatric Esophageal Atresia device was created by University of Chicago Medicine assistant professor of radiology Mario Zaritzky, MD, in collaboration with Cook Medical.
New medicine shows potential to reduce oral steroid use in severe asthma patients A trial led by a McMaster University respirology professor shows promising results for a new medicine for severe asthma patients.
	With practice, children can stand without support even before they are 4 months old Both the literature and practice indicate that children can stand without support starting at around 9 months old.
	Special diets, supplements for autism still a question mark (HealthDay)—Parents of children with autism often try diet changes or supplements to ease symptoms of the disorder, but a new review concludes there's no solid evidence that any work.
	Teasing teens about weight may do lasting harm (HealthDay)—Teens who are taunted about their weight may be more likely to become obese adults who struggle with poor body image, a new study finds.
	Induction with concurrent oxytocin, foley speeds delivery (HealthDay)—The rate of delivery within 24 hours is increased with induction with concurrent oxytocin infusion added to preinduction cervical ripening with a Foley catheter versus Foley followed by oxytocin, according to a study published in the June issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
	Calls, SMS can increase adherence to FIT CRC screening (HealthDay)—Telephone calls and short message service (SMS) can improve the likelihood of fecal immunochemical test (FIT) pick-up and return, according to a research letter published online May 18 in JAMA Oncology.
	Mapping IDs geographic access barriers for diabetic retinopathy (HealthDay)—Geographic information systems mapping can visualize geographic access barriers to eye care among patients with diabetes, while telescreening can increase the rate of diabetes retinopathy evaluation, according to two studies published online May 18 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Orthostatic hypotension in T2DM linked to riser type circadian BP (HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes, orthostatic hypotension (OH) is associated with riser patterns in the blood pressure (BP) circadian rhythm, as well as increased rates of mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, according to a study published online May 11 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
Cuts to addiction services in England are 'a false economy' warns expert Cuts to addiction services in England are a false economy and are instead increasing pressure elsewhere in the NHS, warns an expert in The BMJ today.
	Large market share for non-quality-assured malaria medicines in Africa A new study of malaria medicine quality in 8 sub-Saharan African countries has found a large and potentially growing market for non-quality-assured (QA) malaria treatments—medicines not pre-approved by global health organisations - as much as 20% of the private-sector market in Kenya, and 42% in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). As one of the most comprehensive recent studies relating to medicine quality in the region, the findings provide new insights for patients, researchers, policy makers and malaria control programmes because QA status is often linked to the quality of medicines - which can impact patient health and safety, malaria control efforts and artemisinin drug efficacy.
Do high false positive rates linked to functional MRI compromise results in neuroimaging studies? Challenging recent claims that inflated false positive rates in the analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain may negate the findings of countless previous studies, a new review of this controversial topic takes a fresh look at the analytical tools in question. Scientists from the U.S. National Institutes of Health conclude that the effects of a "bug" in the analysis of functional neuroimages (AFNI) software was greatly exaggerated, according to the new study published in in Brain Connectivity.
	Regenerative medicine researcher's startup companies give hope to patients Sometimes it takes a researcher with a flair for entrepreneurship to translate a laboratory breakthrough into a medical treatment that will help patients in the clinic.
	Hungary reveals new ideas to increase birth numbers by 2030 Hungary's prime minister says the government will reduce mortgages for families with three or more children and build or renovate many nurseries to help boost the country's birth rate.
Kansas distributor recalls precooked sausage due to metal A Kansas food distributor is voluntarily recalling nearly 100,000 pounds (45,360 kilograms) of precooked sausage that might contain metal.
	Study: Many patients with early-stage breast cancer receive costly, inappropriate testing A study from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting on June 5 in Chicago shows that asymptomatic women who have been treated for early-stage breast cancer often undergo advanced imaging and other tests that provide little if any medical benefit, could have harmful effects and may increase their financial burden.
Safe space for illegal drug consumption in Baltimore would save $6 million a year A new cost-benefit analysis conducted by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and others suggests that $6 million in costs related to the opioid epidemic could be saved each year if a single "safe consumption" space for illicit drug users were opened in Baltimore.
Kidneys from diabetic donors may benefit many transplant candidates A new study indicates that receiving donor kidneys from individuals with diabetes may offer a greater survival benefit than remaining on the waitlist for many transplant candidates. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), may help address the growing organ shortage.
Insurers continue to hike prices, abandon ACA markets People shopping for insurance through the Affordable Care Act in yet more regions could be facing higher prices and fewer choices next year as insurance companies lay out their early plans for 2018.
	Time to revisit sun protection for the whole family Spring sunshine is finally here, and summer is fast approaching. As adults and kids gear up for beach vacations, outdoor play and dining alfresco, it's a good time to revisit sun protection for the whole family.
	Poll: Older Americans want Medicare-covered long-term care A growing number of Americans age 40 and older think Medicare should cover the costs of long-term care for older adults, according to a poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
No link found between cancer and conditions at Guantanamo U.S. military health experts found no link between several cases of cancer and environmental conditions in an area used for legal proceedings at the Guantanamo Bay detention center, according to a report released Thursday by the Navy.
ATS 2017 Wrap-up: Rapid sepsis treatment, predicting mortality after the ICU and more Thousands of critical care and pulmonology specialists from across the world gathered this week for the American Thoracic Society International Conference in Washington, D.C., to share research, medical developments and best practices for patient care.

Biology news

	Scientists borrow from electronics to build circuits in living cells Living cells must constantly process information to keep track of the changing world around them and arrive at an appropriate response.
	Research reveals different aspects of DNA demethylation involved in tomato ripening process Using advanced gene-editing technology, a team of scientists found that DNA demethylation is required for the tomato ripening process through both activation of induced genes and the inhibition of ripening-repressed genes.
	Researchers help provide first glimpse of organelles in action inside living cells Researchers at Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development are getting a first glimpse at the inner-workings of live cells thanks to a new microscopy technique pioneered by Nobel laureate Eric Betzig with help from engineers at Drexel University. Their method uses grids of light that activate fluorescent color tags on each type of organelle—the result is a 3-D video that gives researchers their best look at how cells function. It will allow scientists to better understand how cells react to environmental stressors and respond to drug treatment.
	Cultural value of natural world doesn't depend only on species diversity What is the value of a sunset overlooking a wildflower field in the Appalachian Mountains? Or of ice skating on a frozen lake in central Wisconsin?
	Study of biodiversity suggests a small increase in size of protected areas could reap large rewards (Phys.org)—A trio of researchers, two with Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine in France and the other with Yale University has conducted an analysis of current parcels of land on our planet that offer protection for plants and animals and have found that just a few small increases in land allotment could produce a large positive influence on biodiversity on a global scale. In their paper published in the journal Nature, Laura Pollock, Wilfried Thuiller and Walter Jetz outline their study and why they believe that areas meant to protect biodiversity need to include more than just number of species.
	US beekeepers lost 33 percent of bees in 2016-17 Beekeepers across the United States lost 33 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2016 to April 2017, according to the latest preliminary results of an annual nationwide survey. Rates of both winter loss and summer loss—and consequently, total annual losses—improved compared with last year.
	Researchers find crucial clue to manipulating reproduction in plants A team of researchers, led by a plant cell biologist at the University of California, Riverside, has for the first time identified a small RNA species and its target gene that together regulate female germline formation in plants.
	Marmoset monkeys learn to call the same way human infants learn to babble A baby's babbles start to sound like speech more quickly if they get frequent vocal feedback from adults. Princeton University researchers have found the same type of feedback speeds the vocal development of infant marmoset monkeys, in the first evidence of such learning in nonhuman primates, researchers report in Current Biology on May 25.
Can fat 'feel' fat? Size-sensing protein controls glucose uptake and storage in fat cells Researchers at the University of Iowa have discovered that a molecule which can sense the swelling of fat cells also controls a signaling pathway that allows fat cells to take up and store excess glucose. Mice missing this protein, known as SWELL1, gain less weight (fat) than normal mice on a high-fat diet, but also develop diabetes.
	Mountain honey bees have ancient adaptation for high-altitude foraging Mountain-dwelling East African honey bees have distinct genetic variations compared to their savannah relatives that likely help them to survive at high altitudes, report Martin Hasselmann of the University of Hohenheim, Germany, Matthew Webster of Uppsala University, Sweden, and colleagues May 25th, 2017, in PLOS Genetics.
	In fruit fly and human genetics, timing is everything Every animal starts as a clump of cells, which over time multiply and mature into many different types of cells, tissues, and organs. This is fundamental biology. Yet, the details of this process remain largely mysterious. Now, scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have begun to unravel an important part of that mystery.
	20 million birds and other animals die annually after ingesting lead left behind by hunters In March, conservationists cried foul when new U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke overturned an Obama-administration ban on using lead ammunition or fishing tackle on federal lands. Lead is toxic to the neurological systems of animals that ingest it, killing millions each year. Though lead's poisonous effects on wildlife have been known for more than a century, eliminating it from nature continues to be an uphill battle.
	Study of relocated desert tortoises reveals a surprise Results of a study on the relocation of a community of desert tortoises in California has unveiled a mystery: When moved only a short distance from their habitat, the females in the group assimilated to their new location and reproduced normally – but not the transported males.
	Genome Analysis Toolkit 4 (GATK4) released as open source resource to accelerate research The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard will release version 4 of the industry-leading Genome Analysis Toolkit under an open source software license. The software package, designated GATK4, contains new tools and rebuilt architecture. It is available currently as an alpha preview on the Broad Institute's GATK website, with a beta release expected in mid-June. Broad engineers announced the upgrade, as well as the decision to release the tool as an open source product, at Bio-IT World today.
Dingoes to the rescue? Could dingoes be the answer to controlling the havoc red foxes wreak on native and domestic animal populations?
	Our 'selfish' genes contain the seeds of our destruction – but there might be a fix The human race is in so much trouble that it needs to colonise another planet within 100 years or face extinction. So says the physicist Stephen Hawking in an upcoming BBC documentary, Stephen Hawking: Expedition New Earth. According to Hawking, "with climate change, overdue asteroid strikes, epidemics and population growth, our own planet is increasingly precarious".
	Approach tested at FAU first to look at dolphin immune system For humans, there are hundreds of antibodies available on the market today to evaluate immune status in health and diseases. However, for the more than 42 known species of dolphins around the world, commercially available marine-specific antibodies do not exist. With the drastic increase in the number of unusual dolphin strandings and deaths along the southeastern coast of the United States and elsewhere, finding specific antibodies to test, monitor and document their immune health is critical.
Modeling invasive activity: Zebra mussels' infiltration of North American rivers The invasion of nonnative species has widespread and detrimental effects on both local and global ecosystems. These intruders often spread and multiply prolifically, overtake and displace native species, alter the intended interactions between flora and fauna, and damage the environment and economy. A particularly pesky invader is the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). Given its abundancy, fecundity, and heartiness, zebra mussels frequently outcompete native bivalves. Their dominance interrupts the natural cycle of nutrients and disrupts the structure and function of infested waterworks. These so-called "ecosystem engineers" generate substantial removal costs for individuals, corporations, and towns; estimates indicate that zebra mussels cause $1 billion in damages and control costs every year.
	Scientists to probe dolphin intelligence using an interactive touchpad Using optical technology specifically developed for this project, dolphins at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD, are at the center of research from an interdisciplinary team from Hunter College and Rockefeller University. The system involves an underwater computer touchscreen through which dolphins are able to interact and make choices. The system, the first of its kind, will be used to investigate dolphin intelligence and communication by providing them choice and control over a number of activities. Researchers believe this technology will help extend the high-throughput revolution in biology that has brought us whole genome sequencing and the BRAIN project, into the field of animal cognition.
	Ancient genetic markers in sockeye salmon can help manage healthier fish stocks A recent study from UBC's Okanagan campus identifies new genetic markers in sockeye salmon that can help improve management of fish populations.
	Expressing genetic interactions through music An artistic collaboration between musician and sound producer Max Cooper, respected visual artist Andy Lomas and researchers from the Babraham Institute in Cambridge has produced an emotive new way for anyone to experience the elegance and complexity of DNA organisation. The five-track Chromos EP, available from May 26th on digital download, captures the microscopic elegance of gene organisation using moving, evocative soundscapes.
	New approach predicts threats to rainforests With rain forests at risk the world over, a new collaboration is equipping conservationists with the tools to predict and plan for future forest loss.
	Government transparency limited when it comes to America's conserved private lands American taxpayers spend millions of dollars each year to conserve privately owned lands. These lands provide public benefits like timber, water quality protection and food. Yet, information about conserved private lands—including where they are and what protections are in place—can be hard to find, impeding the effectiveness of conservation efforts and taxpayer investments.
	Potatoes with great potential for added value The potato is not only a basic food item and one of the main food crops worldwide, it contains a huge variety of minerals and phytochemicals with potentially health-promoting effects. Greater awareness about the importance of consuming these phytochemicals (substances that help to protect cells against the harm caused by carcinogenic processes) and the growing interest in the development of new products with specific organoleptic properties, have led to the appearance of different initiatives to genetically enhance the potato. Clones have been identified with a soft consistency, total disintegration when boiled, low humidity and high "flouriness" and which can be used for preparing mashed or roast potatoes.
	Genetic risk factor for equine eye cancer identified Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common cancer found in equine eyes and the second most common tumor of the horse overall. Thanks to a recent genetic study led by UC Davis, horse owners can now identify horses at risk for ocular SCC and make informed breeding decisions.

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