Science X Newsletter Thursday, May 17

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 17, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

New theory describes intricacies of a splashing droplet

How social isolation transforms the brain

Scientists analyze first ancient human DNA from Southeast Asia

New catalyst upgrades greenhouse gas into renewable hydrocarbons

Giving robots goosebumps and spikes to show emotion

Self-assembling 3-D battery would charge in seconds

New method eliminates guesswork when lenses go freeform

Critically endangered South American forests were man made

Major shift in marine life occurred 33 million years later in the South

Researchers create a quantum entanglement between two physically separated ultra-cold atomic clouds

Scientists uncover a new face of a famous protein, SWI2/SNF2 ATPase

Researchers develop virtual-reality testing ground for drones

Chinese private firm launches first space rocket

After 60 years, Isle Royale continues world's longest predator-prey study

Innovative light-delivery technique improves biosensors

Astronomy & Space news

	Chinese private firm launches first space rocket A suborbital rocket was launched into space Thursday by a start-up in China's burgeoning commercial aeronautics industry, as private firms snap at the heels of their dominant American rivals.
	Team makes breakthrough in understanding rare lightning-triggered gamma-rays In the western Utah desert, the Telescope Array sprawls across an area the size of New York City, waiting for cosmic rays. The facility detects the high-energy particles that collide with Earth's atmosphere constantly; the cosmic rays trigger the 500-plus sensors once every few minutes.
	Astronomers release most complete ultraviolet-light survey of nearby galaxies Capitalizing on the unparalleled sharpness and spectral range of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers is releasing the most comprehensive, high-resolution ultraviolet-light survey of nearby star-forming galaxies.
	A match made on a high-altitude balloon On March 29, 2018, World View's Stratollite high-altitude balloon lifted off from the company's launch facility in Tucson, Arizona, reaching a float altitude of 115,000 feet. The balloon was aloft for approximately five hours before landing near the border of New Mexico and Texas.
	Researchers are creating a spot colder than the vacuum of space inside the International Space Station In 2018, a new atomic refrigerator will blast off for the space station. It's called the Cold Atom Lab (CAL), and it can refrigerate matter to one ten billionth of a degree above absolute zero, just above the point where all the thermal activity of atoms theoretically stops.
	Privatize the International Space Station? Not so fast, Congress tells Trump US President Donald Trump's controversial plan to privatize the International Space Station beginning in 2025 has met with strong opposition from lawmakers, including from some in the Republican majority.

Technology news

	Giving robots goosebumps and spikes to show emotion A team of researchers at Cornell University has begun exploring the idea of adding tactile sensation as a means for interacting with robots. To that end, they have created a robot skin that can produce goosebumps or spikes depending on a robot's mood. The team has presented a paper describing their efforts at this year's International Conference on Soft Robotics.
	Self-assembling 3-D battery would charge in seconds The world is a big place, but it's gotten smaller with the advent of technologies that put people from across the globe in the palm of one's hand. And as the world has shrunk, it has also demanded that things happen ever faster—including the time it takes to charge an electronic device.
	Researchers develop virtual-reality testing ground for drones Training drones to fly fast, around even the simplest obstacles, is a crash-prone exercise that can have engineers repairing or replacing vehicles with frustrating regularity.
	Autonomous glider can fly like an albatross, cruise like a sailboat MIT engineers have designed a robotic glider that can skim along the water's surface, riding the wind like an albatross while also surfing the waves like a sailboat.
	BMW to ease charging anxiety via wireless mat system An electric car? Sure, we are interested. But tell us. Will it be easy or painful to charge it to keep it going?.
	What's trending in fake news? Tools show which stories go viral, and if 'bots' are to blame Researchers at the Indiana University Observatory on Social Media have launched upgrades to two tools playing a major role in countering the spread of misinformation online.
How the death of voicemail is changing the way we connect Don't wait for the beep: Voicemail is going the way of the dinosaurs.
Jennifer Van Grove: Lyft tests new subscription option in several cities Ride-hail service Lyft is offering select customers a way to save money on their daily trips with a new pre-paid option meant to test the viability of a monthly subscription service.
	European wind energy generation potential in a 1.5 degree C warmer world The UK and large parts of northern Europe could become windier if global temperatures reach 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels, according to a new study.
	Ford to restart production of best-selling US truck Ford will restart production of the F-150, the best-selling truck in the United States, after a weeklong shutdown due to a fire at a key parts supplier, the automaker announced Wednesday.
	An electronic rescue dog ETH Zurich scientists have developed the smallest and cheapest equipment for detecting people by smell. It could be used in the search for people buried by an earthquake or avalanche.
	Ultralight science—boundary layer measurements from low-flying source On a grassy runway just outside of Madison, Grant Petty makes the final checks on his skeleton-framed airplane. Once ready, he hits the throttle and lurches forward. After a few 100 feet, the ultralight aircraft is airborne and climbing steadily, the scenery miniaturizing beneath Petty's feet. He will ultimately reach a cruising speed of around 40 mph.
	Zero-waste palm oil industry on the horizon with new technology Engineers at the University of Nottingham Malaysia have developed new technology to help the global palm oil processing industry reduce CO2 emissions and create renewable energy from its waste.
Medium- and heavy-duty truck research propels efficiency to meet future needs Fueled by the rise of e-commerce and fast shipping services like Amazon, consumers have come to expect their goods at their doorstep in a matter of days and even hours—not weeks. This on-demand culture coincides with the expansion of transportation technologies, connectivity, and automation, and together, these changes are shaking up an important cornerstone of American transportation—our vital dependency on medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
	Transforming transportation with machine learning You hear the buzzwords everywhere—machine learning, artificial intelligence—revolutionary new approaches to transform the way we interact with products, services, and information, from prescribing drugs to advertising messages.
	What is all the fuss about 5G? Every decade or so, the wireless industry rolls out a new cellular communications standard that can transmit more data more quickly. Already under development is the next round, called "5G" because it's the fifth major generation of these standards for encoding and transmitting data over radio waves.
	Rovio's shares fly high on Angry Birds 2 success Finnish game maker Rovio's shares soared five percent Thursday after the company reported first-quarter results with net profit doubling and "record revenues" from its sequel game Angry Birds 2.
	Toshiba says China approves sale of chip unit to Bain consortium Embattled Japanese conglomerate Toshiba on Thursday said Chinese regulators have given approval for its plan to sell its prized chip unit—the final hurdle to complete the deal.
	Credit card payments evolve beyond the mobile wallet Mobile wallets can make paying by credit or debit card seamless: Tap your phone at checkout and you're on your way. But mobile wallets are just the beginning. Payment networks and manufacturers are building payment functions into more devices—expanding your options as well as freeing up your hands.
	Clocks may go a little cuckoo with power grid change Running late for work or just miss that bus? You could have a good excuse: Your electric clock might be running a bit cuckoo.
	YouTube revamps streaming music service YouTube is launching a revamped, standalone streaming music service as part of an effort to step up competition against fast-growing rivals like Spotify and Apple Music.
Democrats hope net neutrality issue will win votes this fall Senate Democrats, joined by three Republicans, pushed through a measure intended to revive Obama-era internet rules that ensured equal treatment for all web traffic, though opposition in the House and the White House seems insurmountable.
	Europe car sales speed up in April Car sales in the top European markets rose sharply in April, statistics showed Thursday, confounding fears that a slowdown in the eurozone's recovery might put the brakes on the continent's vehicle industry.
In Denmark, Airbnb to report hosts' rent to tax authorities Denmark says online room-rental platform Airbnb will start to automatically report its users' deals to taxation authorities, the first country to do so.
Ohio capital launches unique 'Smart City' operating system Ohio's capital city unveiled an operating system on Thursday that will gather data for its pioneering smart city transportation project.
	Total CEO says oil price could hit $100 'in coming months' The CEO of French oil giant Total said Thursday he would not be surprised to see the price of a barrel of crude reach $100 later this year.
Cambridge Analytica suspended head to appear at UK committee British lawmakers investigating the use of Facebook users' data in political campaigns said Thursday that the suspended head of the now-defunct consultancy Cambridge Analytica has accepted a summons to appear before a committee.
	'Party city' Amsterdam to crack down on tourists Amsterdam is seeking to contain the flood of tourists swamping the city, with the incoming council proposing a series of tough measures and plans to hike tourism taxes.
	Fox News names veteran executive Suzanne Scott as CEO Fox News on Thursday named longtime executive Suzanne Scott as chief executive of the cable news channel which is a favorite of conservatives and President Donald Trump.
	Walmart profits take hit, but earnings rise as online grows US retail giant Wal-Mart saw quarterly profits take a hit but earnings beat analysts' expectations and total sales rose amid the growth of online sales, according to results released Thursday.

Medicine & Health news

	How social isolation transforms the brain Chronic social isolation has debilitating effects on mental health in mammals—for example, it is often associated with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in humans. Now, a team of Caltech researchers has discovered that social isolation causes the build-up of a particular chemical in the brain, and that blocking this chemical eliminates the negative effects of isolation. The work has potential applications for treating mental health disorders in humans.
	Scientists uncover a new face of a famous protein, SWI2/SNF2 ATPase A team of Texas A&M and Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists now have a deeper understanding of a large switch/sucrose non-fermentable (SWI/SNF) protein complex that plays a pivotal role in plant and human gene expression that causes life-threatening diseases such as cancer.
	Chance discovery links inflammatory bowel disease with common bacterial gut toxin New research has uncovered a surprise link between a common bacterial toxin found in the gut and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
	New study sheds light on brain's ability to orchestrate movement To carry out any action, whether playing the piano or dancing the jitterbug, the brain must select and string together a series of small, discrete movements into a precise, continuous sequence.
	Diabetes researchers find switch for fatty liver disease Duke researchers have identified a key fork in the road for the way the liver deals with carbohydrates, fats and protein. They say it could be a promising new target for combating the pandemics of fatty liver disease and prediabetes.
	Robots grow mini-organs from human stem cells An automated system that uses robots has been designed to rapidly produce human mini-organs derived from stem cells. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle developed the new system.
	Resistance to antifungal drugs could lead to disease and global food shortages Growing levels of resistance to antifungal treatments could lead to increased disease outbreaks and affect food security around the world.
	Pig immunology comes of age: Killer T cell responses to influenza Researchers from The Pirbright Institute, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and University of Oxford have generated tools that allow scientists to understand a vital area of the pig immune system which was previously inaccessible.
	How intestinal worms hinder tuberculosis vaccination New research in mice suggests that chronic infection with intestinal worms indirectly reduces the number of cells in lymph nodes near the skin, inhibiting the immune system's response to the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine for tuberculosis. Xiaogang Feng of Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues present these findings in PLOS Pathogens.
	A way to prevent pancreatic cancer from spreading post-surgery? Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have solved a mystery about how pancreatic cancer spreads following surgery in patients whose tumor is successfully removed. After surgery, patients' typically experience a two-week period during which their immune system is depleted as a result of a surge in post-operative stress hormone (cortisol) levels. With killer T-cell levels sagging, isolated, dormant cancer cells that have already traveled to the liver and possibly other organs via the bloodstream begin to grow or metastasize.
	Researchers crowdsource brain mapping with gamers, discover six new neuron types With the help of a quarter-million video game players, Princeton researchers have created and shared detailed maps of more than 1,000 neurons—and they're just getting started.
	Blood type affects severity of diarrhea caused by E. coli A new study shows that a kind of E. coli most associated with "travelers' diarrhea" and children in underdeveloped areas of the world causes more severe disease in people with blood type A.
	Moderate to high intensity exercise does not slow cognitive decline in people with dementia Moderate to high intensity exercise does not slow cognitive (mental) impairment in older people with dementia, finds a trial published by The BMJ today.
Rheumatoid Arthritis drugs taken during pregnancy may not be linked to large infection risk in child New research indicates that when pregnant women take certain rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs that may cause immunosuppression, their children do not have a marked excess risk of developing serious infections. The Arthritis & Rheumatology findings are potentially encouraging for women with RA who are or wish to become pregnant.
Automated system better identifies patients at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia An automated system for identifying patients at risk for complications associated with the use of mechanical ventilators provided significantly more accurate results than did traditional surveillance methods, which rely on manual recording and interpretation of individual patient data. In their paper published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team report that their system—using an algorithm developed through a collaboration among the hospital's Division of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control Unit, and the Clinical Data Animation Center (CDAC) - was 100 percent accurate in identifying at-risk patients when provided with necessary data.
	US births hit a 30-year low, despite good economy U.S. birth rates declined last year for women in their teens, 20s and—surprisingly—their 30s, leading to the fewest babies in 30 years, according to a government report released Thursday.
	Hookah responsible for over half of tobacco smoke inhaled by young smokers Smoking tobacco from a waterpipe, also known as a hookah, accounted for over half of the tobacco smoke volume consumed by young adult hookah and cigarette smokers in the U.S., a new University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine analysis discovered.
	Cannabidiol significantly reduces seizures in patients with severe form of epilepsy Cannabidiol (CBD), a compound derived from the cannabis plant that does not produce a "high" and has been an increasing focus of medical research, was shown in a new large-scale, randomized, controlled trial to significantly reduce the number of dangerous seizures in patients with a severe form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
	Male depression may lower pregnancy chances among infertile couples, study suggests Among couples being treated for infertility, depression in the male partner was linked to lower pregnancy chances, while depression in the female partner was not found to influence the rate of live birth, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
	Behavioral health workforce faces critical challenges in meeting population needs The US mental health system faces considerable challenges in delivering behavioral healthcare to populations in need. In a special supplement to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, experts focus on the key issue of behavioral health human resources for which substantial investment is needed to effect change. Articles in this issue cover research on workforce planning, service delivery and practice, and workforce preparation, and advocate for intelligent allocation of resources to ensure all clients have access to behavioral healthcare.
	Trial identifies a medulloblastoma subset that requires less aggressive therapy The youngest patients with the brain tumor medulloblastoma are among the most challenging because their rapidly developing brains limit treatment options. Now a team of researchers led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered a subtype that responds to a therapy that is less likely to cause long-term cognitive problems.
Patients' sex may impact efficacy of immunotherapy in cancer treatment Different immune responses between men and women, and potential interaction with hormones might impact how men and women benefit from immunotherapy drugs, authors propose.
	Keep saying yes to fish twice a week for heart health A new scientific advisory reaffirms the American Heart Association's recommendation to eat fish- especially those rich in Omega-3 fatty acids twice a week to help reduce the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest and the most common type of stroke (ischemic). The advisory is published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
WHO says Ebola outbreak has spread to DR Congo city (Update) The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a city, the World Health Organization said Thursday, fuelling concern the deadly virus may prove tougher to contain.
	Mechanism underlying malformation associated with severe epilepsy is revealed One of the most frequent causes of drug-resistant epilepsy, considered a difficult disease to control, is a brain malformation known as focal cortical dysplasia. Patients with this problem present with discreet disorganization in the architecture of a specific region of the cortex, which may or may not be associated with the presence of nerve cells that have structural and functional abnormalities.
	Blocking two enzymes could make cancer cells mortal EPFL scientists have identified two enzymes that protect chromosomes from oxidative damage and shortening. Blocking them might be a new anticancer strategy for stopping telomerase, the enzyme that immortalizes tumors.
	"Living drug factories" may one day replace injections Patients with diabetes generally rely on constant injections of insulin to control their disease. But MIT spinout Sigilon Therapeutics is developing an implantable, insulin-producing device that may one day make injections obsolete.
	Study identifies bacterial gene responsible for producing enzyme that consumes cardiac drug Though digoxin has been widely prescribed for decades to treat a variety of heart conditions, doctors have also long understood that, for some patients, the drug simply doesn't work.
	Social connections may prevent HIV infection among black men who have sex with men UCLA-led research suggests that receiving support from friends and acquaintances can help prevent black men who have sex with men from becoming infected with HIV.
	Discussing hearing problems in veterans Veterans often suffer brain injuries that impair hearing. As part of Deaf Awareness Week, Caroline Brogan spoke to an expert on the subject.
Six months of Herceptin could be as effective as 12 months for some women with HER2 positive breast cancer For women with HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer taking Herceptin for six months could be as effective as 12 months in preventing relapse and death, and can reduce side effects, finds new research.
	Single surface protein boosts multiple oncogenic pathways in acute myeloid leukemia Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York have discovered that a signaling protein elevated in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) plays a much wider role in the disease than previously thought. The study, which will be published May 17 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, raises hopes that current efforts to target this signaling protein could be a successful strategy to treat AML and other blood cancers.
	Bone scan software accurately calculates prognosis of advanced prostate cancer A software tool to automatically calculate how extensively bones have been infiltrated by prostate cancer is both accurate and speedy, capturing key prognostic information related to survival and the development of symptoms over time.
	Emergency contact information helps researchers branch out family tree When you go to the doctor or hospital, one piece of information that you're always asked to provide—in addition to your name, address, and insurance information—is an emergency contact. Often, that person is a blood relative. Now, a collaborative team of researchers from three major academic medical centers in New York City is showing that emergency contact information, which is included in individuals' electronic health records (EHRs), can be used to generate family trees. Those family trees in turn can be used to study heritability in hundreds of medical conditions. The study appears May 17 in the journal Cell.
	Lyme disease is on the rise – an expert explains why May marks the beginning of the summer season when black-legged ticks that spread Lyme disease are more prevalent – even in California.
Tomato sauce helps boost probiotic food benefits The demand for functional foods is increasing in recent years. Consumers request more food that, as well as a high nutritional value, has a beneficial effect on their organism and reduces the risk of suffering certain illnesses. This beneficial effect doesn't only depend on the food's amount of bioactive components, but on the changes they experience during the digestive process, which impact their bioaccessibility and bioavailability.
	Smarter brains run on sparsely connected neurons The more intelligent a person, the fewer connections there are between the neurons in his cerebral cortex. This is the result of a study conducted by neuroscientists working with Dr. Erhan Genç and Christoph Fraenz at Ruhr-Universität Bochum; the study was performed using a specific neuroimaging technique that provides insights into the wiring of the brain on a microstructural level.
	Bariatric surgery saves money and prolongs lives There are more than 670 million people worldwide who are obese – with serious consequences for themselves and an enormous cost to the healthcare system. A recent MedUni Vienna study, conducted jointly with the Institute of Pharmaceutical Economic Research (Evelyn Walter) and the Austrian Society of Bariatric Surgery and led by Gerhard Prager (Department of Surgery), shows that bariatric surgery, such as a gastric bypass, for example, not only saves a lot of money but also improves quality-of-life and extends life expectancy. On 26 May 2018, there will be an action day for obesity patients and interested parties in MedUni Vienna's Lecture Center in Vienna General Hospital.
New study of youth with type 1 diabetes connects 'honeymoon period' with lower LDL cholesterol A new study by UMass Medical School physician-scientist Benjamin U. Nwosu, MD, finds that children with type 1 diabetes who experienced a partial clinical remission, or "honeymoon phase," had significantly lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, five years after diagnosis. The honeymoon period is the brief period when some children with new onset type 1 diabetes are able to produce some insulin resulting in improved glucose control. This new finding makes the case for initiating lipid profile monitoring when type 1 diabetes is first diagnosed, rather than waiting for as much as five years, as recommended by current clinical guidelines.
	It's OK to skip your period while on the pill The pill is the most common form of contraception in Australia, with up to 60% of young women choosing this option to prevent pregnancy.
	Why sexting must be on the curriculum Sex education remains a fiercely debated topic, both in the media and among politicians.
	Little difference between gun owners, non-gun owners on key gun policies A new national public opinion survey from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds widespread agreement among gun owners and non-gun owners in their support for policies that restrict or regulate firearms.
	Mosquito spit may affect your immune system for days Mosquito saliva alone—even in the absence of any pathogens—contains hundreds of proteins. Now, researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have discovered that the interaction of these proteins with the human immune system causes an immune response that can be detected for days after a mosquito bite.
Mass-drug administration curbs scabies for asylum seekers in the Netherlands In a new article published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, Sofanne J. Ravensbergen of the University of Groningen, and colleagues, found that a scabies intervention program (SIP) was effective in reducing the severity of scabies when introduced to the newly arrived Eritrean and Ethiopian asylum seekers who volunteered to take part in the program.
	New efforts to curb high blood pressure in Asia The reality of treating high blood pressure in the world's most populated continent is trickier these days, experts say. After guidelines recently lowered the threshold for high blood pressure, about half of adults living in Asia now have the chronic condition.
	Cancer gene dependency maps help reveal proteins' relationships By merging cancer functional genetic data with information on protein interactions, scientists can explore protein complexes at massive scale.
Almost two years later, medically assisted dying remains complicated, experts say As a journalist, Maureen Taylor remembers covering the case of Sue Rodriguez, who was denied assisted suicide through a Supreme Court decision in 1993. At the time, Taylor couldn't have imagined that 10 years later she'd be surreptitiously investigating a way to help her own husband, Dr. Donald Low, take his life.
	Four questions—chronic pain and how it affects the brain Chronic pain affects an estimated 100 million Americans, and its impact goes beyond physical discomfort.
	'Lone wolf' protein offers new pathway to cancer treatments Structural biologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered how a key protein functions to trigger cell's suicide machinery, called apoptosis. The scientists found that the protein, called BOK, is controlled separately from the rest of the apoptosis process—offering the potential for new drugs to more selectively kill cancer cells.
	Team identifies new mechanism essential for eye lens development If you want to take clear photographs, you don't use sandpaper to clear a smudge from your camera's lens. Similarly, if you want to see clearly, the lens of your eye has to be free of obstruction.
	Improving communication of guidance on drinking alcohol in pregnancy Advice about alcohol consumption during pregnancy could be conveyed more effectively to parents and health professionals, research at Cardiff University has found.
	Improving survival in pancreatic cancer with platinum-based chemotherapy A small study of adults with the most common form of pancreatic cancer adds to evidence that patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations long linked to a high risk of breast cancer have poorer overall survival rates than those without the mutations.
	Diet soda may be hurting your diet Artificial sweeteners are everywhere, but the jury is still out on whether these chemicals are harmless. Also called non-nutritive sweeteners, these can be synthetic – such as saccharin and aspartame – or naturally derived, such as steviol, which comes from the Stevia plant. To date, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved six types of artificial and two types of natural non-nutritive sweeteners for use in food.
	Use of mobile and sensor technology lowers symptom severity for people with head and neck cancer A federally funded, randomized clinical trial of 357 people receiving radiation for head and neck cancer, using mobile and sensor technology to remotely monitor patient symptoms, resulted in less severe symptoms related to both the cancer and its treatment (both general and cancer-related).
	Erectile dysfunction drugs and flu vaccine may work together to help immune system fight cancer after surgery A new study suggests that a common treatment for erectile dysfunction combined with the flu vaccine may be able to help the immune system mop up cancer cells left behind after surgery. The study, published in OncoImmunology, shows that this unconventional strategy can reduce the spread of cancer by more than 90 percent in a mouse model. It is now being evaluated in a world-first clinical trial.
	Made to measure sugar-like molecule could improve cancer-fighting antibodies Dr. Robert Britton firmly believes every molecule is important. This chemist doesn't want any molecule sitting unused on a laboratory shelf or in a fridge.
	Ebola reaches an urban area in Congo. What now? The global health community gulped Thursday with the announcement that a case of Ebola had been confirmed in a city of more than 1 million in Congo, bringing the latest outbreak of the often deadly hemorrhagic fever out of remote rural areas. "Confirmation of urban #Ebola in #DRC is a game changer in this outbreak - the challenge just got much much tougher," the World Health Organization's emergencies chief, Dr. Peter Salama, said on Twitter. Here's a look at the outbreak.
	Protein found in tobacco plant has potential to fight life-threatening infectious diseases A team of scientists from Melbourne's La Trobe University has shown a protein found in a tobacco plant has the potential to fight life-threatening infectious diseases.
	Congo's Ebola outbreak reports first confirmed urban case Congo's latest Ebola outbreak has spread to a city of more than 1 million people, a worrying shift as the deadly virus risks traveling more easily in densely populated areas.
	New genes found that determine how the heart responds to exercise A new study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and University College London (UCL) has discovered 30 new gene locations that determine how the heart responds to and recovers from exercise.
Young people are choosing marijuana before cigarettes and alcohol More young people are turning to marijuana as their first substance of choice, rather than smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. This pattern is especially prevalent among young men of specific racial and ethnic groups in the US, says Brian Fairman of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the US, in Springer's journal Prevention Science. He says that young people who start off on marijuana before alcohol or tobacco are more likely to become heavy users and have cannabis-related problems later in life.
	Could nonprofit drug companies cut sky-high prices? (HealthDay)—Generic prescription drugs should be cheap, but prices for some have soared in the United States in recent years. Now a group of U.S. hospitals thinks it has a solution: a nonprofit drug maker.
	More cases in lettuce-linked E. coli outbreak, but end may be near (HealthDay)—Twenty-three more illnesses caused by an E. coli outbreak tied to tainted romaine lettuce were reported by U.S. health officials on Wednesday.
	Want to give your memory a boost? (HealthDay)—Whether you're studying for an important exam or learning a new language, there's more proof that nonstop cramming sessions may not translate into the long-term memory retention you want.
	New rabies test could radically change testing, treatment (HealthDay)—A new rapid rabies test for animals could revolutionize screening and spare humans unnecessary painful treatment, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study published online May 16 in PLOS ONE.
Ovarian cancer drug shows promise in pancreatic cancer patients with BRCA mutation A targeted therapy that has shown its power in fighting ovarian cancer in women including those with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations may also help patients with aggressive pancreatic cancer who harbor these mutations and have few or no other treatment options. An international team of researchers led by the Perelman School of Medicine and the Basser Center for BRCA at the University of Pennsylvania reported their findings this week in JCO Precision Oncology.
	Microglia are key defenders against prion diseases Prion diseases are slow degenerative brain diseases that occur in people and various other mammals. No vaccines or treatments are available, and these diseases are almost always fatal. Scientists have found little evidence of a protective immune response to prion infections. Further, microglia—brain cells usually involved in the first level of host defense against infections of the brain—have been thought to worsen these diseases by secreting toxic molecules that can damage nerve cells.
	New Zealand's secret recipe for active school travel: The neighborhood built environment Increased rates of active travel (e.g., walking or cycling) to school in New Zealand children and youth were associated with shorter distances to school, and neighborhoods with more connected streets, less residential density, and lower socio-economic status, reveals a new systematic meta-analysis published in Journal of Transport and Health.
	Antibacterial in your toothpaste may combat severe lung disease A common antibacterial substance found in toothpaste may combat life-threatening diseases such as cystic fibrosis, or CF, when combined with an already FDA-approved drug.
Old drug provides promising new avenue for treatment of MND An international study led by biochemists at the University of Liverpool has shown that the drug-molecule ebselen can correct many of the toxic characteristics of a protein that causes some cases of hereditary motor neurone disease (MND).
	Learning music or speaking another language leads to more efficient brains Whether you learn to play a musical instrument or speak another language, you're training your brain to be more efficient, suggests a Baycrest study.
Critics say US sugar program a sour deal for consumers Food processors, soft drink manufacturers and candy makers are squaring off against the U.S. sugar industry in a familiar battle over a program that props up sugar prices.
Death toll from S.Africa listeria outbreak tops 200 The death toll from the world's worst-ever listeria outbreak in South Africa has risen to over 200, according to latest official statistics seen on Thursday.
	Giving employees 'decoy' sanitizer options could improve hand hygiene Introducing a less convenient option for hand sanitizing may actually boost workers' use of hand sanitizer and increase sanitary conditions in the workplace, according to findings in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings revealed that employees in a food factory used more of their regular sanitizer and had cleaner hands and workspaces after a "decoy" sanitizer option was offered to them.
	New algorithm more accurately predicts life expectancy after heart failure A new algorithm developed by UCLA researchers more accurately predicts which people will survive heart failure, and for how long, whether or not they receive a heart transplant. The algorithm would allow doctors to make more personalized assessments of people who are awaiting heart transplants, which in turn could enable health care providers to make better use of limited life-saving resources and potentially reduce health care costs.
One third of people aged 40-59 have evidence of degenerative disc disease Researchers from Hebrew SeniorLife's Institute for Aging Research, and Boston Medical Center have reported that one-third of people 40-59 years have image-based evidence of moderate to severe degenerative disc disease and more than half had moderate to severe spinal osteoarthritis. Beyond that, the prevalence of disc height narrowing and joint osteoarthritis increased 2 to 4 fold in those aged 60-69 and 70-89 respectively. Furthermore, scientists observed that progression of these conditions occurred 40—70% more frequently in women than men.
Viewing more medical marijuana ads linked to higher pot use among adolescents Adolescents who view more advertising for medical marijuana are more likely to use marijuana, express intentions to use the drug and have more-positive expectations about the substance, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
	What is the economic impact of malaria for a pregnant woman living in an endemic area of Colombia? Although malaria treatment is free of charge in Colombia, the economic costs incurred by pregnant women seeking care are considerable (mainly due to transportation and time lost), according to a new study led by ISGlobal.
Doctors in US and Canada launch sweeping pharmaceutical reform proposal The skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs is one of the biggest concerns for American voters. However, in his proposal last Friday, President Donald Trump failed to offer any new policies that would expand access, reduce costs, or increase the safety and efficacy of prescriptions.
New regimens improve survival for children and young adults with T-cell cancers In a federally funded, randomized phase III clinical trial performed by the Children's Oncology Group (COG), 90 percent of children and young adults with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) or T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LL) were alive four years after starting treatment regimens on this trial, and 84 percent were cancer free. These are the highest survival rates for these T-cell malignancies reported to date, according to the authors.
Acupuncture and cognitive behavioral therapy for treating insomnia in cancer survivors A Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)-supported randomized clinical trial of cancer survivors showed that eight weeks of either acupuncture or cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) decreased the severity of insomnia among cancer survivors, though improvements were greatest among patients receiving cognitive behavioral therapy. The study will be presented at the upcoming 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Upfront, comprehensive genetic testing in advanced lung cancer is cost-effective An economic model comparing different types of genetic testing in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) found that using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to test for all known lung cancer-related gene changes at the time of diagnosis was more cost-effective and faster than testing one or a limited number of genes at a time.
	Researcher puts focus on the health of Latina breast cancer survivors Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among Latinas in the United States. Latinas are also twice as likely to experience other conditions that crop up, including insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome—a cluster of health conditions that includes high blood pressure, excessive body fat and high cholesterol.
	The accidental discovery of stem cells Till knows of what he speaks; it was almost 60 years ago that the renowned University of Saskatchewan graduate, along with a colleague, found something unexpected in research results that simply could not be ignored.
	Celebrities bring awareness to mental health issues Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has discussed his battle with depression. Mariah Carey recently revealed she has bipolar disorder. And "Deadpool" star Ryan Reynolds has acknowledged dealing with anxiety disorder.
Shorter trastuzumab treatment for HER2+ breast cancer can be as effective, with fewer cardiac side-effects A phase III randomized clinical trial of 4,088 women with HER2-positive, early-stage breast cancer found that taking trastuzumab (Herceptin) for 6 months was non-inferior to the current standard of 12 months. The disease-free survival rate at four years was 89.4% with 6 months of therapy and 89.8% with 12 months of therapy. In addition, only 4% of women in the 6-month arm stopped trastuzumab early because of cardiac problems, compared with 8% in the 12-month arm.
Vast majority of heavy smokers not screened for lung cancer despite USPSTF recommendations An analysis of 1,800 lung cancer screening sites nationwide found that only 1.9% of more than 7 million current and former heavy smokers were screened for lung cancer in 2016, despite United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and ASCO screening recommendations. This study, the first assessment of lung cancer screening rates since those recommendations were issued in 2013, will be presented at the upcoming 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Baby delivered from brain-damaged mother is OK, goes home A baby girl delivered prematurely by cesarean section from a brain-damaged mother and then treated in a hospital for months has been discharged in good condition, a doctor in Poland said Thursday.
	'Major, major game-changer': Ebola spreads to big Congo city Congo's Ebola outbreak has spread to a crossroads city of more than 1 million people in a troubling turn that marks the first time the vast, impoverished country has encountered the lethal virus in an urban area.
Surviving sepsis campaign update focuses on critical first hour For patients with sepsis, a serious infection causing widespread inflammation, immediate treatment is essential to improve the chances of survival. An updated "Hour-1 Bundle" of the international, evidence-based guidelines for treatment of sepsis is introduced in the June issue of Critical Care Medicine. The official journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), Critical Care Medicine.
	FDA names drugmakers accused of blocking cheaper generics U.S. drug regulators are publicizing information on brand-name drugmakers that use what government officials call "gaming tactics" to block cheaper copycat versions.
New guidelines to help clinicians manage GSM in women with breast cancer Although the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is more prevalent in survivors of breast cancer than in other menopausal women, it is commonly undiagnosed and untreated. This led The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) to form a multidisciplinary Consensus Panel to develop recommendations for clinicians to manage GSM in women with or at high risk for breast cancer. The recommendations are published online in NAMS' official journal, Menopause.
Study launched to see if weight loss surgery before knee replacement improves outcomes Could weight loss surgery before knee replacement improve outcomes or even eliminate the need for joint replacement in severely overweight patients? A study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) aims to answer that question.

Biology news

	After 60 years, Isle Royale continues world's longest predator-prey study Researchers from Michigan Technological University have released the annual Winter Study report detailing updates on the ecology of Isle Royale National Park. For the third year in a row, the Isle Royale wolf population remains a mere two, while the moose population continues to stay above the historic average. Without the pressure of predation, the expanding moose population will have a greater impact on the island's forest ecology.
	What we've learned about the nucleolus since you left school The size of a cell's nucleolus may reveal how long that cell, or even the organism that cell belongs to, will live. Over the past few years, researchers have been piecing together an unexpected link between aging and an organelle typically known as the cell's ribosome factory (or perhaps just a blob in the middle of the nucleus). A May 17th review in the journal Trends in Cell Biology outlines the connections between the nucleolus and age-related pathways—such as those associated with dietary restriction or progeria.
	Pesticide resistance needs attention, large-scale study To slow the evolutionary progression of weeds and insect pests gaining resistance to herbicides and pesticides, policymakers should provide resources for large-scale, landscape-level studies of a number of promising but untested approaches for slowing pest evolution. Such landscape studies are now more feasible because of new genomic and technological innovations that could be used to compare the efficacy of strategies for preventing weed and insect resistance.
	How Nagana is carried by tsetse flies Researchers at the University of Bristol have revealed new details on how the animal disease Nagana is spread by tsetse flies in Africa.
	Petry finds missing ingredient to spark the fireworks of life Most people can name at least a few bones of the human body, but not many know about the cytoskeleton within our cells, let alone the "microtubules" that give it its shape. Now, a group of Princeton researchers has resolved a long-standing controversy by identifying exactly how the body creates these micron-sized filaments.
	Immune cell provides cradle for mammary stem cells A new study finds that one of the toughest characters in the immune system, the macrophage, has a nurturing side, at least when it comes to guarding the developing breast.
	Battling bubbles: How plants protect themselves from killer fungus In the battle between plants and pathogens, molecules called small RNAs are coveted weapons used by both invaders and defenders.
	Insect gene allows reproductive organs to cope with harmful bacteria A damaging bacteria with an uncanny ability to pass itself from insect mothers to eggs meets its genomic match in a tiny variety of parasitic wasp, a recent discovery by Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Seth Bordenstein and his team has shown.
Climate-threatened animals unable to relocate Many of the European mammals whose habitat is being destroyed by climate change are not able to find new places to live elsewhere.
	New Zealand's 'first bloke' fends off angry shark New Zealand's "first bloke" Clarke Gayford revealed Thursday how he fought off an angry shark with a pole while diving off Auckland.
	EU court upholds curbs on bee-killing pesticide A top European Union court on Thursday upheld the ban on three insecticides blamed for killing off bee populations, dismissing cases brought by chemicals giants Bayer and Syngenta.
	Hydrogen peroxide assists sexual reproduction in spruce Plant physiologists from MSU have proved for the first time that dangerous reactive oxygen species that are often considered by-products of energy generation in cells are required by conifers to fertilize egg cells. Experiments with blue spruce (Picea pungens) pollen led to the discovery of a protein that makes the whole system work. The scientists believe that the obtained data will lead to the optimization of conifer forest restoration. The results of the study were published in Plant Reproduction.
	New nuclear RNA retention activity discovered Gene expression involves mRNA transport from its place of synthesis to the cytoplasm where protein translation occurs. However, many non-coding RNA species do not follow this flow and new data now demonstrate how cells prevent the unwanted export of RNA and instead ensure nuclear degradation.
	Social network models provide new tool for ecology studies Social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook have inspired a new method of describing how other species interact with one another.
	Study shows New Zealand has its own population of blue whales A group of blue whales that frequent the South Taranaki Bight (STB) between the North and South islands of New Zealand appears to be part of a local population that is genetically distinct from other blue whales in the Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean, a new study has found.
	The survival of sea birds affected by ocean cycles In a general context of climate change, researchers at the Centre d'écologie fonctionnelle et évolutive (CNRS/Université de Montpellier/Université Paul Valery/EPHE-PSL) and their international partners revealed the impact of ocean cycles, such as the Pacific decadal oscillation and El Niño, on the survival of the Nazca booby, a species found on the Galapagos Islands. Their research, which shows for the first time that long cycles (spanning several decades) directly affect the survival of adult populations, appears in the May edition of Ecology, and may later be expanded to other sea birds.
	Photosynthesis involves a protein "piston" Plants convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars and oxygen by photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is thus integral to life as we know it and has been investigated extensively by researchers around the globe.
	Veterinary professor says ticks, fleas and mosquitoes not just a seasonal problem Warmer weather is upon us and pet owners tend to think about tick and flea control for their dogs and cats. But according to a veterinary parasitology expert at Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine, this should not be just a seasonal concern.
	To save whale sharks, first we track their young An international team of researchers have for the first time uncovered the migration routes for whale sharks around Madagascar.
	Newly discovered protein operated in earliest organisms Life on Earth depends on photosynthetic carbon dioxide (CO2) fixation to form organic carbon. Plants take atmospheric CO2 and transform it into organic molecules such as glucose. This process evolved in cyanobacteria and was later conveyed to eukaryotes, giving rise to plastids in algae and plants. Researchers have now discovered a new protein which is involved in this complex process; it regulates the intake of CO2 into the cell. Khaled Selim and Professor Karl Forchhammer from the Interfaculty Institute for Microbiology and Infection Medicine (IMIT), together with colleagues from the Max-Planck Institute for Proteinevolution and from the University Rostock, describe their finding of the conserved cyclic AMP receptor protein, SbtB, in the latest edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Probiotics to protect bees from an infection associated with colony collapse disorder Adding probiotics to bees' food helps make them more resistant to nosemosis, a fungal infection associated with colony collapse disorder that has been observed in Europe and North America over the past 20 years. Probiotics can decrease the mortality rate of this infection in bees by up to 40%, report researchers at Université Laval in the most recent edition of Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution.
	Rhino in San Diego pregnant, could help save subspecies A southern white rhino has become pregnant through artificial insemination at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving hope for efforts to save a subspecies of one of the world's most recognizable animals, researchers announced Thursday.
	Canines born in summer prone to heart disease: study Dogs born during summer months run a higher risk of heart and artery problems, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports.
	Alaska dive fishermen plead for relief from sea otters Northern sea otters, once hunted to the brink of extinction along Alaska's Panhandle, have made a spectacular comeback by gobbling some of the state's finest seafood—and fishermen are not happy about the competition.
Critics attack Brazil's 'poison law' on pesticides Critics including supermodel Gisele Bundchen are attacking a push to loosen Brazil's regulations on pesticides, calling the proposed legislation a "poison law."
	Sea otters rebound but struggle to regain historic range While threatened southern sea otters bob and sun in the gentle waves of this central California estuary, wildlife experts up and down the West Coast are struggling to figure out how to restore the crucial coastal predator to an undersea world that's falling apart in their absence.
	Sri Lanka elephants face plastic danger foraging dumps for food At a garbage dump in central Sri Lanka a herd of wild elephants forage among a mountain of rubbish, swallowing dangerous scraps of plastic mixed with rotting food in what experts warn is an increasing problem for the revered animals.
Research proves value of traceability in dairy industry As part of her research, Melissa developed a model for estimating the value added by traceability systems. As well as helping companies gauge the overall benefit of improving their products' traceability, the model also helps them identify the stages in the production chain where these systems have the greatest impact.
	GP-write has big goals for synthetic genomes We continue to improve our ability to read, write, and edit DNA on larger and larger scales. GP-write wants to gather and coordinate the global enthusiasm around large-scale genome engineering to bring about some major advancements in several areas. Overall, they have the goal to reduce of cost of building and testing large genomes by over 1,000-fold within ten years. This major reduction in cost would require large improvements in methods and technology, but large-scale projects like the synthesis of a human genome may be what's needed to push the field to that point.
	Cell motility mystery cracked—the protein that re-charges the cell's motility machinery revealed Research conducted in the University of Helsinki may help in developing specific inhibitors that would slow down actin-dependent movement of cancer cells.
	The long life of pesticides Although the use of organochlorine pesticides has been forbidden for decades, it is still affecting our soils. This is the conclusion of a research group from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid after an exhaustive study carried out in the Laguna del Hito, a Special Protection Area for Birds.

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