Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jun 13

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 13, 2018:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Environmental threats put bumblebee queens under pressure

Trio of infant planets discovered around newborn star

Why we make blood cells in our bones

Antarctica ramps up sea level rise

New study suggests surprising wrinkle in history of West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Much of East Antarctica remained frozen during past 8 million years

Magnetic 3-D-printed structures crawl, roll, and jump

How to save Antarctica (and the rest of Earth too)

Coral reefs losing ability to keep pace with sea-level rise

Beating cancer at its own game with a Trojan horse telomerase

Scientists make first 'on demand' entanglement link

Researchers report micro-CT scan of a mouse embryo at unprecedented resolution

Organics on Ceres may be more abundant that originally thought

Research shows short gamma-ray bursts do follow binary neutron star mergers

Deadly fungus found for first time in critically endangered amphibian species

Astronomy & Space news

	Trio of infant planets discovered around newborn star Two independent teams of astronomers have uncovered convincing evidence that three young planets are in orbit around an infant star known as HD 163296. Using a new planet-finding strategy, the astronomers identified three discrete disturbances in a young star's gas-filled disk: the strongest evidence yet that newly formed planets are in orbit there.
	Organics on Ceres may be more abundant that originally thought Last year, scientists with NASA's Dawn mission announced the detection of organic material—carbon-based compounds that are necessary components for life—exposed in patches on the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres. Now, a new analysis of the Dawn data by Brown University researchers suggests those patches may contain a much higher abundance of organics than originally thought.
	New GAIA data reveals mergers in Milky Way University of Groningen astronomers have discovered relics of merger events in the Milky Way halo. Five small groups of stars appear to represent mergers with smaller galaxies, while a big 'blob' comprising hundreds of stars appears to be the remnant of a large merger event. These results were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on 12 June.
	Researchers map out regions where exoplanets can exist within triple star systems Researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa (Wits) and the University of Grenoble Alpes in France have mapped out regions where exoplanets can exist within triple star systems.
	Martian dust storm silences NASA's rover, Opportunity (Update) A massive dust storm raging across Mars has overcome NASA's aging Opportunity rover, putting the unmanned, solar-powered vehicle into sleep mode and raising concerns about its survival, the US space agency said Wednesday.
	Image: Gravity for the loss Space agencies of Europe, assemble!
	ECOSTRESS among science payloads on next space station mission A new batch of science is headed to the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon on the company's 15th mission for commercial resupply services, scheduled for launch June 29 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft will deliver science that studies plant water use all over the planet, artificial intelligence, gut health in space, more efficient drug development and the formation of inorganic structures without the influence of Earth's gravity.
	Image: CubeSat micro-pulsed plasma thruster This micro-pulsed plasma thruster has been designed for propulsion of miniature CubeSats; its first firing is seen here. The thruster works by pulsing a lightning-like electric arc between two electrodes. This vaporizes the thruster propellant into charged plasma, which is then accelerated in the electromagnetic field set up between the electrodes.
	Sleek telescope makes it in the Big Apple Just in time for Asteroid Day, New York's Museum of Modern Art has selected a sleek new portable telescope from French start-up Vaonis for its prestigious MoMA Design Store.

Technology news

	Magnetic 3-D-printed structures crawl, roll, and jump MIT engineers have created soft, 3-D-printed structures whose movements can be controlled with a wave of a magnet, much like marionettes without the strings.
	Could studying swarm behaviors teach us how to help drones fly safely? Anyone who's seen a flock of starlings twist and turn across the sky may have wondered: How do they maneuver in such close formation without colliding?
	Electromigration at normal operating temperatures causes integrated circuits to fail in hours instead of year A University of California, Riverside engineer builds electronic circuits just to break them as quickly as possible. A research team led by Sheldon Tan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering in the Bourns College of Engineering, has developed a new way to test the reliability of integrated circuits, such as microchips and microprocessors, that is faster than conventional techniques.
	How to build a robot that mimics the moves of animals—and why you'd want to From slithering and walking to flying or swimming, animals are able to move and interact with their environment with relative ease. However, building a robot with the same capabilities is much more difficult.
	Accenture to launch new tool to help customers identify and fix unfair bias in AI algorithms Accenture, a professional services company, will soon launch a new tool aimed at helping its customers find unfair bias in AI algorithms. Once such unfair bias is discovered, reps for the company have told the press, they can be removed.
	People recall information better through virtual reality, says new study While the use of virtual reality (VR) for gaming and entertainment continues to grow, the technology also shows promise for changing the landscape of industries such as medicine, education and workforce training.
	Researchers develop automated robotic device for faster blood testing Rutgers researchers have created an automated blood drawing and testing device that provides rapid results, potentially improving the workflow in hospitals and other health-related institutions to allow health care practitioners to spend more time treating patients.
	Australia court paves way for Google 'underworld' defamation case A court cleared the way for a rare defamation action against Google on Wednesday after a man claimed the global internet giant published material linking him to Australia's criminal underworld.
	Comcast bid for Fox is next after favorable AT&T ruling Comcast will likely bid for Fox's entertainment business as early as Wednesday now that a federal judge has cleared AT&T's $85 billion takeover of Time Warner.
	Bitcoin 'whales' pulling cryptocurrency strings Bitcoin, the star of the cryptocurrency world, is widely seen as a freewheeling tool as open as the internet itself.
	Judge clears AT&T-Time Warner deal, rebuking Trump administration A US federal judge approved Tuesday the $85 billion merger of wireless and broadband giant AT&T with media-entertainment conglomerate Time Warner, delivering a stinging rebuke to Donald Trump's administration in its first major antitrust court case.
	China's ZTE dives 39% at resumption of trading in Hong Kong Shares in Chinese telecoms equipment maker ZTE collapsed 39 percent Wednesday as trading in the company resumed after it reached a settlement with the United States over its handling of a sanctions violation.
	Toyota investing $1 billion in Asian ride-share firm Grab Toyota said Wednesday it was investing $1 billion in Asia ride-share company Grab, as the Japanese automaker looks to expand beyond its core business into the "mobility" sector.
	Australia agrees Solomons internet cable after China concern Australia will help fund and build an underseas communications cable to the Solomon Islands, it was agreed Wednesday, after the Pacific nation was convinced to drop a contract with Chinese company Huawei.
	London hopes for bright tech future despite Brexit London has a bright tech future post-Brexit working closely with other European capitals but the government should open up more to immigration, London Mayor Sadiq Khan told AFP.
	Tight squeeze for Hong Kong's young professionals As housing prices spiral in Hong Kong, young professionals are living in ever-shrinking spaces, with box-like "nano-flats" and co-shares touted as fashionable solutions.
	AT&T antitrust win may herald a new wave of media mergers Brace yourself for the likely new era of media megamergers.
	Robots learn by checking in on team members The software and hardware needed to coordinate a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that can communicate and work toward a common goal have recently been developed by KAUST researchers.
	NASA flies large unmanned aircraft in public airspace without chase plane for first time NASA's remotely-piloted Ikhana aircraft, based at the agency's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, successfully flew its first mission in the National Airspace System without a safety chase aircraft on Tuesday. This historic flight moves the United States one step closer to normalizing unmanned aircraft operations in the airspace used by commercial and private pilots.
	Image: Evaluating the noise of future aircraft As air traffic continues to surge in the U.S., neighbors who live near airports are complaining about the escalating noise. All the while, the demand for faster aircraft that travel at supersonic speeds is accelerating.
	Teaching robots how to move objects With the push of a button, months of hard work were about to be put to the test. Sixteen teams of engineers convened in a cavernous exhibit hall in Nagoya, Japan, for the 2017 Amazon Robotics Challenge. The robotic systems they built were tasked with removing items from bins and placing them into boxes. For graduate student Maria Bauza, who served as task-planning lead for the MIT-Princeton Team, the moment was particularly nerve-wracking.
	AI could predict your next move from watching your eye gaze Our eyes often betray our intentions. Think of poker players hiding their "tells" behind sunglasses or goalkeepers monitoring the gaze of the striker to predict where they'll shoot.
	Rail access improves liveability, but all regional centres are not equal Our research on the liveability of regional cities in Victoria has identified an important element: liveability in these areas requires fast, reliable and frequent rail connections to capital cities.
	Are solar panels a middle-class purchase? This survey says yes The rate of growth in residential rooftop solar photovoltaics (PV) in Australia since 2008 has been nothing short of breathtaking.
	Making cars and planes lighter and cleaner using unidirectional fibre tapes An EU initiative has developed a cost-effective way to produce unidirectional (UD) tape to manufacture and reinforce parts in cars and planes. The solution will make them lighter and more environmentally sound.
	Computer program looks five minutes into the future Computer scientists from the University of Bonn have developed software that can look a few minutes into the future. The program first learns the typical sequence of actions, such as cooking, from video sequences. Based on this knowledge, it can then accurately predict in new situations what the chef will do at which point in time. Researchers will present their findings at the world's largest Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, which will be held June 19-21 in Salt Lake City, USA.
	More harm than good: Assessing the nuclear arsenal tipping point One hundred. That's the number researchers argue is a pragmatic quantity of nuclear weapons for any nation to have.
	Bitcoin hits 4-month low after currency exchange theft The price of bitcoin has fallen to a four-month low of $6,370, days after South Korean virtual currency exchange Coinrail said hackers had stolen over $37 million, or almost a third of the virtual currency it had stored.
	After AT&T's win, here comes the expected Comcast-Fox bid After AT&T-Time Warner comes the deluge.
	VW says will pay 1 bn euro German fine over emissions cheating Auto giant Volkswagen said Wednesday it would pay a one-billion-euro ($1.2 billion) fine imposed by German prosecutors over its diesel emissions cheating.
	Comcast challenges Disney with $65B bid for Fox Comcast made a $65 billion bid Wednesday for Fox's entertainment businesses, setting up a battle with Disney to become the next mega-media company.
	Twitter shift aims to deliver more news on timelines Twitter said Wednesday it would revamp user timelines as part of an effort to deliver more news and personalized content, the latest effort to attract more users to the platform.
	More grim news for US newspapers: survey The troubled picture for US newspapers became even grimmer in 2017 with declines in revenue and both print and digital readership, a new research report showed Wednesday.
	Will Amazon's work to kill Seattle tax spook other cities? A tax on large companies such as Amazon that was meant to fight a growing homelessness crisis got rolled back during a raucous Seattle City Council meeting that exposed divisions over how much companies that have fueled booming economies should help pay to alleviate the downsides of success.
	Novel microplate 3-D bioprinting platform for muscle and tendon tissue engineering There is a strong need for medication that treats age-related degenerative muscle and tendon diseases. A critical bottleneck in the discovery and development of novel drugs for skeletal muscle is the lack of efficient and robust functional in vitro assays for compound screening.
	Brexit could make UK car sector 'extinct': business lobby The president of Britain's main business lobby on Wednesday warned that the country's car industry risked "becoming extinct" outside the EU's customs union.
UK tech retailer suffers breach of customers' card data Smartphone seller Dixons Carphone says it is investigating a data breach of some 5.9 million customer bank card details and 1.2 million personal data records.
	In test case for gig economy, UK court backs contractor A London plumber who claimed he was unfairly dismissed after years of working as a contractor won a court ruling Wednesday giving him employment rights, in a closely watched case testing labor rules in the so-called gig economy.
Interest in tandem solar cells heats up For decades, silicon solar cells have been used to convert energy from sunlight into electricity. However, recent improvements in perovskite alternatives are moving tandem devices—made of both silicon and perovskite—closer to market, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly news magazine of the American Chemical Society.
	Breaking up the Murdoch empire: Who gets what A large part of the Fox entertainment empire is up for sale, though Fox News Channel and other U.S. television businesses are staying with the family of media mogul Rupert Murdoch.

Medicine & Health news

	Beating cancer at its own game with a Trojan horse telomerase Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase that uses an RNA template to synthesize telomeres. These repeat sequences bind special proteins that fold the ends of chromosomes back onto themselves to create a stable cap. When this cap is damaged, the cell often interprets the exposed DNA as a double strand break and attempts to 'repair' it.
	'Gut instinct' may have been the GPS of human ancestors Ask anyone if they remember where they ate the juiciest burger, the sweetest cupcake or the smoothest bisque, and they probably can describe the location in great detail, down to the cross streets, the décor, and the table where they sat. A new USC study in Nature Communications gives a possible explanation for food's prominence in memory.
	Youths prescribed antipsychotics gain body fat, have increased diabetes risk Psychiatrists know that patients who take antipsychotic drugs tend to gain weight. Now, new research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that children and adolescents treated with antipsychotics for as little as 12 weeks experience significant gains in body fat and also become less sensitive to insulin.
	Turning the tables on the cholera pathogen Recent cholera outbreaks in regions that are ravaged by war, struck by natural disasters, or simply lack basic sanitation, such as Yemen or Haiti, are making the development of new and more effective interventions a near-term necessity. Sometimes within hours, the water- and food-borne diarrheal disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae can lead to severe dehydration, putting victims' lives at immediate risk, especially if rehydration and antibiotic therapies are not readily available or started early enough. The World Health Organization has made it a top priority to identify cholera-managing measures and a cost-effective diagnostic test to detect V. cholerae early on in individuals that may help prevent its spread.
	Fast-acting cholera vaccine could curb outbreaks A tricked-out cholera vaccine starts protecting against the deadly disease within a day, experiments in rabbits suggest. The rapid protection offered by this designer vaccine may one day limit the spread of cholera outbreaks, says Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator Matthew Waldor.
	Novel molecular target to prevent scarring of the lung blood vessels identified Pulmonary arterial hypertension, a severe form of cardiopulmonary disease in which the arteries that transport blood from the heart to the lungs become thickened, constricted, and scarred, is a disease for which there is no cure. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital are unraveling the molecular mechanisms that may control PAH's development and progression in an effort toward finding treatments that can halt the disease's advancement.
	Brain secrets that flow in our blood Our blood can be used to uncover genetic secrets inside the brain, according to University of Queensland research.
	Reversible changes to neural proteins may explain sleep need Long periods of waking can lead to cognitive impairment, and the need to sleep continues to build up. Sleep then refreshes the brain through alterations in molecular biochemistry. These changes impact neuronal plasticity and brain function, but the molecular underpinnings of "sleepiness" are not well understood.
	Lineage of TB traced and compared to early human migration A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Iowa and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health has carried out genetic studies of tuberculosis to learn more about its lineage and to compare it with transmission pathways through early human migration. They have outlined their study and results in a paper available on the bioRxiv preprint server. Team lead Caitlin Pepperell also presented the group's findings at this year's ASM Microbe 2018 meeting.
	Mindfulness meditation and relaxation response have different effects on brain function A variety of meditation-based programs have been developed in recent years to reduce stress and medical symptoms and to promote wellness. One lingering question is to what extent these programs are similar or different. In a study published in the June issue of Psychosomatic Medicine, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers, in collaboration with members of the two leading mind-body stress reduction programs, reports the results of their study documenting the different effects these mind-body practices have in the brain.
Dementia risk increased in 50-year-olds with blood pressure below hypertension threshold New findings from the long-running Whitehall II study of over 10,000 civil servants has found 50-year-olds who had blood pressure that was higher than normal but still below the threshold commonly used when deciding to treat the condition, were at increased risk of developing dementia in later life.
	Sleeping too much or not enough may have bad effects on health Fewer than six and more than ten hours of sleep per day are associated with metabolic syndrome and its individual components, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health that involved 133,608 Korean men and women aged 40-69 years.
	Dementia can be caused by hypertension A new study in Cardiovascular Research, published by Oxford University Press, indicates that patients with high blood pressure are at a higher risk of developing dementia. This research also shows (for the first time) that an MRI can be used to detect very early signatures of neurological damage in people with high blood pressure, before any symptoms of dementia occur.
	Men turn to plastic surgeons for a better body image and more confidence at every age Body image is an issue most commonly discussed among women, but new statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reveal that it's a conversation that is emerging among men. More men are seeking help from plastic surgeons to enhance their looks and build confidence. In fact, more than 1.3 million cosmetic procedures were performed on men in 2017 alone.
Primary care providers say Michigan's Medicaid expansion helped patients' health and work Extending medical insurance to low-income Michigan residents meant they had better access to health care, earlier detection of serious illnesses, better care for existing health problems and improved ability to work, attend school and live independently, according to a newly published survey of primary care providers.
Modern blood cancer treatments require new approach for monitoring, reporting side effects Treatment changes including the advent of targeted and immune therapies have dramatically improved survival for blood cancers, but new report calls for improved evaluation of poorly understood side effects that may develop over time.—-
	French boy's rare disease fight leads family to Canada At birth, doctors gave Julien Ferrer only a slim chance of surviving a rare childhood bone disease. Fifteen years on, the French teen is living a normal life in Canada, where he received cutting-edge treatment—and new hope for the future.
Getting heart disease patients to exercise: Study says wearables could help but only if money is on the line Combining financial incentives and personalized goal-setting with wearable devices may be an effective way of encouraging patients with heart disease to increase their physical activity. In patients with heart disease, regular physical activity has been shown to decrease the risk of a future heart attack, but getting these patients into a regular exercise program such as cardiac rehab has remained a challenge. Results of a clinical trial led by researchers at Penn Medicine, and published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), show that a home based program offering payment upfront with money taken away if step goals were not met—a design that leverages the concept of loss aversion—increases activity levels and may help to form a more long-lasting habit.
	Older melanoma patients have better response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy Patient age correlates with response to immunotherapy in melanoma and depleting regulatory T cells in young patients may have a therapeutic potential to enhance response in younger patients, according to research from The Wistar Institute. Study results were published online in Clinical Cancer Research.
	Protective mechanism against atherosclerosis discovered Immune cells promoting inflammation play a crucial role in the development of atherosclerosis. Scientists at CeMM and the Medical University of Vienna in collaboration with the University of Cambridge showed that a survival factor for those cells also has anti-inflammatory functions and a protective role in atherosclerosis. The study, published in Circulation, provides valuable new insight for atherosclerosis research and suggests a hitherto unknown, inherited risk factor for atherosclerosis.
	Platform uses artificial intelligence to diagnose Zika and other pathogens Scientists at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have developed a platform that can diagnose several diseases with a high degree of precision using metabolic markers found in blood.
	Mind molding psychedelic drugs could treat depression, and other mental illnesses It seems that psychedelics do more than simply alter perception. According to the latest research from my colleagues and me, they change the structures of neurons themselves.
	Morals more important than success in a role model People choose role models who have achieved success in ways that are in line with their own moral values, according to University of Queensland research.
School cliques don't always click Lynne Zarbatany watches video footage of children playing with a remote-controlled helicopter. She sees some children share the remote, others grab and cling to it jealously, even a lone child sits in a corner.
	Environmental impacts of meat consumption low priority for Kiwis Many New Zealand consumers are unaware of the environmental impacts of their meat consumption and this may be influencing our high meat intake, according to a study by the University of Otago.
	Doctor's street-level views could change the course of the opioid crisis A staggering 64,000 people in the United States died in 2016 from drug overdoses, marking a 22 percent rise from the previous year of a cause of death that now annually exceeds those caused by motor vehicle accidents and gun violence.
	How does altitude affect the body and why does it affect people differently? Every year, thousands of people travel to high-altitude environments for tourism, adventure-seeking, or to train and compete in various sports. Unfortunately, these trips can be marred by the effects of acute altitude sickness, and the symptoms vary from person to person. To understand why people are affected differently, we have to look at how the body is affected by altitude.
	Restaurants not only feed us, they shape our food preferences Restaurants are playing an increasingly important role in the food culture of North Americans.
Explaining herd immunity benefits raises willingness to get flu shot Every year, health experts recommend that nearly nearly all people six months and older get the flu vaccine, yet only about 50 percent of eligible people in the United States actually get vaccinated. When people forgo getting the vaccine, they also reduce their community's "herd immunity"—the protection that occurs when a high proportion of people are vaccinated against a specific virus or pathogen.
	Needle release optimal treatment for Viking disease The various treatments for Viking disease are coming under closer scrutiny. Research shows that crooked fingers can be straightened just as well with needle release as with the substantially more expensive commonly used drug.
Diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases through eye movements A new robotic system developed by UPM researchers and AURA Innovative Robotics Company can help diagnose neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Parkinson's through the analysis of eye movements.
Test can identify patients in intensive care at greatest risk of life-threatening infections Patients in intensive care units are at significant risk of potentially life-threatening secondary infections, including from antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and C. difficile. Now, a new test could identify those at greatest risk – and speed up the development of new therapies to help at-risk patients.
The heart of a newborn infant undergoes 'programmed' postnatal transition In the fetus, the blood vessel known as the ductus arteriosus, or ductus Botalli, bypasses blood from the lung artery to the aorta. A MedUni Vienna research group has now shown that this blood vessel remains open during the first few days of life to increase the pumping force of the left ventricle (which is less challenged before birth). This vessel then closes, having achieved its purpose.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of certain types of malignancy The results of a study presented at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) examined rates of malignancy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), and found no difference between those newly treated with tocilizumab (TCZ) versus TNF inhibitors (TNFi).
	New clinical trial takes personalized approach for rare type of ALS in Appalachia ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a neurodegenerative disease of some fame in the United States. Many Americans know the illness, which currently has no cure, as Lou Gehrig's disease, after the beloved baseball player whose career and life were cut short by the condition in the 1930s and 1940s.
Transparent pricing boosts business at outpatient surgical centers, study suggests In a small study of ambulatory surgical centers across the country, Johns Hopkins quality care researchers found that publicly listing the prices of common operations, such as uncomplicated labor and delivery and tonsillectomies, generally increased business, revenue and patient satisfaction.
Digital devices during family time could exacerbate bad behavior Parents who spend a lot of time on their phones or watching television during family activities such as meals, playtime, and bedtime could influence their long-term relationships with their children. This is according to Brandon T. McDaniel of Illinois State University and Jenny S. Radesky of the University of Michigan Medical School, both in the US, who say so called "technoference" can lead children to show more frustration, hyperactivity, whining, sulking or tantrums. The study in the journal Pediatric Research, which is published by Springer Nature, examines the role and impact digital devices play in parenting and child behavior.
	Floridians took Zika virus more seriously than rest of US, but most did nothing Threatened by the mosquito-borne Zika virus in 2016, Florida residents felt more susceptible than others in the United States to getting the virus, were more knowledgeable about it, and were more likely to support taking community action against it.
	New radiation therapy technique aims to preserve sexual function Will treatment make me impotent?" It's a question on the minds of many men as they are making decisions about prostate cancer treatment. A multicenter clinical trial being led by UT Southwestern physicians is testing a technique for sparing nerve bundles and arteries involved in sexual function to preserve potency in patients getting radiation therapy for prostate cancer.
No link found between oral antifungal drug and stillbirth New research from a Swedish and Norwegian team of researchers led from Karolinska Institutet does not support a suggested link between treatment with the oral antifungal drug fluconazole during pregnancy and an increased risk of stillbirth. The study is published in the prestigious medical journal JAMA.
Scientists discover how vitamin A drives the human lung immune system to control TB Scientists at Trinity College Dublin and St James's Hospital, Dublin, have discovered how vitamin A drives the lung immune system to deal with tuberculosis (TB). The findings have just been published in a top respiratory journal, the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology.
Lung study points to therapies for chronic coughing disease Fresh insights into a potentially life-threatening lung disease that causes persistent coughing could pave the way for new therapies.
	Balanced diet may be key to cancer survival (HealthDay)—Eating a nutritionally balanced high-quality diet may lower a cancer patient's risk of dying by as much as 65 percent, new research suggests.
	How healthy is your diet? (HealthDay)—As Americans, we're making some headway in our efforts to improve the quality of our diet, but we're far from ideal levels.
	Older age, ICU, poor renal fcn up risk of opioid OD in hospital (HealthDay)—Risk factors for opioid overdose among hospitalized patients include being age 65 years or older, being in an intensive care unit (ICU), and having renal impairment, according to a study published online May 23 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics.
	Exercise may lower mortality in adult survivors of childhood CA (HealthDay)—For adult survivors of childhood cancer, vigorous exercise in early adulthood is associated with reduced risk of mortality, according to a study published online June 3 in JAMA Oncology.
	How do business partner data breaches affect your practice? (HealthDay)—Data breaches affecting health care systems or their partners need to be addressed quickly, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
	USPSTF: No to ECG screening to prevent CVD in low-risk adults (HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against screening with resting or exercise electrocardiography (ECG) to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in low-risk asymptomatic adults. This final recommendation statement has been published in the June 12 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Researcher studies the impact religion has on sleep quality Can a person's religious practices impact their sleep quality? That's the focus of a new study by Christopher Ellison in The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Department of Sociology and his collaborators.
	Cannabis does not increase suicidal behavior in psychiatric patients McMaster University researchers have found there is no significant association between cannabis use and suicidal behavior in people with psychiatric disorders.
	Lentils significantly reduce blood glucose levels, study reveals Replacing potatoes or rice with pulses can lower your blood glucose levels by more than 20 per cent, according to a first-ever University of Guelph study.
	Mediterranean-style eating with lean, unprocessed red meat improves heart disease risk Adopting a Mediterranean-style eating pattern improves heart health, with or without reducing red meat intake, if the red meat consumed is lean and unprocessed, according to a Purdue University nutrition study.
Researchers identify neuropeptide involved in transmitting itch signal to brain in eczema Researchers from North Carolina State University have pinpointed a particular neuropeptide associated with transmitting itch signals in mice with atopic dermatitis. The work sheds further light on the pathways involved in transmitting itch sensations from the peripheral (skin) to the central (spinal cord) nervous system.
	Adolescents who consume a diet high in saturated fats may develop poor stress coping skills, signs of PTSD A new study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity shows that adolescent rats who consume a diet high in saturated fats have a harder time coping with stress as adults. Moreover, researchers from Loma Linda University in California found that the areas of the brain that handle the fear/stress response were altered to the point that subjects began exhibiting behaviors that mirror post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
	Is there a link between diabetes and Parkinson's disease? People with type 2 diabetes may have an increased risk of having a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease later in life, according to a large study published in the June 13, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. In addition, the risk may be higher for younger people and those with complications from the disease.
Do excess fluids cause brain injuries in children with diabetic ketoacidosis? For decades, clinicians have worried that giving too much intravenous fluid to children with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) may contribute to brain swelling and injury, and even death. Now, after a national study that examined more than a thousand patients with DKA, UC Davis researchers and their colleagues from around the country have shown that fluid infusion does not cause brain injury in children with DKA.
	No clear evidence that nicotine 'preloading' helps smokers to quit There is insufficient evidence to show that using nicotine patches for four weeks before a quit attempt (known as "preloading") improves long-term smoking abstinence, finds a trial published by The BMJ this week.
Scientists detect new ovarian cancer target Researchers at Houston Methodist Research Institute and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found a prescription drug, Calcitriol, approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of calcium deficiency and kidney diseases, may increase the likelihood of surviving ovarian cancer.
	Surgical blood transfusions tied to clot risk (HealthDay)—Blood transfusions around the time of surgery may raise your risk for dangerous blood clots, researchers say.
	Older adults increasingly have HPV+ oropharyngeal cancers (HealthDay)—Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancers are increasing among older adults, according to a study published online April 30 in Cancer.
	Exposure to maternal HTN may up risk of ASD, ADHD in child (HealthDay)—Exposure to hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) may be associated with an increase in the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in offspring, according to a review published online June 6 in JAMA Psychiatry.
	Sun defenses up in transplant patients after skin cancer study (HealthDay)—For organ transplant recipients, participation in a skin cancer research study is associated with increased use of multiple sun protection behaviors, according to a research letter published online June 6 in JAMA Dermatology.
	Addition of bezafibrate beneficial in primary biliary cholangitis (HealthDay)—Nearly one-third of patients with primary biliary cholangitis who had had an inadequate response to ursodeoxycholic acid alone achieved a complete biochemical response with the addition of bezafibrate to treatment, according to a study published online June 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
	Dexmedetomidine cuts γ-aminobutyric acid receptor function (HealthDay)—Dexmedetomidine prevents excessive γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor function after anesthesia, according to a study published online June 7 in Anesthesiology.
	CDC: Preterm births increased in US during 2014-2016 (HealthDay)—During 2014 to 2016, the rate of preterm births in the United States increased, according to a June data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
	Possible marker found to predict long-term learning For the first time, researchers have discovered a possible biomarker for long term learning.
Diabetes added to high risks for people with severe mental illness People with severe mental illness are more than twice as likely to have Type 2 diabetes, with even higher risks among patients who are African American or Hispanic, according to a new study led by UCSF.
Mayo Clinic discovery is first step toward new bacteria-based constipation treatment Genetically engineered bacteria are showing promise as a new treatment for constipation, researchers at the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine have discovered in a mouse study. The finding is significant in part because there are few approved constipation remedies on the market. The research is published in Cell Host & Microbe.
	Patients prefer to have cancer screenings despite risks and warnings A large proportion of the American public opts to receive cancer screenings with the hope that testing will reduce their chance of cancer death. Now, a team led by University of Missouri psychological science researchers has determined that patients may want cancer screenings even if the potential harms outweigh the benefits. Researchers believe that clinicians and oncologists could develop better communications tools and provide reassurance to their patients in better ways.
The missing link in antimicrobial stewardship strategy Empowering nurses to participate in antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) is the missing link in strengthening hospital-wide antimicrobial stewardship and improving patient care, according to a new study presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
New studies demonstrate infection control strategies for measles and mumps outbreaks The decline in vaccination rates across communities has led to the resurgence of diseases like measles and mumps, and recent outbreaks have demonstrated the importance of an integrated infection prevention response, according to new research presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
New study identifies gaps in infection prevention and control at critical access hospitals Critical access hospitals (CAHs) face significant challenges in their infection prevention and control (IPC) practices, according to new research presented at the 45th Annual Conference of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
WHO chief says Ebola outbreak in DR Congo 'not over' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom on Tuesday called for tighter monitoring as he wrapped up a visit to Ebola-hit DR Congo, saying the outbreak was far from over despite the number of cases stabilising in recent weeks.
	Pushing back the boundaries of machine translation for health EU researchers have brought us a step closer to fully-automated machine translation with a neural-based system capable of translating texts on public health from English into Czech, German, Polish and Romanian.
Carrying stand-by antibiotics fosters careless antibiotic use among travelers Travellers carrying standby antibiotics take them more often than those traveling without such drugs. Antibiotics packed in the bags encourages misuse for mild and moderate diarrhoea, i.e., cases not requiring medication.
NSAIDs shown to have causal role in cardiovascular risk of patients with osteoarthritis The results of a study presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) suggest that over two thirds of the increased cardiovascular risk associated with osteoarthritis is linked to the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
Frequency of joint replacements halved in rheumatoid arthritis patients between 1997-2010 The results of two studies presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) investigate joint replacement procedures in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The first study demonstrates that joint replacement procedures have significantly reduced in RA patients in the past decade and the second investigates the impact of biologic therapies on this change using the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Registry for Rheumatoid Arthritis (BSRBR/RA).
Gene signatures and biomarkers predict onset of rheumatoid arthritis in at-risk individuals The results of two studies presented today at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR 2018) provide insight into molecular changes prior to the onset of arthritis which could inform future novel diagnostics and early therapeutic interventions.
	Periodontal cell sheet technique promotes bone and ligament formation on dental implant Researchers used periodontal ligament (PDL)-derived stem cells to create a cell sheet, attached it to a titanium implant, and transplanted it into the mandibular bone of a dog, demonstrating the formation of a periodontal-like structure containing both cementum- and PDL-like tissue. The study, which shows the feasibility of combining a regenerative cell sheet with a titanium dental implant, is published in Tissue Engineering, Part A.
	Stem cell-derived organoids for testing gene delivery to retinal and photoreceptor cells A new study that compared six of the most promising adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene therapy vectors in human retinal organoid models showed clear distinctions in the efficiency of gene transfer to both retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and photoreceptor cells. The results of this study can help guide future selection and design of viral vectors for therapeutic gene delivery and gene editing and are reported in an article published in Human Gene Therapy.
	Family perseveres after losing father to heart attack Oscar Washington Jr. thought he was taking care of his heart. He went to the doctor every three months to stay on top of his high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. He exercised regularly but was still shaken by the passing of his dad to a rare heart condition.

Biology news

	Environmental threats put bumblebee queens under pressure Spring is a busy time for bumblebee queens.
	Why we make blood cells in our bones In humans and other mammals, the stem cells that give rise to all blood cells are located in the bone. But in fish, blood stem cells are found in the kidney. Since the late 1970s, when biologists first realized that blood develops in a specific location in the body—the 'blood stem cell niche'—they have wondered why different creatures have evolved to carry out this function in different locations.
	Deadly fungus found for first time in critically endangered amphibian species A fungal pathogen which has led to the extinction of entire species in South America has been recorded for the first time in critically endangered amphibians in India.
	Conformity trumps riskiness in social fish Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered that more sociable fish suppress their own personality when they are with a partner.
	Clever bees can identify different flowers by patterns of scent New research led by scientists from the University of Bristol and Queen Mary University of London has revealed that bumblebees can tell flowers apart by patterns of scent.
	How 'gatekeepers' to a cell's nucleus let genetic instructions pass through Standing guard between a cell's nucleus and its main chamber, called the cytoplasm, are thousands of behemoth protein structures called nuclear pore complexes, or NPCs. NPCs are like the bouncers of a cell's nucleus, tightly guarding exactly what goes in and out. Each structure contains about 1,000 protein molecules, making NPCs some of the biggest protein complexes in our bodies. One of the most notable clients of NPCs is a class of molecules known as messenger RNAs, or mRNAs. These are the messengers that carry genetic instructions from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, where they are then translated into proteins.
	Network biology reveals pathogen targets in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana How are proteins in the cells of a flowering plant similar to social networks on Twitter or Facebook? And how might both of those be related to the way pathogens make plants or people sick?
	Structural biology: Until the last cut Ribosomes are the cell's protein factories. Researchers from Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have now structurally characterized late stages in the assembly of the human small ribosomal subunit, yielding detailed insights into their maturation principles.
	Sociable animals will make compromises to remain with their group Fish will forego their own temperature preferences in order to remain part of a group, according to a new study.
	Breathing better may be an added benefit of biodiversity A Forest Service study of nearly 50,000 children in New Zealand has found that those who live in greener neighborhoods are less likely to develop asthma. However, not all greenness is a good thing—children living in areas with nonnative plant species or low plant diversity were actually at a greater risk of developing the chronic lung disease.
	Painted lady's roundtrip migratory flight is the longest recorded in butterflies Previously known to migrate from Europe to the Afrotropics during the autumn, the fate of this butterfly species and its offspring remained unknown.
Researchers found novel structure in the 'antennae' of light-sensing neurons Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine and Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands have discovered that the antennae-like structures on light-sensing neurons, called photoreceptors, have a unique feature not observed in the 'antennae' or cilia of other types of cells. The study, published in the Journal of Cell Biology, reveals that this novel functional zone plays a structural role that is essential for the function of the photoreceptors and also helps explain why mutations on certain cilia proteins, although present throughout the body, only affect cilia on photoreceptors, causing non-syndromic blindness.
	Genetic soil prospecting yields wealth of potential antibiotics Soil, the source of our best antibiotics, can be more thoroughly mined for new drugs and other useful chemicals with the help of metagenomics, according to University of California, Berkeley, scientists.
	Researchers discover roles and teamwork of CRISPR-Cas proteins Recently published research from the University of Georgia and UConn Health provides new insight about the basic biological mechanisms of the RNA-based viral immune system known as CRISPR-Cas.
	Original habitat is best, but restoration still makes a big difference A new study in The Condor: Ornithological Applications presents some of the best evidence to date that restoration efforts in Missouri's Ozark Highlands make a difference for nesting songbirds that breed there. The reduction of Missouri pine savannah and woodland areas has caused birds that rely on these habitats to decline. Current efforts to bring these habitats back are under way and include prescribed fire and thinning tree stands. Recent studies support that these efforts are making a positive impact on the ecosystem and increasing the survival of bird species that breed there.
	Narwhals' acoustic behavior described using audio tagging The clicking, buzzing and calling behavioral patterns of elusive East Greenland narwhals have been described thanks to in-depth recordings, in a study published June 13, 2018 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Susanna Blackwell from Greeneridge Sciences, Incorporated, United States of America, and colleagues.
	Anthropology professor writes book on the bonds between humans, animals Radhika's Govindrajan's book "Animal Intimacies" started attracting attention before it was even available to readers. A University of Washington assistant professor of anthropology since 2015, Govindrajan specializes in animal studies, and in the politics and culture of the Central Himalayas, where much of the research for this book was conducted.
	One-step test for the detection of herbicide resistance in blackgrass A 'pregnancy-style' test which can be used on the farm to quickly detect the presence of herbicide resistance in black-grass is being launched today by Mologic Ltd, a developer of personalised diagnostics, and Newcastle University.
	What's still threatening coastal California condors? A portrait of a California condor, one of the world's largest flying birds, hangs opposite the desk of Nathan Dodder. The image is a constant reminder of the threatened bird that the San Diego State University analytical chemist is working to help save.
	British mammals' fight for survival Almost one in five of British mammal species face a high risk of extinction, according to the first comprehensive review of their populations for more than 20 years launched today by the Mammal Society and Natural England.
	Large fenced reserves an effective way to bring wolves back to Scotland Research, led by the University of Sussex and the University of Kent, indicates that for wolves to be effective at directly reducing red deer numbers and allowing nature to recover in the Scottish Highlands they may need to be reintroduced to very large fenced reserve.
Seeking new relationships with invasive species With summer nearly here in North America, we often hear about invasive plants popping up in undesirable locations, "colonizing" different areas. But what if we shifted how "non-native" species are perceived? A Dartmouth study with two indigenous nations provides new insight into how the concept of "native" species is associated with colonialism, and how such framing runs counter to the lenses through which many indigenous peoples view their relationship with the world. Published in Sustainability Science, the study presents alternatives that challenge the native-non-native framework found in scientific discourse.
	A seahorse named Frito is on the mend in Florida A woman snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico rescued a tiny seahorse that was tangled and trapped in fishing line in a pile of garbage, and now the creature is a webcam star at a Florida aquarium.

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