Science X Newsletter Thursday, May 16

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for May 16, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Entangled-photon gyroscope overcomes classical limit

Helping robots remember: Hyperdimensional computing theory could change the way AI works

Bedbugs evolved more than 100 million years ago—and walked the earth with T. rex

Brain changes in autism traced to specific cell types

Neuroscientists identify a brain circuit that helps break complex decisions down into smaller pieces

Designing biological movement on the nanometer scale

Scientists find new type of cell that helps tadpoles' tails regenerate

Lasers aim to replace scalpels in cutting-edge biopsy technique

Researchers shed new light on atomic 'wave function'

I loved her, I loved her not: How current thinking can sway our memories of love

Breakthrough technique for studying gene expression takes root in plants

CRISPR catches out critical cancer changes

Remote island beach plastics point to greater waste problem

Novel tool used to mine clinical data and identify causative gene in childhood epilepsy

Human antibody reveals hidden vulnerability in influenza virus

Astronomy & Space news

	Hubble astronomers assemble wide view of the evolving universe Astronomers have put together the largest and most comprehensive "history book" of galaxies into one single image, using 16 years' worth of observations from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.
	Galaxy blazes with new stars born from close encounter The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has taken a new look at the spectacular irregular galaxy NGC 4485, which has been warped and wound by its larger galactic neighbour. The gravity of the second galaxy has disrupted the ordered collection of stars, gas and dust, giving rise to an erratic region of newborn, hot, blue stars and chaotic clumps and streams of dust and gas.
	CosmoGAN: Training a neural network to study dark matter As cosmologists and astrophysicists delve deeper into the darkest recesses of the universe, their need for increasingly powerful observational and computational tools has expanded exponentially. From facilities such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to supercomputers like Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Cori system at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) facility, they are on a quest to collect, simulate, and analyze increasing amounts of data that can help explain the nature of things we can't see, as well as those we can.
	New Horizons team publishes first Kuiper Belt flyby science results NASA's New Horizons mission team has published the first profile of the farthest world ever explored, a planetary building block and Kuiper Belt object called 2014 MU69.
	NASA's MRO completes 60,000 trips around Mars NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter hit a dizzying milestone this morning: It completed 60,000 loops around the Red Planet at 10:39 a.m. PDT (1:39 p.m. EDT). On average, MRO takes 112 minutes to circle Mars, whipping around at about 2 miles per second (3.4 kilometers per second).
	Reprogrammable satellite takes shape The payload and platform of the first European satellite that can be completely reprogrammed after launch have been successfully joined together.
	Elliptical galaxies shed new light on dark matter In the 1930s, it was first noticed that the dynamics of astrophysical objects (galaxies, galaxy clusters and the universe itself) required an invisible and unknown form of mass, known now as dark matter. Strong mass discrepancies in spiral galaxies measured in the 1970s gave new weight to the concept of dark matter and motivated physicists to propose a number of dark matter particle candidates.
	Israeli spacecraft Beresheet crash site spotted on moon SpaceIL, an Israeli nonprofit organization, is dedicated to landing the first Israeli spacecraft on the Moon. Beresheet was their first attempt at meeting this goal. While the spacecraft did land, it first touched the surface about 1000 meters per second faster than intended. The mishap occurred late in the descent profile when the main engine failed—resulting in a very low-angle (
	Wandering Earth: Rocket scientist explains how we could move our planet In the Chinese science fiction film The Wandering Earth, recently released on Netflix, humanity attempts to change the Earth's orbit using enormous thrusters in order to escape the expanding sun – and prevent a collision with Jupiter.
	SpaceX has packed 60 satellites onto one rocket to advance its big internet plan SpaceX's plan to provide broadband access will take a big step forward Thursday night as the Elon Musk-led firm prepares to launch five dozen small satellites on a single rocket. They will eventually become part of a network of potentially thousands of internet-beaming spacecraft.
	SpaceX set to launch first satellites of its internet network SpaceX is targeting Thursday night for the launch of 60 satellites into low-Earth orbit, the first of potentially thousands in its Starlink project to beam broadband internet across the planet.
	Imaging black hole like listening to broken piano, says scientist US computer scientist Katie Bouman, who became a global sensation over her role in generating the world's first image of a black hole, has described the painstaking process as akin to listening to a piano with broken keys.

Technology news

	Helping robots remember: Hyperdimensional computing theory could change the way AI works The Houston Astros' José Altuve steps up to the plate on a 3-2 count, studies the pitcher and the situation, gets the go-ahead from third base, tracks the ball's release, swings ... and gets a single up the middle. Just another trip to the plate for the three-time American League batting champion.
	Eyes in the sky project will show power plant pollution marks Air pollution is responsible for millions of deaths every year, worldwide. According to a State of Global Air report, air pollution is the fifth greatest global mortality risk.
	New machine learning algorithm can predict age and gender from just your Twitter profile A new "demographic inference" tool developed by academics can make predictions based solely on the information in a person's social media profile (i.e. screen name, biography, profile photo, and name). The tool—which works in 32 languages—could pave the way for views expressed on social media to be factored in to popular survey methods.
	New laws of robotics needed to tackle AI: expert Decades after Isaac Asimov first wrote his laws for robots, their ever-expanding role in our lives requires a radical new set of rules, legal and AI expert Frank Pasquale warned on Thursday.
	Schools turn to technology to reduce toll during shootings Efforts to combat school shootings are starting to shift from preventing the violence to reducing the number of victims through technology that speeds up law enforcement's response and quickly alerts teachers and students to danger.
	'More than human': Wonders of AI on show in London Managing the health of the planet, fighting discrimination or boosting innovation in the arts; the fields in which Artificial Intelligence can help humans are countless, and an ambitious London exhibition aims to prove it.
	Japan tests next-generation Shinkansen bullet train A prototype of Japan's next-generation Shinkansen bullet train, set to be the fastest train on wheels when it enters service, reached speeds of 320 kilometres (198 miles) per hour on a test run Thursday.
	'How tall is the tower in Paris?' How vector search knows you're asking about the Eiffel Tower Only a few years ago, web search was simple. Users typed a few words and waded through pages of results.
	Protecting children's data privacy in the smart city The devices that we use have unique identifiers. With cross-browser fingerprinting, the data we generate as users isn't as anonymized as we believe it is. The tracking of our online activity is extensive, comprehensive and persistent, and generates marketable data shadows that do not need our personal information in order to target us as consumers.
	To win online debates, social networks worth a thousand words Want to win an argument online? Bolstering your social network may be more helpful than rehearsing your rhetorical flourishes.
	3-D printer makes peacekeeping missions cheaper and repair of defense systems faster Peacekeeping missions often take place at remote locations, requiring the army to have a large supply of spare parts on site to keep everything running. Dutch researcher Bram Westerweel comes to the conclusion that taking a 3-D printer on a mission to print parts can save hundreds of thousands of euros and, at the same time, reduce the downtime of defense equipment. The savings on operational costs sometimes total more than half. The findings of Westerweel, who received his Ph.D. yesterday, can also be applied to industries with remote locations, such as the offshore industry.
	Better policies needed for dealing with workplace cyber abuse While workplace cyber abuse is a growing challenge for many organisations, most still struggle to deal with it effectively, say researchers from Massey University's Healthy Work Group.
	Student uses AI to diagnose plant diseases For some, a rose is a symbol of beauty or love. For Shaza Mehdi, it is a connection to her mother, but also a gateway to innovation.
	US, European officials bring charges in global malware case Ten people, including five Russian fugitives, have been charged in connection with malicious software attacks that infected tens of thousands of computers worldwide and caused more than $100 million in financial losses, U.S. and European authorities announced Thursday.
	5G: Five things to know It is heralded as an essential step to a brave new world of technology, but in the here and now, super-fast 5G networking is already pitting China against the West.
	German startup to offer electric air taxis 'by 2025' German startup firm Lilium announced Thursday the maiden flight of its all-electric pilotless jet-powered 'air taxi' which it hopes to operate in various cities around the world 'by 2025'.
	Improving engine performance and fuel efficiency A study conducted in part at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan suggests reformulating lubricating oils for internal combustion engines could significantly improve not only the life of the oil but the life of the engine too.
	Analyzing brain waveforms using neuroimaging big data to improve diagnosis A team of researchers from Osaka University and The University of Tokyo developed MNet, an automatic diagnosis system for neurological diseases using magnetoencephalography (MEG), demonstrating the possibility of making automatic neurological disease diagnoses using MEG. Their research results were published in Scientific Reports.
	How to break our bad online security habits – with a flashing cyber nudge The number of cyber attacks is estimated to have risen by 67% over the last fivee years, with the majority of these data breaches being traced back to human error.
	Why parents should think twice about tracking apps for their kids The use of self-tracking and personal surveillance technologies has grown considerably over the last decade. There are now apps to monitor people's movement, health, mindfulness, sleep, eating habits and even sexual activity.
	Cryptocurrencies are finally going mainstream – the battle is on to bring them under global control The 21st-century revolutionaries who have dominated cryptocurrencies are having to move over. Mainstream financial institutions are adopting these assets and the blockchain technology that enables them, in what is perhaps the most profound development since the birth of cryptocurrencies through the launch of bitcoin a decade ago.
	New power supply unit lets electrical devices live longer From the charging unit for smartphones to the power supply of the laptop or washing machine to LED lights or charging stations of electric cars – switching power supplies are omnipresent in electrical devices. They convert the alternating current from the house line into the direct current needed by the device. The problem: power supplies are susceptible to errors, which also reduces the service life of end devices. Researchers of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have now developed a power supply unit with a significantly increased service life.
	NTSB: Autopilot was in use before Tesla hit semitrailer A Tesla Model S involved in a fatal crash with a semitrailer in Florida March 1 was operating on the company's semi-autonomous Autopilot system, federal investigators have determined.
	Here's why your internet may be delivered by a drone someday soon As the pilotless flying wing came in for a landing, winds suddenly picked up. Facebook Inc.'s Aquila drone—powered by the sun and wider than a Boeing 737 jetliner—struggled to adjust. Just before landing, part of the right wing broke off.
	Microsoft alerts hospitals to fix potential security risk Computer experts inside hospitals were working diligently on Wednesday to address a serious new security vulnerability in older versions of the Windows operating system, which is still used in many health care devices even though Microsoft hasn't actively supported the older software in years.
	Wikipedia 'doing very well financially': co-founder Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales said Thursday that the free online encyclopedia is in good financial shape, although increasing mobile phone use may cut into future donations.
	Electric car switch on for health benefits Could the health benefits and reduced costs to healthcare systems be enough to justify subsidizing charging infrastructure to allow society to switch from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles faster than current trends predict?
	Video game rivals Microsoft and Sony team up in cloud Longtime video game console rivals Microsoft and Sony on Thursday announced an alliance to improve their platforms for streaming entertainment from the internet cloud.
	Boeing says 737 MAX software update is complete Boeing said Thursday that it completed its software update on the 737 MAX after two deadly crashes resulted in a global grounding of the aircraft.
	Children describe technology that gives them a sense of ambiguity as 'creepy' Many parents express concerns about privacy and online safety in technology designed for their children. But we know much less about what children themselves find concerning in emerging technologies.
	Huawei hit by US export controls, potential import ban In a fateful swipe at telecommunications giant Huawei, the Trump administration issued an executive order Wednesday apparently aimed at banning its equipment from U.S. networks and said it was subjecting the Chinese company to strict export controls.
Red Cross website hacked in latest Singapore cyber attack The Singapore Red Cross said Thursday its website had been hacked and the personal data of more than 4,000 potential blood donors compromised in the latest cyber attack on the city-state.
Judge: Use of GPS data in robbery case unconstitutional A federal judge has ruled that suburban Chicago police violated constitutional protections against unreasonable searches by accessing weeks of GPS data indicating a suspect's car had been outside a jewelry store when it was robbed.
	Dutch probe China's Huawei for possible spying: report Dutch intelligence services are investigating Huawei for possibly spying for the Chinese government by leaving a "back door" to data of customers of major telecoms firms, a report said Thursday.
Pinterest reports smaller 1Q loss but guidance drags stock Pinterest, fresh off its initial public offering, posted a loss for the first three months of the year that was larger than analysts were expecting, though revenue was slightly stronger. Its revenue outlook, though, was below expectations and its shares slumped in after-hours trading.

Medicine & Health news

	Brain changes in autism traced to specific cell types Changes in gene activity in specific brain cells are associated with the severity of autism in children and young adults with the disorder, according to a UC San Francisco study of postmortem brain tissue. The study's new insights into how specific changes in gene expression contribute to the disease's symptoms by altering the function of brain circuits provides an important foundation for the development of treatments for the disorder, the authors say.
	Neuroscientists identify a brain circuit that helps break complex decisions down into smaller pieces When making a complex decision, we often break the problem down into a series of smaller decisions. For example, when deciding how to treat a patient, a doctor may go through a hierarchy of steps—choosing a diagnostic test, interpreting the results, and then prescribing a medication.
	I loved her, I loved her not: How current thinking can sway our memories of love As our memories fade, we rely on our current assessment of a person to remember how we felt about them in the past, and new research suggests this extends to some of the most central figures in our lives: our parents. The findings are published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
	CRISPR catches out critical cancer changes In the first large-scale analysis of cancer gene fusions, which result from the merging of two previously separate genes, researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, EMBL-EBI, Open Targets, GSK and their collaborators have used CRISPR to uncover which gene fusions are critical for the growth of cancer cells. The team also identified a new gene fusion that presents a novel drug target for multiple cancers, including brain and ovarian cancers.
	Novel tool used to mine clinical data and identify causative gene in childhood epilepsy A team of researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) affiliated with the CHOP Epilepsy Neurogenetics Initiative (ENGIN) discovered a new gene associated with severe childhood epilepsy using a novel computational approach. The team systematically compared phenotypes, or clinical data, of patients with severe childhood epilepsies through a novel analysis strategy and looked for common genetic causes in patients who had similar clinical presentations.
	Human antibody reveals hidden vulnerability in influenza virus The ever-changing "head" of an influenza virus protein has an unexpected Achilles heel, report scientists funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), one of the National Institutes of Health. The team discovered and characterized the structure of a naturally occurring human antibody that recognizes and disrupts a portion of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein that the virus uses to enter and infect cells. The investigators determined that the antibody, FluA-20, binds tightly to an area on the globular head of the HA protein that is only very briefly accessible to antibody attack. The site was not expected to be vulnerable to such a strike.
	Antibody responses vs. Ebola keep evolving in survivors, months after recovery Antiviral antibodies produced by survivors of Ebola infection continue to evolve and improve after recovery, according to a detailed study of the immune responses of four people who received care at Emory University Hospital in 2014.
	Controlled study links processed food to increased calorie consumption Experts have long suspected that increased consumption of processed foods over the past 50 years has been a primary driver of the obesity epidemic. But because studying dietary habits is complicated, it's been difficult to make a direct connection.
	Cancer drugs promote stem cell properties of colorectal cancer Scientists from the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) and the Mannheim University Medical Center have now discovered that a certain group of cancer drugs (MEK Inhibitors) activates the cancer-promoting Wnt signaling pathway in colorectal cancer cells. This can lead to the accumulation of tumor cells with stem cell characteristics that are resistant to many therapies and can lead to relapses. The researchers thus provide a possible explanation for why these drugs are not effective in colorectal cancer.
	Natural compound found in broccoli reawakens the function of potent tumor suppressor Your mother was right: Broccoli is good for you. Long associated with decreased risk of cancer, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables—the family of plants that also includes cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, Brussels sprouts and kale—contain a molecule that inactivates a gene known to play a role in a variety of common human cancers. In a new paper published today in Science, researchers, led by Pier Paolo Pandolfi, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Cancer Center and Cancer Research Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, demonstrate that targeting the gene, known as WWP1, with the ingredient found in broccoli suppressed tumor growth in cancer-prone lab animals.
	The insular cortex processes pain and drives learning from pain Pain is a deterrent that trains organisms to avoid future harmful situations. This is called "threat learning," and helps animals and humans to survive. But which part of the brain actually warns other parts of the brain of painful events so that threat learning can occur?
	Tracking the epigenetic evolution of a cancer, cell by cell A powerful new set of scientific tools developed by Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Genome Center (NYGC) researchers enables them to track the molecular evolution of cancers. The tools should enable a better understanding of how cancers arise and spread in the body, and how they respond to different therapies.
	Research suggests revision to common view on how retinal cells in mammals process light Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say that new experiments with mouse eye tissues strongly suggest that a longstanding "textbook concept" about the way a mammal's retina processes light needs a rewrite.
	New drug delivery system suppresses tumors in mice As cancer treatment gets more sophisticated, we need more refined drug delivery systems that can simultaneously deliver multiple drugs with different chemical makeups.
	Researchers discover how a member of a family of light-sensitive proteins adjusts skin color A team of Brown University researchers found that opsin 3—a protein closely related to rhodopsin, the protein that enables low-light vision—has a role in adjusting the amount of pigment produced in human skin, a determinant of skin color.
	'Smart' insulin could prevent hypoglycemia during diabetes treatment UCLA bioengineers and their colleagues have developed a new type of insulin that could help prevent hypoglycemia in people who use the drug to manage diabetes.
Surgeon who transplanted baboon heart into baby dies Dr. Leonard Bailey, who in 1984 transplanted a baboon heart into a tiny newborn dubbed "Baby Fae" in a pioneering operation that sparked both worldwide acclaim and condemnation, has died. He was 76.
HIV outbreak sparks panic in southern Pakistan Parents nervously watch as their children wait to be tested for HIV in a village in southern Pakistan, where hundreds of people have been allegedly infected by a doctor using a contaminated syringe.
	Regular crosswords and number puzzles linked to sharper brain in later life Older adults who regularly take part in word and number puzzles have sharper brains, according to the largest online study to date.
Less chemotherapy better for older patients with some advanced cancers Less chemotherapy is as effective at controlling disease for elderly or frail patients with advanced cancer of the stomach or oesophagus (food pipe), and leads to fewer side effects such as diarrhoea and lethargy. These are the results of a Cancer Research UK funded study, presented prior to the ASCO conference today.
	Brain network activity can improve in epilepsy patients after surgery Successful epilepsy surgery can improve brain connectivity similar to patterns seen in people without epilepsy, according to a new study published in the journal Neurosurgery.
Renal infarction is associated with acute kidney injury in patients with cardiac amyloidosis Systemic amyloidosis is a major cause of renal injury, mostly due to direct kidney damage caused by deposits of abnormal protein called amyloid, in the kidney parenchyma. In patients with cardiac amyloidosis, renal infarction is associated with acute kidney injury according to a new study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, published by Elsevier. Investigators recommend that a diagnosis of renal infarction should be systematically considered in patients with unexplained acute kidney injury in the context of cardiac amyloidosis.
	A work patch for better nursing home care Placing a loved one in a nursing home can be a traumatic experience for the entire family with concerns about the care and attention they will receive. Imagine if those concerns were eased, simply by some changes in the way the schedules are done for the staff at that facility.
	Blood test can measure effectiveness of treatments for aggressive skin cancers Blood tests that track the amount of tumor DNA can—after only one month of drug therapy—detect how well treatment is working in patients with skin cancer, a new study finds.
	One in seven babies born with low birthweight: study More than 20 million newborns in 2015—one in seven—came into the world weighing too little, according to a global assessment of birthweight, published Thursday.
Doctors unveil first child blast wound manual Doctors and rights activists unveiled on Thursday the world's first field manual for the treatment of child casualties from explosions, which they say cause almost three-quarters of juvenile deaths and injuries in war zones.
	Antibiotic treatment alleviates Alzheimer's disease symptoms in male mice, study reveals Researchers at The University of Chicago have demonstrated that the type of bacteria living in the gut can influence the development of Alzheimer's disease symptoms in mice. The study, which will be published May 16 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, shows that, by altering the gut microbiome, long-term antibiotic treatment reduces inflammation and slows the growth of amyloid plaques in the brains of male mice, though the same treatment has no effect on female animals.
	Policy makers must attend to menstrual stigma to improve wellbeing, study finds Researchers have found that addressing attitudes to menstruation may be necessary to improve well-being in low and middle-income countries, far more than simply better access to sanitary products.
Preventive measures can reduce foot parasite in children, study says Tungiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by penetrated sand fleas which burrow into the skin of the feet. Public health policies such as sealing house and classroom floors and daily feet washing with soap could cut the number of tungiasis cases in school-aged children, researchers now report in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Foreign aid for public health bolsters America's 'soft power,' researchers find U.S. government aid for treating children and adults with HIV and malaria in developing countries has done more than expand access to lifesaving interventions: It has changed how people around the world view the United States, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
	US fertility keeps dropping—but that's not a reason to panic The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on May 15 that the number of births in the U.S. is down 2%—"the lowest number of births in 32 years."
	Passion trumps love for sex in relationships Men initiate sex more than three times as often as women do in a long-term, heterosexual relationship. However, previous research shows that sex happens far more often whenever the woman takes the initiative, suggesting that it is the woman who thus sets the limits to a greater extent than men do.
	Mast cells crucial to causing osteoarthritis Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have definitively linked mast cells, a class of cells belonging to the immune system, to the development of osteoarthritis, one of the world's most common causes of pain and immobility.
	Expert discusses misconceptions about PTSD Shaili Jain, a Stanford psychiatrist, discusses the explosion of knowledge about post-traumatic stress disorder and the condition's widespread impact. PTSD is the subject of her new book, The Unspeakable Mind.
	Canada's legalization of weed edibles is another global social experiment This October, cannabis-infused edibles will be fully legal on the Canadian market.
	Rape myths like 'stranger danger' challenged by global drug survey Many of the beliefs people hold about rape are downright wrong. For example, women are often told they can avoid sexual assault by monitoring how much alcohol they drink on a night out. "Don't leave your drink unattended" and "drink from bottles instead of cups" are common pieces of advice. There's even a wristband that's marketed as a "simple, wearable test to see if your drink may have been spiked".
	Could the solution to osteoporosis be in the bile? Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease where the bone density and quality are reduced. This disease is associated with substantial pain and disability leading to devastating long-term physical and psychological consequences. In Europe, the total osteoporosis economic burden was estimated at 30.7 billion euros in 2010, and is expected to reach 76.7 billion in 2050, based on changes in demography.
	Study: Cents make sense for physical activity It may take only a handful of change to make a lifetime of positive changes in the lives of many when it comes to sustaining physical activity, according to a Western-led study.
	Mutations synergize in pediatric brain cancer A new Northwestern Medicine study finds that a combination of two mutations cause a form of pediatric brain tumors to become more deadly, according to findings published in Nature Communications.
	Researchers have identified the first human-specific fusion gene University at Buffalo researchers have identified the first human-specific fusion gene—a hybrid of two genes—implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The finding suggests that a neurotransmitter receptor, previously successful in animal studies but that failed in human trials for Alzheimer's, might still turn out to be a valuable therapy.
	Surgical society releases new recommendations for transition of senior surgeons Age-related declines in cognitive function and psychomotor performance are important considerations in many professions, including medicine. However, few guidelines exist for translating performance observations into the medical profession, and specifically, the appropriate monitoring of physician performance. Following a panel discussion and subsequent survey of their membership, the Society of Surgical Chairs developed recommendations for the transitioning of the senior surgeon. These recommendations were published today in JAMA Surgery
	Surprising research result: All immature cells can develop into stem cells A sensational new study conducted at the University of Copenhagen disproves traditional knowledge of stem cell development. The study reveals that the destiny of intestinal cells is not predetermined, but instead determined by the cells' surroundings. The new knowledge may make it easier to manipulate stem cells for stem cell therapy. The results have been published in Nature.
	Stiff muscles are a counterintuitive superpower of NBA athletes For most people, the term "stiffness" has negative connotations. When you wake up in the morning complaining of a "stiff back," the remedy might include taking a hot shower, doing some yoga, swallowing aspirin, or visiting a physical therapist to loosen up. Stiffness is typically viewed as unpleasant and can limit one's physical activities.
	How to make health news interesting—without overselling the claims Health stories are prolific in the news. Each year, thousands of articles are published claiming to have the latest compelling evidence on how we should eat, drink, exercise, sleep, and which medications we should or shouldn't be taking – among a host of other things.
	New treatment approach for allergic asthma A potential new treatment for asthma that works by targeting the cause of the disease, rather than just masking its symptoms, has been revealed in a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight.
	Team finds biomarkers to diagnose serious kidney allergic reaction A team led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers says it has identified two protein biomarkers in urine that may one day be used to better diagnose acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), an underdiagnosed but treatable kidney disorder that impairs renal function in the short term and can lead to chronic kidney disease, permanent damage or renal failure if left unchecked.
	Patients with both schizophrenia and epilepsy die alarmingly early More than one in four patients with schizophrenia and epilepsy die before reaching the age of fifty. This is shown by research from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital. The results, which have been published in the journal Epilepsia, aim to contribute to ensuring patients will receive the correct treatment in time.
	The top five fruits to add to your diet (HealthDay)—Ounce for ounce and calorie for calorie, leafy greens and other types of vegetables are the hands-down favorites for delivering on nutrients. But many fruits should also have a place at the table.
	FDA: Tattoo inks recalled due to bacterial contamination (HealthDay)—Six tattoo inks have been recalled because they are contaminated with bacteria and could lead to infection that poses a serious health risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
	Two-thirds of sunscreens fail safety tests (HealthDay)—Nearly two-thirds of sunscreens that were analyzed failed safety tests proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Working Group said Wednesday.
	Research team identifies the first gene that increases the risk of fainting Fainting is not solely caused by external factors. Your genes also play a part. This has recently been documented by a research team from the University of Copenhagen, Statens Serum Institut and Rigshospitalet. Based on data from more than 400,000 individuals, they have identified the first gene that predisposes people to fainting.
	Study paves way for better treatment of lingering concussion symptoms A La Trobe University study has lifted the lid on the debilitating effects of persistent post-concussion symptoms (PCS) felt by many—10% of concussion-sufferers—after a knock to the head.
	Why adults at risk for Huntington's choose not to learn if they inherited deadly gene As many as 90 percent of individuals who have a parent with Huntington's disease (HD) choose not to take a gene test that reveals if they will also develop the fatal disorder—and a new study details the reasons why.
	Fecal microbiota transplant found safe and effective in children with C. difficile Diarrhea caused by Clostridiodes (formerly Clostridium) difficile infections is on the rise among children; one population-based study found a 12.5-fold increase in incidence from 1991 to 2009. For reasons that aren't clear, C. difficile is more frequently striking children without the usual risk factors, such as hospitalization or antibiotic exposure. One thing that is known is that C. diff disease is associated with an altered intestinal microbiota.
	Early weight-loss surgery may improve type 2 diabetes, blood pressure outcomes Despite similar weight loss, teens who had gastric bypass surgery were significantly more likely to have remission of both type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, compared to adults who had the same procedure. Results are from an NIH-funded study comparing outcomes in the two groups five years after surgery. Previously, no treatment has shown longer-term effectiveness at reversing type 2 diabetes in youth, which tends to advance more quickly than in adults.
	Here's how to prevent dementia, according to new world health guidelines Eat well, exercise often and don't take some of those vitamins, the World Health Organization said in newly released guidelines on how to reduce risk of dementia.
	'Apple Watch or it doesn't count': How tech addiction might be ruining your workout Brittany McCrary, 29, bought an Apple Watch Series 3 in 2018 solely for its fitness tracking functions.
	Stay safe in the sun by knowing how to protect your skin DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Do spray sunscreens work as well as sunscreen lotions, and do I need to buy different sunscreen for my kids than what I use myself?
	Long-term decline in stroke greater in older adults Although the occurrence of first-ever ischemic stroke (strokes due to a blood clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain) at middle age has been decreasing over time, researchers have found that the decline is not as steep as seen in older adults.
	Stigma deterring elite athletes with mental health issues from seeking help Stigma is the main reason why elite athletes with mental health issues don't seek the help they need, finds a summary of the available evidence, published in a special issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine devoted to the topic.
	Study finds higher risk of stroke-linked plaque in men, possible test for women Men are more likely than women to develop unstable plaques in their neck arteries, a dangerous condition that can lead to strokes, according to new research that also identified a helpful warning sign for rupture-prone plaques in women.
	AI model uses serial imaging to predict lung cancer therapy response (HealthDay)—For patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), deep-learning networks integrating computed tomography (CT) scans at multiple time points can improve clinical outcome predictions, according to a study published online April 22 in Clinical Cancer Research.
	Dabigatran doesn't beat aspirin for preventing recurrent stroke (HealthDay)—Dabigatran is not superior to aspirin for preventing recurrent stroke in patients with recent history of embolic stroke of undetermined source, according to a study published in the May 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
	ASCO: Low-fat dietary pattern cuts breast cancer deaths (HealthDay)—A low-fat dietary intervention is associated with reductions in deaths after breast cancer and deaths from breast cancer among postmenopausal women after long-term follow-up, according to a study scheduled to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, held from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago.
	Particulate matter from aircraft engines affects airways In a unique, innovative experiment, researchers under the leadership of the University of Bern have investigated the effect of exhaust particles from aircraft turbine engines on human lung cells. The cells reacted most strongly to particles emitted during ground idling. It was also shown that the cytotoxic effect is only to some extent comparable to that of particles from gasoline and diesel engines.
	Cannabis legalization not tied to higher health care utilization (HealthDay)—Legalization of recreational cannabis is not associated with changes in health care utilization, as measured by length of stay or health care costs, according to a study published in the May issue of BMJ Open.
	Poll: Many adults worried about developing dementia (HealthDay)—Many adults are worried about developing dementia and about half report taking steps to maintain or improve memory, according to a report published by the National Poll on Healthy Aging.
Teens with obesity find artificial intelligence coach helpful in weight-loss program Researchers at Nemours Children's Health System have found that an artificial intelligence (AI) behavioral coach, nicknamed Tess (X2ai, Inc), is feasible and useful for behavioral counseling of adolescent patients in a weight management program. The study, published today in the journal Translational Behavioral Medicine, demonstrates adolescents' willingness and positive reaction to engaging in SMS text conversations with the chatbot technology that simulates human interactions.
	Flexibility of working memory from random connections A new article in Neuron from Princeton University neuroscientists Flora Bouchacourt and Tim Buschman presents a new model of working memory.
	Improving health outcomes with a little help from our friends—and artificial intelligence We fare better during health challenges when we have a little help from our friends, family and community. And perhaps an assist from artificial intelligence.
Team develops EHR-based social needs screener to improve patient outcomes Boston Medical Center (BMC) has implemented a social determinants of health screener for primary care patients in order to better identify and address patients' unmet social needs. Clinician researchers developed the electronic health record-based (EHR) model, THRIVE, which facilitates an automatic print out of referral information for resources based at the hospital and in the community when the patient asks for help with a need they have identified in the screener. The hospital's work, published in Medical Care, demonstrates an innovative systematic model that can help clinicians better address the social needs of patients to improve their overall health.
	Children who use asthma tracking app have better disease control and fewer hospital visits An app that allows parents and doctors to monitor a child's asthma has a big impact on managing the disease. When families monitored symptoms with eAsthma Tracker and adjusted care accordingly, children had better asthma control and made fewer visits to the emergency department. Using the app also meant that children missed fewer days of school and parents took fewer days off work, improving quality of life. Results of the study were published online in the journal Pediatrics.
	Mining 25 years of data uncovers a new predictor of age of onset for Huntington disease Investigators at the University of British Columbia (UBC)/Centre for Molecular Medicine & Therapeutics (CMMT) and BC Children's Hospital have examined more than 25 years of data to reveal new insights into predicting the age of onset for Huntington disease.
	Number of HIV cases continue to decline in New Zealand For the second year in a row there has been a reduction in the number of confirmed cases of HIV in New Zealand.
Early contact with physiotherapist at primary health care centres beneficial Patients with muscle and joint pain are often at least as well served by seeing a physiotherapist as by consulting a doctor when they seek help at a primary health care centre. Over time, the health benefits of first going to a physiotherapist appear slightly superior, new research shows.
	Marine organisms hold promise for treating triple negative breast cancer The oceans cover more than 70 percent of the earth's surface and provide a rich source of unique, bioactive natural products. Their chemical diversity and structural complexity represent an untapped supply of potential new drugs, lead compounds for medicinal chemistry and biological probes to better understand diseases. More than 50 percent of cancer drugs currently used have originated from natural products.
	Brain activity of Spanish Popular Party voters triggered by rivals Scientists from the University of Granada (UGR), the Distance Learning University of Madrid (UDIMA) and Temple University (United States) have analysed the brain response of supporters of Spain's Popular Party (PP) and the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) when exposed to information about corruption or positive news from the rival party.
	Ebola survivors can lose their eyesight. What we're doing to prevent it The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the largest outbreak in the country since 1976 when the Ebola virus was first identified in what was then known as Zaire.
	Finding a safer way to make the polio vaccine Researchers at the University of Leeds are developing a cheaper and safer way of making the polio vaccine.
	How to exercise on 'rest and recovery' days (HealthDay)—Taking a day off from a favorite exercise doesn't mean spending the time sitting on the couch.
	Largest study of sickness in pregnancy launches Women with severe sickness during pregnancy are being invited to join the largest study of the condition in Europe, led by Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London.
Leveraging information technology to address health disparities Disparities in health care delivery and health outcomes present distressing challenges to underserved populations, who often experience a greater burden of chronic diseases and are more likely to show signs of poor disease management. Health information technology (IT) tools may serve a vital role in reducing such disparities in the clinical care setting. In the Medical Care June supplement, "Addressing Health Disparities Through the Utilization of Health Information Technology," authors discuss the potential application of health IT in reducing disparities by increasing access to care, improving quality of healthcare and by promoting better patient-clinician communication.
	Five states announce new suits over prescription opioids Five more state attorneys general announced legal filings Thursday seeking to hold the company that makes OxyContin responsible for an opioid addiction crisis that's now the leading cause of accidental deaths across the country and in many states.
	Obesity Medicine Association announces major updates to its adult obesity algorithm The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) announced the immediate availability of the 2019 OMA Adult Obesity Algorithm, with new information for clinicians including the relationship between Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes Mellitus, Dyslipidemia, and Cancer; information on investigational Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapy; treatments for Lipodystrophy; and Pharmacokinetics and Obesity.
Study proposes new standards for safely performing 'Brazilian butt lift' A new anatomic study highlights critical technical issues to ensure safe performance of the increasingly popular "Brazilian butt lift—a procedure using the patient's own fat to augment and improve the appearance of the buttocks. The study appears in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Using information technology to promote health equity An innovative health information technology (IT) program helps primary care providers to detect and manage depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in traumatized refugees, reports a study in a special June supplement to Medical Care.
3-D-printed 'hyperelastic bone' may help generate new bone for skull reconstruction Defects of the skull and facial bones can pose difficult challenges for plastic and reconstructive surgeons. A synthetic material called hyperelastic bone—readily produced by 3-D-printing—could offer a powerful new tool for use in reconstructing skull defects, reports a study in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
What do they mean by 'stem cells'? Recommended guidelines for reporting on cell therapies Cell therapies including so-called "stem cells" are increasingly being marketed and used for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders - despite questions about these treatments and their effectiveness. A new tool for standardizing communication about cell therapies is presented in the May 15 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Biology news

	Bedbugs evolved more than 100 million years ago—and walked the earth with T. rex Bedbugs—some of the most unwanted human bed-mates—have been parasitic companions with other species aside from humans for more than 100 million years, walking the earth at the same time as dinosaurs.
	Scientists find new type of cell that helps tadpoles' tails regenerate Researchers at the University of Cambridge have uncovered a specialised population of skin cells that coordinate tail regeneration in frogs. These 'Regeneration-Organizing Cells' help to explain one of the great mysteries of nature and may offer clues about how this ability might be achieved in mammalian tissues.
	Breakthrough technique for studying gene expression takes root in plants An open-source RNA analysis platform has been successfully used on plant cells for the first time—a breakthrough that could herald a new era of fundamental research and bolster efforts to engineer more efficient food and biofuel crop plants.
	Study uncovers key step in cell protein production Scientists at the University of Sheffield have discovered how genes create proteins in research which could aid the development of treatments for human diseases.
	Could better tests help reverse the rise of drug-resistant infections? A growing number of infections—such as pneumonia, gonorrhea and tuberculosis—are becoming harder to treat, as bacteria evolve defenses against antibiotics faster than we can develop new drugs to replace them.
	Dog DNA find could aid quest to help breeds breathe more easily Scientists have discovered a DNA mutation linked to breathing problems in popular dog breeds.
	Activation of gene promoters: Scientists discover basis of regulatory specificity IMP scientists from the lab of Alexander Stark show why certain activators—enhancers or cofactor proteins—activate specific promoters. The findings, which are now reported in the journal Nature, could have implications for gene therapies.
	New research finds cane toads use poison as a last resort Cane toads are exhausted by releasing their deadly toxin and will go to great lengths not to release it. They far prefer to run or freeze when a predator approaches.
	Titi monkeys use probabilistic predator calls to alert others in their group A team of researchers with the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland and the University of St Andrews in the U.K., has found evidence of titi monkeys using probabilistic predator calls to alert others in their group to the presence of different kinds of danger. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their study of several groups of titi monkeys in the wild and what they found.
	Researchers replace the genes of E. coli bacteria with synthesized genome A team of researchers at Cambridge University has replaced the genes of E. coli bacteria with genomes they synthesized in the lab. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes replacing the genome and removing redundant genetic codes.
	Mapping the global distribution of phytoplankton Researchers at ETH have charted the distribution of phytoplankton in the world's oceans for the first time and investigated the environmental factors that explain this distribution. They concluded that plankton diversity is only partially congruent with previous theories of biodiversity for the seas between the equator and the poles.
	Malnourished fruit flies preserve genital size to ensure reproductive success In most animals, body size shrinks when food becomes scarce, but some parts are protected from shrinkage. In humans without enough food, the body becomes small, but the size of the head stays the same, hinting at biological mechanisms that act to preserve the all-important brain.
	How host-cell enzymes combat the coronavirus Host-cell enzymes called PARP12 and PARP14 are important for inhibiting mutant forms of a coronavirus, according to a study published May 16 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa, Anthony Fehr of the University of Kansas, and colleagues.
	Major questions concerning the role of microscopic life and our future "Microbiology of global change" refers to the research area that explores microbial responses to global warming, natural resource depletion and environmental pollution, as well as feedback mechanisms and functions in climate change.
	Give bees a chance: We can't afford to lose our wild native pollinators A quintessential sign of spring is a busy bee happily buzzing from blossom to blossom. While spring is now in full swing across Canada, the presence of those dependable pollinators is becoming more and more uncertain.
	Why is even a small cough a big problem in a racehorse? Coughing is really common in horses, but it's not normal. That's true for all horses, but racehorses demand a different level of respiratory excellence than other horses. If you look at the way racehorses use oxygen and the demands they put on their body, they are living on a cliff edge—it's phenomenal that they can even survive a race.
	A tale of two skeeters—biologists discover something positive about an invasive mosquito species It's rare that scientists see the good in the presence of an invasive species. But Washington University in St. Louis researchers discovered that a native mosquito in Missouri has fewer parasites when it shares its waters with an interloper.
	Frog fungus fights back Amphibian populations have been declining around the world for more than 40 years. One culprit is the fungus B. dendrobatidis, which causes the disease chytridiomycosis.
	Evolution in the gut Evolution and dietary habits interact and determine the composition of bacteria in the digestive tract. Many microorganisms in the intestine seem to have developed in sync with their host animals over millions of years.
	The global invasion routes of the red swamp crayfish Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) researchers have reconstructed the invasion routes followed by the red swamp crayfish during its human-driven expansion based on the analysis of a mitochondrial gene (COI), which was sequenced from 1,412 crayfishes from 122 populations across the Northern Hemisphere.
Protecting rare species can benefit human life Preserving rare species for the sake of global biodiversity has long been the primary focus for conservationists.
	Climate change is putting even resilient and adaptable animals like baboons at risk Baboons are large, smart, ground-dwelling monkeys. They are found across sub-Saharan Africa in various habitats and eat a flexible diet including meat, eggs, and plants. And they are known opportunists – in addition to raiding crops and garbage, some even mug tourists for their possessions, especially food.
	Organic animal farms benefit birds nesting in agricultural environments The abundance of bird species living in agricultural environments has decreased both in Finland and elsewhere in Europe. Attempts to rectify the situation have been made with the help of agri-environment-climate subsidies. They are granted to agricultural producers by the EU for implementing measures that are presumed to be beneficial to the environment. There is a range of such subsidies, but their potential effects on biodiversity at national scales have been seldom comprehensively investigated.
	Miro2 is a Parkin receptor for selective removal of damaged mitochondria Mitophagy plays a central role in the mitochondrial quality control system, and defective mitophagy is linked to a variety of human diseases. At present, how the damaged mitochondria are selectively recognized and removed to ensure the accuracy of mitophagic clearance remains unclear.

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