Science X Newsletter Monday, Jun 3

Dear Reader ,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 3, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Using a simulation framework to study spine behaviors of quadruped robots

A method for producing 3-D Bose-Einstein condensates using laser cooling

Oldest flaked stone tools point to the repeated invention of stone tools

Physicists can predict the jumps of Schrodinger's cat (and finally save it)

Personalized digital meditation training program improves attention and memory in healthy young adults

CRISPR baby mutation significantly increases mortality

Sweet! How C. difficile toxin A enters intestinal cells

Combination of water scarcity and inflexible demand puts world's river basins at risk

Fermi observations provide insights into the nature of Terzan 5 globular cluster

Team develops new method to gauge atmosphere's ability to clear methane, a potent greenhouse gas

2-D crystals conforming to 3-D curves create strain for engineering quantum devices

New breast cancer drug found to boost survival rates by 30%

App Store in crosshairs as Apple courts developers

India heatwave temperatures pass 50 Celsius

W3C and WHATWG agreement: Single version of HTML, DOM specifications

Astronomy & Space news

	Fermi observations provide insights into the nature of Terzan 5 globular cluster Using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, astronomers have collected important data that could disclose the real nature of the globular cluster Terzan 5. The new study, presented in a paper published May 24 on arXiv.org, delivers new information regarding the cluster's pulsar population and its broadband emission spectrum.
	Mars on Earth: What's next? A Mars sample return campaign would bring samples of the Red Planet back to Earth for examination in the best terrestrial laboratories—but choosing the samples and storing them on Mars for later return is only one part of the extensive campaign being planned by the mission designers and scientists.
	Giant stellar eruption detected for the first time A group of researchers has identified and characterized for the first time in a complete way a powerful eruption in the atmosphere of the active star HR 9024, marked by an intense flash of X-rays followed by the emission of a giant bubble of plasma, ie hot gas containing charged particles. This is the first time a coronal mass ejection, or CME, has been seen in a star other than our Sun. The corona is the outer atmosphere of a star.
	VLT observes a passing double asteroid hurtling by Earth at 70 000 km/h The unique capabilities of the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope have enabled it to obtain the sharpest images of a double asteroid as it flew by Earth on 25 May. While this double asteroid was not itself a threatening object, scientists used the opportunity to rehearse the response to a hazardous Near-Earth Object (NEO), proving that ESO's front-line technology could be critical in planetary defence.
	Researchers solve mystery of the galaxy with no dark matter A group of researchers from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has clarified a 2018 mystery in the field of extragalactic astrophysics: The supposed existence of a galaxy without dark matter.
	Heart of lonesome galaxy is brimming with dark matter Isolated for billions of years, a galaxy with more dark matter packed into its core than expected has been identified by astronomers using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.
	A pair of fledgling planets directly seen growing around a young star Astronomers have directly imaged two exoplanets that are gravitationally carving out a wide gap within a planet-forming disk surrounding a young star. While over a dozen exoplanets have been directly imaged, this is only the second multi-planet system to be photographed. (The first was a four-planet system orbiting the star HR 8799.) Unlike HR 8799, though, the planets in this system are still growing by accreting material from the disk.
	The radiation showstopper for Mars exploration An astronaut on a mission to Mars could receive radiation doses up to 700 times higher than on our planet—a major showstopper for the safe exploration of our solar system. A team of European experts is working with ESA to protect the health of future crews on their way to the Moon and beyond.
	Five ethical questions for how we choose to use the moon The moon has always served as an inspiration for humanity, and there are many potential benefits for further exploration of our planet's rocky satellite.
	Three ancient globular clusters found in the galactic bulge Three old and metal-poor globular clusters have been spotted in the Milky Way's bulge. The newly found clusters, designated Camargo 1107, 1108 and 1109, could offer important clues on structure and nature of the central region of our galaxy. The finding was reported in a paper published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters in January 2019, co-authored by Denilso Camargo and Dante Minniti.
	NASA's Mars 2020 gets HD eyes One of the first operations the Mars 2020 rover will perform after touching down on the Red Planet's Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021, will be to raise its remote sensing mast (RSM), which carries important optics and instrumentation.
	Camera captures innovative drag sail deployment in space An on-board camera has captured the moment a Cranfield University-designed "space sail" was successfully deployed in orbit above the Earth's surface.
	Precision calibration empowers largest solar telescope An article published in the SPIE publication Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems (JATIS), "Polarization Modeling and Predictions for DKIST Part 5: Impacts of enhanced mirror and dichroic coatings on system polarization calibration," marks a substantial advance in ensuring the accurate solar information measured and collected by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST).

Technology news

	Using a simulation framework to study spine behaviors of quadruped robots Researchers at the Robert Bosch center for cyber physical systems in Bangalore, India, have recently proposed a simulation framework to systematically study the effects of spinal joint actuation on the locomotion performance of quadruped robots. In their study, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, they used this framework to investigate the spine behaviors of a quadruped robot called Stoch 2 and their effects on its bounding performance.
	App Store in crosshairs as Apple courts developers Apple is set to court software savants at its annual developers conference beginning Monday while contending with criticism that the iPhone maker has made its App Store a walled garden.
	W3C and WHATWG agreement: Single version of HTML, DOM specifications Having two separate HTML specifications? What's up with that? Stephen Shankland's account of the two in CNET: "for nearly a decade, two separate groups have been issuing separate documents to define Hypertext Markup Language, or HTML, the standard that tells you how to make a web page."
	Cracking open the black box of automated machine learning Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have developed an interactive tool that, for the first time, lets users see and control how automated machine-learning systems work. The aim is to build confidence in these systems and find ways to improve them.
	Apple previews new software as it diversifies beyond iPhones Apple executives previewed a large set of privacy and speed-focused changes to the company's phone and computer software Monday, some intended to help it diversify to offset eroding sales of its bedrock product, the iPhone.
	Energy storage project in Utah described as world's largest of its kind Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) announced an ambitious energy storage project to develop what it claims will be the world's largest energy storage project of its kind, in Utah. Renewable hydrogen is at the core.
	Networking with ghosts in the machine... and speaking kettles Imagine for just a moment that your kettle could speak? What would it say? How would it feel? More importantly, what on earth would you ask it?
	US preparing antitrust probe of Google: report The US Department of Justice is preparing an antitrust investigation of Internet titan Google, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
	Connected champagne putting a cork in bogus bubbly Champagne is now connected: Thanks to tracking technology, champagne houses now have tools to better guard against fraud while gaining a new channel to interact with their customers.
	Tech group eases stance on Huawei as Beijing lashes back The world's largest association of technology professionals backed away from barring from some of its activities employees of Chinese tech giant Huawei, the company at the center of a roiling trade dispute between Washington and Beijing.
	Germany's Infineon to buy Cypress in 9-bn-euro deal With an offer to take over US competitor Cypress for around nine billion euros ($10.1 billion), German chipmaker Infineon aimed Monday to grab the number-eight spot in the industry and expand into the "Internet of Things".
	New real-world features we'd like to see for iOS 13 It's that time of year again when Apple gives folks a sneak peek at new features for the iPhone and iPad. The company does it every June at the Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) a forum to hype up app makers on new tools they could use in their apps.
	Biometric recognition technology in the workplace In Back to the Future II (1989), fingerprints are used to lock and unlock doors. It's a benign technology, apart from the rise of "thumb bandits" who amputate thumbs. Gattaca (1997) envisages a bleaker future, where corporations collect DNA samples and genetic discrimination reigns.
	How technology could help rural South Africa turn sunshine into income The way energy is produced and distributed is changing rapidly as the industry moves away from carbon-based energy production. Technological development in the production of alternative energy has also sped up the emergence of decentralized systems. These build on large numbers of actors who generate small quantities of energy.
	Traffic congestion reconsidered Despite efforts to encourage a shift to sustainable transportation, traffic congestion is often the focus of debates over mobility. Global demand for automobiles rose significantly in the 1990s, with annual sales stabilizing at close to 80 million vehicles since 2017. Faced with the flood of cars, for decades governments have attempted to improve mobility of citizens—some measures focus on widening existing roads and building new ones, while others encourage a switch to alternatives such as public transportation, cycling and walking.
	Hand-held scanner for detecting hazardous substances and explosives Together with partners from research and industry, Fraunhofer IAF has developed a hand-held scanner for hazardous substances within the EU project CHEQUERS. The sensor detects explosive, toxic and other dangerous substances in real time and will help emergency personnel with on-site detections at crime scenes, after accidents or terroristic attacks. On April 25, the project consortium met for the successful completion of the project.
	Radar sensor module to bring added safety to autonomous driving When a child runs out onto the road, the average human driver takes 1.6 seconds to hit the brake pedal. The reaction time is cut to 0.5 seconds for automated vehicles fitted with radar/lidar sensors and a camera system. But at a speed of 50 km/h, that still means that the vehicle will continue for another seven meters before the brakes are applied and it comes to a standstill.
	Smart strategy can save open-plan offices up to 25 percent of energy on lighting Increasingly, employees share a large open office with flexible workplaces and working hours, leaving many desks vacant for large parts of the day. But the lighting is still on the whole day, in the whole office. Smart lighting with motion detectors can significantly reduce energy consumption in offices, but when light sources are frequently switched on and off, this becomes unpleasant and distracting. Researcher Christel de Bakker has developed a method to set the lighting in such a way that the lighting energy consumption is reduced by more than 25%, without compromising user comfort. She will be awarded her Ph.D. on this subject on June 4th at Eindhoven University of Technology.
	Economical energy storage for the electric car of tomorrow Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS in Dresden have developed a new production process with the aim of efficient and environmentally friendly future battery production. They coat the electrodes of the energy storage cells with a dry film instead of liquid chemicals. This simplified process saves energy and eliminates toxic solvents. A Finnish company is currently successfully testing the new IWS technology in practice.
	New light source brings freedom of design and added safety Success in the increasingly competitive automobile market is reserved for those who combine well-engineered products with attractive design, for example through the perfect integration of headlamps. Fraunhofer researchers have developed a new lighting technology that gives designers more freedom to create vehicles with unconventional styling and also provides additional benefits to drivers and auto manufacturers alike. The prototype will be presented at the LASER World of PHOTONICS trade fair from June 24—27, 2019.
	A more accurate, low-cost 39 GHz beamforming transceiver for 5G communications Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and NEC Corporation, Japan, present a 39 GHz transceiver with built-in calibration for fifth-generation (5G) applications. The advantages to be gained include better quality communications as well as cost-effective scalability.
	Ready, jet... print Inkjet printing is expected to fast track the commercialization of organic solar cells. Researchers from the KAUST Solar Center have exploited this technique to generate high-efficiency solar cells at large scales.
	US ban has 'no effect' on Huawei's aviation business: official US moves against Chinese tech titan Huawei have had "no effect" on the firm's aviation business despite several countries taking steps to block its mobile services, a top company executive said Monday.
	China's Huawei to sell stake in undersea-cable unit Huawei will sell its majority share in a submarine cable unit, the stake's buyer announced Monday, amid a US-led drive to isolate the Chinese telecom giant from global information networks over spying fears.
Russia requires Tinder to provide data on its users Dating app Tinder is now required to provide user data to Russian intelligence agencies, the country's communications regulator said Monday.
	Machine learning for sensors Today microcontrollers can be found in almost any technical device, from washing machines to blood pressure meters and wearables. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS have developed AIfES, an artificial intelligence (AI) concept for microcontrollers and sensors that contains a completely configurable artificial neural network. AIfES is a platform-independent machine learning library which can be used to realize self-learning microelectronics requiring no connection to a cloud or to high-performance computers. The sensor-related AI system recognizes handwriting and gestures, enabling for example gesture control of input when the library is running on a wearable.
	'Law as Data' explores radical leap for legal analysis Four thousand years ago, human societies underwent a fundamental transition when the rules governing how people interact shifted from oral custom to written laws: first captured in stone tablets such as the Code of Hammurabi, then migrating to scrolls and eventually printed law books. In recent years, the law has leaped from the analog to the digital, breaking out of the law library and onto any computer, tablet, or phone with an internet connection. This shift has the potential to radically revise how law is experienced, practiced, and studied.

Medicine & Health news

	Personalized digital meditation training program improves attention and memory in healthy young adults Scientists at UC San Francisco have developed a personalized digital meditation training program that significantly improved attention and memory in healthy young adults—a group already at the peak of brain health—in just six weeks.
	CRISPR baby mutation significantly increases mortality A genetic mutation that a Chinese scientist attempted to create in twin babies born last year, ostensibly to help them fend off HIV infection, is also associated with a 21% increase in mortality in later life, according to an analysis by University of California, Berkeley, scientists.
	New breast cancer drug found to boost survival rates by 30% A new form of drug drastically improves survival rates of younger women with the most common type of breast cancer, researchers said on Saturday, citing the results of an international clinical trial.
	Bid to beat superbugs boosted by immune defence discovery The fight against superbugs could be helped by the discovery of a potential therapy based on the body's natural immune defences.
	New drug therapy slows spread of pancreatic cancer: study For people diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, the outlook is about as grim as it gets: the average patient won't live longer than a year.
	A treasure map to understanding the epigenetic causes of disease More than 15 years after scientists first mapped the human genome, most diseases still cannot be predicted based on one's genes, leading researchers to explore epigenetic causes of disease. But the study of epigenetics cannot be approached the same way as genetics, so progress has been slow. Now, researchers at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have determined a unique fraction of the genome that scientists should focus on. Their report, which provides a "treasure map" to accelerate research in epigenetics and human disease, was published today in Genome Biology.
	Losing muscle to fat: misdirected fate of a multipotent stem cell drives LGMD2B Research led by faculty at Children's National published online June 3, 2019, in Nature Communications shows that the sudden appearance of symptoms in limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2 (LGMD2B) is a result of impaired communication between different cell types that facilitate repair in healthy muscle. Of particular interest are the fibro/adipogenic precursors (FAPs), cells that typically play a helpful role in regenerating muscle after injury by removing debris and enhancing the fusion of muscle cells into new myofibers.
	Hormone produced during pregnancy repurposed to treat painful joint condition Beginning in the first trimester of pregnancy, the body begins to produce the hormone relaxin, which loosens the expectant mother's muscles, joints and ligaments to help her body accommodate a growing baby and prepare for birth. When Edward Rodriguez, MD, Ph.D., Chief of Orthopedic Trauma in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIMDC) observed that patients with a common and painful joint condition called arthrofibrosis experienced long-lasting relief during and after pregnancy, he reached out to his colleagues in the lab to confirm his suspicion that relaxin could explain the phenomenon.
	Stalk antibodies provide flu protection in humans A universal flu vaccine that could prevent a potential influenza pandemic has been a holy grail for epidemiologists around the world ever since the first flu vaccines were developed in 1938.
	Water filters, efficient cookstoves improve health in vulnerable Rwandan populations A large-scale program to deliver water filters and portable biomass-burning cookstoves to Rwandan homes reduced the prevalence of reported diarrhea and acute respiratory infection in children under 5 years old by 29 percent and 25 percent, respectively, according to new findings published today in the journal PLOS Medicine.
	Mona Lisa's smile not genuine, researchers believe New research has found that the Mona Lisa's famed smile is almost certainly 'forced'—raising the intriguing possibility that Leonardo deliberately portrayed her that way.
	Major stem cell discovery to boost research into development and regenerative medicine A new approach has enabled researchers to create Expanded Potential Stem Cells (EPSCs) of both pig and human cells. These stem cells have the features of the first cells in the developing embryo, and can develop into any type of cell. The research from LKS Faculty of Medicine at The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut in Germany offers incredible potential for studying human development and regenerative medicine.
	Lithium boosts muscle strength in mice with rare muscular dystrophy Standing up from a chair, climbing stairs, brushing one's hair—all can be a struggle for people with a rare form of muscular dystrophy that causes progressive weakness in the shoulders and hips. Over time, many such people lose the ability to walk or to lift their arms above their heads.
	New genetic weapons challenge sickle cell disease Help for patients with sickle cell disease may soon come from gene editing to fix the mutation that causes the disease and boost the patient's own protective fetal hemoglobin.
	Germline gene therapy pioneer, teenage son make case for safe treatment An internationally known embryologist and his son make the case for using gene-editing tools to prevent inherited disease, in an editorial published today in the journal Nature Medicine.
	Your gut bacteria could affect your response to meds Ever wonder why a drug that works for someone else doesn't seem to work for you? You might want to check your gut for the answer.
	Nicotine and caffeine withdrawal may lead to unnecessary suffering and testing in intensive care patients Nicotine and caffeine withdrawal can cause unnecessary suffering to patients in intensive care units (ICUs), and could be leading to unneeded laboratory testing and diagnostic imaging such as X-rays and MRIs, according to a systematic review of clinical and observational studies involving 483 adults.
Wrong side surgical errors substantially underreported and totally preventable Performing a procedure on the wrong side of a patient's body, although rare, may be more common than generally thought. More than 80 wrong side error (WSE) incidents were reported across 100 hospitals in Spain over the past decade, according to new research being presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia Congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June).
Anesthesia works in Antarctica New research presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June) shows that commonly used anaesthetic drugs still work, even after exposure to the extreme environmental conditions of the Antarctic. The study was conducted by Professor Major Ricardo Navarro-Suay of Hospital Central de la Defensa "Gómez Ulla", Madrid, Spain (who serves in the Spanish Armed Forces) and colleagues.
7 patients at new Ohio hospital diagnosed with Legionnaires' Ohio's health authority on Friday ordered a newly opened hospital outside Columbus to immediately flush and disinfect its water lines and take other steps to protect the public's health after seven patients were diagnosed with potentially fatal Legionnaires' disease.
Trial suggests total neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer is safe Results from the first experimental arm using veliparib as part of total neoadjuvant therapy (induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy and surgery; TNT) in patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma on the NRG Oncology Phase II clinical trial NRG-GI002 were recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. Results were reported on the primary endpoint of pathological regression via the neoadjuvant rectal cancer (NAR) score, a short-term clinical trial surrogate endpoint.
Trial of metformin for non-small cell lung cancer Initial results of NRG-LU001 indicate that, although the diabetes agent metformin was well-tolerated by patients, the agent has not clearly improved progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) for trial participants with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These results are based on local center reported outcomes. Trial participants will continue to be followed for changes in their status. The initial report of these results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the abstract was awarded a "Best of ASCO" designation.
App helps improve pain control and reduce opiate use after surgery Patients who underwent total knee replacement and used a smartphone app (PainCoach) at home after surgery consistently reduced opiate painkiller use and improved pain control, according to new research being presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia Congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June).
	Immunotherapy boosts survival outlook for lung cancer patients: study An immunotherapy treatment helped significantly boost survival rates among patients suffering from advanced lung cancer, according to the results of a clinical trial cited by researchers on Saturday.
	Industry uses non-profit organisation to campaign against public health policies A new study shows how a non-profit research organisation has been deployed by its backers from major food and beverage corporations to push industry-favourable positions to policy makers and international bodies under the guise of neutral scientific endeavour.
	Only one in five doctors aware of patient feedback about their care online, survey reveals Around one in five doctors are aware of patient feedback about themselves on review and ratings websites, according to a new survey of health professionals.
	No increase in deaths from cardiac arrests at the weekend People admitted to NHS hospitals with a cardiac arrest over the weekend do not face a higher risk of dying compared to those admitted during the week, according to new research presented today at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) Conference in Manchester.
	Coffee not as bad for heart and circulatory system as previously thought Drinking coffee might keep us up at night, but new research has given us a reason to sleep easy knowing that the popular drink isn't as bad for our arteries as some previous studies would suggest.
	Countries' essential medicines lists vary greatly from one another and WHO's model list Countries' essential medicines lists vary from one another and from the World Health Organization's (WHO) model list, pointing to a potential need for greater care in selecting medicines that best meet the health care priorities of a population, suggests a study led by Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital.
	Law backs doctors who prescribe opioids to the dying Some doctors fear litigation and professional ruin if they are seen to have overprescribed opioids to terminally ill patients, according to a University of Queensland researcher.
	Lower-amp ECT appears effective against suicidal thoughts Nearly half the amplitude typically used in standard electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) seems to be effective at treating suicidal thoughts, investigators report.
Despite safety standard, laundry packet exposures increase in older children, adults A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Central Ohio Poison Center investigated trends in calls to poison control centers across the country for exposure to liquid laundry detergent packets. It found a modest decrease in calls for children younger than 6 years of age following adoption of a 2015 product safety standard but an increase in calls for older children and adults.
Organ and tissue donation in patients considering MAiD: new guidance helps navigate emerging area A new publication in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) aims to help health care teams navigate clinical and ethical issues that arise when patients choose to donate organs or tissue after medical assistance in dying (MAiD) or withdrawal of life-sustaining measures.
	Enzalutamide improves survival for men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer Enzalutamide, an oral androgen receptor inhibitor, can improve outcomes for men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), according to a large study presented by Christopher Sweeney, MBBS of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology, during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.
	Obamacare led to better cancer outcomes: studies A pair of studies have found that Obamacare led to an increase in early-stage ovarian cancer detections and helped nearly erase racial differences in the timely treatment of a range of cancers.
	People living with HIV face premature heart disease and barriers to care Effective antiretroviral therapy has changed the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from a progressive, fatal disease to a chronic, manageable condition that is associated with higher rates of heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, sudden cardiac deaths, and other diseases compared to people without HIV, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association published in the Association journal Circulation.
	New research addresses incidence of atrial fibrillation after aortic valve replacement Physician-scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Minnesota have published findings that conclude a substantial burden of new-onset atrial fibrillation was observed after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and aortic valve replacement.
	Significant barriers to care for patients seeking medication for opioid use Buprenorphine-naloxone (buprenorphine), a highly effective, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), is difficult to access in states with high rates of death associated with OUD, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study also found that access to buprenorphine is especially challenging among patients with Medicaid coverage.
	Immunotherapy improves five-year survival rate of people with advanced lung cancer In a study led by UCLA investigators, treatment with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab helped more than 15 percent of people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer live for at least five years—and 25 percent of patients whose tumor cells had a specific protein lived at least that long.
	First-ever in-utero surgery to treat spina bifida A team of specialists at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh have performed UPMC's first in-utero surgery to close an open neural tube defect in a baby months before her birth.
	Quality—not quantity—of sleep linked to better health in teens With summer break and longer days ahead, parents of young teens may be wondering whether to let good sleep habits slide over the next couple of months. New research in Preventive Medicine by UBC's Annalijn Conklin, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences and scientist with the Centre for Health Evaluations and Outcome Sciences, suggests there are more benefits to a good night's sleep than simply feeling refreshed.
	The Virtual Brain simulates the brain to reveal the origins of disorders A cognitive irony is that the human brain's very complexity makes it difficult to theorize about its workings, using thought alone. However, computer models can simulate the consequences of theories, identifying problems and formulating new theories for neuroscience testing.
	Mapping brain cell geometries by considering random paths of water molecules In her doctoral thesis at University of Jyväskylä, M.Sc. Jia Liu has developed and implemented a series of new computational statistical methodologies to deal with diffusion-MRI data. The statistical problem of the thesis originates from clinical needs for diagnosing brain diseases like Lewy body dementia.
	Study finds link between Medicaid expansion and equity in cancer care Racial disparities in timely cancer treatment disappeared in states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to an analysis of over 30,000 health records led by researchers at Yale Cancer Center. The findings were presented today at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2019 annual meeting.
	Immunotherapy comparable to chemo for some advanced stomach cancers An immunotherapy drug could prove just as effective as chemotherapy in prolonging the lives of patients with advanced cancers of the stomach or food pipe.
	Precision drug combo boosts survival in younger women with advanced breast cancer Combining a targeted drug with hormone therapy extended the lives of pre-menopausal women with advanced breast cancer in a clinical trial.
	Double success for innovative 'child-friendly' HIV treatment University of Liverpool's Nanomedicine research has been recognized by The (US) President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and a fundraising campaign to help improve drug therapies for children with HIV has reached its target in record time.
	Newly developed tool for psychological studies to be tested in investigation of laughter Software for an innovative wearable that could optimize the collection of data in psychological studies is being developed by researchers at Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in Krems, Austria (KL Krems). The device will be tested on around 150 subjects as part of an investigation entitled "Laughter in everyday life." The advantage of the wearable—in this case an armband—is that it can be quickly accessed to record data and is simple to operate. These advantages will come into their own in psychological studies that use the experience sampling method, where subjects are required to record everyday experiences. In the past, written records or smartphones have been used for data collection, but this can result in distortion of the findings.
	New blood test predicts breast cancer's return at start of treatment A new blood test for women with breast cancer can predict how well patients will respond to a new drug right at the start of treatment.
LGBTQ adolescents experiencing weight-based bullying found to have increased substance use Weight-based victimization among sexual and gender minority youth is associated with increased odds of alcohol use, binge drinking, marijuana use, and cigarette use, reports a new study from researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity and the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Connecticut, in collaboration with the Human Rights Campaign.
	Understanding how the brain's structure and functions generate consciousness If we take a broad definition of consciousness as experience of ourselves and the outside world, it can be said to come and go. During dreamless sleep it seems absent, seemingly reappears during vivid dreaming, before more definitively reappearing on awakening. But how the brain transitions between these states is poorly understood.
	Companies and governments are paying people to get healthy, and it works In many ways, we have never been less healthy. Nearly 100 million adults in the United States are obese. At any given time, almost 13 million adults in the United Kingdom show symptoms of anxiety or depression.
	POLO trial for advanced pancreatic cancer: a new standard of care Treatment with the drug olaparib significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death from metastatic pancreatic cancer, according to findings from the recently completed, international, phase-III POLO (Pancreas cancer OLaparib Ongoing) trial.
	Antidepressants and opioids double the risk of falls and fractures in older people Taking antidepressants or opioids more than doubles the risk of a fall and hip fracture in older people, according to a paper published today in Australian Prescriber.
	Health Check: what's the best way to sit? Many people spend the majority of their waking hours sitting—at home, commuting and at work.
	Kids' diets and screen time: To set up good habits, make healthy choices the default at home The availability of junk foods and screens is increasingly creating challenges for parents.
	Research helps kids get their lives back after a concussion Sometimes it's a teen who got injured playing sports. Other times it's a student who banged his head in a seemingly innocuous fall or maybe was in a car crash.
	US aims to help more cancer patients try experimental drugs Sally Atwater's doctor spent two months on calls, messages and paperwork to get her an experimental drug he thinks can fight the lung cancer that has spread to her brain and spine.
	FDA: Forever chemicals in food samples unlikely health risk (Update) The Food and Drug Administration found substantial levels of a worrisome class of nonstick, stain-resistant industrial compounds in some grocery store meats and seafood and in off-the-shelf chocolate cake, according to FDA researchers.
	Lack of sleep may increase likelihood of teens engaging in risky sexual behaviors Teenagers who don't get enough sleep may be at an increased risk of engaging in unsafe sexual behaviors, such as not using condoms or having sex under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
International clinical trial of new drug for men with advanced prostate cancer yields strong result Today the New England Journal of Medicine published the first results of a phase III international clinical study called TITAN (National Clinical Trials Number 02489318), which evaluated the effectiveness and safety of a new drug, apalutamide, to treat advanced prostate cancers. This publication accompanies a presentation today that outlines the study results at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Researchers found that treatment with apalutamide significantly improved overall survival, with a 33% reduction in risk of death compared to standard-of-care therapy. Additionally, this study showed apalutamide significantly delayed disease progression and increased the amount of time until a patient has to receive chemotherapy.
	Combination checkpoint blockade effective in pre-surgical setting for early-stage lung cancers Neoadjuvant, or pre-surgical, treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab resulted in an overall major pathologic response (MPR) rate of 33 percent of treated patients with early-stage, resectable non-small cell lung cancers, meaning these patients had less than or equal to 10 percent viable tumor remaining at surgery. With these results, the combination immunotherapy met the pre-specified trial efficacy endpoint of the phase II NEOSTAR trial conducted by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
	Researchers test novel gene therapy for glioblastoma A novel gene therapy clinical trial at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center is showing promising results, garnering funding with a prestigious U01 Grant from the National Cancer Institute. The trial focuses on turning patients with a poor prognosis into those with a good prognosis.
	Critical need for greater understanding into diagnosis of inherited heart disease Results of a study carried out by researchers at the Centenary Institute in collaboration with Wiser Healthcare, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the University of Sydney, have shown that the use of advanced imaging equipment is driving a significant increase in the diagnosis of a little known inherited heart disease in adults.
	SYNGO Consortium releases public data resource for universal reference in synapse research Synapses, the junctions that serve as specialized contacts between nerve cells, are the brain's fundamental information processing units. A loss of coordinated activity at the synapse lies at the root of many brain disorders (collectively called "synaptopathies"). However, to date, researchers have lacked any centralized, systematic repositories of information dedicated to synapse biology.
	Adding targeted therapy to treatment extends lives of those with metastatic breast cancer A UCLA-led study has found that using a drug called ribociclib in combination with a common hormone therapy may help premenopausal women with the most common type of breast cancer live longer than if they only receive the hormone therapy.
	FDA takes hard look at CBD (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a good look at the safety and effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) products on Friday, as it weighs how to best regulate the hemp-derived compound going forward.
	Impaired vision tied to perceived discrimination in older adults (HealthDay)—Older adults with impaired vision are at increased risk for perceived discrimination, which in turn is associated with poorer emotional well-being, according to a study published online May 30 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Could 2 prostate cancer drugs fight disease in earlier stages? (HealthDay)—Cutting-edge prostate cancer drugs that help extend life in the toughest cases might also be useful in fighting less aggressive tumors, two new clinical trials suggest.
	2007 to 2017 saw decline in number of U.S. pathologists (HealthDay)—The U.S. pathologist workforce decreased in both absolute and population-adjusted numbers from 2007 to 2017, according to a study published online May 31 in JAMA Network Open.
	Study delivers insight into possible origins of immunological memory Natural killer cells are part of the innate immune system. Their role is to detect virus-infected cells and destroy them. When an infection is detected, a small subset of the most effective killer cells is identified and selectively expanded—as a team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now been able to show for the first time. This could represent a simple and evolutionary ancient form of immunological memory.
Is 'clean eating' just dirty rhetoric? New research published today in the Journal of Eating Disorders finds "clean eating" is perceived as overwhelmingly positive by young people, but those optimistic impressions of "clean diets" may signal a risk for eating disorders. Scientists are also calling for additional research to better understand the nature of the "clean eating" diet fad.
Concussion is a leading cause of injury for children in recreational sports Elementary school-aged children who participate in recreational sports are at greater risk of concussion than most other sports-related injuries. A new study published in PLOS ONE focused on children 5-11 years old who play recreational football, soccer and baseball/softball.
Which brain hemorrhage patients have treatable underlying conditions When blood vessels in the brain rupture, or hemorrhage, and cause a stroke, large areas of the brain can be permanently damaged. Depending on the cause, some brain hemorrhages may hide underlying lesions that can be treated with surgery, embolization, radiation, or other treatments. Using MRI scans of patients diagnosed with intracerebral hemorrhage, clinical researchers at Jefferson have teased apart the groups most likely to have a treatable underlying condition.
	Hearing through your fingers: Device that converts speech A novel study published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience provides the first evidence that a simple and inexpensive non-invasive speech-to-touch sensory substitution device has the potential to improve hearing in hearing-impaired cochlear implant patients, as well as individuals with normal hearing, to better discern speech in various situations like learning a second language or trying to deal with the "cocktail party effect." The device can provide immediate multisensory enhancement without any training.
	Brush your teeth—postpone Alzheimer's Researchers have determined that gum disease (gingivitis) plays a decisive role in whether a person develops Alzheimer´s or not.
Native Hawaiians at far greater risk for pancreatic cancer Native Hawaiians are at highest risk for pancreatic cancer, according to a USC study that provides a surprising look at disparities surrounding the deadly disease.
	Early contact with needle-exchange program reduces hepatitis C infection People who inject drugs and who are female, homeless or amphetamine users often share needles and syringes, and consequently run a higher risk of hepatitis C virus infection that affects the liver. However, as a new doctoral thesis from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden demonstrates, early contact with a needle-exchange programme can have a protective effect.
	Anti hypertensive drug use was associated with a decreased dementia risk Various clinical trials indicate what effects can be expected from standardized intervention programs on the basis of existing evidence. Little is known about the way in which such programs can be implemented in actual care practice. However, it may be possible to use data from clinical practice to estimate the potential of drug prescriptions to delay or reduce the development of dementia.
	'Organs in a dish' pave the way for personalized medicine in gut and liver disease One of the most exciting advancements in stem cell research has been the development of organoid systems, which are organ-like three-dimensional structures that mimic their corresponding organ in vivo. In this important review in Digestive and Liver Disease, published by Elsevier, scientists highlight some of the established and exciting novel uses for organoids or "organs in a dish" in gastroenterology and hepatology and look towards the future in this exciting field.
	Phosphorylation of Regnase-1 lets IL-17 run amok When considering the role of the key immune molecule interleukin (IL)-17, the phrase "too much of a good thing" springs to mind. Because unlike some of its more sedate cytokine cousins which studiously direct the immune response to destroy invading pathogens, IL-17 can get a little carried away. So much so that excess inflammation caused by IL-17 has been implicated in autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis.
	Large national study tracks veterans' health, highlights areas of unmet needs For the first time, a large national population of United States veterans used the same standardized tool that the general population uses for tracking health.
	Nationwide study finds breast cancer patients unaware of surgical options The majority of women who underwent lumpectomy or mastectomy surgeries for breast cancer report that the scars from those surgeries negatively affect their daily lives. Yet one-third of patients said that their physician did not tell them about surgical options that minimize scarring, according to a report published recently by the journal BMC Cancer.
	Six fingers per hand Polydactyly is the extraordinary condition of someone being born with more than five fingers or toes. In a case study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Freiburg, Imperial College London, the University Hospital of Lausanne, and EPFL have for the first time examined the motor skills and sensorimotor brain areas in people with polydactyly. The results show that an extra finger can significantly extend the manipulation abilities and skill. It enables people with six fingers to perform movements with one hand where people with only five fingers would need two hands. The augmented motor abilities observed in the polydactyly subjects are made possible by dedicated areas in the sensorimotor brain areas. These findings may serve as blueprint for the development of additional artificial limbs extending motor abilities.
	Researchers uncovers promising cancer target for liposarcoma A study conducted by a team of researchers from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI Singapore) at the National University of Singapore has revealed a close association between liposarcoma (LPS), a type of cancer that develops from fat cells, and the bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) protein family.
	With summer vacation here, how much screen time is too much? Dazzling graphics, engaging applications and a dizzying array of beeps, pings and rings make smartphones and other portable gadgets hard to resist. With summer vacation starting for millions of American children, many parents are asking: How much screen time is too much?
	ASCO: low-dose chemo benefits advanced gastroesophageal cancer (HealthDay)—For frail and elderly patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancer (aGOAC), low-dose chemotherapy is noninferior to high-dose chemotherapy for progression-free survival, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, held from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago.
	The dangers of being a people-pleaser (HealthDay)—Being thoughtful and caring are great qualities to have, but if you go out of your way to get people to like you, you could be a people-pleaser, with unfortunate consequences for your own well-being.
	Decline in nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation slowing (HealthDay)—Decreases in nontraumatic lower-extremity amputation (NLEA) have plateaued in recent years among adults with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and diabetes, according to a study published online May 29 in Diabetes Care.
	Younger gout patients have higher odds for blood clots Older age raises the odds of many ills, but for adults with gout, it's the younger ones who have the highest risk for developing a serious blood clot, new research indicates.
	A little formula in first days of life may not impact breastfeeding at six months A study has lodged a new kink in the breastfeeding dilemma that adds to the angst of exhausted new parents: While most newborns lose weight in the first days of life, do you or don't you offer a little formula after breastfeeding if the weight loss is more than usual?
	Advancing dementia and its effect on care home relationships As dementia advances, in most cases it can change the behaviour displayed by those with the condition. Such changes in behaviour can bring strain to a wide-ranging network of relationships—from those between people with dementia and their professional carers, between those with dementia and their families, and to relationships between residents in residential care homes—which in turn can affect the delivery of care.
	Immunotherapy drug found safe in treating cancer patients with HIV The results of a study led by physicians at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center showed that patients living with HIV and one of a variety of potentially deadly cancers could be safely treated with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, also known by its brand name, KEYTRUDA.
	Team develops test to predict immunotherapy response in kidney cancer A novel imaging test shows promise for identifying kidney cancer patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy.
	Pressure injuries at time of ICU admission tied to longer stays (HealthDay)—Pressure injuries at the time of admission to an intensive care unit may predict patients at risk for longer hospital stays, according to a study published in the June issue of Critical Care Nurse.
	Higher surgical volume may improve outcomes in cervical cancer (HealthDay)—Surgery at high-volume centers is associated with decreased local recurrence risk and improved survival for women with early-stage cervical cancer, according to a study published in the June issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Virtual reality improves tolerance of anaesthesia procedures and reduces need for intravenous sedation by at least 50% Giving patients virtual reality sessions before and during locoregional anaesthesia for orthopaedic procedures substantially reduces pain and the need for intravenous sedation, according to new research being presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June).
Chest cavity fire during emergency cardiac surgery At this year's Euroanaesthesia Congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June), doctors present the unique case of a man who suffered a flash fire in his chest cavity during emergency heart surgery caused by supplemental oxygen leaking from a ruptured lung.
Blood transfusion during liver cancer surgery linked with higher risk of cancer recurrence and death Receiving a blood transfusion during curative surgery for the most common type of liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is associated with a much higher risk of cancer recurrence and dying prematurely, according to new research being presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia congress (the annual meeting of the European Society of Anaesthesiology) in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June).
Using facial recognition technology to continuously monitor patient safety in the ICU A team of Japanese scientists has used facial recognition technology to develop an automated system that can predict when patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are at high risk of unsafe behaviour such as accidentally removing their breathing tube, with moderate (75%) accuracy.
High body fat (but not BMI itself) linked to four-fold increase in mortality risk after heart bypass surgery New research presented at this year's Euroanaesthesia congress in Vienna, Austria (1-3 June) shows that mortality in patients who had undergone heart bypass surgery was over 4 times higher in individuals with a high body fat mass, while body mass index (BMI) by itself was not associated with an increase in mortality. The research was conducted by Dr. Xavier Leroy of the Department of Anaesthesia and Resuscitation, CHU Lille, Lille, France and colleagues.
Mexico says detects measles in British tourist Mexican health officials have confirmed a case of measles in a British woman who arrived in the country's touristic Caribbean coast a week ago, authorities said on Saturday.
	Diabetes drug alleviates anxiety in mice The antidiabetic medication metformin reduces anxiety-like behaviors in male mice by increasing serotonin availability in the brain, according to a study published in JNeurosci. These findings could have implications for the treatment of patients with both metabolic and mental disorders.
Patients who received PBI without chemotherapy experienced less fatigue, slightly poorer cosmesis Patient-reported outcome (PRO) data indicates that partial breast irradiation (PBI) is more convenient than whole breast irradiation (WBI) for women with breast cancer who do not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. These participants on the NRG Oncology clinical trial NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413 also experienced less post-treatment fatigue and slightly poorer cosmesis at 36 months following treatment, whereas cosmesis was equivalent at 36 months in women who received chemotherapy and PBI or WBI. These outcomes were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and the abstract was designated as a "Best of ASCO" abstract.
Trial sets new standard regimen for women with uterine carcinosarcomas Results from the phase III NRG Oncology clinical trial GOG 0261 comparing paclitaxel plus carboplatin (PC) to paclitaxel plus ifosfamide (PI) in women with stage I-IV, recurrent carcinosarcoma of the uterus or ovary, indicate that the PC combination treatment should be considered a standard of care for this patient population. The study concludes that among uterine cancer patients treatment with PC was not inferior to PI based on the primary objective overall survival (OS), and PC was associated with longer progression-free survival (PFS) outcomes when compared with PI. These results were recently presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting and was awarded a "Best of ASCO" designation.
Suggested benefit in PCV chemoradiotherapy for both IDH-mutant WHO-defined molecular subgroups A recent, updated predictive analysis of the three WHO-defined molecular subgroups based on isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH) mutation status and 1p/19q co-deletion status represented in the high-risk treatment arms of the NRG Oncology clinical trial NRG-RTOG 9802 indicates that both IDH-mutant sub-groups (IDHmut-noncodel and IDHmut-codel) could benefit from the addition of PCV chemotherapy to radiotherapy treatment. This data was presented during a "Best of ASCO" oral presentation in the Central Nervous Systems Tumors Session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.
NCI-MATCH trial finds the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib effective Treatment with dabrafenib and trametinib, a drug combination designed to target cancers that harbor certain BRAF gene mutations, was effective in a trial of 35 patients representing 17 distinct tumor types. The single-arm phase two study (Arm H), met its primary endpoint. The results will be orally presented on Monday, June 3rd at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Meeting Abstract 3002). Arm H is one of multiple treatment arms in the NCI-Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (NCI-MATCH or EAY131) trial. NCI-MATCH is being co-led by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Hospital reports patient death amid Legionnaires' outbreak A patient has died amid an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in a recently opened hospital, authorities said.
	US abortion politics: How did we get here and where are we headed? "Abortion is not naturally controversial; it has been constructed that way," writes sociologist Ziad Munson in his book Abortion Politics. In it, he traces the history of abortion in the U.S., as well as how the controversy surrounding the issue has been constructed and by what forces.
New TAILORx data guides adjuvant therapy in younger breast cancer patients New information about adjuvant therapy to prevent recurrence of breast cancer in women 50 years of age or younger, or premenopausal, emerged today from the landmark Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment (Rx), or TAILORx. An analysis of a pre-specified secondary endpoint in this largest-ever breast cancer treatment trial found that an assessment of a woman's recurrence risk based on classic clinical features—tumor size and histologic grade, adds prognostic information that is complementary to the 21-gene Recurrence Score (RS) test. Integration of the RS with clinical risk may help identify more young women who may be spared chemotherapy than originally reported. It may also help identify young women who stand to benefit from more effective anti-estrogen therapy. The analysis was published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 2019 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.
	No benefit from pazopanib in advanced kidney cancer after surgery to remove metastases The E2810 research study was conducted to determine whether taking the oral drug pazopanib (Votrient) following surgery to remove further metastases in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma would improve their disease-free survival. The trial was designed and conducted by researchers in the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group with funding from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Results from the study were presented today at the 2019 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, showing that the study did not meet its primary endpoint of disease-free survival (Meeting Abstract 4502).
	Say cheers to lighter summer drinks (HealthDay)—Want to celebrate longer days and warmer nights with fewer calories? Try these smart ways to cut the calories from favorite cocktails.

Biology news

	Sweet! How C. difficile toxin A enters intestinal cells Clostridiodes difficile infection has become a leading cause of severe, sometimes fatal diarrheal illness. It flourishes best in hospitals and long-term care facilities where people are on long-term antibiotic treatment, but it's also an increasing problem in the community. Much of the damage from C. diff is caused by toxins the bacterium produces, which damage the intestinal lining.
	Sponges collect penguin, seal, and fish DNA from the water they filter Just like humans leave DNA in the places we inhabit, water-dwelling animals leave DNA behind in the water column. In a paper published June 3 in the journal Current Biology, scientists report that sponges, which can filter 10,000 liters of water daily, catch DNA in their tissues as they filter-feed. This proof-of-concept study identified fish, seal, and penguin DNA in sponges from the Antarctic and Mediterranean, demonstrating that sponges can be used to monitor biodiversity.
	Study: Underrepresented faculty play an uneven role in advancing diversity and inclusion Increasing the diversity of scientists is a priority for many universities and professional societies. Diverse teams are more productive and innovative, and more fully represent the human race by including ideas from different segments of the population.
	Animals' cultural lifestyles can influence evolution Evolutionary adaptations resulting from cultural change, such as humans being able to consume dairy products, are more widespread in nature than previously thought.
	Research overcomes key obstacles to scaling up DNA data storage Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed new techniques for labeling and retrieving data files in DNA-based information storage systems, addressing two of the key obstacles to widespread adoption of DNA data storage technologies.
	Ocean acidification makes some marine snails less able to resist predators As humans release more and more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the gas is dissolving into the ocean, making seawater more acidic. This threatens the growth and survival of animals such as some corals and snails, whose skeletons and shells may become thinner under more acidic conditions.
	Feathers came first, then birds New research, led by the University of Bristol, suggests that feathers arose 100 million years before birds—changing how we look at dinosaurs, birds, and pterosaurs, the flying reptiles.
	Scientists find flaws in plan to lift US wolf protections Scientists tasked with reviewing government plans to lift protections for gray wolves across most of the U.S. said in a report released Friday that the proposal has numerous factual errors and other problems.
	North Korea swine flu outbreak puts South on edge South Korean troops stationed along the world's last Cold War frontier have been put on high alert in the face of a new infiltration threat from the nuclear-armed North—fever-stricken wild boar.
	An effective sweeper closes DNA replication cycling DNA replication is essential for living organisms to faithfully deliver genetic information from parental cells to daughter cells. Many proteins are assembled on the parental DNA to work as replication machineries. Among them, the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a key replication protein. This ring-structured molecule encircles chromosomes, thread-like structures where DNA molecules is packed into, during DNA replication. Just like a ring on a string, PCNA-ring is tightly linked to DNA. After its landing on DNA, PCNA recruits other proteins to efficiently copy the parental DNA. PCNA's stable connection to DNA makes it an essential platform for many replication machineries.
	Study identifies dominant fungi and their attributes on the planet's soils An international research team including University of Alicante researcher Fernando T. Maestre has identified a list of some 80 species of dominant fungi that can be found in soils all over the world. The study, published in Nature Communications, identifies the attributes that allow these species to be so dominant on a global scale, and how they are associated with certain soil and climate characteristics. This information is key to understanding the impact of climate change on these organisms.
	Tracking technology gives new insights into the behavior of migrating birds Though much is known about where and when birds travel, a lot less is known about the composition of flocks and how long they stay together. Do birds come together in flocks by chance? Do they actively choose flock members?
	Innovative drone conservation research shared internationally Community efforts to protect dugongs in the Philippines were boosted by a recent technology training camp with Murdoch researchers.
	Nordic microalgae cleans wastewater and produces biodiesel Lorenza Ferro demonstrates the potential of Nordic microalgae for simultaneous production of biomass and municipal sewage treatment in our Nordic climate. She has also studied how microalgae and bacteria work together and how this impacts the composition of microbial communities in open algae cultures. She is defending her thesis at Umeå University on Friday 15 March.
New sub-species of pilot whale identified in Pacific Ocean Short-finned pilot whales are found over a wide swath of the world's oceans, with habitats in the Indian, and Pacific, and North Atlantic oceans. Despite this wide distribution, the whales have been recognized as a single species—but a recent study has found that two unique subspecies actually exist. The study published June 3, 2019, in Molecular Ecology.
	An island haven for frogs in a sea of extinctions New Guinea is one of the only places in the world where frogs are safe from the species-destroying chytrid fungus. An international team of scientists has published a new paper that shows how to keep it that way, but they need help to carry out their plan.
	Scientists stack algorithms to improve predictions of yield-boosting crop traits Hyperspectral data comprises the full light spectrum; this dataset of continuous spectral information has many applications from understanding the health of the Great Barrier Reef to picking out more productive crop cultivars. To help researchers better predict high-yielding crop traits, a team from the University of Illinois have stacked together six high-powered, machine learning algorithms that are used to interpret hyperspectral data—and they demonstrated that this technique improved the predictive power of a recent study by up to 15 percent, compared to using just one algorithm.
	Sleep, wake, repeat: How do plants work on different time zones? It's widely understood that humans have a circadian clock. When we travel long distances, things get knocked out of kilter.
	Exotic pets can become pests with risk of invasion A large proportion of successful vertebrate invasions can be traced to the global exotic pet trade. However, surprisingly little is known about the economic, social, and ecological factors that shape the trade and how they influence the establishment of self-sustaining populations of non-native species.
	Pop-up parks deliver big benefits in small spaces Pop-up stores, restaurants, and theaters are an increasingly common sight in cities around the world, where they add to the diversity of commercial options available to city dwellers. But while the pop-up phenomenon is normally associated with urban activities like shopping and dining, it has also caught the attention of city planners, ecologists, and conservation scientists striving to find new ways to integrate natural features into rapidly urbanizing areas.
Endangered condor may have hatched in Zion National Park There's likely a new baby condor at Zion National Park in southwest Utah.
	Explaining the shape of a leaf with the help of systems biology Which factors determine the shape of a leaf? By using different methods of systems biology, Barbara Terebieniec has identified genes that control the leaf shape of the European aspen. Barbara Terebieniec presented her doctoral thesis at Umeå University on 14 March.
	Ecosystem service mapping and assessment: Research collection on methods and applications Methods, data, practical applications and research insights to guide scientists and practitioners through the process of mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services are the topic of the latest open science collection published in the open access journal One Ecosystem.

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