Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jun 26

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Call for Papers – COMSOL Conference 2019

Present your multiphysics modeling and numerical simulation work at the COMSOL Conference 2019 Boston. This is a great opportunity to gain recognition for your work from researchers and scientists at the forefront of scientific computing. Submit your abstract today! http://comsol.com/c/95r6

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 26, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Low-temperature aqueous alteration of Martian zircon during the late Amazonian period

Quantum ghost imaging improved by using five-atom correlations

Intel researchers develop an eye contact correction system for video chats

Research reveals exotic quantum states in double-layer graphene

Cyanide compounds discovered in meteorites may hold clues to the origin of life

A Martian methane belch melts away

By turning molecular structures into sounds, researchers gain insight into protein structures and create new variations

New research shows Parkinson's disease origins in the gut

The RoboBee flies solo—Cutting the power cord for the first untethered flight

The first soft ring oscillator lets soft robots roll, undulate, sort, meter liquids, and swallow

A new normal: Study explains universal pattern in fossil record

The first AI universe sim is fast and accurate—and its creators don't know how it works

The fundamental physics of frequency combs sheds light on nature's problem-solving skills

Blue color tones in fossilized prehistoric feathers

Study: Social robots can benefit hospitalized children

Astronomy & Space news

	Cyanide compounds discovered in meteorites may hold clues to the origin of life Cyanide and carbon monoxide are both deadly poisons to humans, but compounds containing iron, cyanide, and carbon monoxide discovered in carbon-rich meteorites by a team of scientists at Boise State University and NASA may have helped power life on early Earth. The extraterrestrial compounds found in meteorites resemble the active site of hydrogenases, which are enzymes that provide energy to bacteria and archaea by breaking down hydrogen gas (H2). Their results suggest that these compounds were also present on early Earth, before life began, during a period of time when Earth was constantly bombarded by meteorites and the atmosphere was likely more hydrogen-rich.
	A Martian methane belch melts away The mystery of the Martian methane continues.
	The first AI universe sim is fast and accurate—and its creators don't know how it works For the first time, astrophysicists have used artificial intelligence techniques to generate complex 3-D simulations of the universe. The results are so fast, accurate and robust that even the creators aren't sure how it all works.
	NASA opening moon rock samples sealed since Apollo missions (Update) Inside a locked vault at Johnson Space Center is treasure few have seen and fewer have touched.
	Highest energy photons ever recorded coming from Crab Nebula A very large team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in China and Japan has measured the highest energy photon ever recorded. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the group describes their study of data from the Tibet Air Shower Gamma Collaboration and what they found.
	ALMA pinpoints the formation site of planet around nearest young star Researchers using ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) found a small dust concentration in the disk around TW Hydrae, the nearest young star. It is highly possible that a planet is growing or about to be formed in this concentration. This is the first time that the exact place where cold materials are forming the seed of a planet has been pinpointed in the disk around a young star.
	Blind children in Chile get solar eclipse experience A group of children at a Chilean school for the blind used sound and braille Tuesday to experience conditions that resemble a total solar eclipse.
	Modelling galactic settlement What looks like a still of an exploding firework is actually taken from an ESA simulation of humankind's expansion across the stars, produced for an international competition. Each dot is a habitable star system, with the colored stripes representing interstellar expeditions between them.
	Celebrating Asteroid Day with ESA and the world Summer in the Northern hemisphere has arrived and with it the long, sunny days and hot, sticky nights.
Video: ESA defending Earth Hera will show us things we've never seen before. Astrophysicist and and Queen guitarist Brian May tells the story of the ESA mission that would be humanity's first-ever spacecraft to visit a double asteroid.
	COSMIC-2 soars into orbit aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket COSMIC-2, a mission of six satellites designed to improve weather forecasts and space weather monitoring, blasted into orbit at 2:30 a.m. ET today, June 25, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
	Hubble is the ultimate multitasker: Discovering asteroids while it's doing other observations It looks like a poster of the famous Hubble Deep Field, marked with white streaks by a child, or put away carelessly and scratched in the process. But it's not. The white streaks aren't accidents; they're the paths of asteroids.

Technology news

	Intel researchers develop an eye contact correction system for video chats When participating in a video call or conference, it is often hard to maintain direct eye contact with other participants, as this requires looking into the camera rather than at the screen. Although most people use video calling services on a regular basis, so far, there has been no widespread solution to this problem.
	The RoboBee flies solo—Cutting the power cord for the first untethered flight The RoboBee—the insect-inspired microrobot developed by researchers at Harvard University—has become the lightest vehicle ever to achieve sustained flight without the assistance of a power cord. After decades of work, the researchers achieved untethered flight by making several important changes to the RoboBee, including the addition of a second pair of wings. That change, along with less visible changes to the actuators and transmission ratio, gave the RoboBee enough lift for the researchers to attach solar cells and an electronics panel.
	The first soft ring oscillator lets soft robots roll, undulate, sort, meter liquids, and swallow Soft robots can't always compete with the hard. Their rigid brethren dominate assembly lines, perform backflips, dance to Bruno Mars' "Uptown Funk," fly, dive, and walk through volcanoes.
	Robots to take 20 mn jobs, worsening inequality: study Robots are expected to take over some 20 million manufacturing jobs worldwide by 2030, extending a trend of worsening social inequality while boosting overall economic output, a new study shows.
	Camera joins Apple band in patent for smartwatch Camera at the end of a smartwatch strap, anyone? It is being suggested as a way to overcome some hurdles in smartwatch picture-taking.
	New unprinting method can help recycle paper and curb environmental costs Imagine if your printer had an "unprint" button that used pulses of light to remove toner—and thereby quintupled the lifespan of recycled paper.
	How you charge your mobile phone could compromise its battery lifespan Researchers at WMG at the University of Warwick have found that use of inductive charging, whilst highly convenient, risks depleting the life of mobile phones using typical LIBs (Lithium-ion batteries)
	Robot arm tastes with engineered bacteria A robotic gripping arm that uses engineered bacteria to "taste" for a specific chemical has been developed by engineers at the University of California, Davis, and Carnegie Mellon University. The gripper is a proof-of-concept for biologically-based soft robotics.
	Lessons from Columbine: New technology provides insight during active shooter situations Run, hide, fight. It has become a mantra for how to act during an active shooter situation. The idea is to escape the situation or protect oneself, and counter the gunman as a last resort.
	US chip firm says it can 'lawfully' sell some items to Huawei US semiconductor firm Micron Technology said Tuesday it has resumed some sales to Chinese technology giant Huawei despite a ban imposed by President Donald Trump on national security grounds.
	E-bikes encounter rocky road to approval despite popularity Gordon Goodwin and his wife are rediscovering their passion for bicycling in their senior years thanks to new electric-assist bikes. The electric motors provide a gentle kick, making it easier for them to pedal up hilly roads around Maine's Acadia National Park.
	Interior wall brings breath of fresh air to home of the future More than 3.8 million deaths worldwide each year are blamed on household air pollution, and scientists are turning to many strategies to try to clean the air in homes and business, including the use of everyday plants.
	The guts of an Apple iPhone show exactly what Trump gets wrong about trade Crack open an iPhone and you'll begin to see why President Donald Trump's ongoing trade war with China doesn't make sense.
	Breathable lava suits: volcanologist field-tested and approved When working near lava at 1,300 to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the terms 'lightweight' and 'comfortable' might not apply to a volcanologist's protective clothing.
	Detecting deepfakes by looking closely reveals a way to protect against them Deepfake videos are hard for untrained eyes to detect because they can be quite realistic. Whether used as personal weapons of revenge, to manipulate financial markets or to destabilize international relations, videos depicting people doing and saying things they never did or said are a fundamental threat to the longstanding idea that "seeing is believing." Not anymore.
	Huawei says 5G 'business as usual' despite US sanctions Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei said Wednesday that its 5G business has not been impacted by the recent US sanctions amid a prolonged trade war between the world's two largest economies.
	French consumer group launches class action against Google A French consumer rights group said Wednesday that it has launched a class action lawsuit against US tech giant Google for violating the EU's strict data privacy laws.
	EU probes whether US Broadcom hindered competition The European Union opened Wednesday an investigation to determine whether US semi-conductor giant Broadcom may be violating the bloc's competition rules and hurting rivals.
	Facebook's cryptocurrency faces pre-G20 examination Heading in to the G20 summit, Facebook is on notice from powerful regulators including the Fed chief that its plans for a global cryptocurrency face piercing scrutiny.
	Uber buys AI firm to advance push on autonomous cars Uber said Wednesday it has acquired computer vision startup Mighty AI to help advance its technology for self-driving cars.
	Tesla: Sales record within reach but deliveries are problem Tesla is close to setting a quarterly record for deliveries, but the company is having trouble shipping vehicles to the right places as the second quarter comes to a close, CEO Elon Musk told workers in an internal memo.
	FTC urged to probe 'secret surveillance scores' used against shoppers, job and housing applicants It's possible your data is being used against you as you shop, travel or apply for jobs and housing, according to a new complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission.
	Apple says it plans to turn Seattle into 'key engineering hub' with 2,000 new workers Apple plans to add 2,000 software and hardware jobs in Seattle within the next five years, starting with 200 additional jobs this year, company officials said Monday at a news conference with Mayor Jenny Durkan.
	French lawsuit accuses Google of violating EU privacy rules A leading French consumer group filed a class-action lawsuit Wednesday accusing Google of violating the European Union's landmark 2018 privacy rules.
	Research advances smartphone solution for diagnostic testing in remote rural areas A Simon Fraser University researcher is hoping to help women in rural areas access information about their reproductive health using a common tool in their pockets: a smartphone.
	Facebook's Instagram expands ads to Explore feeds Instagram said Wednesday it planned to launch advertising on its Explore page, expanding marketing opportunities on the Facebook-owned, visual-focused social network.
	Tech giants face questions on hate speech going into debates Executives of Facebook, Google and Twitter faced questioning by a House panel Wednesday on their efforts to stanch terrorist content and viral misinformation on their social media platforms.
	Apple buys more self-driving car technology in latest deal Apple has bought a struggling self-driving car startup as the iPhone maker continues to explore the potential market for robotic vehicles, despite recently curtailing its work on the technology.
	Knowing what leads to building collapses can help make African cities safer It's a sadly familiar image in several developing countries' media reports: people frantically searching the rubble of a collapsed building for survivors.
	Facebook's Libra has staggering potential: State control of money could end The UN recognises 180 currencies worldwide as legal tender, all of them issued by nation states. It does not recognise cryptocurrencies like bitcoin in this way, even if communities of enthusiasts have been treating them as a means of exchange for over a decade now.
	Monte Carlo simulations for neutron experiments Achieving a good signal-to-background ratio in neutron scattering experiments is a crucial factor in instrument and sample environment design. However, in current Monte Carlo simulation software, not all neutron interactions are considered. If all the neutron interactions that contribute to the background can be included, the expected signal-to-background ratios can be simulated and used to design better instruments.
	Denver airport drivers get stuck in mud using Google Maps Denver drivers using Google Maps to get to the city's airport last weekend and trying to avoid a traffic jam were sent on a detour that took them down a narrow, muddy dirt road.

Medicine & Health news

	New research shows Parkinson's disease origins in the gut In experiments in mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have found additional evidence that Parkinson's disease originates among cells in the gut and travels up the body's neurons to the brain. The study, described in the June issue of the journal Neuron, offers a new, more accurate model in which to test treatments that could prevent or halt Parkinson's disease progression.
	Study: Social robots can benefit hospitalized children A new study demonstrates, for the first time, that "social robots" used in support sessions held in pediatric units at hospitals can lead to more positive emotions in sick children.
	Heart risk raised by sitting in front of the TV, not by sitting at work, finds study Sitting for long periods of time has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and early death, but a new study suggests that not all types of sitting are equally unhealthy.
	Newly defined cancer driver is fast, furious and loud The Fast and the Furious movie franchise meets the Fast N' Loud television series to define an oncogene that drives 35% of prostate cancers.
	Age itself appears to increase the spread of Alzheimer's-associated tau in the brain A study by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) finds evidence that spread through the brain of the Alzheimer's-disease-associated protein tau is facilitated by factors within the aging brain itself and not by how long the protein has been expressed by neurons. Their report published in Science Advances sets the stage for studies to identify those factors, which could, in turn, lead to new therapeutic strategies.
	Childhood leukemia cannot hide from the immune system St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have evidence that children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia mount a robust immune response to their cancer. The findings, which appear today in the journal Science Translational Medicine, will likely aid development of immunotherapy for the most common childhood cancer.
	Confining cell-killing treatments to tumors Cytokines, small proteins released by immune cells to communicate with each other, have for some time been investigated as a potential cancer treatment.
	Being a 'morning person' linked to lower risk of breast cancer Being a morning person (popularly known as larks) is associated with a lower risk of developing breast cancer than being an evening person (popularly known as owls), finds a study published by The BMJ today.
	Could prosthetic limbs one day be controlled by human thought? For almost two decades, Stanford electrical engineering professor Krishna Shenoy and neuroscientists in his Neural Prosthetics Translational Laboratory have been working on implantable brain sensors that allow them to record and decipher the electrical activity of neurons that control body movement.
	Study moves one step closer to better understanding brain diseases A recent study by University of Manitoba researchers could lead to groundbreaking new treatments and improved diagnosis of diseases like Alzheimer's, stroke, epilepsy and diabetes.
	Study shows brain can be tricked into thinking body is working harder than it is A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France and Italy has found that the human brain can be tricked into thinking the body is working harder than it actually is. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes experiments they conducted with volunteers riding exercise bikes, and what they learned from them.
	Scientists discover molecular key to how cancer spreads Yale researchers have discovered how metastasis, the spread of cancer cells throughout the body, is triggered on the molecular level, and have developed a tool with the potential to detect those triggers in patients with certain cancers. The discovery could lead to new ways for treating cancer.
	Uridine diphosphate glucose found to dampen lung cancer metastasis In a study published online in Nature on June 26, research teams led by Dr. Yang Weiwei at the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Dr. Li Guohui from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of CAS reported a new function of uridine diphosphate glucose (UDP-glucose), a metabolic intermediate in the uronic acid pathway: It impairs lung cancer metastasis by accelerating SNAI1 mRNA decay.
	Is multiple sclerosis linked to childhood viral infections? Although the exact causes of multiple sclerosis still remain unknown, it is assumed that the disease is triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. But which? In a mouse model of the disease, researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), Switzerland, studied the potential link between transient cerebral viral infections in early childhood and the development of this cerebral autoimmune disease later in life. Indeed, the brain area affected by viral infection during childhood undergoes a change that can call, a long time later, on the immune system to turn against itself at this precise location, triggering autoimmune lesions. These results, which are published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, provide a first step in answering one of the possible environmental causes of this serious disease.
	Understanding how tics are suppressed may help some at risk for tic disorders At least 20 percent of elementary school-age children develop tics such as excessive blinking, throat clearing or sniffing, but for most of those kids, the tics don't become a long-term problem. Conventional wisdom has held that most tics go away on their own and that only in rare cases do they become chronic or develop into a disorder such as Tourette syndrome.
	Prostate cancer urine test shows who needs treatment and when Researchers at the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital have developed a urine test to diagnose aggressive prostate cancer and predict whether patients will require treatment up to five years earlier than standard clinical methods.
	Bystanders will intervene to help victims of aggressive public disputes Bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence say researchers, in the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV.
Injury more likely due to abuse when child was with male caregiver Over 1,700 children die from child abuse each year in the U.S., and far more sustain injuries that result in hospitalization. These deaths and severe injuries are preventable, but effective strategies require a deeper understanding of the caregivers causing the harm and the circumstances surrounding the child's injuries.
	Improving cancer treatment is 'major priority' for public Enhancing cancer treatment is a "major priority" for the UK public, which also thinks that the NHS needs more resources to provide "excellent cancer care", finds a new national survey led by UCL.
	Common antidepressants interact with opioid med to lessen pain relief Common antidepressants interact with the opioid pain medication tramadol to make it less effective for pain relief, according to a study from University Hospitals (UH). These findings have important implications for the opioid epidemic, suggesting that some patients suspected of drug-seeking may in fact be under-medicated and just are seeking more effective pain relief. They also could help explain why some people exceed the prescribed dose of tramadol, increasing their risk of addiction.
	From simple tools to high-level buy-in, how doctors can help cancer patients quit tobacco A simple set of decision-support tools combined with institutional buy-in can help increase the number of cancer patients who engage in treatment to help them quit tobacco, data from researchers in the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania show. The study is based on researchers' clinical experience with Penn's Tobacco Use Treatment Service (TUTS), which combines technology tied to electronic health records with tried and true treatment methods to support patients in their efforts to kick their habit for good. The Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network published the findings this month.
More monitoring needed to reduce post-hospitalization urinary tract infections Broader monitoring of patients is needed to reduce the number of people who develop a urinary tract infection after being discharged from the hospital, new research by Oregon State University suggests.
	Researchers reveal lack of evidence for drugs prescribed to treat chronic pain in children Decisions to prescribe children drugs to treat chronic pain are not guided by sufficient, high quality evidence, according to an important new study published today.
	Bringing neuromodulation therapies to drug-resistant epilepsy patients Despite medical and surgical advances to treat epilepsy, between 15 and 40 percent of patients continue to suffer from seizures. A significant service gap exists to bring new therapies—called neuromodulation—that could help many of these patients.
Athletic trainers: Coaches still influence health decisions More than one-third of college athletic trainers say coaches influence the hiring and firing of their schools' sports-medicine staffs, a finding that counters an NCAA-recommended protocol urging medical staff to make decisions about athlete health independent of coaches and administrators.
	San Francisco first major US city to ban e-cigarette sales San Francisco on Tuesday became the first major US city to effectively ban the sale and manufacture of electronic cigarettes, as concerns grow over a sharp rise in vaping among youths.
	Rome doctors warn of health hazards from city's garbage woes Doctors in Rome are warning of possible health hazards caused by overflowing trash bins in the city's streets, as the Italian capital struggles with a renewed garbage emergency aggravated by the summer heat.
	Study: No outcome differences after hernia surgery by medical doctors vs surgeons in Ghana Inguinal hernia is one of the most common general surgical conditions in the world, with an estimated 220 million cases and 20 million surgeries performed annually. Inguinal hernia occurs when tissue, like part of the intestine, pushes through a weak spot in the abdominal wall and into the groin area. Hernias can be congenital or emerge over time. The condition is eight to 10 times more common in men, who have a 27 percent lifetime chance of developing one. Other risk factors include older age, a family history, and a previous hernia.
Is more weight protective? Weight gain and high BMI linked to lower risk of ALS People who have a high body mass index (BMI) or who gain weight as they get older may have a lower risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, according to a large study published in the June 26, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
	Hidden consciousness detectable with EEG just days after brain injury Close analysis of EEG data reveals that nearly 1 in 7 brain-injured ICU patients shows evidence of hidden consciousness just days after injury. Patients with such signs are more likely to recover, neurologists at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian have found.
	Repurposed drugs could cure these antibiotic-resistant infections With antimicrobial resistance on the rise, many infections once easily treated are becoming fatal. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) is to blame for more than 5% of all deaths attributed to antibiotic-resistant infection in the U.S., second only to MRSA. Researchers are now exploring whether they could repurpose some drugs, which have already been approved by the FDA, to treat the infection.
	Researchers look to unlock post-traumatic stress disorder puzzle A team of Penn State and University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine researchers is attempting to answer a question that has long puzzled experts: Why do some individuals suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing trauma, and others do not?
	Portable device can be used to diagnose eye disease remotely A portable device connected to a smartphone makes precise images of the retina to detect back-of-the-eye (fundus) disease at a far lower cost than conventional methods. Created by Phelcom Technologies, a startup based at São Carlos in São Paulo State, Brazil, the Eyer can be used for remote diagnosis by an ophthalmologist via telemedicine.
	Boosting amino acid derivative may be a treatment for schizophrenia Many psychiatric drugs act on the receptors or transporters of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. However, there is a great need for alternatives, and research is looking at other targets along the brain's metabolic pathways. Lack of glycine betaine contributes to brain pathology in schizophrenia, and new research from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) shows that betaine supplementation can counteract psychiatric symptoms in mice.
	People living in rural areas may be at lower risk of Alzheimer's disease People who live in regional or remote areas may be at lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to our recent research.
	Celebrity chefs could reduce foodborne illnesses, study says Foodborne illnesses sicken more than 48 million people in the United States each year, with 128,000 requiring hospitalization and 3,000 dying, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preparing food using thermometers correctly to ensure that it is cooked well enough to eliminate pathogens and bacteria could save some of those lives.
	The secret of autobiographical memory is in assembly of cells Of all forms of memory, episodic memory is the most intimate. We recall the sequences of events that happen to us—a marriage, a visit to a foreign country, a personal achievement—in great autobiographical detail. But scientists have disagreed about the most important elements the brain uses to encode these episodes and consolidate them during sleep.
	Older adults' independence is most significant factor for vulnerability in hot weather Efforts to support older people during extreme heat should focus on those who lack independence or have pre-existing health issues, according to an expert from the University of Warwick.
	Boosting the cancer-destroying ability of killer T-cells More types of cancer could potentially be destroyed by patients' own immune cells, thanks to new research by Cardiff University.
	Neuronal Parkinson inclusions are different than expected An international team of researchers involving members of the University of Basel's Biozentrum challenges the conventional understanding of the cause of Parkinson's disease. The researchers have shown that the inclusions in the brain's neurons, characteristic of Parkinson's disease, are composed of a membranous medley rather than protein fibrils. The recently published study in Nature Neuroscience raises new questions about the etiology of Parkinson's disease.
	Genetic imbalance in immune system linked to biliary tract cancer Patients with biliary tract cancer have altered genetic architecture in some immune system receptors. This has been shown by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden in a new study published in the journal Gastroenterology. It is hoped that the discovery will lead to new effective immunotherapy for these difficult to treat tumour types.
	Defective degradation enzyme triggers hereditary storage diseases In rare hereditary storage diseases such as Sandhoff's disease or Tay-Sachs syndrome, the metabolic waste from accumulating gangliosides cannot be properly disposed of in the nerve cells because important enzymes are missing. The consequences for the patients are grave: They range from movement restrictions to blindness, mental decline and early death. Scientists at the University of Bonn now demonstrate why these gangliosides also accumulate in patients with other storage diseases and cause a deterioration in them. The results will soon be presented in the Journal of Lipid Research and can be read online in advance.
	Goldilocks principle explains the origins of the most common children's cancer Just as Goldilocks sought porridge that was "just right," St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists reported that targeting "just right" levels of a mutant protein may offer a novel therapeutic approach to some cases of childhood leukemia. The findings appear today in the journal Nature Communications.
	New research highlights inequalities in nursing-home care for minorities America is expected to become a "majority-minority" nation by 2045, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2030 alone, racial and ethnic minorities are expected to make up almost 30 percent of the older adult population in the United States.
	Methylmercury precipitates heart failure by increasing Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission Researchers from the National Institute for Physiological Sciences revealed the molecular mechanism underlying increased risk of heart failure during hemodynamic load by methylmercury exposure. They found that exposure of mice to extremely low-dose methylmercury increases cardiac fragility after pressure overload through Drp1-mediated mitochondrial hyperfission in mice. They also found that depolysulfidation of Drp1 protein by methymercury triggers association of Drp1 with filamin-A leading to activation of Drp1-mediated mitochondrial hyperfission in mouse cardiomyocytes.
	Factors orthopaedic surgeons should consider when prescribing opioids Orthopaedic surgeons are the third-highest physician prescribers of opioids, writing more than 6 million prescriptions a year. Because over-dispensing of opioids is a factor contributing to the ongoing opioid epidemic, researchers at Johns Hopkins surveyed orthopaedic providers to better understand what drives their prescribing practices and to identify gaps in knowledge and potentially worrisome trends. In their survey of 127 orthopaedic providers in the Baltimore area, the Johns Hopkins researchers found that respondents frequently recommended prescribing a nine-day supply of around-the-clock oxycodone doses following commonly performed orthopaedic surgeries. The researchers also found that risk factors that might normally warrant prescribing fewer opioids, such as a history of drug misuse or depression, often did not diminish hypothetical prescribing rates.
	Muscling in on the role of vitamin D A recent study conducted at The Westmead Institute for Medical Research has shed light on the role of vitamin D in muscle cells. The study looked at the role of vitamin D in muscles in mice, and showed that vitamin D signaling (how cells communicate with one another) is needed for normal muscle size and strength.
	FDA warns two kratom marketers about false claims (HealthDay)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday took two kratom marketers to task over false claims that their products can treat or cure opioid addiction.
	USPSTF urges interventions to prevent tobacco use in children (HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that primary care physicians provide interventions to prevent school-aged children and adolescents from initiating tobacco use. This recommendation forms the basis of a draft recommendation statement, published online June 25 by the USPSTF.
	Are testosterone-boosting supplements effective? Not likely, according to new research Men who want to improve their libido or build body mass may want to think twice before using testosterone-boosting supplements—also known as "T boosters—as research shows these alternatives to traditional testosterone replacement therapy may not have ingredients to support their claims, according to Mary K. Samplaski, MD, assistant professor of clinical urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC.
	Big decline seen in use of annual pelvic exam by young women (HealthDay)—Young women are far less likely now to get an annual pelvic exam than they were in decades past, a new report finds.
	Higher intake of linoleic acid may reduce type 2 diabetes risk (HealthDay)—Intake of linoleic acid (LA) is inversely associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care.
	Prevention bundle may cut cardiac device infections (HealthDay)—Standardized protocols and bundles can improve infection prevention in the electrophysiology laboratory, according to a study published online June 4 in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
	Physicians unaware of breast density laws, cancer risk (HealthDay)—Physicians need more education about breast density and breast cancer screening, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Women's Health.
	Adjusting BMI eliminates lead Asian Americans hold in heart health Asian Americans are more likely to have better overall cardiovascular health than white Americans, but they lose that standing when the comparison is made using a lower, Asian-specific threshold for body mass index, according to new research.
	Americans aware of antibiotic resistance, but don't always follow prescription: poll (HealthDay)—Most Americans consider antibiotic resistance a threat to public health, but 45% say they've used antibiotics improperly, a new poll reports.
Use of evidence-based therapies for youth psychiatric treatment is slow to catch on We all hope—and probably expect—that clinicians use only mental health therapies that are scientifically proven to improve symptoms. A new study from Penn Medicine and Philadelphia's Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS) shows that, unfortunately, evidence-based therapies to treat youth with mental health problems are slow to catch on. Specifically, researchers found that over a five-year period in Philadelphia, use of evidence-based therapies—practices backed by scientific data showing that symptoms improve in response to treatment, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—increased only modestly, despite the city and researchers' substantial efforts to showcase the value of these approaches and to provide training to community clinicians. The results were published this month in Implementation Science.
	Infrared imaging technology being developed to better detect breast cancer Researchers have found a non-invasive, cost effective method that uses infrared technology to locate hard-to-find breast cancer tumors. For the 40-50% of women with dense breast tissue, where these tumors often hide, this technology could be the difference between early interventions or major surgery.
	Food insecurity leading to type 2 diabetes A collaborative study by a team of Connecticut researchers shows there is a strong connection between food insecurity and insulin resistance, the underlying problem in type 2 diabetes. Insulin resistance occurs when cells are not able to respond normally to the hormone insulin.
	Long-term statin use associated with lower glaucoma risk A new study brings the connection between statin use and risk of glaucoma into sharper focus. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital have found that using statins for five or more years is associated with lower risk of primary open-angle glaucoma. Results of the study were published recently in JAMA Ophthalmology.
	Immune damage may explain ineffectiveness of high-dose radiation against lung cancer When it comes to using radiation against lung cancer, preliminary clinical studies were pretty clear: More is better. So why did a large phase 3 clinical trial find exactly the opposite—that stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with higher doses of radiation actually had shorter overall survival than patients treated with lower-dose radiation?
	Scientists developing way to help premature babies breathe easier Researchers suggest a possible cell-based therapy to stimulate lung development in fragile premature infants who suffer from a rare condition called Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD), which in the most severe cases can lead to lifelong breathing problems and even death.
	Can Facebook improve your mental health? Contrary to popular belief, using social media and the internet regularly could improve mental health among adults and help fend off serious psychological distress, such as depression and anxiety, finds a new Michigan State University study.
	Long delays prescribing new antibiotics hinder market for needed drugs U.S. hospitals wait over a year on average to begin prescribing newly developed antibiotics, a delay that might threaten the supply or discourage future development of needed drugs.
	Is San Francisco's vaping ban backed by science? San Francisco has decided to ban the sale of e-cigarettes in 2020, hoping to curb a surge in vaping among adolescents. But is the policy backed up by the available evidence?
	Vaccine panel gives nod to HPV shots for men up to age 26 A vaccine against cervical and other cancers should be recommended for both men and women up to age 26, a U.S. government advisory panel decided Wednesday.
Medicare Advantage beneficiaries run higher risk of readmission compared with traditional Medicare Medicare Advantage users had higher risk-adjusted 30-day hospital readmission rates compared to traditional Medicare beneficiaries. Hospital admissions were compared for three common medical conditions. Findings from a retrospective population-based analysis are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Radionuclide therapy effective in high-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) has been shown to be safe and effective for patients with grade 3 (G3) neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), according to research presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's (SNMMI) 66th Annual Meeting.
ICSI has no outcome benefits over conventional IVF in routine non-male infertility cases Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), the world's favoured means of fertilisation in assisted reproduction, offers no benefit over conventional in vitro fertilisation in fertility treatments without a male factor indication, according to results of a large multicentre study.
	The pain of PTSD—and hope for help Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Congressman, decorated Iraq War veteran, and Democratic candidate for president, recently revealed that he has struggled with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. While PTSD is commonly associated with military veterans or and those who have experienced or witnessed a violent event, it is more common than many people think.
Innovation could influence a range of reproductive health outcomes A unique intervaginal ring (IVR) in development by a Swinburne research team aims to enhance vaginal health and reduce instances of the common vaginal health condition, bacterial vaginosis (BV).
	Immunological discovery opens new possibilities for using antibodies Researchers from the University of Turku have discovered a new route that transports subcutaneously administered antibodies into lymph nodes in just a few seconds. The discovery enables targeted therapies for the immune system.
	In Haiti, gay men infected with HIV are targets of discrimination In Haiti, about 150,000 people out of a population of 11 million are believed to be living with the HIV virus. Of those, only 55% have access to antiretroviral medications. What explains this lack of access to care?
Paternal age over 51 years reduces success rate in IVF and ICSI While female fertility comes to an irrevocable end with the menopause (at a consistently average age of 51 years), men are not constrained by similar biological senescence. Studies have shown that sperm counts may decline and DNA damage in sperm cells may increase over time, but the celebrity fatherhood of ageing actors and rock stars perpetuates the myth that male fertility might last forever.
	No swimming: Toxic bacteria afflicts Mississippi coast An outbreak of toxic bacteria is ruining some beach plans in Mississippi, where authorities are warning people not to swim or eat seafood from polluted coastal waters.
	SNMMI Image of the Year: Novel radiotracer detects 28 cancer types A single radiotracer can identify nearly 30 types of cancer, allowing for new applications in noninvasive diagnosis, staging and treatment, according to research presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI). The results of the study demonstrate that positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with a fibroblast-activation protein inhibitor (FAPI)—which targets the overexpressed proteins present in cancer—resulted in images with exceptionally clear tumor delineation and high image contrast, as demonstrated in the 68Ga-FAPI-PET/CT image that has been selected as the 2019 SNMMI Image of the Year.
	A tasty way to enjoy more carrots (HealthDay)—Carrot sticks are fine for a snack, but that's far from the only way to get these tasty veggies into your diet.
	What's the most effective way to tone your biceps? (HealthDay)—The biceps, the very visible muscles in the front of the upper arms, are a target in every comprehensive strength-training regimen, but what exercise is the most effective?
Study questions success of health intervention currently used in developing countries In the early 20th century, researchers in Massachusetts studied the first community-based health intervention in the world, the Framingham Health and Tuberculosis Demonstration, deeming it highly successful in controlling tuberculosis (TB) and reducing mortality. Now a new study, which used recently digitized data on causes of death during that period, has concluded that the effort was not as successful as initially thought, and suggests that the intervention cannot be cited as evidence for the success of health policies in the era before antibiotics became available. Because the intervention inspired a number of contemporary health demonstrations and projects used in developing countries today, the new study raises serious questions.

Biology news

	'Flying salt shakers of death:' Fungal-infected zombie cicadas explained If cicadas made horror movies, they'd probably study the actions of their counterparts plagued by a certain psychedelic fungus.
	Snails show that variety is the key to success if you want to remember more A change is as good as a rest when it comes to remembering more, according to new research by neuroscientists at the University of Sussex.
	Honeybees infect wild bumblebees—through shared flowers Many species of wild bumblebees are in decline—and new research shows that diseases spread by domestic honeybees may be a major culprit.
	New indicators could help manage global overfishing The smallest plants and creatures in the ocean power an entire food web, including the fish that much of the world's population depend on for food, work and cultural identity.
	The older you get, the harder you seek: The mating secrets of Africa's bull elephants Males of many species slow down in their pursuit of females as they age. Not so with elephants. A new study published today reveals that bull elephants increase the energy they put into reproduction as they get older.
	Networks of gene activity control organ development For the first time, researchers have decoded the genetic programmes that control the development of major organs in humans and other selected mammals—rhesus monkeys, mice, rats, rabbits and opossums—before and after birth. Using next-generation sequencing technologies, the molecular biologists at Heidelberg University analysed the brain, heart, liver, kidney, testicles, and ovaries. Their large-scale study demonstrated, among other things, that all the organs studied exhibit fundamental and original gene activity networks that must have originated early on in mammalian evolution more than 200 million years ago. In a second large study, the scientists explored for the first time the developmental roles of a hitherto poorly understood but large category of genes, so-called RNA genes, which produce ribonucleic acids and not proteins, like "normal" genes.
	Researchers unlocking keys to longevity of egg cell supply in mammals Since female mammals are born with a limited number of egg cells, most of the egg cells wait in a dormant state before maturing later in life to ensure a long period of fertility. However, how this dormant state is achieved and then maintained is still largely shrouded in mystery.
	How the antibiotic chloramphenicol causes damage to eukaryotes A group of scientists from Japan led by Professor Takashi Kamakura of Tokyo University of Science has demonstrated the molecular and cellular basis of the toxic effects of the antibiotic chloramphenicol on eukaryotic cells. Concluding their study published in Scientific Reports, they write, "Identification of the molecular target of chloramphenicol may lead to better elucidation and resolution of its side effects in humans."
	The ancient history of Neanderthals in Europe Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, have retrieved nuclear genome sequences from the femur of a male Neanderthal discovered in 1937 in Hohlenstein-Stadel Cave, Germany, and from the maxillary bone of a Neanderthal girl found in 1993 in Scladina Cave, Belgium. Both Neanderthals lived around 120,000 years ago, and therefore predate most of the Neanderthals whose genomes have been sequenced to date.
	Rapid cross-resistance bringing cockroaches closer to invincibility Cockroaches are serious threats to human health. They carry dozens of types of bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella, that can sicken people. And the saliva, feces and body parts they leave behind may not only trigger allergies and asthma but could cause the condition in some children.
	Unlocking secrets of the ice worm The ice worm is one of the largest organisms that spends its entire life in ice and Washington State University scientist Scot Hotalilng is one of the only people on the planet studying it.
	What made humans 'the fat primate'? Blame junk food or a lack of exercise. But long before the modern obesity epidemic, evolution made us fat too.
	Learning from experience is all in the timing As animals explore their environment, they learn to master it. By discovering what sounds tend to precede predatorial attack, for example, or what smells predict dinner, they develop a kind of biological clairvoyance—a way to anticipate what's coming next, based on what has already transpired. Now, Rockefeller scientists have found that an animal's education relies not only on what experiences it acquires, but also on when it acquires them.
	Conservation efforts for giant South American river turtles have protected 147,000 females By analyzing records in countries of the Amazon and Orinoco basins—which include Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador—a paper published today in Oryx—The International Journal of Conservation, categorized 85 past and present initiatives or projects that work to preserve the South American River Turtle, or charapa (Podocnemis expansa), a critically endangered species. These projects are protecting more than 147,000 female turtles across the basin, an unprecedented figure.
	Managing the ups and downs of coffee production Each day, more than 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide.
	Pine woodland restoration creates haven for birds in Midwest, study finds Millions of acres of pine woodlands once covered a large portion of the Midwest. But as humans logged these trees and suppressed natural fires, the woodlands gave way to dense forests with thick leaf litter and tree species that were less fire-resistant, leading to more intense and unpredictable fires as well as the loss of native bird habitats.
	Understanding what makes captive gorilla hearts tick We've known for some time that heart disease is prevalent in captive gorilla populations and is a leading cause of death. This is why, in 2010, the Great Ape Heart Project based at Zoo Atlanta was formed. The project provides a network of clinical, pathologic and research strategies to aid in the understanding and treating of cardiac disease in all the ape species, with the ultimate goal of reducing cardiovascular-related mortalities and improving the health and welfare of great apes in human care.
	Climate change: bees are disorientated by flowers' changing scents Coffee, apples, honey – were it not for the precious work of pollinators, countless things that we eat and drink would not exist, totalling more than 30% of global food production. Most pollinators are insects, particularly from the bee family (close to a thousand species in France alone), along with butterflies and diptera, such as syrphids.
	Quantifying and understanding well-to-well contamination in microbiome research When Amnon Amir, Jon Sanders, and their colleagues began using positive control samples of Vibrio fischeri in plate-based extractions as a way to validate results, they unexpectedly observed that many of the surrounding samples would also show Vibrio fischeri in their composition. They set out to design an experiment to quantify this problem, which led to the newly published paper "Quantifying and Understanding Well-to-Well Contamination in Microbiome Research," in mSystems.
	Study of emotional response to the interaction between hand and stone tool The paleoneurology team at the CENIEH has just published a cognitive archaeology paper on emotion and attention when handling Lower Paleolithic tools, in which around 50 volunteers participated
	Studying the human brain through craniovascular traits Arteries and veins leave their marks on the bones of the cranium, and these traces can be used in anthropology, bioarchaeology and paleontology to investigate the blood system in extinct species or past populations. This week, the Journal of Anatomy is publishing an article by lead author Emiliano Bruner, paleoneurologist at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), on the distribution of these craniovascular traits in modern humans.
	New study on gene editing in wildlife finds people are wary The applications of CRISPR based genetic engineering tools range from changing colors in butterfly wings to developing gene therapies that might one day cure or prevent human diseases.
	Former war refugee maps habitat for West African bird Growing up in Liberia during that country's brutal 14-year civil war, Benedictus Freeman and his family fled into the rainforest, where they survived for years eating bush meat and foraging. The rainforest provided Freeman sustenance and protection—but more than that, the experience ignited a passion in him for understanding and preserving nature.
	Organic farming enhances honeybee colony performance Bees are valuable to humans not only because they produce honey, but also because they pollinate wildflowers and food crops. They exclusively eat nectar and pollen. So in areas where intensive agriculture is practised, they suffer from the thin supply of flowers in May and June, when cultivated oilseed rape (colza) and sunflower are not in bloom. During that period, pollen collection, honey production and colony growth slow.
	Big data and innovations for healthy bees Big data, an interactive platform and six different technological innovations are the core of the recently started Horizon 2020 project B-GOOD (http://b-good-project.eu/) in its 4-year mission to pave the way toward healthy and sustainable beekeeping across the European Union.
	Novel watermelon rootstock knocks out disease and pests A new watermelon line, developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Clemson University scientists, gets to the root of the problem of a major disease and pest of watermelon crops in the southern United States.
	Malaysia busts attempt to smuggle over 5,000 terrapins Malaysian customs officers arrested two Indian men attempting to smuggle over 5,000 terrapins through the country to be sold as pets, officials said Wednesday.
Frontline heroes hailed in the war against devil cancers Residents of Tasmania's D'Entrecasteaux Channel Peninsula, Kingborough and Huon Valley communities are being hailed as the frontline heroes in the war against two deadly transmissible cancers affecting Tasmanian devils—Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) and Devil Facial Tumour 2 (DFT2).
	The case of the poisoned songbirds Researchers from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Wildlife Investigations Laboratory present their results from a toxicological investigation into a mortality event involving songbirds in a new publication in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

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