Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jun 5

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Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 5, 2019:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Investigating the implications of social robots in religious contexts

Quantum supremacy and its efficient certification difficult to achieve simultaneously

Specific ion effects directed noble metal aerogels

Bees can link symbols to numbers, study finds

Researchers discover what makes deep-sea dragonfish teeth transparent

Making a splash is all in the angle

Dynamic compression provides new insight into understanding and predicting crystal growth

Glacial sediments greased the gears of plate tectonics

Improved human brain organoids to boost neurological disease research

Video gamers design brand new proteins

DNA from 31,000-year-old milk teeth leads to discovery of new group of ancient Siberians

Is there a limit to human endurance? Science says yes

Astronomers take a closer look at emission from the supernova remnant MSH 15−56

Elephants can differentiate between food amounts by smell alone

Metal foam stops .50 caliber rounds as well as steel – at less than half the weight

Astronomy & Space news

	Astronomers take a closer look at emission from the supernova remnant MSH 15−56 By analyzing archival data from the Suzaku X-ray satellite, astronomers have learned important information regarding thermal and non-thermal emission from the composite supernova remnant (SNR) designated MSH 15-56. Results of the study, available in a paper published May 29 on arXiv.org, could be helpful in advancing the knowledge about composite SNRs residing in the Milky Way galaxy.
	Cool, nebulous ring around Milky Way's supermassive black hole New ALMA observations reveal a never-before-seen disk of cool, interstellar gas wrapped around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. This nebulous disk gives astronomers new insights into the workings of accretion: the siphoning of material onto the surface of a black hole. The results are published in the journal Nature.
	InSight's team tries new strategy to help the 'mole' Scientists and engineers have a new plan for getting NASA InSight's heat probe, also known as the "mole," digging again on Mars. Part of an instrument called the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3), the mole is a self-hammering spike designed to dig as much as 16 feet (5 meters) below the surface and record temperature.
	China conducts first sea-based space rocket launch China launched a space rocket from sea for the first time on Wednesday, its space agency announced, the latest step in Beijing's push to become a major space power.
	Rockets for education Why rockets are so captivating is not exactly rocket science. Watching a chunk of metal defy the forces of gravity satisfies many a human's wish to soar through the air and into space.
	All engines go for Vega-C maiden flight ESA is working with industry towards the maiden flight of Europe's new Vega-C launch vehicle in 2020 for more launches, with increased performance, to more orbits.
	Dozens of satellites joining Vega's rideshare to space More than 40 satellite missions will be launched at once by Europe's Vega launcher this autumn, thanks to the innovative modular "Lego-style" dispenser resting on its upper stage.
	Full moon at Normandy: Celestial sleuth corrects D-Day historical record June 6 marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion, arguably the biggest turning point of World War II. While the invasion of Normandy involved a never-before seen mobilization of people and resources, the role astronomy played in the operation's planning is often overlooked.
	TESS first light on stellar physics Using asteroseismic techniques, an international team searched for pulsations in a subsample of five thousand stars, from the 32 thousand observed in short cadence in the first two sectors (roughly the first two months of science operations) of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), and found five rare rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars. These results were accepted for publication in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
	A new method for 3-D reconstructions of eruptive events on sun An international team of scientists led by Skoltech professor Tatiana Podladchikova developed a new 3-D method for reconstructing space weather phenomena, in particular, shock waves produced by the Sun's energy outbursts. Their findings can help better understand and predict extreme space weather occurrences that affect the operation of engineering systems in space and on Earth. The results of their study were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
	New era for New Norcia deep space antenna The 35-m deep space antenna in New Norcia, Western Australia, is being looked after by a new team, led for the first time by a female site manager, Suzy Jackson.
	Space Rider: Europe's reusable space transport system Initially proposed in 2016, ESA's Space Rider reentry vehicle provides a return to Earth and landing capability that compliments the existing launch options of the Ariane and Vega families.

Technology news

	Investigating the implications of social robots in religious contexts Researchers at Siegen University and Würzberg University, in Germany, have recently carried out a study investigating the user experience and acceptability associated with the use of social robots in religious contexts. Their paper, published in Springer's International Journal of Social Robotics, offers interesting insight into how people perceive blessing robots compared to other robots for more conventional purposes.
	Protecting our energy infrastructure from cyberattack Almost every day, news headlines announce another security breach and the theft of credit card numbers and other personal information. While having one's credit card stolen can be annoying and unsettling, a far more significant, yet less recognized, concern is the security of physical infrastructure, including energy systems.
	Autonomous boats can target and latch onto each other The city of Amsterdam envisions a future where fleets of autonomous boats cruise its many canals to transport goods and people, collect trash, or self-assemble into floating stages and bridges. To further that vision, MIT researchers have given new capabilities to their fleet of robotic boats—which are being developed as part of an ongoing project—that lets them target and clasp onto each other, and keep trying if they fail.
	Pioneering 3-D printed device sets new record for efficiency A new 3-D printed thermoelectric device, which converts heat into electric power with an efficiency factor over 50% higher than the previous best for printed materials—and is cheap to produce in bulk—has been manufactured by researchers at Swansea University's SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre.
	Mojo Vision shows off display technology for augmented reality What meets the eye is important—but in the case of entering the realm of augmented reality, how it meets the eye is an issue. A California company is on that case. They have technology to let AR users keep in the flow eyes-up. Hands-free.
	Amazon says drone deliveries coming 'within months' Amazon said Wednesday it expects to begin large-scale deliveries by drone in the coming months as it unveiled its newest design for its "Prime Air" fleet.
	US antitrust hammer for Big Tech: what happens next? Big Tech firms are facing an antitrust onslaught in Washington, including reported probes of monopoly abuse by regulators and at least one congressional investigation.
	US says to take action to ensure rare earths supply The United States says it will take "unprecedented actions" to ensure the supply of strategic elements and rare earths, as China mulls possible export controls for materials that are critical to modern technology.
	Is 'Big Tech' too big? A look at growing antitrust scrutiny Is Big Tech headed for a big breakup?
	Hackers seek ransoms from Baltimore and communities across the US The people of Baltimore are beginning their fifth week under an electronic siege that has prevented residents from obtaining building permits and business licenses—and even buying or selling homes. A year after hackers disrupted the city's emergency services dispatch system, city workers throughout the city are unable to, among other things, use their government email accounts or conduct routine city business.
	Finding fake fingerprints It was once the stuff of science fiction security, open your eye wide and look into the camera to gain entry to the spaceship flight deck or press a finger tip or palm of your against the pad to access the secret database that lets you take control of the baddies' weapons. Today, of course, iris recognition, fingerprint readers, and other biometric systems are becoming increasingly commonplace. Most modern smart phones have a fingerprint reader that lets you unlock your phone without having to remember a password or number.
	Do sensors make infrastructure safer? Simply driving down the road gives you a sense for the current state of our infrastructure: crumbling and in need of repair. Aside from retrofitting or replacing current infrastructure with new construction and materials, new technology like sensors offers a way for inspectors to peer inside the systems almost continuously.
	Remaining switched on to silicon-based electronics The difficulty of further increasing the power conversion efficiency of silicon-based components in power electronics seems to indicate that we are reaching the limits of potential advances to this technology. However, a research group headed by The University of Tokyo recently challenged that view by developing a power switching device that surpasses previous performance limits, illustrating that silicon technology can still be further optimized. The researchers developed an improved insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), which is a type of switch used in power conversion to switch high voltages of around 600 to 6500 V.
	YouTube to ban 'hateful,' 'supremacist' videos YouTube announced Wednesday it would ban videos promoting or glorifying racism and discrimination as well as those denying well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting.
British art dealer unveils pioneering robot artist Billed as "one of the most exciting artists of our time", Ai-Da differs from generations of past masters in one inescapable way: she is a robot.
WWDC 2019: Meet Apple's youngest app developer, Ayush Ayush Kumar is only allowed 30 minutes of screen time a week.
GM adds highways to semi-autonomous driving system General Motors is adding 70,000 miles (113,000 kilometers) of roads across the U.S. and Canada to the area where its Cadillac Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving system can run, including some with cross traffic similar to those that have confused Tesla's Autopilot system.
	Renault to bring case against Ghosn over expenses French carmaker Renault is to bring a case against former chief executive Carlos Ghosn after identifying 11 million euros of questionable expenses, the government said Wednesday, in a new blow for the fallen tycoon as he awaits trial in Japan.
	Exploring deeper understanding and better description of networks Since the beginning of the last century, research on complex systems has advanced the fields of chaos, fractals and networks. A network consists of nodes and edges, where nodes represent the elements of a complex system and edges describe the interactions among them. Such node-edge relations can be represented by an adjacency matrix, whose order equals the number of nodes and each row-sum corresponds to a node degree. The heterogeneity of node degrees leads to the emergence of star-shaped structures centered at hub nodes.
	News media needs to fight misinformation and fake news in the 2020 US presidential election In the run-up to the 2020 presidential election, the United States is headed into what could be one of "the most extraordinary years of claims and counter-claims, misinformation, and fact-checking," says John Wihbey, who is an assistant professor of journalism at Northeastern University.
	Lithuanian researcher creates AI-based solution for measuring the emotional climate of New York A young researcher from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), Lithuania—Domantas Didziapetris—created an artificial intelligence based solution for measuring the emotional climate in Manhattan, New York. After carrying out a sentiment analysis of over 36 thousand tweets, he created a scale which indicates how the residents and visitors rate emotional climate of the different Manhattan neighbourhoods.
	Improving driver safety: A standardized look at distraction monitors A group of scientists in the USA has developed the first-ever standardized method of evaluating commercially available driver-monitoring systems. The details were published in the May issue of IEEE/CAA Journal of Automatica Sinica (JAS), a joint publication of the IEEE and the Chinese Association of Automation.
	Augmenting microgrid technology: A new way for reliable power A group of American and Chinese researchers has designed and tested a microgrid system that is both robust and reliable—and therefore capable of delivering energy safely and without interruptions. This is particularly important during harsh weather conditions and times of peak consumption and is critical for economic growth.
	Microgrids can help maximize efficiency of renewable energy consumption A group of Italian researchers has developed a method that enables more efficient use of energy by smart homes that are connected to a microgrid—a web of individualized units that are connected to one another and one common energy source.
	About faces: Geometric style of portrait artwork A team of computer scientists at the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel have developed an innovative method to automatically analyze artistic portraiture, capturing a high level of detail and accuracy of the portraits as well as the artists' individual style. Focused on devising a computational method to detect facial features in artwork, or facial landmarks such as eye corners or mouth corners, the researchers have successfully extended work done in photographs of natural face images to the artistic portraiture field.
	Americans think fake news is big problem, blame politicians Half of U.S. adults consider fake news a major problem, and they mostly blame politicians and activists for it, according to a new survey.
	Data center boosters hope new tax incentives 'stop the bleeding,' keep tech sites in Illinois Illinois lawmakers approved a data center tax incentive proponents say could make tech giants and other firms think twice about locating their data storage facilities anywhere else.
	Is there finally more help in the fight against robocalls? New tools are coming to fight robocalls, but don't expect unwanted calls to disappear.
	China's Huawei signs deal to develop 5G in Russia China's Huawei, considered a security threat in the US, on Wednesday signed a deal with Russian telecoms company MTS to develop a 5G network in the country over the next year,

Medicine & Health news

	Improved human brain organoids to boost neurological disease research Scientists at Harvard University and the Broad Institute's Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research have made a major advance in the development of human brain 'organoids': miniature, 3-D tissue cultures that model a patient's own brain cells in a dish. Their new method, published in Nature, consistently grows the same types of cells, in the same order, as the developing human cerebral cortex. The advance could change the way researchers study neuropsychiatric diseases and test the effectiveness of drugs.
	Snout dated: Slow-evolving elephant shark offers new insights into human physiology The mineralocortoid receptor (MR) regulates water and sodium transport throughout cells and tissues, which is critical for controlling blood pressure and so, not surprisingly, the MR is common to all vertebrate animals. Aldosterone, which is a physiological steroid for land vertebrate MRs, evolved in lungfish (forerunners of land vertebrates), suggesting that the evolution of aldosterone was important in the conquest of land by preventing dehydration in animals living out of water.
	Exposure to influential bacteria begins before we are born, new evidence confirms Australian researchers have laid to rest a longstanding controversy: is the womb sterile?
	Study sheds light on blood vessel damage from high glucose concentrations A mechanism in the cells that line our blood vessels that helps them to process glucose becomes uncontrolled in diabetes, and could be linked to the formation of blood clots and inflammation according to researchers from the University of Warwick.
	To fight tuberculosis infection, early protection is crucial In the first days after the tuberculosis (TB) bacteria infect the body, a flurry of immune cells are activated to fight the infection. Now, researchers have identified a master cell that coordinates the body's immune defenses in those crucial early days, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Africa Health Research Institute in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
	Study sheds light on how cells in the body can sense cancer Fresh insights into how cells alert the body when they are in danger of becoming cancerous could open new doors in the search for therapies.
	Physics could answer questions about breast cancer spreading to bones To fully understand why breast cancer spreads, or metastasizes, you must also consider the how.
	Scientists discover how hepatitis C 'ghosts' our immune system Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have discovered how the highly infectious and sometimes deadly hepatitis C virus (HCV) "ghosts" our immune system and remains undiagnosed in many people. They report their findings today in the international FASEB journal.
	A new way to block malaria transmission by targeting young contagious parasite forms In a new study titled "Naturally acquired immunity against immature Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes," published today in Science Translational Medicine, scientists have revealed previously unknown targets of natural human antibody responses that are found on the surfaces of red blood cells infected with malaria parasites. The team behind the study believes that using a vaccine to boost this natural response may provide an efficient way to block both disease and its spread.
	Telomere length unaffected by smoking: study A new study has surprised the medical world, finding that smoking does not shorten the length of telomeres—a marker at the end of our chromosomes that is widely accepted as an indicator of ageing.
	Replicating fetal bone growth process could help heal large bone defects To treat large gaps in long bones, like the femur, which result from bone tumor removal or a shattering trauma, researchers at Penn Medicine and the University of Illinois at Chicago developed a process that partially recreates the bone growth process that occurs before birth. A bone defect of more than two centimeters is considered substantial, and current successful healing rates stand at 50 percent or less, with failure often resulting in amputation. The team hopes that their method, which they've developed in rodent models to mimic the process of rapid fetal bone growth, can substantially improve success rates. Their findings are published in Science Translational Medicine.
	Mortality rate 'weekend effect' not a reliable measure of care quality in hospitals The higher mortality rate for weekend hospital admissions should not be used as an indicator of quality of care due to the lack of data preceding patient admission and on the severity of their illness, a new study conducted at the University of Warwick Medical School has concluded.
	Study finds tie between attributing hostile intent and aggression in children and youth Children who tend to attribute hostile motives to other people are more likely to display aggression, however, the strength of this relationship varies. A new meta-analysis sought to determine the relation between attributing hostile intent and aggressive behavior. It found that the relation between the two is the strongest in tasks that are emotionally engaging, such as when someone is provoked or loses a game. It also found that attributing hostile intent to others guides the way individuals process information across a broad range of contexts, suggesting that learning to attribute hostile intent in one situation may contribute to aggression in other situations.
	Widowed and divorced men more at risk of dying from serious heart conditions than women Surviving some of the most common heart and circulatory diseases may be impacted by your gender and marital status, according to new research presented today at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) Conference in Manchester.
	High blood pressure during pregnancy increases risk of heart attacks and strokes Women who have high blood pressure during their pregnancies, or a related more severe condition called pre-eclampsia, are at much higher risk of heart attacks and strokes than those who have normal blood pressure, according to new research funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and presented at the British Cardiovascular Society Conference today in Manchester.
Heart disease deaths nearly halved in a decade—but condition remains UK's biggest killer A new analysis of global heart disease deaths has revealed the number of UK people dying from the condition halved between 2005 and 2015, with the death rate falling from 80 deaths per 100,000 to 46 per 100,000.
	Dietary supplements linked with severe health events in children, young adults Consumption of dietary supplements sold for weight loss, muscle building, and energy was associated with increased risk for severe medical events in children and young adults compared to consumption of vitamins, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study found that, compared with vitamins, these types of supplements were linked to nearly three times as many severe medical outcomes in young people.
	Visible public health leadership needed to boost vaccine coverage Public health expert Professor John Ashton is calling for local directors of public health to provide visible leadership to address the recent systematic deterioration of vaccine coverage levels. Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, he describes recent falls in the uptake of other preventative programmes, including bowel, breast and cervical cancer and aortic aneurysm. This, he writes, indicates the fragmentation and weakening of the arrangements for public health, and especially the links with the NHS, since the 2013 reorganisation when directors of public health moved to local government.
Study reveals how ACOs use home visits to improve care and reduce hospital use A new Dartmouth-led study, published this week in the June issue of Health Affairs, offers new details about how one key approach—home visits—is helping many ACOs improve care management and identify patient needs while aiming to reduce hospital use. The study was part of a broader set of research based at Dartmouth focused on how ACOs care for patients with complex clinical and social needs.
	Diabetics exposed to common household chemicals have lower heart disease rates Chemicals found in nonstick cookware, cleaning products and paint may help lead to new treatments for heart disease in diabetic adults, according to a West Virginia University epidemiologist's research.
Despite increase in rates of non-suicidal self-harm, few people receive medical or psychological support A new study of non-suicidal self-harm in England, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, suggests that rates grew from around 2% to 6% of the population between 2000 and 2014. At the same time, the study noted no evidence of an increase in treatment contact for this group.
Economic downturns may affect children's mental health Research linking economic conditions and health often does not consider children's mental health problems. In a new Health Economics study, investigators found that U.S. children's mental health worsened as the economy weakened. The use of special education services for emotional problems also rose when economic conditions worsened.
New study links childhood abuse with hot flash frequency Numerous adverse health outcomes have been linked to childhood maltreatment, including mental illness, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality. A new study suggests that childhood abuse (which was found to have occurred in 44% of the sample population) may also cause more hot flashes, especially during sleep. Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
	Unsalted tomato juice may help lower heart disease risk In a study published in Food Science & Nutrition, drinking unsalted tomato juice lowered blood pressure and LDL cholesterol in Japanese adults at risk of cardiovascular disease.
	Facial bones of black adults age differently than other races, study finds Facial bones in black adults maintain higher mineral density as they age than other races, resulting in fewer changes to their facial structure, a Rutgers study finds.
	US soldiers have worse heart health than civilians Active duty Army personnel have worse cardiovascular health compared to people of similar ages in the civilian population, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
	Predicting post-injury depression and PTSD risk Although injury is unexpected and acute, it can result in long-term health problems and disability. Up to half of all patients experience postinjury depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the months after injury, increasing suboptimal recovery, disability, and costs for care. For patients like urban black men, some of whom have experienced prior trauma, childhood adversity and neighborhood disadvantage, acute postinjury stress responses are exacerbated.
	Study: Bad diets making for bad memories A poor diet might be damaging more than your waistline—it might be leading to cognitive decline and poor memory, according to Western-led research released this week.
	Poor sleep is unlikely to contribute to higher BMI in children Children need more than a good night's sleep to have a healthy weight, according to a new study in the journal Obesity that explores the relationship between sleep, body mass index (BMI) and cortisol levels in children.
	How early-life challenges affect how children focus, face the day Adversity early in life tends to affect a child's executive function skills—their ability to focus, for example, or organize tasks.
	Brain changes may be linked to unexplained motor symptoms A new study finds that people who have movement problems, symptoms that cannot be explained by an underlying disease, may have chemical changes in specific areas of the brain. The study is published in the June 5, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. These symptoms, which include tremors, muscle contractions or problems with walking, are called functional or psychogenic motor symptoms.
	Stopping Parkinson's disease before it starts An Osaka University-led research team has recently published findings that provide a ray of hope for the millions of Parkinson's disease (PD) sufferers worldwide. Although more common in those aged over sixty, PD can strike at any age, with an estimated prevalence of 41 per 100,000 people in their forties. And while not fatal in and of itself, the progressive neurodegeneration that is characteristic of PD can often cause secondary effects that lead to death.
	The gene therapy revolution is here Gene therapy—for so long something that belonged to the future—has just hit the streets.
	Psychedelic drugs: Would you accept a prescription? In countries such as the UK, US and Australia, strict laws and international conventions prohibiting the use of psychedelic drugs have made it almost impossible to research how these drugs work, and how they might be used to heal instead of harm—until recently. These barriers—together with cost, ethics committees, ideologically driven myths and stigma—have delayed research into a promising area of medicine. But things are changing for the better, as evidence and unmet need are at last being recognised.
	New cloud-based tool accelerates research on conditions such as dementia, sports concussion Scientists in the United States, Europe and South America are reporting how a new cloud-computing web platform allows scientists to track data and analyses on the brain, potentially reducing delays in discovery.
	How to know if your child is addicted to video games and what to do about it If your child spends long hours playing video games, you might be worried they're addicted.
	Are artificial sweeteners putting kids at risk for asthma? Originally synthesized in 1879 by Ira Remsen and Constantin Fahlberg, saccharin was the first artificial sweetener discovered. Fast forward to today and the artificial sweetener industry is booming with annual revenues exceeding $2 billion and numerous artificial sweeteners on the market in both food and drink products. Around 40 percent of adults and 25 percent of children have reported consuming artificial sweeteners on any given day.
	When it looks like dementia but isn't—epilepsy not just a "children's disease" Last September, Guy Bradley began having episodes of severe and sudden confusion with night sweats and nausea.
	Narcissism – and the various ways it can lead to domestically abusive relationships Narcissism is a topic that is increasingly spoken about in today's Instagram obsessed age of self-promotion and vanity. There has also been a significant increase in studies and investigations into narcissism, and that too has brought narcissism far more into the public domain.
	Sunscreen: is it safe to make your own? Using natural and organic products for skincare is increasingly popular—and that includes sunscreen. Many websites, including Pinterest and Instagram, feature users' recipes for homemade sunscreens.
	Cultivating empathy in an unjust world In an increasingly divisive world, it might seem that empathy for other people's opinion and views is becoming ever less common. But the trend is not irreversible, according to new research by Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki.
	Advance could expand vaccine's protection against respiratory disease Acute respiratory disease traditionally strikes military recruits stationed in close quarters. But the disease—often spread by Adenovirus—can also afflict civilians in medical settings. One type of Adenovirus, Ad7, reportedly killed 11 children at a New Jersey hospital in 2018.
	Advancing science for children with epilepsy and movement disorders Two Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine graduate students are advancing the science behind genetic mutations that cause rare forms of epilepsy and movement disorders.
	Midwives key to promoting vaccines, but more training is needed A new study shows many midwives receive little or no training on how to communicate to expectant parents the importance of maternal and childhood vaccines despite being the most trusted source of information on vaccines in the Australian public antenatal system.
	Promising molecule targets protein to offer hope for people with Parkinson's Results from a study published today looking at a molecule targeting clumps of alpha-synuclein, a key protein linked to Parkinson's, offers hope that it may be possible to slow down or prevent the progression of the condition in humans.
	Twins study links type 2 diabetes in midlife with stroke and brain artery narrowing in late life A new study shows that type 2 diabetes in midlife is associated with a 30% increased risk of a serious blockage of the brain arteries, often leading to stroke, and a doubling of the risk of narrowing of the brain's arteries in people over 60 years. The research is based on a cohort of twins in Sweden and published in Diabetologia, the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD).
	Should measles vaccination be compulsory? As measles cases in Europe hit their highest levels this decade, should the UK adopt compulsory vaccination? Experts debate the issue in The BMJ today.
	Brighter possibilities for treating blindness Advances in preclinical research are now being translated into innovative clinical solutions for blindness, a review published in the 10th Anniversary Series of Science Translational Medicine reports.
Weak upper and lower body physical performance associated with depression and anxiety Physical fitness is associated with a number of key health outcomes, including heart disease, cognition, mortality, and an overall feeling of well-being. A new study from Singapore now links physical performance with mental health and emotions, suggesting that weak upper and lower body fitness can cause more serious depression and anxiety in midlife women. Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
	Reducing opioid prescriptions after C-sections Nearly a third of birthing moms now deliver babies via caesarean section—and many of them go home with powerful opioid painkillers.
	Study links irregular sleep patterns to metabolic disorders A new study has found that not sticking to a regular bedtime and wakeup schedule—and getting different amounts of sleep each night—can put a person at higher risk for obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, high blood sugar and other metabolic disorders. In fact, for every hour of variability in time to bed and time asleep, a person may have up to a 27% greater chance of experiencing a metabolic abnormality.
Walking speed predicts clinical outcomes in older adults with blood cancers How slow—or fast—older individuals with blood cancers are able to walk four meters (about 13 feet) holds critical information about their overall health and strongly predicts survival and unplanned hospital visits regardless of age, cancer or treatment type, or other factors, according to a new study published today in Blood. The association was strongest in those with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
	Commentary asks: What constitutes beauty and how is it perceived? Beauty has many facets. Research shows there are many biological, psychological, cultural and social aspects that influence how beauty and attractiveness are perceived.
	Individuals who attempt suicide carry an increased genetic liability for depression, regardless of their psychiatric dis The largest genome wide association study (GWAS) to date on suicide attempt reveals that genetic liability to depression increases an individual's risk for suicide attempt regardless of the psychiatric disorder they are affected by, according to the work led by researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published June 5 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
	The lifelong health benefits of intimacy (HealthDay)—Much research has explored the mental and physical health benefits of maintaining social contacts well into later life. Studies also show that maintaining sexual health can have profound benefits that may include slowing down the aging process.
	FDA approves first drug to help tame cluster headaches (HealthDay)— The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday gave the nod to Emgality, an injected medication that's the first to cut the frequency of cluster headaches.
	Obesity worsens disability in multiple sclerosis Obesity is an aggravating factor in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, the most common form of the disease. A recent study by the Unit of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation of the I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed in Pozzilli (Italy) confirms that lipid metabolism can have a role in determining the severity of multiple sclerosis.
Scientists develop an AI method to improve rare disease diagnosis The team under Professor Tom Lenaerts (VUB-ULB) of the IB² has developed an AI algorithm that makes it possible to identify combinations of genetic variants or abnormalities that cause rare diseases through computer analysis. The algorithm was developed with Prof. dr. Guillaume Smits (Center for Human Genetics of the ULB, the Erasmus Hospital and the University Children's Hospital Queen Fabiola) and was designed and built in collaboration with Yves Moreau and Jan Aerts (KU Leuven), Sonia Van Dooren (UZ Brussels) and Ann Nowé (Vrije Universiteit Brussels). The method has been named VarCoPP (Variant Combinations Pathogenicity Predictor).
	Research reveals how the Internet may be changing the brain An international team of researchers from Western Sydney University, Harvard University, Kings College, Oxford University and University of Manchester have found the Internet can produce both acute and sustained alterations in specific areas of cognition, which may reflect changes in the brain, affecting our attentional capacities, memory processes, and social interactions.
	A biomarker for diagnosing celiac disease in people on a gluten-free diet Celiac disease is a complex condition, routinely treated by means of a strict gluten-free diet. One of the diagnostic challenges of this disease is that patients need to be consuming gluten so that a correct diagnosis by means of endoscopy can be made. Yet nowadays there are more and more people who opt to eliminate gluten from their diets before seeing a specialist, and this makes it tremendously difficult to reliably diagnose the disease. However, as José Ramón Bilbao and Nora Fernandez-Jimenez, researchers at the UPV/EHU and the Biocruces-Bizkaia Institute of Healthcare Research, pointed out, "the self-diagnosis of gluten intolerance is a growing global phenomenon as it reaches 12-13 % of the general population in European countries such as Italy and the United Kingdom".
	Salty diet reduces tumor growth by tackling immune cells A study by an international research team led by Professor Markus Kleinewietfeld (VIB-UHasselt) shows that high salt intake inhibits tumor growth in mice. The effect seems to be due to a change in function of certain immune cells which play a critical role in cancer immunity. The further exploration of this finding might be beneficial for improving anti-cancer immunotherapies.
Majority of community supports proposed overdose prevention site in Philadelphia The majority of residents and business owners/staff in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood support opening an overdose prevention site in their community, according to a study led by researchers at Drexel's Dornsife School of Public Health published today in the Journal of Urban Health. Overdose prevention sites—also known as supervised injection facilities or safe consumption sites— are places where individuals use previously obtained drugs under the supervision of a trained health professional who can intervene in case of overdoses and link visitors to additional health services.
Henry Lynch, pioneering cancer researcher, dead at 91 Henry Lynch, a pioneering cancer researcher who was among the earliest to probe its genetic causes, has died at the age of 91.
	Biomarker predicts which pancreatic cysts may become cancerous Pancreatic cancer kills more than 45,000 people in the U.S. each year, mostly due to the fact that it is detected too late for surgery to remove and halt the spread of the cancer.
	Postop delirium may briefly up risk for cognitive dysfunction (HealthDay)—Older patients who develop delirium after surgery are more likely to show signs of cognitive dysfunction one month later, according to a study published online May 28 in Anesthesiology.
	Lowering cholesterol levels may worsen nerve damage in T2DM (HealthDay)—Lowering serum cholesterol levels in patients with type 2 diabetes is associated with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN), according to a study published online May 31 in JAMA Network Open.
	Rapamycin retards epigenetic ageing of keratinocytes Cessation, or even retardation of the ageing process is an appealing notion that has captured the imagination of humans for millennia. Even if it were possible to rejuvenate our bodies or retard the ageing process, how do we measure this?
	Online Rx startups offer convenience but also raise concerns How do you get men excited about decades-old pills for hair loss, erectile dysfunction and other potentially embarrassing health conditions?
	Trump ends fetal tissue research by federal scientists The Trump administration said Wednesday it is ending medical research by government scientists that uses human fetal tissue, overriding the advice of scientists that there's no other way to tackle some health problems and handing abortion opponents a major victory.
	Mosquito control program reduces dengue, costs in Sri Lanka A public health, police, and military partnership to reduce the mosquito population in Sri Lanka resulted in a more than 50-percent reduction in dengue, as well as cost savings, finds a study from an international team of researchers led by NYU College of Global Public Health. The findings are published in The Lancet Planetary Health.
	Study suggests new computer analytics may solve the hospital readmission puzzle A University of Maryland School of Medicine study suggests that a novel machine learning model developed at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), called the Baltimore score (B score), may help hospitals better predict which discharged patients are likely to be readmitted.
	What if you could spot skin cancer before it got too serious? Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. If you could visibly see signs of skin cancer on your body, would you be more likely to visit the doctor? A group of professors from BYU and the University of Utah asked that exact question as they looked for the most effective ways to influence people to screen themselves for cancer.
Safe consumption spaces would be welcomed by high-risk opioid users A large majority of people who use heroin and fentanyl would be willing to use safe consumption spaces where they could obtain sterile syringes and have medical support in case of overdose, suggests a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
A pluralistic approach to thinking about the human microbiome In "The Conceptual Ecology of the Human Microbiome," published in the June 2019 issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology, Nicolae Morar and Brendan J. M. Bohannan examine in detail the different metaphors scientists use to describe the human microbiome. Because it appears that each view has both advantages and disadvantages, the authors suggest the pragmatic approach of considering all metaphors when exploring therapies for diseases and disorders.
	Study: New drug regimens improve outcomes for kidney transplant patients Preliminary results from a $5.2 million clinical trial led by University of Cincinnati researchers show that the immunosuppressive drug belatacept can help safely and effectively treat kidney transplant patients without the negative long-term side effects of traditional immunosuppressive regimens, the study's leaders announced this week.
	ACA's medicaid expansion may have lowered heart disease deaths (HealthDay)—New research supports the notion that Obamacare has improved the health of Americans: State expansions in Medicaid appear to have cut the number of deaths from heart disease.
	Hacking diabetes: People break into insulin pumps as an alternative to delayed innovations Just before the start of Memorial Day weekend, Meg Green meticulously followed online instructions for hacking an insulin pump.
	Oakland becomes 2nd US city to legalize magic mushrooms Oakland on Tuesday became the second U.S. city to decriminalize magic mushrooms after a string of speakers testified that psychedelics helped them overcome depression, drug addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder.
	Listening to music eases pain and other symptoms in patients with breast cancer A European Journal of Cancer Care study found that listening to music at home reduced the severity of symptoms, pain intensity, and fatigue experienced by patients with breast cancer.
Maternal blood test is effective for Down syndrome screening in twin pregnancies Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, which involves analyzing fetal DNA in a maternal blood sample, is a non-invasiveness and highly accurate test for Down syndrome in singleton pregnancies, but its effectiveness in twin pregnancies has been unclear. A new analysis published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology reveals that cfDNA testing for Down syndrome in twins is just as effective as in singletons, with a detection rate of 98% and only a 0.05% rate of misdiagnosis.
	Study follows the health of older adults with prediabetes problems In a Journal of Internal Medicine study that followed older adults with prediabetes for 12 years, most remained stable or reverted to normal blood sugar levels, and only one-third developed diabetes or died.
	Study compares different strategies for treating insomnia New research indicates that for treating insomnia, stimulus control therapy (which reassociates the bed with sleepiness instead of arousal) and sleep restriction therapy are effective, and it is best to use them individually rather than together.
	Extending sleep may lower cardiometabolic risk Increasing sleep duration may help reduce cardiometabolic risk—or the risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders— in individuals who do not get enough sleep, according to an analysis of all published studies on the topic.
	Epilepsy drugs during pregnancy linked with later childhood behavioral problems A new study has uncovered an increased risk of behavioral problems in children of mothers with epilepsy who took common antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy.
Study examines potential misuse of anti-anxiety medication There is concern about the misuse of the sedative anti-anxiety medication alprazolam (Xanax) because of the "high" it can create. A new British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study found that non-medical use of alprazolam in the United Kingdom is a significant issue, and it appears to be more prevalent in younger adults.
Does weight loss surgery help relieve acid reflux? Individuals who are obese often experience heartburn and other symptoms of acid reflux. Previous research indicates that gastric bypass surgery for obesity helps alleviate symptoms in the short term, but a new study finds that these benefits often are not long-lasting.
	State alcohol policies may affect aggression- and driving-related harms from someone else's drinking New research suggests that state alcohol policies may be effective in reducing aggression-related and driving-related harms due to other drinkers, mainly in younger adults.
Imaging tests help reveal heart risks in patients with psoriatic disease Patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis—collectively termed psoriatic disease—face increased heart risks. A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology indicates that ultrasound imaging of the carotid arteries can reveal the extent to which patients' arteries are clogged and also indicate their risk of experiencing future cardiovascular events.
	Gall bladder removal may reduce stroke risk in patients with gallstones Previous research indicates that gallstones are linked with an increased risk of stroke. A new Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology study found that gall bladder removal may help lower this risk.
Alzheimer's therapy may help overcome opioid addiction Clinical trial results reveal that a medication used to treat Alzheimer's disease may also be an effective therapy for individuals addicted to opioids. The findings are published in The American Journal on Addictions.
	Running in the summer? Follow these tips to avoid dehydration Running season is here, and athletes of all levels need to watch their water intake. Dehydration, a risk that increases in warmer weather, can reduce mental activity and physical coordination, as well as contribute to fatigue, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, cardiovascular stress, and more, said Roger Fielding, director of the Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, and Sarcopenia Laboratory at the Jean Mayer U.S. Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts, and professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
	Investigating cardiovascular health among Asian Americans Physician-scientists from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Minnesota have recently collaborated to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and key cardiovascular diseases among Asian Americans. Among their landmark findings, recently published in the journal American Journal of Cardiology, is that American-born Asian Americans had higher odds of poor diet and elevated blood pressure than foreign-born Asian Americans—including among the most educated and affluent.
	Add pizzazz, not calories, with zucchini (HealthDay)—Whether you grow it yourself or buy it at your farmers' market or grocery store, zucchini is a great way to add variety to traditional dishes and even increase portion sizes of favorite recipes without extra calories.
	Philadelphia pitches its bonafides to biotech CEOs at confab, and some even seemed impressed Stanley Satz heard it all.
	Q&A: Tanning beds raise risk for skin cancer Dear Mayo Clinic: My daughter and her friends are all talking about going to a tanning bed. I suggested to my daughter that she get a spray tan instead, but I don't think I've convinced her since she's under the impression that tanning beds are somewhat safe. Is there any kind of tanning bed that is safe and that won't damage the skin?
Dozens of Utah public pool swimmers sickened by chlorine gas Chlorine gas has sickened dozens of swimmers at a Utah public pool in what police called a freak accident.

Biology news

	Bees can link symbols to numbers, study finds We've learned bees can understand zero and do basic math, and now a new study shows their tiny insect brains may be capable of connecting symbols to numbers.
	Is there a limit to human endurance? Science says yes From the Ironman triathlon to the Tour de France, some competitions test the limits of even the toughest endurance athletes. Now, a new study of energy expenditure during some of the world's longest, most grueling sporting events suggests that no matter what the activity, everyone hits the same metabolic limit—a maximum possible level of exertion that humans can sustain in the long term.
	Elephants can differentiate between food amounts by smell alone An international team of researchers has found that Asian elephants can tell which of two food sources has more food in it by smell alone. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes experiments they carried out with elephants and what they learned by doing so.
	Surprising enzymes found in giant ocean viruses A new study led by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Swansea University Medical School furthers our knowledge of viruses—in the sea and on land— and their potential to cause life-threatening illnesses. Their findings, which examine newly-identified genes carried by mysterious "giant" viruses, could represent potential new drug targets for giant viruses linked to human diseases. The work published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
	'Cannibalism' is a double-whammy for cell health Certain Inflammatory and infectious diseases, such as hardening arteries and tuberculosis, are caused by the build-up inside immune cells of harmful substances, such as cholesterol and bacteria. A study published today by University of Sydney researcher Hugh Ford has shown that these concentrations occur in part by virtue of cell cannibalism.
	Chimpanzees in the wild reduced to 'forest ghettos' Urban expansion and hunting have pushed chimpanzees, humanity's closest relative in the animal kingdom, into shrinking islets of wildness, top experts said Tuesday after a three-day meeting in Germany.
	Pathogens may have facilitated the evolution of warm-blooded animals Six hundred million years ago, fever appeared in animals as a response to infections: the higher body temperatures optimized their immune systems. At the time, virtually all animal species were cold-blooded. They had to sit in warm patches of habitat for extended periods of time to achieve fever-range body temperatures. For Michael Logan, a Tupper Fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama (STRI), pathogens may be the reason why warm-blooded creatures first emerged.
	Bats have an ambulance in their ears Anybody who has been passed by an ambulance at high speed has experienced a physical effect called the Doppler shift: As the ambulance moves toward the listener, its motion compresses the siren's sound waves and raises the sound pitch. As the ambulance moves away from the listener, the sound waves get dilated and the pitch is lowered. A listener wearing a blindfold could use this Doppler shift pattern to track the motion of the ambulance.
	Koala drinking stations can reduce impact of climate change A long-held view that koalas get all their hydration from eating leaves has been overturned by new research published today from Dr. Valentina Mella and colleagues at the University of Sydney.
	New rhomboid-like protein helps plants produce lipids The Benning lab has identified a rhomboid-like protein that may help plant chloroplasts tune their lipid production. The study is published in The Plant Journal.
	Study shows penguins attract seabirds when they corral fish A pair of researchers with Mandela University has found that when African penguins work together to corral fish, they attract seabirds intent on taking advantage of the suddenly available prey. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, Alistair McInnes and Pierre Pistorius describe their multi-year study of African penguins and what they learned about them.
	Researchers discover bacterial diversity in Justinianic Plague A large international team of researchers has discovered a previously unknown level of diversity in the Justinianic Plague (also known as the First Pandemic). In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their study of the bacteria Yersinia pestis and what they learned about it.
	First-ever spider glue genes sequenced, paving way to next biomaterials breakthrough UMBC postdoctoral fellow Sarah Stellwagen and co-author Rebecca Renberg at the Army Research Lab have published the first-ever complete sequences of two genes that allow spiders to produce glue—a sticky, modified version of spider silk that keeps a spider's prey stuck in its web. The findings appeared in Genes, Genomes, Genetics.
	To see how invading predators change an ecosystem, watch the prey, say researchers Invading predators can devastate an ecosystem. In fact, a leading cause of extinction is the introduction of predators into an isolated system like an island or a lake. The destruction is usually blamed on the predator's eating choices, but sometimes the key lies in the prey animals' responses, according to an international team of researchers led by Princeton's Robert Pringle.
	Working landscapes can support diverse bird species Privately-owned, fragmented forests in Costa Rica can support as many vulnerable bird species as can nearby nature reserves, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.
	1st Mexican gray wolf litter born at Phoenix Zoo in 20 years Phoenix Zoo officials say the first litter of endangered Mexican gray wolf pups has been born there in 20 years.
	Sorghum making a rebound in Europe thanks to climate change Ferenc Kardos planted 300 hectares of sorghum instead of corn this year. From the fertile Hungarian plain where he lives all the way to southeastern France, the hot weather cereal is taking root in Europe.
	Scientists crack origin of the Persian walnut Prized worldwide for its high-quality wood and rich flavor of delicious nuts, the Persian walnut (Juglans regia) is an important economic crop. The Persian walnut is one of 22 species in the genus Juglans, which includes black and white walnuts and butternuts, grown across Europe, the Americas and Asia.
	Marine protected areas missing the mark Protected marine areas are often in the wrong locations to stop threats to biodiversity, according to international research led by a University of Queensland team.
	What does a koala's nose know? A bit about food, and a lot about making friends The koala's nose is distinctive—it's a big black leathery rectangle in the middle of a round, gray face that's surprisingly soft to the touch. And every koala nose is unique.
	A novel antibiotic idea: Preventing bacterial stickiness Researchers within the Dirk Linke group in the Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, are proposing a new method to fight the bacterium Yersinia enterocolitica, which causes severe diarrhea in an estimated 10 million children each year—mainly in the world's poorest countries. This strategy should give the pharmaceutical industry a new weapon in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is a major problem in both rich and poor countries. It could also be used to inhibit bacteria from binding to prostheses and implants, forming large colonies called biofilms.
	We taught bees a simple number language—and they got it Most children learn that written numbers represent quantities in pre-school or junior primary school.
	Honey bee colonies down by 16% The number of honey bee colonies fell by 16 percent in the winter of 2017-18, according to an international study led by the University of Strathclyde.
Microorganisms on microplastics Organisms can grow on microplastics in freshwater ecosystems. The findings of a recent study undertaken by researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) and the Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research, Warnemünde (IOW) show that the potentially toxin-producing plankton species Pfiesteria piscicida prefers to colonise plastic particles, where they are found in 50 times higher densities than in the surrounding water of the Baltic Sea and densities about two to three times higher than on comparable wood particles floating in the water.
	Antibiotic resistance is not new – it existed long before people used drugs to kill bacteria Imagine a world where your odds of surviving minor surgery were one to three. A world in which a visit to the dentist could spell disaster. This is the world into which your great-grandmother was born. And if humanity loses the fight against antibiotic resistance, this is a world your grandchildren may well end up revisiting.
	Human impact on the activities and social behaviour of urban capuchin monkeys To better understand how primates modify their behaviour to adapt to the increasing presence of humans, a research team monitored 17 robust capuchin monkeys for a year and a half.
	Cardinalfish caught sneaking a bit on the side Scientists have revealed the torrid, adulterous love lives of the mouth-brooding cardinalfish, with cuckoldry going hand-in-hand with cannibalism of the young.
	Analysis: World's protected areas safeguard only a fraction of wildlife A new analysis published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment shows that the world's protected areas (PAs) are experiencing major shortfalls in staffing and resources and are therefore failing on a massive scale to safeguard wildlife.
	Phosphorus placement and water-saving technologies can improve rice production in phosphorus-deficient lowlands Strategic combinations of phosphorous and water management can contribute to the intensification of rice production in phosphorous deficient lowlands in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).
	First dead endangered right whale of 2019 spotted in Canada waters The first dead critically endangered North Atlantic right whale of 2019 has been spotted in Canada's Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the fisheries and oceans department said Wednesday.

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