Science X Newsletter Thursday, Jun 11

Dear Mahesh Sagar Khanal,

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for June 11, 2020:

Spotlight Stories Headlines

Human embryo-like model created from human stem cells

Cascade sets the stage for superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene

Nature provides roadmap to potential breakthroughs in solar energy technology

Denisovan DNA influences immune system of modern day Oceanian populations

An ion channel senses cell swelling and helps cells to choose a response

Scientists detect unexpected widespread structures near Earth's core

More than 1000 tons of plastic rains into western US protected lands annually

Quantum 'fifth state of matter' observed in space for first time

Powerful X-ray flare detected from the protostar HOPS 383

Extremely brilliant giga-electron-volt gamma rays from a two-stage laser-plasma accelerator

Tiny pump builds polyrotaxanes with precision

Scientists carry out first space-based measurement of neutron lifetime

Astronomers discover how long-lived Peter Pan discs evolve

Reprogramming of immune system cures child with often-fatal fungal infection

Google quietly rolls out test version of Android upgrade

Nanotechnology news

	Scientists apply 'twistronics' to light propagation and make a breakthrough discovery A research team led by scientists at the Advanced Science Research Center at The Graduate Center, CUNY (CUNY ASRC), in collaboration with National University of Singapore, University of Texas at Austin and Monash University, has employed "twistronics" concepts (the science of layering and twisting two-dimensional materials to control their electrical properties) to manipulate the flow of light in extreme ways. The findings, published in the journal Nature, hold the promise for leapfrog advances in a variety of light-driven technologies, including nano-imaging devices; high-speed, low-energy optical computers; and biosensors.
	Researchers discover skyrmions can split like biological cells Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory have discovered that skyrmions— a type of quasiparticle with properties that could lead to the next generation of data storage and transfer— reproduce by splitting in a way very similar to biological cell division.
	Researchers synthesize silicon-based quantum dots NDSU researchers recently developed a new method of creating quantum dots made of silicon. Quantum dots, or nanocrystals, are tiny nanometer-scale pieces of semiconductor that emit light when their electrons are exposed to UV light. The most common application of quantum dots is in QLED displays. Through their use, digital displays have become brighter and much thinner, resulting in improvements to television and, potentially, cell-phone technology.
	Smallest cavity for light realized by graphene plasmons Miniaturization has enabled technology like smartphones, health watches, medical probes and nano-satellites, all unthinkable a couple decades ago. Just imagine that in the course of 60 years, the transistor has shrunk from the size of your palm to 14 nanometers in dimension, 1000 times smaller than the diameter of a hair.
	New sensor technology could speed up blood tests for COVID patients Researchers are using laser-light technology to develop handheld biosensors with the potential to deliver fast, real-time blood test results for patients including those suffering from COVID-19 with secondary infections such as pneumonia.
	Advanced nanotechnology to improve success of dental implants A technological advancement that may prove crucial in the long-term success of dental implants has been developed by University of Queensland researchers.

Physics news

	Cascade sets the stage for superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene Place a single sheet of carbon atop another at a slight angle and remarkable properties emerge, including the highly prized resistance-free flow of current known as superconductivity.
	Quantum 'fifth state of matter' observed in space for first time Scientists have observed the fifth state of matter in space for the first time, offering unprecedented insight that could help solve some of the quantum universe's most intractable conundrums, research showed Thursday.
	Extremely brilliant giga-electron-volt gamma rays from a two-stage laser-plasma accelerator Laser-wakefield accelerators have led to the development of compact, ultrashort X-ray or gamma-ray sources to deliver peak brilliance, similar to conventional synchrotron sources. However, such sources are withheld by low efficiencies and limited to 107-8 photons per shot in the kiloelectron volt (KeV) to megaelectron volt (MeV) range. In a new report now published on Science Advances, Xing-Long Zhu and a research team in physics and astronomy in China and the U.K., presented a new approach to efficiently produce collimated, ultrabright gamma (γ)-ray beams. The resulting photon energies were tunable for up to gigaelectron volts by focussing a multi-petawatt laser pulse into a 2-stage wakefield accelerator. The high-intensity laser allowed them to efficiently generate a multi-gigaelectron volt electron beam with a high density and charge during the first stage of the experiment. The laser and electron beams entered a high-density plasma region in the second stage thereafter. Using numerical simulations, they demonstrated the production of more than 1012 gamma ray photons per shot with energy conversion efficiency above 10 percent for photons above 1 megaelectron volt (MeV) and achieved a peak brilliance above 1026 photons S-1mm-2mrad-2 per 0.1 percent bandwidth at 1 MeV. This research outcome will offer new avenues in both fundamental and applied physics and engineering.
	Scientists carry out first space-based measurement of neutron lifetime Scientists have found a way of measuring neutron lifetime from space for the first time—a discovery that could teach us more about the early universe.
	Physics principle explains order and disorder of swarms Current experiments support the controversial hypothesis that a well-known concept in physics—a critical point—is behind the striking behavior of collective animal systems. Physicists from the Cluster of Excellence Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behavior at the University of Konstanz showed that light-controlled microswimming particles can be made to organize into collective states such as swarms and swirls. By studying the particles fluctuating between these states, they provide evidence for critical behavior—and support for a physical principle underlying the complex behavior of collectives. The research results were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
	Ultra-thin camera lenses of the future could see the light of day In the future, camera lenses could be thousands of times thinner and significantly less resource-intensive to manufacture. Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, now present a new technology for making artificial materials known as metasurfaces, which consist of a multitude of interacting nanoparticles that, together, can control light. They could have great use in the optical technology of tomorrow.
	Exotic electron-electron interactions found unnecessary for conduction in nickelates Some metal oxides, such as nickelates, have a tuneable resistivity, which makes them an interesting material for adaptable electronics and cognitive computing. These materials can change their nature from metallic to insulating. How exactly this metal-insulator transition takes place is a topic of great interest in condensed matter physics. However, even the metallic behavior in nickelates seems unusual. Scientists from the University of Groningen, together with colleagues from Spain, have now found that it is not as complex as was previously assumed. The results were published on 11 June in the journal Nature Communications.
	A breakthrough in developing multi-watt terahertz lasers Terahertz lasers could soon have their moment. Emitting radiation that sits somewhere between microwaves and infrared light along the electromagnetic spectrum, terahertz lasers have been the focus of intense study due to their ability to penetrate common packaging materials such as plastics, fabrics, and cardboard and be used for identification and detection of various chemicals and biomolecular species, and even for imaging of some types of biological tissue without causing damage. Fulfilling terahertz lasers' potential for us hinges on improving their intensity and brightness, achieved by enhancing power output and beam quality.
	Matrix imaging: an innovation for improving ultrasound resolution In conventional ultrasounds, variations in soft tissue structure distort ultrasound wavefronts. They blur the image and can hence prove detrimental to medical diagnosis. Researchers at the Institut Langevin (CNRS/ESPCI Paris-PSL)1 have developed a new non-invasive ultrasound method that avoids such aberrations.

Earth news

	Scientists detect unexpected widespread structures near Earth's core University of Maryland geophysicists analyzed thousands of recordings of seismic waves, sound waves traveling through the Earth, to identify echoes from the boundary between Earth's molten core and the solid mantle layer above it. The echoes revealed more widespread, heterogenous structures—areas of unusually dense, hot rock—at the core-mantle boundary than previously known.
	More than 1000 tons of plastic rains into western US protected lands annually Utah State University Assistant Professor Janice Brahney and her team used high-resolution atmospheric deposition data and identified samples of microplastics and other particulates collected over 14 months in 11 national parks and wilderness areas. The researchers identified plastic and polymers' composition to identify sources of plastic emitted into the atmosphere and track its movement and fallout. The findings are reported in the June 12 issue of Science Magazine in the article, Plastic Rain in Protected Areas of the United States.
	Could we run out of sand? Scientists adjust how grains are measured Humans see sand as an infinite resource. We are astounded to discover there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on our beaches.
	Warm springs bring early, rapid plant growth, and severe droughts A new study shows that the severe impact of the summer drought that hit Europe in 2018 was partly due to the spring heatwave that preceded it, which triggered early and rapid plant growth, depleting soil moisture.
	Which factors control the height of mountains? Which forces and mechanisms determine the height of mountains? A group of researchers from Münster and Potsdam has now found a surprising answer: It is not erosion and weathering of rocks that determine the upper limit of mountain massifs, but rather an equilibrium of forces in the Earth's crust. This is a fundamentally new and important finding for the earth sciences. The researchers report on it in the scientific journal Nature.
	Extreme waves set to get bigger and more frequent due to climate change A warming planet will cause stronger storm winds triggering larger and more frequent extreme waves over the next 80 years, with largest increases shown in the Southern Ocean, according to new research.
	Could the answer to groundwater resources come from high in the sky? Groundwater makes up 30 to 50 percent of California's water supply, but until recently there were few restrictions placed on its retrieval. Then in 2014 California became the last Western state to require regulation of its groundwater. With deadlines starting this year, for the first time water managers in the nation's premier agricultural region—the state's Central Valley—are tasked with estimating available groundwater. It's a daunting technological challenge.
	New insight into the Great Dying A new study shows for the first time that the collapse of terrestrial ecosystems during Earth's most deadly mass extinction event was directly responsible for disrupting ocean chemistry.
	Plastic in the deep sea: Virtually unaltered after a quarter of a century Plastic products are durable. On one hand this is a great advantage, but on the other hand, if the plastic enters the environment, this advantage turns into a problem. According to current knowledge, natural degradation, as with organic matter, does not take place. It can only be estimated, how long plastic debris actually remains in the environment. Corresponding long-term experiments are lacking.
	Utah's arches continue to whisper their secrets Two new studies from University of Utah researchers show what can be learned from a short seismic checkup of natural rock arches and how erosion sculpts some arches—like the iconic Delicate Arch—into shapes that lend added strength.
	Tool developed to calculate household 'plastics footprint' How much plastic do we really use, and can we live without it? These are among the questions addressed by a tool that calculates the scale and extent of household plastic use, developed by the University of Exeter Business School's plastics research hub.
	More than 1,200 tonnes of microplastics are dumped into Aussie farmland every year from wastewater sludge Every year, treated wastewater sludge called "biosolids" is recycled and spread over agricultural land. My recent research discovered this practice dumps thousands of tonnes of microplastics into farmlands around the world. In Australia, we estimate this amount as at least 1,241 tonnes per year.
	U.S. can reach 90% clean energy by 2035 without higher costs, report says The United States can deliver 90 percent clean, carbon-free electricity nationwide by 2035, dependably, at no extra cost to consumer bills and without the need for new fossil fuel plants, according to a study released today from the Center for Environmental Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley. The study also finds that without robust policy reforms, most of the potential to reduce emissions and increase jobs would not be realized. 2035 Report: Plummeting Solar, Wind, and Battery Costs Can Accelerate Our Clean Energy Future is the first study of its kind to show how recent cost declines for solar, wind, and battery storage allow the U.S. to dramatically reduce generation and emissions from existing fossil power plants, while retiring coal and reducing gas generation by 70 percent.
	City compost programs turn garbage into 'black gold' that boosts food security and social justice Almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed many Americans' relationships with food. To relieve some of the stress associated with shopping safely for groceries and ensure food security, many people are once again planting "victory gardens." This tradition hearkens back to previous generations who cultivated home gardens during both World Wars.
	Three ways blockchain could get the world to act against the climate crisis The world has failed to halt global warming. Four years after the signing of the Paris Agreement, most experts predict global warming will exceed the agreed thresholds, with disastrous consequences. As much as the world faces a climate crisis, it also faces a climate governance crisis: we know what must be done to halt climate change but we do not know yet how to get there.
	Global air pollution maps now available A new online platform that allows for the tracking of air pollution worldwide is now available to the public. The maps, which use data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite, show the averaged nitrogen dioxide concentrations using a 14-day moving average. The maps not only show changes over time on a global scale, but also provide the possibility for users to zoom in to areas of interest, for example any city or region over Europe.
	Ohio State University soil professor gets World Food Prize A soil scientist whose research led to improved food production and a better understanding of how atmospheric carbon can be held in the soil to help combat climate change was named this year's recipient of the World Food Prize on Thursday.
	Pretty in pink: India crater lake changes colour overnight A crater lake in India's western Maharashtra state has turned pink overnight, delighting nature enthusiasts and surprising experts who attributed it to changing salinity levels and the presence of algae in the water.
	Soil biology research can help create a more sustainable future Soils are home to more than 25 percent of the earth's total biodiversity, supporting life on land and water, nutrient cycling and retention, food production, pollution remediation and climate regulation. Scientists have found increasing evidence that when soil organisms are put front and center, numerous global sustainability goals can be enhanced. This is because the activity and interactions of soil organisms are intimately tied to multiple processes that ecosystems and society rely on.
	South China cleaning up from floods but more rain on the way Parts of southern China still cleaning up Thursday from floods that have left at least 20 people dead or missing are forecast to be hit with more rain over coming days.
	Coal-tar-sealant major source of PAH contamination in Great Lakes tributaries Runoff from pavement with coal-tar-based sealant is the most likely primary source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, found in the majority of streambed sediments of Great Lakes tributaries, according to a study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. PAHs are a group of chemicals found in crude oil and coal and occur as a byproduct of burning. PAHs can have harmful effects to organisms in the environment under certain conditions. So, it is important to understand their sources, distribution and magnitude in the Great Lakes Basin.
	A new glacier website from the Austrian Alps A new website dedicated to glacier education has launched. OGGM- Edu, as it's known, is geared towards educators and instructors. Fabien Maussion, a glaciologist at the University of Innsbruck, was inspired to create the site after working on the Open Global Glacier Model (the "OGGM" of the website's name), a tool created by the University of Innsbruck and the University of Bremen in Germany. According to Maussion, he "saw the learning potential" of the model, which inspired more than just the website name. OGGM-Edu, which is geared towards instructors and educators, offers a variety of educational tools and materials. These materials include interactive apps, graphics and images, adaptable notebooks, and tutorials on the use of the Open Global Glacier Model.
	Free online tool will enable farmers to deliver environmental benefits A free web-based support tool will enable farmers to deliver environmental improvements and potentially attract payments for providing 'public money for public goods' under the new agri-environment scheme.

Astronomy and Space news

	Powerful X-ray flare detected from the protostar HOPS 383 Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) telescope, astronomers have conducted X-ray observations and near-infrared imaging of a protostar named HOPS 383. The monitoring campaign detected a powerful X-ray flare from the source, which could help astronomers to better understand the earliest stages of star formation. The finding is detailed in a paper accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and posted June 4 on arXiv.org.
	Astronomers discover how long-lived Peter Pan discs evolve New research from scientists at Queen Mary University of London has revealed how long-lived Peter Pan discs form, which could provide new insights into how planets arise.
	Black hole model reveals star collapse without bright explosion A team of scientists, including Chief Investigator Ilya Mandel from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav) at Monash University, recently studied what happens to rotating massive stars when they reach the end of their lives.
	How four newborn exoplanets get cooked by their sun Scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) examined the fate of the young star V1298 Tau and its four orbiting exoplanets. The results show that these recently born planets are roasted by the intense X-ray radiation of their young sun, which leads to the vaporization of the atmospheres of these planets. The innermost planets could be evaporated down to their rocky cores, so that there is no atmosphere left.
	New method to study barred spiral galaxies Analysis of gas motion in 20 nearby spiral galaxies has revealed a clear difference between those with bars and those without bars. This suggests that already available data on gas motion can be used to study bars in spiral galaxies, even in the absence of high-resolution imaging data.
	New distance measurements bolster challenge to basic model of universe A new set of precision distance measurements made with an international collection of radio telescopes have greatly increased the likelihood that theorists need to revise the "standard model" that describes the fundamental nature of the Universe.
	First space tourists will face big risks, as private companies gear up for paid suborbital flights On May 30, 2020, millions of Americans watched the inaugural SpaceX Crew Dragon launch NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. This mission marked two significant events: First, the return of launch to orbit capability for human spaceflight from the United States. Secondly, it successfully demonstrated private sector capability to build and operate a launch vehicle for human spaceflight.

Technology news

	Google quietly rolls out test version of Android upgrade Google has released a test version of its annual upgrade to its Android software without the usual fanfare heralding the latest operating system powering most smartphones.
	Drug-carrying platelets engineered to propel themselves through biofluids A team of researchers from the University of California San Diego and the University of Science and Technology Beijing has developed a way to engineer platelets to propel themselves through biofluids as a means of delivering drugs to targeted parts of the body. In their paper published in the journal Science Robotics, the group outlines their method and how well it worked when tested in the lab. In the same issue, Jinjun Shi with Brigham and Women's Hospital has published a Focus piece outlining ongoing research into the development of natural drug delivery systems and the method used in this new effort.
	Sound waves transport droplets for rewritable lab-on-a-chip devices Engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a versatile microfluidic lab-on-a-chip that uses sound waves to create tunnels in oil to touchlessly manipulate and transport droplets. The technology could form the basis of a small-scale, programmable, rewritable biomedical chip that is completely reusable to enable on-site diagnostics or laboratory research.
	Reports: Intel chips have new security flaws A pair of new security threats to Intel-based computer systems have been revealed. The beleaguered semiconductor chip manufacturer has faced a seemingly endless series of vulnerabilities over the past two years.
	Engineers offer smart, timely ideas for AI bottlenecks Rice University researchers have demonstrated methods for both designing innovative data-centric computing hardware and co-designing hardware with machine-learning algorithms that together can improve energy efficiency by as much as two orders of magnitude.
	Amazon bans police use of its face recognition for a year Amazon banned police use of its face-recognition technology for a year, making it the latest tech giant to step back from law-enforcement use of systems that have faced criticism for incorrectly identifying people with darker skin.
	Twitter moves to limit sharing on unread articles Twitter said Wednesday it was testing a new feature that seeks to limit the sharing of articles by users who haven't read them.
	Scientific collaboration buoys future of offshore wind, could double U.S. electricity supply Throughout history, adventurers have taken to the seas, propelled by the wind and a passion for new discoveries. Today, researchers at the Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are charting a similar course of intrepid exploration, in search of new energy solutions where the water meets the sky.
	Debate: Smile, you're under surveillance! Will history remember the COVID-19 pandemic as a moment during which citizens gave up their civil rights for health reasons?
	Aqua-Fi: Underwater WiFi developed using LEDs and lasers Aquatic internet that sends data through light beams could enable divers to instantly transmit footage from under the sea to the surface.
	Engineers quintuple the efficiency of moving data bits in silicon chips for artificial intelligence applications The Green IC research team at the National University of Singapore has developed an innovative technique that allows the transfer of bits (the basic unit of information in computing) across a silicon chip up to five times more efficiently than standard setups.
	Sound beacons support safer tunnel evacuation Research conducted as part of the project EvacSound demonstrates that auditory guidance using sound beacons is an effective aid during the evacuation of smoke-filled road tunnels. This is good news. It is a fact that vehicle drivers and passengers cannot normally expect to be rescued by the emergency services during such accidents.
	Airbnb sees 'bounce' in travel, aims to promote local tourism Airbnb said Thursday it has seen a "bounce" in bookings as the home-sharing platform unveiled an initiative to promote short-range travel as pandemic restrictions ease.
	Attack on autopilots How fast the development from assisted to fully automated vehicles will progress is uncertain. One crucial factor here is the reliability with which a vehicle can navigate in its surroundings and react to unforeseeable incidents. Our group at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems showed that methods for motion analysis based on deep neural networks—likely components in future autonomous vehicles—can be confused by small patterns designed to "attack" these networks.
	New report calls for 'niche market' to develop marine renewables A report published today has called on industry and government to work together to develop opportunities for the use of marine renewables in the oil and gas sector.
	Researchers find new ways to test swarming drones The U.S. Army has implemented a one-of-a-kind outdoor system to test swarming drones—with a capacity of more than 1,500 times the volume of a typical testing facility.
	How to handle fraudulent reviews on online portals? Study gives tips to managers Consumers who use the Internet to learn about products are increasingly looking at online reviews to make purchasing decisions. The growing interest in online product reviews for legitimate promotion has been accompanied by a rise in fraudulent reviews; these are reviews placed by firms that artificially inflate ratings of their own products, or reviews by firms or third parties that give lower ratings to competitors' products. A new study sought to determine how consumers respond to potentially fraudulent reviews and how review portals (e.g., Amazon, Expedia, TripAdvisor, Yelp) can leverage this information to design better fraud-management policies and increase consumers' trust. It found that portals that include fraudulent reviews are more likely to boost buyers' trust.
	Microsoft joins Amazon, IBM in pausing face scans for police Microsoft has become the third big tech company this week to say it won't sell its facial recognition software to police, following similar moves by Amazon and IBM.
	Boeing contractor to halt work on 737 MAX, furlough staff Spirit AeroSystems, a major contractor on the 737 MAX, will furlough staff after being directed by Boeing to pause work on the embattled plane, Spirit announced late Wednesday.
	Snapchat to deliver breaking news, adds wellness features Snapchat announced Thursday it would deliver breaking news as youth-focused social network unveiled a series of new features focused on information, entertainment and wellness.
	Self-driving cars that recognize free space can better detect objects It's important that self-driving cars quickly detect other cars or pedestrians sharing the road. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have shown that they can significantly improve detection accuracy by helping the vehicle also recognize what it doesn't see.
	Green energy revolution powered by global South The global South made record renewable energies investments in 2019, a new global trends report has found, as analysts say developing economies are outpacing their developed counterparts in green power generation.
	Lufthansa warns 22,000 jobs at risk despite bailout German airline Lufthansa says 22,000 full-time jobs may need to be cut worldwide due to the drop in demand for flights caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
	Lightning in a (nano)bottle: new supercapacitor opens door to better wearable electronics Researchers from Skoltech, Aalto University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have designed a high-performance, environmentally friendly and stretchable supercapacitor that can potentially be used in wearable electronics. The paper was published in the Journal of Energy Storage.
	Apple launches $100 ml racial justice initiative Apple on Thursday launched a racial justice initiative aimed at breaking down barriers to opportunity for minorities.

Chemistry news

	Nature provides roadmap to potential breakthroughs in solar energy technology As policymakers increasingly turn toward science in addressing global climate change, one Michigan State University scientist is looking to nature to develop the next generation of solar energy technology.
	Tiny pump builds polyrotaxanes with precision Northwestern University researchers have developed the most precise way to build polyrotaxanes, a mechanically locked polymer for slide-ring gels, battery electrode materials and drug-delivery platforms.
	Viewing dopamine receptors in their native habitat Dopamine, a chemical that sends messages between different parts of the brain and body, plays a key role in a variety of diseases and behaviors by interacting with receptors on cells. But despite their importance in physiology and pathology, the structure of these receptors embedded in a phospholipid membrane—their natural environment on the cell surface—was unknown. A new study led by UT Southwestern researchers reveals the structure of the active form of one type of dopamine receptor, known as D2, embedded in a phospholipid membrane.
	New topological materials could have multiple electrical properties This it is the story of a unique material—made of a single compound, it conducts electrons in different ways on its different surfaces and doesn't conduct at all in its middle. It is also the story of three research groups—two at the Weizmann Institute of Science and one in Germany, and the unique bond that has formed between them.
	Lab turns fluorescent tags into cancer killers A Rice University lab's project to make better fluorescent tags has turned into a method to kill tumors. Switching one atom in the tag does the trick.
	Newly synthesized fungal compound can switch on a self-destruct button for cancer Cancers cells use a special technique to propagate: They delete their "programmed death" gene through mutation, and seemingly "forget" to die when their lifetime is over, and continue to grow instead. A research team from Tokyo University of Science has developed a method through which a fungal compound capable of rearming the self-destruct gene in certain cancer cells can be artificially produced in marketable quantities, providing a potential cancer therapeutic strategy.
	New findings help design highly efficient metal oxide catalyst for ozone removal Atmospheric ozone (O3) has become one of the major air pollutants. Catalytic decomposition is one efficient and economical technology in O3 removal, where metal oxides can serve as cost-effective catalysts substituting for noble metals.
	NIST software aids the analysis of instrumented charpy tests To help labs characterize the toughness of steel, a new software package allows analysis of instrumented Charpy tests, or Charpy tests augmented with strain gauges, in compliance with standards from ASTM and ISO. The NIST Instrumented Charpy Analysis Software, or NICAS, is available free of charge from NIST as part of the Charpy Machine Verification Program.
	Novel noncovalent bond blocks repulsive odor of isocyanides Isocyanides are an important class of organic compounds owing to a wide range of chemical transformations they can undergo. These molecules are employed for the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals, polymers, catalysts, and luminophores. Widespread use of isocyanides in chemistry and chemical industry is, however, hampered by their extremely foul odor, described by some researchers as "mind-boggling," "horrid" and even "murderous." Luca Turin, one of the leading experts in fragrance chemistry, called isocyanides "the Godzilla of scent." This odor is so terrible that the United States patented the use of isocyanides (generally low on the toxicity scale) as a non-lethal chemical weapon.

Biology news

	Human embryo-like model created from human stem cells Scientists from the University of Cambridge, in collaboration with the Hubrecht Institute in The Netherlands, have developed a new model to study an early stage of human development, using human embryonic stem cells. The model resembles some key elements of an embryo at around 18-21 days old and allows the researchers to observe the processes underlying the formation of the human body plan never directly observed before. Understanding these processes holds potential to reveal the causes of human birth defects and diseases, and to develop tests for these in pregnant women.
	Denisovan DNA influences immune system of modern day Oceanian populations More than 120,000 novel human genetic variations that affect large regions of DNA have been discovered, some of which are linked to immune response, disease susceptibility or digestion. Scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute identified these changes affecting multiple bases of DNA, known as structural variations, in a study of the most diverse worldwide populations examined to date. This included variations in medically-important genes in populations from Papua New Guinea that were inherited from Denisovan ancestors.
	An ion channel senses cell swelling and helps cells to choose a response After a dry spell, a rainy day can feel rejuvenating. But for plants, a downpour can mean trouble. Faced with water suddenly rushing into its tissues, a plant must control its cells' volume or risk them exploding.
	Crop pathogens 'remarkably adaptable' Pathogens that attack agricultural crops show remarkable adaptability to new climates and new plant hosts, new research shows.
	'Matador' guppies trick predators Trinidadian guppies behave like matadors, focusing a predator's point of attack before dodging away at the last moment, new research shows.
	Simulations reveal interplay between scent marking and disease spread In a new mathematical model that bridges animal movement and disease spread, territorial behaviors decreased the severity of potential disease outbreaks—but at the cost of increased disease persistence. Lauren White of the University of Maryland's National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center, Annapolis, MD, and colleagues present these findings in PLOS Computational Biology.
	Recovery of sea otter populations yields more benefits than costs Since their reintroduction to the Pacific coast in the 1970s, the sea otters' rapid recovery and voracious appetite for tasty shellfish such as urchins, clams and crabs has brought them into conflict with coastal communities and fishers, who rely on the same valuable fisheries for food and income.
	New plant gene editing approach improves speed, scalability and heritability   Breeding plants for specific characteristics goes back thousands of years. For most of that time, the process has been slow and tied to the agricultural cycle. Farmers identified plants with desirable traits, harvested seeds and hoped for a reprise of a specific trait in the next generation of seedlings. Gene editing made it possible to accelerate this process—to a point—but reliance on tissue culture, an expensive and time-consuming process, substantially limited innovation.
	How a stone wedged in a gum tree shows the resilience of Aboriginal culture in Australia Trees marked by Aboriginal cultural practices are a distinctive part of the Australian landscape. A recent discovery on Wiradjuri country in New South Wales shows some of these "culturally modified trees" may be much younger than anybody thought.
	An experimental new method to study disease, including COVID-19 Yale Cancer Center (YCC) scientists have developed a new cell screening method for agents that alter biologic functions. This approach uses thousands of artificial proteins called "traptamers" and may help to answer some research questions that are difficult to address with other cell screening methods. The data is published today in the journal Cell Reports.
	New insights into epigenetic modifications Scientists at EMBL Rome unveil the mechanism behind the most studied epigenetic modification.
	Intercropping can significantly increase yields in agriculture while reducing the use of fertilisers Intercropping, or the simultaneous cultivation of multiple crops on a single plot of land, can significantly increase the yield, not only of low input agriculture, but also of intensive agriculture, and reduce the use of fertilizers. Scientists of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) reached this conclusion in collaboration with colleagues from China. They published their results in Nature Plants.
	Dopamine signaling allows neural circuits to generate coordinated behaviors For a nematode worm, a big lawn of the bacteria that it eats is a great place for it to disperse its eggs so that each hatchling can emerge into a nutritive environment. That's why when a worm speedily roams about a food patch it methodically lays its eggs as it goes. A new study by neuroscientists at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory investigates this example of action coordination—where egg-laying is coupled to the animal's roaming—to demonstrate how a nervous system coordinates distinct behavioral outputs. That's a challenge many organisms face, albeit in different ways, during daily life.
	Thai elephants' mass migration to village brings new stress A thousand elephants threatened by starvation have journeyed through the hills of northern Thailand, making a slow migration home from tourist sites forced shut by the pandemic.
	Kissing bugs also find suitable climatic conditions in Europe An infection with Chagas disease is only possible in Latin America since the insect species that spread the disease only occurs there. Scientists at Goethe University and the Senckenberg Society for Natural Research have now used ecological niche models to calculate the extent to which habitats outside of the Americas may also be suitable for these insects. The result: Climatically suitable conditions can be found in southern Europe for two kissing bug species; along the coasts of Africa and Southeast Asia, the conditions are suitable for yet another species. The Frankfurt scientists therefore call for careful monitoring of the current distribution of triatomine bugs.
	Sustainable cover-crop farming practice faces one big limitation: Land to produce seeds As farmers around the globe look to grow food more sustainably—with less water, fertilizer, pesticides and other environmental impactors—the use of cover crops is becoming more popular. These crops, which are often grasses or legumes, or many other types of plants, are generally grown between the harvest and planting season of the land's main cash crop, to reduce erosion, build soil fertility and control weeds, among other benefits. Their use has jumped in recent years. From 2012 to 2017, U.S. cover crops increased to 6.2 million hectares, an increase of 50%.
	Clean water ponds boost rare wetland plants, study reveals Digging ponds in the countryside can deliver unprecedented gains for nature, according to a study involving the University of York.
	Night owls have more grey matter in their brains than early birds Being a late-riser suggests you could have more grey matter in your brain, a study from Brunel University London has shown.
	No disadvantages to having kids early When some species are heavily hunted, animal mortality increases and they have fewer offspring in the course of their lives.
	Building with DNA Life on Earth developed from inanimate components. Can we recreate this process in the laboratory, and what tools do we need for this? Using DNA origami, the art of folding at a scale of just a few millionths of a millimetre, we are able to reconstruct individual cellular components. They may be capable of taking over important tasks in our bodies in future.
	Using DNA to look for fish species Researchers from Biomon have used DNA techniques to find 40 different species of fish in the river Dommel. This technique is capable of detecting more species than conventional methods of measuring.
	Protecting eels protects freshwater biodiversity An international research team has conducted a field survey on two species of eel native to Japan, and other organisms that share the same habitat, revealing for the first time in the world that these eels can act as comprehensive surrogate species for biodiversity conservation in freshwater rivers. It is hoped that conducting activities to restore and protect eel populations will contribute greatly to the recovery and conservation of freshwater ecosystems that have suffered a significant loss of biodiversity.
	Exploring the diversity of cell gatekeepers could be the key to better crops Scientists have shed new light on how the network of gatekeepers that controls the traffic in and out of plant cells works, which researchers believe is key to develop food crops with bigger yields and greater ability to cope with extreme environments.
	Lights in the eyes for better disguise This hatchetfish hides from predators swimming in the shadowy depths below using a clever disguise. Glowing spots on its belly make it nearly invisible against the sunlit waters above. But the fish's eyes point upward.
	A new character for Pokemon? Novel endemic dogfish shark species discovered from Japan Newly discovered creatures can often be as impressive and exciting as the ones from the Japanese movies and shows. Many of those fictional characters, including inhabitants of the famous Pokémon universe, might have their analogues among the real animals native to Japan. Maybe, a new species of the dogfish shark published in the open-access journal Zoosystematics and Evolution is also "a real Pokémon" to be?
	The disease pyramid: Environment, pathogen, individual and microbiome Researchers from the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), the Université de Toulouse and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) show how the microbial colonization of the organism influences the interactions between living organisms, the environment and pathogens, using amphibians like frogs as examples. This is basic research for health prophylaxis.
	Israeli scientists produce energy from plants Israeli scientists say they have produced hydrogen from plants in a development that they hope could eventually lead to using vegetation to produce electricity.
	Research reveals function of genetic pathway for reproductive fitness in flowering plants Small RNAs are key regulators involved in plant growth and development. Two groups of small RNAs are abundant during development of pollen in the anthers—a critical process for reproductive success. A research collaboration has demonstrated the function of a genetic pathway for anther development, with this pathway proven in 2019 work to be present widely in the flowering plants that evolved over 200 million years ago. The research team was led by Blake Meyers, Ph.D., member, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and professor, Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri, and Virginia Walbot, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Stanford University. Their findings, "Dicer-like 5deficiency confers temperature-sensitive male sterility in maize" were published in the journal, Nature Communications.
	Effects of potassium fertilization in pear trees The amount of exchangeable potassium (K) contained in native soil does not always meet the necessary nutrient demand for a pear tree, which makes the use of K based fertilizer essential. Brazilian farmers face daily challenges to increase their productivity. Such challenges include a lack of knowledge of optimum fertilizer doses, and the critical levels of those fertilizer.
News next steps for the future of U.K. inshore fisheries The next steps for an ambitious and collaborative project which aims to improve how inshore fisheries are managed in the UK have been published.
	Why it's so critical to continuously monitor and manage plant diseases Most of us understand the critical importance of monitoring the spread of diseases. And it is as important for plant diseases as it is for humans.
	Presence of devastating pest confirmed on Socotra Island CABI scientist Dr. Arne Witt has led an international team of researchers who have confirmed for the first time the presence of the date pest red palm weevil on Socotra Island, Yemen, putting the livelihoods of residents at risk.

Medicine and Health news

	Reprogramming of immune system cures child with often-fatal fungal infection In the June 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of UCLA physicians and scientists describes the first case of immune modulation being used to cure a severe and often fatal fungal infection. The team "retuned" a 4-year-old's immune system so that it could fight off disseminated coccidioidomycosis.
	Hug me tender: scientists unlock the secret to the perfect cuddle In this era of social distancing and depressing news, we could all do with a good hug. Now scientists have analyzed what makes the perfect cuddle—just don't squeeze too tight.
	'Lab-on-a-chip' blood test could spot breast cancer early A cutting-edge "lab-on-a-chip" has shown promise in detecting early breast cancers and tumors that have developed in other parts of the body.
	High doses of ketamine can temporarily switch off the brain, say researchers Researchers have identified two brain phenomena that may explain some of the side-effects of ketamine. Their measurements of the brain waves of sheep sedated by the drug may explain the out-of-body experience and state of complete oblivion it can cause.
	Scientists rescue mini retinas from eye disease via new gene therapy approach Scientists have developed a new gene therapy approach that offers tremendous promise for one day treating an eye disease that leads to blindness and affects thousands of people across the globe.
	Brain cells can harbor and spread HIV virus to the body Researchers have found that astrocytes, a type of brain cell can harbor HIV and then spread the virus to immune cells that traffic out of the brain and into other organs. HIV moved from the brain via this route even when the virus was suppressed by combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), a standard treatment for HIV. The study, conducted by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and published in PLOS Pathogens, was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
	Clues to ageing come to light in vivid snapshots of brain cell links The colorful pictures of the whole mouse brain at different ages are the first of their kind and a pivotal step forward in understanding behavior, scientists say.
	Scientists press mammal 'snooze button' to understand hibernation Could humans eventually be induced to hibernate to protect them after an injury or preserve them during deep space travel?
	Noise disturbs the brain's compass Our sense of direction tends to decline with age. In the scientific journal Nature Communications, researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and experts from the U.S. report on new insights into the causes of this phenomenon. According to their findings, the main source of errors in determining spatial position, and apparently, the cause of age-related orientation problems is a "noisy" and therefore imprecise perception of the speed at which one is moving. These study results could contribute to the development of diagnostic tools for early detection of dementia.
	Largest human heart bank advances understanding of heart failure Australian researchers have made several new heart failure discoveries in an innovative world-first project examining cryo-preserved human hearts, procured after transplantation, in the Sydney Heart Bank.
	Little-studied immune cell may be key to activating energy-burning 'beige fat' Immune cells called eosinophils could be an essential part of the process that activates "beige fat," a study in mice published this week in Nature Communications shows.
	Transforming spleens into liver-like organs in mice A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in China has developed a means for coaxing a mouse spleen into behaving like a liver—a possible alternative to transplantation. In their paper published in the journal Science Advances, the group describes their technique and how well it worked with test mice.
	Putting 'super' in natural killer cells Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and deleting a key gene, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have created natural killer cells—a type of immune cell—with measurably stronger activity against a form of leukemia, both in vivo and in vitro.
	Discovering how the brain works through computation Accelerating progress in neuroscience is helping us understand the big picture—how animals behave and which brain areas are involved in bringing about these behaviors—and also the small picture—how molecules, neurons, and synapses interact. But there is a huge gap of knowledge between these two scales, from the whole brain down to the neuron.
	Regular volunteer work provides demonstrable benefits for the health and well-being of older adults A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, takes a closer look at the benefits of volunteering to the health and well-being of volunteers, both validating and refuting findings from previous research. The results verify that adults over 50 who volunteer for at least 100 hours a year (about two hours per week) have a substantially reduced risk of mortality and developing physical limitations, higher levels of subsequent physical activity, and improved sense of well-being later on compared to individuals who do not volunteer.
	Hallucinations in people with seizures may point to suicide risk Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) have shown for the first time, the mental health significance of hallucinations in people with a history of seizures.
	For stressed-out black Americans, mental health care often hard to come by (HealthDay)—If there is one thing that recent police brutality protests have demonstrated, it is that life for black people in America is steeped in stress.
	USPSTF urges primary care docs to ask adults about drug use (HealthDay)—The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that primary care clinicians ask adults about drug use and connect them to services for treatment and appropriate care. These recommendations form the basis of a final recommendation statement published in the June 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
	Body mass index lower in patients with familial psoriasis (HealthDay)—Familial psoriasis is not necessarily induced by obesity, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Dermatology.
	Breastfeeding helps counteracts BMI gain in children at high risk for obesity For people whose genes put them at risk of becoming obese, exclusive breastfeeding as a baby can help ward off weight gain later in life. Laurent Briollais of Mount Sinai Hospital and the University of Toronto and colleagues report these findings in a new study published June 11th in PLOS Genetics.
	Overactive enzyme causes hereditary hypertension A Turkish family from a village near the Black Sea caught the attention of medical researchers in the early 1970s, when a physician discovered that many members of this large family had both unusually short fingers and astronomically high blood pressure, sometimes twice as high as that of healthy people. Those affected die around the age of 50, usually due to a stroke.
	New cell therapy approaches yield fewer complications after organ transplantation A large international study coordinated by University Hospital Regensburg and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin has demonstrated the safety of new cell therapy approaches for use in kidney transplant recipients. Transplant recipients were shown to require lower levels of immunosuppression in order to prevent organ rejection. This reduces the risk of side effects such as viral infections. Results from this study have been published in The Lancet.
	Lack of mitochondria causes severe disease in children Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have discovered that excessive degradation of mitochondria, the power plants of cells, plays an important role in the onset of mitochondrial disease in children. These inherited metabolic disorders can have severe consequence such as brain dysfunction and neurological impairment. The study is published in EMBO Molecular Medicine.
	Diabetes study finds new treatment target to prevent chronic kidney disease New work by a leading team of diabetes researchers has discovered how to target a problematic protein to help prevent kidney damage and significantly slow disease progression.
	Retinitis pigmentosa research probes role of the enzyme DHDDS in this genetic disease Researchers who made a knock-in mouse-model of the genetic disorder retinitis pigmentosa 59, or RP59, expected to see retinal degeneration and retinal thinning. As reported in the journal Cells, they surprisingly found none, calling into question the commonly accepted—though never proved—mechanism for RP59.
	My baby has 'tongue-tie'—Should I be worried? Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! Is it joyful? What if your baby cries, fusses and isn't feeding well? Perhaps you've tried breast and bottle-feeding without success.
	Virtual connections shown to combat loneliness Positive virtual contact with neighbors is a key antidote to feeling lonely, according to new research.
	Moral reflection can be seen in brain activity and eye movements Social neuroscience researchers investigated the effects of similarity by showing subjects the film "My Sister's Keeper" and asking them to watch the film from either the perspective of the donor sister or the sick sister. The subjects' brain processing was measured by functional MRI, and at the same time eye tracking was carried out, monitoring where the subject's eyes were looking on the screen.
	Scientists reveal involvement of dorsal periacqueductal gray in aversive conditioning The dorsal periacqueductal gray (dPAG) is involved in controlling emotional behavior by coordinating defensive behavior. It is linked to pathologies such as post-traumatic disorder (PTSD). However, its role in the formation and retrieval of negative memories remains unknown.
	Brazil during the 1918 flu epidemic While the impact of the 1918 Spanish flu on the developed world has been extensively researched, a lot less is known about its health effects on the Global South.
	People who eat a late dinner may gain weight Eating a late dinner may contribute to weight gain and high blood sugar, according to a small study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
	A compound unlike any other A compound discovered in the gills of wood-eating clams could be the solution to a group of parasites responsible for some of the world's most common infections.
	Study finds older physicians and those of Asian ancestry are at highest risk of suicide Health care professionals who die by suicide are more likely to be older and nearing the end of their careers, or be of Asian or Pacific Islander ancestry, or confronting physical, mental health or medical malpractice issues, according to a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital.
	Addressing self-neglect: New tool helps caseworkers tackle elder mistreatment, improve case management Adults at risk for self-neglect are often placed on Adult Protective Services' (APS) radar by neighbors who notice environmental issues, such as increasing amounts of insects or trash.
	Helping damaged nerves to re-grow Severed nerve tracts are very difficult to treat. If at all, the damage so far can only be repaired through complex operations. At the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, we have developed materials that stimulate damaged nerves into growth. Results from initial tests on mice show that nerve tracts can regenerate this way.
	Study shows R-loops coordinate with SOX2 in regulating reprogramming to pluripotency R-loops are unique structures in the cell, composed of RNA–DNA hybrids and a displaced single-stranded DNA, that are commonly found around transcribed genes. However, R-loops are also dynamic and widespread entities that play unclear regulatory and epigenetic roles in the genome.
	Scientists develop blood test to help improve liver cancer screening Scientists have developed a new test that can help identify people who are likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. The approach uses a simple blood test to check for the patient's previous exposure to certain viruses.
	Cancer rates have risen, but mortality has dropped – here's what the numbers are saying A quarter of a century of cancer data has revealed a silent revolution in cancer medicine. Our recent study found an impressive reduction in deaths from cancer across age groups over the last 25 years. But at the same time, we found an equally large increase in the occurrence of cancer across age groups. So what are these numbers telling us?
	The mystery of visual stability We move our eyes several times per second. These fast eye movements, called saccades, create large image shifts on the retina—making our visual system work hard to maintain a stable perceptual world. Remapping the retinal image compensates for this; however, errors in actual eye movements cause image shifts, even with remapping.
	Re-design mental health resources post-pandemic 'Go early, go hard, go local,' is the message of a group of mental health experts calling on the Government to urgently redesign how it provides services to protect mental wellbeing following COVID-19.
	Risk of ADHD diagnosis lower in children who follow healthy lifestyle recommendations The risk of a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be significantly lowered by following healthy lifestyle recommendations, according to new research from the University of Alberta and Dalhousie University.
	The brain uses minimum effort to look for key information in text By analyzing brain activity, researchers found that the brain regulates its resource use and tries to identify the most essential information.
	Many children in intensive care may not be getting rehabilitation therapy, study shows Adult patients in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) are often given rehabilitation therapy and urged to keep mobile from an early point in their hospital stays. This has been shown to improve muscle strength, physical functioning and cognitive health, along with reducing the risk of pressure ulcers ("bed sores"), blood clots and other short-term threats. However, the prevalence or lack of rehabilitation practices for critically ill children in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) across the nation has been not been solidly researched.
	Time-saving high-intensity workouts can benefit people with spinal cord injuries Research from the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University has found that the practical advantages of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or short bursts of all-out exercise, could be especially beneficial for people who have experienced spinal cord injuries (SCI).
	Better reading proficiency linked to fewer youth homicides A good education system has long been linked with providing opportunity for people to get better jobs and escape poverty. However, less is known about the impact of education on youth violence. By analyzing data about the residents of 55 Baltimore, Maryland, neighborhoods from the City Health Department's 2017 Neighborhood Health Profile Reports, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers recently showed that those urban areas with a larger number of third graders reading at grade level had lower rates of homicides among people age 25 or younger.
	Chemotherapy/immunotherapy combo shows promise for first-line treatment of mesothelioma Inoperable malignant pleural mesothelioma, is a rare and aggressive cancer of the protective lining of the lungs, or pleura, often caused by exposure to asbestos. At the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), held virtually from May 29-31, 2020, a researcher from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center presented findings from a multicenter study that evaluated the efficacy of an immunotherapy-plus-chemotherapy combination for the disease.
	Landmark study shows inflammation after meals varies dramatically among healthy adults Researchers led by King's College London announced today the first published results from PREDICT, the largest ongoing nutritional study of its kind.
	Past stressful experiences do not create resilience to future trauma, new study finds What doesn't kill you makes you stronger—that claim is so universally accepted that it's a common truism in contexts from everyday conversations to Top 40 pop charts.
	Researchers identify 'hot spots' for developing lymphatic vessels When an embryo develops, a wide variety of proteins and enzymes trigger a series of biochemical reactions. The development of the lymphatic vasculature is crucially dependent on one specific protein—the growth factor VEGF-C. In order to become biologically active and to initiate downstream signaling events, the protein must first undergo processing steps. Thus far it was unclear, however, how and where the necessary factors come together that are required for VEGF-C activation, and which cell types provide these individual factors during development.
	Designing new radiotherapy technologies to treat cancer in low and middle-income countries A new project supported by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) aims to design and develop new radiotherapy technologies to give more cancer patients in Sub-Saharan Africa access to treatment and to save lives.
	Cost, distance from hospitals present barriers to surgical care A Rutgers-led study in Colombia can help health care providers across the globe develop plans to improve surgical care access in their regions.
	Do you want a cheerleader or a critic? The Voice shows how we really choose our mentors. We think that we will choose our personal and professional advisors based on reasoned criteria about their expertise, competence and experience.
	Refugee children get better health, nutrition via e-vouchers Electronic food vouchers provided young Rohingya children in Bangladeshi refugee camps with better health and nutrition than direct food assistance, according to new research led by Cornell University, in conjunction with the International Food Policy Research Institute.
	A vitamin A analog may help treat diabetic retinopathy Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness among the working-age population. A new study in the American Journal of Pathology reports that visual function in diabetic mice was significantly improved after treatment with a single dose of visual chromophore 9-cis-retinal, a vitamin A analog that can form a visual pigment in the retina cells, thereby producing a light sensitive element of the retina.
	Researchers model human stem cells to identify degeneration in glaucoma More than 3 million Americans have glaucoma, a serious eye condition causing vision loss. Using human stem cell models, researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine found they could analyze deficits within cells damaged by glaucoma, with the potential to use this information to develop new strategies to slow the disease process.
	New study confirms superiority of open surgery for early-stage cervical cancer A study led by researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center confirms that minimally invasive surgery for early-stage cervical cancer is linked to higher rates of recurrence and death compared with open surgery.
	COVID-19 threatens the entire nervous system A new review of neurological symptoms of COVID-19 patients in current scientific literature reveals the disease poses a global threat to the entire nervous system, reports a Northwestern Medicine study published this week in Annals of Neurology.
	Treat early or wait? Experts ponder best way to manage milder forms of spinal muscular atrophy The advent of therapeutic interventions for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) has increased the importance of presymptomatic diagnosis and treatment. When to start treatment in children with less severe disease remains controversial. Now, in a report published in the Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases, German researchers argue for an earlier start of treatment to prevent permanent nerve damage, challenging recommendations originally proposed by a group of American experts that suggests a strict follow-up strategy for children expected to have less severe disease.
	Study examines emotional regulation, family history as risk factors for suicidal behavior Suicide is the second leading cause of death for persons ages 10-24. And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), youth suicide rates have nearly tripled from 2007 to 2017. Understanding risk factors in younger children can increase the likelihood of a child receiving behavioral health services in a timely fashion and can contribute to the development of interventions dedicated to preventing a first suicide attempt in at-risk youth.
	A novel mechanism that triggers a cellular immune response Viruses and other disease-causing microbes influence the type of immune response their hosts will develop against them. In some cases, the predominant response involves antibodies, proteins made by the immune system that specifically recognize parts of the invading microbe and mediate its destruction. In other cases, immune cells are trained to recognize the microbe and lead the attack against it.
	Adult stem cell study shows fish oil may help with depression A study published in Molecular Psychiatry shows that patient-derived adult stem cells can be used to model major depressive disorder and test how a patient may respond to medication.
	People with diabetes are at greater risk of bone fractures People living with diabetes are at greater risk of bone fractures, new research led by the University of Sheffield has found.
	Only 1 in 3 COVID-19 research authors are women and even fewer are senior authors Women make up only a third of all authors who have published research on COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in January this year, and even fewer of them are senior authors on these papers, suggests an analysis in BMJ Global Health.
LGBTQIA+ health disparities: Documenting sexual orientation and gender identity is critical In spite of the recommendations that sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), as well as sexual behavior, be routinely documented for all patients accessing clinical care, collection of this data and documentation remains abysmally low especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual (LGBTQIA+) communities.
Three in four parents of preschool children unable to balance work and childcare during lockdown A new study has highlighted the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on the wellbeing of families with preschool children. Of the 1728 parents and carers surveyed by researchers at the Universities of Oxford, Reading and Southampton, nearly three quarters felt that they are not sufficiently able to meet the needs of both work and their preschool children.
	Helicobacter infections hit Bhutan's happiness Over 66% of Bhutan's population may be harbouring Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which is responsible for ulcers of the gastro-intestinal tract that, left untreated, may lead to cancer, a new study suggests.
	Social media messages influence parents about HPV Social media keeps us connected to one another, but it also influences our beliefs. Now, a new study from the University of Missouri finds that social media use can lead parents to incorrectly believe the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine could be lethal in their children.
Video: How to maintain sobriety during a pandemic Addiction thrives in isolation, so sheltering in place and social distancing during COVID-19 can be challenging for people in recovery as well as for those who are susceptible to substance misuse.
	Nation must prepare for COVID-19 related drug shortages A new paper published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society examines the nation's current shortage of vitally needed medications, and how this dangerous situation is being made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors provide recommendations on how clinicians and institutions might address potential scarcities of essential medications during the current public health crisis.
	Experts clarify subtypes of multiple sclerosis to improve care and clinical trials An international committee of multiple sclerosis (MS) experts has clarified their previously published descriptors of the different courses of MS and disease activity. MS subtypes are consensus definitions rather than pathologically defined phenotypes, and are easily misconstrued. The review was prompted in part by differences in specified indications for MS therapies recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). The goal of the review is to improve care and access to treatments, and to refine the selection of clinical trial participants so that trial outcomes can be better applied to clinical care.
	How can physicians flourish? Doctors can only perform at the best of their ability in an environment that acknowledges and strengthens 'calling and comradeship.' According to Ph.D. student Myra van den Goor of the University of Twente, these human- and relationship-directed values have been pushed to the background in recent years by a more commercial, business-like climate in health care—one dominated by the importance of procedures and efficiency. Van den Goor: "I argue that attention should once again be directed towards the person, rather than towards process, registration and production. My findings and recommendations show how doctors work at a high level of performance in an extremely dynamic environment, and what they need in order to remain 'simply' good doctors."
The antipsychotic drug clozapine may cause obsessions and compulsions A review published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics analyzes the obsessions and compulsions associated with the use of clozapine, an antipsychotic drug,
	E-health resource improves men's health behaviours with or without fitness facilities Men who regularly used a free web resource made significantly more health changes than men who did not, finds a new study from Intensions Consulting and the University of British Columbia.
	Researchers find potential new way to improve treatment for common bleeding disorder Scientists have found a potential new way to promote blood clotting that could be used to help develop treatments for Von Willebrand Disease, the most common genetic bleeding disorder.
	Photographic protocol developed to plan breast cancer surgeries Breast cancer is most common among women: More than half a million new cases were detected in the European Union in 2018. Surgery and breast reconstruction are part of the treatment in a high percentage of cases, by way of oncoplastic techniques that require a broad image study to design the most suitable and personalized surgical strategy. However, there was no standardized protocol to establish the requirements for a full photographic study, from all viewpoints and with an optimum image quality, while also preserving patient privacy and comfort. Research professors from the Degrees in Medicine and Industrial Design at the CEU Cardenal Herrera University (CEU UCH) have collaborated in this first photographic protocol proposal for breast cancer surgery, with the participation of students and in collaboration with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
Fentanyl tops list of drugs found in Baltimore overdose patients A new University of Maryland study found fentanyl tops the list of drugs detected in overdose patients at two Baltimore hospital emergency departments. The finding suggests that hospitals and medical systems throughout the United States consider adding fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid linked to most fatal overdoses in Maryland, to their routine drug testing panels. That is the conclusion of researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland, College Park. Currently, fentanyl is not routinely included in these panels nationwide. The study is based on de-identified urinalysis results and other data collected through the new Maryland Emergency Department Drug Surveillance (EDDS) system, launched to support improved patient outcomes.
	Healthcare providers need behavioral health support during COVID-19 outbreak Healthcare workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing care to the sick at great personal risk. Most of the proposed policies to protect their health and safety have focused on access to high-quality personal protective equipment (PPE) and other occupational safety needs. However, authors of a new Health Affairs blog post argue that a major component is being overlooked: behavioral health.
	Free training manual will help health providers diagnose fetal alcohol syndrome Omar Rahman, M.D., director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute Department of Genetics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is part of a group that has created a training manual in both English and Spanish designed to help health care providers recognize and diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
	Shift to online consultations helps patients with chronic pain receive support in lockdown The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated conditions for people living with chronic pain around the world and its long-term consequences are likely to be substantial, according to researchers at the University of Bath's Centre for Pain Research.
Regular physical activity can maintain or improve frailty Frailty is the medical term for becoming weaker or experiencing lower levels of activity or energy. Becoming frail as we age increases our risk for poor health, falls, disability, and other serious concerns.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

	A protein that helps to fight viruses can also block lung damage repair Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found that a protein which is initially helpful in the body's immune response to a virus, can later interfere with the repair of lung tissue. The work, published in Science, highlights the need for careful consideration regarding the use of this protein to treat viruses, including coronavirus.
	Researchers create new type of COVID-19 antibody test As the COVID-19 pandemic continues with many thousands of new infections reported each day, there is a need for widely applicable surveillance testing to gain a better understanding of infection rates, especially the number of infections in people with mild or no symptoms, who can still be carriers. UNC School of Medicine scientists and colleagues developed a new kind of antibody test—a simplified experimental assay that could be ramped up to test thousands of blood samples at labs that do not have the resources of commercial labs and large academic medical centers.
	Latin America logs 70,000 coronavirus deaths More than 70,000 people have died from coronavirus in Latin America as the pandemic sweeps through the region, putting growing pressure on an already stretched healthcare system.
	Study will assess drugs used to treat young COVID-19 patients (HealthDay)—A study to assess several drugs currently being used to treat COVID-19 in infants, children, and teens has been announced by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
	Good outcomes seen in hospitalized pregnant women with COVID-19 (HealthDay)—Most pregnant women admitted to U.K. hospitals with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection have good outcomes, according to a study published online June 8 in The BMJ.
	Resurgence of virus threatens South Korea's success story Just weeks ago, South Korea was celebrating its hard-won gains against the coronavirus, easing social distancing, reopening schools and promoting a tech-driven anti-virus campaign President Moon Jae-in has called "K-quarantine."
	Coronavirus survivor in US receives double lung transplant Surgeons in Chicago have given a new set of lungs to a young woman with severe lung damage from the coronavirus.
Study identifies signs of acute pancreatitis not seen prior to COVID-19 pandemic A new Liverpool study, published in Gastroenterology, identifies the signs of COVID-19 related pancreatitis that will enable earlier diagnosis and allow for swifter referral and management.
	Coronavirus transmission slowed in the U.K. but epidemic may continue for months COVID-19 has slowed in the UK, but despite a drop in transmission rate the epidemic remains likely to continue for months, according to new analysis.
	Elite gamers share mental toughness with top athletes, study finds High-performing esports professionals may require the same mental stamina it takes to be a top Olympian, according to latest Queensland University of Technology research.
	How targeting killer T cells in the lungs could lead to immunity against respiratory viruses A significant site of damage during COVID-19 infection is the lungs. Understanding how the lungs' immune cells are responding to viral infections could help scientists develop a vaccine.
	Leveraging a powerful weapon in the fight against COVID-19—ontology The mass of growing and constantly changing data resulting from multiple disciplines represents one of the biggest challenges researchers and public health officials must confront while trying to manage the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
	Distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus can be awkward. How are can we deal with it? Let's be real: Keeping our distance from one another to slow the spread of the coronavirus can be super awkward—like when that uncle genuinely forgets distancing etiquette and tries to show you a meme on his phone.
	OM85: How bacteria in a capsule could protect us from coronavirus and other respiratory infections Scientists around the world are continuing to test countless vaccines and drugs in the hope of finding effective ways to prevent and treat COVID-19.
	Final tests of some COVID-19 vaccines to start next month The first experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. is on track to begin a huge study next month to prove if it really can fend off the coronavirus, while hard-hit Brazil is testing a different shot from China.
	Coronavirus: how T cells are involved and what it might mean for vaccine development Developing a vaccine is difficult at the best of times, but rarely have we been in a situation where basic knowledge about a virus has to be acquired so directly alongside the race to eradicate it. To understand how difficult this task is, we must appreciate the complexity of how our immune system responds to an infection.
	New app analyzes how social distancing affects biological clocks Almost overnight, the sleep and wake patterns of nearly four billion people may have changed because of COVID-19-spurred lockdowns.
	Promising path found for COVID-19 therapeutics A team of researchers at the University of Georgia has successfully demonstrated that a set of drug-like small molecules can block the activity of a key SARS-CoV-2 protein—providing a promising path for new COVID-19 therapeutics.
	Coronavirus has forced us to embrace digital healthcare – it could transform how we look after patients Around the world, barriers to providing healthcare remotely—known as "telemedicine"—have come down overnight. COVID-19 has moved us from a cautious debate about whether to use telemedicine to an immediate need to revolutionize practice.
	Substandard hand sanitizers readily available on market, confirm pharmacists An international team of pharmacy experts has researched the effectiveness of hand sanitisers in the fight against CoViD-19 and warned the public to beware of sub-standard products. They have also provided detailed "recipes" for the manufacture of effective hand sanitising gels and explained the science behind them.
	Is it safe to stay in a hotel, cabin or rental home yet? After nearly three months of quarantine, millions of Americans are ready to travel—an overnight trip, a weekend getaway, a summer sojourn. With states reopening, that's now possible, with a caveat. Before coronavirus, few people likely thought twice about staying in a hotel room, rental home or cabin in the woods. But now, we have to factor in the potential for coronavirus exposure. Even if you're OK with the travel risks taking you to your destination—plane, train or automobile—what about the risks of the destination spot itself?
	African countries battle-ready to take on COVID-19 Experience combating Ebola has been a key element in the effective response of African nations to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to research out today from Oxford's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science in collaboration with the African Research Network.
	Cold plasma against the coronavirus Many seriously ill COVID-19 patients must contend with more than just the coronavirus. Approximately half of the people who were mechanically ventilated yet still died had acquired additional infections in hospital. Cold plasma therapy could prevent these superinfections and reduce the risk of hospital staff becoming infected with coronavirus. Preliminary tests carried out by terraplasma medical GmbH, the subsidiary of the Max Planck spin-off terraplasma, suggest that cold atmospheric plasma (i.e. weakly ionized air) can render SARS-CoV-2 harmless in cell cultures. In order to clarify whether cold plasma can actually help treat COVID-19, investigations in both cell cultures and COVID-19 patients have been initiated together with various partners.
	Three stages to COVID-19 brain damage identified by neurologists The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease has just published a paper with a comprehensive review of the COVID-19's effect on the nervous system which classifies brain damage caused by COVID-19 into three stages. One of the authors, nationally-recognized neurologist Dr. Majid Fotuhi, MD, Ph.D., who is the medical director of NeuroGrow Brain Fitness Center in Northern Virginia and an affiliate staff at Johns Hopkins Medicine, encourages the adoption of this three-stage classification, calls for more research on COVID's long-term effects on the brain, and stresses the need for patients to receive a brain MRI before leaving the hospital.
	COVID-19: Society's response discriminates against ethnic minorities and migrants Society's response to COVID-19 is harming ethnic minorities and migrants, according to global health experts writing in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. The risk of contracting COVID-19, the severity of the illness and the risk of poor health related to the policies and actions responding to the pandemic are all increased in minority groups, the authors write.
	Puerto Rico claims COVID-19 peak over as concerns remain As Puerto Rico considers lifting pandemic quarantine restrictions, health officials said Wednesday that the U.S. territory passed its peak of coronavirus cases and related deaths more than two months ago—though independent experts said those numbers are in doubt.
	Arizona hospitals at 83% capacity, elective surgery may stop Arizona hospitals that are expected to be able to treat new cases of coronavirus without going into crisis mode were above 80% capacity, a milestone that should trigger an automatic stop to elective surgeries at affected hospitals as the state becomes a hotspot.
	Hawaii extends 14-day quarantine for all incoming travelers Hawaii Gov. David Ige extended the state's mandatory 14-day quarantine for all arriving travelers on Wednesday in a bid to keep coronavirus cases in the islands low.
	Is it safe to go swimming during the coronavirus pandemic? Is it safe to swim at a beach or pool during the coronavirus pandemic?
	Mexico COVID-19 death toll passes 15,000: govt Mexico's death toll from the new coronavirus passed 15,000, its government said Wednesday, as the country also recorded its highest number of infections in one day.
	EU urges states to reopen domestic borders from Monday The European Union on Thursday urged all its member countries to start lifting travel restrictions on their common borders from next week, saying that the closures they introduced to tackle the coronavirus do little to limit its spread.
	Beijing lambastes Harvard coronavirus study as 'disinformation' Beijing on Thursday criticised a preliminary study by US researchers suggesting the coronavirus may have been circulating in China since August 2019, calling it proof of a disinformation campaign.
	Russia coronavirus cases top 500,000 Russia, the country with the world's third-largest coronavirus outbreak, passed the symbolic milestone of 500,000 confirmed cases on Thursday, after the capital lifted tight lockdown restrictions this week.
	Cheaper and faster coronavirus tests in the pipeline A new sensor that can give an immediate response to the presence of coronavirus could dramatically improve the efficiency of testing and overcome some of the current surveillance bottlenecks, believe its Swedish developers.
	Treating mental health in the time of coronavirus When Peter Tuerk began his new role as director of the Sheila C. Johnson Center for Clinical Services in 2018, integrating data and technology into the center's clinical training and services was a core part of his vision.
Unintended mental health consequences of isolation precautions for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 As a physician, I have seen firsthand the mental health toll that the novel coronavirus is playing on patients hospitalized with the disease. Here I present the problem and a potential way to mitigate the damaging effects of isolation on patients' mental health.
	Ukraine reports 'alarming' record rise in virus cases Ukraine said on Thursday there had been an "alarming" rise in coronavirus cases after a daily record of 689 new infections were reported as the country eases lockdown measures.
	With measures lifted, Balkans hit by coronavirus case spike Serbia's president has canceled his party's campaign rallies and officials in Bosnia, North Macedonia and Albania are appealing on citizens to respect anti-infection measures due to a spike in new coronavirus cases after the Balkan countries relaxed their restrictions.
	Many forces behind alarming rise in virus cases in 21 states States are rolling back lockdowns, but the coronavirus isn't done with the U.S.
	Europe to reopen borders but world virus toll mounts Brussels set out plans to reopen the EU's internal borders on Thursday, even as the global coronavirus outbreak hit worrying new landmarks in the United States, Latin America and Russia.
	Iran says virus cases top 180,000 More than 180,000 people have been infected in Iran's coronavirus outbreak since it first emerged nearly four months ago, an official said on Thursday.
	Clinical updates for diagnostic ultrasound during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic An open-access article published in the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) by radiologists in Singapore recommends a number of applied updates to the workflow of diagnostic ultrasound (US) to prevent nosocomial transmission of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to frontline US service providers, who could inadvertently become vectors for onward transmission.
	Surgical guidance in the time of COVID-19 Professor Björn Brücher is a cancer surgeon/scientist and the Editor in Chief of the EDP Sciences journal 4open. With 34 colleagues from around the world, he has created a clear guidance document for surgeons and clinicians working in the time of COVID-19, whether they are in a large state-of-the art hospital or a small clinic in a developing country. The guidance was produced by collaborators who have come together in a totally unique and rapid fashion to ensure clear guidance is available for those working in these unprecedented conditions.The group shared a common vision, that the guidance be truly open access and available to all. Here Professor Brücher explains how and why the guidance was created, and what the next steps will be.
	Neighborhood-based friendships making a comeback for kids in the age of coronavirus As the weather has warmed in my Midwestern town, my neighborhood is full of children on bicycles pretending to be riding through the Wild West. I can't walk down the sidewalk without stepping on chalk drawings or hopscotch boards. There are children jumping rope and playing ball. In the eight years I've lived here, I've never witnessed this before. As a clinical psychologist who studies children's friendships, I am fascinated by this development.
	The voices missing from South Africa's response to COVID-19 Ten days after South Africa reported its first case of COVID-19 on 5 March 2020, the government moved quickly to declare a national state of disaster. Within days a National Coronavirus Command Council had been formed, travel restrictions imposed and schools closed. A national lockdown was announced on 23 March. This remains in force though restrictions are being lifted slowly.
	Testing for COVID-19 antibodies in frontline healthcare workers Frontline healthcare workers are at high risk of developing COVID-19 in the current viral pandemic. However, we do not know how many have developed antibodies and immunity to the COVID-19 virus, SARS-CoV2 in Ireland.
	Researcher talks vaccine realities in an unprecedented time "At what point do knowledge and questioning become pessimism?"
Nurseries forced to support families in poverty through coronavirus crisis, research shows Nursery staff are having to provide food and help families with benefit claims as the coronavirus pandemic impacts parents with young children, according to new research by the University of Sheffield and Early Education, an early years providers' membership body.
	COVID-19 triage decisions should 'ignore life-years saved,' writes bioethicist in Medical Care How do we decide which patients with COVID-19 should get priority for lifesaving ventilators and ICU beds? Writing in the July issue of Medical Care, a prominent bioethicist argues that COVID-19 triage strategies should focus on saving lives, rather than prioritizing life-years saved.
	French chef Ducasse unveils anti-virus air system French celebrity chef Alain Ducasse on Thursday unveiled a novel air ventilation system in one of his smallest Parisian restaurants to try to overcome the distancing restrictions related to the coronavirus.
	WHO warns pandemic accelerating in Africa The speed the new coronavirus jumped from 100,000 to 200,000 confirmed cases in Africa shows just how quickly the pandemic is accelerating on the continent, the World Health Organization said Thursday.
	Alarming rise in virus cases as states roll back lockdowns States are rolling back lockdowns, but the coronavirus isn't done with the U.S.
	Brazil to produce Chinese coronavirus vaccine: officials Brazilian officials on Thursday announced an agreement with China's Sinovac Biotech to produce its coronavirus vaccine in the state of Sao Paulo, where tests involving 9,000 volunteers are to begin next month.
	Survey suggests the importance of clearly communicating coronavirus risk, behaviors As news of the coronavirus swept the nation in March 2020, the risks of COVID-19 infection and infection-fatality were still unclear.

Other Sciences news

	Ancient crocodiles walked on two legs like dinosaurs An international research team has been stunned to discover that some species of ancient crocodiles walked on their two hind legs like dinosaurs and measured over three meters in length.
	Oldest relative of ragworms and earthworms discovered Scientists have discovered the oldest fossil that can be assigned to the living annelid worms, the group of animals that contains earthworms, leeches and many different forms in the ocean including polychaetes (such as ragworms and lugworms).
	Tropical disease in medieval Europe revises the history of a pathogen related to syphilis Mass burials are common remnants of the many plague outbreaks that ravaged Medieval Europe. A number of these graveyards are well documented in historical sources, but the locations of most, and the victims they contain, have been lost to the pages of time. In Vilnius, Lithuania, one such cemetery was found in a typical way: Accidental discovery during a routine city construction project.
	Local news volume does not increase pro-social behaviors during COVID-19 During this pandemic, there are countless voices urging Americans to engage in the kind of civic behaviors that keep us all safe, like social distancing and frequent hand washing. These voices come at the national, state, and local level. But which ones are actually getting through, making it more likely that Americans will comply with the recommendations?
	Sun Belt cities comprise nearly half of U.S. population growth The Sun Belt's large metro areas are growing much faster than those elsewhere in the United States, and they are adding more young and old residents than the rest of the nation, according to a new white paper from Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research.
	Study shows contagions could be catalysts for mass migration Could the COVID-19 pandemic spell the end of globalisation and migration?
	Disadvantaged pupils could be unfairly penalised by using predicted grades during pandemic, expert warns This year's system of using predicted grades to award A-level and GCSE results should be closely monitored to ensure it doesn't unfairly penalize disadvantaged pupils, a social mobility expert has warned.
	New research reveals political changes wrought by the 'Black Death' From 1347 to 1351, Europe was in the grip of a pandemic, later known as the "Black Death," that killed millions, leaving doctors struggling to understand its origins and cities struggling to bury the dead and isolate the sick.
New study advocates updating approach to teaching supply chain curriculum "Nobody worries about the supply chain until something goes wrong," said Joe Walden, the assistant area director in analytics, information and operations management at the University of Kansas.
	How dashcams help and hinder forensics Dashcams are vital for helping police investigate car incidents, however the way the footage is submitted to police, managed and processed can cause problems. A researcher at WMG, University of Warwick has assessed seven different types of dashcams' SD storage systems to see how they help and hinder digital forensics.
	Globalization really started 1,000 years ago Viking ships touched down on the Canadian island of Newfoundland around the year 1000, at what is now the archaeological site known as L'Anse aux Meadows.
	Slow down: Reduced speed limits save lives in busy cities Traffic accidents are the leading cause of non-natural deaths worldwide. Lower speed limits may help prevent accidents. But speed-reduction policies can be controversial and effects are not well documented.
Secondary school admissions system is still a work in progress New research, examining how parents choose secondary schools, questions England's 'success rate' for admissions and suggests the 'good news' revealed today may not tell the full story. Researchers believe the system could, easily and cheaply, be made to work better.
	Four experts investigate how the 5G coronavirus conspiracy theory began In times of crisis, conspiracy theories can spread as fast as a virus.
	About that spare room: employers requisitioned our homes and our time Working from home during COVID-19 appeared to cost us little.
	Drivers v cyclists: it's like an ethnic conflict, which offers clues to managing 'road wars' Motorists and cyclists are akin to ethnic groups, our research shows. This means we might want to look to multiculturalism in managing relations on the roads.
	COVID-19 recovery is a chance to improve the African food system The World Food Programme has warned that the COVID-19 pandemic could cause one of the worst food crises since World War II. It predicts a doubling of the number of people going hungry – more than half of them in sub-Saharan Africa. While wealthier people stay inside and practise physical distancing, the economically marginalised populations risk going out in search of food. They take decisions between livelihoods and life in the most extreme cases. Such food inequities show the need for system-level action.
	How police departments can identify and oust killer cops The global condemnation of the death of George Floyd, one of the latest in a constellation of officer-involved deaths of unarmed civilians, has grown into a worldwide social movement for disbanding or defunding police.
	Are peaceful protests more effective than violent ones? As unrest erupts across the world after the killing of a Black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer, even some peaceful protests have descended into chaos, calling into question the efficacy of violence when it comes to spurring social change.
	Researchers aim to help cities prioritize interventions for public transit The New York City Subway—which, under normal circumstances, serves 5.5 million riders daily—resumed service June 8, amid concerns from residents about exposing themselves to the closed, crowded conditions that could be ripe for coronavirus transmission. Researchers at Penn State aim to help minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread by identifying specific subway stations in which intervention resources—such as setting up testing sites, allocating additional personnel to disinfect frequently touched surfaces in subway stations, and distributing masks and hand sanitizer—could be of greatest benefit.
New data capture eviction laws in 40 US cities New data released today on LawAtlas.org describe a patchwork landscape of laws governing eviction in 40 of the largest US cities. Nearly 1 million households are evicted from their homes each year, a number that is likely compounded by the impact of COVID-19.
Life on welfare isn't what most people think it is When Americans talk about people receiving public assistance—food stamps, disability, unemployment payments and other government help—they often have stereotypes and inaccurate perceptions of who those people are and what their lives are like.
	Going online due to COVID-19 this fall could hurt colleges' future When the California State University system decided to conduct all of its classes online this coming fall, administrators said it was to avoid the health risks associated with COVID-19. Many other colleges are making similar decisions as they move online.
	Adding women to corporate boards improves decisions about medical product safety Medical supply companies with boards that included at least two women recalled life-threatening products almost a month sooner than those with all-male boards, according to our forthcoming study examining thousands of medical product recalls from 2002 to 2013.
	Paying for coronavirus will have to be like war debt – spread over generations The macroeconomic shock to the world economy from the COVID-19 pandemic is arguably unprecedented in modern times. The financial response by governments of the major economies has been substantial.
	Opposition to sexual- and gender-minority rights linked to support for Christian dominance ,Many Christian and political conservatives in the U.S. support legislation to deny sexual and gender minorities the rights most Americans enjoy: unfettered access to jobs, housing, services and public facilities; the opportunity to marry as they choose; and the right to adopt a child.
	Housing instability undermines public health response to COVID-19 pandemic A long-brewing crisis of housing instability in the U.S. threatens to mar the public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic by undermining strategies such as social distancing, says a new working paper co-written by an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
	Research with industry executives reveals impact of COVID-19 on air transport sector Cranfield-led research has assessed the initial impact of COVID-19 on air transport and found that it is likely to lead to a smaller, consolidated sector in the future.
Study: News reports of education 'achievement gaps' may perpetuate stereotypes of Black Americans Scholars have warned that the framing of racial "achievement gaps" in tests scores, grades, and other education outcomes may perpetuate racial stereotypes and encourage people to explain the gaps as the failure of students and their families rather than as resulting from structural racism. A new study finds that TV news reporting about racial achievement gaps led viewers to report exaggerated stereotypes of Black Americans as lacking education and may have increased implicit stereotyping of Black students as less competent than White students.
Place doesn't trump race as predictor of incarceration For black Americans—particularly men—growing up in better neighborhoods doesn't diminish the likelihood of going to prison nearly as much as it does for whites or Latinos, new Cornell research shows.

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