Science X Newsletter Wednesday, Jun 10

Spotlight Stories Headlines

A new approach to control the stiffness and position of inflatable robots

Ancient micrometeoroids carried specks of stardust, water to asteroid 4 Vesta

Researchers mimic nature for fast, colorful 3-D printing

Astronomers observe X-ray reactivation of the magnetar SGR 1935+2154

Signatures of fractional electronic charge observed in topological insulators

After a century of searching, scientists find new liquid phase

Human eggs prefer some men's sperm over others, research shows

Black hole's heart still beating

Simple way of 'listening' to chicks could dramatically improve welfare

Widespread facemask use could shrink the 'R' number and prevent a second COVID-19 wave: study

Study provides new explanation for neutrino anomalies in Antarctica

Aerosol-printed graphene unveiled as low cost, faster food toxin sensor

A rare heart bone is discovered in chimpanzees

Leonardo's 'Vitruvian Man' ideal isn't far off modern measures

Study investigates potential for gut microbiome to alter drug safety and efficacy

Nanotechnology news

	Aerosol-printed graphene unveiled as low cost, faster food toxin sensor Researchers in the USA have developed a graphene-based electrochemical sensor capable of detecting histamines (allergens) and toxins in food much faster than standard laboratory tests.
	A cheap, flexible and recyclable alternative to indium tin oxide in electrodes Australian researchers have demonstrated the strong potential for a new type of flexible, recyclable electrodes to be used in creating cheaper solar cells, touchscreens, wearable 'e-skins' and next-generation responsive windows.
	Researchers light cells using nanosheets for cancer treatment Scientists in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University are developing new ways to advance the field of regenerative medicine and cancer treatment. They are developing a 2-D nanosheet that is 1,000 times smaller than a strand of hair.

Physics news

	Signatures of fractional electronic charge observed in topological insulators The charge of a single electron, e, is defined as the basic unit of electric charge. Because electrons—the subatomic particles that carry electricity—are elementary particles and cannot be split, fractions of electronic charge are not normally encountered. Despite this, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have recently observed the signature of fractional charges ranging from e/4 to 2e/3 in exotic materials known as topological crystalline insulators.
	Study provides new explanation for neutrino anomalies in Antarctica A new research paper co-authored by a Virginia Tech assistant professor of physics provides a new explanation for two recent strange events that occurred in Antarctica—high-energy neutrinos appearing to come up out of the Earth on their own accord and head skyward.
	What a bike moving at near the speed of light might look like to a human observer A pair of researchers at Surrey University has attempted to show what a bicycle moving at near the speed of light might look like to a human observer. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A, E. C. Cryer-Jenkins, and P. D. Stevenson expand on prior research that attempted to describe how a near-light-speed object would appear to a camera, this time focusing on its appearance to a binocular observer.
	Team solves old mystery, paving way toward advances in medicine, industry, environmental science An Oregon State University environmental engineering professor has solved a decades-old mystery regarding the behavior of fluids, a field of study with widespread medical, industrial and environmental applications.
	First confirmation of new theory by metamaterial Topological metamaterials are applied as a novel platform to explore and study extraordinary effects. Instead of using natural materials, researchers artificially arrange the constituents of a topological metamaterial in a regular structure. Such an arrangement is analogous to a solid state in which the atoms form a crystal lattice. Usually, these platforms are used to simulate particular properties of solids in order to make them amenable to experimental investigation.
	Acoustics put a fresh spin on electron transitions Electrons are very much at the mercy of magnetic fields, which scientists can manipulate to control the electrons and their angular momentum—i.e. their "spin."
	Theon-Kepler bifocal telescope helps advance radial-shearing interferometry Recently, researchers at Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed a new kind of telescope structure, a Theon-Kepler bifocal telescope, to realize radial-shearing interferometry in common-path setup. This research has been published in Applied Optics.

Earth news

	Island 'drowning' is not inevitable as sea levels rise Coral reef islands across the world could naturally adapt to survive the impact of rising sea levels, according to new research.
	Erosion of the Himalayas governed by tectonic movements, limiting climate change impacts on landscape formation Researchers from Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CNRS / University of Lorraine), in collaboration with CEREGE have shown that erosion in the Himalayas is primarily governed by tectonic movements, which would limit the impact of climate change on the formation of Himalayan landscapes. Their study was published in Nature Geosciences on June 1, 2020.
	Antarctic sea-ice models improve for the next IPCC report The world of climate modeling is complex, requiring an enormous amount of coordination and collaboration to produce. Models feed on mountains of different inputs to run simulations of what a future world might look like, and can be so big—in some cases, lines of code in the millions—they take days or weeks to run. Building these models can be challenging, but getting them right is critical for us to see where climate change is taking us, and importantly, what we might do about it.
	Proposed seismic surveys in Arctic Refuge likely to cause lasting damage Winter vehicle travel can cause long-lasting damage to the tundra, according to a new paper by University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers published in the journal Ecological Applications.
	Bedrock type under forests greatly affects tree growth, species, carbon storage A forest's ability to store carbon depends significantly on the bedrock beneath, according to Penn State researchers who studied forest productivity, composition and associated physical characteristics of rocks in the Appalachian ridge and Valley Region of Pennsylvania.
	How stimulus dollars are spent will affect emissions for decades The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have led to a record crash in emissions. But it will be emission levels during the recovery—in the months and years after the pandemic recedes—that matter most for how global warming plays out, according to a new Nature commentary from researchers at the University of California San Diego.
	Fire expert: It's been a year since the last bushfire season began, but don't expect the same this year Last season's bushfires directly killed 34 people and devastated more than 8 million hectares of land along the south-eastern fringe of Australia.
	Lake Victoria could burst its banks more often in the future. What can be done In recent weeks, water levels in Lake Victoria have reached unprecedented heights as a result of heavy rains in the East African region which started in August 2019. Some say the lake's levels have not been this high for 50 years. According to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, the lake hit a new record level of 13.42 meters—marginally higher than the 13.41 meter mark recorded in 1964.
	Women generate lower travel-related greenhouse gas emissions, study finds Women use more diverse modes of travel and generate lower greenhouse gas emissions than men, despite men being more than twice as likely to travel by bike, a New Zealand study has found.
	Researchers use CARC systems to understand volcano shapes According to the United States Geological Survey, Earth is home to about 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with new volcanoes forming about once a week. Volcanic eruptions can be highly unpredictable and pose a major threat to life and property.
	Cuba's clean rivers show the benefits of reducing nutrient pollution For most of the past 60 years, the United States and Cuba have had very limited diplomatic ties. President Barack Obama started the process of normalizing U.S.-Cuba relations, but the Trump administration reversed this policy, sharply reducing interactions between the two countries.
	Scientists present new method for remote sensing of atmospheric dynamics Physicists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology have developed a new method for wind speed remote measurements. It may complement the widely employed lidar and radar sensing techniques. The paper is published in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques.
	Considering health when switching to cleaner electricity Power plants that burn coal and other fossil fuels emit not only planet-warming carbon dioxide, but also pollutants linked to breathing problems and premature death. Policies proposed to mitigate climate change, however, often fail to fully account for the health benefit of switching to cleaner technologies. In a new study published in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology, researchers show that emphasizing health concerns in such policies can alter the optimal locations of these upgrades.
	Great Lakes continue to rise; Lakes Michigan, Huron likely to top records September Experts predict record-breaking levels this summer as the Great Lakes continue to rise as two of the lakes and Lake St. Clair set new monthly records in May.
	Russia says 'years' needed to clean up Arctic spill Russian investigators on Wednesday detained three staff of a power plant over a huge fuel spill in the Arctic, as response teams warned a full clean-up would take years.
	Uproar as Uganda pursues plan to dam waterfall in national park The boat edged as close as possible to the deafening surge of water roaring over Murchison Falls, giving tourists a hair-raising shot of one of Africa's awesome and terrifying natural spectacles.
	2020 'Dead Zone' may remain four times larger than the goal established in 2001 A recent forecast of the size of the "Dead Zone" in the northern Gulf of Mexico for late July 2020 is that it will cover 7,769 square-miles of the bottom of the continental shelf off Louisiana and Texas. The coronavirus pandemic has had no impact on the Gulf of Mexico dead zone. The unusually high Mississippi River discharge in May controls the size of this zone, which will likely be the 7th largest zone since systematic measurements began in 1985. The water mass with oxygen concentrations less than 2 parts per million forms in bottom waters each year primarily as a result of nitrogen and phosphorus loading from the Mississippi River watershed, which fertilizes the Gulf of Mexico's surface waters to create excessive amounts of algal biomass. The decomposition of this plant material in the bottom layer leads to oxygen loss.
	Buoy oh buoy! Floating instruments receive major upgrade A PNNL research team has upgraded the instrumentation on two lidar buoys used to capture data that help advance the scientific understanding of offshore wind and its energy-producing potential. The buoys were equipped with more powerful lidars that reach up to 200 meters, providing a higher data recovery rate. Previously, the lidar beams did not consistently return data at heights above 90 meters, and thus did not satisfy the data needs for today's much taller wind turbines.
Microplastic background pollution in the Curonian Spit beach An article written by an international team of scientists was published recently in Marine Pollution Bulletin magazine. The team included representatives of the Russian Academy of Sciences Shirshov Institute of Oceanology Atlantic Department, the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, and the Institute of Baltic Sea Research (Warnemunde, Germany). The article was aimed at studying Curonian Spit beaches pollution with macro and microplastic. The pollution from both the Russian and Lithuanian parts was studied.
	NASA finds post-tropical depression Cristobal soaking the Great Lakes NASA's GPM satellite gathered data on what is now Post-Tropical Cyclone Cristobal and revealed some areas of heavy rain were occurring. Cristobal was bringing rainfall and gusty winds to the Great Lakes Region and still generating warnings.

Astronomy and Space news

	Ancient micrometeoroids carried specks of stardust, water to asteroid 4 Vesta The formation of our solar system was a messy affair. Most of the material that existed before its formation—material formed around other, long-dead stars—was vaporized, then recondensed into new materials. But some grains of that material, formed before the sun's birth, still persist.
	Astronomers observe X-ray reactivation of the magnetar SGR 1935+2154 Using NASA's Swift and NuSTAR spacecraft, together with NICER instrument onboard the International Space Station, astronomers from Spain and Italy have performed an X-ray monitoring of a magnetar known as SGR 1935+2154. The new observations found that the source has once again became active, this time in the X-ray band. Results of the study were presented May 30 in a prepublished paper on arXiv.org.
	Black hole's heart still beating The first confirmed heartbeat of a supermassive black hole is still going strong more than ten years after first being observed.
	Astronomers capture rare cosmic 'Jekyll and Hyde' behaviour in double star system 19,000 light-years away The strange behavior of a duo of stars in a dense cluster called Terzan 5 located 19,000 light-years from Earth has caught the eye of an international team of astronomers.
	Speed of space storms key to protecting astronauts and satellites from radiation Space weather forecasters need to predict the speed of solar eruptions, as much as their size, to protect satellites and the health of astronauts, scientists have found.
	Astrophysicists confirm cornerstone of Einstein's Theory of Relativity An international collaboration of scientists has recorded the most accurate confirmation to date for one of the cornerstones of Einstein's theory of general relativity, 'the universality of free fall."
	New 'sun clock' quantifies extreme space weather switch on/off Extreme space weather events can significantly impact systems such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation. They are driven by solar activity which is known to have an irregular but roughly 11 year cycle. By devising a new, regular 'sun clock', researchers have found that the switch on and off of periods of high solar activity is quite sharp, and are able to determine the switch on/off times. Their analysis shows that whilst extreme events can happen at any time, they are much less likely to occur in the quiet interval.
	Preparations complete in western Australia for construction of world's largest telescope Following seven years of design and prototyping work, the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) has completed its preparations for the construction of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in Western Australia, which will begin next year.
	Method to study the "traces" of coronal mass ejections Scientists at Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (skoltech), together with colleagues from the Karl-Franzens University of Graz and the Kanzelhoehe Observatory (Austria), have developed an automatic method for detecting coronal dimmings, or traces of coronal mass ejections from the sun; they have also proved that these are reliable indicators of the early diagnosis of powerful emissions of energy from the atmosphere of the sun traveling to Earth at great speed. The results of the study are published in the Astrophysical Journal.
	Image: The foam-coarsening experiment on the ISS The foam-coarsening experiment ran a new batch of cartridges in the Fluid Sciences Laboratory of the European Columbus module.

Technology news

	A new approach to control the stiffness and position of inflatable robots Robots that are made of flexible materials that can be inflated have a number of desirable properties, including their light weight and high levels of compliance (i.e. the ability to undergo elastic deformation). These qualities make them ideal for completing tasks in unstructured environments or in settings where they are bound to operate very close to humans.
	A robot to track and film flying insects Flying insects have developed effective strategies for navigating in natural environments. However, the experimental study of these strategies remains challenging due to the small size of insects and their high speed of motion: Today, it is only possible to study insects that are "tethered" or in stationary flight.
	Noise-cancellation comes to Google Meet Google is making noise this week—or should we say it's making no noise—with its rollout of a new feature for its video-conferencing app Meet.
	Face masks, health checks and long check-ins: the future of flying Cabin crew in protective suits, health certifications for passengers, mandatory face masks, and longer check-in times.
	Nintendo says 300,000 accounts breached after hack Japanese gaming giant Nintendo has admitted that hackers have breached 300,000 accounts since early April, gaining access to personal information such as birthdays and email addresses but not credit-card details.
	CyberGraph: mapping cyber threats to prevent the next attack Although nearly every aspect of our lives relies on technology, our current cybersecurity infrastructure is not prepared to effectively defend our social, economic and political organizations from advancing cyberattacks, said Howie Huang, a professor of electrical and computer engineering in the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science.
	We need safe transport alternatives after COVID-19, experts say More restrictions are being lifted, kids have returned to the classroom, and employers start to think about welcoming staff back to the office. But with continuing social distancing measures on public transport, how do we get around safely?
	Closer to a heat battery: Understanding the atomistic processes Salts are cheap and sustainable materials that can be used to store energy (heat) over periods ranging from hours to years without loss. This works via so-called hydration-dehydration processes. Energy release (discharge) occurs when a salt incorporates water molecules in its crystal structure (hydration). Energy is stored in the reverse process (dehydration), when water molecules are driven out of the crystal lattice with help of available heat. Power input and output are important characteristics of an energy storage device. Therefore, the kinetics of the hydration and dehydration process needs to be understood.
	Ford, VW to collaborate on vans, pickup, electric vehicle Ford and Volkswagen will each offer a small city van, a larger cargo van, a small pickup truck and an electric vehicle as part of their global alliance announced last year.
	Renewables booming but not enough to meet climate targets: UN The world added 12 percent more clean power capacity in 2019 than the year before, but new renewable energy planned over the next decade falls far short of what is needed to forestall dangerous global warming, the UN warned on Wednesday.
	US investigating hacker ring paid to target corporate critics U.S. authorities are investigating a vast hacking-for-hire operation that involves attempts to pilfer confidential communications from investigative journalists, short sellers and advocacy groups fighting climate change, according to law enforcement officials, court documents and cybersecurity officials who have tracked the scheme for years.
	Bogus 'contact tracing' apps deployed to steal data: researchers At least a dozen bogus "contact tracing" apps designed to look like official software to track coronavirus infections have been deployed globally to spread malware and steal user data, security researchers said Wednesday.
	Airlines improvise gradual liftoff as lockdowns ease Cabin crews on standby with destinations revealed only hours before the flight, pilots put on simulators to keep up to date—an airline restarting after the pandemic is a far cry from the clockwork precision of the pre-coronavirus world.
	Cathay Pacific shares end down after surge at open Shares in Cathay Pacific ended lower Wednesday, having soared nearly 19 percent at the open, a day after the airline announced a multibillion-dollar government-led bailout plan.
	Virus slows Dubai airport, world's busiest for global travel Perhaps nowhere is the world's lack of flights due to the coronavirus pandemic more clearly felt than at Dubai International Airport, for years the world's busiest for international travel.
	Scientists create a neural network for adaptive shock absorbers Scientists at South Ural State University have proposed an effective low-level controller based on an artificial neural network with a time delay for an adaptive shock absorber. Yuri Rozhdestvensky, DSc, and his research team described the use of an active shock absorber control algorithm based on an artificial neural network. Their article, titled "Active Shock Absorber Control Based on Time-Delay Neural Network," is published in a special issue of Energies dedicated to intelligent transport systems.
	EU wants tech giants to report monthly on virus fake news A senior European Union official warned online platforms like Google and Facebook on Wednesday to step up the fight against fake news, coming notably from countries like China and Russia, but she praised the approach of Twitter for fact-checking a tweet by U.S. President Donald Trump.
	Airlines hit wall of debt after COVID grounding Their fleets grounded for months owing to the coronavirus, airlines have sought with varying degrees of success state assistance to avoid going under altogether.
	New control technique could improve accuracy of industrial robots The brains of humans and other animals often practice feedforward control, as they are very good at whole-system modeling. But for machines, such modeling is computationally hard. However, researchers with Huazhong University of Science and Technology and the University of California at Berkeley have developed a new feedforward method that improves on conventional feedforward techniques.
Just Eat Takeaway.com nears deal for meal delivery firm Grubhub Anglo-Dutch meal delivery firm Just Eat Takeaway.com said Wednesday it is in "advanced discussions" for a deal to buy US company Grubhub, which Uber has also made an offer for.
	Review: These three gadgets can help you work from home I'm getting a lot of pitches these days for products and gadgets aimed at the work-from-home crowd.
	Optimism abounds on cryptocurrency ETFs despite lack of action The financial technology industry is predicting that regulators will allow investments in virtual currencies through exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, despite rejections of past efforts and with no indication by officials that a reversal is imminent.

Chemistry news

	Researchers mimic nature for fast, colorful 3-D printing Brilliantly colored chameleons, butterflies, opals—and now some 3-D-printed materials—reflect color by using nanoscale structures called photonic crystals.
	After a century of searching, scientists find new liquid phase Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder's Soft Materials Research Center (SMRC) have discovered an elusive phase of matter, first proposed more than 100 years ago and sought after ever since.
	Ancient enzymes can contribute to greener chemistry A research team at Uppsala University has resurrected several-billion-year-old enzymes and reprogrammed them to catalyze completely different chemical reactions than their modern versions can manage. The method can be used to develop sustainable solutions within biotechnology, such as for enzyme bioreactors or to chemically degrade environmental toxins. The study has been published in Chemical Science.
	Molecular twist makes one catalyst useful for three hydrogen applications Scientists from Kyushu University and Kumamoto University in Japan have developed a new catalyst capable of assisting three key reactions for using hydrogen in energy and industry. Inspired by three types of enzymes in nature, this research can help elucidate unknown relationships among catalysts, paving the way for efficient use of hydrogen gas as a next-generation energy source in the future.
	Surprisingly strong and deformable silicon Researchers at ETH and Empa have shown that tiny objects can be made from silicon that are much more deformable and stronger than previously thought. In this way, sensors in smartphones could be made smaller and more robust.
	Engineers find neat way to turn waste carbon dioxide into useful material Chemical engineers from UNSW Sydney have developed new technology that helps convert harmful carbon dioxide emissions into chemical building blocks to make useful industrial products like fuel and plastics.
	Wide-spectrum NLO materials obtained by polycation-substitution-induced NLO-functional motif ordering Nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals possess a frequency conversion capability that is significant for national defense and civil applications. Noncentrosymmetry (NCS) is a prerequisite for second-order NLO materials, but designing NCS structures is a challenging task.
	New technique to create super-sponges is a game changer Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are unique micromaterial compounds consisting of a sponge-like network of metal ions or clusters linked together by organic linkers, and are able to store specific gas molecules in their pores. MOFs have such a high surface area due to their porosity that a single gram of the material has enough surface area to cover the size of a football field!
	What makes a giant jellyfish's sting deadly With summer on the way, and some beaches reopening after COVID-19 shutdowns, people will be taking to the ocean to cool off on a hot day. But those unlucky enough to encounter the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai (also known as Nomura's jellyfish) might wish they had stayed on shore. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research have identified the key toxins that make the creature's venom deadly to some swimmers.
	COVID-19 antibody tests: How reliable are they? With stay-at-home orders expiring around the world, many hope that COVID-19 antibody testing will help businesses and institutions reopen safely. Determining whether people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 is a key tool in responding to the pandemic, but it is not a magic bullet. A feature article in Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society, details the steps manufacturers are taking to ensure antibody tests are accurate and available.

Biology news

	Human eggs prefer some men's sperm over others, research shows Human eggs use chemical signals to attract sperm. New research from Stockholm University and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust shows that eggs use these chemical signals to choose sperm. Different women's eggs attract different men's sperm—and not necessarily their partner's.
	Simple way of 'listening' to chicks could dramatically improve welfare A simple and low-cost method of 'listening' to chicks may allow welfare issues to be picked up at the earliest possible opportunity, according to new research.
	A rare heart bone is discovered in chimpanzees Experts from the University of Nottingham have discovered that some chimpanzees have a bone in their heart, which could be vital in managing their health and conservation.
	Clostridioides difficile captures blood cell cofactor to build defensive shield In a cruel twist, the bacterium Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) makes us bleed and then uses our blood to defend itself against us.
	Discovery of a malaria parasite's internal clock could lead to new treatment strategies The parasites responsible for malaria seem to march to their own beat.
	Deep sea reefs may provide refuge for Aussie marine life in a warming world A new study by researchers at The University of Western Australia has found deep reefs in Western Australia can be used as a refuge by marine forests from the impacts of ocean warming.
	Research team achieves massive sexual conversion of the malaria parasite in a dish A research team at ISGlobal, an institution supported by the "la Caixa" Foundation, has developed a system to induce massive sexual conversion of the P. falciparum malaria parasite in vitro. This technique, published in Science Advances, will prove instrumental to gain a deeper understanding of the sexual conversion process and design new tools to block malaria transmission.
	Intracellular biopsy technique for fast microRNAs profiling in living cells MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are gaining more attention in studies of human diseases such as cancer, because changes in miRNA expression are frequently associated with abnormal cellular functions. To achieve fast and highly sensitive profiling of miRNAs, a research team from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a novel intracellular biopsy technique that isolates targeted miRNAs from living cells within around 10 minutes using diamond nanoneedles. The technique is simple and can be applied to other studies, from the nucleic acid testing of viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) to early cancer diagnosis.
	Surprising features of mitochondrial protein synthesis uncovered Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have uncovered surprising features of mitochondrial protein synthesis. The study, published in Nature Communications, sheds light on the fundamental mechanisms used by the cell's power plant.
	Cellular stress causes cancer cell chemoresistance There is a broad range of mechanisms associated with chemoresistance, many of which to date are only poorly understood. The so-called cellular stress response—a set of genetic programs that enable the cells to survive under stressful conditions—plays a key role in the development of numerous diseases and in chemoresistance. A better understanding of the cellular stress response pathways is therefore urgently required to develop new therapeutic concepts to overcome chemoresistance. "In this context, we employed comprehensive analytical approaches to gain deep and molecular insight into the Unfolded Protein Response, a cellular stress reaction induced by unfolded proteins," says Robert Ahrends, group leader at the Department of Analytical Chemistry of the Faculty of Chemistry.
	Team develops online atlas of human immunome for precision medicine Scientists from the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) have developed an interactive web-based atlas of the human immunome, or genes and proteins that make up the immune system. Known as EPIC (Extended Polydimensional Immunome Characterisation), the atlas hosts a comprehensive, expanding immune cell database ranging from cord blood to adult stages, and can be used by the scientific community worldwide to study the mechanisms of immunity. The team's efforts were recently published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
	Will lockdown loneliness make us loners? Over the past few months at least half of the world's population has been affected by some form of lockdown due to COVID-19, and many of us are experiencing the impact of social isolation. Loneliness affects both mental and physical health, but counterintuitively it can also result in a decreased desire for social interaction. To understand the mechanics of this paradox, UCL researchers based at the Wolfson Institute and the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre investigated social behavior in zebrafish. Their results are published in eLife.
	Origins of genetic variability in seals A new study led by Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers shows that fluctuations in population sizes in the past have had a significant effect on contemporary seal populations, and estimates the risk of genetic impoverishment in the species investigated.
	Wayward whale that swam 400km upriver to Montreal found dead A young humpback whale that swam up one of Canada's major rivers, delighting Montrealers who packed the shores for a glimpse of the first of the species in local waters, has died.
	Pakistan battles locusts by turning them into chicken feed Chickens in Pakistan have been feasting on captured locusts under an initiative to combat swarms of the insects that are threatening food supplies in the impoverished country.
	Galapagos welcomes six new 'Darwin's flycatcher' chicks Six little vermilion flycatcher chicks have hatched in the Galapagos Islands, officials said Tuesday, in a boost to the dwindling numbers of the brilliantly coloured songbird.
	Aussie scientists turn to drones to protect sea turtles Australian researchers have discovered they were underestimating numbers at the world's largest sea turtle nesting site after turning to drone technology for the first time.
	Researchers must 'bee' sweep netting to learn more about native bees Novel research into native bee populations by Curtin University provides a best practice recommendation on how to accurately monitor these important insects, with the aim of monitoring and saving bee species from emerging environmental threats.
	Feeding habits differ by age and sex in Asian black bears A 10-year study shows that the diets of Asian black bears vary greatly depending on sex, stage of life, and resource availability, providing important information on foraging strategy according to age-sex classes. Researchers in Japan have published their findings in Mammal Study.
	Climate change, biodiversity loss and other global ills share root causes The modern world seems to lurch from one crisis to another. What if that is because the crises have shared underlying causes, and therefore tackling them as if they were independent events is doomed to fail?
	Low-cost cameras could be sensors to remotely monitor crop stress Being able to identify crop problems early can make the difference between saving a crop and losing it, but high-tech solutions can be costly. An interdisciplinary team of researchers thinks a new approach leveraging existing technology may be part of the solution.
	Lizard legacy sheds new light on web of life A special issue of Austral Ecology this month is celebrating the legacy of an internationally renowned South Australian ecologist, whose work inspired a new generation of scientists and launched a momentum to ensure the survival of his beloved lizards, contribute enormously to their understanding, and enrich ecology knowledge at a broader level.
	China reports progress in swine fever vaccine trials A vaccine developed in China for African swine fever, which devastated the country's pig herd and caused pork prices to soar, is progressing smoothly, according to results reported on Wednesday.
	Simulations on biologically relevant time scales achieved Molecular dynamics simulations (MD) have become a ubiquitous tool in modern life sciences. In these simulations, the interactions between atoms and molecules and their resulting spatial movements are iteratively calculated and analyzed. Scientists are currently trying to gain access to biologically relevant length and time scales using this approach in order to describe molecular processes such as protein folding and protein-drug binding, which are crucial for, for example modern drug development. A team led by Dr. Steffen Wolf and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Stock from the Biomolecular Dynamics group at the Institute of Physics of the University of Freiburg has now succeeded in predicting the dynamics of binding and unbinding processes on a time scale of seconds to half a minute in pharmacologically relevant test systems. The results have been presented in the current issue of the journal Nature Communications.
	Potential high-risk clones identified among S. maltophilia strains in European hospitals Stenotrophomonas maltophilia are increasingly recognized as significant opportunistic pathogens in healthcare settings worldwide, the global spread of multidrug-resistant strains of this species being the most serious concern. Epidemiological studies are important to identify particular lineages or strains exhibiting clinically relevant phenotypes and to make knowledge-driven healthcare decisions.
	Roadkill study identifies animals most at risk in Europe Around 194 million birds and 29 million mammals are thought to be killed each year on European roads, according to a new study that has ranked the most vulnerable species.An international research team used 90 roadkill surveys from 24 European countries to create a new method of estimating both the birds and mammal species killed most often on roads, and the species most vulnerable to being wiped out of certain areas.The research, published in Frontiers in Ecology and Environment, found that the species killed most often were not necessarily the ones most vulnerable to disappearing completely. This means action to preserve wildlife when new roads are built risks being targeted at the wrong species based on current methods.
	New study finds surface disturbance can limit mule deer migration A new study shows that surface disturbance from energy development can hinder mule deer migrations when it exceeds 3 percent.
	New study of endangered pacific pocket mice provides valuable genetic insights In breeding programs aimed at conserving animals from small or isolated populations, scientists must balance the competing needs of adding genetic diversity and avoiding the introduction of harmful genes. This makes for a delicate task of boosting diversity in the endangered Pacific pocket mouse, the focus of a long-running conservation breeding program undertaken by San Diego Zoo Global. There are just three remaining populations of this species in the wild, all of which are small and isolated from each other on the Southern California coast—preventing beneficial interbreeding and making inbreeding more likely.
Endangered Mexican wolves welcome 7 pups at Albuquerque zoo Two endangered Mexican gray wolves housed at the Albuquerque zoo are the proud parents of seven pups, officials announced Tuesday.
	Wildlife activists welcome China's new pangolin protections Wildlife activists on Wednesday welcomed China's decision to remove pangolin parts from its official list of traditional medicines, as Beijing steps up protection of the heavily-trafficked endangered mammal.
	Wealth, water and wildlife—new study finds more biodiversity in richer neighbourhoods, especially in dry regions A unique global study has found that wealthier neighborhoods in cities have more biodiversity in comparison to poorer ones—a pattern that scientists have called the "luxury effect." However, this study found that this 'effect' is far greater in the more arid regions of the world.
	Beavers are diverse forest landscapers Beavers are ecosystem engineers that cut down trees to build dams, eventually causing floods. Beaver-induced floods make forest landscapes and habitats increasingly diverse, but very little is known about the long-term effects of beavers on European landscapes. Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and the University of Helsinki examined the history and occurrence of beaver-induced floods and patch dynamics in southern Finland. They used a unique dataset of field observations from 1970 to 2018.
	India buoyed by jump in rare Asiatic lion numbers The population of rare Asiatic lions in India has jumped by nearly a third in the past five years to almost 700, an official survey said, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the increase as an "excellent feat".

Medicine and Health news

	Leonardo's 'Vitruvian Man' ideal isn't far off modern measures More than five centuries ago, Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci produced a now-famous image of what he considered the perfectly proportioned male body: the "Vitruvian Man."
	Study investigates potential for gut microbiome to alter drug safety and efficacy Researchers at Princeton University have developed a systematic approach for evaluating how the microbial community in our intestines can chemically transform, or metabolize, oral medications in ways that impact their safety and efficacy.
	How rod-shaped particles might distract an out-of-control COVID immune response A long-ignored white blood cell may be central to the immune system overreaction that is the most common cause of death for COVID-19 patients—and University of Michigan researchers found that rod-shaped particles can take them out of circulation.
	Study of 62 countries finds people react similarly to everyday situations The cornerstone of discrimination is the belief that other people, including people of other races from other countries, are different. They experience life differently; they react differently.
	23andME reports people with type O blood less likely to get COVID-19 Representatives with 23andMe, a direct-to-consumer genetic testing service, have reported that people who have type O blood are slightly less likely to get COVID-19. The work has not yet been peer-reviewed, and their study has not been published in a journal.
	Research shows you can't tell if a person is sick by the sound of their cough A small team of researchers at the University of Michigan has found that it is not possible to correctly identify illness in a person simply by listening to them cough. In their paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group describes an experiment they conducted with volunteers who listened to people cough, and what they learned from it.
	New imaging method tracks brain's elusive networks Understanding the source and network of signals as the brain functions is a central goal of brain research. Now, Carnegie Mellon engineers have created a system for high-density EEG imaging of the origin and path of normal and abnormal brain signals.
	Putting COVID-19 diagnostic tests to the 'test'—how do they hold up? As SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to mutate, it is important to check the efficacy of current diagnostic tests, say York University researchers, who found seven out of 27 methods had potential sequence mismatch issues that may lead to underperforming or false-negative COVID-19 test results.
	Scientists reveal relationship between Dek and Intron retention during muscle stem cells quiescence Muscle stem cells, the reserve stem cell in the skeletal muscles, are responsible for muscle repair after damage. They are the 'regenerative medicine' to cure muscle diseases and muscle damage. In a healthy uninjured condition, muscle stem cells are in quiescence, a dormant state, to preserve them. Whenever there is muscle damage, they will wake up instantly and contribute themselves to building new muscles.
	How COVID-19 has altered sleep in the United States and Europe Stay-at-home orders and "lockdowns" related to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a major impact on the daily lives of people around the world and that includes the way that people sleep, two studies report June 10 in the journal Current Biology. Both studies show that relaxed school and work schedules and more time spent at home has led people to sleep more on average with less "social jetlag" as indicated by a reduced shift in sleep timing and duration on work days versus free days. But, at the same time, one of the studies also finds that the pandemic has taken a toll when it comes to self-reported sleep quality.
	Potent tetrahydroquinolone can eliminate parasites that cause toxoplasmosis and malaria Toxoplasma gondii infection is one of the most frequent parasitic infections of humans. This parasite is present in the brain of an estimated two billion people—about 40 percent of all humans on earth. It is endemic throughout the world, causing water and food-borne epidemics that result in toxoplasmosis.
	COVID-19 mouse model will speed search for drugs, vaccines The global effort to quickly develop drugs and vaccines for COVID-19 has been hampered by limited numbers of laboratory mice that are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Now, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report they have developed a mouse model of COVID-19 that replicates the illness in people. Further, the same approach could be adopted easily by other scientists to dramatically accelerate the testing of experimental COVID-19 treatments and preventives.
	Mozart may reduce seizure frequency in people with epilepsy A new clinical research study by Dr. Marjan Rafiee and Dr. Taufik Valiante of the Krembil Brain Institute at Toronto Western Hospital, part of University Health Network, has found that a Mozart composition may reduce seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy.
	Marijuana concentrates spike THC levels but don't boost impairment Smoking high-potency marijuana concentrates boosts blood levels of THC more than twice as much as smoking conventional weed, but it doesn't necessarily get you higher, according to a new study of regular users published today by University of Colorado Boulder researchers.
	Researchers identify new genetic defect linked to ALS Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have identified how certain gene mutations cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The pathway identified by the researchers may also be responsible for a certain form of dementia related to ALS. The finding could offer potential new approaches for treating this devastating condition, which causes progressive, fatal paralysis and sometimes mental deterioration similar to Alzheimer's disease. Their discovery was published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) and included collaborators from Harvard University, University of Auckland, King's College London, and Northwestern University.
	Scientists predict the best strategy for lifting COVID-19 lockdown As the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic wanes in Europe, many countries are relaxing their lockdown rules, but the advice for non-essential workers is to continue working from home if possible. The important question when lockdown should be lifted for non-essential workers in the UK and elsewhere is answered in a new study in Frontiers in Public Health.
Study identifies strategies states use to limit local government control Local governments are often innovators of public health policymaking—the first smoke-free air acts, menu labeling laws, and soda taxes were all implemented locally. However, states are increasingly limiting local control over public health issues by passing laws that overrule local regulations, a practice known as preemption.
	Different hormone therapies affect brain function differently Sex hormones influence the structure and function of the brain, but little is known about the effect of hormone therapies (HT) on changes in the brain during menopause. A new study shows smaller increases in structural brain changes related to aging were associated with hormone-level changes from transdermal estradiol or oral conjugated equine estrogen. Study results are published online in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
	Risk of stroke may more than double for African Americans who smoke Current cigarette smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked per day are associated with more than twice the risk for all stroke—ischemic and hemorrhagic—among African Americans compared to nonsmokers, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association.
	Study discovers BAM15 as a potential treatment for obesity A new study offers the first evidence that a protein named BAM15 acts as an energy uncoupler and could be an effective drug for treating obesity and related diseases.
	Women still left out of much medical research (HealthDay)—Your sex matters when it comes to your health, yet women may still be an afterthought in research studies.
	'Iso,' a deadly new synthetic opioid, has hit American streets (HealthDay)—A new synthetic opioid as powerful as fentanyl is causing overdose deaths at an ever-increasing rate, experts warn.
	WPSI advises screening for anxiety in women, teen girls (HealthDay)—Screening for anxiety is recommended for women and adolescent girls, according to a review and clinical guideline published online June 9 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
	Weaning occurs earlier for infants with in-hospital formula feeding (HealthDay)—The hazard of weaning is increased for infants exposed to in-hospital formula feeding (IHFF), according to a study published online June 9 in Pediatrics.
	Researchers find potential treatment for Rett Syndrome An experimental cancer drug can extend the life of mice with Rett Syndrome, a devastating genetic disorder that afflicts about one of every 10,000 to 15,000 girls within 6 to 18 months after birth, Yale researchers report June 10 in the journal Molecular Cell.
	Treatment gap between men and women for stroke may have narrowed While studies in the early 2000s showed that women were 30% less likely to receive clot-busting treatment for a stroke than men, a new analysis of recent studies found that the gap has narrowed to 13%, according to a meta-analysis published in the June 10, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The earlier analysis looked at research studies of clot-busting treatment, also called thrombolysis, published from 2000 through 2008; the new analysis examined 24 studies published between 2008 and 2018 and included over 1 million stroke patients.
	Synthesized cell culture process sets stage for more efficient cancer research Researchers in Japan have replicated cancer cells from diseased bladder tissue in dogs, minimizing the use of costly stem cell products. The synthesized tumor cells allow scientists to diagnose cancer and optimize treatment without putting the patient through tiresome rigors of chemotherapy trial and error.
	Microneedling therapeutic stem cells into damaged tissues Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent in that they naturally replenish the cell types that build bone, cartilage and adipose tissues. However, they exhibit much broader regenerative potential, including their capacity to migrate and engraft in injured tissues and secrete factors that enhance the formation of new blood vessels, suppress inflammation and cell death, and promote healing. These characteristics make them exquisite candidates for cell-based therapies for diseases as varied as cardiovascular, liver, bone and cartilage diseases, lung and spinal cord injuries, autoimmune diseases and even cancer and skin lesions.
	Kidneys deteriorate with age, regardless of health An international study carried out on nearly 3000 people in Norway, Germany and Iceland shows that human kidney function deteriorates with age regardless of the presence of other diseases. The results from the study have recently been published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). To discover how kidney function progresses, the researchers examined the kidney function of a group of people between the ages of 50 and 70, and two groups of people between the ages of 70 to 95.
	Warning to keep up shingles vaccinations Older Australians are being urged to keep having free shingles vaccinations—along with their annual flu injection—to keep pushing down the incidence of the painful chicken pox-related condition.
	Therapy for children with severe behavioural problems works online, trial shows Families in regional and rural NSW have gained virtual parenting support through a live trial led by researchers at UNSW Sydney. The findings were recently published in the journal Behavior Therapy.
	Missing sodium-channel component may protect against diet-induced artery stiffening New research in mice finds that deficiency in one small component of a signaling pathway may protect against artery stiffening and subsequent kidney disease associated with a high-fat, high-sugar diet. The study is published in the American Journal of Physiology-Renal Physiology.
	Understanding how bone-dissolving cells are generated Bone-dissolving cells called osteoclasts are derived from a type of immune cells called macrophages. They are necessary for the maintenance and renewal of bones. But the intracellular mechanisms through which macrophages convert to osteoclasts are not fully understood. Recently, scientists at the Tokyo University of Science have uncovered the role of a protein called Cpeb4 in this process. Their findings suggest potential therapeutic targets for bone and joint diseases like arthritis and osteoporosis.
	20% of people with hearing aids do not use them A study led by University of Manchester researchers has revealed that around 20% of people who have been issued with hearing aids do not use them.
	Almost half of administrative tasks in doctor's surgeries could be automated With COVID-19 forcing the primary care sector to rethink priorities, a new report from Oxford suggest automation can transform doctors' surgeries, for the benefit of patients and staff.
	Analysis of off-trade alcohol sales in the year following minimum pricing Building on an earlier report on per adult off-trade sales, Public Health Scotland today published an analysis showing a decline in population alcohol consumption following the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP). The work was done in collaboration with the University of Glasgow.
	How sensitive you are may be partly down to your genes – new research People differ substantially in how much they're affected by experiences in their lives. Some people seem to be more affected by daily stress, or the loss of someone close to them. On the other hand, some people seem to get through the same experiences relatively unscathed. Similarly, some people benefit strongly from counselling, or having a support system of close family and friends. Others seem better able to manage on their own.
	The stay-at-home slowdown—how the pandemic upended our perception of time Think back to life before stay-at-home orders. Does it feel like just yesterday? Or does it seem like ages ago—like some distant era?
	Researchers forecast stable, slightly declining levels of COVID-19 entering fall The rate in which COVID-19 cases spread is not proportionate with the number of contagious individuals—as prior models assumed—but rather concave, meaning that the impact of one more infected person diminishes as more people are infected. The disproportionate spread occurs because people typically live and work in inter-related social networks, meaning people stay in the same circles, according to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.
	Link between liver and heart disease could lead to new therapeutics A new study that looks closely at the cardiac health of flies provides new evidence that liver dysfunction may lead to deterioration of the heart.
	Breast cancer treatment costs highest among young women with metastic cancer Cancer's untold toll may be a financial one, especially among young women fighting advanced breast cancer.
	SLC35B1 as a key modulator of a UDPGA transporter into the endoplasmic reticulum One of the main functions of the liver is to detoxify compounds including drugs and toxicants to reduce toxic actions and to eliminate them from the human body, requiring a molecular interplay within a network of proteins. In a new study published in Biochemical Pharmacology, researchers from Kanazawa University identified the protein solute carrier family 35 member B1 (SLC35B1) as a key molecular actor within the complex process of detoxification.
	Rheumatoid arthritis drug shows promise against COVID-19, study finds A drug against rheumatoid arthritis called baricitinib could potentially be repurposed to treat patients with COVID-19, according to a study conducted by an international research team including researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The findings, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, represent an example of how artificial intelligence (AI)-algorithms could help identify existing drugs as potential therapies against as new illnesses.
	Self-healing bone cement developed Materials scientists at the University of Jena have developed a bone replacement based on calcium phosphate cement and reinforced with carbon fibers. The fibers increase damage tolerance and ensure that cracks in the material repair themselves.
	Ebola transmission risks would be taken more seriously with ground-up interventions A study led by the University of Kent's Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) has found significant differences in disease risk perception and channels of information about Ebola virus disease (EVD) in rural areas and urban centers of Guinea, West Africa.
	New recommendations on genetic testing for prostate cancer Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death from cancer in the US and especially in the Philadelphia region. Consistently, Philadelphia has outpaced the state of PA and the nation in diagnoses and death from prostate cancer. A key area impacting prostate cancer risk and treatment is germline genetic testing, which involves testing for hereditary cancer genes. Genes such as BRCA2, BRCA1 and many other genes have been reported to raise the risk for prostate cancer and are increasingly informing treatment and management approaches. However, genetic testing of men for prostate cancer is still not common practice due to inconsistent guidelines and challenges to implementation of genetic counseling.
	Milk consumption linked to lower risk of diabetes and hypertension, study shows A large international study has discovered an association between consuming a higher amount of dairy—especially whole-fat varieties—and lower rates of hypertension and diabetes, the rates of which are rising in the U.S.
	Cannabis poisonings in children linked with drinking and illicit drug use Most cannabis poisoning incidents involving children resulted from the intentional use of cannabis combined with alcohol, illicit drugs and/or medication, new research suggests.
	Researchers uncover novel approach for treating eczema Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) have identified a key enzyme that contributes to eczema, which may lead to better treatment to prevent the skin disorder's debilitating effects.
	New procedure 'rewires' the heart to prevent recurrent fainting spells A procedure conducted for the first time in the United States at University of Chicago Medicine has provided much-needed relief for a patient who suffered from recurrent fainting spells.
	Late-life depression may be linked to gender expression Over time, depression has decreased among older women. But it is still nearly twice as frequent as among older men. This difference between men and women appears to be connected with both biological sex and gender expression, as a University of Gothenburg thesis investigating the prevalence of depression in 70-year-olds shows.
	Look to precision public health to address the perfect storm fueling COVID-19 mortality The interaction of COVID-19 with co-existing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is a perfect storm, particularly for communities of poverty, according to a new opinion piece published by Columbia Mailman School of Public Health researchers in the journal British Medical Journal. While primarily targeting the elderly, NCDs and underlying metabolic conditions- obesity, hypertension, kidney disease, and diabetes in younger people, are all associated with higher risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.
	Surrogates often prefer less aggressive care than provided: study Researchers from Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University report that nearly half of the time medical treatments and orders received for incapacitated patients were not compatible with goals of care requested by their surrogate decision makers. The most common disagreement involved a "full-code" medical order prepared for patients whose surrogates had indicated preference for less aggressive care options.
	Study suggests Baboon model could aide in Alzheimer's disease interventions Scientists at Texas Biomedical Research Institute's (Texas Biomed) Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) recently published findings indicating the baboon could prove to be a relevant model to test therapeutics and interventions for neurodegenerative diseases, such as early stage Alzheimer's and related dementias. The scientists observed a steep age-related cognitive decline in baboons about 20-years-old, which is the equivalent of a 60-year-old human. The team of scientists, led by Dr. Marcel Daadi, Associate Professor at Texas Biomed's SNPRC, published their findings in the May issue of Aging . These studies are a first step in developing the baboon as an appropriate animal model for early stage Alzheimer's disease.
	Gaps in data on marijuana use limit public health response Better data on marijuana use in the U.S. is needed to support critical public health research, according to a review of relevant surveys conducted by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers.
	Prostate cancer trial participants overwhelmingly white (HealthDay)—Prostate cancer clinical trial participants are overwhelmingly white, according to a study published online June 5 in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
	Researcher on the rise of ageism during the pandemic When COVID-19 first emerged and began to spread, there was a rush to identify common characteristics shared by those infected. Geographic location, lifestyle and pre-existing health conditions were all early candidates for a distinguishing factor that would help predict who would be most susceptible.
	Recent data reveals most common cancers in Hawaiʻi The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center's Hawaiʻi Tumor Registry released updated cancer statistics in Hawaiʻi Cancer at a Glance, 2012-2016, which includes data on cancer incidence and mortality in the state of Hawaiʻi.
	Use proper names for body parts, don't force hugs: How to protect your kids from in-person sexual abuse We know it can seem easier to bury your head in the sand, when it comes to the hideous issue of child sexual abuse.
	A good vitamin D status can protect against cancer A good vitamin D status is beneficial both in cancer prevention and in the prognosis of several cancers, according to a new research review. The anti-cancer effects of vitamin D are especially pronounced in the prevention and treatment of colon cancer and blood cancers. In addition, high vitamin D responsiveness can be linked to a smaller cancer risk. Vitamin D responsiveness varies between individuals, affecting their need for vitamin D supplementation.
	Flu vaccine coverage linked to reduced antibiotic prescribing Up to 76 percent of all outpatient antibiotic prescriptions in the United States may be inappropriate, with peak prescribing associated with the flu season. Evidence suggests that influenza vaccines may reduce overall and inappropriate antibiotic use by reducing the burden of influenza-like illness commonly mistreated with antibiotics, as well as preventing secondary bacterial infections. While flu vaccines have been proven to reduce severe illness, evidence is lacking on the link between flu vaccination and antibiotic prescribing at the population level in the US.
	Glycolysis involved in immunosuppression by polyphenol Known as the French paradox, a low incidence of coronary heart disease despite substantial intake of saturated fats is thought to be due to a diet rich in polyphenols. Polyphenols are abundant in plant based foods such as fruits and vegetables. Procyanidins are polyphenols with antioxidant, anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, PCB2DG, (procyanidin B2 3,3"-di-O-gallate) was examined to see how it inhibits the cytokine production in T cells. Specifically, to understand the mechanism underlying the regulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α.
	National Autism Indicators Report: the connection between autism and financial hardship An autism diagnosis can present a number of challenges for families from learning about the neurodevelopment disorder and accessing support services and resources to financial struggles. A new report from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University highlighted the financial challenges facing households of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States. According to the report, households of children with ASD experience higher levels of poverty, material hardship and medical expenses than households of children with other special health care needs.
Experts outline research methods to study puberty suppression impacts on brains of transgender youth A new set of expert consensus-based recommendations lays out how best to study possible neurodevelopmental impacts of pubertal suppression treatment in transgender youth. Developed by a consensus panel of 24 international scientists, the recommendations were published in the journal Transgender Health.
	Responding to challenges of older adults with COVID-19 Older adults with COVID-19 who survive hospitalizations and return to their homes confront substantial health challenges and an unpredictable future. Early evidence suggests that complex and long-term physical, functional, cognitive, and emotional negative health consequences will be the norm for them. However, the trajectories of health care needs of older adults with COVID-19 in the weeks and months following hospital discharge have yet to be identified.
	Instead of a tie, think about healthy gifts and gratitude for Father's day In this year of social distancing and economic uncertainty, dad probably doesn't need a new tie for Father's Day. Instead, it might be time to mark the occasion with creativity—and a little push in a healthy direction.
	New protocol on breast cancer and breastfeeding Managing women with breast cancer who are breastfeeding is a complex issue. The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine presents new recommendations in the peer-reviewed journal Breastfeeding Medicine.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

	Widespread facemask use could shrink the 'R' number and prevent a second COVID-19 wave: study Population-wide use of facemasks keeps the coronavirus 'reproduction number' under 1.0, and prevents further waves of the virus when combined with lockdowns, a modelling study from the universities of Cambridge and Greenwich suggests.
	SARS-CoV-2 is mutating slowly, and that's a good thing Viruses evolve over time, undergoing genetic changes, or mutations, in their quest to survive. Some viruses produce many variations, others only a few. Fortunately, SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is among the latter. This is good news for scientists trying to create an effective vaccine against it.
	Use of emergency departments plummets during COVID-19 In a new commentary piece, published in JAMA Health Forum, two health researchers describe the decrease in emergency department use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
	Europe demands better pandemic plan, as Moscow exits lockdown Europe's most powerful countries urged the European Union to better prepare for the next pandemic after chaotic responses to the coronavirus, as Moscow emerged from lockdown despite Russia still being in the grip of a surging epidemic.
	New coronavirus may have emerged in summer 2019, study suggests A surge in hospital visits and internet searches related to COVID-19 symptoms from the Chinese city of Wuhan suggests the coronavirus may have been circulating since August 2019, according to a preliminary study by researchers at Boston University and Harvard.
	Thromboelastography can predict blood clots in COVID-19 (HealthDay)—Hypercoagulable thromboelastography (TEG) can predict thrombotic events in patients with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU), according to a research letter published online June 5 in JAMA Network Open.
Japan's 'Kawasaki disease' doctor dies at 95 The Japanese doctor who discovered the mysterious "Kawasaki's disease"—recently in the headlines for some similarities to coronavirus—has died of natural causes aged 95, his research NGO said Wednesday.
	Navy ship outbreak shows most young aren't spared COVID symptoms (HealthDay)—When COVID-19 strikes the young, the lion's share of patients still show symptoms, a new report on a coronavirus outbreak aboard a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier suggests.
	Finding balance between the good of youth sports and risks of COVID-19 Kids across the country are eager to return to the fun and fitness of team sports. But as strict lockdowns begin to ease, how should parents, coaches and young athletes balance the benefits with possible exposure to the coronavirus?
	WHO backpedals on claim that asymptomatic transmission of new coronavirus is rare (HealthDay)—A claim that transmission of the COVID-19-causing coronavirus by people without symptoms is "very rare" was quickly reversed by the World Health Organization.
	Study underlines importance of adequate PPE and training to prevent COVID-19 infection Despite being at high risk of exposure to COVID-19, frontline healthcare professionals who were appropriately protected did not contract infection or develop protective immunity against the virus, finds a study from China published by The BMJ today.
	Researchers develop clearer, more intuitive method of relaying scientific results Faced with confusing or contradictory COVID-19 health news, the public needs more help in understanding complex scientific studies. Michigan State University researchers say.
	Scotland's first introductions of coronavirus likely occurred prior to the country's first confirmed case Scientists sequencing the virus samples from the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Scotland have determined multiple introductions, mainly from European countries such as Italy, Austria and Spain—and showed that Scotland's first introductions of the virus likely occurred prior to the country's first confirmed case on March 1st.
	Coronavirus and asthma: what we know so far When the new coronavirus arrived in early 2020, people with asthma were identified as being at higher risk from the disease. Judgements about who was at increased risk had to be made on the best available evidence—which wasn't much. Data from China was only just emerging and COVID-19 had yet to reach pandemic status.
	We're not all equal in the face of the coronavirus Are there differences in immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus between populations from different geographic regions? Part of the answer to this question is to be found in the genomes of these groups of people, specifically in the HLA genes responsible for the adaptive immune system. These genes are special in that they often differ between individuals. Thousands of possible variants (or alleles) have been identified, and not all of them are equally effective in fighting a new virus. The frequency of these alleles varies from one population to another due to past migrations and their adaptation to different environments. In a study to be published in the journal HLA, scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) – working in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute in Jena (Germany) and the University of Adelaide (Australia) – have pinpointed the HLA variants that are potentially the most effective against seven viruses, including the new coronavirus. They have also brought to light significant differences between populations.
	Want to stop the COVID-19 stress meltdown? Train your brain Let's face it: We're all under stress right now. The uncertainty and constant health threats surrounding the coronavirus pandemic have upended our lives.
	Could pressure for COVID-19 drugs lead the FDA to lower its standards? Given the death, suffering, social disruption and economic devastation caused by COVID-19, there is an urgent need to quickly develop therapies to treat this disease and prevent the spread of the virus.
	18.2 million at increased risk of severe COVID-19 uninsured or underinsured Even before soaring unemployment caused millions of Americans to lose their health insurance, 18.2 million individuals at increased risk of severe COVID-19 were either uninsured or underinsured, according to a new study published today (June 10) in the Journal of General Internal Medicine by researchers at Harvard Medical School and CUNY's Hunter College. Although most of those at high medical and financial risk were white, racial minorities were over-represented.
	Immunodominant epitopes identified for designing peptide-based vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 There are currently no licensed vaccines available for COVID-19. While several antiviral drugs have been tested, none has proved to be completely effective against the disease. In a study just published in the journal MDPI Vaccines, researchers from Bar-Ilan University have identified a set of potential immunodominant epitopes from the SARS-CoV-2 proteome. These epitopes are capable of generating both antibody- and cell-mediated immune responses. The findings of this work may thus contribute to developing a peptide vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infections which can stop the COVID-19 outbreak and future pandemics caused by coronaviruses.
	The AI revolution: for patients, promise and challenges ahead (HealthDay)—Streaks of color swirl through a pulsing, black-and-white image of a patient's heart. They represent blood, and they're color-coded based on speed: turquoise and green for the fastest flow, yellow and red for the slowest.
	Pandemic is changing your next doc appointment (HealthDay)—In response to the coronavirus pandemic, many doctors' offices and clinics have made changes to protect patients, care providers and staff.
	UK scientist: Week earlier lockdown could have halved deaths A scientist whose modeling helped set Britain's coronavirus strategy said Wednesday that the country's death toll in the pandemic could have been cut in half if lockdown had been introduced a week earlier.
	Levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in sewage rose with COVID-19 cases in Dutch cities Scientists have detected RNA from the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in the feces of people with COVID-19. So it stands to reason that the viral RNA could end up in city sewage, where it could be used to monitor prevalence of the disease. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Environmental Science & Technology Letters have detected rising SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels in sewage from several cities in the Netherlands at early stages of the pandemic.
'Building wealth and health network' reduces food insecurity without providing food As the coronavirus pandemic forces so many to reckon with growing food insecurity and increased health challenges, the Building Wealth and Health Network program of Drexel University's Center for Hunger-Free Communities is reducing food insecurity and improving mental health—without distributing any food or medicine. How? By focusing on group experiences that promote healing and help people save money and take control over their own finances.
	Mental, physical health of people with obesity affected during COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on people with obesity as they struggle to manage their weight and mental health during shelter-in-place orders, according to research led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and UT Southwestern.
	Mexico sees cases numbers swell, reports 596 new deaths Mexico accumulated 4,199 more confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday and 596 new deaths, suggesting the planned reopening of broader economic activities may still be far away.
	Indonesian capital's reopening triggers concerns of 2nd wave Eva Rahmi Salama worries that authorities in Jakarta, Indonesia's sprawling capital, are acting too soon to lift restrictions put in place two months ago to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
	US records more than 800 virus deaths in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins The coronavirus pandemic killed 819 people in the United States in the past 24 hours, according to figures released Tuesday by Johns Hopkins University.
	Peru surpasses 200,000 coronavirus infections: health ministry Peru emerged as a global COVID-19 hotspot on Tuesday as the health ministry registered more than 200,000 cases, ranking the South American country as the eighth-highest in the world by number of infections.
	Singapore approves anti-viral drug for COVID-19 patients Singapore has approved the use of the anti-viral drug remdesivir to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients, authorities said Wednesday, becoming the latest country to do so.
Amid global controversy, Greece moves forward with chloroquine Seemingly unaffected by the controversy in the global scientific community, Greece has resumed production of chloroquine to treat cases of coronavirus and is conducting clinical trials with a "calm and distant approach", scientists there say.
	Iran reports more than 2,000 new virus cases Iran on Wednesday announced more than 2,000 new coronavirus infections, in line with a recent surge in cases that President Hassan Rouhani attributed to increased testing.
	Brussels suggests EU open external borders from July 1 The European Commission will recommend EU member states begin to reopen their external frontiers to travellers from outside the bloc from July 1, diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday.
	Indonesia posts record virus infections as restrictions eased Indonesia posted a record number of coronavirus infections Wednesday, sparking calls from health experts for the world's fourth most populous country to slam the brakes on easing restrictions.
	Australian alcohol consumption increases during COVID-19 crisis Australians are drinking alcohol more frequently during the COVID-19 pandemic than before, a new report from The Australian National University (ANU) shows.
	Survey: Office cleaners, a first line of defense from COVID-19, lack time to clean thoroughly As many of us gingerly return to our workplaces, we are relying on cleaners to keep us safe.
	If Australia really wants to tackle mental health after coronavirus, we must take action on homelessness The COVID-19 pandemic has opened fault lines in social, economic and health-care policy in Australia. One area in which all three converge is homelessness.
	EU eyes reopening borders as virus grinds down global economy The European Union said Wednesday it hoped to reopen its external borders to foreigners in July, as leaders look to loosen the economic stranglehold of virus lockdowns that are triggering a steep global downturn.
	States are making it harder to sue nursing homes over COVID-19—immunity from lawsuits is a bad idea The coronavirus has devastated nursing homes across the country, killing tens of thousands of vulnerable older Americans. Nursing homes did not cause the pandemic, but poor infection control, inadequate staffing and sluggish mitigation allowed the virus to spread.
	The coronavirus has been devastating for people over 80, but many are surviving Anna Marie Bresnan, who lives at Philadelphia Protestant Home, a retirement community in Northeast Philadelphia, is 84 and has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Other Sciences news

	Ancient bird figurine recovered from refuse heap the oldest instance of East Asian 3-D art A small bird carving—the oldest instance of East Asian three-dimensional art ever discovered—is described in a study published June 10, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Zhanyang Li from Shandong University, China, and colleagues.
	Passing challenging introductory chemistry course gives biggest boost to underrepresented students Studies have shown that students from certain backgrounds are less likely than their peers to complete an undergraduate degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics—or STEM. These groups are low-income students, first-generation college students, female students and students from underrepresented minority backgrounds: Latinx, African American, Native American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.
	Researchers uncover a new mindset that predicts success To succeed in modern life, people need to accomplish challenging tasks effectively. Many successful entrepreneurs, businesspeople, students, athletes and others tend to be more strategic—and hence, more effective—than others at meeting such challenges. A new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that one important psychological factor behind their success may be a "strategic mindset."
	Nature joins global academic strike against anti-black racism The science publisher Nature took the unprecedented step Wednesday of delaying the release of all the research in its flagship journal as part of a global strike to protest institutional anti-black racism in academia.
	Economics professor: Coronavirus destroys jobs and worsens inequality, with or without full lockdown Coronavirus plunged the world into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Many governments are trying to revitalize their economies by gradually lifting lockdown measures, including the UK.
	Political 'oil spill': Polarization is growing stronger—and getting stickier Experts have documented that political polarization is intensifying in the United States. However, a Penn State sociologist now suggests that this separation isn't just more intense, but it is also growing broader, coagulating into an ideological slick of opinions.
	Survey reveals drop in favorability ratings for U.S. police across all racial groups Americans' attitudes about police changed rapidly following the death of George Floyd and the nationwide protests that ensued.
	Archaeologist sinks teeth into understanding cultural identity, interactions in ancient Nile River Valley Like a fingerprint, teeth are unique to each individual. Dental records are useful in identifying human remains, but what can tooth enamel tell us about an individual—or an entire civilization—of 3,000 years ago in the Nile River Valley?
	Titanic salvage: recovering the ship's radio could signal a disaster for underwater cultural heritage The RMS Titanic's Marconi radio was last used to make distress calls from the north Atlantic after the ship struck an iceberg on April 14 1912. Now the radio could become the target of a salvage operation after a private company was granted permission to recover the artefact from the wreck's interior.
	Does alcohol have an undisclosed African heritage? Alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. But where was the first alcoholic beverage brewed and consumed?
	Who owns the bones? Human fossils shouldn't just belong to whoever digs them up All humans alive today can claim a common ancestral link to some hominin. Hominins include modern humans, extinct human species, and all our immediate ancestors.
	Predicting and mitigating the knowledge gaps caused by COVID-19 By Labor Day, most K-12 students will have been away from their physical classrooms for more than 25 weeks due to COVID-19-related closures, and it's still unknown when schools will reopen their doors. The true extent of the impact this will have on students won't be known for some time, but education experts are warning that school closures will worsen the vast disparities that already exist in most classrooms.
	Archaeologists may have discovered London's earliest playhouse The elusive remains of what is thought to be the earliest Elizabethan playhouse, known as the Red Lion, were discovered by Archaeology South-East, part of UCL's Institute of Archaeology. The playhouse is thought to have been built around 1567.
	Study confirms the importance of informal learning in hospitals The coronavirus crisis has shaken the structure of the Spanish healthcare system, leaving staff backed into a corner in their fight to beat the infection. However, doctors, nurses and other hospital and healthcare workers around the country have managed to acquire essential knowledge and adapt to these extraordinary circumstances in a matter of days. Plus, they've done it without attending courses or conferences; nothing but old-fashioned cooperation.
	What maritime shipping can learn from brain network science Dr. Carlo Vittorio Cannistraci from TU Dresden's Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC) is focusing his research on network science applied to biological systems and neuroscience. At the Biomedical Cybernetics Lab, he heads an translational study showing how network science computational theories used for brain analysis can help to understand global shipping networks and their impact on world economy. The study was conducted together with maritime economy scientists from China, and has now been published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
	Extinct camelids reveal insights about North America's ancient savannas A new study looking at extinct camelids—ancestors of today's camels and llamas—tells the story of North America's ancient savannas and highlights how past climatic and environmental conditions influenced the composition of mammalian faunas.
	People make irrational decisions rationally Online health information is deemed doubly less trustworthy if the text includes both "shouting" and spelling errors together, according to a new study at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).
Government health, safety regulations backfire with conservatives, study shows Health and safety risks from product consumption, including obesity, vaping, drug misuse and texting while driving, as well as circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, pose significant problems in the United States and around the world.
	First impressions can sway financial professionals' forecasts of firms for up to 6 years First impressions can have long-term effects on people's perceptions and behavior. A new study looked at the influence among finance professionals of first impression bias of firms' performance, which spurs people to place undue weight on early experiences. The study found that equity analysts placed greater emphasis on early impressions than later ones, that negative first impressions had more power than positive ones, and that first impression bias could influence forecasts of a firm by a financial professional for up to six years.
	Flexible work beyond the pandemic Flexible work has always been a drawcard for employees, but while managers have typically been reluctant to embrace flexible work arrangements, University of South Australia researchers warn that the topic is likely to become front and centre as employees return to the office after months of lockdown from COVID-19.
	'Sick until proven healthy': how COVID-19 pandemic changes global security COVID-19 has changed the international security paradigm.
	Young workers can thrive after coronavirus layoffs by leaving big cities Workers under age 30 have been the first to lose their jobs or be placed on unpaid leave during the COVID-19 pandemic.
	How reforms could target police racism and brutality—and build trust In the turbulent days since the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota, Jack Glaser has been following the storm of protests, including dozens of incidents in which police appeared to escalate conflicts, use excessive force and target journalists. Like millions of others in the United States and worldwide, he is alarmed by what he's seen.
	War on drugs causes aggressive policing, says expert The war on drugs has provided police with cover for aggressive tactics and unnecessary encounters with citizens, according to Katharine Neill Harris, the Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
	The Black Lives Matter protests motivated people to vote in 2016. Will the protests this year do the same? The Black Lives Matter movement and protests of police violence played a major role in the 2016 election, according to new research led by faculty from Northeastern University, the University of Massachusetts, Northwestern University, and George Mason University.
Moves are afoot in Africa to keep more women in science careers Women scientists have a vital part to play in scientific leadership and in contributing to Africa's development and transformation. But they remain substantially under-represented in higher education and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This is because women are generally seen and treated by society as being inferior and less capable than men. This then spills over into their educational and professional lives.
	Apps, drones and the far right in COVID-19 We must not become complacent as governments enforce more measures to control the coronavirus, UNSW's Dr. Carolien van Ham says.
	Americans' trust in institutions to handle COVID-19 is fading According to the latest results from an ongoing survey of Americans' opinions about the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans' trust is fraying in their institutions' ability to respond—especially with regard to the police, in whom trust has fallen by 8 percent since April.
	Lockdown: crimes in the home are on the up – new measures are needed to alert the authorities Crimes in the home are hard to detect unless victims or family members report them. Both domestic violence and child maltreatment are widely under-reported. This means they tend not to be investigated by the authorities, and many victims don't get the support they need.
	New remote voting risks and solutions identified The upcoming presidential election in the middle of a pandemic has jurisdictions exploring new technologies. They're not secure.
Penn Med students create apenndx, a new journal for body and spirit in the age of COVID-19 In the beginning of this past school year, a bunch of first-year University of Pennsylvania medical students gathered to discuss creating a new student magazine. A diverse group of young people with eclectic talents, backgrounds, and interests, they decided their new publication would welcome a broad range of work—the humanities as well as the sciences.

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