Research roundup

• A program that helps autistic adults develop social skills for work not only improves their employability, but also has benefits beyond the workplace. Autism
• Children with autism show unusually fast automatic visual orientation, but this might actually become a disadvantage in environments involving both faces and non-face stimuli. Autism Research
• Stem cells derived from individuals with autism activate certain genes earlier than usual and develop into neurons on an altered timeline. Nature Neuroscience
• Minority youth in the United Kingdom are twice as likely as their white peers to be referred for mental-health services via involuntary routes, such as social services or the justice system. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
• Brain images show that circuits for processing language are synchronized with social regions responsible for ‘theory of mind,’ the ability to understand the thoughts and beliefs of others. Journal of Neurophysiology
• An abnormal immune response to Epstein-Barr virus, a herpes virus that can cause infectious mononucleosis, is associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin

Science and society

• The open-access UK Biobank is enabling researchers around the world to uncover the roles genes play in shaping personality, depression, sexual orientation and more. Science
• Testing babies’ DNA may reveal the risk of certain childhood-onset conditions that would not be picked up by standard newborn screening. STAT
• SeaWorld’s Aquatica Orlando in Florida is the first water park in the world to become an official certified autism center. Orlando Sentinel
• A computer algorithm can help physicians and genetic counselors diagnose genetic conditions based on distinctive facial features. Nature Medicine
• Advocates are trying to get schizophrenia reclassified as a neurological condition rather than a mental-health condition. Politico
• A detailed hearing test could help identify infants with autism. The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association
• A Kentucky elementary-school teacher has been charged with assault after a video showing her dragging a 9-year-old boy with autism went viral. NBC News
• Florida officials have frozen payments to some providers who treat autistic children, as part of an effort to stop Medicaid fraud. Sun Sentinel
• A wearable device similar to a Fitbit may help predict when children with autism are moving toward an aggressive outburst. Disability Scoop
• Scientists receiving funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health must increase security measures to prevent Chinese spies from stealing information. The New York Times
• As cities adopt smart technologies, activists and startups want to ensure these places remain accessible to all. MIT Technology Review
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to open a new office that will review patient reports of how well treatments are working alongside data from drug companies. STAT

Autism and the arts

• A new documentary film explores the ways businesses benefit from employing autistic adults with unique skills. This Business of Autism
• Young actors with autism are performing a special rendition of “The Jungle Book” for theater audiences in Bangalore, India. The News Minute