Treatment for liver disorder in pregnancy ineffective, finds new study

Research led by King's College London has found that the currently recommended treatment for a common pregnancy liver disorder that can result in preterm birth and stillbirth, is ineffective and should be reconsidered.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/treatment-for-liver-disorder-in-pregnancy-ineffective-finds-new-study

1-year-old daughter of man who died of Ebola shows symptoms

The 1-year-old daughter of the man who died of Ebola in Congo's major city of Goma this week is showing symptoms of the disease, officials said Thursday, while Rwanda closed its border with Congo over the yearlong virus outbreak.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/1-year-old-daughter-of-man-who-died-of-ebola-shows-symptoms

Japan approves growing human organs in animals for first time

Scientists in Japan will begin trying to grow human organs in animals after receiving government permission for the first study of its kind in the country.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/japan-approves-growing-human-organs-in-animals-for-first-time

Did Hurricane Barry prevent a near-record 'dead zone'?

Scientists are back from measuring the Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" where there's too little oxygen to sustain marine life in a large underwater area starting at the sea floor.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/did-hurricane-barry-prevent-a-near-record-dead-zone

Total recall: N. Koreans in memory championship surprise

In silence, Pang Un Sim stares down at the jumbled-up playing cards for one minute, slowly shuffling through them.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/total-recall-n-koreans-in-memory-championship-surprise

Excellence payments to hospitals improve hip fracture care

Hip fractures are a major cause of death and disability among older people worldwide, with 70,000 cases every year in the UK, which cost the NHS around £2 billion.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/excellence-payments-to-hospitals-improve-hip-fracture-care

Can a combination immune therapy reduce genital herpes outbreaks?

Yale investigators have shown that the combination of a vaccine and a medicated cream is a promising strategy to dramatically reduce the recurrence of genital herpes. Their study, co-led by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, was published in the journal npj Vaccines.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/can-a-combination-immune-therapy-reduce-genital-herpes-outbreaks

Racism influences medical students' decision on practicing in minority or underserved communities

A longitudinal study of 3,756 U.S. medical students provides evidence that racism in medical schools influenced their decisions on whether to practice in minority or underserved communities.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/racism-influences-medical-students-decision-on-practicing-in-minority-or-underserved-communities

Yelp ratings get better when they cost something—like time

An international team of researchers tested the idea that free online ratings are less trustworthy than those that have some cost to them, drawing from the ecological theory known as "costly signaling theory."

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/yelp-ratings-get-better-when-they-cost-something-like-time

Genetically at-risk youth can lower risk of alcohol problems by taking part in prevention program

For people with a genetic predisposition to alcohol problems, participating in a family based prevention program during adolescence reduced the likelihood that they would develop those problems as an adult, according to a new study led by Virginia Commonwealth University researchers.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/genetically-at-risk-youth-can-lower-risk-of-alcohol-problems-by-taking-part-in-prevention-program

Researchers solve 'hot spot' debate

Volcanic hot spots such as the ones that created the Hawaiian Islands have long been considered stationary points, created by processes deep within the earth's interior.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-solve-hot-spot-debate

Study aims to map air pollution in front of our faces

To measure air pollution across the United States and other large areas, scientists rely on a patchwork of satellites.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/study-aims-to-map-air-pollution-in-front-of-our-faces

Mastering metabolism for shark and ray survival

Understanding the internal energy flow—including the metabolism—of large ocean creatures like sharks and rays could be key to their survival in a changing climate, according to a new study.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/mastering-metabolism-for-shark-and-ray-survival

Acid may be key ingredient for better adhesive strength, electronic components

An acid used for medicine and to flavor some drinks soon may help make electronic components and certain adhesives more durable and better for the environment.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/acid-may-be-key-ingredient-for-better-adhesive-strength-electronic-components

Researchers develop novel process to study how trees affect building temperatures, air flow in extreme heat

Researchers at Iowa State University have developed a model to test how shading and air flow can improve indoor temperatures during the sweltering heat of Midwest summers.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-develop-novel-process-to-study-how-trees-affect-building-temperatures-air-flow-in-extreme-heat

Speeding up drug discovery for brain diseases

A research team led by Whitehead Institute scientists has identified 30 distinct chemical compounds—20 of which are drugs undergoing clinical trial or have already been approved by the FDA—that boost the protein production activity of a critical gene in the brain and improve symptoms of Rett syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental condition that often provokes autism-like behaviors in patients. The new study, conducted in human cells and mice, helps illuminate the biology of an important gene, called KCC2, which is implicated in a variety of brain diseases, including autism, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and depression. The researchers' findings, published in the July 31 online issue of Science Translational Medicine, could help spur the development of new treatments for a host of devastating brain disorders.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/speeding-up-drug-discovery-for-brain-diseases

Precision editing of gut bacteria reduces cancer in mice

UT Southwestern researchers have shown that precision editing of the bacterial populations in the gut reduces inflammation-associated colorectal cancer in mice.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/precision-editing-of-gut-bacteria-reduces-cancer-in-mice

Research cruise explores carbon cycle in deep ocean in Atlantic

A University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science-led research cruise leaves for the deep Atlantic Ocean 50 miles southeast of Bermuda on Monday for a week of science at sea aboard the 171-foot R/V Atlantic Explorer. Scientists will be sampling the depths of the ocean and analyzing bacterial diversity and function to better understand the marine carbon cycle in the ocean.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/research-cruise-explores-carbon-cycle-in-deep-ocean-in-atlantic

Researchers show how side hit to the head could damage brain, lead to concussion

Play contact sports for any length of time and at one point or another you're probably going to have your 'bell rung' by a powerful blow to the head from a hard hit or fall. Rising awareness of the severe, abiding repercussions of strong impacts to the head—concussions, mild traumatic brain injury, neurological disorders—have led scientists to focus on what exactly happens inside a skull during a big hit.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-show-how-side-hit-to-the-head-could-damage-brain-lead-to-concussion

Poor methodology reporting makes radiation oncology studies impossible to replicate

Nearly 80 percent of radiation oncology studies funded by the National Institutes of Health involve investigating the effects that radiation has on tumor cells and healthy tissue in pre-clinical settings, such as experiments done in cell cultures or mice. A majority of these radiation biology studies, however, have serious flaws in how their irradiation methodology is described, which makes them very difficult to replicate, according to a new finding from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM).

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/poor-methodology-reporting-makes-radiation-oncology-studies-impossible-to-replicate

Sustained police effort explains higher arrests for gun murders

The primary reason gun fatalities result in arrests more frequently than nonfatal shootings is police devote more time and resources to the fatal cases, a new study by scholars at Duke and Northeastern universities finds.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/sustained-police-effort-explains-higher-arrests-for-gun-murders

Black male educators sound alarm regarding lack of diversity in P-12 classrooms

A diverse and inclusive education workforce can play a critical role in ensuring that students receive a robust, quality educational experience. While students of color comprise more than half of P-12 classroom populations in the United States, overcoming the shortage of educators of color has been a decades-long dilemma for U.S. schools.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/black-male-educators-sound-alarm-regarding-lack-of-diversity-in-p-12-classrooms

Human trafficking victims' unlikeliness to report crimes tied to police officers' bias

Police are increasingly called on to combat crimes related to sex and labor trafficking. A new study sought to determine how the victims of these crimes are served by police. Based on researchers' review of human trafficking investigations and interviews with police and service providers in three communities in Northeast, West, and South United States, the study concluded that victims of human trafficking often do not trust the police and rarely seek their assistance. The study also found that these views are due in part to victims' beliefs that police are not trained adequately and hold biases and stereotypes about them. The authors offer recommendations to improve police responses to these victims.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/human-trafficking-victims-unlikeliness-to-report-crimes-tied-to-police-officers-bias

Hidden chemistry in flowers shown to kill cancer cells

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have shown that it's possible to produce a compound with anti-cancer properties directly from feverfew—a common flowering garden plant.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/hidden-chemistry-in-flowers-shown-to-kill-cancer-cells