| Human-caused climate change increased the severity of many extreme events in 2014 Posted: 07 Nov 2015 05:25 PM PST Human activities, such as greenhouse gas emissions and land use, influenced specific extreme weather and climate events in 2014, including tropical cyclones in the central Pacific, heavy rainfall in Europe, drought in East Africa, and stifling heat waves in Australia, Asia, and South America, according to a new report. |
| Massive mysterious spring die-off kills more than 50 percent of the global population of saiga in two weeks Posted: 07 Nov 2015 03:01 PM PST Saiga suffered a massive die-off during the calving season. In the short period of only two weeks, more than half the world population was found dead, the bodies of adults and young calves scattered across the spring grassland in the thousands. A disease is suspected, perhaps coupled with external factors from vegetation or changes in weather; but despite an immediate response and intense study, the exact cause still remains a mystery. |
| Chrondroitin outperforms celecoxib in knee osteoarthritis study Posted: 07 Nov 2015 03:01 PM PST For the first time, chondroitin sulfate has been more successful than celecoxib in reducing the long-term progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to new research findings. |
| Mechanical and manual cpr produce equivalent survival rates for cardiac arrest patients Posted: 07 Nov 2015 02:29 PM PST Mechanical CPR, in which a device is used by Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers to deliver automated chest compressions during cardiac arrest resuscitation care, is associated with an equivalent survival rate for patients experiencing cardiac arrest outside of the hospital as manual CPR, according to new findings. The study is the first large scale, real-world proof that mechanical CPR may be an equivalent alternative to manual CPR for treating patients experiencing extensive cardiac arrest episodes and requiring advanced life support services. |
| Pedometers: The new prescription for rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 07 Nov 2015 02:29 PM PST Using a pedometer to measure the number of steps one takes in a day has been linked to lower fatigue in persons with rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research. |
| Tai Chi found to be as effective as physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis Posted: 07 Nov 2015 02:29 PM PST Both Tai Chi and physical therapy positively impact pain, function and other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis – making Tai Chi a viable treatment alternative for people suffering with the degenerative disease, according to new research. |
| Exercise program in senior centers helps decrease participants' pain and improve mobility Posted: 07 Nov 2015 02:27 PM PST A study finds that a low-impact exercise program is improving quality of life for many older adults with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. The program, offered by Hospital for Special Surgery, has helped decrease pain, improve mobility and enhance the overall health of many participants. |
| Tomatoes get boost in growth, antioxidants from nano-sized nutrients Posted: 07 Nov 2015 04:47 AM PST Researchers are using nano-sized nutrients to boost production of food without straining natural resources. |
| Diverse subtypes of serotonin-producing neurons uncovered Posted: 07 Nov 2015 04:47 AM PST It used to be enough to call a serotonergic neuron a serotonergic neuron. These brain cells make the neurotransmitter serotonin, which helps regulate mood, appetite, breathing rate, body temperature and more. Recently, however, scientists have begun to learn that these neurons differ from one another -- and that the differences likely matter in dysfunction and disease. |
| Racial disparities associated with living kidney donation assessed Posted: 07 Nov 2015 04:47 AM PST Increasing median income levels of transplant candidates' zip codes were associated with higher rates of living donation, but African American candidates living in the wealthiest neighborhoods had only slightly higher rates than rates seen among the lowest median income areas for Caucasians.African-American donors had higher rates of complications early after donation. |
| Cholesterol-lowering 'portfolio diet' also reduces blood pressure Posted: 07 Nov 2015 04:47 AM PST A diet developed for reducing cholesterol also lowers blood pressure, a new study has found. The portfolio diet lowered blood pressure by an average two per cent, when compared with another diet recommended to reduce hypertension. |
| Thiazide may pose some risk for congestive heart failure patients Posted: 06 Nov 2015 12:31 PM PST Thiazide, a popular diuretic for lowering high blood pressure, may not excrete salt as expected in patients with congestive heart failure and or dehydration and should be taken with caution, say researchers. |
| Promising results in study of pediatric neuroblastoma Posted: 06 Nov 2015 11:46 AM PST Scientists have identified a new treatment approach for a highly aggressive and usually fatal subtype of neuroblastoma. |
| HIV prevention: New look at PrEP study points to efficacy for transgender women Posted: 06 Nov 2015 11:45 AM PST In a new look at the groundbreaking iPrEx trial for people at high risk of HIV infection, researchers have identified strong evidence of efficacy for transgender women when PrEP, a two-drug antiretroviral used to prevent HIV, is used consistently. |
| Bang for the buck in stroke prevention: New and old drugs Posted: 06 Nov 2015 11:45 AM PST When it comes to preventing stroke, millions of Americans with irregular heartbeats face a choice: Take one of the powerful but pricey new pills they see advertised on TV, or a much cheaper 60-year-old drug can be a hassle to take, and doesn't prevent stroke as well. It doesn't seem like much of a contest -- until you do the math. Which a new study does. |
| Device combines power of mass spectrometry, microscopy Posted: 06 Nov 2015 11:45 AM PST A new device is a potentially huge help for studying chemical interactions, disease, drugs. |
| New drought atlas maps 2,000 years of climate in Europe Posted: 06 Nov 2015 11:45 AM PST The long history of severe droughts across Europe and the Mediterranean has largely been told through historical documents and ancient journals, each chronicling the impact in a geographically restricted area. Now, for the first time, an atlas based on scientific evidence provides the big picture, using tree rings to map the reach and severity of dry and wet periods across Europe, and parts of North Africa and the Middle East, year to year over the past 2,000 years. |
| People routinely attribute moral obligations to people who cannot fulfill them Posted: 06 Nov 2015 10:44 AM PST New research debunks the age-old moral philosophy that if you are unable to do something, then you are not morally obligated to do it. |
| Tenofovir linked with acute kidney injury in HIV-infected patients Posted: 06 Nov 2015 10:31 AM PST Acute kidney injury (AKI) associated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) was prevalent among HIV-infected patients and demonstrated a high morbidity rate in a new center-based study. More than half of patients with TDF-associated AKI did not recover baseline kidney function during follow-up, and about one-third of the patients required dialysis, according to new research. |
| Gut microbiota changes in diabetic kidney disease contribute to chronic inflammation and vascular complications Posted: 06 Nov 2015 10:31 AM PST Among patients with type 2 diabetes and advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), a shift in gut microbiota diversity in combination with elevated plasma zonulin levels substantially impacts the degree of chronic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Zonulin could be a potential future target to control inflammatory immune responses, according to a new study. |
| MRI-based screening improves assignment of stroke patients to endovascular treatment Posted: 06 Nov 2015 10:29 AM PST A new system for determining which patients with severe strokes are most likely to benefit from catheter-based systems for blood clot removal led to a greater percentage of screened patients receiving treatment and to outcomes similar to recent studies that found significant treatment benefits. |
| Kidney transplantation prolongs survival compared with home hemodialysis Posted: 06 Nov 2015 10:29 AM PST Among kidney failure patients who were followed for five years, home hemodialysis patients were four times more likely to die than kidney transplant recipients. In elderly kidney failure patients, home hemodialysis patients had nearly a five times higher risk of dying during follow-up than kidney transplant patients. |
| Transplant tourism increases health-related risks for organ recipients Posted: 06 Nov 2015 10:29 AM PST Compared with recipients of living related kidney donor transplants, recipients who purchased organs internationally were more likely to develop hepatitis C, hepatitis B, and cytomegalovirus, and they were more likely to experience acute and recurrent rejections and surgical complications. Patient and organ survival rates were also lower in 'commercial' recipients. |
| Lowering blood pressure below current targets benefits a wide range of patients Posted: 06 Nov 2015 08:39 AM PST Using intensive treatment to lower blood pressure below currently recommended targets significantly reduces rates of major cardiovascular events like stroke and heart attack among a wide range of high-risk patients, according to a large meta-analysis involving almost 45000 individuals. |
| Self-levitating displays: Mid-air virtual objects Posted: 06 Nov 2015 08:38 AM PST An interactive swarm of flying 3D pixels (voxels) is set to revolutionize the way people interact with virtual reality. The system, called BitDrones, allows users to explore virtual 3D information by interacting with physical self-levitating building blocks. |
| How did the stonefly cross the lake? The mystery of stoneflies recolonizing a U.S. island Posted: 06 Nov 2015 08:38 AM PST Millennia ago, glaciers scraped all life from a large island in the United States. Subsequently, life has returned to the island. Which species returned and how they got there are questions two insect scientists are asking. They recently discovered that not only were there fewer insect species on the island compared to the mainland, but also that smaller stonefly species were more capable of colonising the island. |
| Rare, dying, giant radio galaxy 9 billion light years away Posted: 06 Nov 2015 08:37 AM PST Astronomers have discovered an extremely rare radio galaxy -- a giant, with an extent of 4 million light years caught in its dying phase at an incredible distance of 9 billion light years. This discovery, made by combining observations of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, with other telescopes in space and on the ground, enables us to study properties of the magnetic field in the region between galaxies in the distant universe. |
| Helping mothers to help preemies Posted: 06 Nov 2015 06:07 AM PST A new article provides advice from physicians for women planning a pregnancy and takes a look at premature delivery. |
| Standing up for sensitivity Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:35 AM PST An array of hollow piezoelectric polymer nanotubes grown by researchers could be used as an extremely sensitive acoustic sensor. |
| Scratching the surface of skin disease Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:35 AM PST Full genomic sequencing of all 14 species of the Malassezia genus opens up possibility of new treatments for microbially-mediated skin diseases. |
| Taking a molecular approach to conserving freshwater biodiversity Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:35 AM PST Molecular ecologists have a key role to play in setting priorities for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity, according to a recent review paper. |
| Membrane 'nano-fasteners' key to next-generation fuel cells Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:35 AM PST Scientists have developed a new way of making fuel cell membranes using nanoscale fasteners, paving the way for lower-cost, higher-efficiency and more easily manufactured fuel cells. |
| Investigational treatment may restore kidney function in patients with renovascular disease Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:30 AM PST A treatment consisting of vascular endothelial growth factor fused to a bioengineered carrier promotes the recovery of kidney function in pigs with a disease frequently observed in patients in which the kidneys' arteries are blocked. |
| Low-cost offshore wind turbine created Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:28 AM PST Researchers have designed and patented a floating platform for offshore wind turbines that can reduce energy costs to 12 euro cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) through a more efficient design and cheaper building materials. |
| Fighting head lice effectively with plasma Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:27 AM PST Once head lice have attached themselves to hair follicles, they can deftly evade detection and are therefore hard to kill. Infestations of these bloodsucking parasites are commonly dealt with using chemicals and a specialized nit comb. Researchers are now developing a technological comb that can reliably eliminate head lice using plasma with no biocide agents or chemicals. |
| Detecting arthritis with light Posted: 06 Nov 2015 03:27 AM PST Joint inflammation (arthritis) is a common problem in medical practice and can be due to a variety of causes. Many types of inflammatory disorders affecting the joints belong to the diverse group of rheumatic diseases. The most common ones are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis which frequently affect the joints of the hands. These joint diseases are chronic in nature and cannot be cured yet. However, an early diagnosis and thus early medical treatment tremendously improves long-term outcome. That is why experts are developing a finger scanner which in the future will allow arthritis of the hands to be diagnosed at a very early stage. |
