Tuesday, 2 June 2015

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


New climate stress index model challenges doomsday forecasts for world's coral reefs

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

A newer and more complex model incorporating data from both environmental factors and field observations of coral responses to stress provides a better forecasting tool than the more widely used models and a more positive future for coral reefs, according to a new study.

Inexperienced investors should take advantage of 'auto-pilot investing'

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

Use of target-date is a positive trend that will help inexperienced investors invest safely without risking significant losses based on their lack of knowledge, an expert writes. Target-date funds, which were endorsed by Congress in the Pension Protection Act of 2006, are also known as life-cycle funds. This means that TDFs change their asset mix of stocks and bonds based on the age of the investor.

Extra love and support doesn't make up for being a helicopter parent

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

Scholars who found that helicopter parenting backfires have just published a follow-up study. Their question: Would lots of love and support negate the effects of parental hovering? Their data analysis says no, underscoring the need for parents to step back and let young adult children lead.

Yeast protein network could provide insights into human obesity

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

A team of biologists and a mathematician has identified and characterized a network composed of 94 proteins that work together to regulate fat storage in yeast. The findings suggest that yeast could serve as a valuable test organism for studying human obesity.

New discoveries advance efforts to build replacement kidneys in the lab

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

Researchers are making progress in their quest to build replacement kidneys in the lab by using the more than 2,600 kidneys that are donated each year, but must be discarded due to abnormalities and other factors. The scientists aim to 'recycle' these organs to engineer tailor-made replacement kidneys for patients.

Researchers create new combination vaccine to fight Streptococcus A

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

A groundbreaking, combination vaccine has been developed that may finally beat Streptococcus A infections. Human trials are set to begin, early as next year, for the vaccine which combines the protein, SpyCEP, with a previously developed vaccine J8-DT.

Online hookup sites increase HIV rates in sometimes surprising ways

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

The introduction of Craigslist led to an increase in HIV infection cases of 13.5 percent in Florida over a four-year period, according to a new study. The estimated medical costs for those patients will amount to $710 million over the course of their lives, research shows.

Aging couples connected in sickness and health

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

As the world's population of older adults increases, so do conversations around successful aging -- including seniors' physical, mental and social well-being. Two major factors can predict an older person's quality of life: the physical health and the cognitive functioning of the person's spouse.

Online gambling would benefit from better regulation

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:29 PM PDT

The US government's attempt to crack down on Internet gambling is widely seen as a convoluted mess. Yet, more controlled and defined regulation would likely benefit the $41 billion industry and protect consumers alike, finds a new study by business scholars.

Bacteria may cause type 2 diabetes

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:28 PM PDT

Chronic exposure to a toxin made by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria produces the hallmark symptoms of Type 2 diabetes (T2D), including insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, in rabbits, new research shows. The findings suggest that eliminating staph bacteria or neutralizing the toxins might have potential for preventing or treating T2D.

Crashing comets may explain mysterious lunar swirls

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:28 PM PDT

Researchers have produced new evidence that lunar swirls -- wispy bright regions scattered on the moon's surface -- were created by several comet collisions over the last 100 million years.

New evidence emerges on the origins of life

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:28 PM PDT

New research shows that the close linkage between the physical properties of amino acids, the genetic code, and protein folding was likely the key factor in the evolution from building blocks to organisms when Earth's first life was emerging from the primordial soup.

Invasive microbe protects corals from global warming, but at a cost

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:28 PM PDT

An invasive species of symbiotic micro-alga has spread across the Caribbean Sea, according to an international team of researchers. These single-cell algae, which live within the cells of coral animals, are improving the resilience of coral communities to heat stress caused by global warming, but also are diminishing the abilities of corals to build reefs.

Mollusk shells: Modern humans inhabited Near East at least 45,900 years ago, colonized Europe from there

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:27 PM PDT

New high precision radiocarbon dates of mollusk shells show that modern humans occupied the Near East at least 45,900 years ago and colonized Europe from there.

New color blindness cause identified: Finding suggests potential therapeutic targets

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:25 PM PDT

A rare eye disorder marked by color blindness, light sensitivity, and other vision problems can result from a newly discovered gene mutation identified by an international research team. The findings could lead to new, targeted treatments for this form of color blindness.

New method may eliminate antibiotic use in livestock

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 02:25 PM PDT

An animal scientist has developed an antibiotic-free method to protect animals raised for food against common infections. The innovation comes as growing public concern about antibiotic resistance has induced McDonald's, Tyson Foods and other industry giants to announce major cuts in antibiotic use in meat production. About 80 percent of antibiotics in the United States are used by farmers, because they both protect against disease and accelerate weight gain in many farm animals.

Picture perfect: Researchers use photos to understand how diabetes affects kids

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:53 AM PDT

If a picture is worth a thousand words, Type 1 diabetes researchers have tapped into an encyclopedia, revealing new insights into how young people cope with the disease. The study found key differences in adolescents of different genders and socioeconomic classes that could shape patient care and diabetes education, especially for boys and less-affluent young people.

Using robots, scientists assemble promising antimicrobial compounds

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:53 AM PDT

There's an urgent demand for new antimicrobial compounds that are effective against constantly emerging drug-resistant bacteria. Two robotic chemical-synthesizing machines at the Molecular Foundry have joined the search.

Microgravity experiments may help lighten the load of joint diseases

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:53 AM PDT

Going into space might wreak havoc on our bodies, but a new set of microgravity experiments may help shed light on new approaches for treating cartilage diseases on Earth. A team of scientists suggests that our cartilage--tissue that serves as a cushion between bones--might be able to survive microgravity relatively unscathed.

Kit may help train global health providers to insert, remove contraceptive implants

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:49 AM PDT

To address a global health challenge, a team of biomedical engineering undergraduates has developed a kit to teach front-line health care workers in developing countries how to implant contraceptives.

Multimodality treatment for metastatic lung cancer that includes surgery may improve survival rates

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:49 AM PDT

Patients diagnosed with an advanced form of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may benefit from surgical resection (removal of all or part of the lung) in combination with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, new research suggests.

Britain’s oldest sauropod dinosaur identified from fossil bone that fell from a cliff face

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 11:15 AM PDT

Experts have identified Britain's oldest sauropod dinosaur from a fossil bone discovered on the Yorkshire coast. The vertebra (backbone) originates from a group of dinosaurs that includes the largest land animals to have ever walked on Earth. This new sauropod dinosaur, from the Middle Jurassic Period at about 176 million years old, was found near Whitby, Yorkshire, after it fell out of a cliff face. This find represents the earliest skeletal record of this type of dinosaur from the United Kingdom and adds to existing evidence from Yorkshire dinosaur tracks that this part of the country was once Britain's very own 'Jurassic World'.

New study evaluates remedial pathways for community college students

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:49 AM PDT

Academic programs that provide alternatives to traditional remedial education help students succeed at community colleges, but different programs result in a range of outcomes for various sub-populations of students, a report says.

US Forest Service publishes plan for North American Bat Monitoring Program

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:49 AM PDT

A new report provides detailed guidelines for participating in the North American Bat Monitoring Program, an international multiagency program created to provide the data needed to make effective decisions about bat populations across the North American continent.

Physicists map electron structure of superconductivity’s 'doppelgänger'

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:49 AM PDT

Physicists have painted an in-depth portrait of charge ordering -- an electron self-organization regime in high-temperature superconductors that may be intrinsically intertwined with superconductivity itself.

Available genetic data could help doctors make better use of cardiovascular drugs

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:48 AM PDT

Few heart specialists make use of published information about interactions between drugs used to treat cardiovascular disease and the genetic variations that affect how patients respond to them, researchers say. As a result, a group of physicians combed through the literature on the pharmacogenomics of the leading cardiovascular drugs and compiled summaries.

Zinc in the body may contribute to kidney stones

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:06 AM PDT

New research on kidney stone formation reveals that zinc levels may contribute to kidney stone formation, a common urinary condition that can cause excruciating pain. The research found that zinc may be the core by which stone formation starts.

Sex and musculoskeletal health: Differences between males and females

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:05 AM PDT

Woman in general have a higher incidence of osteoporosis-related hip fractures yet, conversely, they have a lower rate of mortality than men with the same fracture, according to a new study.

Canada's radon guidelines are inadequate, experts say

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:05 AM PDT

Radon gas is a silent health threat, and Canada needs to align its guidelines for acceptable radon levels with World Health Organization limits, argues a physician expert.

Despite guidelines, too many medical tests are performed before low-risk procedures

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:05 AM PDT

Despite guideline recommendations to limit medical tests before low-risk surgeries, electrocardiograms and chest X-rays are still performed frequently, found a Canadian study.

Endangered sawfishes having babies, no sex required

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 10:05 AM PDT

Some female members of a critically endangered species of sawfish are reproducing in the wild without sex. The discovery marks the first time living offspring from 'virgin births' have been found in a normally sexually reproducing vertebrate in the wild, the researchers say.

Ancient algae found deep in tropical glacier

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:26 AM PDT

Researchers looking for carbon in equatorial ice cores have found diatoms, a type of algae. Their presence is evidence of what the landscape around the Andes in Peru might have been like more than a millennium ago.

10th-century medical philosophy and computer simulation in research

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:26 AM PDT

The writings of a 10th-century medical philosopher are being linked to the use of computer simulation as an alternative to using animals in medical research.

Drug prevents passage of HBV during pregnancy

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:25 AM PDT

The antiviral drug telbivudine prevents perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus, according to a study. Hepatitis B virus, which has infected nearly two billion people worldwide, is a leading cause of liver disease.

At peak fertility, women who desire to maintain body attractiveness report they eat less

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:25 AM PDT

Women near peak fertility -- those nearing ovulation -- and who are motivated to manage their body appearance, reported they desire to lose weight and so ate fewer calories. Previous ovulation research has attributed reduced eating solely to neuroendocrinological factors. The new findings indicate an additional factor is a woman's concern about her body appearance, say authors.

Civilian physicians feel underprepared to treat veterans, survey finds

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:25 AM PDT

A survey of nearly 150 U.S. physicians who frequently treat veterans found civilian doctors aren't adequately trained in health issues related to military service. More than half of the respondent indicated they were not comfortable discussing health-related exposures and risks that veterans might experience such as depleted uranium, smoke and chemical weapons.

Fructose contributes to weight gain, physical inactivity, and body fat, researchers find

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:25 AM PDT

Matched calorie for calorie with the simple sugar glucose, fructose causes significant weight gain, physical inactivity, and body fat deposition, a new study has concluded. Because of the addition of high-fructose corn syrup to many soft drinks and processed baked goods, fructose currently accounts for 10 percent of caloric intake for U.S. citizens.

The ebb and flow of Greenland's glaciers

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:25 AM PDT

In northwestern Greenland, glaciers flow from the main ice sheet to the ocean in see-sawing seasonal patterns. The ice generally flows faster in the summer than in winter, and the ends of glaciers, jutting out into the ocean, also advance and retreat with the seasons. Now, a new analysis shows some important connections between these seasonal patterns, sea ice cover and longer-term trends.

Study links exposure to common pesticide with ADHD in boys

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:25 AM PDT

A new study links a commonly used household pesticide with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and young teens. The study found an association between pyrethroid pesticide exposure and ADHD, particularly in terms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, rather than inattentiveness. The association was stronger in boys than in girls.

Missing link found between brain, immune system; major disease implications

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

In a stunning discovery that overturns decades of textbook teaching, researchers have determined that the brain is directly connected to the immune system by vessels previously thought not to exist. The discovery could have profound implications for diseases from autism to Alzheimer's to multiple sclerosis.

Poor sleep linked to toxic buildup of Alzheimer's protein, memory loss

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

Sleep may be a missing piece of the Alzheimer's puzzle. The toxic protein that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease blocks the deepest stages of sleep, resulting in memory decline, according to new research.

New anti-microbial compounds evade resistance with less toxicity

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

New compounds that specifically attack fungal infections without attacking human cells could transform treatment for such infections and point the way to targeted medicines that evade antibiotic resistance.

Scientists reveal epigenome maps of the human body's major organs

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

While the genome of an individual is the same in every cell, epigenomes vary since they are closely related to the genes a cell is actually using at any given time. A new atlas of human organ epigenomes provides a starting place to understand the role of chemical markers in development, health and disease.

Researcher discovers metabolite of prostate cancer drug more effective at treating aggressive tumors

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

A metabolite of an FDA-approved drug for metastatic prostate cancer, abiraterone, has more anti-cancer properties than its precursor, researchers have discovered for the first time. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with nearly 240,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United State.

Medical home intervention with shared savings shows quality, utilization improvements

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

By paying bonuses to participating medical practices based on reaching quality and spending benchmarks, shared savings contracts created direct financial incentives to contain the costs and utilization of care without compromising the quality of care. This intervention also helped practices develop care management systems, and health plans gave participating practices timely data on their patients' use of hospitals and emergency departments.

Breastfeeding may lower risk of childhood leukemia, study suggests

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

Breastfeeding for six months or longer was associated with a lower risk of childhood leukemia compared with children who were never breastfed or who were breastfed for a shorter time, according to an article.

Happiest university graduates are more likely to land a good first job

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:24 AM PDT

Happy graduates have a greater chance of being hired for a high quality first job. The study points out that promoting learning and practice of attitudes that encourage happiness could improve the employability of graduates.

Study explores reasons behind alcohol abuse in non-heterosexual women

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:23 AM PDT

Non-heterosexual women who feel a disconnect between who they are attracted to and how they identify themselves may have a higher risk of alcohol abuse, according to a new study.

How does human behavior lead to surgical errors? Researchers count the ways

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 09:23 AM PDT

Why are major surgical errors called "never events?" Because they shouldn't happen -- but do. Researchers identified 69 never events among 1.5 million invasive procedures performed over five years and detailed why each occurred.

Thin coating on condensers could make power plants more efficient

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

Most of the world's electricity-producing power plants -- whether powered by coal, natural gas, or nuclear fission -- make electricity by generating steam that turns a turbine. That steam then is condensed back to water, and the cycle begins again. But the condensers that collect the steam are quite inefficient, and improving them could make a big difference in overall power plant efficiency. A thin coating on condensers could make power plants more efficient, scientists now report.

Scientists discover protein that plays key role in streptococcal infections

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

The effort to identify new ways of fighting infections has taken a step forward now that scientists have identified a key protein involved in the host's response to strep infections, scientists report.

Trials show immune drugs effective in advanced melanomas

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

Results of two clinical trials show continued promise of immune therapies nivolumab and pembrolizumab against advanced melanomas, specifically in the context of PD1 signaling that some tumors use to avoid immune system attack.

Insulin degludec: No hint of added benefit in children and adolescents

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

With regard to insulin degludec, no added benefit for adolescents and children with diabetes mellitus can be derived from the drug manufacturer dossier. In girls with type 1 diabetes, severe side effects were more frequent.

New sensing tech could help detect diseases, fraudulent art, chemical weapons

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

Discovered in the 1970s, SERS is a sensing technique prized for its ability to identify chemical and biological molecules in a wide range of fields. It has been commercialized, but not widely. That may soon change. An international research of engineers has developed nanotechnology that promises to make SERS simpler and more affordable.

Highly explosive volcanism at Galapagos

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

Eight to 16 million years ago, highly explosive volcanism occurred in the area of today's Galapagos Islands. This is shown for the first time by analyses of core samples obtained by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Researchers' discovery may explain difficulty in treating Lyme disease

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

The bac­terium that causes Lyme dis­ease forms dor­mant per­sister cells, which are known to evade antibi­otics, researchers have discovered. This sig­nif­i­cant finding, they said, could help explain why it's so dif­fi­cult to treat the infec­tion in some patients.

New perspective on phantom eye syndrome

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:22 AM PDT

Approximately half of patients who have an eye removed because of a form of eye cancer experience `phantom eye syndrome,' new research concludes. Patients with the condition experience "seeing" and pain in the eye that is no longer there. Researchers assessed 179 patients whose eye had been removed as a result of a cancer, called intraocular melanoma.

Twitter shared news of first Ebola case 3 days before officials

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 08:21 AM PDT

Tweets regarding the Ebola outbreak in West Africa last summer reached more than 60 million people in the three days prior to official outbreak announcements, according to a study.

Circular orbits of small exoplanets: Which Earth-sized exoplanets are potentially habitable?

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 07:47 AM PDT

Viewed from above, our solar system's planetary orbits around the sun resemble rings around a bulls-eye. Each planet, including Earth, keeps to a roughly circular path, always maintaining the same distance from the sun. For decades, astronomers have wondered whether the solar system's circular orbits might be a rarity in our universe. Now a new analysis suggests that such orbital regularity is instead the norm, at least for systems with planets as small as Earth.

Common antibiotic part of a new potential pancreatic cancer therapy

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 07:47 AM PDT

A new promising combination therapy has been discovered for the treatment of one of the most deadly and difficult cancers to manage. Scientists developed a novel combination of an experimental drug and a common antibiotic that has shown encouraging results in treating pancreatic cancer in preclinical experiments.

Entrance Exam & Admission Alerts 2015 - LIC ADO Recruitment 2015 Notification

Entrance Exam & Admission Alerts 2015 - LIC ADO Recruitment 2015 Notification

Link to Entrance Exams 2015 Alerts

LIC ADO Recruitment 2015 Notification

Posted: 02 Jun 2015 12:18 AM PDT

LIC ADO Recruitment 2015, Life Insurance Corporation of India Recruitment 5066 of Apprentice Development Officers, LIC Recruitment 2015, ADO Selection Procedure, LIC ADO Eligibility, LIC Recruitment Important Dates

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Government May Soon Introduce Mandatory Exit Exam For MBBS Doctors

Posted: 02 Jun 2015 12:19 AM PDT

In a bid to improve the quality of medical examination in India, the Union Health Ministry is reportedly preparing to introduce an exit exam for MBBS students passing out of private as well as government medical schools.

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Monday, 1 June 2015

Entrance Exam & Admission Alerts 2015 - Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Shimla DM and MCh Entrance Test Notice 2015

Entrance Exam & Admission Alerts 2015 - Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Shimla DM and MCh Entrance Test Notice 2015

Link to Entrance Exams 2015 Alerts

Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Shimla DM and MCh Entrance Test Notice 2015

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:53 AM PDT

Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Shimla DM and MCh Entrance Test 2015 notification dates. Check out more info regarding HPU Shimla DM and MCh Entrance Test 2015 eligibility, application procedure, application form and fee for entrance test and...

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CBSE to Roll Out Financial Management Courses for Class IX and X Students

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:52 AM PDT

CBSE has joined forces with the National Stock Exchange in order introduce Financial Market Management (FMM) vocational courses for students of Class IX and X. The new program is expected to begin from the academic session 2015-16.

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NCERT books of Class 1 to 12 can soon be downloaded free on mobile app

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:51 AM PDT

All NCERT textbooks would soon be available on a mobile application platform and could be downloaded for free in any part of the country by a Smartphone. Not such great news for after-school coaching and tuition classes

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Jadavpur University BSc (Hons) Admission 2015

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:52 AM PDT

Jadavpur University Faculty of Science Kolkata announces admissions to B.Sc (Hons) for 2015 session. Check out more info regarding JUFS B.Sc (Hons) admission 2015 eligibility, application procedure and important dates

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Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) Rourkela PhD Admission 2015

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:53 AM PDT

Biju Patnaik University of Technology Rourkela announces admission to PhD courses through entrance exam 2015. Check out more information on BPUT PhD Admission 2015 eligibility, application form, application fee, entrance exam and important dates

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AMU Aligarh notifies BA Honours (Foreign Language) Admission 2015

Posted: 01 Jun 2015 05:53 AM PDT

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Uttar Pradesh announces admissions to BA Honours in foreign languages for 2015 session. Check out more information regarding AMU BA Honours in foreign languages admission 2015 eligibility, application procedure,...

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ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News


Research solves mystery of memory and mood

Posted: 31 May 2015 06:11 PM PDT

Researchers have identified two types of stem cells in the hippocampus, a region of the brain crucial for learning and memory.

Preoperative statins reduce mortality in coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Posted: 31 May 2015 06:11 PM PDT

New research is exploring the protective effect of various heart medications that patients are taking before undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery and concludes that statins reduce the risk of death by two thirds, or 67 percent, while no consistent effects were seen for other medications.

American surgery patients: More pain medication, yet more pain

Posted: 31 May 2015 06:11 PM PDT

New research shows that American patients undergoing orthopedic surgery receive more treatments for pain and that their experience of pain differs in some aspects to orthopedic patients internationally.

No reason for laughing gas to be withdrawn from operating theaters

Posted: 31 May 2015 06:11 PM PDT

A new article concludes that there is 'no clinically relevant evidence for the withdrawal of nitrous oxide.'

Discovery could improve radiotherapy for wide range of cancers

Posted: 31 May 2015 06:10 PM PDT

Scientists have discovered how giving a class of drugs called AKT inhibitors in combination with radiotherapy might boost its effectiveness across a wide range of cancers, according to a new study.

High cost of healthcare for UK military amputees from Afghan conflict

Posted: 31 May 2015 06:10 PM PDT

Researchers have calculated that £288 million is the cost of lifetime care for amputee veterans from the Afghanistan conflict.

75 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions covered by national targets

Posted: 31 May 2015 03:11 PM PDT

Three-quarters of the world's annual emissions of greenhouse gases are now limited by national targets, according to a new study.

Immunotherapy drug improves survival for common form of lung cancer

Posted: 31 May 2015 03:11 PM PDT

In a head-to-head clinical trial comparing standard chemotherapy with the immunotherapy drug nivolumab, researchers found that people with squamous-non-small cell lung cancer who received nivolumab lived, on average, 3.2 months longer than those receiving chemotherapy. Squamous non-small cell lung cancer accounts for 25 to 30 percent of all lung malignancies.

Contact lens wearers: Eyes may get more infections because their 'microbiomes' have changed

Posted: 31 May 2015 11:10 AM PDT

Using high-precision genetic tests to differentiate the thousands of bacteria that make up the human microbiome, researchers suggest that they have found a possible — and potentially surprising — root cause of the increased frequency of certain eye infections among contact lens wearers.

Possible new combination chemotherapy for patients with advanced prostate cancer

Posted: 31 May 2015 07:00 AM PDT

A role for combination therapy using two or more chemotherapy agents at the same time has not been well studied. This week, however, results of a clinical trial may change the perspective on a role for combination chemotherapy in advanced disease.

Risks of whole brain radiation therapy added to radiosurgery outweigh benefits for patients with limited brain metastases

Posted: 31 May 2015 07:00 AM PDT

Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (WBRT) is associated with significantly worse cognitive function than radiosurgery, and should no longer be used in the adjuvant setting after radiosurgery to treat cancer patients with brain metastases, according to a large study.

Immunotherapy combo increases progression-free survival in advanced melanoma patients

Posted: 31 May 2015 07:00 AM PDT

Treating advanced melanoma patients with either a combination of the immunotherapy drugs nivolumab and ipilimumab or nivolumab alone significantly increases progression-free survival over using ipilimumab alone, according to researchers.

Gene therapy, surgery could mean eight more months for sickest brain cancer patients

Posted: 31 May 2015 07:00 AM PDT

As the most malignant of primary brain cancers, glioblastomas are frustratingly difficult to treat. Surgery is often risky and cannot remove all of the tumor, and chemotherapy eventually becomes ineffective for most patients. Median survival is around 15 months for patients with this tumor, and the quality of life in the last five months is often quite poor.

Mobile Maestro: Immersive sound reproduction system from several smart phones

Posted: 31 May 2015 07:00 AM PDT

Mobile Maestro enables users to enjoy a high-quality listening experience anytime and anywhere through the collaborative use of multiple mobile devices.