Thursday 9 May 2019

Whole body MRI may help to detect spread of cancers more quickly

Trials with people with newly-diagnosed colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer suggest that whole body MRI could reduce the time it takes to diagnose the stage of cancers. The results are from two prospective trials with nearly 500 patients across 16 UK hospitals, published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology and The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journals.

* This article was originally published here

Google's AI Assistant aims to transcend the smart speaker

When Google launched its now distinctive digital assistant in 2016, it was already in danger of being an also-ran.

* This article was originally published here

Box of Pain: A new tracer and fault injector for distributed systems

In computer science, distributed systems are systems with components located on different devices, which communicate with one another. While these systems have become increasingly common, they are typically filled with bugs.

* This article was originally published here

NASA-NOAA satellite catches formation of Tropical Cyclone Lili

NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite passed over the Southern Indian Ocean and captured a visible image of newly formed Tropical Cyclone Lili, located north of the coast of Australia's Northern Territory.

* This article was originally published here

Study shows one third of statin patients don't reach healthy levels of 'bad' cholesterol

A new study shows more aggressive treatment may be needed for a large number of patients taking statin medications, and that treatment could help reduce cases of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.

* This article was originally published here

Personalized 'Eye-in-a-Dish' models reveal genetic underpinnings of macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the most common causes of vision loss in people over age 65. The exact cause is unknown, but the fact that a family history of AMD increases a person's risk for the condition suggests genetics play an important role. Using stem cells derived from six people, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers recapitulated retinal cells in the lab. This "eye-in-a-dish" model allowed them to look for genetic variants that might contribute to AMD.

* This article was originally published here

New model of measles-elimination progress may help target vaccination efforts

A country's progress towards measles elimination can be mapped on a "canonical path" that in turn can guide vaccination strategies, according to a study from scientists at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

* This article was originally published here

How genomics profiling can help identify the best treatment for bladder cancer

When it comes to cancer, one-size-does-not-fit-all.

* This article was originally published here

Do most Americans believe in human-caused climate change?

What percentage of Americans believe in human-caused climate change?

* This article was originally published here

Secrets of fluorescent microalgae could lead to super-efficient solar cells

Tiny light-emitting microalgae, found in the ocean, could hold the secret to the next generation of organic solar cells, according to new research carried out at the Universities of Birmingham and Utrecht.

* This article was originally published here

Too much love: helicopter parents could be raising anxious, narcissistic children

The Age newspaper recently highlighted the issue of so-called "helicopter parenting" at universities. The report talked of parents contacting lecturers to ask about their adult children's grades, sitting in on meetings with course coordinators and repeatedly phoning academics to inquire about students' progress.

* This article was originally published here

Water flea can smell fish and dive into the dark for protection

Water fleas, or Daphnia, ensure their survival by reacting to a signal substance of their predators (fish) with flight. The zoologist Meike Anika Hahn from Professor Dr. Eric von Elert's research group at the University of Cologne's Institute of Zoology has identified this chemical messenger substance, which the fish releases into the water of lakes. When the water flea detects the substance 5α-cyprinol sulfate—a bile salt from the fish—it leaves the upper water layers and descends vertically into darker regions. The fish are unable to visually detect their prey there during daytime. This connection between the signal of the predator and the behaviour of its prey has now been published in the scientific journal eLife under the title '5α-cyprinol sulfate, a bile salt from fish, induces diel vertical migration in Daphnia."

* This article was originally published here

Self-powered wearable tech

For emerging wearable tech to advance, it needs improved power sources. Now researchers from Michigan State University have provided a potential solution via crumpled carbon nanotube forests, or CNT forests.

* This article was originally published here

Thai bay made famous in 'The Beach' to be shut until 2021

The closure of the glittering Thai bay made famous by the movie "The Beach" has been extended for another two years to allow a full recovery of its corals and wildlife, an official said Thursday, drawing a sharp rebuke from the tourism industry.

* This article was originally published here

Typo on Aussie $50 brings blushes for central bank

Red-faced bank bosses in Australia admitted to an embarrassing error Thursday, revealing their state-of-the-art $50 note had a typo.

* This article was originally published here

HIV epidemic stubbornly persists despite proven tool to prevent spread

The nation's HIV epidemic remains stubbornly persistent, with almost 40,000 new infections annually in the United States. That's despite the fact that physicians have a proven tool to prevent the spread of the virus among high-risk individuals. The question is: Why isn't pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, more widely prescribed?

* This article was originally published here

Using AI to predict breast cancer and personalize care

Despite major advances in genetics and modern imaging, the diagnosis catches most breast cancer patients by surprise. For some, it comes too late. Later diagnosis means aggressive treatments, uncertain outcomes, and more medical expenses. As a result, identifying patients has been a central pillar of breast cancer research and effective early detection.

* This article was originally published here