Thursday 6 June 2019

What's fair game on the high seas?

Sustainability-driven new research could one day help tuna fisheries cast their nets more selectively, mitigating unintentional "bycatch" of undersized fish and off-limits species.

* This article was originally published here

Researchers gain ground in the race to cure widespread parasitic infection

A faculty-led team of graduate and undergraduate researchers from Clemson University's Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC) has unveiled new findings that may help pave the way to an eventual cure for a parasitic infection that affects millions around the nation and world.

* This article was originally published here

Autonomous boats can target and latch onto each other

The city of Amsterdam envisions a future where fleets of autonomous boats cruise its many canals to transport goods and people, collect trash, or self-assemble into floating stages and bridges. To further that vision, MIT researchers have given new capabilities to their fleet of robotic boats—which are being developed as part of an ongoing project—that lets them target and clasp onto each other, and keep trying if they fail.

* This article was originally published here

WHO alarmed at STD spread in the era of dating apps

The World Health Organization expressed alarm Thursday at the lack of progress on curbing sexually transmitted diseases, while one of its experts warned of complacency as dating apps are spurring sexual activity.

* This article was originally published here

Can racquet sports give you a fitter, longer life?

(HealthDay)—When you think of effective cardio exercise, the activities most likely to come to mind are aerobics classes, running, swimming and cycling. But racquet sports like tennis may hold even greater benefits, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

* This article was originally published here

NIH HIV experts prioritize research to achieve sustained ART-free HIV remission

Achieving sustained remission of HIV without life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a top HIV research priority, according to a new commentary in JAMA by experts at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.

* This article was originally published here

Robotic surgery for throat cancer not superior to radiation therapy, study finds

In 2012, scientists at Lawson Health Research Institute launched the world's first clinical trial comparing robotic surgery to radiation therapy for the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer (cancer at the back of the throat). The team is now reporting findings from the seven-year study which challenges beliefs that surgery leads to better swallowing outcomes, suggesting instead that radiation results in better quality of life for patients.

* This article was originally published here

First-of-its-kind platform aims to rapidly advance prosthetics

A new open-source, artificially intelligent prosthetic leg designed by researchers at the University of Michigan and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is now available to the scientific community.

* This article was originally published here

Proteasome inhibitors show promise for drug-resistant malaria

Proteasome inhibitors have significant promise as components of novel combination therapies to treat multidrug-resistant malaria, according to a study published June 6 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by David Fidock, Caroline Ng, and Barbara Stokes of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Matthew Bogyo of Stanford University School of Medicine, and colleagues.

* This article was originally published here

Researchers uncover indoor pollution hazards

When most people think about air pollution, they think of summertime haze, traffic or smokestack exhaust, wintertime inversions, or wildfire smoke.

* This article was originally published here

60 years vs. 90 years: A new analysis calls Chicago's life-expectancy gap the largest in the US

In the gleaming Streeterville neighborhood, Chicagoans live to be 90 years old, on average.

* This article was originally published here

New approach optimizes use of future wave electricity generators during disaster

When hurricanes strike, loss of electricity ranks as one of the top concerns for relief workers. Blackouts lasting a week or more can hamper recovery efforts, shutter hospitals, threaten public health and disrupt transportation. The monthslong effort to restore power to Puerto Rico following the 2017 hurricane season has led to renewed interest in finding innovative ways to get affected power grids back online.

* This article was originally published here

Neurons' 'antennae' are unexpectedly active in neural computation

Most neurons have many branching extensions called dendrites that receive input from thousands of other neurons. Dendrites aren't just passive information-carriers, however. According to a new study from MIT, they appear to play a surprisingly large role in neurons' ability to translate incoming signals into electrical activity.

* This article was originally published here

Hidden epidemic? Childhood concussion may lead to long term cognitive and behavioural problems

At age 15, Jamie is a keen soccer player who loves nothing more than getting stuck into every tackle, practice and game. As a result, Jamie experiences injury like any young person might do. During a routine sports physical, Jamie complains to the doctor about headaches, sleeping difficulties and feeling kind of foggy at school. The doctor thinks the young patient is stressed, and recommends ibuprofen and a good night's sleep. The topic of concussion, or brain injury, does not come up.

* This article was originally published here

New clinical guide helps physicians identify risk, talk with patients about firearm safety and injury

New clinical guide helps physicians identify risk, talk with patients about firearm safety and injuries. Clinicians often feel that they have a role in preventing firearm injury. But few talk with patients about the risk of firearms and safe firearm practices during office visits.

* This article was originally published here

Freshwater stingray venom varies according to sex and age

There is no antidote or specific treatment for freshwater stingray venom, although accidents involving these animals are frequent on rivers in the Amazon and other regions.

* This article was originally published here

Consumers want food labelling details spoon-fed

In 2016, Congress passed a federal mandate requiring manufacturers to label bioengineered foods. Since then, industry leaders have been searching for quick and easily accessible methods for sharing information about how and why a product was bioengineered, and the impact that might have on the consumer or the environment.

* This article was originally published here

Using a simulation framework to study spine behaviors of quadruped robots

Researchers at the Robert Bosch center for cyber physical systems in Bangalore, India, have recently proposed a simulation framework to systematically study the effects of spinal joint actuation on the locomotion performance of quadruped robots. In their study, outlined in a paper pre-published on arXiv, they used this framework to investigate the spine behaviors of a quadruped robot called Stoch 2 and their effects on its bounding performance.

* This article was originally published here

NASA estimates heavy Texas and Louisiana rainfall from gulf weather system

Earlier in the week, NOAA's National Hurricane Center was monitoring a low-pressure system in the Gulf of Campeche that has now moved along the Texas and Louisiana coastlines, bringing heavy rainfall. On June 5, NASA used a constellation of satellites to estimate that rainfall.

* This article was originally published here