Standing frame intervention improves life for people with multiple sclerosis, research shows

A new study has shown that people in the advanced stage of multiple sclerosis (MS) experience significant improvements in movement and balance thanks to a specialised standing frame.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/standing-frame-intervention-improves-life-for-people-with-multiple-sclerosis-research-shows

Study suggests possible link between sugary drinks and cancer

A study published by The BMJ today reports a possible association between higher consumption of sugary drinks and and an increased risk of cancer.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/study-suggests-possible-link-between-sugary-drinks-and-cancer

No evidence of added benefit for most new drugs, say researchers

More than half of new drugs entering the German healthcare system have not been shown to add benefit, argue researchers in The BMJ today.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/no-evidence-of-added-benefit-for-most-new-drugs-say-researchers

No link between flu vaccine in pregnancy and later health problems in children

There is no association between exposure to the 2009 H1N1 "swine flu" vaccine during pregnancy and health problems in early childhood, concludes a study from Canada published by The BMJ today.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/no-link-between-flu-vaccine-in-pregnancy-and-later-health-problems-in-children

Virgin Galactic seeks space tourism boost with market launch

British billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic will merge with a US investment firm to become the world's first publicly-traded space tourism venture—with an eye on sending its first clients into space within a year, the group's chief executive said Tuesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/virgin-galactic-seeks-space-tourism-boost-with-market-launch

Japan's asteroid probe Hayabusa2 set for final touchdown

Japan's Hayabusa2 probe began descending on Wednesday for its final touchdown on a distant asteroid, hoping to collect samples that could shed light on the evolution of the solar system.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/japans-asteroid-probe-hayabusa2-set-for-final-touchdown

Gulls could pass on drug-resistant bacteria to humans, say scientists

Australian seagulls carry drug-resistant bacteria that could lead to serious infections in humans, researchers said Wednesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/gulls-could-pass-on-drug-resistant-bacteria-to-humans-say-scientists

Sturgeon, America's forgotten dinosaurs, show signs of life

Sturgeon were America's vanishing dinosaurs, armor-plated beasts that crowded the nation's rivers until mankind's craving for caviar pushed them to the edge of extinction.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/sturgeon-americas-forgotten-dinosaurs-show-signs-of-life

UN: Climate change undercutting work to end poverty, hunger

Hunger is growing and the world is not on track to end extreme poverty by 2030 and meet other U.N. goals, mainly because progress is being undermined by the impact of climate change and increasing inequality, a U.N. report said Tuesday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/un-climate-change-undercutting-work-to-end-poverty-hunger

Perception of lower socioeconomic standing stimulates appetite

Recent research suggests that the psychological consequences of being in a disadvantaged position in society may stimulate appetite and increase eating regardless of one's ability to access healthier foods. These findings, out from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, add a new dimension to previous findings suggesting that the increased risk for obesity among people who are poorer and socioeconomically disadvantaged is due primarily to economic barriers that prevent access to healthier foods and other unhealthy behaviors associated with poverty.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/perception-of-lower-socioeconomic-standing-stimulates-appetite

Exercise improves brain function in overweight and obese individuals

New findings out of the University of Tübingen show that, on top of its benefits for metabolism, mood, and general health, exercise also improves brain function. In recent studies, researchers learned that obese and overweight individuals are prone to insulin resistance in the brain, where it provides information about current nutritional status, as well as the rest of the body. So researchers wanted to know whether exercise can improve insulin sensitivity in the brain and improve cognition in overweight individuals.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/exercise-improves-brain-function-in-overweight-and-obese-individuals

Intermittent fasting protects mice from type 2 diabetes

Every-other-day fasting substantially reduces the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes in mice eating a fat-rich diet, according to new research out of the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke. These findings, presented this week at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior in Utrecht, Netherlands, suggest that periodic fasting can reduce fat accumulation in the pancreas and, in turn, prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. "We observed that pancreatic fat cells directly affect islet insulin secretion and that this can be altered by eating patterns" said Dr. Mandy Stadion, a post-doctoral research fellow who led this study.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/intermittent-fasting-protects-mice-from-type-2-diabetes

Why sex becomes less satisfying with age

The number of women regularly having sex declines with age, and the number of women enjoying sex postmenopause is even lower. Although these facts are not surprising, the causes for these declines may be because previous research focused largely on biological causes only. However, a new UK study identifies psychosocial contributors. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/why-sex-becomes-less-satisfying-with-age

Addicted to ran, ovarian cancer cells stop moving when deprived

Did you know that 90% of cancer patients die from distant metastasis? The latter occurs when cancer cells have the ability to move within the patient's body and invade its healthy tissues. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre (CRCHUM) have shown the key role that a protein called Ran plays in the mobility of ovarian cancer cells. They demonstrated these cells cannot migrate from cancerous sites without the help of Ran.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/addicted-to-ran-ovarian-cancer-cells-stop-moving-when-deprived

Research team brings computation and experimentation closer together

A bioengineering group from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering is bringing the worlds of computational modeling and experimentation closer together by developing a methodology to help analyze the wealth of imaging data provided by advancements in imaging tools and automated microscopes.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/research-team-brings-computation-and-experimentation-closer-together

Nitrogen from biosolids can help urban soils and plant growth

The "zero waste" trend could have a friend in the form of biosolids. Biosolids are the materials produced after domestic waste is treated in urban wastewater systems. In the past, most of this solid material was transferred to landfills. But, processes developed over the past few decades can create "exceptional quality" biosolids.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/nitrogen-from-biosolids-can-help-urban-soils-and-plant-growth

How does playing with other children affect toddlers' language learning?

Toddlers are surprisingly good at processing the speech of other young children, according to a new study. And toddlers who have more exposure to other children, such as those in daycare, may be particularly good at certain word learning skills.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/how-does-playing-with-other-children-affect-toddlers-language-learning

Tour de France pelotons governed by sight, not aerodynamics

The 2019 Tour de France has just begun. As 190 riders speed through the streets of France, spectators will marvel at the tightly-packed formation of cyclists known as the peloton. Fans will argue that a peloton creates an aerodynamic advantage, allowing riders to conserve energy throughout the grueling three-week race.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/tour-de-france-pelotons-governed-by-sight-not-aerodynamics

Growth failure in preterm infants tied to altered gut bacteria

Extremely premature infants who fail to grow as expected have delayed development of their microbiome, or communities of bacteria and other micro-organisms living in the gut, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. Analysis of these infants' metabolism revealed that their bodies are responding as if they were fasting, despite caloric intake similar to extremely premature infants with appropriate growth. The study findings also suggest that the unique makeup of the microbiome in infants with growth failure might contribute to their inability to properly metabolize nutrients.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/growth-failure-in-preterm-infants-tied-to-altered-gut-bacteria

Coral reefs shifting away from equator

Coral reefs are retreating from equatorial waters and establishing new reefs in more temperate regions, according to new research in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series. The researchers found that the number of young corals on tropical reefs has declined by 85 percent—and doubled on subtropical reefs—during the last four decades.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/coral-reefs-shifting-away-from-equator