Hawaii telescope protesters don't back down after arrests

Protesters didn't back down from their long-running effort to stop construction of a $1.4 billion telescope, blocking a road Thursday to the top of a mountain sacred to some Native Hawaiians a day after authorities arrested nearly three dozen people.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/hawaii-telescope-protesters-dont-back-down-after-arrests

Canadian platform spills 3,200 gallons of oil-mix into Atlantic

An oil platform off the Canadian island of Newfoundland spilled nearly 3,200 gallons of an oil-water mix into the Atlantic Ocean, and efforts were underway to minimize the environmental impact, ExxonMobil said Thursday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/canadian-platform-spills-3-200-gallons-of-oil-mix-into-atlantic

Great Barrier Reef agency breaks with Australia gvt in climate warning

The agency that manages the Great Barrier Reef broke ranks with Australia's conservative government to call for the "strongest and fastest possible action" against climate change to save the world heritage marine wonder.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/great-barrier-reef-agency-breaks-with-australia-gvt-in-climate-warning

Swine fever sends China's pork prices, imports soaring

Pork prices have been sent soaring and herds devastated as African swine fever tears through China's massive pig-farming industry, forcing the country to ramp up imports to satisfy demand—but analysts warn worse is yet to come.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/swine-fever-sends-chinas-pork-prices-imports-soaring

Music may offer alternative to preoperative drug routinely used to calm nerves

Music may offer an alternative to the use of a drug routinely used to calm the nerves before the use of regional anaesthesia (peripheral nerve block), suggest the results of a clinical trial, published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/music-may-offer-alternative-to-preoperative-drug-routinely-used-to-calm-nerves

Nations with strong women's rights likely to have better population health and faster growth

Nations with strong women's rights are more likely to have better health and faster growth than those who don't promote and protect these values, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/nations-with-strong-womens-rights-likely-to-have-better-population-health-and-faster-growth

Salt regulations linked to 9,900 cases of cardiovascular disease and 1,500 cancer cases

A relaxation of UK industry regulation of salt content in food has been linked with 9,900 additional cases of cardiovascular disease, and 1,500 cases of stomach cancer.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/salt-regulations-linked-to-9-900-cases-of-cardiovascular-disease-and-1-500-cancer-cases

Hypertension poorly managed in low- and middle-income countries

Health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are poorly prepared for the increasing number of people with high blood pressure, with more than two-thirds of people affected going without treatment, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in collaboration with colleagues from more than 40 institutions around the world, including several ministries of health.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/hypertension-poorly-managed-in-low-and-middle-income-countries

Study examines differences over time in home dialysis initiation by race and ethnicity

A recent analysis reveals that as home dialysis increased from 2005 to 2013 among U.S. patients with kidney failure, racial/ethnic differences in initiating home dialysis narrowed. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of CJASN, indicate that all racial/ethnic groups are increasingly using this form of dialysis.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/study-examines-differences-over-time-in-home-dialysis-initiation-by-race-and-ethnicity

Diabetes increases the risk of heart failure more in women than men

Diabetes confers a greater excess risk of heart failure in women than men, according to new research in Diabetologia (the journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes). Type 1 diabetes is associated with a 47% excess risk of heart failure in women compared to men, whilst type 2 diabetes has a 9% excess risk of heart failure for women than men.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/diabetes-increases-the-risk-of-heart-failure-more-in-women-than-men

Alzheimer's gene may impact cognitive health before adulthood

A gene linked to Alzheimer's Disease may impact cognitive health much sooner than previously realized.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/alzheimers-gene-may-impact-cognitive-health-before-adulthood

Researchers use Twitter and AI to see who is hitting the gym

Social media data can provide a population-level view of physical activity, from bowling to Crossfit, and inform future efforts to tackle health disparities.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-use-twitter-and-ai-to-see-who-is-hitting-the-gym

Ivacaftor may reduce common infections in patients with CF

Patients with cystic fibrosis who take ivacaftor appear to have fewer respiratory infections over time than those not taking the drug, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/ivacaftor-may-reduce-common-infections-in-patients-with-cf

Many of the deadliest cancers receive the least amount of research funding

Many of the deadliest or most common cancers get the least amount of nonprofit research funding, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study that examined the distribution of nonprofit research funding in 2015 across cancer types.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/many-of-the-deadliest-cancers-receive-the-least-amount-of-research-funding

Making fish farming in eastern Africa's Lake Victoria sustainable

Overfishing, water shortages and pollution—these are just some of the environmental problems Lake Victoria has been facing over the last few decades. Bordered by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the world's second largest freshwater lake provides the main source of income for the populations living around the Lake Victoria basin. However, the environmental pressures put on the lake have seriously compromised fish farmers' livelihoods.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/making-fish-farming-in-eastern-africas-lake-victoria-sustainable

Home birth may start babies off with health-promoting microbes

For all of human history, babies have been born where their mothers lived—whether in a house, hut or cave. Only in the last century has birth moved out of the home and into the hospital. How has that changed the types of microbes that live in and on our bodies—collectively known as the microbiome—which we know are vital to human health?

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/home-birth-may-start-babies-off-with-health-promoting-microbes

The internet is surprisingly fragile, crashes thousands of times a year, and no one is making it stronger

How could a small internet service provider (ISP) in Pennsylvania cause millions of websites worldwide to go offline? That's what happened on June 24, 2019 when users across the world were left unable to access a large fraction of the web. The root cause was an outage suffered by Cloudflare, one of the internet's leading content hosts on which the affected websites relied.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/the-internet-is-surprisingly-fragile-crashes-thousands-of-times-a-year-and-no-one-is-making-it-stronger

Bioinspired MXene-based actuators for programmable smart devices

During photosynthesis, natural leaves with elaborate architectures and functional components can harvest and convert solar energy into chemical fuels that are converted into energy. The biological energy production has provided materials scientists a new bioinspired paradigm to produce many autonomous systems, including light-triggered motion. In a recent report, Guofo Cai and co-workers at the departments of Materials Science and Engineering, Astronautic Science and Mechanics, and Chemical Engineering, developed an unprecedented bilayered actuator base on MXene (Ti3C2Tx)-cellulose composites (MXCC) and polycarbonate (PC) membranes.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/bioinspired-mxene-based-actuators-for-programmable-smart-devices

Study finds how people engage with science can promote unbelief or beliefs about God

Most Americans believe science and religion are incompatible, but a recent study suggests that scientific engagement can actually promote belief in God.

* This article was originally published here

How invading fungus forces zombie ant's death grip

If it's thoughts of zombies that keep you awake at night, you shouldn't be worried about zombie humans; it's the carpenter ants (Camponotus castaneus) that should concern you most. When infected by a specialised fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato), the hapless ants are unable to resist its potent power. Losing free will, the unfortunate victims locate tall pieces of vegetation, marching to a high point before the fungal infection forces them to clamp their mandibles—jaws—tightly onto a leaf vein or twig. There, the ill-fated host expires, only to be consumed from within by its evil fungal lodger, ready to scatter its spores below in the hope of infecting the next unsuspecting victim. Yet, despite the insects' loss of control, Colleen Mangold from Pennsylvania State University, USA, explains that the fungus does not attack their brains directly: 'the mandibular muscles ... of infected ants are extensively colonised by the fungus', she says. Wondering how the fungus exerts control over the ants' powerful jaw muscles, Mangold and PI David Hughes decided to take a closer look inside the muscle itself. They have discovered that the fungus invades the mandibular muscles, breaks open the membrane covering the muscle fibres and forces the muscle to contract so forcefully that it wrecks the minute muscle filaments that slide past each other. The team publishes the discovery in Journal of Experimental Biology at http://jeb.biologists.org.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/how-invading-fungus-forces-zombie-ants-death-grip

Toxic toads found near Sydney spark fears of southward spread

A toxic cane toad prevalent in Australia's tropical north has been captured near Sydney, sparking fears the invasive species could be adapting to cooler weather and spreading southwards, further threatening the country's unique wildlife.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/toxic-toads-found-near-sydney-spark-fears-of-southward-spread

First US murder conviction overturned using DNA, family tree evidence

An American man was exonerated Wednesday for a decades-old murder he did not commit, using evidence based on DNA and a genetic family tree, the first such result using a revolutionary investigative technique.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/first-us-murder-conviction-overturned-using-dna-family-tree-evidence

Swiss specialities: chocolate, cheese and ... wine?

When foreigners think of Swiss specialities that might excite their taste buds, world-renowned chocolate and cheese likely come to mind.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/swiss-specialities-chocolate-cheese-and-wine

Researchers deploy a novel mobile lab for rapid, real-time pathogen testing in the field

University of Minnesota researchers have refined testing methods for tick-borne diseases in the field by using a new, deployable mobile laboratory and performing genetic sequencing of key pathogens to better understand how they move, evolve and function. The U of M research team based in the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is one of the first in the U.S. to use this technology for tick-borne pathogens in this specific way.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researchers-deploy-a-novel-mobile-lab-for-rapid-real-time-pathogen-testing-in-the-field

Should obesity be recognized as a disease?

With obesity now affecting almost a third (29%) of the population in England, and expected to rise to 35% by 2030, should we now recognise it as a disease? Experts debate the issue in The BMJ today.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/should-obesity-be-recognized-as-a-disease

Emotion-detection applications built on outdated science, report warns

Software that purportedly reads emotions in faces is being deployed or tested for a variety of purposes, including surveillance, hiring, clinical diagnosis, and market research. But a new scientific report finds that facial movements are an inexact gauge of a person's feelings, behaviors or intentions.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/emotion-detection-applications-built-on-outdated-science-report-warns

Timing of spay, neuter tied to higher risk of obesity and orthopedic injuries in dogs

Spaying or neutering large-breed dogs can put them at a higher risk for obesity and, if done when the dog is young, nontraumatic orthopedic injuries, reports a new study based on data from the Morris Animal Foundation Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. The spay/neuter study was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/timing-of-spay-neuter-tied-to-higher-risk-of-obesity-and-orthopedic-injuries-in-dogs

Jumbo squid mystery solved

The culprit responsible for the decline of Mexico's once lucrative jumbo squid fishery has remained a mystery, until now. A new Stanford-led study published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science identifies shifting weather patterns and ocean conditions as among the reasons for the collapse, which spells trouble for the Gulf of California's marine ecosystems and fishery-dependent economies. It could also be a sign of things to come elsewhere.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/jumbo-squid-mystery-solved

Over-claiming knowledge predicts anti-establishment voting

In light of the election and ballot victories of populist, anti-establishment movements, many people have been trying to better understand the behaviors and motivations of voters. Studying voter behavior on an EU treaty, social psychologists in the Netherlands found that knowledge overclaiming predicts anti-establishment voting, particularly at the radical right.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/over-claiming-knowledge-predicts-anti-establishment-voting

Graduates offer small businesses a route to innovation—but firms don't know how to access them

Graduates offer companies an untapped resource that leads to innovation, and small and medium-sized businesses need to embrace it.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/graduates-offer-small-businesses-a-route-to-innovation-but-firms-dont-know-how-to-access-them

PFAS move from mom to fetus at higher rate in women with gestational diabetes

A University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental epidemiologist studying the presence of PFAS compounds in new mothers and their babies found that women with gestational diabetes had a "significantly higher" rate of transferring the synthetic chemicals to their fetus.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/pfas-move-from-mom-to-fetus-at-higher-rate-in-women-with-gestational-diabetes

Shaky scaffold changes lung infrastructure

Our lungs work tirelessly all through the day to keep us breathing, seamlessly expanding and contracting. When lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, it can lose its flexibility, making it harder to breathe.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/shaky-scaffold-changes-lung-infrastructure

One in 270 births have 'dual burden' of prematurity and severe maternal complications

A quarter of women who have serious maternal complications during childbirth also have premature births, posing a "dual burden" on families, finds research from NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) California Preterm Birth Initiative, and Stanford University.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/one-in-270-births-have-dual-burden-of-prematurity-and-severe-maternal-complications

Species on the move

A total of 55 animal species in the UK have been displaced from their natural ranges or enabled to arrive for the first time on UK shores because of climate change over the last 10 years (2008-2018) - as revealed in a new study published today (18 July 2019) by scientists at international conservation charity ZSL (Zoological Society of London).

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/species-on-the-move

Red wine's resveratrol could help Mars explorers stay strong

Mars is about 9 months from Earth with today's tech, NASA reckons. As the new space race hurtles forward, Harvard researchers are asking: how do we make sure the winners can still stand when they reach the finish line?

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/red-wines-resveratrol-could-help-mars-explorers-stay-strong

Promising system delivers chemo drug straight into tumors with fewer side effects

A stealthy new drug-delivery system disguises chemotherapeutics as fat in order to outsmart, penetrate and destroy tumors.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/promising-system-delivers-chemo-drug-straight-into-tumors-with-fewer-side-effects

Modeling predicts blue whales' foraging behavior, aiding population management efforts

Scientists can predict where and when blue whales are most likely to be foraging for food in the California Current Ecosystem, providing new insight that could aid in the management of the endangered population in light of climate change and blue whale mortality due to ship strikes, a new study shows.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/modeling-predicts-blue-whales-foraging-behavior-aiding-population-management-efforts