Tuesday 4 June 2019

Should STEMI patients recover in the ICU?

A trip to an intensive care unit can be more than twice as costly as a stay in a non-ICU hospital room, but a new study finds intensive care is still the right option for some vulnerable patients after a severe heart attack.

* This article was originally published here

Labels of US probiotic products lacking, researchers find

When it comes to buying probiotics, many product labels do not give consumers enough information to make an informed decision, according to a research team led by Georgetown University Medical Center.

* This article was originally published here

Stanford Doggo: a highly agile quadruped robot

Researchers at Stanford University have recently created an open-source quadruped robot called Stanford Doggo. Their robot, presented in a paper pre-published on arXiv and set to be published by IEEE Explore, exceeds the performance of many state-of-the-art legged robots in vertical jumping agility.

* This article was originally published here

Allo-HCT with unrelated donor tied to better outcomes in AML

(HealthDay)—Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) with an unrelated donor (UD) results in better transplantation outcomes than cord blood transplantation (CBT) in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with active disease, according to a study recently published in the Blood Cancer Journal.

* 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

Best practices of nucleic acid amplification tests for the diagnosis of clostridioides (clostridium)

A new review looks at the challenges of testing for Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) and recommendations for newer diagnostic tests. Accurate diagnosis of CDI is critical for effective patient management and implementation of infection control measures to prevent transmission. The research is published this week in the Clinical Microbiology Reviews.

* This article was originally published here

Female cannabis users underrepresented in health research, study reveals

Research at the University of York has shown that women are underrepresented in research into links between cannabis and psychosis, which could limit understanding of the impact of the drug.

* This article was originally published here

'Slothbot' takes a leisurely approach to environmental monitoring

For environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, infrastructure maintenance and certain security applications, slow and energy efficient can be better than fast and always needing a recharge. That's where "SlothBot" comes in.

* This article was originally published here

Would you eat genetically modified food if you understood the science behind it?

Jonathon McPhetres, a newly minted Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Rochester, admits he's "personally amazed" what we can do with genes, specifically genetically modified food—such as saving papayas from extinction.

* This article was originally published here

Sea turtles start nesting season with 'unheard-of' numbers on one NC island, town says

Each day from May through August, volunteers walk and survey the 26 miles of coastline on North Carolina's Topsail Island looking for the tell-tale tracks of sea turtles coming onto the beach.

* This article was originally published here

Firepits of the Gods: Ancient memories of maar volcanoes

In the heart of Takapuna, north-central Auckland, is a natural lake—Pupuke—while a little way offshore lies the volcanic Rangitoto Island. Long ago, a family of giants lived at Takapuna until one day, ill-advisedly, they insulted the irascible fire goddess Mahuika. Enraged, Mahuika tore a hole in the land where the giants lived, creating what became Lake Pupuke, dumping the material offshore to form Rangitoto Island.

* This article was originally published here

Exercise eases autism spectrum disorder in mouse model

A mouse model of autism has revealed how exercise changes the structure of the brain by eliminating the excess connections between neurons characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). After one month of voluntary running on a wheel, behavioral differences disappeared and structural differences in ASD model mice's brains were reduced.

* This article was originally published here

Most people don't know how to get out of a sinking vehicle

How to get out of a submerging vehicle isn't common knowledge according to a recent report in Injury Epidemiology.

* This article was originally published here

Left behind: How disruptive technology may choose society's winners and losers

New platforms like home- and ride-sharing services often are praised for leveling the playing field, cutting out the middle man and boosting the economy.

* This article was originally published here

Most detailed X-ray image of batteries yet to reveal why they still aren't good enough

Electric cars rely on the same lithium-ion battery technology that's in smartphones, laptops and virtually everything electronic.

* This article was originally published here

Anonymous essay says sometimes 'choice' is a lie

An anonymous essay published in Annals of Internal Medicine says that sometimes choice is just a lie. The author vividly describes caring for a pregnant woman who would be forced to carry a baby to term that would soon be born without a skull or brain. While the baby's condition was certainly fatal, state laws prohibited caregivers from ending the pregnancy.

* This article was originally published here

Researchers explore augmented ACL reconstruction procedure

An innovative procedure that explores the use of amnion, bone marrow concentrate and suture tape in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction may result in earlier return to play protocols for athletes, suggests a new Marshall University study published in the May 6, 2019, edition of Arthroscopy Techniques, a companion to Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery.

* This article was originally published here

Your gut bacteria could affect your response to meds

Ever wonder why a drug that works for someone else doesn't seem to work for you? You might want to check your gut for the answer.

* This article was originally published here

Oldest flaked stone tools point to the repeated invention of stone tools

A new archaeological site discovered by an international and local team of scientists working in Ethiopia shows that the origins of stone tool production are older than 2.58 million years ago. Previously, the oldest evidence for systematic stone tool production and use was 2.58 to 2.55 million years ago.

* This article was originally published here

Jamaica: a scientist in search of lost ganja

A supreme ganja, smoked by Rastas and even Bob Marley himself in the 1970s? This pipe dream of every self-respecting ganja aficionado is becoming reality again thanks to the horticultural talents of a scientist in Jamaica.

* This article was originally published here