Despondent Guatemalan coffee growers dream of US return

Many Guatemalans who spent years working in the United States to come home and set up a small coffee-growing business have seen their savings drained and their hopes dashed due to low coffee prices.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/despondent-guatemalan-coffee-growers-dream-of-us-return

Honduran hospitals overrun by dengue fever epidemic

Of Honduras' 32 public hospitals, 26 are overflowing with patients due to what health authorities are calling the worst dengue fever epidemic in the past half century.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/honduran-hospitals-overrun-by-dengue-fever-epidemic

Fishing for plastic on Amsterdam's eco-friendly canal cruises

Equipped with fishing rods and thick gloves, a group of people peers into the water from one of the many boats that line Amsterdam's famous canals.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/fishing-for-plastic-on-amsterdams-eco-friendly-canal-cruises

China accuses FedEx of 'holding up' Huawei parcels

China accused FedEx of deliberately "holding up" the delivery of more than 100 Huawei packages after the US firm misrouted some parcels from the telecom giant, state media said Friday.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/china-accuses-fedex-of-holding-up-huawei-parcels

Girls report more harassment amid rise in US cyberbullying

Rachel Whalen remembers feeling gutted in high school when a former friend would mock her online postings, threaten to unfollow or unfriend her on social media and post inside jokes about her to others online.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/girls-report-more-harassment-amid-rise-in-us-cyberbullying

New Milwaukee zoo exhibit to improve standards for elephants

Ruth loves popcorn. But she has to work for it, by blowing air with her trunk through a white pipe attached to a barrel above her head to push it out.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/new-milwaukee-zoo-exhibit-to-improve-standards-for-elephants

Researches novel triple-negative breast cancer treatments

Working with patients while also doing research is the dream for translational physicians. As the newest Hollings Cancer Center clinical scholar, that dream will come true for Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., a Hollings Cancer Center breast cancer oncologist.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/researches-novel-triple-negative-breast-cancer-treatments

Testosterone may significantly improve sexual function and sexual well-being in postmenopausal women

However, authors note that non-oral formulations are preferred because of the adverse lipoprotein effects of oral testosterone. So far, adverse side effects of non-oral formulations appear to be restricted to small weight gain, mild acne and increased hair growth, but more research on long-term effects is needed.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/testosterone-may-significantly-improve-sexual-function-and-sexual-well-being-in-postmenopausal-women

Antibiotic-resistant genes found in London's canals and ponds

Central London's freshwater sources contain high levels of antibiotic resistant genes, with the River Thames having the highest amount, according to research by UCL.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/antibiotic-resistant-genes-found-in-londons-canals-and-ponds

Muslim LGBTQI+ refugees more likely to gain asylum in Germany if they conform to stereotypes, study

LGBTQI+ Muslims seeking asylum are more successful if they speak, dress and act in accordance with Western notions of homosexuality, according to a new study.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/muslim-lgbtqi-refugees-more-likely-to-gain-asylum-in-germany-if-they-conform-to-stereotypes-study

Tobacco industry has bumped up prices beyond that required by tax changes

The tobacco industry has bumped up the prices for its products beyond that required by tax changes, even when tax rises were large and unexpected, reveal the findings of research published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/tobacco-industry-has-bumped-up-prices-beyond-that-required-by-tax-changes

Paris Agreement hampered by inconsistent pledges, research finds

Some countries' Paris Climate Agreement pledges may not be as ambitious as they appear, a new study has found.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/paris-agreement-hampered-by-inconsistent-pledges-research-finds

CRISPR used to reduce symptoms of muscular dystrophy in mice models

A team of researchers from Canada, the U.S. and Sweden has found that editing a gene involved in producing proteins that promote muscle strength in muscular dystrophy mice models could reduce symptoms. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes their experiments with mice and what they learned from them.

* This article was originally published here

Preschool teachers ask children too many simple questions

When preschool teachers read books in their classrooms, the questions they ask play a key role in how much children learn, research has shown.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/preschool-teachers-ask-children-too-many-simple-questions

Rotavirus cell invasion triggers a cacophony of calcium signals

To successfully set off disease, rotavirus, a virus that causes severe diarrhea and vomiting in children around the world, must invade cells of the gastrointestinal track and trigger a surge of calcium inside the cells. How this surge occurs has not been clarified, but a report in the journal Scientific Reports released today shows in cinematic detail the dynamic changes in calcium that follow rotavirus invasion.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/rotavirus-cell-invasion-triggers-a-cacophony-of-calcium-signals

Interventions for type 2 diabetes successful across the genetic landscape

As the number of people with type 2 diabetes soared to 8.8 percent of the population by 2017, a growing public health movement has sought to know if tailoring dietary recommendations to specific genetic profiles might help reduce the risk of the disease in susceptible individuals. A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has now found that the quality of dietary fat consumed and the genetic risk of diabetes work independently of each other, and that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats can be safely applied across the spectrum of type 2 diabetes genetic risk.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/interventions-for-type-2-diabetes-successful-across-the-genetic-landscape

Shape shifting protocells hint at the mechanics of early life

Inspired by the processes of cellular differentiation observed in developmental biology, an interdisciplinary team of researchers at the University of Bristol have demonstrated a new spontaneous approach to building communities of cell-like entities (protocells) using chemical gradients.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-news-blog/shape-shifting-protocells-hint-at-the-mechanics-of-early-life