Articles by Katrina Pascual
Reflected Light Holds Clue To Atmospheric Makeup Of Eccentric Planet HD 20782
The highly elliptical orbit of exoplanet HD 20782 is unlike anything seen in our solar system. Its reflected light, too, may be key in studying its planetary atmosphere, one that can hurdle a brief yet blistering exposure to its star.
Vegan Diet May Lack Vital Nutrient Intake
Vegans may be deficient in some essential nutrients and are potentially at risk for a range of disorders including neurological conditions and anemia. Some who have adopted veganism, for instance, showed to be heavily reliant on processed foods.
Raw Milk From Organic Farm Linked To Deadly Listeria Outbreak
A CDC report released Friday linked a 2014 listeria outbreak to raw milk from Miller’s Organic Farm in Pennsylvania. The agency called on the public to consume only pasteurized dairy to prevent getting sick due to bacterial contamination.
Rare Blood Infection Elizabethkingia Linked To 17 Deaths In Wisconsin
Seventeen of the 54 patients of Elizabethkingia infection reported in Wisconsin had died. Another case died in Michigan, puzzling health authorities as to how exactly the disease caused by the Elizabeth anophelis bacteria was acquired or transmitted.
Emails And Tweets Help Drive Climate Change
Even the simple acts of sending emails and using social media are contributing to one's carbon footprint. In light of the Earth Hour project, how are these virtual campaigns affecting the crusade against global warming?
Stem Cell Therapy Reverses Osteoporosis In Mice Study
A single injection of stem cells could help restore normal bone structure in osteoporosis patients, as recently tested in mice. The key was repairing defective or low levels of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the body.
Seabird Die-Off In Alaska Continues To Puzzle Scientists As Thousands Of Dead Common Murres Found In Lake Iliamna
Common murres have been found dead by the thousands at an Alaskan lake where they normally didn't stay, reported locals and biologists. What could be causing the massive seabird deaths?
People With Autism Die 16 Years Earlier Than General Population
A Swedish study showed that people with autism die 18 years younger on average than others without the disorder. Now a UK charity is adamant about putting more funding into research on autism mortality and optimal treatment.
Colonoscopy: Who Needs It, How It's Done And How It Can Save Your Life
A new German study showed how colonoscopy slashed the rates of colorectal cancer among people with ages 55 and older in the last 10 years. What is this routine screening procedure and who will benefit best from it?
Pluto's Nitrogen Does Not Fizz Out Into Space Because Its Atmosphere Serves As Coolant
New data from the Pluto flyby of the New Horizons spacecraft showed that nitrogen is escaping from the dwarf planet and into space at a much lower rate than expected due to a cooling effect in the atmosphere.
Ebola Is Back In Guinea: Authorities Confirm 2 New Cases
Two persons in Guinea tested positive for the Ebola virus, marking the comeback of the disease that has killed 11,300 since 2013. These are the first confirmed cases after the African country was declared Ebola-free on Dec. 29.
One In Four Seniors Leave Hospital With Superbugs On Their Hands
One in four seniors carried drug-resistant bacteria or superbugs on their hands upon visiting hospitals and post-acute care facilities. They will also keep getting new bacterial strains during their stay, new research has warned.
New Blood Test Detects Multiple Diseases Using DNA
A blood test still in its early stages is poised to detect a range of diseases, including cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. It is based on next-generation DNA sequencing, using signatures of DNA coming from dying cells.
Nearly Half Of Pregnant Smokers Go Back To Using Cigarettes After Childbirth
About half of women who were able to stay off cigarettes while pregnant returned to smoking within six months of giving birth. This was found by a new review of the effectiveness of stop-smoking services in the UK.
More Than Half Of Those Who Get Measles Are Not Vaccinated: Study
Since measles was declared eliminated in 2000, over half of its cases reported in the U.S. were for those without history of measles vaccination. Experts believe a majority of cases in measles and pertussis outbreaks were due to intentionally skipping the shots.
Common Antibiotics No Longer Effective At Treating Some Child Infections
Half of children are now resistant to some of the most commonly used antibiotics – and these treatments could become “ineffective” in the future. Previous antibiotic use, too, raises resistance risk up to six months following medication.
Genetically Inherited High Cholesterol More Common Than Previously Thought
The number of people with genetically acquired high cholesterol levels may be higher in the U.S. than previously believed. The new findings also showed that it's not only genetics that potentially increases plaque-building LDL cholesterol.
Difficult Patients At Greater Risk For Misdiagnosis
'Difficult' patient behavior increases the risk of doctors making a wrong diagnosis, according to two new studies. The quality of health care is inevitably affected when problematic attitudes distract doctors from the task at hand.
Avon To Eliminate 2,500 Jobs And Move Headquarters To UK
Avon Products Inc. is cutting about 2,500 jobs worldwide and moving its corporate headquarters to the United Kingdom as part of a three-year turnaround plan. The move follows a four-year decline in sales and waning door-to-door-sales in the United States.
Low Levels Of Pesticide Still Affect Bees' Ability To Find Flowers
In a new study, even low levels of neonicotinoid pesticides made it hard for bumblebees to learn and remember. This disrupted their foraging behavior, which is crucial for their pollination services and in turn the world's food crops and wild plants.
Climate Change May Boost Frequent Blooms Of Toxic Algae
Climate change could be leading to longer, more frequent toxic algal blooms along Canada's Pacific coast, warned biologists. The increased toxic blooms and their movement toward new areas are being correlated with warmer waters.
El Niño Linked To More Pollen, Early Allergy Season
Experts have warned that the El Niño weather pattern could bring about more pollen and an early and intense allergy season. The heavy rains followed by warm weather lead pollen to be released more substantially than before.
Cactus Guts May Hold Key To Removing Toxins From Water
The inner guts or mucilage of cactus have been shown to attract arsenic, sediments and other water contaminants. Rooting from traditional practice, the technique could benefit drinking water, aquaculture, and other everyday purposes.
Engineers Install Secondary Mirror Of James Webb Space Telescope
NASA engineers have installed the beryllium-made secondary mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope, touted the next-generation premier space observatory. The space telescope is poised to image the first galaxies formed and study planets surrounding distant stars.
Reading On Tablet Before Sleep May Affect Quality Of Your Sleep
A Norwegian study said that people who read from an iPad 30 minutes before bedtime felt less sleepy and had altered electrical function in the brain during slumber, compared to those who read from a book. How else can iPad use before bedtime affect users?
Orphaned Louisiana Black Bear Cub Soon To Have Foster Mother
An orphaned Louisiana black bear cub is slowly regaining his health and will even soon have a foster mother. This adds to the good news of the animal being removed from the endangered species list out of continuing conservation efforts.
Wristband Monitors, Alerts For Epileptic Seizures
Embrace wristband, developed by an MIT professor, is a medical-grade consumer product that can monitor stress signals to detect seizures and alert both wearers and caregivers. It could also be potentially useful in the classroom to track children's stress levels.
Wild Atlantic Salmon Reclaims Lost Habitat After 200 Years
For the first time since the Revolutionary War, wild Atlantic salmons are spawning again in the Connecticut River in New England. The three wild salmon egg nests were found in the winter and the eggs are expected to hatch this spring.
Up To 57 Pesticides Linked To Declining Population Of Honeybees
Researchers have found a new method that can detect pesticides in bees and help scientists tackle the problem of honeybee population decline worldwide. They analyzed 200 pesticides simultaneously and detected a number present in poisoned honeybees.
Main Ingredient Of Artificial Sweetener Splenda Linked To Leukemia
A study out of the Ramazzini Institute in Italy found that sucralose, marketed under the trade name Splenda, significantly raised leukemia and other cancer risks in mice. According to the authors, the results do not support previous findings vouching for sucralose's safety.
