Articles by Katrina Pascual
SETI Researchers Find No Signs Of Intelligent Alien Life Around Strange Dimming Star KIC 8462852
Is there alien life in KIC 8462852? Also known as Tabby’s star, it drew attention last October when it showed proof of periodic dimming by 20 percent or more and thought to have extraterrestrial activity, no radio signal of which has been picked up so far by NASA space telescope.
Standing For Six Hours A Day May Lower Obesity Risk: Study
A team of researchers showed the benefits of standing, linking standing for at least six hours a day to a lower risk for obesity. They studied the standing habits in relation to obesity and metabolic risk measures of over 7,000 adults.
Spike In Flu Cases Prompts Australia To Add Another Strain To Vaccine For 2016 Season
Instead of the three typical flu strains, the new vaccine in Australia will comprise four strains - two influenza A and two influenza B strains - based on WHO recommendations. Influenza B strains are believed to have caused about 62 percent of flu cases in Australia during the winter.
Poor Sleep May Harm Your Kidney, Says Study
Kidney function may be compromised with disrupted sleep as many bodily processes follow a natural daily rhythm based on regular sleep-wake cycles. The risks of poor sleep were found to be interconnected and included chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Mysterious UFO-Type Orb Crashed In A Field In Spain [Video]
A "UFO" orb fell on the ground in Spain and was spotted by two farmers while they were tending to their herd. The unidentified object was suspected to be part of military equipment or even a space station.
Scientists to Breed Genetically Modified Bees: Here's Why
A bee genome project at the University of British Columbia will allow scientists to breed made-for-Canada-honeybee that can resist pests and disease. This is to greatly accelerate selective breeding and ensure continuing benefits for the agricultural sector and food security.
Cranberries May Help Curb Antibiotic Resistance: Study
Scientists showed growing data on how cranberries can help address recurrent urinary tract infections – the second leading infection in humans – and help combat antibiotic resistance. The fruit is also promoted for its cardiovascular and cognitive support benefits.
Gilead Four-In-One HIV Drug Wins FDA Approval
Genvoya is approved for previously untreated HIV patients weighing at least 77 pounds, and adults whose HIV-1 infection is suppressed at present because of antiretroviral therapy. It is an HIV four-in-one drug following Gilead Sciences' earlier version called Stribild.
Overuse Of Antibiotics In Poultry Industry Could Lead To Antibiotic Resistance, Experts Warn
A conference of the Centre for Science and Environment on antibiotic resistance sounded the alarm on large-scale, frequent, and unnecessary use of antibiotics. The human health risks cited include lifelong effects on newborns' microbiota and infection-fighting ability.
Trampolining Water Droplets Could Pave Way For Ice-Shedding Surfaces
Writing in the journal Nature, Swiss researchers observed trampolining water droplets and what made them bounce and levitate as they did. Their findings are promising for real-world applications such as in keeping cars ice-free during winter.
Wildlife Experts Urge People Not To Rake Fallen Leaves: Why?
David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) advised leaving fallen leaves alone in gardens and yards. The benefits of fallen leaves included serving as critical habitat for wildlife, being a natural mulch and soil fertilizer, and adding enjoyment from the fall weather.
Scientists Develop Blood Test To Determine Response of Prostate Cancer Patients To Drug
The drug abiraterone is a powerful drug for shrinking tumors and addressing advanced prostate cancer, but it does not work for all men. Scientists found a bood test to see who will benefit from this prostate cancer treatment.
Cefixime Antibiotic Losing Effectiveness As Treatment For Gonorrhea: CDC
Latest data from the U.S. CDC suggested that resistance to antibiotic cefixime, used for gonorrhea treatment, started to increase in 2014 even when it managed to go down from 2011 to 2013. The sexually transmitted infection is spread through unprotected sex and is especially common among young individuals between 15 and 24 years old.
Dinosaur Predators Really Had Big Bite: T. rex Could Stretch Its Jaw To An Angle Of 80 Degrees
The research found that the T. rex and Allo. fragilis, both carnivorous therapod dinosaurs, had a wide jaw gape of up to 90 degrees. In contrast, the herbivore E. andrewsi had a small gape of 43.5 to 49 degrees, confirming that plant eaters have a much restricted jaw angle.
NASA To Send Robot Geophysicist To Mars: InSight Lander To Study Deep Interior Of Red Planet
The InSight lander, NASA's first robot geophysicist, is intended to gather as much information on Mars’ interior while staying safely at the surface. The Mars mission will blast out of California on March 2016 and is expected to land on the red planet six months later.
Water-Efficient Photosynthesis Reveals Why Pineapple Is Drought-Resistant
Writing in the journal 'Nature Genetics,' a research team from the University of Illinois and other organizations found that pineapples used crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), a special form of photosynthesis. CAM plants can use a mere 20 percent of the water used by C3 plants, flourishing in dry lands and being better at drought resistance.
Deadly Biotoxin Found In Dungeness Crab Prompts Health Warning
The California health department reported finding high domoic acid in crabs from the Oregon border up to Santa Barbara. The toxin was produced by algae blooms off the West Coast, something attributed to warming ocean temperatures.
Menu Calorie Counts Do Not Work On Diners But Lead To Restaurants Serving Healthier Options
Six years after NYC required calorie count labels for food in chain restaurants, the overall number of calories eaten by consumers did not decrease. Nutritional labels in chains and select food retailers will be implemented across the U.S. starting Dec. 2016.
Cotard Disease: Rare 'Zombie' Disease Makes The Living Think They Are Dead
In late 2013, writer Esme Weijun Wang started to believe she was dead, following weeks of losing grip on reality and her own identity. It was a case of Cotard syndrome that lasted two months for her but could result in the same feeling of being dead or nonexistent in others for months or years.
Rise In Chemsex Prompts Public Health Warning: Sex On Drugs May Increase HIV Risk, Say Experts
British HIV experts warned about the rising trend called chemsex, which is sexual intercourse under the influence of illegal substance and often with multiple partners. They highlighted the greater risk for sexually transmitted disease and serious mental health effects due to drug dependency.
Stigma, Financial Barriers Prevent Women From Seeking Postpartum Depression Treatment
Recent research revealed that women in low-income areas had a higher risk for postpartum depression or any other mental illness related to pregnancy. Stigma, cultural differences, and financial difficulties were among the host of reasons why patients didn't get treatment.
Exposure To Dogs, Farm Animals May Lower Asthma Risk In Children
Researchers conducted a nationwide study on asthma risk and animal exposure early in life. Supporting the hygiene hypothesis, the study offered evidence of reduced risk of childhood asthma in children exposed to dogs and farm animals.
Nebraska-based All American Meats Recalls More Than 167,000 Pounds Of Beef Due To E. Coli Risk
Product testing by USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service traced E. coli back to certain ground beef products from All American Meats, which prompted a food recall. The latest in U.S. meat recalls followed Chipotle's shutdown of Oregon and Washington restaurants in relation to a string of E. coli cases in those locations.
Perfectly Preserved 17th Century Tomb With Remains Of Entire Family Discovered At Gloucester Cathedral
A 17th century tomb at Gloucester Cathedral has remained intact despite the cathedral undergoing regular restoration. The tomb contained the remains of a family that was said to be 'pretty wealthy' to have had a burial vault built at the heart of the structure.
Los Angeles Doctor Convicted Of Three Counts Of Murder Through Overdose
After a six-week trial, osteopathic physician Dr. Hsiu Ying “Lisa” Tseng was found guilty of three counts of second-degree murder. The crime: the death of three patients and a total of nine drug overdose deaths within three years.
Transgender Woman In Australia Repeatedly Comes Out To Mom With Dementia
An Australian transgender woman has come out to her mother, whose memory has begun deteriorating due to dementia, every couple of weeks since 2013. For parents with children coming out to them, Tina Healy advised love and acceptance.
Hormel Foods Recalls Skippy Peanut Butter Over Metal Shavings Scare
About 153 cases of Skippy peanut butter after its makers suspected that certain jars contained small metal shavings. This is the second incident of food contamination this month.
Puffins, 3 Other UK Birds Face Global Extinction
Slavonian grebes, pochards, and European turtle doves joined Atlantic puffins as new identified vulnerable birds in the “Red List” of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The UK had 173 threatened species in 2014, climbing to 180 this year.
Medical Experts Call For Tighter Drug Controls Following Paracetamol Overdoses
Of total paracetamol overdoses, a glaring 86 percent of cases were due to deliberate self-harm and attempted suicide, as a New Zealand study found. Paracetamol was also the biggest driver behind acute liver transplants, causing plenty of injuries.
New British Law Requires Teachers and Doctors To Report Female Genital Mutilation Cases
Part of female genital mutilation had been the partial or total removal of the clitoris as well as the external genitalia. Now, Britain required teachers and doctors to report FGM within a day or up to a month, or they will be subjected to disciplinary measures or termination.
