Science News-Zika Virus Could Be Used to Treat Brain Cancer Patients, Study Suggests

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Medical News White Children More Likely to Get Unnecessary Antibiotics in Pediatric Emergency Departments White children with viral diagnoses treated in pediatric emergency departments were up to twice as likely to receive antibiotics compared to minority children, according to a study published in Pediatrics. Although viral respiratory tract infections ... – Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Pediatrics, Sept-2017 Embargo expired on 05-Sep-2017 at 00:05 ET Zika Virus Could Be Used to Treat Brain Cancer Patients, Study Suggests Recent outbreaks of Zika virus have revealed that the virus causes brain defects in unborn children. But in a study to be published September 5 in The Journal of Experimental Medicine, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. ... – The Rockefeller University Press The Journal of Experimental Medicine; R01 AI073755, R01 AI104972, CA197718, CA154130, CA169117, CA171652, NS087913, NS089272 Embargo expired on 05-Sep-2017 at 09:00 ET Program Helps Nurses Provide Palliative Care to ICU Patients Critical care nurses at five University of California medical centers are better prepared to lead primary palliative care at the bedside after participating in a special training and mentoring program. – American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) American Journal of Critical Care, Sept-2017 Embargo expired on 05-Sep-2017 at 06:00 ET Zika Virus Kills Brain Cancer Stem Cells While Zika virus causes devastating damage to the brains of developing fetuses, it one day may be an effective treatment for glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the ... – Washington University in St. Louis The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Sep-2017; R01 AI073755; R01 AI104972; CA197718; CA154130; CA169117; CA171652; NS087913; NS089272 Embargo expired on 05-Sep-2017 at 09:00 ET Face Value Scientists have long deemed the ability to recognize faces innate for people and other primates. However, the findings of a new Harvard Medical School study cast doubt on this longstanding view. The study may shed light on autism spectrum disorders.... – Harvard Medical School Nature Neuroscience, Sept-2017 Embargo expired on 04-Sep-2017 at 11:00 ET Combined DNA and Protein ‘Liquid Biopsy’ for Early Pancreatic Cancer Better Than Either Alone Johns Hopkins scientists say they have developed a blood test that spots tumor-specific DNA and protein biomarkers for early-stage pancreatic cancer. – Johns Hopkins Medicine Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; APP1060804, P30-CA006973, CA062924, CA102701, CA06973, CA152753, GM-07309, CA152753 Embargo expired on 04-Sep-2017 at 15:00 ET Diabetes and Heart Disease Linked by Genes, Reveals Penn-led Study Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become a global epidemic affecting more than 380 million people worldwide; yet there are knowledge gaps in understanding the etiology of type-2 diabetes. T2D is also a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD)... – Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Nature Genetics Embargo expired on 04-Sep-2017 at 11:00 ET Mayo Clinic Researchers Review the Clinical Potential of Senolytic Drugs on Aging ]Researchers are moving closer to realizing the clinical potential of drugs that have previously been shown to support healthy aging in animals. In a review article published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Mayo Clinic aging... – Mayo Clinic Journal of the American Geriatrics Society Embargo expired on 04-Sep-2017 at 06:00 ET Palliative Care Makes Only Limited Gains in Africa Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai student leads first comprehensive analysis of African palliative care literature over past 12 years – Mount Sinai Health System Lancet Oncology Embargo expired on 01-Sep-2017 at 18:30 ET Research Reveals Gene Differences in Mouse Model Versus Humans Aspects of gene function in humans can be predicted by studies of the corresponding gene in mice, but new research findings have revealed important divergences between the species which scientists will need to understand better through further invest... – Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO) Neoplasia Support to Practice Independently Helps Nurse Practitioners Deliver Ongoing Primary Care to Patients Nurse practitioners (NPs) whose healthcare organizations supported their practice as independent clinicians, were more likely than those who worked in less supportive environments to have their own patient panels (groups of patients to whom they deli... – Columbia University Medical Center International Journal of Nursing Studies, September-2017 Heart Hormones Protection, Psychotic Disorders, Self Regulation, and More in the Obesity News Source Click here to go directly to Newswise's Obesity News Source – Newswise X-Ray Footprinting, Brain Development, Sleep Research, and More in the Cell Biology News Source The latest research and features in cell biology in the Cell Biology News Source – Newswise Physician Experts Highlight Research ahead of Otolaryngology’s Annual Meeting The latest research on patient preferences, quality-of-life, ear health, thyroidectomy, and other topics related to the specialty of otolaryngology will be presented in Chicago, IL, September 10-13, during the AAO-HNSF 2017 Annual Meeting & OTO Exper... – American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Study: Drug May Curb Female Infertility From Cancer Treatments An existing drug may one day protect premenopausal women from life-altering infertility that commonly follows cancer treatments, according to a new study. – Cornell University Genetics 12 Years After Fleeing Katrina, Family Displaced by Harvey Seeks New Life in Dallas. Flooded homes. People stranded on roofs. Rescue boats patrolling neighborhoods. Ashley Aples saw the chaos and panic engulf Houston in just a few days, and he knew from experience it was time to flee. – UT Southwestern Medical Center Mayo Clinic Monthly News Tips - August 2017 Headlines Balancing school and sleep; Researchers report link between cells associated with aging and bone loss; Discovery of new prostate cancer biomarkers could improve precision therapy... – Mayo Clinic Beware the Role of Depression in College Students’ ‘Failure to Launch’ Each fall, parents pack their college freshmen off to school, fingers crossed for a solid start on the road to adulthood. But some students don’t find their footing and return home after a semester or two to regroup. Expert Available – University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences Internationally Recognized Surgeon Named Chief Surgical Officer at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Expanding its surgical and research focus on cancers of the abdominal area and rare conditions including endocrine and mesothelioma malignancies, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey has named H. Richard Alexander, MD, FACS, as its new chief surgic... – Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey ISPOR Latin America Conference to Focus on Improving Health Outcomes Through Stakeholder Engagement ISPOR, the leading professional society for health economics and outcomes research, announced confirmation of the scientific sessions for its upcoming 6th Latin America Conference scheduled for 15-17 September 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil. – International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) ISPOR 6th Latin America Conference Wolters Kluwer and the European Society of Oncology Pharmacy Launch the European Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Wolters Kluwer Health and the European Society of Oncology Pharmacy (ESOP) today announced the launch of a new open access journal, the European Journal of Oncology Pharmacy (EJOP). The official journal of the ESOP will join the Lippincott portfolio ... – Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins European Journal of Oncology Mayo Clinic donates $500,000 to American Red Cross in aid to Hurricane Harvey victims Mayo Clinic is pleased to offer support to the victims of Hurricane Harvey through a $500,000 donation to the American Red Cross. Mayo Clinic has requested that the funds go directly to relief efforts for those affected by the recent storm. – Mayo Clinic Dr. Peter Glazer Receives Prestigious Outstanding Investigator Award for Cancer Research The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has named Peter M. Glazer, M.D., Ph.D., as a recipient of its Outstanding Investigator Award (OIA). – Yale Cancer Center Science News New Fluorescent Dyes Could Advance Biological Imaging Scientists at HHMI’s Janelia Research Campus have developed a new method for fine-tuning the structure of rhodamine dyes, and can now create a colorful palette of fluorescent molecules. – Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Nature Methods; Biochemistry Embargo expired on 04-Sep-2017 at 11:00 ET Was the Primordial Soup a Hearty Pre-Protein Stew? How proteins evolved billions of years ago, when Earth was devoid of life, has stumped many a scientist. A little do-si-do between amino acids and their chemical lookalikes may have done the trick. Evolutionary chemists tried it, and got results by t... – Georgia Institute of Technology CHE-1504217; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Competing Species, Polluted Floodwaters, Post Harvey Cleanup, and More in the Environmental Science News Source The latest research on the environment in the Environmental Science News Source – Newswise NSU’s Guy Harvey Research Institute Tagged Tiger Shark Breaks Distance Record – And Is Still Going! A tiger shark named “Andy” is like the marine version of the Energizer Bunny – he keeps going and going and going… – Nova Southeastern University includes video Earthworms at the Root of Sugar Maple Decline A new study suggests that non-native worms are eating up the forest floor, causing sugar maples to die back and perhaps harming other forest dwellers. – Michigan Technological University journal Biological Invasions Computer Science in Culture: Hackers More Likely to Be 'He' Than 'She' A new report, released today, examined portrayals of computer science across media. The results demonstrate that while the uses of tech may seem to be unfettered, there are still limits as to who can be shown on screen using computer science. – USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Saints and Sinners in Competing Species: Science or Dogma? Studies examining whether invasive species outcompete native species may reflect bias of researchers. However, rigorous scientific debate and self-criticism may result in self-correction. – SUNY Buffalo State PLOS ONE Vitamin B12 Fuels Microbial Growth Scarce compound, vitamin B12, is key for cellular metabolism and may help shape microbial communities that affect environmental cycles and bioenergy production. – Department of Energy, Office of Science PNAS 114(7), E1205-E1214 (2017). [DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1612360114] University of Wisconsin-Madison Museums Recreate ‘Cabinet of Natural History’ Digitally In 1849, the Board of Regents of the new University of Wisconsin directed the curation of the state’s plants, animals and minerals in a “cabinet of natural history.” Now, that founding piece of scientific inquiry is re-forming — digitally. A ... – University of Wisconsin-Madison Reducing Peak-Time Power Usage Through Smart-Home Technologies A next-generation residential energy management system may help utility companies and consumers save money by reducing the demand for costly peak-time energy. – South Dakota State University Lifestyle & Social Sciences Why Hasn’t U.S. Tax Policy Responded to Rising Inequality? Surprisingly, It’s Our Beliefs in “Equal Treatment,” Researchers Find Americans’ lack of support for raising taxes on the wealthy to address inequality may be explained, in part, by our beliefs in “equal treatment,” finds a new study by political scientists at New York University and Stanford University. – New York University American Political Science Association Annual Meeting Political Scientist Rick Valelly '75 on Honoring Reconstruction Given the sheer number of Confederate memorials, there is bound to be another shocking flashpoint of the kind that rocked Charlottesville and the nation. Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee have vanished from Baltimore and New Orleans. Chief Justice ... – Swarthmore College University of North Florida Receives 2017 Higher Education in Diversity Award The University of North Florida received the 2017 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. This is the third time UNF has been ... – University of North Florida Reavey Receives Fulbright for Study in Romania Brooke Reavey, assistant professor of marketing, will spend this academic year teaching and studying in Romania as part of a Fulbright Scholarship. She will be doing research on Romanian millennials' apparent disengagement with nonprofit and philanth... – Dominican University Gonzaga University School of Law Launches Center for Civil and Human Rights SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga University School of Law is launching a new Center for Civil and Human Rights this fall to further its mission-based commitment to public service and social justice, and to advance understanding of the law surrounding c... – Gonzaga University Business News DHS grants $5.6M in scientific leadership awards to Minority Serving Institutions DHS S&T awarded $5.6 million in Scientific Leadership Award grants to five Minority Serving Institutions to develop course content and engage students and faculty in research relevant to the nation’s complex homeland security challenges – Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate Marketplace Wichita State Offering Free Online Professional Development Courses Wichita State University is offering full scholarships for anyone wanting to enroll in one of 35 undergraduate online professional development badges. Anyone who enrolls for one undergraduate-level badge now through Friday, Sept. 15, will have the fu... – Wichita State University

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The Cheapest Way to Add More Bass to Your TV Get that all-encompassing movie theater sound by adding a subwoofer for less than $100. READ NOW   READ THESE NEXT 20 Amazon Dash Buttons That Actually Make Sense The Future of Light Bulbs Is… Bright Why You Need a ‘Disposable’ Email Account What Is a Software Patch, Exactly?

Ethiopia’s Internally Displaced Overlooked Amid Refugee Crises

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DOLO ODO, Ethiopia, Sep 5 2017 (IPS) - Grasping its limp leg, a woman drags the carcass of one of her few remaining black-headed sheep away from her family’s domed shelter fashioned out of sticks and fabric that stands alone amid the desiccated scrubland a few kilometers from the town of Dolo Odo in the southeast of Ethiopia near the border with Somalia.

“Once all my goats are dead, we will go to one of the settlements by the town,” says the Somali-Ethiopian pastoralist dealing with the fallout of the latest drought afflicting the Horn of Africa.  

“Last year we dodged a bullet, but now the funding gaps are larger on both sides.” --Edward Brown, World Vision’s Ethiopia national director

In Ethiopia’s Somali region, whose inhabitants while ethnically Somali are Ethiopian nationals, there are 264 sites containing around 577,711 internally displaced persons—also known as IDPs—according to a survey conducted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) between May and June 2017.

“For those who have lost everything, all they can now do is go to a government assistance site for food and water,” says Charlie Mason, humanitarian director at Save the Children Ethiopia until June this year. “They have no coping mechanisms left.”

But the scale of numbers means the government is overwhelmed—many sites have reported no access to food—hence international assistance is sorely needed. But international aid is often more geared toward those who cross international borders.

“Refugees get global attention—the issue has been around a long time, and it’s just how people look at it, especially if conflict is involved,” says Hamidu Jalleh, working for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the region. “Weather-induced IDPs hasn’t reached that level.”

IDPs are only one part of the humanitarian challenge for those tackling the drought in Ethiopia’s Somali region: 2.5 million people will require food assistance between July and December 2017, according to aid agencies, while some report this number is expected to be revised upwards of 3.3 million by mid-August.

The dilemma is made worse by the international humanitarian aid network already straining due to successive protracted global crises in the likes of Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Nigeria.

“Due to a shortage of funding, we were only able to reach 1 million out of 1.7 million in the Somali region in June and July,” says Peter Smerdon, the United Nations World Food Programme regional spokesperson for East Africa.

Women encountered in the refugee camps around Dolo Odo said that though children weren’t getting as much food as they would like, they were relatively healthy. Credit: James Jeffrey/IPS

Drought does not recognize borders but international law divides people into refugees and IDPs. Under the 1951 Refugee Convention, crossing a border entitles refugees to international protection, whereas IDPs remain the responsibility of national governments.

On the edge of Dolo Odo, lines of corrugated iron roofs glint in the sun throughout a refugee camp housing 40,000 Somalis.

Refugees complain of headaches and itchy skin with the heat, and a recent reduction in their monthly food allowance. But at least that ration is guaranteed, along with water, health and education services—none of which are available to IDPs in a nearby settlement.

“We don’t oppose support for refugees—they should be helped as they face bigger problems,” says 70-year-old Abiyu Alsow amid the settlement’s ramshackle shelters. “But we are frustrated as we aren’t getting anything from the government or NGOs.”

Ethiopia’s Somali region contains the largest proportion of the total 1,056,738 IDPs identified by IOM throughout Ethiopia.

The existence of IDPs advertise the likes of internal conflict and disorder. Hence governments often approach the topic too gingerly, with IDPs then falling through the gaps—especially in Ethiopia.

“It’s only in the last year-and-a-half we’ve been able to start talking about IDPs,” says the director of a humanitarian agency working in Ethiopia, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “But the government is becoming more open about the reality—it knows it can’t ignore the issue.”

Displaced pastoralists inspecting a dead camel on the outskirts of an IDP settlement in the region around Gode. Credit: James Jeffrey/IPS

Many within the aid industry praise Ethiopia’s open-door refugee strategy—in marked contrast to Western countries increasingly focusing on migrant reduction—that means it hosts more than 800,000 people. But questions remain about its handling of IDPs.

“This country receives billions of dollars in aid—there is so much bi-lateral support, but there is a huge disparity between aid to refugees and IDPs,” says the anonymous director. “How is that possible?”

IDP camps in the Somali region’s northern Siti zone that sprang up during droughts in 2015 and 2016 remain full.

“There’s no financial backing to tackle underlying vulnerabilities to get people back on their feet,” Mason says.

A major obstacle to helping those displaced by drought is how pastoralists aren’t the only ones facing depleted resources.

In 2016 the Ethiopian government spent an unprecedented 700 million dollars, while the international community made up the rest of the 1.8 billion needed, to assist more than 10 million Ethiopians effected by an El Niño-induced drought.

“Last year we dodged a bullet, but now the funding gaps are larger on both sides,” says Edward Brown, World Vision’s Ethiopia national director. “Large donors are making hard choices as they are having to do more with less.”

Currently the Ethiopian government and humanitarian partners have raised 553 million of the 948 million dollars needed to help 7.8 million drought-affected Ethiopians identified around the country.

Aid agencies tackling Ethiopia’s drought previously warned they would run out of funds to continue providing food by this July unless additional donor funds were forthcoming.

It appears that calamity has been avoided, for now. Ethiopian authorities say last minute donations from the UK, EU and US means they have enough money until October to keep up food shipments.

But that’s a long way from securing long-term viability for those trying to live in this sun-scorched part of the world.

“Since securing additional resources from donors, we are now able to provide emergency food assistance to additional people for the next three months in the Somali region,” Smerdon says. “If additional needs are announced, WFP will attempt to cover as many as possible.”