Culture

HANOVER, N.H. - May 28, 2019 - Parts of Alaska's mountainous Brooks Range were likely transported from Greenland and a stretch of the Canadian Arctic much farther to the east, according to a series of Dartmouth-led studies detailing over 300 million years of Arctic geologic history.

The finding updates the geological evolution of the Arctic Ocean and could help revise predictions about the Arctic's oil, gas and mineral wealth.

A combination of visual training and a recently developed brain stimulation technique boosts learning in healthy adults and cortically blind patients, according to research published in JNeurosci.

Dysfunctional neurons in the hippocampus of adult female mice modeling dementia can be repaired and reconnected to distant parts of the brain, reports a new study published in JNeurosci. The similarity between the mouse model and the human condition underscores the therapeutic potential of targeting these cells in dementia patients.

The flavoring liquid for electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease when inhaled, according to a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

There has been a rapid rise in e-cigarette use, but its health effects have not been well-studied and their effect on vascular health remains unknown. A first of its kind study in endothelial stem cells, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found acute exposure to flavored e-liquids or e-cigarette use exacerbates endothelial cell dysfunction, which often precedes heart disease.

Endothelial cells are the main type of cell found in the inside lining of blood vessels, lymph vessels and the heart.

LA JOLLA, CA--A decade ago researchers announced development of a cancer immunotherapy called CAR (for chimeric antigen receptor)-T, in which a patient is re-infused with their own genetically modified T cells equipped to mount a potent anti-tumor attack. Since then CAR T approaches (one of several strategies collectively known as "adoptive T cell transfer") have made headlines as a novel cellular immunotherapy tool, most successfully against so-called "liquid cancers" like leukemias and lymphomas.

A new analysis of global fishing data has found the world's fishing fleet doubled in size over the 65-years to 2015 but for the amount of effort expended the catch fell more than 80 per cent.

Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study by researchers from the University of Tasmania and CSIRO found the global fishing fleet grew from 1.7 million vessels in 1950 to 3.7 million in 2015.

Concentrations of antibiotics found in some of the world's rivers exceed 'safe' levels by up to 300 times, the first ever global study has discovered.

Researchers looked for 14 commonly used antibiotics in rivers in 72 countries across six continents and found antibiotics at 65% of the sites monitored.

Metronidazole, which is used to treat bacterial infections including skin and mouth infections, exceeded safe levels by the biggest margin, with concentrations at one site in Bangladesh 300 times greater than the 'safe' level.

Researchers from Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology and the University of Gothenburg present a new method which can double the energy of a proton beam produced by laser-based particle accelerators. The breakthrough could lead to more compact, cheaper equipment that could be useful for many applications, including proton therapy.

Proton therapy involves firing a beam of accelerated protons at cancerous tumours, killing them through irradiation. But the equipment needed is so large and expensive that it only exists in a few locations worldwide.

Athens, Greece - 26 May 2019: Less than 10% of heart failure patients comply with advice on salt and fluid restrictions, daily weighing, and physical activity, reports a study presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

Athens, Greece - 26 May 2019: Heart failure patients who consume more dietary fibre tend to have healthier gut bacteria, which is associated with reduced risk of death or need of a heart transplant. The fibre study was presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

About one in five Canadian adolescents uses cannabis (19% of Canadians aged 15-19), and its recent legalization across the country warrants investigation into the consequence of this use on the developing brain. Adolescence is associated with the maturation of cognitive functions, such as working memory, decision-making, and impulsivity control.

In Western societies, we are eating more omega 6 fats, particularly linoleic acid, which are present in foods such as potato chips and vegetable oil. Other research has shown that linoleic acid can promote inflammation and may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Athens, Greece - 25 May 2019: Adrenomedullin activity predicts which acute heart failure patients are at the greatest risk of death without diuretic treatment post-discharge, according to late breaking research presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1

Athens, Greece - 26 May 2019: Elderly patients with heart failure who see a pharmacist once a week are more likely to take their tablets and be active in daily life, according to late breaking results from the PHARM-CHF randomised controlled trial presented today at Heart Failure 2019, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1