Immunotherapy for Cancer Patients Becoming more of an Option, but expensive

Immunotherapy in melanoma patients is becoming more successful, sometimes completely eliminating the disease. However, this therapy is highly individual, and requires special conditions, which makes it expensive, and oftentimes, lengthy,

Science Mag

Including Ice and Water in the same Thermal System Explains Melting in Greenland

Liquid water sitting upon ice allows thermal energy (heat) to pass through it, and oftentimes allows for the melting of ice sheets. By including this fact in the theory of global warming, one is able to explain the rapid reaction of glacier areas to heat.

AGU

Gene May be Related to Depression

The p11 gene, which is a serotonin receptor-binding protein, may be the key to preventing depression. Lab mice who were mutated, deleting this gene, showed more signs of depression, and using gene therapy might restore this gene from being weakened by an adeno-associated virus.

Science Mag

New Implant Might Help Patients Kick Opioid Dependency

An implant containing buprenorphine, a semi-synthetic opioid, might be the answer to weaning opioid-dependent people off the highly addictive group of drugs, which includes morphine, codeine, heroin, hydrocodone and oxycodone. This study from the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that patients with the implant were twice as likely to not use opioids, and showed less withdrawal symptoms than the placebo group. However, the use of opioids in the medicated group was still around 60%, and errors in the urine test should be taken into account.

Buprenorphine Implatns Show Improvement in Opioid-Dependent Patients

Gas Flares Have Impact on Local Land

Gas flares, which is a process of burning off excess gas from an oil well, release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, which also effects the soil fertility in the surrounding areas. A study done in Nigeria looks at the perceived effects of these gas flares.

Maxwell Science

Differences in Mosquito Genes May be Key to Preventing Insect-Bourn Ilnesses

A certain species of mosquito has the ability to take blood from both mammals and birds, which increases the likelihood of new diseases showing up in humans. Other mosquitos, however, do not have this ability, and this may be the key to preventing diseases like the West Nile Virus.

Science Mag