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| Will earlier springs throw nature out of step? Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
The recent trend towards earlier UK springs and summers has been accelerating, according to a study published today in the scientific journal Global Change Biology. The collaborative study, involving scientists from 12 UK research institutions, universities and conservation organisations, is the most comprehensive and rigorous assessment so far of long-term changes in the seasonal timing of biological events across marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments in the UK. |
| Drug shows promise for Huntington's disease Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
An early stage clinical trial of the experimental drug dimebon (latrepirdine) in people with Huntington's disease appears to be safe and may improve cognition. That is the conclusion of a study published today in the Archives of Neurology. |
| Study reveals new details on the dangers of third-hand smoke Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Nicotine in third-hand smoke, the residue from tobacco smoke that clings to virtually all surfaces long after a cigarette has been extinguished, reacts with the common indoor air pollutant nitrous acid to produce dangerous carcinogens. This new potential health hazard was revealed in a multi-institutional study led by researchers with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. |
| Gadgets not related to teenagers' brain pain Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Use of most electronic media is not associated with headaches, at least not in adolescents. A study of 1,025 13- to 17-year-olds, published in the open-access journal BMC Neurology, found no association between the use of computer games, mobile phones or television and the occurrence of headaches or migraines. However, listening to one or two hours of music every day was associated with a pounding head. |
| Depressed people feel more gray than blue Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state. Researchers writing in the open-access journal BMC Medical Research Methodology describe the development of a color chart, the Manchester Color Wheel, which can be used to study people's preferred pigment in relation to their state of mind. |
| High-altitude climbs may cause corneal swelling, but do not appear to affect vision Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Swelling commonly occurs in the corneas of mountain climbers, but does not appear to affect vision at altitudes of up to 6,300 meters (about 20,670 feet), according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. |
| Glaucoma medications may be associated with reduced risk of death over 4-year period Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Glaucoma patients who take medication for the condition appear to have a reduced likelihood of death, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. |
| Marijuana ineffective as an Alzheimer's treatment: UBC-Vancouver Coastal Health research Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
The benefits of marijuana in tempering or reversing the effects of Alzheimer's disease have been challenged in a new study by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. |
| Medication appears well-tolerated, beneficial in Huntington's disease patients Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A medication previously studied in patients with Alzheimer's disease (latrepirdine) appears well tolerated and may improve thinking, learning and memory skills among individuals with Huntington's disease, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. |
| Hypertension may predict dementia in older adults with certain cognitive deficits Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
High blood pressure appears to predict the progression to dementia in older adults with impaired executive functions (ability to organize thoughts and make decisions) but not in those with memory dysfunction, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. |
| Lower detection of prostate cancer with PSA screening in US than in a European randomized trial Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Fewer prostate cancers were detected by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in the US than in a European randomized trial because of lower screening sensitivity, according to a new brief communication published online February 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. |
| Usual care often not consistent with clinical guidelines for low back pain Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Australian general practitioners often treat patients with low back pain in a manner that does not appear to match the care endorsed by international clinical guidelines, according to a report in the Feb. 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. |
| Study examines course and treatment of unexplained chest pain Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Fewer than half of individuals who have "non-specific" chest pain (not explained by a well-known condition) experience relief from symptoms following standard medical care, according to a report in the Feb. 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. In addition, one-tenth of those with persistent chest pain undergo potentially unnecessary diagnostic testing. |
| Brown biologist solves mystery of tropical grasses' origin Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Brown University biologist Erika Edwards and a colleague have found that rainfall, not temperature, was the primary trigger for the evolutionary beginnings of C4 tropical grasses. Their results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. |
| Caltech neuroscientists discover brain area responsible for fear of losing money Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Neuroscientists at the California Institute of Technology and their colleagues have tied the human aversion to losing money to a specific structure in the brain -- the amygdala. |
| Patients 'unafraid' to gamble highlight role of amygdala in decision-making Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Two patients with rare lesions to the brain have provided direct of evidence of how we make decisions -- and what makes us dislike the thought of losing money. |
| JCI online early table of contents: Feb. 8, 2010 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
This release contains summaries, links to PDFs, and contact information for the following newsworthy papers to be published online, Feb. 8, 2010, in the JCI: Marker of Ewing sarcoma: potential new drug target?; Enhancing arrest of cell growth to treat cancer in mice; New approach to treating the kidney disease Alport syndrome?; Role for the protein HIF-2-alpha in Chuvash polycythemia; Rab25: a suppressor of tumor formation in intestines?; and Complete chemokine profile of a cell. |
| New CATCH rule to determine need for CT scans in children with minor head injury Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A new tool may help standardize the use of computed tomography (CT scans) in children with minor head injury and help reduce the number of scans, according to a new study in CMAJ. |
| Marker of Ewing sarcoma: Potential new drug target? Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Ewing sarcoma (EWS) is a bone tumor that affects children and young adults. The protein CD99 is highly expressed in most cases of EWS, but its function in the disease is unknown. Now, researchers have identified a crucial role for CD99 in the development of EWS and suggest that targeting CD99 or its downstream molecular pathway may be a new therapeutic approach for EWS. |
| Nicotine replacement therapy is over-promoted since most ex-smokers quit unassisted Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Health authorities should emphasize the positive message that the most successful method used by most ex-smokers is unassisted cessation, despite the promotion of cessation drugs by pharmaceutical companies and many tobacco control advocates. |
| Enhancing arrest of cell growth to treat cancer in mice Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
New research, to be published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, has identified a new type of cellular senescence (i.e., irreversible arrest of cell growth) and determined a way to enhance it to suppress prostate tumor development and growth in mice. These data suggest that enhancing this process might provide a new approach for cancer prevention and therapy. |
| Method of the future uses single-cell imaging to identify gene interactions Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Cellular imaging offers a wealth of data about how cells respond to stimuli, but harnessing this technique to study biological systems is a daunting challenge. In a study published online in Genome Research, researchers have developed a novel method of interpreting data from single-cell images to identify genetic interactions within biological networks, offering a glimpse into the future of high-throughput cell imaging analysis. |
| Antiretroviral therapy associated with increase in pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
In PLoS Medicine this week a study conducted in a multi-country HIV treatment program in sub-Saharan Africa has found that pregnancy rates increase in HIV-infected women after they start antiretroviral therapy. |
| Soft drink consumption may increase risk of pancreatic cancer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Increased sugar intake may stimulate tumor growth through effects of insulin.Pancreatic cancer rates increased nearly twofold over the past several decades.Drinking two or more soft drinks a week led to an 87 percent increased risk. |
| Research reveals link between beer and bone health Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A new study suggests that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, a key ingredient for increasing bone mineral density. Details of this study are available in the February issue of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the Society of Chemical Industry. |
| Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problems Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A Mediterranean diet may help people avoid the small areas of brain damage that can lead to problems with thinking and memory, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10-17, 2010. |
| Financial hardship contributes to diagnosis anxiety Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Women with medium or low levels of income are more susceptible to anxiety and depression after ductal carcinoma in situ diagnosis. |
| Medicare reimbursement change meant to save money has opposite effect Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Increased Medicare payments to physicians for outpatient surgeries for bladder cancer have led to a dramatic rise in the number of these procedures being performed and an overall increase in cost to the health care system. |
| UC Davis study confirms link between advanced maternal age and autism Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Advanced maternal age is linked to a significantly elevated risk of having a child with autism, regardless of the father's age, according to an exhaustive study of all births in California during the 1990s by UC Davis Health System researchers. |
| Family meals, adequate sleep and limited TV may lower childhood obesity Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A new national study suggests that preschool-aged children are likely to have a lower risk for obesity if they regularly engage in one or more of three specific household routines: eating dinner as a family, getting adequate sleep and limiting their weekday television viewing time. The study showed that 4-year-olds living in homes with all three routines had an almost 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than did children living in homes that practiced none of these routines. |
| Metabolite common among cancers Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A study published online on Feb. 8 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine reports that several distinct mutations found in a subset of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia result in excess production of the same metabolite. |
| The private sale of drugs in public hospitals Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Governments are under increasing pressure to provide access to expensive new drugs. Canadian patients who want access to drugs that are not publicly insured are seeking to pay for these drugs within public hospitals, states an article in CMAJ. |
| Hand-grip strength associated with poor survival Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Poor or declining hand-grip strength in the oldest old is associated with poor survival and may be used as a tool to assess mortality, found an article in CMAJ. The fastest growing segment of the elderly population is the group older than 85 years, classified as the oldest old. |
| More smokers than non-smokers accept HPV vaccination for their daughters Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A parent's existing health habits or behaviors, like cigarette smoking, may influence the likelihood that they will have their daughters vaccinated against HPV. |
| Morality research sheds light on the origins of religion Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
The details surrounding the emergence and evolution of religion have not been clearly established and remain a source of much debate among scholars. Now, an article published by Cell Press in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences on Feb. 8 brings a new understanding to this long-standing discussion by exploring the fascinating link between morality and religion. |
| A potent suppressor of endometrial cancer is revealed Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Treatment of endometrial cancer has not advanced significantly in 30 years and there are no screening tests to promote early detection. Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Harvard Medical School developed a new approach to specifically target genetic changes to the endometrial cells in mice. Using this new technique, they show that loss of an emerging tumor suppressor causes abnormal growth and widespread malignancy of cells lining the uterus. |
| Mice shed new light on causes of childhood deafness Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Mice with a genetic change that causes progressive hearing loss in children, also have hearing loss because sound waves are not processed properly. The ear's attempts to compensate for hearing loss may, ironically, cause further damage leading to complete hearing loss. These mice will allow detailed research into many forms of deafness, and bring closer the prospects of therapies to slow or halt hearing loss in both children and adults. |
| Few women take tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Less than a quarter of one percent of women took tamoxifen in 2000 and 2005 to prevent breast cancer.Further research is recommended to explore explanations for the drug's low use. |
| Conservation from space: Landscape diversity helps to conserve insects Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Rugged, hilly landscapes with a range of different habitat types can help maintain more stable butterfly populations and thus aid their conservation, according to new findings published today in the journal Ecology Letters. The research, carried out by scientists from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Butterfly Conservation and the University of York, has implications for how we might design landscapes better to help conserve species. |
| Women with gout at greater risk of heart attack than men Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Women with gout are at greater risk of a heart attack than men with the disease, indicates research published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. |
| Estrogen-only HRT may increase risk of asthma after menopause Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Estrogen-only hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of developing asthma after the menopause, suggests a large scale study published ahead of print in the journal Thorax. |
| Scientists identify first genetic variant linked to biological aging in humans Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
A new discovery has important implications for the understanding of cancer and age-associated diseases. |
| Virus-free technique enables Stanford scientists to easily make stem cells pluripotent Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Tiny circles of DNA are the key to a new and easier way to transform stem cells from human fat into induced pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Unlike other commonly used techniques, the method, which is based on standard molecular biology practices, does not use viruses to introduce genes into the cells or permanently alter a cell's genome. |
| Inhibiting serotonin in gut could cure osteoporosis Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
An investigational drug that inhibits serotonin in the gut, administered orally once daily, effectively cured osteoporosis in mice and rats, reports a new paper in Nature Medicine. Serotonin in the gut has been shown in recent research to stall bone formation. The finding could lead to new therapies that build new bone; most osteoporosis drugs only prevent the breakdown of old bone. |
| Gene that improves quality of reprogrammed stem cells identified by Singapore scientists Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
In Nature, Singapore scientists report that Tbx3 significantly improves quality of induced pluripotent stem cells. |
| Industrial cleaner linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Workers exposed to tricholorethylene, a chemical once widely used to clean metal such as auto parts, may be at a significantly higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto April 10-17, 2010. |
| Study finds higher risk of stillbirth in women with fibroids Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
In a study to be presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting, in Chicago, researchers will unveil findings that show that there is an increased risk of intrauterine fetal death, commonly known as stillbirth, in women who have fibroids. |
| Infection-fighting antibodies made in plants as effective as costlier conventional version Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
The first head-to-head comparison of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies produced from plants versus the same antibodies produced from mammalian cells has shown that plant-produced antibodies can fight infection equally well. Scientists conducted the comparison as a test of the potential for treating disease in developing nations with the significantly less expensive plant-based production technique. |
| February Geology and GSA Today Highlights Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
GEOLOGY presents studies of mineralized microfossils in the Yukon; what the Great Barrier Reef tells us about sea level; a new find in Japan of fossilized iridescent leaf-beetle wings; the puzzle of Ediacara biota; mammalian fossils in Mongolia; a dust bowl long before the Dust Bowl in the North American Great Plains; fish-eating semi-aquatic spinosaurs; evidence against the Lilliput Effect; and geochemical mapping of Mars. GSA TODAY explains how rock is converted to soil. |
| Princeton scientist makes a leap in quantum computing Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Princeton University's Jason Petta has demonstrated a method that alters the properties of a lone electron without disturbing the trillions of electrons in its immediate surroundings. The feat is essential to the development of future varieties of superfast computers with near-limitless capacities for data. |
| Youth who self-identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual at higher suicide risk, say Montreal researchers Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Mental health professionals have long-known that gay, lesbian and bisexual teens face significantly elevated risks of mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts and suicidal attempts. However, a group of McGill University researchers in Montreal has now come to the conclusion that self-identity is the crucial risk-factor, rather than actual sexual behaviors. Their results were published in February in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. |
| Blacks with MS have more severe symptoms, decline faster than whites, new study shows Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Fewer African Americans than Caucasians develop multiple sclerosis, statistics show, but their disease progresses more rapidly, and they don't respond as well to therapies, a new study by neurology researchers at the University at Buffalo has found. |
| Renewable oil companies Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
The entry of oil companies into the realm of renewable energy could present major obstacles for the development of a sustainable economy that is not based on carbon resources, according to a report in the International Journal of Green Economics. |
| Bioethics memory aid can help assess patient decision-making capacity in medical emergencies Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Physicians in training and bioethicists at Johns Hopkins have created an easy-to-remember checklist to help medical students and clinicians quickly assess a patient's decision-making capacity in an emergency. |
| Sweet! -- sugar plays key role in cell division Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Using an elaborate sleuthing system they developed to probe how cells manage their own division, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that common but hard-to-see sugar switches are partly in control. |
| Nearly half of Americans believe H1N1 outbreak is over, poll finds Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Poll shows almost half of Americans believe H1N1 flu outbreak is over and levels of concern about getting sick continue to decline. After initial period of vaccine shortage, 70 percent of adults said there is now enough vaccine in their community for everyone who wants it. More than half of parents either got the vaccine for their children or intend to. Many adults said they have not gotten the vaccine and do not intend to. |
| Carnegie Mellon first to measure energy released from a virus during infection Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
For the first time, Carnegie Mellon University physicist Alex Evilevitch has directly measured the energy associated with the expulsion of viral DNA, a pivotal discovery toward fully understanding the physical mechanisms that control viral infection and designing drugs to interfere with the process. |
| NTU researchers complete the world's first in-depth study of the malaria parasite genome Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Groundbreaking research done at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University's School of Biological Sciences could lead to the development of more potent drugs or a vaccine for malaria. Assistant Professor Zbynek Bozdech and his team of researchers, including graduate students and post-doctorals from SBS' Division of Genomics & Genetics, have scored a world first in successfully using transcriptional profiling to uncover hitherto unknown gene expression (activity) patterns in malaria. |
| MWC 2010: FlashFind -- lightning-fast search on mobile devices Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
Fraunhofer researchers will be presenting fast and easy-to-use search technologies for mobile devices at the 2010 Mobile World Congress. |
| Early artificial pancreas trials show benefits for kids, teenagers with diabetes overnight Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 EST |
In a landmark study in children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes, JDRF-funded researchers at the University of Cambridge showed that using a first-generation artificial pancreas system overnight can lower the risk of low blood sugar emergencies while sleeping, and at the same time improve diabetes control. |
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