EurekAlert! - Breaking News

Study highlights from November issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In the November issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, a study out of Stanford University found that Barrett's esophagus was detected in six percent of asymptomatic women undergoing endoscopic screening. Also, researchers from France demonstrated the accuracy of EUS-FNA in diagnosing and determining the malignant behavior of pancreatic endocrine tumors. A US study found EUS and EUS-FNA in pediatric patients to be feasible, safe and have a significant impact on pediatric gastrointestinal, pancreatobiliary and mediastinal diseases.

University of Minnesota invention will help speed development of drug treatments for heart failure

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Research conducted by University of Minnesota scientists, in collaboration with Celladon Corporation, has led to the invention of technology to more rapidly identify compounds for the treatment of heart failure.

Polymer with honeycomb structure

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Two-dimensional carbon layers, so-called graphenes, are regarded as a possible substitute for silicon in the semiconductor industry. The electronic properties of these layers can be varied by "building in" specific arrays of holes in their structure. Physicists at Empa, together with chemists from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz have, for the first time, succeeded in synthesizing a graphene-like porous polymer with atomic accuracy.

New chameleon species discovered in East Africa

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A new species of chameleon has been discovered in a threatened forest in Tanzania.

Insect resistance to Bt crops can be predicted, monitored and managed

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

With Bt crop acreage increasing worldwide, incorporating enhanced understanding of observed patterns of field-evolved resistance into future resistance management strategies can help to minimize the drawbacks and maximize the benefits of current and future generations of transgenic crops.

Using new technique, scientists find 11 times more aftershocks for 2004 quake

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Using a technique normally used for detecting weak tremor, scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered that the 2004 magnitude 6 earthquake along the Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault exhibited almost 11 times more aftershocks than previously thought.

Amid the flu epidemic, don't forget RSV in young children

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

An analysis of emergency department visits at Children's Hospital Boston shows that respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) takes a substantially greater disease toll among young children than does seasonal flu. Children infected with RSV had more than twice as many ED visits and six times more hospitalizations than those with seasonal flu. Though the data are pre-H1N1, they're a reminder not to relax public health vigilance. RSV season generally doesn't peak until January.

Killer fungus threatening amphibians

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Amphibians like frogs and toads have existed for 360 million years and survived when the dinosaurs didn't, but a new aquatic fungus is threatening to make many of them extinct, according to an article in the November issue of Microbiology Today.

Intensive land management leaves Europe without carbon sinks

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A new calculation of Europe's greenhouse gas balance shows that emissions of methane and nitrous oxide tip the balance and eliminate Europe's terrestrial sink of greenhouse gases.

We're off then: The evolution of bat migration

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Researchers reconstruct the evolution of bat migration with the aid of a mathematical model.

Flaxseed oil and osteoporosis

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Animal studies suggest that adding flaxseed oil to the diet could reduce the risk of osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and women with diabetes, according to a report to be published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.

Visual assistance for cosmic blind spots

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Information field theory enables astronomers, medical practitioners and geologists to look into places where their measuring instruments are blind.

Research and legislation should go hand in hand, as much as possible

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Mr. Carlos Maria Romeo Casabona, from the Faculty of Law of the University of the Basque Country is researching into law focused on science and technology to do with genetics and, above all, with human health.

Drug side effects a key factor in reduced quality of life for kidney transplant patients

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Researchers surveyed 55 patients who had received a kidney transplant in the last year and 105 who had had surgery in the last one to three years to assess their quality of life. They discovered that patients had higher levels of social support, felt more positive and were able to cope better in the first year after surgery than one to three years post transplant.

Research reveals exactly how coughing is triggered by environmental irritants

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Scientists have revealed how environmental irritants such as air pollution and cigarette smoke cause people to cough, in research published today in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The authors of the study, from Imperial College London and the University of Hull, have identified the reaction inside the lungs that can trigger coughing when a person is exposed to particular irritants in the air. They suggest that their findings may ultimately lead to the development of new treatments for chronic coughing.

Straightening messy correlations with a quantum comb

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Dong Yang and Jens Eisert of the University of Potsdam have shown how to delicately comb out a snarl of entanglements among many qubits while keeping the information intact.

New computer-developed map shows more extensive valley network on Mars

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In a newly published study, scientists used an innovative computer program to produce a more detailed global map of Mars' valley networks. It shows the networks are much more extensive than had been previously depicted. Regions that are most densely dissected by the valley networks roughly form a belt around the planet, consistent with a past climate scenario that included precipitation and the presence of an ocean covering a large portion of Mars' northern hemisphere.

New research shows versatility of amniotic fluid stem cells

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.

How green is your house?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Seventy percent of households always separate their rubbish for recycling, but only 2 percent buy their energy on a green tariff, according to the early findings of a major new annual household survey, called "Understanding Society," funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Daycare may double TV time for young children, study finds

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In a new study, the amount of television viewed by many young children in child care settings doubles the previous estimates of early childhood screen time, with those in home-based settings watching significantly more on average than those in center-based daycares.

Exposure to lead, tobacco smoke raises risk of ADHD

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Children exposed prenatally to tobacco smoke and during childhood to lead face a particularly high risk for ADHD, according to research done at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. The new study appearing online in Pediatrics estimates that up to 35 percent of ADHD cases in children between the ages of 8 and 15 could be reduced by eliminating both of these environmental exposures.

Johns Hopkins researchers track down protein responsible for chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A protein known to stimulate blood vessel growth has now been found to be responsible for the cell overgrowth in the development of polyps that characterize one of the most severe forms of sinusitis, a study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests. The finding gives scientists a new target for developing novel therapies to treat this form of the disease, which typically resists all current treatments.

Burned out, depressed surgeons more likely to commit more major medical errors

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Surgeons who are burned out or depressed are more likely to say they had recently committed a major error on the job, according to the largest study to date on physician burnout. The new findings suggest that the mental well-being of the surgeon is associated with a higher rate of self-reported medical errors, something that may undermine patient safety more than the fatigue that is often blamed for many of the medical mistakes.

New study links alcohol in pregnancy to child behavior problems

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A new study from Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has found evidence that the amount and timing of alcohol consumption in pregnancy affects child behavior in different ways.The study has just been published online in the international journal Addiction.

New understanding about mechanism for cell death after stroke leads to possible therapy

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Scientists at the Brain Research Centre, a partnership of the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, have uncovered new information about the mechanism by which brain cells die following a stroke, as well as a possible way to mitigate that damage. The results of the study were recently published online in Nature Medicine.

New cancer target for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Physician-scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered a molecular mechanism that may prove to be a powerful target for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects lymphocytes, or white blood cells. By exploiting this mechanism, researchers have been able to powerfully suppress tumor formation in lab testing and in animal models.

Cancer metabolism discovery uncovers new role of IDH1 gene mutation in brain cancer

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Agios Pharmaceuticals scientists have established, for the first time, that the mutated IDH1 gene has a novel enzyme activity consistent with a cancer-causing gene, or oncogene. The mutated form of IDH1 produces a metabolite, 2-hydroxyglutarate, which may contribute to the formation and malignant progression of gliomas, the most common type of brain cancers, through altered metabolic activity. This discovery appears to reverse the previously held belief that IDH1 was non functional for cancer-causing activity.

New hydrogen-storage method discovered

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Scientists at the Carnegie Institution have found for the first time that high pressure can be used to make a unique hydrogen-storage material. The discovery paves the way for a new approach to the hydrogen-storage problem. The researchers found that the normally nonreactive, noble gas xenon combines with molecular hydrogen under pressure to form a previously unknown solid with unusual bonding chemistry. The discovery debuts a new family of materials, which could boost hydrogen technologies.

Bioengineers succeed in producing plastic without the use of fossil fuels

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

South Korean scientists succeed in producing the polymers used for everyday plastics through bioengineering, rather than through the use of fossil fuel based chemicals, heralding the creation of environmentally conscious plastics.

Butterfly proboscis to sip cells

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A butterfly's proboscis looks like a straw -- long, slender and used for sipping -- but it works more like a paper towel, according to Konstantin Kornev of Clemson University. He hopes to borrow the tricks of this piece of insect anatomy to make small probes that can sample the fluid inside of cells.

Robotic clam digs in mudflats

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

To design a lightweight anchor that can dig itself in to hold small underwater submersibles, Anette Hosoi of MIT borrowed techniques from one of nature's best diggers -- the razor clam.

Measuring and modeling blood flow in malaria

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

When people have malaria, they are infected with Plasmodium parasites, which enter the body from the saliva of a mosquito, infect cells in the liver, and then spread to red blood cells. Inside the blood cells, the parasites replicate and also begin to expose adhesive proteins on the cell surface that change the physical nature of the cells in the bloodstream.

Gene mismatch influences success of bone marrow transplants

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics. When the gene, called UGT2B17, is missing from the donor's genome but present in the recipient's, transplants have a significantly greater risk of a serious side-effect known as graft-versus-host disease, in which immune cells from the donor attack tissues in the recipient.

Surface bacteria maintain skin's healthy balance

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

On the skin's surface, bacteria are abundant, diverse and constant, but inflammation is undesirable. Research at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine now shows that the normal bacteria living on the skin surface trigger a pathway that prevents excessive inflammation after injury.

Beyond sunlight: Explorers census 17,650 ocean species between edge of darkness and black abyss

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

En route to historic 1st global Census of Marine Life (Oct. 2010), scientists have inventoried an astonishing abundance, diversity and distribution of deep sea species that have never known sunlight -- creatures that somehow manage a living in a frigid black world down to 5000 meters (three miles) below the ocean waves.

Nuclear weapons: Predicting the unthinkable

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

If a nuclear weapon were detonated in a metropolitan area, how large would the affected area be? Where should first responders first go?

Generating electricity from air flow

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A group of researchers at the City College of New York is developing a new way to generate power for planes and automobiles based on materials known as piezoelectrics, which convert the kinetic energy of motion into electricity. They will present their concept later this month at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society's (APS) Division of Fluid Dynamics will take place from Nov. 22-24 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Aquatic creatures mix ocean water

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Understanding mixing in the ocean is of fundamental importance to modeling climate change or predicting the effects of an El Niño on our weather. Modern ocean models primarily incorporate the effects of winds and tides. However, they do not generally take into account the mixing generated by swimming animals.

Systems biology approach provides insulin resistance insights

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego recently offered the sharpest-yet picture of how core biochemical pathways in skeletal muscle cells and fat cells are altered in people who suffer from insulin resistance -- a primary defect in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Taking a systems biology approach, the bioengineers and medical researchers also determined how a common class of drugs for treating insulin resistance -- TZDs -- alter these same core pathways.

Is global warming unstoppable?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In a provocative new study, a University of Utah scientist argues that rising carbon dioxide emissions -- the major cause of global warming -- cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses or society builds the equivalent of one new nuclear power plant each day.

Smartphone app illuminates power consumption

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A new application for the Android smartphone shows users and software developers how much power their applications are consuming. PowerTutor was developed by doctoral students and professors at the University of Michigan.

Effect of real-time CPR feedback reported at resuscitation science symposium

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium is the largest clinical research network to study prehospital treatments for cardiac arrest in the United States and Canada. ROC conducted the first randomized study to assess if real-time audio-feedback, during the EMS prehospital course of care, would improve clinical outcome. Results of the study were presented on November 15 during the Resuscitation Science Symposium 2009 program.

Saving the single cysteine: New antioxidant system found

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines.

High blood pressure easy to miss in children with kidney disease

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Spot blood pressure readings in children with chronic kidney disease often fail to detect hypertension -- even during doctor's office visits -- increasing a child's risk for serious heart problems, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center and other institutions. A report of the findings appears online in the Journal of American Society of Nephrology.

It's a gas: New discovery may lead to heartier, high-yielding plants

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In a research report in the November 2009 journal Genetics, scientists show how a family of genes (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase, or ACS genes), in the weed Arabidopsis thaliana, are responsible for production of ethylene. This gas affects many aspects of plant development, and this information, which will be applicable to other plants, lays the foundation for future genetic manipulation that could make plants disease resistant, able to survive and thrive in difficult terrain, and increase yields.

International expedition investigates climate change, alternative fuels in Arctic

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

NRL marine biogeochemistry and geology and geophysics scientists return from Arctic expedition exploring methane hydrate deposits in the Beaufort Sea and spatial variation of sediment contribution to Arctic climate change.

New method to measure snow, vegetation moisture with GPS may benefit farmers, meteorologists

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A research team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder has found a clever way to use traditional GPS satellite signals to measure snow depth as well as soil and vegetation moisture, a technique expected to benefit meteorologists, water resource managers, climate modelers and farmers.

Genetic analysis helps dissect molecular basis of cardiovascular disease

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Using highly precise measurements of plasma lipoprotein concentrations determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, researchers performed genetic association analysis across the whole genome among 17,296 women of European ancestry. This large scale analysis of the effects of common genetic variation on plasma lipoprotein profile, a critical component of cardiovascular risk, identified 43 genetic loci contributing to lipoprotein metabolism. The findings are published on Nov. 20 in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.

Researchers identify role of gene in tumor development, growth and progression

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine researchers have identified a gene that may play a pivotal role in two processes that are essential for tumor development, growth and progression to metastasis.

Older problem drinkers use more alcohol than do their younger counterparts

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found. The findings suggest that older problem drinkers may have developed a tolerance for alcohol and need to drink even more than younger abusers to achieve the effects they seek.

ESC to give talks on diabetes in 3 cities in China

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

As a result of successful events organized last year, a second Joint Scientific Forum, organized by the European Society of Cardiology and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, two of the most respected professional medical organizations in Europe, will be held from Nov. 27-29 at three venues across China -- Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Just like old times: Generating RNA molecules in water

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A key question in the origin of biological molecules like RNA and DNA is how they first came together billions of years ago from simple precursors. Now, in a study appearing in this week's JBC, researchers in Italy have reconstructed one of the earliest evolutionary steps yet: generating long chains of RNA from individual subunits using nothing but warm water.

From toxic dust and algae to ill winds from Africa

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Media tipsheet on USGS scientific presentations at SETAC conference, Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

Barn personnel experience higher-than-average rates of respiratory symptoms

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The estimated 4.6 million Americans involved in the equine industry may be at risk of developing respiratory symptoms due to poor air quality in horse barns, according to a questionnaire study undertaken earlier this year by investigators at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity.

Rare pancreatic cancer patients may live longer when treated with radiation therapy

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Radiation therapy is effective in achieving local control and palliation in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, despite such tumors being commonly considered resistant to radiation therapy, according to a largest of its kind study in the Nov. 15 issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

Flax and yellow flowers can produce bioethanol

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Surplus biomass from the production of flax sheaves, and generated from Brassica carinata, a yellow-flowered plant related to those which engulf fields in spring, can be used to produce bioethanol. This has been suggested by two studies carried out by Spanish and Dutch researchers and published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.

Discovery of new type of immune cells regulating inflammation in chronic diseases

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen and the Center of Allergy and Environment of Technische Universitaet Muenchen have discovered a new type of immune cells -- the Th22 cells -- which can protect the body against inflammation and aid in tissue repair.

Watching a cannibal galaxy dine

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A new technique using near-infrared images, obtained with ESO's 3.58-meter New Technology Telescope, allows astronomers to see through the opaque dust lanes of the giant cannibal galaxy Centaurus A, unveiling its "last meal" in unprecedented detail -- a smaller spiral galaxy, currently twisted and warped. This amazing image also shows thousands of star clusters, strewn like glittering gems, churning inside Centaurus A.

Biologists discover bacterial defense mechanism against aggressive oxygen

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Bacteria possess an ingenious mechanism for preventing oxygen from harming the building blocks of the cell. This is the new finding of a team of biologists that includes Joris Messens of VIB, a life sciences research institute in Flanders, Belgium, connected to the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.

More than powerful! German research computer QPACE is the most energy efficient in the world

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

At the 2009 Supercomputing Conference in Portland, Ore., the high-performance computer QPACE (QCD Parallel Computing on the Cell) was recognized today as the most energy-efficient supercomputer in the world. QPACE is at the head of the Green500 list, which provides a global ranking of energy-efficient supercomputers.

Delft breakthrough in bioethanol production from agricultural waste

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

With the introduction of a single bacterial gene into yeast, researchers from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands achieved three improvements in bioethanol production from agricultural waste material: "More ethanol, less acetate and elimination of the major by-product glycerol." This week the invention was published in the scientific journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Possible link studied between childhood abuse and early cellular aging

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Researchers from Brown University and Butler Hospital have determined that children who suffer physical or emotional abuse may be faced with accelerated cellular aging as adults. The findings are published online in the journal Biological Psychiatry. A print version of the article is also expected.

Novel K-anonymity algorithm safeguards access to data

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

As electronic health records become more widely deployed, increasing amounts of health information are being collected. This data has many beneficial applications, such as research, public health, and health system planning. In a recent study, Dr. Khaled El Emam, the Canada Research Chair in Electronic Health Information at the CHEO Research Institute argues that there is a need for robust de-identification of patient data to avoid the negative impact that individual consent requirements have on studies using health record data for secondary purposes.

Researchers begin to decipher metabolism of sexual assault drug

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

It's a naturally occurring brain chemical with an unwieldy name: 4-hydroxybutyrate (4-HB). Taken by mouth, it can be abused or used as a date-rape drug.

Now, a team of Ohio and Michigan scientists have determined new routes by which 4-HB is metabolized by the body. "This is new and important information," said K. Michael Gibson, professor and chair of biological sciences at Michigan Technological University and a member of the research team.

Ultrasound enhances noninvasive Down syndrome tests

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The addition of a "genetic sonogram" maximizes the accuracy of noninvasive testing for Down syndrome, said a Baylor College of Medicine researcher who was lead author of a landmark study in the current issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Funeral industry workers exposed to formaldehyde face higher risk of leukemia

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Long durations of exposure to formaldehyde used for embalming in the funeral industry were associated with an increased risk of death from myeloid leukemia, according to a new study published online Nov. 20 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Reasonable alternative to invasive biopsy of palpable breast lesions with benign imaging features identified

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Short-term follow-up is a reasonable alternative to invasive biopsy of palpable (capable of being touched or felt) breast lesions with benign imaging features, particularly in younger women with probable fibroadenoma (non-cancerous tumors that often occur in women during their reproductive years), according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Medical imaging technique identifies very common condition in women that often goes undiagnosed

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In women with lower urinary tract symptoms, a medical imaging technique called dynamic MRI allows clinicians to diagnose pelvic organ prolapse -- a condition that often goes undiagnosed on static MRI and at physical examination, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Simple blood test could reduce repeat breast MRI scans in premenopausal women with irregular periods

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A simple blood test corresponding to the follicular phase (days 3-14) of a normal menstrual cycle can aid in optimal scheduling of breast MRI exams in premenopausal women with irregular cycles -- possibly reducing the number of repeat scans and non-diagnostic tests patients experience and providing clearer images on which doctors make their recommendations, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Chest ultrasound as useful as chest CT in the eval of pediatric patients with complicated pneumonia

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Chest ultrasound can serve as a viable alternative to chest CT in the evaluation of pediatric patients with complicated pneumonia and parapneumonic effusion (a build-up of fluid between the lung and chest wall), according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Radiology procedure may help increase long-term survival in patients with severe liver cancer

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In patients with unresectable (unable to be removed by surgery) liver cancer, an interventional radiology procedure called triple-drug transcatheter arterial chemoemobolization followed by a liver transplant may significantly increase a patient's chance of long-term survival, according to a study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Parent training complements medication for treating behavioral problems in children with PDD

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Treatment that includes medication plus a structured training program for parents reduces serious behavioral problems in children with autism and related conditions, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Promoting healthy skepticism in the news: Helping journalists get it right

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

An editorial published online November 20 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute discusses the exaggerated fears and hopes that often appear in news coverage of cancer research. The editorial provides guidance for both the media and journals to help alleviate the problem.

Projections of savings from health IT are baseless, Harvard researchers say

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The increased computerization in US hospitals hasn't made them cheaper or more efficient, Harvard researchers say, although it may have modestly improved the quality of care for heart attacks. The findings contradict claims by President Obama and many lawmakers that health information technology, including electronic medical records, will save billions and help make reform affordable. The study uses data from the most extensive survey ever undertaken of hospital computerization.

Dispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to save money. New research from the University of Chicago quantifies the savings for the first time.

Therapy 32 times more cost effective at increasing happiness than money

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Research by the University of Warwick and the University of Manchester finds that psychological therapy could be 32 times more cost effective at making you happy than simply obtaining more money. The research has obvious implications for large compensation awards in law courts but also has wider implications for general public health.

UAB researchers discover antibody receptor identity, propose renaming immune-system gene

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

In what has eluded discovery for 30 years, scientists have identified a cellular receptor for the immune system's first-response antibody immunoglobulin M (IgM). The proposed name is the Fc mu receptor gene; it describes a key region of the IgM antibody that binds this receptor and fills in a crucial gap in understanding the science behind immune deficiencies and allergy diseases, says UAB researchers.

UCSB physicists move 1 step closer to quantum computing

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Physicists at UC Santa Barbara have made an important advance in electrically controlling quantum states of electrons, a step that could help in the development of quantum computing. The work is published online today on the Science Express Web site.

Bone implant offers hope for skull deformities

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon.

New maize map to aid plant breeding efforts

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A massive survey of genetic diversity in maize has produced a gene map that should pave the way to significant improvements in a plant that is a major source of food, fuel, animal feed and fiber around the world.

Paleontologists find extinction rates higher in open-ocean settings during mass extinctions

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Arnie Miller, University of Cincinnati professor of paleontology in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences, and co-author Michael Foote of the University of Chicago publish their research in the Nov. 20 issue of Science with their paper, "Epicontinental Seas Versus Open-Ocean Settings: The Kinetics of Mass Extinction and Origination."

Sweet -- sugared polymer a new weapon against allergies and asthma

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Scientists at Johns Hopkins and their colleagues have developed sugar-coated polymer strands that selectively kill off cells involved in triggering aggressive allergy and asthma attacks. Their advance is a significant step toward crafting pharmaceuticals to fight these often life-endangering conditions in a new way.

Shifting blame is socially contagious

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Merely observing someone publicly blame an individual in an organization for a problem -- even when the target is innocent -- greatly increases the odds that the practice of blaming others will spread with the tenacity of the H1N1 flu.

New map of variation in maize genetics holds promise for developing new varieties

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A new study of maize has identified thousands of diverse genes in genetically inaccessible portions of the genome. New techniques may allow breeders and researchers to use this genetic variation to identify desirable traits and create new varieties that were not easily possible before.

Mother's depression a risk factor in childhood asthma symptoms, study suggests

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Maternal depression can worsen asthma symptoms in their children, according to research from Johns Hopkins Children's Center published online in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology.

New findings suggest strategy to help generate HIV-neutralizing antibodies

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

New discoveries about anti-HIV antibodies may bring researchers a step closer to creating an effective HIV vaccine, according to a new paper co-authored by scientists at the Vaccine Research Center of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Poverty measurement in the US: Income transfers alone won't eradicate poverty

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Government-based poverty intervention through income transfers may skew poverty level measurement in US.

Nanotube defects equal better energy and storage systems

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Most people would like to be able to charge their cell phones and other personal electronics quickly and not too often. A recent discovery made by UC San Diego engineers could lead to carbon nanotube-based supercapacitors that could do just this.

Maize cell wall genes identified, giving boost to biofuel research

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Purdue University scientists have helped identify and group the genes thought to be responsible for cell wall development in maize, an effort that expands their ability to discover ways to produce the biomass best suited for biofuels production.

New research into the mechanisms of gene regulation

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A team of scientists led by Penn State's Ross Hardison has taken a large step toward unraveling how regulatory proteins control the production of gene products during development and growth. They focused specifically on the complex process of producing red blood cells (erythrocytes). These cells contain large amounts of hemoglobin, a molecule essential for transporting oxygen throughout the body. The research results could help in the development of important new therapies to combat sickle-cell disease.

ORNL, Los Alamos pioneer new approach to assist scientists, farmers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Sustainable farming, initially adopted to preserve soil quality for future generations, may also play a role in maintaining a healthy climate, according to researchers at the US Department of Energy's Oak Ridge and Los Alamos national laboratories.

Microorganism may provide key to combating giant salvinia throughout Louisiana

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A team of researchers at Louisiana Tech University has found that a naturally occurring microorganism acts as a natural herbicide against giant salvinia.

The developing child: Rating aggressive and delinquent behavior in pre-adolescence

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A study published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry show that heavy criticism from a parent can increase aggressive behavior in some children.

Scripps research scientists find new link between insulin and core body temperature

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A team led by scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have discovered a direct link between insulin -- a hormone long associated with metabolism and metabolic disorders such as diabetes -- and core body temperature. While much research has been conducted on insulin since its discovery in the 1920s, this is the first time the hormone has been connected to the fundamental process of temperature regulation.

Preventing H1N1 spread to health care workers: Dilemma, debate and confusion

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

A commentary in the December issue of the Lancet Infectious Diseases brings to light the gaps in knowledge on the transmission of the influenza virus and its impact on decisions about how best to protect health care workers. Infectious diseases specialist Leonard Mermel, D.O., looks at the ongoing debate in light of the H1N1 pandemic, what past research tells us about the spread of influenza and what is missing in the debate.

Highlighting racial disparities increases coverage and effectiveness of health news

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

As media researchers search for better methods to reach audiences, a new University of Missouri study published in Public Relations Review has found that highlighting racial disparities in news releases increases coverage of health stories in black newspapers, which can improve health outcomes in populations at risk for disparities.

An atomic-level look at an HIV accomplice

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Since the discovery in 2007 that a component of human semen called SEVI boosts infectivity of the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have been trying to learn more about SEVI and how it works, in hopes of thwarting its infection-promoting activity.

Tips from the Journals of the American Society for Microbiology

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

The following are tips from the Journals of the American Society for Microbiology: "Bacterially Produced Antifungal on Skin of Amphibians May Protect Against Lethal Fungus"; "New Therapy May be Effective Against Bacterial Infections and Sepsis"; and "Tooth-Binding Micelles Containing Antimicrobials May Provide Long-Term Cavity Protection."

Causative gene of a rare disorder discovered by sequencing only protein-coding regions of genome

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

More that 7,000 rare disorders in aggregate affect millions of people. Researchers have now shown that it may be possible to more quickly identify the causative gene for many of these disorders by sequencing only the protein-coding regions of the genome. This can be done on unrelated individuals, thereby avoiding the need for large families for such studies.