July 17, 2008 Science NewsMen and women may need different diets: research Diet can strongly influence how long you live and your reproductive success, but now scientists have discovered that what works for males can be very different for females. Teen smokers struggle to kick the habit; most want to quit and can't Most teenagers who smoke cigarettes make repeated attempts to quit but most are unsuccessful, according to new research from the Université de Montréal and funded by the Canadian Cancer Society. Archaeologists trace early irrigation farming in ancient Yemen In the remote desert highlands of southern Yemen, a team of archaeologists have discovered new evidence of ancient transitions from hunting and herding to irrigation agriculture 5,200 years ago. Can you be born a couch potato? The key to good health is to be physically active. The key to being active is- to be born that way? Genetic cause of innate resistance to HIV/AIDS Some people may be naturally resistant to infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The results of a study conducted by Dr. Nicole Bernard of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) bring us closer to a genetic explanation. Her study findings were published on July 16 in the journal AIDS. Fuel from food waste: bacteria provide power Researchers have combined the efforts of two kinds of bacteria to produce hydrogen in a bioreactor, with the product from one providing food for the other. A new method to weigh giant black holes How do you weigh the biggest black holes in the universe? One answer now comes from a new and independent technique that UC Irvine scientists and other astronomers have developed using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. First worldwide analysis of cancer survival finds wide variation between countries Cancer survival varies widely between countries according to a worldwide study published online today in Lancet Oncology.* More than 100 investigators contributed to the study. Spotted hyenas can increase survival rates by hunting alone Recent research by Michigan State University doctoral student Jennifer Smith has shed new light on the way spotted hyenas live together and - more importantly - hunt for their food alone. D-cycloserine may improve behavioral therapy treatment for anxiety Anxiety is a normal human response to stress, but in some, it can develop into a disabling disorder of excessive and irrational fears, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Effective treatments are available and can involve either behavioral therapy or medications. Asthma and other allergies tied to absence of specialized cells When it comes to allergies, both the problem and the solution are found within us. Our immune systems respond to foreign substances with an arsenal of cells. NEJM: Low-fat diets not best for weight loss: New study by Ben-Gurion U. of the Negev A two-year study led by researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) reveals that low-carbohydrate and Mediterranean diets may be just as safe and effective in achieving weight loss as the standard, medically prescribed low-fat diet, according to a new study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine. Brown papers reveal widespread, hardworking water on ancient Mars For decades, scientists have theorized - romanticized, even - that Mars has harbored water. The evidence has grown stronger as recent missions to the Red Planet have revealed in stunning detail Martian topography, mineralogy and clues to past climate. But how much water, where it was or is located and what it was doing have been hard to pin down. People only eat 1 when the chips are brown Dr. Don Henne isn't wasting his degree when he's standing by the deep fryer waiting for potato slices to turn brown. He's conducting research that will help the potato industry and consumers. Gene variant found in those with African ancestry increases odds of HIV infection A variant of a gene found only in people of African ancestry increases the odds of becoming infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) by 40 percent, according to a long-term study of African Americans reported in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, a publication of Cell Press. New Findings Show Diverse, Wet Environments on Ancient Mars Mars once hosted vast lakes, flowing rivers and a variety of other wet environments that had the potential to support life, according to two new studies based on data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) and other instruments on board NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). Booster vaccination may help with possible future avian influenza pandemic New evidence suggests that a booster vaccination against H5N1 avian influenza given years after initial vaccination with a different strain may prove useful in controlling a potential future pandemic. The study is published in the August 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online. Genetic variation increases HIV risk in Africans A genetic variation which evolved to protect people of African descent against malaria has now been shown to increase their susceptibility to HIV infection by up to 40 per cent, according to new research. Conversely, the same variation also appears to prolong survival of those infected with HIV by approximately two years. MDCT, virtual gastroscopy and MPR images differentiate malignant and benign gastric ulcers Multidetector CT using virtual gastroscopy and post contrast enhanced multiplanar reformation images can be useful in differentiating between malignant and benign gastric ulcers, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Ouch! Taking a Shot at Plague: Vaccine Offers Hope for Endangered Ferrets in Plague Outbreak Endangered black-footed ferrets, like children, aren't exactly lining up to be stuck with a vaccine, but in an effort to help control an extensive outbreak of plague in South Dakota, some of the ferrets are getting dosed with a vaccine given by biologists. Tips on how to build a better home for biological parts Researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech have compiled a series of guidelines that should help researchers in their efforts to design, develop and manage next-generation databases of biological parts. New Approach Sheds Light on Ways Circadian Disruption Affects Human Health Growing evidence indicates that exposure to irregular patterns of light and darkness can cause the human circadian system to fall out of synchrony with the 24-hour solar day, negatively affecting human health - but scientists have been unable to effectively study the relationship between circadian disruptions and human maladies. Psychological and social issues associated with tooth loss Are feelings of depression overwhelming you? Is your self-esteem an issue? Having problems advancing in life or your career? Maybe you feel nervous or self conscious in social settings? Do you avoid social settings all together? Check your smile; tooth loss could be the culprit and you're not alone. Largest review of office-based plastic surgery confirms safety in accredited facilities A study examining plastic surgery procedures performed in accredited outpatient facilities found that office-based surgery is as safe as surgery performed in hospitals. Drug lowers body's 'set point' to control hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients A medication called cinacalcet-an important part of treatment to control high levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in patients receiving dialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD)-works by resetting the balance between calcium and PTH levels, according to a study in the November Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). New research from Rhode Island Hospital may help predict outcomes for stomach cancer patients Researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have identified two potential molecular markers that may predict outcomes for patients with stomach cancer, one of the most common and fatal cancers worldwide. Tobacco industry manipulated cigarette menthol content to recruit new smokers among young people Menthol cigarette brands have been rising in popularity with adolescents, and the highest use has been among younger, newer smokers. Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) explored tobacco industry manipulation of menthol levels in specific brands and found a deliberate strategy to recruit and addict young smokers by adjusting menthol to create a milder experience for the first time smoker. First human use of new device to make arrhythmia treatment safer On June 16, 2008, Barbara Ganschow of Palatine, IL, became the first person in the world to be successfully treated with a new device designed to make it safer and easier for heart specialists to create a hole in the cardiac atrial septum. New protocol streamlines therapy that makes more kidney transplants possible A new therapy developed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center improves transplant rates and outcomes for patients awaiting living- and deceased-donor kidney transplantation, according to a study published in the July 17 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Kidney damage caused by iodinated contrast material thought to be overestimated, study shows The use of iodinated contrast material may be less damaging to the kidneys than previously recorded, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, NY. After ER visit, many patients in a fog, U-M study finds Every year, more than 115 million patients enter emergency rooms at hospitals around the nation. And more than three-quarters of them leave with an impression of what happened - or what should happen next - that doesn't match what their emergency care team would want. |
||||||||
|
||||||||