August 21, 2008 Science Current EventsHubble sees magnetic monster in erupting galaxy The Hubble Space Telescope has found the answer to a long-standing puzzle by resolving giant but delicate filaments shaped by a strong magnetic field around the active galaxy NGC 1275. It is the most striking example of the influence of these immense tentacles of extragalactic magnetic fields, say researchers. Bone marrow stem cells may help control inflammatory bowel disease Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have found that infusions of a particular bone marrow stem cell appeared to protect gastrointestinal tissue from autoimmune attack in a mouse model. Biochemists manipulate fruit flavor enzymes Would you like a lemony watermelon? How about a strawberry-flavored banana? Biochemists at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston say the day may be coming when scientists will be able to fine tune enzymes responsible for flavors in fruits and vegetables. In addition, it could lead to environmentally-friendly pest control. Researchers discover scent of skin cancer According to new research from the Monell Center, odors from skin can be used to identify basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer. The findings, presented at the 236th meeting of the American Chemical Society, may open doors to development of new methods to detect basal cell carcinoma and other forms of skin cancer. Making 'good' fat from muscle and vice versa A surprise discovery -- that calorie-burning brown fat can be produced experimentally from muscle precursor cells in mice -- raises the prospect of new ways to fight obesity and overweight, say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Severe, acute maternal stress linked to the development of schizophrenia Pregnant women who endure the psychological stress of being in a war zone are more likely to give birth to a child who develops schizophrenia. Creating unconventional metals The semiconductor silicon and the ferromagnet iron are the basis for much of mankind's technology, used in everything from computers to electric motors. In this week's issue of the journal Nature (August 21st) an international group of scientists, including academic and industrial researchers from the UK, USA and Lesotho, report that they have combined these elements with a small amount of another common metal, manganese, to create a new material which is neither a magnet nor an ordinary semiconductor. New research suggests diabetes transmitted from parents to children A new study in the September issue of the Journal of Lipid Research suggests an unusual form of inheritance may have a role in the rising rate of diabetes, especially in children and young adults, in the United States. Addiction treatment proves successful in animal weight loss study Vigabatrin, a medication proposed as a potential treatment for drug addiction by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake according to a new animal study from the same research group. Fast quantum computer building block created The fastest quantum computer bit that exploits the main advantage of the qubit over the conventional bit has been demonstrated by researchers at University of Michigan, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the University of California at San Diego. Researchers discover how rheumatoid arthritis causes bone loss Researchers have discovered key details of how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) destroys bone, according to a study published in the Aug. 22 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Codeine not safe for all breastfeeding moms and their babies Using pain treatments which contain codeine may be risky for some breastfeeding mothers, according to researchers at The University of Western Ontario, and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. Cervical cancer prevention should focus on vaccinating adolescent girls The cost-effectiveness of vaccination in the United States against human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer, will be optimized by achieving universal vaccine coverage in young adolescent girls, by targeting initial "catch-up" efforts to vaccinate women younger than 21 years of age, and by revising current screening policies. New test to diagnose osteoarthritis early A newly developed medical imaging technology may provide doctors with a long-awaited test for early diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA), scientists from New York reported today at the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Killer carbs -- Monash scientist finds the key to overeating as we age A Monash University scientist has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and potentially weight-gain as we grow older. Joslin study identifies protein that produces 'good' fat A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a "good" fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity. Guideline: Surgery may be considered for extreme face pain A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology finds surgery may be considered for people who suffer from extreme, electric shock-like pain in their face and do not respond well to drugs. China sees spike in rabies cases A new Chinese study has reported a dramatic spike in rabies infections. The research, published today in the open access journal BMC Infectious Diseases, shows that in some provinces of China the number of human rabies cases has jumped dramatically since the new millennium. PTC124 shows activity in cystic fibrosis; Phase 2 proof-of-concept data published in Lancet New phase 2 data published today in The Lancet show that the investigational oral drug PTC124 demonstrates activity in nonsense-mutation cystic fibrosis (CF). The data show that treatment with PTC124 results in statistically significant improvements in the chloride channel function of patients with nonsense-mutation CF. The study was conducted at the Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital in Jerusalem, Israel and sponsored by PTC Therapeutics (PTC). Professional sports stadiums sell alcohol to pseudo-underage and -intoxicated buyers Alcohol problems at sports stadiums received considerable media coverage in the early 1980s, leading to several reforms in alcohol-service and enforcement practices. But problems still exist. A recent study of alcohol use at professional sports stadiums across the United States has found that alcohol sales continue at an alarming rate to pseudo-underage and -intoxicated patrons. New 'nano-positioners' may have atomic-scale precision Engineers have created a tiny motorized positioning device that has twice the dexterity of similar devices being developed for applications that include biological sensors and more compact, powerful computer hard drives. Genome of saltwater creature could aid understanding of gene grouping The genetic code of a simple saltwater creature could help researchers learn more about how groups of genes function in humans and other species. Biodegradable polymers show promise for improving treatment of acute inflammatory diseases A family of biodegradable polymers called polyketals and their derivatives may improve treatment for such inflammatory illnesses as acute lung injury, acute liver failure and inflammatory bowel disease by delivering drugs, proteins and snips of ribonucleic acid to disease locations in the body. AJN study reveals compression stockings incorrectly used in 29 percent of patients An original study, published in the September issue of the American Journal of Nursing (AJN), revealed that graduated compression stockings were used incorrectly in 29% of the patients and sized incorrectly in 26% of the patients. Study suggests sports stadiums serve alcohol to minors and intoxicated fans In a novel study looking at the propensity of illegal alcohol sales at sports stadiums, researchers reported that nearly one in five people posing as underage drinkers, and three out of four seemingly intoxicated "fans" were able to buy alcohol at professional sporting events. They also found that location mattered: sales were more likely if the attempt took place in the stadium stands rather than at a concession booth. New insights into the regulation of PTEN tumor suppression function The PTEN tumor suppressor gene controls numerous biological processes including cell proliferation, cell growth and death. But PTEN is frequently lost or mutated; in fact, alteration of the gene is so common among various types of human cancer that PTEN has become one of the most frequently mutated of all tumor suppressors. 79 million US adults have medical bill problems or are paying off medical debt The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. Primary care health consultations can be cost-effective and may help reduce cardiovascular risk Offering health tests and health consultations in primary care settings can be cost-effective and may help in the fight against the increased burden of lifestyle diseases, according to new research published today in the Scandinavian Journal of Public Health (August issue published this week by SAGE). |
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