Rats that have a strong craving for cocaine have a different biochemical response to the drug than their less-addicted counterparts, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.
The difference lies in the pleasure-seeking area of the brain, according to a study available online and appearing in a future issue of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
“This work shows that there are profound alterations in the brain mechanisms that regulate motivated behavi
Human papillomavirus (HPV) may be a risk factor in developing squamous cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, according to research led by Dartmouth Medical School. The study, published in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, used new technology to detect antibodies from a strain of HPV on skin cancer samples.
“We found a virus that may be a risk factor for skin cancer,” said lead investigator Dr. Margaret Karagas, of Dartmouth Medical School’
Scientists at the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have designed and demonstrated the world’s most accurate gamma ray detector, which is expected to be useful eventually in verifying inventories of nuclear materials and detecting radioactive contamination in the environment.
The tiny prototype detector, described today at the American Physical Society national meeting in Baltimore, can pinpoint gamma ray emissions signatures
When Boeing and Airbus developed their latest aircraft, the companies’ engineers designed and tested them on a computer long before the planes were built. Biologists are catching on. They’ve just completed the first computer simulation of an entire life form — a virus.
In their quest to study life, biologists apply engineering knowledge somewhat differently: They “reverse engineer” life forms, test fly them in the computer, and see if they work in silico the way they do in
Studying the gene-expression profiles of patients with colorectal cancer might help predict their response to chemotherapy. In a study published today in the open access journal Genome Biology, researchers identified in the tumours of colorectal cancer patients almost 700 genes whose expression was different between patients who subsequently responded well to combined chemotherapy and patients who were resistant to the therapy. These findings could be used in clinical practice to complement cli
’Proof of principle’ trial shows promise, but it’s too early to recommend drug treatment for all with pre-hypertension
A new study offers intriguing insight into the possibility of postponing hypertension among the 59 million Americans whose blood pressure is slightly high. If confirmed, the concept may offer a chance to keep many people from facing the high risk of heart disease and stroke that currently confronts the 65 million Americans with hypertension. But for
A new brain chemical test that predicts which patients with heart attack symptoms are at higher risk of dying is paradoxically not being used in younger, healthier patients who could benefit the most from the prognostic information provided by this test, according to a new analysis by cardiologists at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI).
While previous studies have shown that elevated levels of “brain natriuretic peptide” (BNP) in the blood are associated with higher risks of dea
A virtual classroom proved superior to a traditional one in teaching medical students to identify heart sounds, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology meeting. Stethoscope skills are alarmingly low among doctors in training, a handicap that often continues into patient practice.
Long bothered by this lack of proficiency, lead author Michael Barrett, M.D., clinical associate professor of medicine and cardiologist at Temple University School of Medicine and Hos
The hidden face of the sun is fully visible for the first time, thanks to a new technique developed at Stanford University.
Only half of the sun–the near side–is directly observable. The far side always faces away from Earth and is therefore out of view. But the new technology allows anyone with a computer to download images of the entire solar surface–an important advance with practical applications, say researchers, because potentially damaging solar storms that form on the
Discovery in yeast opens door to new source of information on DNA damage, repair, and cancer
The discovery in yeast cells of a genetic network that guards against lethal DNA damage is a first step in the creation of a database of disease-causing combinations of mutated human genes, according to researchers at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine led by Jef. D. Boeke, Ph.D. In a report in the March 10 issue of Cell, the Hopkins team described a genetic network that is nec
Scientists analyzing recent samples of comet dust have discovered minerals that formed near the sun or other stars. That means materials from the innermost part of the solar system could have traveled to the outer reaches, where comets formed.
“The interesting thing is we are finding these high-temperature minerals in materials from the coldest place in the solar system,” said Donald Brownlee, a University of Washington astronomer who is principal investigator, or lead scientist
New ways to improve adherence, tolerance needed
Wearing a special mask to bed helps children with sleep apnea breathe and sleep better, but a small, six-month study at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and two other pediatric hospitals suggests children aren’t always using them consistently enough to reap the maximum benefits.
The breathing masks, which deliver a gentle, steady flow of air called positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy, significantly improve
By smartly tagging data and content, an XML family offshoot is revolutionising business reports. It is now used extensively across Europe and is fast becoming a mandatory standard for financial and business reports worldwide.
“It’s about better, faster and cheaper business reporting,” says Olivier Servais, director of the IST project XBRL Europe. “This was once done with proprietary electronic formats. XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) is an open standard that brings a
Scientists at the University of the West of England have discovered how bacteria involved in crop disease can evolve to avoid the natural defences of the plant. This discovery is crucial to the understanding of how disease can spread fast even when plants can naturally defend themselves.
The research team found that the bacterial colony changes to one lacking the gene that normally triggers a defence mechanism from the plant. In effect the bacteria disguise themselves to ensure the
The first day of racing at the Cheltenham Festival, the Olympics of steeplechasing, gets under way today. There will be many betting tips offered over the next few days, and advice given on how to back a winner. However, Royal Veterinary College researchers reveal that a great racehorse is more than just quick footed – it must also be rather average.
The Royal Veterinary College research reveals the secret to what makes a fast thoroughbred. Some 80 percent of modern thoroughbred r
Fatronik has launched the most rapid robot in the world at the BIEMH (International Machine-Tool Biennial) in Bilbao.
What is involved here is a high-performance handling robot the structure of which is basically four actuators working in a co-ordinated manner with the goal of achieving maximum dynamic performances.
The robot has four degrees of freedom, displacements along three translations and rotates on its vertical axis. It is a cylinder with a diameter of 1200mm an
Feedback
