A new University of Colorado at Boulder study indicates Earth in its infancy probably had substantial quantities of hydrogen in its atmosphere, a surprising finding that may alter the way many scientists think about how life began on the planet.
Published in the April 7 issue of Science Express, the online edition of Science Magazine, the study concludes traditional models estimating hydrogen escape from Earth’s atmosphere several billions of years ago are flawed. The new s
Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study BMJ Online First
The Mediterranean diet is associated with longer life expectancy among elderly Europeans, finds a study published online by the BMJ today. The Mediterranean diet is characterised by a high intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, and cereals; a moderate to high intake of fish; a low intake of saturated fats, but high intake of unsaturated fats, particularly olive oil; a low intake of dairy
The scientists have been able to lure tropical fish – similar to clownfish like film star Nemo – on to artificial reefs by playing recordings of fish and shrimp noises through underwater speakers. A paper in Science journal suggests the technique could be used to restock depleted fishing grounds near reefs, or to populate newly established conservation areas. The study, which focuses on damselfish and cardinalfish in the Pacific Ocean, also warns that ’unnatural’ noises created by shipping and d
Scientists are making strides in understanding how the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum disguises itself to avoid detection by the immune system. The findings could lead to the development of new drugs for a disease that causes more than 300 million acute illnesses and at least one million deaths each year, most of them in developing countries.
Individuals infected with malaria cannot develop an effective immune response because the parasite that causes the disease is a mast
The kidney is important for regulating fluid and electrolyte balance, and it also secretes proteins that have important biological roles. In a study appearing online on April 7 in advance of the print publication of the May 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Jianchao Xu and colleagues from Yale University searched for novel proteins secreted by the kidney.
The researchers have identified a new protein, called renalase. Renalase is secreted by the kidney into the blood and re
Newly recognized process solves 50-year-old mystery
Researchers at the University of Chicago have found that a recently discovered biological process known as sumoylation — until now thought to be active only in the nucleus — also occurs near the cell’s surface where it regulates at least one and possibly many kinds of proteins, providing a novel target for the development of new drugs.
The discovery, published in the 8 April 2005 issue of the journal Cell, answers a que
Yale University School of Medicine researchers have found a way to exercise a little mind control over fruit flies, making the flies jump, beat their wings, and fly on command by triggering genetic “remote controls” that the scientists designed and installed in the insects’ central nervous systems, according to a new report in the 8 April issue of the journal Cell.
Susana Lima and Gero Miesenböck hope that the remote control system will provide a valuable way to study how nerve-cell
New research on prions, the infectious proteins behind “mad cow” disease and Creutzfeld-Jakob disease in humans, suggests that the ability of prions in one species to infect other species depends on the shape of the toxic threadlike fibers produced by the prion. Two studies on the topic appear in the 8 April issue of the journal Cell.
Although research suggests that prions from one species rarely infect other species, some scientists believe the species barrier was breached when a n
Study suggests a common viral infection may increase risk of lupus in African Americans. Findings also show that genetic variation may affect the immune response to Epstein-Barr virus in lupus patients.
Almost everyone has been infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a member of the herpes family and one of the most common human viruses. Symptoms of initial infection range from a typically mild childhood illness with a fever and sore throat to mononucleosis in teenagers or adults. A
Study supports physical activity programs for preventing disability among elderly patients
Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Nearly 60 percent of Americans ages 65 and older suffer with some form of this progressive joint disease. For more than 1 in 10 sufferers, arthritis makes simple, everyday tasks, from walking up a flight of stairs to bathing and dressing, extremely difficult. By 2010, arthritis is projected to affect almost 40 million Americans
A team of scientists from Aston University in Birmingham, UK have made a discovery that could lead to new ways of treating children who develop a particularly aggressive form of cancer. The research was funded by the Association for International Cancer Research (AICR).
Craniopharyngioma tumours cause severe headaches, vomiting, disturbed vision and growth defects. They are usually diagnosed in babies and very young children, and cause one in ten of all childhood brain tumours.
OHSU scientists compared rural transfers to level I, II centers in Oregon, Washington
Head injury patients transferred to level I trauma centers are more likely to survive than if they’re transferred to level II facilities, an Oregon Health & Science University study has found.
The study published in the April issue of the journal Health Services Research found that mortality risk dropped 10 percent among patients with head injury transferred from rural trauma cen
New report on 25 most endangered primates shows mankind’s closest living relatives under threat around the world
Mankind’s closest living relatives-the world’s apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates-face increasing peril from humans and some could soon disappear forever, according to a report released today by the Primate Specialist Group of IUCN-The World Conservation Union’s Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the International Primatological Society (IP
A study at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston may lead to a better understanding of how antidepressants like Prozac work – and how to make them more effective.
According to results published in today’s issue of the journal Neuron, a study in mice proposes that dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitter systems in the brain occasionally get their signals crossed, causing delays in stabilizing mood. “This study provides a new site for drug discovery in one of the biggest marke
Researchers studying yeast cells have identified a metabolic enzyme as a potential therapeutic target for treating Huntington’s disease, a fatal inherited neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no effective treatment. The group, whose results appear in the May issue of Nature Genetics, includes researchers from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. The paper was published online in advance
Study says sleep improves by more than a third
Sleep, a vital ingredient in life, can sometimes become difficult as humans get older. But a recent study by researchers at Case Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and the Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital in Taiwan shows that listening to soft music at bedtime will help older adults sleep better and longer.
The research, published in the February 2005 edition of The Journal of Advanced Nur
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