A deadly bacterium’s defense against a mortal molecular enemy illuminates the origins and structure of a vital protein involved in human cell signaling, University of Texas Medical School scientists report today in Science Express, the rapid online publication forum for the journal Science.
The paper also details how evolution transformed one of nature’s simplest molecules, nitric oxide (NO), from a toxin to anaerobic bacteria – the planet’s oldest life form – into a
Allowing medical students to interact with patients earlier in their medical course would better prepare them for their future role as a doctor, suggest researchers in this week’s BMJ.
Traditionally, the foundation years of medical education have grounded students in biomedical sciences but offered little, if any, clinical exposure. A group of 64 medical students, staff, and curriculum leaders from three UK medical schools discussed the question: “What can experience add to
Biotech breakthroughs promise to save millions of lives per year; Experts call for global body to better use knowledge worldwide
New medical tools that quickly and accurately diagnose diseases like AIDS and malaria top a list of 10 biotech breakthroughs deemed most important for improving health in developing countries within the decade, science that will dramatically move the world towards its Millennium Development Goals for 2015, according to scientists and ethicists in a major
Historical study shows elevated aridity in periods of warming
Severe drought in western states in recent years may be linked to climate warming trends, according to new research led by scientists from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University to be posted October 7 on Science magazine’s website, www.sciencemag.org. This research was supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
At the surface of Earth, life on a geologic scale is calm and peaceful save the occasional earthquake caused by the rub and slip of Earth’s tectonic plates. But below Earth’s surface, scientists are beginning to find a far more dynamic and tumultuous region than previously thought.
Deep inside Earth, where the mantle meets the molten iron core, researchers are finding telltale signs of what could be a highly active area filled with exotic forms and substances. “This layer is far
Can signal neighbor cells to repair
A study published in the October 8 issue of Science describes a previously unsuspected capacity of embryonic stem cells to influence neighboring defective cells and restore their capacity to function normally. Researchers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center report that 15 embryonic stem cells injected into early embryos of mice whose hearts were genetically predisposed to develop a lethal defect, rescued the heart from developing the disorder
Smart watch system could help busy, forgetful people keep track of necessities
In the not-so-distant future, your wristwatch could stop you if you try to run out the door without the necessities you need for the day, like your keys, wallet or cell phone. At work, it could prompt you for important items needed for a meeting or a business lunch. In an academic setting, it could remind students which books to take as they hurry out the door for class. Think of it as a technologica
University of York calculates huge economic impact of ozone
Increased ozone concentrations at ground level may be causing millions of pounds of damage to UK food crops, according to a University of York researcher. Building on a previous study on ozone concentrations in the environment, which estimated that in 1990 alone the UK lost £130million in crops due to ozone taken up by plants, Dr Lisa Emberson of the Stockholm Environment Institute has been developing new methods to calcul
UK radio astronomers at the Jodrell Bank Observatory, working with colleagues from Europe and the USA, have demonstrated a new technique that will revolutionise the way they observe. To create the very best quality images of the sky, they routinely combine data from multiple telescopes from around the world – a technique called Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). They have now combined this with the power of dedicated internet resources to send data from all the telescopes to a special com
Last week’s dramatic withdrawal of the COX-2 inhibitor rofecoxib (Vioxx) is discussed in this week’s lead editorial, which comments that more vigilant drug licensing is vital to prevent the endangering of patients’ health.
The relative paucity of data at the time drug’s come onto the market is a key issue for physicians. The editorial comments: ‘Doctors need to be more aware of the very preliminary nature of data, both for safety and efficacy, provided with newly licensed drugs.
Provision of air rather than 100% oxygen for babies requiring ventilation after delivery could reduce infant mortality, suggests a study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET. The finding is counter to the long-held belief that 100% oxygen is better than air for babies requiring ventilation in the first few minutes of life.
Between 5–10% of newborn babies require assistance with breathing after delivery. International consensus statements for resuscitation of newborn infants reco
Researchers from Imperial College London have discovered that mortality figures for children undergoing open cardiac surgery have dropped to a third of that recorded before the Bristol Inquiry.
According to research published in the British Medical Journal today, mortality figures for children under one year old who have undergone open heart surgery have fallen from 12 percent between April 1991 and March 1995 to four percent between April 1999 and March 2002 in England.
Doctors and other health-care professionals should be more aware of the association between infant crying and potentially abusive parental behaviour, conclude authors of a research letter in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.
Child abuse and neglect are important causes of child illness and death. An estimated 6 young infants per 100,000 die from the effects of child abuse each year; non-fatal infant morbidity could be up to 2000 times greater than this annual death rate. Sijmen A Reij
The use of anti-inflammatory drugs to treat patients with severe head injuries—common practice worldwide for the past 30 years—is actually dangerous and associated with around a 20% increase in death within two weeks of hospital admission, conclude authors of an international study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.
Around 3 million people worldwide die of trauma every year, many after arrival at hospital. Findings of a 1997 systematic review suggested that these drugs might reduce
A team of University of Florida researchers has invented a way to rapidly detect traces of TNT or other hidden explosives simply by shining a light on any potentially contaminated object, from a speck of dust in the air to the surface of a suitcase. “We have to find explosives quickly, inexpensively and, particularly, reliably,” said Rolf Hummel, a UF professor emeritus of materials science and engineering who heads the lab where the method was invented.
The development provides in
Added sugars have little or no substantive effect on diet quality, according to a new study by the Center for Food and Nutrition Policy (CFNP) at Virginia Tech.
Released in the October issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the study refutes analyses in the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine (IOM) draft report on Dietary References Intakes stating that consumption of added sugars “displaces” essential vitamins and minerals in the diet. This “nutrient displacemen
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