A study by researchers from the University of Southampton and the Medical Research Council (MRC) has shown that lower rates of growth in the womb and higher weight gain in the first weeks after birth could predispose individuals to chest illnesses in later life.
The research suggests that improving a baby’s lung growth and development before and after birth could have lifelong benefits for its respiratory health.
The collaborative study, by a team from the Universi
A lack of correlation between quantitative sonography and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in detecting osteoporosis makes quantitative sonography impractical for routine diagnostic use, despite it being able to evaluate bone fracture risk without the use of ionizing radiation, say researchers from the University of Vienna in Austria.
Both quantitative sonography and DXA are imaging methods used to measure bone density and quality, with the former using sound waves and the latter X-r
Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) was used for the first time to produce a detailed 3D model of the face of an Egyptian man who lived nearly 3,000 years ago–without having to unwrap his mummified corpse, say a multidisciplinary group of Italian researchers that included physicians, anthropologists and forensic scientists.
MDCT was used to image the completely wrapped mummy of an artisan named Harwa, which had been on display at the Egyptian Museum in Torino, Italy. MDCT created 3D
A mini-antibody bearing a payload of tumor-busting radiation thwarts the growth of human breast cancer in laboratory animals, according to research published in the September 1 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
The research shows that a diabody, an antibody surrogate just one third the size of native antibodies, can be used effectively as a targeting vehicle for radioimmunotherapy, said Gregory Adams, Ph.D., associate member of the Medical Science Division, Fox Chase Cancer
About 25 miles beneath the Earth’s surface is a discrete boundary between the planet’s rocky crust and the mantle below that geologists call the Moho. But in the southern end of California’s San Joaquin Valley, the Moho just isn’t there, reports a team of geologists.
“The Moho is missing,” said team leader George Zandt, a professor of geosciences at the University of Arizona in Tucson. It’s the first report of such a disappearance in California.Zandt said the
Were E.T. really interested in getting in touch with home, he might be better off writing than phoning, according to Christopher Rose, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Rose contends that inscribing information and physically sending it to some location in deep space is more energy-efficient than pulsing it out on radio waves, which disperse as they travel.
“Think of a flashlight beam,” Rose says. “Its intensity d
Research shows hormone can restore reproductive function, suggests role in treating infertility, eating disorders, bone loss
A new study has found that leptin plays a critical role in women’s reproductive and neuroendocrine health and suggests a future for the hormone in treating a number of conditions including exercise-induced bone loss, eating disorders and some cases of infertility. Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Massachusetts General Hospital
Though many issues need to be addressed
A future trends report published today in the American Gastroenterological Association’s journal Gastroenterology, concludes that CT colonography (often referred to as “virtual colonoscopy”) has significant promise. However, the technology is still evolving and the results of CT colonography for screening are variable.
Guidelines of multiple agencies and professional societies underscore the importance of screening for all individ
Implantable contact lens (ICL) to correct myopia, are safe, effective and have predictable results for correcting moderate to high myopia or nearsightedness. These are the conclusions discussed in an article published in the September issue of Ophthalmology, the clinical journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
The article provided an update to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s long-term, follow-up multi-center STAAR Myopic Implantable Contact Lens (ICL) clinical i
Researchers attempting to understand the stunningly complex machinery by which genes give rise to the brain often find invaluable clues in genetic disorders that affect brain structure and function.
Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg and his colleagues have gained just such clues by studying the brain function of sufferers of Williams syndrome (WS). This rare disorder, caused by the deletion of a specific chromosome segment, can cause mental retardation, physical abnormalities, and perso
Tamoxifen alone may adequately control breast cancer, avoiding side effects
Older women treated with tamoxifen after removal of early-stage breast cancer by lumpectomy may safely be able to avoid radiation therapy and its unpleasant side effects. In the Sept. 2 New England Journal of Medicine, investigators from several major cancer research groups report that adding radiation to post-surgical tamoxifen treatment of women age 70 or older does not improve survival, has minimal impact o
Omega-3 fatty acid may prevent Alzheimer’s disease and slow its progression
UCLA neuroscientists have shown for the first time that a diet high in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA helps protect the brain against the memory loss and cell damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease. The new research suggests that a DHA-rich diet may lower one’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease and may help slow progression of the disorder in its later stages. The journal Neuron reported the findings
Scientists have churned out genome sequences for everything from fungi to dogs to chimps, and they won’t be letting up any time soon. However, because a genome sequence is little more than a static list of chemicals–like, say, a parts list for a 747 airplane–scientists are increasingly turning their attention to figuring out how living organisms put their genes to work. Using yeast as a testing ground, researchers at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have for the first time reveal
The smudges of dark blue on this Envisat-derived ozone forecast trace the start of what has unfortunately become an annual event: the opening of the ozone hole above the South Pole.
“Ever since this phenomenon was first discovered in the mid-1980s, satellites have served as an important means of monitoring it,” explained José Achache, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes. “ESA satellites have been routinely observing stratospheric ozone concentrations for the last decade. “
Space digest: September 2004
This release contains a summary of some significant astronomical and space events that will be taking place during September. It has been written in order to assist the media in planning and researching future stories related to space science and astronomy, particularly those with UK involvement. It is not intended to be fully comprehensive. Dates and times may be subject to change.
3 September: ISS Spacewalk
NASA Flight Engineer a
The use of technology in medicine takes another step forward with a program being road-tested now at Creighton University Medical Center. Several Creighton residents are using wireless-enabled handheld devices to obtain immediate access to the latest patient information at their fingertips.
Long gone are the days of reading a patient’s chart hanging on a hospital bed. For years now, doctors have checked results of patient tests on desktop computers located throughout the hospital. S
Feedback
