Public Release: 28-May-2007
Archives of Internal Medicine
Intake of vitamin D and calcium associated with lower risk of breast cancer before menopause
Women who consume higher amounts of calcium and vitamin D may have a lower risk of developing premenopausal breast cancer, according to a report in the May 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Contact: Kevin Myron
617-534-1605
JAMA and Archives Journals
Public Release: 28-May-2007
Archives of Internal Medicine
Researchers find deadly prescription drug effects 6 years before FDA
Northwestern University's national SWAT team of doctor sleuths called RADAR (Research on Adverse Drug Events and Reports) identifies deadly prescription drug reactions six years before the FDA and drug companies. RADAR also provides more comprehensive reports with important medical insights as well as guidance for prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Marla Paul
marla-paul@northwestern.edu
312-503-8928
Northwestern University
Public Release: 29-May-2007
Radiology
Researchers use MRI to predict recovery after spinal cord injury
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiologists can better predict the likelihood of full or partial recovery of patients with acute spinal cord injuries (SCI), according to a study published in the June issue of the journal Radiology.
Contact: Linda Brooks
lbrooks@rsna.org
630-590-7762
Radiological Society of North America
Turning Off Suspect Gene Makes Mice Smarter
By REUTERS
Published: May 29, 2007
Turning off a gene that has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease made mice smarter in the lab, researchers said Sunday.
Personal Health
Finding Some Calm After Living With ‘the Shakes’
By JANE E. BRODY
An estimated 10 million people suffer with essential tremor, often for decades without knowing what is wrong.
Planet hunters spy distant haul
A haul of 28 new planets beyond our solar system has been detected by the world's most prolific planet hunters.
Public Release: 29-May-2007
Current Anthropology
Decapitation and rebirth
Images of disembodied heads are widespread in the art of Nasca, a culture based in Peru from AD 1 to AD 750. But despite this evidence and large numbers of trophy heads in the region’s archaeological record, only eight headless bodies have been recovered with evidence of decapitation. An analysis of a headless body from the site of La Tiza provides important new data on decapitation and its relationship to ancient ideas of death and regeneration
Contact: Suzanne Wu
swu@press.uchicago.edu
773-834-0386
University of Chicago Press Journals
Public Release: 29-May-2007
Current Anthropology
Evidence from ancient European graves raises questions about ritual human sacrifice
A fascinating new paper explores ancient multiple graves and raises the possibility that hunter gatherers in what is now Europe may have practiced ritual human sacrifice. This practice -- well-known in large, stratified societies -- supports emerging research that argues that the level of social complexity reached in the distant past by groups of hunter gatherers was well beyond that of many more recent small bands of modern foragers.
Contact: Suzanne Wu
swu@press.uchicago.edu
773-834-0386
University of Chicago Press Journals
Public Release: 29-May-2007
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
A new zest for life
New research from Newcastle University shows treatment for a shortage of the hormone thyroxine lowers cholesterol, reverses weight gain and reduces the risk factors for heart disease.
Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust
Contact: Karen Bidewell
press.office@ncl.ac.uk
44-019-122-26972
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
Public Release: 29-May-2007
Journal of Molecular Biology
Yin and yang -- Balance could play key role in progression of Alzheimer's disease
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are challenging current thinking on the causes and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, offering a new hypothesis that could be the key to preventing this form of dementia. The researchers have found that a specific imbalance between two peptides may be the cause of the fatal neurological disease that affects more than five million people in the United States.
NYSTAR, Alzheimer's Association
Contact: Gabrielle DeMarco
demarg@rpi.edu
518-276-6542
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Public Release: 29-May-2007
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
New study suggests potential for a broadly-protective HIV vaccine
New research conducted at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) suggests that it may be possible to develop a vaccine that protects against the myriad strains of the HIV virus. HIV is extremely variable, so an effective vaccine may need to stimulate the body to produce cross-reactive antibodies that will neutralize multiple viral strains. These results demonstrate that induction of truly broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies may be an achievable goal.
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Contact: USU Office of External Affairs
301-295-1219
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
Genes may help people learn Chinese
A link between brain development genes and speakers of tonal languages has been shown for the first time
22:00 28 May 2007
Human antibodies successfully treat bird flu
Antibodies taken from human survivors of the H5N1 virus in Vietnam have cured mice infected with the disease
01:00 29 May 2007
Common gene mutation heightens breast cancer risk
Women who carry two copies of a widely prevalent gene variant have a 60% greater chance of developing breast cancer
14:09 29 May 2007
The Dirty Water Underground
By GREGORY DICUM
A collective in San Francisco is pushing the limits on practicing and advocating the use of graywater— recycled dish and bathwater.
Public Release: 30-May-2007
American Astronomical Society Meeting
XO-3b: Supersized planet or oasis in the 'brown dwarf desert'?
One of the oddest extrasolar planets ever cataloged -- a mammoth orb more than 13 times the mass of Jupiter that orbits its star in less than four days -- will be unveiled at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Honolulu.
NASA, Director's Discretionary Fund of STScI
Contact: B.J. Almond
balmond@rice.edu
713-419-9980
Rice University
Public Release: 30-May-2007
Psychological Science
UCL scientist develops a measure of distraction
A scientific indicator of how easily distracted you are has been designed by a UCL psychologist. It could be used as another assessment tool during the recruitment process and would have particular benefits in fields where employee distraction could lead to fatal errors.
Contact: Alex Brew
a.brew@ucl.ac.uk
44-020-767-99726
University College London
Public Release: 30-May-2007
New England Journal of Medicine
An 'elegant' idea proves its worth 25 years later
The simple notion of copying the body’s own natural "waste disposal" chemistry to mop up potentially toxic nitrogen has saved an estimated 80 percent of patients with urea cycle disorders -- most of them children -- according to a report in this week's New England Journal of Medicine summarizing a quarter century of experience with the treatment.
Johns Hopkins University General Clinic Research Centers, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Children’s National Medical Center, NIH/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Contact: Audrey Huang
audrey@jhmi.edu
410-614-5105
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Public Release: 30-May-2007
Nature
Detecting cold, feeling pain: Study reveals why menthol feels fresh
Scientists have identified the receptor in cells of the peripheral nervous system that is most responsible for the body's ability to sense cold.
Contact: Jennifer O'Brien
jobrien@pubaff.ucsf.edu
415-476-2557
University of California - San Francisco
Public Release: 30-May-2007
Angewandte Chemie International
Better insight into brain anatomical structures
In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Korean researchers led by Jung Hee Lee at Samsung Medical Center and Taeghwan Hyeon at Seoul National University report on a new contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging using manganese oxide nanoparticles that produces images of the anatomic structures of mouse brain which are as clear as those obtained by histological examination.
Korea Science and Engineering Foundation
Contact: Taeghwan Hyeon
thyeon@plaza.snu.ac.kr
822-880-7150
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Secrets of Sun-like star probed
The first image of the surface of a Sun-like star has been captured.
Public Release: 30-May-2007
Basic research must orient itself toward societal goals
Citing numerous examples historical and contemporary, leading science policy analysts Sheila Jasanhoff, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard, and Suzan Cozzens, Georgia Institute of Technology, have urged a fundamental shift in the way scientific research is carried out.
Contact: Issam Ahmed
iahmed@esf.org
33-038-876-7114
European Science Foundation
Public Release: 30-May-2007
Limiting stroke damage is focus of study
Brain damage that occurs even days after a stroke, increasing stroke size and devastation, is the focus of researchers trying to identify new treatments.
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Contact: Toni Baker
tbaker@mcg.edu
706-721-4421
Medical College of Georgia
Public Release: 30-May-2007
American Astronomical Society Meeting
Astrophysical Journal
Galaxy cluster takes it to the extreme
Evidence for an awesome upheaval in a massive galaxy cluster was discovered in an image made by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The origin of a bright arc of ferociously hot gas extending over two million light years requires one of the most energetic events ever detected.
Contact: Megan Watzke
mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu
617-496-7998
Chandra X-ray Center
Russia bans human tissue export in bioweapon alert
Russia has banned the shipment of medical specimens abroad over concerns that biochemical weapons could be created to target only natives of the country
16:22 30 May 2007
Life decisions separate 'hawk' from 'dove'
The way animals decide how to live their lives, and when to reproduce, may control their "personalities", according to a new model
18:00 30 May 2007
Our upright walking started in the trees
Orang-utan researchers propose that walking bipedally is a skill our ancient ancestors had that we have retained, while apes' knuckle-walking is a more recent development
18:28 31 May 2007
Smart painkillers target damaged tissue
The new drugs are pH sensitive and only affect damaged tissue, resulting in fewer side effects
10:00 31 May 2007
Public Release: 31-May-2007
British Medical Journal
Transformation for people with AIDS on the horizon
A major breakthrough for people with AIDS is on the horizon, according to an editorial in this week's BMJ. Three new drugs are predicted to help transform the long-term prognosis for people with the AIDS virus, says an editorial in the journal, which points towards highly promising results from trials of three new drugs.
Contact: Rebecca Spargo
rspargo@bma.org.uk
020-738-36174
BMJ-British Medical Journal
Public Release: 31-May-2007
Cardiovascular Engineering
More rib fractures, but better survival rates
New findings show that the majority of people untrained in how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and even many trained emergency personnel, do not push with enough force to properly administer CPR.
Contact: Renate Bayaz
renate.bayaz@springer.com
49-622-148-78531
Springer
Public Release: 31-May-2007
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions
Research finds that Earth's climate is approaching 'dangerous' point
NASA and Columbia University Earth Institute research finds that human-made greenhouse gases have brought the Earth's climate close to critical tipping points, with potentially dangerous consequences for the planet.
NASA, Columbia University
Contact: Leslie McCarthy
leslie.m.mccarthy@nasa.gov
212-678-5507
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Boost to artery block treatment
The coronary arteries supply the heart muscle with blood
Scientists are working on ways to cut the risk of blood clots following treatment to unblock clogged arteries.
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Agree to Curb Animal Tests
By BRENDA GOODMAN
Published: May 31, 2007
Under pressure from animal rights advocates, two soft drink giants, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, have agreed to stop directly financing research that uses animals to test or develop their products, except where such testing is required by law.
Science Times
Hot Topic
Outlaw DNA
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS
After steroids and other black-market fixes, what’s next for cheaters? Playing God with genetics.
Ancient melon found in Shiga Pref.
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Jun. 1, 2007
The inner fruit of what experts believe is the world's oldest melon, dating back about 2,100 years, has been excavated from the Shimonogo ruins in Moriyama, Shiga Prefecture
Public Release: 1-Jun-2007
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Pregnant mom's exposure to flu vaccine kick-starts fetal immune system
Researchers have hypothesized that the fetus can mount an immune response against allergens to which the mother has been exposed, possibly resulting in allergic sensitivity later in life. Columbia University researchers examined the cord blood of newborn infants of mothers that had received the influenza vaccine during pregnancy. They found that B and T cell immune responses to vaccine antigens did occur in utero, suggesting that the neonatal immune system is not wholly lacking.
Asthma and Allergic Diseases Research Center, General Clinical Research Center, US Environmental Protection Agency
Contact: Brooke Grindlinger
press_releases@the-jci.org
212-342-9006
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Public Release: 1-Jun-2007
American Journal of Psychiatry
Nursing home placement associated with accelerated cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease
People with Alzheimer's disease experience an acceleration in the rate of cognitive decline after being placed in a nursing home according to a new study by Rush University Medical Center. The study, published in the June issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, finds that prior experience in adult day care may lessen this association.
NIH/National Institute on Aging
Contact: Kim Waterman
Kimberly_Waterman@rush.edu
312-942-7820
Rush University Medical Center
Public Release: 1-Jun-2007
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Brain inflammation may be friend, not foe, for Alzheimer's patients
Inflammation in the brain may not be so bad after all when it comes to Alzheimer's disease. Scientists have shown that a key inflammatory regulator, a known villain when it comes to parsing out damage after a stroke and other brain injuries, seems to do the opposite in Alzheimer's disease, protecting the brain and helping get rid of clumps of material known as plaques that are a hallmark of the disease.
NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Contact: Tom Rickey
tom_rickey@urmc.rochester.edu
585-275-7954
University of Rochester Medical Center
Public Release: 1-Jun-2007
Innovative smallpox vaccine research study to be conducted at Case Medical Center
University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine are part of a nationwide research study to determine the safety and effectiveness of a new smallpox vaccine.
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Contact: Susan Licate
susan.licate@case.edu
216-368-3635
Case Western Reserve University
Public Release: 1-Jun-2007
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Smithsonian scientists connect climate change, origins of agriculture in Mexico
New charcoal and plant microfossil evidence from Mexico’s Central Balsas valley links a pivotal cultural shift, crop domestication in the New World, to local and regional environmental history.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Contact: Dolores Piperno
pipernod@si.edu
202-633-1912
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Public Release: 2-Jun-2007
American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
Flaxseed stunts the growth of prostate tumors
Flaxseed, an edible seed that is rich in omega 3-fatty acids and fiber-related compounds known as lignans, is effective in halting prostate tumor growth, according to a study led by Duke University Medical Center researchers. The seed, which is similar to a sesame seed, may be able to interrupt the chain of events that leads cells to divide irregularly and become cancerous.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Lauren Shaftel
lauren.shaftel@duke.edu
919-684-4966
Duke University Medical Center
Public Release: 2-Jun-2007
American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
Gene variations point to why lung cancer drugs work better in Japanese vs. US patients
Recent clinical trials revealed that Japanese lung cancer patients survived longer and had a higher rate of side effects than US patients taking the same two drugs, paclitaxel and carboplatin. Now a new study by the Southwest Oncology Group uncovers genetic differences that may explain why. The results, embargoed for release 8:30 a.m. ET Saturday, June 2, are being highlighted at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.
NIH/National Cancer Institute
Contact: Anne Rueter
arueter@umich.edu
734-998-7130
University of Michigan Health System
Public Release: 2-Jun-2007
American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
Herb shows potential to reduce cancer-related fatigue
North Central Cancer Treatment Group researchers, based at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., have generated preliminary data suggesting that a form of American ginseng provides greater improvements in fatigue and vitality in patients who receive the highest doses tested, compared to lower doses or no treatment.
National Institutes of Health
Contact: Elizabeth Zimmermann
newsbureau@mayo.edu
507-284-5005
Mayo Clinic
MACHO matter is running out of places to hide
Astronomers have successfully measured the distance to a "dark object" on the edge of our galaxy by triangulating observations made on Earth and in space
11:45 01 June 2007Folic acid could protect against strokes
A diet supplemented with small amounts of the B vitamin for at least three years could lower the risk of stroke by 30%
12:23 01 June 2007Ice Age Ends Smashingly: Did a comet blow up over eastern Canada?
Sid Perkins
Evidence unearthed at more than two dozen sites across North America suggests that an extraterrestrial object exploded in Earth's atmosphere above Canada about 12,900 years ago, just as the climate was warming at the end of the last ice age.
Tea—Milking It
Janet Raloff
Colleagues at the Rowett Research Institute purchased different teas from local stores, brewed them up, and then assayed their antioxidant activity. In a paper published online and in an upcoming Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, they report finding some brand-related differences in the inherent antioxidant activity of a brew. The good news: Adding milk doesn't alter that activity.