Index

A new American Cancer Society study finds progress in reducing cancer death rates is evident whether measured against baseline rates in 1970 or in 1990. The study finds a downturn in cancer death rates since 1990 results mostly from reductions in tobacco use, increased screening allowing early detection of several cancers, and modest to large improvements in treatment for specific cancers.

In some individuals the common herpes virus HHV-6 can integrate into structures at the end of chromosomes and be reactivated to an infectious form.

The extremely strong earthquake that struck Chile Feb. 27 was a complicated rupture process, scientists say. Quakes with such magnitude virtually penetrate the entire Earth's crust. After closer analysis of the seismic waves radiated by this earthquake during the first 134 seconds after start of the rupture, the researchers came to the conclusion that only the region around the actual epicentre was active during the first minutes.

A recent multi-center study has confirmed earlier study results that 400 mg/day of lacosamide provides a good balance of efficacy and tolerability for patients with uncontrolled partial-onset seizures, and doses of 600mg/day may provide additional benefit for some patients.

A mathematical model can predict complex signaling patterns that could help scientists determine how stem cells in an embryo later become specific tissues, knowledge that could be used to understand and treat developmental disorders and some diseases.

Researchers are currently testing a new drug, flibanserin, which was developed as an antidepressant and affects neurotransmitters in the brain, to treat women with low sexual desire. However, experts are concerned about the side effects of this possible treatment. Now, a researcher has found evidence that a low-cost, risk-free psychological treatment is effective and may be a better alternative to drugs that have adverse side effects.

The king cobra continues to weave its charm with researchers identifying a protein in its venom with the potential for new drug discovery and to advance understanding of disease mechanisms.

Researchers have developed a new mathematical approach to analyze molecular data derived from complex mixtures of immune cells. This approach, when combined with well-established techniques, readily identifies changes in small samples of human whole blood, and has the potential to distinguish between health and disease states.

Researchers have figured out how ATP is broken down in cells, providing for the first time a clear picture of the key reaction that allows cells in all living things to function and flourish. Discovered some 80 years ago, adenosine triphosphate is said to be second in biological importance only to DNA.

Researchers are releasing results of a study this week that they say will help refocus the search for new drug targets aimed at preventing or reversing the devastating tissue inflammation that results after heart attack and stroke.

Friction in human relations is all too obvious and prevalent, but friction in physics has had a "secret life" of its own that has now been revealed by scientists.

There is a link between repeated anesthesia in children and memory impairment, though physical activity can help to form new cells that improve memory, reveals new research.

Most polymers -- materials made of long, chain-like molecules -- are very good insulators for both heat and electricity. But scientists have now found a way to transform the most widely used polymer, polyethylene, into a material that conducts heat just as well as most metals, yet remains an electrical insulator.

Individuals with a certain type of genetic susceptibility to lung cancer face a greatly increased risk for the deadly disease with even a small exposure to cigarette smoke, a new study finds.

A new study indicates North American barn swallows outperform their peers in reproduction -- the "currency" of evolutionary change -- by maintaining a positive balance of antioxidants commonly sold in health food stores.

New findings may soon lead to an expansion of the drug arsenal used to fight HIV.

A research team has shown that the stem-cell rich periosteum sheath around bone can be used to mend serious bone loss faster and more simply than bone grafts. The researchers have developed an artificial periosteum that can be implanted in patients who have too little of the natural covering left.

Most Americans believe God is concerned with their personal well-being and is directly involved in their personal affairs, according to new research.

An international team of astronomers has shown that the two stars in the binary HM Cancri definitely revolve around each other in a mere 5.4 minutes. This makes HM Cancri the binary star with by far the shortest known orbital period. It is also the smallest known binary.

Researchers have identified a new syndrome affecting potentially thousands of hospital inpatients. Coined SHAKE (Supplement-associated Hyperammonemia After C(K)achetic Episode), the condition, which results in altered mental status and difficulty walking, can be prevented by excluding high protein dietary supplements in a patients' diet if they have experienced poor eating for more than a week prior to their admittance.

Mice are in many ways similar to Homo sapiens on a fundamental level. That is why the law in this part of the world only permits scientists to conduct research on human embryonic stem cells when they have "clarified in advance" their specific questions by using animal cells as far as possible. However, such tests are often pointless -- and sometimes even misleading, as a recent study demonstrates.

A single session of heat therapy using the ThermoMed device appears to be as effective as a 10-day intravenous course of sodium stibogluconate for the treatment of Leishmania major skin lesions, according to a new study. The randomized treatment trial involved 56 military personnel who contracted L. major while serving in Iraq.

The recently observed reduction in air pollution implies that more solar radiation reaches Earth’s surface. This could lead to a far more rapid increase in Earth’s temperature in the coming decades than has previously been expected. In order to successfully combat global warming, it is crucial that scientists incorporate increases in CO₂ emissions reductions as well as reductions in air pollution in the calculations, according to a new analysis based on unique solar radiation data collected from weather stations between 1959 and 2002.

A full house isn't always a good thing, according to a new study that links high hospital occupancy to higher death rates for patients. High occupancy periods are a challenging time when more things can go wrong, authors say. Researchers evaluated records at 39 Michigan hospitals to study a set of factors that can affect hospital deaths. The large scale study can provide lessons for hospitals across the country.

New experiments show that it's possible to focus light through opaque materials and detect objects hidden behind them, provided you know enough about the material.

Antiviral drugs have reduced AIDS to more of chronic disease rather than a death sentence, but why is the disease so hard to cure? New research shows that bone marrow, previously thought to be resistant to the virus, can contain latent forms of the infection. Targeting these reservoirs of latent cells may open the door to new treatments.

Shortly after the Moon formed, an asteroid smacked into its southern hemisphere and gouged out a truly enormous crater, the South Pole-Aitken basin, almost 1,500 miles across and more than five miles deep.

Biologists have identified, in greater detail, how the retina's cellular hardware is used in color preference. The findings enhance our understanding of how eyes and the brain process color.

Scientists have made synthetic 'sea shells' from a mixture of chalk and polystyrene cups -- and produced a tough new material that could make our homes and offices more durable.

Seeing the letter A before an exam can improve a student's exam result while exposure to the letter F may make a student more likely to fail, according to a new study.

A scientist has moved a step closer to turning sexually-reproducing plants into asexual reproducers, a finding that could have profound implications for agriculture.

Another weapon in the arsenal against cancer: nanoparticles that identify, target and kill specific cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

Normal-weight women who drink a light to moderate amount of alcohol appear to gain less weight and have a lower risk of becoming overweight and obese than nondrinkers, according to a new article.

Prostate-specific dietary supplements should not be taken during radiation therapy treatments because they have been shown to increase the radiosensitivity of normal prostate cell lines, leading to normal tissue complications, according to a new study.

Chemical engineers have built a sensor array that, for the first time, can detect single molecules of hydrogen peroxide emanating from a single living cell.

Children who have been abused psychologically, physically or sexually are more likely to suffer unexplained abdominal pain and nausea or vomiting than children who have not been abused, a new study concludes.

A new method of growing arteries could lead to a "biological bypass" -- or a noninvasive way to treat coronary artery disease.

The collection of symptoms that is the metabolic syndrome -- insulin resistance, high cholesterol, fatty liver, and a greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke -- are all related to obesity, but, according to a new review not in the way you probably think they are.

Planetary scientists have been puzzling for years over the honeycomb patterns and flat valleys with squiggly edges evident in radar images of Saturn's moon Titan. Now, working with a "volunteer researcher" who has put his own spin on data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, they have found some recognizable analogies to a type of spectacular terrain on Earth known as karst topography.

Shoulder motion after rotator cuff surgery remains significantly different when compared to the patient's opposite shoulder, according to researchers. In the study, researchers used X-rays providing a 3D view of motion of the arm bone in relation to the shoulder blade, to compared motion in the shoulders of 14 patients who had arthroscopic surgical repair of tendon tears and no symptoms in their other shoulders.

Contrary to popular belief, some disease causing bacteria may actually survive the composting process. Researchers report that campylobacter bacteria in cattle manure can survive composting and persist for long periods in the final product.

Adults tend to eat less pizza and drink less soda as the price of these items increases, and their body weight and overall calorie intake also appear to decrease, according to a new study.

Scientists have discovered that the drastic decline in Arctic musk ox populations that began roughly 12,000 years ago was due to a warming climate rather than to human hunting. The research is the first study to use ancient musk ox DNA collected from across the animal's former geographic range to test for human impacts on musk ox populations.

A significant number of people with heart disease will benefit from less invasive transcatheter heart valve replacements in future, finds a review of updated practices.

Researchers have discovered how one New World hemorrhagic fever virus latches onto and infects human cells, offering a much-needed lead toward new treatments.

The increased risk of colorectal cancer associated with obesity may be largely restricted to tumors that have no or low microsatellite instability, a common condition in most colorectal cancers, according to a new study.

As computer chips rapidly continue to evolve, new technologies must be developed to closely monitor the fabrication process and guard against faults at a sub-microscopic level.

For the work-weary, the word "vacation" may conjure images of leisurely, carefree days at the beach sipping umbrella drinks. But according an expert in tourism and recreation, genealogical tourism is one of the fastest growing markets in vacation travel because it represents a conscious shift away from relaxation and into the realm of personal enrichment and fulfillment.