Child abuse may 'mark' genes in the brains of suicide victims
A team of McGill University scientists has discovered important differences between the brains of suicide victims and so-called normal brains. Although the genetic sequence was identical in the suicide and non-suicide brains, there were differences in their epigenetic marking - a chemical coating influenced by environmental factors.

Screw Worm Outbreak in Yemen
An outbreak of the insidious 'screw worm' fly in Yemen, is threatening livelihoods, in a country where rearing livestock is a traditional way of life. In recent weeks, a Ministerial delegation was at the IAEA in Vienna, Austria, to turn to the international community for emergency assistance to fight the deadly pest.

Berkeley Lab Researchers Propose a New Breed of Supercomputers for Improving Global Climate Predictions
Three researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have proposed an innovative way to improve global climate change predictions by using a supercomputer with low-power embedded microprocessors, an approach that would overcome limitations posed by today's conventional supercomputers.

Why face symmetry is sexy across cultures and species
In humans, faces are an important source of social information. One property of faces that is rapidly noticed is attractiveness. Research has highlighted symmetry and sexual dimorphism (how masculine/feminine a face is) as important variables that determine a face's attractiveness.

Researchers find way to make tumor cells easier to destroy
Tumors have a unique vulnerability that can be exploited to make them more sensitive to heat and radiation, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report.

X-rays power discoveries at Chicago's Field Museum
Digital medical imaging and information technology from Carestream Health, Inc., is playing a key role in helping The Field Museum of Chicago discover and analyze secrets hidden within its world-class collections.

Not all fat created equal
It has long been known that type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity, particularly fat inside the belly. Now, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have found that fat from other areas of the body can actually reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity.

Priority regions for threatened frog and toad conservation in Latin America
Nearly 35% of all amphibians are now threatened of extinction raising them to the position of the most endangered group of animals in the world.

First steps toward autonomous robot surgeries
The day may be getting a little closer when robots will perform surgery on patients in dangerous situations or in remote locations, such as on the battlefield or in space, with minimal human guidance.

Cell's 'power plant' genes raise vision disorder risk
Genetic variation in the DNA of mitochondria - the "power plants" of cells - contributes to a person's risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Vanderbilt investigators report May 7 in the journal PLoS ONE.

Women and heart attack: Study finds failure to recognize symptoms, failure to treat appropriately
The gender gap is alive and well in heart disease, a new international study finds, with women differing from men on everything from symptoms to treatment in both heart attack and severe chest pain.

Mental disorders cost society billions in unearned income
Major mental disorders cost the nation at least $193 billion annually in lost earnings alone, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study was published in the May 2008 issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.

New cell-based sensors sniff out danger like bloodhounds
A small, unmanned vehicle makes its way down the road ahead of a military convoy. Suddenly it stops and relays a warning to the convoy commander. The presence of a deadly improvised explosive device, or IED, has been detected by sophisticated new sensor technology incorporating living olfactory cells on microchips mounted on the unmanned vehicle. The IED is safely dismantled and lives are saved.

The cooperative view: New evidence suggests a symbiogenetic origin for the centrosome
There are two ways in which cooperation is the theme of a paper published this week by Mark Alliegro and Mary Anne Alliegro, scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory's (MBL) Josephine Bay Paul Center.

Seed dispersal in mauritius -- dead as a dodo?
Walking through the last rainforests on the volcanic island of Mauritius, located some 800 km east of Madagascar, one is surrounded by ghosts.

New discovery on role of vital protein that fights meningitis
A University of Leicester researcher has discovered how a protein in the blood - linked to defence against meningitis - plays a more vital role than previously understood in the body's immune defence system.

Scientists identify interacting proteins key to melanoma development, treatment
Researchers have discovered how a mole develops into melanoma by showing the interaction of two key proteins involved in 60-70 percent of tumors. The Penn State scientists also demonstrate that therapeutic targeting of these proteins is necessary for drugs to effectively treat this deadly form of cancer.

Pilot study reinforces use of portable anteroom HEPA filtration
Amidst an increase in new tuberculosis cases, researchers have begun investigating the effectiveness of new operating room filtration systems designed to protect staff and patients.

Superbug genome sequenced
The genome of a newly-emerging superbug, commonly known as Steno, has just been sequenced. The results reveal an organism with a remarkable capacity for drug resistance. The research was carried out by scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute near Cambridge and the University of Bristol.

Study in mice suggests molecules in plants have beneficial effect on Alzheimer's disease
A set of molecules found in certain plants appears to have a beneficial effect in brain tissue associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study conducted in mice. The study was led by researchers at the University of South Florida and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. An article in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine is available online.

Waterpipe Smoking on College Campuses May Contribute to Growing Public Health Problem
More and more U.S. college students are smoking tobacco using waterpipes - or hookahs - and it's becoming a growing public health issue, according to a new study led by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher.

New target for Alzheimer's disease identified
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable disease that is increasing in prevalence and will increase even more rapidly as the Baby Boom generation enters the age of highest risk. The available AD drugs are only partially effective in some patients. New strategies are urgently needed.

Stressed seaweed contributes to cloudy coastal skies, study suggests
Scientists at The University of Manchester have helped to identify that the presence of large amounts of seaweed in coastal areas can influence the climate.

Killer competition: Neurons duke it out for survival
The developing nervous system makes far more nerve cells than are needed to ensure target organs and tissues are properly connected to the nervous system. As nerves connect to target organs, they somehow compete with each other resulting in some living and some dying.

Finding the Real Potential of No-Till Farming for Sequestering Carbon
The potential of no-tillage (NT) soils for increasing the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool must be critically and objectively assessed. Most of the previous studies about SOC accrual in NT soils have primarily focused on the surface layer (<20-cm soil depth), and not for the whole soil profile. The lack of adequate data on the SOC profile is a hindrance to conclusively ascertain the effects of NT farming on SOC sequestration and off-setting CO2 emissions.

MGH researchers report successful new laser treatment for vocal-cord cancer
An innovative laser treatment for early vocal-cord cancer, developed at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), successfully restores patients' voices without radiotherapy or traditional surgery, which can permanently damage vocal quality.

Naturally-occuring protein may be effective in limiting heart attack injury and restoring function
Medical College of Wisconsin researchers in Milwaukee have shown for the first time that thrombopoietin (TPO), a naturally occurring protein being developed as a pharmaceutical to increase platelet count in cancer patients during chemotherapy, can also protect the heart against injury during a heart attack.

Creativity essential for climate targets -- existing -- housing
It is a great shame that the most creative professional group in the building trade, the architects, rarely apply themselves to existing housing. A large proportion of the Netherlands' climate targets will after all have to be achieved within existing housing.

OHSU psychiatrist to highlight warning signs for school shootings
Oregon Health & Science University psychiatrist Jerald Block, M.D., will present new research on the psychiatric factors that can lead to school shootings.

Antidepressants do work in depression while evidence for CBT is poorer say experts
A new revision of clinical guidelines to help doctors manage patients with depression has challenged the rationale behind the UK government's policy of rolling out of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for milder depression.