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Science News Archive July 1998


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Doctors Are Underprescribing Key Blood Pressure Drug In Heart Attack Patients Most Likely To Benefit, Study Says

A national study finds that doctors are increasingly prescribing ACE inhibitors to heart attack patients, but still underprescribing them to those most in need. The study suggests that following American College of Cardiology guidelines could have saved up to 1,800 lives in the first year.

SourceUniversity of California - San Francisco·JournalJournal of the American College of Cardiology·DateJul 31, 1998

Cometary Impact With Earth Unlikely In The Next 500,000 Years

A new study published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters finds that a review of thousands of nearby stars failed to show any rogue stars capable of altering comet orbits and sending them towards Earth. The researchers used the HIPPARCOS catalogue, which measures the location and motion of over 120,000 stars, and found no evidence of a

SourceOhio State University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateJul 31, 1998

A New Gene For Mental Retardation

Researchers identified a strong association between a 12 bp mutation in a newly discovered X-chromosome gene and X-linked mental retardation. The mutation was found in 7 percent of all institutionalized mentally retarded males surveyed, as well as in higher frequency among those with Autism.

SourceMolecular Psychiatry·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·DateJul 30, 1998

Hallucinations In Schizophrenia: Genetic Findings

Researchers investigated whether a specific serotonin transporter gene polymorphism is associated with psychosis and hallucinations in schizophrenia. Patients with the ll genotype had significantly higher ratings for psychosis and increased intensity of hallucinations compared to those with other genotypes.

SourceMolecular Psychiatry·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·DateJul 30, 1998

Mechanism Discovered For Determining Early Vertebrate Body Plan: New Zebrafish Mutants Afford Deeper Look Into Embryonic Patterning

Researchers identify three key genes, swirl, somitabun, and snailhouse, that control dorsoventral patterning in zebrafish embryos. The study reveals a new understanding of the biochemical pathways involved in embryonic development, shedding light on birth defects in humans.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalDevelopmental Biology·DateJul 29, 1998

Research Shows How Shrimps Escape Predators

Researchers found shrimps detect trout chemical odour from upstream by creating tiny currents. This strategy allows shrimps to escape brown trout ambushes. Shrimps can sense trout presence through vision but not smell, and create backflow to avoid predation.

SourceNew Scientist·JournalThe New Scientist·DateJul 29, 1998

Doctors Should Be More Willing To Break Bad News

A recent study highlights the importance of delivering bad news effectively to patients with cancer and other serious illnesses. The findings emphasize that withholding information or breaking bad news abruptly can exacerbate distress, while honest and empathetic communication can lead to better adjustment in the long term.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalBehavioral Medicine·DateJul 28, 1998

To Retire Well, Invest In Making Friends

A University of Michigan study suggests that post-retirement changes in life satisfaction are common and influenced by the size of a person's social support network. Recently retired individuals with larger networks tend to be more satisfied, while those with smaller networks may experience decreased life satisfaction.

New Study: Politics Of Congress, President Affect Supreme Court

A new Ohio University study reveals that the political makeup of Congress and the party affiliation of the president play a significant role in shaping Supreme Court justices' rulings in criminal cases. The research found that liberal decisions by the court mirrored Democrats' influence, while conservative decisions were more prevalent...

SourceOhio University·JournalJournal of Economic Behavior & Organization·DateJul 27, 1998

Australian Scientists In World-First Cell Discovery

A team of Australian scientists has made a world-first discovery by describing the structure of a vital receptor found on the surface of body cells in all animals, including humans. This breakthrough has major implications for understanding growth and development, as well as diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

SourceCSIRO Australia·JournalNature·DateJul 24, 1998

Erectile Dysfunction Associated With Depression

Researchers found that depression is associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) in men, with moderate to complete ED occurring almost twice as often in those with depressive symptoms. The study used data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study and found a significant link between ED and depressive symptomatology.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalPsychosomatic Medicine·DateJul 23, 1998

UF Discovery Of Chicken Gene Mutation Aids Study Of Rare Inherited Eye Disease

A University of Florida neuroscientist has discovered a mutant gene in chickens that helps researchers better understand a rare human eye disease called Leber's congenital amaurosis type I. The chicken model is being used to develop a form of gene therapy for treating the disease, which affects 100,000 to 200,000 people worldwide.

SourceUniversity of Florida·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 23, 1998

Black Teen-Agers With Severe Asthma Are Three Times More Likely Than White Teens To Be Steroid Resistant

A recent study found that black teen-agers with severe asthma are three times more likely to be steroid-resistant compared to their white counterparts. The study also revealed that children with steroid-resistant asthma are more likely to be African-American and require larger amounts of oral steroids.

SourceNational Jewish Health·JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology·DateJul 23, 1998