Researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered that infants as young as 6 months old begin to comprehend the sound patterns behind words like 'Mama' and 'Dada', forming a lexicon linked to socially significant people. This finding marks a significant milestone in understanding human language development.
Despite the Asian recession, US firms remain in a strong position due to their dominance of knowledge processing and increasing return markets. However, the authors warn that if American firms fail to adapt, they risk losing market share to Asian companies, who are emerging as a formidable new elite.
A decade of anti-smoking campaigns in California show that aggressive ad campaigns exposing the tobacco industry's hypocrisy are key to success, while support from health advocacy groups is crucial for their effectiveness. The campaigns led to rapid drops in cigarette smoking in the state.
A transitional care model improved the health of hospitalized elderly patients with common medical and surgical problems, reducing hospital readmissions and post-discharge health service costs. The study found that only 20% of intervention group patients were rehospitalized compared to 37% of controls.
Computer simulations reveal a tension-activated switch mechanism that regulates fibronectin's cell-binding function, similar to untying a shoelace. The researchers' findings provide new insight into how nature may use molecular mechanics to control biological activity.
A new candidate vaccine targets multiple stages of the malaria parasite's life cycle, inducing a high level of antibodies that block invasion into liver cells and inhibit growth. The multicomponent vaccine offers potential for improved protection against different parasite strains.
Researchers found that urine tests can detect asymptomatic STDs in adolescent girls, leading to earlier treatment and prevention of serious complications like PID. This could expand screening to more teens, particularly boys, and reduce costs compared to traditional pelvic exams.
Physicist Janet Conrad is building an underground vat to trap oscillating neutrinos and observe their transformation into another type. The experiment aims to prove that neutrinos have mass, a discovery that has already shaken the physics world.
Researchers discover the structure of a key compound enabling the bacterium's deadly mechanism and create molecules that block its effects in mice. The study provides a novel way to combat Staphylococcus aureus infections without killing the bacteria, potentially addressing antibiotic resistance.
Researchers created a protein-like model that unfolded and refolded itself to reveal common features among folding pathways. The study provides new clues to understanding how proteins achieve their stable structures quickly and reliably.