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Science News for June 23, 2003


Researchers discover birds protect trees in neotropics by eating insects

Researchers at the University of Illinois discovered that birds play a crucial role in protecting Neotropical forests by consuming leaf-eating insects. By eating caterpillars on leaves, birds drastically reduce damage to foliage, with average damage levels increasing by 86% where they could not reach.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 23, 2003

The high cost of diabetes

A study found that people with diabetes in Saskatchewan accounted for $134.3 million in health care expenditures, with major comorbidities contributing to 36.4% of these costs. Targeted strategies to prevent diabetes could produce substantial savings and improved health outcomes.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateJun 23, 2003

Rare stroke risk related to air travel

A study by the American Academy of Neurology found that people with patent foramen ovale, a common heart condition, are at increased risk of stroke after air travel. Researchers analyzed data from over 155 million passengers and found that six percent of those who developed pulmonary embolism had strokes.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateJun 23, 2003

Study finds direction of enzymes affects DNA repair

A new study found that repair enzymes can 'distinguish' between various positions on the DNA strand, varying in effectiveness depending on their orientation relative to the nucleosome. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of DNA repair and its role in preventing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 23, 2003