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Science News for December 15, 2004


Study: Unsafe gun, poison chemical storage in homes can turn holiday visits deadly

A recent study found that in 55% of homes with young children, household chemicals were stored in accessible locations, while one-third of U.S. gun owners kept firearms unlocked at home. The odds of reported unlocked storage of guns and household poisonous chemicals were two and a half times higher when young children visited.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateDec 15, 2004

American Thoracic Society Journal news tips for December 2004 (second issue)

A study of high-risk asthma patients shows that hospitalization can lead to a rapid decrease in prescribed medication use. Another study finds that inhaled corticosteroids may contribute to reduced bone density, particularly in individuals with COPD. Researchers also identify occupational exposure to insecticides and moldy environments...

SourceAmerican Thoracic Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine·DateDec 15, 2004

Researchers find circulating tumor cells in long-term cancer survivors

A recent study by UT Southwestern Medical Center found that one-third of long-term disease-free breast cancer patients have circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which are often associated with a higher risk of recurrence. However, the presence of CTCs in these patients after 20 years post-mastectomy is notable due to their low risk of recur...

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalClinical Cancer Research·DateDec 15, 2004

NASA picks two IU devices to go to Mars

Indiana University geologists David Bish and Juergen Schieber will join NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, a rover mission set to launch in 2009. The rover will explore a local region as a potential habitat for past or present life, shedding light on the Martian surface's composition.

Oxidants link obesity to diabetes

Researchers found that apocynin reduced ROS production in fat cells, restored adipocytokine production, and improved diabetes. Accumulated fatty tissue is a major source of ROS in obesity, acting as an early trigger of metabolic syndrome.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 15, 2004

JCI table of contents, December 15 2004

Individuals with obesity produce more toxic oxygen molecules that lead to changes in fat-derived hormones and contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome. Treatment with antioxidants reduces ROS production and improves diabetes symptoms.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 15, 2004

£15 million cancer research coup

A team of Cardiff University researchers has secured a £15 million grant to explore DNA damage and disease. The group aims to unravel the complexities of how cells maintain their chromosomes, ultimately establishing cancer risks for individuals and designing new anti-cancer drugs.

Return of the Staphylococcus aureus 'superbug'

Researchers analyzed 829 S. aureus strains from Rotterdam and found three major and two minor genetic clusters, mirroring UK study results. However, the new study identified hypervirulent clones associated with serious infections in healthy carriers.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateDec 15, 2004

Where the brain harbors unconscious fears

Researchers found that people with higher anxiety tend to react more quickly to fearful faces, indicating heightened emotional vigilance. The study also pinpoints the basolateral region of the amygdala as crucial for unconscious processing of threats.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateDec 15, 2004