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Science News for January 25, 2005


Beliefs may hinder HIV prevention among African-Americans

A recent study found that HIV/AIDS conspiracy beliefs are associated with negative attitudes towards condoms and inconsistent condom use among African American men. The study suggests that addressing these beliefs is crucial in changing the disproportionately high rate of HIV and AIDS in this community.

SourceOregon State University·JournalJAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes·DateJan 25, 2005

Exercise helps reduce symptoms of depression, UT Southwestern researchers find

A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that exercising moderately intense aerobics for 30-35 minutes per day reduced depressive symptoms by an average of 47% after 12 weeks. The study included 80 adults with mild to moderate depression and showed similar results to antidepressant medications.

SourceUT Southwestern Medical Center·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateJan 25, 2005

First view of a world without fire

A new study reveals that a world without fire would see closed forests more than double in extent, while tropical grasslands and savannas shrink significantly. The findings highlight the crucial role of fire in shaping vegetation and ecosystems worldwide.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalNew Phytologist·DateJan 25, 2005

Study provides insights on why some prostate cancer becomes resistant to hormone withdrawl therapy

Researchers discovered that certain mutations in the androgen receptor cause advanced prostate cancer when introduced into healthy mice. These findings shed light on why hormone withdrawal therapy fails to cure most men with advanced prostate cancer, and open the door to discovering new, effective therapies.

SourceFred Hutchinson Cancer Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 25, 2005

Hidden sex life of an early eukaryote revealed

Researchers found evidence for meiosis in Giardia, a single-celled protist thought to be a modern representative of an early diverging eukaryotic lineage. The discovery suggests that the earliest eukaryotes diverged after the advent of meiosis, providing new insights into sexual evolution.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJan 25, 2005

Hearing aid signal not clear? Then switch frequency to FM, finds UCI study

A UCI study discovered that enhancing frequency modulation on cochlear implants and hearing aids can significantly boost performance by separating background noise and increasing tonal recognition. This improvement can particularly benefit users of hearing aids, affecting music and certain spoken languages like Mandarin.

SourceUniversity of California - Irvine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 25, 2005

Choosing where to look – and changing your mind

A study using fMRI reveals separate brain regions for making choices and dealing with conflicts, shedding light on why people with damaged medial frontal cortex struggle with actions and difficult decisions. The findings have implications for understanding human decision-making processes.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateJan 25, 2005

Sunken tanker may help cleanup in future accidents

Researchers have developed a model that accurately recreated the series of events surrounding the Prestige oil spill, highlighting its potential for future cleanup and analysis. The study's focus on asphaltenes and resins not easily degradable underscores the need for efficient containment strategies.

SourcePenn State·JournalScientia Marina·DateJan 25, 2005

Novel technology detects human DNA mutations

Nanosphere's nanoparticle-based technology allows for rapid and highly-sensitive single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping without gene amplification. The technology can detect a specific gene and its mutation extent with greater than 99 percent confidence threshold.

SourceNanosphere, Inc.·JournalNucleic Acids Research·DateJan 25, 2005

Study dissects the racial gap in violence

The study reveals that neighborhood environment, parents' marital status, and immigrant status are key factors contributing to the racial gap in violence. Family poverty does not account for the disparity, with youth from married families being less likely to commit violent acts.

SourceUniversity of Michigan·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·DateJan 25, 2005