Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Science News for April 4, 2007


Promising new drug for HIV

A new antiretroviral drug darunavir has been shown to be highly effective in treating HIV when used in conjunction with a boosting dose of the existing drug ritonavir. The study found that 61% of patients taking the new drug achieved a ten-fold drop in HIV RNA levels, compared to just 15% of those on the control group.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateApr 4, 2007

News tips from ACS Chemical Biology

The journal reveals how changing protein charges enables cell membrane passage and introduces an enzyme's role in synthesizing antibiotics against resistant bacteria. Additionally, researchers develop artificial methods to induce keratinocytes' differentiation, providing insight into diseases like psoriasis and basal cell carcinoma.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalACS Chemical Biology·DateApr 4, 2007

Mechanism of nicotine's learning effects explored

Researchers discovered how nicotine adjusts neuronal wiring to enhance memory, including effects on GABAergic neurons and calcium-mediated signaling. This work provides insights into the mechanism of nicotine's learning-enhancing effects, which may lead to development of new treatments for cognitive deficits.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateApr 4, 2007

Measuring the brain's 'rich switch'

Neurobiologists found that richer individuals are slower to learn associating a stimulus with financial reward, leading to slower brain responses in reward areas. The study also measured marginal utility of money, finding greater wealth reduces the likelihood of picking up coins on the street.

SourceCell Press·JournalNeuron·DateApr 4, 2007

Supernova impostor goes supernova

Astronomers observed a massive star suffering a double whammy, with the star surviving one outburst before exploding as Supernova 2006jc. The study found that the supernova's blast wave interacted with material ejected by the star two years earlier, indicating a unique stellar evolution process.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·DateApr 4, 2007

Multivitamins improve birth outcomes among children born to HIV-negative women

A study found that daily multivitamin supplements given to HIV-negative pregnant women in Tanzania significantly reduced the risks of low birth weight and a small-for-gestational age birth size. The results suggest that enhancing micronutrient status during pregnancy has significant benefits on maternal immunity and hemoglobin levels.

SourceHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateApr 4, 2007