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Science News Archive March 2007 - Page 13


Page 13 of 18

Malaria: The right vaccine in the right place?

A new study found that the most commonly used malaria vaccine may not be effective against the prevalent strain in Mali. The researchers discovered that only 16% of infections were caused by the strain included in the vaccine, highlighting the importance of testing vaccines in diverse populations.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateMar 12, 2007

Hackers get bum rap for corporate America's digital delinquency

A recent study by Phil Howard and Kris Erickson found that 60% of breached-record incidents between 1980 and 2006 were caused by organizational mismanagement, such as missing or stolen hardware. The number of reported incidents more than tripled in 2005 and 2006 after California's pioneering Notice of Security Breach law took effect.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalJournal of Computer-Mediated Communication·DateMar 12, 2007

These legs were made for fighting

Human ancestors used short legs to gain a fighting advantage, helping males compete for females. The study analyzed nine primate species and found that shorter legs correlated with higher aggression indicators, including body weight and canine tooth size ratios.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalEvolution·DateMar 11, 2007

Fermions do not travel together, theory proved

Scientists have demonstrated that fermions, particles predicted by quantum mechanics to avoid close proximity, indeed exhibit an 'anti-bunching' effect, repelling each other due to quantum interferences. This finding enables the detection of correlations between atoms and advances our understanding of matter at the quantum scale.

SourceCNRS·JournalNature·DateMar 10, 2007

Creation of a magnetic field in a turbulent fluid

Researchers successfully created a magnetic field in a highly turbulent flow of liquid sodium, exhibiting remarkable similarities with cosmic magnetic fields. This breakthrough advances our understanding of the mechanisms behind the formation of natural magnetic fields.

SourceCNRS·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 10, 2007

Bacterial walls come tumbling down

Scientists have detailed images of a bacterial cell wall target that could aid in designing new antibiotics to treat deadly infections. The images, published in the journal Science, show an antibiotic called moenomycin binding to the enzyme, providing a new understanding of its structure and function.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalScience·DateMar 9, 2007

Stealth camouflage at night

Researchers have confirmed that cuttlefish employ night camouflage to adapt quickly to microhabitats on temperate rock reefs. The ability is key to their nighttime predator/prey interactions and fine-tuned visual system, allowing them to dominate the dark environment.

Therapeutic peptide frees the protein p73 to kill tumor cells

Researchers have discovered a peptide that can free the protein p73, which induces tumor cell death, and effectively kills both p53-sufficient and p53-deficient human tumor cell lines. The study suggests targeting the p73-mediated pathway could provide a new avenue for developing anticancer therapeutics.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 8, 2007

Tracking sperm whales and jumbo squid

Researchers successfully tag sperm whales and jumbo squid swimming together, providing new insights into the diving behavior of both species. The study, published in Marine Ecology Progress Series, raises questions about the feeding habits and hunting strategies of sperm whales and their prey.

SourceStanford University·JournalMarine Ecology Progress Series·DateMar 8, 2007

JCI table of contents -- March 8, 2006

A therapeutic peptide, 37AA, has been developed to target the protein p73, which can induce tumor cell death. The study found that the peptide killed both p53-sufficient and p53-deficient human tumor cell lines. Additionally, a tissue-resident population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was discovered in transplanted human lungs, with ...

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateMar 8, 2007