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Science News Archive 2008 - Page 82


Page 82 of 240

Survey finds spirituality is important to eye patients

A survey of 124 eye patients found that 76.6% identified as Christian, with 69.4% reporting prayer is very important to their sense of well-being. The study suggests acknowledging patients' spiritual beliefs can enhance the healing process and establish trust between patients and physicians.

SourceJAMA Network·JournalArchives of Ophthalmology·DateSep 8, 2008

High levels of physical activity can blunt effect of obesity-related gene, study suggests

A study by University of Maryland researchers found that high physical activity levels can blunt the effect of the FTO gene variant, which is linked to increased risk of obesity. The study analyzed genes and lifestyle of Old Order Amish individuals, finding no association between the gene and body weight in highly active participants.

SourceUniversity of Maryland Medical Center·JournalArchives of Internal Medicine·DateSep 8, 2008

Balzan Foundation announced 2008 prize winners

The Balzan Foundation has awarded four prestigious prizes in 2008 for outstanding contributions in Visual Arts, Moral Philosophy, Preventive Medicine, and Science of Climate Change. Maurizio Calvesi, Thomas Nagel, Ian H. Frazer, and Wallace S. Broecker received the awards with a total prize money of one million Swiss Francs.

How are herbicides discovered?

The traditional method of discovering herbicides involves random searching of chemicals, resulting in most commercial products. New biotech information allows companies to create targeted weed killers. The American Society of Agronomy developed an interactive web lesson to teach students about the history and development of herbicides.

SourceAmerican Society of Agronomy·JournalJournal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Education·DateSep 8, 2008

Safety of anti-malarial drugs in pregnancy must be monitored

A new study highlights the need to develop systems to assess antimalarial drug safety in early pregnancy, as artemisinins have been shown to be toxic to embryos in animal models. An international antimalarial pregnancy exposure registry is proposed to enable targeted pharmacovigilance and timely assessment of risk-benefit profiles.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateSep 8, 2008

How plants fine tune their natural chemical defenses

Researchers at the Salk Institute discovered that only a few mutations in an enzyme can shift the output of plant compounds, allowing them to adapt to changing environments. This finding has implications for developing environmentally friendly fungicides and pesticides, as well as new flavors and fragrances.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalNature Chemical Biology·DateSep 7, 2008

A new 'Pyrex' nanoparticle

Researchers have developed a new method to fabricate borosilicate glass nanoparticles with increased stability, overcoming limitations of current nanoparticle materials. These nanoparticles could enable applications in diagnostic tests, targeted drug therapy, photonic devices, ultrasonic microscopy, and chemical filtration membranes.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateSep 7, 2008

How STDs increase the risk of becoming infected with HIV

Research suggests that sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can increase the risk of contracting HIV by activating Langerhans cells in the skin and vagina. This activation allows the virus to spread more easily, highlighting the potential for anti-inflammatory treatments to prevent HIV transmission.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateSep 5, 2008

What is a gene?

A study analyzing 300 newspaper articles reveals five main 'gene frames' used by media, from deterministic to evolutionary and playful metaphors. The findings aim to provide a tool for scientists and journalists to better communicate genetics to the public.

SourceEMBO·JournalEMBO Reports·DateSep 5, 2008