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Science News Archive April 2010 - Page 10


Page 10 of 24

Does foreign policy help or hinder global health?

The intersection of foreign policy and global health interests can prioritize certain health concerns over others. Global health diplomacy is being used as a means to further foreign policy objectives, such as improving security or projecting power.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateApr 20, 2010

Low heritability of tinnitus

A new study published in Archives of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery reveals that the relative importance of genetic factors in tinnitus is low. The research found that environmental factors account for 89% of tinnitus variance, with only 11% attributed to genetic effects.

SourceNorwegian Institute of Public Health·JournalArchives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery·DateApr 20, 2010

Study provides new insights into the implications of autism onset patterns

Children with early developmental warning signs may face lower risk for poor autism outcomes than those who experience a loss of skills, study finds. Researchers examined 2,720 parents and found significant differences in development, symptom severity, and educational needs among children with three patterns of autism onset.

SourceKennedy Krieger Institute·JournalJournal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·DateApr 20, 2010

Designer threads: New insight into protein fiber assembly

Researchers have gained new insight into protein fiber assembly, providing a potential route to temporal control of fibers with future applications in biotechnology and nanoscale science and medicine. By manipulating conditions, they were able to demonstrate the ability to manipulate fibrous structures with some precision.

SourceCell Press·JournalBiophysical Journal·DateApr 20, 2010

Preoperative/neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic cancer

A systematic review of 111 studies involving 4,394 patients found that a third could undergo resection after neoadjuvant therapy, with similar survival rates to those judged resectable before treatment. The study suggests including locally advanced/unresectable tumors in neoadjuvant protocols.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateApr 20, 2010

Bone-eating worms 30 million years old

Researchers at Kiel University discovered fossil whale bones with 0.5mm circular boreholes matching those of living Osedax worms, dating to 30 million years ago. The findings confirm that boneworms are at least 30 million years old and were feeding on whale bones during this period.

SourceKiel University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 20, 2010

Advance made in thin-film solar cell technology

Researchers at Oregon State University have made an important breakthrough in producing thin film absorbers for solar cells using continuous flow microreactors. This innovative technology could significantly reduce the cost of solar energy devices and material waste, making it a game-changer for sustainable solar cell manufacturing.

SourceOregon State University·JournalCurrent Applied Physics·DateApr 20, 2010

The sweet smell of aging

Researchers identified carbon dioxide as an odorant that alters physiology and affects aging in fruit flies. Flies incapable of smelling CO2 live longer and are resistant to stress. This finding suggests a potential link between sensory perception and aging, with implications for human health.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateApr 20, 2010

Embargoed news from Annals of Internal Medicine

Researchers found that healthy older adults taking rosuvastatin had fewer heart problems and strokes than those not taking the medication. A high false-positive rate was associated with low-dose CT lung cancer screening, highlighting its potential harms. U.S. News rankings are criticized for relying too heavily on subjective data.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·DateApr 19, 2010

Breathe easy with the protein LPCAT1

Researchers identified LPCAT1 as a key protein in lung surfactant production, essential for air breathing transition in mice. Decreased LPCAT1 expression may underlie fatal respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants.

SourceJCI Journals·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateApr 19, 2010

US needs new national strategy for era of cyber aggression, new paper concludes

A new research paper concludes that deterrence can no longer be the primary national cybersecurity strategy due to the unique characteristics of cyberspace. Experts propose a three-tiered approach to guide US strategy in responding to cyber threats, emphasizing war-fighting and offense-defense frameworks to contain damage and reduce harm.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalJournal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management·DateApr 19, 2010