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Science News Archive July 2011 - Page 22


Page 22 of 25

Mother kangaroos at higher health risk

A new University of Melbourne study reveals that mother Eastern Grey Kangaroos double their food intake and significantly reduce resting time to meet the nutritional needs of their baby. This altered behavior increases their risk of parasite infection, which may be a significant additional cost for reproducing females.

SourceUniversity of Melbourne·JournalBiology Letters·DateJul 5, 2011

Researchers can predict accurately the outcome of pregnancies threatening to miscarry

Researchers have developed a Pregnancy Viability Index (PVI) that can accurately predict the outcome of pregnancies threatening to miscarry. The PVI combines two key factors - bleeding and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels - to provide a reliable means of predicting which pregnancies will continue and which will miscarry, ulti...

Botulinum toxin does not cure common forms of neck pain

A group of scientists reviewed nine trials involving 503 participants and found no evidence that Botulinum toxin injections reduce chronic neck pain. The study suggests that further research is needed to clarify whether the dose can be optimized for neck pain.

SourceWiley·JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·DateJul 5, 2011

Metabolic shift may offer early cancer clue

A new imaging technology reveals that metabolic shifts in cancer cells occur even before detectable tumors form, suggesting an early diagnostic tool for liver cancer. The study also shows that tumor metabolism changes precede tumor regression, offering potential strategies for cancer treatment and more effective therapies.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Metabolism·DateJul 5, 2011

Fisher decline documented in California

A 73-percent decline in fisher density has been documented on the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation in northwestern California between 1998 and 2005. The study suggests that changes in prey habitat, disease, and increased predation by bobcats may be responsible for the population decline.

SourceWildlife Conservation Society·JournalWildlife Society Bulletin·DateJul 5, 2011

Salamanders spell out evolution in action

Research reveals that genetic divergence, rather than ecological adaptation, is responsible for the reproductive isolation of lungless salamander populations. The study found strong associations between genetic and ecological divergence, but only nuclear divergence was linked to hybridization.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalBMC Evolutionary Biology·DateJul 5, 2011

Simple rapid diagnostic tests for malaria work well

A new Cochrane Systematic Review finds that Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) are highly accurate in detecting malaria parasites, with a success rate of at least 19 out of 20 cases. This development holds promise for improving diagnosis and treatment of malaria in resource-constrained settings.

SourceWiley·JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·DateJul 5, 2011