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PLOS


Opening peer review may increase accuracy

The study found that open peer review fosters cooperation between reviewers and authors, leading to higher accuracy. Non-anonymous open review systems reward good reviewers, whereas traditional closed reviews do not.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 9, 2011

Birds help keep vineyards pest-free

Researchers found that installing nest boxes in California vineyards increased avian species richness by over 50% and nearly quadrupled insectivorous bird density. The results suggest an effective method for vineyards to protect their crop while promoting avian conservation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 9, 2011

Protecting predator and prey when both are in trouble

A new study suggests that Chinook salmon populations must increase significantly to sustain the growth of Southern Resident killer whales, currently facing decline. The research, published in PLOS ONE, provides a detailed model for managing both species' conservation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 9, 2011

How do we manage the demand for global health education?

Global health training programs should be evaluated by the quality of experience for trainees from all settings and by the incremental improvement in in-country care, infrastructure, and research. Investments in human resources are crucial to discovering and delivering innovations in prevention and treatment.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateNov 8, 2011

A new role is hatched for female fruit flies

A team of NYU biologists uncovered a previously unknown role for female reproductive tract cells in fruit flies, which affects sperm movement and fertility. The discovery may provide insights into manipulating reproductive behavior in other insects.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateNov 8, 2011

1 neuron, 2 neurotransmitters and different effects on behavior

Researchers discovered that eliminating acetylcholine secretion boosted dopamine actions, potentially improving motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease. The study used genetically modified mice to investigate the role of neurotransmitters in the striatum, a region affected by the disease.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateNov 8, 2011

Fundamental discovery casts enzymes in new light

Researchers have made a fundamental discovery about enzymes, revealing that flexibility is an essential feature of enzyme function. This finding has significant implications for improving the efficiency of enzymatic processes and developing new treatments for diseases such as AIDS.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateNov 8, 2011

A widely used bee antibiotic may harm rather than help

Researchers discovered that a widely used bee antibiotic increases susceptibility to pesticides, contributing to colony collapse disorder. The study suggests that oxytetracycline interacts with specific proteins in the bees, rendering them more vulnerable to toxic chemicals.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 2, 2011

Born to roar

A study published in PLOS ONE reveals that big cats' square-shaped vocal cords allow for louder roars at lower lung pressure, making it easier for the tissue to respond to airflow. This discovery contradicts a long-held theory and could potentially help doctors reconstruct damaged vocal fold tissue.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 2, 2011

Physical activity reduces the effect of the 'obesity gene'

A new study published in PLOS Medicine found that physical activity can substantially reduce the effect of the FTO gene on obesity risk. The research, which analyzed data from over 218,000 adults, showed that individuals who were physically active had a nearly 30% weaker association with the FTO gene compared to those who were inactive.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateNov 1, 2011

Why do woodpeckers resist head impact injury?

Researchers studied woodpecker anatomy and behavior to understand how they resist head impact injury. Key findings include the relative 'spongy'-ness of cranial bones and beak features that absorb shock, leading to a combined effect of multiple morphological features.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateOct 26, 2011

Regulatory process for organ scaling discovered

A new study has identified Dpp and Pentagone as key players in the scaling process of a fruit fly's wing. The research found that the feedback loop between Dpp and Pentagone regulates proportional tissue growth, keeping body proportions constant despite external factors like nutrition and temperature.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateOct 25, 2011

Standard definition of loss-to-follow-up for ART patients

A new standard definition for loss-to-follow-up (LTFU) has been established for HIV antiretroviral therapy patients, using a 180-day clinic visit threshold. This definition was developed based on statistical analysis of data from 111 health facilities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 25, 2011

Fast diagnostics not enough to change health outcomes

Recent research highlights that faster diagnostic tests are necessary but not sufficient to improve health outcomes for tuberculosis and HIV patients. The study emphasizes the need for thorough evaluation of diagnostics to ensure technical advancements translate into better patient care.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 25, 2011

Estimating the effectiveness of vaccination programs

Researchers developed a method to estimate vaccination program effectiveness in three African countries, identifying areas for improvement. The study's findings can inform strategies to increase vaccine coverage and address issues with vaccine delivery.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 25, 2011

Predictive model developed for polio

A predictive model of polio outbreaks in Africa was developed using outbreak data from 2003-2010. The model indicates that continued transmission in Nigeria and other countries, as well as poor immunization status, are the main causes of polio outbreaks in Africa.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 18, 2011

Medical education in developing world needs to change

Current approaches to medical education in developing world are insufficient and require a symbiotic relationship between education and population health. A more effective model would prioritize impact on health outcomes as a key criterion for measuring excellence.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 18, 2011

Preventing dangerous nonsense in human gene expression

Researchers identified a strategy of prevention that has evolved to compensate for the inefficiency of NMD by decreasing the frequency of nonsense errors. Human genes preferentially encode codons less likely to be mistranscribed into premature STOP codons, improving robustness to transcriptional errors.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Genetics·DateOct 13, 2011

Hospital superbug debugged

A global team of scientists has identified a natural mutation in Clostridium difficile that causes the bacterium to produce hypervirulent strains resistant to antibiotics, leading to severe bowel infections.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateOct 13, 2011

Talk to the virtual hands

Researchers found that successful communication in virtual environments requires nonverbal feedback from listening partners, with dynamic avatars improving performance. The study's findings have implications for fields like medical training, urban planning, entertainment, and telecommunication.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateOct 12, 2011

Burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe

The BURDEN study estimated 5,503 excess deaths from MRSA and 2,712 excess deaths from third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli infections in Europe. These infections resulted in 255,683 extra bed-days and an estimated €62 million in costs.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 11, 2011

Managing child contacts of adult TB cases

A new health needs assessment framework is proposed to better manage child contacts of adult TB cases. The approach aims to reduce child mortality and the reservoir of M. tuberculosis in the community, contributing to TB elimination.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·DateOct 11, 2011

Chlamydia utilizes Trojan horse tactics to infect cells

Researchers identified a novel mechanism where Chlamydia trachomatis tricks host cells into taking up the bacteria by coating itself with a growth factor made by the cells. This disguise creates a positive feedback loop, enabling bacterial infection and spread.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Pathogens·DateOct 6, 2011

Incompatible assumptions common in biomedical research

Researchers found widespread disagreement among scientists studying cancer metastasis, with no two scenarios identical. The study suggests making assumptions explicit can improve biomedical modeling and create new opportunities for understanding alternative theories.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·DateOct 6, 2011