News from the institutes and societies that organize science. Covers scientific medals, university-hospital partnerships, oncology cooperatives, and society leadership.
Dr. James Steele has received the prestigious Geriatric Oral Research Award for his pioneering research on the relationships between oral health and nutrition in older adults. His work, which spans over three decades, has significantly advanced our understanding of the impacts of oral health on disease and well-being in the elderly.
Dr. Fischman has made significant contributions to the evaluation of drugs used to prevent and treat dental caries and periodontal diseases through his design and analysis of clinical trials and publication of guidelines for colleagues. His research studies have evaluated over 100 chemical agents, providing benchmarks for clinical trials.
Dr. Anne George has been recognized with the IADR Pulp Biology and Regeneration Award for her pioneering research on dentin matrix biology. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of biomineralization in bones and teeth.
The CSIRO report highlights the importance of building adaptive capacity among farm managers and agri-businesses. It suggests that incremental changes may be sufficient for some regions, while others will need more transformative adaptations.
Dr. Adrian Lussi is recognized as a pioneer in dental erosion and caries research, with over 160 publications and executive positions. He received the Research in Dental Caries Award for innovative achievements in caries diagnosis.
The International Association for Dental Research presents Dr. Miroslav Marek with the Wilmer Souder Award for his exceptional contributions to corrosion science and standardization, particularly in restoratives, implants, and dental amalgam. He is being recognized for his influential work on mercury release from dental amalgam.
The International Association for Dental Research presents the 2008 Oral Medicine & Pathology Research Award to Dr. Paul Speight for his contributions to understanding oral cancer, screening, and early detection of lymphoma in Sjögren's syndrome patients. His research focuses on photodynamic therapy and has been widely published.
Dr. Childers' research on mucosal immune responses and dental caries vaccine development has contributed to a better understanding of oral health. He currently supervises projects funded by NIDCR, investigating host/parasite relationships in dental caries high-caries-risk populations.
Dr. Philip Preshaw is being recognized for his groundbreaking research on the effects of quitting smoking on periodontal treatment outcomes. He has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and holds multiple prestigious awards, including the UK National Clinician Scientist award.
A new study published in PLOS Medicine found that a brief video intervention in clinic waiting rooms can significantly reduce the incidence of new sexually transmitted infections among patients. The Safe in the City video, which is available online, was shown to lower STD rates by nearly 10% compared to those who did not watch the video.
Charles Taylor, a renowned scholar of spirituality and secularism, has been awarded the Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy. The recognition acknowledges his decades-long efforts to integrate spiritual dimensions into public policy, history, and other humanities fields.
Roger Schroeder examines Six Sigma's effectiveness in cutting costs and improving profitability. He defines the methodology and builds an academic framework, identifying consistent elements such as parallel-meso structures, strategic project selection, leadership engagement, and structured methodologies.
LA BioMed investigator Dr. Ronald S. Swerdloff is recognized for his 39 years of teaching and training over 130 endocrine fellows. He has made significant contributions to the field of reproductive endocrinology, inspiring a legacy of outstanding trainees.
The UK is launching a Synthetic Biology Initiative with £900,000 funding to establish a world-leading research community. The project aims to bring together biologists, engineers, and computer scientists to tackle future challenges such as sustainable power generation and medical applications.
Researchers found that college students who used interactive career websites were more likely to apply to companies, and attributed meaning to the site based on its features. The study suggests that organizations can control their public image by optimizing website interactivity for their target audience.
A study by University of Leeds engineers found that roasting energy crops using the torrefaction process can increase their energy content, reducing transportation costs and emissions. Willow emerged as the most favourable crop, retaining 86% of its mass and performing best in terms of energy yield.
A genome-wide study has identified a new gene on chromosome 20 that influences a person's risk of developing melanoma. This finding holds implications for the general population, with the associated genetic variations being found in 16% of people who are at nearly double the increased risk of developing the disease.
The International Association for Dental Research and GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare announced the winners of the 2008 IADR/GSK Innovation in Oral Care Awards. Three researchers were recognized for their innovative work on reducing oral biofilm and targeting post-transcriptional signaling for periodontitis.
The RevGenUK project aims to improve crop growth in adverse conditions and reduce nitrogen fertilizers. Researchers can access thousands of mutated plants with defective genes, enabling them to study gene function and develop sustainable crops.
A study funded by the Economic & Social Research Council found that students perceive mathematicians as old, white, middle-class men with no social life. The research suggests using popular culture to promote a more positive view of maths.
Researchers have identified a key human aging gene in fruit flies, revealing its role in DNA instability and genome rearrangement. This breakthrough enables the use of fruit flies as a powerful model system to study the effects of aging on human health.
Dr. Declan Bates is leading a £1.2m research project to examine how lung injury can be prevented in patients on ventilators and investigate potential targets for cancer treatments. The project will use systems biology and feedback control theory to develop new therapies.
A team of scientists led by Iain Couzin found that cannibalistic interactions are responsible for locusts' collective motion. The behavior, observed in immature locusts, leads to the formation of large mobile groups called bands that devour vegetation and eventually precede flying swarms.
A recent study published in Nature Genetics has identified two new genetic variants associated with fat mass, weight, and risk of obesity. The variants, located near the MC4R gene, act in addition to previously described FTO gene variants, resulting in an average increase of 3.8 kg (or 8.5 lb) in weight.
Researchers describe a new method to uncover the hierarchical organization of complex networks, explaining previously unknown patterns such as node connectivity and triangle formations. The approach achieves up to 80% accuracy in predicting missing connections across disparate fields like biology, terrorism, and ecology.
A recent study by Brown University scientists found that higher plant diversity significantly enhances an ecosystem's productivity, capturing more carbon dioxide and reducing global warming. The researchers also discovered that the number of plant species in a natural environment has a positive correlation with ecosystem productivity.
Researchers at the University of Manchester found that carrying infants was unlikely to have driven human evolution towards walking upright. Instead, they suggest that this characteristic may have been an adaptation for other benefits, such as freeing up forelimbs to carry objects.
A new study confirms that black women have less urinary incontinence than white women, but when they do develop it, the condition tends to be more severe. The study also found that black women experience 'urge incontinence' twice as often as white women.
The Gerontological Society of America warns of a looming healthcare crisis as the US population ages. The Institute of Medicine report highlights a shortage of healthcare workers and frontline staff to meet growing demands for care.
Ezra Susser received a $100,000 award to continue his research on the hypothesis that prenatal exposure to maternal famine increases risk of schizophrenia. The study will examine genetic mutations among persons exposed to the 1959-1960 China famine and collect diagnostic data and DNA samples.
Researchers found that birds using sentry duty call out to alert their group-mates to safe foraging areas, leading to increased food capture and improved group survival. This cooperative behavior is a rare example of selflessness in the animal kingdom.
Researchers developed a breakthrough in gene therapy for cancer using microscopic magnets to target tumours, increasing successful cell invasion. The 'magnetic targeting' method uses nanomagnets to attract cells carrying anti-cancer genes, effectively overcoming the problem of insufficient delivery.
Epicentre research has helped improve rapid assessment of population health status, responding to infectious disease outbreaks, treating malnutrition, and developing diagnostic tools. The findings aim to address public health questions and significantly improve the health status of affected populations.
Researchers are investigating whether embryonic stem cell-derived tissues can be accepted by the immune system, paving the way for new treatments. The study suggests that ES cells display an underlying immune privilege, which could be harnessed to promote regulatory T-cell activity and suppress immune activation.
The American Association for Dental Research (AADR) presented numerous prestigious awards and recognitions to distinguished scientists, researchers, and students in oral health research. The AADR Distinguished Scientist Award was presented to Kenneth M. Yamada, while the Jack Hein Public Service Award went to Joan Steen Wilentz.
Researchers aim to create bespoke soils with added calcium silicates to capture carbon dioxide and form harmless mineral calcium carbonate. This could contribute 5-10% of the UK's carbon reduction targets in the future.
A new study from Northwestern University finds that positive feedback can actually escalate perceived threats to the ego and increase the need to prove a questionable decision was right. Research participants who received praise for skills unrelated to the decision were less likely to recommit to it.
Dr. John Polanyi is awarded the Gerhard Herzberg Gold Medal for his outstanding contributions to science and society over 50 years. The $1 million prize will fund his research for the next five years, supporting breakthroughs in manipulating molecules.
Two researchers, Hildegard Schuller and Albert Baldwin, received funding for studies on sex differences in lung cancer and the regulation of normal cell growth. The grants aim to increase understanding of lung cancer and support scientists pursuing lung cancer research.
The Swiss Systems Biology Initiative has announced eight Flagship Projects involving 79 research groups from 11 universities and institutions. The projects focus on basic biological questions, including lipid roles in cells and decision-making mechanisms in the brain. Funding for these initiatives will be at least CHF90 million.
Researchers identified the detailed structure of a GABA receptor type implicated in conditions like epilepsy and pre-menstrual tension. The discovery provides hope for developing drugs to block or stimulate the receptors, potentially leading to new treatments for these conditions.
Researchers found that tiny fluctuations in car-road density cause a chain reaction leading to traffic jams. A critical density threshold exists, and once exceeded, gentle braking causes a standstill.
A team of scientists at the University of Essex has discovered a new mechanism that regulates carbon dioxide fixation in plants by slowing down sugar production when energy from sunlight is limited. This discovery increases our understanding of this process and may lead to the development of 'fourth generation' biofuels.
A RAND Corporation study found that deportable immigrants released from the Los Angeles County jail system had a similar recidivism rate as non-deportable immigrants, with 43% being rearrested within a year compared to 35%. The study controlled for factors such as age and criminal history.
A new £7M research initiative aims to improve crop yields and alleviate poverty in developing countries. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is funding 12 projects to develop crops that can survive in harsh environmental conditions, reducing the impact of pests, diseases, and climate change.
Research at the University of Leeds shows that humans follow crowds without realizing it, with just 5% of individuals influencing the group's direction. This study has major implications for directing large crowds in disaster scenarios and organizing pedestrian flow in busy areas.
Researchers at the University of Leeds have made a breakthrough in diagnosing pre-eclampsia, a condition that affects up to 15% of pregnancies. A user-friendly diagnostic kit is being developed to test pregnant women, with potential savings estimated at £500m for the NHS.
The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences has announced six finalists competing for the 2008 Franz Edelman Award, recognizing outstanding operations research-based projects that transform companies, industries, and lives. The finalists include teams from Western Europe, federal agencies, and a Fortune 500 company.
Researchers have created a novel process for catching gas from the environment and holding it indefinitely in molecular-sized containers, promising improvements to greenhouse gas management and fuel cell development. The 'molecular nanovalves' system is highly controllable and recyclable, allowing for safe and efficient storage of gases.
Dental amalgam's use is being restricted due to mercury concerns, but scientific evidence suggests a link between the two is unclear. The move may remove a viable treatment option for dentists and patients worldwide.
A new study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council found that foreign retailers can provide workers with opportunities to prosper and improve their skills in Chinese subsidiaries. Contrary to expectations, job satisfaction was high among employees in apparently menial jobs, such as checkout staff and warehouse workers.
The department has received grants totaling over $1.6 million in the past 11 years, with a focus on identifying causes and treatments for blinding diseases such as corneal cataracts and macular degeneration. The grant will support research into diabetic retinopathy, ocular inflammation, and genetic eye diseases.
New research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences finds that community ecology principles affect parasite species interacting within a single host, impacting treatment effectiveness. The study suggests using ecological thinking to understand and control multiple infections like malaria.
A international study of 20,000 people identified seven new genes associated with good cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides, while confirming the role of bad cholesterol (LDL) in heart disease. The findings suggest that genetic variants influencing HDL levels are not directly linked to lower risk of coronary artery disease.
A study published in Nature found that when individuals are choosy about their partners, cooperativeness increases and becomes more stable. This is because individuals with low cooperativeness are penalized by being left by their current partner for a more cooperative one.
Researchers aim to identify effective ways to disseminate research-based treatments and foster dialogue between treatment providers and innovators. The grants will examine barriers to adoption of promising practices and support partnerships between treatment organizations and states.
Hebrew University researchers received prestigious EU research grants to advance their careers and tackle groundbreaking projects. The five winners will focus on innovative fields such as dormant bacterial spores, group theory, neurophysiological changes, planetary formation, and protein-modulating drugs for cancer and AIDS.
The recently published book 'Conservation of Rare or Little-Known Species' by Island Press offers alternative approaches to conserving rare species. It synthesizes scientific information to apply to real-world problems, making it an excellent resource for land managers, policymakers, and scientists.
Researchers at UT-ORNL have made progress toward understanding high-temperature superconductivity by studying the behavior of electrons in materials like PLCCO. They found evidence suggesting that magnetism plays a role in creating pairs of electrons, which are crucial for this phenomenon.
A recent study on the burying beetle found that parents instinctively favor older offspring, leading to unequal growth rates among siblings. The researchers believe this bias is due to both increased survival value and dominance in younger siblings.