The News
Antidepressants fail in bipolar test
By Karen Augé Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/29/2007 01:22:44 AM MDT
For treating bipolar disorder depression, patients are as likely to get relief from sugar pills as they are from widely used antidepressants. The findings are sure to confound therapy, researchers say. "Bipolar depression is notoriously difficult to treat," said David Miklowitz, professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Colorado at Boulder and an investigator on the study. This study, Miklowitz said, "helps us find what does and does not work." ... Treating bipolar disorder with antidepressants has been controversial because some therapists worry the drugs destabilize patients, said Dr. Michael H. Allen, co-director of the mood disorders program at CU's medical school and study investigator.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Read an editorial about this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
The News
MRI scans offer hope, greater use urged in breast cancer fight
By Denise Grady
The New York Times
Article Last Updated: 03/28/2007 01:06:25 AM MDT
MRIs Advised for Some High-Risk Breast Cancer Cases
by Patricia Neighmond
NPR's Morning Edition, For women at high risk of breast cancer, the new American Cancer Society guidelines recommend annual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, not just annual mammograms. This advice could apply to more than one million women.
The Research
Read the research behind these stories in the New England Journal of Medicine.
MRI scans offer hope, greater use urged in breast cancer fight
By Denise Grady
The New York Times
Article Last Updated: 03/28/2007 01:06:25 AM MDT
MRIs Advised for Some High-Risk Breast Cancer Cases
by Patricia Neighmond
NPR's Morning Edition, For women at high risk of breast cancer, the new American Cancer Society guidelines recommend annual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams, not just annual mammograms. This advice could apply to more than one million women.
The Research
Read the research behind these stories in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Monday, March 26, 2007
The News
Study links child care to problem behavior
By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The more time that children spent in child care, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report problem behavior. Also, children who got quality child care before entering kindergarten had better vocabulary scores in the fifth grade than did youngsters who received lower quality care. The findings come from the largest study of child care and development conducted in the United States. The 1,364 children in the analysis had been tracked since birth as part of a study by the National Institutes of Health.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in Child Development.
Study links child care to problem behavior
By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The more time that children spent in child care, the more likely their sixth grade teachers were to report problem behavior. Also, children who got quality child care before entering kindergarten had better vocabulary scores in the fifth grade than did youngsters who received lower quality care. The findings come from the largest study of child care and development conducted in the United States. The 1,364 children in the analysis had been tracked since birth as part of a study by the National Institutes of Health.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in Child Development.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
The News
Risks high from small bombs
By The Denver Post Editorial Board
Article Last Updated: 03/24/2007 03:21:19 PM MDT
Any nuclear conflict, even a "small" one, will have catastrophic global consequences. That conclusion from atmospheric scientists should add to the impetus for responsible governments to make sure it never happens. The climate specialists believe that even limited use of nuclear weapons would produce enough radioactive soot to block sunlight, lower temperatures, kill crops and disrupt the Earth's ecosystem. An atomic blast could destroy a big chunk of the ozone layer, which keeps out harmful ultraviolet radiation. There would be millions of deaths. And the effects could last, not months, but perhaps a decade. While some scientists question the findings, we hope the theory is never tested.
The Research
Read more analysis behind this editorial by University of Colorado scientist Brian Toon in Science.
Risks high from small bombs
By The Denver Post Editorial Board
Article Last Updated: 03/24/2007 03:21:19 PM MDT
Any nuclear conflict, even a "small" one, will have catastrophic global consequences. That conclusion from atmospheric scientists should add to the impetus for responsible governments to make sure it never happens. The climate specialists believe that even limited use of nuclear weapons would produce enough radioactive soot to block sunlight, lower temperatures, kill crops and disrupt the Earth's ecosystem. An atomic blast could destroy a big chunk of the ozone layer, which keeps out harmful ultraviolet radiation. There would be millions of deaths. And the effects could last, not months, but perhaps a decade. While some scientists question the findings, we hope the theory is never tested.
The Research
Read more analysis behind this editorial by University of Colorado scientist Brian Toon in Science.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The News
Firefighters Face Added Risk of Fatal Heart Attack
All Things Considered, March 21, 2007 · There is something about fighting fires that puts firefighters at much greater risk of having a fatal heart attack. Firefighters are twice as likely to die from a heart attack in the line of duty than are policemen, and three times more likely than EMTs. Now a study in The New England Journal of Medicine finds that firefighters are up to 136 times more likely to die of a heart attack while fighting a blaze than when they're on non-emergency duty.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Firefighters Face Added Risk of Fatal Heart Attack
All Things Considered, March 21, 2007 · There is something about fighting fires that puts firefighters at much greater risk of having a fatal heart attack. Firefighters are twice as likely to die from a heart attack in the line of duty than are policemen, and three times more likely than EMTs. Now a study in The New England Journal of Medicine finds that firefighters are up to 136 times more likely to die of a heart attack while fighting a blaze than when they're on non-emergency duty.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The News
Malaria-Resistant Mosquito Developed
Innovation Might One Day Help Block Spread Of Illness That Has Killed Millions
CBS News Healthwatch (AP). Researchers have developed a malaria-resistant mosquito, a step that might one day help block the spread of an illness that has claimed millions of lives around the world. When they fed on malaria-infected mice, the resistant mosquitoes had a higher survival rate than nonresistant ones, meaning they could eventually replace the ones that can carry the disease.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Malaria-Resistant Mosquito Developed
Innovation Might One Day Help Block Spread Of Illness That Has Killed Millions
CBS News Healthwatch (AP). Researchers have developed a malaria-resistant mosquito, a step that might one day help block the spread of an illness that has claimed millions of lives around the world. When they fed on malaria-infected mice, the resistant mosquitoes had a higher survival rate than nonresistant ones, meaning they could eventually replace the ones that can carry the disease.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Monday, March 19, 2007
The News
Night workout racks up best performance
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 03/18/2007 12:52:58 PM MDT
Get up at 5 a.m., throw on some sneakers, run out the door, exercise like crazy. Sure, a predawn workout comes with some bragging rights - just don't expect your best performance. A new study suggests that late night, not early morning, is the best time to exercise, as dictated by circadian rhythms. These rhythms affect the daily production of hormones, brain activity, body temperature - and workouts.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Night workout racks up best performance
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 03/18/2007 12:52:58 PM MDT
Get up at 5 a.m., throw on some sneakers, run out the door, exercise like crazy. Sure, a predawn workout comes with some bragging rights - just don't expect your best performance. A new study suggests that late night, not early morning, is the best time to exercise, as dictated by circadian rhythms. These rhythms affect the daily production of hormones, brain activity, body temperature - and workouts.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
The News
Chest presses, not breaths, better CPR
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Medical Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/17/2007 03:23:15 AM MDT
Chest compression—not mouth-to-mouth resuscitation—seems to be the key in helping someone recover from cardiac arrest, according to new research that further bolsters advice from heart experts.
A study in Japan showed that people were more likely to recover without brain damage if rescuers focused on chest compressions rather than rescue breaths, and some experts advised dropping the mouth-to-mouth part of CPR altogether. The study was published in Friday's issue of the medical journal The Lancet.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Lancet.
Chest presses, not breaths, better CPR
By MARILYNN MARCHIONE AP Medical Writer
Article Last Updated: 03/17/2007 03:23:15 AM MDT
Chest compression—not mouth-to-mouth resuscitation—seems to be the key in helping someone recover from cardiac arrest, according to new research that further bolsters advice from heart experts.
A study in Japan showed that people were more likely to recover without brain damage if rescuers focused on chest compressions rather than rescue breaths, and some experts advised dropping the mouth-to-mouth part of CPR altogether. The study was published in Friday's issue of the medical journal The Lancet.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Lancet.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
The News
They love to make you mad
ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 16 (UPI) -- Some people find angry looks from others so rewarding they go out of their way to encourage them, Michigan researchers said.
"It's kind of striking that an angry facial expression is consciously valued as a very negative signal by almost everyone, yet at a non-conscious level can be like a tasty morsel that some people will vigorously work for," said Oliver Schultheiss, University of Michigan associate professor of psychology.
His study may explain why some people like to tease each other, he said.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Physiology & Behavior.
They love to make you mad
ANN ARBOR, Mich., March 16 (UPI) -- Some people find angry looks from others so rewarding they go out of their way to encourage them, Michigan researchers said.
"It's kind of striking that an angry facial expression is consciously valued as a very negative signal by almost everyone, yet at a non-conscious level can be like a tasty morsel that some people will vigorously work for," said Oliver Schultheiss, University of Michigan associate professor of psychology.
His study may explain why some people like to tease each other, he said.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Physiology & Behavior.
Friday, March 16, 2007
The News
Paleontologists Discover New Mammal From Mesozoic Era
Science Daily — An international team of American and Chinese paleontologists has discovered a new species of mammal that lived 125 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era, in what is now the Hebei Province in China.
The new mammal, documented in the March 15 issue of the journal Nature, provides first-hand evidence of early evolution of the mammalian middle ear--one of the most important features for all modern mammals. The discovery was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Paleontologists Discover New Mammal From Mesozoic Era
Science Daily — An international team of American and Chinese paleontologists has discovered a new species of mammal that lived 125 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era, in what is now the Hebei Province in China.
The new mammal, documented in the March 15 issue of the journal Nature, provides first-hand evidence of early evolution of the mammalian middle ear--one of the most important features for all modern mammals. The discovery was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
The News
Study: Weekend heart attacks riskier
By LINDA A. JOHNSON Associated Press Writer
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Heart attack patients have a slightly higher risk of death if they go to the hospital on the weekend, when they are more likely to miss or wait longer for crucial treatments, one of the largest studies of the issue finds.
Although the increased risk of death is small, roughly 5 percent higher in the month after an attack occurs, it can mean potentially thousands more deaths in the United States annually. The study indicated that weekend patients waited longer for angioplasty and other procedures, likely because of reduced staffing.
Even so, doctors say you shouldn't avoid a weekend hospital visit if you think you are having a heart attack or stroke. A delay of even an hour or two raises chances of death or serious heart or brain damage.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Study: Weekend heart attacks riskier
By LINDA A. JOHNSON Associated Press Writer
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Heart attack patients have a slightly higher risk of death if they go to the hospital on the weekend, when they are more likely to miss or wait longer for crucial treatments, one of the largest studies of the issue finds.
Although the increased risk of death is small, roughly 5 percent higher in the month after an attack occurs, it can mean potentially thousands more deaths in the United States annually. The study indicated that weekend patients waited longer for angioplasty and other procedures, likely because of reduced staffing.
Even so, doctors say you shouldn't avoid a weekend hospital visit if you think you are having a heart attack or stroke. A delay of even an hour or two raises chances of death or serious heart or brain damage.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The News
New Studies Find a Wealth of Oceanic Diversity
by Joe Palca
All Things Considered, March 13, 2007 · Scientists usually like to tout how much they know about a topic. But three new papers in the journal PLoS Biology underscore how much scientists don't know about life in the Earth's oceans.
By analyzing the DNA of microorganisms found in a range of water samples, the scientists found many new species and proteins.
The project began four years ago, when Craig Venter had an interesting idea. He's the geneticist and entrepreneur who helped sequence the human genome.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in PLoS Biology.
1. The Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling Expedition: Northwest Atlantic through Eastern Tropical Pacific .
2. The Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling Expedition: Expanding the Universe of Protein Families .
3. Structural and Functional Diversity of the Microbial Kinome.
New Studies Find a Wealth of Oceanic Diversity
by Joe Palca
All Things Considered, March 13, 2007 · Scientists usually like to tout how much they know about a topic. But three new papers in the journal PLoS Biology underscore how much scientists don't know about life in the Earth's oceans.
By analyzing the DNA of microorganisms found in a range of water samples, the scientists found many new species and proteins.
The project began four years ago, when Craig Venter had an interesting idea. He's the geneticist and entrepreneur who helped sequence the human genome.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in PLoS Biology.
1. The Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling Expedition: Northwest Atlantic through Eastern Tropical Pacific .
2. The Sorcerer II Global Ocean Sampling Expedition: Expanding the Universe of Protein Families .
3. Structural and Functional Diversity of the Microbial Kinome.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The News
Suicide Found to Be Less Likely in Heavier People
New York Times, The (NY)March 13, 2007Author: Nicholas Bakalar
That fat people are jolly is almost certainly a myth, but a study published yesterday has found a strong association between higher body mass index, or B.M.I., and lower risk of suicide.In a 16-year study that followed more than 45,000 male health professionals, researchers found a steady decrease in suicides as B.M.I. increased, even after controlling for variables including smoking, dietary factors, physical activity, marital status and alcohol use. There were 131 suicides during the time of the study. Compared with those in the lowest 20 percent in B.M.I., men in the highest one-fifth were almost 60 percent less likely to kill themselves.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
Suicide Found to Be Less Likely in Heavier People
New York Times, The (NY)March 13, 2007Author: Nicholas Bakalar
That fat people are jolly is almost certainly a myth, but a study published yesterday has found a strong association between higher body mass index, or B.M.I., and lower risk of suicide.In a 16-year study that followed more than 45,000 male health professionals, researchers found a steady decrease in suicides as B.M.I. increased, even after controlling for variables including smoking, dietary factors, physical activity, marital status and alcohol use. There were 131 suicides during the time of the study. Compared with those in the lowest 20 percent in B.M.I., men in the highest one-fifth were almost 60 percent less likely to kill themselves.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
The News
How Plants Manage Calcium May Reduce Effects Of Acid Rain
Science Daily — A new understanding of how plants manage their internal calcium levels could lead to modifying plants to avoid damage from acid rain. The pollutant disrupts calcium balance in plants by leaching significant amounts of the mineral from leaves as well as the agricultural and forest soils the plants live in.
Scientists studying how plants manage calcium may find a solution to the damaging effects of acid rain, which harms sugar maples in the northeast.
"Our findings should help scientists understand how plant ecosystems respond to soil calcium depletion and to design appropriate strategies to protect the environment," said Zhen-Ming Pei, a Duke University biologist who led the study, which is published in the journal Science."
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
How Plants Manage Calcium May Reduce Effects Of Acid Rain
Science Daily — A new understanding of how plants manage their internal calcium levels could lead to modifying plants to avoid damage from acid rain. The pollutant disrupts calcium balance in plants by leaching significant amounts of the mineral from leaves as well as the agricultural and forest soils the plants live in.
Scientists studying how plants manage calcium may find a solution to the damaging effects of acid rain, which harms sugar maples in the northeast.
"Our findings should help scientists understand how plant ecosystems respond to soil calcium depletion and to design appropriate strategies to protect the environment," said Zhen-Ming Pei, a Duke University biologist who led the study, which is published in the journal Science."
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
The News
Social Tolerance Allows Bonobos To Outperform Chimpanzees On A Cooperative Task
Science Daily — In experiments designed to deepen our understanding of how cooperative behavior evolves, researchers have found that bonobos, a particularly sociable relative of the chimpanzee, are more successful than chimpanzees at cooperating to retrieve food, even though chimpanzees exhibit strong cooperative hunting behavior in the wild.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in Current Biology.
Social Tolerance Allows Bonobos To Outperform Chimpanzees On A Cooperative Task
Science Daily — In experiments designed to deepen our understanding of how cooperative behavior evolves, researchers have found that bonobos, a particularly sociable relative of the chimpanzee, are more successful than chimpanzees at cooperating to retrieve food, even though chimpanzees exhibit strong cooperative hunting behavior in the wild.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in Current Biology.
Friday, March 9, 2007
The News
Robot gives evolution theory legs
By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/08/2007 10:57:14 PM MST
Washington - The first animal to crawl onto land from the ocean probably looked a bit like today's salamander, and researchers have wondered how it was able to switch from swimming to walking.
Now, European scientists have built a robot with a primitive electric nervous system that they say mimics that change in motion.
The robot doesn't look much like a salamander - it's nearly a yard long and made of nine bright yellow plastic segments each containing a battery and micro controller - but it does seem to move like one.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Robot Suggests How the First Land Animals Got Walking.
From Swimming to Walking with a Salamander Robot Driven by a Spinal Cord Model .
Robot gives evolution theory legs
By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/08/2007 10:57:14 PM MST
Washington - The first animal to crawl onto land from the ocean probably looked a bit like today's salamander, and researchers have wondered how it was able to switch from swimming to walking.
Now, European scientists have built a robot with a primitive electric nervous system that they say mimics that change in motion.
The robot doesn't look much like a salamander - it's nearly a yard long and made of nine bright yellow plastic segments each containing a battery and micro controller - but it does seem to move like one.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Robot Suggests How the First Land Animals Got Walking.
From Swimming to Walking with a Salamander Robot Driven by a Spinal Cord Model .
The News
Study probes odor, sleep and memory link
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/08/2007 08:18:26 PM MST
WASHINGTON- Doctors have long advised that a good night's sleep is important for memory—but researchers now say a familiar scent wafting in the bedroom might help sometimes, too. The caveat: In the study, being published Friday in the journal Science, it only worked for some kinds of memories and during one stage of sleep, meaning it's not the answer for people hunting a quick memory boost.
German scientists used medical students as their guinea pigs, having them play a computer version of a common memory game: They turned over pairs of cards to find each one's match.
Some played in a rose-scented room. Later that night, while they were in a deep stage of sleep known as slow-wave sleep, researchers gave them another whiff of roses.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Study probes odor, sleep and memory link
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/08/2007 08:18:26 PM MST
WASHINGTON- Doctors have long advised that a good night's sleep is important for memory—but researchers now say a familiar scent wafting in the bedroom might help sometimes, too. The caveat: In the study, being published Friday in the journal Science, it only worked for some kinds of memories and during one stage of sleep, meaning it's not the answer for people hunting a quick memory boost.
German scientists used medical students as their guinea pigs, having them play a computer version of a common memory game: They turned over pairs of cards to find each one's match.
Some played in a rose-scented room. Later that night, while they were in a deep stage of sleep known as slow-wave sleep, researchers gave them another whiff of roses.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
The News
Pollution Found to Inhibit Rainfall in China
by Jon Hamilton
All Things Considered, March 8, 2007 · Pollution in central China has caused a steady decrease of rain in the mountains, according to new research. As an example, scientists say small particles from air pollution in the city of Xi'an are causing clouds to hold on to their moisture rather than dropping it on nearby Mt. Hua. On the haziest days, rainfall can be reduced by half.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Pollution Found to Inhibit Rainfall in China
by Jon Hamilton
All Things Considered, March 8, 2007 · Pollution in central China has caused a steady decrease of rain in the mountains, according to new research. As an example, scientists say small particles from air pollution in the city of Xi'an are causing clouds to hold on to their moisture rather than dropping it on nearby Mt. Hua. On the haziest days, rainfall can be reduced by half.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
The News
Drug delivery system uses nanotechnology
BUFFALO, N.Y., March 8 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have developed an unusual nano-centered drug delivery system in which the drug itself acts as the delivery vehicle.
The process of efficiently delivering drugs, especially those that are hydrophobic, or water-repellant, to tumors or other disease sites has long been problematic. But now scientists at the University at Buffalo's Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute have developed a drug delivery system that uses nanocrystals measuring about 100 nanometers of pure HPPH, (2-devinyl-2-(1'-hexyloxyethyl) pyropheophorbide), a photosensitizer currently in Phase I/II human clinical trials for treating various types of cancer.
The researchers found the nanocrystals of HPPH were taken up by tumors in vivo, with efficacy comparable to conventional, surfactant-based delivery systems.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.
Drug delivery system uses nanotechnology
BUFFALO, N.Y., March 8 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists have developed an unusual nano-centered drug delivery system in which the drug itself acts as the delivery vehicle.
The process of efficiently delivering drugs, especially those that are hydrophobic, or water-repellant, to tumors or other disease sites has long been problematic. But now scientists at the University at Buffalo's Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute have developed a drug delivery system that uses nanocrystals measuring about 100 nanometers of pure HPPH, (2-devinyl-2-(1'-hexyloxyethyl) pyropheophorbide), a photosensitizer currently in Phase I/II human clinical trials for treating various types of cancer.
The researchers found the nanocrystals of HPPH were taken up by tumors in vivo, with efficacy comparable to conventional, surfactant-based delivery systems.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
The News
CT screening for lung cancer ineffective
NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) -- A U.S. study finds that CT screening for lung cancer does not appear to cut down the death rate.
Some patients also have unnecessary surgery after the cancer, researchers told The New York Times. Earlier attempts to detect lung cancer early with chest X-rays had been disappointing.
"When we took this study on, we were expecting that CT might do the job where chest X-rays couldn't," said Dr. Peter B. Bach of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the lead author.
Another recent study found that early detection increases survival time. But critics said that is meaningless because if a cancer cannot be effectively treated detecting it early only means a longer time between detection and death.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association
CT screening for lung cancer ineffective
NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) -- A U.S. study finds that CT screening for lung cancer does not appear to cut down the death rate.
Some patients also have unnecessary surgery after the cancer, researchers told The New York Times. Earlier attempts to detect lung cancer early with chest X-rays had been disappointing.
"When we took this study on, we were expecting that CT might do the job where chest X-rays couldn't," said Dr. Peter B. Bach of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the lead author.
Another recent study found that early detection increases survival time. But critics said that is meaningless because if a cancer cannot be effectively treated detecting it early only means a longer time between detection and death.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
The News
Low-Carb vs. Low-Fat: A New Study Weighs In
by Patricia Neighmond
All Things Considered, March 6, 2007 · As an increasing number of Americans struggle with extra pounds, popular diet strategies have flooded the market. New low-carb, high-fat strategies have challenged traditional low-fat, high-carb wisdom.
To get to the bottom of the low-carb vs. low-fat debate, researchers from Stanford University tested four diets, each with varying levels of fat and carbohydrate intake.
The research finds that women assigned to the Atkins diet – the diet with the lowest carbohydrate intake – lost slightly more weight than women on other diets.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Low-Carb vs. Low-Fat: A New Study Weighs In
by Patricia Neighmond
All Things Considered, March 6, 2007 · As an increasing number of Americans struggle with extra pounds, popular diet strategies have flooded the market. New low-carb, high-fat strategies have challenged traditional low-fat, high-carb wisdom.
To get to the bottom of the low-carb vs. low-fat debate, researchers from Stanford University tested four diets, each with varying levels of fat and carbohydrate intake.
The research finds that women assigned to the Atkins diet – the diet with the lowest carbohydrate intake – lost slightly more weight than women on other diets.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The News
Psychological And Physical Torture Have Similar Mental Effects
Science Daily — Forms of ill treatment during captivity that do not involve physical pain--such as psychological manipulation, deprivation, humiliation and forced stress positions--appear to cause as much mental distress and traumatic stress as physical torture, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
Psychological And Physical Torture Have Similar Mental Effects
Science Daily — Forms of ill treatment during captivity that do not involve physical pain--such as psychological manipulation, deprivation, humiliation and forced stress positions--appear to cause as much mental distress and traumatic stress as physical torture, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
The News
Fossil bridges horned-dinosaur gap
By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/03/2007 11:09:44 PM MST
Cleveland - A new dinosaur species was a plant-eater with yard-long horns over its eyebrows, suggesting an evolutionary middle step between older dinosaurs with even larger horns and the small-horned creatures that followed, experts said.
The dinosaur's horns, thick as a human arm, are like those of triceratops - which came 10 million years later. However, this animal belonged to a subfamily that usually had bony nubbins a few inches long above their eyes.
Michael Ryan, curator of vertebrate paleontology for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, published the discovery in this month's Journal of Paleontology. He dug up the fossil six years ago in southern Alberta, Canada, while a graduate student for the University of Calgary.
"Unquestionably, it's an important find," said Peter Dodson, a University of Pennsylvania paleontologist. "It was sort of the grandfather or great uncle of the really diverse horned dinosaurs that came after it."
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Paleontology.
Fossil bridges horned-dinosaur gap
By The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/03/2007 11:09:44 PM MST
Cleveland - A new dinosaur species was a plant-eater with yard-long horns over its eyebrows, suggesting an evolutionary middle step between older dinosaurs with even larger horns and the small-horned creatures that followed, experts said.
The dinosaur's horns, thick as a human arm, are like those of triceratops - which came 10 million years later. However, this animal belonged to a subfamily that usually had bony nubbins a few inches long above their eyes.
Michael Ryan, curator of vertebrate paleontology for the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, published the discovery in this month's Journal of Paleontology. He dug up the fossil six years ago in southern Alberta, Canada, while a graduate student for the University of Calgary.
"Unquestionably, it's an important find," said Peter Dodson, a University of Pennsylvania paleontologist. "It was sort of the grandfather or great uncle of the really diverse horned dinosaurs that came after it."
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the Journal of Paleontology.
Saturday, March 3, 2007
The News
Peruvian Citadel Is Site Of Earliest Ancient Solar Observatory In The Americas
Science Daily — Archeologists from Yale and the University of Leicester have identified an ancient solar observatory at Chankillo, Peru as the oldest in the Americas with alignments covering the entire solar year, according to an article in the March 2 issue of Science.
Recorded accounts from the 16th century A.D. detail practices of state-regulated sun worship during Inca times, and related social and cosmological beliefs. These speak of towers being used to mark the rising or setting position of the sun at certain times in the year, but no trace of the towers has ever been found. This paper reports the earliest structures that support those writings.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science
Peruvian Citadel Is Site Of Earliest Ancient Solar Observatory In The Americas
Science Daily — Archeologists from Yale and the University of Leicester have identified an ancient solar observatory at Chankillo, Peru as the oldest in the Americas with alignments covering the entire solar year, according to an article in the March 2 issue of Science.
Recorded accounts from the 16th century A.D. detail practices of state-regulated sun worship during Inca times, and related social and cosmological beliefs. These speak of towers being used to mark the rising or setting position of the sun at certain times in the year, but no trace of the towers has ever been found. This paper reports the earliest structures that support those writings.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science
Friday, March 2, 2007
The News
Why Katrina Became a Monster and Rita Fizzled
by Jon Hamilton.
All Things Considered, March 1, 2007 · It's a tale of two hurricanes. Katrina and Rita were both massive storms as they churned along a similar path through the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. But Katrina remained strong as it approached land while Rita faded. Scientists say they're beginning to understand why the two storms behaved so differently.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Why Katrina Became a Monster and Rita Fizzled
by Jon Hamilton.
All Things Considered, March 1, 2007 · It's a tale of two hurricanes. Katrina and Rita were both massive storms as they churned along a similar path through the Gulf of Mexico in 2005. But Katrina remained strong as it approached land while Rita faded. Scientists say they're beginning to understand why the two storms behaved so differently.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Science.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
The News
Ants may help us adjust to global warming
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Feb. 28 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led team of international biologists says some ants have adjusted well to urban warming and may help other species adapt to such climate change.
The researchers, led by Michael Angilletta of Indiana State University, note large cities can be more than 10 degrees hotter than their surroundings, with such urban heat islands stressing animals and plants.
The scientists discovered that ants in Sao Paulo, Brazil, South America's largest city, can tolerate heat better than ants from elsewhere. That finding suggests Sao Paulo ants have adjusted physiologically in response to urban warming.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS One.
Ants may help us adjust to global warming
TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Feb. 28 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led team of international biologists says some ants have adjusted well to urban warming and may help other species adapt to such climate change.
The researchers, led by Michael Angilletta of Indiana State University, note large cities can be more than 10 degrees hotter than their surroundings, with such urban heat islands stressing animals and plants.
The scientists discovered that ants in Sao Paulo, Brazil, South America's largest city, can tolerate heat better than ants from elsewhere. That finding suggests Sao Paulo ants have adjusted physiologically in response to urban warming.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal PLoS One.
The News
Atomic microscopy offers chemical ID
OSAKA, Japan, March 1 (UPI) -- Japanese scientists say they've discovered it is possible to use atomic force microscopy to identify the chemical makeup of individual surface atoms.
Atomic force microscopy works by measuring the short-range forces that occur between a tiny tip and the atoms on the surface of a sample, allowing the structure of that surface to be imaged with atomic resolution.
But the precise forces between the tip and the atoms also depend subtly on the identity of the atoms involved. Oscar Custance and colleagues at Osaka University refined the imaging technique to the point where it's possible to not only to detect individual atoms but also recognize their chemical identity, even at room temperature.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
Atomic microscopy offers chemical ID
OSAKA, Japan, March 1 (UPI) -- Japanese scientists say they've discovered it is possible to use atomic force microscopy to identify the chemical makeup of individual surface atoms.
Atomic force microscopy works by measuring the short-range forces that occur between a tiny tip and the atoms on the surface of a sample, allowing the structure of that surface to be imaged with atomic resolution.
But the precise forces between the tip and the atoms also depend subtly on the identity of the atoms involved. Oscar Custance and colleagues at Osaka University refined the imaging technique to the point where it's possible to not only to detect individual atoms but also recognize their chemical identity, even at room temperature.
The Research
Read the research behind this story in the journal Nature.
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