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EurekAlert! - Cancer
The premier online source for science news since 1996. A service of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • Study challenges routine use of MRI scans to evaluate breast cancer
    (Fox Chase Cancer Center) Reviewing the records of 577 breast cancer patients, Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers found that women with newly diagnosed breast cancer who receive a breast MRI are more likely to receive a mastectomy after their diagnosis and may face delays in starting treatment. The study demonstrates that, despite the lack of evidence of their benefit, routine use of MRI scans in women newly diagnosed with breast cancer increased significantly between 2004 and 2005, and again in 2006.

  • St. Joseph's selected as only site to provide new genetic test for deadly type of brain cancer
    (St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center) St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix has partnered with Castle Biosciences, Inc. to provide the nation's first genomics-based test for patients suffering from glioblastoma multiforme, the most deadly form of primary brain cancer This new test is used to help doctors and patients consider various treatment options.

  • Cancer researchers link DICER1 gene mutation to rare childhood cancer
    (Children's National Medical Center) Research published today online in Science Express demonstrates the first definitive link between mutations in the gene DICER1 and cancer. By studying the patterns of DNA from 11 families with an unusual predisposition to the rare childhood lung cancer pleuropulmonary blastoma investigators found that children with the cancer carried a mutation in one of their two DICER1 gene copies.

  • Selenium intake may worsen prostate cancer in some, study reports
    (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) Higher selenium levels in the blood may worsen prostate cancer in some men who already have the disease. A higher risk of more-aggressive prostate cancer was seen in men with a certain genetic variant. In those subjects, having a high level of selenium in the blood was associated with a two-fold greater risk of poorer outcomes than men with the lowest amounts of selenium.

  • U-M study finds voice box can be preserved, even with the largest cancers
    (University of Michigan Health System) Some patients with large tumors on their larynx can preserve their speech by opting for chemotherapy and radiation over surgery to remove the voice box. A new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center found that a single round of chemotherapy could identify those patients most likely to benefit from this approach.

  • What should a teenage girl do if she finds a lump in her breast?
    (Loyola University Health System) If a lump is found in the breast of an adolescent girl, she often will undergo an excisional biopsy. However, breast cancer is rare in adolescents, and the vast majority of teenage breast lumps are benign. A recent study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology suggests that a breast ultrasound might eliminate the need for biopsy in many cases.

  • The AGA Foundation awards grant to Dr. Michael Choi to further his research on carcinoid tumors
    (American Gastroenterological Association) The AGA Foundation for Digestive Health and Nutrition has named Michael Y. Choi , M.D., the first recipient of the Mary Terese Hartzheim Award for Neuroendocrine Tumor Research. This new research award was created for young investigators interested in researching carcinoid or neuroendocrine tumors. Dr. Choi is an investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston.

  • Engineering innovative solutions for 21st century medicine
    (Wellcome Trust) The Wellcome Trust and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council have announced joint funding for four new Centers of Excellence in Medical Engineering to transform the future of health care.

  • Effective pain treatment for cancer patients?
    (University Hospital Heidelberg) Cancer patients often suffer from severe pain that cannot be effectively treated with conventional medication. Researchers at the Pharmacology Institute of the University of Heidelberg have found the possible reasons for this -- tumors release two signal substances that make nerve cells especially sensitive and enhance tumor growth. In animal tests, when the researchers blocked the effect of the signal substances on the nerve cells, the sensitivity of the nerve cells and tumor growth were reduced.

  • Childhood physical abuse linked to cancer
    (University of Toronto) Childhood physical abuse is associated with elevated rates of cancer in adulthood, according to a new study by University of Toronto researchers.

  • STAT3 protein found to play a key role in cancer
    (NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine) A protein called STAT3 has been found to play a fundamental role in converting normal cells to cancerous cells, according to a new study led by David E. Levy, Ph.D., professor of pathology and microbiology at NYU Langone Medical Center. The study, published in the June 26 issue of the journal Science, found that STAT3, in addition to its role in the cell nucleus regulating gene expression, is also present in mitochondria, and regulates the activity of the electron transport chain in tumors cells.

  • Controversial cancer stem cells offer new direction for treatment
    (University of Rochester Medical Center) In a review in Science, a University of Rochester Medical Center researcher sorts out the controversy and promise around a dangerous subtype of cancer cells, known as cancer stem cells, which seem capable of resisting many modern treatments.

  • Varying reductions in breast cancer suggest hormone therapy to blame
    (BioMed Central) The recent decline in invasive breast cancer in the US was significantly less pronounced in the poor and those who live in rural areas. Researchers writing in the open-access journal BMC Medicine suggest this may be due to varying reductions in the numbers of women taking hormone therapy.

  • Vitamin A derivative provides clues to better breast cancer drugs
    (University of Chicago Medical Center) A comparison of the effects of estrogen and retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A, on the genome of breast cancer cells showed that they have a "yin-yang" effect, with estrogen tipping the scales towards cell proliferation and retinoic acid inhibiting cellular growth. The finding could lead researchers to a new set of drug targets for this disease.

  • UAB researchers draft 3-D protein map to aid stroke, cancer research
    (University of Alabama at Birmingham) In a new study, researchers have generated a computer map of the protein acid-sensing ion channel-1, or ASIC-1, an important neurological pathway. The map greatly simplifies the testing of drugs or compounds designed to protect neurons, regulate their molecular interactions or isolate brain tumors. The ASIC-1 work began with a toxin found only in the venom of the Trinidad chevron tarantula.

  • Anti-inflammatory drugs may defeat a treatment-resistant type of cancer
    (University of California - San Diego) Effective drugs for treating a chemotherapy-resistant form of lymphoma might already be on the market according to a study that has pieced together a chemical pathway involved in the disease. By following the trail of several molecular flags that mark this type of cancer, researchers have discovered that anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat arthritis will shrink lymphoma tumors in mice.

  • Columbia team finds that gastrin plays significant role in helicobacter-induced stomach cancer
    (Columbia University Medical Center) A group led by Columbia University Medical Center's Timothy Wang, M.D., has studied the role of Helicobacter infection in the development of stomach cancer, and found that the hormone gastrin, which stimulates secretion of gastric acid, plays a key role in the development of Helicobacter-induced stomach cancer, may have distinct effects on carcinogenesis in different parts of the stomach.

  • Study finds people residing in poor communities not benefiting from recent drop in colorectal cancer
    (American Cancer Society) A new study suggests that a drop in colorectal cancer incidence seen nationwide has not occurred among people living in poorer communities, and suggests that barriers to health care may be to blame. The study appears online in the journal Cancer Causes and Control.

  • Genetic finding could lead to targeted therapy for neuroblastoma
    (University of Florida) Researchers have identified a genetic glitch that could spur development of neuroblastoma, a deadly form of childhood cancer.

  • Wildlife faces cancer threat
    (Wildlife Conservation Society) While cancer touches the lives of many humans, it is also a major threat to wild animal populations as well, according to a recent study by the Wildlife Conservation Society. A newly published paper in the July edition of Nature Reviews Cancer compiles information on cancer in wildlife and suggests that cancer poses a conservation threat to certain species.

  • Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium Scientific Workshop
    (Lymphoma Research Foundation) A research report, from the Sixth Annual Mantle Cell Lymphoma Consortium Scientific Workshop, detailing each oral and poster presentation as well as the roundtable discussions is now available.

  • New piece found in colorectal cancer puzzle
    (BioMed Central) Prostasin, a relatively unknown protease enzyme expressed in most epithelial cells, may play a role in the genesis of colorectal cancer. Researchers writing in the open-access journal BMC Cancer have associated a reduction in the expression of inhibitors of the enzyme with malignant cellular behavior.

  • Study pinpoints novel cancer gene and biomarker
    (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists' discovery of a cancer-causing gene -- the first in its family to be linked to cancer -- demonstrates how the panoramic view of genomics and the close-up perspective of molecular biology are needed to determine which genes are involved in cancer and which are mere bystanders.

  • Tips from the American Journal of Pathology
    (American Journal of Pathology) The following highlights summarize research articles that are published in the current issue of the American Journal of Pathology.

  • Tummy troubles -- gastrin key in bacterial-induced stomach cancer
    (American Journal of Pathology) Current research suggests that levels of gastrin play a key role in the development of Helicobacter-induced stomach cancer. The related report by Takaishi et al, "Gastrin is an essential cofactor for Helicobacter-associated gastric corpus carcinogenesis in C57BL/6 mice," appears in the July 2009 issue of the American Journal of Pathology.

EurekAlert! - Biology
The premier online source for science news since 1996. A service of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • Race origins and health disparites
    (Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science) To understand health disparities, researchers need to understand how today's racial categories evolved from the negative assumptions made hundreds of years ago to justify slavery.

  • New guide to tropical seedlings: Essential to climate change research
    (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) The enormous trees forming rainforest canopies bear little resemblance to their seedlings, many described for the first time in the new field guide, "Seedlings of Barro Colorado Island and the Neotropics," published in July 2009 by Cornell University Press.

  • Researchers see evidence of memory in the songbird brain
    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) When a zebra finch hears a new song from a member of its own species, the experience changes gene expression in its brain in unexpected ways, researchers report. The sequential switching on and off of thousands of genes after a bird hears a new tune offers a new picture of memory in the songbird brain.

  • Tryptophan deficiency may underlie quinine side effects
    (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) Researchers have found that the anti-malarial drug quinine can block a cell's ability to take up the essential amino acid tryptophan, a discovery that may explain many of the adverse side effects associated with quinine.

  • Trio of signals converge to induce liver and pancreas cell development in the embryo
    (University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Understanding the molecular signals that guide early cells in the embryo to develop into different organs provides insight into ways that tissues regenerate and how stem cells can be used for new therapies. In a new study, published this week in Science, researchers investigated a trio of cell-signaling pathways that work simultaneously, converging to direct pancreas and liver progenitor cells to mature into their final state.

  • Xie Lab uncovers molecular machinery related to stem cell fate
    (Stowers Institute for Medical Research) The Stowers Institute's Xie Lab has revealed how the BAM protein affects germline stem cell differentiation and how it is involved in regulating the quality of stem cells through intercellular competition. The work was published today by PNAS Early Edition.

  • Further gene mutations linked to autism risk
    (Public Library of Science) Pieces in the complex autism inheritance puzzle are emerging in the latest study from a research team including geneticists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The study identified 27 different genetic regions where rare copy number variations -- missing or extra copies of DNA segments -- were found in the genes of children with autism spectrum disorders, but not in the healthy controls. The findings are published June 26 in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.

  • Making nanoparticles in artificial cells
    (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft) Two processes can be used to control the size of nanoparticles, which could serve as tiny light sources.

  • LSUHSC research identifies enzyme that makes survival molecule for key vision cells
    (Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center) Research led by Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor and director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, identifying an enzyme that makes neuroprotectin D1 which specifically and selectively protects retinal cells key for vision, will be published in the June 26, 2009, issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

  • Corals stay close to home
    (Wiley-Blackwell) New DNA analysis reveals that corals are more closely related than previously thought, and these results have significant implications for coral conservation.

  • Uncovering how cells cover gaps
    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory) Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany, came a step closer to understanding how cells close gaps not only during embryonic development but also during wound healing. Their study, published this week in the journal Cell, uncovers a fundamental misconception in the previous explanation for a developmental process called dorsal closure.

  • NYC science symposium marks Gruber Prize program 10th anniversary
    (Robin Leedy & Associates, Inc.) The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation International Prize Program will celebrate its 10th anniversary on July 1, 2009, with an event at Rockefeller University in New York City. The 2009 Gruber Genetics Prize and Neuroscience Prize recipients will be announced live and there will be a special symposium entitled "DNA, the Brain and Society." The discussion will feature a panel of distinguished scientists whose pioneering work is at the forefront of modern genetics and neuroscience.

  • Implant bacteria, beware: Researchers create nano-sized assassins
    (Brown University) Infected implants now have a foe. Brown University researchers have created a nanoparticle that can penetrate a bacterial-produced film on prosthetics and kill the bacteria. The finding, published in the International Journal of Nanomedicine, is the first time that iron-oxide nanoparticles have been shown to eliminate a bacterial infection on an implanted prosthetic device.

  • Dolphins get a lift from delta wing technology
    (The Company of Biologists) Dolphins are supremely agile swimmers, but it wasn't clear how their fins help them maneuver though water. Building scale models of whale and dolphins' fins, a team of US scientists has found that some dolphins' fins work just like delta wing aircraft.

  • T-STAR grant funds genetic studies on shrimp and papaya and endangered cycad rescue
    (University of Guam) The University of Guam's Western Pacific Tropical Research Center was awarded $510,165 in T-STAR grant funds from USDA. T-STAR (Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture Research) is a special grant program explicitly for research that enhances the development of sound tropical and subtropical agricultural practices including value-added product development and the control of diseases, insects, weeds and invasive species.

  • In the warming West, climate most significant factor in fanning wildfires' flames
    (USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station) The recent increase in area burned by wildfires in the Western United States is a product not of higher temperatures or longer fire seasons alone, but a complex relationship between climate and fuels that varies among different ecosystems, according to a study conducted by US Forest Service and university scientists.

  • Taxpayer Alliance applauds bill to broaden access to federal research results
    (SPARC) Sens. Joseph Lieberman and John Cornyn today introduced the Federal Research Public Access Act, a bill to ensure free, timely, online access to the published results of research funded by 11 US federal agencies. The proposed bill is welcomed by the Alliance for Taxpayer Access, a coalition of research institutions, consumers, patients and others formed to support open public access to publicly funded research.

  • UT gets federal stimulus grant for Parkinson's disease research
    (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston has received a $412,500 federal stimulus grant for Parkinson's disease research, the university announced today. It is the university's first federal stimulus grant.

  • Iowa State researchers contribute climate model to study that finds some winds decreasing
    (Iowa State University) A team of three Iowa State University researchers contributed to a study that found average wind speeds across the country have decreased by an average of .5 percent to 1 percent per year since 1973.

  • More gene mutations linked to autism risk
    (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) More pieces in the complex autism inheritance puzzle are emerging in the latest gene study of autism spectrum disorders. This study identified 27 different genetic regions where rare copy number variations -- missing or extra copies of DNA segments -- occurred in the genes of children with ASDs, but not in healthy controls. The copy number variations are thought to interfere with gene function, disrupting the production of proteins necessary for normal neurological development.

  • Total knee replacements increase mobility and motor skills in older patients
    (InHealth: The Institute for Health Technology Studies) According to a new study from researchers at Duke University, total knee arthroplasty procedures performed in older patients with osteoarthritis of the knee result in long-term, significant improvement of physical functioning and motor skills when compared to patients who do not receive TKA.

  • Cancer researchers link DICER1 gene mutation to rare childhood cancer
    (Children's National Medical Center) Research published today online in Science Express demonstrates the first definitive link between mutations in the gene DICER1 and cancer. By studying the patterns of DNA from 11 families with an unusual predisposition to the rare childhood lung cancer pleuropulmonary blastoma investigators found that children with the cancer carried a mutation in one of their two DICER1 gene copies.

  • New fossil tells how piranhas got their teeth
    (National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)) Previously unknown fossil fish bridges the evolutionary gap between flesh-eating piranhas and their plant-eating cousins

  • Selenium intake may worsen prostate cancer in some, study reports
    (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) Higher selenium levels in the blood may worsen prostate cancer in some men who already have the disease. A higher risk of more-aggressive prostate cancer was seen in men with a certain genetic variant. In those subjects, having a high level of selenium in the blood was associated with a two-fold greater risk of poorer outcomes than men with the lowest amounts of selenium.

  • Projected food, energy demands seen to outpace production
    (University of Wisconsin-Madison) With the caloric needs of the planet expected to soar by 50 percent in the next 40 years, planning and investment in global agriculture will become critically important, according a new report released today.

EurekAlert! - Policy and Ethics
The premier online source for science news since 1996. A service of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
  • A new plan for Panama's Coiba National Park and World Heritage site
    (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute) New management plan for Panama's Coiba National Park will ensure that endemic wildlife and Pacific marine corridor will be conserved.

  • DOD, VA should take stronger steps to combat tobacco use in military, veteran populations
    (National Academy of Sciences) Because tobacco use impairs military readiness, harms the health of soldiers and veterans, and imposes a substantial financial burden on the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, these agencies should implement a comprehensive strategy to achieve the Defense Department's stated goal of a tobacco-free military, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

  • Sightseeing helicopter crashes in Hawaii decrease following FAA regulations
    (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health) An emergency rule intended to reduce the number of deaths and injuries associated with Hawaiian air tours was followed by a 47 percent reduction in sightseeing crashes, according to a new study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. However, the proportion of crashes that resulted in lives lost actually increased after the rule change due to an increase in crashes that resulted from poor visibility.

  • Taxpayer Alliance applauds bill to broaden access to federal research results
    (SPARC) Sens. Joseph Lieberman and John Cornyn today introduced the Federal Research Public Access Act, a bill to ensure free, timely, online access to the published results of research funded by 11 US federal agencies. The proposed bill is welcomed by the Alliance for Taxpayer Access, a coalition of research institutions, consumers, patients and others formed to support open public access to publicly funded research.

  • Bush's court appointments emphasized ideology over diversity
    (Oregon State University) The judicial appointments of former president George W. Bush suggests that his motivation for appointing nontraditional judges was driven more by ideology and strategy than concerns for diversity, a new analysis shows.

  • Internists support broad goals of House 'tri-committee' proposed health-reform legislation
    (American College of Physicians) Agreeing with the broad goals and most of the underlying policies contained in a comprehensive draft bill on health care reform legislation, the American College of Physicians today praised the House "tri-committee." Made up of the House Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Labor Committees, the "tri-committee" unveiled its proposed legislation on June 19.

  • MU scientists convert pigs' connective tissue cells into stem cells
    (University of Missouri-Columbia) Scientists at the University of Missouri have developed the ability to take regular cells from a pig's connective tissues, known as fibroblasts, and transform them into stem cells, eliminating several of the hurdles associated with stem cell research. The new study appeared in a recent issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

  • Jurors fail to understand rape victims
    (University of Nottingham) Rape trial juries need better guidance in the courtroom -- and a better understanding of rape victims -- to help them reach their verdict.

  • Stem cell surprise for tissue regeneration
    (Carnegie Institution) Scientists working at the Carnegie Institution's department of embryology have overturned previous research that identified critical genes for making muscle stem cells. It turns out that the genes that make muscle stem cells in the embryo are surprisingly not needed in adult muscle stem cells to regenerate muscles after injury. The finding challenges the current course of research into muscular dystrophy, muscle injury and regenerative medicine; it also favors using age-matched stem cells for therapy.

  • Comparative effectiveness research priorities recommended in IOM report
    (National Academy of Sciences) "Initial Priorities for Comparative Effectiveness Research," a new report from the Institute of Medicine, recommends 100 health topics that should get priority attention and funding from a new comparative effectiveness research initiative supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

  • Study on keeping nuclear bombs from US ports shows misplaced fear over cargo scanning cost
    (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences) A two-tiered scanning-protocol for inspecting all containers at international ports could be the most affordable approach to ensuring containers moving through the global transportation system are not carrying nuclear bombs, according to a paper being presented at a services special interest group meeting of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences.

  • West Coast needs more research on fisheries, marine science, climate change
    (University of Southern California) The West Coast critically needs more research about fisheries, ocean health, coastal hazards and climate change -- among other topics -- to support and protect the region's annual $32 billion ocean-related economy, according to a new report prepared by the region's four Sea Grant programs.

  • CSHL scientists harness logic of 'Sudoku' math puzzle to vastly enhance genome-sequencing capability
    (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) Combining a 2,000-year-old Chinese math theorem with concepts from cryptology, scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have devised "DNA Sudoku" -- a pooling strategy that allows tens of thousands of DNA samples to be combined and sequenced all at once. The new strategy promises to reduce costs dramatically, with sequencing projects that cost $10 million in the past now estimated to cost less than $80,000.

  • New detectors for nuclear, radiological material in cargo should not be acquired until testing deficiencies fixed, cost-benefit analysis completed
    (National Academy of Sciences) A thorough cost-benefit analysis that includes an assessment of meaningful alternatives is needed to reveal the potential security advantages of deploying new detector systems to screen cargo for nuclear and radiological materials at US ports and border crossings. It is likely that the costs will exceed the savings gained from improved efficiency of the screening systems, says a new report from the National Research Council.

  • European climate change reports launched in Brussels
    (Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres) Two new reports examining climate change adaptation and policy making across Europe will be launched today in Brussels in the presence of Peter Gammeltoft, head of Unit "Protection of Water and Marine Environment" at the European Commission. The preliminary conclusions of the research were used in the European Commission's white paper on climate change, published in April 2009.

  • Molecular typesetting -- proofreading without a proofreader
    (University of Leeds) Researchers at the Universities of Leeds and Bristol have developed a model of how errors are corrected while proteins are being built.

  • New agreement to link up Europe's polar research
    (European Science Foundation) More than 26 leading scientific institutions across Europe are signing up to closer research cooperation through a new European Polar Framework agreement today in Brussels. The framework aims to streamline links between the many national research programs in the Arctic and Antarctic. It will make it easier to launch joint funding calls, share data and to host scientists in other nation's research stations, creating international teams similar to those in the International Space Station.

  • Higher drinking age linked to less binge drinking... except in college students
    (Washington University School of Medicine) New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found substantial reductions in binge drinking since the national drinking age was set at 21 two decades ago, with one exception: college students. The rates of binge drinking in male collegians remain unchanged, but the rates in female collegians have increased dramatically.

  • On HIV Testing Day, HIVMA calls for health care reform to make testing routine every day
    (Infectious Diseases Society of America) This Saturday, June 27, HIV Testing Day, the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) urges everyone to get tested for HIV, a vital step in linking people to lifesaving care and reducing the spread of new infections.

  • Leading scientists and scholars urge action on climate issues
    (Woods Hole Research Center) In an open letter addressed to President Barack Obama and the US Congress, 20 leading scientists and scholars assert that the currently stated objectives in limiting the climatic disruption are grossly inadequate and urge the nation's leadership to take clear leadership towards meet the objectives of the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change, steps necessary to avert a "global climatic catastrophe."

  • Citizens in 34 countries show implicit bias linking males more than females with science
    (University of Virginia) Implicit stereotypes -- thoughts that people may be unwilling to express or may not even know that they have -- may have a powerful effect on gender equity in science and mathematics engagement and performance, according to a new study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

  • From Jack the Ripper to great white sharks
    (Wiley-Blackwell) What do great white sharks have in common with serial killers? Refined hunting skills, according to a paper published today in the Zoological Society of London's Journal of Zoology.

  • Safety-critical software put under scrutiny
    (McMaster University) A research center to develop product-focused certification standards and processes for critical software applications is being established at McMaster University. One of the first such centers to be established, it will initially focus on the medical, financial and nuclear industries.

  • Punishment and prisons -- leading criminologist argues for a new way of thinking
    (SAGE Publications UK) Prison should be abolished in its current form, according to Joe Sim, Professor of Criminology at Liverpool John Moores University. Writing in his new book, Punishment and Prisons, published last month by SAGE, he argues the current prison system is built on an endless series of reforms which have done little to alleviate crime or protect society.

  • Young offenders' health critical to rehabilitation
    (University of Adelaide) The physical and mental health needs of juvenile offenders should be treated as a priority if offenders held in detention have any real hope of rehabilitation, according to new research from the University of Adelaide, Australia.

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Science: This Week's News
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases
News Releases from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Gregory G. Germino, M.D., Named Deputy Director of NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
    Gregory G. Germino, M.D., a world-renowned expert in inherited kidney disease, has been appointed as deputy director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health, NIDDK Director Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., has announced.

  • Researchers Identify a Novel Mechanism that Could be Targeted to Prevent Cancer Spread
    Researchers have discovered a key to the function of a specific protein that helps control the levels of other critical proteins within cells, including a protein that suppresses the spread of cancer. The new information about the mechanism of action of the protein, called gp78, may enable researchers to explore new types of therapies to prevent the spread of cancer. The study, by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, was published in the June 26, 2009, issue of Molecular Cell.

  • Migraines with Aura in Middle Age Associated with Late-Life Brain Lesions
    Women who suffer from migraine headaches in middle age accompanied by neurological aura (visual disturbances, dizziness or numbness that can precede migraines) are more likely to have damage to brain tissue in the cerebellum later in life, according to a study by researchers at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) of the National Institutes of Health, the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the Icelandic Heart Association in Reykjavik. Researchers noted that many people have these types of "silent" brain lesions, but their effect on physical and cognitive function in older people is not well studied.

  • United States and the Republic of Chile Partner to Battle Cancer
    A new alliance between the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Chile, aims to accelerate progress against cancer in Hispanic populations in the United States and Latin America.

  • Statement of Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, on National HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2009
    The importance of National HIV Testing Day becomes clear when one recognizes that an estimated one-fifth of all Americans infected with HIV do not know they are infected. Among Americans who have been tested for the virus, more than one-third of those who learned they are infected became aware of their status less than a year before being diagnosed with AIDS -- long after the optimal time to begin antiretroviral therapy.

  • NIH Expands Human Microbiome Project; Funds Sequencing Centers and Disease Projects
    The Human Microbiome Project has awarded more than $42 million to expand its exploration of how the trillions of microscopic organisms that live in or on our bodies affect our health, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today.

  • Delay in Diagnosis of Menopause-like Condition in Young Women Linked to Low Bone Density
    Women and young girls who experience delays in diagnosing a premature, menopause-like condition face increased risk of low bone density, according to new research by scientists at the National Institutes of Health. A delay in diagnosing the condition, called primary ovarian insufficiency, may make women more susceptible to osteoporosis and fractures later in life, the researchers concluded.

  • NIDA Study Shows School-Based Prevention Program Reduces Problem Behaviors in Fifth-Graders by Half
    A study suggests that school-based prevention programs begun in elementary school can significantly reduce problem behaviors in students. Fifth graders who previously participated in a comprehensive interactive school prevention program for one to four years were about half as likely to engage in substance abuse, violent behavior, or sexual activity as those who did not take part in the program. The study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health, will appear in the August 2009 print issue of the American Journal of Public Health. The online version of the article is viewable today.

  • Much Touted "Depression Risk Gene" May Not Add to Risk After All
    Stressful life events are strongly associated with a person’s risk for major depression, but a certain gene variation long thought to increase risk in conjunction with stressful life events actually may have no effect, according to researchers funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study, published in the June 17, 2009, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, challenges a widely accepted approach to studying risk factors for depression.

  • As College Drinking Problems Rise, New Studies Identify Effective Prevention Strategies
    Alcohol-related deaths among U.S. college students rose from 1,440 deaths in 1998 to 1,825 in 2005, along with increases in heavy drinking and drunk driving, according to an article in the July supplement of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. The special issue describes the results of a broad array of research-based programs to reduce and prevent alcohol-related problems at campuses across the country. These studies resulted from the Rapid Response to College Drinking Problems Initiative, a grant program supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

  • Cancer Immunotherapy Can Use Small Numbers of Stem-Like Immune Cells to Destroy Large Tumors in Mice
    A new approach to stimulating immune cells enhances their anticancer activity, resulting in a powerful anti-tumor response in mice, according to a study by researchers at the National Cancer Institute, a part of the National Institutes of Health. This work represents an important advance in the development of immunotherapy for cancer and appears online June 14, 2009 in Nature Medicine.

  • NIH Researchers Discover How Prion Protein Damages Brain Cells
    Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have gained a major insight into how the rogue protein responsible for mad cow disease and related neurological illnesses destroys healthy brain tissue.

LifeSciencesWorld
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  • Scientists harness logic of 'Sudoku' math puzzle to vastly enhance genome-sequencing capability
    [NEWS] 'DNA Sudoku' pools multitude of DNA samples for sequencing in manner analogous to solving a Sudoku gridA math-based game that has taken the world by storm with its ability to delight and puzzle may now be poised to revolutionize the fast-changing world of genome sequencing and the field of <span style=”background: tra…


  • More Gene Mutations Linked to Autism Risk
    [NEWS] Combination of Inherited and New Genetic Mutations Acting Together   PHILADELPHIA, June 26 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — More pieces in the complex autism inheritance puzzle are emerging in the latest study from a research team including geneticists from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and several collaborating institutions. This study identified 27 different genetic regions where rare copy number variations - missing or e…


  • Controversial cancer stem cells offer new direction for treatment
    [NEWS] In a review in Science, a University of Rochester Medical Center researcher sorts out the controversy and promise around a dangerous subtype of cancer cells, known as cancer stem cells, which seem capable of resisting many modern treatments. The article proposes that this subpopulation of malignant cells may one day provide an important avenue for controlling cancer, especially if new treatments that target the cancer stem cell are developed and combined with traditional chemotherapy and…


  • Scientists uncover patterns of genetic changes in mental retardation
    [NEWS] Researchers at Radboud University Medical Centre, together with UK Medical Research Council scientists at Oxford University, have uncovered some of the central characteristics of genes underlying mental retardation. The research, which shortens the list of genes whose changes lead to this disorder from thousands to several dozen, is published June 26 in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics. Mental retardation, which affects approximately two percent of the population, is often caused by…


  • Implant bacteria, beware: Researchers create nano-sized assassins
    [NEWS] Staphylococcus epidermidis is quite an opportunist. Commonly found on human skin, the bacteria pose little danger. But S. epidermidis is a leading cause of infections in hospitals. From catheters to prosthetics, the bacteria are known to hitch a ride on a range of medical devices implanted into patients. Inside the body, the bacteria multiply on the implant's surface and then build a slimy, protective film to shield the colony from antibiotics. According to a study in the journal …


  • MU scientists convert pigs' connective tissue cells into stem cells
    [NEWS] For years, proponents have touted the benefits of embryonic stem cell research, but the potential therapies still face hurdles. Side effects such as tumor development, a lack of an effective and long-term animal model to test new therapies, and genetic incompatibility between the host and donor cells are some of the problems faced by researchers. Now, scientists at the University of Missouri have developed the ability to take regular cells from a pig's connective tissues, known as fibroblasts, and tr…


  • WuXi PharmaTech Files 2008 Annual Report on Form 20-F
    [NEWS] SHANGHAI, June 25 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — WuXi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: WX) today announced that it filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2008 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The annual report can be accessed on WuXi PharmaTech's website at http://www.wuxiapptec.com under the Investor Relations secti…


  • New Scientific Evidence Suggests Humans Resistant to Phthalate Effect on Lab Rodents
    [NEWS] Sharpe et al. Study Finds Dose High Enough to Cause Adverse Effect in Rats and Mice Has No Effect in Male Marmosets   ARLINGTON, Va., June 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today announced that strong new evidence has emerged that phthalates may not affect the reproductive development of humans, as opposed to the effects seen in some rats and mice. A study by McKinnell et al. shows no reproductive effects from phthalates in marmosets. In research c…


  • Insmed Announces Results of IPLEX(TM) Phase II Trial in Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy
    [NEWS] - Insmed to Evaluate Potential Initiation of Phase II Trial for IPLEX™ in MMD Patients with Severe Insulin Resistance -   RICHMOND, Va., June 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Insmed Inc. (Nasdaq: INSM), a biopharmaceutical company, today announced results from its exploratory U.S. Phase II clinical trial evaluating IPLEX™ (mecasermin rinfabate) in patients with myotoni…


  • Wildlife faces cancer threat
    [NEWS] High cancer levels in wildlife should concern humans, says WCS <td width=”4” height=”4” align=”left” valign=”top” bgc…


  • Management Consultant- Life Sciences (Regulatory/Compliance)
    [JOB] PRTM Management Consultants, Inc, Waltham, MA, United States Consultants are called on to formally report to the client, direct client personnel, prepare work plans, facilitate client teams to implement recommendations, organize and write proposals, and participate in new business development.


  • Principle Consultant- Medical Devices
    [JOB] PRTM Management Consultants, Inc, Waltham, MA, United States Consultants are called on to formally report to the client, direct client personnel, prepare work plans, facilitate client teams to implement recommendations, organize and write proposals, and participate in new business development.


  • Computational Chemistry and Biology Opportunities at D. E. Shaw Research
    [JOB] D. E. Shaw Research, New York, NY, United States Extraordinary computational chemists & biologists are sought to join a rapidly growing New York–based research group.


  • 10th International Congress of Ecology
    [EVENT] November 30 - Aug 21, 2009 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia


  • SME Annual Conference
    [EVENT] June 7 - July 9, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA, US


  • SoilSEDUMA - International Symposium on Soil, Sediment and Dust Magnetism
    [EVENT] June 21 - July 1, 2009 in Bytom, Upper Silesia, Poland


  • GEM 2009 Summer Workshop
    [EVENT] June 21 - 26, 2009 in Snowmass, Colorado, United States


  • Deregulation of Transcription in Cancer
    [EVENT] June 21 - 26, 2009 in Killarney, Co, Kerry, Ireland


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