Body | Page 3455 | Science Codex

Survey finds public support for geoengineering research

Research on geoengineering appears to have broad public support, as a new, internationally-representative survey revealed that 72 per cent of respondents approved research into the climate-manipulating technique.

The study, published today, 24 October, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, is the first international survey on public perception of geoengineering and solar radiation management (SRM) and shows that these terms are becoming increasingly embedded into public discourse.

Liver parasite lacks key genes for fatty acid synthesis: Genome sequencing of Clonorchis sinensis

The human liver fluke Clonorchis sinensis affects more than 35 million people in South East Asia and 15 million in China. Infection by this parasite causes clonorchiasis. Repeated or chronic infection can lead to serious disease of the liver, gall bladder or bile ducts, including the frequently fatal bile duct cancer - cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). The complete genome sequence the genome of C.

NSAID use associated with lower colorectal cancer mortality rates among postmenopausal women

BOSTON — Postmenopausal women who reported having used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for at least 10 years at the time of enrollment in the Women's Health Initiative study had a lower risk for death from colorectal cancer compared with women who reported no use of these drugs at enrollment, according to data presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 22-25, 2011.

Significant weight gain in adulthood increased risk for endometrial cancer

BOSTON — Postmenopausal women who gained weight during adulthood had an increased risk for endometrial cancer compared with women who maintained a stable weight, according to data from the American Cancer Society's Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

Victoria L. Stevens, Ph.D., strategic director of laboratory services at the National Home Office of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, presented the data at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 22-25, 2011.

Sleeping sickness drug may provide long-term protection against skin cancer

BOSTON — An antiparasitic agent used to treat African sleeping sickness might someday be used to prevent nonmelanoma skin cancers. Researchers found that DFMO, or α-difluoromethylornithine, still appeared to protect against nonmelanoma skin cancers years after people stopped taking the drug, according to a poster presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 22-25, 2011.

Body weight, diet may be risk factors for non-Hodgkin lymphoma

BOSTON — Body weight in young adulthood and diet appeared to be associated with the risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to results presented at the 10th AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, held Oct. 22-25, 2011.

"The causes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are poorly understood, and unfortunately, we don't know very much about specific ways to prevent or lower the risk for this disease," said Kimberly Bertrand, Sc.D., research fellow in the department of epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Breakthrough in the production of flood-tolerant crops

This week thousands of families lost their homes and crops as flood waters swept across Central America. In Thailand huge tracts of farmland were submerged as the country faced its worst flooding in 50 years. Across the globe agricultural production is at risk as catastrophic flooding becomes a world-wide problem.

Manchester's 'first step' to perfect drug combinations

The researchers found a way of identifying ideal drug combinations from billions of others which would prevent inflammation from occurring.

The findings, published in Nature Chemical Biology, could be the first step in the development of new drug combinations to combat severe diseases and conditions.

Most non-infectious disease, such as cancer, stroke and Alzheimer's are worsened by inflammation, which is the body's natural defence mechanism.

Bioengineered protein shows preliminary promise as new therapy for hemophilia

A genetically engineered clotting factor that controlled hemophilia in an animal study offers a novel potential treatment for human hemophilia and a broad range of other bleeding problems.

Will my breast cancer spread? Discovery may predict probability of metastasis

SALT LAKE CITY—Researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah have discovered a new way to model human breast cancer that could lead to new tools for predicting which breast cancers will spread and new ways to test drugs that may stop its spread. Their results are published online today in the journal Nature Medicine.

How plants sense low oxygen levels to survive flooding

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – As countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam and parts of the United States and United Kingdom have fallen victim to catastrophic flooding in recent years, tolerance of crops to partial or complete submergence is a key target for global food security. Starved of oxygen, crops cannot survive a flood for long periods of time, leading to drastic reductions in yields for farmers.

UC Davis researchers discover complexities of DNA repair

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) —An international team of scientists led by UC Davis researchers has discovered that DNA repair in cancer cells is not a one-way street as previously believed. Their findings show instead that recombination, an important DNA repair process, has a self-correcting mechanism that allows DNA to make a virtual u-turn and start over.

Laser's precision and simplicity could revolutionize cataract surgery

ORLANDO, Fla. –- October 23, 2011 — Two new studies add to the growing body of evidence that a new approach to cataract surgery may be safer and more efficient than today's standard procedure. The new approach, using a special femtosecond laser, is FDA-approved, but not yet widely available in the United States. It's one of the hottest topics this week at the 115th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Research reported today by William W.

E-counselling shows dramatic results in lowering blood pressure

Vancouver – E-counselling can significantly lower blood pressure, improve lifestyle and enhance quality of life, says Heart and Stroke Foundation researcher Dr. Robert Nolan.

"E-counselling has the potential to strengthen the effects of medical treatment for high blood pressure," Dr. Nolan told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, which is co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. "We found that it led to an almost double decrease in the blood pressure levels of participants compared to those who did not receive the e-counselling."

Burden of osteoporotic fractures increases dramatically in the Middle East and Africa

A new audit report issued today by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) shows that osteoporosis is a serious and growing problem throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa.