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New adult malnutrition strategies could improve diagnosis and treatment

A new consensus statement on adult malnutrition suggests classifying patients in three categories related to the cause of malnutrition, according to an international committee of nutrition researchers. This approach could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition.

"Depending upon the criteria that are used, up to 50 percent of patients in hospitals or skilled nursing facilities have been estimated to be malnourished," said Gordon Jensen, professor and head of nutritional sciences, Penn State.

CSHL scientists discover how a tumor suppressor induces senescence and staves off cancer

Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – A frequently mutated gene in human cancers is the reitnoblastoma (RB) gene, which controls a potent tumor suppression pathway. Mutations in the gene disable the vast and intricate RB pathway in virtually all tumor cells, leading to disturbances in a host of cellular functions and ultimately provoking cancer. But which of these functions is crucial for the gene's tumor-suppressing activity has been uncertain.

Genetically engineered crops benefit many farmers, but the technology needs proper management to remain effective

WASHINGTON -- Many U.S. farmers who grow genetically engineered (GE) crops are realizing substantial economic and environmental benefits -- such as lower production costs, fewer pest problems, reduced use of pesticides, and better yields -- compared with conventional crops, says a new report from the National Research Council. However, GE crops resistant to the herbicide glyphosate -- a main component in Roundup and other commercial weed killers -- could develop more weed problems as weeds evolve their own resistance to glyphosate.

Cultural identity of indigenous society of Patagonia restored

Argentinean and Spanish researchers have shown that indigenous societies in Patagonia, the southernmost region of the Earth inhabited by humans over the past 13,000 years, were not static and marginal as had always been thought, but in fact had high levels of social organisation. The latest study by this team, published in the journal Arctic Anthropology, breaks down false myths and gives these societies the historic recognition they deserve.

Calculating agriculture's phosphorus footprint

Balancing phosphorus levels in crop lands is a key factor that is often overlooked in discussions of global food security, according to a paper published in the International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology.

Current global issues include carbon footprints, water resources and climate change. However, the non-renewable element phosphorus for plant growth is often overlooked in the global context.

Wild ferrets are spreading throughout the island of La Palma

Scientists from the Canary Islands have compiled data on wild ferrets in La Palma and the damage they cause in the ecosystem, to confirm that the island is the one with the highest number of naturalised animals in the archipelago. The Canarian government permits rabbit hunting using ferrets, an ancient and common practice that has its disadvantages when the ferrets escape or are released into the wild.

New pathway involved in rheumatoid arthritis identified

Investigators from Hospital for Special Surgery have identified a pathway involved in turning off inflammation that does not work properly in people with inflammatory arthritis. The finding, reported in the April 23 issue of the journal Immunity, could lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches to treating arthritis in the future.

Endangered quolls taught to turn their noses up at toxic toad

Ecologists in Australia have successfully trained a critically endangered marsupial – the northern quoll – to turn its nose up at toxic cane toads. Their results, including fascinating behavioural video footage, are published today in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology and could provide conservationists with a vital new weapon in the fight against invasive species.

New data show sustained 5-year benefit of Neupro (R) (Rotigotine Transdermal System) for symptoms of restless legs syndrome

Atlanta, April 13th, 2010 – New data presented at the 62nd American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Toronto, Canada, showed that patients with moderate to severe Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) using rotigotine achieved sustained improvements in symptoms over 5 years of treatment.

Smoking may counteract benefit of moderate drinking on stroke risk

TORONTO – New research finds any beneficial effect of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol on stroke may be counteracted by cigarette smoking, according to research that will be presented as part of the late-breaking science program at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10 – 17, 2010.

Work pressures lower nicotine dependence

It is often thought that smoking is used as a coping strategy to deal with work stress. However, the pressures of work can actually lower a smoker's nicotine dependence, contrary to popular belief. The surprising finding was published in BioMed Central's open access journal, Tobacco Induced Diseases, contradicting even the study researchers' hypothesis.

Fight-or-flight hormones help tumor cells escape to spread

HOUSTON - Chronic stress triggers a chain of molecular events that protects breakaway ovarian cancer cells from destruction, a team of researchers led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports April 12 in the early online publication of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Experimental immune-boosting drug worsens TB in mice

An experimental drug that boosts production of the immune system protein interferon worsens tuberculosis (TB) in mice, according to scientists from the National Institutes of Health. The drug acts indirectly by drawing certain immune cells, in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) bacteria thrive, to the lungs. The findings may have potential implications for the care of people infected with TB, the authors note. The research is reported in the May 3 issue of Journal of Clinical Investigation, now available online.

Scientists find key to gene that promotes cancer metastasis

HOUSTON - The molecular machinery that switches on a gene known to cause breast cancer to spread and invade other organs has been identified by an international team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The paper was published Sunday in Nature Cell Biology's advanced online publication.

Scripps Research scientists solve mystery of fragile stem cells

LA JOLLA, CA – April 12, 2010 –Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have solved the decade-old mystery of why human embryonic stem cells are so difficult to culture in the laboratory, providing scientists with useful new techniques and moving the field closer to the day when stem cells can be used for therapeutic purposes.

The research is being published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) during the week of April 12, 2010.