Culture | Page 2317 | Science Codex

India's patent laws under pressure: The Lancet special report

In a special report in The Lancet [1], researchers from Queen Mary, University of London (UK) argue that pending cases against India's patent laws threaten public health and misinterpret international intellectual property agreements.

The report, which is published today (Monday), highlights legal challenges by two pharmaceutical companies, Bayer and Novartis, to key provisions of India's Patents Act. Bayer's appeal was heard last week, and the Indian Supreme Court is due to hear Novartis' appeal tomorrow (11th September).

Excavations in Jaffa confirm presence of Egyptian settlement on the ancient city site

The Old Testament Studies and Biblical Archaeology division of the Faculty of Protestant Theology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) this year again conducted excavations on the ancient hill of Jaffa in Israel. The recent excavations have not only shed new light on the destruction of elements of the fortification, but also unearthed evidence pointing towards the presence of an Egyptian population on the site.

Uncovering the genome's regulatory code

Since the sequencing of the human genome in 2001, all our genes – around 20,000 in total – have been identified. But much is still unknown – for instance where and when each is active. Next to each gene sits a short DNA segment, and the activity of this regulatory segment determines whether the gene will be turned on, where and how strongly. These short regulatory segments are as – if not more – important than the genes, themselves. Indeed, 90% of the mutations that cause disease occur in these regulatory areas.

Government subsidies for foster children hurt adoption: Study

The structure of a federal program that provides monthly subsidies to promote the adoptions of special needs children in foster care may actually be delaying some adoptions, according to a new study by University of Notre Dame economist Kasey Buckles.

The nose knows: Gene therapy restores sense of smell in mice

A team of scientists from Johns Hopkins and other institutions report that restoring tiny, hair-like structures to defective cells in the olfactory system of mice is enough to restore a lost sense of smell. The results of the experiments were published online this week in Nature Medicine, and are believed to represent the first successful application of gene therapy to restore this function in live mammals.

Racial and ethnic diversity spreads across the country

Increasing racial and ethnic diversity has long been apparent at the national level and in our nation's largest metropolitan gateways. Since 1980 over nine-tenths of all cities, suburbs and small towns have become more diverse. And rural communities are following the lead of their urban counterparts, according to a U.S. 2010 policy brief.

"What really stands out is the near-universal nature of the trend toward greater racial and ethnic diversity at the local level," said Barry Lee, professor of sociology and demography, Penn State, and co-author of the brief.

Archaeologists uncover 'lost garden' in quest for Richard III

Archaeologists from the University of Leicester who are leading the search for the lost grave of King Richard III announced today that they have made a new advance in their quest.

They have uncovered evidence of the lost garden of Robert Herrick – where, historically, it is recorded there was a memorial to Richard III.

Now the 'time tomb team' as they have become to be known has discovered paving stones which they believe belong to the garden.

Antibiotic therapy improves moderate exacerbations of mild-to-moderate COPD

Antibiotic treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanate improves moderate exacerbations in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and significantly prolongs the time between exacerbations, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

Measuring glucose without needle pricks

Sticking yourself in the finger day after day: For many diabetics, this means of checking blood glucose is an everyday part of life. Especially for patients with Type-1 diabetes, who always have to keep a close eye on their levels, since their bodies are incapable of producing the insulin to break down the glucose in the blood. Several times a day, they have to place a tiny drop of blood on a test strip. It is the only way they can ascertain the blood glucose value, so they can inject the correct amount of insulin needed.

OSA increases cardiovascular mortality in the elderly

Untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality in the elderly, and adequate treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may significantly reduce this risk, according to a new study from researchers in Spain.

Raised antibody levels linked to greater long term risk of rheumatoid arthritis

Men and women with raised levels of an antibody known as rheumatoid factor in their blood have up to a 26-fold greater long term risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, finds a study published on bmj.com today.

These findings suggest the need for early referral for examination after a positive rheumatoid factor test – even in the absence of typical arthritic symptoms like pain and swelling in the joints, say the authors.

Some patients with common kidney disease can skip standard treatments

Highlights

Many patients with a common kidney disease called IgA nephropathy who had normal kidney function and only minor urinary abnormalities at the time of diagnosis experienced remission without special treatments.
None developed kidney failure over a 20-year follow-up.
The findings indicate that patients have an excellent prognosis and can avoid taking potentially toxic immunosuppressive medications.

Prognosis has been difficult to accurately predict in individual patients with IgA nephropathy.

Simple blood tests detect autoimmune kidney disease, help predict prognosis

Highlights

Blood tests of particular autoantibodies can accurately diagnose the autoimmune kidney disease called idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
Patients with high levels of these autoantibodies tend to have more severe disease, while those with low levels often experience remission.

Each year, an estimated 50,000 people globally are diagnosed with idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

New blood test detects potentially deadly calcium deposits

Highlights

For the first time, a new test can measure the propensity for calcification to occur in an individual's blood.
The test could identify people at risk for vascular calcification, a major cause of heart disease.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in kidney disease patients and the general population.

Survey shows why claws come out over feral cat management

The contentious phenomenon of identity politics isn't limited to Democrats and Republicans. A national survey shows that "cat people" and "bird people" have heated differences of opinion, complicating the challenge of managing more than 50 million free-roaming feral cats while protecting threatened wildlife.

A North Carolina State University study to be published Sept. 6 in PLOS One identifies why the claws come out over feral cat management and which approaches might be useful in finding common ground among those with polarized opinions.