Body

Oklahoma City (March 8, 2016) What do cancer cells and a runny nose have in common? The answer is mucus; and researchers at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma have shown it may hold the key to making cancer treatment better.

Most of us know about the thick, gooey stuff we blow from our noses when we have a cold. In that instance, mucus protects the normal tissue in the nose from drying out and helps the body recognize and fight off invaders like bacteria and viruses.

Australia's largest predator, the dingo, is resistant to one of the main threats to its survival as a species -- changes to skull shape brought about by cross breeding (hybridisation) with dogs, research shows.

A UNSW study published today in Evolutionary Biology has found the dingo skull shape remains unchanged by cross breeding, overturning long-held fears that cross breeding may result in the loss of the predator's ecological niche.

Radiotherapy to the whole breast is standard treatment after breast-conserving surgery for women with early breast cancer, even those who have a low risk of the disease returning in the breast (local relapse). However, whole breast radiotherapy can cause changes in the appearance of the breast, which may also be firmer and tender to the touch, resulting in psychological distress.

Crowds formed from tiny particles disperse as their environment becomes more disordered, according to scientists from UCL, Bilkent University and Université Pierre et Marie Curie.

The new mechanism is counterintuitive and might help describe crowd behaviour in natural, real-world systems where many factors impact on individuals' responses to either gather or disperse.

As the deadly bat disease called white-nose syndrome continues to spread across North America, scientists are studying bats in China to understand how they are able to survive infections with the same fungus that has wiped out millions of North American bats.

Marine turtles experienced an evolutionary windfall thanks to a mass extinction of crocodyliforms around 145 million years ago, say researchers.

Given the high stress levels, extended periods of screen time and regular social outings many Americans experience day-to-day in environments where high-calorie foods are readily available, it can be easy to fall into the habit of mindless eating - where we're too distracted to pay attention to how much, what and why we're eating.

Gaps in our information about biodiversity means we are at risk of focussing our conservation efforts in the wrong places.

New research from Newcastle University, UK, University College London (UCL) and the University of Queensland, Australia, highlights the uncertainty around our global biodiversity data because of the way we record species sightings.

The study explains how a lack of information about a species in a particular location doesn't necessarily mean it's not there and that recording when we don't see something is as important as recording when we do.

Scientists have gained insights into the fundamental process of cell division, by identifying key steps that ensure cells divide correctly as they undergo repair and growth.

The findings show how cells make sure that identical copies of DNA are given to the two daughter cells formed when a cell splits.

Their findings could provide valuable insight into what happens when this basic function misfires, which in people can make the body more susceptible to cancer and other conditions.

Domestic violence by a partner or ex-partner during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight and small-for-gestational-age babies, finds a study in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (BJOG).

Scientists at the University of Exeter have found the most robust evidence yet that simply being a shorter man or a more overweight woman leads to lower chances in life, including a lower income.

Being a short man or an overweight woman is associated with lower chances in life in areas such as education, occupation, and income, concludes a study published by The BMJ today.

The findings provide the strongest evidence to date that overweight people, especially women, are at a socioeconomic disadvantage - and that taller people, especially men, are at a socioeconomic advantage.

Hydrolysed infant milk formula does not appear to protect against allergic or autoimmune disorders, suggest findings published in The BMJ today.

The authors say infant feeding guidelines should be revised because there is no consistent evidence to support current recommendations.

A special type of baby formula does not reduce allergy risk - despite previous claims to the contrary - according to research led by Imperial College London.

The study, published in The BMJ, reviewed data from 37 different trials into hydrolysed baby formula - a type of baby formula treated with heat to break down the milk proteins. The idea is that giving this formula to children at risk of conditions such as milk allergy and eczema, instead of standard formula, can reduce the chance of infants developing the conditions.

The use of diabetes treatment, whether by diet or pills such as metformin, decreases mammographic density (MD), one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer, whereas taking insulin appears to increase it, a researcher will tell the 10th European Breast Cancer Conference today (Wednesday). Although past studies have linked diabetes to MD, this is the first time that data on diabetes treatments and insulin use have been studied.