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New study unravels mystery of why deadly tick disease appears to be surging, yet fatalities have not

Philadelphia (26 October 2015)--A mild disease spread by the aggressive Lone star tick that is now colonizing large swaths of the United States is being mistaken for Rocky Mountain spotted fever, according to a new study from scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings may indicate a key reason reports of infections with the potentially fatal pathogen appear to be surging but deaths are not, according to researchers.

Virginia Tech researchers take cue from spider glue in efforts to create new materials

BLACKSBURG, Va., Oct. 26, 2015 - A taut tug on the line signals the arrival of dinner, and the leggy spider dashes across the web to find a tasty squirming insect. The spider, known as an orb weaver, must perfectly execute this moment, from a lightning-fast reaction to an artfully spun web glistening with sticky glue.

Scientists produce beneficial natural compounds in tomato -- industrial scale-up potential

Given the opportunity to drink fifty bottles of wine or eat one tomato, which would you choose?

Scientists at the John Innes Centre have found a way to produce industrial quantities of useful natural compounds efficiently, by growing them in tomatoes.

The compounds are phenylpropanoids like Resveratrol, the compound found in wine which has been reported to extend lifespan in animal studies, and Genistein, the compound found in soybean which has been suggested to play a role in prevention of steroid-hormone related cancers, particularly breast cancer.

American Academy of Pediatrics issues sweeping recommendations on tobacco and e-cigarettes

WASHINGTON, DC - While adolescent use of tobacco has declined since the 1970s, it remains a persistent public health problem - and e-cigarettes are threatening to addict a new generation to nicotine. In a comprehensive set of policies issued during its National Conference & Exhibition, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) presents extensive recommendations to protect our nation's youth from the pernicious effects of tobacco and nicotine.

A cancer diagnosis can lead to significant income losses for families

A new analysis indicates that when American adults are diagnosed with cancer, they experience significant decreases in the probability of working, in the number of hours they work, and correspondingly, in their incomes. Such negative impacts of a cancer diagnosis are particularly pronounced among working-age men.

Study explores economic impact of cancer diagnoses on families

A new analysis by University of Wyoming researcher Anna Zajacova indicates that when American adults are diagnosed with cancer, they experience significant decreases in the probability of working, in the number of hours they work and, correspondingly, in their incomes.

Pregnant Women in Brooklyn Have Highest Levels of Certain Preservatives Used in CosmeticsPregnant women in Brooklyn have highest

Brooklyn, NY - Researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and Arizona State University have published the first study of levels of parabens - antibacterial substances commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics and other products - in human cord blood samples. The researchers found that a cohort of pregnant women in Brooklyn predominantly of Caribbean- and African-American descent had the highest level worldwide of methyl paraben and propyl paraben.

Fewer antibiotics, better outcomes for complicated appendectomy patients?

LOS ANGELES - With acute appendicitis ranking among the nation's most common acute surgical emergencies, researchers studied the relatively routine use of post-operative antibiotics in complicated cases and found that they didn't reduce infections after surgery. They also found that patients who received post-operative antibiotics remained in the hospital up to one day longer than similar patients who had not received antibiotics.

Ancient wild ox genome reveals complex cow ancestry

The ancestry of domesticated cattle proves more complex than previously thought, reports a paper published today in the open access journal Genome Biology. The first nuclear genome sequence from an ancient wild ox reveals that some modern domestic cow breeds, including the Scottish Highland and Irish Kerry, had wild ancestors that were British, as well as Asian.

Research investigates impact of carbon footprint label

New research suggests that an initiative to show consumers which products are more environmentally friendly needs to be easy to understand to be effective.

The study involving the University of East Anglia (UEA) investigated the impact of a carbon footprint label on detergents and whether products with the label commanded a higher price or generated more demand than those without.

The American Academy of Pediatrics tackles youth football injuries

WASHINGTON, DC - With football remaining one of the most popular sports for children and teens, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is issuing new recommendations to improve the safety of all players while on the field. In a policy statement announced at its National Conference & Exhibition taking place in Washington DC., the AAP recommends:

Capacitor breakthrough

Oct. 21, 2015, was the day that Doc Brown and Marty McFly landed in the future in their DeLorean, with time travel made possible by a "flux capacitor."

While the flux capacitor still conjures sci-fi images, capacitors are now key components of portable electronics, computing systems, and electric vehicles.

In contrast to batteries, which offer high storage capacity but slow delivery of energy, capacitors provide fast delivery but poor storage capacity.

Plague in humans 'twice as old' but didn't begin as flea-borne, ancient DNA reveals

New research using ancient DNA has revealed that plague has been endemic in human populations for more than twice as long as previously thought, and that the ancestral plague would have been predominantly spread by human-to-human contact -- until genetic mutations allowed Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis), the bacteria that causes plague, to survive in the gut of fleas.

Deadly fish virus still present in Wisconsin lake

MADISON, Wis. -- In May 2007, hundreds of freshwater drum -- also known as sheepshead -- turned up dead in Lake Winnebago and nearby Little Lake Butte des Morts, both inland lakes near Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The fish were splotched with red and their eyes were swollen and bulging.

Carnegie Mellon researchers hack off-the-shelf 3-D printer towards rebuilding the heart

PITTSBURGH--As of this month, over 4,000 Americans are on the waiting list to receive a heart transplant. With failing hearts, these patients have no other options; heart tissue, unlike other parts of the body, is unable to heal itself once it is damaged. Fortunately, recent work by a group at Carnegie Mellon could one day lead to a world in which transplants are no longer necessary to repair damaged organs.