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Novel methods for improved breast cancer survival

This, together with other research within the Breast Cancer Initiative, as the project is called, has been awarded SEK 25 million from the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova. The project is part of the interdisciplinary cancer centre Create Health, where immunologists, tumour biologists, nanotechnologists, bioinformaticians and cancer researchers work together.

"This campaign means that our research can benefit patients earlier", comments Carl Borrebaeck, Professor of Immunotechnology at Lund University and programme director for Create Health.

Liquid metal key to simpler creation of electrodes for microfluidic devices

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a faster, easier way to create microelectrodes, for use in microfluidic devices, by using liquid metal. Microfluidic devices manipulate small amounts of fluid and have a wide variety of applications, from testing minute blood samples to performing advanced chemical research.

Pollution tax rebates little help for low-income workers

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Although policymakers believe the regressiveness of pollution taxes can be offset by returning revenue to the low paid through a reduced labor tax, that approach may not work, and also could have the unintended consequence of shrinking some workers' overall real net wages, according to research by a University of Illinois energy policy expert.

Lesbian moms vulnerable when abused, reluctant to seek help

URBANA – Lesbian moms who are experiencing intimate partner violence are often reluctant to seek help for fear of losing custody of their children, said two University of Illinois professors.

"A lesbian mom's abuse situation is unique in that she fears losing her kids to the biological father or the state instead of the abuser," said Jennifer Hardesty, a U of I associate professor of family studies.

Fish provide missing piece in the marine sediment jigsaw

Research published today reveals the previously unidentified role that fish play in the production of sediments in the world's oceans, and specifically of the carbonate sediments that contain critical records of changes in ocean chemistry and climate shifts in the geological past.

The discovery, made by a team of scientists from the UK and US, helps explain the origins of a key component of marine sediments – the fine-grained carbonates, the origins of which are often problematic to resolve.

Cold winters mean more pollution

Differences in air pressure over the North Atlantic have meant that the last two winters in Gothenburg, Sweden, have been extremely cold. This has led to the air in Gothenburg being more polluted with nitrogen oxides than ever before. A new study from the University of Gothenburg shows that there is a strong link between climate and air pollution.

Toward computers that fit on a pen tip: New technologies usher in the millimeter-scale computing era

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---A prototype implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients is believed to contain the first complete millimeter-scale computing system.

And a compact radio that needs no tuning to find the right frequency could be a key enabler to organizing millimeter-scale systems into wireless sensor networks. These networks could one day track pollution, monitor structural integrity, perform surveillance, or make virtually any object smart and trackable.

Poor park planning drives kids indoors

What does it take to keep children active when they get home from school? It seems that what your neighborhood offers in terms of parks and playgrounds has a lot to do with it. In a study looking at the links between the quality of outdoor public spaces, parents' perception of them, and children's sedentary behavior, Dr. Jenny Veitch and colleagues, from the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University in Australia, show that neighborhood features do influence whether or not children watch less television and play fewer computer games after school. Dr.

Health care disparities seen in epilepsy patients with low socioeconomic status

A newly published report reveals patients with epilepsy and low socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to have uncontrolled seizures, drug-related side effects, and a lower overall quality of life. The study also indicates that low SES patients used the hospital emergency room more often and had more visits to a general practitioner than epileptic patients at higher socioeconomic levels. Full findings are now available in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy.

High-quality care associated with lower cost in trauma

High-quality hospitals deliver lower-cost care to trauma patients, according to a study published in the Annals of Surgery. The study found high-quality hospitals have death rates that are 34 percent lower, while spending nearly 22 percent less on trauma patient care than average-quality hospitals, suggesting high quality can coexist with lower cost.

The reason is not clear, though.

Higher volume reduces false positives in screening mammography

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Radiologists who interpret a high volume of mammograms may not detect more cancers but are better at determining which suspicious lesions are not malignant, according to a new study published online and in the April print edition of Radiology.

New study illustrates shifting biomes in Alaska

A new study released today in the EarlyView of Ecology Letters addresses forest productivity trends in Alaska, highlighting a shift in biomes caused by a warming climate. The findings, conducted by scientists at the Woods Hole Research Center and three other institutions based in Alaska and France, linked satellite observations with an extensive and unique tree-ring data set. Patterns observed support current hypotheses regarding increased growth of evergreen forest at the margins of present tundra and declining productivity at the margins of temperate forest to the south.

Careful cleaning of children's skin wounds key to healing, regardless of antibiotic choice

When it comes to curing skin infected with the antibiotic-resistant bacterium MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), timely and proper wound cleaning and draining may be more important than the choice of antibiotic, according to a new Johns Hopkins Children's Center study. The work is published in the March issue of Pediatrics.

New assessment of black carbon and tropospheric ozone's role in climate change

Black carbon (BC) and tropospheric ozone (O3) are harmful air pollutants that also contribute to climate change. The emission of both will continue to negatively impact both human health and climate.

While our scientific understanding of how black carbon and tropospheric ozone affect climate and public health has significantly improved in recent years, the threat posed by these pollutants has catalysed a demand for knowledge and concrete action from governments, civil society, United Nations (UN) agencies and other stakeholders.

Arizona State University archaeologist models past and future landscapes

WASHINGTON – Archaeology is a vital tool in understanding the long-term consequences of human impact on the environment. Computational modeling can refine that understanding. But according to Arizona State University archaeologist C. Michael Barton, it takes a revolution in thought, along with the newest methods of modeling, to produce a comprehensive picture of the past that can help inform land-use decisions for our future.