The epigenetics of breast cancer family history Breast cancer runs in families; however, genetic predisposition (such as being BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers) explains only a portion of this observation. Epigenetic changes (modifications in the genome that alter gene ...

Perceived benefits of e-cigarettes may lead to higher experimentation rates New study finds link between common beliefs and e-cigarette use among young adults Ann Arbor, MI, January 7, 2014 – Despite years of anti-smoking education and legislation, tobacco use still ...

Health and wealth connected? By studying Google search data, researchers led by SDSU professor John Ayers discovered Americans had more health concerns during the recession SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2014)—We ring in the New Year with hopes of being healthy, wealthy, ...

Special focus issue on sepsis A special issue on sepsis has been released by the publisher Landes Bioscience (Austin, TX USA). The articles contained in this special issue of the journal Virulence have been authored by world-class investigators and provide new insights ...

New research may boost drug efficacy in treating pulmonary arterial hypertension Intravenous/sublingual tissue-penetrating homing peptide enhances activity of other pulmonary drugs, according to new research published in the American Journal of Pathology Philadelphia, ...

8 million lives saved since surgeon general's tobacco warning 50 years ago Yale study on the impact of anti-smoking measures that began half a century ago A Yale study estimates that 8 million lives have been saved in the United States as a result of anti-smoking measures ...

Sun unleashes first X-class flare of 2014 The sun emitted a significant solar flare peaking at 1:32 p.m. EST on Jan.7, 2014. This is the first significant flare of 2014, and follows on the heels of mid-level flare earlier in the day. Each flare ...

NASA's SDO sees giant January sunspots An enormous sunspot, labeled AR1944, slipped into view over the sun's left horizon late on Jan. 1, 2014. The sunspot steadily moved toward the right, along with the rotation of the sun, and now sits almost ...

AAS meeting highlights several new Hubble science findings NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is providing a new perspective on the remote universe, including new views of young and distant galaxies bursting with stars. Scientists described the findings ...

Nano-capsules show potential for more potent chemoprevention Researchers at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University have discovered a more effective drug delivery system using nanotechnology that could one day significantly affect cancer prevention. The ...

Nutrition guidelines needed for full-service restaurant chains According to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Philadelphia, PA, January 8, 2014 – Food prepared away from home is typically higher in calories and lower in nutrition than ...

Reactivation of the AKT survival pathway by ERK1/2 Why inhibition of both pathways is important In the study by Toulany et al., it was demonstrated for the first time that long term treatment with inhibitors of PI3K (as it is performed clinically) results in a reactivation ...

Inverse design: New route to design a practical invisibility cloak With the emergence of metamaterials and transformation optics in the past few years, invisibility has become a scientific possibility that has attracted sustainable research interest. Recently, a review ...

Jumping snails left grounded in future oceans Sea snails that leap to escape their predators may soon lose their extraordinary jumping ability because of rising human carbon dioxide emissions, a team of international scientists ...

Nanoplasmonics: Towards efficient light harvesting The control of light is vital to many applications, including imaging, communications, sensing, cancer treatment, and even welding processes for automobile parts. Transformation optics is an emerging field that has revolutionized ...

Cancer Statistics 2014: Death rates continue to drop Progress most rapid for middle-aged African American men ATLANTA – Jan. 7, 2014–The annual cancer statistics report from the American Cancer Society finds steady declines in cancer death rates for the past two decades ...

Researchers discover molecule behind the benefits of exercise While it's clear that exercise can improve health and longevity, the changes that occur in the body to facilitate these benefits are less clear. Now researchers publishing in the January issue of Cell Press journal ...

How fat might be controlled through the body clock Australian researchers have shed more light on an underexplored aspect of the important brain-signaling system that controls appetite, body composition and energy use. Their findings suggest ...

Ketamine acts as antidepressant by boosting serotonin PET molecular imaging of the brain reveals that ketamine may act as an antidepressant by boosting serotonin activity in brain areas involved in motivation Ketamine is a potent anesthetic employed in human and veterinary medicine, ...

U of Maryland undergraduates discover rare eclipsing double asteroid Fewer than 100 such asteroids have been found in main asteroid belt COLLEGE PARK, MD – Students in a University of Maryland undergraduate astronomy class have made a rare discovery that wowed professional ...

Ancient sharks reared young in prehistoric river-delta nursery ANN ARBOR—Like salmon in reverse, long-snouted Bandringa sharks migrated downstream from freshwater swamps to a tropical coastline to spawn 310 million years ago, leaving behind fossil evidence of one of ...

How you practice matters for learning a skill quickly Practice alone doesn't make perfect, but learning can be optimized if you practice in the right way, according to new research based on online gaming data from more than 850,000 people. The ...

Ants shape their thoraces to match the tasks they perform This news release is available in Portuguese. It was now discovered that the specialization of queen and worker ants goes beyond the presence or absence of wings. In a study published ...

Racism may accelerate aging in African-American men UMD-led study is first to link racism-related factors and cellular age A new study reveals that racism may impact aging at the cellular level. Researchers found signs of accelerated aging in African American men, ages reporting ...

NYSCF scientists make living brain cells from Alzheimer's patients biobanked brain tissue New study shows ability to make living human cells from biobanked brain tissue NEW YORK, NY (January 7, 2014) – Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research ...