In a paper published May 3, in the journal Evolution, University of Cincinnati graduate student Karl Grieshop and Michal Polak, associate professor of biological sciences at UC, examine the role of genital spines in the reproductive success of a species of fruit fly. Their investigation identifies the specific type of advantage these spines bestow in the competition to reproduce. "The leading hypothesis to explain the remarkable diversification of male genital traits is that such complexity evolves in response to sexual selection," Grieshop said. "Specifically, mechanisms ...

SEATTLE – For the first time, scientists have found what could be a causative link between the concentration of circulating Y-chromosome fetal cells in women who gave birth to children of either sex and their risk of later developing breast cancer and colon cancer. The findings show that the presence of fetal cells is a double-edged sword: Women with the lowest concentration of fetal cells were 70 percent less likely to have breast cancer, while women with the highest concentration of fetal cells had a four-fold increased risk for colon cancer when compared with healthy ...

UPTON, NY - By measuring how strongly electrons are bound together to form Cooper pairs in an iron-based superconductor, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cornell University, St. Andrews University, and collaborators provide direct evidence supporting theories in which magnetism holds the key to this material's ability to carry current with no resistance. Because the measurements take into account the electronic bands and directions in which the electrons are traveling, which was central to testing the theoretical predictions, ...

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Baltimore, MD — Insect glands are responsible for producing a host of secretions that allow bees to sting and ants to lay down trails to and from their nests. New research from Carnegie scientists focuses on secretions from glands in the reproductive tract that help sperm survive and guide the sperm on the trip to fertilize an egg. The gene that controls the development of these glands in fruit flies provides important information about gland development in all insects, as well as potential clues to similar human reproductive glands. Their work is published this month in ...

Reston, Va. (May 3, 2012) – The use of single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) has been reported to change clinical management in a significant number of thyroid cancer patients according to research presented in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Information obtained from these scans not only helps determine the need for radioiodine therapy or alterative options, but also impacts the long-term follow-up strategy. "In this article I aimed to highlight the role of radioiodine imaging in risk stratification of patients ...

Philadelphia, PA, May 9, 2012 – Shop the perimeter and avoid center isles, don't buy anything at eye level, investigate the label. Grocery shopping can be a daunting task. Moreover, studies have shown that Americans obtain most of their food from grocery stores and their shopping habits are predictive of their consumption of fruits, vegetables, and sugared soft drinks. Many grocery stores are taking an active role in helping consumers make healthful food choices. You may have even seen your grocery store use a nutritional score placed right on the shelf's price label ...

LONDON, ON - In a new study from Lawson Health Research Institute, Dr. Joseph Torchia has identified a new genetic pathway influencing the spread of cancer cells. The discovery of this mechanism could lead to new avenues for treatment. Regular cell division is regulated by methylation, a series of chemical changes. Methylation modifies DNA to ensure cells divide at a healthy, balanced rate. In cancer, the methylation process is unbalanced, causing cells to resist regulation and divide uncontrollably. Research suggests changes in genetics play a role in this process, ...

There are two federal laws regarding breast augmentation surgery. The first, passed in 2000, states that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to have breast augmentation surgery unless such surgery is for legitimate medical or reconstructive purposes. The second, passed in 2006, states that it is illegal for anyone under the age of 22, even in instances of necessary reconstruction, to have silicone breast implants placed. This means, legally, you need to be 18 to get breast implants and 22 if you'd prefer silicone implants. The reasons behind these laws are relatively ...

Stephanie Woodward, a second-year student at Syracuse University College of Law and a research assistant with the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at SU, has been selected as the inaugural recipient of the Olinsky Law Group/Burton Blatt Institute Fellowship. The fellowship was established through a generous gift from disability law attorney Howard D. Olinsky L'85, a member of BBI's Board of Advisors and its executive committee. "The fellowship will provide invaluable practical experience each academic year for a law student interested in the field of civil rights law. ...

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — The flexible properties of hydrogels — highly absorbent, gelatinous polymers that shrink and expand depending on environmental conditions such as humidity, pH and temperature — have made them ideal for applications from contact lenses to baby diapers and adhesives. In recent years, researchers have investigated hydrogels' potential in drug delivery, engineering them into drug-carrying vehicles that rupture when exposed to certain environmental stimuli. Such vesicles may slowly release their contents in a controlled fashion; they may even contain more ...

Astronomers from Queen's University Belfast have gathered the most direct evidence yet of a supermassive black hole shredding a star that wandered too close. The Queen's astronomers are part of the Pan-STARRS international team, whose discovery has been published in the journal Nature today (Wed, 2 May). Supermassive black holes, weighing millions to billions times more than the Sun, lurk in the centers of most galaxies. These hefty monsters lie quietly until an unsuspecting 'victim', such as a star, wanders close enough to get ripped apart by their powerful gravitational ...

When it comes to the food used to raise fish in aquaculture "farms," it seems that you may get what you pay for. In a new study,* researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) looked at the health effects of raising farmed fish on a diet incorporating less than the usual amount of fishmeal—a key but expensive component of current commercial fish food products. They learned that reduced fishmeal diets may be cheaper, but the fish were less healthy. Commercial aquaculture is one ...

It began in the eighties, in the days of taffeta prom dresses and big hair rock bands. During this decade, use of hand held video cameras became commonplace for most families. Now digital devices from cameras to iPhones have video capabilities. With improvements in technology almost everyone has a video recording device within reach at all times. Occasionally, a recording of an infant's delivery may catch a misdiagnosis or delay in intervention -- sometimes these medical mistakes have resulted in a tragic, yet preventable birth injury. The use of these video recordings ...

As of May 1, 2012, the military has two new drugs in its testing repertoire. Henceforth, service members may be tested for hydrocodone and benzodiazepines, two of the most commonly abused prescription drugs on the market. Servicemen and servicewomen are randomly tested for drugs at least once a year. A positive test result could mean serious legal complications, putting a servicemember anywhere in the chain of command in need of military drug offense lawyers. Hydrocodone and Benzodiazepine Part of Expanded Testing Regiment Hydrocodone is a component in a number ...

ATLANTA – April 19, 2012 – A new study finds differences in screening account for more than 40 percent of the disparity in colorectal cancer incidence and nearly 20 percent of colorectal cancer mortality between blacks and whites. Differences in stage-specific survival, which likely reflect differences in treatment account for additional 35% of the black-white disparity in colorectal cancer mortality rates. The study, appearing early online in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, concludes that equal access to care could substantially reduce the racial disparities ...

Changing the conditions that zebrafish are kept in could have an impact on their behaviour in animal studies and the reliability of results, according to scientists from Queen Mary, University of London. Zebrafish, like rats and mice, are often used by neuroscientists to explore mechanisms controlling behaviour and in the search for new compounds to treat behavioural disease such as addiction, attention deficit disorders or autism. It is known that housing and handling affects the results of behavioural studies done in rats and mice, but until now there have been few ...

Birth injuries, sometimes known as birth traumas, are physical injuries the baby receives while being born. Such injuries can be caused by the process of labor and delivery itself, but they can also be the result of medical malpractice. Causes of Birth Injuries Birth injuries are more likely to occur if the birth is a difficult one. A difficult birth is generally caused by the size or position of the baby during labor and delivery. Difficult births usually involve one or more of the following: - Premature babies (born earlier than 37 weeks) - Prolonged labor, ...

Recent raids of religious compounds in Texas and British Columbia make clear that polygamy is, to say the least, frowned upon by western governments. But legal questions aside, can polygamy ever be morally permissible? An article in the latest issue of the journal Ethics makes the case that traditional forms of polygamy are inherently unequal and therefore morally objectionable. "In traditional polygamy, only one person may marry multiple spouses. This central spouse divides him or herself among multiple spouses, but each peripheral spouse remains exclusively devoted ...

UCSF scientists have identified patterns of brain activity in the rat brain that play a role in the formation and recall of memories and decision-making. The discovery, which builds on the team's previous findings, offers a path for studying learning, decision-making and post-traumatic stress syndrome. The researchers previously identified patterns of brain activity in the rat hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory storage. The patterns sometimes represented where an animal was in space, and, at other times, represented fast-motion replays of places the animal ...

Following are highlights of presentations that will be given by researchers from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center at the upcoming American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting in Philadelphia (May 5-9, 2012). Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, the Lawrence C. Kolb Professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia and director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute, will be officially installed as APA president-elect at the meeting. To speak with Dr. ...

MAYWOOD, Ill. -- A growing number of health research programs are collaborating with community groups to conduct research. The groups help recruit study participants, obtain informed consent, collect data and provide input on study design and procedures. But existing programs that educate researchers, community groups and institutional review boards about research ethics "fail to meet the needs of all groups that have a role in community-engaged research," according to an article in the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics. First author of the study ...

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (05/03/2012) —Vegetation, such as a patch of prairie or a forest stand, is more productive in the long run when more plant species are present, a new University of Minnesota study shows. The unprecedented long-term study of plant biodiversity found that each species plays a role in maintaining a productive ecosystem, especially when a long time horizon is considered. The study found that every additional species in a plot contributed to a gradual increase in both soil fertility and biomass production over a 14-year period. The research paper, published ...

Critical issues in learning, ADHD and autism will be explored during the Association for Psychological Science annual convention in Chicago, from May 23 to the 27th. Leaders in the field studying attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, learning, and childhood development will present the latest in psychological science research that will shed light on treatment options, disorder management, memory and school performance. There will be two major offerings in ADHD research. Four experts on ADHD will present current research, and discuss ...

While fatalities among teenage drivers have decreased over the past six years, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) claims car accidents are still the leading cause of death among teens. With more teens surviving accidents, the long-term effects of a crash are becoming more apparent. Unfortunately, recent national discussion over teen concussions in high school sports has overshadowed the more widespread issue of serious head injuries in teen motor vehicle accidents. The Stats Due in part to out-reach programs, teen driver deaths fell 46 percent between 2005 and ...