DURHAM, N.H. – Researchers from the University of New Hampshire have found that many African farmers inaccurately perceive changes in climate and rainfall when compared with scientific data, highlighting the need for better climate information to assist them to improve farming practices. "Quantifying local people's perceptions to climate change, and their assessments of which changes matter, is fundamental to addressing the dual challenge of land conservation and poverty alleviation in densely populated tropical regions," said Joel Hartter, assistant professor of geography ...

Fecal transplantation through colonoscopy is an effective treatment for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association. Additionally, the mortality rate in this study does not appear to be greater than in some previously reported series, suggesting that fecal transplantation itself seems to be a rather safe procedure. CDI is a common cause of both community- and hospital-acquired diarrhea, usually occurring after exposure to antibiotics. "Our results suggest ...

DURHAM, N.C. -- One in four HIV patients was found to have been sexually abused as a child, according to a two-year Duke University study of more than 600 HIV patients. Traumatic childhood experiences were also linked to worse health outcomes among these patients, who are aged 20 to 71. More than half of these patients in the Coping with HIV/AIDS in the Southeast (CHASE) study had experienced sexual or physical abuse in their lifetimes, according to researchers from the Duke Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research (CHPIR). Half of the patients had experienced ...

Every cell is enclosed by a thin double layer of lipids that separates the distinct internal environment of the cell from the extracellular space. Damage to this lipid bilayer, also referred to as plasma membrane, disturbs the cellular functions and may lead to the death of the cell. For example, downhill walking tears many little holes into the plasma membranes of the muscle cells in our legs. To prevent irreparable damage, muscle cells have efficient systems to seal these holes again. Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Heidelberg University have ...

The dangers of offshore drilling are well known. And, because of their isolated locations, work accidents can be devastating. One such accident occurred in September 2011 in the Gulf of Mexico and resulted in the death four workers. The media is bringing renewed attention to the accident not because of the death toll, but because of the company's recent activity in the courtroom. The company that owned the operation filed a petition in federal court to limit liability in the fatal drilling rig accident. Details of Accident The accident involved a liftboat, which ...

A large international study indicates that anti-inflammatory drugs may become a new tool for preventing and treating coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading global cause of death. In investigating a specific gene variant linked to inflammation and heart disease, the researchers used the Cardiochip, a gene analysis tool designed by Brendan J. Keating, Ph.D., a researcher in the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and co-author of the study. Scientists already knew that inflammation is associated with atherosclerosis, the buildup of ...

Coronary artery bypass surgery performed whilst the heart is still beating may carry an increased likelihood of death, according to a systematic review by Cochrane researchers. The researchers suggest beating heart surgery should not be recommended except in specific cases where stopping the heart might be risky. Heart surgery in patients with heart disease caused by narrowed arteries has for many years been performed "on-pump", by stopping the heart and introducing a bypass to artificially pump the patient's blood. It is now possible to perform surgery without stopping ...

In the wilds of New York City — or as wild as you can get so close to skyscrapers — scientists have found a new leopard frog species that for years biologists mistook for a more widespread variety of leopard frog. While biologists regularly discover new species in remote rain forests, finding this one in the ponds and marshes of Staten Island, mainland New York and New Jersey — sometimes within view of the Statue of Liberty — is a big surprise, said the scientists from UCLA, Rutgers University, UC Davis, and The University of Alabama who worked together to make the unexpected ...

The difficulties that many women describe as memory problems when menopause approaches are real, according to a study published today in the journal Menopause, the journal of the North American Menopause Society. The findings won't come as a surprise to the millions of women who have had bouts of forgetfulness or who describe struggles with "brain fog" in their late 40s and 50s. But the results of the study, by scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center and the University of Illinois at Chicago who gave women a rigorous battery of cognitive tests, validate ...

NEW YORK, MARCH 14, 2012 – Researchers have identified a set of genetic abnormalities in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) that doctors can use to more accurately predict patients' prognoses and select treatments that are most likely to benefit them. The study, led by investigators at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, will be published in the March 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "Our study shows that genetic profiling makes it possible to more precisely categorize which patients are most likely to have their leukemia return after treatment," ...

Silver nanoparticles cause more damage to testicular cells than titanium dioxide nanoparticles, according to a recent study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. However, the use of both types may affect testicular cells with possible consequences for fertility. Commonly used Nanotechnology is increasingly used in consumer products, medicines and building products. The potential risks of using engineered nanoparticles need to be monitored so that the industry can develop products that are safe for humans and nature. Previous research has shown that nanoparticles ...

Atlanta pest control company North Fulton Pest Solutions encourages homeowners as well as business owners to schedule termite inspections and treatments for the spring. Spring is the breeding season (or "swarm season") for termites, so a well-scheduled Atlanta termite treatment can help stop an infestation before it starts or becomes worse. "Spring is a prime time for termite treatments in Atlanta," says Blake Edwards, Director of Business Development for North Fulton Pest Solutions. "Termites swarm and breed in spring, creating new colonies ...

Female sex workers in low- and middle-income countries are nearly 14 times more likely to be infected by HIV compared to the rest of country's population, according to an analysis by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The findings suggest an urgent need to scale up access to quality HIV prevention programs in these countries. The study was published online in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. "Although female sex workers have long been understood to be a key affected population, the scope and breadth of their disproportionate risk for HIV ...

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 14, 2012) — A new study by University of Kentucky researchers provides insight into developing new treatment strategies for basal-like breast cancer, commonly known as triple-negative breast cancer. This cancer is associated with early metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy and occurs at women at a younger age. Tumor cells can exploit a cellular program that promotes cell migration and reduces adhesion between cells to spread to distant sites in the body. This cellular program, known as the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, requires large-scale ...

DETROIT – A combined therapy of common acne medications was shown to be a potent regimen for treating patients with severe facial acne, according to two published studies involving Henry Ford Hospital. The companion studies found that a therapy of the topical Epiduo Gel containing adapalene and benzoyl peroxide and the antibiotic doxycycline proved more effective at reducing acne lesions compared to other treatment regimens. Of the 459 patients involved in the study, 76 percent of those who received the regimen of Epiduo Gel and doxycycline as initial therapy for ...

Atlanta moving company A.C. White Relocations reminds homeowners to reserve a slot with Atlanta movers early for the busy summer moving season. If you are planning to move this summer, you need to start contacting Atlanta moving companies as soon as possible. Truck drivers in the Atlanta moving industry have been in short supply over the past few years, so movers in Atlanta like A.C. White Relocations tend to book up quickly during the busy summer months. Often if Atlanta homeowners wait until even a couple of months in advance, they may find the majority or even all ...

DURHAM, N.H. – A parking lot at the edge of the University of New Hampshire campus has contributed important research to an emerging concern for the environment and human health. The research, detailed in a recent feature article in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, has found that one type of pavement sealcoat, common on driveways and parking lots throughout the nation, has significant health and ecosystem implications. Alison Watts, research assistant professor of civil engineering at UNH, is a co-author of the article "Coal-Tar-Based Pavement Sealcoat ...

Using radio and infrared telescopes, astronomers have obtained a first tantalizing look at a crucial early stage in star formation. The new observations promise to help scientists understand the early stages of a sequence of events through which a giant cloud of gas and dust collapses into dense cores that, in turn, form new stars. The scientists studied a giant cloud about 770 light-years from Earth in the constellation Perseus. They used the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory and the National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope (GBT) to make detailed ...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Those motivated to actively change bad habits may be setting themselves up for failure, a new study suggests. The study, described in an article in the journal Motivation and Emotion, found that people primed with words suggesting action were more likely than others to make impulsive decisions that undermined their long-term goals. In contrast, those primed to "rest," to "stop" or to be inactive found it easier to avoid impulsive decisions. "Popular views of self-control maintain that individuals should 'exert' willpower, 'fight' temptations, 'overcome' ...

Copenhagen, Denmark – Important progress has been achieved towards including genomic-level information in the data made freely available through GBIF. Successful alignment of informatics standards for recording species occurrences and gene-sequence descriptions has opened up new possibilities for integrating the different types of data. The mapping of three standards was completed at a GBIF-led workshop in Oxford, United Kingdom bringing together experts from Europe, the United States, China and Japan. A testing programme will shortly begin to bring data from several ...

NEW YORK, March 14, 2012 – A new research survey conducted by the Center for the Study of Asian American Health at NYU Langone Medical Center shows the Bangladeshi community in New York City experiences numerous barriers to diabetes care because of limited English proficiency and lack of diabetes awareness. The study, published in the March 2012 issue of the American Journal of Public Health, also found the Bangladeshi community has an interest in participating in community health programs for diabetes prevention and care. "We need to improve diabetes prevention, and ...

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2012 — The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions" podcast series describes the development of a new test that could help track down and prosecute terrorists. Amid concerns about the threat of terrorist attacks, scientists have been seeking better protection for the U.S. and other nations. One such team has developed a technique that could help authorities catch terrorists and put them out of business. A report on the development appeared in ACS' journal Analytical Chemistry, ...

Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in Germany have developed a new method of observing individual proteins. Detailed knowledge of the dynamics of proteins is necessary in order to understand the related biological processes that occur on the molecular level. To date, this information has been obtained by means of labeling proteins with fluorescent substances, but unfortunately this changes the proteins under investigation and thus influences the biological processes that are to be observed. "Our method allows live tracking of individual proteins without ...

The reputation developed by Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee has made it one of the most desirable and expensive coffees in the world. Blue Mountain coffee from Jamaica is known to have a mild and balanced flavor and lack the bitterness often found in lesser coffees. J. Martinez & Company is one of few companies given the right to import Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Blue Mountain Coffee is protected by a global certification mark, meaning that steps have been taken to ensure that only authentic Blue Mountain coffee, grown in a specific region of the Blue Mountains of ...

A new assessment of available water resources, published today by the Joint Research Centre (JRC), reveals that large areas in Spain and Eastern Europe have on average less than 200 mm freshwater available every year while the demand for water is three to ten times higher. The report 'Current Water Resources in Europe and Africa' shows variations in yearly freshwater generation from 10 mm to over 500 mm for Europe and from less than 0.1 mm to over 500 mm for Africa. The report outlines existing uncertainties and points to further research efforts needed for improved water ...