China had an estimated 1.3 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) in 2008, of which 112,000 were multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB). Over the period 2001, TB was the second largest cause of death among China's 39 notifiable communicable diseases. In a Policy Forum, published in this week's PLoS Medicine, Zhong-wei Jia (Peking University) and colleagues from Beijing, China, report on how a combination of increased domestic funding, supplemented by foreign loans and donations, led to a dramatic increase in TB case finding. The authors also highlight the way in which changes in ...

Every magnetic material is divided into such magnetic domains. Scientists call them "Weiss domains" after physicist Pierre-Ernest Weiss, who predicted their existence theoretically more than a hundred years ago. In 1907, he recognized that the magnetic moments of atoms within a bounded domain are equally aligned. All pursuit of this theory has so far been limited to two-dimensional images and material surfaces. Accordingly, researchers have only ever been able to see a domain in cross section. Together with colleagues from the German Federal Institute for Materials Research ...

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – So, why are we fat? And getting fatter? Most people would say it's simple: We eat too much and exercise too little. But University of Alabama at Birmingham obesity researcher David B. Allison, Ph.D., says that answer, while valid, may be a little too simple. Allison and colleagues think the more relevant question is this: Why do we eat too much and expend too little energy? And like good detectives, they've set out to identify a suspect, or suspects, that may be contributing to the obesity epidemic. The game, as they say, is afoot. Allison, a professor ...

Giant pterosaurs – ancient reptiles that flew over the heads of dinosaurs – were at their best in gentle tropical breezes, soaring over hillsides and coastlines or floating over land and sea on thermally driven air currents, according to new research from the University of Bristol. Pterosaurs (also referred to as pterodactyls) were too slow and flexible to use the stormy winds and waves of the southern ocean like the albatrosses of today, the research by Colin Palmer, an engineer turned paleontology PhD student in Bristol's School of Earth Sciences, found. Their slow ...

The study, by Dr Lavinia Mitton and Mr Peter Aspinall of the University of Kent, finds that 'Black Africans' in the UK are a diverse group with a wide range of experience and needs depending on country of birth, religion and native language. Understanding these distinctions between different Black Africans is the first step to providing better support, improving their quality of life and helping integration into society. There are now 737,000 'Black Africans' in England and Wales (according to an estimate by the Office for National Statistics for 2007) and they are one ...

BOSTON, Mass. (Nov. 23, 2010) — Pity the female fruit fly. Being a looker is simply not enough. To get a date, much less a proposal, you have to act like a girl, even smell like one. Otherwise, you might just have a fight on your hands. Like most animals, fruit flies must distinguish between a potential mate and a potential competitor. When a male fruit fly suspects he's encountered a female, he'll court; when he senses the other is a male, he'll fight. What triggers these sex-specific responses? According to new research by scientists at Harvard Medical School, the ...

Large predators are much more vulnerable than smaller species to environmental changes, such as over-hunting and habitat change, because they have to work so hard to find their next meal, according to a new study. Scientists matched studies of predator populations to the abundance of their prey and found that the largest species, such as lions, tigers or polar bears, had much greater declines in population due to diminishing food supplies than smaller species, such as weasels or badgers. The review of studies of eleven species of carnivores by researchers from Durham ...

Chicago, November 23, 2010 – Results of the world's first efficacy trial of an HIV-prevention approach called oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, were released online in the New England Journal of Medicine today. Data from this trial, called iPrEx, indicated an estimated 43.8% reduction of new HIV infections among men who took an antiretroviral tablet daily to prevent HIV, compared to those who took a placebo pill. "This discovery alters the HIV prevention landscape forever. While this level of efficacy is relatively strong, PrEP is not quite ready for prime time ...

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 23, 2010 – In a significant advance for HIV prevention research, a clinical trial confirms that the same drugs used for treating HIV can also help prevent HIV infection in the first place. The study, known as iPrEx, is important because it gives credence to an HIV prevention approach called oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which involves the use of antiretrovirals (ARVs) by people who are HIV-negative and at high risk of infection. It is the first of five large-scale effectiveness trials testing oral PrEP to report results, which were published online ...

The results of the iPrEx PrEP effectiveness trial of once-daily TDF/FTC (brand name Truvada) in gay men, transgender women and other men who have sex with men are a landmark in HIV prevention research. The results, released on November 23, showed that TDF/FTC reduced risk of HIV infection by an average of 43.8%. This was calculated by looking at rates of infections among participants who received TDF/FTC plus a standard prevention package compared to those in the placebo arm who received a look-alike pill with no active drug, along with the prevention package. All of the ...

Belfast's binge drinking culture could be behind the country's high rates of heart disease, according to a paper published on bmj.com today. The study, which compares drinking patterns of middle aged men in France and Belfast, finds that the volume of alcohol consumed over a week in both countries is almost identical. However, in Belfast alcohol tends to be drunk over one or two days rather than regularly throughout the week as in France. The research also finds that the average amount of alcohol consumed in Belfast over the weekend is around 2-3 times higher than ...

Thrombolysis (giving anti-clotting drugs within three hours of an acute stroke) is effective in patients aged 40 to 90 years and should not be restricted in elderly patients, as current guidelines advise, concludes a study published on bmj.com today. Thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke has proven benefits, but it is currently not recommended for patients over 80 years because of a lack of trial data for this group. Effective treatments, however, should not be withheld from older people in the absence of compelling data suggesting unacceptable risk or proved lack of ...

Retirement leads to a substantial reduction in mental and physical fatigue and depressive symptoms, finds a study published on bmj.com today. However, the research also concludes that retirement does not change the risk of major chronic illnesses such as respiratory disease, diabetes and heart disease. The authors, led by Dr Hugo Westerlund from Stockholm University, say their research findings have important implications given that people will be working for longer and retiring later in life. Retirement is a major life transition, says the study. But the results of ...

Two thirds of breast cancers are ERalpha-positive, i.e., many estrogen receptors of the ERalpha- type are found in their cells. "These molecules can interact with the estrogen hormone and, thus, even lead to cancer," explains Dr. Joerg Hoheisel; molecular biologist at DKFZ. "The connection between the levels of the estrogen receptor alpha and the occurrence of breast cancer has been known for some time now. Early-stage breast cancer cells already produce too many of these receptors. This is associated with increased cell division, which is ultimately responsible for tumor ...

The active agent ziconotide, the synthetic toxin of the cone snail (Conus magus), was acclaimed a safe alternative to morphine when it was introduced six years ago. Now it is increasingly suspected of causing patients to commit suicide. Researchers working under the auspices of Prof. Christoph Maier (Director of the Pain Clinic Bergmannsheil at the Ruhr University in Bochum) presume that ziconotide not only suppresses the transmission of pain stimuli, but also deteriorates the frame of mind and could simultaneously reduce anxiety and impulse control. These mechanisms could ...

Montreal, November 23, 2010 – Pathological gamblers are risking more than their money, they are also three times more likely to commit suicide than non-betters. A new Montreal inter-university study has shown these gamblers are also plagued by personality disorders. These findings, published in a recent issue of the Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, may have implications for developing improved targeted suicide prevention programs. "The World Health Organization estimates that suicide is one of the top ten causes of death in the Western world," says study co-author, ...

Working at a crossroad between biology and engineering, scientists have modeled and are now mimicking the ingenious natural design of falling geckoes, gliding snakes, cruising seagulls, flapping insects and floating maple seeds to improve the design of air vehicles. IOP Publishing's Bioinspiration & Biomimetics publishes a special edition today, Wednesday 24 November 2010, entitled Bioinspired Flight, comprising of nine journal papers which display the wealth of knowledge being accrued by researchers in the field. Nature outclasses man's best efforts at robotic flight, ...

Southampton scientists along with colleagues in New Zealand have used a sophisticated optical mapping technique to identify and accurately measure changes in coastal morphology following a catastrophic series of landslides. "Our findings are important for assessing geological hazards and reducing the dangers to human settlements," said geophysicist Professor Jon Bull of the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science based at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, Matata is a small coastal town located on the Bay of Plenty at the northern end ...

A new study determined that African Americans who smoke cigarettes have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA risk is more pronounced among individuals positive for the HLA-DRB1 shared epitope, a genetic risk factor for RA. Findings from this study—the largest to date examining the impact of smoking on RA risk in an African American population—are available in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects ...

Positive outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are closely linked to early diagnosis and treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). A study by researchers in the Netherlands found that patients who are assessed by rheumatologists soon after RA symptoms appear are more likely to experience less joint destruction and improved chances of DMARD-free disease remission. Details of this novel study are published in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates ...

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have made a major breakthrough that could help shape the future of nanotechnology, by demonstrating for the first time that 3-D molecular structures can be built on a surface. The discovery could prove a significant step forward towards the development of new nano devices such as cutting-edge optical and electronic technologies and even molecular computers. In a paper published in the prestigious journal Nature Chemistry, the team of chemists and physicists at Nottingham have shown that by introducing a 'guest' molecule they ...

A team of Australian researchers involving DNA experts from the University of Adelaide has identified a new, critically endangered species of ground parrot in Western Australia. The team, led by Australian Wildlife Conservancy's Dr Stephen Murphy, used DNA from museum specimens up to 160 years old to reveal that populations of ground parrots in eastern and western Australia are highly distinct from each other and that the western populations should be recognized as a new species, Pezoporus flaviventris. "The discovery has major conservation implications," said Dr Murphy. ...

Putting tobacco out of sight in shops can change the attitude of young people to smoking, while not hitting retailers in the pocket, researchers at The University of Nottingham have discovered. Academics from the University's UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies looked at the effect of the removal of tobacco displays in the Republic of Ireland, ahead of similar legislation which is due to come into force in the UK. The findings are published today in the journal Tobacco Control. In one study the research team found that the number of teenagers who recalled tobacco ...

St. Louis, MO, 23 November, 2010 – Proper nutrition therapy is essential for the successful management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes and registered dietitians (RDs) can play a key role as part of the health care team. An article in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reviews the evidence and nutrition practice recommendations presented in the American Dietetic Association Nutrition Practice Guidelines for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Adults. This complete and systematic review presents 29 key nutrition practice guidelines in order to ...

A daily dose of an oral antiretroviral drug, currently approved to treat HIV infection, reduced the risk of acquiring HIV infection by 43.8 percent among men who have sex with men. The findings, a major advance in HIV prevention research, come from a large international clinical trial published online Nov. 23 by the New England Journal of Medicine. The study, titled "Chemoprophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Men," found even higher rates of effectiveness, up to 72.8 percent, among those participants who adhered most closely to the daily drug regimen. "We now have strong ...