Queen's University Belfast researchers trace octopuses' family tree

Tweet

The findings of a study funded by the National Environment Research Council and led by Dr Louise Allcock at Queen's School of Biological Sciences and colleagues from Cambridge University and British Antarctic Survey will be reported at a conference in Spain this week.

The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity is taking place in Valencia between 11 and 15 November.

The Queen's research forms part of a decade-long global research programme to learn more about the world's oceans.

Parasite-resistant peppers green alternatives to chemical pesticides

Tweet

CHARLESTON, SC—Root-knot nematodes are extreme parasites. These microscopic, omnipresent worms cause major damage to horticultural and field crops in sub-tropical regions, resulting in significant financial losses to growers and gardeners.

Doctors must look after their health too

Tweet

Short term counselling followed by a modest cut in work hours may help reduce emotional exhaustion (burnout) and sick leave in doctors, according to a study published on bmj.com today.

It is well known that doctors have higher rates of depression and suicide than the general population and are less likely to seek help. There have been calls for early intervention programmes to help doctors with mental distress and burnout before their problems interfere with the welfare of patients.

Clemson researchers advance nanoscale electromechanical sensors

Tweet

CLEMSON — Clemson physics professor Apparao Rao and his team are researching nano-scale cantilevers that have the potential to read and alert us to toxic chemicals or gases in the air. Put them into a small handheld device and the potential is there for real-time chemical alerts in battle, in industry, in health care and even at home.

"The ability to build extremely small devices to do this work has been something we've only seen so far in science-fiction movies," Rao said.

Einstein researchers develop a new way to study how breast cancer spreads

Tweet

November 09, 2008─Bronx, NY─ In a breakthrough study appearing in advance online publication of Nature Methods, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University describe for the first time a method of viewing individual breast cancer cells for several days at a time. The study, by scientists in Einstein's Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center, provides detail on how cancer cells invade surrounding tissue and reach blood vessels. These movements are the first steps of the potentially deadly stage of cancer known as metastasis.

Women experience more sexual harassment in work groups with male, female balance

Tweet

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite common assumptions, new research suggests that women are not more likely to be sexually harassed when they are the minority or majority in a work group.

Instead, researchers found that in most cases, women were sexually harassed at work when their work group had a similar proportion of males and females.

The comparative mind-set: From animal comparisons to increased purchase intentions

Tweet

Previous research has shown that expressing preference for two commercial products makes us more willing to purchase not only one of these products but also different products that we consider later on. The increased purchase intentions are due to a mind-set that is activated in the process of comparing those products. Once developed, the mind-set prevents consumers from thinking about the option of not making a purchase at all and increases their purchase intentions. Moreover, the mind-set may persist to influence decisions that consumers make in subsequent situations.

World leaders must be more open about their health

Tweet

Anyone who runs for Prime Minister or President should have an independent health examination to ensure their ability to govern, argues a doctor on bmj.com today.

Lord David Owen, a trained doctor and member of the House of Lords, says that millions of people are affected by the decisions of people in high public office, and these leaders have an obligation to the general public to ensure that their decision making is not impaired by physical or mental illness.

Gender matching aids long-term survival after heart transplants

Tweet

Gender matching between donors and recipients is important to short- and long-term survival in heart transplantation, according to a retrospective study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2008.

Researchers present new theory that may lead to effective heart failure treatments

Tweet

Do the biological underpinnings of heart failure share more in common with cancerous tumors than other cardiovascular diseases?

Research presented at American Heart Association meeting may show why heart failure treatments fail

A team of Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) researchers and cardiologists are presenting a number of studies at the American Heart Association conference that point toward new treatments for heart failure patients.