Study confirms amphibians' ability to predict changes in biodiversity

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Biologists have long suspected that amphibians, whose moist permeable skins make them susceptible to slight changes in the environment, might be good bellwethers for impending alterations in biodiversity during rapid climate change.

Now two University of California biologists have verified the predictive power of this sensitive group of animals in a global study of species turnover among amphibians and birds. The study appears this week in the advance online version of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Study rules out inbreeding as cause of amphibian deformities

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Although research has linked inbreeding with elevated rates of deformity in a wide variety of animals, a new study finds it plays no part in the high incidence of malformation among salamanders.

Racial and ethnic disparities detected in patient experiences

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NJIT professor finds engineering technique to identify disease-causing genes

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Scientists believe that complex diseases such as schizophrenia, major depression and cancer are not caused by one, but a multitude of dysfunctional genes. A novel computational biology method developed by a research team led by Ali Abdi, PhD, http://www.njit.edu/news/2008/2008-367.php, associate professor in NJIT's department of electrical and computer engineering, has found a way to uncover the critical genes responsible for disease development.

3-substituted indolones as novel therapeutic compounds for neurodegenerative conditions

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NASA-enhanced dust storm predictions to aid health community

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NASA satellite data can improve forecasts of dust storms in the American Southwest in ways that can benefit public health managers. Scientists announced the finding as a five-year NASA-funded project nears its conclusion.

Led by investigators Stanley Morain of the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and William Sprigg of the University of Arizona in Tucson, scientists evaluated the influence of space-based observations on predictions of dust storms. Using NASA satellite data, forecasters could more accurately predict the timing of two out of three dust events.

Pneumococcal vaccine could prevent numerous deaths, save costs during a flu pandemic, model predicts

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A new predictive model shows that vaccinating infants with 7 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7)--the current recommendation--not only saves lives and money during a normal flu season by preventing related bacterial infections; it also would prevent more than 357,000 deaths during an influenza pandemic, while saving $7 billion in costs.

Improved rodent trials can speed cancer drug development

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Better design of rodent trials could reduce the cost and time required for cancer drug development, according to a commentary in the October 28 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Cancer drug development is a multistep process that involves in vitro tests, animal studies—often with rodent models of disease—and human clinical trials. Inadequately designed rodent studies have led to missteps and delays in previous drug development programs.

Cholesterol-lowering drugs may also lower PSA, but whether they cut cancer risk is still not known

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DURHAM, N.C. -- Popular cholesterol-busting drugs -- statins -- appear to lower men's PSA values along with their cholesterol levels, according to researchers in the Duke Prostate Center and the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. But whether the drugs prevent prostate cancer growth or just mask it is not known yet.

Statin use associated with reduction in prostate specific antigen levels

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Use of cholesterol-lowering statins is associated with a statistically significant decline in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, according to a report in the October 28 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Previous studies examined whether statin use was associated with a reduction in prostate cancer risk. The results, however, have been inconsistent. Few studies have examined the association between statins and PSA level.