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Québec City, March 17, 2010—Some 40% of commercial disinfectants used to clean surfaces are believed to be ineffective in eliminating noroviruses, a group of viruses responsible for more than half of all foodborne gastroenteritis outbreaks. According to a recent study published by Université Laval researchers in the Journal of Food Protection, only bleach-based disinfectants drastically reduce the concentration of these viruses.

Older people who have never smoked benefit most from smoking bans, a study suggests.

A study in New Zealand showed that, three years after a smoking ban on all workplaces was introduced, hospital admissions for heart attacks among men and women aged 55-74 fell by 9 per cent. This figure rose to 13 per cent for 55-74 year olds who had never smoked.

Overall, the research showed heart attacks among people aged 30 and over fell by an average of 5 per cent in the three years following the ban.

A team of Spanish researchers has studied the diet of three species of sharks living in the deep waters in the area of El Cachucho, the first Protected Marine Area in Spain, which is located in the Cantabrian Sea off the coast of Asturias. These animals feed on the resources available in their environment, according to changes taking place in the ocean depths.

A new assessment of the Arctic's biodiversity reports a 26 per cent decline in species populations in the high Arctic.

Populations of lemmings, caribou and red knot are some of the species that have experienced declines over the past 34 years, according to the first report from The Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI), which provides crucial information on how the Arctic's ecosystems and wildlife are responding to environmental change.

Los Angeles, Calif., March 16, 2010—Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have identified a key cellular mechanism that guides embryonic heart tissue formation—a process which, if disrupted, can lead to a number of common congenital heart defects.

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2010) – A study of the human genome led by Cedars-Sinai researchers has now identified genes linked to ulcerative colitis, offering clues as to what causes the condition and potential avenues for new therapies to treat the disease.

The study, published in Nature Genetics, examined genes of nearly 13,000 patients to determine which parts of the genome are linked to ulcerative colitis. The study demonstrated more than 30 regions of the genome are connected to the risk of developing ulcerative colitis.

Doha, Qatar – Urgent law enforcement action by governments in Central and West Africa and South-east Asia is crucial to addressing the illicit ivory trade, according to a new analysis of elephant trade data released today.

Detailed regional summaries of the data held in the Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), the world's largest database on ivory seizures, highlight the failure of law enforcement in key elephant range States facing an increasing threat from organised crime and the presence of unregulated markets.

Solid-pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is relatively rare. There are some similarities between SPN and pancreatic endocrine tumor (PET), especially the non-functioning ones, in clinical and pathological manifestations. Even the results of immunohistochemistry reported in the literature showed that the expression profiles of the two tumors overlapped, which sometimes results in difficulty distinguishing the two entities.

Honeybee Associative Learning Performance and Metabolic Stress ResilienceAre Positively Associated

Using metal staples to close wounds after orthopaedic (joint) surgery can lead to a greater risk of infection than using traditional nylon sutures, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.

Orthopaedic surgeons are therefore advised to reconsider their use of staples to close wounds after hip or knee surgery while further trials are carried out to confirm these findings.

Stomach wrap operations may be more effective than acid suppression tablets in the treatment of severe acid reflux, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. The study shows a more pronounced improvement in symptoms shortly after surgery than with drug treatment.

Tourists wanting to watch and swim with dolphins are now being urged to keep their distance in a bid to protect both the animals and the local communities whose livelihoods depend on them.

A study of bottlenose dolphins living off the coast of Zanzibar has found that the many tourist boats operating in the area are harassing the animals, preventing them from resting, feeding and nurturing their young.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Karl A. Gschneidner Jr., a senior metallurgist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory, today cautioned members of a Congressional panel that "rare-earth research in the USA on mineral extraction, rare-earth separation, processing of the oxides into metallic alloys and other useful forms, substitution, and recycling is virtually zero."

Laurel, MD – March 16, 2010 – The AIUM is pleased to announce that 4 professional societies have collaborated with AIUM to endorse the recent AIUM Training Guidelines for the Performance of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Examinations. The guidelines allow for a several practitioners, including physicians, osteopathic physicians, podiatrists, and sonographers, to perform musculoskeletal ultrasound examinations, marking significant promise for the future of this growing field.

PHILADELPHIA (March 16, 2010)—One of the most dangerous characteristics of cancer is its ability to metastasize, or spread through the body. For this reason, oncologists have a major need for better tests to detect cells that break away from primary tumors to travel to other parts of the body. Effective identification of these cells, referred to as circulating tumor cells (CTC's), could help guide treatment and improve quality of life for many cancer patients.