Body

Freiburg, Germany — Current research suggests that smoking increases the production of osteopontin in the lungs, which contributes to the development of smoking-related lung disease. The related report by Prasse et al, "Essential role of osteopontin in smoking-related interstitial lung diseases," appears in the May 2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have gained a key insight into a disease that is devastating the UK's fish farming industry. The researchers have discovered that fish can harbour and spread proliferative kidney disease (PKD), a cause of major stock losses on fish farms, as well as being affected by the infection.

It is not consistent to stop screening women after age 50 because the risk of cervical cancer - even after several negative smear results - is similar to that at younger ages, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.

Ever since the first organised cervical screening programmes started in Europe more than 40 years ago, discussion about the upper age limit for effective screening has been ongoing.

A new study shows that the SAVI™ applicator, a small, expandable device inserted inside the breast to deliver partial breast irradiation, carries a low infection risk, a potential complication of such devices. The research, led by radiation oncologists and surgeons at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center and Fort Myers, Florida-based 21st Century Oncology, also indicates that other complications – such as seromas, pockets of fluid that build with the use of internal radiation devices – are unlikely to occur.

Genetics plays a key role in determining risk for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Several common genetic markers have been found to be associated with the disease, but finding the biological events that lead to cancer can be much more difficult.

Kidney disease patients who are educated about dialysis are more likely to undergo a standard but under-utilized dialysis-related procedure than less knowledgeable patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings suggest that patients' knowledge about dialysis affects whether they receive optimal care and that physicians should work to educate their patients.

GALVESTON, Texas — University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston researchers have discovered that a form of vitamin B1 could become a new and effective treatment for one of the world's leading causes of blindness.

Scientists believe that uveitis, an inflammation of the tissue located just below the outer surface of the eyeball, produces 10 to 15 percent of all cases of blindness in the United States, and causes even higher rates of blindness globally. The inflammation is normally treated with antibiotics or steroid eye drops.

Teenagers who have a strong relationship with their parents may start drinking at a later age -- which may, in turn, lessen their risk of developing alcohol problems, a new study suggests.

The findings, published in the May issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, underscore the important role parents play in the risk of problem drinking.

Past studies have suggested that the age at which kids start drinking is a key factor in whether they eventually develop alcohol-related problems, like getting into fights or having academic or work problems.

The 64-slice CT scanner delivers the most efficient radiation dose to pregnant patients with possible pulmonary emboli (PE) providing less risk to the fetus, according to a study performed at SUNY Stony Brook University Medical Center in Stony Brook, NY.

URBANA – A new University of Illinois study suggests that moderate amounts of exercise alone can reduce the inflammation in visceral fat—belly fat, if you will—that has been linked with metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that predict heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study reveals that – contrary to decades of evolutionary thought – chromosome regions that are prone to breakage when new species are formed are a rich source of genetic variation.

The functions of genes found in these "breakpoint regions" differ significantly from those occurring elsewhere in the chromosomes. This suggests that chromosomal organization plays an important evolutionary role, the researchers report.

It can be found in all life forms, and serves a multitude of purposes, from energy storage to stress response to bone calcification. This molecular jack-of-all trades is polyphosphate, a long chain of phosphate molecules. Researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, are now the first to uncover how this chain is assembled in eukaryotes (organisms whose cells have a nucleus).

Animal science programs are withering at American institutions as a consequence, they warned. Not only are certain farm animal species themselves facing threats -- poultry in particular face loss of breed genetic diversity – but human health studies might also suffer from lack of funding for large-animal research.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the National Institutes of Health announced today that an international consortium of researchers has published the genome of domestic cattle, the first livestock mammal to have its genetic blueprint sequenced and analyzed. The landmark research will bolster efforts to produce better beef and dairy products and lead to a better understanding of the human genome.

GENEVA/LAUSANNE – Researchers from the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne, as well as the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics have been part of a major international project to sequence the bovine (cow) genome, a female Hereford cow named L1 Dominette. Sequencing the bovine genome is now complete, paving the way for research into more sustainable food production, taking into account the needs of an increasing world population.