Body

It all hinges on the bottom line

Montreal March 22, 2013 – Determining the financial health of a company is no easy task. But new research from Concordia University's John Molson School of Business, recently published in the Journal of Corporate Finance, demonstrates that a company that revises its previous financial statements is more likely to have been poorly governed.

Certain bacteria suppress production of toxic shock toxin: Probiotic potential looms

Certain Streptococci increase their production of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, sometimes to potentially dangerous levels, when aerobic bacteria are present in the vagina. But scientists from the University of Western Ontario have discovered certain strains of lactobacillus bacteria are capable of dampening production of that toxin according to research published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology.

Making axons branch and grow to help nerve regeneration after injury

PHILADELPHIA (March 22, 2013)— One molecule makes nerve cells grow longer. Another one makes them grow branches. These new experimental manipulations have taken researchers a step closer to understanding how nerve cells are repaired at their farthest reaches after injury. The research was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Invasive species: Understanding the threat before it's too late

Catching rides on cargo ships and fishing boats, many invasive species are now covering our shorelines and compromising the existence of our native marine life.

In a study published in Ecology Letters, Northeastern University Prof. David Kimbro and his team examine what factors allow some invasive species to survive in their new environments and others to fail.

WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

Pathologists identify patterns of mutations to help inform design of future trials

DENVER – Molecular driven therapeutic targets have resulted in a paradigm shift in the treatment of advanced lung adenocarcinoma. However, in early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), surgical resection remains the treatment of choice with adjuvant chemotherapy. In a recent study published in the April 2013 issue of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's (IASLC) Journal of Thoracic Oncology, researchers identified patterns of mutations in early stage node negative lung adenocarcinoma.

Atherosclerosis: Specific microRNAs promote inflammation

Atherosclerosis, an inflammatory reaction, is at the root of the most common forms of cardiovascular disease. Researchers at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have now identified a microRNA that plays a prominent role in the process, and offers a promising target for new therapies.

Modest changes in military dining facilities promoted healthier eating

Philadelphia, PA, March 22, 2013 – The prevalence of obesity within the military is currently 13 percent. This rising epidemic, also rampant throughout the general population, could result in military career setbacks, negatively impact operational readiness, and jeopardize Department of Defense operations. To combat the epidemic, a team of researchers chose the military cafeteria as the venue to observe and evaluate eating behavior and the positive impact of modest changes to promote healthy eating and food selection.

New chemo drug gentler on fertility, tougher on cancer

CHICAGO --- A new gentler chemotherapy drug in the form of nanoparticles has been designed by Northwestern Medicine® scientists to be less toxic to a young woman's fertility but extra tough on cancer. This is the first cancer drug tested while in development for its effect on fertility using a novel in vitro test.

Men and women get sick in different ways

Berlin, March 22, 2013 - At the dawn of third millennium medical researchers still know very little about gender-specific differences in illness, particularly when it comes to disease symptoms, influencing social and psychological factors, and the ramifications of these differences for treatment and prevention. Medical research conducted over the past 40 years has focused almost exclusively on male patients.

NSF response to external panel's recommendations for streamlining scientific logistics in Antarctica

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has issued a summary response to the recommendations of an external panel of experts that was charged with advising the agency on how to improve and streamline its logistical capabilities to more efficiently support world-class Antarctic science in coming decades.

The NSF document, which was made public on March 21, is the agency's response to the report, More and Better Science in Antarctica Through Increased Logistical Effectiveness, which was released in July of 2012 by the U.S. Antarctic Program Blue Ribbon Panel.

Study shows that blocking an inflammation pathway prevents cardiac fibrosis

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) —New research from UC Davis published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that blocking an enzyme that promotes inflammation can prevent the tissue damage following a heart attack that often leads to heart failure.

UCLA, Caltech research on immune-cell therapy could strengthen promising melanoma treatment

A new study of genetically modified immune cells by scientists from UCLA and the California Institute of Technology could help improve a promising treatment for melanoma, an often fatal form of skin cancer.

How can basin rocks recorded formation of Dabie orogen?

Deep subduction of continental crust and rapid exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks, and its mechanism have been one of the most important issues of the world's attention in the Dabie orogen. Professor LIU Shaofeng from State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and his co-author set out to tackle this problem. Their study results fully demonstrated that basin sediments recorded Dabie formation process and supplied important trails for Dabie uplifting and exhumation.

Advances in inflammatory bowel disease -- what's new, what's next

Philadelphia, Pa. (March 22, 2013) – Every five years, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) gathers top researchers in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to set the research agenda for the next five years. The findings and recommendations of these expert workgroups are presented in a series of detailed "Challenges in IBD Research" reports, now available in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, official journal of the CCFA.

Did evolution give us inflammatory disease?

Boston, MA – In new research published in the April 4, 2013 issue of The American Journal of Human Genetics, researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) demonstrate that some variants in our genes that could put a person at risk for inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis, have been the target of natural selection over the course of human history.