Body

The bacterial pathogens that cause Lyme disease and syphilis are highly invasive. These pathogens, or spirochetes, can invade the central nervous system and, in the case of syphilis, enter the placenta, causing disease in the unborn child. In the November 19 issue of the Biophysical Journal, a Cell Press publication, researchers provide new insights into how these spirochetes penetrate tissue barriers. The findings might be used to develop new treatment strategies to help affected patients or even prevent infections.

An ultrafast, 320-detector computed tomography (CT) scanner that shows both anatomy within coronary arteries and blood flowcan accurately sort out which people need – or don't need – an invasive procedure to identify coronary blockages, according to an international study. The researchers say their findings could potentially save millions of people worldwide from having an unnecessary cardiac catheterization.

DETROIT – There may be warning signs to help surgeons avoid damaging part of the urinary system during robot-assisted surgical removal of prostate cancer, ultimately preventing the expense of additional surgery, according to researchers at Henry Ford's Vattikuti Urology Institute.

Although rare, they found instances when the ureter – tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder – were cut and required repair. In each case, they identified patient characteristics that may forewarn such damage. The study was recently published in the Journal of Endourology.

This news release is available in French.

Montreal, November 19, 2013 — Canada: true north, strong and free. But how strong are our beliefs? How free are our citizens? It depends where you live. According to a national survey led by researchers at Concordia University, the importance of providing assistance to those in need, and the importance of Aboriginal self-governance varies across the country.

ITHACA, N.Y. – It's no surprise that labels are becoming the "go to" place when people have questions about how food is produced. But new Cornell University research finds that consumers crave more information, especially for the potentially harmful ingredients that aren't included in the product.

The laboratory study of 351 shoppers found consumers willing to pay a premium when a product label says "free of" something, but only if the package includes "negative" information on whatever the product is "free of."

After cardiac surgery, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are common complications associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and use of resources.

Study findings reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013 by investigators from the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN), whose Data and Clinical Coordinating Center is at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, revealed the substantial economic impact of HAIs following cardiac surgery and the importance of preventing these infections leading to re-hospitalizations.

Preschoolers can learn about healthy eating and exercise through Sesame Street.

In a study presented on November 18 at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013, preschoolers in Bogotá, Colombia participating in a structured curriculum that used Sesame Street's Healthy Habits for Life materials improved their knowledge, attitudes and habits related to a heart-healthy lifestyle. Also, the percentage of children at a healthy weight improved by 13 percent.

A population of fruit bats which is found across much of continental Africa is widely infected with two deadly viruses that could spread to humans, new research reveals.

MANHASSET, NY – Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered a new genetic risk factor for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder called NDST3. The findings are published online in Nature Communications.

Why do crosses between closely related species fail to produce fertile hybrids? A new study led by Professor Axel Imhof of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich shows that differences in the levels - not necessarily the sequences - of certain key proteins are crucial in mediating reproductive isolation.

A Dartmouth-led team has found a more accurate method to determine the ages of boulders deposited by tropical glaciers, findings that will likely influence previous research of how climate change has impacted ice masses around the equator.

The study appears in the journal Quaternary Geochronology. A PDF of the study is available on request.

LEXINGTON, KY--John Wilhoit and Timothy Coolong from the University of Kentucky have introduced a new technology that can make the application of organic mulches more efficient. The research team from the University of Kentucky premiered their new invention in the August issue of HortTechnology. The team altered a conventional round-bale unroller and designed experiments to document its efficiency.

WASHINGTON—As the Do-It-Yourself Biology (DIYbio) community has grown, so have concerns among media and policymakers about these science enthusiasts' ability to wield DNA and manipulate life.

In 2009, for example, a Wall Street Journal headline summed up the popular misconception: "In Attics and Closets, 'Biohackers' Discover their Inner Frankenstein."

Non-specialist health workers are beneficial in providing treatment for people with mental, neurological and substance-abuse (MNS) problems in developing countries – where there is often a lack of mental health professionals – according to a new Cochrane review.

WASHINGTON, DC (November 19, 2013)—An estimated 11 million smokers in the United States own a smartphone and increasingly they're turning to apps in an attempt to quit. But many of the most popular anti-smoking apps for iPhones or Androids lack some basic strategies that are known to help smokers quit, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.