Humans
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Health & Medicine
Cardiac Culprit: Autopsies implicate C-reactive protein in fatal heart attacks
Of people who died suddenly, those who succumbed to a heart attack had an abundance of the inflammation indicator C-reactive protein in the blood, even though few had had outward signs of heart problems.
- Health & Medicine
Drug for dry mouth may prevent lung cancer
A drug prescribed for a condition called dry mouth stymies formation of precancerous lung lesions in cigarette smokers.
- Health & Medicine
Gene mutation tied to lung cancer
Scientists have identified a gene, dubbed LKB1/STK11, that is often mutated in people with a particularly deadly form of lung cancer.
- Health & Medicine
Compound attacks pancreatic cancer
A protein fragment dubbed NK4 can stall the development of pancreatic cancer in mice.
- Health & Medicine
St. John’s wort hinders cancer drug
The herbal remedy St. John's wort can interfere with the effectiveness of the anticancer drug irinotecan.
- Health & Medicine
Antibiotics don’t seem to protect heart
Two large studies find little evidence that antibiotics can protect some people with cardiovascular disease against subsequent heart attacks.
- Health & Medicine
Folate cuts family risk of colon cancer
According to a 16-year study of nearly 90,000 women, the vitamin folate has a protective effect against colon cancer among women whose families have been affected by the disease.
- Health & Medicine
Berry Colorful Nutrition News (with recipes)
Ah, raspberries. So sweet, so delicate on the tongue, so ephemeral. Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission Isolated pigments from the four raspberries tested. Liu/Cornell Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission Every year, I unsuccessfully defend my raspberries against squirrels, birds, and beetles. As I watch the fruit begin to ripen, so do the neighborhood creatures. Two […]
- Anthropology
The DNA Divide: Chimps, people differ in brain’s gene activity
The distinctive looks and thinking styles of people and chimpanzees derive from the contrasting productivities of their similar DNA sequences.
- Health & Medicine
Vanquishing a Virus: New drugs attack herpes infections
Scientists have identified a new class of compounds that stop herpes simplex virus from replicating.
- Health & Medicine
Diluted smallpox vaccine is potent
About 15 million doses of smallpox vaccine held by the U.S. government can be diluted to one-tenth their original concentration and still be effective for immunizing people.
- Health & Medicine
Pulse pressure linked to dialysis death rate
People on kidney dialysis who have high pulse pressure—the difference between the top and bottom numbers on a blood pressure reading—seem to be at a greater risk of dying than those with low pulse pressure.
