Bacteria :: Counting heads or measuring space?
Bacteria can ?talk? to each other: by using signal substances they inform their neighbours as to whether or not it is worth switching certain genes on or off.
Medicine
Cirrhosis :: Cost-effectiveness of ligation vs. beta-blockers in the prevention of variceal bleeding
Endoscopic variceal ligation is cost-effective relative to beta-blockers for the prevention of variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients if quality of life-years are considered. If only life-years are considered, then endoscopic variceal ligation is not cost-effective.
Stroke :: Lack of health insurance may be associated with increased rates of stroke
The lack of health insurance prompts people to forego routine physical exams and have a reduced awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and is associated with increased rates of stroke and death, researchers have concluded.
Bird Flu :: U OF M awarded $22.5 million NIH contract to study avian influenza
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, part of the National Institutes of Health, today named the University of Minnesota as one of six sites across the country that will establish a Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance.
Influenza :: NIAID expands capability for influenza research and surveillance
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced it is awarding $23 million per year for seven years to establish six Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance.
Pregnancy :: Weight gain in pregnancy linked to overweight in kids
Pregnant women who gain excessive or even appropriate weight, according to current guidelines, are four times more likely than women who gain inadequate weight to have a baby who becomes overweight in early childhood.
Cervical Cancer :: 1-visit screening, prevention for cervical cancer holds promise
A method of screening women in Ghana for early signs of cervical cancer and providing preventive treatment at the same visit appears to be safe, acceptable to women and feasible, according to a study by a researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Pediatrics :: Pediatricians rarely provide translation services for patients with little English proficiency
Most pediatricians use untrained interpreters to communicate with families who are not proficient in English, according to the results of a nationwide survey of doctors led by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Pregnancy :: New placenta screening for high-risk pregnancies
For the first time ever, a team of Toronto researchers are using a combination of ultrasound and blood tests to screen high-risk pregnant mothers for placental damage.
Sleep :: Actigraphy is a useful way to assess and manage sleep disorders
Actigraphy, the use of a portable device that records movement over extended periods of time, and has been used extensively in the study of sleep and circadian rhythms, provides an acceptably accurate estimate of sleep patterns in normal, healthy adult populations and in-patients suspected of certain sleep disorders, according to practice parameters published in the April 1st issue of the journal SLEEP.