science newsletter: Science News SciGuru.com

Τρίτη 4 Ιουνίου 2013

Science News SciGuru.com

Dogs, humans affected by OCD have similar brain abnormalities
Pretesting cervical tumors could inform treatment
Altered neural circuitry may lead to anorexia and bulimia
Rare Stellar Alignment Offers Opportunity To Hunt For Planets
Modern dragons endangered - The relentless Exploitation of Asian Giant Lizards revealed

Dogs, humans affected by OCD have similar brain abnormalities

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 06:46 AM PDT

Another piece of the puzzle to better understand and treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) has fallen into place with the publication of new research that shows that the structural brain abnormalities of Doberman pinschers afflicted with canine compulsive disorder (CCD) are similar to those of humans with OCD. The research suggests that further study of anxiety disorders in dogs may help find new therapies for OCD and similar conditions in humans.

Pretesting cervical tumors could inform treatment

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 06:39 AM PDT

Doctors at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that testing cervical tumors before treatment for vulnerability to chemotherapy predicts whether patients will do well or poorly with standard treatment. The study supports the future possibility of personalized medicine for cervical cancer, a tumor normally addressed with a one-size-fits-all approach.

Altered neural circuitry may lead to anorexia and bulimia

Posted: 04 Jun 2013 06:34 AM PDT

Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa –disorders characterized by extreme eating behavior and distorted body image – are among the deadliest of psychiatric disorders, with few proven effective treatments.

Rare Stellar Alignment Offers Opportunity To Hunt For Planets

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 04:08 PM PDT

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope will have two opportunities in the next few years to hunt for Earth-sized planets around the red dwarf Proxima Centauri.

The opportunities will occur in October 2014 and February 2016 when Proxima Centauri, the star nearest to our sun, passes in front of two other stars. Astronomers plotted Proxima Centauri's precise path in the heavens and predicted the two close encounters using data from Hubble.

Modern dragons endangered - The relentless Exploitation of Asian Giant Lizards revealed

Posted: 03 Jun 2013 07:38 AM PDT

A new study reveals that SE-Asian monitor lizards representing the worlds’ largest lizards are being harvested (in spite of existing legislation) and traded for their skins and as pets in imperceptible volumes – and much of this trade is illegal. Germany plays a major role in the international trade with live reptiles. On June 8, 2013, the world’s largest reptile fair will take place in Germany (Hamm, Westphalia).