In hopes of combating the growing scourge of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, in particular drug-resistant staph bacteria, scientists havedesigned a new type of vaccine that could one day be used in humans to block the onset of infection.

  Orthopedic researchers have for the first time found stem cells in both degenerated adult intervertebral discs of the human spine and in discs of animals. The scientists isolated cells from discarded disc tissue that could still proliferate, noting that under certain conditions, the cells could be coaxed to form bone, cartilage or fat. The work suggests that such cells might someday be used to help repair degenerating discs and remedy lower back and neck pain.

  Electrical engineers have developed the world's most complex 'phased array'-- or radio frequency integrated circuit. This advance is expected to find its way into US defense satellite communication and radar systems. In addition, the innovations in this chip design will likely spill over into commercial applications, such as automotive satellite systems for direct broadcast TV, and new methods for high-speed wireless data transfer.

  Women who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of the factors, according to an article in Obstetrics &Gynecology.

  A single disease-causing clone of the bacterium Leptospira interrogans was behind the recent sustained outbreak of leptospirosis in Thailand, according to a new investigation. A new gene technique was used to make the discovery.

  In the face of terrorism and catastrophic natural disasters, modern regional trauma systems that improve survival for critically injured patients are more vital than ever. Scientists have now created a computer simulation model of trauma system response to mass casualty incidents involving dozens or hundreds of injured victims.

  Researchers have used imaging technology to identify a new marker that may help identify those at greatest risk for cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer's disease. While other studies have focused on the brain's ability to turn on certain regions, this research determined that losing the ability to turn off a region of the brain may be a more sensitive marker of future cognitive decline.

  A new study of an estrogen-derived drug shows promise as a treatment for breast cancer and breast cancer metastases to bone. In animal studies it effectively targeted breast cancer cells; prevented the spread of breast cancer cells to bone and protected bone from osteolysis, which is a type of bone metastasis in which the bone is eaten away by cancer cells. Clinical trials are the next step.

  Brain imaging adds further support to the idea that at least some children with dyslexia have trouble processing sound, rather than a visual problem. The study also shows that computer-based sound training exercises can not only improve reading but literally rewire the brain. The findings may help clinicians detect and remediate dyslexia even before children begin learning to read.

  A five-day course of radiotherapy to treat breast cancer may, in some cases, expose as much lung and heart tissue to potentially toxic radiation as does the standard six weeks of treatment, say researchers.

  Both viruses and cancers subvert the growth-control machinery in a cell to serve their own needs. According to a new study, at least one virus uses mimicry to gain access to that machinery. A common target for both is a cell protein called the retinoblastoma protein, or pRb, which serves to block cell division when potentially cancer-causing gene mutations are present.

  At a time when the US spends more than double what other countries spend for medical care -- $6,697 per capita in 2005 -- a new Commonwealth Fund seven-nation survey finds that US patients are more likely to report experiencing medical errors, to go without care because of costs, and to say that the health care system needs to be rebuilt completely.

  Next time you see a mole digging in tree-root-filled soil in search of supper, take a moment to ponder the mammal's humerus bones. When seen in the lab, they are nothing like the long upper arm bones of any other mammal, according to a paleontologist.

  To make tumors more sensitive to the killing power of radiation is a key aspiration for many radiation oncologists. Researchers have uncovered new information that leads them closer to that goal.