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Tag: "asia" at biology news

Cousin of Asian super termite invades Florida

Another highly destructive termite -- a close relative of the Formosan "super termite" that's gnawing its way across many Southern states -- has become established in South Florida, according to University of Florida researchers. . "The Asian subterranean termite, a major pest in tropical areas such as Brazil and the West Indies, was not considered to be a serious threat to Florida until now," sa...

Camera Traps Reveal Rare Asiatic Cheetahs

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Drug resistant avian influenza viruses more common in Southeast Asia than North America

Analysis of a key protein in different subtypes of avian flu viruses shows that resistance to the antiviral drug amantadine in H5N1 occurs worldwide, but is especially prevalent in China, according to St. Jude .. . The St. Jude team reached this conclusion by analyzing sequence data of the so-called M2 protein of avian influenza viruses of d...

Primate virus jumps species barrier to humans for first time in Asia

Scientists have identified the first reported case in Asia of primate-to-human transmission of simian foamy virus (SFV), a retrovirus found in macaques and other primates that so far has not been shown to cause disease in humans. The transmission of the virus from a monkey to a human took place at a monkey temple in Bali, Indonesia, the researchers report in the July issue of the journal Emerging...

Asian immigrants in NYC not receiving HIV education at religious institutions

Religious institutions serving New York City's Asian immigrants are not educating their congregations about HIV prevention and healthcare, in part because some leaders hold stigma and fear about the disease, according to a new study by The New York Academy of Medicine in the upcoming issue of the international journal AIDS Education and Prevention. This special issue devoted to Asians/Pacific I...

Genetic analysis of Asian elephants in India reveals some surprises

Researchers in India and from The Earth Institute at Columbia University have discovered that one of the few remaining populations of Asian elephants in India is actually two genetically distinct groups. The results of the study, which appear in the current issue of the journal Animal Conservation, could have far-reaching implications in conservation plans for the endangered elephants as well as...

Hepatitis B accounts for 40 percent of 'missing' Asian women

In a groundbreaking, sure-to-be-controversial new study, Emily Oster (a graduate student in economics at Harvard University) argues that excess female mortality, such as infanticide, may not be the only cause of uncommonly high male to female ratios in many Asian countries. It has long been observed that the relative number of males is higher in certain Asian countries than in the West, where it...

Ancient humans brought bottle gourds to the Americas from Asia

Thick-skinned bottle gourds widely used as containers by prehistoric peoples were likely brought to the Americas some 10,000 years ago by individuals who arrived from Asia, according to a new genetic comparison of modern bottle gourds with gourds found at archaeological sites in the Western Hemisphere. The finding solves a longstanding archaeological enigma by explaining how a domesticated varian...

Performing monkeys in Asia carry viruses that could jump species to humans

Some urban performing monkeys in Indonesia are carrying several retroviruses that are capable of infecting people, according to a new study led by University of Washington researchers. The results indicate that contact with performing monkeys, which is common in many Asian countries, could represent a little-known path for viruses to jump the species barrier from monkeys to humans and eventually...

Green tea and the 'Asian Paradox'

There is a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer in Asia where people smoke heavily, which may be accounted for by high consumption of tea, particularly green tea, according to a review article published by a Yale School of Medicine researcher. . "We do not yet have a full explanation for the 'Asian paradox,' which refers to the very low incidence of both heart disease and cancer i...

A rice future for Asia

Whether it's rice farming or rice research, very few of Asia's best and brightest young people are interested in a career in an industry that has been a foundation of the Asian way of life for generations. Few rice farmers want their children to be rice farmers, and even fewer young Asians are choosing careers in rice science, despite its vital importance to the region. . .. "It's a sad fact of...

Asia's odd-ball antelope gets collared

A group of scientists led by the New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) working in Mongolia's windswept Gobi Desert recently fitted high-tech GPS (Global Positioning System) collars on eight saiga antelope in an effort to help protect one of Asia's most bizarre-looking ?and endangered ?large mammals. . Standing just under two feet at the shoulder and weighing about 50 pounds, the most...

Temple University Hospital investigates treatment for cervical dysplasia

Temple University Hospital's Center For Women's Health is participating in a national study to determine the safety and effectiveness of an investigational treatment for cervical dysplasia. According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 500,000 women are diagnosed with high-grade cervical dysplasia each year, with roughly 10,000 cases progressing to cervical cancer. . For numerous women...

Nonvenomous Asian snakes 'borrow' defensive poison from toxic toads

Most snakes are born with poisonous bites they use for defense. But what can non-poisonous snakes do to ward off predators? . .. .. Herpetologists Deborah Hutchinson, Alan Savitzky of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., and colleagues published results of...

Scientists to track impact of Asian dust and pollution on clouds, weather, climate change

Mice whose brain cells respond to a flash of light are providing insight into the complexities of the sense of smell and may ultimately yield a better understanding of how the human brain works. . .. When the researchers shined ligh...

Warning from Asian bees

. .. .. Within a one kilometre...