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In one of the first examinations of PSA screening in younger men, a new study finds that one-fifth of men under age 50 reported undergoing a prostate specific antigen test to detect prostate cancer in the previous year, yet only one in three young black men reported ever having a PSA test in the previous year.

Scientists have demonstrated that it is possible to design biologically active, biodegradable optical devices -- made from silk and requiring no refrigeration -- with many applications in medicine, health, the environment and communications. For example, edible optical sensors could detect harmful bacteria in a bag of produce, and be consumed right along with the food if it were safe.

A cure for the virus that causes AIDS may still be beyond our grasp, but researchers have developed a predictive software system for HIV that could help extend the lives of victims of the killer disease.

Each time a cell divides, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes shorten -- and when these caps are gone, so are we. Now, by using an unconventional strategy to shorten telomeres in mice, researchers have not only created the first faithful mouse model for studying a rare yet fatal premature aging syndrome, but they have revealed the molecular defect behind the disease.

In a study on fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers were able to prevent the damage that alcohol causes to cells in a key area of the fetal brain by blocking acid sensitive potassium channels and preventing the acidic environment that alcohol produces. The cerebellum, the portion of the brain that is responsible for balance and muscle coordination, is particularly vulnerable to injury from alcohol during development.

Inborn differences may help explain why trauma gives some people bad memories and others the nightmare of post-traumatic stress. Scientists have reported evidence linking genes to anxious behavior.

A new chemical probe can rapidly detect ricin, a deadly poison with no known antidote that is feared to be a potential weapon for terrorists and cannot quickly be identified with currently available tests. Chemists at UC San Diego developed the probe, which glows when bound to a ricin-damaged part of the body's protein-making machinery. Because the test pinpoints the specific injury underlying the poison's toxicity, it could also help to develop drugs to counteract the effect of ricin.

As people age, their cells become less efficient at getting rid of damaged protein -- resulting in a buildup of toxic material that is especially pronounced in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

A recent study demonstrates that including flossing as part of one's routine oral care can actually help reduce the amount of gum disease-causing bacteria found in the mouth, therefore contributing to healthy teeth and gums.

A new discovery has been made in cancer research. Researchers have now shown that it is possible to improve hadrontherapy's targeting and destruction of tumor cells by loading the cells with heavy atoms like platinum. This new method enables both the treatment's effectiveness and the ions' ballistic effect to be improved without damaging healthy tissue.