NIH Research Matters for January 30, 2012 – Bone screening for osteoporosis, manganese may block deadly effects of Shiga toxin, and a new way to see inside viruses

The January 30, 2012, NIH Research Matters is now available. In this week’s edition: How Often Should Women Have Bone Tests? Older women should have regular bone density tests to screen for osteoporosis. But it’s been unclear how often to repeat the tests. A new study finds that some patients might safely wait 15 years between tests. Manganese May Prevent Toxin Damage New research suggests that manganese may block the deadly effects of Shiga toxin. The finding may lead to cheap, effective treatments for dangerous foodborne infections that affect millions worldwide. Looking Inside Viruses Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller details of cells and microbes. Now, researchers have developed a new way to see tiny structures within viruses. Editor’s Picks from past issues: Body Produces “Industrial” Lubricant for Metal Hip Implants Research Matters 2011 Recap Gene Therapy Helps Patients with Hemophilia Less Medication Effective for Wheezing Preschoolers Antibodies Protect Against HIV in Mice NIH Research Matters is on Facebook! Join us at www.facebook.com/ResearchMatters, and write on our wall. NIH Research Matters is also available as an RSS News Feed. Point your RSS reader to http://www.nih.gov/researchmatters/feed.xml (to learn more about RSS, visit http://www.nih.gov/news/rss.htm).

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