PLoS ONE gains further ground: PLoS author survey 2010

According to PLoS Author Survey 2010, one of the more explicit observations was the finding that PLoS ONE gained further ground as an attractive venue to publish primary research.  In the 2009 survey 23% of authors preferred PLoS ONE as first port to dock at, and in the 2010 data this figure had increased to 37%.

Hot in PLoS ONE: Added Value Measures in Education Show Genetic as Well as Environmental Influence

Does achievement independent of ability or previous attainment provide a purer measure of the added value of school? In a study of 4000 pairs of 12-year-old twins in the UK, we measured achievement with year-long teacher assessments as well as tests. Raw achievement shows moderate heritability (about 50%) and modest shared environmental influences (25%). Unexpectedly, we show that for indices of the added value of school, genetic influences remain moderate (around 50%), and the shared (school) environment is less important (about 12%). The pervasiveness of genetic influence in how and how much children learn is compatible with an active view of learning in which children create their own educational experiences in part on the basis of their genetic propensities. [Read the full report]

Haworth CMA, Asbury K, Dale PS, Plomin R (2011) Added Value Measures in Education Show Genetic as Well as Environmental Influence. PLoS ONE 6(2): e16006. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0016006

Read the coverage of this article at BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-12339798

Read New in Gut Pathogens: Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future?

Over 70 years have passed since dermatologists John H. Stokes and Donald M. Pillsbury first proposed a gastrointestinal mechanism for the overlap between depression, anxiety and skin conditions such as acne. Stokes and Pillsbury hypothesized that emotional states might alter the normal intestinal microflora, increase intestinal permeability and contribute to systemic inflammation. Among the remedies advocated by Stokes and Pillsbury were Lactobacillus acidophilus cultures. Many aspects of this gut-brain-skin unifying theory have recently been validated. The ability of the gut microbiota and oral probiotics to influence systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, glycemic control, tissue lipid content and even mood itself, may have important implications in acne. The intestinal microflora may also provide a twist to the developing diet and acne research. Here we provide a historical perspective to the contemporary investigations and clinical implications of the gut-brain-skin connection in acne [Whitney P Bowe and Alan C Logan, 2011].
Free full text: http://www.gutpathogens.com/content/3/1/1/