CLIMATE
The ocean may hold the key to predicting climate changes - even a decade in advance. Noel Keenlyside and colleagues at the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences in Germany have developed a computer modeling technique that uses sea surface temperature to make long-term temperature predictions for much of Europe and North America. The innovative model involves adding heat or removing it from the ocean surface in order to obtain ideal predetermined temperatures. In this way, researchers can simulate the natural variations in ocean circulations, the forces responsible for bringing warm water north and cooler water south. Evidence suggests that the strength of such circulation is responsible for altering climate, with powerful currents directly coinciding with warm climate phases in the North Atlantic.
BOTTOM LINE: Using a new climate model, German researchers have predicted that temperatures in Europe and North America will probably cool slightly over the coming decade because of natural climate variations.
CAUTIONS: The study did not address whether sea surface temperature alone is sufficient to accurately predict climate.
WHAT'S NEXT: Further studies are needed to determine whether other ocean variables are involved in forecasting climate. Researchers intend to investigate whether future precipitation, not just temperature, can be predicted.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Nature, April 30.
LAUREN A. MARCUS
PREGNANCY
Finally, a real excuse for eating chocolate
Preeclampsia is a worrisome disease of pregnancy that strikes women in the second or third trimester, causing high blood pressure, swelling, headaches, and blurry vision. In extreme cases it can be lethal. The only cure has been delivery of the baby, which can pose problems for the infant if the mother is far from term. While researchers continue the struggle to understand the cause of preeclampsia, Elizabeth Triche of the Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology has gathered evidence suggesting a potentially simple intervention for this challenging disease: chocolate. For some time now, certain types of chocolate have been thought to have cardiovascular benefits because they are rich in flavanol, an ingredient that promotes healthy vessels. Since preeclampsia is thought to be related to problems in the vessels, researchers decided to test whether eating chocolate might be helpful in preventing the disease. After obtaining blood samples from more than 1,300 pregnant women, researchers tested the samples for theobromine, a marker for chocolate ingestion. They found that women with the highest levels of theobromine were nearly 70 percent less likely to develop preeclampsia than those who had lower levels, suggesting that eating chocolate may have a role in preventing preeclampsia. "But chocolate also has a lot of fat and sugar, which can lead to other health problems," says Triche, so more research is needed to find the right balance.
BOTTOM LINE: Chocolate might be useful in preventing preeclampsia, a serious disease of pregnancy that is difficult to treat.
CAUTIONS: This study looked at women who had already consumed chocolate. Before broadly recommending chocolate during pregnancy, researchers would need to do more controlled studies.
WHAT'S NEXT: Researchers plan to do more studies to find out how much and which type of chocolate is most useful.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Epidemiology, May.
SUSHRUT JANGI
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