|
Your gateway to the world of medicineScientists from the Peninsula Medical School and the University of Bristol, using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and the Exeter Family Study of Childhood Health, have identified a common genetic variant that explains why some women may find it more difficult to quit smoking during pregnancy.
Their paper, "A common genetic variant in 15q24 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene cluster (CHRNA5-CHRNA3-CHRNB4) is........Go to the OBGYN news blog (Added on 5/15/2009 5:29:37 AM)
Implantable device for cancer monitoringSurgical removal of a tissue sample is now the standard for diagnosing cancer. Such procedures, known as biopsies, are accurate but only offer a snapshot of the tumor at a single moment in time.
Monitoring a tumor for weeks or months after the biopsy, tracking its growth and how it responds to therapy, would be much more valuable, says Michael Cima, MIT professor of materials science and engineering, who has developed the first implantable........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 5/14/2009 5:22:21 AM)
Taking folic acid for a year before pregnancyWomen who take folic acid supplements for at least one year before they become pregnant may cut their risk of having a premature baby by half, as per research published this week in the online journal, PLoS Medicine
The study links pre-conceptional folate supplementation of at least one year to reduced early premature delivery rates of 50 to 70 percent, regardless of age, race or other factors. Of particular note is the drop in very early........Go to the OBGYN news blog (Added on 5/13/2009 5:29:33 AM)
Adults aren't active enoughA newly released study has sounded the alarm that the majority of Canadian adults are inactive over their lifespan and don't exercise enough during their leisure time. Reported in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, the study is unique in that it collected information over two decades from the 1981 Canada Fitness Survey, the 1988 Campbell's Survey of Well-Being and from the 2002/4 Physical Activity........Go to the Weight watcher's blog (Added on 5/13/2009 5:17:12 AM)
How to build a bigger brainPush-ups, crunches, gyms, personal trainers people have a number of strategies for building bigger muscles and stronger bones. But what can one do to build a bigger brain? .
Meditate.
That's the finding from a group of scientists at UCLA who used high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to scan the brains of people who meditate. As per a research findings reported in the journal NeuroImage and currently available online (by........Go to the Neurology news blog (Added on 5/13/2009 5:14:43 AM)
How high glucose damages blood vesselsNew evidence of how the elevated glucose levels that occur in diabetes damage blood vessels may lead to novel strategies for blocking the destruction, Medical College of Georgia scientists say.
They found a decreased ability of blood vessels to relax resulted from increased activity of a natural mechanism for altering protein form and function, says Dr. Rita C.Tostes, physiologist in the MCG School of Medicine.
The scientists suspect........Go to the Diabetes-watch-blog (Added on 5/11/2009 9:31:07 PM)
Brain's problem-solving function at workA new University of British Columbia study finds that our brains are much more active when we daydream than previously thought.
The study, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that activity in numerous brain regions increases when our minds wander. It also finds that brain areas linked to complex problem-solving previously thought to go dormant when we daydream are in fact highly active during these........Go to the Neurology news blog (Added on 5/11/2009 9:22:44 PM)
Women have a more powerful immune systemWhen it comes to immunity, men may not have been dealt an equal hand. The latest study by Dr. Maya Saleh, of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University, shows that women have a more powerful immune system than men. In fact, the production of estrogen by females could have a beneficial effect on the innate inflammatory response against bacterial pathogens. These surprising results were published recently........Go to the Society medical news blog (Added on 5/11/2009 9:21:06 PM)
City-dwellers more likely to develop late-stage cancerPeople who live in urban areas are more likely to develop late-stage cancer than those who live in suburban and rural areas. That is the conclusion of a newly released study reported in the June 15, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-evaluated journal of the American Cancer Society. The study's results indicate a need for more effective urban-based cancer screening and awareness programs.
Diagnosing cancer at an early stage can improve outcomes. ........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 5/11/2009 5:09:44 AM)
Does mom know when it is enough?As the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States continues, scientists are examining whether early parent and child behaviors contribute to the problem. A study from the Department of Nutritional Sciences, Rutgers University, reported in the May/June 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior reports that mothers who miss signs of satiety in their infants tend to overfeed them, leading to excess weight gains during the........Go to the Pediatric news blog (Added on 5/11/2009 5:03:34 AM)
After nine years of suffering in silence and living in fear of leaving the house, Anna Raisor, 53, turned to physicians at Loyola University Health System (LUHS) for alternative measures to treat the embarrassing side effects of incontinence.
LUHS physicians enrolled Raisor in a clinical trial using cognitive treatment to manage her overactive bladder. Cognitive treatment employs deep-breathing and guided-imagery exercises that train the........Go to the Society medical news blog (Added on 5/5/2009 5:20:28 AM)
Women live longer, not betterObesity and arthritis that take root during early and middle age significantly contribute to women's decreased quality of life during their senior years, as per scientists at Duke University Medical Center.
In a study that included 5,888 people over 65, women suffered up to two and a half times more disabilities than men of the same age.
Higher rates of obesity and arthritis among these women explained up to 48 percent of the gender gap........Go to the Weight watcher's blog (Added on 5/4/2009 5:24:25 AM)
Personalized treatment for early lung cancerCancer vaccines and targeted therapies are beginning to offer new therapy options following surgery for patients with early stages of lung cancer, experts said at the first European Multidisciplinary Conference in Thoracic Oncology (EMCTO) in Lugano, Switzerland (1-3 May 2009).
"Personalizing treatment is the key strategy for longer and better survival in lung cancer," said Prof Paris Kosmidis, head of the second Medical Oncology Department........Go to the Lung-cancer-blog (Added on 5/4/2009 5:19:08 AM)
Furniture tip-over injuries risingEventhough most parents do not consider furniture and televisions to be dangerous, children are often injured when these items tip over. A recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital observed that from 1990-2007 an average of nearly 15,000 children younger than 18 years of age visited emergency departments annually for injuries received from furniture tip-overs.........Go to the Pediatric news blog (Added on 5/4/2009 5:12:07 AM)
|
|
Heart disorder and Alzheimer's diseaseScientists at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City think that they have made a breakthrough correlation between atrial fibrillation, a fairly common heart rhythm disorder, and Alzheimer's disease, the leading form of dementia among Americans.
In a study presented Friday, May 15, at "Heart Rhythm 2009," the annual scientific sessions of the Heart Rhythm Society in Boston, scientists unveiled findings from the study of more than........Go to the Neurology news blog (Added on 5/15/2009 5:21:21 AM)
Comparison of Three Aspirin TypesFor a number of years, it has been known that aspirin is beneficial to patients suffering heart attacks and near-heart attacks. But which of the a number of different types of aspirin is likely to help the most?
A group of scientists led by Dr. Sean Nordt from the University of California, San Diego gave three different types of aspirin to a group of volunteer research subjects: regular aspirin swallowed whole, regular aspirin chewed and........Go to the Heart-watch-blog (Added on 5/15/2009 5:19:27 AM)
Novel therapy for cancer?A ground-breaking Canada-wide clinical trial led by Dr. Katherine Borden, at the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Universit de Montral, has shown that a common anti-viral drug, ribavirin, can be beneficial in the treatment of cancer patients. Published in the journal Blood (First Edition), the study demonstrates that ribavirin suppresses the activities of the eIF4E gene in patients. This gene is dysregulated in 30........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 5/14/2009 5:19:49 AM)
Gene In Breast Cancer PathwayResearchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered how a gene crucial in triggering the spread of breast cancer is turned on and off. The findings could help predict whether breast tumors will metastasize and also reveal potential drug targets for preventing metastasis. The study will appear in the May 20th online edition of the Journal of Cell Science.
A few years ago, Einstein researchers discovered a........Go to the Breast-cancer-blog (Added on 5/13/2009 5:19:55 AM)
Better vaccinesA team of Princeton University researchers may have found a better way to make a vaccine against the flu virus.
Though theoretical, the work points to the critical importance of what has been a poorly appreciated aspect of the interaction between a virus and those naturally produced defensive proteins called antibodies that fight infection. By manipulating this multi-stage interactive process -- known as antibody interference -- to........Go to the Infectious disease blog (Added on 5/13/2009 5:06:35 AM)
Older people need more sunSpending more time in the sunshine could help older people to reduce their risk of developing heart disease and diabetes.
Exposure to sunlight stimulates vitamin D in the skin and older people are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency due to the natural aging process and lifestyle changes.
Scientists at the University of Warwick have shown vitamin D deficiency is significantly linked to metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical........Go to the Society medical news blog (Added on 5/11/2009 9:36:39 PM)
Genetic cause of of breast cancerThe discovery of tumor-suppressor genes has been key to unlocking the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation the hallmark of cancer. Often, these genes will work in concert with others in a complex biochemical system that keeps our cells growing and dividing, disease free.
Now scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center........Go to the Neurology news blog (Added on 5/11/2009 9:24:43 PM)
Women have a more powerful immune systemWhen it comes to immunity, men may not have been dealt an equal hand. The latest study by Dr. Maya Saleh, of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McGill University, shows that women have a more powerful immune system than men. In fact, the production of estrogen by females could have a beneficial effect on the innate inflammatory response against bacterial pathogens. These surprising results were published recently........Go to the Society medical news blog (Added on 5/11/2009 8:04:46 PM)
Conflict of interest in cancer studiesNearly one-third of cancer research published in high-impact journals disclosed a conflict of interest, as per a newly released study from scientists at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The most frequent type of conflict was industry funding of the study, which was seen in 17 percent of papers. Twelve percent of papers had a study author who was an industry employee. Randomized trials with reported conflicts of........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 5/11/2009 5:06:21 AM)
Smoking: mortality and cardiovascular diseaseNon-smokers live longer and have less cardiovascular disease than those who smoke, as per a 30-year follow-up study of 54,000 men and women in Norway. Smoking, say the investigators, is "strongly" correlation to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality from various causes.
The results, presented in Stockholm at EuroPRevent 2009, reflect what a number of other studies have indicated, but, says investigator Professor Haakon Meyer from the........Go to the Heart-watch-blog (Added on 5/8/2009 5:28:14 AM)
Vibration plate machines may aid weight loss and trim abdominal fatNew research suggests that, if used properly, vibration plate exercise machines may help you lose weight and trim the especially harmful belly fat between the organs.
In a study presented on Friday at the European Congress on Obesity, researchers observed that overweight or obese people who regularly used the equipment in combination with a calorie restricted diet were more successful at long-term weight loss and shedding the fat around........Go to the Weight watcher's blog (Added on 5/8/2009 5:13:42 AM)
Massage after exercise does not improves circulationA Queen's University research team has blown open the myth that massage after exercise improves circulation to the muscle and assists in the removal of lactic acid and other waste products.
"This dispels a common belief in the general public about the way in which massage is beneficial," says Kinesiology and Health Studies professor Michael Tschakovsky. "It also dispels that belief among people in the physical treatment profession. All the........Go to the Weight watcher's blog (Added on 5/7/2009 9:39:56 PM)
Concerns over dietary supplementsAs the FDA warns consumers to stop using Hydroxycut products, a new editorial reported in the May 2009 issue of The FASEB Journal shows that this FDA warning is not unique. In the editorial, Gerald Weissmann, M.D. Editor-in-Chief of the journal and Research Professor of Medicine and Director of the Biotechnology Study Center at NYU School of Medicine, examines litigation involving StarCaps dietary supplement weight loss capsules to illustrate........Go to the Weight watcher's blog (Added on 5/5/2009 8:40:12 PM)
Drinkers Not Only Zone Out But.....A newly released study out of the University of Pittsburgh suggests that a moderate dose of alcohol increases a person's mind wandering, while at the same time reducing the likelihood of noticing that one's mind has wandered.
The paper, titled "Lost in the Sauce: The Effects of Alcohol on Mind Wandering," explores this phenomenon and is published in this month's issue of "Psychological Science."
The study provides the first evidence that........Go to the Psychology news blog (Added on 5/5/2009 8:38:37 PM)
Targeting tumors using gold nanorodsIt has long been known that heat is an effective weapon against tumor cells. However, it's difficult to heat patients' tumors without damaging nearby tissues.
Now, MIT scientists have developed tiny gold particles that can home in on tumors, and then, by absorbing energy from near-infrared light and emitting it as heat, destroy tumors with minimal side effects.
Such particles, known as gold nanorods, could diagnose as well as treat........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 5/5/2009 5:29:01 AM)
Cigarette smoke may cause low antioxidants in childrenChildren exposed to cigarette smoke have lower levels of antioxidants, which help the body defend itself against a number of biological stresses.
A University of Rochester Medical Center study looked at the levels of antioxidants versus the amount of smoke exposure in more than 2,000 6 and 18 years old in the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The study, which was presented at the Pediatric Academic Society........Go to the Society medical news blog (Added on 5/5/2009 5:26:11 AM)
Possible and actual autism diagnosis"Timely identification and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can impact a child's development and is the key to opening the door to the services and therapies available to children with autism," says Paul Shattuck, Ph.D., assistant professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. "Unfortunately, our research shows that the average age of autism diagnosis is nearly six years old,........Go to the Psychology news blog (Added on 5/5/2009 5:11:39 AM)
Heart disease sleep apnea linkObstructive sleep apnea, or periodic interruptions in breathing throughout the night, thickens sufferers' blood vessels. Moreover, it increases the risk of several forms of heart and vascular disease.
Emory scientists have identified the enzyme NADPH oxidase as important for the effects obstructive sleep apnea has on blood vessels in the lung.
The results are reported in the May 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and........Go to the Heart-watch-blog (Added on 5/5/2009 5:08:36 AM)
Late motherhood boosts family lifespanWomen who have babies naturally in their 40s or 50s tend to live longer than other women. Now, a newly released study shows their brothers also live longer, but the brothers' wives do not, suggesting the same genes prolong lifespan and female fertility, and appears to be more important than social and environmental factors.
"If women in your family give birth at older ages, you may well have a chance of living longer than you would........Go to the OBGYN news blog (Added on 5/4/2009 5:14:44 AM)
Memory in Alzheimer's diseaseEven very early in Alzheimer's disease, people become less efficient at separating important from less important information, a newly released study has observed.
Knowing this, clinicians appears to be able to train people in the early stages of Alzheimer's to remember high-value information better, as per a report in the recent issue of Neuropsychology, published by the American Psychological Association.
Remembering what's most........Go to the Neurology news blog (Added on 5/4/2009 5:10:33 AM)
|
|
|
