Unexpected Increase In Cancer RiskAn increased cancer risk in post-menopausal women after they stopped taking combined hormone treatment was an unexpected finding in a study that will be published in the March 5 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), said Rowan T. Chlebowski, M.D., Ph.D., a Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) lead investigator who contributed to the study.
This latest study reinforces the original finding that........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 3/4/2008 6:16:02 PM)
Neural progneitor cells as reservoirs for HIV in the brainImpaired brain function is a prominent and still unsolved problem in AIDS. Shortly after an individual becomes infected with HIV, the virus can invade the brain and persist in this organ for life. A number of HIV-infected individuals experience disturbances in memory functions and movement, which can progress to serious dementia. How the virus causes brain disease is still unclear.
Dr. Ruth Brack-Werner and her team at the Institute of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/4/2008 4:50:41 PM)
Gender differences in language appear biologicalEventhough scientists have long agreed that girls have superior language abilities than boys, until now no one has clearly provided a biological basis that may account for their differences.
For the first time -- and in unambiguous findings -- scientists from Northwestern University and the University of Haifa show both that areas of the brain linked to language work harder in girls than in boys during language tasks, and that boys and girls........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 3/3/2008 9:51:34 PM)
Unlocking Mysteries of Vitamin A MetabolismDr. Loredana Quadro in her lab in the Food Science Building on the G. H. Cook Campus. New Brunswick, NJ-Scientists at Rutgers have unlocked some of the mysteries of how the developing embryo reacts to fluctuations in the amount of vitamin A present in the maternal blood stream. Their results are presented in the February 28 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
The scientists studied the role of LRAT, a protein that facilitates the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/28/2008 10:38:01 PM)
Structure of protein collagen seen at unprecedented level of detailThe structure and behavior of one of the most common proteins in our bodies has been resolved at a level of detail never before seen, thanks to new research performed at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory.
Illinois Institute of Technology biologist Joseph Orgel used the high-energy X-rays produced by the APS to examine the structure of collagen, a protein that composes more than a........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/26/2008 10:33:02 PM)
Atherosclerosis solution is likely many years awayIt's the leading cause of heart disease and stroke: atherosclerosis--a disease characterized by the thickening of arterial walls, restricting blood flow like a narrow pipe. Preventing and reversing this disease is still largely a puzzle to researchers working to put all the right pieces into place and form a complete picture of health for millions of patients who suffer its devastating effects worldwide.
So notes a University of Kentucky........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/24/2008 10:21:59 PM)
Insight into possible cause of lymphomaThe immune system's powerful cellular mutation and repair processes appear to offer important clues as to how lymphatic cancer develops, Yale School of Medicine scientists report this week in Nature.
"The implications of these findings are considerable," said David Schatz, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, professor of immunobiology at Yale, and senior author of the study. "It now seems likely that anything that compromises the........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 2/14/2008 10:26:21 PM)
Blood pressure drug may have added benefitLUniversity of Kentucky scientists have discovered a possible added benefit of a novel new drug that lowers blood pressure.
Dr. Lisa Cassis and Dr. Alan Daugherty found in animal studies that aliskiren not only lowered blood pressure but also significantly reduced artery-clogging lesions that are the leading cause of heart attack and stroke, the top cause of death worldwide.
"In my a number of years of atherosclerosis research, this is........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/14/2008 10:24:16 PM)
Stem cells give clues to understanding cancerResearchers in Switzerland are uncovering new clues about how cancer cells grow and how they can be killed by studying stem cells, blank cells that have the potential to develop into fully mature or differentiated cells and other researchers in UK have made a breakthrough in understanding the cause of the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The research should lead to less aggressive therapy for the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/13/2008 9:43:20 PM)
Difference Between Abstract And Concrete JungleThe Big Apple, a densely populated metropolis of more than 8.2 million people in the 332 square miles of blocks, boroughs and buildings, could have been named metaphorically by outsiders as a fertile land of opportunity. New York City, in other words, can be considered concretely as a geographical location with a large population, but it also can be viewed symbolically as the gateway to America.
While both of these descriptions are accurate,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/10/2008 10:28:11 PM)
New Treatment Approach For Niemann-pick DiseaseAn unexpected finding turned out to be a clue leading scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis to propose a new therapy approach for Niemann-Pick disease, a rare, deadly neurodegenerative disorder.
To overcome the genetic defect in Niemann-Pick disease, the scientists suggest that chemical compounds could potentially "chaperone" mutant protein molecules through the cell's quality control machinery. And they believe........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/7/2008 9:20:49 PM)
Research on gene and radiation therapy for prostate cancerHenry Ford Hospital is embarking on an expanded major clinical trial involving the use of gene treatment in combination with radiation treatment, to determine if the combined therapy is more effective than radiation treatment alone for patients with intermediate risk prostate cancer.
The clinical trial is part of a $9 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded to Henry Ford to study the effectiveness of gene treatment to........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/6/2008 8:44:15 PM)
Range of drugs cheaper and more availableA new study reported in the February 2008 print edition of The FASEB Journal (www.fasebj.org) describes a scientific advance that should reduce the cost and increase the availability of a wide range of drugs. In the report, University of Pennsylvania scientists describe how they used gene treatment to reduce the time it takes to breed large animals capable of producing therapeutic proteins in their milk, such as insulin or those that fight........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/31/2008 11:02:36 PM)
Regular marijuana use increases risk of hepatitisPatients with chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infection should not use marijuana (cannabis) daily, as per a research studypublished in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Scientists observed that HCV patients who used cannabis daily were at significantly higher risk of moderate to severe liver fibrosis, or tissue scarring. Additionally, patients with moderate........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/28/2008 10:36:51 PM)
Norwegian ban on dental amalgamIn an editorial published recently in the recent issue of the Journal of Dental Research, Derek Jones, Professor Emeritus of Biomaterials, Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS, Canada), and Chair of the International Standards Organizations Technical Committee on Dentistry, denounces new Norwegian regulations governing the use of mercury that will adversely affect the use of dental amalgam not only in Norway, but also in other countries around the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/24/2008 10:50:07 PM)
Drive-through Windows Contribute To Delays, ErrorsConsumers who pick up their prescription medications at a pharmacy drive-through window might be jeopardizing their own safety in the name of convenience.
A new study indicates that pharmacists who work at locations with drive-through windows believe the extra distractions linked to window service contribute to processing delays, reduced efficiency and even dispensing errors.
The surveyed pharmacists reported that the design and layout of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/22/2008 10:44:00 PM)
Steps toward Stopping Autoimmune DiseaseA landmark genetic study has identified multiple genes associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), or lupus, a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects an estimated 1.4 million Americans.
Lupus can affect the joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, brain and blood and occurs in about 31 out of every 100,000 people. Women are nine times more likely than men to develop the condition, which is often difficult to diagnose.
In 2005 the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/21/2008 9:02:48 PM)
Alzheimer's plaques in miceIncreasing levels of a protein that helps the brain use cholesterol may slow the development of Alzheimer's disease changes in the brain, as per scientists studying a mouse model of the disease at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Elevated levels of the protein ABCA1 sharply reduced buildup of brain plaques that are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, as per senior author David M. Holtzman, M.D., the Andrew and Gretchen........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/17/2008 10:17:25 PM)
Difference in response to multiple sclerosis treatmentBy comparing the DNA of patients with multiple sclerosis whose symptoms are reduced by interferon beta treatment to the DNA of those who continue to experience relapses, scientists may have identified important genetic differences between the two, as per an article posted online today that will appear in the March 2008 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. These differences could eventually be used to help........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/14/2008 5:32:57 PM)
Teens getting help for suicidal behaviorIts a topic people often dont want to talk about, but suicide is a serious issue that needs serious attention.
As per a University of Alberta researcher, teens are difficult to reach and there have traditionally been few services that directly target adolescent suicidal behavior. Elaine Greidanus says a number of teens arent picking up a phone, or seeing a counsellor, theyre more likely logging on for emotional support.
Greidanus, a grad........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 1/10/2008 10:57:19 PM)
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'Battle For Survival' Leads To New AntibioticWar may actually be healthy for you (war between two microscopic bugs, that is).
MIT biologists have provoked soil-dwelling bacteria into producing a new type of antibiotic by pitting them against another strain of bacteria in a battle for survival.
The antibiotic holds promise for therapy of Helicobacter pylori, which causes stomach ulcers in humans. Also, figuring out the still-murky explanation for how the new antibiotic was produced........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/5/2008 8:32:23 PM)
Blueberry and green tea against stroke damageA unique dietary supplement called NutraStem has been shown to have beneficial effects following experimental stroke. A nutritional supplement product, NutraStem also known as NT-020, is a proprietary formulation of blueberry, green tea, vitamin D3 and carnosine extracts- a combination of nutritional ingredients thought to be potent in protecting against brain damage.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause for........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/4/2008 5:58:32 PM)
Treatment for ADHD and future substance abuseA new study finds that the use of stimulant drugs to treat children with ADHD has no effect on their future risk of substance abuse. The report, which will appear in the American Journal of Psychiatry and has been issued online, assessed more than 100 young men 10 years after they had been diagnosed with ADHD and is the most methologically rigorous analysis of any potential relationship between stimulant therapy and drug abuse.
Because........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/2/2008 8:56:13 PM)
Sleep quality difference between insomniacs, normal sleepersBoth insomnia patients and normal sleepers define sleep quality by tiredness upon waking and throughout the day, feeling rested and restored upon waking, and the number of awakenings they experienced in the night. Further, people with insomnia have more requirements for judging sleep to be of good quality, as per a research studyreported in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.
Good sleep quality is linked to a wide range of positive........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/2/2008 8:54:37 PM)
Link Between Obesity, Carbs and Esophageal CancerCases of esophageal cancer (adenocarcinoma) in the U.S. have risen in recent decades from 300,000 cases in 1973 to 2.1 million in 2001 at age-adjusted rates. A new study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology shows that these rates in the U.S. closely mirrored trends of increased carbohydrate intake and obesity from 1973-2001.
The study illustrates what may be a public heath concern as the composition of U.S. diets changes and........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 2/25/2008 9:28:38 PM)
Mechanism of blood clot elasticityBlood clots can save lives, staunching blood loss after injury, but they can also kill. Let loose in the bloodstream, a clot can cause a heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism.
A new study reveals in atomic detail how a blood protein that is a fundamental building block of blood clots gives them their life-enhancing, or life-endangering, properties.
The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Illinois and the Mayo College........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/25/2008 9:19:37 PM)
From stem cells to organs: The bioengineering challengeFor more than a decade, Peter Zandstra has been working at the University of Toronto to rev up the production of stem cells and their descendants. The raw materials are adult blood stem cells and embryonic stem cells. The end products are blood and heart cells lots of them. Enough mouse heart cells that they form beating tissue.
To do this, he has been applying engineering principles to stem cell research work that has just earned him........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/17/2008 10:48:51 PM)
New Drug Targets for Cancer and Other DiseasesIf the genome is the parts list of the human cell, certain proteins are the production managers, activating and deactivating genes as needed. Researchers funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), part of the National Institutes of Health, now have a clearer understanding of how a key protein controls gene activity and how mutations in the protein may cause disease. The work could provide new avenues to design drugs........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 2/14/2008 10:12:02 PM)
Sensor System Improves Detection Of LeadThe Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has developed a new rapid, portable and inexpensive detection system that identifies personal exposures to toxic lead and other dangerous heavy metals. The device can provide an accurate blood sample measurement from a simple finger prick, which is especially important when sampling children.
PNNL's portable analyzer system accurately detects lead and other toxic metals in........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/12/2008 9:50:21 PM)
Kidney's Ability To Clean Its Own Filters Likely Causes DiseaseThe kidney actively cleans its most selective filter to keep it from clogging with blood proteins, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reveal in a new study.
Scientists showed that breakdown of this self-cleaning feature can make kidneys more vulnerable to dysfunction and disease.
"We speculate that defects of this clearance mechanism can leave things on the filter that can damage it," says senior author........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/7/2008 9:38:57 PM)
Significantly higher success rates with artificial inseminationIn future a new method could help some couples who are childless against their will. The microscopic procedure significantly improves the success rate of 'ICSI' (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). This was discovered by researchers at the University of Bonn together with colleagues from China and industrial partners in a study of 124 women. Up to now, the desire to have a child is only fulfilled for every third couple that decides to have........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/6/2008 10:23:17 PM)
Electronic personal health record and hypertensionWhether patients with an electronic handle on their health are more successful at beating one of the nation's leading chronic diseases is under study.
The study, funded by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, will give hundreds of patients with high blood pressure an electronic personal health record that enables them to post their blood pressure, weight, even what they eat in their medical record and e-mail their........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/6/2008 8:22:05 PM)
Screening for domestic violence woefully weak Even though federal welfare-reform legislation calls for case workers to screen for domestic violence and most states have agreed to implement this requirement, just 9 percent of women applying for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families were screened for domestic violence, as per data from a University of Washington study.
An analysis of 782 transcripts of in-person interviews between case workers and clients in four states by scientists........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 2/4/2008 9:49:03 PM)
Notch-ing glucose into placeA novel gene called rumi regulates Notch signaling by adding a glucose molecule to the part of the Notch protein that extends outside a cell, said scientists from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Stony Brook University in New York in a report that appears today in the journal Cell.
Cellular signaling governed by the Notch protein determines cell fate determination and differentiation.
The complete loss of rumi causes a........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/28/2008 5:18:39 AM)
Low vitamin E levels and physical declineScientists at Yale School of Medicine have observed that a low concentration of vitamin E in the blood is linked with physical decline in older persons.
Reported in the January 23 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, the study included 698 people age 65 or older who were randomly selected from the population registry in two municipalities close to Florence, Italy. The researchers, led by first author Benedetta Bartali of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/22/2008 10:59:58 PM)
Brain connections strengthen during waking hoursNow new research from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health clarifies this phenomenon, supporting the idea that sleep plays a critical role in the brains ability to change in response to its environment. This ability, called plasticity, is at the heart of learning.
Reporting in the Jan. 20, 2008, online version of Nature Neuroscience, the UW-Madison researchers showed by several measures that synapses nerve cell........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/21/2008 9:04:57 PM)
Lupus in women: New genetic risk factors identifiedMontreal, January 20, 2008 An international consortium of clinical researchers and genomics experts, including scientists from the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) and Universit de Montral (UdeM), have uncovered multiple new genetic risk factors for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), usually known as lupus. The large-scale genomic study is the first of its kind to investigate the genetic basis of lupus. Dr. John D. Rioux, associate professor of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/21/2008 9:03:50 PM)
New gene test for prostate cancerMen with susceptibility for prostate cancer will soon be identifiable through a simple DNA test. So hope researchers at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet, who have shown that men carrying a combination of known risk genes run a four to five times higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
At present, men with suspected prostate cancer are identified mainly using what are known as PSA tests. However, the test has a........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 1/17/2008 10:12:12 PM)
Genetic determinants of Alzheimer's diseaseThe Netherlands, January 14, 2008 A rapid and accurate DHPLC assay for determination of apolipoprotein E genotypes has been developed by scientists from the Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. This assay combines PCR and DHPLC and can be used to conduct efficient genotyping of the human population, which in turn will help in the diagnosis and therapy of Alzheimers........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 1/14/2008 5:25:39 PM)
Increasing Physician Disease ReportingWith emerging diseases like the West Nile Virus, and re-emerging diseases such as the pandemic flu and drug-resistant tuberculosis, it's increasingly important to promptly detect a potential infectious outbreak within a community. But public health officials can't act quickly unless physicians report the diseases.
"Quick reporting by several physicians, all acting independently, allows the public health authorities to promptly recognize a........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 1/14/2008 3:55:36 PM)
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