Anthropologists Develop New Approach To Explain Religious Behavior (September 10, 2008) -- Without a way to measure religious beliefs, anthropologists have had difficulty studying religion. Now, two anthropologists from the University of Missouri and Arizona State University have developed a new approach to study religion by focusing on verbal communication, an identifiable behavior, instead of speculating about alleged beliefs in the supernatural that cannot actually be identified. ... > full story
Protein 'Switch' Suppresses Skin Cancer Development (September 10, 2008) -- The protein IKKalpha (IKK±) regulates the cell cycle of keratinocytes and plays a key role in keeping these specialized skin cells from becoming malignant, researchers report in Cancer Cell. ... > full story
Antiangiogenic Drugs Impede Chemotherapy-stimulated Tumor Recovery (September 10, 2008) -- Scientists have gained new insight into a mechanism whereby chemotherapy may actually assist the rapid regrowth of tumors after treatment. ... > full story
Parenting Children With Disabilities Becomes Less Taxing With Time (September 10, 2008) -- Having a child with a disability takes a toll on parents' mental and physical health, yet new research suggests that, over time, parents learn to adapt to the challenges of caring for a disabled child. As these parents age, their health more closely mirrors the health of parents with children who don't have disabilities. ... > full story
Diet May Eliminate Spasms For Infants With Epilepsy (September 10, 2008) -- Infantile spasms are a severe and potentially devastating epilepsy condition affecting children aged typically 4-8 months. In a new study appearing in Epilepsia, researchers have found that the ketogenic diet, a high fat, low carbohydrate diet more traditionally used for intractable childhood epilepsy, is an effective treatment for this condition before using drugs. The study is the first description of the ketogenic diet as a first-line therapy for infantile spasms. ... > full story
High Blood Pressure After Stroke Should Not Necessarily Rule Out Use Of Clot-busting Treatment (September 10, 2008) -- Patients who require therapy to lower their blood pressure following a stroke do not appear to be at a higher risk for bleeding or other adverse outcomes after receiving anti-clotting therapy, according to a report in the Archives of Neurology. ... > full story
Women In Crowded Homes Are More Likely To Be Depressed Than Men (September 10, 2008) -- Seeking to determine whether gender-specific responses to the stress of crowded living situations exist, sociologists have examined data from a survey of Toronto residents and analyzed levels of depression, aggression and withdrawal among men and women. ... > full story
Dogs And Cats Can Live In Perfect Harmony In The Home, If Introduced The Right Way (September 9, 2008) -- Thinking about adopting a perky little puppy as a friend for your fluffy cat, but worried that they'll fight -- well, like cats and dogs? Think again. New research has found a new recipe for success. ... > full story
Rattlesnake-type Poisons Used By Superbug Bacteria To Beat Our Defenses (September 9, 2008) -- Colonies of hospital superbugs can make poisons similar to those found in rattlesnake venom to attack our bodies' natural defenses, according to new research. ... > full story
Acupuncture May Hold Promise For Women With Hormone Disorder Who Experience Fertility Challenges (September 9, 2008) -- Researchers believe that acupuncture could be an important alternative, non-drug therapy for women with polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes a hormonal imbalance, interfering with ovulation and ultimately, fertility. ... > full story
Type 2 Diabetes Under Stress (September 9, 2008) -- Type 2 diabetes is caused by an inability of the beta-cells in the pancreas to produce enough of the hormone insulin to meet the body's needs. Central to this is a loss of beta-cell function and mass as a result of insulin resistance (the inability of cells in the body to respond appropriately to insulin). ... > full story
How You Spend Affects How Much You Spend: Non-cash Purchases Found To Be Higher Than Cash Buys (September 9, 2008) -- There is fresh evidence that people spend less when paying cash than using credit, cash-equivalent scrip or gift certificates. They also spend less when they have to estimate expenses in detail. ... > full story
'Healthy' Individuals May Be At Risk For Heart Disease (September 9, 2008) -- In the face of a growing obesity epidemic in the United States, researchers have new study results that indicate that how much fat a person has is not as important as where that fat is located when assessing risk for cardiovascular events and metabolic disease. ... > full story
Apples And Oranges: Tumor Blood Vessel Cells Are Remarkably Atypical (September 9, 2008) -- Contrary to a long-standing assumption that blood vessel cells in healthy tissues and those associated with tumors are similar, a new study unequivocally demonstrates that tumor blood vessel cells are far from normal. ... > full story
Walk This Way? Masculine Motion Seems To Come At You, While Females Walk Away (September 9, 2008) -- You can tell a lot about people from the way they move alone: their gender, age and even their mood, earlier studies have shown. Now, researchers have found that observers perceive masculine motion as coming toward them, while a characteristically feminine walk looks like it's headed the other way. ... > full story
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Improves Blood Sugar Control, Clinical Trial Demonstrates (September 9, 2008) -- Patients with type 1 diabetes who used a CGM devices to help manage their disease experienced significant improvements in blood sugar control, according to initial results of a major multicenter clinical trial funded by JDRF. Results from the study were presented today during the European Association for the Study of Diabetes annual meeting in Rome. ... > full story
Premature Children Four Times More Likely To Have Behavioral Disorders (September 9, 2008) -- Children born prematurely are four times more likely to have emotional problems or behavioral disorders, according to new research. ... > full story
Memory Enhanced By Sports-cheat Drug (September 9, 2008) -- A drug used to increase blood production in both medical treatments and athletic doping scandals seems also to improve memory in those using it. New research shows that the memory enhancing effects of erythropoietin (EPO) are not related to its effects on blood production but due to direct influences on neurons in the brain. The findings may prove useful in the treatment of diseases affecting brain function, such as schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's. ... > full story
Discovery Challenges Fundamental Tenet Of Cancer Biology (September 9, 2008) -- Yale researchers have identified an unusual molecular process in normal tissues that causes RNA molecules produced from separate genes to be clipped and stitched together. The discovery that these rearranged products exist in normal as well as cancerous cells potentially complicates the diagnosis of some cancers and raises the possibility that anti-cancer drugs like Gleevec could have predictable side effects. ... > full story
Fake News Shows Don't Teach Viewers Much About Political Issues, Study Finds (September 9, 2008) -- A new study suggests that entertainment news shows such as the Daily Show or the Colbert Report may not be as influential in teaching voters about political issues and candidates as was previously thought. But researchers have found reasons to discount how effective these shows are in informing the general public. ... > full story
Gene Therapy For Blindness Improves Vision, Safety Study Indicates (September 9, 2008) -- No significant adverse effects were reported during a safety trial testing gene therapy on three patients with a type of hereditary blindness called Leber congenital amaurosis type 2. In addition, the subjects said the vision in their treated eyes was slightly improved in dim lighting conditions. ... > full story
Routine Use Of MRI Scans To Evaluate Breast Cancer Challenged (September 9, 2008) -- A new study suggests women with newly-diagnosed breast cancer who receive an MRI after their diagnosis face delays in starting treatment and are more likely to receive a mastectomy. The study also shows that despite lack of evidence of their benefit, the routine use of MRI scans in women newly diagnosed increased significantly between 2004 and 2005, and again in 2006. ... > full story
Fluctuations In Serotonin Transport May Explain Winter Blues (September 9, 2008) -- In the first study of its kind in the living human brain, scientists have discovered greater levels of serotonin transporter in the brain in winter than in summer. These findings have important implications for understanding seasonal mood change in healthy people, vulnerability to seasonal affective disorders and the relationship of light exposure to mood. ... > full story
New Once-a-week Treatment For Type 2 Diabetes Developed (September 9, 2008) -- Researchers have reported that a new once-weekly treatment for type 2 diabetes could replace the more common twice-daily injection. ... > full story
Early Warning System For Cardiac Patients For Home Use (September 9, 2008) -- Heart disease is the number one cause of death in Europe and early diagnosis is essential to save lives. Monitoring the heart's rhythm and electrical activity in real time using an electrocardiogram (ECG) provides vital information about abnormalities and gives clues to the nature of a problem. ... > full story
Early Phase Breast Cancer Study Suggests New Approach Can Re-sensitize Tumors (September 9, 2008) -- Women with hormone-receptor positive, metastatic breast cancer may take medications for years to help keep their cancer at bay, but when the tumor becomes resistant to anti-hormonal drugs, treatment with chemotherapy becomes the only option. But a new study may change this approach. Early data suggests a new treatment approach can "re-sensitize" the tumor, allowing anti-hormonal drugs to do their job once again. ... > full story
Milk May Help Bacteria Survive Against Low Levels Of Antibiotics (September 9, 2008) -- Milk may help prevent potentially dangerous bacteria like Staphylococcus from being killed by antibiotics used to treat animals. ... > full story
African-Americans Have Unique Lung Cancer Risks From Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (September 9, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a risk prediction assessment for lung cancer specifically for African-Americans that suggests a greater risk from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ... > full story
More Off-premise Alcohol Outlets Can Lead To More Injuries Among Neighborhood Children (September 9, 2008) -- Injuries are the leading cause of death among children ages one to 14 in the United States. A first-of-its-kind study shows that numerous off-premise alcohol outlets in neighborhoods can reduce overall guardianship of children's activities, leading to increased injuries. ... > full story
Genetic Variants Associated With Vitamin B12 (September 9, 2008) -- Researchers have identified a common genetic influence on B12 vitamin levels in the blood, suggesting a new way to approach the biological connections between an important biochemical variable and deficiency-related diseases. ... > full story
Creating Lung Cancer Risk Models For Specific Populations Refines Prediction (September 9, 2008) -- Lung cancer risk prediction models are enhanced by taking into account risk factors by race and by measuring DNA repair capacity, according to epidemiologists. ... > full story
Middle Schoolers And Alcohol: Tips For Parents From AAAS (September 9, 2008) -- The first few weeks of middle school are a frenzy of friends, parties, and school events. It's also time for parents to start talking with their kids about the dangers of drinking alcohol, according to the Science Inside Alcohol Project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. ... > full story
Gene Therapy Prevents Blindness In An Animal Model Of Mitochondrial Dysfunction (September 8, 2008) -- Scientists have created an animal model suitable for testing and validating gene therapies for treatment of a common mitochondrial dysfunction that causes loss of vision. ... > full story
Structure Of Key Epigenetics Component Identified (September 8, 2008) -- Scientists from the Structural Genomics Consortium have determined the 3-D structure of a key protein component involved in enabling "epigenetic code" to be copied accurately from cell to cell. The research not only represents an advance for the epigenetics field, but also an advance for how the science was done. ... > full story
First Prognosticator Of Survival In Aggressive Cancer Revealed (September 8, 2008) -- The tumor suppressor gene pRb2/p130 may provide the first independent prognostic biomarker in cases of soft tissue sarcoma, according to new research. ... > full story
Will The 'Bare Below The Elbows' Rule For Doctors Cut Infection Rates Or Just Patient Confidence? (September 8, 2008) -- Should surgeons be bare below the elbows and tie-less or are new UK dress rules for doctors compromising their professional image without sufficient evidence that hospital-acquired infections will be reduced? ... > full story
Common Painkillers Lower Levels Of Prostate Cancer Biomarker, Study Shows (September 8, 2008) -- Common painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen appear to lower a man's PSA level, the blood biomarker widely used by physicians to help gauge whether a man is at risk of prostate cancer. But the authors of the study caution that men shouldn't take the painkillers in an effort to prevent prostate cancer just yet. ... > full story
Tracking The Reasons Many Girls Avoid Science And Math (September 8, 2008) -- The self-confidence instilled by parents and teachers is more important for young girls learning math and science than their initial interest. The three-year study aimed to identify supports and barriers that steer girls and young women toward or away from science and math during their education. ... > full story
Gaining A Better Understanding Of Kidney Diseases (September 8, 2008) -- By introducing a genetic switch in mice it is possible to increase or decrease the production of specific protein molecules in their kidneys. Thus, researchers can study the influence of specific proteins on disease development. This model of investigating severe kidney diseases was published in Nature Medicine. ... > full story
Txt Crimes, Sex Crimes And Murder: The Science Of Forensic Linguistics (September 8, 2008) -- Text and instant messaging may soon cease to be an anonymous method of communication as advances in forensic linguistic research make it possible to identify the sender and also predict the gender and age of the author with some degree of success. ... > full story
Best Way To Treat Malaria: Avoid Using Same Drug For Everyone, Scientists Say (September 8, 2008) -- Scientists employing a sophisticated computer model have found that many governments worldwide are recommending the wrong kind of malaria treatment. ... > full story
New Stem Cell Screening Tool Takes Adult Stem Cell Research To New Level (September 8, 2008) -- A bioinformatic system takes adult stem cell research to a new level. Rather than using stem cells from embryonic sources, which opens difficult ethical and complicated scientific issues, scientists have been looking to adult human stem cells, culled from a person's own body. Adult stem cells are now being cultivated from various tissues in the body -- from skin, bones and even wisdom teeth. ... > full story
Sweating, Crying May Help Prevent Exercise-Induced Asthma In Athletes (September 8, 2008) -- An athlete's ability to sweat may do more than keep the body cool. It also may prevent the development of exercise-induced asthma, a common respiratory condition among trained athletes. ... > full story
Numerous Undiscovered Gene Alterations In Pancreatic And Brain Cancers Detected (September 8, 2008) -- Investigators have detected a multitude of broken, missing, and overactive genes in pancreatic and brain tumors, in the most detailed genetic survey yet of any human tumor. Some of these genetic changes were previously unknown and could provide new leads for improved diagnosis and therapy for these devastating cancers. ... > full story
Obese People With Asthma Have Nearly Five Times Greater Risk Of Hospitalization For Asthma (September 8, 2008) -- A new study found obese people with asthma are 4.6 times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than non-obese people with asthma. The study surveyed 1,113 asthmatics and is the first study to control for risk factors that explain the obesity-asthma association: smoking, oral or inhaled corticosteroid medication use, gastroesophageal reflux disorder and demographics. The study found obese people had a harder time controlling asthma day-to-day compared to non-obese people with asthma. ... > full story
Plastic Bottles: Bisphenol A Of 'Some Concern' According To U.S. Government Report (September 8, 2008) -- Current human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used in many polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, is of "some concern" for effects on development of the prostate gland and brain and for behavioral effects in fetuses, infants and children, according to a final report released in the U.S. by the National Toxicology Program. ... > full story
The Beatles Show Link Between Positive Experiences And How Memories Are Shaped (September 8, 2008) -- The Magical Memory Tour, the largest ever international online survey which asked people to blog their memories of the Beatles to create the biggest database of autobiographical memories ever attempted, has just been completed. ... > full story
Changes To Embryonic Stem Cells Caused By Down Syndrome Revealed (September 8, 2008) -- Scientists investigating the mechanisms of Down syndrome have revealed the earliest developmental changes in embryonic stem cells caused by an extra copy of human chromosome 21 -- the aberrant inheritance of which results in the condition. ... > full story
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