Embryonic Heart Exhibits Impressive Regenerative Capacity (October 14, 2008) -- A new study demonstrates that the embryonic mouse heart has an astounding capacity to regenerate, a phenomenon previously observed only in non-mammalian species. The research describes the previously unrecognized potential of the embryonic heart to replace diseased tissue through compensatory proliferation of healthy cells. ... > full story
Unraveling The Complexity Of Human Disease (October 14, 2008) -- The mysteries of the human genome are slowly being revealed -- but the more we uncover the more complicated the picture becomes. This was one key message to emerge from the European Science Foundation's 3rd Functional Genomics Conference. Functional genomics describes the way in which genes and their products, proteins, interact together in complex networks in living cells. If these interactions are abnormal, diseases can result. ... > full story
Five Basic Things To Know About Stem Cell Research (October 14, 2008) -- In just a few weeks, voters will have an important decision to make when casting their ballots. Not just who they want to be president, or to represent them in Congress, but what they want the state to do about stem cells. And the way they vote on a ballot measure called Proposal 2 will determine the fate of a Michigan law that currently restricts research using embryonic stem cells. ... > full story
New Guidelines Double Amount Of Recommended Vitamin D For Young (October 14, 2008) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics is doubling the amount of vitamin D it recommends for infants, children and adolescents. The new clinical report, "Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents," recommends all children receive 400 IU a day of vitamin D, beginning in the first few days of life. ... > full story
Why Starving Cells Prolong Life (October 14, 2008) -- Cellular damage due to stress is an important factor in aging processes. It is, thus, amazing that starving, which is a stress factor per se, decelerates ageing processes and extends the lifespan of organisms. It has long been known that proteins from the sirtuin family contribute to this mechanism. ... > full story
Circumcision Not Associated With Reduced Risk Of HIV For Men Who Have Sex With Men (October 14, 2008) -- An analysis of previous research indicates there is a lack of sufficient evidence that circumcision reduces the risk of human immunodeficiency virus infection or other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men, according to a new article. ... > full story
Pregnancy Does Not Affect Cognitive Functions, Despite Mothers' Fears: Australian Study (October 14, 2008) -- Pregnancy and motherhood may make us all go a little gooey, but it's not turning mums' brains into mush, according to mental health researchers in Australia. ... > full story
First Evidence That Common Pollutant May Reduce Iodine Levels In Breast Milk (October 13, 2008) -- Researchers in Texas are reporting the first evidence from human studies that perchlorate, a common pollutant increasingly found in food and water, may interfere with an infant's availability of iodine in breast milk. Iodine deficiency in infants can cause mental retardation and other health problems, the scientists note. The study also provides further evidence that iodine intake in U.S. mothers is low and that perchlorate may play a key role. ... > full story
Wheezing And Asthma In Young Children (October 13, 2008) -- The diagnosis of asthma in a young child may well be more challenging to pediatricians than previously appreciated, according to a review of research and clinical experience literature. ... > full story
Sound Is An Integral Part Of Products, Industrial Designer Says (October 13, 2008) -- Does coffee taste better when your coffee machine produces a particular sound? According to one industrial designer, the sound a product makes is an integral part of that product. ... > full story
Just A Numbers Game? Making Sense Of Health Statistics (October 13, 2008) -- Health statistics fill today's information environment, but even most doctors, who must make daily decisions and recommendations based on numerical data, lack the basic statistical literacy they require to make such decisions effectively. A major new report in Psychological Science in the Public Interest shows that statistical illiteracy is a significant problem having widespread negative impact on healthcare and society. ... > full story
Response To Immune Protein Determines Pathology Of Multiple Sclerosis (October 13, 2008) -- New research may help reveal why different parts of the brain can come under attack in patients with multiple sclerosis. According to a new study in mice with an MS-like disease, the brain's response to a protein produced by invading T cells dictates whether it's the spinal cord or cerebellum that comes under fire. ... > full story
New Properties Of Skin Stem Cells (October 13, 2008) -- New research reveals completely new properties of the skin's stem cells – discoveries that contradict previous findings. The studies, which are published in Nature Genetics, show amongst other things, that hair follicle stem cells can divide actively and transport themselves through the skin tissue. ... > full story
Reason For Body's Response To Borrelia Discovered (October 13, 2008) -- Inside a cell it is so crowded that a certain protein from borrelia winds up being crunched. From having been like an oblong rugby football, it gets bent and then collapses into a lump. At this point a previously hidden part appears, known to trigger the formation of antibodies. This explains how Borrelia can be diagnosed, a process that was previously unknown. ... > full story
One Hour Of Moderate Daily Exercise Insufficient To Curb Childhood Obesity, Experts Argue (October 13, 2008) -- One hour of moderate exercise a day recommended to children from health experts may not be enough to tackle the rising problem of childhood obesity. ... > full story
Potential Non-invasive Optical Detection Of Pancreatic Cancer (October 13, 2008) -- Researchers are investigating whether tissue optical spectroscopy can be employed for early cancer detection in the pancreas during minimally-invasive endoscopic diagnostic procedures. ... > full story
Vitamin D A Key Player In Overall Health Of Several Body Organs, Says Biochemist (October 13, 2008) -- Vitamin D, once linked to only bone diseases, is now recognized as a major player in contributing to overall human health, emphasizes UC Riverside's Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin D. He lists 36 organ tissues in the body whose cells respond biologically to vitamin D. The list includes bone marrow, breast, colon, intestine, kidney, lung, prostate, retina, skin, stomach and the uterus. According to Norman, vitamin D deficiency can impact all 36 organs. ... > full story
Why Your Boss Is White, Middle-class And A Show-off (October 13, 2008) -- The way male managers power dress, posture and exercise power is due to humans' evolutionary biology, according to new research. ... > full story
Age-related Macular Degeneration: New Genetic Association Identified (October 13, 2008) -- Clinicians and scientists have identified a major new genetic association with age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in developed countries. ... > full story
'Caffeine Receptor' Solved: Structure Of Important Neurological Receptor Defined (October 13, 2008) -- Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute have determined the structure of an adenosine receptor that plays a critical role in a number of important physiological processes including pain, breathing, and heart function. The findings could lead to the development of a new class of therapeutics for treating numerous neurological disorders, including Parkinson's and Huntington disease. ... > full story
Potential New Tool For Brain Surgeons (October 13, 2008) -- One of the primary ways of treating brain cancer is surgically removing the tumors. The risk of this sort of procedure is obvious -- it involves cutting away tissue from the brain, potentially severing nerve fibers and causing neurological damage. MRI and CT scans can reveal the extent of tumors, but only prior to surgery. ... > full story
Girls Are Happier Than Boys At Primary School, Study Shows (October 13, 2008) -- Just over one quarter (26 per cent) of primary seven boys are completely happy coming to school, compared with 44 per cent of girls, according to a new survey. ... > full story
Nerve Stimulation Therapy Alleviates Pain For Chronic Headache (October 13, 2008) -- A novel therapy using a miniature nerve stimulator instead of medication for the treatment of profoundly disabling headache disorders improved the experience of pain by 80-95 percent, according to a new study. ... > full story
Tumor Formation In Stem Cells Linked to Mitochondria (October 13, 2008) -- Researchers report on a previously unknown relationship between stem cell potency and the metabolic rate of their mitochondria -- a cell's energy makers. Stem cells with more active mitochondria also have a greater capacity to differentiate and are more likely to form tumors. ... > full story
Millisecond Brain Signals Predict Response To Fast-acting Antidepressant (October 13, 2008) -- Images of the brain's fastest signals reveal an electromagnetic marker that predicts a patient's response to a fast-acting antidepressant. Such use of a brain scanner could someday minimize trial-and-error prescribing and speed delivery of care, say researchers. Depressed patients showed increased activity in a mood-regulating hub near the front of the brain while viewing flashing frightful faces -- the more the increase, the better their response to an experimental fast-acting medication called ketamine. ... > full story
American Culture Derails Girl Math Whizzes, Study Finds (October 13, 2008) -- A culture of neglect and, at some age levels, outright social ostracism, is derailing a generation of students, especially girls, deemed the very best in mathematics, according to a new study. ... > full story
H. Pylori Bacteria May Help Prevent Some Esophageal Cancers (October 13, 2008) -- Some bacteria may help protect against the development of a type of esophageal cancer, known as adenocarcinoma, according to a new review of the medical literature. These bacteria, which are called Helicobacter pylori, live in the stomachs of humans. ... > full story
Endoscopic Therapy May Offer An Alternative To Surgery In Patients With Esophageal Cancer (October 13, 2008) -- New research has evaluated the long-term efficacy of endoscopic mucosal resection, or EMR, in the treatment of patients with early stage esophageal cancer or Barrett's esophagus. Two separate studies suggest EMR is an effective treatment alternative to surgery and generally yields positive long-term results. ... > full story
Connections Between Vision And Movement, As They Relate To Perceived Threats, Autism (October 13, 2008) -- In research designed to assist US Department of Homeland Security and provide insight into how autistic individuals perceive others, scientists are examining how our visual system helps interpret the intent conveyed in subtle body movements. While most autism research has focused on difficulties in face perception, this new research examines autism as it relates to connections between visual analysis, body movement and our ability to interact. ... > full story
St. John's Wort Relieves Symptoms Of Major Depression, Study Shows (October 13, 2008) -- New research provides support for the use of St. John's wort extracts in treating major depression. A Cochrane systematic review backs up previous research that showed the plant extract is effective in treating mild to moderate depressive disorders. ... > full story
Vitamin D Deficiency Common In Patients With IBD, Chronic Liver Disease (October 13, 2008) -- Researchers have found patients with inflammatory bowel disease or chronic liver disease were at increased risk of developing Vitamin D deficiencies. Two separate studies highlight the importance of regular Vitamin D checkups in the evaluation of patients with certain digestive diseases. ... > full story
Mechanism Of Asymmetry In Meiotic Cell Division Probed (October 13, 2008) -- Scientists have characterized a mechanism that allows for asymmetrical cell division during meiosis in oocytes. By tracking chromosome movement in live mouse oocytes, they have discovered that chromosomes can recruit to their vicinity a protein called formin-2. This protein allows the oocyte to retain the majority of the cytoplasm -- a requirement for embryonic development after fertilization -- while the other daughter cell (called a polar body) resulting from the asymmetric division gets only a minimal amount and subsequently dies. ... > full story
Ergonomic Boost: Improving Workers' Posture And Working Conditions In Manufacturing Plant Can Increase Productivity (October 13, 2008) -- New research suggests that teaching staff about improving their posture and working conditions in a manufacturing plant can boost productivity by more than 50 percent. ... > full story
Baldness Gene Discovered: 1 In 7 Men At Risk (October 13, 2008) -- Researchers have identified two genetic variants in Caucasians that together produce an astounding sevenfold increase the risk of male pattern baldness. ... > full story
Thinner Cortex In Cocaine Addicts May Reflect Drug Use And A Pre-existing Disposition To Drug Abuse (October 13, 2008) -- New research findings suggest that structural abnormalities in the brains of cocaine addicts are related in part to drug use and in part to a predisposition toward addiction. The research maps the topography of the addicted brain and provides new insight into the effect of cocaine on neural systems mediating cognition and motivation. ... > full story
Radio-frequency Identification Reduces Specimen Labeling Errors (October 13, 2008) -- With a long-held commitment to continuously improving the quality and safety of patient care, Mayo Clinic researchers are recommending a new technologically-advanced labeling system aimed at reducing specimen labeling errors in a high-volume gastrointestinal endoscopy center. ... > full story
Parents Foster Significant Misperceptions Of Children's Weight (October 13, 2008) -- Results of a survey have revealed that many parents do not accurately perceive their children as overweight or at risk for adulthood obesity. Obesity in the United States is often accompanied by an increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases and has emerged as a major health concern, particularly the issue of obesity among children and adolescents. ... > full story
Fat-regenerating 'Stem Cells' Found In Mice (October 12, 2008) -- Researchers have identified stem cells with the capacity to build fat. Although they have yet to show that the cells can renew themselves, transplants of the progenitor cells isolated from the fat tissue of normal mice can restore normal fat tissue in animals that are otherwise lacking it. The findings may yield insight into the causes of obesity, a condition characterized by an increase in both the size and number of fat cells. ... > full story
Pollution From Livestock Farming Affects Infant Health (October 12, 2008) -- A new study finds that pollution from livestock facilities is associated with an increase in infant mortality. ... > full story
Gut Reaction To Arsenic Exposure Simulated (October 12, 2008) -- A simulated gastrointestinal system is helping scientists test contaminated soil for its potential to harm humans. The method is likely to save time and money for people hoping to repurpose land with an industrial past. Most testing for potential arsenic exposure is conducted in recognition of a dirty little secret of modern life: Humans unknowingly eat a little bit of soil each day. For children who might play on contaminated soil and ingest dirt, the testing is considered particularly important. ... > full story
Babies And Beethoven: Infants Can Tell Happy Songs From Sad (October 12, 2008) -- A new study shows that 5-month-old babies can distinguish an upbeat tune, such as "Ode to Joy" from Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, from a lineup of gloomier compositions. By age 9 months, babies can do the opposite and pick out the sorrowful sound of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony from a pack of happy pieces. ... > full story
Brainy Genes, Not Brawn, Key To Success On Mussel Beach (October 12, 2008) -- Scientists have found that mussels in their natural habitat express their genes in cyclic waves, in what appears to be a survival strategy akin to the circadian rhythms that govern sleep. In addition, two sets of genes used to cope with heat stress are identified, in the first real-time molecular sampling of two mussel communities. ... > full story
Important Clue To Learning Deficit In Children With Autism (October 12, 2008) -- An important clue to why children with autism spectrum disorders have trouble imitating others has been discovered: they spend less time looking at the faces of people who are modeling new skills. ... > full story
RNA Molecules, Delivery System Improve Vaccine Responses, Effectiveness (October 12, 2008) -- A novel delivery system that could lead to more efficient and more disease-specific vaccines against infectious diseases has been developed by biomedical engineers. ... > full story
Tamoxifen Chemoprevention Tied To Early Detection Of Breast Cancer (October 12, 2008) -- The drug tamoxifen does not prevent or treat estrogen receptor negative breast cancer, but it can make the disease easier to find, researchers report in the Oct. 1 Journal of the National Cancer Institute. ... > full story
Does It Matter If Black Plus White Equals Black Or Multiracial? (October 12, 2008) -- "Is Barack Obama Black or Biracial?" a recent CNN.com headline asks. Should such racial characterizations of people like Obama -- who have one black parent and one white parent -- really matter? According to a new study, they do matter. When study participants knew of a person's black-white ancestry, in comparison to not knowing of the parentage, they quickly adhered to the simplistic characterization of biracial people as black. ... > full story
Eliminating Viral Vector In Stem Cell Reprogramming (October 12, 2008) -- Scientists have eliminated the need for a viral vector in the stem cell reprogramming process In a report in Science, they showed the ability to reprogram adult cells into iPS cells without viral integration into the genome which lays to rest concerns that the reprogramming event might be dependent upon viral integration into specific genomic loci that could mediate the genetic switch. ... > full story
Hodgkin Lymphoma: New Characteristics Discovered; Cytokines Help Tumor Cells Evade Immune System (October 12, 2008) -- Researchers are still discovering new characteristics of Hodgkin lymphoma, a common form of cancer of the lymphatic system. Researchers in Germany have now demonstrated the production of interleukin 21 in the tumor cells of Hodgkin lymphoma. IL-21 promotes the growth of cancer cells and helps them evade immune system detection. ... > full story
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