Stress During Pregnancy Has Detrimental Effect On Offspring (October 29, 2008) -- That stress during a mother's pregnancy can cause developmental and emotional problems for offspring has long been observed by behavioral and biological researchers, but the objective measuring and timing of that stress and its results are difficult to prove objectively in humans. New experimental work has demonstrated the relationship between maternal stress and impairment of offspring in rats. ... > full story
How Women With Lupus Can Increase Chance For Healthy Pregnancies (October 29, 2008) -- In the not so distant past, women with systemic lupus erythematosus, an autoimmune disease, were advised not to have children, and if they became pregnant, to have therapeutic abortions to prevent severe flares of their lupus. Research by rheumatologists at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, in patients with lupus who have had successful pregnancies is yielding insights that support a reversal of that thinking. ... > full story
Groups of Dangerous Drivers Identified (October 29, 2008) -- Young drivers, elderly drivers and motorcyclists are stigmatized by society, according to one professor. He's researching who the dangerous drivers really are. ... > full story
Rheumatoid Arthritis Rising Among Women (October 29, 2008) -- After four decades on the decline, rheumatoid arthritis is on the upswing among women in the United States. Compared to the previous decade when approximately 36 women out of every 100,000 developed rheumatoid arthritis each year, the new study showed a jump to 54 women in the more recent decade. ... > full story
Neighborhood Greenness Has Long Term Positive Impact On Kids' Health (October 29, 2008) -- In the first study to look at the effect of neighborhood greenness on inner city children's weight over time, researchers report that higher neighborhood greenness is associated with slower increases in children's body mass over a two year period, regardless of residential density. ... > full story
Increasing Number Of People Vaccinated Against Influenza Can Decrease Burden Of Disease (October 29, 2008) -- Two new studies published in the journal PLoS Medicine show that increasing the number of people vaccinated against influenza can decrease the burden of the disease, and not just in the individuals receiving the vaccine. ... > full story
Improved Poverty Analysis: Early Warning System For Food Shortages (October 29, 2008) -- In areas of extreme poverty it is often difficult to determine the standard of living. During her doctoral research in Uganda, Nicky Pouw developed a method to analyze relatively simple material and immaterial possessions that can serve, for example, as an early warning system for food shortages. ... > full story
Exploring Use Of Fat Cells As Heart Attack Therapy (October 28, 2008) -- For those of us trained to read nutrition labels, conventional wisdom tells us that fat isn't good for the heart. But a team researchers has set out to use fat cells to beef up heart muscles damaged by heart attack -- and they're using an out-of-this-world device to do it. ... > full story
Revolutionary Operation Performed Live For Heart Rhythm Congress (October 28, 2008) -- A revolutionary heart operation technique using cutting edge technology is being performed live to delegates at the Heart Rhythm Congress 2008. The procedure to tackle heart rhythm disorder will be performed using technology that allows rapid and accurate location of the origin of the heart rhythm disturbance in a 3-dimensional geometry of the heart chambers and guides successful treatment with the use of catheter ablation. ... > full story
BRAF Mutations In Colorectal Cancer Cause Resistance To Anti-EGFR Therapy, Study Finds (October 28, 2008) -- European researchers have found that metastatic colorectal cancer patients with a mutation in the BRAF gene do not respond to anti-EGFR therapy with cetuximab and panitumumab. The finding could help doctors better identify which patients are likely to benefit from such treatment, which is commonly used as last-effort therapy but only works in a fraction of patients. ... > full story
Credit Crunch Threatens New Medicines (October 28, 2008) -- The global financial crisis could seriously delay the discovery and production of many new life-saving medicines, warns a major international conference. ... > full story
Red Enhances Men's Attraction To Women, Psychological Study Reveals (October 28, 2008) -- Psychologists have added color -- literally and figuratively -- to the age-old question of what attracts men to women. Psychologists have demonstrated that the color red makes men feel more amorous toward women. And men are unaware of the role the color plays in their attraction. ... > full story
Sensitive Ultrasound To Spot Early-stage Cancer (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have developed highly sensitive ultrasound equipment that can detect tiny quantities of reflective microbubbles engineered to stick to specific tumor cells. The technique should pick up tumors early and improve patients' chances of survival. ... > full story
DNA Research Taking Guesswork Out Of Finding The 'Therapeutic Window' (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers are using DNA to "custom fit" your drug prescriptions, before you even take one dose. The quest to personalize medicine is underway as researchers target warfarin, a drug often associated with adverse drug reactions. ... > full story
Anti-Inflammatory Medications May Become A Treatment For Schizophrenia (October 28, 2008) -- Many of the structural and neurochemical features of schizophrenia are present long before the full syndrome of schizophrenia develops. What processes tip the balance between the ultra-high risk states and the development of schizophrenia? One candidate mechanism is cerebral inflammation, according to an article in Biological Psychiatry. ... > full story
Robotic Technology Takes Inspiration From Service Dogs (October 28, 2008) -- Service dogs, invaluable companions providing assistance to physically impaired individuals, are an elite and desired breed. Their presence in a home can make everyday tasks that are difficult - if not impossible - achievable, enhancing the quality of life for the disabled. Yet with a cost averaging ,000 per dog -- not to mention the two years of training required to hone these skills -- the demand for these canines' exceeds their availability. ... > full story
Can You Recognize People By Their Voices? Case Study Of Phonagnosic (October 28, 2008) -- The first known case of someone born without the ability to recognize voices has been reported. The rare condition is known as phonagnosia. Phonagnosia has only been documented so far in people with brain lesions in the right hemisphere following a stroke or brain damage, and the mechanisms behind it are not well understood. In this newly documented case, a MRI brain scan showed no evidence of brain damage in regions associated with voice or auditory perception, and her hearing abilities were found to be normal. ... > full story
Stem-cell Sentry Sounds The Alarm To Maintain Balance Between Cancer And Aging, Researchers Find (October 28, 2008) -- Like a sentry guarding the castle walls, a molecular messenger inside adult stem cells sounds the alarm when it senses hazards that could allow the invasion of an insidious enemy: Cancer. ... > full story
Novel Genetic Screens Provide Panoramic Views Of Cellular Systems (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers often use the technique of RNA interference to identify genes involved in particular biological processes by knocking them down, one at a time, and observing the result. But this approach fails to capture some key players because many genes are redundant. Thus, cells can mask their distress when they lose a single gene by turning to fail-safes with the same function. A team has now overcome this obstacle, using RNAi to systematically knock down pairs of genes in fruit fly cells. ... > full story
Removal Of 'Super-polluters' Could Reduce Pollution From Nanoparticles By 25% (October 28, 2008) -- If the "super-polluters", the high-polluting vehicles, such as certain buses and transport trucks in a poor condition, were removed, pollution from nanoparticles could be reduced by up to 25% and 48%, depending on the parameter analyzed. These minute particles may cause serious health problems. ... > full story
Stress May Make You Itch (October 28, 2008) -- Current research suggests that stress may activate immune cells in your skin, resulting in inflammatory skin disease. ... > full story
How We See Objects In Depth: Brain's Code For 3-D Structure (October 28, 2008) -- Neuroscientists have discovered patterns of brain activity that may underlie our remarkable ability to see and understand the three-dimensional structure of objects. ... > full story
Fight Obesity With New Antibody That Degrades Appetite Stimulant? (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a catalytic antibody that degrades a known appetite stimulant. The antibody works against the gastric hormone ghrelin, which has been linked to weight gain and fat storage through its metabolic actions. ... > full story
Healing Process Found To Backfire In Lung Patients (October 28, 2008) -- A mechanism in the body which typically helps a person heal from an injury, may actually be causing patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to get worse, researchers have found. ... > full story
Does Religion Make A Difference In Politics? (October 28, 2008) -- Hoping to answer the question of which political party has a monopoly on the "best" values and how religion affects these values, researchers compared the "extrinsic" values (financial success, status, appearance) with "intrinsic" values (growth, intimacy, helping) of self-declared Democrats and Republicans in four different samples. ... > full story
Masks, Hand Washing, Prevent Spread Of Flu-like Symptoms By Up To 50 Percent (October 28, 2008) -- Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Honing In On New Strategy To Treat Common Infection (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have successfully tested a genetic strategy designed to improve treatment of human infections caused by the yeast Candida albicans, ranging from diaper rash, vaginitis, oral infections (or thrush which is common in HIV/AIDS patients), as well as invasive, blood-borne and life-threatening diseases. ... > full story
News Flash: Candidates' Ads Actually Match Deeds In Congress (October 28, 2008) -- If you think candidates never keep their promises and will say anything to get elected, you're certainly not alone. And you're not right, either. ... > full story
Common Epilepsy Drug Could Prevent And Treat Alzheimer's Disease (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that a drug used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorders blocks the formation of plaques that cause Alzheimer's disease in animal models. ... > full story
New Test Promises Quicker, More Accurate Evaluation For Cystic Fibrosis Patients (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have identified a simple gene-based blood test that more accurately and quickly measures cystic fibrosis patients' response to therapy than current tests. The test, a measure of inflammatory gene expression, could improve patient care and help clear a backlog of promising medications now hung up in clinical trials. ... > full story
Scientists Unwrap The Elements Of Life (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have taken a step forward in our understanding of how the fundamental building blocks of life are put together. They have revealed a mechanism that ensures the right metal goes to the right protein. Proteins are essential and involved in just about every process in living cells. ... > full story
Revealing Secrets Of 'African Sleeping Sickness' (October 28, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a long-sought chink in the armor of the parasite that causes African sleeping sickness, a parasitic disease that kills at least 50,000 people each year. ... > full story
Mental Health Dangers Of Birth Hypoxia: Lower Levels Of Protein Is Associated With Increased Risk Of Schizophrenia (October 28, 2008) -- Complications during pregnancy and birth, such as birth hypoxia - the shortage of oxygen in the body - are associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia. However, it is not clear why hypoxia increases the risk for schizophrenia. Biological Psychiatry includes an article by researchers who show that the presence of a specific indicator of fetal distress following hypoxia was more likely to be present among people who later develop schizophrenia. Their findings suggest that the inability of a high-risk fetus to respond adequately to metabolic stresses that it faces in the womb may contribute to its later risk for developing schizophrenia. ... > full story
Early Achievement In Math May Identify Future Scientists And Engineers (October 28, 2008) -- New research in Psychological Science suggests that there may be a way to identify future scientists and engineers. Adolescents who had scored in the top 1 percent on the math portion of the SAT were more likely to go on to receive advanced degrees, author a peer-reviewed scientific publication or earn a patent as adults. ... > full story
Effects Of Anesthesia On The Heart (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have created the first animal model that can reveal the side effects of anesthetic agents (the substances used to block pain during surgery) in individuals genetically predisposed to sudden cardiac death. The researchers also found that some anesthetic agents may trigger arrhythmias. ... > full story
Better Instructions Reduce Complications Among Patients Using Common Blood Thinner (October 28, 2008) -- Patients who report receiving written and verbal instructions on the proper way to take the blood thinner warfarin are significantly less likely to suffer the serious gastrointestinal and brain bleeding problems that are associated with misuse of the drug, according to new research. ... > full story
New Molecules With Many Branches Will Help Unleash Potential Of Nanotechnology (October 28, 2008) -- Materials science and the pharmaceutical industry could soon be revolutionized by emerging nanotechnologies based on designer molecules with long complex tree-and branch structures. Such molecules offer almost limitless scope for design of bespoke compounds for specific applications in disease therapy, for novel materials such as resins, as well as electronic displays, and energy storage. Almost every field involving design and synthesis of chemical compounds will be transformed by the arrival of technologies allowing nanoscale design of these branched molecules, known as hyperbranched polymers. ... > full story
Study Reveals Factors Of Exceptional Health In Old Age (October 28, 2008) -- Elderly people who have a positive outlook, lower stress levels, moderate alcohol consumption, abstention from tobacco, moderate to higher income and no chronic health conditions are more likely to thrive in their old age, according to a study in the Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences. ... > full story
Eating Whole Grains Lowers Heart Failure Risk, According To New Study (October 27, 2008) -- About 5 million people in the United States suffer from heart failure (HF). While some reports indicate that changes to diet can reduce HF risk, few large, prospective studies have been conducted. In a new study researchers observed over 14,000 participants for more than 13 years and found that whole grain consumption lowered HF risk, while egg and high-fat dairy consumption raised risk. Other food groups did not directly affect HF risk. ... > full story
Newly Discovered Mechanism Can Explain Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (October 27, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a mechanism that silences several genes in a chromosome domain. The findings, published in Molecular Cell, have implications in understanding the human disorder Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. ... > full story
Enabling The Blind To Find Their Way (October 27, 2008) -- "Eyes on the future" is the mantra of the 'World Sight Day' held this month to raise awareness of blindness and vision impairment. New technologies, developed by European researchers offering the visually impaired greater independence, live up to this vision. ... > full story
High Dose Of Flu Vaccine Boosts Immune Response In Elderly (October 27, 2008) -- Giving people age 65 and older a dose four times larger than the standard flu vaccine boosts the amount of antibodies in their blood to levels considered protective against the flu, more so than the standard flu vaccine does. ... > full story
Rapid HIV Testing In The ER Boosts Diagnoses, Screening (October 27, 2008) -- One in every 50 people screened for a suspected sexually transmitted infection in the Emergency Department at Henry Ford Hospital was found to be infected with HIV using a rapid blood sample screening test. ... > full story
Ballet Dancers Are Fitter Than International Swimmers, Study Finds (October 27, 2008) -- New research reveals that the overall fitness of ballet dancers is greater than that of international swimmers. ... > full story
New Clue To Muscular Dystrophy Uncovered: Mediator In Communication Between Neurons And Muscle Cells Found (October 27, 2008) -- A missing piece of the puzzle of how neurons and muscle cells establish lifelong communication has been found by researchers who suspect this piece may be mutated and/or attacked in muscular dystrophy. ... > full story
Cold Virus Found To Manipulate Genes (October 27, 2008) -- Sneezing, runny nose and chills? You might blame the human rhinovirus, which causes 30 to 50 percent of common colds. But in reality, it's not the virus itself but HRV's ability to manipulate your genes that is the true cause of some of the most annoying cold symptoms. ... > full story
Exposure To Low Doses Of Mercury Changes The Way The Arteries Work (October 27, 2008) -- An international team of researchers has shown that mercury is another important factor in cardiovascular disease as it changes the way arteries work. One of the possible sources of exposure of humans to mercury is by eating contaminated fish. ... > full story
Early Trial Of New Multi-kinase Inhibitor Shows Impressive Activity In Thyroid Cancer (October 27, 2008) -- Preliminary trials of a new multi-kinase inhibitor have indicated it has impressive tumor shrinkage activity in patients with a difficult to treat type of thyroid cancer. The results have put the drug's development on a fast track, prompting the accelerated initiation of a large phase III trial. ... > full story
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