young people carry weapons when they go out at night

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Week 47

23% of young people get into fights when they go out at night

Night-time violence among young Spaniards is becoming ever more common, according to a research study carried out by the European Institute of Studies on Prevention. The study shows that 5.2% of young people carry weapons when they go out at night, 11.6% have been attacked or threatened, and 23% have got into a fight at some time. "Reports about young people being attacked or injured in fights when they go out at night are becoming increasingly common", Amador Calafat, lead author of the study and a researcher at the European Institute of Studies on Prevention (IREFREA), which is at the forefront of studies into problems of childhood and adolescence and drug abuse, tells SINC.

2nd wave of H1N1 pandemic led to more hospitalizations, deaths

The second wave of the H1N1 pandemic that swept the country in the fall of 2009 was "substantially larger" than the first, with more deaths and hospitalizations, national public health officials say in a new report.

3 Republicans Say Report on Spill Was Manipulated

Three Republican senators demanded Friday that the White House explain last-minute editing changes to an Interior Department report on the BP oil spill that falsely implied that a group of independent experts had endorsed a political decision to temporarily halt all deepwater oil drilling.

5-year results show keyhole bowel cancer surgery is safe and effective

Laparoscopic or 'keyhole' surgery is a safe, effective way of removing bowel tumours and should be offered to all patients undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer, according to researchers from the University of Leeds. Patients who have laparoscopic surgery spend less time in hospital and recover more quickly from the operation. Now long-term follow-up data has confirmed that this way of doing surgery does not make patients with colorectal cancer more vulnerable to the disease returning, as some had feared. And overall survival rates for keyhole surgery are just the same as those for conventional, open surgery, researchers concluded after tracking the progress of patients for five years. The results are the latest from the CLASICC trial - a multicentre study funded by the Medical Research Council that involved around 400 patients with colon cancer and another 400 with rectal cancer. The trial drew on patients from 27 hospitals across the UK and unlike other head-to-head assessments of these two surgical techniques, included a detailed analysis of all tissue samples that were removed to assess the quality of surgery.

9 Everyday Products You Didn't Know Had Animal Ingredients

If you thought that by quitting meat or at least going weekday vegetarian you were doing your part to avoid the horrors of factory farming, think again.

A loaf of wheat bread may soon cost $23 due to skyrocketing food price inflation

Within a decade, a loaf of wheat bread may cost $23 in a grocery store in the United States, and a 32-oz package of sugar might run $62. A 64-oz container of Minute Maid Orange Juice, meanwhile, could set you back $45.71. This is all according to a new report released Friday by the National Inflation Association which warns consumers about the coming wave of food price inflation that's about to strike the western world.

A tale of two herds

What's the future for dairy farming? Juliette Jowit reports on new plans for an enormous super-dairy, home to 8,000 cows. John Vidal, meanwhile, visits a tiny herd of 44 in Hertfordshire – all have names and are cherished from birth to death

Active management of the third stage of labor reduces risk of bleeding

Active management of the third stage of labour means that women lose less blood than with a more expectant approach, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, in conjunction with Sahlgrenska University Hospital. A number of studies in the West have shown that heavy bleeding following childbirth has become more common in recent years. In her thesis, midwife and researcher Elisabeth Jangsten decided to look at how heavily women bleed after giving birth in Angola and Sweden following active and expectant management. The study in Angola covered 1,590 women, while the Swedish study included 1,802. The Swedish study was conducted at two of the delivery units at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, which make use of both active and expectant management.

Acute effects of fine particulate air pollution on ST segment height:

The mechanisms for the relationship between particulate air pollution and cardiac disease are not fully understood. Air pollution-induced myocardial ischemia is one of the potentially important mechanisms.Increased PM2.5 concentration is associated with immediate increase in ST-segment height in inferior and lateral leads, generally within two hours. Such an acute effect of PM2.5 may contribute to increased potential for regional myocardial ischemic injury among healthy individuals.

Adderall Abuse Alters Brain, Claims a Young Life

Now, the Craigs, who say they are "still raw" from the loss, want others to know the danger of Adderall, a highly addictive drug that works on the brain like cocaine or methamphetamine, and is rampant on the most competitive college campuses.

After Mercury Removal -- What is the Best Material to Replace Your Filling With?

For decades, it's been known that mercury is dangerous to human health because it accumulates in the body and damages its cells.

After Mercury Removal -- What is the Best Material to Replace Your Filling With?

If you have "silver" amalgam dental fillings, I'm sorry to say that you, too, have been the subject of an ill-fated experiment.

Agency misled staffers, public about toxic contamination in KC, report says

An investigation has found that a federal agency misled its employees, environmental regulators and the public regarding toxic contamination at its site, The Kansas City Star has learned.

Airline frequent fliers 'radiation poisoning risks' from space 'solar flare' storm activity

Airline frequent fliers are at greater risk of developing long term radiation poisoning from “solar space storms” or flare activity from the Sun, a new study warns.

Alberta’s dirty oil image cleaned by U.S. midterms

The historic Republican gains in the U.S. midterm elections appear set to clean up Alberta’s American image as a producer of dirty oil.

Alpha males take greater risks

Potential investors might wish to examine the fingers of their financial advisor prior to signing over any savings. A new study from Concordia University has found the length between the second and fourth finger is an indicator of high levels of prenatal testosterone, risk-taking and potential financial success in men. The findings, published in the journal of Personality and Individual Differences, suggest that alpha males may take greater risks in relationships, on the squash court and in the financial market. "Previous studies have linked high testosterone levels with risky behaviour and financial success," says senior researcher Gad Saad, Concordia University Research Chair in Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences and Darwinian Consumption as well as a marketing professor at the John Molson School of Business. "We investigated the relationship between prenatal testosterone and various risk proclivities. Our findings show an association between high testosterone and risk-taking among males in three domains: recreational, social and financial."

Americans have conflicting views about spending on public health system

A comprehensive review of national opinion polls shows that Americans have conflicting views about the nation's public health system and are divided along partisan lines in their support of additional spending on public health programs. A majority supports increased spending on public health in general and sees public health interventions as saving money in the long term. At the same time, however, many do not favor increased spending on a number of areas that public health officials deem important and do not see their state health department as doing a good job preventing chronic illnesses. The analysis, by Robert J. Blendon, Professor of Health Policy and Political Analysis at the Harvard School of Public Health, and three co-authors, appears in the November issue of Health Affairs. The article, which draws on results from 12 national opinion polls, provides an in-depth examination of Americans' views about the nation's public health system.

An 'Apple a Day' Could Help Keep Your Cardiologist at Bay

Recent research out of the University of Michigan Health System - a premier academic medical center - has found that adding more apples and apple products to your diet may be an easy way to lower your risk for developing heart disease. More than one in three U.S. adults has one or more types of cardiovascular disease (CVD) according to the American Heart Association. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Researchers presented their initial study results this week at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Exposition. Dr. Mitch Seymour, the lead researcher on the study reports, "When rodents prone to obesity were given a higher fat diet - similar to a 'typical American' diet - and fed a freeze dried powder made from whole apples (roughly equivalent to two medium-sized apples per day), the results showed a heart health benefit that went beyond cholesterol reduction alone."

Ancient DNA Indicates Farmers, not Just Farming, Spread West

How did farming spread to Europe, from its origins in the Middle East? Did indigenous European hunter–gatherers adopt more settled ways while largely maintaining the integrity of their population group, or did farmers from the east spread into Europe, supplanting or mixing with the indigenous population? That question remains controversial among archaeologists, anthropologists, and population geneticists, with conflicting evidence supporting each argument. In a new study in PLoS Biology, Wolfgang Haak and colleagues make a strong case for the latter view, through their analysis of DNA drawn from an ancient graveyard in modern-day Germany.

Anger at 'obscene' £7m bonuses to consultants

CONSULTANTS in the Lothians picked up more than £7 million in bonuses last year from the cash-strapped health board.

Antimicrobial Soaps and Handwash Toxic for Human and Environmental Health

Soaps and handwash and other antimicrobial products that promise to kill the million germs surrounding you may be causing more harm than good - both for humans and the environment, a recent study alleges.

Armed Forces lack health privacy

Privacy laws to protect members of the Canadian military need to be stronger, a medical journal editorial says.

Arsenic in drinking water tied to stroke risk

People who live in areas with moderately elevated levels of arsenic in the drinking-water supply may have a somewhat increased risk of stroke, a study of Michigan residents suggests.

Asbestos illnesses killing more women

An alarming increase in the number of women dying of an asbestos-related cancer is worrying experts, the Mirror can reveal today.

Battery hens' reality on Israeli farm exposed by hidden webcam

Israeli pressure group Anonymous for Animal Rights reveals battery cage conditions ahead of parliamentary vote.

Beneficial Effects of Testosterone for Frailty in Older Men Short-Lived

The beneficial effects of six months of testosterone treatment on muscle mass, strength and quality of life in frail elderly men are not maintained at six months post-treatment, according to a study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Biofuel worse for climate than fossil fuel - study

European plans to promote biofuels will drive farmers to convert 69,000 square km of wild land into fields and plantations, depriving the poor of food and accelerating climate change, a report warned on Monday.

Body clock controls how body burns fat

UC Irvine researchers have discovered that circadian rhythms — the internal body clock — regulate fat metabolism. This helps explain why people burn fat more efficiently at certain times of day and could lead to new pharmaceuticals for obesity, diabetes and energy-related illnesses.

Bonner Forscher finden „Altruismus-Gen“

Tun Sie Anderen gerne etwas Gutes? Falls ja, sind vielleicht Ihre Gene dafür verantwortlich. Das legen zumindest die Ergebnisse einer Studie nahe, die Forscher der Universität Bonn durchgeführt haben. Eine winzige Änderung in einer bestimmten Erbanlage geht demnach mit einer signifikant höheren Spendenbereitschaft einher. Personen mit dieser Änderung gaben im Schnitt doppelt soviel Geld für einen wohltätigen Zweck wie andere Probanden.

BP Blamed for Toxification

Fishermen, cleanup workers and residents of Gulf Coast believe they are being sickened by toxic chemicals from BP spill.

BP Dispersants Causing Sickness

What could be worse then this heinous crime of neglect? How about sinking all of that oil deep into the ocean with toxic substances? BP has admitted to using at least 1.9 million gallons of widely banned toxic dispersants (one that has been banned in the UK), which according to chemist Bob Naman, create an even more toxic substance when mixed with crude oil.

BP's Alaska pipelines in danger of rupturing

The huge pipeline system that moves oil, gas and waste between BP's operations in Alaska is plagued by severe corrosion, an internal maintenance report says.

Brain bleeding is common with aging, UCI study finds

Blood thinners may exacerbate the condition in older people.

Brain scans detect autism's signature

An autism study by Yale School of Medicine researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has identified a pattern of brain activity that may characterize the genetic vulnerability to developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Published today in the early edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study could eventually lead to earlier and more accurate autism diagnosis. ASD is defined by impaired social interaction and communication, and can disrupt the brain's ability to interpret the movements of other people, known as "biological motion." ASD is a strongly genetic, highly prevalent disorder.

Breakthrough technology offers quicker, cheaper cancer screening

Time consuming and expensive cervical cancer screening will become a thing of the past thanks to breakthrough technology developed by EU-funded researchers. Their discovery will allow large-range screening by non-medical personnel with almost immediate results and at a much lower cost than is possible with existing technology. The work is part of the MICROACTIVE ('Automatic detection of disease related molecular cell activity') project, which was funded under the 'Information society technologies' Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme to the tune of EUR 1.6 million.

Breastfeeding moms don't get less sleep

Women who breastfeed their newborns appear to sleep just as long - and as well - as women who rely on bottles or a combination of bottle and breast, a small study finds.

Burning pain and itching governed by same nerve cells

We all know how hard it is not to scratch when we have an itch. But how can an itch be alleviated? In a new study published today in the prestigious journal Neuron, researchers at Uppsala University present the surprising finding that the same nerve cells that are active when we experience heat pain are also associated with itching.

Burning pain and itching governed by same nerve cells

There are disorders and conditions that entail increased itching and can be extremely troublesome for those suffering from it. The mechanisms behind itching are not well understood today. For one thing, what is it about scratching that relieves itching? In the current study, which was performed on mice, the research team led by Professor Klas Kullander at the Department of Neuroscience examined the nerve cells that transfer heat pain. When these nerve cells had lost its capacity to signal, the mice reacted less to heat, as expected, but surprisingly they also started to itch incessantly. "These findings link together pain from a burn with regulating sensitivity to itching, which was highly surprising and interesting," says Klas Kullander.

Canola-type rapeseed oil reduces the level of fibrinogen, a cause of thrombosis and inflammation

According to research on fatty acids conducted at the universities of Helsinki and Tampere, the consumption of canola-type rapeseed oil decreases the level of fibrinogen detrimental to health in the body. The increased fibrinogen level, caused by an imbalance in essential fats in one's diet, decreases when saturated fatty acids are replaced with rapeseed oil. The research results were published in the journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids.

Children find their own way to solve arithmetic problems

A study by Dr Lio Moscardini, in Strathclyde's Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, found that children deal better with arithmetical problems if they can use their own intuitive strategies such as using number blocks, drawings or breaking an equation up into smaller, simpler parts- rather than being instructed in arithmetical facts and procedures.

Children learn about sensible drinking from their parents

Children who learn about alcohol in the home from an early age learn positive messages about drinking in moderation, according to new research. A report released today by the Universities of Leeds and Manchester shows that parents are the most important influence on young children's (aged 5 to 12) attitudes towards alcohol and that they are largely successful in educating children about the social pleasures and risks of drinking at home.

Children with high blood pressure more likely to have learning disabilities

Children who have hypertension are much more likely to have learning disabilities than children with normal blood pressure, according to a new University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) study published this week in the journal, Pediatrics. In fact, when variables such as socio-economic levels are evened out, children with hypertension were four times more likely to have cognitive problems. "This study also found that children with hypertension are more likely to have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)," said Heather R. Adams, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at URMC, and an author of the study. "Although retrospective, this work adds to the growing evidence of an association between hypertension and cognitive function. With 4 percent of children now estimated to have hypertension, the need to understand this potential connection is incredibly important."

Chimneys from Hell

CHOKING smog, fume-filled skies and toxic soil - a deadly cocktail of pollutants alien to most Westerners.

Chinese herb may hold solution to "pot bellied" fatty liver disease

Hong Kong scientists claim to have discovered a Chinese medicinal herb which cuts liver fat - a condition associated with pot bellies in the overweight. In a study, the traditional medicinal plant phyllanthus urinaria, or chamberbitter, was found to significantly reduce the increased fat levels in the liver of mice suffering from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Chinese Herbs Can Complement Proven Allergy Treatments

Complementary and alternative medicine may give allergy and asthma sufferers new options for treating symptoms, according to allergists at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Phoenix, Nov. 11-16. Allergists discussed how herbal treatments may be integrated into conventional allergy treatments, including a novel Chinese herbal formula for treating all types of food allergies.

Chlorinated Flame Retardant Travels The Globe

Toxic Substances - Evidence arises that Dechlorane Plus can be transported to the poles

Chocolate eaters may have healthier hearts

The authors found that women older than 70 who ate chocolate at least once per week were 35 per cent less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart disease over the course of the study, and nearly 60 per cent less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart failure.

Citywide Smoking Ban Contributes to Significant Decrease in Maternal Smoking, Pre-Term Births

New research released today takes a look at birth outcomes and maternal smoking, building urgency for more states and cities to join the nationwide smoke-free trend that has accelerated in recent years. According to the new data, strong smoke-free policies can improve fetal outcomes by significantly reducing the prevalence of maternal smoking. The study, which was presented today at the American Public Health Association’s 138th Annual Meeting & Exposition in Denver, compared maternal smoking prevalence in one Colorado city where a smoking ban has already been implemented to that of a neighboring city where there is no ordinance.

Cleaner Stoves for Developing Countries, Thanks to Heat-Powered Fan Design

Paul Montgomery, a graduate student at Pennsylvania State University, is helping design a better cook stove for people in developing countries. At an upcoming meeting of the 2nd Pan-American/Iberian Meeting on Acoustics in Cancun, Mexico, he will present a simple heat-powered fan that could help to make these stoves more efficient and combat the serious health problems associated with cooking in unventilated spaces. How important is this? In a speech in September 2010 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made a speech in which she underscored the impact of simple stoves on living standards in many parts of the world. More than 3 billion people use open fire cooking to eat daily, she said. But such cooking is very energy inefficient; finding fuel itself is a laborious; the combustion contributes disproportionately to greenhouse warming; and, worst of all, the fumes (often gathering in unventilated rooms) produce air that often exceeds EPA guidelines for healthful air by a factor of 200.

Cooling May Benefit Children After Cardiac Arrest

When the heart is stopped and restarted, the patient's life may be saved but the brain is often permanently damaged. Therapeutic hypothermia, a treatment in which the patient's body temperature is lowered and maintained several degrees below normal for a period of time, has been shown to mitigate these harmful effects and improve survival in adults. Now, in the first large-scale multicenter study of its kind, physician-scientists are evaluating the effectiveness of the technique in infants and children. Offered in the greater New York metropolitan area solely by Columbia University Medical Center researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, the Therapeutic Hypothermia After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest (THAPCA) trial is funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Crops that reflect sunlight could offset global warming, scientists claim

Planting ''climate friendly'' crops that reflect sunlight could help offset the effects of global warming, a study suggests.

Dangerous chemicals in food wrappers likely migrating to humans

University of Toronto scientists have found that chemicals used to line junk food wrappers and microwave popcorn bags are migrating into food and being ingested by people where they are contributing to chemical contamination observed in blood.

Decline of the Honey Bees

About one third of the crops in the U.S. need the domesticated European honey bee (Apis mellifera) to thrive, but its numbers have greatly declined after the emergence of the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder in 2006. Luckily, a study published last month may help beekeepers devise a cure.

DHA improves memory and cognitive function in older adults

A study published in the November edition of Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association suggests that taking docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may improve memory and learning in older adults with mild cognitive impairments. This is promising news for many aging Americans who are searching for options to maintain memory and support overall cognitive health. The "Memory Improvement with Docosahexaenoic Acid Study" (MIDAS) was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of DHA—the principle omega-3 fatty acid in the brain—on improving cognitive functions in healthy older adults with age-related cognitive decline. The study found that DHA taken for six months improved memory and learning in healthy, older adults with mild memory complaints.

Differences in human and Neanderthal brains set in just after birth

The brains of newborn humans and Neanderthals are about the same size and appear rather similar overall. It's mainly after birth, and specifically in the first year of life, that the differences between our brains and those of our extinct relatives really take shape, according to a report published in the Nov. 9 issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication.

Discovery of an anti-inflammatory substance

The messenger interleukin-27 plays an important role when the human body blocks inflammations. This was discovered by an international research team, of which the Kiel Professors Joachim Grötzinger and Stefan Rose-John, as well as the doctoral candidate, Björn Spudy, are a part of. The research findings of the scientists from Kiel, the US and Great Britain were published yesterday, Sunday (7 November 2010), in the online advance edition of Nature Immunology.

Doctors cut some drug company ties

Doctors have sharply cut some financial ties to drug companies, thanks to increased scrutiny about relationships that critics allege improperly influence medical treatment, a survey suggests.

Drug to treat Hodgkin's passes early clinical trial

A drug that combines a cell-killing agent with an antibody may result in remission for some patients with Hodgkin's disease and other blood cancers, according to a new clinical trial.

Drugs, supplements come to U.S. from China largely unregulated

Dietary supplements and prescription drugs are pouring in from China, but U.S. regulators are not ensuring their quality, safety or proper labeling.

Eastern Oregon residents near wind farms express health concerns over noise, lights, stress

If there's anything that worries Linda Bond, it's the prospect of living in the shadow of hundreds of wind turbines with their noise and blinking lights.

Eating monounsaturated fats may boost heart health

The success of a low-cholesterol diet can be improved by adding monounsaturated fat, which are commonly found in nuts, seeds, avocados, and oils such as olive oil, canola oil and sunflower oil, new research suggests.

Eating vegetables, seafood may cut breast cancer risk

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month or the pink month, which is October, does not seem over yet. We continue to publish reports on new research to help readers to understand how a healthy diet or lifestyle may modify the risk of breast cancer.

Electric brain stimulation can improve math skills

Stimulating the brain with a very low electric current can enhance a person's maths ability for up to six months, British neuroscientists said on Thursday.

Electrical brain stimulation improves math skills

By applying electrical current to the brain, researchers reporting online on November 4 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, have shown that they could enhance a person's mathematical performance for up to 6 months without influencing their other cognitive functions. The findings may lead to treatments for the estimated 20 percent of the population with moderate to severe numerical disabilities (for example, dyscalculia) and for those who lose their skill with numbers as a result of stroke or degenerative disease, according to the researchers.

Estimating alcohol-related premature mortality in San Francisco

Alcohol consumption is a major contributor to premature mortality in San Francisco, especially among males. Interventions to avert alcohol-related harm in San Francisco should be taken at the population level and deserve the same attention that is given to other major risk factors, such as smoking or obesity.

EU rain forest rules may hit German rapeseed

German oil mills fear supplies of rapeseed for biodiesel production may be disrupted by new European Union rules requiring feedstocks come from certified sustainable farming, an oilseeds industry leader said on Friday.

Fast-food restaurants target U.S. kids, study shows

Fast-food restaurants are stepping up efforts to market themselves and unhealthy food products to children and toddlers with television ads, websites and even their own menus, researchers said on Monday.

Fat cells reach their limit and trigger changes linked to type 2 diabetes

Scientists have found that the fat cells and tissues of morbidly obese people and animals can reach a limit in their ability to store fat appropriately. Beyond this limit several biological processes conspire to prevent further expansion of fat tissue and in the process may trigger other health problems.

Fat Sand Rats Are SAD Like Us

Saying goodbye to summer can be difficult for everybody. In some people the onset of winter triggers Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a mood disorder in which sufferers experience symptoms of depression. Happily, a special kind of gerbil exhibits remarkably similar reactions to SAD treatments as humans, opening a promising new channel for study and treatment of the common complaint.

Fattening Up For Winter - Is It in Our Genes?

Winter is just around the corner and it's time to pack away skimpier clothes in exchange for bulkier scarves and sweaters. But does a seasonal change in wardrobe mean a seasonal change in body shape, too? In other words, does cold weather mean getting fatter?

Fearless children

Preschool-aged children who demonstrate fearless behavior also reveal less empathy and more aggression towards their peers.

Fewer people quit smoking in recession, figures suggest

Fewer people have tried to give up smoking in England during the recession than did so before, research suggests.

Fighting Selenium Deficiency

Approximately 1 billion people worldwide suffer from a deficiency of selenium, an essential nutrient for liver, heart, thyroid, and immune function. Since selenium deficiency is prevalent in Southeast Asia, researchers are studying the best biofortification for lowland rice production. In a study funded by the Commonwealth Government of Australia, the soil retention of three types of selenium was tested. The research appears in the September-October issue of the Soil Science Society of America Journal. According to researchers at the University of Adelaide, biofortification of rice with selenium is most easily performed by adding selenium-enriched fertilizers to rice either as a spray or as a fertilizer amendment to the soil. Lowland rice soil is usually flooded, unlike upland rice soil which served as the control variable in the experiment.

Film Brings Us Face to Face with the People Who Nearly Destroyed Our Economy

Inside Job, the infuriating and compelling new documentary from Charles Ferguson, tells the story of the global financial crisis of 2008, which led to millions of people around the world losing their homes and jobs.

Food-allergy fears drive overly restrictive diets

Many children, especially those with eczema, are unnecessarily avoiding foods based on incomplete information about potential food-allergies, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. The food avoidance poses a nutritional risk for these children, and is often based primarily on data from blood tests known as serum immunoassays.

Forced use of biofuels could hit food production, EU warned

Area the size of Ireland could be lost to conventional farming as global warming accelerates, says environmental study.

Former Glaxo Lawyer Indicted

A former vice president and associate general counsel for the British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline has been indicted on charges of making false statements and obstructing a federal investigation into illegal drug marketing, the Justice Department announced on Tuesday.

Future wind turbines go offshore – deep and floating

Floating wind turbines producing at least 20 MW each: this is the vision that is to be explored in an exciting new collaboration between DTU and international partners from both industry and the research community. The 4-year project called DeepWind has a €3m grant under the European FP7 programme for future emerging technologies.

Gene identified for spread of deadly melanoma

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a gene linked to the spread of eye melanoma. Although more research is needed, the researchers say the discovery is an important step in understanding why some tumors spread (metastasize) and others don’t. They believe the findings could lead to more effective treatments.

Genetic deletion discovered as risk factor for autism and schizophrenia

Researchers have identified the deletion of a genomic region on chromosome 17 as a significant risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. A mutation of one of the genes in the deleted interval already is a known cause of renal cysts and diabetes syndrome (RCAD). The research, by an international collaboration of scientists led by Emory University, will be published in the American Journal of Human Genetics. Lead author of the study is Daniel Moreno-De-Luca, MD, MSc, Emory postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Human Genetics. Senior authors at Emory include David H. Ledbetter, PhD and Christa L. Martin, PhD. Scientists have known that autism and schizophrenia are strongly influenced by genetic mutations. Although they have shown that rare copy number variations – insertions or deletions of genomic material – play a common and overlapping role in the two disorders, they had not previously identified this specific copy number variation (CNV), which confers very high risk.

Global warming reduces available wind energy

A switch to wind energy will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions -- and reduce the global warming they cause. But there's a catch, says climate researcher Diandong Ren, a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin in a paper appear in the AIP's Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy: rising temperatures decrease wind speeds, making for less power bang for the wind turbine buck. The prevailing winds in the "free" atmosphere about 1,000 meters above the ground are maintained by a temperature gradient that decreases toward the poles. "For example, Wichita, Kansas is cooler, in general, than Austin, Texas," Ren says. "The stronger the temperature contrast, the stronger the wind." But as the climate changes and global temperatures rise, the temperature contrast between the lower latitudes and the poles decreases slightly, because polar regions tend to warm up faster. And as that temperature contrast becomes weaker, so too do the winds. Wind turbines are powered by winds at lower altitudes -- about 100 meters above the ground -- where, Ren says, "frictional effects from local topography and landscapes further influence wind speed and direction. In my study, I assume that these effects are constant -- like a constant filter -- so wind speed changes in the free atmosphere are representative of that in the frictional layer."

GMO soy bringing poverty, poor health to South America

Multinational biotechnology giants like Monsanto continue to spread their genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) around the world in the name of ending world hunger and reducing poverty, but a new report out of Sweden has found the exact opposite to be true. According to a recent piece in SvD, a Swedish newspaper, the transition of South American agriculture from small-scale, localized, diversified farming to primarily large-scale, industrialized, GMO soy farming is destroying the environment, increasing poverty, and harming human health.

Gorleben Nuclear Waste Depository Splits Community

The Gorleben nuclear waste depository has been a site for anti-nuclear protest for 30 years, and this weekend 30,000 are expected to return to the north German site.

Greed not greens cause hunger

The Channel 4 documentary What the Green Movement Got Wrong (Last night's TV, 5 November) in our view made a series of misguided and inaccurate allegations and assumptions. It identified GM as a solution to hunger and implicated anti-GM campaigners for exacerbating food insecurity.

Growth defects in cystic fibrosis may start before birth

A new study using a pig model of cystic fibrosis (CF) suggests that low levels of a growth promoting hormone at or before birth may contribute to growth defects in patients with CF. The study, led by University of Iowa researchers and published online the week of Nov. 8 in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could help predict the severity of the disease in patients and may lead to new therapies for growth defects in people with CF. Growth defects are common in people with CF and have been blamed, in part, on low levels of the growth-promoting hormone called insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1). Traditionally, the malnutrition and lung inflammation that accompany CF have been blamed for the decreased levels of IGF1. However, even patients who are relatively healthy often do not reach their full growth potential, and newborns with CF often are smaller at birth than healthy babies.

Gulf Shrimpers Wonder - “Are We Next on the Extinction List?”

(Steve Picou, a University of South Alabama sociologist who studies the human impact of disasters, say there were "numerous divorces" after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. It’s too early, he says, to compile divorce data for the BP spill’s aftermath.

Gulf still loaded with chemicals, but FDA says seafood safe to eat

Not even six months after the first reports about the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico made headlines, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joined together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to announce that virtually all Gulf seafood is now safe to eat. Independent tests, however, continue to show that Gulf waters are still highly contaminated, and that many sea creatures are still dying from exposure to both oil and toxic oil dispersant chemicals.

Hard work improves the taste of food, Johns Hopkins study shows

It's commonly accepted that we appreciate something more if we have to work hard to get it, and a Johns Hopkins University study bears that out, at least when it comes to food. The study seems to suggest that hard work can even enhance our appreciation for fare we might not favor, such as the low-fat, low calorie variety. At least in theory, this means that if we had to navigate an obstacle course to get to a plate of baby carrots, we might come to prefer those crunchy crudités over the sweet, gooey Snickers bars or Peanut M&Ms more easily accessible via the office vending machine.

Heavy metals may influence moose health

Moose in southern Norway are in significantly worse health than those further north and in eastern Norway. An analysis of roughly 600 moose livers, combined with information such as carcass weights and ages, shows that Norway’s southernmost herds are afflicted with kidney problems and osteoporosis. Marit Nordløkken, a PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Chemistry is investigating whether one of the factors behind these findings may be high concentrations of heavy metals.

Hebrew University researchers discover expanded role for cancer-causing gene

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered that Vav1 – an oncogene (cancer-causing gene) found in recent years to be one of the factors in tumorous tissue growth -- plays a wider role in several types of cancer than had previously been thought. The discovery has implications for further concentration on targeting this gene in cancer research.

How toxins are making us fat and diabetic

An increasing amount of evidence has linked exposure to toxins with both obesity and diabetes. Toxins cause inflammation and immune dysregulation. And as you know from reading this series, obesity and diabetes are autoimmune, inflammatory diseases.

Hygiene, Sanitation, and Water - Forgotten Foundations of Health

Globally, around 2.4 million deaths (4.2% of all deaths) [1] could be prevented annually if everyone practised appropriate hygiene and had good, reliable sanitation and drinking water. These deaths are mostly of children in developing countries from diarrhoea and subsequent malnutrition, and from other diseases attributable to malnutrition. How is an opportunity to prevent so many deaths (and 6.6% of the global burden of disease in terms of disability-adjusted life years or DALYs [1]) failing to attract the attention of the international public health community?

Hyper-texting and hyper-networking pose new health risks for teens

Texting while driving can be a deadly combination for anyone. Yet, new data released today reveal that the dangers of excessive texting among teens are not limited to the road. Hyper-texting and hyper-networking are now giving rise to a new health risk category for this age group. Scott Frank, MD, MS, lead researcher on the study and director of the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine Master of Public Health program, presented the findings today at the American Public Health Association's 138th Annual Meeting & Exposition in Denver. Researchers surveyed a cross section of high school students from an urban Midwestern County and assessed whether use of communication technology could be associated with poor health behaviors, including smoking, drinking and sexual activity. According to the research, hyper-texting, defined as texting more than 120 messages per school day, was reported by 19.8 percent of teens surveyed, many of whom were female, from lower socioeconomic status, minority and had no father in the home. Drawing from the data, teens who are hyper-texters are 40 percent more likely to have tried cigarettes, two times more likely to have tried alcohol, 43 percent more likely to be binge drinkers, 41 percent more likely to have used illicit drugs, 55 percent more likely to have been in a physical fight, nearly three-and-a-half times more likely to have had sex and 90 percent more likely to report four or more sexual partners.

IgE Antibody Levels Double Since ’70s in People over Age 50

In the first such study since the 1970s, researchers observed a highly statistically significant increase of IgE, a type of antibody associated with allergic reactions. The new study, presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology annual meeting in Phoenix Nov 11-16, examined IgE levels in subjects from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES), a large cross-sectional U.S. population survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, in 2005-2006. They then compared the results of their research to the Tucson Epidemiological Study (TES), which examined similar data from the 1970s. “Particularly noteworthy is the doubling of IgE levels in individuals over 55 years, and the more gradual decline in levels with increasing age," wrote the authors. They attribute possible reasons for the increase to “allergic sensitization in our population or changes in lab testing.”

Illness, injury trigger faster aging

U.S. researchers have linked illnesses and injuries restricting the activity of older adults or landing them in the hospital to worsening functional ability.

Industry groups consider pushing for country-of-origin labels on fish oil bottles

Two supplement industry groups are considering whether to push placing country-of-origin labels on bottles of fish oil.

Inhaled steroids boost diabetes mellitus risk, particularly in COPD patients

Patients who use inhaled corticosteroids, particularly in high doses, are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a new study published in the American Journal of Medicine suggests.

Insufficient vitamin D levels in CLL patients linked to cancer progression and death

In the Mayo Clinic study, published online in the journal Blood, the researchers found that patients with insufficient levels of vitamin D when their leukemia was diagnosed progressed much faster and were about twice as likely to die as were patients with adequate levels of vitamin D. They also found solid trends - increasing vitamin D levels across patients matched longer survival times and decreasing levels matched shortening intervals between diagnosis and cancer progression. The association also remained after controlling for other prognostic factors associated with leukemia progression. The finding is significant in a number of ways. For the first time, it potentially offers patients with this typically slower growing form of leukemia a way to slow progression, says the study's lead author, Tait Shanafelt, M.D., a hematologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Iron in Coronary Artery Plaque is a Marker of Heart Attack Risk, say Mayo Clinic Researchers

The iron can be seen on micro-CT scan, holding promise for future imaging to find patients at risk

Iron stimulates blooms of toxin-producing algae in open ocean, study finds

A team of marine scientists has found that toxin-producing algae once thought to be limited to coastal waters are also common in the open ocean, where the addition of iron from natural or artificial sources can stimulate rapid growth of the harmful algae. The new findings, reported this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, add to concerns about proposals to use iron fertilization of the oceans as a way to combat global warming. Blooms of diatoms in the genus Pseudo-nitschia, which produce a neurotoxin called domoic acid, are a regular occurrence in coastal waters. During large blooms, the algal toxin enters the food chain, forcing the closure of some fisheries (such as shellfish and sardines) and poisoning marine mammals and birds that feed on contaminated fish. But until now, blooms of these algae in the open ocean have attracted little attention from researchers. "Normally, Pseudo-nitschia cells are sparse in the open ocean, so they don't have much effect. But these species are incredibly responsive to iron, often becoming dominant in algal blooms that result from iron fertilization. Any iron input might cause a bloom of the cells that make the toxin," said Mary Silver, professor emerita of ocean sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and lead author of the new study.

Is the BP Atlantis a Ticking Time Bomb?

The BP Atlantis platform is operating in deeper waters and is extracting more oil from the Gulf each day than the Deepwater Horizon well leaked, but neither the company nor the feds have proved it is safe.

Is your laptop cooking your testicles?

Whoever invented the 'laptop' probably didn't worry too much about male reproductive health. Turns out, unsurprisingly, that sitting with a computer on your lap will crank up the temperature of your nether regions, which could affect sperm quality.

Kanzius cancer-killing machine human trials possible in 21/2 years

The late John Kanzius' cancer-killing machine has worked in treating small animals. The next steps will be to try it on larger animals, and then on humans.

Lack of Vitamin C Combined With Dental Toxins Cause Disease

Dr. Thomas E. Levy talks about how deficiency in Vitamin C and high toxicity levels lead to disease. He explains how dental procedures like root canals are a primary source of toxins and inflammation in the human body.

Levels of coumarin in cassia cinnamon vary greatly even in bark from the same tree

A "huge" variation exists in the amounts of coumarin in bark samples of cassia cinnamon from trees growing in Indonesia, scientists are reporting in a new study. That natural ingredient in the spice may carry a theoretical risk of causing liver damage in a small number of sensitive people who consume large amounts of cinnamon. The report appears in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Live Food, Dead Food

Modern processed foods are full of chemicals and preservatives that have killed almost all the life in the food. Many so called “fresh” foods are irradiated, which kills the life in the food. Many of these foods will not spoil, because there is no life in them to spoil. These dead foods do not give us the nutrients needed to support the natural functions of our bodies, which require nutrients that can only be found in live food.

Looking older than your age may not be a sign of poor health

Even though most adults want to avoid looking older than their actual age, research led by St. Michael's Hospital shows that looking older does not necessarily point to poor health. The study found that a person needed to look at least 10 years older than their actual age before assumptions about their health could be made. "Few people are aware that when physicians describe their patients to other physicians, they often include an assessment of whether the patient looks older than his or her actual age," says Dr. Stephen Hwang, a research scientist at St. Michael's Hospital and an associate professor at the University of Toronto. "This long standing medical practice assumes that people who look older than their actual age are likely to be in poor health, but our study shows this isn't always true." For patients, it means looking a few years older than their age does not always indicate poor health status. The study found that when a physician rated an individual as looking up to five years older than their actual age, it had little value in predicting whether or not the person was in poor health. However, when a physician thought that a person looked 10 or more years older than their actual age, 99 per cent of these individuals had very poor physical or mental health.

Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center research shows fish oil component given up to 5 hours after stroke limits brain damage

Research led by Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor, Villere Chair, and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center, has shown that Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a component of fish oil, is a powerful therapeutic agent that can protect brain tissue and promote recovery in an experimental model of acute ischemic stroke, even when treatment is delayed by up to five hours. These findings not only target a new stroke treatment approach, but also provide vital information about the length of the therapeutic window.

Low blood levels of vitamin D linked to chubbier kids, faster weight gain

Kids who are deficient in vitamin D accumulated fat around the waist and gained weight more rapidly than kids who got enough vitamin D, a new University of Michigan study suggests. Vitamin D, which is primarily provided to the body by the sun, has been a hot topic in the U.S. lately. The federal standards for vitamin D intake have come under fire by public health professionals as being much too low, and disagreement continues over the proper amount of vitamin D necessary for optimal health.

Mediterranean diet tied to reduced weight gain

People who follow a diet typical of the Mediterranean region might dodge the added pounds that often come with aging, hints a new Spanish study.

Menopausal hormone therapy may increase risk of ovarian cancer

Women planning on taking hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms should be aware of a possible increased risk for ovarian cancer, according to data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010. "This study is consistent with previous recommendations that say if women are going to take hormones they should only take them in the short term," said Konstantinos Tsilidis, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford. Tsilidis and colleagues analyzed the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which included 126,920 women, of whom 424 were diagnosed with ovarian cancer over nine years of follow-up.

Meridia Yanked Off the Market 8 Years Too Late

In 1997, the FDA approved Meridia, a dangerous weight-loss drug targeted towards people struggling with obesity. A few weeks ago, 13 years after initial approval, the FDA did an “about face” and recommended it be pulled off the market. Abbot Laboratories, the makers of the drug, complied – but not before they got their 2 cents in.

Mild painkillers linked to poor sperm quality

Pregnant women who took a combination of analgesics more likely to have sons with reproductive disorders.

Military Deployment Stress Seeps to Children

A study released Monday in the journal Pediatrics suggested that children whose military parents have been deployed are more likely to suffer from behavioral or mental health disorders.

Modulating spontaneous brain activity using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

When no specific stimulus or task is presented, spontaneous fluctuations in brain activity occur. Brain regions showing such coherent fluctuations are thought to form organized networks known as 'resting-state' networks, a main representation of which is the default mode network. Spontaneous brain activity shows abnormalities in several neurological and psychiatric diseases that may reflect disturbances of ongoing thought processes. Information about the degree to which such spontaneous brain activity can be modulated may prove helpful in the development of treatment options. We investigated the effect of offline low-frequency rTMS on spontaneous neural activity, as measured with fMRI, using a sequential independent-component-analysis and regression approach to investigate local changes within the default mode network. Whereas the proximal changes may reflect the off-line effect of direct stimulation of neural elements, the distal changes likely reflect modulation of functional connectivity.

Monsanto - The Evil Corporation in Your Refrigerator

Recently, a study by the International Journal of Biological Sciences revealed that Monsanto's Mon 863, Mon 810, and Roundup herbicide-absorbing NK 603 in corn caused kidney and liver damage in laboratory rats. Scientists also discovered damage to the heart, spleen, adrenal glands and even the blood of rats that consumed the mutant corn. A "state of hepatorenal toxicity" the study concluded.

More evidence that melanoma does not conform to the cancer stem cell model

University of Michigan researchers have determined that most types of melanoma cells can form malignant tumors, providing new evidence that the deadliest form of skin cancer does not conform to the increasingly popular cancer stem cell model.

Mountain Ranges May Act as 'Safe Haven' for Species Facing Climate Change

Swiss researchers studying the projected effects of climate change on alpine plant species have discovered that mountain ranges may represent a ‘safer’ place to live during changing climate conditions. The research, published in the Journal of Biogeography, finds that the habitat diversity of mountain ranges offer species ‘refuge habitats’ which may be important for conservation. The research, led by Daniel Scherrer and Christian Körner from the University of Basel, Switzerland, was carried out over two seasons in the Swiss Central Alps at 2500m. The authors used a high resolution infrared camera and hundreds of soil sensors to monitor the actual temperature experienced by plants in alpine landscapes.

Natural compound shows promise against Huntington's disease

Fisetin, a naturally occurring compound found in strawberries and other fruits and vegetables, slows the onset of motor problems and delays death in three models of Huntington's disease, according to researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The study, published in the online edition of Human Molecular Genetics, sets the stage for further investigations into fisetin's neuroprotective properties in Huntington's and other neurodegenerative conditions. Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disorder that destroys neurons in certain parts of the brain and slowly erodes victims' ability to walk, talk and reason. It is caused by a kind of genetic stutter, which leads to the expansion of a trinucleotide repeat in the huntingtin protein. When the length of the repeated section reaches a certain threshold, the bearer will develop Huntington's disease. In fact, the longer the repeat, the earlier symptoms develop and the greater their severity.

New biomarker may help diagnose ectopic pregnancies

Researchers may have identified a promising novel diagnostic biomarker for ectopic pregnancy, according to a study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). In the western world, deaths from ectopic pregnancy are not common but in the developing world one in ten women who are admitted with an ectopic pregnancy die. An ectopic pregnancy is an abnormal pregnancy that occurs outside the uterine cavity. Most ectopic pregnancies take place in the Fallopian tube but implantation can also occur in the cervix, ovaries and abdomen. Ectopic pregnancy is associated with severe pelvic pain and the need for a blood transfusion. The condition is a leading cause of pregnancy-related first trimester deaths.

New DNA repair pathway

UC Davis researchers have found a new pathway for repairing DNA damaged by oxygen radicals. The results are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This new inducible pathway gives cells greater capacity to repair oxidative damage," said Peter Beal, professor of chemistry at UC Davis and senior author of the paper.

New Evidence Links BP to Health Crisis in the Gulf

BP's stock has already bounced back. The media has mostly moved on. But the long-term health impacts on Gulf Coast residents from the catastrophic oil spill are only beginning.

New findings on chromosome changes in tumour cells

New progress has been made on the road to understanding the origins of genetic changes in tumour cells. The prevalent theory has been that genetic changes in tumour cells come about in multiple stages over a long time. However, a recent study by researchers at Lund University shows that this does not have to be the case at all, but that the cancer cells instead can be subject to several major chromosomal changes at the same time. By filming cancer cells as they grow, the researchers discovered that tumour cells can undergo a special form of division that is not seen in healthy cells.

New GM proposals could open Europe's doors to risky unauthorised crops

Leaked European Commission documents obtained by Friends of the Earth Europe reveal new proposals that would open Europe's doors to the import of unauthorised genetically modified (GM) feed. The proposed change in EU policy is a direct response to industry pressure to weaken Europe's safety laws.

New lymphoma therapy may be more effective with fewer side effects

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a type of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that accounts for approximately 40 percent of lymphomas among adults. If left untreated, it is fatal. The existing treatments have a cure rate that is slightly over 50 percent but destroy healthy cells along with the cancer cells. Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have found a combination therapy that is more effective than traditional treatments and is able to kill the cancer cells without harm to surrounding tissues. In a paper published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation on Nov. 1, they report that by targeting a key lymphoma-causing factor called BCL6 with a specific inhibitor called RI-BPI in combination with either a histone deacetylases (HDAC) inhibitor or with a heat shock protein (Hsp90) inhibitor, they were able to suppress and in some cases eradicate human DLBCL in mice. The researchers said their findings provide the basis for rational, targeted combinational therapy for patients with DLBCL.

New report suggests why risk for sudden infant death syndrome is greater in babies of mothers who smoke

The link between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may relate to the negative effects of nicotine on the development of brain centers that regulate breathing, according to an article in the recent issue of Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). The article is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/ped SIDS is the leading cause of death during the first year of an infant's life. The link between maternal smoking and SIDS is clear. Prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke puts infants at a 2- to 5-fold increased risk of SIDS and contributes to premature birth, another risk factor for SIDS. How exposure to the chemicals in cigarette smoke in utero increases the risk of SIDS has not been determined.

New Research Finds Number Talk Is Important Before Preschool

Psychologist says young children's math skills improve when parents talk frequently about numbers

New statistical model moves human evolution back 3 million years

Evolutionary divergence of humans from chimpanzees likely occurred some 8 million years ago rather than the 5 million year estimate widely accepted by scientists, a new statistical model suggests. The revised estimate of when the human species parted ways from its closest primate relatives should enable scientists to better interpret the history of human evolution, said Robert D. Martin, curator of biological anthropology at the Field Museum, and a co-author of the new study appearing in the journal Systematic Biology.

Nigrostriatal neuronal death following chronic dichlorvos exposure

All these findings taken together indicate that chronic dichlorvos exposure may cause nigrostaital neurodegenaration and significant behavioral impairments.

Obesity rate will reach at least 42 percent, say models of social contagion

Researchers at Harvard University say America's obesity epidemic won't plateau until at least 42 percent of adults are obese, an estimate derived by applying mathematical modeling to 40 years of Framingham Heart Study data. Their work, published this week in the journal PLoS Computational Biology, runs counter to recent assertions by some experts that the obesity rate, which has been at 34 percent for the past five years, may have peaked. An additional 34 percent of American adults are overweight but not obese, according to the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Harvard scientists say that their modeling shows that the proliferation of obesity among American adults in recent decades owes in large part to its accelerating spread via social networks.

Obesogens May Cause Weight Gain

If you try to lose weight and it just doesn't work, could chemicals in your food be to blame? Some people believe chemical compounds called obesogens could be a major factor in making people fat.

Oil and ice - worse than the Gulf spill?

In the wake of BP's catastrophic leak in the Gulf of Mexico this spring, Russian officials and experts warn an oil spill under the ice could turn out far worse than one in warmer deepwater climates. Arctic conditions -- remoteness, fragile ecosystems, darkness, sub-zero temperatures, ice, high winds -- make dealing with an oil spill a massive task.

Oil Spill Investigation A 'High Priority' For Justice

As part of the U.S. Justice Department's investigation into the Deepwater Horizon explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, a federal judge in New Orleans recently created a security zone around the collapsed rig, the legal equivalent of taking yellow police tape and draping it around the watery crime scene.

Oil will run dry before substitutes roll out

At the current pace of research and development, global oil will run out 90 years before replacement technologies are ready, says a new University of California, Davis, study based on stock market expectations. The forecast was published online Monday (Nov. 8) in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. It is based on the theory that long-term investors are good predictors of whether and when new energy technologies will become commonplace. "Our results suggest it will take a long time before renewable replacement fuels can be self-sustaining, at least from a market perspective," said study author Debbie Niemeier, a UC Davis professor of civil and environmental engineering.

Overweight children show more signs of stress

Overweight children may be more stressed than those of normal weight, a report suggests today.

Parasite = Aggression, Suicide, More

When Patrick House gets to know someone, he often finds himself silently assessing them for Toxoplasma gondii, a single-celled parasite doctors and scientists are linking to increased aggression and recklessness, among other things.

People with chromosome flaw at high risk of autism and schizophrenia

People with a genetic flaw on chromosome 17 have a much higher risk of autism and schizophrenia, experts said.

Pigs reveal secrets - New research shines light on Quebec industry

Which are the best pieces of pork, what their texture is, how moist they are – the secrets pigs keep from even the most skilled butchers – are about to be revealed, thanks to a sophisticated new technique that has been developed by McGill University researchers in conjunction with Agriculture Canada and the pork industry. "This is about giving industry workers better tools to do their job," explained Dr. Michael Ngadi of McGill's Department of Bioresource Engineering. "Computer-aided analysis of meat will result in higher-quality jobs, optimal production, and exports that fit more closely with the target markets."

Plains Indians Enjoyed Height, Health Advantage

Equestrian Indian tribes on the American Plains in the late 1800s were the tallest people in the world, suggesting that they were surprisingly well-nourished given disease and their lifestyle, a new study found. These results contradict the modern image of American Indians as being sickly victims succumbing to European disease, said Richard Steckel, co-author of the study and professor of economics and anthropology at Ohio State University.

Positive psychological changes from meditation training linked to cellular health

Positive psychological changes that occur during meditation training are associated with greater telomerase activity, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis, and the University of California, San Francisco. The study is the first to link positive well-being to higher telomerase, an enzyme important for the long-term health of cells in the body.

Postoperative vomiting

Vomiting is unpleasant. Nearly 30% of all patients suffer from nausea and vomiting after surgery. The financial repercussions of this are longer patient stays in the recovery room, with increased need for personnel. Appropriate prophylaxis and treatment can prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting. In a systematic review of the literature, Dirk Rüsch and co-authors investigate how treatment recommendations for nausea after general anesthesia can be improved (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2010; 107[42]: 733 741).

Prevalence and clustering of metabolic risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes among Chinese adults in Shanghai, China

These data indicate that multiple metabolic risk factors--individually or jointly--were more prevalent in diabetes patients than in controls. Further research will examine hypotheses concerning the high prevalence of IFG, family history, and central obesity, aiding development of multifaceted preventive strategies specific to this population.

Protect artery health with blueberries

Blueberries are a "superfruit" rich in powerful antioxidants that fight and prevent disease. And a new study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) adds to the growing list of the blueberry's known benefits, revealing that the fruit helps stop the lesions and plaques that form in the arteries of people with atherosclerosis.

Red meat linked to esophageal, stomach cancer risks

Red-meat lovers may have a greater likelihood of developing certain cancers of the throat and stomach than people who limit their intake of steaks and hamburgers, a new study suggests.

Reducing salt in teen diet could have big impact on future health

Cutting back on salt in teenagers’ diets by as little as one-half teaspoon, or three grams, a day, could reduce the number of young adults with high blood pressure by 44 to 63 percent, according to new research presented Sunday, Nov. 14 at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2010 meeting in Chicago.

Reducing the risk of unnecessary chemo

A fundamental principle of medicine is: "first, do no harm." However, for doctors who treat breast cancer, this is easier said than done. Every year, almost 22,000 Canadian women are diagnosed with breast cancer — their treatment usually involves surgery to remove a tumour and then chemotherapy to reduce the risk of cancer returning. But studies show that for most patients with early stage breast cancer, chemotherapy following surgery is totally unnecessary and therefore does more harm than good.

Researchers aim to harvest solar energy from pavement to melt ice, power streetlights

The heat radiating off roadways has long been a factor in explaining why city temperatures are often considerably warmer than nearby suburban or rural areas. Now a team of engineering researchers from the University of Rhode Island is examining methods of harvesting that solar energy to melt ice, power streetlights, illuminate signs, heat buildings and potentially use it for many other purposes. "We have mile after mile of asphalt pavement around the country, and in the summer it absorbs a great deal of heat, warming the roads up to 140 degrees or more," said K. Wayne Lee, URI professor of civil and environmental engineering and the leader of the joint project. "If we can harvest that heat, we can use it for our daily use, save on fossil fuels, and reduce global warming." The URI team has identified four potential approaches, from simple to complex, and they are pursuing research projects designed to make each of them a reality.

Researchers Discover Important Link Between Adrenal Gland Hormone and Brain in Hypertension

A hormone already responsible for increasing blood pressure by prompting the kidneys to retain salt appears to moonlight as a major stimulator of the brain centers that control the vascular system and blood pressure. Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center studied patients who overproduce aldosterone to see whether the hormone had any effect on sympathetic nerve activity responsible for blood pressure increases. “Between 10 percent and 20 percent of patients with high blood pressure who are resistant to treatment have elevated aldosterone hormones,” said Dr. Wanpen Vongpatanasin, associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study in the October issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. “Previous studies in animals showed that this hormone can affect many parts of the brain that control the cardiovascular system. We wanted to understand whether aldosterone also increases the nerve activity that causes constriction of blood vessels, which elevates blood pressure in humans.

Researchers Identify Protein that Regulates Magnesium and Can Restart Stem Cells

An international team led by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has published new findings that demonstrate how a specific protein controls the body’s ability to balance magnesium levels. Magnesium is an essential element for good health and is critical to more than 300 biochemical reactions that occur in the body.

Researchers Identify Protein that Regulates Magnesium and Can Restart Stem Cells

An international team led by researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School has published new findings that demonstrate how a specific protein controls the body’s ability to balance magnesium levels. Magnesium is an essential element for good health and is critical to more than 300 biochemical reactions that occur in the body. “Currently more than half of the US population does not consume an adequate amount of magnesium in their diet,” said Alexey G. Ryazanov, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors and a professor of pharmacology and member of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Researchers in Bonn Find an “Altruism Gene“

Do you like to do good things for other people? If so, your genes might be responsible for this. At least, the results of a study conducted by researchers of the University of Bonn suggest this. According to the study, a minute change in a particular gene is associated with a significantly higher willingness to donate. People with this change gave twice as much money on average to a charitable cause as did other study subjects.

Researchers unlock the secret of bacteria's immune system

A team of Université Laval and Danisco researchers has just unlocked the secret of bacteria's immune system. The details of the discovery, which may eventually make it possible to prevent certain bacteria from developing resistance to antibiotics, are presented in today's issue of the scientific journal Nature.

Rogue gene hijacks stem cells to jumpstart human cancer

A gene thought to be responsible for initiating human cancer has been identified by researchers at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. The study - published online today (9 November) in the journal Cancer Research - paves the way for developing early cancer diagnostic tests, and finding new treatments that prevent or stop the spread of cancer cells at an early stage. Led by Dr Muy-Tek Teh of the Institute of Dentistry at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry researchers have shown that a gene called FOXM1 exploits the inherent self-renewal property of stem cells causing excessive cell proliferation. Using adult human stem cells isolated from mouth tissues the team demonstrated that normal stem cells engineered in the lab to express abnormal levels of FOXM1 gene, triggered excessive cell growth within a 3D tissue culture model system set up to mimic human tissue regeneration in the laboratory. The 3D tissue culture system allows scientists to perform research on manipulated human cells without provoking ethical issues associated with human or animal subjects.

Scientist chronicle nanoparticles' journey from the lungs into the body

Using a novel, real-time imaging system, scientists have tracked a group of near-infrared fluorescent nanoparticles from the airspaces of the lungs, into the body and out again, providing a description of the characteristics and behavior of these minute particles which could be used in developing therapeutic agents to treat pulmonary disease, as well as offering a greater understanding of the health effects of air pollution.

Scientists discover new value in wisdom teeth that could one day save your life

A new study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry reveals an interesting new medical fact about wisdom teeth. Far from being a useless annoyance, wisdom teeth actually hold valuable tissues inside them that are capable of creating therapeutic stem cells. In the event that a person needs them, such stem cells could be used to regrow needed tissues and organs or to treat debilitating diseases In 2006, researchers first discovered that certain genes in adult cells could be reprogrammed to once again express themselves as fresh stem cells. Induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPS), as they are called, have great therapeutic potential because they can be instructed to develop into virtually any…

Scientists find brain waves can predict epileptic seizures

Scientists from the Bernstein Center at the University in Freiburg in Germany have taken a step forward in the quest to predict epileptic seizures by monitoring the pre-seizure changes in sufferers' brains. The research study was funded in part by the EPILEPSIAE ('Evolving platform for improving living expectation of patients suffering from Ictal events') project, which received nearly EUR 3 million under the 'Information and communication technologies' (ICT) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The research was recently published in the journal Epilepsia.

Scientists find dead and dying coral covered with a brown substance 7 miles from BP oil spill site

A brown substance is killing coral organisms in colonies located 4,600 feet deep about seven miles southwest of the failed BP Macondo oil well, according to scientists who returned Thursday from a three-week cruise studying coral reefs in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Scientists identify 1 cause of damage in Alzheimer's disease and find a way to stop it

Researchers suspect that a protein superstructure called amyloid beta is responsible for much of the neural damage of Alzheimer's disease. A new study at the University of California, San Diego, shows that amyloid beta disrupts one of the brain's anti-oxidant proteins and demonstrates a way to protect that protein, and perhaps others, from amyloid's harmful effects. "Amyloid seems to cause damage to cells," said chemistry professor Jerry Yang. "We have reported in a very detailed way one potential interaction of how amyloid can cause disease, and we found a way to stop it." His group's report of their results will appear in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in December. Their study focused on catalase, an enzyme that mops up excess oxidants, because catalase normally helps to prevent the kind of damage seen in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease and previous work had found catalase proteins deposited within amyloid plaques.

Scientists pinpoint key defense against parasite infection

Scientists have made a significant discovery about how the body defends itself against snail fever, a parasitic worm infection common in developing countries. Researchers studied the immune response in mice infected with snail fever parasites. They found that a particular type of immune cell, known as the dendritic cell, is responsible for triggering the immune system's defence against the invading parasite. The development, by scientists at the University of Edinburgh, could point towards new avenues of research into treatments for the condition, which causes long-term infection.

Scripps research scientists find nerve cell activity drains stem cell pool in developing brain

As babies grow, their brain cells develop from a pool of stem cells—some stem cells continuously divide, replenishing the pool, whereas others morph into mature functioning nerve cells. Now researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have shown that as the newly formed nerve cells start firing electrical signals, this activity slows down stem cell division, emptying out the stem cell pool in favor of nerve cell formation. The study, published in the November 4 issue of the journal Neuron, shows that brain activity controls the balance between stem cells and mature nerve cells and suggests that abnormal brain activity, as it occurs during seizures, may have long-lasting effects on brain development. The results also have implications for replacing brain cells that are damaged or lost through diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. "One implication is that to get brain cells to form you need a period in which brain activity is low followed by a period of higher activity," said Scripps Research Professor Hollis Cline, Ph.D., senior author of the study. "Just having high or low brain activity won't have the same outcome."

Seeing red, Next installment in BPA-paper saga

How can we identify which thermal papers include BPA? But there had been no means to distinguish between them. Until now.

Short term effects of a low-carbohydrate diet in overweight and obese subjects with low HDL-C levels

HDL-C levels increased significantly with energy restriction, carbohydrate restriction and weight loss in men. HDL-C levels didn't change in women in whom there was no significant energy restriction but a significant carbohydrate restriction and a relatively small but significant weight loss. Our results suggest that both energy and carbohydrate restriction should be considered in overweight and obese subjects with low HDL-C levels, especially when LDL-C levels are not elevated.

Should our biggest climate change fear be fear itself?

From apocalyptic forecasting to estimates of mass extinctions, climate change is a topic which is filled with fearful predictions for the future. In his latest research, published in WIREs Climate Change, historian Matthias Dörries examines the cultural significance of fear and how it became a central presence in current debates over climate change. Climatic change, as represented by the media, often prompts headlines predicting disastrous events, frequently adopting fear laden language including analogies with war and warnings of the imminence or irreversibility of pending catastrophes. For Professor Matthias Dörries from the University of Strasbourg, a culture of fear is alive, and doing very well.

Side effects of hormonal breast cancer therapy increased; may affect treatment adherence

Women being treated for breast cancer with aromatase inhibitors may experience extremely low estrogen levels resulting in a wide variety of side effects that a typical postmenopausal woman without cancer may not experience. Data presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Conference, held here Nov. 7-10, 2010, showed that women assigned to take aromatase inhibitors had increases in side effects such as hot flashes, decreased appetite, fatigue, fever, breast sensitivity, etc. "Aromastase inhibitors represent one of the most major advances in breast cancer treatment," said Lisa Gallicchio, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at The Prevention and Research Center at Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore. "Their incorporation into the breast cancer treatment armamentarium has led to impressive reductions in breast cancer recurrence and mortality rates. "Despite this, many breast cancer patients stop taking their aromatase inhibitor treatment —which is usually prescribed for five years — or do not adhere to their treatment prescription," she said, adding that this may be due to, at least in part, the side effects associated with the drugs.

Soak your beans and grains!

Leave those canned beans behind for the nutrition of beans prepared in your own kitchen ... and learn how to prepare all those whole grains you are supposed to be eating so that the minerals and enzymes are not lost! Easy, traditional soaking techniques explained on this chart translate into better digestive health and more nutrients available to your body. You will be confident in your ability to prepare any bean or grain so that it is delicious AND digestible. You'll taste the difference, and your body will thank you for it.

Soil Needs Decades to Recover from a Spill

Twelve years after the spillage at Aznalcóllar (Spain), a team led by the National Museum of Natural Science (NMNS-Spanish National Research Council) states that the soil affected has recovered "reasonably well". Their study of nematodes (microscopic soil worms that are indicators of the biological state of soil) confirmed the "enormous" impact of heavy metals and is useful for predicting the effect of the red mud spillage in Hungary. One month ago, a spillage of red mud with toxic material from the aluminium holding pond in the city of Kolontar devastated the west of Budapest (Hungary) and reached the Danube. The immediate consequences were the loss of ten human lives and the destruction of houses and crops. In Spain, the Aznalcóllar spillage in 1998 affected the fauna in the soil of Doñana and exterminated several species. Some nematodes disappeared in the first few months after the disaster.

Soy May Stop Prostate Cancer Spread

Experimental soy-based drug shows benefits in men with localized prostate cancer.

Specific immunotherapy by the sublingual route for respiratory allergy

Specific immunotherapy is the only treatment able to act on the causes and not only on the symptoms of respiratory allergy. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) was introduced as an option to subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT), the clinical effectiveness of which is partly counterbalanced by the issue of adverse systemic reactions, which occur at a frequency of about 0.2% of injections and 2-5% of the patients and may also be life-threatening. A large number of trials, globally evaluated by several meta-analyses, demonstrated that SLIT is an effective and safe treatment for allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma, severe reactions being extremely rare. The application of SLIT is favored by a good compliance, higher than that reported for SCIT, in which the injections are a major factor for noncompliance because of inconvenience, and by its cost-effectiveness. In fact, a number of studies showed that SLIT may be very beneficial to the healthcare system, especially when its effectiveness persists after treatment withdrawal because of the induced immunologic changes.

Spontaneous GMOs in nature

Genetically modified plants can come about by natural means. A research group at Lund University in Sweden has described the details of such an event among higher plants. It is likely that the gene transfer was mediated by a parasite or a pathogen. The debate over genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is heated. One of the arguments against them is that it is unnatural to mix genes from different species. However, research in Lund, Sweden, shows that genetic modification can take place naturally among wild plants.

Starved for Science

Paarlberg does give some credit to Rachel Carson, who exposed the danger of certain pesticides (notably chlorinated hydrocarbons and organophosphates, with the latter still being widely used today), but he says that farmers solved those problems with more science, not less, by finding better pesticides.

Statin drugs cause liver damage, kidney failure and cataracts, says BMJ

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs significantly increase a person's risk of cataracts, muscle weakness, liver dysfunction and kidney failure, according to a study in the British Medical Journal.

Statins Did Not Reduce Colorectal Cancer in WHI Analysis

The use of statins among a group of postmenopausal women did not reduce the risk for colorectal cancer, according to the results of a prospective analysis of data from the large population-based Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). “The results of our study are consistent with the majority of the literature suggesting no significant reduction in colorectal cancer risk among users of statins,” said Michael S. Simon, M.D., professor of oncology in the department of oncology at Wayne State University and Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit.

Stem Cell Patch May Result in Improved Function Following Heart Attack

University of Cincinnati researchers have found that applying a stem cell-infused patch together with overexpression of a specific cell instruction molecule promoted cell migration to damaged cardiac tissue following heart attack and resulted in improved function in animal models.

Strong sunscreen lulls people into false security, says Australian expert

People who buy the strongest sunscreen products available may be basking in a false sense of security due to insufficient application of sunblock, an Australian expert said on Wednesday.

Studies examine environmental factors that may be linked to higher risk of Parkinson's

The cause of Parkinson's disease remains unknown, but a recent report identifies pollutants in some urban areas that may increase the risk of getting the disease.

Studies shedding light on vitamin D - Parkinson's link

Doctors have known for decades that vitamin D promotes calcium uptake and bone formation, but evidence is accumulating that it regulates the immune system and the development of the nervous system. In fact, growing evidence suggests a link between low vitamin D levels and Parkinson's disease, but whether this is a cause-and-effect relationship is unknown.

Study finds worst fast food meals for kids

Despite promises from fast-food chains to change the way they market their meals to children, kids now see more ads for fast food than ever, researchers say.

Study sheds light on aromatase inhibitor joint pain syndrome

Breast cancer patients are more likely to have joint pain from taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs) if they have advanced stage cancer, according to a study presented at the American College of Rheumatology's annual meeting, held Nov. 7-11, in Atlanta. The study is one of the first to identify factors that increase the likelihood that a patient will suffer joint pain from AI therapy.

Study shows a single shot of morphine has long lasting effects on testosterone levels

A single injection of morphine to fight persistent pain in male rats is able to strongly reduce the hormone testosterone in the brain and plasma, according to a new paper published in Molecular Pain. The study, led by Anna Maria Aloisi, M.D., of the Department of Physiology – Section of Neuroscience and Applied Physiology at the University of Siena, Italy, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, University of Siena, and the Human Health Foundation in Spoleto, Italy, showed that opioids had "long lasting genomic effects in body areas which contribute to strong central and peripheral testosterone levels" including the brain, the liver and the testis.

Study shows extreme form of pregnancy-related morning sickness could be genetic

Approximately 60,000 pregnant women are hospitalized each year due to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), an extreme form of nausea and vomiting that endangers their lives and often forces them to reluctantly terminate their pregnancies. And for women with sisters, mothers and grandmothers on either side of the family who have experienced extreme morning sickness during pregnancy, the risk of HG may be heightened, according to a new study led by researchers from UCLA and the University of Southern California. Researchers traced both the maternal and paternal family histories of women with HG and found not only that the condition could be genetic but that women with sisters who had HG could have a more than 17-fold risk of experiencing the debilitating condition too.

Study shows young, unsupervised children most at risk for dog bites

As dog bites become an increasingly major public health concern, a new study shows that unsupervised children are most at risk for bites, that the culprits are usually family pets and if they bite once, they will bite again with the second attack often more brutal than the first. The study, the largest of its kind, was done by Vikram Durairaj, MD, of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who found that dogs usually target a child's face and eyes and most often it's a breed considered `good' with children, like a Labrador retriever. "People tend to think the family dog is harmless, but it's not," said Durairaj, associate professor of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, who presented his study last month at the American Academy of Ophthalmology's annual meeting. "We have seen facial fractures around the eye, eye lids torn off, injury to the tear drainage system and the eyeball itself."

Study tracks benefit, risk of nanoinvaders

For years, scientists studying and creating particles so tiny they would be dwarfed by a human hair have received billions of dollars, leading to progress in fields that range from cancer research to the development of novel materials.

Studying the metabolome of smokers, Lombardi researchers find early signs of damage

Examining the blood "metabolomics" profile of smokers immediately after they had a cigarette revealed activation of pathways involved in cell death, inflammation, and other forms of systemic damage, say researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of Georgetown University Medical Center. They say their findings, presented at the Ninth AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Meeting, is the best analysis for chemicals unequivocally produced by smoking and indicates the potential toll that carcinogens and toxins poise to smokers years before lung cancer, heart disease, or other smoking–related diseases appear.

Tai Chi relieves arthritis pain, improves reach, balance, well-being

In the largest study to date of the Arthritis Foundation's Tai Chi program, participants showed improvement in pain, fatigue, stiffness and sense of well-being. Their ability to reach while maintaining balance also improved, said Leigh Callahan, PhD, the study's lead author, associate professor in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a member of UNC's Thurston Arthritis Research Center. "Our study shows that there are significant benefits of the Tai Chi course for individuals with all types of arthritis, including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis," Callahan said. "We found this in both rural and urban settings across a southeastern state and a northeastern state."

Teen stress doubles risk of depression in adulthood

Stress as a teenager could double the risk of developing depression in early adulthood, according to new research.

The enemy didn't hurt soldier in Iraq; the toxic smoke did

Amputated body parts, Humvee parts, human waste, plastic meal trays and other garbage is incinerated, using jet fuel, in large trenches called burn pits.

The Gut-Brain Connection & Autism, ADD, Allergies, and Other Diseases

Bad bacteria in the gut can emit toxins, which affect brain function like a drug.

The Myth of Mamo Wolde and Zero-Carb Diets

Low-carb diets are woefully inadequate for high level athletic activity, which is no doubt why few if any high level athletes follow low-carb diets. However, low-carb armchair theorists insist that low-carb regimens are just fine for serious athletes, despite the fact that controlled studies repeatedly show such diets to cause significant declines in endurance performance.

Thousands of monkeys imported for use in British labs despite ban

Thousands of monkeys have been imported into Britain for use in laboratory research despite a legal ban, campaigners claimed.

Timely Depression Diagnosis Critical to Maintain Health of Elderly

Depression affects approximately 30 to 40 percent of nursing home residents, but it often goes unrecognized, according to American Geriatrics Society, which can lead to lower quality of life or even suicide. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found a series of indicators, other than changes in mood that are associated with the development of depression in nursing home residents.

Twinkie Diet Helps Nutrition Professor Lose 27 Pounds

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the public was subjected to a relentless barrage of anti-carbohydrate propaganda. According to proponents of low-carbohydrate diets, carbohydrates and insulin were mortal enemies of anyone wanting to stay slim. Their simplistic dogma essentially ran like this: “carbohydrates raise insulin, and insulin stops fat-burning, which makes you fat!” Some folks, like science(-fiction) author Gary Taubes, are still profiting handsomely by shamelessly using cherry-picked data to support this simple-minded theory.

UC Santa Cruz scientists find toxic algae in open ocean

Blooms of toxic algae can occur in the open ocean, a team led by UC Santa Cruz and Moss Landing Marine Lab scientists reported last week.

Ultrastructural evaluation of the effects of cinnamon on the nervus ischiadicus in diabetic rats

Cinnamon extracts may have beneficial effects on the development of diabetic neuropathy in alloxan induced diabetic rats.

UNC scientists identify cellular communicators for cancer virus

A new discovery by UNC scientists describes how cells infected by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) produce small vesicles or sacs called exosomes, changing their cellular “cargo” of proteins and RNA. This altered exosome enters cells and can change the growth of recipient cells from benign to cancer-producing. In this way, virus-infected cells can have wide-ranging effects and potentially manipulate other cells throughout the body. The findings are reported in the November 8, 2010 early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Understanding diabetes at the molecular level

United States and Japanese researchers have identified a key step in metabolic pathways linked to diabetes and cancer. The study on activation of the protein complex TORC 2 was published online in the journal Current Biology Oct. 28. TORC 2 activates a protein called Akt, which plays a crucial role in how cells respond to insulin, said Kazuo Shiozaki, professor of microbiology in the College of Biological Sciences at UC Davis and senior author on the paper. Normally, insulin triggers fat and muscle cells to take up sugar from the blood. Patients with type II diabetes make plenty of insulin, but their cells do not respond to it properly. Akt plays a role in the series of steps between insulin exposure and sugar uptake; specifically, it causes proteins that take sugar from the blood to move to the cell surface. Mice that lack the gene for Akt develop diabetes-like symptoms.

Unexpectedly small effects of mutations in bacteria bring new perspectives

Most mutations in the genes of the Salmonella bacterium have a surprisingly small negative impact on bacterial fitness. And this is the case regardless whether they lead to changes in the bacterial proteins or not. This is shown by Uppsala University scientists in an article being published today in the prestigious journal Science. The researchers have examined the impact of mutations on the rate of growth of the Salmonella bacterium and show that most mutations have generally very small effects. Moreover the negative effects are of the similar magnitude for changes that lead to substitution of amino acids in proteins (so-called non-synonymous mutations) as for mutations that do not change the protein sequence (so-called synonymous mutations).

University of Toronto psychologists identify influence of human social interaction on sensitivity to physical pain

Psychologists at the University of Toronto have shown that the nature of a social interaction has the ability to influence an individual’s sensitivity to physical pain. The discovery could have significant clinical implications for doctor-patient relationships and the general well-being of an individual on a daily basis. “Dozens of studies over the past several decades have demonstrated the impact of inadequate social connectedness on numerous health outcomes, including cardiovascular health, immune function, post-surgical recovery, and lifespan,” says Terry Borsook, a PhD student in the Department of Psychology at U of T and author of a new study published in PAIN. “Our study is among the first to show in humans that the perception of physical pain can be immediately impacted by the types of social experiences that people have in their everyday lives.”

Using CT, radiologists can pinpoint cause of some strokes

Multidetector computed tomography (CT) helps pinpoint the causes of ischemic strokes, the most common type of stroke, potentially speeding the delivery of life-saving treatments, according to a study published online and in the January issue of Radiology. "Our results suggest that multidetector CT could become the first-line imaging tool for identifying the cause of acute ischemic stroke," said the study's lead author, Loic Boussel, M.D., Ph.D., professor of radiology at Louis Pradel Hospital in Bron, France. An ischemic stroke occurs when blockage in an artery, often from a blood clot or a fatty deposit due to atherosclerosis, interrupts blood flow to an area of the brain. This type of stroke can originate in the heart, in the form of a blood clot that travels to the head, or from blood vessels in the neck (extracranial carotid arteries) and head (intracranial arteries). According to the American Stroke Association, ischemic stroke accounts for approximately 87 percent of stroke cases. Early determination of the cause of ischemic stroke is essential for secondary stroke prevention. Anticoagulant therapy to thin the blood is the treatment of choice for most of the cardiac sources of stroke, while surgery is needed for strokes caused by severe narrowing of the extracranial carotid artery.

Viruses 'can remin in drinking water' after desal treatment

DESALINATION plants built close to sewage outflows risk contaminating drinking water, an expert claims.

Vitamin D deficiency means higher death risk in Type 2 diabetes patients

A new study in Diabetes Care - a journal of American Diabetes Association suggests diabetes with severe vitamin D deficiency are at much higher risk of dying from all causes and cardiovascular disease compared with others.

Vitamin D Deficit Doubles Risk of Stroke in Whites, but Not in Blacks

Low levels of vitamin D, the essential nutrient obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, doubles the risk of stroke in whites, but not in blacks, according to a new report by researchers at Johns Hopkins.

Want some pesticides with that apple?

If new research holds true across the wider population, one mouthful out of five that children eat is tainted with pesticides.

War over GM crops gets ugly

A delegation of politicians and community activists gathered on August 7 in La Leonesa, a small farm town in Argentina, to hear Dr. Andres Carrasco speak about a study linking a popular herbicide to birth defects in Argentina's agricultural areas.

Wastewater chemicals dampen fish fervour

Nest protection and mating behaviour are altered by low levels of pharmaceuticals and antibacterials.

What African farmers got right

Here are two press statements about What the Green Movement Got Wrong, the documentary shown by Channel 4. The first is from the African Biodiversity Network, and the second is from the Gaia Foundation, an international network enabling voices from the South to be heard in environmental and development debates.

While Warning About Fat, U.S. Pushes Cheese Sales

Domino’s Pizza was hurting early last year. Domestic sales had fallen, and a survey of big pizza chain customers left the company tied for the worst tasting pies.

Why does your child have a mystery tummy ache? From fructose!

Here's a common scenario: a young child or even a teenager complains of a tummy ache. But he or she has no fever or few other symptoms. So the doctor says there's nothing wrong with the youngster, other than maybe a little gas. So the little kid or adolescent is suspected of faking a stomach problem to stay out of school. However, a new study just unveiled at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting held recently in San Antonio, Texas, may have a simple explanation for all those mysterious tummy aches many children swear they have. The culprit? Intolerance to fructose.

Why your urologist may be ordering unnecessary imaging tests

Whether a urologist is salaried or self-employed can make all the difference in how often and under what circumstances he or she orders imaging tests, according to a new study out of the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. Self-employed urologists tend to be twice as likely to order imaging tests than employed urologists, and researchers believe financial incentives are to blame.

Wood dust exposure may boost lung cancer risk

Wood dust is a known human carcinogen. A new study has now found that exposure to sawdust or wood dust in a sawmill may drastically increase the risk for a person to acquire lung cancer.

Work exposure to diesel fumes tied to lung cancer

Miners, railway workers and others with years of on-the-job exposure to diesel exhaust may have a heightened risk of developing lung cancer, a new research analysis suggests.

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