MedWorm: Study

Improving the management of dyspnea in the community using rapid learning approaches.

Chronic Respiratory Disease — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:06:02 +0100

Authors: Kamal AH, Miriovsky BJ, Currow DC, Abernethy AP Abstract Patients with chronic pulmonary disease often suffer from breathlessness or dyspnea. Traditional evidence generation techniques to expand upon current treatment paradigms are limited by the significant delay between study initiation and clinical implementation of findings. Rapid learning health care is a novel approach to health care delivery that relies on intelligent and continuous integration of clinical and research data sets to deliver personalized medicine using the most current evidence available. Results of important studies in the management of chronic respiratory disease are presented in brief; however, the focus of this review is on evidence supporting the implementation of a rapid learning model for sympt...

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The impact of lung cancer on patients and carers.

Chronic Respiratory Disease — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:06:02 +0100

This article aims to provide a brief review of the literature with regard to the impact of lung cancer on patients and their informal carers. Compared to other types of cancer, the distress associated with lung cancer has been found to be the most intense. Rather than focusing on symptoms in isolation recent emphasis regarding the symptom experience has been on symptoms clusters, as understanding these clusters may improve the management of ongoing and unrelieved symptoms. However, the disparities in methodology are significant barriers to producing comparable results, although recent efforts have been made to address these. Whilst research into symptoms has enormous potential for the management of symptom clusters, it needs to move away from the essentially reductionist stance which curre...

Self-management programmes for COPD: Moving forward.

Chronic Respiratory Disease — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:06:02 +0100

This article summarises their initial findings. Self-management programmes aim at structural behaviour change to sustain treatment effects after programmes have been completed. The programmes should include techniques aimed at behavioural change, be tailored individually, take the patient's perspective into account, and may vary with the course of the patient's disease and co-morbidities. Assessment should include process variables. This report is a step towards greater conformity in the field of self-management. To enhance clarity regarding effectiveness, future studies should clearly describe their intervention, be properly designed and powered, and include outcomes that focus more on the acquisition and practice of new skills. In this way more evidence and a better comprehension on self...

Factors associated with a shorter time until the next pulmonary exacerbation in adult patients with cystic fibrosis.

Chronic Respiratory Disease — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:06:02 +0100

Authors: Sequeiros IM, Jarad N Abstract Time until the subsequent exacerbation (PEx) in cystic fibrosis (CF) is a significant health outcome and one of the significant end points in clinical trials. Risk factors associated with shorter time until the next exacerbation (TUNE) have not been reported. This is a prospective study. TUNE was the number of days from the end of intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment of a PEx until the day of start of IV antibiotics for the following PEx. Factors assessed were age, gender, site of treatment, CF-related diabetes (CFRD), allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). In addition, we examined parameters obtained at day 14 of treatment including forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), ...

The Latest Developments Of Specific-Spectrum, Anti-Staphyloccal Agents Using In-vitro, In-vivo And Human Clinical Data, 5-6 March 2012, London

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Now in its 14th year, Superbugs & Superdrugs is a well established antibacterial event that promises to be the perfect forum for networking and problem solving with senior industry executives from the pharmaceutical sector. The event will be held on the 5&6 of March at the Copthorne Tara Hotel, London and will be made up of case-study focused presentations, highlighting success stories and lessons to be learnt... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Anthrax Susceptibility Varies Between Individuals

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Susceptibility to anthrax toxin is a heritable genetic trait that may vary tremendously among individuals, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Among 234 people studied, the cells of three people were virtually insensitive to the toxin, while the cells of some people were hundreds of times more sensitive than those of others. The findings may have important implications for national security, as people known to be more resistant to anthrax exposure could be effective first-line responders in times of crises... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Strategy Shift With Age Can Lead To Navigational Difficulties

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A Wayne State University researcher believes studying people's ability to find their way around may help explain why loss of mental capacity occurs with age. Scott Moffat, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and gerontology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Institute of Gerontology at WSU, said studies have demonstrated reliable differences in navigation and spatial learning tasks based on age. Younger adults tend to outperform their elders in spatial navigation, Moffat said, and people seem to start switching navigational strategies with age... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New Study May Shed Light On Why Women, And Some Men, Are At Greater Risk For ACL Injuries

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Much orthopaedic research has been devoted to determining why women are far more susceptible to knee ligament injuries than men. According to a new study, the answer may lie in geometry - the length and shape of a patient's knee bone - more than gender. Research recently published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), compared magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of male and female athletes with non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries with those of athletes who participated in similar, at-risk sports but without a history of ligament injury... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Study Examines Misconceptions Of Who Picks Up Tab When Patients Walk Out

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

There are ways in which patients who leave the hospital against medical advice wind up paying for that decision. Being saddled with the full cost of their hospital stay, however, is not one of them. Insurance companies know this. Patients who walk out may know this. But many physicians, according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, do not... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The Butterfly Effect In Nanotech Medical Diagnostics

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Tiny metallic nanoparticles that shimmer in the light like the scales on a butterfly's wing are set to become the color-change components of a revolutionary new approach to point-of-care medical diagnostics, according to a study published in International Journal of Design Engineering. Thomas Schalkhammer and colleagues at Attophotonics Biosciences GmbH in Austria are working with Roland Palkovits of the University of Applied Sciences, in Wiener Neustadt, to develop a nanoparticle microfluidic color device for medical diagnostics... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Too Much Emphasis On Time And Money Affects Happiness

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

What does "free time" mean to you? When you're not at work, do you pass the time -- or spend it? The difference may impact how happy you are. A new study shows people who put a price on their time are more likely to feel impatient when they're not using it to earn money. And that hurts their ability to derive happiness during leisure activities. Treating time as money can actually undermine your well-being," says Sanford DeVoe, one of two researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management who carried out the study. Prof... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Severe Asthma Attacks Reduced By Combined Asthma Medication Therapy

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A Henry Ford Hospital study has found that using two types of common asthma medications in combination reduces severe asthma attacks. Researchers say using long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) in fixed-dose combination with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) appear to reduce asthma attacks as well as or better than corticosteroids alone... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Women Born To Older Mothers Have A Higher Risk Of Developing Breast Cancer

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A new study analyses the influence that certain birth and infancy characteristics have on mammographic density - an important indicator of breast cancer risk. The results reveal that women born to mothers aged over 39 years and women who were taller and thinner than the average girl prior to puberty have a higher breast density. This brings with it an increased risk of developing breast cancer... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

The Best Medicine For A Stressed Worker

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A worker experiencing the stress of intense workdays might develop somatic symptoms, such as stomach ache or headache, which will eventually lead to taking leave of absence. But when the individual's supervisor offers emotional and instrumental support, the employee is more likely to recover without needing to take that extra afternoon or day off. This has been shown in a new study from the University of Haifa, soon to be published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Swedish Twin Study Finds Cognitive Problems Common Among Non-Demented Elderly

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Both subjective and objective cognitive impairment are highly common among non-demented elderly Swedes, with an overall prevalence of 39 percent and 25 percent respectively, according to a nationwide twin study by researchers at the Aging Research Center of Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The study confirms higher education as a major protective factor and stresses the importance of environmental aspects over genes in mild cognitive disorders in old age... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Patient Sensitivity To Important Drug Target In Deadly Brain Cancer Predicted

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A recent discovery by Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists enables the prediction of patient sensitivity to proposed drug therapies for glioblastoma - the most common and most aggressive malignant brain tumor in humans. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, investigated glioblastoma models characterized by cell signaling activation and gene amplification for their susceptibility to inhibitors of both the human MET oncogene and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EFGR). An oncogene is a gene with the potential to cause cancer... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Association Between Injectable Progesterone Contraceptives And Poor Periodontal Health

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Injectable progesterone contraceptives may be associated with poor periodontal health, according to research in the Journal of Periodontology. The study found that women who are currently taking depotmedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injectable contraceptive, or have taken DMPA in the past, are more likely to have indicators of poor periodontal health, including gingivitis and periodontitis, than women who have never taken the injectable contraceptive. DMPA is a long-lasting progestin-only injectable contraceptive administered intermuscularly every three months... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

More Accurate Diagnosis, Prognosis In Challenging Breast Cancer Cases Provided By PET Techniques

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

In two new studies featured in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, researchers are revealing how molecular imaging can be used to solve mysteries about difficult cases of breast cancer. One article focuses on an imaging agent that targets estrogen receptors in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer patients with formerly inconclusive assessments, and the second highlights a different imaging agent's ability to help predict the prognosis for patients undergoing chemotherapy for a very aggressive type of breast cancer... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New study: Adolescents suffering from depression more likely to be bullied

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Arizona State University) A new study provides evidence that adolescents who suffer from depression are more likely to develop difficulty in peer relationships including being bullied at school. It's often assumed that being bullied leads to psychological problems, such as depression, but the study doesn't support this line of thought. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Depression forecasts difficulties with peers in middle childhood

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Society for Research in Child Development) A longitudinal study of children in the middle years of childhood has found that depression forecasts problems in peer relationships, including being victimized by peers and problems being accepted by peers. For the study, researchers looked at 480 youths from fourth through sixth grades and used child, classmate, parent, and teacher surveys to gather data. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Playing school sports affects youths' smoking

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Society for Research in Child Development) A new study of middle schoolers and their social networks has found that teammates' smoking plays a big role in youths' decisions about smoking, but adolescents who take part in a lot of sports smoke less. The study looked at 1,260 ethnically diverse, urban, middle-class sixth through eighth graders and used a new social network method designed by the researchers to examine how participation in sports with teammates who smoked affected adolescents' smoking behavior. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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In Northern Ireland, political violence harms youths through families

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Society for Research in Child Development) A new longitudinal study of neighborhoods in Belfast, Northern Ireland, has found that political violence affects children by upsetting the ways their families function, resulting in behavior problems and mental health symptoms among the youths over extended periods of time. Researchers gathered data through annual surveys of mothers and children, and through recording the number of politically motivated deaths in families' neighborhoods as an index of political violence. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

High-quality child care found good for children -- and their mothers

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Society for Research in Child Development) A longitudinal study of more than 1,300 children and their families found that mothers whose children spent their early years in high-quality nonparental care, starting from birth and in either center-based or home-based settings, were more likely than other moms to be involved in their children's schools later, regardless of the moms' socioeconomic status. The study also found that the quality of children's early care was more important than the type or setting of care. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Study examines role of bilingualism in children's development

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study is also unique in that it controlled for other factors that are often associated with bilingualism, including differences in culture, socioeconomic status, immigration history, and language. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

New procedure bests standard of care for fixing damaged cartilage

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Hospital for Special Surgery) A new study has demonstrated that a procedure wherein healthy cartilage is transplanted to fix an area of damaged cartilage (osteoarticular cartilage transplantation or OATS procedure) is superior to the standard of care for repairing cartilage defects, helping to prevent the onset of osteoarthritis. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Archive of failed joint replacements provides tips to building a better hip replacement

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Hospital for Special Surgery) A study by Hospital for Special Surgery researchers has provided the first comprehensive look at just how metal-on-metal total hip replacements are failing in patients around the country. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Cognitive underpinnings of recovered memories of childhood abuse.

Nebraska Symposium on Motivation — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:42:02 +0100

Authors: Geraerts E Abstract Recent research on recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse has shown that there are at least two types of recovered memory experiences: those that are gradually recovered within the context of suggestive therapy and those that are spontaneously recovered, without extensive prompting or explicit attempts to reconstruct the past. These recovered memory experiences have different origins, with people who recover memories through suggestive therapy being more prone to forming false memories, and with people who report spontaneously recovered memories being more prone to forgetting prior instances of remembering. Additionally, the two types of recovered memory experiences are linked to differences in corroborative evidence, implying that memories recove...

The cognitive neuroscience of true and false memories.

Nebraska Symposium on Motivation — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:42:02 +0100

Authors: Johnson MK, Raye CL, Mitchell KJ, Ankudowich E Abstract Of central relevance to the recovered/false memory debate is understanding the factors that cause us to believe that a mental experience is a memory of an actual past experience. According to the source monitoring framework (SMF), memories are attributions that we make about our mental experiences based on their subjective qualities, our prior knowledge and beliefs, our motives and goals, and the social context. From this perspective, we discuss cognitive behavioral studies using both objective (e.g., recognition, source memory) and subjective (e.g., ratings of memory characteristics) measures that provide much information about the encoding, revival and monitoring processes that yield both true and false memories. Th...

How Technology Impacts Physical And Emotional Health

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:25:06 +0100

BOSTON (CBS) – We text. We tweet. We surf. Technology has changed the way we live our lives and for many of us, that means working more hours. Just ask Jeff Prag, who runs his own consulting company in Needham. “It starts probably about 5:30 in the morning. The phone is going off, checking emails and trying to respond to client needs,” he said. There are many days, according to Prag, that he is plugged into his business until midnight. That constant contact leaves him feeling exhausted. Fatigue is only part of the problem. There are a number of ways that technology can have an impact on our physical and emotional health. WBZ-TV’s Paula Ebben reports var videoCanvas = new WNVideoWidget("WNVideoCanvas", "wnVideo_6719190");videoCanvas.SetWidth(320);videoCanvas.SetHeight(240);v...

Papillary tumor of the pineal region: ultrastructural study of a case.

Ultrastructural Pathology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:06:09 +0100

This study corroborates that PTPR has concomitant ependymal, neuroendocrine, and secretory features, and details novel ultrastructural as well as immunohistochemical features that further this argument. Discrepancies with prior descriptions of PTPR are described, as these differences may reflect phenotypic variability in this rare tumor, and the ultrastructural features that relate to the putative ependymal origin of the entity are emphasized. PMID: 22292738 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Ultrastructural Pathology)

Ultrastructural changes in cerebral capillary pericytes in aged notch3 mutant transgenic mice.

Ultrastructural Pathology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:06:09 +0100

Authors: Gu X, Liu XY, Fagan A, Gonzalez-Toledo ME, Zhao LR Abstract Pericytes, the specialized vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), play an important role in supporting and maintaining the structure of capillaries. Pericytes show biochemical and physiologic features similar to VSMC, usually containing smooth muscle actin fibers and rich endoplasm reticulum. Studies have indicated that degeneration of VSMCs due to Notch3 mutations is the cause of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). However, it remains unclear whether the Notch3 mutation also affects cerebral cortex capillary pericytes. In this ultrastructural morphologic study, the authors have observed pathological changes in the cerebral cortex capillary pericytes...

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Alcoholism and cellular vulnerability in different brain regions.

Ultrastructural Pathology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:06:09 +0100

In this study the authors have elucidated preferential cellular vulnerability in three different brain regions. Autopsy material of the prefrontal cortex, striatum, and substantia nigra obtained from the brain tissue of alcoholic subjects was used in this study. We found that dendritic tree and astroglial damage is irreversible, while neuronal somata and most axons do not display irreversible changes. PMID: 22292736 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Ultrastructural Pathology)

Prognostic value of bcl-2 and bax tumor cell expression in patients with non muscle-invasive bladder cancer receiving bacillus calmette-guerin immunotherapy.

Ultrastructural Pathology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:06:09 +0100

In conclusion, the expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in NMIBC could have a prognostic value in assessing the risk of recurrence after BCG immunotherapy. These findings require further investigations on larger cohort in order to ascertain new molecular markers of the response to BCG immunotherapy. PMID: 22292735 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Ultrastructural Pathology)

Mesenchymal-epithelial differentiation of adamantinoma of long bones: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

Ultrastructural Pathology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:06:09 +0100

This study established the epithelial nature of some tubular structures with slit-like lumina, easily misinterpreted as capillaries by light microscopy. Results also showed that the irregular spaces observed within the basaloid pattern probably result from cell discohesion. Moreover, this investigation demonstrates the epithelial nature of a subset of spindle cells within the stroma of adamantinoma and offers ultrastructural evidence for a probable mesenchymal-epithelial transformation as its histogenesis. PMID: 22292734 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Ultrastructural Pathology)

Thromboembolic ischemic stroke and the presence of necrotic platelets: a scanning electron microscopy investigation.

Ultrastructural Pathology — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:06:09 +0100

Authors: Pretorius E, Engelbrecht MJ, Duim W Abstract Stroke is one of the most debilitating diseases worldwide, with its occurrence increasing in Western societies. Central to the pathogenesis of thromboembolic stroke is the involvement of platelets. During thromboembolic events, nucleated cells undergo cell death, and platelets are also affected by parameters causing these incidents. Particularly, initiation of necrotic cell death at sites of vascular injury may play an important role in inducing inflammatory and repair processes. In the current research, the authors investigate whether a changed platelet ultrastructure is visible in thromboembolic stroke and whether it might be visible in platelets as apoptosis or necrosis. Therefore, in the current investigation, the authors st...

CT-based quantitative SPECT for the radionuclide (201)Tl: experimental validation and a standardized uptake value for brain tumour patients.

Cancer Imaging — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:30:02 +0100

Authors: Willowson K, Bailey D, Schembri G, Baldock C Abstract We have previously reported on a method for reconstructing quantitative data from (99m)Tc single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images based on corrections derived from X-ray computed tomography, producing accurate results in both experimental and clinical studies. This has been extended for use with the radionuclide (201)Tl. Accuracy was evaluated with experimental phantom studies, including corrections for partial volume effects where necessary. The quantitative technique was used to derive standardized uptake values (SUVs) for (201)Tl evaluation of brain tumours. A preliminary study was performed on 26 patients using (201)Tl SPECT scans to assess residual tumour after surgery and then to monitor response...

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Pilot study on evaluation of any correlation between MR perfusion (K(trans)) and diffusion (apparent diffusion coefficient) parameters in brain tumors at 3 Tesla.

Cancer Imaging — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:30:02 +0100

Conclusion: We found that irrespective of brain tumor type, there is an inverse correlation between ADC and K(trans). Our findings highlight an intricate relationship between vascular permeability and the tumor microenvironment, probably modulating and/or interacting with changes such as increased cellularity, ischemic insult and varying extracellular matrix composition. PMID: 22275724 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Cancer Imaging)

Study: College Students Seek More Help For Alcohol Than Drugs

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:02:51 +0100

BOSTON (CBS) – It’s not shocking to hear that drinking among college students is a problem. But, a new report by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services reveals some eye-opening numbers on the seriousness of the crisis. The report looked at the number of young people who were treated for a substance abuse problem, and found that alcohol abuse, and not drug abuse, was the biggest problem for college students. WBZ-TV’s Kate Merrill reports var videoCanvas = new WNVideoWidget("WNVideoCanvas", "wnVideo_6718073");videoCanvas.SetWidth(320);videoCanvas.SetHeight(240);videoCanvas.SetVariable("clipId", "6718073");videoCanvas.SetReportingKeywords("CBS.BOSTON");videoCanvas.SetAdvertisingZone("CBS.BOSTON/worldnowplayer");videoCanvas.SetVariable("offFaceColor", "afaeae");videoCanva...

Rotavirus Vaccine Not Linked to Risk of Intestinal Disorder

WebMD Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:20:32 +0100

Despite studies showing that the rotavirus vaccine can reduce the number of children hospitalized for severe diarrhea, some U.S. doctors are slow to embrace it for fear that this vaccine may increase an infant’s risk of a life-threatening bowel blockage (intussusception). (Source: WebMD Health)

Bivalirudin Safe After Fondaparinux in PCI PatientsBivalirudin Safe After Fondaparinux in PCI Patients

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:46:35 +0100

Recent studies have shown that ACS patients on fondaparinux prior to PCI should switch to another anticoagulant prior to the procedure to avoid thrombus. The SWITCH III trial compares bivalirudin and unfractionated heparin in a small group of these patients. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Snack bars and junk food common in schools: study

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:34:46 +0100

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - About half of all elementary school students can buy potato chips, ice cream or similar snacks in vending machines and at snack bars during school, suggests a new study. (Source: Reuters: Health)

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Generalists Need Education on HF Treatment Generalists Need Education on HF Treatment

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:27:37 +0100

A unique study trying to drill down into why cardiologists seem to gain better outcomes than generalists when treating heart failure has identified a number of reasons that this is the case. But generalists--who treat the majority of HF--have to deal with older and sicker patients, confounding the issue. The authors hope the work will act as a catalyst to improve HF care. Heartwire (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Activated Protein C May Reduce Septic Shock MortalityActivated Protein C May Reduce Septic Shock Mortality

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:55:48 +0100

Activated protein C, taken off the market a few months ago because it failed to significantly reduce 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock, showed the opposite result in this new study. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Rotavirus vaccine not linked to bowel problems

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:40:58 +0100

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study further eases fears that the rotavirus vaccine might increase the risk of blocked bowels in infants -- a concern that led to an earlier version of the vaccine being pulled from the market in the United States. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Breast cancer kills older women more often

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:39:25 +0100

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breast cancer is often considered more deadly among younger women, but a new study shows older women are actually more likely to die of the disease. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Obesity and Daily Pain Linked, Study FindsObesity and Daily Pain Linked, Study Finds

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:20:05 +0100

The 1 million-person Gallup poll suggests excess weight makes Americans prone to higher rates of pain. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Coffee could improve memory

Telegraph Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:02:30 +0100

Drinking decaffeinated coffee could improve our memory, a study suggests. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Spanking Undermines A Child's Long-Term Development

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0100

Spanking children may harm their long-term development, making them more aggressive towards their peers, siblings, parents, as well as spouses later in life, researchers from the University of Manitoba and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, report in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Their study tracked children for two decades. Physical punishment refers to any type, regardless of its motive, be it out of frustration, desperation or love, the researchers explained... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Vitamin D Deficiency in Orthopaedic Trauma PatientsVitamin D Deficiency in Orthopaedic Trauma Patients

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:36:00 +0100

More than three quarters of orthopaedic trauma patients had vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in a study presented at AAOS. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Spanking kids can cause long-term harm: Canada study

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:32:38 +0100

TORONTO (Reuters) - Spanking children can cause long-term developmental damage and may even lower a child's IQ, according to a new Canadian analysis that seeks to shift the ethical debate over corporal punishment into the medical sphere. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Parasagittal Lumbar Steroid Injection Safest, Most EffectiveParasagittal Lumbar Steroid Injection Safest, Most Effective

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:32:29 +0100

A new study finds that the parasagittal approach combines the safety of a midline approach and the efficacy of transforaminal techniques. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Online dating full of downsides, study shows: What should daters do?

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:23:06 +0100

Dating sites' algorithms not proven effective; too many options of potential makes could backfire, researchers said (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Behavior programs may cut child obesity risk

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:15:03 +0100

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Programs that teach parenting skills early on may help prevent obesity in poor U.S. kids, a study published Monday suggests. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Wake-Up Stroke Patients May Still Benefit from ThrombolysisWake-Up Stroke Patients May Still Benefit from Thrombolysis

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:02:33 +0100

A new study shows tPA was safe for patients who woke up with stroke symptoms, a population not normally treated since they could exceed the 4.5-hour window. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Drug Shortages for Infectious Diseases Are IncreasingDrug Shortages for Infectious Diseases Are Increasing

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:12:28 +0100

A new study shows a rising number of drugs for infectious diseases that are in short supply, with serious consequences. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Hands-Free Ultrasound Device Boosts tPA Delivery in StrokeHands-Free Ultrasound Device Boosts tPA Delivery in Stroke

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:07:50 +0100

Sonothrombolysis proves safe in a small study, with a recanalization rate of 40%. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Hemoglobin A1c, BP With Eye Exam for Diabetic RetinopathyHemoglobin A1c, BP With Eye Exam for Diabetic Retinopathy

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:19:24 +0100

The Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research study continues to yield important information about diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and associated conditions. More studies are planned. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Profile of Disablement among Primary Health Care Service Users in Lagos Island

Journal of Nanomaterials — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:50:03 +0100

Conclusion. These findings are a useful guide to the probable prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in primary care in Nigeria and in the design of appropriate interventions. (Source: Journal of Nanomaterials)

Effect of PGC-1α on Proliferation, Migration, and Transdifferentiation of Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Induced by High Glucose

Journal of Nanomaterials — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:50:03 +0100

We assessed the role of PGC-1α (PPARγ coactivator-1 alpha) in glucose-induced proliferation, migration, and inflammatory gene expression of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We carried out phagocytosis studies to assess the role of PGC-1α in transdifferentiation of VSMCs by flow cytometry. We found that high glucose stimulated proliferation, migration and inflammatory gene expression of VSMCs, but overexpression of PGC-1α attenuated the effects of glucose. In addition, overexpression of PGC-1α decreased mRNA and protein level of VSMCs-related genes, and induced macrophage-related gene expression, as well as phagocytosis of VSMCs. Therefore, PGC-1α inhibited glucose-induced proliferation, migration and inflammatory gene expression of VSMCs, which are...

Nora Volkow Explains (Not Really) Why People Don't Become Addicted

Psychology Today Addiction Center — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:14:54 +0100

The latest study purporting to identify the inbred biological factors in addiction calls to mind age-old questions about the nature of science. We in America prefer neat-sounding—but useless—laboratory findings over identifying the factors that actually account for behavior.read more (Source: Psychology Today Addiction Center)

Adulthood trauma and HPA-axis functioning in healthy subjects and PTSD patients: A meta-analysis

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Conclusion: Neither adulthood trauma exposure nor PTSD were associated with differences in HPA-axis functioning, although adulthood trauma may augment cortisol suppression after the DST. More evidence on other dynamic tests of HPA-axis functioning in PTSD and adulthood trauma exposure is needed. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)

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Symptom-specific associations between low cortisol responses and functional somatic symptoms: The TRAILS study

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Conclusion: Two clusters of FSS are differentially associated with the stress hormone cortisol. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)

Ageing, physical function, and the diurnal rhythms of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

In conclusion, this study suggests an association between cortisol, DHEA, ageing and physical function. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)

Neuroendocrine response to CRF stimulation in veterans with and without PTSD in consideration of war zone era

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Conclusions: A uniform pattern of PTSD-related alterations in the response to intravenous CRF was not found. Rather, PTSD-related alterations were found only in veterans of the 1991 Gulf War, and were characterized by an enhanced pituitary response to CRF which may reflect increased sensitivity of pituitary corticotrophs or CRF hyposecretion. Together with previous neuroendocrine findings, the data suggest the HPA axis is dysregulated in Gulf War veterans in unique ways which may reflect the long-term effects of environmental exposures in addition to disease effects. Further work is needed to characterize these effects and their impact on long-term psychological and medical outcomes. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)

AMPK γ2 subunit gene PRKAG2 polymorphism associated with cognitive impairment as well as diabetes in old age

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Summary: Metabolic and cognitive disorders are closely related. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this association is still elusive. Given the importance of energy metabolism in neuronal cells, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master switch of energy metabolism, could be an independent factor affecting cognitive as well as metabolic functions. Therefore, we examined the relationship between the AMPK γ2 gene, the PRKAG2 −26C/T polymorphism and cognitive impairment or diabetes in 1609 subjects aged from 60 to 80. We performed multivariate logistic regression analyses with adjustment for age, gender, education, smoking, alcohol, depression, waist circumference, APOE e4, and stroke history. We found a significant association between the −26C/T polymorphism (CC vs. CT/TT) a...

Cerebrospinal fluid cortisol concentrations in healthy elderly are affected by both APOE and TOMM40 variants

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

In this study, we examined whether TOMM40 variants, which have been reported to influence age of onset of AD, also had an effect on CSF cortisol levels, in healthy, cognitively intact individuals with or without APOE ɛ4. In our results, the increase in CSF cortisol associated with the presence of the APOE ɛ4 allele was only detected when a short TOMM40 poly-T variant, shown to associate with later age of onset of AD in ɛ4 carriers, was not present. These results are consistent with previous reports (e.g., ) suggesting that TOMM40 poly-T variants influence the effects of APOE alleles. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)

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Effects of testosterone on attention and memory for emotional stimuli in male rhesus monkeys

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Summary: Increasing evidence in humans and other animals suggests that testosterone (T) plays an important role in modulating emotion. We previously reported that T treatment in rhesus monkeys undergoing chemically induced hypogonadism results in increased watching time of videos depicting fights between unfamiliar conspecifics (). In the current study, we aimed to further investigate the effect of T manipulations on attention and memory for emotional stimuli in male rhesus monkeys. Six males (7 years old) were administered Depot Lupron to suppress endogenous T levels and treated with either testosterone enanthate (TE, 5mg/kg) or oil, before crossing over to the alternate treatment. Animals were tested for 16 weeks on two computerized touchscreen tasks with both social and nonsocial emotio...

Regulation of corticoid and serotonin receptor brain system following early life exposure of glucocorticoids: Long term implications for the neurobiology of mood

Psychoneuroendocrinology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:13:24 +0100

Summary: Potent glucocorticoids (GC) administered early in life have improved premature infant survival dramatically. However, these agents may increase the risk for physical, neurological and behavior alterations. Anxiety, depression and attention difficulties are commonly described in adolescent and young adult survivors of prematurity. In the present study we administered vehicle, dexamethasone, or hydrocortisone to Sprague-Dawley rat pups on postnatal days 5 and 6, mimicking a short term clinical protocol commonly used in human infants. Two systems that are implicated in the regulation of stress and behavior were assessed: the limbic–hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis [LHPA; glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors within] and the Serotonin (5-HT) system. We found that as ...

Depression symptoms common in schizophrenia patients

MedWire News - Schizophrenia — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:12:28 +0100

Clinically relevant symptoms of depression are common in schizophrenia patients who have not been diagnosed with the mood disorder, results from a Spanish study suggest. (Source: MedWire News - Schizophrenia)

A brief summary of the articles appearing in this issue of Biological Psychiatry

Biological Psychiatry — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:12:03 +0100

Studies of copy number variation (CNV) have pointed to areas of the genome and biological pathways involved in several neuropsychiatric disorders. In a CNV study of Tourette syndrome (TS) subjects and controls, Fernandez et al. (pages 392–402) report evidence supporting recent findings implicating histaminergic and gamma-aminobutyric acidergic mechanisms in the etiology of TS, as well as an overlap of rare CNVs in TS and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). (Source: Biological Psychiatry)

Genomic Tics in Tourette Syndrome

Biological Psychiatry — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:12:03 +0100

It is a striking observation that studies of copy number variation (CNV) in neurodevelopmental phenotypes continue to report an excess of rare variants in case populations. This astonishing result has been observed and replicated in studies of intellectual disability (), autism (), schizophrenia (), and epilepsy (). In a study published this month in Biological Psychiatry, Tourette syndrome (TS) is now added to this growing list (). (Source: Biological Psychiatry)

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Rare case of a primary non-dural central nervous system low grade B-cell lymphoma and literature review.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:02 +0100

We present a case of a 70-year-old HIV negative man with a five-year history of progressive dysnomia and new onset right extremity numbness, dysarthria, and blurry vision. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), an infiltrative enhancing tumor was noted. Follow up brain biopsy results revealed a small lymphocytic infiltrate with scattered plasma cells in a predominantly perivascular growth pattern. Flow-cytometric findings revealed a lambda monotypic B-cell population. The morphology and the flow cytometric findings were consistent with involvement by a low grade B-cell lymphoma. Subsequent positron emission tomography (PET) studies along with bone marrow biopsy and serum protein electrophoresis showed no evidence of systemic disease. The above findings are consistent with involvement by a no...

Clinicopathologic study of endometrial dedifferentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma: a case report.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:02 +0100

We report herein a first case of endometrial dedifferentiated endometrioid carcinoma in a 51-year old woman in Chinese population. We performed immunoperoxidase studies for 12 markers. Among them, cytokeratins, keratin 7, keratin 18, EMA, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and vimentin show significantly differential expression between differentiated and undifferentiated area. PMID: 22295150 [PubMed - in process] (Source: International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: immunohistochemical analysis provides fresh insights into lung tissue remodelling with implications for novel prognostic markers.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:02 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of IPF is complex and involves multiple factors, possibly including EMT. Histological analysis suggests TGF-β-stimulated myofib rob lasts initiate a contractile response within established fibroblastic foci while proliferating ATII cells attempt to instigate alveolar epithelium repair. Marker expression (N-cadherin and Ki-67) correlation with histological disease activity (as reflected by fibroblastic foci extent) may emerge as future prognostic indicators for IPF. PMID: 22295148 [PubMed - in process] (Source: International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology)

An orthotopic model of platinum-sensitive high grade serous fallopian tube carcinoma.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:02 +0100

Authors: Khabele D, Fadare O, Liu AY, Wilson AJ, Wass E, Osteen K, Crispens MA Abstract Fallopian tube carcinoma (FTCA) is a very rare cancer type, but may be a useful platform for investigating high grade serous tumors of the pelvis that originate from a serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) precursor. Metastatic tumors from a patient diagnosed with Stage IIIC high grade serous FTCA (P0) were transplanted via intraperitoneal (IP) injection into a small cohort of mice (passage, P1). Patient information was obtained from the medical record. Tumors were grown, harvested and re-implanted or archived through P3. The P3 cohort was treated with saline (n=8) or cisplatin, 5 mg/kg (n=8), weekly for 4 weeks. After sacrifice, tumors from each passage and treatment group were passaged...

Protective effect of xanthohumol on toxin-induced liver inflammation and fibrosis.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:02 +0100

Authors: Dorn C, Heilmann J, Hellerbrand C Abstract Xanthohumol, the major prenylated chalcone found in hops, is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. We have recently shown that xanthohumol inhibits hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in a murine model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of xanthohumol in an acute model of liver injury. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)), an industrial solvent, is a hepatotoxic agent and its administration is widely used as an animal model of toxin-induced liver injury. Xanthohumol was applied orally at a dose of 1 mg/g body weight 2 days prior as well as during and after exposure to CCl(4). 72 h after a single CCl(4) application histomorphology and serum levels of transaminases revealed considerable...

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Impact of serosal involvement/extramural growth on the risk of synchronous and metachronous peritoneal spread in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: proposal for a macroscopic classification of GIST.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:36:02 +0100

CONCLUSION: this study points to extramural growth as a predictor of peritoneal recurrence in GIST, probably as a consequence of tumor rupture or due to microscopic serosal penetration. This study aimed at alerting surgical pathologists to the importance of careful gross and microscopic assessment of resection specimen harboring GIST to allow for reliable prospective evaluation of serosal involvement as an adverse prognostic factor in GIST. PMID: 22295142 [PubMed - in process] (Source: International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology)

Rapid Heterotrophic Ossification with Cryopreserved Poly(ethylene glycol-) Microencapsulated BMP2-Expressing MSCs

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

In this study we used mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their ease of harvest, replication potential, and immunomodulatory capabilities. MSCs were from sheep and pig due to their appeal as large animal models for bone nonunion. We demonstrated that cryopreservation of these microencapsulated MSCs did not affect their cell viability, adenoviral BMP2 production, or ability to initiate bone formation. Additionally, microspheres showed no appreciable damage from cryopreservation when examined with light and electron microscopy. These results validate the use of cryopreservation in preserving the viability and functionality of PEG-encapsulated BMP2-transduced MSCs. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

On the Solution of Double-Diffusive Convective Flow due to a Cone by a Linearization Method

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

The paper details the use of a nonperturbation successive linearization method to solve the coupled nonlinear boundary value problem due to double-diffusive convection from an inverted cone. Diffusion-thermo and thermal-diffusion effects have been taken into account. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations using a suitable similarity transformation. The SLM is based on successively linearizing the governing nonlinear boundary layer equations and solving the resulting higher-order deformation equations using spectral methods. The results are compared with the limited cases from previous studies and results obtained using the Matlab inbuilt bvp4c numerical algorithm and a shooting technique that uses Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RKF45) and N...

About Nodal Systems for Lagrange Interpolation on the Circle

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

We study the convergence of the Laurent polynomials of Lagrange interpolation on the unit circle for continuous functions satisfying a condition about their modulus of continuity. The novelty of the result is that now the nodal systems are more general than those constituted by the n roots of complex unimodular numbers and the class of functions is different from the usually studied. Moreover, some consequences for the Lagrange interpolation on [-1,1] and the Lagrange trigonometric interpolation are obtained. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

How Reading Books Fosters Language Development around the World

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

This article reviews research on the connections between language and later reading, environmental factors associated with language learning, and interventions developed in varied countries for encouraging book use by parents of young children. (Source: Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience)

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Interspinous Spacer Implant in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: Preliminary Results of a Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial was conducted to compare clinical outcomes in patients treated with an investigational interspinous spacer (Superion) versus those treated with an FDA-approved spacer (X-STOP). One hundred sixty-six patients with moderate lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) unresponsive to conservative care were treated randomly with the Superion (n=80) or X-STOP (n=86) interspinous spacer. Study subjects were followed through 6 months posttreatment. Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ) symptom severity scores improved 30% with Superion and 25% with X-STOP (both P<0.001). Similar changes were noted in ZCQ physical function with improvements of 32% with Superion and 27% with X-STOP (both P<0.001). Mean ZCQ patient satisfaction score ranged from 1...

Numerical Simulation of Density Current Evolution in a Diverging Channel

Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:42:45 +0100

This study seeks to explore the ability of 2D width-averaged unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulation approach for resolving density currents in an inclined diverging channel. 2D width-averaged unsteady RANS equations closed by a buoyancy-modified k−ε turbulence model are integrated in time with a second-order fractional step approach coupled with a direct implicit method and discretized in space on a staggered mesh using a second-order accurate finite volume approach incorporating a high-resolution semi-Lagrangian technique for the convective terms. A series of 2D width-averaged unsteady simulations is carried out for density currents. Comparisons with the experimental measurements and the other numerical simulations show that the predictions of velocity an...

Identifying effective behavioural models and behaviour change strategies underpinning preschool‐ and school‐based obesity prevention interventions aimed at 4–6‐year‐olds: a systematic review

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:24 +0100

SummaryThe aim of this comprehensive systematic review was to identify the most effective behavioural models and behaviour change strategies, underpinning preschool‐ and school‐based interventions aimed at preventing obesity in 4–6‐year‐olds. Searching was conducted from April 1995 to April 2010 using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO and The Cochrane Library. Epidemiological studies relevant to the research question with controlled assignment of participants were included in the review, if they had follow‐up periods of 6 months or longer. Outcomes included markers of weight gain; markers of body composition; physical activity behaviour changes and dietary behaviour changes. Twelve studies were included in the review. The most commonly used model was social cognitive theory (SC...

Critical narrative review to identify educational strategies promoting physical activity in preschool

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:22 +0100

SummaryThe aim of this narrative review is critically to evaluate educational strategies promoting physical activity that are used in the preschool setting in the context of obesity prevention programmes. Literature search was conducted between April and August 2010 in English and German databases (PubMED, PsychINFO, PSYNDEX, ERIC, FIS Bildung). Outcomes considered were time and intensity of physical activity, motor skills or measures of body composition. A total of 19 studies were included. Ten studies added physical activity lessons into their curriculum, one study provided more time for free play, eight studies focused on the social and play environment. Studies reporting positive outcomes implemented physical activity sessions that lasted at least 30 min d−1. Several studies show...

A narrative review of psychological and educational strategies applied to young children's eating behaviours aimed at reducing obesity risk

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:20 +0100

SummaryStrategies to reduce risk of obesity by influencing preschool children's eating behaviour are reviewed. The studies are placed in the context of relevant psychological processes, including inherited and acquired preferences, and behavioural traits, such as food neophobia, ‘enjoyment of food’ and ‘satiety responsiveness’. These are important influences on how children respond to feeding practices, as well as predictors of obesity risk. Nevertheless, in young children, food environment and experience are especially important for establishing eating habits and food preferences. Providing information to parents, or to children, on healthy feeding is insufficient. Acceptance of healthy foods can be encouraged by five to ten repeated tastes. Recent evidence suggests rewarding heal...

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Influencing factors of screen time in preschool children: an exploration of parents' perceptions through focus groups in six European countries

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:19 +0100

This study aimed to explore parents' perceptions of their preschool children's screen time. One hundred twenty‐two parents of low and medium‐high socioeconomic status from six European countries with children between 4 and 6 years old were involved in 24 focus groups. Following a qualitative content analysis, the available information and key findings were centrally analysed. Results showed that children tend to like watching television (TV) and most parents do not express worries about their children's TV viewing time. Education is considered to be the main benefit of watching TV and in general, parents only have informal rules about TV viewing. Computer and active games use are less frequent compared with TV viewing. No univocal results are found about the influence of siblings or fr...

Energy balance‐related behaviours associated with overweight and obesity in preschool children: a systematic review of prospective studies

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:17 +0100

SummaryThe current review aimed to systematically identify dietary, physical activity and sedentary behaviours in preschool children (4–6 years of age) that are prospectively related to overweight or obesity later in childhood. Prospective studies published between January 1990 and June 2010 were selected from searches in PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Cochrane Library. Studies examining the prospective association between at least one relevant behaviour measured during preschool period (children aged 4–6 years at baseline) in relation to at least one anthropometric measurement at follow‐up (age <18 years) were included. Harvest plots were used to summarize the results and draw conclusions from the evidence.Of the 8,718 retrieved papers, 23 papers reporting on 15 different s...

Assessment tools of energy balance‐related behaviours used in European obesity prevention strategies: review of studies during preschool

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:15 +0100

SummaryValid and reliable measures of energy balance‐related behaviours are required when evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions aiming at prevention of childhood obesity. A structured descriptive review was performed to appraise food intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviour assessment tools used in obesity intervention strategies targeting mainly preschool children across Europe. In total, 25 papers are described, addressing energy balance‐related behaviours as study outcomes and targeting individuals or clusters of individuals at school‐ or home‐based environment. Parentally reported food records and 24‐h recalls were commonly used to assess food intake. Subjective levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviour were commonly accessed via paren...

Weight status of European preschool children and associations with family demographics and energy balance‐related behaviours: a pooled analysis of six European studies

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:13 +0100

In conclusion, large differences in prevalence of overweight and obesity among preschoolers across Europe were observed. Future obesity prevention interventions in preschoolers should target screen time giving specific attention to children from overweight and/or low socioeconomic status parents. There is a need for high methodological quality studies, preferably with a long‐term prospective design using sensitive, valid and reliable measures of behaviours, assessing whether and which physical activity and dietary behaviours are associated with overweight in preschoolers. (Source: Obesity Reviews)

A systematic approach for the development of a kindergarten‐based intervention for the prevention of obesity in preschool age children: the ToyBox‐study

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:44:10 +0100

SummaryThe increasing childhood obesity epidemic calls for appropriate measures and effective policies to be applied early in life. Large‐scale socioecological frameworks providing a holistic multifactorial and cost‐effective approach necessary to support obesity prevention initiatives in this age are however currently missing. To address this missing link, ToyBox‐study aims to build and evaluate a cost‐effective kindergarten‐based, family‐involved intervention scheme to prevent obesity in early childhood, which could potentially be expanded on a pan‐European scale. A multidisciplinary team of researchers from 10 countries have joined forces and will work to realize this according to a systematic stepwise approach that combines the use of the PRECEDE‐PROCEED model and inter...

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A systematic review on use of Chinese medicine and acupuncture for treatment of obesity

Obesity Reviews — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:43:24 +0100

SummaryObesity is a major health hazard and despite lifestyle modification, many patients frequently regain any lost body weight. The use of western anti‐obesity drugs has been limited by side effects including mood changes, suicidal thoughts, and gastrointestinal or cardiovascular complications. The effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine including Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and acupuncture provide an alternative established therapy for this medical challenge. In this systematic review, we used standard methodologies to search, review, analyse and synthesize published data on the efficacy, safety and relapse of weight regain associated with use of CHM and acupuncture. We also examined the rationale, mechanisms and potential utility of these therapies. A total of 12 e...

Genetic Variant Increases Risk Of Common Type Stroke

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

A genetic variant that increases the risk of a common type of stroke has been identified by scientists in a study published online in Nature Genetics. This is one of the few genetic variants to date to be associated with risk of stroke and the discovery opens up new possibilities for treatment. Stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide (more than one in 10 of all deaths, and over six million deaths annually), and also in developed countries is a major cause of chronic disability. As the world's populations age the impact of stroke on wellbeing is likely to increase further... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Preventing Obesity Through Positive Parenting During Early Childhood

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Programs that support parents during their child's early years hold promise for obesity prevention, according to a new study in the online issue of Pediatrics. Today, one out of five American children is obese. Young children who are overweight are five times more likely than their peers of normal weight to be obese by adolescence. Obese children and adolescents, especially low-income and minority youth, are at increased risk for a range of medical, social and academic problems... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

A Particular Breast Cancer Subtype May Respond To Drugs Targeting Chromosomal Instability

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Another layer in breast cancer genetics has been peeled back. A team of researchers at Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center (KCC) led by Richard G. Pestell, M.D., PhD., FACP, Director of the KCC and Chair of the Department of Cancer Biology, have shown in a study published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation that the oncogene cyclin D1 may promote a genetic breakdown known as chromosomal instability (CIN). CIN is a known, yet poorly understood culprit in tumor progression... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Researchers Find Additional Benefits Of Cord Blood Cells In Mice Modeling ALS

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Repeated, low-dose injections of mononuclear cells derived from human umbilical cord blood (MNC hUCB, tradename: U-CORD-CELL™) have been found effective in protecting motor neuron cells, delaying disease progression and increasing lifespan for mice modeling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, report University of South Florida researchers and colleagues from Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc., and the Ribeirao Preto School of Medicine at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Their study was published online in the journal PLoS ONE... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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The Pathway To Losing Fat Is Heavily Influenced By A Hormone Produced In The Heart

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

It's well known that exercising reduces body weight because it draws on fat stores that muscle can burn as fuel. But a new study at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) suggests that the heart also plays a role in breaking down fat. In their study, published February 6 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Sheila Collins, Ph.D. and colleagues detail how hormones released by the heart stimulate fat cell metabolism. These hormones turn on a molecular mechanism similar to what's activated when the body is exposed to cold and burns fat to generate heat... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

As A Control Measure During Pandemic Outbreaks, School Closures Should Be Considered

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Closing elementary and secondary schools can help slow the spread of infectious disease and should be considered as a control measure during pandemic outbreaks, according to a McMaster University led study. Using high-quality data about the incidence of influenza infections in Alberta during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic, the researchers show that when schools closed for the summer, the transmission of infection from person to person was sharply reduced... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Increased Risk Of Fatal Side Effects From 3 'Targeted' Cancer Drugs

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Treatment with three relatively new "targeted" cancer drugs has been linked to a slightly elevated chance of fatal side effects, according to a new analysis led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They added that the risk remains low, but should be taken into account by physicians and patients. The incidence of fatal complications was 1.5 percent in patients who received any of the three drugs, which block the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) tyrosine kinase receptors in cancer cells, according to the study published February 6 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Taste Receptors Discovered In Pancreatic Beta Cells Can Sense Fructose And Stimulate Insulin Secretion

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Taste receptors on the tongue help us distinguish between safe food and food that's spoiled or toxic. But taste receptors are now being found in other organs, too. In a study published online the week of February 6 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, researchers at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) discovered that beta cells in the pancreas use taste receptors to sense fructose, a type of sugar. According to the study, the beta cells respond to fructose by secreting insulin, a hormone that regulates the body's response to dietary sugar... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Silver Compounds Found To Be Toxic To Cancer

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

The internet is awash with stories of how silver can be used to treat cancer. Now, lab tests have shown that it is as effective as the leading chemotherapy drug - and may have fewer side-effects. Results from the study at the University of Leeds, published in Dalton Transactions, show that particular silver compounds are as toxic to cancer cells as the platinum-based drug Cisplatin, which is widely used to treat a range of cancers. But the crucial difference is that silver is thought to be much less toxic to healthy human cells, and in some cases, can be beneficial... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Study Identifies Molecular Switch That Allows Melanoma To Resist Therapy

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that as many as one in 51 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma - the deadliest form of skin cancer - at some point during their lifetimes. A research team led by Ze'ev Ronai, Ph.D. at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) is working to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of this disease in hopes of improving prevention and treatment strategies... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

After Concussion, Over-Reliance On Computer Tests In Return-To-Plan Decisions Questioned

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A new study by researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus and Pace University is critical of the widespread use of computerized neuropsychological tests (CNT) in decisions regarding when athletes can return to play after suffering a concussion. "Our knowledge of the effects of concussions continues to evolve," said Thomas Redick, assistant professor of psychology at IUPUC. "We should continue to ask ourselves what the best practices are when dealing with a brain injury, which is what a concussion is... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

One In Ten Cases Of Diabetes Goes Untreated

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Rates of diabetes vary widely across developing countries worldwide, according to a new analysis led by Dr. Longjian Liu of Drexel University's School of Public Health. Worldwide, four in five people with diabetes now live in developing countries. Liu's study found that access to healthcare support for diabetes varied widely in developing countries, and that one in 10 diagnosed cases remain untreated. The study is available online and will appear in a future issue of the journal Diabetic Medicine. "Diabetes is now one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally," Liu said... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Harmful Bacteria On Raw Chicken Reduced By A Zap Of Cold Plasma

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A new study by food safety researchers at Drexel University demonstrates that plasma can be an effective method for killing pathogens on uncooked poultry. The proof-of-concept study was published in the Journal of Food Protection. Although recent high-profile outbreaks of foodborne illness have involved contaminated fresh produce, the most common source of harmful bacteria in food is uncooked poultry and other meat products. The bacteria responsible for most foodborne illnesses, Campylobacter and Salmonella, are found on upwards of 70 percent of chicken meat tested... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Breakthroughs Demonstrate Importance Of Targeted Therapies For Lung Cancer

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Different kinds of lung cancer behave in different ways, suggesting they are fundamentally different diseases. According to a University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in Cancer, the official journal of the American Cancer Society, different subgroups of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) show distinct patterns of spread in the body... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Older Women With High Triglyceride Levels At High Risk Of Stroke

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

In a surprising finding with significant implications for older women, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and NYU School of Medicine have found that high levels of triglycerides (blood fats) are the strongest risk factor for the most common type of stroke in older women - more of a risk factor than elevated levels of total cholesterol or of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (known as "bad" cholesterol). The study appears online in Stroke. Strokes involve the sudden loss of blood flow to an area of the brain. According to the U.S... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Non-Invasive DNA Test That Identifies Down Syndrome In Pregnancy Can Also Detect Trisomy 18 And Trisomy 13

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

A newly available DNA-based prenatal blood test that can identify a pregnancy with Down syndrome can also identify two additional chromosome abnormalities: trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) and trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome).The test for all three defects can be offered as early as 10 weeks of pregnancy to women who have been identified as being at high risk for these abnormalities. These are the results of an international, multicenter study published on-line today in the journal Genetics in Medicine... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Growth From Birth To Adulthood And Peak Bone Mass And Density Data From The New Delhi Birth Cohort

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Growth in early life may predict adult bone health. Our data showed that greater height and body mass index (BMI) gain in utero and infancy are associated with higher peak bone mass, and greater BMI gain in childhood/adolescence with higher peak bone density. These associations are mediated by attained adult height and BMI. To study the relationship of height and BMI during childhood with adult bone mineral content (BMC), areal density (aBMD) and apparent density (BMAD, estimated volumetric density)... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

No Breast Cancer Protections From Soy Isoflavone Supplements

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Soy isoflavone supplements did not decrease breast cancer cell proliferation in a randomized clinical trial, according to a study published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Lead researcher Seema A. Khan, M.D., professor of surgery at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, said the results of this study are consistent with the findings of previous studies that were designed to test cancer prevention benefits of dietary supplements. "Simply put, supplements are not food... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Breastfeeding And Lung Function At School Age: Does Maternal Asthma Modify The Effect?

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Breastfeeding is associated with improved lung function at school age, particularly in children of asthmatic mothers, according to a new study from researchers in Switzerland and the UK. "In our cohort of school age children, breastfeeding was associated with modest improvement in forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF50) in our whole group and with improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume at 1 second (FEV1) only in the children of asthmatic mothers," said Claudia E... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Study: Rapid bone loss as possible side effect of anti-obesity drug now in clinical trials

UT Southwestern Medical Center News — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:29:12 +0100

An endocrine hormone used in clinical trials as an anti-obesity and anti-diabetes drug causes significant and rapid bone loss in mice, raising concerns about its safe use, have shown. (Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center News)

Colonisation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and antibiotic resistance patterns in COPD patients.

Swiss Medical Weekly — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:36:02 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Colonisation with P. aeruginosa was present in all COPD severity stages and colonisation with mucoid strains was more frequent in advanced COPD. Resistance to the only oral anti-pseudomonas antibiotic ciprofloxacin was more frequently encountered in severe COPD stages. PMID: 22290607 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Swiss Medical Weekly)

Management and outcome of severely elevated blood pressure in primary care: A prospective observational study.

Swiss Medical Weekly — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:36:02 +0100

CONCLUSION: The majority of 164 patients who presented with acutely and severely elevated blood pressure (BP >180 +/or >110 mm Hg) to their GPs was asymptomatic, had pre-existing hypertension and was managed in GP's office unless a hypertensive emergency was present. At three month follow-up mean systolic BP was still above target values. PMID: 22287296 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Swiss Medical Weekly)

Counties with thriving small businesses have healthier residents, LSU and Baylor researchers find

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Baylor University) Counties and parishes with a greater concentration of small, locally-owned businesses have healthier populations -- with lower rates of mortality, obesity and diabetes -- than do those that rely on large companies with "absentee" owners, according to a national study by sociologists at LSU and Baylor University. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Study identifies steep learning curve for surgeons who perform ACL reconstructions

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Hospital for Special Surgery) Patients who have their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed by surgeons who have performed less than 60 surgeries are roughly four to five times more likely to undergo a subsequent ACL reconstruction, according to a study by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Long-term study shows epilepsy surgery improves seizure control and quality of life

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Wiley-Blackwell) While epilepsy surgery is a safe and effective intervention for seizure control, medical therapy remains the more prominent treatment option for those with epilepsy. However, a new 26-year study reveals that following epilepsy surgery, nearly half of participants were free of disabling seizures and 80 percent reported better quality of life than before surgery. Findings from this study -- the largest long-term study to date -- are now available in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

EASL publishes first European Clinical Practice Guidelines for Wilson's disease

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(European Association for the Study of the Liver) The first European Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Wilson's disease are published today by the European Association for the Study of the Liver. Developed to assist physicians and health-care providers in the clinical decision making process, the guidelines describe best practice for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with Wilson's disease -- a rare genetic disorder that, if left untreated, is fatal. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Adiposity and sex hormones across the menstrual cycle: the BioCycle Study

International Journal of Obesity — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: E H Yeung, C Zhang, P S Albert, S L Mumford, A Ye, N J Perkins, J Wactawski-Wende & E F Schisterman (Source: International Journal of Obesity)

Concordance between psychotropic prescribing for Veterans with PTSD and clinical practice guidelines

NeLM - Mental Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study aimed to determine which characteristics of veterans with diagnosed PTSD were associated with receiving prescriptions for benzodiazepines and mood stabilisers and second-generation antipsychotics. Methods: The survey responses of 482 veterans with PTSD were combined with prescription information from the US Veterans Affairs national pharmacy databases. The researchers assessed the use of eight classes of psychotropics prescribed for patients with PTSD in the year after a new PTSD diagnosis. Multivariate logistic regressions identified demographic ... (Source: NeLM - Mental Health)

The acute effects of kava and oxazepam on anxiety, mood, neurocognition; and genetic correlates: a randomized, placebo‐controlled, double‐blind study

Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ConclusionAcute “medicinal level” doses of this particular kava cultivar in naive users do not provide anxiolytic activity, although the phytomedicine also appears to have no negative effects on cognition. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental)

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Exercise Can Help Depression in Those With Chronic Illness

About.com Depression — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

If you have a chronic illness and are battling depression, exercise may be just what you need to lift your mood, according to University of Alabama, Birmingham researchers. For the study, Matthew Herring and his team examined 90 previous studies of 10,500 sedentary patients with chronic illness. Each study included people who had been randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a non-exercise group. In addition, the study participants had had their depression levels measured both before and after exercise....Read Full Post (Source: About.com Depression)

Comparing yourself to others can have health impacts

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Penn State) Comparing yourself to others with the same health problem can influence your physical and emotional health, according to researchers who conducted a qualitative synthesis of over 30 studies focusing on the relationship between social comparisons and health. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

UT MD Anderson, Texas A&M team up to treat canine lymphoma

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center) A new immunotherapy for companion dogs with advanced-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma has been shown to improve survival while maintaining quality of life, according to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

CD97 gene expression and function correlate with WT1 protein expression and glioma invasiveness

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Journal of Neurosurgery Publishing Group) Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and Old Dominion University have discovered that suppression of Wilms tumor 1 protein (WT1) results in downregulation of CD97 gene expression in three glioblastoma cell lines and reduces the characteristic invasiveness exhibited by glial tumor cells. This finding is published online Feb. 7 in the Journal of Neurosurgery. Although further studies must be performed, the authors propose that CD97 may prove to be a new target for anti-glioma therapies. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Teenage pregnancy is not a racial issue

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(SAGE Publications) While researchers have long set to determine if there is a tie between race and teenage pregnancy, according to a new study, equating black teenagers with the problem of teenage pregnancy is a misrepresentation of today's reality. This new study is detailed in the article, "Black Teenage Pregnancy: A Dynamic Social Problem," published in SAGE Open. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Without second wave of brown fat, young mice can't live without mama

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Cell Press) For all those who have wondered where they'd be without their mothers, a study reported Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, puts a whole new spin on the question. Mice whose mothers pass along a mutant copy of a single imprinted gene can't keep themselves warm and die soon after leaving the comfort of the nest. The findings also reveal that the babies require a second round of heat-generating brown fat to survive. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Researchers find ovarian cancer risk related to inherited inflammation genes

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute) In a study conducted by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center and colleagues from 11 other institutions in the Unites States and the United Kingdom, genes that are known to be involved in inflammation were found to be related to risk of ovarian cancer. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Top off breakfast with -- chocolate cake?

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(American Friends of Tel Aviv University) In a study of nearly 200 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults, professor Daniela Jakubowicz of Tel Aviv University found that a 600-calorie breakfast that includes dessert as well as proteins and carbohydrates can help dieters lose weight and keep it off over the long term. Her research indicates that such a morning meal staves off cravings and defuses psychological addictions to sweet foods. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

New study shows Facebook use elevates mood

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) People visit social networking sites such as Facebook for many reasons, including the positive emotional experience that people enjoy and want to repeat, according to an article in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert Inc. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Fall of Communism changed mathematics in US: New study

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Notre Dame) The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992 brought an influx of Soviet mathematicians to US institutions, and those scholars' differing areas of specialization have changed the way math is studied and taught in this country, according to new research by University of Notre Dame Economist Kirk Doran and a colleague from Harvard. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Study: Breastfeeding can be tougher for women when pregnancy is unplanned

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Chicago Press Journals) Women who did not plan to get pregnant are much more likely to stop breastfeeding within three months of giving birth, according to a study published in the journal Current Anthropology. The research suggests that women whose pregnancies were unplanned often experience more emotional and physical discomfort with breastfeeding compared to women who planned to get pregnant. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Rotavirus vaccine not associated with increased risk of intestinal disorder in US infants

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(JAMA and Archives Journals) Although some data have suggested a possible increased risk of intussusception (when a portion of the small or large intestine slides forward into itself, like a telescope) after administration of the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine in infants, an analysis that included almost 800,000 doses administered to US infants found no increased risk of this condition following vaccination, according to a study in the Feb. 8 issue of JAMA. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Risk of death from breast cancer higher among older patients

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(JAMA and Archives Journals) Among postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, increasing age was associated with a higher risk of death from breast cancer, according to a study in the Feb. 8 issue of JAMA. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Salk scientists use an old theory to discover new targets in the fight against breast cancer

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Salk Institute) Reviving a theory first proposed in the late 1800s that the development of organs in the normal embryo and the development of cancers are related, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have studied organ development in mice to unravel how breast cancers, and perhaps other cancers, develop in people. Their findings provide new ways to predict and personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Rothman at Jefferson researchers find epidural steroid injections do not benefit spine patients

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Thomas Jefferson University) Researchers at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson examined data on patients being treated for lumbar stenosis and the degenerative spine condition spondylolisthesis and found that patients who received epidural steroid injections had a higher rate of crossover to surgery and fared worse in physical health and bodily pain versus those who did not receive ESI, dispelling their pre-study hypothesis. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Drinking large amounts of soft drinks associated with asthma and COPD

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Wiley-Blackwell) A new study published in the journal Respirology reveals that a high level of soft drink consumption is associated with asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

The relationship between breastfeeding and weight status in a national sample of Australian children and adolescents

BMC Public Health - Latest articles — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Breastfeeding for 6 or more months appears to be protective against later overweight and obesity in this population of Australian children. The beneficial short-term health outcomes of breastfeeding for the infant are well recognised and this study provides further observational evidence of a potential long-term health outcome and additional justification for the continued support and promotion of breastfeeding to six months and beyond. (Source: BMC Public Health - Latest articles)

Mild cognitive impairment is associated with disability and neuropsychiatric symptoms

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Public Library of Science) In low- and middle-income countries, mild cognitive impairment -- an intermediate state between normal signs of cognitive aging, such as becoming increasingly forgetful, and dementia, which may or may not progress -- is consistently associated with higher disability and with neuropsychiatric symptoms but not with most socio-demographic factors, according to a large study published in this week's PLoS Medicine. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Chlorhexidine umbilical cord care can save newborn lives

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health) Cleansing a newborn's umbilical cord with chlorhexidine can reduce an infant's risk of infection and death during the first weeks of life by as much as 20 percent, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study is the latest in a series of studies showing that umbilical cord cleaning with chlorhexidine can save lives. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Sugar shock: regulating your sweet tooth

USATODAY.com Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:24 +0100

Authors of a new study argue that all forms of added sugar should be regulated to decrease the risk of chronic illness. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

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Early Milk Intake and Risk of Advanced Prostate CancerEarly Milk Intake and Risk of Advanced Prostate Cancer

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

This study looks at milk intake in adolescence and risk of prostate cancer in a cohort of Icelandic men. American Journal of Epidemiology (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

VEGF Inhibitors in the Management of Diabetic Macular EdemaVEGF Inhibitors in the Management of Diabetic Macular Edema

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

This new study takes a look at whether VEGF inhibitors are a viable alternative to other options, such as photocoagulation, in the treatment of diabetic macular edema. The British Journal of Ophthalmology (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Noncoeliac Enteropathy: Diagnosis of Villous AtrophyNoncoeliac Enteropathy: Diagnosis of Villous Atrophy

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

This study describes. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Rural-Urban Trends and Patterns in Cervical CancerRural-Urban Trends and Patterns in Cervical Cancer

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

Does place of residence, whether it's rural or urban, have any effect on whether a woman may develop cervical cancer in her lifetime? This new study looks at almost a half century of data in the US. Journal of Community Health (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Nonceliac Enteropathy: Diagnosis of Villous AtrophyNonceliac Enteropathy: Diagnosis of Villous Atrophy

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:00:00 +0100

This study describes. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Safety-Net Emergency Departments No SlowerSafety-Net Emergency Departments No Slower

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:20:10 +0100

A new study suggests that safety-net and non-safety-net institutions show no disparity in time frames for care. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

IcsA autotransporter passenger promotes increased fusion protein expression on the cell surface

Microbial Cell Factories — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:08:30 +0100

Conclusions: The export mechanism of autotransporters is not well understood but accumulating evidence suggest a critical role for the native effector or alpha domain in facilitating its own export via interactions with the translocation or beta domain. This is the first report directly comparing expression of heterologous proteins fused to the full length IcsA autotransporter and fusion to the beta domain alone. Protein expression and surface presentation of the fusion proteins were dramatically improved when fused to IcsA rather than IcsAbeta. Future studies involved in designing autotransporters as cell surface display vehicles would benefit from including the native alpha domain. This work also provides further evidence for a key interaction between the autotransporter alpha and beta d...

TGF‐β1 content in atherosclerotic plaques, TGF‐β1 serum concentrations and incident coronary events

European Journal of Clinical Investigation — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:06:30 +0100

Conclusion Our results indicate that high TGF‐β1 content in human atherosclerotic plaques and high serum levels of TGF‐β1 are not associated with reduced risk of coronary events. (Source: European Journal of Clinical Investigation)

Short‐term infusion of a fish oil‐based lipid emulsion modulates fatty acid status, but not immune function or (anti)oxidant balance: a randomized cross‐over study

European Journal of Clinical Investigation — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:06:22 +0100

Conclusions The present lipid infusion protocol appears to be safe and well tolerated and provides significant incorporation of n‐3 PUFAs into plasma phospholipids and PBMCs. In the absence of overt inflammation, no direct effects of FO were observed on immune function or (anti)oxidant balance. This model may be useful to evaluate effects of parenteral lipids in other settings, for example in individuals displaying an inflammatory state. (Source: European Journal of Clinical Investigation)