Health News

Identification of new genetic cause of Warburg Micro syndrome

Date: Nov-18-2013
A collaborative team of researchers led by researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Edinburgh has identified a gene responsible for Warburg Micro syndrome, a rare genetic disease characterized by eye, brain and endocrine abnormalities. Patients with Warburg Micro syndrome are severely physically and mentally challenged, unable to learn how to walk or speak and become blind and paralyzed from an early age.The findings are published in The American Journal of Human Genetics. Lead co-authors are Ryan Liegel, Ph.D.

Study has implications for women of child-bearing age with kidney disease

Date: Nov-18-2013
Women with advanced kidney disease who start dialysis during pregnancy have superior live birth rates than those already on dialysis at the time of conception, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). The findings provide valuable information for counseling women with kidney disease who are of child-bearing age.

Unique study examines link in college women's use of substances and condoms

Date: Nov-18-2013
A new study from researchers at The Miriam Hospital finds a link between alcohol consumption and reduced condom use among college women. The findings also indicate that women who smoke marijuana with established romantic partners may use condoms less often. The study was recently published online in the Journal of Sex Research.Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 account for 50 percent of all new HIV infections and are also at an elevated risk for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Study: spearmint and rosemary extracts improve memory

Date: Nov-18-2013
The health benefits of spearmint and rosemary have been described for years in numerous studies, but new research in mice suggests that antioxidants from spearmint and rosemary made into an enhanced extract can improve learning and memory, potentially helping with age-related cognitive decline.Prof. Susan Farr, from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri, presented her early findings at Neuroscience 2013, a meeting hosted by the Society for Neuroscience.

Transcription factor Snail1 and enzyme LOXL2 are key to the capacity of tumor cells to invade other tissues

Date: Nov-18-2013
Researchers from IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) lead by Dr. Sandra Peiró have described a new function for two key molecules involved in tumor progression. Transcription factor SNAIL1 and enzyme LOXL2 are essential to Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT); meaning the process by which tumor cells are able to move and reach other tissues. The study has been published in the Molecular Cell Journal and places enzyme LOXL2 as a possible therapeutic target to treat cancers such as breast, lung or skin cancer.

Swiss study reveals that 1 in 7 students has dabbled in "smart" drugs

Date: Nov-18-2013
One in seven Swiss students has already tried to enhance his or her performance with prescription medication or drugs. Besides psychostimulants like Ritalin, students also consume sedatives, alcohol or cannabis. These substances are mostly only taken during the exam preparation period. Only a narrow majority of polled students reported the desired effects, as a representative study conducted by researchers at the universities of Zurich and Basel reveals.American and European studies prove that students use prescription medication or drugs to enhance their cognitive performance.

Menstrual cycle linked to poorer recovery from head injuries

Date: Nov-18-2013
It could be argued that some women have enough to contend with around the time of their menstrual cycle. But uncomfortable pains are just the beginning, as new research suggests that women who suffer head injuries within the 2 weeks before their period have a slower recovery time and poorer health up to 1 month after injury.Researchers from the University of Rochester in New York say that if these findings are confirmed, they could change the treatment and prognosis of women who suffer head injuries from sports, car accidents, falls or combat.

Phencyclidine-related hospital visits increase by 400%

Date: Nov-18-2013
A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) has found that visits to hospital emergency departments as a result of hallucinogenic drug phencyclidine has increased by more than 400% between 2005 and 2011.Phencyclidine - better known as PCP or "angel dust" - is an illegal drug that is known to cause hallucinations.

High protein breakfast helps curb appetite throughout the morning

Date: Nov-18-2013
While Americans generally consume enough protein, they tend to eat a small amount at breakfast, moderate amounts at lunch, and the largest amount at dinner. New research presented at The Obesity Society's annual scientific meeting in Atlanta shows that eating high protein sausage and egg-based breakfasts curbed hunger throughout the morning, compared with a low-protein breakfast (pancakes and syrup) or skipping breakfast, in 18-55-year-old women.

Genetic-mapping strategy to identify disease variants specific to population subgroups

Date: Nov-18-2013
Historical records are often used to learn about ancestry but a new approach, using genetics, is currently being applied. In a recent study, published in PLOS Genetics, scientists from the Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine compared patterns of genetic variation found in populations in and around the Caribbean.