Health News

UF scientists encounter holes in tree of life, push for better data storage

Date: Sep-05-2013
A new study co-authored by University of Florida researchers shows about 70 percent of published genetic sequence comparisons are not publicly accessible, leaving researchers worldwide unable to get to critical data they may need to tackle a host a problems ranging from climate change to disease control. Scientists are using the genetic data to construct the largest open-access tree of life as part of the National Science Foundation's $5.6-million Assembling, Visualizing and Analyzing the Tree of Life project...

Why parenting can never have a rule book

Date: Sep-05-2013
Any parent will tell you that there is no simple recipe for raising a child. Being a parent means getting hefty doses of advice - often unsolicited - from others. But such advice often fails to consider a critical factor: the child. A new review of dozens of studies involving more than 14,600 pairs of twins shows that children's genetics significantly affect how they are parented. "There is a lot of pressure on parents these days to produce children that excel in everything, socially and academically," says Reut Avinun of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem...

Ease of access improves fruit and vegetable consumption

Date: Sep-05-2013
Low-income communities have particular problems getting adequate fruits and vegetables because of limited access to supermarkets and farmers markets. A new study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center shows that community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs may be a feasible approach for providing fresh fruits and vegetables to under-resourced communities. Lead author Sara A. Quandt, Ph.D...

Study finds poor blacks likely to get worse nursing home care

Date: Sep-05-2013
If you're poor and aging in America, the golden years may not be pretty, especially if you are black. University of Central Florida assistant professor Latarsha Chisholm and colleagues conducted a study, which found that nursing homes that serve predominantly black residents tend to struggle financially and provide lower quality care than nursing homes with no black residents. Results were recently published in the Health Services Research journal. "There is no simple fix," Chisholm said. "It is a complex issue, but we need to address it because disparities are everyone's issue...

Findings on long-lived proteins may lead to better understanding of the molecular basis of aging

Date: Sep-05-2013
Proteins are the chief actors in cells, carrying out the duties specified by information encoded in our genes. Most proteins live only two days or less, ensuring that those damaged by inevitable chemical modifications are replaced with new functional copies. In a new study published August 29 in Cell, a team led by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have now identified a small subset of proteins in the brain that persist for longer, even more than a year, without being replaced...

Breakthrough model holds promise for treating Graves' disease

Date: Sep-05-2013
Researchers have developed the first animal model simulating the eye complications associated with the thyroid condition Graves' disease, a breakthrough that could pave the way for better treatments, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's journal Endocrinology. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder that causes the body to produce antibodies that attack the thyroid gland. The condition causes the thyroid gland to become overactive and produce too much thyroid hormone. If left untreated, it can lead to heart failure or osteoporosis...

Video game 'could combat age-related cognitive decline'

Date: Sep-05-2013
Scientists have developed a video game-based training strategy, which they say could "repair" cognitive decline in older individuals, according to a study published in the journal Nature. Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, have created NeuroRacer, a computer driving game that researchers say could be used to improve multi-tasking and cognitive-control abilities. The 3D video game challenges cognitive control by providing a series of distractions on the screen that the players must try to avoid while driving...

Colon cancer detected earlier with new method

Date: Sep-05-2013
Researchers have found new techniques to spot certain gene variations that have been linked to colon cancer, and they say their new findings may soon allow doctors to identify the disease in the very first stages, potentially saving patients' lives. The study, published in Cancer Prevention Research, was carried out by Bettina Scholtka, assistant professor at the University of Potsdam in Germany, and colleagues...

Epilepsy risk for men reduced with exercise

Date: Sep-05-2013
Young male adults who exercise vigorously could reduce their risk of developing epilepsy later in life, according to a study published online in the journal Neurology. Researchers from Sweden analyzed the fitness of 1.17 million Swedish military servicemen, who were required to carry out cycle tests that measured their cardiovascular fitness when they enlisted for service at the age of 18. The participants were then assessed for the prevalence of epilepsy for an average of 25 years. During this period, 6,796 men were diagnosed with the condition...

Despite missing primary efficacy endpoint, ATOMIC-AHF identifies positive trends

Date: Sep-05-2013
Omecamtiv mecarbil, a cardiac myosin-activator, did not achieve its primary efficacy endpoint in reducing dyspnoea (shortness of breath) in patients with acute heart failure, according to the results of the phase II ATOMIC-AHF (Acute Treatment with Omecamtiv Mecarbil to Increase Contractility in Acute Heart Failure) study. However, a cohort which received the highest dose of the drug showed greater dyspnoea relief compared with placebo, and there were also other favourable dose and concentration-related trends, noted lead investigator John R...