Health News

Poxviruses Defeat Antiviral Defenses By Duplicating A Gene

Date: Aug-18-2012
Scientists have discovered that poxviruses, which are responsible for smallpox and other diseases, can adapt to defeat different host antiviral defenses by quickly and temporarily producing multiple copies of a gene that helps the viruses to counter host immunity. This discovery provides new insight into the ability of large double-stranded DNA viruses to undergo rapid evolution despite their low mutation rates, according to a study published by University of Utah researchers in the Aug. 17, 2012, issue of Cell...

Secrets Of 'SuperAger' Brains - Elderly SuperAgers Have Brains That Look And Act Decades Younger Than Their Age

Date: Aug-18-2012
Researchers have long chronicled what goes wrong in the brains of older people with dementia. But Northwestern Medicine researcher Emily Rogalski wondered what goes right in the brains of the elderly who still have terrific memories. And, do those people - call them cognitive SuperAgers - even exist? Rogalski's new study has for the first time identified an elite group of elderly people age 80 and older whose memories are as sharp as people 20 to 30 years younger than them...

Fourth Drug In 2 Years Extends Life In Patients With Prostate Cancer

Date: Aug-18-2012
The head of one of the UK's leading cancer research organisations has hailed a golden age in prostate cancer drug discovery as for the fourth time in two years results are published finding a new drug can significantly extend life. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows the drug enzalutamide can significantly extend life and improve quality of life in men with advanced prostate cancer - in findings that could further widen the treatment options for men with the disease...

Climate And Drought Lessons From Ancient Egypt

Date: Aug-18-2012
Ancient pollen and charcoal preserved in deeply buried sediments in Egypt's Nile Delta document the region's ancient droughts and fires, including a huge drought 4,200 years ago associated with the demise of Egypt's Old Kingdom, the era known as the pyramid-building time. "Humans have a long history of having to deal with climate change," said Christopher Bernhardt, a researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey. "Along with other research, this study geologically reveals that the evolution of societies is sometimes tied to climate variability at all scales - whether decadal or millennial...

Cervical Disease Treatment Is Not Associated With Preterm Birth Risk

Date: Aug-17-2012
A study published online in theBritish Medical Journal reveals that treatment for cervical disease does not seem to raise the risk of premature deliveries after treatment. The study is the largest in the UK assessing the risks and the findings are contradictory to earlier studies, which indicated that treatment would increase the risk of premature deliveries...

Density Of Breasts Does Not Impact Death Among Breast Cancer Patients

Date: Aug-17-2012
A study featured in the August 20 edition in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reveals that the risk of mortality from breast cancer is not associated with high mammographic breast density in breast cancer patients. Increased mammographic breast density is one of the strongest risk factors for non-familial breast cancer and even though those with elevated mammographic breast density are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, so far is remains unclear whether a higher density suggests a lower survival chances in breast cancer patients...

Kids Who Spend Too Much Time On The Couch Have Poorer Motor Coordination

Date: Aug-17-2012
A study published in the American Journal of Human Biology shows that children who are sedentary for over three-quarters of their time, watching TV or spending time in front of the computer have up to nine times poorer motor coordination compared to those who are active. The study revealed that it is not sufficient to combat the negative effect of sedentary behavior on basic motor coordination skills like walking, throwing or catching with physical activity alone. These activities are thought to be the basis to more complex movements...

Common Antibiotics Are Not Always Best

Date: Aug-17-2012
A new study, appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN), has evidence that the most commonly used antibiotic treating bloodstream infections in dialysis patients, vancomycin, might not be the best choice. A bloodstream infection, also known as bacteremia, occurs when bacteria enters the bloodstream either by infection, wound, injection or a surgical procedure. Symptoms include high fever, rapid heart rate, chills, vomiting, and nausea. This infection becomes life threatening when a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus is found...

Nanoparticles Shrink Ovarian Cancer Tumors In Mice

Date: Aug-17-2012
By sequencing cancer-cell genomes, researchers have found a substantial amount of genes that happen to be mutated, deleted or duplicated within cancerous cells. This treasure chest is a great asset for scientists searching for innovative drug targets, however, it's extremely difficult to examine all of them promptly. In order to accelerate this process, scientists at MIT have produced RNA-delivering nanoparticles that provide fast screening of the latest drug targets in mice...

Continuously Taking Birth Control Pills Lowers Pain During Menstrual Cycles

Date: Aug-17-2012
According to a study conducted by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine, women who take oral contraceptives continuously experience earlier pain relief from moderate to severe menstrual cramps - dysmenorrhea. The study is published in Obstetrics and Gynecology.  Dysmenorrhea happens during menstruation - it is caused by abnormal uterine contractions, sensitivity to pain and additional pressure in the pelvic region. It is usually followed by feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and fatigue.  Dr...