Health News

Allergy and immune disorders can result from mutations in gene involved in sugar metabolism

Date: Mar-06-2014
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have identified a new genetic syndrome characterized by a constellation of health problems, including severe allergy, immune deficiency, autoimmunity and motor and neurocognitive impairment. The researchers, led by scientists at the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), observed that the syndrome's diverse symptoms are the result of mutations in a single gene associated with sugar metabolism.

Researchers test range of electrical frequencies that help heal chronic wounds

Date: Mar-06-2014
Naturally occurring electricity in our cells is key to how our bodies function, and that includes the healing of wounds.Hard-to-heal wounds, like diabetic ulcers, fester because of insufficient blood supply at the wound site. However, the application of an electrical stimulus can promote the growth of blood vessels, and new UC research examines the best stimulus parameters (such as frequency and magnitude) for successful therapy.

Standards for optimal resources for children's surgical care in the U.S.

Date: Mar-06-2014
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has published new comprehensive guidelines that define the resources the nation's surgical facilities need to perform operations effectively and safely in infants and children. The standards - published in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons - also have the approval of the American Pediatric Surgical Association and the Society of Pediatric Anesthesia.

Finding a treatment for binge eating with rats and frosting

Date: Mar-06-2014
Two strains of rats, cans of vanilla frosting and a theory have helped MSU professor of psychology Kelly Klump take one step closer to finding the genetic causes, and eventually a treatment, for binge eating.In her latest research, Klump decided to use rats to help identify different biological and genetic factors that contribute to binge eating."Based upon our previous research, we know that binge eating is influenced by genes, but we have been unable to identify in humans which genes contribute to binge eating.

Repair of broken bones improved by silk-based surgical implants

Date: Mar-06-2014
When a person suffers a broken bone, treatment calls for the surgeon to insert screws and plates to help bond the broken sections and enable the fracture to heal. These "fixation devices" are usually made of metal alloys.But metal devices may have disadvantages: Because they are stiff and unyielding, they can cause stress to underlying bone. They also pose an increased risk of infection and poor wound healing. In some cases, the metal implants must be removed following fracture healing, necessitating a second surgery.

How RIP bands influence cigarette burn rate and possibly the chemical composition of the resulting smoke

Date: Mar-06-2014
Scientists have created temperature maps to explain how reduced ignition propensity (RIP) bands influence cigarette burn rate and possibly the chemical composition of the resulting smoke.RIP bands are designed to make a cigarette go out if it is not being actively smoked. Previous studies have shown a significant increase in levels of biomarkers for a few polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in smokers of RIP cigarettes, although the toxicological implications of these increases are currently unknown (June et al. Tobacco Induced Diseases 2011, 9:13).

The benefits on nutrition, cost and safety of canned foods

Date: Mar-06-2014
A new study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine addresses the common call to action from public health experts to improve access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables. Findings from the Michigan State University (MSU) study show that canned foods deliver on nutrition, affordability and safety helping people increase their fruit and vegetable intake, regardless of geography or income level.

Revisiting 'gaydar'

Date: Mar-06-2014
I had a friend in college who claimed to have extremely good "gaydar." She insisted that, generally speaking, lesbians (of which she was one) tended to be better at picking out other lesbians from a crowd and that I, despite my own experimental tendencies, shouldn't even try. I was basically straight and didn't know what I was talking about.A new study lead by Northeastern doctoral candidate Mollie Ruben, with assistance from psychology professor Judith Hall and visiting professor of marketing Krista Hill, seems to bear this out.

Space veggies could be made more nutritious by bright pulses of light

Date: Mar-06-2014
Exposing leafy vegetables grown during spaceflight to a few bright pulses of light daily could increase the amount of eye-protecting nutrients produced by the plants, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder.One of the concerns for astronauts during future extended spaceflights will be the onslaught of eye-damaging radiation they'll be exposed to. But astronauts should be able to mitigate radiation-induced harm to their eyes by eating plants that contain carotenoids, especially zeaxanthin, which is known to promote eye health.

Protein linked to most common movement disorder

Date: Mar-06-2014
A team of researchers from Universite Laval and CHU de Quebec identified unusually high levels of a certain protein in the brains of people suffering from essential tremor (ET), a movement disorder that affects 4% of the adult population. The discovery, the details of which were published in the most recent edition of the journal Movement Disorders, could lead to an effective treatment for this neurological condition, which is 10 times more prevalent than Parkinson's disease.As its name suggests, ET causes tremors in various parts of the body - usually the arms, head, and vocal chords.