Health News

Despite fewer friends, less autonomy, blacks are happier at work than whites

Date: Dec-07-2013
Despite working in more routine and less autonomous jobs, having fewer close friends at work, and feeling less supported by their coworkers, blacks report significantly more positive emotions in the workplace than whites, according to a new study in the December issue of Social Psychology Quarterly."We were surprised by this," said lead author Melissa M. Sloan, an assistant professor of interdisciplinary social sciences and sociology at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

Genetic breast cancer screening may benefit those at intermediate risk

Date: Dec-07-2013
Archimedes Inc., a healthcare modeling and analytics company, has announced results of a simulated clinical trial which found that the seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (7SNP) genetic test for breast cancer was most cost effective when used to guide MRI screenings for patients found to have an intermediate lifetime risk of developing the disease. The study, "Cost-effectiveness of a genetic test for breast cancer risk," appeared online in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Prevention Research.

Researchers investigate use of pig kidneys for human transplant

Date: Dec-07-2013
According to the National Kidney Foundation, around 96,645 patients in the US are awaiting kidney transplants as a result of kidney failure. However, less than 17,000 kidney transplantations are carried out each year due to a shortage of donors. But a new option could soon be available - in the form of pig kidneys.Researchers from the University of Florida are investigating the use of a pig kidney as a "scaffold" on which to build a human kidney by injecting it with human stem cells.

Pupil size adjusts when we imagine light or dark settings

Date: Dec-07-2013
It is common knowledge that our pupils adjust in size when exposed to light or dark enviornments. But new research published in the journal Psychological Science suggests that the size of our pupils also changes when we imagine these surroundings, even when our eyes are not directly exposed to light and dark.Researchers from the University of Oslo in Norway say their findings may be useful in studying the mental experiences of patients who suffer from severe neurological disorders.

When it comes to teen sleep problems, social ties may be more important than biology

Date: Dec-07-2013
Medical researchers point to developmental factors, specifically the decline of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, as an explanation for why children get less sleep as they become teenagers. But a new study suggests that social ties, including relationships with peers and parents, may be even more responsible for changing sleep patterns among adolescents."My study found that social ties were more important than biological development as predictors of teen sleep behaviors," said David J.

Who's patenting whose genome?

Date: Dec-06-2013
An international project has developed a free and open public resource that will bring much-needed transparency to the murky and contentious world of gene patenting.In a paper from Cambia and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) published in this week's Nature Biotechnology journal, researchers revealed that overworked patent offices are struggling to keep up with the rapid explosion in information and technology that genetic sequences represent.

Compression stockings viable as treatment for leg ulcers

Date: Dec-06-2013
New research from the UK has shown that compression stockings are just as effective at treating venous leg ulcers as four-layer traditional bandages, promising cost savings for the National Health Service. The research, published in The Lancet, shows that sufferers treated using compression stockings also reported less recurrence and needed fewer nurse visits, making their use more economically viable.

CDC report: measles 'eliminated' in US but still poses threat

Date: Dec-06-2013
The measles vaccine was introduced in the US 50 years ago, and now a panel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the elimination of measles, rubella and congenital rubella syndrome has endured through 2011. However, the organization warns that measles still poses a threat, citing a 2013 spike in cases.The conclusions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report were published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Protein in prostate tissue 'indicates increased cancer risk'

Date: Dec-06-2013
Researchers have discovered that men who have a specific protein present in prostate tissue biopsies may be at increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.The American Cancer Society estimates that around 238,590 new cases of prostate cancer will have been diagnosed in the US throughout 2013.Current methods for diagnosing the cancer include blood tests for the protein prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and biopsies.

Chemists map molecular process of cataracts

Date: Dec-06-2013
A team of chemists from the US and Germany has mapped a molecular mechanism that underpins the formation of cataracts - the world's leading cause of blindness, affecting nearly 20 million people.The scientists hope their groundbreaking discovery will lead to treatments that could help prevent the condition.