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Similar mechanisms drive changes in puberty

It's one of life's special moments: a child finds a fat caterpillar, puts it in a jar with a twig and a few leaves, and awakens one day to find the caterpillar has disappeared and an elegant but apparently lifeless case now hangs from the twig.

1 Mar 2012

Quitting hormone therapy can lead to breast tumor regression

As soon as women quit hormone therapy, their rates of new breast cancer decline, supporting the hypothesis that stopping hormones can lead to tumor regression, according to a report e-published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention.

29 Feb 2012

Montefiore director to host Twitter chat about neuroendocrine tumors on Feb. 29

On February 29, which is Rare Disease Day, Steven Libutti, MD, Vice Chairman of Surgery and Director of the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care will host a Twitter chat about the signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of neuroendocrine tumors, or NETs, a rare form of cancer.

27 Feb 2012

MGH scientists isolate OSCs from ovaries of reproductive age women

For the first time, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers have isolated egg-producing stem cells from the ovaries of reproductive age women and shown these cells can produce what appear to be normal egg cells or oocytes.

27 Feb 2012

Researchers uncover how phytoplankton release powerful toxins into environment

Each year, phytoplankton blooms known as "red tides" kill millions of fish and other marine organisms and blanket vast areas of coastal water around the world. Though the precise causes of red tides remain a mystery, a team of researchers in the United States and Spain has solved one of the main riddles about these ecological disasters by uncovering the specific mechanism that triggers phytoplankton to release their powerful toxins into the environment.

24 Feb 2012

MRSA strain in food animals concerns experts

The strain of staph, known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA CC398, most often infects farm workers who come in contact with infected pigs, turkeys, or cows. Now the strain of bacteria has been found in about half of meat samples taken throughout the country. The researchers say that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in livestock used for food is to blame for the infection's drug resistance.

23 Feb 2012

More toxic aldehydes found in reheated sunflower and linseed oil

Researchers from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU, Spain) have been the first to discover the presence of certain aldehydes in food, which are believed to be related to some neurodegenerative diseases and some types of cancer. These toxic compounds can be found in some oils, such as sunflower oil, when heated at a suitable temperature for frying.

23 Feb 2012

Statins can reduce risk of depression

Researchers at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the University of California San Francisco have studied the link between medication taken for cardiovascular disease and the development of depression. In their studies, scientists have determined that a particular class of medication, i.e. statins, can reduce the risk of developing depression.

22 Feb 2012

Parental exposure to PFOA may increase risk of obesity in their daughters

The levels of the environmental pollutant perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) that mothers had in their blood during pregnancy increased the risk of obesity in their daughters at 20 years of age.

22 Feb 2012

Gender identity disorder linked with mental health risk in children

The first study to characterize a cohort of U.S. children with diagnosed gender identity disorder, led by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston, documents significant mental health risks as children struggle with strong feelings of being born "in the wrong body."

20 Feb 2012

Defects in GPR120 protein may lead to obesity and liver disease

Defects in a protein that functions as a dietary fat sensor may be a cause of obesity and liver disease, according to a study published in the journal Nature, led by researchers at Imperial College London. The findings highlight a promising target for new drugs to treat obesity and metabolic disorders.

19 Feb 2012

Five types of food rich in good fats

Contrary to the belief that eating low fat food will make you lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle, what really matters is the type of fat that you eat.

18 Feb 2012

Atomoxetine drug may restore memory deficits in menopausal women

Memory lapses and changes in mental functions occur naturally as we get older. But for many women going through menopause, these memory lapses occur more frequently.

17 Feb 2012

New details about how cell signalling is controlled in immune system

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute scientists have revealed new details about how cell signalling is controlled in the immune system, identifying in the process potential new therapeutic targets for treating severe blood disorders.

17 Feb 2012

Stress levels of unemployed people linked more to their surroundings

Stress levels of unemployed people are linked more to their surroundings than their age, gender, disposable income, and degree of deprivation, a study shows.

16 Feb 2012

Researchers identify potent regulator of sensitivity to insulin

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a potent regulator of sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. The new findings may help scientists find better treatments for type 2 diabetes, obesity and other health problems caused by the body's inability to properly regulate blood sugar.

16 Feb 2012

Oxygen deprivation disrupts insulin and glucose regulation in rat pups

Premature infants' immature lungs and frequent dips in blood pressure make them especially vulnerable to a condition called hypoxia in which their tissues don't receive enough oxygen, sometimes leading to permanent brain damage. New animal research suggests that a common practice in caring for these babies might in fact exacerbate this condition, increasing the chances for long-term neurological deficits.

14 Feb 2012

Transgender man falls pregnant and becomes a natural mother

A transgender man in his 30’s was able to carry a child after taking female hormones to reverse the effects of his female-to-male sex change treatment. The man from the West Midlands, UK is in a long-term relationship. It is not clear whether his partner is male or female. Medical ethics experts have called for a full inquiry into the issues surrounding transgender births, saying the interests of the child should not be risked to “fulfill the rights of an adult”.

13 Feb 2012

Six times more teenage girls being given contraceptive implants

According to new figures the number of girls aged 15 or younger having contraceptive implants has risen six-fold in only five years. Some 4,900 teenagers below the age of consent were given the devices last year, up from 800 in 2005/6.

9 Feb 2012

Asthmatic mothers encouraged to breastfeed without fear as it boosts baby’s lung power: Study

In their study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine they looked at nearly 1,500 children from birth to ages eight to 14. Parents provided information on breastfeeding history when their children were 12 months old, and the children had a series of tests to assess lung function between the ages of 8 and 14.

7 Feb 2012