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METASTROKE refines genetic stroke culprits

An analysis from the METASTROKE collaboration confirms an increased stroke risk associated with four previously reported genetic loci and shows that these are specific to certain stroke subtypes.

15 Oct 2012

Females having multiple sexual partners may be more fertile

Researchers have discovered that females that have multiple sexual partners can be more fertile than those that are monogamous and, very surprisingly, that this is the result of an "overproduction" of sons. The study - still only published as a provisional article but already one of the most accessed in BCM Evolutionary Biology - helps to explain a puzzle that has been haunting evolutionary biologist for decades: why during a mating season so many females chase multiple sexual partners when one is enough to fertilize all her eggs and to do it is costly and dangerous.

15 Oct 2012

Embryonic neuron transplants could effectively treat brain diseases

The unexpected survival of embryonic neurons transplanted into the brains of newborn mice in a series of experiments at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) raises hope for the possibility of using neuronal transplantation to treat diseases like Alzheimer's, epilepsy, Huntington's, Parkinson's and schizophrenia.

15 Oct 2012

Pregnancy stress can cut brain benefits of motherhood

A new study in animals shows that chronic stress during pregnancy prevents brain benefits of motherhood, a finding that researchers suggest could increase understanding of postpartum depression.

15 Oct 2012

Variable methylation predictive of age, gender, stress, cancer and early-life socioeconomic status

A Simon Fraser University physicist has helped discover that understanding how a chemical mark on our DNA affects gene expression could be as useful to scientists as fingerprints are to police at a crime scene.

15 Oct 2012

ELSA report reveals economic, social, psychological and health concerns of U.K.’s ageing society

One in six people in England aged over 50 are socially isolated. They have few socially orientated hobbies, little civic or cultural engagement with society, and may have very limited social networks. This was a key finding from the most recent report of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), a comprehensive study that aims to understand the economic, social, psychological and health concerns of an ageing society.

15 Oct 2012

Curcumin can inhibit formation of prostate cancer metastases

Powdered turmeric has been used for centuries to treat osteoarthritis and other illnesses. Its active ingredient, curcumin, inhibits inflammatory reactions. A new study led by a research team at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit-t (LMU) in Munich now shows that it can also inhibit formation of metastases.

13 Oct 2012

Research roundup: Addressing disparities in cancer diagnosis time, Medicare open season awareness

Researchers tested the effectiveness of using patient navigation programs with women who have abnormal breast or cervical cancer screenings. These programs aim to facilitate treatment by such things as arranging financial support, transportation to appointments, child care or interpreter services.

13 Oct 2012

Further evidence against sun bed use

Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the BMJ confirm those from previous studies linking sun bed use with an increased risk for skin cancer.

12 Oct 2012

Early age at bipolar onset linked to increased depressive morbidity

An early age at bipolar disorder onset is associated with increased depressive morbidity, results from a US study show.

12 Oct 2012

Neurotensin as an indicator for poor health outcomes in women

The satiety hormone neurotensin may provide a novel biomarker for assessing risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and breast cancer among women, report researchers.

12 Oct 2012

METASTROKE refines genetic stroke culprits

An analysis from the METASTROKE collaboration confirms an increased stroke risk associated with four previously reported genetic loci and shows that these are specific to certain stroke subtypes.

12 Oct 2012

Brown University, UCI researchers create Drosophila fruit fly model of epilepsy

In a newly reported set of experiments that show the value of a particularly precise but difficult genetic engineering technique, researchers at Brown University and the University of California-Irvine have created a Drosophila fruit fly model of epilepsy to discern the mechanism by which temperature-dependent seizures happen.

12 Oct 2012

Perception test could predict mild cognitive impairment

Psychologists at the University of Toronto and the Georgia Institute of Technology - commonly known as Georgia Tech - have shown that an individual's inability to recognize once-familiar faces and objects may have as much to do with difficulty perceiving their distinct features as it does with the capacity to recall from memory.

12 Oct 2012

Single genetic variant in kidney donors' cells may play an important role in transplant longevity

A single genetic variant in kidney donors' cells may help determine whether their transplanted organs will survive long term, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN).

12 Oct 2012

AACR conference to focus on scientific and lifestyle strategies for cancer prevention

The American Association for Cancer Research will host the 11th Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research at the Hilton Anaheim from Oct. 16-19, 2012.

12 Oct 2012

First picture of interaction between leptin and its receptor

Researchers at the University of Michigan have determined how the hormone leptin, an important regulator of metabolism and body weight, interacts with a key receptor in the brain.

12 Oct 2012

Factors linked to self-harm in schizophrenia identified

Polysubstance abuse and a high premorbid IQ are significantly associated with self-harm in patients with schizophrenia, UK researchers report.

11 Oct 2012

S100A1 protein critical for endothelial cell function in ischemic angiogenesis

Restoring diminished levels of a protein shown to prevent and reverse heart failure damage could also have therapeutic applications for patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI), suggests a new preclinical study published online October 9 in Circulation Research from researchers at the Center for Translational Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University.

11 Oct 2012

Clear link between neurotensin and CVD, type 2 diabetes and breast cancer

"It was surprising to find such a clear link to the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease as well as to breast cancer. Obesity is a common risk factor for all three conditions, but the connection with neurotensin is not explained by obesity or other known risk factors", says Professor Olle Melander from the Department of Clinical Sciences at Lund University, who is also a consultant at Sk-ne University Hospital.

11 Oct 2012