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Two genetic variations can identify children at higher risk of radiation-induced second cancers

A genome-wide association study published in the August issue of Nature Medicine has found two tiny genetic variations that can predict which patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma are most likely to develop radiation-induced second cancers years after treatment.

25 Jul 2011

First high-resolution genetic maps for African American populations

UCLA life scientists and colleagues have produced one of the first high-resolution genetic maps for African American populations. A genetic map reveals the precise locations across the genome where DNA from a person's father and mother have been stitched together through a biological process called "recombination." This process results in new genetic combinations that are then passed on to the person's children.

25 Jul 2011

Large clinical trial to test new device for detecting Barrett's oesophagus

CANCER RESEARCH UK has launched a large multi-centre trial to test a new device for detecting Barrett's oesophagus - a condition that puts sufferers at increased risk of developing cancer of the oesophagus, one of the most deadly cancers.

25 Jul 2011

UCSF, Kaiser Permanente achieve first major milestone in genomics project

One of the nation's largest and most diverse genomics projects has reached its first major milestone in just 15 months. Scientists have genotyped the DNA and analyzed the length of chromosome tips in more than 100,000 Kaiser Permanente members who agreed to be part of the research.

22 Jul 2011

Scientists directly link lipid metabolism and cancer-associated cachexia

Scientists from Graz, Austria, have now directly linked lipid metabolism and cancer-associated cachexia. Science reports via its online channel Science Express that mice deficient in the lipid degrading enzyme Adipose Triglyceride Lipase (ATGL) are fully protected against cancer-associated cachexia.

22 Jul 2011

Fla., Idaho differ on federal funds tied to health law

Florida lawmakers have rejected more than $50 million in federal child-abuse prevention money. The grants were tied to the Obama administration's health care reform package, which many lawmakers oppose on philosophical grounds.

22 Jul 2011

Longer looks: The effect of bedside manner; digging deep on Rick Scott's business deals; migraines and sexism

Even if your doctor doesn't have the best beside manner, you're probably willing to excuse her behavior as long as she treats your condition and makes you healthy again, right? Well, you might not want to be so forgiving. It turns out that rudeness and incivility among doctors, in particular in the operating room, can actually lead to poorer health outcomes and even higher death rates among patients.

22 Jul 2011

Metabolic syndrome linked to increased risk of primary liver cancers

Incidence rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have increased in the U.S. This population-based study publishing in the August issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, found that metabolic syndrome significantly increases risk of developing these primary liver cancers.

22 Jul 2011

Flying is riskier than hospital says World Health Organization

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) announcement this Tuesday, millions of people die each year from medical errors and infections linked to health care and going into hospital is far riskier than flying.

21 Jul 2011

Taller women more prone to cancer: Study

New research has shown that taller women could be more prone to suffering from cancer. The British study published online in the medical journal The Lancet on Thursday said cancer risk rose about 16% for every 4-inch rise in height. Increasing height heightened the chances of cancers of breast, ovary, womb, bowel, leukemia and malignant melanoma (skin cancer) the study found.

21 Jul 2011

Optimism could protect you from stroke: Study

The latest research from the University of Michigan shows that optimism reduces the risk of stroke. In a study of 6,044 adults over 50 with no history of stroke, optimism was associated with significantly reduced risk of stroke, even when controlling for stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure, heart disease and body mass index.

21 Jul 2011

Researchers discover novel combination of two mutations in a patient with ADHD

Often enough, in science as in life, unexpected knowledge has a personal impact. Researchers seeking rare gene variants in just a few individuals with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) discovered that one patient had a novel combination of two mutations.

21 Jul 2011

Researchers develop mouse model of rare human birth defect

A team of researchers from the University of Utah and Brigham Young University has developed a mouse model of focal dermal hypoplasia, a rare human birth defect that causes serious skin abnormalities and other medical problems. This animal model not only provides insight into studying the cause of focal dermal hypoplasia (FDH), but also offers a novel way to study a signaling pathway that is crucial for embryonic development.

21 Jul 2011

Older Americans with low health literacy may face higher risk of death

Low health literacy in older Americans is linked to poorer health status and a higher risk of death, according to a new evidence review by researchers at RTI International-University of North Carolina Evidence-based Practice Center.

21 Jul 2011

Dealing with chronic pain

For people with severe chronic pain like Kelly Young and Teresa Shaffer—both of whom have become patient advocates —coping with agony is a fact of life. Young suffers from rheumatoid arthritis while Shaffer's pain is linked primarily to another degenerative bone disease.

21 Jul 2011

IAS, UIPHP to launch VKC for injecting drug users living with HIV

As a part of its new initiative, Expanding Access to Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) for People Who Inject Drugs in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), the International AIDS Society (IAS) will launch a Virtual Knowledge Centre (VKC) in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute on Public Health Policy.

21 Jul 2011

Essential criteria for clinical diagnosis of restless legs syndrome

We've all experienced abnormal sensations in our legs at one time or another, but for as many as 10 percent of the US population, restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a daily occurrence. Characterized by throbbing, pulling, tingling, itching, and crawling sensations, RLS is a neurological disorder that produces unpleasant physical sensations in the extremities and an urge to counteract that sensation by movement.

21 Jul 2011

Though slim on specifics, 'Gang of Six' plan seeks savings from health plans

The plan's key health components include an overhaul of the Medicare physician payment system and a repeal of the health law's long-term care insurance program. Kaiser Health News provides the executive summary of the plan.

21 Jul 2011

Artegraft BCA superior to cuffed ePTFE for hemodialysis access

Artegraft, Inc. announces that a three-year prospective, randomized clinical study published in the June 2011 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery confirms the superiority of Artegraft Bovine Carotid Artery vascular grafts (BCA) to cuffed ePTFE grafts.

21 Jul 2011

Maltodextrin-based imaging probes could improve diagnosis and treatment of bacterial infections

A new family of contrast agents that sneak into bacteria disguised as glucose food can detect bacterial infections in animals with high sensitivity and specificity. These agents -- called maltodextrin-based imaging probes -- can also distinguish a bacterial infection from other inflammatory conditions.

21 Jul 2011