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Hepatitis B virus rebound common in patients receiving nucleoside analogs for chronic hepatitis B

A rebound of the Hepatitis B virus is common in patients receiving nucleoside analogs for chronic hepatitis B, according to a study from U-M hepatologists. But nearly 40% of the rebounds or virological breakthroughs (VBTs) were not related to antiviral drug resistance.

28 Apr 2011

Health effects of Chernobyl nuclear crisis remain unknown 25 years after incident

Though it has been 25 years since a disastrous explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine sent radioactive material into the air, affecting Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, as well as the rest of the world, "experts are still debating the long-term health effects of the disaster," the Los Angeles Times' "Booster Shots" blog reports.

28 Apr 2011

New control point for suppressing cancer cell growth

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have discovered new details of how cancer cells escape from tumor suppression mechanisms that normally prevent these damaged cells from multiplying. They also demonstrated a potential link between this cell proliferation control mechanism and the cognitive deficits caused by Down syndrome.

28 Apr 2011

Cotinine can reduce plaques linked with dementia and prevent memory loss

Cotinine, a compound derived from tobacco, reduced plaques associated with dementia and prevented memory loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, a study led by researchers at Bay Pines VA Healthcare System and the University of South Florida found.

28 Apr 2011

Heart attacks more severe in the morning: Study

Heart attacks are more dangerous in the morning than at any other time of day, research has shown. The study has shown that compared with other times, patients who had an attack between 6am and noon suffered around 20% more damage to their hearts. Researchers say this pattern is thought to be linked to circadian rhythms, the 24-hour “body clock” processes that influence many biological functions including blood pressure.

28 Apr 2011

Frailty increases exponentially with age throughout adult life span

The prevalence of frailty, which is linked to earlier death, increases throughout adulthood as people age and not just after age 65, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Relatively good fitness levels at all ages were predictive of lower mortality and less reliance on health care services.

28 Apr 2011

Nursing environment linked to improved patient outcomes

Better working conditions and better staffing of nurses can significantly improve the care of patients with serious conditions, according to the latest nurse labor study by the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

28 Apr 2011

New study reveals a novel gene linked with major depression

A new study reveals a novel gene associated with major depression. The research, published by Cell Press in the April 28 issue of the journal Neuron, suggests a previously unrecognized mechanism for major depression and may guide future therapeutic strategies for this debilitating mood disorder.

28 Apr 2011

Maternal consumption of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy reduces risk of childhood obesity

New research shows a possible connection between the risk of childhood obesity and maternal consumption of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy. Intake of the omega-3s found in seafood is also linked to reduced risk of recurrent breast cancer, stroke in women and early age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

27 Apr 2011

High metabolic rates linked to accelerated aging in humans

A recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that higher metabolic rates predict early natural mortality, indicating that higher energy turnover may accelerate aging in humans.

27 Apr 2011

Socioeconomic status linked to medication non-adherence in children with epilepsy

An examination of medication adherence among children with newly diagnosed epilepsy found that nearly 60 percent showed persistent nonadherence during the first 6 months of therapy, and that lower socioeconomic status was associated with higher non-adherence, according to a study in the April 27 issue of JAMA.

27 Apr 2011

Proteostasis acquires Harvard University's two novel protein target licenses

Proteostasis Therapeutics announced today that it has acquired two exclusive licenses from Harvard University to technologies for enhancing the activity of a key cellular protein clearance mechanism, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.

27 Apr 2011

Major breakthrough in understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Brandeis researchers have made a significant advance in the effort to understand amyotrophic lateral sclerosis by successfully reversing the toxicity of the mutated protein in the familial type of the disease.

27 Apr 2011

Vitamin D levels may help explain racial disparities in hypertension

Lower vitamin D levels may explain part of the disparity in hypertension that exists between Black and White people in the US. High blood pressure is more common in Blacks than in Whites and persons with darker skin generally produce less vitamin D.

27 Apr 2011

Viewpoints: Shortsighted fight against fund to prevent disease; strengthening regulators' control of premium increases

House Republicans are so bent on blocking any and all aspects of health care reform that they have passed a bill that would eliminate a farsighted program — the Prevention and Public Health Fund — intended to help states and communities prevent diseases. Eliminating the fund would save roughly $16 billion over the course of a decade. … The loss to states and local communities would be considerable.

27 Apr 2011

Omega 3 rich oils fall from grace: May raise prostate cancer risk

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26 Apr 2011

Too much TV raises risk of narrow eye blood vessels and heart disease in kids

A new study has shown that children who spend more time in front of television and computer screens and less in outdoor physical activity have narrower blood vessels in their eyes. In adults, constricted blood vessels in the eyes have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

26 Apr 2011

Most Americans unaware of recommended alcohol limits and risks of sea salt

Most Americans believe drinking wine is good for your heart but are unaware of recommended alcohol limits, and most mistakenly believe sea salt is a low-sodium alternative to regular table salt, according to a new survey about these common products.

26 Apr 2011

BIOBASE introduces new genome sequence custom annotation tool

BIOBASE announced its launch of a new custom annotation tool designed to aid in functional annotation of next generation sequences from uncharacterized genomes.

26 Apr 2011

WHO Africa regional director issues message for World Malaria Day

In a message marking Monday's World Malaria Day, Luis Gomes Sambo, WHO's regional director for Africa, noted that this year signifies the end of the U.N. decade to roll back malaria and "offers an opportunity for renewed commitment" to fight the disease, the Angola Press reports.

26 Apr 2011