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Cell signaling in cervical cancer; gene variant impairs glycogen synthesis

The March of Dimes and seven former directors of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today urged parents not to be frightened of childhood vaccines by the suggestion in an upcoming episode of the ABC-TV drama, "Eli Stone" that the mercury-based preservative thimerosal -- which is no longer used in vaccines may lead to autism.

30 Jan 2008

UCLA study questions diagnosis, medical treatment of ADHD

A new UCLA study shows that only about half of children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, exhibit the cognitive defects commonly associated with the condition.

23 Jan 2008

Connection between vitamin E and subsequent decline in physical function for older adults

Low serum concentration of vitamin E, an indication of poor nutrition, is associated with physical decline for older persons, according to a study in the January 23 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

23 Jan 2008

Military radar could help stroke patients

University of Leicester researchers are pioneering use of military radar signal processing methods to help victims of stroke - the third most common cause of death in the UK.

21 Jan 2008

Disability living allowance falls short for ethnic minorities

A study carried out by researchers at the Peninsula Medical School and the Institute of Child Health (UCL) has revealed that families from an ethnic, non-English speaking background with a child with Down's syndrome do worse from the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) system than families facing the same issues who come from a white, English-speaking background.

21 Jan 2008

Previously unknown chromosomal abnormalities play substantial role in autism

Genome-wide scans of families affected by autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have revealed new evidence that previously unknown chromosomal abnormalities have a substantial role in the prevalent developmental disorder, according to a report published online Jan. 17th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, a publication of Cell Press.

18 Jan 2008

Shift work may increase the risk of enforced early retirement among women

The findings are based on just under 8000 male and female employees, who were part of a large health and work study (Danish Work Environment Cohort Study), which began in 1990, and data from the national welfare register.

16 Jan 2008

Study supports role of a dopamine related gene in the onset of depression

Depression is one of the most common forms of psychopathology. According to diathesis-stress theories of depression, genetic liability interacts with negative life experiences to cause depression.

16 Jan 2008

Genetic differences may explain response to multiple sclerosis treatment

By comparing the DNA of patients with multiple sclerosis whose symptoms are reduced by interferon beta therapy to the DNA of those who continue to experience relapses, researchers may have identified important genetic differences between the two, according to an article posted online that will appear in the March 2008 print issue of Archives of Neurology.

16 Jan 2008

Vitamin D2 supplements may help prevent falls among high-risk older women

Vitamin D2 supplements appear to reduce the risk of falls among women with a history of falling and low blood vitamin D levels living in sunny climates, especially during the winter, according to a report in the January 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

16 Jan 2008

Genetic differences may help explain response to multiple sclerosis treatment

15 Jan 2008

Type 2 diabetes explosion in Australia predicted

Health loss caused by type 2 diabetes will more than double in Australia by 2023, as health loss from most other major causes falls, according to new research by The University of Queensland's (UQ) School of Population Health.

15 Jan 2008

People with dementia survive on average four and a half years after diagnosis

People with dementia survive an average of four and a half years after diagnosis, with age, sex, and existing disability all having an influence on life expectancy, finds a study published on bmj.com.

15 Jan 2008

FDA approves Tysabri to treat Crohn's disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Tysabri (natalizumab) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease in patients with evidence of inflammation who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, conventional Crohn's disease therapies.

14 Jan 2008

New genetic variations associated with lipid levels, risk for coronary artery disease

Environmental and genetic factors influence a person's blood fat, or lipid levels, important risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). While there is some understanding of the environmental contribution, the role of genetics has been less defined.

14 Jan 2008

Researchers move 2 steps closer to understanding genetic underpinnings of autism

Today's issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics (AJHG), describes what might be a corner piece of the autism puzzle the identification and subsequent validation of a gene linked to the development of autism by three separate groups of scientists.

11 Jan 2008

Ringing in the ears

Do your ears ring after a loud concert? Nerves that sense touch in your face and neck may be behind the racket in your brain, University of Michigan researchers say.

11 Jan 2008

Discovery of gene variant that raises autism risk

Scientists have found a variation in a gene that may raise the risk of developing autism, especially when the variant is inherited from mothers rather than fathers.

11 Jan 2008

Women wait longer to pursue knee-replacement surgery than men do

Is getting new knees on your list of New Year's resolutions? Research at the University of Delaware indicates that women wait longer to pursue knee-replacement surgery than men do.

10 Jan 2008

Loss of a small portion of chromosome 16 linked to autism

Loss of a small portion of chromosome 16, known as 16p11.2, is significantly associated with autism report researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in an article, published Dec. 21, 2007, online by the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

9 Jan 2008