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Glioma stem cells can change their metabolic state at will, finds study

The metabolic state of glioma stem cells, which give rise to deadly glioblastomas, is significantly different from that of the brain cancer cells to which they give birth, a factor which helps those stem cells avoid treatment and cause recurrence later.

7 Sep 2011

Impact of sexualized lyrics on adolescent behaviors and attitudes

Do sexualized lyrics in popular music have an impact on the sexual behavior and attitudes of adolescents? Researchers Cougar Hall, Joshua H. West, and Shane Hill from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, take a look at the trend of increasing use of sexually explicit lyrics in music. Their findings, published online in Springer's journal Sexuality & Culture, provide food for thought for educators whose focus is to promote healthy sexual development.

7 Sep 2011

Individuals with excess BMI more likely to develop type 2 diabetes

Obesity is a known risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. But it hasn't been clear whether the "dose" of obesity—how much excess weight a person has, and for how long—affects the risk of diabetes.

7 Sep 2011

Majority of 9/11 World Trade Center attack survivors report increased incidence of GERS

Increased incidence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GERS) reported by a large population of 9/11 World Trade Center attack survivors, most of whom had not reported any GERD-related symptoms prior to 9/11, worsened the health-related quality life for many rescue and recovery workers, lower-Manhattan residents and local workers who were exposed to the dust cloud and other contaminants in the aftermath of 9/11, according to a study published online today online today in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

7 Sep 2011

New technique can precisely locate subthalamic nucleus in Parkinson's patients

Deep brain stimulation stops limb tremors in Parkinson's patients. But positioning the stimulation electrode in the brain must be done very precisely to avoid undesired side-effects.

7 Sep 2011

New bone marrow-derived stem cell therapy can benefit patients with degenerative disc disease

Neurosurgery researchers at UC Davis Health System have used a new, leading-edge stem cell therapy to promote the growth of bone tissue following the removal of cervical discs -- the cushions between the bones in the neck -- to relieve chronic, debilitating pain.

7 Sep 2011

Scientists discover two opposing neuronal regulatory circuits for generation, elimination of fear

Emotional balance is regulated by molecular factors behind stress response. When healthy people are faced with threatening situations, they react with a suitable behavioural response and do not descend into a state of either panic or indifference, as is the case, for example, with patients who suffer from anxiety.

7 Sep 2011

Biomaterials may heal chronic diabetic wounds

Biomaterials may prove key to healing chronic wounds in Diabetic patients, delegates will hear today at the 24th European Conference on Biomaterials. Over 950 delegates are at the event in Dublin, which is jointly hosted by NUI Galway's Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials and the University of Ulster, Jordanstown.

7 Sep 2011

Penn researchers receive NIH grant to continue programs of Musculoskeletal disorders center

Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have been awarded another five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue the programs of the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders.

7 Sep 2011

Infants at higher risk of ASD have poorer movement skills

Poorer movement skills detected as early as 7 months old are observed in children at a higher risk of developing Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) than children in the general population.

7 Sep 2011

Study: Gastric bypass surgery for obesity also decreases blood pressure

The kidneys play an important role in the regulation of blood pressure by adjusting the production of urine after eating or drinking. This process begins already in the upper digestive tract, which could explain why gastric bypass surgery for obesity also markedly reduce blood pressure, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg.

7 Sep 2011

Study on effects of adult stem cell treatments in patients with Hereditary Ataxia

The Journal of Translational Medicine reports on a new study in which 30 patients with Hereditary Ataxia showed statistically significant improvements in functionality and quality of life after being treated with a combination of cord blood-derived stem cell treatments and physical therapy.

7 Sep 2011

Chemotherapy linked to speech difficulties among cancer patients

Patients who have received high doses of chemotherapy may find it harder to express themselves verbally, according to new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Speech difficulties among cancer patients who received chemotherapy treatment were two times higher than among those who did not.

7 Sep 2011

Cheap medicines could prevent huge number of deaths from heart attacks, strokes

A major new international study involving researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital has revealed that aspirin, statins, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors are prescribed far too infrequently. They are cheap, preventive medicines that could prevent a huge number of deaths from heart attacks and strokes.

7 Sep 2011

Pancreatic mesenchyme plays central role in the formation of mature beta cells

A somewhat mysterious soft tissue found in the fetus during early development in the womb plays a pivotal role in the formation of mature beta cells the sole source of the body's insulin. This discovery, made by scientists at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Texas A&M University, may lead to new ways of addressing Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

7 Sep 2011

New Vital Signs report finds decline in cigarette smoking among American adults

Fewer American adults are smoking cigarettes, according to a new Vital Signs report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also, daily smokers are smoking fewer cigarettes each day, it says.

7 Sep 2011

Alcohol consumption and smoking may raise risk of upper aero-digestive tract cancers

This paper provides an extensive analysis of the proportion of the risk of upper aero-digestive tract (UADT) cancers in the population that may be due to alcohol consumption and/or smoking.

7 Sep 2011

Two motion-sensing systems can effectively detect early onset of illness, fall risk in seniors

Many older adults lose their independence as their health declines and they are compelled to move into assisted care facilities. Researchers at the University of Missouri and TigerPlace, an independent living community, have been using motion-sensing technology to monitor changes in residents' health for several years. Now, researchers have found that two devices commonly used for video gaming and security systems are effective in detecting the early onset of illness and fall risk in seniors.

7 Sep 2011

Scientists uncover new ways to stimulate pancreatic beta cell growth

One of the holy grails in diabetes research is to discover molecules that stimulate beta cell growth and to find drugs that target these molecules. Now, JDRF-funded researchers in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche, have done both, discovering not only a protein that regulates beta cell growth, but also a chemical compound that stimulates it.

7 Sep 2011

IOF presents eight young investigator awards to researchers across the world

Eight IOF Young Investigator Awards were presented by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) to young researchers from Australia, China, India and Japan, in recognition of their outstanding work. The awards, valued at 1,000 USD each, were awarded to the highest scored abstracts by researchers under the age of 40.

7 Sep 2011