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Skin cancer rates found to be higher among gay and bisexual men

In the largest study of skin cancer rates among gay, lesbian or bisexual individuals, investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital report important differences in skin cancer prevalence among sexual minorities. Rates of skin cancer were higher among gay and bisexual men compared to heterosexual men but lower among bisexual women than heterosexual women.

12 Feb 2020

Study finds link between meditation, the endocrine system, health and wellbeing

New collaborative research at Queen's University Belfast and Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia aims to better understand the link between meditation and improved mental health outcomes.

12 Feb 2020

Study reveals new role for gene associated with autism spectrum disorder

A UCLA-led study reveals a new role for a gene that's associated with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability and language impairment.

12 Feb 2020

Researchers identify control of a mitochondrial protective mechanism

Mitochondria are known as the "powerhouses" of cells. However, under critical pathophysiological conditions, they can use cellular energy for self-preservation.

12 Feb 2020

Study: Majority of new mothers do not comply with safe sleep recommendations

Fewer than half of new mothers intend to follow important guidelines for keeping their babies safe while sleeping and then follow through on those intentions, a troubling new study reveals.

12 Feb 2020

Malnourishment risk linked to psychological distress among Canadian adults

A new study investigating factors that contribute to psychological distress in adults has found that that risk of malnourishment is linked to psychological distress among Canadians aged 45 years and older.

12 Feb 2020

Study provides evidence of aerosol exposure to microcystins among coastal residents

Florida has experienced numerous harmful algal blooms in recent years, including blue-green algae and their toxins in 2016 and 2018. Despite their intensity and frequency, there is scant data on human exposure to these blooms and concentrations of the toxins they produce in tissues of exposed individuals.

12 Feb 2020

Vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal women linked to disc degeneration and lower back pain

Lumbar disc degeneration and resulting lower back pain become greater concerns with age and disproportionately affect women more than men, likely as a result of decreasing estrogen levels during menopause.

12 Feb 2020

High testosterone in women ups risk for cancer, diabetes, and metabolic disease

Testosterone is a steroid hormone that triggers the development of male secondary sex characteristics. Though found mainly in men, the ovaries in women release small amounts of testosterone. When combined with estrogen, testosterone aids in the growth and repair of a woman's reproductive tissues.

12 Feb 2020

2019 coronavirus virus officially named COVID-19

The novel coronavirus disease, which has spread from China to 24 other countries around the globe, has received its official name – COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

12 Feb 2020

Many middle-aged women tend to perceive their drinking as normal and acceptable

Women aged 50-70 are more likely than younger women to consume alcohol at levels that exceed low risk drinking guidelines - and most think that's just perfectly fine.

11 Feb 2020

Recent progress in TB diagnostics and prevention approaches offers hope for future

In September 2018, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH, issued its Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Research, which outlined research priorities to reduce and ultimately end the burden of tuberculosis.

11 Feb 2020

KAIST researchers identify mechanism that fuels a 'domino effect' in cancer drug resistance

KAIST researchers have identified mechanisms that relay prior acquired resistance to the first-line chemotherapy to the second-line targeted therapy, fueling a "domino effect" in cancer drug resistance.

11 Feb 2020

One in five operations with in-network surgeons and facilities could result in surprise bills

As if recovering from surgery wasn't hard enough, a new study shows that one in five operations could result in an unwelcome surprise: a bill for hundreds or thousands of dollars that the patient didn't know they might owe.

11 Feb 2020

Age of puberty in girls the world over becoming lower

A new study on the age of initial breast development as the first sign of puberty in girls shows that over the last 40 years, this has come down by an average of 3 months per decade. The study is published in the journal Pediatrics.

11 Feb 2020

A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of adolescent depression

Sedentary behavior during adolescence is a marker of depression in adolescence. A new study reported in The Lancet Psychiatry shows that walking for one hour daily, or doing chores for the same length of time, at the age of 12 years, can reduce the risk of depression at the age of 18 years.

11 Feb 2020

Accumulated brain protein affects genes in Alzheimer's disease

A new study published in February 2020 in the journal Cell Reports shows how the build-up of specific brain cell proteins are linked to altered gene expression that causes the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

11 Feb 2020

Individual response to Ebola predicted by new method

The Ebola virus produces widely varying reactions, from asymptomatic illness to death, in people depending on the individual's susceptibility. But what drives this difference in response? A new study published in the journal Cell Reports on February 2020 goes one step further in understanding how the immune system reacts to the virus causing varying levels of severity of disease between cases.

11 Feb 2020

Heroin use increasing among American adults

Earlier studies have shown a startling sevenfold increase in illnesses and deaths directly traceable to heroin use in the USA over less than 20 years. Along with this epidemic, HIV and hepatitis infections acquired by injections of drugs have also broken out in large clusters in many places. Yet, the extent of heroin use itself has been neglected. The current study looked at this overlooked area of research.

11 Feb 2020

Skin cancer-detecting apps could be missing diagnoses finds study

A new study has warned that Smartphone apps that promise to detect skin cancers from moles or marks over the skin could be missing out on potential cancers. These apps say the researchers, could be missing out melanomas and could be declaring potentially dangerous lesions as safe. The results of the study titled, "Algorithm based smartphone apps to assess risk of skin cancer in adults: systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies," were published this week in The BMJ.

11 Feb 2020