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New study in fruit flies offers clues to delay human aging

One of the few reliable ways to extend an organism's lifespan, be it a fruit fly or a mouse, is to restrict calorie intake. Now, a new study in fruit flies is helping to explain why such minimal diets are linked to longevity and offering clues to the effects of aging on stem cell behavior.

3 Nov 2011

JDC receives NIDDK grant for research into diabetic retinopathy, kidney disease

Joslin Diabetes Center has received a $3.9 million DP3 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, to identify protective factors that enable many Joslin 50-Year Medalists to remain free of commonly occurring diabetes complications.

3 Nov 2011

Link between poverty, fast food and obesity

A new national study of eating out and income shows that fast-food dining becomes more common as earnings increase from low to middle incomes, weakening the popular notion that fast food should be blamed for higher rates of obesity among the poor.

3 Nov 2011

Study: Melanoma survivors more likely to have new cancers

Melanoma skin cancer survivors are much more likely than the general population to have future new cases of invasive melanomas and other cancers, says a national study led by UAMS' Appathurai Balamurugan, M.D., M.P.H.

3 Nov 2011

Nutrition expert: Each saturated fatty acid has specific functionalities

Each saturated fatty acid (SFA) has specific functionalities and should be evaluated as such, said nutrition expert Professor Philippe Legrand.

3 Nov 2011

UiB receives first ERC grant for research into diabetes and obesity

Research into diabetes and obesity at the University of Bergen (UiB) gets a major boost with one of these Advanced Grants from the European Research Council.

3 Nov 2011

Link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin in MetS patients

For the first time, scientists report a link between eating nuts and higher levels of serotonin in the bodies of patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), who are at high risk for heart disease.

3 Nov 2011

Regular physical activity associated with lower risk of depression in old age

Regular physical activity is associated with a lower risk of suffering depression in old age. This is shown by one of the largest studies on elderly Europeans to have been carried out, by researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, among others. Research also shows that self-determined motivation and perceived competence are important factors in persuading elderly people to exercise more.

3 Nov 2011

Pupil can constrict without any input from brain

You've seen it on television: A doctor shines a bright light into an unconscious patient's eye to check for brain death. If the pupil constricts, the brain is OK, because in mammals, the brain controls the pupil. Or does it? Now, researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that in most mammals, in fact in most vertebrates, the pupil can constrict without any input from the brain.

3 Nov 2011

Combination of Mediterranean diet, physical activity can help improve symptoms of OSAS

Eating a Mediterranean diet combined with physical activity can help to improve some of the symptoms of sleep apnoea, according to new research.

3 Nov 2011

Study reveals new role for the 'hormone of love'

Much of the body's chemistry is controlled by the brain - from blood pressure to appetite to food metabolism. In a study published recently in Developmental Cell, a team of scientists led by Dr. Gil Levkowitz of the Weizmann Institute has revealed the exact structure of one crucial brain area in which biochemical commands are passed from the brain cells to the bloodstream and from there to the body. In the process, they discovered a surprising new role for the 'hormone of love,' showing that it helps to direct the development of this brain structure.

3 Nov 2011

Affective symptoms can help diagnose early psychotic disorders

Functional psychosis can be diagnosed from the first indications of the patient, thanks to affective symptomatology. Depressive moods, hyperactivity and lack of concentration are affective symptoms that can present themselves during the first psychotic episodes, and the presence or absence of any of them may contribute to differentiating, at an early stage, between the different variations of the mental disease.

3 Nov 2011

DexCom signs research and development agreement with Roche

Roche Diagnostics U.S., with its business unit Roche Diabetes Care, a leader in blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery systems, and DexCom, Inc., a leader in continuous glucose monitoring systems, announced today that they have signed a research and development agreement.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 3 Nov 2011

Resveratrol holds key to reducing obesity and associated risks: Study

A new study shows that when taken regularly a natural compound known as resveratrol, found in red wine and grapes, mulberries and peanuts, can offer similar benefits to low-calorie diets and endurance training.

2 Nov 2011

Towards a cure for chronic fatigue syndrome

Two doctors at Haukeland University Hospital have made great progress in their work to solve chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Trials cancer medicine has improved the health of two out of three CFS patients.

2 Nov 2011

Study examines how perception of roles among ED staff can impact patient satisfaction

A study from Rhode Island Hospital examined how the perception of roles among emergency department staff can impact patient satisfaction. Through a web survey with embedded interventions, the researchers were able to determine where gaps exist in key indicators of patient satisfaction, while staff reported changing or reconsidering how these factors play into their roles.

2 Nov 2011

Researchers discover key enzymes that are critical for sperm function

Compared to most other cells in an organism, sperm undergo a radical transformation to become compact and mobile delivery systems for paternal DNA. Even though sperm looks and moves quite differently across species, SF State researcher Diana Chu and colleagues now say that there are at least a few key enzymes that are critical for sperm development and mobility in species as different as mice and nematode worms.

2 Nov 2011

Hospital architecture, design and sensory stimulation make rehabilitation more effective

How does the hospital environment affect our rehabilitation? New research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, into how the space around us affects the brain reveals that well-planned architecture, design and sensory stimulation increase patients' ability to recover both physically and mentally. Digital textiles and multisensory spaces can make rehabilitation more effective and reduce the amount of time spent in care.

2 Nov 2011

Study identifies a group of middle school students at high risk for alcohol use

Research led by University of Southern California (USC) professor Mary Ann Pentz, Ph.D., shows that black middle school students whose close friends drink alcohol are more likely to drink alcohol in high school than their white classmates.

2 Nov 2011

Two transformative philanthropic gifts to fuel new discoveries at Seattle Children's

Seattle Children's today announced two transformative philanthropic gifts totaling $65 million to benefit pediatric research, nursing education and clinical care.

1 Nov 2011