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New research on brain plasticity may delay onset of Alzheimer's disease

The human brain loses 5 to 10% of its weight between the ages of 20 and 90 years old. While some cells are lost, the brain is equipped with two compensatory mechanisms: plasticity and redundancy.

23 Mar 2011

Research: Hot dogs and deli meat may have low HCA levels

If given the choice between eating a hot dog or enjoying some rotisserie chicken, consider the hot dog. That's because hot dogs, as well as pepperoni and deli meats, are relatively free of carcinogenic compounds, according to Kansas State University research. But it's a not-so-happy ending for bacon and rotisserie chicken -- especially chicken skin -- because both have higher levels of cancerous material.

23 Mar 2011

U-M professors recommend certain steps to reach research equipoise

In 1998, a study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism in children appeared in a respected medical journal. For a decade, the study grabbed headlines worldwide.

23 Mar 2011

Episodic physical and sexual activity associated with short-term increase in risk of acute cardiac events

An analysis of previous studies that examined whether episodic physical activity and sexual activity can act as a trigger for cardiac events found an association between these activities and a short-term increased risk of heart attack and sudden cardiac death, although the absolute risk was small and lessened among persons with high levels of regular physical activity, according to an article in the March 23/30 issue of JAMA.

23 Mar 2011

Early smoking onset linked to higher risk of cannabis use

Young people who start smoking at an early age have a much higher risk of starting to use cannabis by the time they turn 17. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of starting to smoke include externalising problem behaviours such as impulsiveness. Smoking, in turn, is a significant risk factor for cannabis use. These results have been confirmed in a project researching smoking at an early age and externalising behaviour as predictors of drug use.

23 Mar 2011

AHA to honor BIDMC investigator for groundbreaking Vascular Biology research

Alterations in blood vessel dilation lie at the heart of coronary artery health: When vessels dilate, blood and oxygen supplies successfully reach the heart. When vessels contract, blood and oxygen are diminished, leading to coronary artery disease.

23 Mar 2011

Bowel cancer rate increases to 12% in over 60s in England due to screening test

Bowel cancer rates in 60 to 69 year olds went up by more than 12 per cent in England from 2006 to 2008, according to the latest figures from Cancer Research UK.

23 Mar 2011

MD Anderson receives $2.7 million NCI grant for acupuncture study in cancer

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has been awarded a grant to study whether xerostomia, a debilitating side effect caused by head and neck cancer radiation treatment, can be prevented when acupuncture is part of a patient's treatment regimen.

23 Mar 2011

Obese teens have inflammation, insulin resistance, and high homocysteine levels despite feeling healthy

Obese teens may feel healthy, but blood tests show they have inflammation, insulin resistance, and high homocysteine levels, researchers report at the American Heart Association's Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism/Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention 2011 Scientific Sessions.

23 Mar 2011

Corticosteroids may decrease occurrence of hospital-acquired pneumonia in ICU patients

Patients admitted to a hospital with major trauma and treated with the steroid hydrocortisone were less likely to be diagnosed with hospital-acquired pneumonia than patients who received placebo, according to a study in the March 23/30 issue of JAMA.

23 Mar 2011

Insight into 'contagious itch'

Can you catch an itch? The answer is yes. Dermatologist Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, has been researching what's known as "contagious itch."

23 Mar 2011

Study finds IL-13 stimulates airway fibroblast invasion in asthma patients

Changes that occur in the airways of asthma patients are in part caused by the naturally occurring protein interleukin-13 which stimulates invasion of airway cells called fibroblasts, according to a study conducted by researchers at Duke University.

23 Mar 2011

Medical oncologist to receive AACR award for breast cancer research

Vassiliki Karantza, MD, PhD, a medical oncologist at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey will be honored with the Genentech BioOncology Career Development Award sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research at the Association's 102nd Annual Meeting taking place April 2 through 6 in Orlando.

23 Mar 2011

New study: Minority women may face risk of prenatal depression during pregnancy

A new study finds that African-American and Asian/Pacific Islander women have double the risk that others do of becoming depressed before giving birth, after adjusting for socioeconomic risk factors.

23 Mar 2011

Mayo Clinic receives $1 million gift for Lewy body dementia study

To help continue its internationally recognized work in Lewy body dementia, the Harry T. Mangurian, Jr., Foundation has awarded Mayo Clinic a $1 million gift, pledged over four years. Lewy body dementia, which combines aspects of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, is the second most common form of dementia in the United States.

23 Mar 2011

Researchers discover novel gene regulation mechanism that contributes to HCC development

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center and VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine have discovered a novel mechanism in gene regulation that contributes to the development of a form of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma.

23 Mar 2011