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Nighttime satellite images could provide clues to disease outbreaks, researchers suggest

"The intensity of light shining from cities at night could help identify hot spots where outbreaks of infectious disease are likely to take place," PBS NewsHour's "The Rundown" reports.

14 Dec 2011

Stillbirth linked with factors identifiable before or at the start of pregnancy

Stillbirth is associated with a range of health and socio-demographic factors identifiable before or at the start of pregnancy, including prior pregnancy outcomes, ethnicity and modifiable health factors, such as diabetes, obesity and smoking.

14 Dec 2011

Older women may face negative consequences with weight regain after loss

The holidays are upon us and, for many Americans that means some degree of weight gain and the subsequent New Year's resolution to diet. However, shedding the pounds may have some negative consequences on the overall health of older women if the weight loss is not maintained, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

14 Dec 2011

Researchers create vaccine that reduces tumors in mice

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Arizona and the University of Georgia (UGA) have developed a vaccine that dramatically reduces tumors in a mouse model that mimics 90 percent of human breast and pancreatic cancer cases - including those that are resistant to common treatments.

14 Dec 2011

Researchers convert astrocytes directly into dopamine-producing neurons

In efforts to find new treatments for Parkinson's Disease (PD), researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have directly reprogrammed astrocytes, the most plentiful cell type in the central nervous system, into dopamine-producing neurons.

14 Dec 2011

NYUCI experts present latest research findings about hematologic cancers at 53rd ASH meeting

Experts from the NYU Cancer Institute, an NCI-designated cancer center at NYU Langone Medical Center, presented their latest research findings about hematologic cancers at the 53rd ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition held December 10-13, 2011 in San Diego, California.

14 Dec 2011

Study finds underutilization of warfarin among Kentucky women with AF

Dr. Rabab Mohsin, an internal medicine resident at the University of Kentucky, working with Dr. Alison Bailey of the University of Kentucky Gill Heart Institute, has discovered that the drug warfarin was underutilized in a large study group of women.

14 Dec 2011

Link between maternal pre-pregnant BMI, weight change in pregnancy and offspring birthweight

A new study published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (AOGS) reveals that both pre-pregnant weight (body mass index, BMI) and weight gain in pregnancy are important predictors of babies' birthweight. This is important since high birthweight may also predict adult overweight.

14 Dec 2011

Study reveals key role of melatonin receptor in sleep regulation

A team from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University has made a major breakthrough by unraveling the inner workings of melatonin, also known as the "sleep hormone."

14 Dec 2011

Study to evaluate effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for BDD

Rhode Island Hospital has received a grant for more than $1.5 million from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for a 5-year study on treatment for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Led by Katharine A. Phillips, M.D., director of the BDD Program at Rhode Island Hospital and an internationally known expert in BDD, the study will examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy versus supportive psychotherapy for the treatment of people with BDD.

14 Dec 2011

Microneedle-based sensors can detect real-time chemical changes in the body

Researchers from North Carolina State University, Sandia National Laboratories, and the University of California, San Diego have developed new technology that uses microneedles to allow doctors to detect real-time chemical changes in the body - and to continuously do so for an extended period of time.

14 Dec 2011

Early warning systems helping aid agencies respond to potential 'food crisis' in Sahel region

Africa's Sahel region is facing a potential "food crisis," "but the good news is that the world's Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) is giving West African countries and donor nations a period of time to prepare, says the aid group Oxfam," the Christian Science Monitor reports.

14 Dec 2011

New substance can replace nucleoside thymidine in DNA biosynthesis

Interactions of biological macromolecules are the central bases of living systems. Biological macromolecules are synthesized in living cells by linking many small molecules together. Naturally occurring macromolecules include genetic materials (DNA) and proteins. A detailed understanding of the synthesis of these macromolecules in whole animals is a basic requirement for understanding biological systems, and for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

14 Dec 2011

JDRF initiates enrollment in metformin clinical study for type 1 diabetes

JDRF-funded researchers have begun enrolling adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in the REMOVAL study, to test whether metformin-a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes-could help prevent or reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications in people with T1D.

14 Dec 2011

Mimicking periosteum to heal traumatic bone injury

A manmade package filled with nature's bone-building ingredients delivers the goods over time and space to heal serious bone injuries faster than products currently available, Cleveland researchers have found.

14 Dec 2011

Aethlon Hemopurifier can capture Nef protein exosomes linked with HIV

Aethlon Medical, Inc., the pioneer in developing therapeutic filtration devices to address infectious disease and cancer, announced today that researchers have discovered that the Aethlon Hemopurifier is able to capture particles known as Nef protein exosomes, which contribute to the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

14 Dec 2011

Unexplained kidney disease affecting rural workers across Central America, PRI's 'The World' reports

PRI's "The World" reports on an epidemic of an unexplained kidney disease that is affecting rural workers across Central America, writing, "[I]t's the second biggest cause of death among men in El Salvador, and in Nicaragua it's a bigger killer of men than HIV and diabetes combined," and "the latest theory is that the victims are literally working themselves to death."

14 Dec 2011

Individuals with mood and anxiety disorders may be more likely to abuse opioids

Individuals suffering from mood and anxiety disorders such as bipolar, panic disorder and major depressive disorder may be more likely to abuse opioids, according to a new study led by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They found that mood and anxiety disorders are highly associated with non-medical prescription opioid use.

14 Dec 2011

Researchers identify interactive pathway that regulates cancer metastasis

Finding ways to counteract or disrupt the invasive nature of cancer cells, called "metastasis," has been a long-term goal of cancer researchers. Now, researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., have identified an interactive pathway that regulates metastases in some cancers that may be vulnerable to chemical targeting in order to prevent cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth.

14 Dec 2011

Bronx churches, Montefiore partner to fight against hypertension

Montefiore Medical Center is sponsoring screenings and educational workshops at churches in the Bronx in order to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in congregants who are identified with hypertension. Congregants learn about hypertension, medication management, weight control, healthy cooking habits and perform yoga exercises to reduce stress.

14 Dec 2011