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Urban dwellers at greater risk of mental illness: Study

A new study shows that living in a city increases the risk of developing a mental disorder, including depression and schizophrenia, compared to people who live in non-urban areas. The findings of the has implications for around half of the world's population who live in cities.

23 Jun 2011

Adding leucine to diets improves insulin sensitivity, pre-diabetic condition and metabolic syndrome

A study led by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center suggests that adding the amino acid leucine to their diets may help those with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

23 Jun 2011

Weak neural synchronization could serve as powerful, new biological marker of autism

In a novel imaging study of sleeping toddlers, scientists at the University of California, San Diego Autism Center of Excellence report that a diminished ability of a young brain's hemispheres to "sync" with one another could be a powerful, new biological marker of autism, one that might enable an autism diagnosis at a very young age.

23 Jun 2011

Singer Glen Campbell diagnosed with Alzheimer’s

Glen Campbell, the American country pop singer, has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. His wife Kim, said she wanted fans to be aware of his condition.

23 Jun 2011

More frequent use of ultrasound recommended in twin pregnancies

Featured in the June edition of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada is a new clinical practice guideline which suggests that carrying twins requires greater monitoring and, therefore, the more frequent use of ultrasound technology to conduct the ongoing assessment of twin pregnancies.

23 Jun 2011

Silicone-gel breast implant complications to be watched out for: FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Wednesday that women receiving silicone-gel breast implants have frequent complications like scarring or hardening breasts, and 20% or more of patients required implant removal within 10 years.

23 Jun 2011

Telaprevir drug shows promise in curing hepatitis C infection

The drug telaprevir (Incivek) provides a dramatic improvement in the treatment of the most common form of hepatitis C infection, says an international team of investigators led by Dr. Ira M. Jacobson of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

23 Jun 2011

Foods and lifestyles that cause most weight gain: Study

New research shows that eating more potato chips and French fries and watching too much TV are likely to lead to a bigger weight gain over the years than the weight change associated with eating more of other foods.

23 Jun 2011

G20 agriculture ministers to discuss curbing volatile food prices as World Bank launches food price hedging tool

"G20 farm ministers meet in Paris on Wednesday to review steps to curb food price volatility amid doubts France will win unanimous backing for a cornerstone proposal to tighten regulation for commodity markets," Reuters reports.

23 Jun 2011

High dose statins raise risk of diabetes: Study

According to the latest research taking a high-dose statin to lower cholesterol may increase risk of developing diabetes by as much as 12 percent, but the heart benefits of statins still outweigh the risks.

23 Jun 2011

New genetic research holds promise for patients with Chuvash polycythemia

New research conducted at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, offers hope for people with a rare disorder called Chuvash polycythemia.

23 Jun 2011

Drinking restrictions for the elderly

According to a new report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, people over the age of 65 are being advised not to drink more than half a pint of beer a day.

23 Jun 2011

Mothers receiving influenza vaccination during pregnancy also protect infants

Infants born to mothers who received the influenza (flu) vaccine while pregnant are nearly 50 percent less likely to be hospitalized for the flu than infants born to mothers who did not receive the vaccine while pregnant, according to a new collaborative study by researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and colleagues.

23 Jun 2011

Nontoxic gold nanoparticles could detect growth of early tumors in liver

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common cancer to strike the liver. More than 500,000 people worldwide, concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, are diagnosed with it yearly. Most of those afflicted die within six months.

23 Jun 2011

First audio data of naturally occurring spanking of children

In one recording, a mom spanks her 3-year-old 11 times for fighting with his sister. In another, a mom slaps her son for turning the page of a book while she reads to him. In still another, a mom spanks her 5-year-old when he refuses to clean up his room after repeated warnings to do so.

23 Jun 2011

India looking to supply generic drugs to Japan

After serving as "a lifeline to poor countries, supplying HIV drugs that have saved millions of lives … now India is aiming to become a drugs factory for rich countries such as Japan," which is looking to use more generic drugs in an effort to slow rising health care costs, Nature News reports.

23 Jun 2011

MUHC/McGill parasite disease researcher wins CPHA International Public Health Award

With close to one third of the world's population infected with parasitic worms, MUHC researcher Dr. Theresa Gyorkos is thinking big when it comes to finding a solution to this global public health challenge. As part of an international research and policy team, she is contributing to the soon-to-be-released WHO Strategic Plan to control intestinal worm infections in more than 100 countries.

23 Jun 2011

Experts to focus on Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome at New York Academy of Sciences conference

On June 28-30, 2011, the New York Academy of Sciences will bring together scientists and clinicians from a wide range of subspecialties, in addition to patients and caregivers, to discuss the most important recent advances in our understanding of the clinical features, management, and treatment of Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome (SDS)-a rare disorder involving multiple organ systems and affecting children and young adults.

23 Jun 2011

UCLA study reports favorable outcomes for angioplasty with stents for low-risk heart patients

Heart bypass surgery is considered the gold standard for most patients with left main coronary artery disease, one of the most serious types of heart disease and one that affects thousands.

23 Jun 2011

Penn State College of Medicine researchers create brief exam that identifies cognitive changes in ALS patients

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) could lose brain function earlier than is noticeably detectable, affecting their ability to make decisions about their care. Physicians need a method to assess these sensitive changes in brain function, without the need for extensive neuropsychological tests.

23 Jun 2011