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Sports fail to protect males from interpersonal violence

For years, proponents of high school athletics have pointed out the positive aspects of youth sports, such as increased bonds to school, self-esteem, achievement, competition, and fair play.

2 Oct 2007

Lower metabolism, eating behavior possibly explain the cause of overweight in narcolepsy

A lower metabolism, as well as slight changes in eating behavior, could explain the positive energy balance leading to being overweight in narcolepsy, according to a study published in the October 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

2 Oct 2007

Low maternal cholesterol levels may lead to adverse birth outcomes

Pregnant women who have very low cholesterol may face a greater risk of delivering their babies prematurely than women with more moderate cholesterol levels, a team led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reported today.

2 Oct 2007

Conscientiousness and Alzheimer's disease

Individuals who are more conscientious - in other words, those with a tendency to be self-disciplined, scrupulous and purposeful - appear less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

2 Oct 2007

Lifestyle changes could prevent one in ten cases of breast cancer by 2024

If women change some aspects of their lifestyle now thousands of cases of breast cancer could be prevented over 20 years â€“ a leading researcher predicts tomorrow (Monday).

2 Oct 2007

Leptin plays a major role in islet cell growth and insulin secretion

A new Joslin-led study has shown that leptin, a hormone known mainly for regulating appetite control and energy metabolism, plays a major role in islet cell growth and insulin secretion.

2 Oct 2007

Better use of kidneys from deceased donors

Several new studies suggest how transplant surgeons can make more effective use of kidneys from deceased donors – even those that are at the outer limits of acceptance criteria – according to researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

2 Oct 2007

In vitro fertilization technique enables pregnancy without multiple births

An in vitro fertilization technique that can avoid multiple births appears to be effective for women older than 35, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

2 Oct 2007

Improved breast cancer awareness in older women could save lives

Survival rates for breast cancer in older women could be significantly improved by a simple awareness programme that promotes early presentation of the disease, according to results of the first trial of its kind presented at the National Cancer Research Institute Conference in Birmingham today (Sunday).

2 Oct 2007

Nicotine dependence triggered by changes in brain chemistry that follow very first dose of nicotine

Following up on studies that have indicated the speed with which adolescents can get hooked on cigarettes, researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have conducted the first study to determine why some adolescents who try smoking get addicted while others do not.

2 Oct 2007

Factor MIF a potential target for West Nile virus

Infection with West Nile Virus (WNV) can cause lethal encephalitis and there are currently no vaccines or specific therapeutics for use in humans.

2 Oct 2007

Molecular basis of the cyanide polymorphism

That clover necklace you make for your child could well be a ring of poison.

2 Oct 2007

Genetics and learning

New research is giving scientists fresh insights into how genetics are a prime factor in how we learn.

2 Oct 2007

Genes influence people's economic choices

An international team of researchers including an MIT graduate student has demonstrated for the first time that genes exert influence on people's behavior in a very common experimental economic game.

2 Oct 2007

Gene discovery that affects breast cancer treatment

Medical scientists at the University of Leicester will be reporting on a potentially unique advance in breast cancer research at the National Cancer Research Institute Conference in Birmingham on Monday 1st October.

2 Oct 2007

Gene that lowers cell stress could protect against Parkinson's disease

The discovery of a relationship between two cell enzymes and their role in keeping the cell's energy generating machinery working smoothly could provide a new target for development of therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD).

2 Oct 2007

Brain protocols feature methods for neuroscience research

Research in the field of neuroscience is constantly expanding to provide knowledge about biological mechanisms that underlie our ability to experience and interact with the world around us.

2 Oct 2007

Scientists study folding of the brain's cortex

Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are finding common ground between the shaping of the brain and the heart during embryonic development.

2 Oct 2007

Extended wakefulness and low-dose alcohol impairs driving performance

The combination of extended wakefulness and low-dose alcohol has significant adverse effects on a person's ability to drive, and elevates the risk of getting into a vehicular accident, according to a study published in the October 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

2 Oct 2007