Genetic Test May Predict Risk Of Schizophrenia

Sat, 19 May 2012 16:00:00 -0500

Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have developed a test that can predict how likely an individual is to develop schizophrenia. The scientists combined data from several different types of studies in order to identify and prioritize a group of genes most associated with the disease...

Autism, Obesity And Schizophrenia Gene Isolated

Sat, 19 May 2012 16:00:00 -0500

The size of a baby's head is often related to neurological disorders, such as autism - which affects 1 in 88 children. Now, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have identified genes responsible for head size at birth by inserting human genes into zebrafish. The study is published online in the journal Nature. Nicholas Katsanis, Ph.D., Jean and George Brumley Jr. M.D...

Dieting During Pregnancy Is Safe And Helpful

Sat, 19 May 2012 07:00:00 -0500

A study in BMJ reports that the risk for serious complications, such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes and premature birth can be safely reduced even in overweight and obese pregnant women by following a healthy calorie controlled diet during pregnancy...

Hunger Among Seniors In The USA Rose 78% In Ten Years

Fri, 18 May 2012 22:00:00 -0500

8.3 million (14.85%) seniors in the United States face the threat of hunger, say researchers at the University of Illinois. From 2001 to 2010, the incidence of hunger among seniors has risen by 78%, and by 34% since the onset of the recession in 2007...

Anxiety Disorders And Cellular Metabolism Linked

Fri, 18 May 2012 22:00:00 -0500

Researchers at the University of Chicago have found an association between anxiety disorders and the gene that encodes Glyoxylase 1 (GLO1). However, the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. The most prevalent psychiatric diseases in the United States are anxiety disorders, which range from post-traumatic stress disorder to social phobia...

Running Marathons - Death Risk Low, Higher Among Men

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:00:00 -0500

In recent years, the popularity of marathons has grown significantly and although the risk of dying during a marathon or soon after is extremely low - about 0.75 per 100,000 - men are two times more likely to die than women, say researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. In addition, the number of individuals to complete grueling 26...

Drug Approval Faster In US FDA Than Its European Or Canadian Counterparts

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Although the drug approval process in the U.S. has been perceived as too slow, the nation approves new drug treatments faster and earlier than Europe and Canada, according to researchers at Yale School of Medicine. The study, conducted by Nicholas Downing, a second-year medical student and Joseph S. Ross, M.D...

Athlete's High Pain Threshold May Help Pain Management Research

Fri, 18 May 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Athletes are often seen to put on a 'brave face and carry on' when they sustain an injury, which supports the theory that they have a higher pain threshold than non-athletes, regardless of inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory evidence from previous studies on pain perception in athletes...

Reducing Booze Consumption Better For Public Health And Economy, Australia

Fri, 18 May 2012 20:00:00 -0500

According to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health, Australia could yield economic and health benefits by reducing its overall national yearly alcohol consumption...

Fighting Multidrug-Resistant Bugs - Last Resort Drugs Being Used Increasingly

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:00:00 -0500

A study published in the open access journal PloS ONE reveals that the use of "last resort" antibiotics is on the rise due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant pathogens...

Diabetes Population May Rise To 53 Million Within 13 Years In USA

Fri, 18 May 2012 19:00:00 -0500

By the year 2025, researchers predict that 53.1 million individuals in the United States will have diabetes (mainly type 2 diabetes) - a 64% increase from 2010. The study is published in Population Health Management Diabetes is a life long disease in which there are high levels of glucose in the blood...

Strict School Physical Education Laws Improve Children's Health

Fri, 18 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

As childhood obesity and diabetes rates are skyrocketing in the US, many schools are eliminating physical education classes. A national study in the American Journal of Public Health reports that specific and required state legislation with regard to PE times could be a crucial tool to ensure that children meet the daily recommendations of physical activity...

Weight Management And Dieting During Pregnancy Is Beneficial

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:00:00 -0500

A woman who is both over weight and pregnant faces double challenges, not least because many women who are not overweight struggle not to gain weight over the course of the nine month gestation period. Pregnant women who are overweight or obese can have serious health risks including high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, diabetes and premature birth, but there is good news...

Heart Healthier Oat Variety Developed

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:00:00 -0500

Plant breeders of the Wisconsin-Madison University have developed a new oat variety called BetaGene, which is 2% higher in beta glucan and therefore even more cardio-friendly than other oat varieties on the market...

A Very Sugary Diet Makes You Stupid

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:00:00 -0500

As we near the final year exams for schools and universities, students should be wary of powering up on buckets of soda and pocketfuls of candy bars. A UCLA study on rats suggests that fructose slows down the brain and memory functions. Too much sweetness can also prevent learning. The findings are published in Journal of Physiology and also show omega-3 fatty acids helping to negate the effect...

Google Algorithm Finds Cancer Biomarkers

Thu, 17 May 2012 21:00:00 -0500

Seven proteins that can help physicians evaluate how aggressive a patient's cancer is and whether or not they should receive chemotherapy have been identified by German researchers...

General Practice - Uk India Partnership Initiative

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:00:00 -0500

An article featured in BMJ reports on a 'white paper', which investigates as to how India and the UK can collaborate more closely in an equal partnership to improve both nations' primary health care...

Controlling Blood Pressure - Team Based Care Vital

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:00:00 -0500

High blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for approximately 336,000 Americans in 2007. If all patients with high blood pressure were treated to goal as outlined in current clinical guidelines, it is estimated that 46,000 deaths might be averted each year...

Brushing Teeth - Which Way Is The Right Way?

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:00:00 -0500

Twenty five percent of teenagers in Sweden do not brush their teeth regularly and only 10% of Swedes know how to use toothpaste effectively, according to researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. Even though the majority of people in Sweden brush their teeth, only 1 in 10 brush in a way that effectively prevents tooth decay...

Obama's Grand Plan To Cure Alzheimer's

Thu, 17 May 2012 07:00:00 -0500

Obama's healthcare goals have been controversial at best, and although anti-smoking campaigns and other public health and safety awareness drives have been successful, it's always somewhat dubious when government starts creating grand plans and lofty goals...