In The News 2008

The following articles were added on December 20, 2009 and complete our reviews for 2008...

Small Molecules, Large Effect: How Cancer Cells Ensure Their Survival (December 31, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a molecular mechanism used by cancer cells to "defend" themselves against chemotherapeutics in an attempt to ensure their own survival. Both the messenger substance Nitric Oxide (nitrogen monoxide) and the protein survivin play a role in this. ... >

Blood Sugar Linked To Normal Cognitive Aging (December 31, 2008) -- Maintaining blood sugar levels, even in the absence of disease, may be an important strategy for preserving cognitive health, suggests a new study. The findings suggest that exercising to improve blood sugar levels could be a way for some people to stave off the normal cognitive decline that comes with age. ... >

Another Reason To Avoid High-fat Diet: It Can Disrupt Our Biological Clock, Say Researchers (December 31, 2008) -- Indulgence in a high-fat diet can not only lead to overweight because of excessive calorie intake, but also can affect the balance of circadian rhythms -- everyone's 24-hour biological clock, researchers have shown. ... >

“The biological clock regulates the expression and/or activity of enzymes and hormones involved in metabolism, and disturbance of the clock can lead to such phenomena as hormone imbalance, obesity, psychological and sleep disorders and cancer.”

Women Double Fruit, Veggie Intake With Switch To Mediterranean Diet Plan (December 31, 2008) -- Women more than doubled their fruit and vegetable intakes and dramatically increased their consumption of 'good' fats when they were counseled by registered dietitians and provided with a list of guidelines on the amount of certain foods they should eat each day. ... >

Editors Note: Hemp Nuts would be a logical choice to provide adequate amounts of 'good' (essential) fats and essential proteins.

Moderate Drinking Can Reduce Risks Of Alzheimer's Dementia And Cognitive Decline, Analysis Suggests (December 31, 2008) -- Moderate drinkers often have lower risks of Alzheimer's disease and other cognitive loss, according to researchers who reviewed 44 studies. In more than half of the studies, published since the 1990s, moderate drinkers of wine, beer and liquor had lower dementia risks than nondrinkers. ... >

Common Food Additive Found To Increase Risk And Speed Spread Of Cancer (December 30, 2008) -- New research in an animal model suggests that a diet high in inorganic phosphates, which are found in a variety of processed foods including meats, cheeses, beverages and bakery products, might speed growth of lung cancer tumors and may even contribute to the development of those tumors in individuals predisposed to the disease. ... >

“Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths in the world.” "Our results clearly demonstrated that the diet higher in inorganic phosphates caused an increase in the size of the tumors and stimulated growth of the tumors," Dr. Cho said.

Editors Note: It would be logical to assume that inorganic phosphates contribute to all forms of cancer, not just lung cancer.

Both Major Theories About Human Cellular Aging Supported By New Research (December 30, 2008) -- Aging yeast cells accumulate damage over time, but they do so by following a pattern laid down earlier in their life by diet as well as the genes that control metabolism and the dynamics of cell structures such as mitochondria, the power plants of cells. ... >

Berry Compound Reduces Aging Effect (December 30, 2008) -- Aged laboratory animals that ate a diet rich in the berry and grape compound pterostilbene performed better than those in a group that did not eat the enriched diet, scientists with the Agricultural Research Service have reported. Pterostilbene reversed measurable negative effects of aging on brain function and behavioral performance. ... >

Breast Cancer: Diet High In Vegetables, Fruit And Fiber May Cut Risk Of Cancer Recurrence In Women Without Hot Flashes (December 30, 2008) -- A secondary analysis of a large, multicenter clinical trial has shown that a diet loaded with fruits, vegetables and fiber and somewhat lower in fat compared to standard federal dietary recommendations cuts the risk of recurrence in a subgroup of early-stage breast cancer survivors -- women who didn't have hot flashes -- by approximately 31 percent. These patients typically have higher recurrence and lower survival rates than breast cancer patients who have hot flashes. ... >

How Certain Vegetables Combat Cancer (December 29, 2008) -- Women should go for the broccoli when the relish tray comes around during holiday celebrations this season. ... >

Nutritious Fast-food Kids' Meals Are Scarce, Researchers Find (December 28, 2008) -- Only three percent of kids' meals served at fast-food restaurants met federal dietary guidelines in the first study to examine the nutrient quality of such meals in a major US metropolitan market. The small percentage of meals that did meet dietary guidelines included fruit as a side dish and milk, and nearly all were deli-sandwich meals. ... >

Primary Cilium As Cellular 'GPS System' Crucial To Wound Repair (December 25, 2008) -- The primary cilium, the solitary, antenna-like structure that studs the outer surfaces of virtually all human cells, orients cells to move in the right direction and at the speed needed to heal wounds, much like a global positioning system helps ships navigate to their destinations. ... >

Peripheral Artery Disease: Pain When Walking Can Be Reduced With Moderate Exercise, Study Suggests (December 25, 2008) -- You probably know that poor diet and lack of exercise can lead to dangerous deposits of fatty plaques in arteries. But it is not just the heart that is affected – blood flow can be blocked to the legs too, leading to pain when walking, immobility and even in extreme cases, amputation. Approximately 20% of us will suffer from this peripheral artery disease (PAD) once we are 65 or over, and with risk factors including smoking, diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure it is on the rise. ... >

Protein Helps Build Muscle Mass: Possible Treatment For Muscle Wasting Disorders (December 24, 2008) -- Researchers are reporting how to build muscle mass with the protein FHL1. The protein partners with and activates the transcription factor, NFATc1. Encouraging this partnership might provide a possible treatment for muscle wasting disorders. ... >

Probiotics May Help People Taking Antibiotics (December 24, 2008) -- Up to one in five people on antibiotics stop taking their full course of antibiotic therapy due to diarrhea. Physicians could help patients avoid this problem by prescribing probiotics, according to a new study. ... >

Common Infant Virus May Trigger Type 1 Diabetes (December 22, 2008) -- Human parechovirus is a harmless virus which is encountered by most infants and displays few symptoms. Suspected of triggering type 1 diabetes in susceptible people, research methods need to take this 'silent' virus into consideration. ... >

Breakthrough In Understanding Development Of Type 1 Diabetes (December 19, 2008) -- Finnish scientists have reported a breakthrough in understanding the development of type 1 diabetes. They discovered disturbances in lipid and amino acid metabolism in children who later progressed to type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes. The alterations preceded the autoimmune response by months to years. The study may prompt new approaches for prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes in pre-autoimmune phase of the disease. ... >

Lean Muscle Mass Helps Even Obese Patients Battle Cancer (December 18, 2008) -- Lean muscle-mass may give even obese people an advantage in battling cancer, a new study shows. ... >

Cellular Stress Causes Fatty Liver Disease In Mice (December 16, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a direct link between disruption of a critical cellular housekeeping process and fatty liver disease, a condition that causes fat to accumulate in the liver. The findings might open new avenues for understanding and perhaps treating fatty liver disease, which is the most common form of liver disease in the Western world. ... >

Editors note: The Hemp Nut and/or Hemp Protein diet may be an answer to protein miss-folding and we encourage the authors to study the effects that “Globular Proteins” found in Hemp may have. “Protein folding, which occurs in a cellular compartment called the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is a vital cellular process because proteins must be correctly folded into defined three-dimensional shapes in order to function.”

How Mutations Are Transmitted From One Generation To The Next (December 15, 2008) -- A fundamental process in the transmission of genes from mother to child has been identified. The new study identifies a mechanism that plays a key role in how mutations are transmitted from one generation to the next, providing unprecedented insight into metabolic diseases. ... >

Mathematical Model Gives Clearer Picture Of Physics Of Cells, Organelles (December 15, 2008) -- Cells are filled with membrane-bound organelles like the nucleus, mitochondria and endoplasmic reticula. Over the years, scientists have made much progress in understanding the biomolecular details of how these organelles function within cells, but understanding the actual physical forces that maintain the structures of these organelles' membranes continues to be a challenge. ... >

Understanding Of Bone Marrow Stem Cell Niche Expanded (December 15, 2008) -- Scientists have identified the precise location of the bone marrow stem cell niche. The findings were published in Nature. ... >

Broccoli Compound Targets Key Enzyme In Late-stage Cancer (December 14, 2008) -- Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables have long been known to have anti-cancer benefits, and researchers have now found out why. One well-known anti-cancer chemical in broccoli, indole-3-carbinol, was found to inhibit the enzyme elastase, which is found at high levels in late-stage breast and prostate cancers. The discovery of this target will help to design better anti-cancer drugs and to target treatment to specific types of cancer, including late-stage breast and prostate cancers. ... >

Fructose Metabolism More Complicated Than Was Thought (December 11, 2008) -- A new study suggests that we may pay a price for ingesting too much fructose. Chances are you consume quite a bit of fructose. Most Americans do --- in refined sugars such as sucrose or table sugar (which is half fructose) and in high-fructose corn syrup, used in products as diverse as soft drinks, protein bars, and fruit juice. Dietary fructose affects a wide range of genes in the liver that had not previously been identified. ... >

Editors note: The authors fail to mention that candy, commercial breads, breakfast cereals and bakery's often use a lot of fructose and/or sucrose in their goods.

Sugar Can Be Addictive: Animal Studies Show Sugar Dependence (December 11, 2008) -- Scientists have demonstrated that sugar can be an addictive substance, wielding its power over the brains of lab animals in a manner similar to many drugs of abuse. Researchers found profound behavioral changes in rats that, through experimental conditions, have been trained to become dependent on high doses of sugar. Lab animals that were denied sugar for a prolonged period after learning to binge worked harder to get it when it was reintroduced to them. They consumed more sugar than they ever had before, suggesting craving and relapse behavior. ... >

38 Percent Of Adults And 12 Percent Of Children Use Complementary And Alternative Medicine, Government Survey Shows (December 11, 2008) -- Approximately 38 percent of adults in the United States aged 18 years and over and nearly 12 percent of U.S. children aged 17 years and under use some form of complementary and alternative medicine, according to a new nationwide government survey. ... >

'Border Patrol Agents' Identified In The Gut (December 10, 2008) -- Researchers have shown in mice how and under what circumstances the gut activates its defensive mechanisms to prevent illness. ... >

Eye Disorders Linked To Statin Drug Use In Some Patients (December 10, 2008) -- Statin medications are used to lower patients' cholesterol levels, thus helping prevent coronary heart disease, stroke and other deaths related to high cholesterol levels. Statin use has grown rapidly since 1992, and seems likely to increase in light of the recent, widely-reported Jupiter Study on statin benefits in patients with low cholesterol but elevated C-reactive protein. ... >

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Statin Warning For Pregnant Women (December 10, 2008) -- Pregnant women or those hoping to start or extend a family should talk to their physician about avoiding using the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins, say scientists. ... >

Do you want to know more about the Stain-Drug controversy? Please visit http://SpaceDoc.net/

Apoptosis Inhibitors Prevent Not Only Cell Death, But Also Play A Role In Cell Migration (December 10, 2008) -- Many of the cancer drugs currently undergoing clinical trials target apoptosis inhibitors (IAPs), since if the levels of IAPs are reduced, tumor cells will be destroyed by the body's own self-protecting mechanism or by the chemotherapeutic drugs. However, researchers have recently discovered that IAPs also have another life: they control cell migration. ... >

According to the researchers, drugs to target IAPs should therefore only be used with caution in future.

Food Can Affect A Cell In The Same Way Hormones Do (December 9, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered an important new mechanism with which cells can detect nutrients. This happens in the same way - and with the same effects – as when cells receive a message from a hormone. This finding can teach us more about how food affects our body; and, furthermore, it can form the basis for new candidate targets for medicines. ... >

Progression Of Retinal Disease Linked To Cell Starvation (December 9, 2008) -- A new study illuminates an incurable eye disease that afflicts approximately 100,000 Americans. Your retina contains two types of cells that send signals when they detect light: rods and cones. In patients with Retinitis Pigmentosa, first the rods, then the cones die, leading to blindness. While most cases of the disease are due to mutations in rod-specific genes, cones don't escape death. New data suggest that the cones die because they are starving. ... >

Antibiotics: Single Largest Class Of Drugs Causing Liver Injury (December 8, 2008) -- Antibiotics are the single largest class of agents that cause idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury, reports a new study in Gastroenterology. DILI is the most common cause of death from acute liver failure and accounts for approximately 13 percent of cases of acute liver failure in the US. It is caused by a wide variety of prescription and nonprescription medications, nutritional supplements and herbals. ... >

Shared Features Of Human Gut Microbial Communities: Variations Linked To Obesity (December 8, 2008) -- Researchers have catalogued the microbial species in the guts of lean and obese female twins and their mothers, finding that each individual carries a unique collection of bacteria, although the communities are more similar among family members. However, when the scientists looked closer, they found the various collections of bacterial species carried a common set of genes that performed key functions to complement those performed by our human genes. ... >

Escape Cancer, But Age Sooner? The Dark Side Of The Tumor Suppressing Process (December 5, 2008) -- Cells shut down and stop dividing when their DNA is damaged so as to prevent damaged DNA from leading to unregulated cell division and therefore cancer. However, a new study has found that when these cells shut down they also spew proteins into their surrounding environment. This causes inflammation and sets up conditions that support the development of age-related diseases including, ironically, cancer. ... >

Calcium And Vitamin D May Not Be The Only Protection Against Bone Loss (December 4, 2008) -- Diets that are high in protein and cereal grains produce an excess of acid in the body which may increase calcium excretion and weaken bones, according to a new study. The study found that increasing the alkali content of the diet, with a pill or through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has the opposite effect and strengthens skeletal health. ... >

Some 'Good Cholesterol' Is Actually Bad, Study Shows (December 3, 2008) -- If you think your levels of "good cholesterol" are good enough, a new study suggests that you may want to think again. Researchers show that good cholesterol (HDL) has varying degrees of quality and that poor quality HDL is actually bad for you. ... >

Antioxidants Are Unlikely To Prevent Aging, Study Suggests (December 2, 2008) -- Diets and beauty products which claim to have anti-oxidant properties are unlikely to prevent aging, according to new research. Scientists in England say this is because a key 50-year-old theory about the causes of aging is wrong. ...

"Oxidative damage is clearly not a universal, major driver of the aging process. Other factors, such as chemical reactions involving sugars in our body, clearly play a role."

Eating Eggs When Pregnant Affects Breast Cancer In Offspring (December 2, 2008) -- A stunning discovery based on epigenetics (the inheritance of propensities acquired in the womb) reveals that consuming choline -- a nutrient found in eggs and other foods -- during pregnancy may significantly affect breast cancer outcomes for a mother's offspring. This finding is the first to link choline consumption during pregnancy to breast cancer. It also is the first to identify possible choline-related genetic changes that affect breast cancer survival rates. The 'genetic impact' of a pregnant woman's diet has a profound effect on her child. ... >

It Takes Guts To Build Bone, Scientists Discover (December 1, 2008) -- Bone growth is controlled in the gut through serotonin, the same naturally present chemical used by the brain to influence mood, appetite and sleep, according to a new discovery. Until now, the skeleton was thought to control bone growth and serotonin was known as a neurotransmitter acting in the brain. This insight could transform how osteoporosis is treated by giving doctors a way to increase bone mass, not just slow its loss. ... >

Acupuncture Just As Effective Without Needle Puncture, Study Shows (December 1, 2008) -- Acupuncture works - but it works equally well with or without needle penetration. This conclusion can be drawn from a treatment study involving cancer patients suffering from nausea during radiotherapy. ... >

Melatonin May Save Eyesight In Inflammatory Disease, Study Suggests (December 1, 2008) -- Current research suggests that melatonin therapy may help treat uveitis, a common inflammatory eye disease. ... >

Potentially Universal Mechanism Of Aging Identified (November 27, 2008) -- Researchers have uncovered what may be a universal cause of aging, one that applies to both single cell organisms such as yeast and multicellular organisms, including mammals. This is the first time that such an evolutionarily conserved aging mechanism has been identified between such diverse organisms. The mechanism probably dates back more than one billion years. The study shows how DNA damage eventually leads to a breakdown in the cell's ability to properly regulate which genes are switched on and off in particular settings. ... >

"According to this specific mechanism, while DNA damage exacerbates aging, the actual cause is not the DNA damage itself but the lack of gene regulation that results," says Oberdoerffer. "Lots of research has shown that this particular process of regulating gene activity, otherwise known as epigenetics, can be reversed—unlike actual mutations in DNA. We see here, through a proof-of-principal demonstration, that elements of aging can be reversed."

Adult Brain Neurons Can Remodel Connections (November 27, 2008) -- Overturning a century of prevailing thought, scientists are finding that neurons in the adult brain can remodel their connections. ... >

Exercise Increases Brain Growth Factor And Receptors, Prevents Stem Cell Drop In Middle Age (November 27, 2008) -- A new study confirms that exercise can reverse the age-related decline in the production of neural stem cells in the hippocampus of the mouse brain, and suggests that this happens because exercise restores a brain chemical which promotes the production and maturation of new stem cells. ... >

Tiny Protein Provokes Healthy Bonding Between Cells (November 26, 2008) -- In human relationships, a certain "spark" often governs whether we prefer one person to another. Critical first impressions can occur within seconds. Researchers have found that cell-to-cell "friendships" operate in much the same way and that dysfunctional bonding is linked to the spread of cancer. ... >

Gasping Helps Cardiac Arrest Victims Survive, New Research Shows (November 26, 2008) -- People who witness an individual collapse suddenly and unexpectedly should perform uninterrupted chest compressions even if the patient gasps or breathes in a funny way, a new study shows. Researchers hope their findings lead to greater willingness of untrained bystanders to jump in and perform continuous chest compressions. ... >

Household Exposure To Toxic Chemicals Lurks Unrecognized, Researchers Find (November 26, 2008) -- Many women are surprised to learn the extent of personal, in-home contamination caused by exposure to everyday consumer products, according to a team of researchers. The study, published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, is one of the first accounts of participants' responses to learning personal exposure data, research critical to environmental science and public health. ... >

Feed A Cold, Feed A Fever: Calorie Cut Makes It Harder To Fight Flu, Animal Study Shows (November 25, 2008) -- Dieters or those who consume fewer calories during flu season could have a harder time fighting off the flu virus, according to a nutritional immunology professor. Researchers have shown that mice with a calorie-restricted diet were more likely to die during the first few days of infection than mice with a normal diet. ... >

Calorically restricted diets in general have been shown to increase lifespan in everything from yeast to primates. "Adults can calorically restrict their diet eight months out for the year, but during the four months of flu season they need to bump it up to be ready."

New Diabetes Treatment? New Source Of Insulin-producing Cells Identified (November 25, 2008) -- Researchers have shown that insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells can form after birth or after injury from progenitor cells within the pancreas that were not beta cells. ... >

Drug Therapy For Premature Infants Destroys Brain Cells In Mice (November 25, 2008) -- A class of drugs that are used in premature infants to treat chronic lung damage can cause damage in the brain. New research suggests the drugs may cause cognitive and motor-control problems even when they are given before birth. ... >

Mineral Oil Contamination In Humans: A Health Problem? (November 24, 2008) -- From a quantitative standpoint, mineral oil is probably the largest contaminant of our body. That this contaminant can be tolerated without health concerns in humans has not been proven convincingly. An editorial in the European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology reflects on this and concludes that this proof either has to be provided or we have to take measures to reduce our exposure from all sources, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the environmental contamination. ... >

Soluble Fiber, Antispasmodics And Peppermint Oil Should Be Used To Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Study Suggests (November 24, 2008) -- Fiber, antispasmodics and peppermint oil are all effective therapies for irritable bowel syndrome and should become first-line treatments, according to a new study. ... >

Hope For Treating Relapse To Methamphetamine Abuse (November 24, 2008) -- A new study suggests that vigabatrin blocks drug-seeking behavior in animals previously trained to associate methamphetamine with a particular environment. ... >

Editors note: This study refers to a synthetic GABA (gamma-amino butyric acid) and we encourage the public to consider the natural form that is available at your health food store.

Plastic Additives Leach Into Medical Experiments, Research Shows (November 20, 2008) -- Using plastic lab equipment can skew or ruin the results of medical experiments, a new study finds. Researchers identified two classes of chemical compounds in commonly-used plastic lab ware that could leach into solutions. They further demonstrated that the compounds interacted biologically with, and changed the behavior of, human enzymes and brain receptors in different experiments. ... >

New Bacteria Discovered In Raw Milk (November 20, 2008) -- Raw milk is illegal in many countries as it can be contaminated with potentially harmful microbes. Contamination can also spoil the milk, making it taste bitter and turn thick and sticky. Now scientists have discovered new species of bacteria that can grow at low temperatures, spoiling raw milk even when it is refrigerated. It seems the microbial population of raw milk is much more complex than previously thought. ... >

Garlic Chemical Tablet Treats Diabetes I And II, Study Suggests (November 19, 2008) -- A drug based on a chemical found in garlic can treat diabetes types I and II when taken as a tablet, a new study shows. ... >

How Household Bleach Kills Bacteria (November 19, 2008) -- Developed more than 200 years ago and found in households around the world, chlorine bleach is among the most widely used disinfectants, yet scientists never have understood exactly how the familiar product kills bacteria. ... >

The main job of chaperones is to protect proteins from unfavorable interactions, a function that's particularly important when cells are under conditions of stress, such as the high temperatures that result from fever. These findings are not only important for understanding how bleach keeps our kitchen countertops sanitary, but they may lead to insights into how we fight off bacterial infections. Our own immune cells produce significant amounts of hypochlorite as a first line of defense to kill invading microorganisms.

Broccoli May Lower Lung Cancer Risk In Smokers (November 19, 2008) -- The cancer preventive properties of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables appear to work specifically in smokers, according to new research. ... >

For example, among current smokers, only the consumption of raw cruciferous vegetables was associated with risk reduction of lung cancer. No significant results were found for consumption of vegetables in general and fruits.

Gut Check Reveals Vast Multicultural Community Of Bugs In Bowels (November 19, 2008) -- Mention the phrase "diverse ecosystem," and it conjures images of tropical rainforests and endangered coral reefs. It also describes the human colon. A new study reveals in greater detail than ever before the full extent of the bacterial community inhabiting the human bowel -- 10 times more diverse than previous research had suggested. ... >

Antibiotics Can Cause Pervasive, Persistent Changes To Microbiota In Human Gut (November 19, 2008) -- Using a novel technique developed at the Marine Biological Laboratory to identify different types of bacteria, scientists have completed the most precise survey to date of how microbial communities in the human gut respond to antibiotic treatment. ... >

“When you change the microbial population structure in the gut, you may affect how that population is keeping indigenous pathogens at manageable levels,” says Sogin. Bacteria that do not normally cause problems may begin to grow more rapidly, and cause disease.

How Cells Take Out The Trash To Prevent Disease (November 18, 2008) -- Garbage collectors are important for removing trash; without them waste accumulates and can quickly become a health hazard. Similarly, individual cells that make up such biological organisms as humans also have sophisticated methods for managing waste. ... >

Vitamin C Lowers Levels Of Inflammation Biomarker Considered Predictor Of Heart Disease (November 14, 2008) -- For people who have elevated levels of C-reactive protein, a predictor of heart disease, taking vitamin C supplements can help lower levels of the inflammation biomarker, according to a new study. The new findings come just days after a major, eight-year clinical trial failed to show that vitamins C or E could cut the risk of heart attacks or strokes. ... >

“The researchers said that for people with elevated CRP levels, the amount of CRP reduction achieved by taking vitamin C supplements in this study is comparable to that in many other studies of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. They noted that several larger statin trials lowered CRP levels by about 0.2 milligrams per liter; in this latest study, vitamin C lowered CRP by 0.25 milligrams per liter.”

How Eating Red Meat Can Spur Cancer Progression: New Mechanism Identified (November 14, 2008) -- Researchers have shown a new mechanism for how human consumption of red meat and milk products could contribute to the increased risk of cancerous tumors. Their findings suggest that inflammation resulting from a molecule introduced through consumption of these foods could promote tumor growth. ... >

“Neu5Gc is a type of glycan, or sugar molecule, that humans don't naturally produce, but that can be incorporated into human tissues as a result of eating red meat. The body then develops anti-Neu5Gc antibodies – an immune response that could potentially lead to chronic inflammation.” http://www.google.com/search?q=Neu5Gc

New Method Provides Panoramic View Of Protein-RNA Interactions In Living Cells (November 12, 2008) -- Scientists have developed a genome-wide platform to study how specialized proteins regulate RNA in living, intact cells. The platform allows researchers to identify, in a single experiment, every sequence within every strand of RNA to which proteins bind. The result is an unbiased and unprecedented look at how differences in RNA can explain how a worm and a human can each have 25,000 genes yet be so different. ... >

"The cell seems to be going through great trouble to regulate these RNAs in different conditions and different cell types," says Darnell. "When RNA developed the ability to make a more stable copy of itself -- DNA -- it didn't write itself off as a relic for the textbooks. It stayed at the core of complex processes in the cell."

Bacteria In Mouth Help Make Certain Foods Tasty (November 11, 2008) -- Scientists in Switzerland are reporting that bacteria in the human mouth play a role in creating the distinctive flavors of certain foods. They found that these bacteria actually produce food odors from odorless components of food, allowing people to fully savor fruits and vegetables. ... >

Can Vitamins And Minerals Prevent Hearing Loss? (November 10, 2008) -- Researchers and physicians at the University of Michigan Kresge Hearing Research Institute are hoping to reverse a rising trend of noise-induced hearing loss with a cocktail of vitamins and the mineral magnesium that has shown promise as a possible way to prevent hearing loss caused by loud noises. ... >

Embryonic Heart Exhibits Impressive Regenerative Capacity (October 14, 2008) -- A new study demonstrates that the embryonic mouse heart has an astounding capacity to regenerate, a phenomenon previously observed only in non-mammalian species. The research describes the previously unrecognized potential of the embryonic heart to replace diseased tissue through compensatory proliferation of healthy cells. ... >

Unraveling The Complexity Of Human Disease (October 14, 2008) -- The mysteries of the human genome are slowly being revealed -- but the more we uncover the more complicated the picture becomes. This was one key message to emerge from the European Science Foundation's 3rd Functional Genomics Conference. Functional genomics describes the way in which genes and their products, proteins, interact together in complex networks in living cells. If these interactions are abnormal, diseases can result. ... >

Why Starving Cells Prolong Life (October 14, 2008) -- Cellular damage due to stress is an important factor in aging processes. It is, thus, amazing that starving, which is a stress factor per se, decelerates ageing processes and extends the lifespan of organisms. It has long been known that proteins from the sirtuin family contribute to this mechanism. ... >

First Evidence That Common Pollutant May Reduce Iodine Levels In Breast Milk (October 13, 2008) -- Researchers in Texas are reporting the first evidence from human studies that perchlorate, a common pollutant increasingly found in food and water, may interfere with an infant's availability of iodine in breast milk. Iodine deficiency in infants can cause mental retardation and other health problems, the scientists note. The study also provides further evidence that iodine intake in U.S. mothers is low and that perchlorate may play a key role. ... >

New Properties Of Skin Stem Cells (October 13, 2008) -- New research reveals completely new properties of the skin’s stem cells – discoveries that contradict previous findings. The studies, which are published in Nature Genetics, show amongst other things, that hair follicle stem cells can divide actively and transport themselves through the skin tissue. ... >

“The stem cells don’t behave at all in the way we’d previously thought, and are found in unexpected places.”

'Caffeine Receptor' Solved: Structure Of Important Neurological Receptor Defined (October 13, 2008) -- Scientists from the Scripps Research Institute have determined the structure of an adenosine receptor that plays a critical role in a number of important physiological processes including pain, breathing, and heart function. The findings could lead to the development of a new class of therapeutics for treating numerous neurological disorders, including Parkinson's and Huntington disease. ... >

'Junk' DNA Proves Functional; Helps Explain Human Differences From Other Species (November 5, 2008) -- In a new study, scientists in Singapore report that what was previously believed to be "junk" DNA is one of the important ingredients distinguishing humans from other species. ... >

More than 50 percent of human DNA has been referred to as "junk" because it consists of copies of nearly identical sequences. This research also shows that these repeats are anything but "junk DNA,".

Folic Acid, B Vitamins Do Not Appear To Affect Cancer Risk (November 5, 2008) -- A daily supplementation combination that included folic acid and vitamin B6 and B12 had no significant effect on the overall risk of cancer, including breast cancer, among women at high risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new study. ... >

Previously Unknown Immune Cell May Help Those With Crohn's And Colitis (November 5, 2008) -- The tonsils and lymphoid tissues in the intestinal tract that help protect the body from external pathogens are the home base of a rare newly identified immune cell. Researchers indicate that the immune cells could have a therapeutic role in inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. ... >

"That finding suggests that these cells play a role in maintaining a balance in the immune system between inflammatory processes and anti-inflammatory processes."

Fibromyalgia Can No Longer Be Called The 'Invisible' Syndrome (November 4, 2008) -- Using single photon emission computed tomography, researchers in France were able to detect functional abnormalities in certain regions in the brains of patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia, reinforcing the idea that symptoms of the disorder are related to a dysfunction in those parts of the brain where pain is processed. ... >

Optimal Dose Of Vitamin E Maximizes Benefits, Minimizes Risk (November 4, 2008) -- Excess vitamin E can promote bleeding by interfering with vitamin K. Nutrition researchers review some possible explanations. ... >

Antioxidant Effects From Eating Almonds (November 4, 2008) -- Eating almonds significantly decreased levels of two biomarkers for oxidative stress in a group of 27 male and female volunteers with elevated cholesterol. ... >

Biologists Spy On The Secret Inner Life Of A Cell (November 4, 2008) -- The transportation of antibodies from a mother to her newborn child is vital for the development of that child's nascent immune system. Antibodies help shape a baby's response to foreign pathogens and may influence the later occurrence of autoimmune diseases. Images from Caltech biologists reveal for the first time the complicated process by which antibodies are shuttled from mother's milk, through her baby's gut and into the bloodstream -- offering new insight into the mammalian immune system. ... >

The images offered more surprises. Complexes were collected within cells inside large vesicles, called "multivesicular bodies," that contain other small vesicles. The vesicles previously were believed to be responsible only for the disposal of cellular refuse and were not thought to be involved in the transport of vital proteins.

Human Genes: Alternative Splicing Far More Common Than Thought (November 4, 2008) -- Scientists have long known that it's possible for one gene to produce slightly different forms of the same protein by skipping or including certain sequences from the messenger RNA. Now, scientists have shown that this phenomenon, known as alternative splicing, is both far more prevalent and varies more between tissues than was previously believed. ... >

"A decade ago, alternative splicing of a gene was considered unusual, exotic … but it turns out that's not true at all — it's a nearly universal feature of human genes."

Prenatal Exposure To Famine May Lead To Persistent Epigenetic Changes (November 3, 2008) -- Prenatal exposure to famine can lead to epigenetic changes that may affect a person's health into midlife. New findings show a trickle-down effect from pregnant women to the DNA of their unborn children and the timeframe over which such early damage can operate. These data are the first to show that early-life environmental conditions can cause epigenetic changes in humans that persist throughout life. ... >

"Understanding how epigenetic control responds to well defined early exposures may shed light on the link between development and health over a life time and ultimately suggest new ways to prevent human disease," said Dr. Lumey.

How Signals Flow Between Neurons: New Research Explains Membrane Fusion At Synapse (November 3, 2008) -- Imagine a bathtub with two soap bubbles colliding but never fusing. Then you add detergent, and the surface of the water goes flat as the walls of the bubbles collapse and merge. Scientists have used that analogy to describe the action of synaptotagmin-1, which acts to catalyze the fusion of the membranes of tiny neurotransmitter-filled bubbles called vesicles with the wall membrane of a neuron. This action allows signals to flow between neurons. ... >

“It takes no more than 1/1,000th of a second for this to occur. Neuroscientists are not only fascinated by this astonishing speed, but they also recognize that disturbing the speed of synaptic transmission has deleterious consequences on brain function and can lead to various diseases of the nervous system including schizophrenia, depression, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease.”

Antioxidants Can Reduce The Toxic Effects Of Lead, Study Suggests (November 3, 2008) -- A research study shows that administering natural antioxidants can reduce the effects of lead poisoning in animals during the gestation and lactation periods. The study suggests that it could also be effective in humans. ... >

Added on Nov 03, 2008...

Systems Biology And Glycomics Applied To Study Of Human Inflammatory Diseases (November 3, 2008) -- An innovative systems biology approach to understanding the carbohydrate structures in cells is leading to new ways to understand how inflammatory illnesses and cardiovascular disease develop in humans. ... >

But in order to do that, researchers need a far more detailed picture of these structures and the highly complex interactions between glycans, enzymes, genes and proteins, all of which can influence the development of inflammatory disease.

Biologists Discover Motor Protein That Rewinds DNA (November 2, 2008) -- Biologists have discovered the first of a new class of cellular motor proteins that "rewind" sections of the double-stranded DNA molecule that become unwound, like the tangled ribbons from a cassette tape, in "bubbles" that prevent critical genes from being expressed. ... >

“This will open up a whole new area of study,” said Kadonaga. “There are very few enzymes known that alter DNA structure. And we’ve discovered an entirely new one. This was not expected to happen in the year 2008. We should have found them all by now.”

Friend Or Foe? How The Body's Clot-busting System Speeds Up Atherosclerosis (November 2, 2008) -- Scientists have been puzzled by the fact that high levels of plasmin in blood and high levels of urokinase in artery walls are linked to high risk for rapid progression of atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Are these naturally occurring clot busters contributors to disease or evidence of the body's attempt to fight it? Molecular biology research shows interactions between urokinase and plasminogen accelerate atherosclerosis. Genetic loss of plasminogen production (the precursor to plasmin) protects mice against atherosclerosis, even when urokinase levels are elevated. ... >

"However, despite much work," he said, citing other studies that seemed to predict a different outcome, "a coherent picture of the role of the urokinase/plasminogen system in the development of atherosclerosis has not yet emerged."

Old Blood' Linked To Infection (November 1, 2008) -- Patients who received transfusions with blood stored for 29 days or more were twice as likely to suffer from nosocomial infections, including pneumonia, upper respiratory infections and sepsis, with the oldest blood being associated with the most infections. Currently, federal regulations allow red blood cells to be stored up to 42 days, after which they must be discarded. ... >

Office Workers Given Blue Light To Help Alertness (October 30, 2008) -- Changing traditional white-light lighting to blue-enriched white light helped office workers stay more alert and less sleepy during the day, in a new study. The research also showed improvements in subjective measures of positive moods, work performance, fatigue in the evening, irritability, ability to concentrate and focus and eye strain. Furthermore the workers reported improved sleep at night. ... >

Eating Red Meat Sets Up Target For Disease-causing Bacteria, Study Finds (October 30, 2008) -- Offering another reason why eating red meat could be bad for you, researchers have uncovered the first example of a bacterium that causes food poisoning in humans when it targets a non-human molecule absorbed into the body through red meats such as lamb, pork and beef. ... >

"The Neu5Gc molecule is absorbed into the body, making it a target for the toxin produced by E. coli." The researchers proved that people who ingest Neu5Gc incorporate some of it into their tissues, and demonstrated that many generated an immune response against the molecule, conjecturing that a lifetime of gradual incorporation of this glycan "invader" could result in disease.

Hazardous Levels Of Metal Ions Found In Many Commercial Table Wines, Study Suggests (October 30, 2008) -- Potentially hazardous levels of metal ions are present in many commercially available wines. An analysis of reported levels of metals in wines from 16 different countries found that only those from Argentina, Brazil and Italy did not pose a potential health risk owing to metals. ...

Methylmercury Warning (October 30, 2008) -- Recent studies hint that exposure to the toxic chemicals, such as methylmercury can cause harm at levels previously considered safe. A new analysis of the epidemiological evidence in the International Journal of Environment and Health, suggests that we should take a precautionary approach to this and similar compounds to protect unborn children from irreversible brain damage. ... >

Unfortunately, this toxin is in the fish we eat. Methylmercury can accumulate in streams and oceans. It also accumulates in the food chain, as each fish absorbs all the mercury of the smaller fish or organisms it has eaten.

Pregnant Women Consuming Flaxseed Oil Have High Risk Of Premature Birth (October 29, 2008) -- The risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy, according to a new study. ... >

“But for women consuming flaxseed oil in their last two trimesters that number jumps up to 12 percent," says Bérard. "It's an enormous risk." The correlation existed only with flaxseed oil, yet women consuming the actual seed were unaffected.

Osteoporosis Drugs Increase Risk For Heart Problems, Study Shows (October 29, 2008) -- New research shows that people taking alendronate or zoledronic acid, two common medications to prevent or slow the occurrence of osteoporosis, were significantly more likely to experience serious atrial fibrillation, including hospitalization or death, compared with placebo. ... >

“A potential link between bisphosphonates and atrial fibrillation warrants additional research in this area.”

Masks, Hand Washing, Prevent Spread Of Flu-like Symptoms By Up To 50 Percent (October 28, 2008) -- Wearing masks and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers may prevent the spread of flu symptoms by as much as 50 percent, a new study suggests. ... >

Scientists Unwrap The Elements Of Life (October 28, 2008) -- Researchers have taken a step forward in our understanding of how the fundamental building blocks of life are put together. They have revealed a mechanism that ensures the right metal goes to the right protein. Proteins are essential and involved in just about every process in living cells. ... >

“Previously, a common view was that the right metals were simply those which were most attracted to the protein, but in this work that is not the case.”

Eating Whole Grains Lowers Heart Failure Risk, According To New Study (October 27, 2008) -- About 5 million people in the United States suffer from heart failure (HF). While some reports indicate that changes to diet can reduce HF risk, few large, prospective studies have been conducted. In a new study researchers observed over 14,000 participants for more than 13 years and found that whole grain consumption lowered HF risk, while egg and high-fat dairy consumption raised risk. Other food groups did not directly affect HF risk. ... >

Exposure To Low Doses Of Mercury Changes The Way The Arteries Work (October 27, 2008) -- An international team of researchers has shown that mercury is another important factor in cardiovascular disease as it changes the way arteries work. One of the possible sources of exposure of humans to mercury is by eating contaminated fish. ... >

“The percentage reaches up to 5.6 ng/ml amongst people who eat fish on a regular basis.”

DNA Repair: Structure Of The Mre11 Protein Bound To DNA (October 27, 2008) -- DNA repair is critical for avoiding cancer and other diseases. A molecular machine called the MRN complex finds and signals double-strand breaks and initiates error-free repair by means of homologous recombination. Researchers have solved the structure of MRN's core protein, called Mre11, and learned how it does its job. ... >

“Double-strand breaks occur naturally about ten times a day in every human cell; they are one of the most highly toxic and mutagenic kinds of DNA damage, implicated in cancer and many other diseases.” Prompt and accurate DNA repair is so essential to life that many of the molecular machines that perform DNA repair have changed little...”

How Breastfeeding Transfers Immunity To Babies (October 27, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a molecule that is key to mothers' ability to pass along immunity to intestinal infections to their babies through breast milk. ... >

“Until now, scientists did not know how the mother’s body signaled the antibody-producing cells to take the different off-ramp. The new study identifies the molecule that gives them the green light.”

Green Tea May Delay Onset Of Type 1 Diabetes (October 26, 2008) -- A powerful antioxidant in green tea may prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Researchers were testing EGCG, green tea's predominant antioxidant, in a laboratory mouse with type 1 diabetes and primary Sjogren's syndrome, which damages moisture-producing glands, causing dry mouth and eyes. ... >

Cancer Treatment: How Eating Fruit And Vegetables Can Improve Cancer Patients' Response To Chemotherapy (October 24, 2008) -- The leading cause of death in all cancer patients continues to be the resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy, a form of treatment in which chemicals are used to kill cells. A new study shows that ingesting apigenin -- a naturally occurring dietary agent found in vegetables and fruit -- improves cancer cells' response to chemotherapy. Apigenin localizes tumor suppressor p53, a protein, in the cell nucleus -- a necessary step for killing the cell. ... >

Getting To Grips With The Complexity Of Disease Proteins (October 24, 2008) -- New research into how proteins in human cells interact and 'talk' to each other is leading to a better understanding of how drug molecules work and should result in more effective therapies, according to scientist. ... >

"Most of the time the mechanism of action of drugs is ill understood and we often do not even know the primary target of the drugs we swallow daily,"

Sugar Plays Key Role In How Cells Work (October 23, 2008) -- Scientists were dubious in the early 1980s when they stumbled on small sugar molecules lurking in the centers of cells; not only were they not supposed to be there, but they certainly weren't supposed to be repeatedly attaching to and detaching from proteins, effectively switching them on and off. ... >

"The influence of sugar is striking," Hart says. "The presence of O-GlcNAc causes the enzymes that add the phosphate to do something different, and this cross-talk itself can modify proteins."

Exercise Gives Longer Life For People With Heart Disease (October 23, 2008) -- Exercising once a week can help prolong life expectancy for people with heart disease, according to a new study. ... >

Unique study: "Mortality decreased by 30 per cent among women who exercised once a week compared to those who did not exercise at all. For men the corresponding figure was 20 per cent," states Trine Moholdt.

Unique Properties Of Boron Harnessed To Develop New Drugs And Diagnostics (October 23, 2008) -- Researchers are on the verge of unleashing the power of the element boron in a new generation of drugs and therapies, as decades of research begins to bear fruit. Boron has to date far been one of biology's best kept secrets, but is now attracting fast growing research interest and investment from the pharmaceutical industry in the quest for novel drugs to tackle cancer and infectious diseases, potentially overcoming limitations and side effects of current products. ... >

Chronic Inflammation Can Help Nurture Skin Cancer, Study Shows (October 23, 2008) -- Inflammation, a frontline defense against infection or disease, can help nurture skin cancer, researchers have found. IDO, an enzyme that works like a firefighter to keep inflammation under control, can be commandeered to protect early malignant cells, say researchers studying an animal model of chronic inflammation and skin cancer. ... >

Safety Problems For Biological Products Documented (October 23, 2008) -- Approximately one in four biological medicinal products (such as antibodies, enzymes and insulin) approved since 1995 in the US and Europe have had at least one safety-related regulatory action issued for them 10 years after their approval, including about 11 percent receiving a "black box" warning, according to a new study. ... >

"Given the current imperfect process for approval and the flawed postmarketing surveillance system, the drug and device regulation process is at best an inexact and incomplete science.”

Eating Quickly And Until Full Triples Risk Of Being Overweight (October 22, 2008) -- The combination of eating quickly and eating until full triples the risk of being overweight, according to a new study. ... >

Western' Diet Increases Heart Attack Risk Globally (October 22, 2008) -- A study that examined various dietary patterns suggests that the typical Western diet -- fried foods, salty snacks and meat -- accounts for about 30 percent of heart attack risk across the globe. A diet high in fruits and vegetables was associated with a lower risk of heart attack. A diet high in tofu and soy did not affect heart attack risk. ... >

After adjusting for known risk factors, researchers found:

• People who consumed the Prudent diet of more fruits and vegetables had a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack compared to people who ate little or no fruits and vegetables.

• People who consumed the Western diet had a 35 percent greater risk of having a heart attack compared to people who consumed little or no fried foods and meat.

• The Oriental pattern showed no relationship with heart attack risk.

On The Trail Of A Targeted Therapy For Blood Cancers (October 22, 2008) -- Researchers are examining a family of blood proteins that they hope holds a key to decreasing the toxic effects of chemotherapy in children and adults. Their findings may one day help in the development of targeted therapies for leukemia, multiple myeloma and other cancers of the blood. ... >

"For example, when blood cells make wrong decisions the result can be a lack of a sufficient number of certain types of mature blood cells causing leukemia, anemia, or bone marrow failure."

Potential New Way To Make A Good Anti-leukemia Drug Even Better (October 21, 2008) -- A recently identified cancer-causing protein makes the anti-leukemia drug imatinib, less effective. By blocking the protein, researchers were able to slow the spread of leukemia cells in culture. The study, which will appear in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, suggests that the most effective treatment for leukemia may rely on a combination of targeted drugs, rather than a single miracle drug. ... >

Beta-blocker Use Linked To Risks Of Death And Heart Attack After Surgery, Study Suggests (October 21, 2008) -- Some patients who received beta-blockers before and around the time of undergoing non-cardiac surgery appear to have higher rates of heart attack and death within 30 days of their surgery, according to a new report. ... >

"In summary, our study adds to the controversy regarding the optimal use of perioperative beta-blockers in patient populations at various levels of cardiac risk," the authors write.

Low-carb Diets Alter Glucose Formation By The Liver (October 21, 2008) -- A new study shows that a low-carbohydrate diet changes hepatic energy metabolism. When carbohydrates are restricted, the liver relies more on substances like lactate and amino acids to form glucose, instead of glycerol. ... >

In contrast to previous reports, the present study showed similar hepatic glucose production among the dietary groups. "We have shown that the sources from which endogenous glucose is produced are dependent upon dietary macronutrient composition," the authors write.

Do Cell Phones Increase Brain Cancer Risk? (October 21, 2008) -- Major research initiatives are needed immediately to assess the possibility that using cellular phones may lead to an increased risk of brain tumors, according to an editorial the journal Surgical Neurology. ... >

Role Of Fatty Acids In Alzheimer's Disease Identified (October 21, 2008) -- Scientists have found that complete or partial removal of an enzyme that regulates fatty acid levels improves cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. A large-scale analysis of brain lipids identifies a potential therapeutic strategy. ... > Do you want to know more?

Aspirin Does Not Prevent Heart Attacks In Patients With Diabetes, Study Suggests (October 20, 2008) -- Taking regular aspirin and antioxidant supplements does not prevent heart attacks even in high risk groups with diabetes and asymptomatic arterial disease, and aspirin should only be given to patients with established heart disease, stroke or limb arterial disease, according to a new study. ... >

Fructose -- Found In High-fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar -- Sets Table For Weight Gain Without Warning (October 19, 2008) -- Table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are about 50% fructose and these ingredients have become increasingly common in many foods and beverages. Eating too much fructose can induce leptin resistance, a condition that can easily lead to becoming overweight when combined with a high-fat, high-calorie diet, according to a new study with rats. This is the first study to show that leptin resistance can develop as a result of high fructose consumption and that leptin resistance can develop silently, that is, with little indication that it is happening. ... >

Human Protein Atlas Will Help Pinpoint Disease (October 19, 2008) -- Researchers in Sweden are compiling a remarkable "atlas" that pinpoints the location of thousands of individual proteins in the body's tissues and cells which will give scientists important insights into the function of different proteins and how changes in the distribution of proteins could be reflected in diseases such as cancer. ... >

"We are trying to map the building blocks of life. The project is hugely ambitious, relying on the selective identification and mapping of thousands of proteins, many of whose function is not yet known.”

Waste From Gut Bacteria Helps Host Control Weight, Researchers Report (October 19, 2008) -- A single molecule in the intestinal wall, activated by the waste products from gut bacteria, plays a large role in controlling whether the host animals are lean or fatty, a research team has found in a mouse study. ... >

"The number of bacteria in our gut far exceeds the total number of cells in our bodies. It's truly a mutually beneficial relationship. We provide the bacteria with food, and in return they supply energy and nutrients."

Human Microbiome Consortium To Investigate Role Of Microbes In Human Health And Disease (October 17, 2008) -- Scientists from around the globe have formed the International Human Microbiome Consortium, an effort that will enable researchers to characterize the relationship of the human microbiome in the maintenance of health and in disease. ... >

"Trillions of microorganisms live in and on the human body. Research has suggested that fluctuations in the composition of microbial communities contribute to diabetes, asthma, obesity and a variety of digestive disorders."

Bugs In The Gut Trigger Production Of Important Immune Cells, Study Finds (October 17, 2008) -- A new study reveals that specific types of bacteria in the intestine trigger the generation of pro-inflammatory immune cells, a finding that could eventually lead to novel treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and other diseases. ... >

"This new study is the first report that has associated a defined set of gut flora with the induction of specific immune cells."

Brazilian Acai Berry Antioxidants Absorbed By Human Body, Research Shows (October 17, 2008) -- A Brazilian palm berry, popular health food though little research has been done on it, now may have its purported benefits better understood. In the first research involving people, the acai berry has proven its ability to be absorbed in the human body when consumed both as juice and pulp. ... >

"Our concern has been that it is sold as a super food – and it definitely has some good attributes – but it is not a solution to all diseases,” she said. “There are a great number of foods on the market, and this could just be part of a well-balanced diet."

Searching The Internet Increases Brain Function (October 15, 2008) -- Scientists have found that for computer-savvy middle-aged older adults, searching the Internet triggers key centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning. The findings demonstrate that Web search activity may help stimulate and possibly improve brain function. ... >

Protein Made In Liver Restores Blood Glucose In Type 1 Diabetes Model (October 15, 2008) -- A protein made by the liver in response to inflammation and used to treat patients suffering from a genetic form of emphysema has been shown to restore blood glucose levels in a mouse model of type 1 diabetes mellitus, according to a new study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. ... >

Ancient Chinese Salad Plant Transformed Into New Cancer-killing Compound (October 15, 2008) -- Researchers have updated a traditional Chinese medicine to create a compound that is more than 1,200 times more specific in killing certain kinds of cancer cells than currently available drugs, heralding the possibility of a more effective chemotherapy drug with minimal side effects. ... > Google search for Artemisinin

Pectin Power: Why Fruits And Vegetables May Protect Against Cancer's Spread October 14, 2008 — Scientists from the UK's Institute of Food Research have found a new possible explanation for why people who eat more fruit and vegetables may gain protection against the spread of cancers. They have ... >

Unraveling The Complexity Of Human Disease October 14, 2008 — The mysteries of the human genome are slowly being revealed -- but the more we uncover the more complicated the picture becomes. This was one key message to emerge from the European Science ... >

 

Molecule That Coordinates The Movement Of Cells Identified (October 9, 2008) -- A molecule bridging two proteins that gives cells their shape and ability to migrate in a directed fashion may also shed light on how to keep cancer from spreading. ... >

"Even cells commute. To get from their birthplace to their work site, they sequentially attach to and detach from an elaborate track of exceptionally strong proteins known as the extracellular matrix."

Added on Oct 09, 2008...

Why Current Publication Practices May Distort Science (October 7, 2008) -- The current system of publishing medical and scientific research provides "a distorted view of the reality of scientific data that are generated in the laboratory and clinic," says a team of researchers in PLoS Medicine. ... >

New Test Could Help Catch Serious Infections In Babies (October 7, 2008) -- A new blood test may help detect serious bacterial infections (such as meningitis and bloodstream infections) in infants with fevers that have no clear cause -- and may spare many infants from unnecessary spinal taps and antibiotics, which are typical in routine evaluations. ... > http://www.google.com/search?q=procalcitonin

Landmark Discovery Of 'Engine' That Drives Cell Movement (October 7, 2008) -- How a cell assembles its internal machinery required for cell movement has been revealed for the first time. The discovery is fundamental to the understanding of how a cell responds to its external environment. ... >

Making Metabolism More Inefficient Can Reduce Obesity (October 4, 2008) -- In a discovery that counters prevailing thought, a study in mice has found that inactivating a pair of key genes involved in "fat-burning" can actually increase energy expenditure and help lower diet-induced obesity. ... >

Discovery Of Natural Compounds That Could Slow Blood Vessel Growth (October 4, 2008) -- Using computer models and live cell experiments, biomedical engineers have discovered more than 100 human protein fragments that can slow or stop the growth of cells that make up new blood vessels. ... >

"Before, there were only 40 known antiangiogenesis peptides. They found more than 120 peptides contained in 82 different proteins."

DNA Of Good Bacteria Drives Intestinal Response To Infection (October 4, 2008) -- A new study shows that the DNA of so-called "good bacteria" that normally live in the intestines may help defend the body against infection. ... >

Researchers Propose Minocycline As A Promising Drug For Patients With Fragile X Syndrome (Autism) (October 4, 2008) -- Biomedical scientists have found that a readily available drug called minocycline, used widely to treat acne and skin infections, can be used to treat Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of mental impairment and the most common cause of autism. The study's findings have already impacted future therapies, with the approval of a new clinical trial in Toronto, Canada, that will test minocycline in patients with Fragile X. ... >

Vitamin C Supplements May Reduce Benefit From Wide Range Of Anti-cancer Drugs (October 2, 2008) -- In pre-clinical studies, vitamin C appears to substantially reduce the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs, say researchers. ... >

Honey Effective In Killing Bacteria That Cause Chronic Sinusitis (October 1, 2008) -- Honey is very effective in killing bacteria in all its forms, especially the drug-resistant biofilms that make treating chronic rhinosinusitis difficult, according to new research. ... >

Pain Is Not A Symptom Of Arthritis, Pain Causes Arthritis, Study Shows (September 30, 2008) -- Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. More specifically, the study revealed that pain signals originating in arthritic joints, and the biochemical processing of those signals as they reach the spinal cord, worsen and expand arthritis itself. ... >

"Until relatively recently, osteoarthritis was believed to be due solely to wear and tear, and inevitable part of aging. Recent studies have revealed, however, that specific biochemical changes contribute to the disease”.

Free-Living Protozoa Found In Meat-Cutting Plants (September 30, 2008) -- A first time survey of free-living protozoa in meat-cutting plants showed high diversity rates of various species including those that could harbor food-borne pathogens say researchers from Belgium. ... >

Natural Viagra? 'Horny Goat Weed' Shows Promise (September 30, 2008) -- Move over, Viagra! Researchers in report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as "horny goat weed" shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The study, which provides scientific evidence supporting the herb's well-known use as a natural aphrodisiac. ... >

Unraveling Breast Milk(September 30, 2008) -- Researchers are reporting that new insights into the composition of human breast milk may lead to new ways to prevent and treat stomach illnesses and other diseases in babies and adults.  ... >

"[Breast milk] is a remarkable fluid," remarked one researcher. "It's extremely embarrassing how little we still know about it."

New Understanding Of Diabetes Drug Target (September 29, 2008) -- Scientists have made a new advance in the study of major diabetes drug target. The advance -- described by the researchers as 'very significant' -- could lead to new drugs being developed to target a protein that plays a critical role in controlling the way the body breaks down sugar. ... >

"Our breakthrough is important because it reveals for the first time that [sic] how this protein is activated by naturally-occuring fatty acids."

Pistachio Nuts May Improve Heart Health (September 29, 2008) -- Going green may be heart healthy if the green you choose is pistachio nuts, according to researchers who conducted the first study to investigate the way pistachios lower cholesterol. ... >

Differences Between People And Animals On Calorie Restriction (September 26, 2008) -- Calorie restriction, a diet that is low in calories and high in nutrition, may not be as effective at extending life in people as it is in rodents, according to scientists. ... >

People With Type 2 Diabetes Can Put Fatty Livers On A Diet With Moderate Exercise (September 24, 2008) -- Weekly bouts of moderate aerobic exercise on a bike or treadmill, or a brisk walk, combined with some weightlifting, may cut down levels of fat in the liver by up to 40 percent in people with type 2 diabetes, a study by physical fitness experts. ... >

Calorie-free Natural Sweetener Moves One Step Closer To Use In U. S. (September 24, 2008) -- Researchers are reporting an advance toward the possible use of a new natural non-caloric sweetener in soft drinks and other food products in the United States. Stevia, which is 300 times more potent than sugar but calorie-free, is already used in some countries as a food and beverage additive to help fight obesity and diabetes. ... >

Dark Chocolate: Half A Bar Per Week May Keep Heart Attack Risk At Bay (September 24, 2008) -- Good news for chocolate lovers: 6.7 grams of chocolate per day represent the ideal amount for a protective effect against inflammation and subsequent cardiovascular disease. ... >

Why Chemo Works For Some People And Not Others (September 23, 2008) -- MIT researchers have shown that cells from different people don't all react the same way when exposed to the same DNA-damaging agent -- a finding that could help clinicians predict how patients will respond to chemotherapy. ... >

"Even if everyone is exposed to exactly the same things, they would respond differently, because we're all genetically different."

Indian Spice In Turmeric Reduces Size Of Hemorrhagic Stroke (September 23, 2008) -- You might want to make curcumin part of your daily diet. This active ingredient of the Indian curry spice, turmeric, not only lowers your chances of getting cancer and Alzheimer's disease, but may reduce the size of a hemorrhagic stroke, say Medical College of Georgia researchers. ... >

Healthy People With Elevated Levels Of Uric Acid Are At Risk Of Developing Kidney Disease (September 22, 2008) -- Elevated uric acid levels in the blood indicate an increased risk of new-onset kidney disease, according to a study appearing in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology. The results suggest that it may be appropriate to prescribe uric acid--lowering drugs, such as allopurinol and probenecid, to these otherwise healthy individuals. ... >

'Friendly' Bacteria Protect Against Type 1 Diabetes, Researchers Find (September 22, 2008) -- In a dramatic illustration of the potential for microbes to prevent disease, researchers at have shown that mice exposed to common stomach bacteria were protected against the development of type I diabetes. ... >

"Understanding how gut bacteria work on the immune system to influence whether diabetes and other autoimmune diseases occurs is very important."

Pancreatic Cancer: New Options When An Old Enemy Returns (September 22, 2008) -- Pancreatic cancer is one of the most challenging malignancies to treat, and recurrence is common, even after initial treatment with surgery and radiation. When the cancer does return, treatment options are often limited to chemotherapy, but researchers are now utilizing the precision allowed by CyberKnife to see if radiosurgery is a viable treatment option in select patients. ... >

Type 1 Diabetes May Result From Good Genes Behaving Badly (September 22, 2008) -- New research suggests that type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that develops in children and young adults, may not be due to bad genes but rather to good genes behaving badly. ... >

The critical difference between health and disease might thus reside not in an individual's genetic blueprint but in how those genes are "expressed"--that is, how the translation of genetic information into proteins or RNA is switched on and off.

Genetic Link Between Immune And Nerve Systems Found (September 22, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered genetic links between the nervous system and the immune system in a well-studied worm, and the findings could illuminate new approaches to human therapies. ... >

Cancer-causing Gut Bacteria Exposed (September 22, 2008) -- Normal gut bacteria are thought to be involved in colon cancer but the exact mechanisms have remained unknown. Now, scientists have discovered that a molecule produced by a common gut bacterium activates signalling pathways that are associated with cancer cells. The research, published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, sheds light on the way gut bacteria can cause colon cancer. ... >

Scientists Trace Extensive Networks Regulating Alternative RNA Splicing (September 22, 2008) -- Scientists have succeeded in tracing intricate biochemical networks involving a class of proteins that enable genes to express themselves in specific tissues at particular moments in development. ... >

“Poorly understood until recently, the splicing machinery and the networks that control it are only now coming into clear view”.

Longevity, Cancer And Diet Connected: New Research In Worms Could Apply To Humans (September 20, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a connection between genes that could hold the key to a longer, healthier life. Using worms that share similar genetics to humans, scientists have identified a previously unknown link between two genes -- one associated with aging, the other with certain types of cancer. ... >

Mother's Diet Can Affect Genes And Offspring's Risk Of Allergic Asthma, Rodent Studies Suggest (September 19, 2008) -- A pregnant mouse's diet can induce epigenetic changes that increase the risk her offspring will develop allergic asthma, according to researchers at National Jewish Health and Duke University Medical Center. Pregnant mice that consumed diets high in supplements containing methyl-donors, such as folic acid, had offspring with more severe allergic airway disease than offspring from mice that consumed diets low in methyl-containing foods. ... >

Use Of Non-psychoactive Cannabinoids In The Treatment Of Neurodegenerative Diseases. (September 19, 2008) -- Scientists have studied the effects of a drug that reduces the progression of a disease similar to multiple sclerosis in animals. This discovery represents another step in the standing fight against the disease. ... >

Common Bronchodilator Drug Linked To Increased Deaths (September 18, 2008) -- A common bronchodilator drug which has been used for more than a decade by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been linked to a one-third higher risk of cardiovascular-related deaths. The drug is ipratropium. A new study found that veterans with recently diagnosed COPD using ipratropium were 34 percent more likely to die of a heart attack or of arrhythmia. ... >

COPD? Eat Your Veggies (September 18, 2008) -- You know it's good for you in other ways, but could eating your broccoli also help patients with chronic lung disease? It just might. Broccoli is known to contain a compound that prevents the degradation of a key component that protects lungs against oxidative damage and has been linked to the development and severity of chronic lung disease. ... >

Top-selling Cholesterol Drug Does Little For Women, Study Suggests (September 18, 2008) -- Lipitor has been the top-selling drug in the world and has accounted for over billion in annual sales. It has been prescribed to both men and women to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in patients with common risk factors for heart disease. However, a new study was unable to find high quality clinical evidence documenting reduced heart attack risk for women in a primary prevention context. ... >

Blood Pressure Drug Combination Reduces Heart Attack Deaths (September 18, 2008) -- Thousands of patients with high blood pressure could benefit from changing their drug treatment regimen to reduce their risk of cardiac death. Researchers analyzed data from existing clinical trials of diuretic drugs and found that combining a thiazide diuretic with a "potassium-sparing" drug to treat hypertension reduced both sudden cardiac death and total coronary mortality by 40 percent. The findings call into question the current treatment guidelines. ... >

Key Protein Molecule Linked To Diverse Human Chronic Inflammatory Diseases (September 17, 2008) -- Scientists have revealed a common connection between the cellular innate immunity network and human chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. The finding presents a viable cellular and molecular target for the diagnosis and treatment of serious human inflammatory diseases. ... >

Drinking Chamomile Tea May Help Fight Complications Of Diabetes (September 16, 2008) -- Drinking chamomile tea daily with meals may help prevent the complications of diabetes, which include loss of vision, nerve damage, and kidney damage, researchers in Japan and the United Kingdom are reporting. ... >

Higher Urinary Levels Of Commonly Used Plastic Compound, BPA, Linked To Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes (September 16, 2008) -- Higher levels of urinary Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical compound commonly used in plastic packaging for food and beverages, is associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities, according to a study in the September 17 issue of JAMA. This study is being released early to coincide with a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hearing on BPA. ... >

Blissfully Ignorant: Skip Those Pesky Details (September 16, 2008) -- Wouldn't you like some more information about that cream puff? Not if you just ate it. A new study examined what's known as the "blissful ignorance effect," the way consumers' goals shift after they've made purchases. ... >

Key To Keeping Older People Fit For Longer (September 15, 2008) -- A carefully framed combination of moderate exercise and nutritional supplements could help older people maintain an active lifestyle for longer. ... >

U.S. Hospitals 'Flunk' Colon Cancer, Study Finds (September 11, 2008) -- A new study has found the majority of hospitals don't check enough lymph nodes after a patient's colon cancer surgery to determine if the disease has spread. Leading oncology organizations have recommended a minimum of 12 lymph nodes be examined to determine if colon cancer has metastasized. That affects whether a patient receives chemotherapy, which significantly improves survival. Yet, more than 60 percent of nearly 1,300 institutions in the United States failed to check enough nodes. ... >

"When there is poor adherence, they should act on it and identify why they are not meeting that standard."

Bleeding Gums Linked To Heart Disease (September 11, 2008) -- Bad teeth, bleeding gums and poor dental hygiene can end up causing heart disease, scientists report. ... >

Brush Your Teeth To Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease (September 11, 2008) -- Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. However, many people with cardiovascular disease have none of the common risk factors such as smoking, obesity and high cholesterol. Now, researchers have discovered a new link between gum disease and heart disease that may help find ways to save lives. ... >

Variety In The Splice Of Life: Chromosome Breaks Are Surprisingly Complex (September 11, 2008) -- When chromosomes break, trouble usually ensues; chromosome abnormalities are the single biggest cause of birth defects in humans. But a new study of translocations, in which two chromosomes swap segments of DNA, shows that the chromosomes can splice the pieces together in a variety of ways with no ill effects. ... >

Discovery Challenges Fundamental Tenet Of Cancer Biology (September 9, 2008) -- Yale researchers have identified an unusual molecular process in normal tissues that causes RNA molecules produced from separate genes to be clipped and stitched together. The discovery that these rearranged products exist in normal as well as cancerous cells potentially complicates the diagnosis of some cancers and raises the possibility that anti-cancer drugs like Gleevec could have predictable side effects. ... >

“According to the researchers, these results indicate that caution should be exercised in using chimeric gene products as markers for cancer, as is widely done now in cancer diagnosis”. “Additionally, cancer drugs that target products of chromosomal abnormalities may have varying degrees of toxicity”.

Milk May Help Bacteria Survive Against Low Levels Of Antibiotics (September 9, 2008) -- Milk may help prevent potentially dangerous bacteria like Staphylococcus from being killed by antibiotics used to treat animals. ... >

Genetic Variants Associated With Vitamin B12 (September 9, 2008) -- Researchers have identified a common genetic influence on B12 vitamin levels in the blood, suggesting a new way to approach the biological connections between an important biochemical variable and deficiency-related diseases. ... > Learn more about NutriGenomics.

Structure Of Key Epigenetics Component Identified (September 8, 2008) -- Scientists from the Structural Genomics Consortium have determined the 3-D structure of a key protein component involved in enabling "epigenetic code" to be copied accurately from cell to cell. The research not only represents an advance for the epigenetics field, but also an advance for how the science was done. ... >

You Can Be Replaced: Immune Cells Compensate For Defective DNA Repair Factor (September 8, 2008) -- A new mouse model has provided some surprising insight into XLF, a molecule that helps to repair lethal DNA damage. The research suggests that although XLF shares many properties with well known DNA repair factors, certain cells of the immune system possess an unexpected compensatory mechanism that that can take over for nonfunctional XLF. ... >

Atomic Structure Of The Mammalian 'Fatty Acid Factory' Determined (September 8, 2008) -- Mammalian fatty acid synthase is one of the most complex molecular synthetic machines in human cells. It is also a promising target for the development of anti-cancer and anti-obesity drugs and the treatment of metabolic disorders. Now researchers have determined the atomic structure of a mammalian fatty acid synthase. ... >

Fatal Protein Interactions May Explain Neurological Diseases (September 7, 2008) -- Researchers have investigated how proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease interact to form unique complexes. Their findings explain why Alzheimer's patients might develop Parkinson's, and vice versa. The new and unique molecular structures they discovered can now be used to model and develop new drugs for these devastating neurological diseases. ... >

Chemobrain Treatment? Potential Remedy For The 'Mental Fog' In Cancer Patients (September 7, 2008) -- Cancer patients have complained for years about the mental fog known as chemobrain. Now in animal studies, researchers have discovered that injections of N-acetyl cysteine, an antioxidant, can prevent the memory loss that breast cancer chemotherapy drugs sometimes induce. . ... >

Exercise Reduces Damage After Therapeutic Irradiation To The Brain (September 7, 2008) -- Researchers has shown for the first time that exercise helps restore stem cell growth and improves behavior in young mice that suffered damage to the brain induced by a clinically relevant dose of radiation. The researchers believe that these results are also applicable to children that have suffered damage due to radiotherapy of brain tumors. ... >

Oxidative Stress: Mechanism Of Cell Death Clarified (September 7, 2008) -- Scientists have decrypted the molecular mechanism through which the death of cells is caused by oxidative stress. This knowledge opens novel perspectives to systematically explore the benefit of targeted therapeutic interventions in the cure of aging and stress-related degenerative diseases. ... >

Toxic Plastics: Bisphenol A Linked To Metabolic Syndrome In Human Tissue (September 5, 2008) -- New research implicates the primary chemical used to produce hard plastics -- bisphenol A (BPA) -- as a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome and its consequences. ... >

Do 68 Molecules Hold The Key To Understanding Disease?(September 4, 2008) -- Why is it that the origins of many serious diseases remain a mystery?  In considering that question, a scientist at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has come up with a unified molecular view of the indivisible unit of life, the cell, which may provide an answer. ... >

Loss Of Sleep, Even For A Single Night, Increases Inflammation In The Body (September 4, 2008) -- Loss of sleep, even for a few short hours during the night, can prompt one’s immune system to turn against healthy tissue and organs. Losing sleep for even part of one night can trigger the key cellular pathway that produces tissue-damaging inflammation according to new research. The findings suggest a good night’s sleep can ease the risk of both heart disease and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. ... >

Post-marketing Studies Finding Adverse Events In Drugs Used In Children (September 4, 2008) -- The Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act, designed to stimulate more drug safety studies in children, has resulted in more than 130 label changes since its inception nearly six years ago, according to researchers. ... >

Substance Found In Fruits And Vegetables Reduces Likelihood Of The Flu (September 3, 2008) -- Mice given quercetin, a naturally occurring substance found in fruits and vegetables, were less likely to contract the flu. The study also found that stressful exercise increased the susceptibility of mice to the flu, but quercetin canceled out that negative effect. Quercetin, a close chemical relative of resveratrol, is present in a variety of fruits and vegetables, including red onions, grapes, blueberries, tea, broccoli and red wine. ... >

Virus Weaves Itself Into The DNA Transferred From Parents To Babies (September 3, 2008) -- New research shows that some parents pass on the human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) to their children because it is integrated into their chromosomes. This is the first time a virus has been shown to become part of the human DNA and then get passed to subsequent generations. ... >

Cell Division Study Resolves 50-year-old Debate, May Aid Cancer Research (September 3, 2008) -- A new study has finally resolved a controversy that cellular biologists have been arguing over for nearly 50 years, with findings that may aid research on everything from birth defects and genetic diseases to the most classic "cell division" issue of them all -- cancer. ... >

Babies' Rapid Weight Gain Linked To Higher Blood Pressure As Adults (September 3, 2008) -- Babies who gain weight rapidly within five months of birth and from about ages 2 to 5 years have higher systolic blood pressure in young adulthood. Babies that are lighter at birth have higher systolic blood pressure as adults. Immediate weight gain after birth is associated with higher diastolic blood pressure as adults. ... >

Risks And Benefits Of Antipsychotics In Children And Adolescents (September 3, 2008) -- New research illuminates the benefits and risks of antipsychotic medication in children and its impact on individual well-being, social, educational and/or vocational functioning, and disease burden. Scientists have pointed out the challenges that clinicians encounter in treating children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders, and discuss the requirements for starting antipsychotic treatment in clinical practice. ... >

All Types Of Antipsychotic Drugs Increase The Risk Of Stroke, Study Finds (September 2, 2008) -- All drugs used to treat psychosis are linked to an increased risk of stroke, and dementia sufferers are at double the risk, according to a study published on bmj.com today. ... >

Landmark Study Opens Door To New Cancer, Aging Treatments (September 2, 2008) -- Researchers have deciphered the structure of the active region of telomerase, an enzyme that plays a major role in the development of nearly all human cancers. The landmark achievement opens the door to the creation of new, broadly effective cancer drugs, as well as anti-aging therapies. ... >

More Genes Are Controlled By Biological Clocks Than Previously Thought (August 31, 2008) -- The tick-tock of your biological clock may have just gotten a little louder. The number of genes under control of the biological clock in a much-studied model organism is dramatically higher than previously reported. The new study implies that the clock may be much more important in living things than suspected only a few years ago. ... >

Flu Shot Does Not Reduce Risk Of Death, Research Shows (August 31, 2008) -- The widely-held perception that the influenza vaccination reduces overall mortality risk in the elderly does not withstand careful scrutiny, according to researchers. The vaccine does confer protection against specific strains of influenza, but its overall benefit appears to have been exaggerated by a number of observational studies that found a very large reduction in all-cause mortality among elderly patients who had been vaccinated. ... >

Hearing Specialist Craft First Professional Guidelines For Earwax (August 31, 2008) -- The age-old advice to routinely clean out earwax is discouraged under the first published guidelines from health care professionals about removing wax from the ear. ... >

Global Survey Highlights Need For Cancer Prevention Campaigns To Correct Misbeliefs, Survey Finds (August 30, 2008) -- Many people hold mistaken beliefs about what causes cancer, tending to inflate the threat from environmental factors that have relatively little impact while minimizing the hazards of behaviors well established as cancer risk factors, according to the first global survey on the topic. People in high-income countries were the least likely to believe that drinking alcohol increases the risk of cancer. ... >

Black Raspberries Slow Cancer By Altering Hundreds Of Genes (August 29, 2008) -- New research strongly suggests that a mix of preventative agents, such as those found in concentrated black raspberries, may more effectively inhibit cancer development than single agents aimed at shutting down a particular gene. Researchers examined the effect of freeze-dried black raspberries on genes altered by a chemical carcinogen in an animal model of esophageal cancer. ... >

Class Of Diabetes Drugs Carries Significant Cardiovascular Risks (August 29, 2008) -- A class of oral drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes may make heart failure worse, according to an editorial published online in the journal Heart. ... >

Low Cholesterol Associated With Cancer In Diabetics (August 26, 2008) -- Low levels of LDL cholesterol as well as high levels are associated with cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes, found a prospective cohort study published in CMAJ. ... >

Terminally Ill Rodents With Type 1 Diabetes Restored To Full Health With Single Dose Of Leptin (August 26, 2008) -- Terminally ill rodents with type 1 diabetes have been restored to full health with a single injection of a substance other than insulin by scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center. ... >

Broccoli Could Reverse The Heart Damaging Effects Of Diabetes(August 26, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered eating broccoli could undo the damage caused by diabetes to heart blood vessels.  ... >

LipidomicNet: New Lipidomics Project Promotes Translational Research Towards Human Disease (August 25, 2008) -- The enormous advances in biology and biomedical research during the last decade originate mainly from the fields of Genomics and Proteomics. The current revolution in lipid analysis, however, promises change. For the first time the methodological possibilities are available to map the entire spectrum of lipids in cells, tissues and whole organisms. ... >

Turning Up The Heat On Tomatoes Boosts Absorption Of Lycopene (August 22, 2008) -- Turning up the heat on the red tomato during processing has the potential to give the popular garden staple added disease-fighting power. Scientists have found that lycopene molecules in tomatoes that are combined with fat and subjected to intense heat during processing are restructured in a way that appears to ease their transport into the bloodstream and tissue. The tomato is the primary food source of lycopene, a naturally occurring pigment linked to the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases. ... >

Killer Carbs: Scientist Finds Key To Overeating As We Age (August 22, 2008) -- Scientist has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and, potentially, weight gain as we grow older. ... >

Helping The Medicine Go Down (August 21, 2008) -- Children's refusal to swallow liquid medication is an important public health problem that means longer or more serious illness for thousands of kids each year. Researchers are reporting how knowledge from basic research on the chemical senses explains why a child's rejection of bitter medicine and nutritious but bitter-tasting foods like spinach and other green vegetables is a reflection of their basic biology. ... >

Breaking The 'Mucus Barrier' With A New Drug Delivery System (August 21, 2008) -- Chemical engineers have broken the "mucus barrier," engineering the first drug-delivery particles capable of passing through human mucus -- regarded by many as nearly impenetrable -- and carrying medication that could treat a range of diseases. Those conditions include lung cancer, cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis, the research say. ... >

Diabetes Transmitted From Parents To Children, New Research Suggests (August 21, 2008) -- A new study suggests an unusual form of inheritance may have a role in the rising rate of diabetes, especially in children and young adults, in the United States. ... >

Low Level Cadmium Exposure Linked To Lung Disease (August 20, 2008) -- New research suggests that cadmium is one of the critical ingredients causing emphysema, and even low-level exposure attained through second-hand smoke and other means may also increase the chance of developing lung disease. ... >

Arsenic Exposure Could Increase Diabetes Risk (August 20, 2008) -- Inorganic arsenic, commonly found in ground water in certain areas, may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. ... >

Critical Protein Complex In Formation Of Cell Cilia Identified (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a protein complex that regulates the formation of cilia, which are found on virtually all mature human cells and are essential to normal cell function. ... > For more infromation go to http://www.google.com/search?q=Cilia

New Reasons To Avoid Grapefruit And Other Juices When Taking Certain Drugs (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists and consumers have known for years that grapefruit juice can increase the absorption of some drugs, causing potentially toxic effects. Now, researchers in Canada report new evidence that drinking grapefruit and other common fruit juices, including orange and apple, also can substantially decrease the absorption of some drugs, wiping out their potential beneficial effects. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... >

Potential Alzheimer's, Parkinson's Cure Found In Century-old Drug (August 18, 2008) -- A century-old drug, methylene blue, may be able to slow or even cure Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Used at a very low concentration -- about the equivalent of a few raindrops in four Olympic-sized swimming pools of water -- the drug slows cellular aging and enhances mitochondrial function, potentially allowing those with the diseases to live longer, healthier lives. ... > For more infromation go to http://www.google.com/search?q=methylene+blue

Preventing Protein Clumping Characteristic Of Parkinson's Disease With Baker's Yeast (August 15, 2008) -- Parkinson disease is a debilitating and lethal neurodegenerative disease, for which there is currently no cure. However, new data have provided evidence to support that idea that agents that disrupt the formation of the abnormal aggregates of a protein called alpha-syn that characterize the brain of individuals with PD might have therapeutic effects. ... >

Treatment With Anti-anemia Drugs May Not Be Safe For Multiple Myeloma Patients (August 15, 2008) -- A recent study demonstrated that Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, a widely used drug to treat anemia, may have a negative impact on the survival of myeloma patients. ... > For more infromation go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erythropoietin

MSG Use Linked To Obesity (August 14, 2008) -- People who use monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than people who don't use it to be overweight or obese even though they have the same amount of physical activity and total calorie intake, according to a study in the journal Obesity. ... >

Alternative Energy Technologies: Solar-powered Home Appliances Being Developed By Students (August 14, 2008) -- UC's solar house is now a summer class room where students experiment with alternative-energy technologies. ... >

Adverse Reactions To Antibiotics Send Thousands Of Patients To The ER (August 13, 2008) -- Adverse events from antibiotics cause an estimated 142,000 emergency department visits per year in the United States, according to a new study. ... >

Parents Shape Whether Their Children Learn To Eat Fruits And Vegetables (August 13, 2008) -- To combat the increasing problem of childhood obesity, researchers are studying how to get preschoolers to eat more fruits and vegetables. One way is early home interventions -- teaching parents how to create an environment where children reach for a banana instead of potato chips. ... >

New Evidence On Benefits Of Breast Feeding(August 12, 2008) -- Researchers have identified proteins in human breast-milk -- not present in cow's milk -- that may fight disease by helping remove bacteria, viruses and other dangerous pathogen's from an infant's gastrointestinal tract.  ... >

Anemia Of Chronic Disease: An Adaptive Response? (August 12, 2008) -- The anemia of chronic disease may be a beneficial, adaptive response to the underlying disease, rather than a negative effect of the illness, postulates an analysis article in CMAJ. ... >

Large Reservoir Of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations Identified In Humans (August 12, 2008) -- Clinical analysis of blood samples from almost 3,000 infants showed that at least 1 in 200 individuals in the general public harbor mitochondrial DNA mutations that may lead to disease. ... >

New Bacterial Species Found In Human Mouth (August 11, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a new species of bacteria in the mouth. The finding could help scientists to understand tooth decay and gum disease and may lead to better treatments, according to research published in the August issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. ... >

Pathogen That Causes Disease In Cattle Also Associated With Crohn's Disease (August 11, 2008) -- People with Crohn's disease are seven-fold more likely to have in their gut tissues the bacterium that causes a digestive-tract disease in cattle called Johne's disease. The role this bacterium may or may not play in causing CD is a top research priority, according to a new report released by the American Academy of Microbiology. ... >

Diet And Autism Research Focuses On Which Foods May Affect Autistic Behavior (August 9, 2008) -- Can autism be "cured" with diet? Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston embark on a double-blind study to find out if wheat and dairy products can affect autistic behavior, as some parents believe. ... >

Spices May Protect Against Consequences Of High Blood Sugar (August 7, 2008) -- Herbs and spices are rich in antioxidants, and a new study suggests they are also potent inhibitors of tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar. ... >

Sesame Seed Extract And Konjac Gum May Help Ward Off Salmonella And E. Coli (August 6, 2008) -- A new study in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows that konjac gum and sesame seed extract may offer protection against different strains of E. coli and Salmonella bacteria. ... >

Eating Fish May Prevent Memory Loss And Stroke In Old Age (August 5, 2008) -- Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ... >

Vitamin C Injections Slow Tumor Growth In Mice (August 5, 2008) -- High-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers traced ascorbate's anti-cancer effect to the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the extracellular fluid surrounding the tumors. Normal cells were unaffected. ... >

Toxic Drugs, Toxic System: Sociologist Predicts Drug Disasters (August 5, 2008) -- Americans are likely to be exposed to unacceptable side effects of FDA-approved drugs such as Vioxx in the future because of fatal flaws in the way new drugs are tested and marketed, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. ... >

Frankincense Provides Relief To Arthritis Sufferers (July 31, 2008) -- An enriched extract of the 'Indian frankincense' herb Boswellia serrata has been proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown that patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days. ... >

Compound That Helps Rice Grow Reduces Nerve, Vascular Damage From Diabetes (July 30, 2008) -- Researchers have found that a compound that helps rice seed grow, springs back into action when brown rice is placed in water overnight before cooking, significantly reducing the nerve and vascular damage that often result from diabetes. ... >

Gummy Bears That Fight Plaque (July 28, 2008) -- The tooth-protecting sugar substitute xylitol has been incorporated into gummy bears to produce a sweet snack that may prevent dental problems. Giving children four of the xylitol bears three times a day during school hours results in a decrease in the plaque bacteria that cause tooth decay. ... >

Various Species' Genes Evolve To Minimize Protein Production Errors (July 25, 2008) -- Genetic evolution is strongly shaped by genes' efforts to prevent or tolerate errors in protein production. Previously unexplained patterns of evolution may aim to prevent or tolerate mistranslation. ... >

Broken DNA Must Find Right Partners Quickly Amid Repairs (July 25, 2008) -- Just as square dance partners join hands at a particular point in the music, so broken pieces of DNA in our cells reunite as they are repaired. Precisely and quickly, these DNA pieces identify each other and tether together. A tumor-suppressor gene called ATM choreographs this fast-paced, but reliable, reassembly operation. ... >

Toxic Chemicals Found In Common Scented Laundry Products, Air Fresheners (July 24, 2008) -- A study of top-selling laundry products and air fresheners found the products emitted dozens of different chemicals. All six products tested gave off at least one chemical regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws, but none of those chemicals was listed on the product labels. ... >

Licking Your Wounds: Scientists Isolate Compound In Human Saliva That Speeds Wound Healing (July 24, 2008) -- A report by scientists from the Netherlands identifies a compound in human saliva that greatly speeds wound healing. This research may offer hope to people suffering from chronic wounds related to diabetes and other disorders, as well as traumatic injuries and burns. In addition, because the compounds can be mass produced, they have the potential to become as common as antibiotic creams and rubbing alcohol. ... >

Once-suspect Protein Found To Promote DNA Repair, Prevent Cancer (July 23, 2008) -- An abundant chromosomal protein that binds to damaged DNA prevents cancer development by enhancing DNA repair, researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science. ... >

Artichoke Leaf Extract Lowers Cholesterol (July 7, 2008) -- Researchers have found that an over-the-counter Artichoke Leaf Extract (ALE) from the globe artichoke plant can lower cholesterol in otherwise healthy individuals with moderately raised levels. Cardiovascular diseases are the chief causes of death in the UK, and are associated with raised circulating levels of total cholesterol in the plasma. Once plasma cholesterol reaches a certain level, drugs such as statins are often prescribed to help reduce it. Intervention before concentrations reaches these levels may help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases without the need for drugs. ... >

Topical Oral Syrup Prevents Early Childhood Caries, Study Shows (July 7, 2008) -- Dental researchers have reported a significant reduction of tooth decay in toddlers who were treated with the topical syrup xylitol, a naturally occurring non-cavity-causing sweetener. ... >

Following Traumatic Brain Injury, Balanced Nutrition Saves Lives (July 4, 2008) -- Clinician-scientists are suggesting an immediate and important change to guidelines used in the care of patients with traumatic brain injury. The researchers say that following traumatic brain injury, patients should be given nutritional supplementation through a gastric feeding tube as soon as possible, which they say can improve their chances of survival by as much as four-fold. ... >

Get Smart About What You Eat And You Might Actually Improve Your Intelligence (July 3, 2008) -- New research findings provide more evidence that if we get smart about what we eat, our intelligence can improve. According to scientists, dietary nutrients found in a wide range of foods from infant formula to eggs increase brain synapses and improve cognitive abilities. ... >

Fungi The Cause Of Many Outbreaks Of Disease, But Mostly Ignored (July 3, 2008) -- Many people, scientists among them, are largely unaware of the roles fungi play in the world around us. Research on fungi and fungal diseases are seriously neglected as a result -- a situation with grave negative repercussions for human health, agriculture, and the environment -- according to a new report from the American Academy of Microbiology. ... >

Protecting Romaine Lettuce From Pathogens (July 3, 2008) -- Knowing the preferences of foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 is essential to a successful counterattack on these microbes. That's why microbiologists are scrutinizing the little-understood ability of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica to contaminate romaine lettuce. ... >

Benefits Of Green Tea In Reducing An Important Risk Factor For Heart Disease (July 3, 2008) -- More evidence for the beneficial effect of green tea on risk factors for heart disease has emerged in a new study. The study found that the consumption of green tea rapidly improves the function of (endothelial) cells lining the circulatory system; endothelial dysfunction is a key event in the progression of atherosclerosis. ... >

Eating Broccoli May Keep Prostate Cancer Away, Study Suggests (July 2, 2008) -- For the first time, a research group has provided an explanation of how eating broccoli might reduce cancer risk based upon studies in men, as opposed to trying to extrapolate from animal models. Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer for males in western countries. The research has provided an insight into why eating broccoli can help men stay healthy. ... >

Cubing Potatoes Before Boiling Can Reduce Mineral Content By 75% (July 2, 2008) -- The preparation of a potato can have a big impact on its mineral content, Agricultural Research Service scientists report in a new study of this popular vegetable. Baked, roasted, boiled or fried, the potato is America's favorite vegetable. Every year, the average American eats about 130 pounds of potatoes, which are loaded with vitamins and minerals. ... >

Intuition Can Be Explained (July 2, 2008) -- Intuition, or tacit knowledge, is difficult to measure, so it is often denigrated. A new dissertation in education research shows that there is a neurobiological explanation for how experience-based knowledge is created. "Skate where the puck´s going, not where it´s been" (Wayne Gretsky). ... >

Post-exercise Caffeine Helps Muscles Refuel (July 2, 2008) -- Glycogen, the muscle's primary fuel source during exercise, is replenished more rapidly when athletes ingest both carbohydrate and caffeine following exhaustive exercise, new research shows. Athletes who ingested caffeine with carbohydrate had 66 percent more glycogen in their muscles four hours after finishing intense, glycogen-depleting exercise, compared to when they consumed carbohydrate alone, according to the study. ... >

Cancer Cells Revert To Normal At Specific Signal Threshold, Researchers Find (July 2, 2008) -- Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine report that lowering levels of one cancer signal under a specific threshold reverses this process in mice, returning tumor cells to their normal, healthy state. ... >

Resuscitation Technique After Brain Injury May Do More Harm Than Good (July 2, 2008) -- The current standard practice of giving infants and children 100 percent oxygen to prevent brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation may actually inflict additional harm, researchers have found. ... >

Shiitake Mushrooms May Improve Human Immune Function, Especially If Grown On Old Oak Logs (July 1, 2008) -- Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mushrooms are good for you--and shiitake byproducts can be good for other crops. These mushrooms contain high-molecular-weight polysaccharides (HMWP), which some studies suggest may improve human immune function. ... >

Watermelon May Have Viagra-effect (July 1, 2008) -- A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido. ... >

Prebiotic Potential Of Almonds (July 1, 2008) -- Researchers have identified potential prebiotic properties in almonds that could help improve our digestive health by increasing levels of beneficial gut bacteria. ... >

Cancer 'Cure' In Mice To Be Tested In Humans (June 30, 2008) -- Scientists are about to embark on a human trial to test whether a new cancer treatment will be as effective at eradicating cancer in humans as it has proven to be in mice. ... >

Blue Light Used To Harden Tooth Fillings Stunts Tumor Growth (June 28, 2008) -- A blue curing light used to harden dental fillings also may stunt tumor growth, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. ... >

Breakthrough In Plant Medicine Production (June 27, 2008) -- Researchers have succeeded in further unraveling and manipulating the glycosylation of proteins in plants. The scientists expect that this knowledge will allow plants to be applied more often in the production of therapeutic proteins, an important type of medicine. ... >

Salutary Pizza Spice: Oregano Helps Against Inflammations (June 26, 2008) -- Oregano doesn't only give a pizza its typical taste. Researchers have discovered that this spice also contains a substance which, amongst other qualities, appears to help cure inflammations. The researchers administered its active ingredient -- known as beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP) - to mice with inflamed paws. In seven out of ten cases there was a subsequent improvement in the symptoms. E-BCP might possibly be of use against disorders such as osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis. ... >

Our Genome Changes Over Lifetime, And May Explain Many 'Late-onset' Diseases (June 25, 2008) -- Researchers have found that epigenetic marks on DNA -- chemical marks other than the DNA sequence -- do indeed change over a person's lifetime, and that the degree of change is similar among family members. The team suggests that overall genome health is heritable and that epigenetic changes occurring over one's lifetime may explain why disease susceptibility increases with age. ... >

Lifestyle Can Alter Gene Activity, Lead To Insulin Resistance (June 23, 2008) -- A Finnish study of identical twins has found that physical inactivity and acquired obesity can impair expression of the genes which help the cells produce energy. The findings suggest that lifestyle, more than heredity, contributes to insulin resistance in people who are obese. Insulin resistance increases the chance of developing diabetes and heart disease. ... >

Memory Loss Linked To Poor Diet, Study Suggests (June 19, 2008) -- Loss of memory with advanced age is a significant problem within most societies, and appears particularly severe in advanced industrialized nations. A less visible and often ignored problem comes from a food supply high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which has led to high obesity rates particularly in the United States. ... >

Anti-inflammatory Effects Of Pomegranate In Rabbits: A Potential Treatment In Humans? (June 18, 2008) -- Oral ingestion of pomegranate extract reduces the production of chemicals that cause inflammation. The findings indicate that pomegranate extract may provide humans with relief of chronic inflammatory conditions. ... >

New Insights Into How Genes Are Governed And Why They Sometimes Go Wrong (June 16, 2008) -- European researchers have made significant progress unraveling how genes are governed and why this sometimes goes wrong in disease. The key lies in the dynamic ever-changing structure of the chromatin, which is the underlying complex of protein and DNA making up the chromosomes in which almost all genes are housed within the genome. ... >

New Insights Into Hidden World Of Protein Folding (June 13, 2008) -- The proteins upon which life depends share an attribute with paper airplanes: Unless folded properly, they just won't fly. Proteins, long and linear when first made, must fold into specific configurations before they can properly do their job in a cell. How they are folded is a mystery, but researchers have begun prying the lid off a type of molecule called a chaperonin, which folds some of the most essential proteins for life. The goal is to control protein folding, which has therapy implications for many diseases caused by misfolding. ... >

Children's Consumption Of Sugar-sweetened Beverages (June 6, 2008) -- A new study found that sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are an increasingly large part of children and teens' diets. Teens who consume these SSBs drink an average of 356 calories per day, a significant increase from 10 years earlier. ... >

Hayfever Hope: Probiotic Drink Can Modify Immune System's Response To Grass Pollen (June 6, 2008) -- Scientists have found that a daily drink containing probiotic bacteria can modify the immune system's response to grass pollen, a common cause of seasonal hay fever. In a pilot study in humans, the probiotic significantly reduced the production of molecules associated with allergy. But they are not yet recommending that sufferers rush to the supermarket as the changes may not have an immediate effect on symptoms. ... >

Nutritional Supplement Could Improve Clinical Situation Of ICU Patients (June 5, 2008) -- For the first time, it has been determined the exact quantity of vitamins A, E and C and minerals needed to improve the clinic situation of critical patients. This study suggests that the oxide stress increase during patients stays in the Intensive Care Unit is due to the low levels of antioxidant food consumption. ... >

Humans Have Ten Times More Bacteria Than Human Cells: How Do Microbial Communities Affect Human Health? (June 5, 2008) -- The number of bacteria living within the body of the average healthy adult human are estimated to outnumber human cells 10 to one. Changes in these microbial communities may be responsible for digestive disorders, skin diseases, gum disease and even obesity. ... >

Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart, Study Shows (June 4, 2008) -- Short bursts of high intensity sprints -- known to benefit muscle and improve exercise performance -- can improve the function and structure of blood vessels, in particular arteries that deliver blood to our muscles and heart, according to new research. ... >

Good News In Our DNA: Defects You Can Fix With Vitamins And Minerals (June 3, 2008) -- As DNA sequencing becomes cheaper, it will become common for people to have their complete genomes sequenced. Personal genomes will not only tell people about genetic susceptibility to cancer and heart disease, but will also tell them which vitamins and how much can improve their health. A new study shows that one enzyme can be tuned up with vitamins, suggesting that one day we all may take personalized vitamin supplements. ... >

Link Between Inflammation, Cancer Confirmed (June 3, 2008) -- Chronic inflammation of the intestine or stomach can damage DNA, increasing the risk of cancer, MIT scientists have confirmed. Chronic inflammation accelerated tumor formation in mice lacking the ability to repair DNA damage. ... >

New Vegetarian Food With Several Health Benefits (May 30, 2008) -- A new vegetarian food that boosts the uptake of iron and offers a good set of proteins. The food, called tempe, is moreover a whole-grain product with high folate content. It is generally accepted in medicine that whole-grains reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and it is also believed that it protects against age-related diabetes and certain forms of cancer. The B vitamin folate is the natural form of folic acid and, among other things, is necessary for normal fetal development. ... >

Organic Free Grazing Cows Are Cream Of The Crop (May 30, 2008) -- Organic farmers who let their cows graze as nature intended are producing better quality milk. Milk from grazing cows on organic farms in the UK contains significantly higher beneficial fatty acids, antioxidants and vitamins than its conventional 'high input' counterparts. During the summer, one of the beneficial fats in particular -- conjugated linoleic acid -- was found to be 60 percent higher. ... >

Exercise Cuts Cancer Death In Men (May 30, 2008) -- Men who exercise often are less likely to die from cancer than those who don't exercise, according to a new study from a Swedish medical university. In the study, the researchers looked at the effect of physical activity and cancer risk in 40,708 men aged between 45 and 79. ... >

U.S. Reporters Often Do A Poor Job Of Reporting About New Medical Treatments, Analysis Finds (May 29, 2008) -- Most medical news stories about health interventions fail to adequately address costs, harms, benefits, the quality of evidence and the existence of other treatment options, finds a new analysis in this week's PLoS Medicine. The analysis was conducted by Gary Schwitzer from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication. ... >

Antioxidant Supplements May Lessen Benefit Of Radiation And Chemotherapy (May 28, 2008) -- Cancer patients should avoid the routine use of antioxidant supplements during radiation and chemotherapy because the supplements may reduce the anticancer benefits of therapy, researchers have concluded. ... >

Miracle Leaves That May Help Protect Against Liver Damage (May 28, 2008) -- Sea buckthorn berries are well known for their cholesterol busting properties, but scientists in India say that its leaves are also rich in antioxidants and may help ward off liver disease, according to new research in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. ... >

Real-time Observation Of DNA-repair Mechanism (May 25, 2008) -- For the first time, researchers have witnessed the spontaneous repair of damage to DNA molecules in real time. They observed this at the level of a single DNA molecule. Insight into this type of repair mechanism is essential as errors in this process can lead to the development of cancerous cells. ... >

To Block The Carcinogens, Add A Touch Of Rosemary When Grilling Meats (May 24, 2008) -- Rosemary, a member of the mint family and a popular seasoning on its own, also has benefits as a cancer prevention agent. Apply it to hamburgers and it can break up the potentially cancer-causing compounds that can form when the meat is cooked. Most people don't want a rosemary-flavored burger, So if you get the extract you don't really know it's there, according to the researcher. ... >

Burning Incense Is Psychoactive: New Class Of Antidepressants Might Be Right Under Our Noses (May 20, 2008) -- Burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain to alleviate anxiety or depression. This suggests that an entirely new class of depression and anxiety drugs might be right under our noses. ... >

Traditional Herbal Medicine Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells, Researchers Report (May 20, 2008) -- An herb used in traditional medicine by Middle Eastern countries may help fight pancreatic cancer. Researchers have found that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed cells by enhancing programmed cell death. The findings suggest that thymoquinone could eventually have use as a preventative in those who have had surgery and chemotherapy or who are at risk of developing cancer. ... >

Cardiovascular Risk: Low Sodium Diets Might Be Worse Than High Salt Diets (May 18, 2008) -- Contrary to long-held assumptions, high-salt diets may not increase the risk of death. Researchers reached their conclusion after examining dietary intake among a nationally representative sample of adults in the U.S. They actually observed a significantly increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease associated with lower sodium diets. They report their findings in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. ... >

Added on Sept 08, 2008...

Arsenic-based Therapy Shown To Help Eradicate Leukemia-initiating Cells (May 12, 2008) -- In a paradoxical discovery, scientists have found that a tumor suppressor protein known as PML appears to be the factor that enables leukemia initiating cells to maintain their quiescence -- the inert state that protects them from being destroyed by cancer therapies. ... >

New Cancer Gene Found (May 9, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a new gene that causes cancer. The gene and its protein, both called RBM3, are vital for cell division in normal cells. In cancers, low oxygen levels in the tumors cause the amount of this protein to go up dramatically. This causes cancer cells to divide uncontrollably, leading to increased tumor formation. ... >

Nitrates In Vegetables Protect Against Gastric Ulcers, Study Shows (May 9, 2008) -- Fruits and vegetables that are rich in nitrates protect the stomach from damage. This takes place through conversion of nitrates into nitrites by the bacteria in the oral cavity and subsequent transformation into biologically active nitric oxide in the stomach. This also means that antibacterial mouthwashes can be harmful for the stomach. ... >

Plants' Flavonoids Have Beneficial Effect On Alzheimer's Disease, Study In Mice Suggests (May 8, 2008) -- A new study in mice suggests molecules in plants may have beneficial effects on Alzheimer's disease. Researchers administered molecules called flavonoids, which are found in certain fruits and vegetables, to a mouse model genetically programmed to develop Alzheimer's disease. ... >

New Insights On Link Between Early Consumption Of Cows' Milk And Type-1 Diabetes (May 7, 2008) -- Researchers in Maine report a new explanation for the mysterious link between consumption of cows' milk protein in infant formula early in life and an increased risk of later developing Type-1 diabetes. A protein in cow's milk that triggers an unusual immune response appears to be the main culprit, they say. ... >

Fast-Food Liver Damage Can Be Reversed, Experts Say (May 2, 2008) -- Diets high in fast food can be highly toxic to the liver and other internal organs, but that damage can be reversed, says one of the country's leading experts on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, who offers four steps to undo the effects of a 'super-size me' diet. It was probably enough to make many Americans lose their appetite: A recent study from Europe showed that eating too much fast food -- a diet high in fat and sugar -- could cause serious damage to your liver. ... >

Osteoporosis Drugs Linked to Jaw Infection, Study Shows (May 1, 2008) -- Dentistry researchers have identified the slimy culprits killing the jawbones of some people taking drugs that treat osteoporosis. Microbial biofilms, a mix of bacteria and sticky extracellular material, are causing jaw tissue infections in patients taking bisphosphonate drugs, according to the lead researcher. ... >

Double Life Of Proteins Discovered (May 1, 2008) -- Scientists are a step closer to understanding the rare Hartnup disorder after discovering a surprising link between blood pressure regulation and nutrition that could also help to shed light on intestinal and kidney function. ... >

Nurture Over Nature: Certain Genes Are Turned On Or Off By Geography And Lifestyle, Study Suggests (April 23, 2008) -- Score one for the nurture side of the nature vs. nurture debate, as geneticists have shown that environmental factors such as lifestyle and geography play a large role in whether certain genes are turned on or off. By studying gene expression of white blood cells in 46 Moroccan Amazighs, or Berbers -- including desert nomads, mountain agrarians and coastal urban dwellers -- the researchers in Morocco and the United States showed that up to one-third of genes are differentially expressed due to where and how the Moroccan Amazighs live. ... >

Chemotherapy's Damage To The Brain Detailed (April 22, 2008) -- A commonly used chemotherapy drug causes healthy brain cells to die off long after treatment has ended and may be one of the underlying biological causes of the cognitive side effects -- or "chemo brain" -- that many cancer patients experience. ... >

Calorie Restricted Diet Prevents Pancreatic Inflammation And Cancer, Study Suggests (April 17, 2008) -- Prevention of weight gain with a restricted calorie diet sharply reduced the development of pancreatic lesions that lead to cancer in pre-clinical research. The research sheds light on the connection between obesity, calorie intake and pancreatic cancer by comparing a calorie restricted diet, an overweight diet and an obesity-inducing diet in a strain of mice that spontaneously develops pancreatic lesions that lead to cancer. ... >

Tumors Use Sugars To Avoid Programmed Cell Death (April 17, 2008) -- Researchers have apparently solved the riddle of why cancer cells like sugar so much, and it may be a mechanism that could lead to better cancer treatments. They have found that tumor cells use glucose sugar as a way to avoid programmed cell death. ... >

Folic Acid Supplementation Provided In Utero, But Not After Birth, May Protect Offspring From Colorectal Cancer (April 16, 2008) -- Although folic acid fortification has proven to lower rates of neural tube defects and some childhood cancers, there is a growing body of evidence that too much folic acid may increase one's risk of developing colorectal cancer. A new study suggests that folic acid supplementation provided in utero, but not postnatally, may protect offspring from developing colorectal cancer. ... >

Macadamia Nuts Can Be Included In Heart Healthy Diet, Study Suggests (April 14, 2008) -- Macadamia nuts included in a heart healthy diet reduced low-density cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and should be included among nuts with qualified health claims, according to researchers. ... >

T-cell Multiplication Unexpectedly Delayed After Infection (April 14, 2008) -- In a surprising outcome that overturns the conventional wisdom on the body's immune response to infection, scientists have shown that T-cells do not begin proliferation until up to three days after infection. Lag may provide protection against a possible autoimmune reaction. ... >

Extracts From Reishi Mushroom And Green Tea Shows Synergistic Effect To Slow Sarcoma (April 14, 2008) -- Reishi mushroom and green tea scientific studies have found that combining the active ingredients in the mushroom and the tea creates synergetic effects that inhibited the growth of tumors and delayed the time of death in mice with sarcomas. ... >

Getting Forgetful? Then Blueberries May Hold The Key (April 12, 2008) -- If you are getting forgetful as you get older, then scientists may have good news for you. They have found that phytochemical-rich foods, such as blueberries, are effective at reversing age-related deficits in memory. ... >

Added on July 31, 2008...

Prebiotics -- The Key To Fewer Food Poisoning Stomach Upsets -- And Healthy Farm Animals (April 4, 2008) -- Natural sugars found in breast milk that are now included in prebiotic foods may help in the fight against Salmonella and other food poisoning bacteria. The sugars, or oligosaccharides, are called galacto-oligosaccharides and are already known to improve the health of breast-fed infants. They may also reduce the chances of Salmonella bacteria damaging the gut during a food poisoning episode, reducing the overall damage and severity of the infection. ... >

Cup Of Coffee A Day Could Help Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease, Study Suggests (April 3, 2008) -- A daily dose of caffeine blocks the disruptive effects of high cholesterol that scientists have linked to Alzheimer's disease. The caffeine equivalent of just one cup of coffee a day could protect the blood-brain barrier from damage that occurred with a high-fat diet. ... >

New Way To Fight Cancer: Protect Healthy Cells With The Silver Shield (April 1, 2008) -- A unique study proposes a new paradigm in cancer treatment: instead of selectively attacking cancer cells, protect all the healthy cells. Animal studies and in vitro human cell studies show that a short fast protects healthy cells against chemotherapy, while tumor cells remain sensitive to the drugs. ... >

Green Tea Helps Beat Superbugs, Study Suggests (April 1, 2008) -- Green tea can help beat superbugs according to Egyptian scientists. Green tea is a very common beverage in Egypt, and it is quite likely that patients will drink green tea while taking antibiotics. ... >

Self-assembled Materials Form Mini Stem Cell Lab (March 31, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a new and unexpected mode of self-assembly involving a polymer (hyaluronic acid) and a small molecule (peptide amphiphiles). When brought together, the two instantly assemble into a flexible but strong sac in which the researchers can grow human stem cells, creating a sort of miniature laboratory. The sacs can survive for weeks in culture, and their membranes are permeable to proteins. The method also can produce thin films whose size and shape can be tailored. ... >

A Ton Of Bitter Melon Produces Sweet Results For Diabetes (March 27, 2008) -- Scientists have uncovered the therapeutic properties of bitter melon, a vegetable and traditional Chinese medicine, that make it a powerful treatment for type 2 diabetes. Scientists have uncovered the therapeutic properties of bitter melon, a vegetable and traditional Chinese medicine, that make it a powerful treatment for Type 2 diabetes. They pulped roughly a ton of fresh bitter melon and extracted four very promising bioactive components. ... >

Mounting Evidence Shows Red Wine Antioxidant Kills Cancer (March 27, 2008) -- Researchers have shown for the first time that a natural antioxidant found in grape skins and red wine can help destroy pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell's core energy source, or mitochondria, and crippling its function. ... >

Genes Previously Believed To Be Silent Are Actually Whispering Key Information (March 27, 2008) -- Genes that scientist believe are turned off are actually functioning at a low level that has previously been undetected, a discovery that could help answer questions about chronic disease and aging. Of the about 25,000 human genes science has identified, half are believed to be silent at any particular time and activated only when needed. But a biomedical and computer expert has discovered that current tools cannot measure extraordinarily low levels of gene expression signals. ... >

Eating Causes Stress, But Antioxidants Can Help (March 24, 2008) -- No matter how pleasant a meal is, eating causes what's known as oxidative stress. As we digest our food, we create sometimes-harmful molecules known as free radicals. But antioxidants -- healthful compounds in fruits and vegetables -- can help by neutralizing the free radicals. ... >

Uric Acid May Provide Early Clues To Diabetic Kidney Disease (March 21, 2008) -- For patients with type 1 diabetes, increased levels of uric acid in the blood may be an early sign of diabetic kidney disease -- appearing before any significant change in urine albumin level, the standard screening test, reports a new study. ... >

Grape Skin Compound Fights The Complications Of Diabetes (March 20, 2008) -- A compound present naturally in grape skin,resveratrol, can protect against the cellular damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose in diabetes, according to an article in the science journal "Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism." Resveratrol stops the damage by helping cells make protective enzymes to prevent the leakage of electrons and the production of toxic 'free radicals'. ... >

Structure Reveals How Cells 'Sugar-coat' Proteins (March 16, 2008) -- Biologists have deciphered the structure of a large protein complex responsible for adding sugar molecules to newly formed proteins -- a process essential to many proteins' functions. The structure offers insight into the molecular "sugar-coating" mechanism, and may help scientists better understand a variety of diseases that result when the process goes awry. ... >

New Defense Mechanism Against Intestinal Inflammation Found (March 15, 2008) -- The body's first line of defense against pathogenic bacteria that we ingest may not be the immune system but rather the cells that line the intestine. This, and the various mechanisms revealed by this discovery, could lead to important therapeutic innovations, particularly in the treatment of diarrheal diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease. ... >

Cardiovascular Benefits Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reviewed (March 12, 2008) -- Thousands of research studies have documented how the oils known as omega-3 fatty acids can benefit the cardiovascular system, particularly among people diagnosed with coronary artery disease. ... >

When It Comes To Red Cabbage, More Is Better (March 11, 2008) -- Plant pigments called anthocyanins provide fruits and vegetables with beneficial blue, purple and red coloring. Now scientists are learning more about these compounds and their absorption into the human blood stream. Anthocyanins are a group of healthful compounds that fall within the flavonoid class of plant nutrients. Agricultural Research Service scientists have identified 36 anthocyanins in red cabbage, including eight that had never before been detected in the cabbage. ... >

Typical North American Diet Is Deficient In Omega-3 Fatty Acids (March 11, 2008) -- The typical North American diet of eating lots of meat and not much fish is deficient in omega-3 fatty acids and this may pose a risk to infant neurological development. The researchers found that the women who ate lots of meat and little fish were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies didn't do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who weren't deficient. The results were noticeable as early as two months of age. ... >

Food Compounds That Kill Test-Tube Cancer Cells Analyzed (March 10, 2008) -- Strawberries, grapes, blueberries and some familiar seasonings like rosemary contain compounds that can--in test tubes--kill cells of a childhood cancer. Molecular biologists are working to understand exactly how the powerful plant chemicals fight the disease known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Investigations provide some new clues about how phytochemicals attack cancer cells. Phytochemicals interfere with the orderly operations of mitochondria, the miniature energy-producing power plants inside cells. ... >

Broccoli May Help Boost Aging Immune System (March 10, 2008) -- A chemical in broccoli switches on a set of antioxidant genes and enzymes in specific immune cells, which then combat the injurious effects of molecules known as free radicals that can damage cells and lead to disease. Free radicals are byproducts of normal body processes, such as the metabolic conversion of food into energy, and can also enter the body through small particles present in polluted air. ... >

Role Of Tiny RNAs In Controlling Stem Cell Fate Identified (March 9, 2008) -- Scientists have shown that microRNAs play an important role in stem cell differentiation. Understanding these key regulatory factors is critical for potential therapeutic use of stem cells. ... >

Turning Genes Off And On: Methylation Process Is Transient, Cyclical And Dynamic, Not Static As Previously Thought (March 8, 2008) -- New revelations have been made on possible ways to switch genes on and off that impacts on previous understandings of the biological process of how cells interpret their DNA. Until now, it had been presumed that in the chemical process of methylation (when a gene is turned on or turned off) a gene was stable and unchangeable. ... >

Many Patients Can Reach LDL Cholesterol Goal Through Dietary Changes Alone, Study Shows (March 6, 2008) -- Worried about your cholesterol? You may want to schedule a few appointments with a registered dietitian, to get some sound advice about how to shape up your eating habits, according to a new national study. Not only are you likely to lower your cholesterol levels, you may be able to avoid having to take cholesterol medication. ... >

Traditional Medicine: Identifying Potential Cancer Treatments Of Herbal Origin (March 5, 2008) -- Curing cancer with natural products -- a case for shamans and herbalists? Not at all, for many chemotherapies to fight cancer applied in modern medicine are natural products or were developed on the basis of natural substances. Thus, taxanes used in prostate and breast cancer treatment are made from yew trees. The popular periwinkle plant, which grows along the ground of many front yards, is the source of vinca alkaloids that are effective, for example, against malignant lymphomas. The modern anti-cancer drugs topotecan and irinotecan are derived from a constituent of the Chinese Happy Tree. ... >

A Little Rosemary Can Go A Long Way In Reducing Acrylamide In Food (March 4, 2008) -- Several animal tests have shown acrylamide to be a carcinogen, and a recent study has shown a positive association between acrylamide and breast cancer in humans. "Acrylamide is formed during the preparation of many ordinary foods. It is therefore important both for consumers and the food industry to find methods to reduce the acrylamide content," says one of the researchers. Over the past five years, a research project has identified several ways of reducing acrylamide in foods. ... >

Key Step In Programmed Cell Death Discovered (March 3, 2008) -- Investigators have discovered a dance of proteins that protects certain cells from undergoing apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death. Understanding the fine points of apoptosis is important to researchers seeking ways to control this process. ... >

Certain Vitamin Supplements May Increase Lung Cancer Risk, Especially In Smokers (March 3, 2008) -- Vitamin supplements do not protect against lung cancer, according to a study of more than 77,000 vitamin users. In fact, some supplements may even increase the risk of developing it. These findings have broad public health implications, given the large population of current and former smokers and the widespread use of vitamin supplements. ... >

Does Gingko Biloba Affect Memory? (March 1, 2008) -- Taking the supplement ginkgo biloba had no clear-cut benefit on the risk of developing memory problems, according to a new study. The three-year study involved 118 people age 85 and older with no memory problems. Half of the participants took ginkgo biloba extract three times a day and half took a placebo. During the study, 21 people developed mild memory problems, or questionable dementia. Although there was a trend favoring ginkgo, the difference between those who took gingko versus the placebo was not statistically significant. ... >

Extract Of Broccoli Sprouts May Protect Against Bladder Cancer (February 29, 2008) -- A concentrated extract of freeze dried broccoli sprouts cut development of bladder tumors in an animal model by more than half, according to a new report. There is strong evidence that the protective action of cruciferous vegetables derives at least in part from isothyiocyanates (ITCs), a group of phytochemicals with well-known cancer preventive activities. Other cruciferous vegetables with ITCs include mature broccoli, cabbage, kale, collard greens and others. Broccoli sprouts have approximately 30 times more ITCs than mature broccoli, and the sprout extract used by the researchers contains approximately 600 times as much. ... >

Farmed Fish Fed Cheap Food May Be Less Nutritious For Humans (February 28, 2008) -- The main ingredients of fish feed have traditionally been of marine origin but these ingredients are becoming both scarce and expensive. The fish farming industry therefore wishes to utilise alternative lipid (fat) sources in feed used for salmon farming. Vegetable oils also tend to increase growth rate and carcase quality of fish. However, when fed to patients, notable differences were found. The fat composition of the salmon meat affected the fatty acid profile of the patients' blood and the advantageous marine omega-3 fatty acids increased markedly in those patients that ate fish fed on feed containing pure fish oils. ... >

Drug For Anemic Cancer Patients Raises Risk Of Death, Study Shows (February 28, 2008) -- Millions of cancer patients take drugs to boost their red blood cells and health when they become anemic after chemotherapy. But a new study by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine shows these drugs, called erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, actually raise patients' risk of death by 10 percent, possibly by stimulating the growth of cancer cells. ... >

Worm Defecation Holds Clues To Widespread Cell-to-cell Communication Process (February 25, 2008) -- The focus of two recent Nobel prizes, a species of roundworm has made possible another advance in the understanding of how cells talk to one another. A new mechanism through which cells in the worm's intestine signal for nearby muscle cells to flex by briefly making the area between them more acidic has been discovered. Researchers believe that short-lived changes in acidity may have implications for cell signaling throughout the animal kingdom, from the sending of human nerve messages to worm defecation. ... >

Bacteria Use 'Invisibility Cloak' To Hide From Human Immune System (February 24, 2008) -- An important new step in the mechanism used by bacteria to evade our immune system has been characterized. It is an 'invisibility cloak' which means that bacteria like Haemophilus influenzae, a common cause of ear infections in children, can move about the body without the risk of being attacked by the immune system. ... >

Novel Link Between Excessive Nutrient Levels And Insulin Resistance Uncovered (February 24, 2008) -- For quite some time now, scientists suspected the so-called hexosamine pathway -- a small side business of the main sugar processing enterprise inside a cell -- to be involved in the development of insulin resistance. But they could never quite put their finger on the underlying mechanism. Now, researchers have uncovered the long-missing molecular link: the enzyme OGT, the last in a line of enzymes that shuttle sugars through the hexosamine pathway. ... >

Moderate Level Of Aerobic Fitness May Lower Stroke Risk (February 24, 2008) -- A moderate level of aerobic fitness can significantly reduce stroke risk for men and women, according to a large, long-running study. About 780,000 U.S. adults suffer a stroke each year, and stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. It’s often fatal, claiming about 150,000 lives and ranking as the No. 3 cause of death. ... >

Single MicroRNA Fine-tunes Innate Immune Response (February 24, 2008) -- A single microRNA, microRNA-223, in mice controls the production and activation of granulocytes, white blood cells essential for host defense against invading pathogens. Now, scientists have discovered the first microRNA shown to play a key role in the immune system's early warning system--the innate immune response. ... >

Two-way Cell Talk Provides Clues About Neuromuscular Disease (February 22, 2008) -- It's a scientific given that neurons tell other cells what to do, but new evidence suggests that, like with any good relationship, these target cells also have much to contribute, scientists say. In an animal model, researchers have shown that if a muscle cell fails to produce the protein beta-catenin, its neuron doesn't develop or function properly. ... >

Scientists Shed Light On Long-distance Signaling In Developing Neurons (February 22, 2008) -- Scientists have determined how events at the very tips of the developing neuron's long, skinny axon affect gene transcription back in the cell's distant nucleus. The study also revealed the first-ever evidence of a transcription factor — proteins that influence gene activity — working outside the cell's nucleus. ... >

Daytime Dozing Linked To Increased Stroke Risk In Elderly (February 22, 2008) -- Regular daytime dozing forewarns of a significantly increased risk of stroke in older Americans, researchers report. Stroke risk was two- to four-fold greater in those with moderate dozing. This suggests that daytime dozing "may be an important and novel stroke risk factor," said the lead author of the study. In this study, dozing refers to a person unintentionally falling asleep. ... >

Ingredient In Yellow Curry Can Reduce Heart Enlargement And May Prevent Heart Failure (February 22, 2008) -- Eating curcumin, a natural ingredient in the spice turmeric, may dramatically reduce the chance of developing heart failure, researchers have discovered. Researchers found when the herb is given orally to a variety of mouse models with enlarged hearts (hypertrophy), it can prevent and reverse hypertrophy, restore heart function and reduce scar formation. The healing properties of turmeric have been well known in eastern cultures for some time. The herb has been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine to reduce scar formation. For example, when there is a cut or a bruise, the home remedy is to reach for turmeric powder because it can help to heal without leaving a bad scar. ... >

Genetic Mutation May Lead To Increased Autoimmunity (February 25, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered that a mutation in a known DNA recombination mechanism may result in the onset of autoimmunity and an overexpression of autoreactive antibodies--molecules that attack the host--in animal models. The new study highlights the role of "recombining sequence," a DNA element involved in the genetic reprogramming of immune system B cells, a process called receptor editing. These new findings could point toward a possible novel therapeutic target for autoimmune diseases such as lupus. ... >

Daily Glass Of Beet Juice Can Beat High Blood Pressure, Study Shows (February 6, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that drinking just 500ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure. The findings could have major implications for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. ... > 

Widespread Vitamin And Mineral Use Among Cancer Survivors: Benefits Of Such Use Remain Unclear (February 6, 2008) -- Use of vitamin and mineral supplements among cancer survivors is widespread, despite inconclusive evidence that such use is beneficial, according to a comprehensive review of scientific literature. ... >

Enjoy Candy Without The Cavities: Good Lollipop Kills Bacteria That Causes Tooth Decay (February 5, 2008) -- What Willy Wonka did for chocolate, UCLA microbiologist Wenyuan Shi is doing for lollipops. Because of Shi, thousands of orange-flavored lollipops are rolling out of a factory in Grand Rapids, Mich., into the hands of people eager to lick them for one reason only. Shi and his lab team at the School of Dentistry have managed to make candy that's actually good for your teeth. The orange-flavored, sugar-free lollipop they devised is infused with a natural ingredient found in licorice that kills the primary bacterium causing tooth decay, Streptococcus mutans. ... >

Unique Whey Protein Is Promising Supplement For Strict PKU Diet (February 4, 2008) -- Scientists are assessing a unique protein found only in whey, the liquid byproduct of cheese-making, that appears to hold promise as a dietary supplement for individuals with a rare genetic condition known as phenylketonuria, or PKU. ... >

Targeting Gut Bugs Could Revolutionize Future Drugs, Say Researcher (February 4, 2008) -- Revolutionary new ways to tackle certain diseases could be provided by creating drugs which change the bugs in people's guts, according to a new article. Trillions of bugs known as gut microbes live symbiotically in the human gut. They play a key role in many of the processes that take place inside the body. Different people have different types of gut microbes living inside them and abnormalities in some types have recently been linked to diseases such as diabetes and obesity. ... >

Plastic Bottles Release Potentially Harmful Chemicals (Bisphenol A) After Contact With Hot Liquids (February 4, 2008) -- When it comes to Bisphenol A exposure from polycarbonate plastic bottles, it's not whether the container is new or old but the liquid's temperature that has the most impact on how much BPA is released, according to new research. BPA is one of many man-made chemicals classified as endocrine disruptors, which alter the function of the endocrine system by mimicking the role of the body's natural hormones. ... >

Trans Fats Down In Many Snack Products, But Some Cheaper Snacks Still Have Significant Amounts (February 4, 2008) -- The food industry has made progress in reducing the trans fat content in its products since a 2003 labeling mandate by the Food and Drug Administration, but consumers should still read labels to be certain the products are trans fat-free. Most margarines and butters, cookies and snack cakes and savory snacks were labeled as containing zero grams of trans fat. However, some of the products contained significant amounts of trans fat. ... >

Revolution In Understanding Of Ion Channel Regulation (February 5, 2008) -- A new study proposes that bubbles may control the opening and closing of ion channels. This new understanding of the channels that control much of life in health and disease provides a vital piece of the molecular puzzle. ... >

Diabetes Makes It Hard For Blood Vessels To Relax (February 1, 2008) -- One way diabetes is bad for your blood vessels is by creating too much competition for an amino acid that helps blood vessels relax, researchers say. That amino acid, L-arginine, is broken down by the enzyme arginase to urea, which helps the body eliminate toxins resulting from the proteins we eat. Arginase also is associated with vascular problems related to aging, hypertension, sickle cell disease, atherosclerosis and erectile dysfunction. ... >

Sugary Soft Drinks Linked To Increased Risk Of Gout In Men (February 1, 2008) -- Consumption of sugar sweetened soft drinks and fructose is strongly associated with an increased risk of gout in men, finds a study. Gout is a joint disease which causes extreme pain and swelling. It is most common in men aged 40 and older. It is caused by excess uric acid in the blood which leads to uric acid crystals collecting around the joints. ... >

Naturally Occurring Peptide Inhibits Common Viral Infection (January 31, 2008) -- Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that a naturally occurring peptide known for its antibacterial action can also inhibit viral infection. ... >

Cutting Caffeine May Help Control Diabetes (January 28, 2008) -- Daily consumption of caffeine in coffee, tea or soft drinks increases blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes and may undermine efforts to control their disease. The findings add more weight to a growing body of research suggesting that eliminating caffeine from the diet might be a good way to manage blood sugar levels. ... > 

Marijuana Smokers Face Rapid Lung Destruction -- As Much As 20 Years Ahead Of Tobacco Smokers (January 27, 2008) -- A new study finds that the development of bullous lung disease occurs in marijuana smokers approximately 20 years earlier than tobacco smokers. A condition often caused by exposure to toxic chemicals or long-term exposure to tobacco smoke, bullous lung disease (also known as bullae) is a condition where air trapped in the lungs causes obstruction to breathing and eventual destruction of the lungs. ... > 

Taking A Look At Baby's First Biofilm (January 27, 2008) -- A sludgy substance seen on the ultrasound images of about 15 percent of pregnancies is in fact a bacterial biofilm in the amniotic fluid, according to an expert on the slimy structures. "Doctors kept seeing this stuff on the ultrasound and we wanted to figure out what it was," the researcher said. "We suspected it was bacteria but didn't know for sure." ... > 

Low Vitamin E Levels Associated With Physical Decline In Elderly (January 27, 2008) -- Researchers have found that a low concentration of vitamin E in the blood is linked with physical decline in older persons. The study included 698 people age 65 or older who were randomly selected from the population registry in two municipalities close to Florence, Italy. ... >

Vitamin D Deficiency Study Raises New Questions About Disease And Supplements (January 27, 2008) -- Low blood levels of vitamin D have long been associated with disease, and the assumption has been that vitamin D supplements may protect against disease. However, this new research demonstrates that ingested vitamin D is immunosuppressive and that low blood levels of vitamin D may be actually a result of the disease process. Supplementation may make the disease worse. Increased vitamin D intake affects much more than just nutrition or bone health. The Vitamin D Nuclear Receptor (VDR) acts in the repression or transcription of hundreds of genes, including genes associated with diseases ranging from cancers to multiple sclerosis. ... >

Infants With Poor Intestinal Flora Often Develop Eczema (January 27, 2008) -- In a healthy intestinal system there is a great variety of natural bacteria. Today many people have an imbalanced flora of intestinal bacteria. Now a new study shows that children with only a limited variety of bacteria in their feces one week after birth more often developed atopical eczema by the age of 18 months. In the study feces were examined from children in Göteborg, London, and Rome. ... >

Laughter Is The Best Medicine (January 26, 2008) -- Laughter is the best medicine. We've heard the expression time and again. For decades, researchers have explored how humor helps patients relieve stress and heal. Now, researchers have taken it one step further, with new research on how humor helps medical professionals cope with their difficult jobs. She also looked at how humor affects the elderly and how it can increase communication in the workplace and in the classroom. ... > 

New Research Could Help Reverse The Biological Clock For Dementia Patients (January 26, 2008) -- Medical experts believe they could have found the key to turning back the brain's biological clock and reverse the effects of dementia and memory loss. Pioneering research has shown that regular exposure to safe low level infra-red light can improve learning performance and kick-start the cognitive function of the brain. ... >

Popular Arthritis Drug May Disrupt Heart Rhythm, New Research Finds (January 25, 2008) -- Celebrex, a popular arthritis drug that blocks pain by inhibiting an enzyme known as COX-2, has been shown in laboratory studies to induce arrhythmia, or irregular beating of the heart, via a novel pathway unrelated to its COX-2 inhibition. ... > 

Seeing Is Believing: Visualizing Inflammation In Fat Tissue (January 25, 2008) -- Individuals who are obese are at increased risk of developing a combination of medical disorders associated with type 2 diabetes and heart disease known as the metabolic syndrome. Recent studies have suggested that adipose (fat) tissue obesity induces an inflammatory state that is crucial to the development of the metabolic syndrome. ... > 

Clean Or Boiled Tap Water Is As Good As Saline At Cleaning Acute Wounds, Study Finds (January 24, 2008) -- Using drinkable tap water to clean wounds does not increase infection rates, according to the findings. There is, however, no evidence that it reduces infection rates or increases healing rate over leaving the wound alone. ... > 

Obesity Connected With Nervous System (January 24, 2008) -- Biologists have shed new light on the genetic roots of obesity -- a condition that is increasing dramatically in North America and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. ... > 

Food Peptides Activate Bitter Taste Receptors (January 24, 2008) -- Researchers have used a novel molecular method to identify chemical compounds from common foods that activate human bitter taste receptors. The findings may aid development of bitter inhibitors to help make health-promoting bitter foods such as green vegetables more palatable. ... > 

Burgers, Fries, Diet Soda: Metabolic Syndrome Blue-plate Special (January 24, 2008) -- Otherwise-healthy adults who eat two or more servings of meat a day -- the equivalent of two burger patties -- increase their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 25 percent compared with those who eat meat twice a week, according to new research. ... > 

Seasonal Weight Changes Linked To Metabolic Syndrome (January 23, 2008) -- Seasonal changes in weight increase the risk for metabolic syndrome. According to the current study, individuals with metabolic syndrome have more seasonal changes in their mood and behavior. The study concludes that the seasonal changes in weight in particular are linked to metabolic syndrome. With people having the 'winter blues' the risk of metabolic syndrome is heightened by 56 per cent. The negative effect of the seasonal changes equals to the protective effect against metabolic syndrome gained with regular physical exercise. ... > 

Do National Dietary Guidelines Do More Harm Than Good? (January 23, 2008) -- Researchers raise questions about the benefits of federal dietary guidelines. They argue that if guidelines can alter behavior, such alteration could have positive or negative effects. They cite how, in 2000, the Dietary Guideline Advisory Committee suggested that the recommendation to lower fat, advised in the 1995 guidelines, had perhaps been ill-advised and might actually have some potential harm. ... > 

Cranberries Might Help Prevent Urinary Infections In Women (January 23, 2008) -- Evidence supports drinking cranberry juice -- a familiar home remedy --- to treat urinary tract infection. People have used cranberries, especially cranberry juice, for decades to prevent and treat UTIs. The fruit contains organic substances, such as quinic acid and citric acid, which act as antibacterial agents to help eliminate bacteria from the bladder. ... > 

From And For The Heart, My Dear Valentine: Broccoli (January 24, 2008) -- Wishing your Valentine good heart health on February 14 -- and throughout 2008? Then consider the food some people love to hate, and hand over a gift bag of broccoli along with that heart-shaped box of chocolates. Researchers are reporting impressive new evidence that eating broccoli may protect against heart disease. ... > 

Cigarettes Leave Deadly Path By Purging Protective Genes (January 24, 2008) -- The toxins in cigarette smoke wipe out a gene that plays a vital role in protecting the body from the effects of premature aging. Without this gene we not only lose a bit of youthfulness -- but the lungs are left open to destructive inflammation and diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. ... > 

Caffeine Is Linked To Miscarriage Risk, New Study Shows (January 22, 2008) -- A new study offers the strongest evidence to date linking caffeine consumption during pregnancy to miscarriage because it's the first study to thoroughly control for pregnancy-related caffeine aversion. The study of 1,063 pregnant women found that women who consumed 200 mg or more of caffeine per day doubled their miscarriage risk. ... > 

Saline Nasal Wash Helps Improve Children's Cold Symptoms (January 22, 2008) -- A saline nasal wash solution made from processed seawater appears to improve nasal symptoms and may help prevent the recurrence of respiratory infections when used by children with the common cold, according to a new report. ... > 

Cough Medicine: Not Worthwhile For Children Or Adults? (January 23, 2008) -- Alert parents know that small children should not take over-the-counter cough medications. Now researchers say the stuff might not help adults much, either. Over-the-counter medicine is commonly and casually used by millions of cold sufferers every year, but there is no good evidence for or against the effectiveness of OTC cough medicines, concludes a new systematic review of studies. ... > 

Consuming Extra Virgin Olive Oil Helps To Combat Degenerative Diseases Such As Cancer, Study Suggests (January 21, 2008) -- Researchers have for the first time analyzed the antioxidant properties of olive oil, a product rich in polyphenols (natural antioxidants). They believe these antioxidants improve the lives of people suffering from oxidative stress, and are also highly beneficial for the prevention of cell aging and osteoporosis. ... > 

Lipoic Acid Could Reduce Atherosclerosis, Weight Gain (January 17, 2008) -- A new study done with mice has discovered that supplements of lipoic acid can inhibit formation of arterial lesions, lower triglycerides and reduce blood vessel inflammation and weight gain -- all key issues for addressing cardiovascular disease. ... > 

Restoring The Good Name Of Sugar (January 18, 2008) -- Sugars were once credited with magical healing powers but are now seen like salt as an evil necessary in small doses but the cause of numerous diseases such as diabetes if taken in excess. Yet latest research suggests this view ignores the vital role played by more complex sugars in many biological structures, and the great therapeutic potential they have. ... > 

Probiotics Affect Metabolism, Says New Study (January 16, 2008) -- Probiotics, such as yogurt drinks containing live bacteria, have a tangible effect on the metabolism, according to the results of a new study. The research is the first to look in detail at how probiotics change the biochemistry of bugs known as gut microbes, which live in the gut and which play an important part in a person's metabolic makeup. ... > 

Combined Hormone Replacement Therapy Increases Risk Of Lobular Breast Cancer Fourfold After Just 3 Years Of Use (January 16, 2008) -- Postmenopausal women who take combined estrogen/progestin hormone-replacement therapy for three years or more face a fourfold increased risk of developing various forms of lobular breast cancer, according to new findings. ... > 

Overcoming Metabolic Syndrome (January 14, 2008) -- Metabolic syndrome, a collection of related abnormalities like hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance, and excess cholesterol, poses a major risk for developing heart disease and diabetes. Individuals with a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol can be especially vulnerable to metabolic syndrome, but researchers have now found that blocking the enzyme stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1, which helps synthesize unsaturated fatty acids, greatly improves the profile of FH-mice affected by metabolic syndrome. ... > 

New Folic Acid Seal Helps Women Choose Enriched Grain Foods To Help Prevent Birth Defects (January 15, 2008) -- To promote consumption of folic acid among childbearing age women, the March of Dimes and Grain Foods Foundation have created a Folic Acid for a Healthy Pregnancy seal that will be featured on select products to help identify grain products, such as white bread, that are folic acid enriched. 2008 marks the tenth anniversary of folic acid fortification to enriched flour. Since the 1998 FDA mandate, neural tube defects have declined 26 percent. ... > 

Surprise -- Cholesterol May Actually Pose Benefits, Study Shows (January 10, 2008) -- If you’re worried about high cholesterol levels and keeping heart-healthy as you get older, don’t push aside bacon and eggs just yet. A new study says they might actually provide a benefit.Researchers have discovered that lower cholesterol levels can actually reduce muscle gain with exercising. ... > 

Oatmeal's Health Claims Reaffirmed, Study Suggests (January 9, 2008) -- The link between eating oatmeal and cholesterol reduction is stronger than when the FDA initially approved the health claim's appearance on food labels in 1997, a new study shows. ... > 

Bacterial Infections In Premature Babies More Common Than Previously Realized (January 8, 2008) -- Study shows 1 in 4 preemies are born with fetal bacteremia. Premature babies are subject to a host of threats that can result in fetal/neonatal disease. Researchers have found that genital mycoplasmas are a frequent cause of congenital fetal infection. 23 percent of neonates born between 23 and 32 weeks of gestation have positive umbilical blood cultures for two genital mycoplasmas (bacteria lacking cell walls): Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. ... > 

Winemaking Waste Proves Effective Against Disease-causing Bacteria In Early Studies (January 8, 2008) -- A class of chemicals in red wine grapes may significantly reduce the ability of bacteria to cause cavities, according to a new study. The findings suggest that specific polyphenols, present in large amounts in fermented seeds and skins cast away after grapes are pressed, interfere with the ability of bacteria to contribute to tooth decay. ... > 

More Sun Exposure May Be Good For Some People (January 8, 2008) -- A new study suggests that the benefits of moderately increased exposure to sunlight -- namely the production of vitamin D, which protects against the lethal effects of many forms of cancer and other diseases -- may outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer in populations deficient in vitamin D. ... > 

Lack Of Vitamin D May Increase Heart Disease Risk (January 8, 2008) -- The same vitamin D deficiency that can result in weak bones now has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Framingham Heart Study researchers report. Researchers also found an increase in cardiovascular risk with each level of vitamin D deficiency. ... > 

Bacterial Infections In Premature Babies More Common Than Previously Realized (January 8, 2008) -- Study shows 1 in 4 preemies are born with fetal bacteremia. Premature babies are subject to a host of threats that can result in fetal/neonatal disease. Researchers have found that genital mycoplasmas are a frequent cause of congenital fetal infection. 23 percent of neonates born between 23 and 32 weeks of gestation have positive umbilical blood cultures for two genital mycoplasmas (bacteria lacking cell walls): Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. ... > 

Tips To Get Into Shape Without Leaving The House (January 7, 2008) -- One piece of advice is to make a resolution to become healthier overall, instead of only focusing on dropping pounds. This will broaden your goals and encourage you to make lifestyle changes rather than temporary adjustments. ... > 

Big Pharma Spends More On Advertising Than Research And Development, Study Finds (January 7, 2008) -- A new study estimates the U.S. pharmaceutical industry spends almost twice as much on promotion as it does on research and development, contrary to the industry's claim. The U.S. pharmaceutical industry spent 24.4% of the sales dollar in 2004 on promotion, versus 13.4% for research and development, as a percentage of US domestic sales of US5.4 billion. The study's findings supports the position that the U.S. pharmaceutical industry is marketing-driven and challenges the perception of a research-driven, life-saving, pharmaceutical industry. ... > 

Assembling The Jigsaw Puzzle Of Drug Addiction (January 7, 2008) -- Using an integrative meta-analysis approach, researchers have assembled the most comprehensive gene atlas underlying drug addiction and identified five molecular pathways common to four different addictive drugs. ... > 

Treatment With NAC Is Associated With Better Outcomes For Children With Liver Failure, Study Suggests (January 7, 2008) -- A new retrospective study on the effects of N-acetylcysteine on children with acute liver failure not caused by acetaminophen poisoning has found that the treatment was associated with a shorter hospital stay, higher incidence of liver recovery, and better survival after transplantation. ... > 

Healing Value Of Magnets Demonstrated In Biomedical Engineering Study (January 7, 2008) -- A recent study demonstrates that the use of an acute, localized static magnetic field of moderate strength can result in significant reduction of swelling when applied immediately after an inflammatory injury. This means that magnets might be used much the way ice packs and compression are now used for everyday sprains, bumps, and bruises, but with more beneficial results. Magnets have been touted for their healing properties since ancient Greece. Magnetic therapy is still widely used today as an alternative method for treating a number of conditions, from arthritis to depression, but there hasn't been scientific proof that magnets can heal. ... > 

Inulin May Help With Iron Uptake, Too (January 7, 2008) -- Chalk up another potential health benefit for inulin, a plant compound used in many foods that's already been credited with boosting gut and colonic health and helping the body absorb dietary calcium. Swine research has found that this non-digestible carbohydrate --- which reaches the colon intact, where it's metabolized by beneficial bacteria --- may help people absorb more iron from staple food plants that are rich in compounds that hamper iron uptake. ... > 

Chemical In Red Wine, Fruits And Vegetables Counters Unhealthy Effects Of High-fat Foods (January 6, 2008) -- Just as additives help gasoline burn cleaner, a research report shows that the food industry could take a similar approach toward reducing health risks associated with fatty foods. These "meal additives" would be based on work of researchers who discovered that consuming polyphenols (natural compounds in red wine, fruits, and vegetables) simultaneously with high-fat foods may reduce health risks associated with these foods. ... > 

Ways To Reduce Gassiness: Certain Foods May Cause Gas (January 4, 2008) -- Gassiness: It's embarrassing, bothersome and -- yes, smelly. Sometimes, changing diet can clear the air. Temporarily avoiding certain foods can help identify causes of gassiness. Dairy products, some vegetables, too much fruit sugar and carbonated beverages can sometimes cause the problem. ... > 

New Route For Heredity Bypasses DNA (January 4, 2008) -- Scientists have uncovered a new biological mechanism that could provide a clearer window into a cell's inner workings. What's more, this mechanism could represent an "epigenetic" pathway -- a route that bypasses an organism's normal DNA genetic program -- for so-called Lamarckian evolution, enabling an organism to pass on to its offspring characteristics acquired during its lifetime to improve their chances for survival. ... > 

Moderate Exercise Yields Big Benefits (January 4, 2008) -- What's the key to looking and feeling better and enhancing your health? Exercise. Moderately strenuous exercise, about 30 minutes a day, can lead to enormous benefits in terms of your mood, health, weight and the ability to live an independent and fulfilling life. The exercise doesn't need to be athletic or difficult. Studies have shown that simply walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more on most days can lead to significant health improvements. Add simple strengthening exercises two or three times a week and the benefits are even greater. ... > 

Mom's Obesity During Conception Phase May Set The Stage For Offspring's Obesity Risk (January 4, 2008) -- Researchers have examined whether fetal exposure to gestational obesity leads to a self-reinforcing viscous cycle of excessive weight gain and body fat which passes from mother to child. The results of a new study suggest they do. ... > 

Scientists Discover Remarkable Editing System For Protein Production (January 3, 2008) -- Even small mistakes made by cells during protein production can have profound disease effects, but the processes cells use to correct mistakes have been challenging to decipher. Recent work however, has uncovered two surprising new methods for such editing. ... > 

Yeast-Based Oral Diabetes Treatment Discovered (January 3, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a substance that may become an oral treatment for diabetes and its complications. Results indicate that the new yeast-derived treatment acts similarly to insulin in the rats, lowering the level of glucose, and of LDL-cholesterol, (the "bad" cholesterol), and raising the level of HDL-cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol). ... > 

Why Urinary Tract Infections Commonly Recur In Women (January 3, 2008) -- A new study presents convincing evidence that intracellular bacterial communities (IBCs) commonly exist in women with bladder infections and may contribute to the recurrence of these infections. In mice it has already been established that Escherichia coli (E coli), a type of bacterium that causes urinary tract infections, can avoid the immune system by invading cells lining the bladder, replicate and ultimately re-infect the urinary tract. The existence of IBCs in this new study suggests that a similar cycle may occur in people and that perhaps longer treatment with antibiotics that kill bacteria inside human cells may be necessary for some patients. ... > 

Anti-Alzheimer's Mechanism In Omega-3 Fatty Acids Found (January 2, 2008) -- It's good news that we are living longer, but bad news that the longer we live, the better our odds of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease. Researchers now report that omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid, found in fish oil, increases the production of LR11, a protein that is found at reduced levels in Alzheimer's patients and which is known to destroy the the "plaques" associated with the disease. ... > 

Lack Of Deep Sleep May Increase Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes (January 2, 2008) -- Suppression of slow-wave sleep in healthy young adults significantly decreases their ability to regulate blood-sugar levels and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. This study found that after only three nights of selective slow-wave sleep suppression, young healthy subjects became less sensitive to insulin. ... >