Month: January 2015

Psoriasis, a chronic skin condition, can cause rashes that itch and sting. So why would a genetic susceptibility to this and other ailments persist for hundreds of thousands of years, afflicting our ancient ancestors, and us? That’s the question scientists are asking after discovering that genetic variations associated with some modern maladies are extremely old, predating the evolution of Neanderthals, Denisovans (another ancient hominin) and contemporary humans. The study was published this month in Molecular

January 31, 2015, 7:48 AM|Federal health officials are considering releasing millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys to head off two deadly diseases. But thousands of residents are uneasy about the move, signing petitions to stop the test. Molecular biologist Dr. Christie Wilcox, who blogs for Discover magazine, joins “CBS This Morning: Saturday” from Los Angeles with more on the mosquitoes.

January 31, 2015, 7:36 AM|CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook and CBS News medical contributor Dr. Holly Phillips weigh in on new guidance about cholesterol and technology that may help diagnose concussions.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The University of Virginia has issued an alert to students following a confirmed case of mumps on the campus, CBS Charlottesville affiliate WCAV-TV reports. Officials said Friday there were four other suspected cases of the virus, but they’re awaiting final test results for confirmation. Mumps can cause fever, headache, muscle aches and make the glands close to the jaw to swell and become tender.

At the end of an ad set to air during Super Bowl XLIX, a scantily-clad supermodel takes a bite out of Carl’s Jr.’s new “All-Natural” hamburger. Bold letters flash across the screen: No Antibiotics. The risqué nature of the commercial has triggered some controversy, but perhaps not as impassioned as the debate that continues over the widespread use of antibiotics by livestock producers — and the role the practice may play in rising rates of

LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) – Tommy Smith, a footballer for second-tier English club Huddersfield Town, had to be taken to hospital by helicopter after suffering a head injury in their game against Leeds. Smith, a 22-year-old defender, had to be taken off the pitch on a stretcher late in the Championship game after a collision with his own goalkeeper Joe Murphy. Smith was treated for nine minutes before being given oxygen and taken off the

By Anthony Esposito SANTIAGO (Reuters) – Chile’s president, Michelle Bachelet, unveiled plans on Saturday to ease a complete ban on abortions in the socially conservative South American country. In a televised address, leftist Bachelet said she was sending Congress a draft bill that would permit abortion when a mother’s life is at risk, a fetus will not survive the pregnancy, or in the case of rape. The outright ban on terminations was put in place

A study published in the January/February 2015 issue of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology indicates corn oil significantly reduces cholesterol more than extra virgin olive oil with favorable changes in both total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. “The study results suggest corn oil has significantly greater effects on blood cholesterol levels than extra virgin olive oil, due, in part, to the natural cholesterol-blocking ability of plant sterols,” said lead researcher Dr. Kevin C Maki, PhD,

A study conducted by researchers at the UAB, the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS) and the FPCEE Blanquerna (Ramon Llull University), and which included the methodological support of the Institute for Primary Healthcare Research (IDIAP Jordi Gol), has analysed the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) by secondary school students, by using a sample of 5,538 students from the Vallès Occidental region of Catalonia. The study, based on surveys taken in the 2010/2011 academic

Researchers have uncovered new information that may begin to explain why many African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive, often deadly forms of breast cancer, which strengthens the evidence that increased dietary folate intake may prove to be an effective strategy for reducing risk for the disease in African-American women. In the first large study of its kind, the team, led by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) epidemiologists Zhihong Gong, PhD, and

No matter how many outlets — from trashy gossip rags to (supposedly) reputable entertainment magazines — make claims about Bruce Jenner’s current “journey,” as Kim Kardashian recently put it, citing however many anonymous sources “close to the family” (even if those sources turn out to be the family itself, which can often be the case), let’s remember that Jenner has said nothing about what is happening and this entire situation — whether it’s true that

1 School of Medicine and Health Management, Tongji Medical College, HuaZhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, HuBei Province, China 2 College of Medical Administration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China 3 College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China 4 Institute of Medical Information, Center for Health Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China For all author emails, please log on.

1 University of Rhode Island, Kingston 02881, RI, USA 2 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston 02215, MA, USA 3 Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA 4 Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA 5 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA For all author emails, please log on.

1 Centre for Interdisciplinary Trauma Research, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1142, New Zealand 2 Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand and Ko Awatea, Auckland, New Zealand 3 Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand 4 Taupua Waiora Centre for Maori Health Research, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand 5 School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, USA 6 Department of Medical

1 Child Health and Development Centre, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda 2 Ndejje University, Kampala, Uganda 3 University of Manchester, England, UK For all author emails, please log on.

Copy number variations (deletions or duplications of large chunks of the genome) are a major cause of birth defects, intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disorders. Still, geneticists can definitively say how a CNV, once discovered in someone’s DNA, leads to one of these conditions in just a fraction of cases. To aid in the interpretation of CNVs, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have completed detailed maps of 184 duplications found

Is it better to be positive or negative? Many of the most vivid public health appeals have been negative – “Smoking Kills” or “Drive, Drive, and Die” – but do these negative messages work when it comes to changing eating behavior? Past literature reviews of positive- or gain-framed versus negative or loss-based health messages have been inconsistent. In our content analysis of 63 nutrition education studies, we discovered four key questions which can resolve these

Viral Genetics, Inc.

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Overview and study population We conducted secondary analyses on data from the REVEAL study, a series of multicenter randomized controlled trials examining the psychological and behavioral impact of providing AD genetic risk information based on APOE genotyping 17]-19]. Analyses were conducted on data from the second and third study trials (data from the first trial were omitted because the scales and timing used to measure health behavior changes and beliefs about AD and genetic testing

1 Waikato Clinical School, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand 2 Department of Surgery, University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka 3 M?ori Health Services, Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, New Zealand 4 Waikato Breast Cancer Trust, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton, New Zealand 5 Breast Cancer Research Office, Waikato Hospital, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand For all author emails, please log on.

You know the look: wide eyes, clenched jaw, labored breathing. He has no idea what to say. All this because you’ve complained about a physical flaw, and he has absolutely no clue what you’re talking about. Does he admit ignorance, or would that be dismissive? Does he pretend he understands, or will that unnecessarily enhance your insecurity? … …Well, I don’t know! That’s why I’m asking you! Anyway, while he’s trying to wipe that clueless

Scientists based at the University of Helsinki, Finland, have discovered a ‘hidden’ mechanism which could explain why some cancer therapies which aim to block tumour blood vessel growth are failing cancer trials. Numerous angiopoietin-blocking therapies, which work to starve the tumour of its blood supply, are currently in clinical trials for ovarian cancer and other cancers. But despite promising earlier results, some of these therapies are not improving patient survival as much as was expected.

Today the peer-reviewed journal Women’s Health Issues (WHI) released a new Special Collection on Women’s Heart Health, with a focus on improving healthcare services to women at risk for cardiovascular disease. The special collection also highlights recent studies addressing social determinants of health and physical activity in women of different backgrounds. “Many people still don’t realize that heart disease is the number one killer of women,” said Chloe Bird, editor-in-chief of Women’s Health Issues and

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Viral Genetics, Inc.

By establishing protein design algorithms that simultaneously optimize drug candidates for both decreased immunogenic epitope content and high level stability and activity, Dartmouth’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center investigator Karl Griswold, PhD, and his collaborator Chris Bailey-Kellogg, PhD, have established a novel testing platform. Published in PLOS Computational Biology, the paper, titled, “Mapping the Pareto Optimal Design Space for a Functionally Deimmunized Biotherapeutic Candidate,” guides biotechnologists toward protein designs that function appropriately using sophisticated design algorithms.

GNC Holdings, Inc.

As Africa’s leaders meet in Ethiopia to discuss the Ebola crisis, expectations of firm action will be tempered by criticism over the continent’s poor record in the early stages of the epidemic. The outbreak is a priority on the agenda of the 54-nation African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa on Saturday, yet the bloc is still smarting from criticism that it reacted too slowly to the outbreak. Health workers and cash have flooded in

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Brandon Levine exchanged handshakes and hugs with nearly two dozen of his blood brothers and sisters, people he had never met but knew had saved his life. The group’s members, ranging in age from 20s to 70s, were among nearly 200 people whose donations to the UCLA Blood and Platelet Center last year kept the Internet executive alive long enough for doctors to put his broken body back together following a

Miami (AFP) – A British company’s plan to unleash hordes of genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida to reduce the threat of dengue fever and other diseases has sparked an outcry from fearful residents. As of Friday, more than 145,000 people had signed a petition at change.org urging regulators to “say no” to allowing the tourist-friendly fishing and diving haven to become “a testing ground for these mutant bugs.” The company, Oxitec, said it wants to

International Journal of Health Geographics 2015, 14:9 doi:10.1186/1476-072X-14-9 Published: 31 January 2015

i Football rules, uniforms, helmets and protective gear have changed a lot over the years. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images hide caption itoggle caption Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Football rules, uniforms, helmets and protective gear have changed a lot over the years. Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Football injuries have long been seen by some as a badge of honor. A broken sternum, a busted knee, a pierced kidney: all evidence of tenacity on the field. But

A mosquito-borne virus that has spread to the Caribbean and Central and South America and has caused isolated infections in Florida often causes joint pain and swelling similar to that seen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis also found that blood tests of patients with the Chikungunya virus and those with rheumatoid arthritis can produce similar results. This may lead some patients with the virus to

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and AstraZeneca today announced a multiyear strategic research collaboration to conduct multiple, parallel clinical and clinically related studies in ovarian and other gynecologic cancers with the aim of improving patient outcomes. The agreement represents a unique approach to research by focusing not just on clinical trials using investigational therapies but also on epidemiological and outcomes studies. AstraZeneca and MD Anderson aim to rethink how industry and academia

Studies of stress and its effects on health have typically focused on the worries of an individual: money, love, health, work. But what about stress shared by two people in a romantic relationship? New research by Allen LeBlanc, Health Equity Institute Professor of Sociology at San Francisco State University, studies how minority stress — which results from being stigmatized and disadvantaged in society — affects same-sex couples’ stress levels and overall health. LeBlanc asserts that

A complex interplay of molecular components governs almost all aspects of biological sciences – healthy organism development, disease progression, and drug efficacy are all dependent on the way life’s molecules interact in the body. Understanding these bio-molecular interactions is critical for the discovery of new, more effective therapeutics and diagnostics to treat cancer and other diseases, but currently requires scientists to have access to expensive and elaborate laboratory equipment. Now, a new approach developed by

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on supporting innovative early career researchers, named 15 new Damon Runyon Fellows at its fall Fellowship Award Committee review. The recipients of this prestigious, four-year award are outstanding postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators across the country. The Fellowship encourages the nation’s most promising young scientists to pursue careers in cancer research by providing them with

/ no comments Jersey Shore University Medical Center

WASHINGTON (AP) — Holding out the promise of major medical breakthroughs, President Barack Obama on Friday called on Congress to approve spending in medical research that tailors treatment to an individual’s genes. Obama wants $215 million for what he’s calling a precision medicine initiative that moves away from one-size-fits-all treatments. The ambitious goal: Scientists will assemble databases of about a million volunteers to study their genetics — and other factors such as their environments and

WASHINGTON (AP) — It flew through the Republican-run House in 2012, and a year later 79 of the Democratic-led Senate’s 100 members embraced it. With Republicans now controlling both chambers of Congress, the chances for repealing the 2.3 percent tax on medical devices are better than ever. Yet abolishing the tax won’t be easy, even though Republicans rank it a top priority and are backed by Democrats from states that rely on the industry for

BMC Anesthesiology 2015, 15:13 doi:10.1186/1471-2253-15-13 Published: 31 January 2015

1 Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA 2 The JiVitA Maternal and Child Health Research Project, Gaibandha, Bangladesh For all author emails, please log on.

1 Cyprus International Institute for Environmental Public Health in association with Harvard School of Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus 2 Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus 3 St George University of London Medical Programme at the University of Nicosia Medical School, Nicosia, Cyprus 4 3rd Department of Pediatrics, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece For all author emails, please log on.

1 Bule Hora District Health Office, Borena zone, Bule Hora, Ethiopia 2 Department of Population and Family Health, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia 3 Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Medical Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia For all author emails, please log on.

Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore 632004, TN, India For all author emails, please log on.

Join the Women’s Health Weekend Challenge to help you meet your fitness goals fast and make your weekend workouts count. Thousands of women already have. Join them, and achieve your fitness goals faster! Braced Squat: Think your squat game is strong? Well, you probably haven’t tried this killer move that engages your shoulders, core, quads, calves, and hamstrings. Throw this exercise into your routine this weekend to strengthen and sculpt all over. SO…ARE YOU IN?!

This article was written by Ali Eaves and provided by our partners at Men’s Health. It’s nothing compared to what women’s bodies goes through—but men experience hormonal changes when their partners are pregnant, finds a new University of Michigan study. Researchers tested the hormone levels of first-time fathers-to-be and found that their testosterone dropped as the baby grew.  Don’t panic—we’re not talking clinically low T levels, says study author Robin Edelstein, Ph.D. But the changes could be

Before: 248After: 145 The Lifestyle I was always a little overweight my whole life. I come from a family of heavy people, and when I was growing up, all of our family get-togethers were based on food. It didn’t matter if it was a happy gathering or sad, people were always offering each other something to eat (and you don’t want to insult anyone by not eating—it’s a part of my Cuban culture). Plus, with

1 ISPED, Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, Univ. Bordeaux, Bordeaux, F-33000, France 2 INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, Bordeaux, F-33000, France 3 Association Karu-Asthme, Pointe-à-Pitre, F-97110, Guadeloupe 4 CHU Bordeaux, service de Pneumologie, Bordeaux, F-33000, France 5 ISPED, Equipe Santé Travail Environnement, Université de Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, Bordeaux, 33076, France

1 Section of Social Medicine, Institute of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 5, Copenhagen K, 1014, Denmark 2 KORA, Danish Institute for Local and Regional Government Research, Købmagergade 22, Copenhagen K, DK-1150, Denmark 3 Rockwool Foundation Research Unit, Sølvgade 10, 2. tv, Copenhagen K, DK-1307, Denmark For all author emails, please log on.

1 Faculty of Human Sciences/School of Education, Macquarie University, North Ryde 2109, Australia 2 School of Teacher Education, Charles Sturt University, Panorama Ave, Bathurst 2795, Australia 3 Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia 4 Skin Cancer Prevention Unit, Cancer Council New South Wales, Downing St, Woolloomooloo 2011, Australia For all author emails, please log on.

1 College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia 2 Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia For all author emails, please log on.

1 Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine, Monash University Sunway, Sunway, Malaysia 2 Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health, Sunway, Malaysia 3 Institute of Medical Molecular Biotechnology, University Teknologi Mara, Mara, Malaysia 4 Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University (Sunway Campus), Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Sunway 46150, Selangor, Malaysia For all author emails, please log on.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest forms of the disease. The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for 2014 show that over 46,000 people will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and more than 39,000 will die from it. Now, research led by Timothy J. Yen, PhD, Professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center, reveals that one reason this deadly form of cancer can be so challenging to treat is because its cells have found a

/ no comments H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center Research Institute

Mobile devices are everywhere and children are using them more frequently at young ages. The impact these mobile devices are having on the development and behavior of children is still relatively unknown. In a commentary in the journal Pediatrics, researchers review the many types of interactive media available today and raise important questions regarding their use as educational tools, as well as their potential detrimental role in stunting the development of important tools for self-regulation.

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By Maria Caspani NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – For Kate Bornstein, the American author and pioneer gender activist, this is a pivotal time in history for transgender people as the rigid concept of two sexes is challenged by a growing number of individuals who don’t conform to either. Some even suggest the notion of gender as we know it, the categorisation of individuals as either male or female, might become obsolete altogether. “Most college

By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) – Ohio will postpone all six executions scheduled for 2015 because it needs more time to prepare for a new execution procedure and to secure a new supply of execution drugs, the state’s prison department said on Friday. Earlier this month, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction halted use of the two-drug lethal injection combination of the sedative midazolam and painkiller hydromorphone after the protracted death of an inmate

By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – More than 100 people in the United States have been confirmed as infected with measles including 91 in California, most of them linked to an outbreak that began at Disneyland in December, public health officials said on Friday. The California Department of Public Health said at least 58 of the cases of the highly infectious disease in the state have been epidemiologically linked to the Disneyland cluster. More

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More measles cases have been found in California, health officials said Friday. Figures released by the California Department of Public Health showed there are now 91 confirmed cases in the state, up from 79 on Wednesday. Of those, 58 infections have been linked to visits to Disneyland or contact with a sick person who went there. Mexico and at least six other U.S. states — Utah, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska and

LOS ANGELES – Pediatrician Charles Goodman has a message for parents: Vaccinate your children against the measles or find another doctor. “I can’t protect every kid in the United States, but I can protect the ones I care for,” said Dr. Goodman. “It’s a very hard line to take, but at some point I had to draw the line in the sand and say you know what, I got to protect my kids, that’s my

If you’re looking for a fresh twist on traditional salsa, this protein-packed recipe should be your new go-to. The best part? It’s as simple as it is flavorful. White Bean Tomato Salsa Serves 4 Ingredients 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped 1 plum tomato, chopped 1/2 tsp. salt 15 oz. white beans (1 can), drained and rinsed Grated Parmesan, to taste (optional) Directions In a medium bowl, combine the white

And now for a quick replay of the best Super Bowl commercial of all time. In this 2011 Volkswagon ad above, a young boy decked out in Darth Vader gear tries to use “The Force” to start household appliances and wake the family dog — all to no avail. Finally, the boy succeeds in magically starting the car, though there happens to be a secret power at play: dad. The ad gained traction in 2011

Crista Anne Orenda is a blogger, mother of four and sex educator. She also describes herself as a “sex pleasurist,” and she was far from pleased when she found herself unable to reach orgasm after switching to a new antidepressant. “I came out of the womb depressed, as most of the people in my family have,” the writer, who just goes by Crista Anne, told Refinery29. “Looking back, I cannot think of a time that

I have been receiving emails and calls from family caregivers asking about all the recent stories they are seeing about happiness. To summarize their comments, there is a feeling that if attaining happiness, even intermittently, sounds so damn easy, then why are they having so much trouble being happy? Fair question, especially if you consider what many family caregivers deal with day-to-day. In my opinion, being happy is not easy or hard and shouldn’t be

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More measles cases have been found in California, health officials said Friday. Figures released by the California Department of Public Health showed there are now 91 confirmed cases in the state, up from 79 on Wednesday. Of those, 58 infections have been linked to visits to Disneyland or contact with a sick person who went there. Mexico and at least six other U.S. states — Utah, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska and