Levels of a particular protein linked to the formation of scar tissue in the heart can predict risk of heart failure, new research demonstrates. The protein can be measured in a blood sample, and could reveal the likelihood of an individual of suffering from heart failure. A protein known as galectin-3 can identify people at… [Continue Reading]
Smoking After Stroke Strongly Increases Risk of Death
August 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Smoking is known to increase the risk of a stroke, and a new study shows it also significantly increases the risk of death after stroke. Researchers have found that patients that smoke after suffering a stroke have a risk of death three times higher than those who quit. Patients who resume smoking after a stroke… [Continue Reading]
New Treatment for Stress-Related Disorders Under Development
August 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
In a major breakthrough in the treatment of stress disorders, researchers have developed a compound that could treat the condition. The drug prevents the cognitive deficits linked to post-traumatic stress disorder in a mouse model, and could help people suffering from severe stress disorders. Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have identified a potential medical… [Continue Reading]
Flu May Be Passed On To Others Before Symptoms Appear
August 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
A study of how the flu is passed from individual to individual suggests that the contagious stage of the disease might begin earlier than previously thought. Researchers have shown in ferrets, the best model of influenza infection in humans, that transmission can occur even before symptoms appear. Research at Imperial College London examining influenza transmission… [Continue Reading]
New Clot-Busting Tools More Effective for Stroke Treatment
August 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
New tools for removing blood clots from patients after a stroke are a significant improvement over their predecessors, a newly published study has found. The new device, called the Trevo Retriver, restored blood flow more quickly, which is critical for patient recovery. Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke, usually caused… [Continue Reading]
Obese Children Have Higher Risk of Gallstones
August 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Gallstones can cause serious health problems if left untreated, and a new study has found that overweight and obese children are at a significantly higher risk of suffering from then. The risk is particularly pronounced for kids of Hispanic origin. Children who are overweight or obese face an increased risk for gallstones, according to a… [Continue Reading]
Mutations in Proteins that Control Cell Growth Discovered to Activate Colon Cancer
August 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Researchers have discovered that a protein family that is essential for cell replication during embryonic development also plays a key role in the development of colon cancer. By studying the genetic background of a large sample of tumors, the scientists found that the protein family is often mutated in the tumors, creating different forms of… [Continue Reading]
Molecular Switch that Boosts Fat Burning in the Body Discovered
August 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Scientists studying the regulation of enzymes that burn fat in the body have made an important advance in their work, discovering new signals that ramp up enzyme activity. Enzymes involved in breaking down fat can now be manipulated to work three times harder by turning on a molecular switch recently observed by chemists at the… [Continue Reading]
Obesity in Men Affects Their Fertility and Their Children’s Development During Pregnancy
August 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
While numerous study show that obesity in women has a harmful effect on fertility and a developing fetus, new work shows that obese fathers may have impaired sperm development, fertility, and give rise to smaller fetuses. Australian scientists studying the impact obesity has on pregnancy, are urging men to get ‘match fit’ before conceiving to… [Continue Reading]
For Weight Loss, 30 Minutes of Exercise A Day Just As Effective as 60 Minutes
August 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Instead of sweating for an hour a day in a quest to lose weight, researchers have shown that only 30 minutes of physical activity is just as good. In a study of men assigned to exercise either an hour or just half an hour every day, the half-hour group were more successful in losing weight… [Continue Reading]