Chocolate bar shown to lower cholesterol
The results of a University of Illinois study have demonstrated an effective way to lower cholesterol levels - by eating chocolate bars.

Rat study suggests why teens get hooked on cocaine more easily than adults
New drug research suggests that teens may get addicted and relapse more easily than adults because developing brains are more powerfully motivated by drug-related cues.

Cancer cells spread by releasing 'bubbles', according to an MUHC study
A new fundamental mechanism of how tumour cells communicate has just been discovered by the team of Dr. Janusz Rak at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) in collaboration with Dr Guha from the University of Toronto.

Mutation in human gene helps protect against fatal malaria
New research suggests that not everyone who is bitten by a malaria-infected mosquito develops life threatening health problems according to scientists at the University of Toronto.

Chemotherapy causes delayed severe neural damage
Cancer treatment with chemotherapeutic agents is often associated with delayed adverse neurological consequences - an occurrence often referred to as "chemobrain" - that may compromise the quality of life of a proportion of cancer survivors.

Developmental changes in adolescence raise men's heart disease risk
Normal developmental changes during the teenage years leave young adult men at higher risk of heart disease than their female counterparts, researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Brain reacts to fairness as it does to money and chocolate
The human brain responds to being treated fairly the same way it responds to winning money and eating chocolate, UCLA scientists report. Being treated fairly turns on the brain's reward circuitry.

Improving quality of life for brain tumour patients
A new neuroimaging study at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital at McGill University aims to ensure the highest quality of life for patients by assessing their cognitive skills before, during, and after brain tumour surgery.

American Cancer Society report details cancer prevention efforts
An annual report from the American Cancer Society highlights that long-term favorable trends have stalled for several factors that have been responsible for declining cancer death rates in the U.S.

Children with ADHD should get heart tests before treatment with stimulant drugs
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) should get careful cardiac evaluation and monitoring - including an electrocardiogram (ECG) - before treatment with stimulant drugs, a new American Heart Association statement recommends.

Arctic Ice More Vulnerable to Sunny Weather, New Study Shows
The shrinking expanse of Arctic sea ice is increasingly vulnerable to summer sunshine, new research concludes.

Teenage suicides: Study advocates greater family support
Teenage suicide is often perceived as the result of rejection of family, significant others and of society. Families affected by teenage suicide often look back for warning signs and clues in order to make sense of the tragedy.

Survey offers first-ever look at treatment practices for nonepileptic seizures
A new nationwide clinician survey provides the first comprehensive look at what is community care or 'treatment as usual' for nonepileptic seizures (NES), laying the groundwork for clinical trials aimed at identifying effective treatments for this neuropsychiatric disorder.

Carnegie Mellon studies how climate change impacts food production
The old adage, "We are what we eat,'' may be the latest recipe for success when it comes to curbing the perils of global climate warming.

Pathogen virulence proteins suppress plant immunity
Researchers from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech and their colleagues have identified a key function of a large family of virulence proteins that play an important role in the production of infectious disease by the plant pathogen Phytophthora sojae.

Synchrotron light unveils oil in ancient Buddhist paintings from Bamiyan
The world was in shock when in 2001 the Talibans destroyed two ancient colossal Buddha statues in the Afghan region of Bamiyan.

Counting every thought: What consumers see when looking at ads
Thought-listing exercises are frequently used by researchers to gauge people's reactions to advertisements. But a new paper in the June 2008 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research from the Wharton School of Business suggests two alternative methods that may more accurately reveal what consumers actually notice.

Computer scientists develop solutions for long-term storage of digital data
Although the digital age is well under way, one crucial detail remains to be worked out--how to store vast amounts of digital information in a way that allows future generations to recover it.

Larger skin lesions appear more likely to be melanomas
Skin lesions larger than 6 millimeters in diameter appear more likely to be melanomas than smaller lesions, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The findings suggest that the diameter guidelines currently used by dermatologists to screen for melanoma are useful.

When positive thinking leads to financial irresponsibility like compulsive gambling
Looking on the bright side can lead to irresponsible financial behavior, reveals a paper from the June 2008 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

How stereotypes can lead to success
Stereotypes can boost as well as hinder our chances of success, according to psychologists from the University of Exeter and St Andrews University. Writing in the new edition of Scientific American Mind (out in the UK 22 April 2008), they argue that the power of stereotypes to affect our performance should not be underestimated.

NYU Researchers id new class of photoreceptors,pointing to new ways sights-and smells-are regulated
The identification of a new class of photoreceptors in the retina of fruit flies sheds light on the regulation of the pigments of the eye that confer color vision, researchers at New York University's Center for Developmental Genetics report in a new study appearing in the Public Library of Science's journal, PloS Biology.

Scientists test device to track medication adherence in patients with HIV/AIDS
Most of us have missed a dose of antibiotic or forgotten to take a daily vitamin. But when the stakes are higher - as they are for people with HIV/AIDS - a skipped pill could mean the difference between health and hazard for the entire population.

Cancer could return unless stored ovarian tissue undergoes adequate testing before re-implantation
Cancer patients who have been successfully treated for their disease face the prospect of its return if stored ovarian (or testicular) tissue is transplanted back into their bodies without adequate checks, according to researchers at two university hospitals in Israel.

Coke or Pepsi? Being distracted can make you more susceptible to ads
A can of Coke next to the word "awesome"; a can of Pepsi next to a picture of a happy couple. Seem too basic to be effective advertising" Prior research has shown that reported attitudes towards brands are not affected by such simple juxtapositions.

Nasal surgery associated with improvements in quality of life for those with sleep apnea
Nasal surgery to remove obstructions from the airway is associated with improvements in quality of life for patients with obstructive sleep apnea and symptoms of nasal blockages.

Survival rates appear lower for scalp and neck melanoma than for other sites
Individuals with melanoma on their scalp or neck appear less likely to survive for five or 10 years than those with melanoma at other sites, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Effective cancer immune therapy through order in the blood vessels
Immune therapies are considered very promising in cancer medicine: Tumor-fighting immune cells are supposed to invade tumor tissue and eliminate cancer cells right there.

We are family -- but advertisers often miss the point
Even though most Americans think of themselves as part of a family - and many list "being a family" as a top priority - very little is known about how membership in this collective actually affects consumer decisions, from choosing a cell phone plan to remodeling the kitchen to how we display treasured keepsakes.

Mammography may be beneficial to all women, regardless of age
According to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, mammography, the gold-standard for breast cancer screening and early detection, has shown to significantly reduce the risk of being diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer in women over the age of 80, an age group currently without clear guidelines recommending regular screenings.

Advanced life support in ambulances doesn't benefit trauma patients
New research from the Ontario Prehospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) project shows there is no benefit - and perhaps harm - to providing advanced life support to patients with trauma injuries prior to transport to hospital.

Study: Counseling trauma victims causes secondary trauma
Hearing repeated stories of suffering from trauma victims causes serious psychological stress in clinical social workers, a new Geisinger-led study suggests.

Death rates decline following coronary bypass surgery regardless of hospital volume
Rates of death following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have declined since 1997 while the number of procedures performed has decreased, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

US sees decline in number of general surgeons
The number of general surgeons per 100,000 Americans has declined by more than 25 percent during the past 25 years, according to a report in the April issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.