A 6-month program involving weekly peer meetings, consultations with primary care providers, and family meals resulted in less weight gain, improved body image, and healthier habits among teenage girls. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, showed modest but significant weight changes compared to usual care.
Plants use their internal clocks to anticipate and prepare for insect attacks, increasing production of defense hormones like jasmonate. This allows them to resist damage from caterpillars and other pests.
Researchers at McGill University have identified two brain regions critical for recognizing facial expressions and emotions. Damage to these areas can lead to difficulties in understanding social signals, impacting daily life.
Researchers created a zebrafish model to study Maple Syrup Urine Disease, which causes brain injury and severe dystonia. The model reveals abnormal swimming behavior and neurotransmitter imbalances, shedding light on disease mechanisms.
Research explores effective approaches to using gaming and interactive media for health promotion messages in children, including environment support, after-school programs, nutrition standards, and parent training. The Let's Move! initiative aims to address the social and environmental conditions influencing childhood obesity.
A new study published in CANCER found that many older lung cancer patients receive radiation therapy without extending their lifespan. Researchers analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare registry to determine if additional radiation therapy after surgery improves survival rates.
Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found that radiation treatment converts normal breast cancer cells into treatment-resistant stem cells. These induced breast cancer stem cells have a 30-fold increased ability to form tumors, undermining the effectiveness of radiation therapy.
A new study by Tufts Medical Center researchers provides insight into factors affecting Medicare decisions on medical technology coverage. The study shows that CMS uses clinical evidence to inform its 'reasonable and necessary' criteria, with alternative therapies influencing coverage decisions.
Researchers have developed a new therapeutic vaccine that uses a person's own dendritic cells to stimulate an improved immune response against HIV. The vaccine showed virtually no side effects and significantly enhanced the body's ability to suppress the virus, but did not eliminate it entirely.
A study by Catalina Toma and Jeffrey Hancock found that liars use fewer first-person pronouns, more negation, and shorter self-descriptions on their profiles. The researchers were able to correctly identify the liars about 65% of the time, highlighting the potential for language analysis to detect deception in online communication.
A new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers estimates nearly 23 million Americans age 50 and older have untreated hearing loss. The finding highlights the need for increased awareness and access to hearing aids, as well as rehabilitative training to learn how to integrate devices into daily lives.
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that post-operative radiation therapy does not prolong life in older adults with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The study analyzed data from over 1,300 patients and found no significant improvement in one-year or three-year survival rates.
Research finds that children with JIA have a significantly increased cancer risk, with rates 3.9 times higher for methotrexate-only patients and 4.4 times higher overall compared to peers without the disease. The study suggests that treatment, including TNF inhibitors, may not be directly linked to this increased risk.
Researchers at New York University have developed a method to visualize the internal workings of lithium-ion batteries using MRI, enabling diagnostic and testing capabilities. This technique can identify build-up of deposits on electrodes, which can lead to overheating and failure, allowing for improved battery performance and safety.
A three-year project called Studio STEM provides middle school students with inquiry-based after-school programs that integrate engineering design activities. The program aims to equip youth with essential skills for the 21st-century workplace, including digital modeling, social media, and game development tools.
A study by NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell researchers has identified simple methods to detect consciousness in patients with severe brain injuries. Despite being unable to communicate, some patients can generate reliable patterns of brain activity in response to instructed commands.
Researchers developed a new mouse model to study medulloblastoma, a devastating childhood brain cancer. The model suggests a potential strategy to inhibit tumor growth using PI3-kinase inhibitors, which have shown significant increases in mouse survival.
Researchers found laws permitting young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26 result in improved access to healthcare. The study analyzed data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, comparing periods before and after state laws were enacted.
A study of ancient graptoloid populations found that they did not rapidly develop new physical traits after a mass extinction event. Instead, the researchers suggest an evolutionary lag occurred, with limited morphological innovation continuing for approximately 2 million years.
Clinicians have 10 proposed rights regarding their electronic health record use, including uninterrupted access and succinct summaries of patient health histories. These rights aim to ensure safe, efficient, and effective use of electronic health records.
A new study found that fructose intake over seven days does not increase blood pressure, but rather leads to a decrease in diastolic blood pressure in some individuals. Researchers aimed to determine whether fructose itself raises blood pressure or if the apparent harm is due to excessive calorie consumption.
Researchers found that 6- to 9-month-old babies comprehend words for common objects like foods and body parts through daily language experience. They also found little improvement in word recognition until around 14 months.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that fetal exposure to radiation increases the risk of developing testicular cancer in male mice. The research suggests that DNA-damaging agents, such as radiation, may be responsible for the increasing incidence of testicular cancer in young Caucasian men.
A large prospective study indicates that chronic air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults, particularly in women. Higher levels of particulate matter exposure were associated with significantly faster cognitive decline over a four-year period.
A new study by Michigan State University economist Soren Anderson suggests that the government mandate for ethanol is not justified due to low demand elasticity. The researcher found that when ethanol prices rose, demand fell only 12-16%, indicating that consumers are not willing to pay a premium to support the corn-based fuel.
A Yale-led study reveals that tens of millions of years ago, Antarctic fish adapted to new polar conditions and developed 'anti-freeze' proteins. However, today they are endangered due to rapid ocean temperature rises.
Dr. Melinda Sothern, a national authority on childhood obesity, emphasizes the importance of recess, free outdoor play, and healthy nutrition in preventing obesity. She suggests elevating the Let's Move! campaign into a policy to promote physical fitness and reduce barriers to prevention.
Researchers at UCLA have developed a new tandem polymer solar cell structure, which achieves an unprecedented power-conversion efficiency of 10.6%, surpassing previous records. The device combines multiple cells with different absorption bands to effectively harvest a broader spectrum of solar radiation.
A new study reveals that children living near coal-tar-sealed pavement are at risk of receiving a higher dose of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from incidental ingestion of house dust, surpassing the PAH dose from food by more than two times.
A study by Dr Jörg Zinken at the University of Portsmouth found that Polish speakers use imperatives (
Researchers develop new forensic identification technique that compares skull with pictures of living subjects to identify corpses, reducing cost and time compared to DNA analysis. The study refines reference points for face morphology analysis, enhancing accuracy and reliability.
Researchers found that the CyBorD/CVD regimen can lead to complete hematologic response and may make AL amyloidosis patients eligible for stem cell transplants. This effective multiple myeloma treatment is already widely used, offering a potential therapy for those with few treatment options.
A new algorithm, R-SAP, transforms complex RNA sequence data into usable content for biologists and clinicians, enabling personalized cancer medicine. The pipeline accurately characterizes gene transcripts in cancer samples and provides information on splice variants, biomarkers, and chimeric RNAs.
Research published in Neurology finds that people with HIV who have a larger waistline are more likely to experience impaired mental functions such as poor memory and concentration. The study also notes that certain anti-HIV drugs can cause weight gain in the center of the body, which may contribute to these issues.
Researchers found that certain drugs can activate hepatitis B viruses in liver cells, increasing viral replication. This activation is linked to the stress protein p38, which can lead to complications in transplant patients.
Researchers at Arizona State University are working on new methods for ensuring water safety in small communities. They aim to develop more effective treatment technologies using recent advances in technology, chemistry, physics, and materials science. The team will focus on reducing nitrates in water supplies using photocatalysts.
A study published in the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that breast cancer patients undergo increased activation of neck and shoulder muscles during upper limb tasks, potentially leading to chronic pain.
A UCLA-developed brain-imaging tool detects abnormal protein deposits associated with Alzheimer's disease and tracks progression over time. The technique, using FDDNP-PET scans, predicts cognitive decline in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and normal aging, offering potential early detection and treatment of Alzheimer's.
A Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute clinical trial has demonstrated that treating heart attack patients with their own heart-derived cells can help damaged hearts regrow healthy muscle. The study found a significant reduction in scar size and an increase in healthy heart muscle following the stem cell treatments.
Researchers at NC State University have created a compound that increases the effectiveness of existing antibiotics against antibiotic-resistant superbugs by 16 times. The compound, derived from a class of molecules, recharges existing antibiotics, making them effective against Gram-negative bacteria like K. pneumoniae.
Research shows exercise in early 20s improves bone development and may reduce fractures later in life. Regular physical activity between ages 19-24 increases bone density, especially in hips, arms, and legs.
Research published in Postgraduate Medical Journal reveals significant variations in pass rates for UK medical graduates in MRCOG Part 1 and Part 2 written examinations. Doctors from top-performing medical schools like Oxford and Cambridge had higher pass rates compared to those from lower-performing schools like Southampton and Wales.
A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study found that substituting noncaloric beverages, such as water or diet soft drinks, can lead to significant weight loss. Participants who switched to calorie-free beverages lost twice as much weight and had lower fasting glucose levels compared to those who did not make a change.
A researcher at Indiana University has discovered a compound that could counteract HIV's ability to hijack the immune system's protection mechanism. The compound, which binds to the CD59 protein, enables antibodies and complement proteins to attack infected cells instead of just viral particles.
Electric cars in China cause much more overall harmful particulate matter pollution than gasoline cars due to power plant emissions; however, their impact on public health is lower due to distance from population centers. E-bikes yield the lowest environmental health impacts per passenger.
Researchers studied physician approaches to palliative sedation, finding some use mild sedation gradually deepening as needed while others opt for deeper sedation from the start. Patient preferences, communication needs, and fear of awakening influence sedation choice.
New research from North Carolina State University shows that a fluctuating sense of control is associated with improved cognitive abilities in older adults. The study found that participants who normally reported low sense of control performed better on problem-solving tests when feeling more in control.
Researchers have gained a better understanding of two key proteins that control cell division, which could lead to the development of new drugs to stop cancerous cells multiplying. This discovery could also help optimise personalised chemotherapy treatments and limit side effects associated with some chemotherapy drugs.
Researchers identify FoxO1 as critical for diabetic cardiomyopathy development, suggesting a promising therapeutic target. Activation of FoxO1 in mice with type 2 diabetes models triggers cardiomyopathy, highlighting the need for new treatments to address this leading cause of death in diabetics.
A study of four European countries with smoke-free legislation found that banning smoking in public places prompts smokers to ban smoking at home, contrary to the displacement hypothesis. The percentage of smokers implementing a home smoking ban increased significantly across all countries.
Research identifies SIRT1 as a key enzyme protecting leukemia stem cells from stress and driving cancer recurrence. Inhibiting SIRT1 selectively reduces CML stem cell survival and growth, offering a potential therapeutic target for treatment resistance.
Researchers found that motivation to exercise changes on a weekly basis and is linked to behavior. Consistently strong intentions are key to following through on physical activity goals.
Researchers found that combining chemotherapy with antibody treatment against intracellular antigens delays tumor growth and prolongs survival. The approach uses chemotherapy to release antigens from cancer cells, allowing antibodies to effectively target them.
The Kavli Institute aims to crack the puzzles of cosmological theory, including dark energy's repulsive gravity, dark matter's composition, and cosmic inflation's rapid expansion. New simulations and detectors will help scientists uncover new physics beyond current theories.
A Northwestern University study shows that perceiving a partner's efforts to improve the relationship enhances feelings of security and happiness. The research suggests that acknowledging a partner's capabilities for change is crucial to building a happy relationship.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a treatment that restores motor skills in lab models with Huntington disease by restoring normal levels of brain molecule GM1. The therapy has shown promise in improving cognitive symptoms as well, suggesting it could be effective for patients.
A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reveals that brief cognitive screenings combined with further evaluation increased diagnoses of cognitive impairment by two to three fold. Researchers found that veterans aged 70 and older who failed the screen were more likely to have dementia.
Researchers found that hospitals with better patient ratings tend to have lower death rates and readmission rates. Hospitals rated as cleaner also have lower rates of MRSA infections. The study suggests that NHS Choices ratings may provide useful information for patients making care choices.
Researchers at McGill University have discovered that erasing neuronal memories of pain can reduce both persistent pain and heightened sensitivity to touch. By blocking the activity of a protein kinase, they were able to reverse hypersensitivity to pain in neurons.
Researchers found exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from vehicle traffic increases the risk of ischemic strokes, even at safe levels. The peak risk occurs 12-14 hours before a stroke, and reducing PM2.5 pollution by 20% could have prevented 6,100 stroke hospitalizations.