August 2008
Monthly Archive
Alcohol in Early Pregnancy May Prompt Fetal Cell Death
Posted by admin on 31 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Just a few glasses of wine over a short period in early pregnancy may cause fetal problems, suggest researchers from the Medical College of Georgia. The initial signs of fetal alcohol syndrome, which affects one in 1,000 babies, include facial malformations such as a flat and high upper lip, small eye openings, and a short nose. Continue Reading »
Some Hiroshima Survivors at Thyroid Cancer Risk
Posted by admin on 29 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Some Japanese survivors of the World War II atomic bomb blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced key genetic changes that may have sparked the onset of a form of thyroid cancer, new research indicates. Continue Reading »
Poor Sleep Linked to High Blood Pressure in Teens
Posted by admin on 19 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Teens who don’t get enough sleep or have poor-quality sleep run the risk of elevated blood pressure, a new study finds.It’s the first study to make such a connection, said study senior author Dr. Susan Redline, director of the University Hospitals Sleep Center at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Continue Reading »
Older Patients Less Likely to Be Taken to Trauma Centers
Posted by admin on 18 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Older trauma patients are less likely to be transported to an official trauma center for immediate care than younger patients, a new study found.The finding was based on a review of a decade’s worth of Maryland’s statewide emergency medical services (EMS) records. And it suggests that the difference in care first comes into play as patients reach age 50 and worsens again at age 70. Continue Reading »
Asthma’s Course Differs by Gender
Posted by admin on 16 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Boys may be more likely to have childhood asthma than girls, but they are also more likely to grow out of it, a new study says.
The report, published in the second August issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, found that boys also have fewer asthma occurrences in the post-pubertal years. Continue Reading »
Obesity Linked to Ear Infections
Posted by admin on 15 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Damage caused by chronic ear infections in children may alter their sense of taste, making fatty and sweet foods more desirable and increasing the risk of obesity.
That’s the conclusion of four new studies presented Thursday at the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting in Boston.
In the first study, Kathleen Daly, a professor of otolaryngology at the University of Minnesota, found that “middle ear nerve damage may play a role in affecting taste in children with recurrent ear infections or chronic ear disease who get [drainage] tubes. This damage may increase intake of fattening foods.” Continue Reading »
Gene Variant May Predispose Some to Anxiety
Posted by admin on 13 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
A gene variation may explain why some people are more prone to anxiety disorders, such as post-traumatic stress, a new study says.
People carrying two copies of the Met158 variation of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene showed greater anxiety on a standard personality test and also were significantly more startled than others when shown a series of unpleasant pictures, according to findings published in the August issue of Behavioral Neuroscience. Continue Reading »
Scientists Create Mice Resistant to Obesity
Posted by admin on 11 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Researchers have developed a strain of mice resistant to diet-induced obesity. The findings could one day lead to possible drug treatments for obesity in people. They also shed light on the brain circuitry that controls energy homeostasis — the balance between how much energy (i.e., food) an animal takes in and how quickly it burns that energy. Continue Reading »
Blood Sugar Test May Also Aid Diabetes Detection
Posted by admin on 10 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
A widely used test to monitor blood sugar levels in people with diabetes could help identify millions of people with undetected diabetes, according to a consensus statement released by a team of experts.
The hemoglobin A1c test (HbA1c) shows how much glucose red blood cells have been exposed to in the previous 120 days, the average life span of the cells. Continue Reading »
Many Miss Out on Stroke Treatment
Posted by admin on 08 Aug 2008 | Tagged as: Uncategorized
Most people who have strokes don’t act quickly enough to get the clot-dissolving treatment that can limit brain damage, a new study finds.“One of the problems is that a lot of people don’t realize that they are having a stroke,” said Kathryn M. Rose, a research associate professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina, and author of a report in the Aug. 8 online issue of Stroke. “There still needs to be a lot of education in the community for people to recognize these symptoms, and when you recognize them, call 911.” Continue Reading »