Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Study suggests epiregulin as target in lung cancer
A new potential biomarker and target has been identified in lung cancer, namely epiregulin, an under-studied EGF-like growth factor. This discovery led researchers to question whether this upregulation was happenstance,...
More people obese than underweight
Four-decade analysis suggests that one-fifth of the world's population will be obese by 2025.Nature News doi: 10.1038/nature.2016.19682
Pittsburgh Pirates lock up OF Gregory Polanco to 5-year extension
The Sports Xchange The Pittsburgh Pirates signed 24-year-old outfielder Gregory Polanco to a five-year contract extension, multiple outlets reported Sunday night.
Is there a link between oral health and the rate of cognitive decline?
Better oral hygiene and regular dental visits may play a role in slowing cognitive decline as people age, although evidence is not definitive enough to suggest that one causes the...
Coffee consumption linked to decreased risk of colorectal cancer
Researchers have found that coffee consumption, including decaf, instant and espresso, decreases the risk of colorectal cancer. Moreover, these benefits increase the more coffee you drink.
Novel vaccine strategy produces rapid, long-term protection against Chikungunya virus
New research has demonstrated how a novel vaccine strategy that boosts the immune system by rapidly producing antibodies against CHIKV, combined with a traditional DNA-based vaccine approach, can provide both...
Cardioprotective effects of lysyl oxidase inhibition
The collagen cross-linking enzyme, lysyl oxidase (LOX), is elevated in many cardiac diseases and is associated with fibrosis. A new article explains that inhibition of LOX activity provided significant cardioprotection...
Professional burnout associated with physicians limiting practice
At a time when the nation is facing projected physician shortages, a study shows an association between burnout and declining professional satisfaction with physicians reducing the number of hours they...
Natural killer cells help to drive inflammation, insulin resistance
In obesity, the body's immune system can treat tissues as if they are suffering from a low-grade chronic infection. This obesity-induced inflammation is an important contributor to insulin resistance, a...
Brain changes seen in veterans with PTSD after mindfulness training
Like an endlessly repeating video loop, horrible memories plague people with post-traumatic stress disorder. But a new study in veterans shows the promise of mindfulness training for enhancing the ability...
Infants born prematurely may show less interest in others
Researchers found evidence that babies born prematurely are less interested in other people compared to infants born full-term, when tested at 6 and 12 months of age. The study adds...
New England Patriots sign DT Terrance Knighton
The Sports Xchange Free agent defensive tackle Terrance Knighton and the New England Patriots agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal, according to an ESPN report.
Percy Harvin wants to play in 2016
The Sports Xchange Injuries, off-field questions and limited availability put a dent in wide receiver Percy Harvin's production.
Walter Thurmond pondering retirement
The Sports Xchange After playing all 16 games for the first time in his six NFL seasons, free agent defensive back Walter Thurmond could retire at age 28.
Using just his eyes, filmmaker captures his fight with ALS
CHELSEA, Mass. (AP) -- Patrick O'Brien was a young, budding New York City filmmaker and DJ known as "TransFatty" when his legs suddenly...
Jackie Robinson: Philadelphia says sorry for racism
Alex ButlerPHILADELPHIA, March 31 (UPI) -- A Philadelphia councilwoman admitted that the city was one of the "most disappointing places" Jackie Robinson experienced racism, before apologizing.
Two-fold higher risk of concussions for NFL players during colder game-days, study finds
NFL players had a two-fold greater risk of concussions and 1.5 times higher risk for ankle injuries when games were played at colder temperatures, a new study has found.
First Nations people at greater risk of developing cancer: report
A new report put together by Cancer Care Ontario and the Chiefs of Ontario highlights increased cancer risk factors for aboriginal people living on reserve in Ontario.
Mini drug factory continuously produces doses
Modular system efficiently makes four approved drugs
Ibuprofen does not increase bleeding after plastic surgery, study says
Stephen FellerANN ARBOR, Mich., March 31 (UPI) -- Researchers found in a review of previous studies that ibuprofen and other NSAIDs used for pain after plastic surgery do not increase...
Fantasy sports sites to halt college contests
Two major fantasy sports operators said Thursday they would suspend contests involving teams and athletes from universities as part of an agreement with the governing body for college athletics.
Data from full hospital stay not much better at predicting risk for readmission than data from first day, researchers find
Culling more detailed clinical data from electronic health records throughout a hospital stay did not substantially improve predictions about who was more likely to be readmitted, an analysis showed, suggesting...
Concern: Diabetes and rising global temperature
The World Health Organization estimates that of the 500 million people worldwide thought to have diabetes, 90% have type 2 diabetes and the number diagnosed with diabetes by 2020 will...
Novel compounds could yield more effective, less toxic cancer chemotherapy
A novel class of compounds could yield more effective and less toxic chemotherapy drugs to treat cancer, say researchers. The approach offers advantages over existing chemotherapy drugs which target nucleic...
[Report] The TAM family receptor tyrosine kinase TYRO3 is a negative regulator of type 2 immunity
Host responses against metazoan parasites or an array of environmental substances elicit type 2 immunity. Despite its protective function, type 2 immunity also drives allergic diseases. The mechanisms that regulate the magnitude of...
[Research Article] Hypoxia as a therapy for mitochondrial disease
Defects in the mitochondrial respiratory chain (RC) underlie a spectrum of human conditions, ranging from devastating inborn errors of metabolism to aging. We performed a genome-wide Cas9-mediated screen to identify factors that are...
[Perspective] Going with the flow
Imagine it is the middle of the night. A severe snow storm has hit the region, and your 3-year-old's fever is rising. You suspect a serious infection and cannot wait until the...
[Perspective] Mitochondrial disease therapy from thin air?
The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system supplies most of the adenosine 59-triphosphate (ATP) in the human body. Defects in this system are among the most common genetic metabolic diseases, and...