Body | Page 4536 | Science Codex

Whole grain cereals, popcorn rich in antioxidants, not just fiber, new research concludes

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2009 — In a first-of-its kind study, scientists reported today at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) that snack foods like popcorn and many popular breakfast cereals contain "surprisingly large" amounts of healthful antioxidant substances called "polyphenols."

Polyphenols are a major reason why fruits and vegetables — and foods like chocolate, wine, coffee, and tea — have become renowned for their potential role in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.

Fatigue in cancer patients related to radiotherapy

Patients who experience fatigue during radiotherapy for breast or prostate cancer may be reacting to activation of the proinflammatory cytokine network, a known inflammatory pathway, according to a report in Clinical Cancer Research.

Scientists link mutation in renin gene to inherited kidney disease

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A mutation in a gene that helps regulate high blood pressure is a cause of inherited kidney disease, according to a new study by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and colleagues.

The discovery provides insight into a protein, renin, that is important in blood pressure regulation, and reveals the cause of one type of inherited kidney disease occurring in adults and children, said co-investigator Anthony Bleyer, M.D., professor of internal medicine-nephrology at the School of Medicine.

Tobacco plants yield the first vaccine for the dreaded 'cruise ship virus'

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18, 2009 — Scientists have used a new vaccine production technology to develop a vaccine for norovirus, a dreaded cause of diarrhea and vomiting that may be the second most common viral infection in the United States after the flu. Sometimes called the "cruise ship virus," this microbe can spread like wildfire through passenger liners, schools, offices and military bases.

In vitro fertilization less successful with alternative fertility treatments

Women who are desperately trying to get pregnant might want to avoid complementary and alternative medicine.

Open wide and say 'zap': scientists seek to improve oral health with lasers

WASHINGTON, Aug. 18 – A group of researchers in Australia and Taiwan has developed a new way to analyze the health of human teeth using lasers. As described in the latest issue of Optics Express, the Optical Society's (OSA) open-access journal, by measuring how the surface of a tooth responds to laser-generated ultrasound, they can evaluate the mineral content of tooth enamel -- the semi-translucent outer layer of a tooth that protects the underlying dentin.

Researchers explain why neuroticism can be hazardous to your health

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Personality traits associated with chronic worrying can lead to earlier death, at least in part because these people are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, according to research from Purdue University.

Bacteria-based cancer treatment could offer viable alternative to predecessors

Cancer remains a deadly threat despite the best efforts of science. New hopes were raised a few years ago with the discovery that the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells could be thwarted by blocking the action of proteasomes. Biochemists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have illuminated a reaction pathway that does just that, in collaboration with researchers from Nereus Pharmaceuticals, based in San Diego, California.

Doctors say multiple sclerosis could be treated with blood pressure medication

Organic electronics a 2-way street, thanks to new plastic semiconductor

Plastic that conducts electricity holds promise for cheaper, thinner and more flexible electronics. This technology is already available in some gadgets – the new Sony walkman that was introduced earlier this summer and the Microsoft Zune HD music player released last week both incorporate organic light-emitting electronic displays.

Elevated arginase levels contribute to vascular eye disease such as diabetic retinopathy

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Elevated levels of the enzyme arginase contribute to vascular eye damage and Medical College of Georgia researchers say therapies to normalize its levels could halt progression of potentially blinding diseases such as diabetic retinopathy.

Their work, published in the August issue of The American Journal of Pathology, is the first to make the connection between eye disease and arginase, an enzyme known to be a player in cardiovascular disease, according to researchers at MCG and Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Evolutionarily preserved mechanism governs use of genes a billion years later

Researchers at Uppsala University have found that the protein coding parts of a gene are packed in special nucleosomes. The same type of packaging is found in the roundworm C elegans, which is a primeval relative of humans. The mechanism can thereby be traced back a billion years in time, according to the study presented in the journal Genome Research.

eHealth interventions need to be continuously evaluated

In the first in a series on evaluating eHealth in the open access journal PLoS Medicine, Aziz Sheikh and Lorraine Catwell from The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland outline the background to the series and discuss the importance of evaluating the widespread investments in and adoption of information communication technology in health care.

Severe sleep apnea tied to increased risk of death

WHAT: Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of death from any cause in middle-aged adults, especially men, according to new results from a landmark study supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The new findings provide the strongest evidence to date of a link between increased risk of death and sleep apnea, a common disorder in which the upper airway is intermittently narrowed during sleep, causing breathing to be difficult or completely blocked.

Folic acid -- mandatory fortification may be unnecessary

Persistently present levels of unmetabolized folic acid found in the population indicate that introducing mandatory food fortification may result in an 'overdosing' effect. A study of blood donors, new mothers and babies, published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, has found that most already get enough folic acid from voluntarily fortified foods.