Body

BOSTON (March 2, 2016) - A study published today in Nature reveals how a high-fat diet makes the cells of the intestinal lining more likely to become cancerous. It joins a growing body of research that finds obesity and eating a high-fat, high-calorie diet are significant risk factors for many types of cancer.

A team led by Purnima Ratilal-Makris, associate professor in Northeastern's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has mapped a mass feeding frenzy involving more than eight highly protected species of whales and dolphins in the U.S. Gulf of Maine region. It is the first time researchers have observed predator and prey interactions in the wild over such a vast expanse, including specific species' feeding behaviors. Understanding how the two relate could have important implications for conserving marine ecosystems.

What would you do without water?

Farmers in drought areas are especially concerned by this question. As fresh water resources become scarce, one option for water-conscious farmers is to water crops with treated wastewater. This effluent is becoming a more popular option for applications that don't require drinking-quality water. However, there are still questions about how the effluent interacts with and affects the rest of the ecosystem.

UCLA researchers found inflated charges and significant variation in patterns of payments for surgical care by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). That charges were inflated compared with payments disproportionately affects the underinsured and uninsured, who often must pay for their care out of pocket.

Surprisingly, the study found that it's not what's happening in the operating room that is driving the payment variations, but procedures that are being done in outpatient clinics.

A new discovery about ischemic stroke may allow to doctors to predict patients' risk of having a second stroke using a commonly performed blood test and their genetic profile.

Researchers have linked high levels of C-Reactive Protein, an enzyme found in the blood, with increased risk for recurrent ischemic stroke. C-Reactive Protein (CRP) is produced in the liver in response to inflammation, and it is already checked to measure people's risk of developing coronary artery disease. The new research suggests it could be a useful tool for ischemic stroke patients as well.

In a study published online by JAMA Cardiology, among more than 500 adult/offspring pairs, elevated maternal low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels prior to pregnancy were associated with elevated adult offspring LDL-C levels, beyond the influence attributable to measured lifestyle and inherited genetic factors.

Thomas Pilgrim, M.D., of Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland, and colleagues conducted a study to determine the prevalence and incidence of clinically silent and manifest rheumatic heart disease in Eastern Nepal. The study was published online by JAMA Cardiology.

WASHINGTON - Ovarian cancer should not be categorized as a single disease, but rather as a constellation of different cancers involving the ovary, yet questions remain on how and where various ovarian cancers arise, says a new congressionally mandated report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

New York, NY, March 2, 2016 - Diabetes is a significant global health problem, afflicting 382 million people worldwide with increasing prevalence rates and adverse effects on health, wellbeing, and society in general. In this special issue of the Annals of Global Health, "Global Dimensions of Diabetes Care," experts from around the world synthesize a core set of recommendations using information from 14 countries as a basis in order to work towards optimizing diabetes care globally - a critically important initiative to help stem the diabetes epidemic.

The genomic sequencing of hundreds of patients with diverse types of ciliopathies has revealed that "in many cases the gene responsible is not known", says Travis Stracker, head of the Genomic Instability and Cancer Lab at the IRB Barcelona. "So many people do not have a molecular diagnosis," stresses the researcher. "Our work seeks to contribute to bridging this knowledge gap".

Stanford, CA-- You've probably seen news stories about the highly lauded, much-discussed genome editing system CRISPR/Cas9. But did you know the system was actually derived from bacteria, which use it to fight off foreign invaders such as viruses? It allows many bacteria to snip and store segments of DNA from an invading virus, which they can then use to "remember" and destroy DNA from similar invaders if they are encountered again.

Researchers at Rice University and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have uncovered a trick used by lung cancer cells to hide from the body's immune system.

The researchers have found links between subtle actions and reactions that allow cancerous cells to spread with little to stand in their way. The team led by Dr. Edwin Ostrin, an assistant professor of pulmonary medicine at MD Anderson, and theoretical biological physicist Herbert Levine at Rice, details its findings in study in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Detecting diseases such as cancer in their earliest stages can make a huge difference in patient treatment, but it is often difficult to do. Now scientists report in the journal ACS Central Science a new, simple method that could make early disease diagnosis much easier. In addition, their approach only requires a minute sample of patient blood and is 1,000 times more sensitive in detecting biomarkers for thyroid cancer than the current government-approved test.

When it comes to pasta and pizza dishes, nothing beats a sprinkle of grated parmesan on top. But the flavor quality of the popular cheese can be inconsistent. Now scientists are using "molecular food engineering" to help ensure its good taste. In a report in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, they identify key components that contribute to the cheese's signature flavor.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common, complex and progressive disease that is estimated to affect more than a third of cats over 10 years of age. Affected cats often present with a variety of clinical signs and complications including inappetence, nausea, vomiting, anaemia, hypertension and urinary tract infections - as such, the disease can severely compromise quality of life if inadequately managed.