Whole exome sequencing identifies cause of metabolic disease
Sequencing a patient's entire genome to discover the source of his or her disease is not routine, but geneticists are getting close. A case report shows how researchers can combine a simple blood test with an "executive summary" scan of the genome to diagnose a severe glycosylation disorder.
3 Feb 2012 at 3:26pm

Why do cells age? Discovery of extremely long-lived proteins may provide insi...
One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain.
3 Feb 2012 at 3:09pm

A lonely heart can make you sick: Middle aged divorced women vulnerable to co...
Newly divorced middle aged women are more vulnerable to contract HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, according to new research, because they tend to let their guard down with new sexual partners and avoid using protection since they are not afraid of getting pregnant.
3 Feb 2012 at 3:09pm

Regular use of vitamin and mineral supplements could reduce the risk of colon...
Could the use of vitamin and mineral supplements in a regular diet help to reduce the risk of colon cancer and protect against carcinogens? A study published in the Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology found that rats given regular multivitamin and mineral supplements showed a significantly lower risk of developing colon cancer when they were exposed to carcinogens.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:15am

The complex relationship between memory and silence
People who suffer a traumatic experience often don't talk about it, and many forget it over time. But not talking about something doesn't always mean you'll forget it; if you try to force yourself not to think about white bears, soon you'll be imagining polar bears doing the polka. A group of psychological scientists explore the relationship between silence and memories.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:15am

Schooling protects refugee children from disease
Refugee children have scant access to medical care and are particularly vulnerable to disease. Fresh research results show that just a few hours of schooling a week may have a pronounced positive impact on their health not only in childhood but later in life when they achieve adulthood.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:15am

Placebos and distraction: New study shows how to boost the power of pain reli...
Placebos reduce pain by creating an expectation of relief. Distraction -- say, doing a puzzle -- relieves it by keeping the brain busy. But do they use the same brain processes? Neuromaging suggests they do. When applying a placebo, scientists see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. That's the part of the brain that controls high-level cognitive functions like working memory and attention -- which is what you use to do that distracting puzzle.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:15am

High-precision map of Milky Way's magnetic fields charted
Scientists have pooled their radio observations into a database, producing the highest precision map to date of the magnetic field within our own Milky Way galaxy.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:15am

Warfarin and aspirin are similar in heart failure treatment, study suggests
In the largest and longest head-to-head comparison of two anti-clotting medications, warfarin and aspirin were similar in preventing deaths and strokes in heart failure patients with normal heart rhythm, according to new research.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:14am

Rare mutations may help explain aneurysm in high-risk families
An innovative approach to genome screening has provided clues about rare mutations that may make people susceptible to brain aneurysms, predisposing them to brain bleeds, according to preliminary research.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:14am

Coughing and other respiratory symptoms improve within weeks of smoking cessa...
If the proven long-term benefits of smoking cessation are not enough to motivate young adults to stop smoking, a new study shows that 18- to 24-year olds who stop smoking for at least two weeks report substantially fewer respiratory symptoms, especially coughing.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:11am

New hope for patients with brain tumors
In the United States, each year, approximately 10,000 patients are affected by recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Now, a novel investigational device ? available only at clinical trial sites ? is offering new hope to these patients.
3 Feb 2012 at 11:11am

New drug doesn't improve disability among stroke patients, researchers find
A new drug that showed promise in animal studies and an early clinical trial didn't improve disability among stroke patients, according to new research.
3 Feb 2012 at 8:33am

Clopidogrel with aspirin doesn't prevent more small strokes, may increase ris...
The anti-blood clot regimen that adds the drug clopidogrel (Plavix) to aspirin treatment is unlikely to prevent recurrent strokes and may increase the risk of bleeding and death in patients with subcortical stroke, according to new research.
3 Feb 2012 at 8:33am

New device performs better than old for removing blood clots, research shows
An experimental blood clot-removing device outperformed the FDA-approved MERCI; retriever device, according to new research.
3 Feb 2012 at 8:33am

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