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Mutations signaling poor neuroblastoma prognosis identified

Children with neuroblastoma who have mutations in the ARID1A and ARID1B genes in their tumors have a poor prognosis compared with those without these alterations, show study findings.

4 Dec 2012

Sputum color guides antibiotic treatment in COPD

Withholding antibiotic treatment from hospitalized chronic obstructive lung disease patients with nonpurulent sputum does not negatively affect outcomes, a pilot study shows.

4 Dec 2012

Rethinking therapy decisions in autoimmune encephalopathy

Researchers say that diagnosis and management of encephalopathies may need to be rethought, as many patients who test negative for the relevant antibody still benefit from immunotherapy.

4 Dec 2012

Parasympathetic dysfunction underpins Gulf War Syndrome

Gulf War veterans with self-reported symptoms of autonomic dysfunction have objective evidence of underlying damage to central and peripheral cholinergic function, a study shows.

4 Dec 2012

Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety-related dizziness

Patients with chronic subjective dizziness that is related to anxiety may substantially benefit from a short course of cognitive behavioral therapy, report researchers.

4 Dec 2012

Docosahexaenoic acid levels reduced in bipolar disorder patients

Results from an Italian study show that plasma levels of docosahexaenoic acid are significantly lower in patients with bipolar disorder than in mentally healthy individuals.

4 Dec 2012

Websites offering 'designer vaginas' lack information

Websites for providers offering female genital cosmetic surgery contain poor quality and limited clinical information regarding procedures and risks, show study results.

4 Dec 2012

Talk is cheap for tackling wasteful emergency diagnostics

An intervention as simple as a staff discussion during a general meeting results in a large reduction in the number of unnecessary diagnostic tests ordered by emergency physicians, say Brazilian researchers.

4 Dec 2012

Family history best discriminator of bipolar disorder from depression in young people

A family history of bipolar, psychotic, or substance use disorders best differentiates adolescents and young adults with emerging bipolar disorder from those with unipolar depression, say Australian researchers.

4 Dec 2012

Adiponectin level may underpin atherogenic haptoglobin phenotype

Researchers have suggested an active role for adiponectin in the pathophysiology of vascular disease in patients with diabetes, that depends on their haptoglobin phenotype.

4 Dec 2012

Boys at high-risk for familial depression show sadness oversensitivity

Boys, but not girls, with depressed parents display enhanced perceptual sensitivity to sadness when compared with low-risk peers, a study has shown.

4 Dec 2012

Mouthwash may reduce bacteremia after wisdom tooth extraction

Use of a povidone iodine- or chlorhexidine-based mouthwash immediately before third molar extraction reduces bacteria levels in patients' blood after the procedure, Turkish study findings reveal.

4 Dec 2012

Excess vitamin A intake has calcification repercussions

Excess dietary vitamin A intake is significantly associated with increased heart valve calcification, show results from an animal study.

4 Dec 2012

Intervention helps postmenopausal women relax

Applied relaxation techniques could help postmenopausal women significantly reduce the number of hot flashes they experience each day, research suggests.

4 Dec 2012

Healthy eating prevents second heart attack, stroke or death in people with CVD

A heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish significantly reduces the chance of a second heart attack and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease, McMaster University researchers have found.

4 Dec 2012

Mercury pollution in marine environment contaminates seafood

In new research published in a special issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and in "Sources to Seafood: Mercury Pollution in the Marine Environment"- a companion report by the Dartmouth-led Coastal and Marine Mercury Ecosystem Research Collaborative (C-MERC), scientists report that mercury released into the air and then deposited into oceans contaminates seafood commonly eaten by people in the U.S. and globally.

4 Dec 2012

Study describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes, military veterans

A study done by investigators at the Boston University Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy (CSTE) and the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, in collaboration with the Sports Legacy Institute (SLI), describes 68 cases of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) among deceased athletes and military veterans whose brain and spinal cords were donated to the VA CSTE Brain Bank.

4 Dec 2012

Reductions in fine particulate matter may improve life expectancy in the U.S.

A new study led by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has found an association between reductions in fine particulate matter and improved life expectancy in 545 counties in the U.S. from 2000 to 2007. It is the largest study to date to find beneficial effects to public health of continuing to reduce air pollution levels in the U.S.

3 Dec 2012

Researchers identify new genetic regions associated with heart attacks

In the largest genetic study of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) to date, researchers from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium report the identification of 15 genetic regions newly associated with the disease, bringing to 46 the number of regions associated with CAD risk.

3 Dec 2012

Childhood trauma can leave permanent epigenetic marks on DNA

Abused children are at high risk of anxiety and mood disorders, as traumatic experience induces lasting changes to their gene regulation. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have now documented for the first time that genetic variants of the FKBP5 gene can influence epigenetic alterations in this gene induced by early trauma.

3 Dec 2012