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Optimistic older adults face increased risk of disabilities and death: Study

Older people who have low expectations for a satisfying future may be more likely to live longer, healthier lives than those who see brighter days ahead, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

28 Feb 2013

Researchers investigate effects of Mediterranean diet on older people

We are what we eat. However, little is known on how a specific dietary regime can impact the life of the elderly. Now, researchers from an EU funded project called NU-AGE are investigating the effects of the Mediterranean diet on older people. Their aim is to get clues on how to counteract physical and cognitive decline through diet changes.

27 Feb 2013

Methodology masking true variations in Medicare spend

Variations in regional mortality and spending rates in the US Medicare system are being blurred by inadequate risk adjustment methodology, researchers suggest.

27 Feb 2013

Molecular effects of insufficient sleep uncovered

Results from a sleep laboratory study show striking changes in gene expression associated with sleep deprivation.

27 Feb 2013

Bespoke management reduces hen-pecking

Tailored management packages could successfully reduce the amount of injurious pecking that occurs in commercial flocks of laying hens, show UK study results.

27 Feb 2013

Air pollution from lead-contaminated soil a cause for concern

Research suggests that air pollution from lead-contaminated soil may explain the seasonal variation in blood lead levels observed in children, particularly those living in urban areas.

27 Feb 2013

Syphilis in pregnancy widespread but preventable

Syphilis is still a widespread problem among pregnant women worldwide, despite tests and treatment being inexpensive and readily available, show study findings.

27 Feb 2013

Biomarker for testicular sperm extraction outcome discovered

Researchers have used an original proteomic strategy to identify a biomarker for residual spermatogenesis in the semen of patients with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA).

27 Feb 2013

Symptom profile changes between first-episode and chronic schizophrenia

First-episode schizophrenia patients have more positive and fewer negative symptoms than chronic schizophrenia patients, and are more likely to report childhood sexual abuse, a team of researchers has discovered.

27 Feb 2013

Calcium channel risk allele linked to executive function in bipolar disorder

Researchers have found an allele in a voltage-gated calcium gene that is associated with an increased risk for poor executive function in patients with bipolar disorder.

27 Feb 2013

Subclinical inflammation predicts macular disease

Levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein predict the risk for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema, show results of two independent studies published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

27 Feb 2013

Primary care practices discriminating on socioeconomic status

An audit of family physician and general practitioner offices in Canada reveals that patients with lower incomes are subject to discrimination when trying to access primary care.

27 Feb 2013

Newborn screening improves detection of lethal form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in girls as well as boys

Contrary to current belief, routine newborn screening improves the detection of the lethal form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in girls as well as boys, saving lives in both sexes, according to a unique study of CAH during the last 100 years published Online First in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology.

27 Feb 2013

Small business leaders say federally funded basic research important to private sector innovation

More than two-thirds (67%) of small business leaders say basic research funded by the federal government is important to private sector innovation, according to a new nationwide survey of small business owners/operators commissioned by Research!America.

27 Feb 2013

Heterosexual couples healthier than same-sex couples, study finds

Same-sex couples that live together report worse health than people of the same socioeconomic status who are in heterosexual marriages, according to a national study that could have implications for the gay marriage debate.

27 Feb 2013

Advanced breast cancer increasing among younger women, study finds

An analysis of breast cancer trends in the U.S. finds a small but statistically significant increase in the incidence of advanced breast cancer for women 25 to 39 years of age, without a corresponding increase in older women, according to a study appearing in the February 27 issue of JAMA.

27 Feb 2013

Study opens possibility for creating animal models of memory disorders

If you ask a rat whether it knows how it came to acquire a certain coveted piece of chocolate, Indiana University neuroscientists conclude, the answer is a resounding, "Yes." A study newly published in the journal Current Biology offers the first evidence of source memory in a nonhuman animal.

27 Feb 2013

Study shows people of high socioeconomic status more likely to get access to primary care

People of high socioeconomic status are more likely to be able to access primary care than those of low socioeconomic status, even within a universal health care system in which physicians are reimbursed equally for each patient, found an article published in CMAJ.

27 Feb 2013

Individual countries can eliminate malaria: Research

A researcher at the University of Southampton, working as part of a team from the UK and USA, believes the global eradication of malaria could be achieved by individual countries eliminating the disease within their own borders and coordinating efforts regionally.

27 Feb 2013

Study: Infants of African ancestry more likely to be born prematurely

Low birth weights are more prevalent among Brazilians with African ancestry and may be attributed to less use of prenatal care facilities and where those ethnic groups live, according to a new study.

27 Feb 2013