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Moderate alcohol intake on a regular basis may increase risk of obesity

A paper from Spain provides an extensive review of the association between alcohol consumption and body weight. Based on the fact that the energy content in 1 gram of alcohol is 29 kJ or 7.1 kcal, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to weight gain.

17 Aug 2011

Fluctuations in brain signals explained: Spontaneous electrical background rhythms in the brain influence fMRI

Until now, brain scans obtained using fMRI – one of the most important imaging methods in use today – have been affected by fluctuations in the brain activity measured which could not be explained. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig and the Charité in Berlin have now shown that certain electric background rhythms in the brain, known as Alpha oscillations, alter the fMRI signal obtained with visual stimuli. To do this, they used a new approach in which quickly changing brain activity, which cannot be captured by the scanner, was measured using

16 Aug 2011

Scientists gain new insight on role of stem cells in embryonic heart development

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have gained new insight into the delicate relationship between two proteins that, when out of balance, can prevent the normal development of stem cells in the heart and may also be important in some types of cancer.

16 Aug 2011

Study investigates autism spectrum disorder, sibling recurrence

The risk that an infant with an older sibling with autism also will develop the disorder, previously estimated at between 3 and 10 percent, is substantially higher at approximately 19 percent, a large, international, multi-site study led by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has found.

16 Aug 2011

Study: Menthol cigarettes linked with decreased quitting in the U.S.

Could a mint-flavored additive to cigarettes have a negative impact on smoking cessation efforts? New research from investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) and UMDNJ-School of Public Health shines a light on this topic.

16 Aug 2011

Study unveils remarkable ecological advantages of well-balanced diet

If you want to protect the environment, you should first of all think about eating less meat. A study done at the Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) unveils the remarkable ecological advantages of a well-balanced diet. Switching to organic food is less effective than eating more veg.

16 Aug 2011

Study explores how some cognitive strategies and abilities boost self-efficacy

Sticking with an exercise routine means being able to overcome the obstacles that invariably arise. A key to success is having the confidence that you can do it, researchers report. A new study explores how some cognitive strategies and abilities increase this "situation-specific self-confidence," a quality the researchers call "self-efficacy."

16 Aug 2011

Prolonged TV viewing linked with reduced life expectancy

Watching TV for an average of six hours a day could shorten the viewer's life expectancy by almost five years, indicates research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

16 Aug 2011

Pericardial fat may promote atherosclerosis

Researchers have found more evidence supporting the role of fat around the heart in promoting atherosclerosis, according to a study published online in the journal Radiology.

16 Aug 2011

Survey: 35% of people in the UK fear cancer more than other life-threatening conditions

More than a third of people in the UK fear cancer more than other life-threatening conditions - such as Alzheimer's, stroke and heart disease according to a Cancer Research UK survey.

16 Aug 2011

Regular exercise could help prevent brain damage linked with Alzheimer's

Regular exercise could help prevent brain damage associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, according to research published this month in Elsevier's journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

16 Aug 2011

Caffeine in sunscreens may protect from skin cancer: Study

Studies have revealed that drinking caffeinated beverages reduces one’s chances of developing some types of cancer, including UV-associated skin cancer. Now, researchers propose a possible mechanism for this observation—the inhibition of a DNA repair pathway that sensitizes cells to death after sun exposure.

15 Aug 2011

Addiction to tanning

A new study reveals addiction of a new kind – addiction to tanning. Researchers have believed for several years that tanners exhibit similar behavior to alcoholics and drug addicts.

15 Aug 2011

‘Methyl magnet’ genes can cause family cancer risk

Medical researchers have discovered a new type of mechanism causing cancer susceptibility, showing that tiny changes in some anti-cancer genes can act as magnets to attract modifying “biochemical tags”, effectively switching them off and predisposing families to an increased risk of the disease.

15 Aug 2011

New ‘cure-all’ antiviral method discovered

In a new development that could transform how viral infections are treated, a team of researchers at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory has designed a drug that can identify cells that have been infected by any type of virus, then kill those cells to terminate the infection.

15 Aug 2011

Fat interferes with body's sugar sensors to trigger type 2 diabetes

Researchers from the United States have identified how a high-fat diet can trigger type 2 diabetes, in experiments on mice and human tissue. They reveal in their study published in the journal Nature Medicine that fat interferes with the body's sugar sensors. The authors add that deeper understanding of the processes involved could help them develop a cure.

15 Aug 2011

Arrythmia drug may work in stroke prevention: Study

The latest research has revealed that a new drug for treating people with an irregular heartbeat has fewer side effects than the standard treatment and is just as good at cutting the risk of stroke. Rivaroxaban, which is easier for people to take, is as effective as warfarin at preventing blood clots and thus lowering the risk of stroke for patients with atrial fibrillation say researchers.

15 Aug 2011

Kineta's next generation antiviral program receives $2.8 million NIH SBIR grant

Kineta, Inc. announced today its next generation antiviral program has received a 2.8 million dollar grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Awarded under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, the prestigious phase two grant will provide on-going support for Kineta's work on a new class of antiviral drugs targeting an array of global, deadly viruses.

12 Aug 2011

National Center for Toxicological Research celebrates 40th birthday

A federal research center established by President Nixon in the Cold War era is celebrating its 40th birthday and its reputation as one of the world's premier science centers.

12 Aug 2011

NCTR and state of Arkansas enter MOU to establish virtual Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science

An agreement to establish a virtual Center of Excellence for Regulatory Science was signed today between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) and the state of Arkansas.

12 Aug 2011