Philadelphia, PA, September 17, 2013 – A new study reports that workers exposed to crude oil and dispersants used during the Gulf oil spill cleanup display significantly altered blood profiles, liver enzymes, and somatic symptoms compared to an unexposed control group. Investigators found that platelet counts were significantly decreased in the exposed group, while both hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were notably increased. Their findings, reported in The American Journal of Medicine, suggest that oil spill cleanup workers are at risk for developing hepatic or blood-related ...

TORONTO, September 17, 2013 – A review study published today finds that financial incentives –as modest as $5 per week – can increase the amount of exercise people do. Lead author Marc Mitchell, University of Toronto PhD candidate and Cardiac Rehabilitation Supervisor at Toronto Rehab, worked under the leadership of University of Toronto exercise psychologist Guy Faulkner and exercise physiologist Jack Goodman to publish these findings in the September online publication of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The review study looked at 1,500 patients. "The ...

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 (MIAMI, FL USA)—Today, an online citizen-science project launches called "Plankton Portal" was created by researchers at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) and developers at Zooniverse.org Plankton Portal allows you to explore the open ocean from the comfort of your own home. You can dive hundreds of feet deep, and observe the unperturbed ocean and the myriad animals that inhabit the ...

Climate change has resulted in shifts in where and at what depths many marine species are found. These shifts have not been uniform, and sometimes have occurred at different rates and in different ways than expected. The leading explanation for these changes has been biological differences among species, but a new study suggests that the local climatic conditions are more likely causing these shifts In a study published September 13 in the journal Science, researchers from the U.S. and Canada suggest that climate velocity – the rate and direction that climate shifts in ...

In recent years, neurotoxicity from exposure to low levels of lead in the environment has become increasingly prevalent. Therefore, the discovery of herbs that have lead-eliminating properties without harmful side effects is essential for the management of lead poisoning. Preliminary studies by Yu Wang and colleagues from Longnan Teachers College have verified that olive leaf extract can protect the blood, spleen and hippocampus in lead-poisoned mice. However, little is known about the effects of olive leaf extract on lead-induced brain injury. A recent study from Yu Wang ...

Rutaecarpine, an active component of the traditional Chinese medicine Tetradium ruticarpum, has been shown to improve myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury, mainly focusing on calcitonin gene-based targets. Because both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are forms of ischemic vascular disease, they are closely related. A recent study reported by Chunlin Yan and colleagues from Hebei North University for the first time investigated the neuroprotective effects and mechanism of action of rutaecarpine on nerve function and learning and memory following cerebral ischemia ...

Carotid endarterectomy can benefit the majority of patients with severe carotid artery stenosis. However, the therapeutic ef-fects of this technique in patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery occlusion remain controversial. Prof. Feng Ling and team from Capital Medical University retrospectively collected 65 patients with extracranial internal carotid artery occlusion who underwent carotid endarterectomy, carotid endarterectomy combined with Fogarty catheter embolectomy, or hybrid surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, ...

A new link between meal times and daily changes in the immune system has been identified by UC San Francisco researchers, and has led them to question assumptions about the roles of specific immune cells in infection and allergy. A white blood cell of the immune system that is thought to fight parasitic worms might actually help the invaders, according to Richard Locksley, MD, professor of medicine at UCSF and the senior author of the new study, published online today (September 15, 2013) in Nature. Locksley's lab team found in mice that a type of rare immune cell serves ...

Researchers identify a metabolite as a biomarker of diabetes risk Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common form of diabetes and is associated with many complications. T2D is preventable through weight control and exercise; however, many individuals are unaware that they are at risk and do not change their lifestyle in time to avoid disease. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Robert Gerszten and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital identify the metabolite 2-aminoadipic acid (2-AAA) as a biomarker for T2D diabetes risk. Individuals with increased ...

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is the most common form of diabetes and is associated with many complications. T2D is preventable through weight control and exercise; however, many individuals are unaware that they are at risk and do not change their lifestyle in time to avoid disease. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Robert Gerszten and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital identify the metabolite 2-aminoadipic acid (2-AAA) as a biomarker for T2D diabetes risk. Individuals with increased levels of 2-AAA had a much greater risk of developing diabetes ...

Elite endurance athletes commonly have mutations that result in the loss of the protein α-actinin-3, which is a major component of fast-twitch muscle fibers. Loss of α-actinin-3 is associated with reduced power, increased endurance capacity, and enhanced response to endurance training. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Kathryn North and colleagues at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute report that the loss of α-actinin-3 in fast-twitch muscle fibers, results in compensation by α-actinin-2. The presence of α-actinin-2 ...

For some entomologists, an apparent paradox exists: Despite choosing a career working with insects, they exhibit negative feelings toward spiders which range from mild disgust to extreme arachnophobia. An article in the next issue of American Entomologist features the results of a survey involving 41 arachnophobic entomologists who were asked questions about their fear of spiders. Although most entomologists had low scores (indicating mild disgust or mild fear), they still claimed to react differently to spiders than to insects. On the other end of the spectrum, some ...

Chronic exposure to high levels of interleukin-6 was associated with a significantly lower likelihood of healthy aging, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Interleukin-6 is marker of inflammation, and chronic inflammation has been linked to a variety of age-related diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline. Diet, chronic disease, smoking and other factors can cause inflammation. However, studies on chronic inflammation have generally looked at inflammation at only one point in time. Researchers analyzed data on ...

Cognitive enhancers did not improve cognition and were associated with increased harm in people with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Mild cognitive impairment is a condition characterized by memory complaints without substantial limitations in everyday activity. With an increasing proportion of people aged 65 years and older and the growing number of those with mild cognitive impairment, health care professionals, patients and informal caregivers are seeking ways to delay the progression of cognitive ...

High drug expenses in Canada are a substantial barrier for people to access prescription drugs outside of hospital, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Canada lacks a national pharmacare program, with drug costs borne by patients and a mix of private and publicly funded drug plans. Most insurance plans require copayments by patients, which can present a barrier to accessing needed drugs. Although provincial governments cover most or all drug costs for seniors and people on social assistance, the "working poor" do not have the same benefits, ...

TORONTO, Sept. 16, 2013—Cognitive enhancers—drugs taken to enhance concentration, memory, alertness and moods—do not improve cognition or function in people with mild cognitive impairment in the long term, according to a new study by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital. In fact, patients on these medications experienced significantly more nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and headaches, according to the study published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. "Our findings do not support the use of cognitive enhancers for mild cognitive impairment," wrote Dr. ...

Engineers at the University of California, San Diego, have developed an iPad app that helps students learn spatial visualization, an essential skill for doing well in science, math and engineering. They have been testing the app during a high school summer program at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, as well as on undergraduate students at the school. Researchers are set to conduct more testing at UC San Diego and in local high schools this coming year. Their goal is to make the app publicly available by next summer. "As an engineer I visualize things ...

PASADENA, Calif., September 16, 2013 — Patients who received automated telephone calls inviting them to get their blood pressure checked at a walk-in clinic were more likely to have controlled hypertension than patients who did not receive calls, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published today in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension. The researchers studied 64,773 adult members of Kaiser Permanente Southern California with uncontrolled hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure. Roughly half of these Kaiser Permanente members received automated phone ...

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Non-physical abuse by a dating partner such as threats, controlling behavior and harassing text messages can have a serious effect on a teenager's health and well-being, finds new research led by a Michigan State University scholar. The study, which appears in the research journal BMC Public Health, is one of the first to examine the effects of both physical and non-physical dating abuse that is relevant to today's highly connected adolescents. While physical and sexual violence significantly affected the health and behavior of adolescents aged ...

HAMILTON, ON -- The overwhelming urge that drives many pregnant women to clean, organize and get life in order -- otherwise known as nesting -- is not irrational, but an adaptive behaviour stemming from humans' evolutionary past. Researchers from McMaster University suggest that these behaviours -- characterized by unusual bursts of energy and a compulsion to organize the household -- are a result of a mechanism to protect and prepare for the unborn baby. Women also become more selective about the company they keep, preferring to spend time only with people they trust, ...

Bethesda, Md. (Sept. 16, 2013)—From bird flu to the West Nile virus, bird diseases can have a vast impact on humans. Thus, understanding bird immune systems can help people in a variety of ways, including protecting ourselves from disease and protecting our interests in birds as food animals. An important element in the immune system of many animals' immune systems—including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and most animals with a backbone—is a protein called tristetraprolin, or TTP. TTP plays an anti-inflammatory role, largely through keeping another protein, called tumor ...

Granada - (16 September 2013) – Backed by research that demonstrates significant health benefits as well as unparalleled taste that meets consumer needs, food ingredients are taking center stage as thousands of experts from around the world converge to discuss the state of global health and nutrition at the leading international nutrition conference taking place this week in Spain. At a time when global dietary guidance recommendations call for people to increase intake of dietary fibre while decreasing consumption of sodium, there is a heightened need for great-tasting, ...

The way the stomach detects and tells our brains how full we are becomes damaged in obese people but does not return to normal once they lose weight, according to new research from the University of Adelaide. Researchers believe this could be a key reason why most people who lose weight on a diet eventually put that weight back on. In laboratory studies, University of Adelaide PhD student Stephen Kentish investigated the impact of a high-fat diet on the gut's ability to signal fullness, and whether those changes revert back to normal by losing weight. The results, ...

Philadelphia, Pa. -- Spinal injuries are present in 1 out of 9 U.S. military personnel sustaining combat injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan -- a much higher rate than in previous wars, according to a report in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health. "The incidence of spine trauma in modern warfare exceeds reported rates from earlier conflicts," according to the new study, led by Dr Andrew J. Schoenfeld of William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, Texas. The sharp increase in spinal injuries ...

The difference between Noggin and basic fibroblast growth factor for the neural precursor differentiation from human embryonic stem cells has not been studied. Prof. Xuejin Chen and colleagues from Shanghai Jiao Tong University were the first to utilize 100 µg/L Noggin or 20 µg/L basic fibroblast growth factor in serum-free neural induction medium to differentiate human embryonic stem cells H14 into neural precursors using monolayer differentiation. The researchers found that Noggin has a greater effect than basic fibroblast growth factor on the induction of human embryonic ...