It appears that in some cases, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol, does not protect against heart disease, and may even be harmful. A new study suggests a subclass of HDL that carries a particular protein is bad for the heart. Previous studies have shown that high levels of HDL cholesterol are strongly linked to low risk of heart disease...
The size of a baby's head is often related to neurological disorders, such as autism - which affects 1 in 88 children. Now, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have identified genes responsible for head size at birth by inserting human genes into zebrafish. The study is published online in the journal Nature. Nicholas Katsanis, Ph.D., Jean and George Brumley Jr. M.D...
Researchers at the Indiana University School of Medicine have developed a test that can predict how likely an individual is to develop schizophrenia. The scientists combined data from several different types of studies in order to identify and prioritize a group of genes most associated with the disease...
A study in BMJ reports that the risk for serious complications, such as pre-eclampsia, diabetes and premature birth can be safely reduced even in overweight and obese pregnant women by following a healthy calorie controlled diet during pregnancy...
The number of calories people should eat each day depends on several factors, including their age, size, height, sex, lifestyle, and overall general health. A physically active 6ft 2in male, aged 22 years, requires considerably more calories than a 5ft 2ins sedentary woman in her 70s. Recommended daily calorie intakes also vary across the world...
Researchers at the University of Chicago have found an association between anxiety disorders and the gene that encodes Glyoxylase 1 (GLO1). However, the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. The most prevalent psychiatric diseases in the United States are anxiety disorders, which range from post-traumatic stress disorder to social phobia...
8.3 million (14.85%) seniors in the United States face the threat of hunger, say researchers at the University of Illinois. From 2001 to 2010, the incidence of hunger among seniors has risen by 78%, and by 34% since the onset of the recession in 2007...
Athletes are often seen to put on a 'brave face and carry on' when they sustain an injury, which supports the theory that they have a higher pain threshold than non-athletes, regardless of inconsistent and sometimes even contradictory evidence from previous studies on pain perception in athletes...
Although the drug approval process in the U.S. has been perceived as too slow, the nation approves new drug treatments faster and earlier than Europe and Canada, according to researchers at Yale School of Medicine. The study, conducted by Nicholas Downing, a second-year medical student and Joseph S. Ross, M.D...
In recent years, the popularity of marathons has grown significantly and although the risk of dying during a marathon or soon after is extremely low - about 0.75 per 100,000 - men are two times more likely to die than women, say researchers at John Hopkins University School of Medicine. In addition, the number of individuals to complete grueling 26...
According to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health, Australia could yield economic and health benefits by reducing its overall national yearly alcohol consumption...
By the year 2025, researchers predict that 53.1 million individuals in the United States will have diabetes (mainly type 2 diabetes) - a 64% increase from 2010. The study is published in Population Health Management Diabetes is a life long disease in which there are high levels of glucose in the blood...
A study published in the open access journal PloS ONE reveals that the use of "last resort" antibiotics is on the rise due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant pathogens...
As childhood obesity and diabetes rates are skyrocketing in the US, many schools are eliminating physical education classes. A national study in the American Journal of Public Health reports that specific and required state legislation with regard to PE times could be a crucial tool to ensure that children meet the daily recommendations of physical activity...
Plant breeders of the Wisconsin-Madison University have developed a new oat variety called BetaGene, which is 2% higher in beta glucan and therefore even more cardio-friendly than other oat varieties on the market...
A woman who is both over weight and pregnant faces double challenges, not least because many women who are not overweight struggle not to gain weight over the course of the nine month gestation period. Pregnant women who are overweight or obese can have serious health risks including high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, diabetes and premature birth, but there is good news...
As we near the final year exams for schools and universities, students should be wary of powering up on buckets of soda and pocketfuls of candy bars. A UCLA study on rats suggests that fructose slows down the brain and memory functions. Too much sweetness can also prevent learning. The findings are published in Journal of Physiology and also show omega-3 fatty acids helping to negate the effect...
Seven proteins that can help physicians evaluate how aggressive a patient's cancer is and whether or not they should receive chemotherapy have been identified by German researchers...
High blood pressure was listed as a primary or contributing cause of death for approximately 336,000 Americans in 2007. If all patients with high blood pressure were treated to goal as outlined in current clinical guidelines, it is estimated that 46,000 deaths might be averted each year...
An article featured in BMJ reports on a 'white paper', which investigates as to how India and the UK can collaborate more closely in an equal partnership to improve both nations' primary health care...
