Medical Newsroom

Delivering the latest medical news, studies and press releases.

Genetic Variations Linked With Common Childhood Obesity Revealed By Study
A new study uncovers multiple genetic variations associated with common childhood obesity. The research, published by Cell Press on October 14th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, is likely to guide future studies aimed at characterizing the affected genes and unraveling the complex biology that underlies childhood obesity. Obesity, which has increased significantly in recent years in Western societies, is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Individualized Care Necessary For Kidney Disease Patients
1. One-Size-Fits-All Blood Pressure Recommendations Won't Suit All Dialysis Patients Age, Race, and Diabetes Status Affect Blood Pressure's Link to Premature Death Previous research indicates that mild to moderate hypertension may not increase dialysis patients' risk of dying prematurely. These findings contrast with those found in the general population and are generalized to diverse groups of patients with kidney disease...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Practice Tests Improve Memory Say Researchers From Kent State University
Although most people assume that tests are a way to evaluate learning, a wealth of research has shown that testing can actually improve learning, according to two researchers from Kent State University. Dr. Katherine Rawson, associate professor in Kent State's Department of Psychology, and former Kent State graduate student Mary Pyc publish their research findings in the Oct. 15, 2010, issue of the journal Science...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Powerful Mutation Tool Identifies New Cancer Genes
Researchers have developed a genetic tool in mice to speed the discovery of novel genes involved in cancer. The system - called PiggyBac - has already been used by the team to identify novel candidate cancer-causing genes. This new development of the PiggyBac system makes it a powerful addition to the armoury of genetic methods available to researchers for picking apart the genetic causes of cancer. It will complement advances in genomics and genetics of cancer, by providing biological ...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Biologists Find Genetic Explanation For Evolutionary Change: Location
A gene's location on a chromosome plays a significant role in shaping how an organism's traits vary and evolve, according to findings by genome biologists at New York University's Center for Genomic and Systems Biology and Princeton University's Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics. Their research, which appears in the latest issue of the journal Science, suggests that evolution is less a function of what a physical trait is and more a result of where the genes that affect that trait ...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Melanin Production Controlled By Molecular Switch, May Allow True Sunless Tanning
Discovery of a molecular switch that turns off the natural process of skin pigmentation may lead to a novel way of protecting the skin - activating the tanning process without exposure to cancer-causing UV radiation. In their report in the journal Genes &Development, researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cutaneous Biology Research Center (CBRC) describe how blocking the action of this switch - an enzyme called PDE-4D3 - in the skin of mice led to a significant increase in ...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Signals Found That Make Cell Nucleus Blow Up Like A Balloon
Size matters when it comes to the nucleus of a cell, and now scientists have discovered the signals that control how big the nucleus gets. Nuclear size varies not only among different species, but also in different types of cells in the same species and at different times during development. In addition, cancer cells are known to develop larger nuclei as they become more malignant. Screening for cervical cancer, for example, involves looking for grossly distorted nuclei in cervical cells ...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Researchers Produce High-Res Model Of Ndc80 In Action
Unless you are in a field of study related to cell biology, you most likely have never heard of Ndc80. Yet this protein complex is essential to mitosis, the process by which a living cell separates its chromosomes and distributes them equally between its two daughter cells...
Published by Medical News Today on: 2010-10-16

Improving sonography: Spatial ability is key to becoming a successful sonographer, study finds
Diagnostic ultrasounds are the most widely used medical tests in the world. Though the technology is more than 50 years old, scientists continue to discover new uses for it, ranging from more targeted cancer treatments to liposuction. As the technology becomes more complex, a sonographer's skill level is even more important. Now, researchers may have found one of the keys to becoming a successful sonographer: spatial ability.
Published by ScienceDaily on: 2010-10-16

Unsung hero: Researchers produce high-res model of Ndc80 in action
Scientists have used cryo-electron microscopy and three-dimensional image reconstruction to create a subnanometer resolution image of Ndc80, a protein complex that helps prevent chromosomal distribution mistakes during mitosis that can lead to birth defects, cancer and other disorders.
Published by ScienceDaily on: 2010-10-16