NIH scientists find promising biomarker for predicting HPV-related oropharynx cancer

Tweet

Researchers have found that antibodies against the human papillomavirus (HPV) may help identify individuals who are at greatly increased risk of HPV-related cancer of the oropharynx, which is a portion of the throat that contains the tonsils.

Treating infection may have sting in the tail, parasite study shows

Tweet

Using drugs to treat an infection could allow other co-existing conditions to flourish, a study in wild animals has shown.

Researchers studying wild mice – which typically carry multiple parasitic infections at once – found that when these animals were treated for one type of bug, other infections they had tended to worsen.

Average UK salt content of packaged bread has fallen 20 percent in a decade

Tweet

The average salt content of packaged bread sold in the UK has fallen by 20 per cent over the past decade. But salt levels still vary widely, indicating that further targets are required, finds research published in the online only journal BMJ Open.

Bread is the biggest contributor of dietary salt in the UK, providing almost a fifth of the total derived from processed foods. The recommended daily intake for UK adults is a maximum of 6 g, with the current average 8.1 g a day.

Moderate drinking during pregnancy does not seem to harm baby's neurodevelopment

Tweet

Moderate drinking during pregnancy - 3 to 7 glasses of alcohol a week - does not seem to harm fetal neurodevelopment, as indicated by the child's ability to balance, suggests a large study published in the online only journal BMJ Open.

But social advantage may be a factor, as more affluent and better educated mums-to-be tend to drink more than women who are less well off, say the researchers.

Observation is safe, cost-saving in low-risk prostate cancer

Tweet

BOSTON -- Many men with low-risk, localized prostate cancers can safely choose active surveillance or "watchful waiting" instead of undergoing immediate treatment and have better quality of life while reducing health care costs, according to a study by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Two Independent Reviews Raise Questions about rhBMP-2

Tweet

Two independent reanalyses of trial data, based on an unprecedented data release by Medtronic, Inc., indicate that the current evidence shows little benefit and potential harms are associated with the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2), an orthobiologic agent used to promote bone growth, in spinal surgery.

Obesity leads to brain inflammation, and low testosterone makes it worse

Tweet

Low testosterone worsens the harmful effects of obesity in the nervous system, a new study in mice finds. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Directed in vitro technique may increase insulin resistance among offspring

Tweet

A special type of in vitro fertilization, or IVF, may increase the risk for insulin resistance among children conceived in this way, according to a new study from Greece. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

During natural fertilization, as well as other IVF treatments, the egg is exposed to many sperm. In both of these cases, the strongest, healthiest sperm has the best chance of reaching and fertilizing the egg.

Missing enzyme linked to drug addiction

Tweet

A missing brain enzyme increases concentrations of a protein related to pain-killer addiction, according to an animal study. The results will be presented Monday at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Opioids are pain-killing drugs, derived from the opium plant, which block signals of pain between nerves in the body. They are manufactured in prescription medications like morphine and codeine, and also are found in some illegal drugs, like heroin. Both legal and illegal opioids can be highly addictive.

A new target for cancer drug development

Tweet

Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) researchers have identified in the most aggressive forms of cancer a gene known to regulate embryonic stem cell self-renewal, beginning a creative search for a drug that can block its activity.