Body | Page 3279 | Science Codex

New analysis provides clearer picture of cancer risks associated with Lynch syndrome

People with Lynch syndrome have a genetic mutation that gives them a high risk of several types of cancer including bowel cancer. The genes that are damaged can't repair any errors that occur in our DNA.

The study, which has been published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, confirmed the increased risk of cancers already known to be associated with Lynch syndrome, including colon, uterus, ovary, kidney, stomach, and bladder cancers. They also found those with Lynch syndrome faced a moderately increased risk of developing breast and pancreatic cancer.

Malaria parasite goes bananas before sex: New study

New research from the University of Melbourne shows how the malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum) changes into a banana shape before sexual reproduction, a finding that could provide targets for vaccine or drug development and may explain how the parasite evades the human immune system.

The work was conducted by an Australian research team led by Dr Matthew Dixon and PhD student Megan Dearnley from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Institute at the University of Melbourne, and is published in the Journal of Cell Science today.

Online role-playing games hurt marital satisfaction, says BYU study

Online role playing games negatively affect real-life marital satisfaction, according to a new Brigham Young University study to be published February 15th in the Journal of Leisure Research.

UK cases of progressive sight loss condition set to rise a third by 2020

New cases of the progressive sight loss condition, known as age-related macular degeneration, or AMD for short, are set to rise by a third in the UK over the next decade, reveals research published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

AMD, which comprises "dry" (geographical atrophy) and "wet" (neovascular AMD) forms, accounts for over half of the total number of those registered blind and partially sighted in the UK.

Smoking bans lead to less, not more, smoking at home

Smoking bans in public/workplaces don't drive smokers to light up more at home, suggests a study of four European countries with smoke free legislation, published online in Tobacco Control.

If anything, a ban may prompt smokers to smoke less at home, the research suggests.

The authors base their findings on two waves of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (ITC Project) Europe Surveys.

Fetal exposure to radiation increases risk of testicular cancer

HOUSTON -- Male fetuses of mothers that are exposed to radiation during early pregnancy may have an increased chance of developing testicular cancer, according to a study in mice at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The article was published today in PLoS ONE.

The study is the first to find an environmental cause for testicular germ cell tumors, the most common cancer in young Caucasian men.

Radiation treatment transforms breast cancer cells into cancer stem cells

Breast cancer stem cells are thought to be the sole source of tumor recurrence and are known to be resistant to radiation therapy and don't respond well to chemotherapy.

Now, researchers with the UCLA Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center report for the first time that radiation treatment –despite killing half of all tumor cells during every treatment - transforms other cancer cells into treatment-resistant breast cancer stem cells.

Sensing self and non-self: New research into immune tolerance

At the most basic level, the immune system must distinguish self from non-self, that is, it must discriminate between the molecular signatures of invading pathogens (non-self antigens) and cellular constituents that usually pose no risk to health (self-antigens).

Plants use circadian rhythms to prepare for battle with insects

HOUSTON -- (Feb. 13 2012) -- In a study of the molecular underpinnings of plants' pest resistance, Rice University biologists have shown that plants both anticipate daytime raids by hungry insects and make sophisticated preparations to fend them off.

Exercise in early 20s may lower risk of osteoporosis

Physical exercise in the early twenties improves bone development and may reduce the risk of fractures later in life, reveals a study of more than 800 Swedish men carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The strength of our bones is determined early in life. The more bone mass we put on when young, the smaller the risk of fractures as we grow older. Previous research has shown that exercise before and during puberty is particularly important for bone development.

Study finds association between air pollution and cognitive decline in women

CHICAGO – A large, prospective study led by a researcher at Rush University Medical Center indicates that chronic exposure to particulate air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults. The results of the study will be published in the Feb. 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Hearing aid gap: Millions who could benefit remain untreated

Though an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven uses a hearing aid, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers.

The finding adds clarity to less rigorous estimates by device manufacturers and demonstrates how widespread undertreatment of hearing loss is in the United States, the study investigators say.

Patients' online hospital reviews reflect data on hospital outcomes

Patients' ratings of hospitals tally with objective measures of the hospital's performance, according to an independent study published today in Archives of Internal Medicine.

First prospective analysis links breast and pancreatic cancer risk with lynch syndrome

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Oxygen-deprived baby rats fare worse if kept warm

Bethesda, Md. (Feb. 13, 2012)—Premature infants' immature lungs and frequent dips in blood pressure make them especially vulnerable to a condition called hypoxia in which their tissues don't receive enough oxygen, sometimes leading to permanent brain damage. New animal research suggests that a common practice in caring for these babies might in fact exacerbate this condition, increasing the chances for long-term neurological deficits.