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Sportsmen and women could get the edge on their opponents by accepting more emotional support in their personal and professional lives. A study by the University of Exeter, published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, shows the extent to which a sympathetic ear or regular words of encouragement can improve sports performance.

ROSEMONT, IL – Ankle sprains are a common injury after a fall, sudden twist or blow to the ankle joint. Approximately 40 percent of those who suffer an ankle sprain will experience chronic ankle pain, even after being treated for their initial injury.

A review article published in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS) explains that tendon injuries to the ankle can be a possible cause for this chronic pain. In some cases, the condition is untreated or overlooked which prolongs the pain and the problem.

BETHESDA, Md. (May 1, 2009) − Medical science took a giant leap forward with the development of techniques that, at least temporarily, perform the function of vital organs. These processes, including the use of the heart-lung machine and renal dialysis, require the blood to be circulated through tubing outside the body and are hence known as extracorporeal circulation (EC) and have provided critical life support for millions of patients. Yet EC is not without its own risks.

Dengue fever is a terrible viral disease blighting many of the world's tropical regions. Carried by mosquitoes, such as Aedes aegypti, 40% of the world's population is believed to be at risk from the infection. What is more, previous exposure to other strains of the fever does not confer protection. In fact, subsequent infections are significantly worse, and can result in fatal dengue haemorrhagic fever. The lack of a functioning vaccine forced Scott O'Neill and Elizabeth McGraw to look for a more creative form of defence.

Westchester, Ill. — A study in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP demonstrates that the use of a consistent bedtime routine contributes to improvements in multiple aspects of infant and toddler sleep, bedtime behavior and maternal mood.

Westchester, Ill. — A study in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP suggests that babies born to mothers with depression are more likely to suffer from significant sleep disturbances at 2 weeks postpartum that continue until 6 months of age. Findings of the study are of particular importance, as sleep disturbances in infancy may result in increased risk for developing early-onset depression in childhood.

ROSEMONT, IL—People with relatives who have experienced rotator cuff tears are at increased risk of similar tendon tears themselves, according to a study published in the May 2009 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS). "This strongly suggests genetic predisposition as a possible cause for rotator cuff disease," said Robert Z. Tashjian, MD, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, University of Utah School of Medicine Orthopaedic Center in Salt Lake City.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found that a chemical commonly used in the production of such medical plastic devices as intravenous (IV) bags and catheters can impair heart function in rats. Appearing online this week in the American Journal of Physiology, these new findings suggest a possible new reason for some of the common side effects—loss of taste, short term memory loss—of medical procedures that require blood to be circulated through plastic tubing outside the body, such as heart bypass surgery or kidney dialysis.

The ancestors of the simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) that jumped from chimpanzees and monkeys, and ignited the HIV/AIDS pandemic in humans, have been dated to just a few centuries ago. These ages are substantially younger than previous estimates, according to a new study from The University of Arizona in Tucson, published May 1st in the open-access journal PLoS Computational Biology.

In a study published in May 2009 issue of PLoS Pathogens, Manchester and her colleagues show that CPMV interacts with the mammalian protein vimentin — an interaction that scientists can now explore with the idea of using the virus to deliver "cargo," such as drugs, to tumors or other diseased tissues.

"Vimentin was not at all a likely suspect," says Kris Koudelka, a postdoctoral fellow in the Manchester lab and an author of the study. "I had to do many sets of experiments to convince myself and the team that the result was real."

Possible anti-obesity effects of white tea have been demonstrated in a series of experiments on human fat cells (adipocytes). Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition and Metabolism have shown that an extract of the herbal brew effectively inhibits the generation of new adipocytes and stimulates fat mobilization from mature fat cells.

A new non-invasive diagnostic index has been developed that may be used in tertiary care to rule in liver fibrosis in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The 'Pediatric NAFLD Fibrosis Index' (PNFI), described in the open access journal BMC Medicine, uses age, waist circumference and triglycerides to predict the presence of fibrosis.

Moderate kidney disease increases an older man's risk of developing certain cancers, according to an upcoming study in the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). Given that chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about a third of older men, maintaining kidney function could help prevent cancer in the general population.

Genetic differences can explain why some patients undergoing heart surgery later experience shock and kidney complications, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The results indicate that performing a genetic test on patients before they have surgery can help guide treatment after they leave the operating room.

For patients with type 1 diabetes who need a kidney transplant, simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation offers a higher survival rate than other options—but with some increased risks, reports a study in an upcoming edition of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). "This study helps patients with type 1 diabetes and their providers decide upon the best transplant treatment option," comments Alexander Wiseman, MD (University of Colorado).