Body

Applying the hormone estradiol to skin protected from the sun appears to stimulate production of the protein collagen in older men and women, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, it may not have the same effect on sun-exposed skin, such as the face or arms.

Changes in patients' physical health status during the year after being diagnosed with head and neck cancer appear to predict survival at five years, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Treating the skin with estrogen can stimulate collagen production—which improves the appearance of the skin—in areas not typically exposed to the sun, according to new research from the University of Michigan Health System.

But in sun-damaged skin, the same treatment does not increase collagen production, the study found. The findings elucidate why it is so difficult to reverse the effects of sun damage on the skin, says lead author Laure Rittie, Ph.D., research investigator in the U-M Department of Dermatology.

A person flipping through a magazine or watching TV sees a number of advertisements. Does the placement of those ads matter to consumers? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says it does. But whether people have a positive or negative impression depends on how knowledgeable they are about the products being pitched.

Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), McGill University and other institutions have discovered how a simple antiviral drug developed decades ago suppresses HIV in patients who are also infected with herpes. Their study was published in the Sept. 11 issue of the journal Cell Host and Microbe.

Banishing tempting goodies may not be the best way to keep from eating them.

Tempting foods can actually increase willpower, according to new research in the Journal of Consumer Research. Although it seems counterintuitive, consumers show more self-control after they've spent some time in the presence of a treat.

Blacksburg, Va. -- Liwu Li, associate professor of biological sciences at Virginia Tech, has revealed a common connection between the cellular innate immunity network and human chronic inflammatory diseases, including atherosclerosis, Type 2 Diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. The finding presents a viable cellular and molecular target for the diagnosis and treatment of serious human inflammatory diseases, according to Li.

Shopaholics are the butt of many jokes, but obsessive or compulsive shopping can ruin lives.

Compulsive shopping can lead to financial problems, family conflicts, stress, depression, and loss of self-esteem. According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, there may be more people engaged in compulsive buying than previously thought.

Menus and advertising affect our emotions, and if we understand those emotions, we make better food choices, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Authors Blair Kidwell, David M. Hardesty, and Terry L. Childers (all University of Kentucky) examined the "emotional intelligence" of consumers, including obese people. They found that people who made the healthiest choices had high correlations between their emotional intelligence and confidence in their emotional intelligence—what the authors call "emotional calibration."

Some people have trouble indulging, and they regret it later. There's hope for those people, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Nanoparticles filled with a drug that targets two genes that trigger melanoma could offer a potential cure for this deadly disease, according to cancer researchers. The treatment, administered through an ultrasound device, demonstrates a safer and more effective way of targeting cancer-causing genes in cancer cells without harming normal tissue.

Using a novel combination of cutting-edge technologies to scan the human genome, researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC have identified a genetic mutation that identifies transplant recipients who experience rejection.

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15 – For the first time, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine have identified a series of genetic mutations that appear to be linked to significant risk for cleft palate and other dental abnormalities. These are devastating conditions that cause tremendous social isolation, and also are associated with decreased lifespan, a higher risk of cancer and increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, even after surgical repair.

People who carry a particular genetic variant are at significantly increased risk of developing malignant melanoma, new research shows.

Melanomas are known to be caused by exposure to the ultraviolet light in sunlight, but the precise mechanisms involved are complex. In a presentation at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) in Stockholm, Portuguese researchers show that variations in a gene known as cyclin D1 also increase susceptibility to the disease.

Researchers have shown that immune-defense cells influenced by embryonic stem cell-derived cells can help prevent the rejection of hearts transplanted into mice, all without the use of immunosuppressive drugs.