Body

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The raptor-like Archaeopteryx has long been viewed as the archetypal first bird, but new research reveals that it was actually a lot less "bird-like" than scientists had believed.

Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health studied the drinking habits of 9833 15-16 year olds in the North West of England, finding that excessively low cost alcohol products and illicit purchase are strongly related to harmful underage drinking.

Boston, MA -- Persistent infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus, is known to be a cause of cervical cancer. Current guidelines prioritize HPV vaccination of pre-adolescent girls, which has been shown to be cost-effective in previous studies, but the value of vaccinating boys in the United States has been unclear.

Getting off the couch could lead to a longer life for kidney disease patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that, as in the general population, exercise has significant health benefits for individuals with kidney dysfunction.

October 9, 2009 – If you have ever taken a long road trip, the windshield of your car will inevitably be splattered with bugs by the time you arrive at your destination. Could the DNA left behind be used to estimate the diversity of insects in the region? In a study published online in Genome Research (www.genome.org), scientists answered this question, utilizing a novel analysis pipeline that will accelerate future studies of biodiversity.

Scientists at The Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee have successfully produced liver cells from patients' skin cells opening the possibility of treating a wide range of diseases that affect liver function. The study was led by Stephen A. Duncan, D. Phil., Marcus Professor in Human and Molecular Genetics, and professor of cell biology, neurobiology and anatomy, along with postdoctoral fellow Karim Si-Tayeb, Ph.D., and graduate student Ms. Fallon Noto.

Researchers propose a more efficient system using archived specimens for the evaluation of prognostic and predictive biomarkers in a new commentary published online October 8 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Adults with shingles were about 30 percent more likely to have a stroke during a one-year follow-up than adults without shingles, in a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The risk was even greater when the infection involved the eyes.

INDIANAPOLIS – New findings related to an uncommon genetic disorder may impact the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the most common chronic gastrointestinal illness in children and teens. Two million Americans have IBD which involves inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.

PORTLAND, Ore – According to research recently published by an Oregon Health & Science University scientist, a form of surgery called uvopalatopharyngoplasty is effective for treating certain patients who suffer from sleep apnea, one of the most common sleep disorders. The research, conducted in collaboration with scientists at the Mayo Clinic, is published in the September issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Despite evidence that low-cost diarrhea treatments such as lower osmolarity oral rehydration salts (ORS) and zinc supplements could drastically reduce the number of deaths among children, little progress has been made in implementing these life-saving techniques, according to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. They examined the implementation of current treatment guidelines and found that few countries are equipped to quickly adapt policies, and many struggle to develop and maintain the recommended supplies.

Northridge, CALIF (Oct. 7, 2009) – SE5-OH containing Natural S-equol, a novel soy germ-based ingredient in a supplement, improved menopausal symptoms, including significantly reducing hot flash frequency by nearly 59 percent, according to a peer-reviewed study in Japanese women. This key study was presented in an oral presentation at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) 20th annual meeting. A second oral presentation reported peer-reviewed data that documented for the first time the pharmacokinetics, or absorption and distribution in the body, in U.S.

October 8, 2009 – (BRONX, NY) – Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University hosted a roundtable discussion on stem cell research with New York Governor David A. Paterson today. Allen M. Spiegel, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean of Einstein, and eight stem cell researchers discussed advances in medical therapies and treatments that Einstein scientists have been investigating since receiving more than $14 million in State funding for stem cell research.

Northridge, CALIF (Oct. 7, 2009) – SE5-OH containing Natural S-equol, a novel soy germ-based ingredient in a supplement, improved menopausal symptoms, including significantly reducing hot flash frequency by nearly 59 percent, according to a peer-reviewed study in Japanese women. This key study was presented in an oral presentation at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) 20th annual meeting. A second oral presentation reported peer-reviewed data that documented for the first time the pharmacokinetics, or absorption and distribution in the body, in U.S.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Scientists have deciphered the three-dimensional structure of the human genome, paving the way for new insights into genomic function and expanding our understanding of how cellular DNA folds at scales that dwarf the double helix.