ScienceBlog.com

Health

Survey finds just 40 percent of adults 'absolutely certain' they will get H1N1 vaccine

Boston, MA -- In a new survey, Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers found that just 40% of adults are "absolutely certain" they will get the H1N1 vaccine for themselves, and 51% of parents are "absolutely certain" that they will get the vaccine for their children. The survey examined the reasoning among those who said they would not get the vaccine or might not.

Oct 2, 2009

Health

Using synthetic evolution to study the brain: Researchers model key part of neurons

The human brain has evolved over millions of years to become a vast network of billions of neurons and synaptic connections. Understanding it is one of humankind's greatest pursuits. But to understand how the brain processes information, researchers must first understand the very basics of neurons -- even down to how proteins inside the neurons act to change the neuron's voltage.

Oct 2, 2009

Health

Smoking cessation drug not linked to an increased risk of self harm or depression

There is no strong evidence that the popular smoking cessation drug varenicline increases the risk of self harm or depression compared to other cessation products, according to new research published on bmj.com today.

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Bundling 2 low-cost heart drugs prevents heart attack and stroke in large, diverse population

October 1, 2009 (Oakland, Calif.) -- A program that bundled two generic, low-cost drugs -- a cholesterol-lowering statin and a blood pressure-lowering drug -- and gave daily doses to 68,560 people with diabetes or heart disease for two years is estimated to have prevented 1,271 heart attacks and strokes in the first year following the study period, according to a Kaiser Permanente study publ

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Link between male diabetics with allergies and kidney disease -- nothing to sneeze at

For men with type 2 diabetes, a cell type linked to allergic inflammation is closely linked to a key indicator of diabetic kidney disease (nephropathy), suggests a study in the November Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine incorporate multisite geriatric clerkship

As the population ages, it is imperative that medical students are prepared to treat older adults, regardless of their specialty.

Oct 1, 2009

Health

East African cichlid fish offer new understanding of genetic basis of sex determination

Biologists have genetically mapped the sex chromosomes of several species of cichlid fish from Lake Malawi, East Africa, and identified a mechanism by which new sex chromosomes may evolve.

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Longer-lived, healthier mice offer promise of drug treatments for age-related diseases

Scientists have managed to extend the lifespan of mice by up to a fifth and reduce the number of age-related diseases the animals suffer. The research, which involved blocking a key molecular pathway, mimics the health benefits of reducing calorie intake and suggests that drug treatments for ageing and age-related diseases are feasible.

Oct 1, 2009

Uncategorized

New material could expand applications and lower costs for solid oxide fuel cells

A new ceramic material described in this week's issue of the journal Science could help expand the applications for solid oxide fuel cells -- devices that generate electricity directly from a wide range of liquid or gaseous fuels without the need to separate hydrogen.

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Risk of abnormally slow heart rate twice as high in those taking drugs to slow Alzheimer's

TORONTO, Ont., October 1, 2009 -- People taking one of several drugs commonly prescribed to treat Alzheimer's disease are more likely to be hospitalized for a potentially serious condition called bradycardia than patients not taking these medications.

Oct 1, 2009

Brain & Behavior

CSHL scientists identify protein that enhances long-term memory by controlling rest intervals

Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. -- As most good students realize, repeated studying produces good memory. Those who study a lot realize, further, that what they learn tends to be preserved longer in memory if they space out learning sessions between rest intervals.

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Retinal rescue: Cells derived from human embryonic stem cells reverse retinal degeneration

A new study reports that transplanted pigment-containing visual cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) successfully preserved structure and function of the specialized light-sensitive lining of the eye (known as the retina) in an animal model of retinal degeneration.

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Umbilical cord blood as a readily available source for off-the-shelf, patient-specific stem cells

LA JOLLA, CA -- Umbilical cord blood cells can successfully be reprogrammed to function like embryonic stem cells, setting the basis for the creation of a comprehensive bank of tissue-matched, cord blood-derived induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for off-the-shelf applications, report researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and the Center for Regenerative Medicine in Barcelon

Oct 1, 2009

Health

Scripps research scientists find missing puzzle piece of powerful DNA repair complex

LA JOLLA, CA -- September 30, 2009 ?Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have found, crystallized, and biologically characterized a poorly defined component of a key molecular complex that helps people to avoid cancer, but that also helps cancer cells resist chemotherapy. The research was published in the October 2, 2009 issue of the journal Cell.

Oct 1, 2009