Medicine articles

1 high-fat diet, 2 different outcomes: the path to obesity becomes clearer
Why is it that two people can consume the same high fat, high-calorie Western diet and one becomes obese and prone to diabetes while the other maintains a slim frame? This question has long baffled scientists, but a study by Yale School of Medicine researchers provides a simple explanation: weight is set before birth in the developing brain.

All-over tan is a myth, study finds
A consistent all-over tan may be impossible to achieve because some body areas are much more resistant to tanning than others, a study has found.

Childhood personality traits predict adult behavior
Personality traits observed in childhood are a strong predictor of adult behavior, a study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, the Oregon Research Institute and University of Oregon suggests.

People reject popular opinions if they already hold opposing views
What would happen if you developed a strong opinion on an issue, and later found that the majority of people disagreed with you?

ISU study finds high heels may lead to joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis
While women have been making a fashion statement in high heels for years -- wearing trendy stilettos, wedges, pumps and kitten heels -- there's reason for concern about what those heels may be doing to their knees and joints over time. A new study by an Iowa State University kinesiology master's student has found that prolonged wearing of and walking in high heels can contribute to joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis.

Plant compound resveratrol shown to suppress inflammation, free radicals, in humans
Resveratrol, a popular plant extract shown to prolong life in yeast and lower animals due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, appears also to suppress inflammation in humans, based on results from the first prospective human trial of the extract conducted by University at Buffalo endocrinologists.

Planners have the power to help us lose weight
Urban design is making us fat and needs to work harder to be healthier, warns a leading academic.

Study into the effect of mobile phone radiation on cells published by Babraham scientists
A research study by scientists at the Babraham Institute, an institute of BBSRC, into the effects of electromagnetic radiation on cells has today been published in the online journal PLoS One, revealing that acute (30 minute) application of GSM radiation has no effect on calcium transport inside biological cells.

When memory-related region of brain is damaged, other areas compensate
Many neuroscientists believe the loss of the brain region known as the amygdala would result in the brain's inability to form new memories with emotional content. New UCLA research indicates this is not so and suggests that when one brain region is damaged, other regions can compensate.

Why some people can sleep through anything
Ever wonder why some people can sleep through just about anything, while others get startled awake at each and every bump in the night? A new report in the August 10th issue of Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, offers some insight: sound sleepers show a distinct pattern of spontaneous brain rhythms.

New study examines the brain's wiring
The brain has been mapped to the smallest fold for at least a century, but still no one knows how all the parts talk to each other.

Stereotyping has a lasting negative impact
Aggression. Over-eating. Inability to focus. Difficulty making rational decisions. New research out of the University of Toronto Scarborough shows prejudice has a lasting negative impact on those who experience it.

Land on your toes, save your knees
Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are a common and debilitating problem, especially for female athletes. A new study from UC Davis shows that changes in training can reduce shear forces on knee joints and could help cut the risk of developing ACL tears. The research was published online Aug. 3 in the Journal of Biomechanics.

Aspirin: yes, no, maybe?
You've probably seen low-dose aspirin in the drugstore, in packages with a red heart on them, as well as ads promoting aspirin for its heart benefits. You may even be taking "baby" aspirin, following your doctor's advice-or on your own, "just to be safe." So you may be surprised to learn that there's still controversy about low-dose aspirin as a preventive for heart disease.

Shining a light literally on diabetes
People with type 1 diabetes must keep a careful eye on their blood glucose levels: Too much sugar can damage organs, while too little deprives the body of necessary fuel. Most patients must prick their fingers several times a day to draw blood for testing.

Measuring the speed of thought
If the eyes are the window to the soul, psychologists hoping to solve the mystery of why our neural impulses do not always trigger an immediate response, could find the answer in the flick of the eye.

BU scientists study rat brains to help robots navigate
A team led by Boston University College of Arts & Sciences Professor of Psychology Michael Hasselmo has won a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense's Office of Naval Research to study rat brains to learn how to help military robots navigate.

Single neurons can detect sequences
Single neurons in the brain are surprisingly good at distinguishing different sequences of incoming information according to new research by UCL neuroscientists.

Astronaut muscles waste in space
Astronaut muscles waste away on long space flights reducing their capacity for physical work by more than 40%, according to research published online in the Journal of Physiology.

Moderate drinking, especially wine, associated with better cognitive function
A large prospective study of 5033 men and women in the Tromsø Study in northern Norway has reported that moderate wine consumption is independently associated with better performance on cognitive tests.