The Global Syndicator - health

Eating fish may explain very low levels of heart disease in Japan

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:50:08 +0000

Consuming large quantities of fish loaded with omega-3 fatty acids may explain low levels of heart disease in Japan, according to a study led by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.

Limiting fructose may boost weight loss

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 02:42:26 +0000

One of the reasons people on low-carbohydrate diets may lose weight is that they reduce their intake of fructose, a type of sugar that can be made into body fat quickly, according to a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Scientists suspect omega-3 fatty acids could slow acute wound healing

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:29:21 +0000

A recent study shows that popular fish oil supplements have an effect on the healing process of small, acute wounds in human skin. But whether that effect is detrimental, as researchers initially suspected, remains a mystery.

Vitamin A pushes breast cancer to form blood vessel cells

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 21:27:15 +0000

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have discovered that vitamin A, when applied to breast cancer cells, turns on genes that can push stem cells embedded in a tumor to morph into endothelial cells.

Researchers link cocoa flavanols to improved brain blood flow

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 04:45:27 +0000

Cocoa flavanols, the unique compounds found naturally in cocoa, may increase blood flow to the brain, according to new research published in the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment journal. The researchers suggest that long-term improvements in brain blood flow could impact cognitive behavior, offering future potential for debilitating brain conditions including dementia and stroke.

Killer carbs: scientist finds the key to overeating as we age

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:03:20 +0000

A Monash University scientist has discovered key appetite control cells in the human brain degenerate over time, causing increased hunger and potentially weight-gain as we grow older. The research by Dr Zane Andrews, a neuroendocrinologist with Monash University’s Department of Physiology, has been published in Nature.

Researchers converts biodiesel byproduct into omega-3 fatty acids

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:01:15 +0000

The typical American diet often lacks omega-3 fatty acids despite clinical research that shows their potential human health benefits. Zhiyou Wen, assistant professor of biological systems engineering in Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, found a way to grow these compounds using a byproduct of the emerging biodiesel industry.

Cranberry juice creates energy barrier that keeps bacteria away from cells

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:54:14 +0000

For generations, people have consumed cranberry juice, convinced of its power to ward off urinary tract infections, though the exact mechanism of its action has not been well understood. A new study b

To protect against liver disease, body puts cells ‘under arrest’

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:43:08 +0000

A stable form of cell-cycle arrest known to offer potent protection against cancer also limits liver fibrosis, a condition characterized by an excess of fibrous tissue, according to a new report in the August 22nd Cell, a Cell Press publication.

Scientists discover major genetic cause of colorectal cancer

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:18:08 +0000

About one-third of colorectal cancers are inherited, but the genetic cause of most of these cancers is unknown. The genes linked to colorectal cancer account for less than 5 percent of all cases. Scie

Aspirin, acid blocker a-day keeps GI bleeding

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:11:06 +0000

For patients with clogged heart arteries who take long-term, low-dose aspirin to prevent a cardiac event, adding a stomach acid-blocking drug to their daily routine has been shown to reduce their risk for upper gastrointestinal bleeding – an infrequent, but serious side-effect of regular aspirin use.

Synthetic molecules could add spice to fight against cancer

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:07:03 +0000

Seeking to improve on nature, scientists used a spice-based compound as a starting point and developed synthetic molecules that, in lab settings, are able to kill cancer cells and stop the cells from spreading.

Brain plays key role in appetite by regulating free radicals

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:17:11 +0000

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found the brain’s appetite center uses fat for fuel by involving oxygen free radicals—molecules associated with aging and neurodegeneration. The findings, reported in the journal Nature, suggest that antioxidants could play a role in weight control.

Combining exercise with hormone could prevent weight gain

Wed, 28 May 2008 04:10:43 +0000

Once heralded as a promising obesity treatment, the hormone leptin lost its fat-fighting luster when scientists discovered overweight patients were resistant to its effects. But pairing leptin with just a minor amount of exercise seems to revive the hormone’s ability to fight fat again, University of Florida researchers recently discovered.

Green tea compounds beat obstructive sleep apnea related brain deficits

Thu, 15 May 2008 12:13:50 +0000

Chemicals found in green tea may be able to stave off the cognitive deficits that occur with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a new study published in the second issue for May of the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.