Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week articles from May 2009

Obesity, Fitness & Wellness Week archives from May 2009

Marijuana smoking increases risk of COPD for tobacco smokers.
May 2, 2009... Smoking both tobacco and marijuana increases the risk of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), found a study in CMAJ http://www.cmaj.ca/press/pg814.pdf. Smoking only marijuana, however, was not associated with...

Parasite breaks its own DNA to avoid detection.
May 2, 2009... The parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which causes African sleeping sickness, is like a thief donning a disguise. Every time the host's immune cells get close to destroying the parasite, it escapes detection by rearranging its DNA and changing its...

'Swarm': New Screenplay Centers Around Small-Town Football.
May 2, 2009... "Swarm" (published by AuthorHouse), the first work by budding screenplay writer Norman E. Harris, Jr., is set in his hometown of Sunbury, Ga., where Harris brings to life the close relationships that are forged in many small-town atmospheres...

New Book Offers Vision in Times of Economic Recession.
May 2, 2009... In her provocative new book, "The Nightmare of a POSITIVISION: Yes We are Dying. But we are still Breathing" (published by AuthorHouse), Louise Uwacu uses the lens of her personal experiences to filter her views on the current economic...

Business Plus to Distribute Free Pre-Publication E-Book in Collaboration With Interactive One, the Digital Connection for Black America.
May 2, 2009... Business Plus, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, which is a division of Hachette Book Group, announced that it will publish a free pre-publication e-book Put Your Dreams First: Handle Your [entertainment] Business by Thembisa S. Mshaka, a...

New findings reported from Tsinghua University describe advances in Alzheimer disease.
May 2, 2009... "Increasing evidence indicates that beta-amyloid (A beta) oligomers rather than monomers or fibrils are the major toxic agents that specifically inhibit synaptic plasticity and long-term potentiation (LTP) in Alzheimer's disease (AD)....

Scientists at University of Frankfurt detail research in amblyopia.(Report)
May 2, 2009... "Neurologically normal observers show a consistent leftward bias when asked to bisect a horizontal line (''pseudoneglect''). In this study, we found that subjects with strabismic and strabismic-anisometropic amblyopia show a consistent...

Research conducted at Chiba University has updated our knowledge about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.(Report)
May 2, 2009... "The first dorsal interosseclus (FDI) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscles are innervated by the same ulnar nerve, but studies have shown that the former is much more severely affected in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this study,...

Research from University of Alberta has provided new data on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.(Report)
May 2, 2009... "We examined whether there are gender differences in the progressive loss of functional motor units in SOD1(G93A) transgenic mice. Isometric muscle and motor unit twitch contractions were recorded in fast- and slow-twitch muscles in response to...

New angiotensins findings from S. Abdalla and co-authors described.
May 2, 2009... According to recent research from Zurich, Switzerland, "Progressive neurodegeneration and decline of cognitive functions are major hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). Neurodegeneration in AD correlates with dysfunction of diverse signal...

New arthritis data have been reported by scientists at University of London, Imperial College.(Report)
May 2, 2009... According to a study from London, the United Kingdom, "A hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is invasion of the synovial pannus into cartilage, and this process requires degradation of the collagen matrix. The aim of this study was to explore...

Findings from K. Fukuda and co-authors broaden understanding of brain infarction.(Report)
May 2, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences, "The relationship between alcohol consumption and subclinical findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains uncertain. We examined the relationship...

Investigators at Lund University have published new data on chromatography.(Report)
May 2, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of Molecular Recognition, "Hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) has been developed as a powerful technique for separating and purifying proteins. In this study, we have characterized...

Investigators at Duke University have published new data on dislocations.
May 2, 2009... "Knee dislocations are relatively uncommon but potentially catastrophic injuries. In athletes, these injuries generally result from high-energy traumatic mechanisms such as collisions in football and rugby, high-velocity falls in skiing, and...

Research results from University of Utrecht update knowledge of endocytosis.
May 2, 2009... "The insect lipophorin receptor (LpR), an LDL receptor (LDLR) homologue that is expressed during restricted periods of insect development. binds and endocytoses high-density lipophorin (HDLp). However, in contrast to LDL, HDLp is not...

Studies from University of California in the area of steatosis described.
May 2, 2009... In this recently published study, investigators in the United States conducted a study "To compare ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) determination of diffuse liver steatosis. Quantification of liver...

Study data from J.W. Ding and co-authors update knowledge of enzyme research.(Report)
May 2, 2009... "Evidence indicates that conventional protein kinase C (cPKC) plays a pivotal role in the development of retinal ischemic preconditioning (IPC). In this study, the effect of high intraocular pressure (IOP)-induced retinal IPC on cPKC...

Report summarizes Escherichia coli study findings from A.L. Cookson and co-researchers.
May 2, 2009... 'Atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) were examined to determine the prevalence and sequence of espP, which encodes a serine protease. These analyses indicated shared espP sequence types...

Studies in the area of Escherichia coli reported from Hiroshima University.
May 2, 2009... "Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation has been used widely, but there are plants that are recalcitrant to this type of transformation. This transformation method uses bacterial strains harboring a modified tumor-inducing (Ti) plasmid...

Research on Huntington disease published by scientists at Lomonosov Moscow State University.
May 2, 2009... "A number of neurodegenerative diseases are accompanied by the appearance of intracellular protein aggregates. Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a mutation in a gene encoding huntingtin," researchers in Russia report (see also Huntington...

New hyperalgesia research reported from Peking University.
May 2, 2009... "The present study aims to investigate the role of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in chronic pain including thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia. Chronic inflammatory nociception...

New hypopigmentation findings from A.L. Blasius and co-authors described.
May 2, 2009... "The classical recessive coat color mutation misty (m) arose spontaneously on the DBA/J background and causes generalized hypopigmentation and localized white-spotting in mice, with a lack of pigment on the belly, tail tip, and paws. Here we...

Research from Groningen University has provided new information about life sciences.
May 2, 2009... "Aggregation of mutated proteins is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington disease. We previously reported that overexpression of the HspB8," scientists writing in the Journal of Biological Chemistry report (see...

Research from Kyoto University, Medical Department provides new data about life sciences.
May 2, 2009... According to recent research from Kyoto, Japan, "Mammalian homolog of Drosophila diaphanous (mDia) consisting of three isoforms, mDia1, mDia2, and mDia3, is an effector of Rho GTPases that catalyzes actin nucleation and polymerization. Although...

Technical University details research in multiple trauma.
May 2, 2009... "Trichomonal disease typically involves the genital and occasionally respiratory tracts. Although exposure of the upper respiratory tract to infected genital secretions is not uncommon with contemporary sexual practices, trichomonal sinus...

Study results from Chang-Gung University, Medical Department provide new insights into muscular dystrophy.
May 2, 2009... According to recent research published in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences, "Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is a late onset autosomal dominant muscle disorder. OPMD is caused by a short trinucleotide repeat expansion encoding...

Research from La Trobe University has provided new information about osteoarthritis.
May 2, 2009... In this recently published article, scientists in Australia conducted a study "To evaluate a radiographic atlas for grading foot osteoarthritis (OA) in relation to the relative sensitivity of different radiographic and views and features, and...

Study data from W. Wirth and colleagues update understanding of osteoarthritis.
May 2, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, "The Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) is aimed at validating (imaging) biomarkers for monitoring progression of knee OA. Here we analyze regional femorotibial...

Research from Johns Hopkins University in the area of Parkinson disease published.
May 2, 2009... "Mutation in leucine-rich repeat kinase-2 (LRRK2) is the most common cause of late-onset Parkinson's disease (PD). Although most cases of PD are sporadic, some are inherited, including those caused by LRRK2 mutations," scientists in the United...

Studies from University of California update current data on Parkinson disease.
May 2, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) and in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) animal model of PD. It is known that under...

New pemphigus findings from Peking University published.
May 2, 2009... " The presence of autoantibodies against multiple epidermal proteins is an important feature in paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP). Circulating anti-desmoglein 3 autoantibody, the major pathogenic autoantibody in pemphigus vulgaris (PV), has been...

New peripheral neuropathy study findings have been reported by researchers at La Sapienza University.(Report)
May 2, 2009... "In this study we investigate whether the cutaneous silent period (CSP)-an inhibitory response evoked in hand muscles by painful digital nerve stimulation-is useful for assessing nociceptive pathway function in patients with neuropathic pain....

New proteomics study findings recently were published by researchers at Georgia State University.
May 2, 2009... "Peptidyl prolyl cis-trans isomemses (PPlases) are ubiquitous enzymes in biology that catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of the proline imide peptide bond in many cell signaling pathways. The local change of the isomeric state of the prolyl...

Reports outline retinitis pigmentosa study findings from St. James University.
May 2, 2009... According to a study from Leeds, the United Kingdom, " To report phenotypic progression for a novel mutation in the RPGR gene causing X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (RP), and describe the phenotype in affected males and females Methods...

Reports from S. Benko and co-researchers add new data to research in robin sequence.
May 2, 2009... "Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is an important subgroup of cleft palate. We report several lines of evidence for the existence of a 17q24 locus underlying PRS, including linkage analysis results, a clustering of translocation breakpoints...

Research in the area of syringomyelia reported from Yonsei University.
May 2, 2009... According to recent research from Seoul, South Korea, "The aim of our study was to compare pre- and postoperative radiologic data of posterior fossa and the improvement of syringomyelia after posterior fossa decompression (PFD) with and without...

New findings from M. Vidyarani and co-researchers in the area of tuberculosis described.
May 2, 2009... "Vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes have been shown to be associated with differential susceptibility or resistance to tuberculosis. The influence of Fokl, Bsml, Apal and Taql variants of VDR gene on 1, 25(OH)(2) D-3 modulated granzyme A...

Research on tuberculosis published by J.R. Sun et al.
May 2, 2009... According to a study from Taichung, Taiwan, "Diagnosis of tuberculosis is challenging because the current methods are time-consuming and laborious. We have developed a method combining the Bactec MGIT 960 rapid culture system with the...

Study data from P. Arora et al provide new insights into tuberculosis.
May 2, 2009... "The recent discovery of fatty acyl-AMP ligases (FAALs) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) provided a new perspective of fatty acid activation. These proteins convert fatty acids to the corresponding adenylates, which are intermediates of...

Research results from G.R. Hammar and co-authors update knowledge of cerebral palsy in adolescents.
May 2, 2009... Scientists discuss in 'Body image in adolescents with cerebral palsy' new findings in cerebral palsy. According to recent research from Sweden, "The study aims to describe important features of body image in adolescents with motor disabilities...

New life sciences research from Nanjing Medical University, Institute of Toxicology outlined.(Report)
May 2, 2009... Researchers detail in 'Urinary metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in relation to idiopathic male infertility,' new data in life sciences. "Limited studies have suggested that male reproductive function might be associated with...

Scientists at University of Manchester, Faculty of Life Sciences discuss research in life sciences.(Report)
May 2, 2009... New research, 'The effect of sequence evolution on protein structural divergence,' is the subject of a report. According to recent research published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution, "The complex constraints imposed by protein...

Researchers at Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology target mass spectrometry.
May 2, 2009... Researchers detail in 'Characterizing ion mobility-mass spectrometry conformation space for the analysis of complex biological samples,' new data in mass spectrometry. "The conformation space occupied by different classes of biomolecules...

Wellesse Receives Corporate Sponsor of the Year Award From the Arthritis Foundation's Pacific Northwest Chapter.
May 2, 2009... Wellesse(R), a division of Botanical Laboratories, Inc., recently received the Corporate Sponsor of the Year award from the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation. The company, which manufactures liquid nutritional supplements...

AAPR Blasts United Airlines Decision to Discriminate Against People of Size; New Policy Charges Overweight Passengers for Two Tickets.
May 2, 2009... The Association for Airline Passenger Rights (AAPR) today blasted the decision by United Airlines to violate the Civil Rights of people of size by charging them for two tickets if they are deemed to be overweight. United Airlines announced that...

Merrill Lynch Fund Manager Survey Finds Risk Appetite Returning as Aversion to Banks Eases.
May 2, 2009... Risk appetite has started to pick up on the back of improving global economic sentiment, according to the Merrill Lynch Survey of Fund Managers for April. Optimism about growth has reached its highest level since early 2004. A net 26 percent of...

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and American Well(TM) Join to Bring Online Care to Minnesota.
May 2, 2009... Imagine being able to talk immediately with a physician who is able to review your clinical information, ask and answer questions, make diagnoses and prescribe medications - doing all of it from your home or work, anytime, using the web or a...

Veterans Praise President's Support for Health Care Funding Reform.
May 2, 2009... The Disabled American Veterans today applauded President Obama's statement of support for advance appropriations to provide sufficient, timely and predictable funding for veterans health care (see also Disabled American Veterans). "The...

Lilly Pulitzer(R) Launches a Colorful Cause Celebrity Designed Collection for EBMRF.
May 2, 2009... Lilly Pulitzer has always been a brand about lifting spirits and lending their happy prints and colors to a worthy cause. To cap off the brand's 50th Anniversary celebration, nine celebrity mothers have united for a very special project called...

HBA Global Expo Platforms Private Label/Contract Manufacturing.
May 2, 2009... With consumers paying closer attention to price and 45% of the HBA audience looking for private label and contract manufacturer resources, the new Private Label/Contract Manufacturing Pavilion at HBA Global Expo will be a hotbed of activity....

New Young Onset Parkinson's Disease Web Site Goes Live.(Website overview)
May 2, 2009... The American Parkinson Disease Association's (APDA) National Young Onset Center has launched a re-designed Web site, www.youngparkinsons.org, created specifically for people with young onset Parkinson's disease (PD), their family members,...

Pampered Pets: Ellen DeGeneres to Return to QVC with Her All-Natural Pet Food Line.
May 2, 2009... After a successful debut, Ellen DeGeneres is returning to QVC to unveil the latest additions to her holistic pet care collection. The 12-time Emmy Award winner is scheduled to appear live from the set of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in Los...

Losing the Last Ten Pounds is the Hardest Part of any Diet Confirms Weight-Loss Expert and Author Dr. Sanford Siegal.
May 2, 2009... Dr. Sanford Siegal, Medical Director of Miami, Florida-based weight-loss practice, Siegal Medical Group, confirmed the widely held suspicion among dieters that the most challenging part of reaching a healthful weight is shedding the last ten...

SoftBrands Partners with Intelligenz to Provide Spa and Activities Solution.
May 2, 2009... SoftBrands, Inc. (NYSE Amex: SBN), a global supplier of enterprise application software, announced a strategic business partnership with Intelligenz Solutions, a leading provider of spa, activities and wellness solutions to the hospitality...

Mobile Massage Team to Exhibit at Penjerdel Employee Benefits and Compensation Association (PEBA) 27th Annual Forum.
May 2, 2009... The Mobile Massage Team (www.mobilemassageteam.com), a leading provider of on-site seated massage services for corporate wellness programs, promotional events, and special affairs, announced that the company will be exhibiting at the Penjerdel...

Medifast Weight Control Center Opens in Austin, TX.
May 2, 2009... Medifast, Inc. (NYSE:MED) announced the grand opening of its newest Medifast Weight Control Center in Austin, Tx. The new Medifast Weight Control Center is located at The Shops at Arbor Trails, 4301 W. William Cannon, Bldg. B. Suite 226,...

Weight Watchers(R) Kicks Off Spring by Urging People to Get Moving With 'The Momentum(TM) Walk-It Challenge'.
May 2, 2009... Weight Watchers announced the launch of The Momentum Walk-It Challenge, encouraging members to take a major step towards integrating more physical activity into their lives. Between April 12 and June 6 Weight Watchers members and Online...

Physicians Wellness Network Offers Online Laboratory Testing Services On Google Health.
May 2, 2009... Physicians Wellness Network (PWN), the developer of webLAB, the first online consumer portal that connects consumers to laboratory testing services in a medically and legally compliant manner, announced its integration with Google Health™....

XcelPlus Global Holdings Progresses with Board Development and Fuel Deliveries.
May 2, 2009... XcelPlus Global Holdings, Inc. (Pink Sheets: XPGH) announced it has established an advisory committee under the direction of Harrison Parrish to provide leadership in the selection of board members and management. Parrish co-founded and was...

Scientists develop method for comprehensive proteome analysis.
May 9, 2009... Investigators at Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have deciphered a large percentage of the total protein complement (proteome) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe (S. pombe) fission yeast (see also Burnham Institute). Laurence...

Researchers discover that gene switches on during development of epilepsy.
May 9, 2009... A discovery made by researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine while studying mice may help explain how some people without a genetic predisposition to epilepsy can develop the disorder (see also Wake Forest University Baptist...

Data on arthroplasty reported by R.B. Aburajab and co-researchers.(Report)
May 9, 2009... "The aim of this study was to assess patterns of weight loss/gain following total hip or knee joint replacement. Four hundred and fifty primary lower limb arthroplasty patients, where the current surgery was the last limiting factor to improved...

Data from Chinese University of Hong Kong advance knowledge in bariatrics.
May 9, 2009... According to a study from Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, "In Hong Kong, obesity and its associated co-morbidities are increasingly becoming a health and societal burden. Conservative weight management therapy is ineffective in...

Findings from Case Western Reserve University in bariatrics reported.
May 9, 2009... "Revisional bariatric surgery may be necessary due to inadequate weight loss or postoperative complications of the primary operation. We sought to identify the reasons for revision, characteristics of the surgery, and outcomes," scientists...

Findings in obesity reported from University of California, Medical Department.
May 9, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "The objective of this article is to assess whether a brief dietary screener designed to assess fast-food and beverage consumption in a primarily white, adolescent population, is also valid...

New Alzheimer disease study findings recently were published by researchers at University of Texas.
May 9, 2009... "Alterations in cellular cholesterol synthesis or content in cultured neurons affect the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein to amyloidogenic A beta(40) and A beta(42) peptides characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. To determine whether a...

Studies from C.Y. Ng et al in the area of anesthesia described.(Report)
May 9, 2009... According to a study from Scotland, " The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) followed by early physiotherapy in treating frozen shoulder syndrome. In a prospective trial conducted between 26th...

New aneurysm study results from H. Koffijberg et al described.
May 9, 2009... "The effects of variation in disease progression between individuals on the effectiveness of screening have been assessed extensively in the literature. For several diseases, progression may also vary within individuals over time," scientists...

Research data from P. Gao and colleagues update understanding of angiotensins.(Report)
May 9, 2009... "Excessive proliferation of vascular smooth cells (VSMCs) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of diverse vascular disorders, and inhibition of VSMCs proliferation has been proved to be beneficial to these diseases. In this study, we...

Research from INSERM has provided new data on arthritis.
May 9, 2009... In this recently published article, scientists in Lyon, France conducted a study "To analyze a population-based cohort of women in order to establish normal values of joint space width (JSW) and to evaluate the existence of age-related joint...

Researchers from Boston University describe findings in arthritis.
May 9, 2009... In this recent study, researchers in the United States conducted a study "To explore, using recent data, whether and how risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) work disability may differ from previous studies. Subjects were 953 individuals...

Studies from Southwest University update current data on bardet-biedl syndrome.
May 9, 2009... In this recent study, researchers in Chongqing, People's Republic of China conducted a study "To describe the clinical features of and identify a novel mutation in Bardet-Biedl syndrome 7 gene (BBS7) in a Chinese family. Nineteen individuals...

Studies from I. Atroshi and colleagues yield new information about carpal tunnel syndrome.
May 9, 2009... "To develop a psychometrically appropriate brief symptoms measure of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Preoperative CTS 11-item symptom severity and 8-item functional status scales from 693 patients (71% women) with CTS were subjected to...

Data on chest pain described by C. Colwell et al.
May 9, 2009... "Rates of compliance with evidence-based treatment guidelines are commonly used to evaluate hospital quality of care. This method of quality assessment has not been widely extended to the prehospital environment," researchers in the United...

Findings from J.L. Beales and co-researchers advance knowledge in chronic disease.
May 9, 2009... According to a study from the United States, "In response to the anticipated growth of the veteran population with chronic disabling diseases, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established Home Based Primary Care (HBPC). This article...

Wuhan University publishes research in coronavirus.
May 9, 2009... According to recent research from Wuhan, People's Republic of China, "The N7-methylguanosine (m7G) cap is the defining structural feature of eukaryotic mRNAs. Most eukaryotic viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm, including coronaviruses,...

Research results from Chang-Gung University update understanding of dermatofibrosarcoma.
May 9, 2009... According to a study from Taiwan, "Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is an uncommon, locally aggressive but rarely metastasizing tumor of the deep dermis and Subcutaneous tissue. It may occur at almost any site but is most common in the trunk and...

Studies conducted at Trinity College, Medical Department on DNA research recently published.
May 9, 2009... According to recent research published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research, "The Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and its close relative Salmonella enterica have made important contributions historically to our understanding of how...

New ectopic pregnancy study findings reported from K. Lautmann and co-authors.
May 9, 2009... According to recent research from Hannover, Germany, "Although spontaneous simultaneous intrauterine and ectopic pregnancy was an extremely rare event in the past, it is increasingly being diagnosed since the rate of assisted reproduction...

Research from Y. Qvarnstrom et al broadens understanding of encephalitis.
May 9, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Pathogenic free-living amoebae, such as Acanthamoeba species, Balamuthia mandrillaris, and Naegleria fowleri, are known to cause infections of the central nervous system in human and other...

Research from Queen's University yields new findings on enzyme research.
May 9, 2009... "Thrombomodulin (TM) increases the catalytic efficiency of thrombin (IIa)-mediated activation of thrombin-activable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) 1250-fold. Negatively charged residues of the C-loop of TM-EGF-like domain 3 are required for TAFI...

Research reports on enzyme research from University of Rochester provide new insights.
May 9, 2009... According to recent research from the United States, "Xe-129 NMR biosensors are promising agents for early disease detection, especially when their interactions with target biomolecules can perturb Xe-129 chemical shifts well beyond the typical...

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University report on findings in enzyme research.
May 9, 2009... "Escherichia coli polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) primarily functions in RNA degradation. It is an exoribonuclease and integral component of the multienzyme RNA degradosome complex [Carpousis et al. (1994) Cell 76, 889]," researchers in...

Research from University of Alberta in the area of Escherichia coli described.
May 9, 2009... According to a study from Edmonton, Canada, "The Cpx two-component signal transduction pathway of Escherichia coli mediates adaptation to envelope protein misfolding. However, there is experimental evidence that at least 50 genes in 34 operons...