Health & Medicine : Science World Report

May 11, 2012 08:35 AM EDT

Fish Tied to Lower Colon Cancer Risk: Study

People who eat plenty of fish may have a lower risk of colon and rectal cancers, a new report suggests.

May 10, 2012 03:54 PM EDT

3-D Image Guided Brachytherapy Helps Avoid Hysterectomies for Cervical Cancer Patients

Delivering radiotherapy directly to cancer of the cervix using 3-D imaging techniques is effective at controlling the return and spread of the disease and, in most cases, avoids the need for hysterectomies, according to research presented at the World Congress of Brachytherapy [1 & 2] today (Thursda...

May 10, 2012 03:47 PM EDT

HPV-positive Throat Cancer Patients Respond Better to Radiotherapy Alone than HPV-negative Patients

New findings from a large Danish database of cancer patients suggest that, even though the human papilloma virus (HPV) can trigger throat cancer, patients who are HPV-positive and are light smokers, or don't smoke at all, have a good response to treatment using radiotherapy alone, without the additi...

May 10, 2012 02:32 PM EDT

Researchers Use Light to Switch on Gene Expression

Imagine being able to control genetic expression by flipping a light switch. Researchers at North Carolina State University are using light-activated molecules to turn gene expression on and off. Their method enables greater precision when studying gene function, and could lead to targeted therapies...

May 10, 2012 01:59 PM EDT

Discovery of a Gene that Causes Joubert Syndrome

C5ORF42 was identified as the gene that causes Joubert Syndrome in a number of families in the Lower St. Lawrence region of Quebec where the causal gene had remained unknown since the initial description of the syndrome in 1969. This is what a study in the April issue of The American Journal of Huma...

May 10, 2012 12:31 PM EDT

Discovery in Cell Signaling Could Help Fight Against Melanoma

The human body does a great job of generating new cells to replace dead ones but it is not perfect. Cells need to communicate with or signal to each other to decide when to generate new cells. Communication or signaling errors in cells lead to uncontrolled cell growth and are the basis of many cance...

May 10, 2012 10:26 AM EDT

Scripps Florida Scientists Identify Neurotranmitters that Lead to Forgetting

While we often think of memory as a way of preserving the essential idea of who we are, little thought is given to the importance of forgetting to our wellbeing, whether what we forget belongs in the "horrible memories department" or just reflects the minutia of day-to-day living.

May 10, 2012 08:12 AM EDT

Global Summit on International Breast Health To Open in Vienna

The Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) and the IAEA, through its Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT), are jointly organizing the 5th Global Summit on International Breast Health and Cancer Control which opens in Vienna on 3 October 2012.

May 09, 2012 04:23 PM EDT

It's a Trap! New Laboratory Technique Captures MicroRNA Targets

Human cells are thought to produce thousands of different microRNAs (miRNAs)-small pieces of genetic material that help determine which genes are turned on or off at a given time. miRNAs are an important part of normal cellular function, but they can also contribute to human disease-some are elevate...

May 09, 2012 04:11 PM EDT

Babies' Brains Benefit from Music Lessons, Researchers Find

After completing the first study of its kind, researchers at McMaster University have discovered that very early musical training benefits children even before they can walk or talk.

May 09, 2012 02:10 PM EDT

Advanced Genetic Screening Method May Speed Vaccine Development

Infectious diseases-both old and new-continue to exact a devastating toll, causing some 13 million fatalities per year around the world.

May 09, 2012 01:07 PM EDT

Research Shows How Cannabis Use during Adolescence Affects Brain Regions Associated with Schizophrenia

New research from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) published in Nature Publishing Groups Neuropsychopharmacology has shown physical changes to exist in specific brain areas implicated in schizophrenia following the use of cannabis during adolescence.