Studies and Analyses

Scientists who developed the first yeast model of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been able to describe the mechanisms of an important gene’s role in the disease. Tiago Fleming Outeiro, Ph.D., and Susan Lindquist, Ph.D., of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, studied the gene’s actions under normal conditions and under abnormal conditions to learn how and when the gene’s product, alpha-synuclein, becomes harmful to surrounding cells. The scie

With the holidays come the traditions of sharing meals, desserts and treats with family, friends and co-workers. But the need to reduce the amount of food we consume daily – during the holiday season and throughout the year — has acquired a greater sense of urgency in the wake of America’s obesity epidemic. As scientists look for ways to help us battle the bulge, a new study suggests that our own hormonal makeup may offer promising clues. A team of researchers has tested the hypothesis that gastri

For the first time, researchers have used functional magnectic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate infantbrain activity in response to speech. They found that, almost from birth, the brain’s left hemisphere plays the leading role in processing most language functions. Presented Dec. 2 at the 89th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), these preliminary findings challenge the previously held belief that left-hemisphere dominance doesn’

Echinacea is not effective in shortening the duration or decreasing the severity of upper respiratory tract infections in children, according to a study in the December 3 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are a significant health burden in childhood, according to background information in the article. The average child has six to eight colds each year, each lasting seven to nine days. While children are frequently give

The type of nappies mothers use in the maternity ward may influence the type they continue to use for their baby, according to a new study by the University of Surrey, funded by SITA Environmental Trust.

The Environmental Psychology Research Group at the University partnered the Maternity Unit at East Surrey Hospital and Cotton Bottoms Nappy Laundry Service to give parents the chance to use cotton nappies at the hospital after giving birth. Some also took the opportunity to try Cotton Bott

A pilot study on people terrified of heights showed that that an existing prescription pill helped to “dramatically reduce” their fear, reports Chemistry & Industry Magazine. In principle, the drug could be used to treat fear of spiders, needles, flying or any other kind of phobia, as well as post-traumatic stress and obsessive compulsive disorder. It might also be used to help people cope with their fears when they learn to to ski, skydive or any other activity which makes us scared.

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