IQ Archives

More good cholesterol is not always good for health

More ‘good’ cholesterol is not always good for your health — HDL cholesterol can transform from good to bad actor in heart-disease process
– We’ve all heard about the importance of raising HDL, or the so-called “good” cholesterol, and lowering LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, to improve heart health. While we’ve come to assume HDL cholesterol is an inherently good thing, a new study shows that for a certain group of patients, this is not always the case.

Novel anti malarial drug candidate found

Novel anti-malarial drug candidate found by UT Southwestern researchers – As part of a multicenter study, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a series of chemical compounds that might serve as starting points for the identification of new classes of anti-malarial drugs.

Supercomputer can predict heart attack

3-D model of blood flow by supercomputer predicts heart attacks – EPFL Laboratory of Multiscale Modeling of Materials, in Switzerland, has developed a flowing 3D model of the cardiovascular system that should allow for predictions of certain heart diseases before they become dangerous.

New treatment targets for malaria released

Scientists release data on potential new treatment targets for malaria – International collaboration led by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital scientists identifies promising compounds for anti-malarial drug development and launches a database to share findings, advance fight against a leading killer of the world’s children

Obesity remains an economic issue in US

Obesity remains an economic issue, Seattle obesity study finds — UW researchers look at who buys what foods, why, where and at what cost – Ensuring access to healthy, affordable foods is a top priority in tackling the obesity epidemic in the United States. Over the course of the last six months, the Institute of Medicine, United States Department of Agriculture, The White House and First Lady Michelle Obama have taken an interest in improving access to affordable and nutritious foods.

Exercise may keep cancer patients healthier

Exercise may keep cancer patients healthier during, after treatment – Breast and prostate cancer patients who regularly exercise during and after cancer treatment report having a better quality of life and being less fatigued, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

New blood test to detect food allergies

MIT researchers develop better way to detect food allergies — New technique can analyze individual immune cells – About 30 percent of Americans believe they have food allergies. However, the actual number is far smaller, closer to 5 percent, according to a recent study commissioned by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Vaccine to help people quit smoking

MSU researchers testing vaccine to help people quit smoking — Novel approach blocks ‘pleasure sensation’ – In a unique twist to a decades-old health crisis, Michigan State University researchers are testing a new vaccine to help people quit smoking and avoid relapses.

Pesticides, chemicals, vitamin E linked to diabetes

New associations between diabetes, environmental factors found by novel Stanford analytic technique – Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that one should begin looking suspiciously at other aspects of life – like past exposure to certain pesticides or chemicals and even one form of vitamin E. This may lead to diabetes.

Eating nuts improve blood cholesterol levels

Eating nuts associated with improvements in cholesterol levels – Consuming more nuts appears to be associated with improvements in blood cholesterol levels, according to a pooled analysis of data from 25 trials reported in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Adolescent drinking adds to risk of breast disease breast cancer

Adolescent drinking adds to risk of breast disease, breast cancer – Girls and young women who drink alcohol increase their risk of benign (noncancerous) breast disease, says a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Harvard University.

Lasting lung damage in rescue workers from 9/11 WTC dust

FDNY rescue workers show lasting lung damage from 9/11 World Trade Center dust — 7-year follow-up shows persistent lung function decline with no meaningful recovery – A study of nearly 13,000 rescue workers from the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) shows that the significant proportion who suffered acute lung damage after exposure to World Trade Center (WTC) dust have not recovered normal lung function in the years since the September_11, 2001 terrorist attacks.