Archive for May 1st, 2012
White House releases “Bioeconomy Blueprint”
May 1st, 2012 | 
Author: The Obama administration's strategy to spur growth in the U.S. biomedical industry includes prioritizing high-risk/high-reward research, offering prizes for innovation, encouraging collaboration between corporations and universities to move products from the lab to the market, and streamlining the regulatory process. Some of the programs cited in the report are under way, and the White House does not commit to any "grand challenges."
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As America’s waistline expands, costs soar
U.S. hospitals are ripping out wall-mounted toilets and replacing them with floor models to better support obese patients. The Federal Transit Administration wants buses to be tested for the impact of heavier riders on steering and braking. Cars are burning nearly a billion gallons of gasoline more a year than if passengers weighed what they did in 1960.
Reuters
Reuters
Possible Way to spot breast cancer years in advance
A genetic test could help predict breast cancer many years before the disease is diagnosed, experts hope.
Ultimately the findings, in the journal Cancer Research, could lead to a simple blood test to screen women, they say.
Mothers’ Stress Could Cause Iron Deficiency in Newborns
Stress experienced by a mother during the first trimester of pregnancy can lead to iron deficiency in her newborn, putting the infant at risk for physical and mental development delays, a new study says.
To lose beer belly, first quit beer
A U.S. sports medicine doctor says people who want to lose a beer belly before summer arrives should first stop drinking beer.
Study finds link between celiac disease and migraine
A study presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology found that the prevalence of migraine was higher among patients with celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or self-classified gluten-sensitivity. The findings suggest that patients suffering from migraine, especially those with treatment-resistant headaches, should be screened for celiac disease, researchers wrote.
“Broken Heart” Syndrome Etiology?
When subjected to stress, the coronary arteries of men and women react differently, potentially putting women at greater risk of adverse events, according to Chester A. Ray, PhD, and colleagues from Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.
Using 17 healthy adults (eight women), the researchers measured baseline heart rate, blood pressure, and coronary blood flow, and then subjected the participants to mental arithmetic, which included verbal interruptions to increase stress, and measured their vitals again.
There were no differences in heart rate and blood pressure of either sex under stress. However, coronary blood flow increased in men but not in women. The results could explain why women tend to have more heart troubles after stressful events, such as losing a spouse, researchers said in a statement.