When I think of NASA, I think trips to space, landing on the moon, work at the space station, all things way above the Earth’s surface. I don’t think of NASA as being the experts on handling situations below the Earth’s surface. As it turns out, experts from NASA are just the people to help … Read more
My friend’s 6-year-old daughter wanted to be Bobby Flay one morning and created a new snack: tomato with yogurt and sprinkles. I love the fact that this little girl got an idea in her head and created a brand new snack all on her own. Hey producers of The Next Food Network Star – she … Read more
A chemical that rid mice of malaria-causing parasites after a single oral dose may eventually become a new malaria drug if further tests in animals and people uphold the promise of early findings. The compound, NITD609, was developed by an international team of researchers including Elizabeth A. Winzeler, Ph.D., a grantee of the National Institute … Read more
An international consortium today published a third-generation map of human genetic variation, called the HapMap, which includes data from an additional seven global populations, increasing the total number to 11 populations. The improved resolution will help researchers interpret current genome studies aimed at finding common and rarer genetic variants associated with complex diseases. Find good … Read more
On average, a lower blood pressure goal was no better than the standard blood pressure goal at slowing progression of kidney disease among African-Americans who had chronic kidney disease resulting from high blood pressure, according to results of the African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK), the largest and longest study of chronic kidney … Read more
A molecular test designed to easily diagnose tuberculosis (TB) and detect a drug-resistant form of the bacterium that causes TB can provide much more specific, sensitive and rapid results than currently available TB diagnostics, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. In a test involving 1,730 patients with suspected drug-sensitive … Read more
On this 9th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, we remember those who were killed. Visit USA.gov for updated information about memorials in New York, Washington, and Shanksville.
From time to time, I like to eat only foods that are orange. It was something I started in college. I know it sounds odd, but this just happens to be my only odd habit. The rest of the time, I am completely normal. Recently it was orange food day for me, so I was … Read more
A new nationwide research initiative has been launched to define changes in the human immune system, using human and not animal studies, in response to infection or to vaccination. Six U. S.-based Human Immune Phenotyping Centers will receive a total of $100 million over five years to conduct this research.
A study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and the University of Oxford supports the widespread belief that stress may reduce a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant. The study is the first of its kind to document, among women without a history of fertility problems, an association between high levels of a substance … Read more
Having a drink now and then as you get older is not usually thought to be harmful, but alcohol can be a problem for older adults, especially if they take certain medications, have health problems or don’t control their drinking. Alcohol Use and Older Adults, http://nihseniorhealth.gov/alcoholuse/toc.html, the newest topic on NIHSeniorHealth, provides helpful information about … Read more
A new Web resource providing people with the latest science-based information on bone health and bone disease is available through the NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases — National Resource Center (NRC). The site is www.bones.nih.gov.
A week after Jess’s post on preparing for storms, a major thunderstorm came through my neighborhood. One neighbor who was at home said it reminded him of hurricanes he lived through in Florida. If the wind had blown in a slightly different direction, massive tree limbs would have hit my apartment, causing a lot of … Read more
Expanding on the success of its online Drug Facts Chat Day, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) today announced it is launching National Drug Facts Week, a new national awareness week designed to bring together teens and scientific experts to discuss the facts about drug abuse. NIDA is a component of the National Institutes … Read more
Using a new, rapid and less expensive DNA sequencing strategy, scientists have discovered genetic alterations that account for most cases of Kabuki syndrome, a rare disorder that causes multiple birth defects and mental retardation. Instead of sequencing the entire human genome, the new approach sequences just the exome, the 1-2 percent of the human genome … Read more
A newly formed advisory committee will develop and coordinate a strategic federal research agenda on environmental and genetic factors related to breast cancer. The 19-member Interagency Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Coordinating Committee (IBCERCC) was established by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), to review … Read more
Nearly 40 percent of people with major depression may also have subthreshold hypomania, a form of mania that does not fully meet current diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder, according to a new NIMH-funded study. The study was published online ahead of print August 15, 2010, in the American Journal of Psychiatry.