Among individuals with mild cognitive impairment, often considered a transitional state between normal cognitive function and Alzheimer`s dementia, those who have more difficulties performing routine activities appear more likely to progress quickly to dementia, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Mild cognitive impairment is re...

The Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the only human polyomavirus known to be associated with a rare skin cancer, known as Merkel cell carcinoma, according to a new study published online September 23 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The majority of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma carry MCPyV, but little is known about the polyomavirus` prevalence in the general population an...

Parolees with a gambling habit may resort to criminal activities and substance abuse when they are released from prison if there are few community supports to help them re-integrate, a University of Alberta study has concluded. Gambling is prevalent in prisons and the study found that even inmates not habituated to the pastime before incarceration can acquire a taste for it they`re unable to shake...

Individuals whose occupation involves contact with pesticides appear to have an increased risk of having Parkinson`s disease, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The development of Parkinson`s disease related to chemical exposure was identified in the late 20th century, according to background information in the article. Since t...

Growing evidence shows that exposure to lead in the environment is associated with cardiovascular disease, including increased risk of hypertension. However, those studies have looked at lead concentrations in blood, not bone lead, a better indicator of cumulative lead exposure over time. In a new study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Michigan Schoo...

Researchers from the University of Sydney, Australia determined that patients with a sedentary lifestyle who engage in routine physical activities lower their risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The lower risk of problems associated with fatty liver was not contingent upon weight loss, but a direct result from the increased aerobic exercise. The results of this study are published in...

For her PhD thesis, a researcher studied the genetic profiles of 175 cases of patients suffering from celiac illness, in order to determine which genes are related to the disease and to study diagnostic methods. The objective of this research was to identify the genes associated with celiac disease. The author of the PhD thesis is Ms Itziar Zubillaga Azpiroz. Her thesis was entitled, "Molecul...

A study in the Sept.1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the sleep-wake activity rhythms of breast cancer patients are impaired during the administration of chemotherapy. Results indicate that the first cycle of chemotherapy is associated with a temporary disruption of these rhythms, while repeated administration of chemotherapy results in progressively worse and more enduring impairments. Duri...

A study in the Sept.1 issue of the journal SLEEP shows that current or past exposure to workplace bullying is associated with increased sleep disturbances. Associations also were found between observed bullying and sleep disruption, indicating that bullying has detrimental effects even when it is experienced indirectly. The study shows a high prevalence of workplace bullying, with 11 percent of wo...