ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

Advanced thyroid cancer responds to targeted therapy with sunitinib Posted: 08 Mar 2015 09:45 AM PDT In patients with advanced thyroid cancer, sunitinib, a drug approved for treatment of several other cancers, showed significant cancer-fighting activity t, a new phase 2 clinical trial has found.

Decreased sexual activity, desire may lead to decline in serum testosterone in older men Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:14 AM PDT In older men, decreased sexual activity and desire, not erectile dysfunction, may cause serum testosterone to decline, a new study from Australia finds.

Female fetuses exposed to tobacco smoke may have increased diabetes risk in middle age Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:14 AM PDT A fetus exposed to tobacco smoke may be at increased risk for diabetes in adulthood, a new study of adult daughters finds.

Men's heart disease risk linked to high testosterone and low estrogen Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:14 AM PDT Why men have more heart disease than premenopausal women has been unclear, but a new study shows that the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen alter cardiovascular risk factors in a way that raises a man's risk of heart disease.

High need for treatment of transgender youth Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:14 AM PDT A new study has confirmed that transgender youth often have mental health problems and that their depression and anxiety improve greatly with recognition and treatment of gender dysphoria.

Liraglutide may help overweight and obese adults lose weight safely and effectively Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:14 AM PDT Obesity guidelines recommend an initial weight loss goal of 5 to 10 percent of start weight to improve health. A recent study found that patients who received liraglutide 3.0 mg, combined with fewer calories and more physical activity, were more than twice as likely to achieve at least that level of weight loss, compared to patients on placebo who made similar lifestyle changes.

Sleep apnea is common in women with gestational diabetes Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:13 AM PDT Obstructive sleep apnea is prevalent in obese, pregnant Asian women with gestational diabetes, even when their diabetes is controlled by diet, a new study from Thailand finds. Study results also connect the severity of sleep disordered breathing with higher blood glucose (sugar) levels and greater daytime sleepiness.

Testosterone nasal gel works best at three doses a day, study finds Posted: 08 Mar 2015 06:13 AM PDT A new testosterone nasal gel raises men's low testosterone levels to normal, with few side effects, according to the results of a phase 3 clinical trial.

Study investigates conflict of interest in biomedical research proposals Posted: 06 Mar 2015 03:17 PM PST New research found that peer review managers play an important role in identifying potential conflicts of interest in biomedical research grant peer reviews.

Quitting smoking has favorable metabolic effects Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:25 AM PST People who quit smoking have improved metabolic effects, a new study finds. Study results showed that smoking cessation over 8 weeks was associated with a slight and transient worsening of central fat distribution, followed by a larger, favorable reversal over subsequent months. Over 24 weeks, hepatic glucose output improved in relation to lifestyle changes, weight change correlated directly with reduced nicotine metabolites, and reduced carbon monoxide and/or nicotine metabolites correlated with increased glucose uptake and utilization of carbohydrate substrates as the preferred metabolic fuel.

Obese females who are most unlikely to lose weight are most in need of losing it Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:24 AM PST In obese females, a close relationship may exist between their disinhibition (detrimental eating and behavioral characteristics) that limits successful weight loss, and impaired metabolism, new research shows.

Irregular sleeping pattern may affect how teens eat Posted: 05 Mar 2015 05:59 PM PST A sleep study of teenagers found that greater variability in day-to-day sleep habits was associated with higher calories consumed throughout the day. Teens with higher sleep variability also tended to eat more snacks at night.

Fast food commercials to kids 'deceptive' by industry self-regulation standards Posted: 05 Mar 2015 12:18 PM PST Fast food ads aimed at kids fail to de-emphasize toy premiums, and fail to emphasize healthy menu items, investigators have found.