Category Health & Wellness
Genome study places modern humans in the evolutionary fast lane
Countering a common theory that human evolution has slowed to a crawl or even stopped in modern humans, a new study by UW–Madison researchers examining data from an international genomics project describes the past 40,000 years as a time of supercharged evolutionary change.
Katen-Bahensky named president and CEO of UW Hospital and Clinics
Donna Katen-Bahensky, CEO at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and senior associate vice president for medical affairs at University of Iowa Health Care since 2002, has been named president and CEO of University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. She will join the hospital effective Feb. 4, 2008.
Health toll of climate change seen as ethical crisis
The public health costs of global climate change are likely to be the greatest in those parts of the world that have contributed least to the problem, posing a significant ethical dilemma for the developed world, according to a new study.
UW center will lead efforts to expand farm-to-school programs in Midwest
The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has been named as lead agency in a six-state area for a new national program to encourage schools to serve more locally grown food.
Primate study shows excess vitamin A can be stored during fetal development
A new University of Wisconsin–Madison study suggests that pregnant women who take some types of vitamin supplements or eat fortified foods may be passing excess vitamin A to their developing fetuses. Reported in the October issue of the Journal of Comparative Medicine, the finding could guide efforts to develop future formulations of vitamins.
Researchers identify key step bird flu virus takes to spread readily in humans
Since it first appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, the H5N1 avian flu virus has been slowly evolving into a pathogen better equipped to infect humans. The final form of the virus, biomedical researchers fear, will be a highly pathogenic strain of influenza that spreads easily among humans.
Study shows autism symptoms can improve into adulthood
Hallmarks of autism are characteristic behaviors - repetitive motions, problems interacting with others, impaired communication abilities - that occur in widely different combinations and degrees of severity among those who have the condition.
Hormone-driven effects on eating, stress mediated by same brain region
A hormone system linked to reducing food consumption appears to do so by increasing stress-related behaviors, according to a new study.
Study reveals possible genetic risk for fetal alcohol disorders
New research in primates suggests that infants and children who carry a certain gene variant may be more vulnerable to the ill effects of fetal alcohol exposure.
UW Badgers, farmers enjoy benefits of whey sports drink
When the University of Wisconsin football Badgers take the field this fall, they will have a secret weapon behind them: Wisconsin's dairy cows.
Study: Negative views of grief counseling are not substantiated by research
A new report finds that, despite frequent claims to the contrary, there is no empirical or statistical evidence to suggest that grief counseling is harmful to clients, or that clients who are "normally" bereaved are at special risk if they receive grief counseling, according to a new look at the scientific literature on grief counseling.
‘Operation Quit Tobacco’ helps 300 Wisconsin soldiers, veterans
Smoking rates among military personnel are up, but an innovative Wisconsin program is helping them quit smoking or chewing tobacco.
Veterinarians embrace opportunity for public-health training
UW-Madison's new master of public health program is opening opportunities for students in all areas of health, including veterinary medicine.
Book explores history, causes of allergy and asthma epidemic
Why is it that actions we think will improve a situation more often than not make it worse?
Study puts us one step closer to understanding the function of sleep
Sleep remains one of the big mysteries in biology. All animals sleep, and people who are deprived of sleep suffer physically, emotionally and intellectually. But nobody knows how sleep restores the brain.
Dieting meets DNA: Nutrition gets personal in new studies
Ushering nutritional science into the biotech age, UW–Madison researchers are exploring the complex interactions between food and genes to uncover new modes of disease prevention, drug development and, eventually, personalized diet advice tailored to one’s DNA.