Research team discovers brain pathway responsible for obesity
University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, for the first time, have found a messaging system in the brain that directly affects food intake and body weight.
Tag: health & medicine
Family medicine increases visibility through YouTube channel
The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) has further broadened its online presence by launching an expanded channel, http://www.youtube.com/WIFamilyMedicine.
Can love change your mind? New project explores neuroscience of ‘positive qualities’
What is happening in the minds of people who have developed a greater capacity for forgiveness and compassion? Can a quality like love — whether it’s shown toward a family member or a friend — be neurologically measured in the brain? A new research project at UW–Madison offers the opportunity to apply hard science to these seemingly ethereal questions.
Professor tracks mosquitoes for the sake of public health
Under a cloud of mosquitoes on a muggy June morning, Susan Paskewitz sits down in the grass, rolls up her pant leg and extends her calf as bait.
The biology of obesity: Do these genes make me look fat?
Scientists are probing the complex relationship between our DNA and our diets to unravel the root causes of obesity. But for those seeking a simple solution to the worldwide fat epidemic, their answers may be hard to swallow.
Study: Surgical instrument size not suited to smaller hands
The concept of one size fits all works with many things—smocks, baseball caps and inner tubes. But not disposable laparoscopic surgical instruments. So say the results of a survey of general surgery residents conducted by a group that included two surgeons at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
New study shows persistence of anxiety
We all know people who are tense and nervous and can’t relax. They may have been wired differently since childhood.
Agent in red wine found to keep hearts young
How, scientists wonder, do the French get away with a clean bill of heart health despite a diet loaded with saturated fats?
Nobel laureate establishes symposium to inspire young scientists
As an undergraduate student at Oxford University in the 1940s, Oliver Smithies attended a series of lectures by Linus Pauling, one of the most influential chemists of the 20th century. It was a powerful experience, one that sparked the young scientist’s ambitions and helped launch his own eminent career.
Professor wins inaugural Schuster Prize
Timothy Kamp, a professor of medicine and physiology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, has been awarded the inaugural Schuster Prize for excellence in advancing cardiovascular medicine at the school.
Sweeping analysis of research reinforces media influence on women’s body image
As France’s parliament considers a landmark bill that would outlaw media images glamorizing the extremely thin, psychology researchers are reporting some of the most definitive findings yet on how these images affect women.
Wisconsin biomedical engineering students design meaningful medical solutions
When University of Wisconsin-Madison junior Claire Flanagan graduates in May 2009 with bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering (BME) and biochemistry, she might display her diploma next to an equally prestigious document: a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
UW study shows pomegranate juice may help fight lung cancer
Researchers are adding to the list of cancer types for which pomegranates seem to halt growth. A recent study at the University of Wisconsin–Madison using a mouse model shows that consuming pomegranates could potentially help reduce the growth and spread of lung cancer cells or even prevent lung cancer from developing.
Curiosities: Why do we dream?
Submitted by Rachel Furlow, 7th grade, Cherokee Middle School
Campus influenza cases on the rise
Since the beginning of February, there has been a marked increase in the number of students coming to University Health Services (UHS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with influenza-like illness and laboratory-confirmed influenza.
Unique whey protein is promising supplement for strict PKU diet
Individuals with a rare genetic condition known as phenylketonuria, or PKU, receive a difficult-to-follow prescription. They must severely limit their consumption of protein, completely avoiding mealtime staples such as meat, cheese and even bread. Not surprisingly, for many, diet is a constant struggle.
Bioethicist Fost debates use of steroids in sports
Norman Fost, professor in the departments of pediatrics and medical history and bioethics, and director of the Program in Bioethics, particpiated recently in an Intelligence Squared U.S. debate as an advocate for the motion “Should We Accept Steroid Use in Sports?”
Ebola virus disarmed by excising a single gene
The deadly Ebola virus, an emerging public health concern in Africa and a potential biological weapon, ranks among the most feared of exotic pathogens.
Study: Brain connections strengthen during waking hours, weaken during sleep
Most people know it from experience: After so many hours of being awake, your brain feels unable to absorb any more-and several hours of sleep will refresh it.
ACTION campaign recruits more than 450 treatment agencies
Since its launch in October 2007, the ACTION Campaign affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other national groups has already recruited more than 450 agencies to implement one of several simple changes in addiction treatment operations.