The compound 7,8-dihydroxyflavone mimics BDNF, one of the brain's own growth factors, and can protect brain cells against damage in animal models of seizure, stroke and Parkinson's disease. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone is a member of a family of antioxidant compounds naturally found in foods ranging from cherries to soybeans.

On trial for first-degree murder for the shooting of abortion provider George Tiller, defendant Scott Roeder admitted on the witness stand Thursday to purchasing a gun, taking target practice, studying the doctor's schedule and, ultimately, fatally shooting him in his Kansas church on May 31, 2009, the New York Times reports. "I did what I thought was needed to be done to protect the children. I shot him," Roeder told the court, adding, "If I didn't do it, the babies were going to die" (Davey, New York Times, 1/29). Sedgwick County, Kan...

UNAIDS strongly applauds today's announcement by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to invest USD 10 billion into research and development of vaccines over the next 10 years. The announcement, made at the World Economic Forum in Davos, is a welcome step forward in commitment to vaccine research, however large gaps in funding for the research and development of vaccines still remain. "The best hope for ending the AIDS epidemic lies in a developing a vaccine," said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS...

Effective January 31, 2010, equine owners, intending to sell animals directly or indirectly to Canadian meat processors, are being advised to record certain information. Equine owners who wish to keep their sale options open should record all vaccines, medications given (administered or fed) to their animals and record any occurrence of illness in their animals...

As Olympians push their bodies to the extreme during the upcoming Winter Games in Vancouver, professional and amateur sports enthusiasts alike will be watching their favorite televised sports. Olympic athletes train year round for these Games, and have to balance strength, endurance and stamina throughout the duration of their featured games, while recreational athletes among us may be pushing their body to the limits while skiing, sledding and snowboarding...

Heart disease is the single leading cause of death for American women. Nearly twice as many women in the United States die of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases than from all forms of cancer, including breast cancer. Dr. Karla Kurrelmeyer, a cardiologist at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center in Houston, focuses on research and treatment of women with heart disease. Kurrelmeyer is somewhat unique among practicing cardiologists, not only because her focus is on female heart health, but also because she is a woman. Less than 20 percent of cardiologists in the U...

People who are obese and have type 2 diabetes in their 20s will be at higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke in their 40s if they do not change their lifestyle. ""If your blood pressure is 136/88 and you're a man with a waist over 40 or a woman with a waist over 35 it spells trouble," said Dr. Dale J. Hamilton, diabetes clinical services chief at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. "These are two of the five symptoms of metabolic syndrome, a problem that can lead to type 2 diabetes. All you need is three to begin seeing increased atherosclerosis...

Jim Cunningham, MP for Coventry South, and the Right Honourable Kevin Barron, MP for Rother Valley, were announced as winners of the Diabetes UK Parliamentary Champion Award at the House of Commons on Wednesday 27 January. The eight nominations for the award were announced throughout 2009 and the winners were chosen by Diabetes UK campaigners, staff and website visitors. The award aims to recognise politicians who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in raising awareness of diabetes in Parliament...

Shark attack! These words can send waves of fear through the public and often guarantee prominent coverage in the news media - even if the bite is little more than a scratch. To better communicate the actual severity of the bite, University of Florida researchers have created a grading scale, similar to how burn severity is ranked by degrees. The new scale is detailed in this month's The American Surgeon...

The University of Queensland has joined a consortium trialling a new support program for families caring for relatives with mental illness. The Manager of UQ's Research Centre for Youth Substance Abuse, Dr Angela White, said families in this situation often experienced significant levels of emotional and practical stress, trauma, anxiety, disruption and strain. She said more family members were needed to take part in trialling the new program entitled "Family Connections" and funded by Rotary Health Australia...