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Audio Reports
Specific variations or mutations in a particular can gene raise a man’s risk of familial, or inherited, testicular germ-cell cancer, the most common form of this disease. This is only the second gene to be identified that affects the risk of familial testicular cancer, and the first gene in a key biochemical pathway.
Researchers developed a program called "Strong African American Families" to help rural African American 11-year-olds avoid such risky behaviors as drinking, smoking marijuana, and sexual activity. DNA test results showed some youths carried a gene found to increase the risk of substance use. Teens who had the gene but didn’t participate in the program were almost twice as likely to have engaged in the risky behaviors as teens who had the gene and took part in the SAAF program.
Your immune system plays an important function in your health—it protects you against viruses, bacteria, and other toxins that can cause disease. In autoinflammatory diseases, however, the immune system goes awry, causing unprovoked and dangerous inflammation. Now, researchers have discovered a new autoinflammatory syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects children around the time of birth.
Sarcoidosis is a multi-systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown cause, and has no cure. Sarcoidosis affects people of all ages and races; however, it's more common among women than men, and among African Americans and those of Asian, German, Irish, Puerto Rican and Scandinavian origin. In the U.S., the disease affects African Americans somewhat more often and more severely than whites. Currently, there are several NIH-funded studies recruiting volunteers for studies on sarcoidosis.
This study reveals that low-key and attention-grabbing anti-smoking PSAs stimulate different patterns of activity in smokers’ brains; and that smokers are more likely to remember seeing the low-key PSAs than the attention-grabbing ones.
The National Institutes of Health is launching its first drug development pipeline to produce new treatments for rare and neglected diseases. With a new program specifically intended to stimulate research collaborations, NIH is hoping to take the risk out of making drugs that are often less profitable.
The health of our skin—one of the body’s first lines of defense against illness and injury—depends upon the delicate balance between our own cells and the millions of bacteria and other one-celled microbes that live on its surface. To better understand this balance, National Institutes of Health researchers have set out to explore the skin’s microbiome, which is all of the DNA, or genomes, of all of the microbes that inhabit human skin. Their initial analysis, published recently in the journal Science, reveals that our skin is home to a much wider array of bacteria than previously thought.
A recent study has found that citalopram, a medication commonly prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), was no more effective than placebo treatment for these children.
For the first time, a combination of aspirin and the anti-platelet drug dipyridamole has been shown to significantly reduce blockages and extend the useful life of new artery-vein access grafts used for hemodialysis, according to a study by the Dialysis Access Consortium (DAC).
"Older Adults and Alcohol: You Can Get Help" is a new, easy-to-read booklet from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Written for older adults and their families, friends, and caregivers, this publication answers questions and provides ways to find help.
An international research team has identified a number of unsuspected genetic variants associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and hypertension (high blood pressure), suggesting potential avenues of investigation for the prevention or treatment of hypertension.
A new study indicates there may be yet another reason to reduce childhood obesity—may help prevent allergies.
Pre-diabetes is a condition in which a person’s blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Findings show that modest weight loss can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The National Institutes of Health's We Can! program has partnered with Subway Restaurants to help promote effective ways for parents and their children to maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity.
A major cause of melanoma is thought to be overexposure to the sun. The ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can damage DNA and lead to cancer-causing genetic changes in skin cells. New genetic analysis of key group of enzymes may pave way for more individualized treatments.
May is Healthy Vision Month, a national eye health observance.
Influenza, or flu, is a respiratory infection caused by several
flu viruses. Pandemic flu refers to particularly virulent strains
of flu that spread rapidly from person to person to create a
world-wide epidemic (pandemic).
A new Web site and booklet from the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) could help many people reduce their
risk for alcohol problems. Called Rethinking Drinking, the new
materials present evidence-based information about risky drinking
patterns, the alcohol content of drinks, and the signs of an
alcohol problem, along with resources to help people who choose
to cut back or quit drinking. 
 FREE MP3 audio reports from the National Institutes of Health, your reliable health information source. Questions? Contact: This page was last reviewed on
July 1, 2009
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