ScienceDaily: Top Health News

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/top_news/top_health/ Top health stories, featured on ScienceDaily's home page.en-usMon, 19 Nov 2012 21:47:13 ESTMon, 19 Nov 2012 21:47:13 EST60http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gifhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/top_news/top_health/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163703.htm Researchers have found that children born to mothers who smoked more than one pack per day during pregnancy struggled on tests designed to measure how accurately a child reads aloud and comprehends what they read.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:37:37 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163703.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163659.htm Scientists have pinpointed a key factor controlling damage to brain cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease. The discovery could lead to new targets for Parkinson's that may be useful in preventing the actual condition.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:36:36 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163659.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163506.htm Researchers have shown that a real-time tracking technique can better predict and track tumor motion and deliver higher levels of radiation to lung cancer patients and others with moving tumor targets, and also successfully be implemented into existing clinical equipment.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:35:35 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163506.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163337.htm One of the first studies to compare patients who see their doctors in person to those who receive care through the Internet, known as an e-visit, underscores both the promise and the pitfalls of this technology. Researchers found that patients who used e-visits for sinusitis and urinary tract infections (UTIs) were no more likely to need follow-up care than those who saw doctors in person.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:33:33 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163337.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163331.htm Pregnant women who have higher levels of vitamin D in their blood may have a lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis than women with lower levels, while their babies may not see the same protective effect, according to a new study.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:33:33 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163331.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163301.htm DNA sequences obtained from a handful of patients with multiple sclerosis have revealed the existence of an ?immune exchange? that allows the disease-causing cells to move in and out of the brain.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:33:33 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119163301.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151316.htm The first in-depth investigation of whether youthful happiness leads to greater wealth in later life reveals that, even allowing for other influences, happy adolescents are likely to earn more money as adults.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:13:13 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151316.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151314.htm New and powerful cells first created in the laboratory a year ago constitute a new stem-like state of adult epithelial cells with attributes that may make regenerative medicine truly possible. Researchers report that these new stem-like cells do not express the same genes as embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) do. That explains why they don't produce tumors when they grow in the laboratory, as the other stem cells do, and why they are stable, producing the kind of cells researchers want them to.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:13:13 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151314.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151308.htm Pluripotent stem cells are nature's double-edged sword. Because they can develop into a dizzying variety of cell types and tissues, they are a potentially invaluable therapeutic resource. However, that same developmental flexibility can lead to dangerous tumors called teratomas if the stem cells begin to differentiate out of control in the body.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:13:13 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151308.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151220.htm Hsp104, an enzyme from yeast, breaks up both amyloid fibrils and disordered clumps. For stable amyloid-type structures, Hsp104 needs all six of its subunits, which together make a hexamer, to pull the clumps apart. By contrast, for amorphous, non-amyloid clumps, Hsp104 required only one of its six subunits.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151220.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151218.htm Researchers report the successful use of a form of MRI to identify what appears to be a key biochemical marker for cognitive impairment in the brains of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). In follow-up experiments on mice with a rodent form of MS, researchers were able to use an experimental compound to manipulate that same marker and dramatically improve learning and memory.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 15:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119151218.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119140625.htm New research on posttraumatic stress disorder in soldiers challenges popular assumptions about the origins and trajectory of PTSD, providing evidence that traumatic experiences in childhood - not combat - may predict which soldiers develop the disorder.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:06:06 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119140625.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119132305.htm Researchers have developed what they call a one-size-fits-all polymer system that can be fabricated and then specialized to perform healing functions ranging from fighting infection to wound healing.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:23:23 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119132305.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119114300.htm Researchers have identified a genetic factor that prevents blockages from forming in blood vessels, a discovery that could lead to new therapies for cardiovascular diseases. Researchers found that a shortage of the genetic factor KLF4, which regulates endothelial cells lining the interior of blood vessels, makes the lining more prone to the buildup of plaque and fat deposits. Further, the deficiency made the blood vessel more susceptible to clot formation.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:43:43 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119114300.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119114249.htm A new tool for neuroscientists delivers a thousand pinpricks of light to individual neurons in the brain. The new 3-D "light switch", created by biologists and engineers, could one day be used as a neural prosthesis that could treat conditions such as Parkinson's and epilepsy by using gene therapy to turn individual brain cells on and off with light.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 11:42:42 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119114249.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119094512.htm Is there a link between the risk of breast cancer and the working environment? A new study provides further evidence on this previously neglected research topic, confirming that certain occupations do pose a higher risk of breast cancer than others, particularly those that expose the worker to potential carcinogens and endocrine disrupters.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 09:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119094512.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119094510.htm Can breast cancer cells? reaction to cancer drugs be predicted? The answer is yes. Researchers have developed a solution for predicting responses of breast cancer cells to a set of cancer drugs. The prediction is based on the genomic profiles of the cancer cells. Harnessing genomic profiles of cells in choosing the best treatment is considered the holy grail of personalized medicine.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 09:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119094510.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119093654.htm Addiction to pain medication is creating new challenges for physicians. Would you believe -- hydrocodone was the most prescribed drug in America in 2011?Mon, 19 Nov 2012 09:36:36 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121119093654.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141528.htm Bioengineers have isolated the neurons that carry split-second decisions to act from the higher brain to the brain stem. In doing so, they have provided insight into the causes of severe brain disorders such as depression.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141528.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141524.htm The prevailing wisdom has been that every cell in the body contains identical DNA. However, a new study of stem cells derived from the skin has found that genetic variations are widespread in the body's tissues, a finding with profound implications for genetic screening.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141524.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141520.htm Researchers have designed the fastest, most accurate algorithm yet for brain-implantable prosthetic systems that can help disabled people maneuver computer cursors with their thoughts. The algorithm's speed, accuracy and natural movement approach those of a real arm, and the system avoids the long-term performance degradations of earlier technologies.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141520.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141516.htm In a breakthrough for nanotechnology and multiple sclerosis (MS), a biodegradable nanoparticle delivers an antigen that tricks the immune system and halts MS in mice. The approach, the first that doesn't suppress the immune system, is being tested in a clinical trial for MS patients, but with white blood cells delivering the antigen. The nanoparticle is an easier, cheaper option and can be used in other immune-related diseases including Type 1 diabetes, food and airway allergies.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141516.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141432.htm Geneticists, pediatricians, surgeons and epidemiologists have identified two areas of the human genome associated with the most common form of non-syndromic craniosynostosis premature closure of the bony plates of the skull.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:14:14 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141432.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141408.htm An eating disorders research team has developed a successful bulimia nervosa therapy that can provide patients an alternative for treating this debilitating disorder.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:14:14 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141408.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141406.htm A virtual reality test might do a better job than pencil-and-paper tests of predicting whether a cognitive impairment will have real-world consequences. The test uses a computer-game-like virtual world and asks volunteers to navigate their ways through tasks such as delivering packages or running errands around town.Sun, 18 Nov 2012 14:14:14 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121118141406.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184658.htm A new discovery concerning a fundamental understanding about how DNA works will produce a "180-degree change in focus" for researchers who study how gene packaging regulates gene activity, including genes that cause cancer and other diseases.Sat, 17 Nov 2012 18:46:46 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184658.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184654.htm Psychological factors can have as much -- or more -- impact on pediatric chest pain as physical ones, a new study found recently. Psychologists discovered pediatric patients diagnosed with non-cardiac chest pain have higher levels of anxiety and depression than patients diagnosed with innocent heart murmurs -- the noise of normal turbulent blood flow in a structurally normal heart.Sat, 17 Nov 2012 18:46:46 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184654.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184551.htm Scientific studies have suggested that a wandering mind indicates unhappiness, whereas a mind that is present in the moment indicates well-being.?Now, a preliminary study suggests a possible link between mind wandering and aging, by looking at a biological measure of longevity.Sat, 17 Nov 2012 18:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184551.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184543.htm Researchers analyzed the cerebral blood flow (CBF) of Brazilian mediums during the practice of psychography, described as a form of writing whereby a deceased person or spirit is believed to write through the medium?s hand. The new research revealed intriguing findings of decreased brain activity during mediumistic dissociative state which generated complex written contentSat, 17 Nov 2012 18:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121117184543.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116161059.htm Adverse side effects of certain hepatitis C medications can now be replicated in the lab, thanks to a research team. The new method aids understanding of recent failures of hepatitis C antiviral drugs in some patients, and could help to identify medications that eliminate adverse effects. The findings may aid the development of safer and more effective treatments for hepatitis C and other pathogens such as SARS and West Nile virus.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:10:10 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116161059.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116161057.htm Contrary to popular thought, regular exercise before and during pregnancy could have beneficial effects for women that develop high blood pressure during gestation, a human physiology professor said.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:10:10 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116161057.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116161021.htm Living in areas of high air pollution can lead to decreased cognitive function in older adults, according to new research.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:10:10 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116161021.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124644.htm Researchers have found that a protein, known for causing cancer cells to spread around the body, is also one of the molecules that trigger repair processes in the brain.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:46:46 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124644.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124559.htm Psychological scientists are exploring the mechanisms that underlie memory to understand why we remember certain things and why we forget others.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124559.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124555.htm Playing soccer or running for at least three hours a week could help teenagers counteract the potential damage to their bone health caused by prolonged spells of sitting.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124555.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124551.htm New research shows that a gene is responsible for a person's tendency to be an early riser or night owl -- and helps determine the time of day a person is most likely to die.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 12:45:45 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116124551.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116091226.htm Insights from a genetic condition that causes brain cancer are helping scientists better understand the most common type of brain tumor in children.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:12:12 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116091226.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085629.htm Maternal vitamin C deficiency during pregnancy can have serious consequences for the fetal brain. And once brain damage has occurred, it cannot be reversed by vitamin C supplements after birth.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:56:56 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085629.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085546.htm Immobile patients are in constant danger of developing pressure ulcers on the skin. Medical researchers have worked together to develop a special sheet that is gentle on the skin and helps to make patients more comfortable.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:55:55 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085546.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085330.htm Scientists have discovered a new mode of action for enzymes immersed in cellular membranes. Their experiments suggest that instead of recognizing and clipping proteins based on sequences of amino acids, these proteases' location within membranes gives them the unique ability to recognize and cut proteins with unstable structures.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:53:53 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085330.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085208.htm A novel brain mechanism mediating the inhibition of the critical breathing muscles during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep has been identified for the first time in a new study.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:52:52 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085208.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085155.htm As the nearly 8 million U.S. high school students who participate in sports every year suit up this season, scientists are encouraging them to focus on something more valuable than winning ? their health. New research shows fracture and ACL prevention programs are essential in ensuring injuries don?t sideline players.Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:51:51 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121116085155.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115210617.htm Experts have set a target of lowering preterm birth rates by an average of 5 percent across 39 high-resource countries, including the United States, by 2015 to prevent prematurity for 58,000 babies a year.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:06:06 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115210617.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115210541.htm Researchers have pieced together new genetic clues to the arthritis puzzle in a study that brings potential treatments closer to reality and could also provide insights into why more women than men succumb to the disabling condition.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:05:05 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115210541.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115210457.htm Portions of Albert Einstein's brain have been found to be unlike those of most people and could be related to his extraordinary cognitive abilities, according to a new study.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:04:04 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115210457.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115172255.htm Passing one's genes on to the next generation is a mark of evolutionary success. So it makes sense that the body would work to ensure that the genes the next generation inherits are exact replicas of the originals. Biologists have now identified one way the body does exactly that.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:22:22 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115172255.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115172030.htm A new study on monkeys with chronic diarrhea that were treated by microscopic parasite worm (helminth) eggs has provided insights on how this form of therapy may heal the intestine. This condition in monkeys is similar to the inflammatory bowel diseases that affects up to 1.4 million Americans.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:20:20 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115172030.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115171332.htm A study has found a correlation between vitamin D3 serum levels and subsequent incidence of Type 1 diabetes. The six-year study of blood levels of nearly 2,000 individuals suggests a preventive role for vitamin D3 in this disease.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 17:13:13 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115171332.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115162849.htm Chemical engineers have now designed an injectable gel that responds to the body's high temperature by forming a reinforcing network that makes the gel much more durable, allowing it to function over a longer period of time.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:28:28 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115162849.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115162135.htm A diet enriched with arginine and proline could speed diabetes-related wound healing, a new study suggests.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:21:21 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115162135.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115152657.htm Scientists are able to make neurons and other brain cells from stem cells, but getting these neurons to properly function when transplanted to a host has proven more difficult. Now, researchers have found a way to stimulate stem cell-derived neurons to direct cognitive function after transplantation to an existing neural network.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:26:26 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115152657.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115152655.htm Researchers report that an efficient, high-volume technique for testing potential drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease uncovered an organic compound that restored motor function and longevity to fruit flies with the disease.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:26:26 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115152655.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115152550.htm Understanding how any disease progresses is one of the first and most important steps towards finding treatments to stop it. This has been the case for such brain-degenerating conditions as Alzheimer's disease. Now, after several years of incremental study, researchers have been able to piece together important steps in how Parkinson?s disease (PD) spreads from cell to cell and leads to nerve cell death.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:25:25 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115152550.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141637.htm Cellphones and driving go together like knives and juggling. But when cellphone use is banned, are drivers any safer? It depends on where you're driving, a new study says. The study found that, long-term, enacting a cellphone ban was associated with a relative decrease in the accident rate in urban areas. However, in very rural areas, cellphone bans were associated with higher accident rates than would otherwise be expected.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141637.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141635.htm Using a specific biological compound they call molecular "tweezers," researchers report that, for the first time in a living mouse model for Alzheimer's (AD), the compound cleared the existing amyloid ? and Tau aggregates, and proved protective to the neuron's synapses, another target common to AD.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141635.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141631.htm A catheter made from stretchable electronics can serve triple-duty during heart surgery, researchers have found. The findings could make cardiac ablation surgeries simpler and safer.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141631.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141625.htm One of the most frequent sites of metastases is the bone, with an estimated 30 to 40 percent of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer developing bone loss. A study shows that the bone metastases drug denosumab was associated with improved overall survival compared with zoledonic acid.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141625.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141623.htm Targeted cancer therapy has been transforming the care of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is now standard practice for tumor specimens from NSCLC patients to be examined for EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements to identify patients for therapy with EGFR and ALK inhibitors, respectively. Now, researchers say large-scale genomic testing is feasible within the clinical workflow, impacting therapeutic decisions.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:16:16 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141623.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141510.htm Scientists have identified a way in which Salmonella bacteria, which cause gastroenteritis and typhoid fever, counteract the defense mechanisms of human cells.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:15:15 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141510.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141452.htm Electrical engineers have developed new technology to monitor medical vital signs, with sophisticated sensors so small and cheap they could fit onto a bandage, be manufactured in high volumes and cost less than a quarter.Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:14:14 ESThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121115141452.htm

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