ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• New way to diagnose malaria by detecting parasite's waste in infected blood cells
• Memory in silent neurons: How do unconnected neurons communicate?
• Wine only protects against CVD in people who exercise
• Drinking tea reduces non-CV mortality by 24 percent
• Energy drinks cause heart problems, study suggests
• Batteryless cardiac pacemaker is based on automatic wristwatch
• New horizon in heart failure: Investigational drug poised to change cardiology?
• Surprising discovery: HIV hides in gut, evading eradication
• Preventing cancer from forming 'tentacles' stops dangerous spread
• Evidence mounting that older adults who volunteer are happier, healthier
• Intense Exercise during Long Space Flights Helps Astronauts Protect Aerobic Capacity
• Can YouTube save your life?
• 'Face time' for the diagnoses of cardiac disease
• Intervention needed for survivors of childhood burns
• Socioeconomic status, gender are associated with differences in cholesterol levels
• Meaningful relationships can help you thrive
• Some women still don’t underststand 'overdiagnosis' risk in breast screening
• Managing coasts under threat from climate change, sea-level rise
• Obese or overweight teens more likely to become smokers
• How premalignant cells can sense oncogenesis, halt growth
• New analysis of old HIV vaccines finds potentially protective immune response
• Is the HPV vaccine necessary?
• Sensory-tested, woman-initiated drug-delivery vehicle could limit spread of HIV, AIDS
• Learning to read: Tricking the brain

New way to diagnose malaria by detecting parasite's waste in infected blood cells Posted: 31 Aug 2014 12:03 PM PDT A technique that can detect malarial parasite's waste in infected blood cells has been developed by researchers. "There is real potential to make this into a field-deployable system, especially since you don't need any kind of labels or dye. It's based on a naturally occurring biomarker that does not require any biochemical processing of samples" says one of the senior authors of a paper.

Memory in silent neurons: How do unconnected neurons communicate? Posted: 31 Aug 2014 12:03 PM PDT According to a generally-accepted model of synaptic plasticity, a neuron that communicates with others of the same kind emits an electrical impulse as well as activating its synapses transiently. This electrical pulse, combined with the signal received from other neurons, acts to stimulate the synapses. How is it that some neurons are caught up in the communication interplay even when they are barely connected? This is the chicken-or-egg puzzle of synaptic plasticity that a team is aiming to solve.

Wine only protects against CVD in people who exercise Posted: 31 Aug 2014 09:52 AM PDT Wine only protects against cardiovascular disease (CVD) in people who exercise, according to results from the a study. Evidence suggesting that mild to moderate consumption of wine protects against cardiovascular disease has been accumulating since the early 1990s. In particular, retrospective studies have found that wine increases levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol. But until now there has been no long-term, prospective, randomised study comparing the effects of red and white wine on HDL cholesterol and other markers of atherosclerosis.

Drinking tea reduces non-CV mortality by 24 percent Posted: 31 Aug 2014 09:52 AM PDT Drinking tea reduces non-cardiovascular mortality by 24 percent, reveals a study in 131,000 people. "Tea has antioxidants which may provide survival benefits. Tea drinkers also have healthier lifestyles so does tea drinking reflect a particular person profile or is it tea, per se, that improves outcomes -- for me that remains an open question. Pending the answer to that question, I think that you could fairly honestly recommend tea drinking rather than coffee drinking and even rather than not drinking anything at all," one researcher said.

Energy drinks cause heart problems, study suggests Posted: 31 Aug 2014 09:52 AM PDT Energy drinks can cause heart problems according to research. "So-called 'energy drinks' are popular in dance clubs and during physical exercise, with people sometimes consuming a number of drinks one after the other. This situation can lead to a number of adverse conditions including angina, cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) and even sudden death," researchers report.

Batteryless cardiac pacemaker is based on automatic wristwatch Posted: 31 Aug 2014 09:50 AM PDT A new batteryless cardiac pacemaker based on an automatic wristwatch and powered by heart motion has been presented by researchers. The prototype device does not require battery replacement.

New horizon in heart failure: Investigational drug poised to change cardiology? Posted: 30 Aug 2014 08:18 AM PDT An investigational new heart failure drug could be poised to change the face of cardiology based on Hot Line results. The new agent, known as LCZ696, has already been granted Fast Track status by the FDA -- a designation which can expedite the review of new medicines intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions. Fast Track designation also allows for rolling submission in the US. "To say that we are excited is an understatement. We are absolutely thrilled," said Dr. one investigator.

Surprising discovery: HIV hides in gut, evading eradication Posted: 29 Aug 2014 02:54 PM PDT Some surprising discoveries about the body's initial responses to HIV infection have been made by researchers. One of the biggest obstacles to complete viral eradication and immune recovery is the stable HIV reservoir in the gut. There is very little information about the early viral invasion and the establishment of the gut reservoir. "We want to understand what enables the virus to invade the gut, cause inflammation and kill the immune cells," said the study's lead author.

Preventing cancer from forming 'tentacles' stops dangerous spread Posted: 29 Aug 2014 02:54 PM PDT 'Invadopodia' play a key role in the spread of cancer, a team of researchers reports. The study shows preventing these tentacle-like structures from forming can stop the spread of cancer entirely.

Evidence mounting that older adults who volunteer are happier, healthier Posted: 29 Aug 2014 10:54 AM PDT Older adults who stay active by volunteering are getting more out of it than just an altruistic feeling -- they are receiving a health boost too, researchers report. Volunteering is associated with reductions in symptoms of depression, better overall health, fewer functional limitations, and greater longevity.

Intense Exercise during Long Space Flights Helps Astronauts Protect Aerobic Capacity Posted: 29 Aug 2014 08:56 AM PDT Many astronauts experience a dip in aerobic capacity during long space flights, which can impair their ability to perform complex and demanding routine tasks. In a new article, NASA researchers find that regular, intense in-flight exercise helps preserve cardiovascular stamina.

Can YouTube save your life? Posted: 29 Aug 2014 07:34 AM PDT Only a handful of CPR and basic life support videos available on YouTube provide instructions which are consistent with recent health guidelines, according to a new study. Only 11.5% of the analyzed videos were found to be completely compatible with 2010 CPR guidelines with regard to sequence of interviews. "Although well-designed videos can create awareness and be useful as tools in training, they can never replace hands-on instruction from a properly qualified health practitioner," said one author.

'Face time' for the diagnoses of cardiac disease Posted: 29 Aug 2014 07:34 AM PDT To the careful observer, a person's face has long provided insight into what is going on beneath the surface. Now, with the assistance of a web camera and software algorithms, the face can also reveal whether or not an individual is experiencing atrial fibrillation, a treatable but potentially dangerous heart condition.

Intervention needed for survivors of childhood burns Posted: 29 Aug 2014 07:32 AM PDT Adults who have been hospitalized for a burn as a child experience higher than usual rates of depression and suicidal thoughts, according to new research. A 30-year follow up of childhood burns victims has found that 42% of people surveyed had suffered some form of mental illness and 30% suffered depression at some stage in their lives.

Socioeconomic status, gender are associated with differences in cholesterol levels Posted: 29 Aug 2014 05:42 AM PDT A long-term lifestyle study reports differences between the sexes when it comes to fat profiles associated with socioeconomic status. Research now breaks down factors associated with social class and finds surprising inequalities between men and women.

Meaningful relationships can help you thrive Posted: 29 Aug 2014 05:42 AM PDT Deep and meaningful relationships play a vital role in overall well-being. A new paper provides an important perspective on thriving through relationships, emphasizes two types of support that relationships provide, and illuminates aspects where further study is necessary.

Some women still don’t underststand 'overdiagnosis' risk in breast screening Posted: 29 Aug 2014 05:39 AM PDT A third of women who are given information about the chance of 'overdiagnosis' through the breast screening programs may not fully understand the risks involved, according to research. Overdiagnosis happens because some breast cancers grow so slowly that it would take more than a lifetime for them to threaten a woman's health. For every life that is saved through screening, researchers estimate that around three women will be overdiagnosed with breast cancer.

Managing coasts under threat from climate change, sea-level rise Posted: 29 Aug 2014 05:39 AM PDT Coastal regions under threat from climate change and sea-level rise need to tackle the more immediate threats of human-led and other non-climatic changes, according to a team of international scientists. The team of 27 scientists from five continents reviewed 24 years of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments. They focused on climate change and sea-level rise impacts in the coastal zone, and examined ways of how to better manage and cope with climate change.

Obese or overweight teens more likely to become smokers Posted: 28 Aug 2014 03:47 PM PDT Weight status has no correlation with alcohol or marijuana use but is linked to regular cigarette smoking, a study examining whether overweight or obese teens are at higher risk for substance abuse has found. The authors note that the idea that smoking helps with weight reduction or appetite suppression is widely held, but is not true. "People who smoke crave fatty foods more," they say.

How premalignant cells can sense oncogenesis, halt growth Posted: 28 Aug 2014 10:55 AM PDT What happens inside cells when they detect the activation of a cancer-inducing gene? Sometimes, cells are able to signal internally to stop the cell cycle. Such cells are able to enter, at least for a time, a protective non-growth state. New experiments now show how cells can respond to an activated RAS gene by entering a quiescent state called senescence.

New analysis of old HIV vaccines finds potentially protective immune response Posted: 28 Aug 2014 10:52 AM PDT Applying the benefit of hindsight, researchers have reanalyzed the findings of two historic pediatric HIV vaccine trials with encouraging results. The vaccines had in fact triggered an antibody response -- now known to be associated with protection in adults -- that was previously unrecognized in the infants studied in the 1990s.

Is the HPV vaccine necessary? Posted: 28 Aug 2014 10:52 AM PDT As the school year starts in full swing, many parents wonder if their child should receive the HPV vaccine, which is recommend for girls ages 11-26 and boys 11-21. There are a lot of questions and controversy around this vaccine, but many pediatricians say it comes down to protecting people from a leading cause of death.

Sensory-tested, woman-initiated drug-delivery vehicle could limit spread of HIV, AIDS Posted: 28 Aug 2014 08:53 AM PDT A unique method for delivering compounds that could positively impact the global battle against HIV and AIDS may be possible, American researchers say. A semi-soft vaginal suppository made from the seaweed-derived food ingredient carrageenan and loaded with the antiviral drug Tenofovir provides a woman-initiated, drug-delivery vehicle that can protect against the spread of sexually transmitted infections during unprotected heterosexual intercourse, they report

Learning to read: Tricking the brain Posted: 28 Aug 2014 08:52 AM PDT While reading, children and adults alike must avoid confusing mirror-image letters (like b/d or p/q). Why is it difficult to differentiate these letters? When learning to read, our brain must be able to inhibit the mirror-generalization process, a mechanism that facilitates the recognition of identical objects regardless of their orientation, but also prevents the brain from differentiating letters that are different but symmetrical.

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