ScienceDaily: Top Health News

---

• Brain scans used to forecast early reading difficulties
• UT Southwestern one of two institutions to offer innovative four-flap microsurgery approach to breast reconstruction
• EEG study findings reveal how fear is processed in the brain
• Researcher develops, proves effectiveness of new drug for spinal muscular atrophy
• New producer of crucial vitamin B12 discovered
• Certain form of baldness at age 45 linked to higher risk for aggressive prostate cancer
• Number-crunching could lead to unethical choices, says new study
• Neuroscientists identify key role of language gene
• Concussions: 'Hidden injury' in sports
• Combining Epilepsy Drug, Morphine Can Result in Less Pain, Lower Opioid Doses
• Slow to mature, quick to distract: ADHD brain study finds slower development of key connections
• In wake of uproar over Facebook’s emotional manipulation study, bioethics scholars say new rules are 'moral imperative'
• Long-term effects of childhood asthma influenced by socioeconomic status
• Report urges individualized, cholesterol-targeted approach to heart disease, stroke
• Strategic self-sabotage? MRSA inhibits its own growth
• Care coordination can decrease health-care use by frequent users
• When rulers can't understand the ruled: Study finds significant gaps between Washington insiders, general Americans
• Delay in age of walking can herald muscular dystrophy in boys with cognitive delays
• Habitual Facebook users: Suckers for social media scams?
• Like my body odor, like my politics: People are attracted to the body odor of others with similar political beliefs
• When casualties increased, war coverage became more negative
• Caregivers of family members newly diagnosed with mental illness at risk for anxiety
• A thin line lies between fantasy and reality in people with psychopathic traits
• Largest ever study of awareness during general anesthesia identifies risk factors and consequences
• Protein secrets of Ebola virus
• Zebrafish genes linked to human respiratory diseases
• This is your brain on snacks: Brain stimulation affects craving, consumption
• Good home care by nurses prevents hospital, nursing home admissions
• Prostate cancer patients who receive hypofractionated radiation therapy report consistent quality of life before and after treatment
• For racially diverse patients with disabilities, increased barriers to health care
• Everyday discrimination impacts mental health
• Nurses need education on advance health care directives
• Skin cancer risks higher for soldiers serving abroad
• Genetics reveals patients susceptible to drug-induced pancreatitis
• Young women involve parent in abortion when anticipating support
• Improved survival shown in early-stage Hodgkin's disease patients who receive radiation therapy
• Five radiation oncology treatments to question
• One in five men reports violence toward intimate partners
• Vitamin E intake critical during 'the first 1,000 days'
• To curb violent tendencies, start young
• Marijuana users who feel low get high
• Brain development in schizophrenia strays from normal path
• New drug target could prevent major global cause of maternal death
• Autism: Change schools -- not students -- for more inclusive education
• Hypersensitivity to non-painful events may be part of pathology in fibromyalgia
• Cheaper alternative to licensed drug for treating eye disease has similar side-effects
• Schizophrenia not a single disease but multiple genetically distinct disorders
• Heart attack: One care lapse can be fatal
• Breast screening for over 70s doesn't prompt sharp fall in advanced disease, study suggests
• Experts raise concern over unnecessary treatment of mild hypertension in low risk people
• Walking or cycling to work improves wellbeing, researchers find
• Some lung cancer patients could live longer when treated with new radiotherapy strategy
• Muscular dystrophy: Repair the muscles, not the genetic defect
• Healing power of 'rib-tickling' found by researchers
• Epilepsy breakthrough may lead to non-pharmacological therapies
• Mindfulness protects adults' health from the impacts of childhood adversity
• Glaucoma: New culprit found by researchers
• Proteins such as tumor markers can be easily, sensitively detected by their scattered light
• Sleep disorders widely undiagnosed in individuals with multiple sclerosis

Brain scans used to forecast early reading difficulties Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:28 PM PDT Researchers have used brain scans to predict how young children learn to read, giving clinicians a possible tool to spot children with dyslexia and other reading difficulties before they experience reading challenges.

UT Southwestern one of two institutions to offer innovative four-flap microsurgery approach to breast reconstruction Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:28 PM PDT UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of only two places in the world that offers a new, innovative and highly successful approach to breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.

EEG study findings reveal how fear is processed in the brain Posted: 15 Sep 2014 01:52 PM PDT New research illustrates how fear arises in the brain when individuals are exposed to threatening images. This novel study is the first to separate emotion from threat by controlling for the dimension of arousal.

Researcher develops, proves effectiveness of new drug for spinal muscular atrophy Posted: 15 Sep 2014 01:52 PM PDT Approximately one out of every 40 individuals in the United States is a carrier of the gene responsible for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), According to recent studies. This illness is a neurodegenerative disease that causes muscles to weaken over time. Now, researchers have made a recent breakthrough with the development of a new compound found to be highly effective in animal models of the disease.

New producer of crucial vitamin B12 discovered Posted: 15 Sep 2014 01:52 PM PDT A single group of microorganisms may be responsible for much of the world's vitamin B12 production in the oceans, with implications for the global carbon cycle and climate change, researchers have discovered. Thaumarchaeota, they say, are likely dominant vitamin B12 producers.

Certain form of baldness at age 45 linked to higher risk for aggressive prostate cancer Posted: 15 Sep 2014 01:49 PM PDT A new, large cohort analysis from the prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial, indicates that men who had moderate baldness affecting both the front and the crown of their head at age 45 were at a 40% increased risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer (usually indicates a faster growing tumor resulting in poorer prognosis relative to non-aggressive prostate cancer) later in life, compared to men with no baldness. There was no significant link between other patterns of baldness and prostate cancer risk.

Number-crunching could lead to unethical choices, says new study Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:39 PM PDT Calculating the pros and cons of a potential decision is a way of decision-making. But repeated engagement with numbers-focused calculations, especially those involving money, can have unintended negative consequences.

Neuroscientists identify key role of language gene Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:39 PM PDT Neuroscientists have found that a gene mutation that arose more than half a million years ago may be key to humans' unique ability to produce and understand speech.

Concussions: 'Hidden injury' in sports Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:38 PM PDT Two new studies shed light on the most common form of head injury seen in athletes. They suggest that concussions continue to be a 'hidden injury' in sports, even in the face significant increased public awareness.

Combining Epilepsy Drug, Morphine Can Result in Less Pain, Lower Opioid Doses Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:36 PM PDT Adding a common epilepsy drug to a morphine regimen can result in better pain control, fewer side effects and reduced morphine dosage, according to research. The result could bring significant relief to many patients with neuropathic pain, a difficult-to-treat condition often felt in the arms and legs and associated with nerve tissue damage.

Slow to mature, quick to distract: ADHD brain study finds slower development of key connections Posted: 15 Sep 2014 12:36 PM PDT A peek inside the brains of more than 750 children and teens reveals a key difference in brain architecture between those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and those without. Kids and teens with ADHD, a new study finds, lag behind others of the same age in how quickly their brains form connections within, and between, key brain networks.

In wake of uproar over Facebook’s emotional manipulation study, bioethics scholars say new rules are 'moral imperative' Posted: 15 Sep 2014 11:09 AM PDT Using the recent debate over the Facebook-Cornell "emotional contagion" study as a starting point, an international team of research ethics scholars begin mapping the ethics terrain of large-scale social computing research in a new article.

Long-term effects of childhood asthma influenced by socioeconomic status Posted: 15 Sep 2014 10:29 AM PDT Asthma is associated with attention and behavioral issues in children, yet little existing research examines how socioeconomic status may influence the ultimate effects of these difficulties. Now, a researcher has found that the overall outcomes for children with asthma are influenced by socioeconomic inequalities.

Report urges individualized, cholesterol-targeted approach to heart disease, stroke Posted: 15 Sep 2014 10:29 AM PDT A recent guideline for using statins to reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease has wavered too far from the simple cholesterol goals that have saved thousands of lives in the past decade, and doesn't adequately treat patients as individuals, experts say.

Strategic self-sabotage? MRSA inhibits its own growth Posted: 15 Sep 2014 10:29 AM PDT A bacterial mystery has finally been uncovered. Against all logic, the most predominant strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in North American produces an enzyme that degrades skin secretions into compounds that are toxic to itself.

Care coordination can decrease health-care use by frequent users Posted: 15 Sep 2014 10:29 AM PDT Better coordination of patient care between health care providers, encouraging patients to self-manage their health and other strategies can reduce use of the health care system by seniors and people with chronic conditions, according to research.

When rulers can't understand the ruled: Study finds significant gaps between Washington insiders, general Americans Posted: 15 Sep 2014 10:28 AM PDT A significant gap has been found in demographics, experience and partisanship between Washington insiders and the Americans they govern. "The elements of difference we have identified between the rulers and the ruled give us some reason to suspect that the two groups may not perceive the political world in the same way," the researchers write. "Taken together, these elements could well create a substantial cognitive and perceptual gulf between official and quasi-official Washington on the one hand and the American public on the other."

Delay in age of walking can herald muscular dystrophy in boys with cognitive delays Posted: 15 Sep 2014 09:08 AM PDT The timing of a toddler's first steps is an important developmental milestone, but a slight delay in walking is typically not a cause of concern by itself. Now a duo of researchers has found that when walking and cognitive delays occur in concert, the combination could comprise the earliest of signals heralding a rare but devastating disorder known as Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Habitual Facebook users: Suckers for social media scams? Posted: 15 Sep 2014 09:08 AM PDT A new study finds that habitual use of Facebook makes individuals susceptible to social media phishing attacks by criminals, likely because they automatically respond to requests without considering how they are connected with those sending the requests, how long they have known them, or who else is connected with them.

Like my body odor, like my politics: People are attracted to the body odor of others with similar political beliefs Posted: 15 Sep 2014 09:08 AM PDT A new study reveals that people find the smell of others with similar political opinions to be attractive, suggesting that one of the reasons why so many spouses share similar political views is because they were initially and subconsciously attracted to each other's body odor.

When casualties increased, war coverage became more negative Posted: 15 Sep 2014 09:07 AM PDT As the number of U.S. casualties rose in Afghanistan, reporters filed more stories about the conflict and those articles grew increasingly negative about both the war effort and the military, according to a researcher.

Caregivers of family members newly diagnosed with mental illness at risk for anxiety Posted: 15 Sep 2014 09:07 AM PDT Researchers who studied the emotional distress of caring for a family member diagnosed with a mental illness, found anxiety is high for the primary caregiver at the initial diagnosis or early in the course of the illness, and decreases over time.

A thin line lies between fantasy and reality in people with psychopathic traits Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:45 AM PDT New research indicates that people with psychopathic traits have a preference for nonromantic sexual fantasies with anonymous and uncommitted partners. The study's investigators noted that psychopathic sexual behavior is likely due to a preference for sexual activity outside a loving, committed relationship rather than only an inability to form such relationships.

Largest ever study of awareness during general anesthesia identifies risk factors and consequences Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:45 AM PDT Accidental awareness is one of the most feared complications of general anesthesia for both patients and anesthetists. Patients report this failure of general anesthesia in approximately 1 in every 19,000 cases, according to a new report. Known as accidental awareness during general anesthesia, it occurs when general anesthesia is intended but the patient remains conscious. This incidence of patient reports of awareness is much lower than previous estimates of awareness, which were as high as 1 in 600.

Protein secrets of Ebola virus Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:44 AM PDT The current Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, which has claimed more than 2000 lives, has highlighted the need for a deeper understanding of the molecular biology of the virus that could be critical in the development of vaccines or antiviral drugs to treat or prevent Ebola hemorrhagic fever.

Zebrafish genes linked to human respiratory diseases Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:44 AM PDT Hundreds of novel genes in the zebrafish have been identified that could be functionally identical to the human genes required for forming motile cilia, hair-like structures on the surface of airway cells. These are required for removing dust and pathogens from the human airway. The study showed that the loss of these genes is linked to development of defective motile cilia, which could be the cause of some respiratory diseases.

This is your brain on snacks: Brain stimulation affects craving, consumption Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:42 AM PDT Magnetic stimulation of a brain area involved in "executive function" affects cravings for and consumption of calorie-dense snack foods, reports a study. After stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), young women experience increased cravings for high-calorie snacks -- and eat more of those foods when given the opportunity, according to the researchers.

Good home care by nurses prevents hospital, nursing home admissions Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:42 AM PDT In the largest study of its kind, an investigation shows that home health agencies providing organizational support to their nurses get better outcomes. The best outcomes for patients, including fewest hospitalizations and transfers to nursing homes, are achieved by home health agencies that provide supportive work environments, enabling nurses to focus on patient care.

Prostate cancer patients who receive hypofractionated radiation therapy report consistent quality of life before and after treatment Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:42 AM PDT Prostate cancer patients who received hypofractionated (HPFX) radiation therapy (RT) reported that their quality of life, as well as bladder and bowel function were at similar levels before and after RT, according to new research.

For racially diverse patients with disabilities, increased barriers to health care Posted: 15 Sep 2014 08:42 AM PDT It's well established that Americans with disabilities and those in underserved racial/ethnic groups face significant disparities in access to health care. Now, researchers are beginning to examine the unique patterns of health care inequalities experienced by racially and ethnically diverse patients with disabilities.

Everyday discrimination impacts mental health Posted: 15 Sep 2014 07:21 AM PDT Researchers have determined that African Americans and Caribbean blacks who experience discrimination of multiple types are at substantially greater risk for a variety of mental disorders including anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

Nurses need education on advance health care directives Posted: 15 Sep 2014 07:21 AM PDT An educational program for nurses can help address knowledge gaps related to advance health care directives -- thus helping to ensure that patients' wishes for care at the end of life are known and respected, report researchers.

Skin cancer risks higher for soldiers serving abroad Posted: 15 Sep 2014 07:19 AM PDT Soldiers deployed to tropical and sunny climates are coming home with increased risk factors for a threat far from the battlefield: skin cancer. "This study demonstrates room for improvement for skin cancer prevention and early detection in the military population, including possible screening of higher-risk personnel," a researcher said.

Genetics reveals patients susceptible to drug-induced pancreatitis Posted: 15 Sep 2014 06:58 AM PDT It has long been recognized that about four per cent of patients who are prescribed particular drugs for IBD go on to develop pancreatitis, an inflammation of the pancreas, which can be fatal. Now researchers have found that 17 percent of patients who have two copies of a particular genetic marker are likely to go on to develop pancreatitis if they are prescribed thiopurine drugs.

Young women involve parent in abortion when anticipating support Posted: 15 Sep 2014 06:58 AM PDT Pregnant teens will turn to parents and adults who are engaged in their lives and who will offer support, regardless of her pregnancy decision. Young women will avoid talking with parents who are less involved or may try to prevent them from seeking care, a study concludes.

Improved survival shown in early-stage Hodgkin's disease patients who receive radiation therapy Posted: 15 Sep 2014 06:56 AM PDT Patients with stage I and II Hodgkin's Disease who receive consolidated radiation therapy (RT) have a higher 10-year survival rate of 84 percent, compared to 76 percent for patients who did not receive RT; and, the data also shows a decrease in utilization of RT, according to new research.

Five radiation oncology treatments to question Posted: 15 Sep 2014 06:56 AM PDT The American Society for Radiation Oncology has released its second list of five radiation oncology-specific treatments that are commonly ordered but may not always be appropriate.

One in five men reports violence toward intimate partners Posted: 15 Sep 2014 06:56 AM PDT Intimate partner violence is more prevalent than diabetes, research shows. One in five men in the U.S. reports violence towards their spouse or significant other, says a new nationally-representative study. The analysis also found that male aggression toward a partner is associated with warning signs that could come up during routine health care visits, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and insomnia, in addition to better known risks like substance abuse and a history of either experiencing or witnessing violence as a child.

Vitamin E intake critical during 'the first 1,000 days' Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:39 AM PDT Amid conflicting reports about the need for vitamin E and how much is enough, a new analysis published today suggests that adequate levels of this essential micronutrient are especially critical for the very young, the elderly, and women who are or may become pregnant.

To curb violent tendencies, start young Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:38 AM PDT Aggressive children are less likely to become violent criminals or psychiatrically troubled adults if they receive intensive early intervention, says a new study based on more than two decades of research. The study provides some of the strongest evidence yet that violent tendencies can be curbed.

Marijuana users who feel low get high Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:38 AM PDT Adolescents and young adults who smoke marijuana frequently may attempt to manage negative moods by using the drug, according to a study. "One of the challenges is that people often may use marijuana to feel better but may feel worse afterward," the lead investigator says. "Marijuana use can be associated with anxiety and other negative states. People feel bad, they use, and they might momentarily feel better, but then they feel worse. They don't necessarily link feeling bad after using with the use itself, so it can become a vicious circle."

Brain development in schizophrenia strays from normal path Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:37 AM PDT Schizophrenia is generally considered to be a disorder of brain development and it shares many risk factors, both genetic and environmental, with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and intellectual disability. The normal path for brain development is determined by the combined effects of a complex network of genes and a wide range of environmental factors. However, longitudinal brain imaging studies in both healthy and patient populations are required in order to map the disturbances in brain structures as they emerge, researchers say.

New drug target could prevent major global cause of maternal death Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:37 AM PDT A new target for drugs that could prevent the deaths of thousands of women in the developing world due to heavy blood loss after childbirth has been identified by researchers. Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) occurs when the uterus fails to contract vigorously after childbirth and the mother loses 500mls or more of blood in the 24 hours after delivery. PPH is responsible for maternal death in 1 in 1,000 deliveries in the developing world.

Autism: Change schools -- not students -- for more inclusive education Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:37 AM PDT A study of Australian mothers' attempts to access more appropriate schooling for their autistic children offers a new perspective on inclusive education policies and practices.

Hypersensitivity to non-painful events may be part of pathology in fibromyalgia Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:37 AM PDT New research shows that patients with fibromyalgia have hypersensitivity to non-painful events based on images of the patients' brains, which show reduced activation in primary sensory regions and increased activation in sensory integration areas. Findings suggest that brain abnormalities in response to non-painful sensory stimulation may cause the increased unpleasantness that patients experience in response to daily visual, auditory and tactile stimulation.

Cheaper alternative to licensed drug for treating eye disease has similar side-effects Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:37 AM PDT Health policies that favour using ranibizumab for treating eye disease in older people over safety concerns for a cheaper alternative should take account of new research. Investigators reviewed the results of studies that compared the safety of two drugs used for treating age-related macular degeneration, ranibizumab and bevacizumab. Contrary to what was argued by some experts, the review has found that the cheaper drug, bevacizumab, does not appear to increase deaths or serious side-effects compared with ranibizumab in people with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Schizophrenia not a single disease but multiple genetically distinct disorders Posted: 15 Sep 2014 05:35 AM PDT Schizophrenia isn't a single disease but a group of eight genetically distinct disorders, each with its own set of symptoms, research shows. The finding could be a first step toward improved diagnosis and treatment for the debilitating psychiatric illness.

Heart attack: One care lapse can be fatal Posted: 14 Sep 2014 06:11 PM PDT Heart attack patients have a 46 percent increased chance of death within a month of discharge if they miss any one of nine types of care, research shows. The nine pathways of care that have been identified are pre-hospital electrocardiogram, acute use of aspirin, restoring blood flow to the heart, prescription at hospital discharge of aspirin, timely use of four types of drug for heart attack and referral for cardiac rehabilitation after discharge from hospital.

Breast screening for over 70s doesn't prompt sharp fall in advanced disease, study suggests Posted: 14 Sep 2014 06:11 PM PDT Including much older women in a national breast cancer screening program does not prompt a sharp fall in new cases of advanced disease in this age group -- as would be expected for a successful initiative -- reveals a study. "Instead of using mass screening, the decision to participate in the screening program should be personalized, based on remaining life expectancy, breast cancer risk, functional status and patients' preferences," researchers conclude.

Experts raise concern over unnecessary treatment of mild hypertension in low risk people Posted: 14 Sep 2014 06:10 PM PDT Lowering the drug threshold for high blood pressure has exposed millions of low-risk people around the world to drug treatment of uncertain benefit at huge cost to health systems, warn experts. In the US alone, where hypertension is the most common condition for a medical visit, the cost of drug treatment of mild hypertension has been estimated at $32 billion per year. This corresponds to more than 1% of annual healthcare costs and more than one third of total US expenditures on public health.

Walking or cycling to work improves wellbeing, researchers find Posted: 14 Sep 2014 06:10 PM PDT Walking or cycling to work is better for people's mental health than driving to work, according to new research by health economists. A report reveals that people who stopped driving and started walking or cycling to work benefited from improved wellbeing. In particular, active commuters felt better able to concentrate and were less under strain than if they traveled by car.

Some lung cancer patients could live longer when treated with new radiotherapy strategy Posted: 14 Sep 2014 06:10 PM PDT As the thoracic radiotherapy is well tolerated, it should to be routinely offered to all SCLC patients with extensive disease whose cancer responds to chemotherapy, experts report. SCLC is an aggressive cancer that accounts for about 13% of all lung cancers. The majority of patients present with extensive disease that has spread to other areas of the body.

Muscular dystrophy: Repair the muscles, not the genetic defect Posted: 14 Sep 2014 01:02 PM PDT A potential way to treat muscular dystrophy directly targets muscle repair instead of the underlying genetic defect that usually leads to the disease, researchers say. Muscular dystrophies are a group of muscle diseases characterized by skeletal muscle wasting and weakness. Mutations in certain proteins, most commonly the protein dystrophin, cause muscular dystrophy.

Healing power of 'rib-tickling' found by researchers Posted: 13 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT Unlike salamanders, mammals can't regenerate lost limbs, but they can repair large sections of their ribs. In a new study, a team of researchers takes a closer look at rib regeneration in both humans and mice.

Epilepsy breakthrough may lead to non-pharmacological therapies Posted: 13 Sep 2014 11:14 AM PDT A breakthrough in detecting early onset of refractory epilepsy in children will lead to effective treatment using non-pharmacological therapies, researchers say. 65 million people around the world today suffer from epilepsy, a condition of the brain that may trigger an uncontrollable seizure at any time, often for no known reason.

Mindfulness protects adults' health from the impacts of childhood adversity Posted: 13 Sep 2014 11:13 AM PDT Adults who were abused or neglected as children are known to have poorer health, but adults who tend to focus on and accept their reactions to the present moment—or are mindful—report having better health, regardless of their childhood adversity, researchers report.

Glaucoma: New culprit found by researchers Posted: 12 Sep 2014 06:51 PM PDT Endothelial cells in Schlemm's canal -- important for draining fluid from the eye -- are stiffer in eyes with glaucoma than those in healthy eyes, a multi-institution team of researchers has found in a unique study of human ocular cells. The resulting increased flow resistance is responsible for the elevated pressure associated with glaucoma. Therapeutic strategies that alter the stiffness of these cells could lead to a cure for this debilitating disease.

Proteins such as tumor markers can be easily, sensitively detected by their scattered light Posted: 12 Sep 2014 06:51 PM PDT A new biosensor for the scattered light of individual unmarked biomolecules such as proteins and tumor markers may facilitate medical diagnosis. The biodetector uses the interferometric method iSCAT.

Sleep disorders widely undiagnosed in individuals with multiple sclerosis Posted: 12 Sep 2014 06:51 PM PDT Widely undiagnosed sleep disorders may be at the root of the most common and disabling symptom of the disease: fatigue. This is the conclusion of what may be the largest study of sleep problems among individuals with multiple sclerosis, researchers report.

You are subscribed to email updates from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610