ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Global epidemic of diabetes threatens to jeopardize further progress in tuberculosis control
• Healthy sleep duration linked to less sick time from work
• How much gravity is enough?
• Bariatric surgical center accreditation improves patient survival, postop complications
• Insights into severe form of dwarfism
• Number of Texans without health insurance drops under Affordable Care Act, survey shows
• Exposure of pregnant women to certain phenols may disrupt growth of boys during fetal development and first years of life
• Drug therapies, parent training help children with ADHD, severe aggression
• New discovery could help turn antibiotic into antimalarial drug
• Nature or nurture? It's all about the message
• Direct brain-to-brain communication demonstrated in human subjects
• 'Family meal' ideal is stressful, impossible for many families
• 'Drink responsibly' messages in alcohol ads promote products, not public health
• Stillbirth gap closing between indigenous, non-indigenous women, shows Australian study
• Scientists discover how to 'switch off' autoimmune diseases
• Estrogen increases cannabis sensitivity, study shows
• Unplanned births out-of-hospital increases risk of infant mortality
• Is your restaurant server’s smile genuine?
• Crowdsourcing is vulnerable to malicious behavior
• How much may German beers be contaminated by microplastics?
• Dad is important for his children's development
• Why HIV patients develop dementia
• Central biobank for drug research
• Ethanol fireplaces: The underestimated risk
• Allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in foods? You may have to watch what your fruits and veggies eat
• For kids with both asthma and obesity, which came first?
• Protein in plasma may one day change transfusions
• New treatment options for staph infections, inflammatory diseases
• Enzyme controlling metastasis of breast cancer identified
• Mirabegron for overactive bladder: Added benefit not proven
• Teens, young adults who abuse prescription at high risk for overdose: NYC study
• Activity restriction in pregnancy: New paper outlines physician recommendations on bed rest
• Media coverage of celebrity suicide can cause large-scale copycat effect
• Time to take notice and tackle heart failure
• Oceans apart: Study reveals insights into evolution of languages
• In pro baseball pitchers, weak core linked to more missed days
• Potential for 'in body' muscle regeneration, rodent study suggests
• Scientists make diseased cells synthesize their own drug
• One-two punch for brain tumors? New clinical trial opens
• Key to first cell differentiation in mammals found

Global epidemic of diabetes threatens to jeopardize further progress in tuberculosis control Posted: 03 Sep 2014 05:38 PM PDT 15% of adult TB cases worldwide are already attributable to diabetes, studies show. These diabetes-associated cases correspond to over 1 million cases a year, with more than 40% occurring in India and China alone. If diabetes rates continue to rise out of control, the present downward trajectory in global TB cases could be offset by 8% (ie, 8% less reduction) or more by 2035, warn the authors of a new article.

Healthy sleep duration linked to less sick time from work Posted: 03 Sep 2014 01:36 PM PDT Sleeping 7 to 8 hours per night is associated with the lowest risk of absence from work due to sickness, a study concludes. The results underscore the importance of the 'Sleep Well, Be Well' campaign of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Research Society and other partners.

How much gravity is enough? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 01:35 PM PDT Keeping upright in a low-gravity environment is not easy, and NASA documents abound with examples of astronauts falling on the lunar surface. Now, a new study suggests that the reason for all these moon mishaps might be because its gravity isn't sufficient to provide astronauts with unambiguous information on which way is 'up'.

Bariatric surgical center accreditation improves patient survival, postop complications Posted: 03 Sep 2014 01:35 PM PDT Patients who underwent weight loss operations in recent years, when most bariatric surgical centers were accredited, had fewer postoperative complications and were 2.3 times less likely to die in the hospital than patients who had bariatric procedures performed before a national movement toward facility accreditation was taking place, according to new study findings.

Insights into severe form of dwarfism Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:19 AM PDT A better understanding of the pathology of a severe form of dwarfism as well as a possible window of treatment have been discovered by researchers. Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is a disorder that affects the cells in the growth plate, resulting in dwarfism, limb deformities, joint pain and early onset osteoarthritis. Children with PSACH show no signs of it at birth. Slowing of the long bone growth begins around age 2 and the cellular damage becomes extensive by age 4.

Number of Texans without health insurance drops under Affordable Care Act, survey shows Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:19 AM PDT The percentage of Texans without health insurance dropped after the first enrollment period of the Affordable Care Act, according to a report. Even with nearly 400,000 newly uninsured adults, the report estimates Texas has now surpassed California to become the state with the highest number of uninsured residents. The report found the majority of the remaining uninsured adult Texans are Hispanic and low-income. Half of those uninsured are employed.

Exposure of pregnant women to certain phenols may disrupt growth of boys during fetal development and first years of life Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:18 AM PDT Medical researchers have found that exposure to certain common phenols during pregnancy, especially parabens and triclosan, may disrupt growth of boys during fetal growth and the first years of life. Parabens are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics and healthcare products and triclosan are an antibacterial agent and pesticide found in some toothpastes and soaps.

Drug therapies, parent training help children with ADHD, severe aggression Posted: 03 Sep 2014 09:17 AM PDT Prescribing both a stimulant and an antipsychotic drug to children with physical aggression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), along with teaching parents to use behavior management techniques, reduces aggressive and serious behavioral problems in children, according to a study.

New discovery could help turn antibiotic into antimalarial drug Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:58 AM PDT Researchers are making progress towards new antimalarial drugs, after revealing how an antibiotic called emetine blocks the molecular machinery that produces the proteins required for malaria parasite survival.

Nature or nurture? It's all about the message Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:57 AM PDT Simply telling people that hard work is more important than genetics causes positive changes in the brain and may make them willing to try harder, a study shows. "Giving people messages that encourage learning and motivation may promote more efficient performance," said the lead investigator. "In contrast, telling people that intelligence is genetically fixed may inadvertently hamper learning."

Direct brain-to-brain communication demonstrated in human subjects Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:56 AM PDT In a first-of-its-kind study, an international team of neuroscientists and robotics engineers has demonstrated the viability of direct brain-to-brain communication in humans.

'Family meal' ideal is stressful, impossible for many families Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:56 AM PDT Magazines, television and other popular media increasingly urge families to return to the kitchen, stressing the importance of home-cooked meals and family dinners to physical health and family well-being. But new research shows that home cooking and family meals place significant stresses on many families -- and are simply impossible for others.

'Drink responsibly' messages in alcohol ads promote products, not public health Posted: 03 Sep 2014 07:53 AM PDT Alcohol industry magazine ads reminding consumers to "drink responsibly" or "enjoy in moderation" fail to convey basic public health information, according to a new study. Federal regulations do not require "responsibility" statements in alcohol advertising, and while the alcohol industry's voluntary codes for marketing and promotion emphasize responsibility, they provide no definition for "responsible drinking."

Stillbirth gap closing between indigenous, non-indigenous women, shows Australian study Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:22 AM PDT The gap in stillbirth rates between indigenous and non-indigenous women in Queensland, Australia, is closing, however indigenous women are still at risk of stillbirth due to preventable causes, find researchers.

Scientists discover how to 'switch off' autoimmune diseases Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT Scientists have made an important breakthrough in the fight against debilitating autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis by revealing how to stop cells attacking healthy body tissue. Rather than the body's immune system destroying its own tissue by mistake, researchers have discovered how cells convert from being aggressive to actually protecting against disease.

Estrogen increases cannabis sensitivity, study shows Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT Smoking today's concentrated pot might be risky business for women, according to new research. Thanks to their estrogen levels, female rats are at least 30 percent more sensitive than males to the pain-relieving qualities of THC -- the key active ingredient in cannabis, research shows. Females also develop tolerance to THC more quickly. These sensitivities could increase vulnerability to negative side effects like anxiety, paranoia and addiction.

Unplanned births out-of-hospital increases risk of infant mortality Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:21 AM PDT Unplanned births out-of-hospital in Norway are associated with higher infant mortality, new research reveals. The findings indicate that young women who have given birth at least once before and those living in remote areas are more likely to have unplanned deliveries, which may increase the risk of death in newborns.

Is your restaurant server’s smile genuine? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:20 AM PDT New research really makes one think about the old adage service with a smile as it examines counterproductive work behavior (CWB) by restaurant workers towards customers they serve. CWB refers to "volitional acts by employees that harm or intend to harm organizations and their stakeholders," according to the study. It is often considered a form of behavioral strain that may be used to cope with or express negative emotions, or it may be used to directly address the source of the problem.

Crowdsourcing is vulnerable to malicious behavior Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:20 AM PDT New research has found that malicious behavior is the norm in crowdsourcing competitions -- even when it is in everyone's interest to cooperate.

How much may German beers be contaminated by microplastics? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:19 AM PDT If you're going to Oktoberfest next month to enjoy the delights of German beer, you might get more than you bargained for. New research has revealed the extent to which German beers may be contaminated by foreign substances, most notably, microplastics.

Dad is important for his children's development Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:19 AM PDT A sensitive and attentive father has a positive influence on his child's development, but only if he spends a considerable amount of time with the child during its first year, research shows.

Why HIV patients develop dementia Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:19 AM PDT Since the introduction of the combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) in the mid-90s, the life expectancy of HIV patients has significantly improved. As a result, long-term complications are becoming more relevant: almost every second HIV patient is affected by neurocognitive disorders, which can lead to dementia. Researchers have now successfully identified mechanisms how infected cells can activate brain-specific immune cells which subsequently display harmful behaviour and lead to the destruction of neurons.

Central biobank for drug research Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:17 AM PDT For the development of new drugs it is crucial to work with stem cells, as these allow scientists to study the effects of new active pharmaceutical ingredients. But it has always been difficult to derive enough stem cells of the right quality and in the right timeframe. A central biobank is about to remedy the situation.

Ethanol fireplaces: The underestimated risk Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:17 AM PDT Ethanol fireplaces are becoming more and more popular. However, they are not only  highly combustible -- in the past, severe accents have occurred repeatedly with decorative fireplaces. The devices also pollute the air in the rooms.

Allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in foods? You may have to watch what your fruits and veggies eat Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT People with food allergies always have to watch what they eat. Now, they may have to watch what their fruits and vegetables eat, as it seems it's possible to have an allergic reaction to antibiotic residues in food.

For kids with both asthma and obesity, which came first? Posted: 03 Sep 2014 06:14 AM PDT The premise that obesity contributes to childhood asthma -- rather than the other way around -- is the focus of a new study.

Protein in plasma may one day change transfusions Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:53 PM PDT When someone is bleeding, a blood clot is a positive response -- the body forms the clot as a plug to stop bleeding. But when blood clots form in the absence of an injury, those clots can be life-threatening. Excessive blood clots in arteries and the brain are the main cause of heart attack and stroke. Researchers found that fibronectin can actually switch its function from stopping bleeding to stopping overactive blood clots.

New treatment options for staph infections, inflammatory diseases Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:51 PM PDT Biochemists have discovered a family of proteins that could lead to better treatments for Staphylococcus aureus, a pathogenic bacterium that can cause more than 60,000 potentially life-threatening infections each year.

Enzyme controlling metastasis of breast cancer identified Posted: 02 Sep 2014 05:51 PM PDT An enzyme that controls the spread of breast cancer has been identified by researchers. The findings offer hope for the leading cause of breast cancer mortality worldwide.

Mirabegron for overactive bladder: Added benefit not proven Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:12 PM PDT Mirabegron has been approved since December 2012 for the treatment of adults with overactive bladder. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products, experts examined whether this new drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy specified by the Federal Joint Committee. No added benefit has been proven.

Teens, young adults who abuse prescription at high risk for overdose: NYC study Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:12 PM PDT Overdose-related knowledge and experiences of young adult nonmedical prescription opioid users has been studied for the first time to better understand how prescription opioid use relates to the likelihood and experience of overdose.

Activity restriction in pregnancy: New paper outlines physician recommendations on bed rest Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:11 PM PDT Physicians recommend against the routine use of activity restriction or bed rest, and in a new article outline their recommendations on its use.

Media coverage of celebrity suicide can cause large-scale copycat effect Posted: 02 Sep 2014 12:11 PM PDT Researchers who analyzed media coverage of the suicide of a national actress in South Korea and its impact on subsequent suicides found that the number of suicide-related articles surged around 80 times in the week after a suicide compared with the week prior.

Time to take notice and tackle heart failure Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:42 AM PDT Experts have sounded a call to action for policy makers at local, national, and international levels to promote heart failure prevention, improve heart failure awareness among healthcare professionals, ensure equity of care for all patients with heart failure, support and empower patients and their caregivers, and promote heart failure research.

Oceans apart: Study reveals insights into evolution of languages Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:42 AM PDT A new study provides evidence that physical barriers formed by oceans can influence language diversification. "Charles Darwin would have been amused by a study like this, because it confirms his hypothesis that languages, like species, are the product of evolution," said the study's lead author.

In pro baseball pitchers, weak core linked to more missed days Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:40 AM PDT Professional baseball pitchers with poor core stability are more likely to miss 30 or more days in a single season because of injury than are pitchers who have good control of muscles in their lower back and pelvis, research shows.

Potential for 'in body' muscle regeneration, rodent study suggests Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT What if repairing large segments of damaged muscle tissue was as simple as mobilizing the body's stem cells to the site of the injury? New research in mice and rats suggests that "in body" regeneration of muscle tissue might be possible by harnessing the body's natural healing powers.

Scientists make diseased cells synthesize their own drug Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT In a new study that could lead to many new medicines, scientists have adapted a chemical approach to turn diseased cells into unique manufacturing sites for molecules that can treat a form of muscular dystrophy.

One-two punch for brain tumors? New clinical trial opens Posted: 02 Sep 2014 11:32 AM PDT Doctors have started testing a unique new approach to fighting brain tumors -- one that delivers a one-two punch designed to knock out the most dangerous brain cancer. The experimental approach delivers two different genes directly into the brains of patients following the operation to remove the bulk of their tumors.

Key to first cell differentiation in mammals found Posted: 02 Sep 2014 08:49 AM PDT The key to the appearance of the first differentiated cell types in mammalian embryos has been uncovered by researchers. This differentiation event occurs even before the formation of the embryo proper, during the developmental stage known as the blastocyst.

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