ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Technology eases migraine pain in the deep brain
• Invention could help pharmaceutical industry save money
• Control of gene expression: Histone occupancy in your genome
• Molecule blocks pathway leading to Alzheimer's disease
• About one baby born each hour addicted to opiate drugs in U.S.
• The bright side of death: Awareness of mortality can result in positive behaviors
• Potent protein heals wounds, boosts immunity and protects from cancer
• Formaldehyde exposure may affect fertility in men
• Synthetic stool a prospective treatment for C. difficile
• Antimicrobial resistance for common urinary tract infection drug increases five fold since 2000
• Prenatal exposure to insecticide chlorpyrifos linked to alterations in brain structure and cognition
• Bilingualism fine-tunes hearing, enhances attention
• Unknown function of transcriptional regulator of development and cancer reveaked: Jarid2 may break the polycomb silence
• How does the immune system fight off threats to the brain?
• High-strength silk scaffolds improve bone repair
• 'Cloud' computing technology should make sharing medical images easier and more efficient
• A new drug to manage resistant chronic pain
• Neurodevelopmental disorders: How human cells 'hold hands'
• Mutltitasking hurts performance but makes you feel better
• Halting an enzyme can slow multiple sclerosis in mice
• Cost study shows timing crucial in appendectomies
• Enzyme could slow part of the aging process in astronauts -- and the elderly
• Vitamin D may protect against viral infections during the winter
• Light weights are just as good for building muscle, getting stronger, researchers find
• Key protein's newly discovered form and function may provide novel cancer treatment target
• Rapid test strips detect bacterial contamination in swimming water
• Brain circuitry associated with addictive, depressive behaviors identified
• Restoring hearing with discrete device: A middle-ear microphone for more convenient cochlear implants
• Scientists uncover exciting lead into premature aging and heart disease
• Pulling plug on pacifiers: New data do not support recommendation to restrict soothers in breastfeeding infants
• Armpits, belly buttons and chronic wounds: The ABCs of our body bacteria
• Improved adult-derived human stem cells have fewer genetic changes than expected
• Huge study finds brain networks connected to teen drug abuse

Technology eases migraine pain in the deep brain Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:26 PM PDT New brain stimulation technology can prevent debilitating migraine attacks from occurring, a new study suggests. The technique, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), applies a mild electrical current to the brain from electrodes attached to the scalp.

Invention could help pharmaceutical industry save money Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:26 PM PDT Researchers have invented a protein purifier that could help pharmaceutical companies save time and money. Chemists have developed high-performance membranes that are highly suitable for protein purification, a crucial step in the development of some new drugs.

Control of gene expression: Histone occupancy in your genome Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:26 PM PDT When stretched out, the genome of a single human cell can reach six feet. To package it all into a tiny nucleus, the DNA strand is tightly wrapped around a core of histone proteins in repeating units -- each unit known as a nucleosome. To allow access for the gene expression machinery the nucleosomes must open up and regroup when the process is complete.

Molecule blocks pathway leading to Alzheimer's disease Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:26 PM PDT Researchers have found novel compounds that disrupt the formation of amyloid, the clumps of protein in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease believed to be important in causing the disease's characteristic mental decline. The so-called "spin-labeled fluorene compounds" are an important new target for researchers and physicians focused on diagnosing, treating and studying the disease.

About one baby born each hour addicted to opiate drugs in U.S. Posted: 30 Apr 2012 04:05 PM PDT About one baby is born every hour addicted to opiate drugs in the United States, according to new research. Physicians found that diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome, a drug withdrawal syndrome among newborns, almost tripled between 2000 and 2009.

The bright side of death: Awareness of mortality can result in positive behaviors Posted: 30 Apr 2012 01:43 PM PDT Contemplating death doesn't necessarily lead to morose despondency, fear, aggression or other negative behaviors, as previous research has suggested. Following a review of dozens of studies, University of Missouri researchers found that thoughts of mortality can lead to decreased militaristic attitudes, better health decisions, increased altruism and helpfulness, and reduced divorce rates.

Potent protein heals wounds, boosts immunity and protects from cancer Posted: 30 Apr 2012 01:43 PM PDT Lactoferrin is an important iron-binding protein with many health benefits. The major form of this powerful protein, is secreted into human biofluids (e.g. milk, blood, tears, saliva), and is responsible for most of the host-defense properties.

Formaldehyde exposure may affect fertility in men Posted: 30 Apr 2012 01:42 PM PDT Occupational exposure to formaldehyde in Chinese men may be linked to reduced fertility, reports a new article.

Synthetic stool a prospective treatment for C. difficile Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:21 PM PDT A synthetic mixture of intestinal bacteria could one day replace stool transplants as a treatment for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile). C . difficile is a toxin-producing bacteria that can overpopulate the colon when antibiotics eradicate other, naturally protective bacteria living there.

Antimicrobial resistance for common urinary tract infection drug increases five fold since 2000 Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:21 PM PDT In a surveillance study of over 12 million bacteria, investigators found E. coli antimicrobial resistance to ciprofloxacin, the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial for urinary tract infections in the US, increased over five-fold from 2000 to 2010.

Prenatal exposure to insecticide chlorpyrifos linked to alterations in brain structure and cognition Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:20 PM PDT Even low to moderate levels of exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos during pregnancy may lead to long-term, potentially irreversible changes in the brain structure of the child, according to a new brain imaging study. The changes in brain structure are consistent with cognitive deficits found in children exposed to this chemical.

Bilingualism fine-tunes hearing, enhances attention Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:20 PM PDT A new study provides the first biological evidence that bilinguals' rich experience with language "fine-tunes" their auditory nervous system and helps them juggle linguistic input in ways that enhance attention and working memory. While many people do Sudoku to sharpen their minds, bilinguals' advantages in hearing, attention and working memory come automatically from knowing and speaking two languages, the researchers found.

Unknown function of transcriptional regulator of development and cancer reveaked: Jarid2 may break the polycomb silence Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:17 PM PDT Scientists used fruit flies to reveal an unknown function of a transcriptional regulator of development and cancer.

How does the immune system fight off threats to the brain? Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:17 PM PDT Like a police officer calling for backup while also keeping a strong hold on a suspected criminal, immune cells in the brain take a two-tier approach to fighting off a threat, new research finds. For the first time, the scientists managed to capture that reaction in action.

High-strength silk scaffolds improve bone repair Posted: 30 Apr 2012 12:17 PM PDT Biomedical engineers have demonstrated the first all-polymeric bone scaffold that is fully biodegradable and offers significant mechanical support during repair. The technique uses silk fibers to reinforce a silk matrix. Adding microfibers to the scaffolds enhances bone formation and mechanical properties. It could improve repair after accident or disease.

'Cloud' computing technology should make sharing medical images easier and more efficient Posted: 30 Apr 2012 10:59 AM PDT Patients find "cloud" technology a faster, more efficient way to store and distribute their medical images than current options, according to preliminary findings.

A new drug to manage resistant chronic pain Posted: 30 Apr 2012 09:47 AM PDT Neuropathic pain is the culprit behind many cases of chronic pain, resistant to common drugs. A new drug inhibits the transmission of pain signals throughout the body, protecting against not only neuropathic pain but also epileptic seizures, new study suggests.

Neurodevelopmental disorders: How human cells 'hold hands' Posted: 30 Apr 2012 09:47 AM PDT Biologists have advanced the knowledge of human neurodevelopmental disorders by finding that a lack of a particular group of cell adhesion molecules in the cerebral cortex -- the outermost layer of the brain where language, thought and other higher functions take place -- disrupts the formation of neural circuitry.

Mutltitasking hurts performance but makes you feel better Posted: 30 Apr 2012 09:46 AM PDT People aren't very good at media multitasking -- like reading a book while watching TV -- but do it anyway because it makes them feel good, a new study suggests. The findings provide clues as to why multitasking is so popular, even though many studies show it is not productive.

Halting an enzyme can slow multiple sclerosis in mice Posted: 30 Apr 2012 08:49 AM PDT An antibody that neutralizes Kallikrein 6 is capable of staving off MS in mice, new research suggests.

Cost study shows timing crucial in appendectomies Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:54 AM PDT Removing a child's ruptured appendix sooner rather than later significantly lowers hospital costs and charges, according to a recently published study.

Enzyme could slow part of the aging process in astronauts -- and the elderly Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:54 AM PDT New research suggests that an enzyme, called 5-lipoxygenase, plays a key role in cell death induced by microgravity environments, and that inhibiting this enzyme will likely help prevent or lessen the severity of immune problems in astronauts caused by spaceflight. Additionally, since space conditions initiate health problems that mimic aging on Earth, this discovery may lead to therapeutics that extend lives by bolstering the immune systems of the elderly.

Vitamin D may protect against viral infections during the winter Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:54 AM PDT Vitamin D may be known as the sunshine vitamin, but a new research report shows that it is more than that. According to the report, insufficient levels of vitamin D are related to a deficiency in our innate immune defenses that protect us from infections, neoplasias or autoimmune diseases.

Light weights are just as good for building muscle, getting stronger, researchers find Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:53 AM PDT Lifting less weight more times is just as effective at building muscle as training with heavy weights, a finding that turns conventional wisdom on its head. The key to muscle gain, say the researchers, is working to the point of fatigue.

Key protein's newly discovered form and function may provide novel cancer treatment target Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:50 AM PDT Scientists' discovery that a protein vital for cell survival and immune balance has another form with a different function could yield additional cancer treatment strategy. Investigators suggests that safeguarding cell survival and maintaining a balanced immune system is just the start of the myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (MCL1) protein's work. Nearly 20 years after MCL1 was discovered, scientists have identified a second form of the protein that works in a different location in cells and performs a different function.

Rapid test strips detect bacterial contamination in swimming water Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:48 AM PDT Researchers have developed a rapid testing method using a simple paper strip that can detect E. coli in recreational water within minutes. The new tool can close the gap between outbreak and detection, improving public safety.

Brain circuitry associated with addictive, depressive behaviors identified Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:10 AM PDT Scientists have determined how specific circuitry in the brain controls not only body movement but also motivation and learning, providing new insight into neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease -- and psychiatric disorders such as addiction and depression.

Restoring hearing with discrete device: A middle-ear microphone for more convenient cochlear implants Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:10 AM PDT Cochlear implants have restored basic hearing to some 220,000 deaf people, yet a microphone and related electronics must be worn outside the head, raising reliability issues, preventing patients from swimming and creating social stigma. Now, engineers have developed a tiny prototype microphone that can be implanted in the middle ear to avoid such problems.

Scientists uncover exciting lead into premature aging and heart disease Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:10 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that they can dramatically increase the life span of mice with progeria (premature aging disease) and heart disease (caused by Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy) by reducing levels of a protein called SUN1. Their findings provide an exciting lead into developing new methods to treat premature aging and heart disease.

Pulling plug on pacifiers: New data do not support recommendation to restrict soothers in breastfeeding infants Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:09 AM PDT Binkies, corks, soothers. Whatever you call pacifiers, conventional wisdom holds that giving them to newborns can interfere with breastfeeding. New research, however, challenges that assertion. In fact, limiting the use of pacifiers in newborn nurseries may actually increase infants' consumption of formula during the birth hospitalization, according to a new study.

Armpits, belly buttons and chronic wounds: The ABCs of our body bacteria Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:02 AM PDT Minutes after you were born, bacteria moved in. Their populations have exploded, diversified and spread in and on your body, including your skin. Scientists are learning how and why bacteria colonize particular places, possibly pointing to ways of treating skin and other conditions. Researchers have discovered that each person's collection of bacteria is unique -- like fingerprints. But unlike your fingerprints, the bacterial communities can change depending on your diet, environment, health, age and many other factors. Swab samples from about 200 volunteers' belly buttons contained an astonishing variety of bacteria -- nearly 4,000 different strains, many of which are completely new to scientists.

Improved adult-derived human stem cells have fewer genetic changes than expected Posted: 30 Apr 2012 07:02 AM PDT Scientists have evaluated the whole genomic sequence of stem cells derived from human bone marrow cells—so-called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells—and found that relatively few genetic changes occur during stem cell conversion by an improved method.

Huge study finds brain networks connected to teen drug abuse Posted: 29 Apr 2012 12:22 PM PDT In a large imaging study of the human brain -- involving 1,896 14-year-olds -- scientists have discovered networks that go a long way toward explaining why some teenagers start experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Scientists report that differences in these brain networks make some adolescents more impulsive. These networks appear to exist prior to drug experimentation. Other separate brain networks were discovered that connect to ADHD.

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