ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Pathway for origin of most common form of brain and spinal cord tumor identified
• Tracking MRSA in real time: Study highlights benefits of rapid whole-genome sequencing
• Chinese meditation prompts double positive punch in brain white matter
• Key enzyme plays roles as both friend and foe to cancer
• Proposed testosterone testing of some female Olympians challenged
• New drug-screening method yields long-sought anti-HIV compounds: Drug candidates act on target unlikely to mutate
• 'Magical state' of embryonic stem cells may help overcome hurdles to therapeutics
• Novel mechanism involved in key immune response
• 'Hitchhiking' viral therapy deals a double blow to cancer
• Confused about prostate cancer screening? Mayo clinic expert helps explain the latest
• Clarity begins at exome: Sequencing protein-making part of genome can change diagnosis and patient care
• Lack of single protein results in persistent viral infection
• Timing, duration of biochemical bugle call critical for fighting viruses
• Scientists see new hope for restoring vision with stem cell help
• Success with new immune approach to fighting some cancers
• 1960s-era anti-cancer drug points to treatments for Lou Gehrig's disease
• New energy source for future medical implants: Sugar
• Mapping the healthy human microbiome
• Sending sexually explicit photos by cell phone is common among teens
• Videogamers no better at talking while driving
• Toddler spatial knowledge boosts understanding of numbers
• Juveniles build up physical -- but not mental -- tolerance for alcohol
• Unhealthy lifestyles have little impact on sperm quality
• Diabetes: Tighter control of blood sugar prevents nerve condition, but at what risk?
• Role of omega-3 in preventing cognitive decline in older people questioned
• New weekly fertility injections work as well as daily, study suggests
• Real-life exposure to violence disrupts a child's sleep habits
• Sleep times influenced by race, ethnicity and country of origin
• Obesity, depression found to be root causes of daytime sleepiness
• Earlier birth, at 37 weeks, is best for twins, study suggests
• Don't feel like exercise? Scientists find compound that may help you work out harder
• Male doctors make $12k more per year than female doctors

Pathway for origin of most common form of brain and spinal cord tumor identified Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:40 PM PDT Researchers say they have discovered one of the most important cellular mechanisms driving the growth and progression of meningioma, the most common form of brain and spinal cord tumor. A report on the discovery could lead the way to the discovery of better drugs to attack these crippling tumors, the scientists say.

Tracking MRSA in real time: Study highlights benefits of rapid whole-genome sequencing Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:40 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated that next-generation genome sequencing can provide clinically relevant data on bacterial transmission within a timescale that can influence infection control and patient management. The team recreated an MRSA outbreak that occurred in a neonatal ward and analyzed it using genome sequencing as if in real time. Next-generation genome sequencing provides precise information in a fast turnaround time, and could make a clear distinction between MRSA isolates in a way that was not previously possible.

Chinese meditation prompts double positive punch in brain white matter Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:38 PM PDT Scientists studying the Chinese mindfulness meditation known as integrative body-mind training have confirmed and expanded on changes in structural efficiency of white matter in the brain that can be related to positive behavioral changes in subjects practicing the technique for a month and a minimum of 11 hours total.

Key enzyme plays roles as both friend and foe to cancer Posted: 13 Jun 2012 03:38 PM PDT A molecule thought to limit cell proliferation also helps cancer cells survive during initial tumor formation and when the wayward cells spread to other organs in the body, researchers have found.

Proposed testosterone testing of some female Olympians challenged Posted: 13 Jun 2012 12:33 PM PDT Proposed Olympic policies for testing the testosterone levels of select female athletes could discriminate against women who may not meet traditional notions of femininity and distort the scientific evidence on the relationship between testosterone, sex and athletic performance, says a bioethicist.

New drug-screening method yields long-sought anti-HIV compounds: Drug candidates act on target unlikely to mutate Posted: 13 Jun 2012 12:33 PM PDT Scientists have used a powerful new chemical-screening method to find compounds that inhibit the activity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.

'Magical state' of embryonic stem cells may help overcome hurdles to therapeutics Posted: 13 Jun 2012 12:32 PM PDT With their potential to treat a wide range of diseases and uncover fundamental processes that lead to those diseases, embryonic stem (ES) cells hold great promise for biomedical science. A number of hurdles, both scientific and non-scientific, however, have precluded scientists from reaching the holy grail of using these special cells to treat heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases. New research shows that ES cells cycle in and out of a "magical state" in the early stages of embryo development.

Novel mechanism involved in key immune response Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:54 AM PDT Scientists have identified a novel way that a common virus, called adenovirus, causes disease. In doing so, they have discovered important information on one of the body's key immune responses. Their findings may have implications for infectious diseases and cancer.

'Hitchhiking' viral therapy deals a double blow to cancer Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:53 AM PDT Scientists have shown how a promising viral therapy that delivers a double blow to cancer can sneak up on tumours undetected by hitching a ride on blood cells.

Confused about prostate cancer screening? Mayo clinic expert helps explain the latest Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:52 AM PDT Urologists recommend a personalized approach to determining whether or not a patient should consider PSA screening for prostate cancer.

Clarity begins at exome: Sequencing protein-making part of genome can change diagnosis and patient care Posted: 13 Jun 2012 11:52 AM PDT The new technology of exome sequencing is not only a promising method for identifying disease-causing genes, but may also improve diagnoses and guide individual patient care.

Lack of single protein results in persistent viral infection Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT Scientists have shown a single protein can make the difference between an infection clearing out of the body or persisting for life.

Timing, duration of biochemical bugle call critical for fighting viruses Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT Researchers have identified the primary player of the biochemical bugle call that musters the body's defenders against viral infection.

Scientists see new hope for restoring vision with stem cell help Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:33 AM PDT Human-derived stem cells can spontaneously form the tissue that develops into the part of the eye that allows us to see, according to a new study. Transplantation of this 3-D tissue in the future could help patients with visual impairments see clearly.

Success with new immune approach to fighting some cancers Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:32 AM PDT Scientists have found that 20 to 25 percent of "heavily pre-treated" patients with a variety of cancers who enrolled in a clinical trial had "objective and durable" responses to a treatment with BMS-936558, an antibody that specifically blocks programmed cell death 1 (PD-1). PD-1 is a key immune "checkpoint" receptor expressed by activated immune cells and is involved in the suppression of immunity.

1960s-era anti-cancer drug points to treatments for Lou Gehrig's disease Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:32 AM PDT A long-used anti-cancer drug could be a starting point to develop new treatments for the incurable nerve disease known as Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), scientists are reporting. Their research shows how the drug prevents clumping of an enzyme linked to ALS.

New energy source for future medical implants: Sugar Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT An implantable fuel cell could power neural prosthetics that help patients regain control of limbs. Engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers human cells: glucose. This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again.

Mapping the healthy human microbiome Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT Human beings are ecosystems on two legs, each of us carrying enough microbes to outnumber our human cells by 10 to 1 and our genes by even more. The Human Microbiome Project Consortium has for the first time answered two fundamental questions about the microbiota that healthy humans carry: Who's there and what are they doing?

Sending sexually explicit photos by cell phone is common among teens Posted: 13 Jun 2012 10:29 AM PDT A significant number of teenagers are sending and receiving sexually explicit cell phone photos, often with little, if any, awareness of the possible psychological, interpersonal, and sometimes legal consequences of doing so. Even many of those who believe there could be serious legal consequences are undeterred and still choose to engage in 'sexting'.

Videogamers no better at talking while driving Posted: 13 Jun 2012 07:24 AM PDT No matter how much time you've spent training your brain to multitask by playing "Call of Duty," you're probably no better at talking on the phone while driving than anybody else, according to a new study.

Toddler spatial knowledge boosts understanding of numbers Posted: 13 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Children who are skilled in understanding how shapes fit together to make recognizable objects also have an advantage when it comes to learning the number line and solving math problems. The work is further evidence of the value of providing young children with early opportunities in spatial learning, which helps them mentally manipulate objects.

Juveniles build up physical -- but not mental -- tolerance for alcohol Posted: 13 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Research into alcohol's effect on juvenile rats shows they have an ability to build up a physical, but not cognitive, tolerance over the short term — a finding that could have implications for adolescent humans, according to psychologists.

Unhealthy lifestyles have little impact on sperm quality Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:11 AM PDT Lifestyle advice given by doctors to men diagnosed with infertility should be radically overhauled according to new research.

Diabetes: Tighter control of blood sugar prevents nerve condition, but at what risk? Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:11 AM PDT Aggressive control of blood sugar levels in diabetes can help to prevent a painful condition affecting patients' nerves, according to a new systematic review. However, the review suggests that optimal target levels need to be established to prevent serious complications.

Role of omega-3 in preventing cognitive decline in older people questioned Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:10 AM PDT Older people who take omega-3 fish oil supplements are probably not reducing their chances of losing cognitive function, according to a new Cochrane systematic review. Based on the available data from studies lasting up to 3.5 years, the researchers concluded that the supplements offered no benefits for cognitive health over placebo capsules or margarines, but that longer term effects are worth investigating.

New weekly fertility injections work as well as daily, study suggests Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:10 AM PDT New long-lasting weekly injections of fertility hormones are as safe and effective as standard daily injections, according to Cochrane researchers. The researchers compared weekly and daily hormone injections and found no difference in pregnancies or serious side effects between the two regimens.

Real-life exposure to violence disrupts a child's sleep habits Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:10 AM PDT Violence in a child's world impacts sleep, new research shows. The result is measurable, affected by the severity of the violence and can last over time. The more severe the violence, the more sleep is impacted. Characteristics of the violent act also touch different aspects of the child's sleep. Children who are victimized during a violent event tend to sleep less and more poorly; children who witness homicide have more inconsistent sleep as time passes.

Sleep times influenced by race, ethnicity and country of origin Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:10 AM PDT Two new studies report sleep disparities among Americans based on racial and ethnic background. Study One looked at 400,000 national survey responses and found Americans born in the US are more likely to report sleeping longer than African-born or Indian-born citizens. Another study analyzed 439 random sleep measurements and found that white participants slept significantly longer than the other groups, with blacks reporting the worst sleep quality and Asians the highest reports of daytime sleepiness.

Obesity, depression found to be root causes of daytime sleepiness Posted: 13 Jun 2012 06:10 AM PDT Three new studies conclude that obesity and depression are the main culprits making Americans excessively sleepy while awake. Researchers examined a random population sample of 1,741 adults and determined that obesity and emotional stress are the main causes of an "epidemic" of sleepiness and fatigue plaguing the country. Insufficient sleep and obstructive sleep apnea also play a role; both have been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, depression, diabetes, obesity and accidents.

Earlier birth, at 37 weeks, is best for twins, study suggests Posted: 13 Jun 2012 04:30 AM PDT Researchers say women pregnant with twins should elect to give birth at 37 weeks to avoid serious complications.

Don't feel like exercise? Scientists find compound that may help you work out harder Posted: 12 Jun 2012 04:31 PM PDT Could there be a pill to help you exercise harder? A new report suggests this might be possible. Researchers found that elevating a hormone in the brain, erythropoietin, motivated mice to exercise. The form of erythropoietin used in these experiments did not elevate red blood cell counts, offering benefits for a range of health problems from Alzheimer's to obesity, and mental health disorders where increased exercise can improve symptoms.

Male doctors make $12k more per year than female doctors Posted: 12 Jun 2012 04:28 PM PDT Male doctors make more money than their female counterparts, even when factoring in medical specialty, title, work hours, productivity and a host of other factors, according to a comprehensive new analysis.

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