ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• HIF gene mutation found in tumor cells offers new clues about cancer metabolism
• NFL players may be at higher risk of death from Alzheimer’s and ALS, research shows
• Major advances in understanding the regulation and organization of the human genome
• Computational method for pinpointing genetic factors that cause disease
• Animal study finds anti-HIV vaginal ring can prevent virus transmission
• Genome-wide scan maps mutations in deadly lung cancers; reveals embryonic gene link
• Mouse study suggests sleep problems may be early Alzheimer's sign
• First holistic view of how human genome actually works: ENCODE study produces massive data set
• How a high-fat diet and estrogen loss leads women to store more abdominal fat than men
• Study in mice discovers injection of heat-generating cells reduces belly fat
• Children exposed to two phthalates have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation
• Millions of DNA switches that power human genome's operating system are discovered
• In massive genome analysis ENCODE data suggests 'gene' redefinition
• Mapping a genetic world beyond genes
• Researchers unlock disease information hidden in genome's control circuitry
• ENCODE Project publishes new genomic insights in special issue of Genome Research
• Understanding the human genome: ENCODE at BioMed Central
• Decoding the Black Death: Anthropologist finds clues in medieval skeletons
• When do we lie? When we're short on time and long on reasons
• Plaque-forming substances in mice with Alzheimer’s disease dramatically reduced
• Infections in rheumatoid arthritis patients: Study finds way to pinpoint risk
• Robotic exoskeletal device: Preliminary research findings for Ekso in spinal cord injury
• Prenatal exposure to pesticide additive linked with childhood cough
• Tumor suppressor genes vital to regulating blood precursor cells in fruit flies
• Biting back against Lyme disease
• Can videogaming benefit young people with autism spectrum disorder?
• Why does Alzheimer's disease affect twice as many women as men?
• Kinsey Reporter: Free app allows public to anonymously report, share information on sexual behavior
• Epigenetic causes of prostate cancer: Researchers observe modified methylation patterns in a group of prostate cancers
• Brainy beverage: Study reveals how green tea boosts brain cell production to aid memory
• Possible new therapy for the treatment of a common blood cancer
• Rate of women with pregnancy-associated cancer on the rise, study suggests

HIF gene mutation found in tumor cells offers new clues about cancer metabolism Posted: 05 Sep 2012 03:30 PM PDT For the first time, a mutation in HIF2 alpha, a specific group of genes known as transcription factors that is involved in red blood cell production and cell metabolism, has been identified in cancer tumor cells.

NFL players may be at higher risk of death from Alzheimer’s and ALS, research shows Posted: 05 Sep 2012 01:33 PM PDT New research shows that professional football players may be at a higher risk of death from diseases that damage the cells in the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease and ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), compared to the general U.S. population.

Major advances in understanding the regulation and organization of the human genome Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:46 PM PDT The National Human Genome Research Institute today announced the results of a five-year international study of the regulation and organization of the human genome. The project is named ENCODE, which stands for the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements. In conjunction with the release of those results, the Journal of Biological Chemistry has published a series of reviews that focus on several aspects of the findings.

Computational method for pinpointing genetic factors that cause disease Posted: 05 Sep 2012 12:43 PM PDT Researchers have developed a computational method of identifying "causal" genetic variants that lead to particular diseases, with wide application for genome-wide association studies.

Animal study finds anti-HIV vaginal ring can prevent virus transmission Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:19 AM PDT Scientists have found that a vaginal ring releasing an anti-HIV drug can prevent the transmission of SHIV in macaques. This study provides the first efficacy data on the delivery of a microbicide from a vaginal ring, and indicates strong potential for the success of such rings in women. Microbicides are compounds that can be applied inside the vagina or rectum to protect against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Genome-wide scan maps mutations in deadly lung cancers; reveals embryonic gene link Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:16 AM PDT Scientists have completed a comprehensive map of genetic mutations linked to an aggressive and lethal type of lung cancer. Among the errors found in small cell lung cancers, scientists found an alteration in a gene called SOX2 associated with early embryonic development.

Mouse study suggests sleep problems may be early Alzheimer's sign Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:16 AM PDT Sleep disruptions may be among the earliest indicators of Alzheimer's disease, scientists report.

First holistic view of how human genome actually works: ENCODE study produces massive data set Posted: 05 Sep 2012 11:09 AM PDT The Human Genome Project produced an almost complete order of the 3 billion pairs of chemical letters in the DNA that embodies the human genetic code -- but little about the way this blueprint works. Now, after a multi-year concerted effort by more than 440 researchers in 32 labs around the world, a more dynamic picture gives the first holistic view of how the human genome actually does its job.

How a high-fat diet and estrogen loss leads women to store more abdominal fat than men Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:54 AM PDT A high-fat diet triggers chemical reactions in female mice that could explain why women are more likely than men to gain fat in the abdomen after eating excess saturated fat, new research suggests. The study also sheds light on why women gain fat following menopause.

Study in mice discovers injection of heat-generating cells reduces belly fat Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:53 AM PDT The injection of a tiny capsule containing heat-generating cells into the abdomens of mice led those animals to burn abdominal fat and initially lose about 20 percent of belly fat after 80 days of treatment.

Children exposed to two phthalates have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:53 AM PDT Children exposed to diethyl phthalate and butylbenzyl phthalate -- phthalate chemicals commonly found in personal care and plastic products -- have elevated risk of asthma-related airway inflammation, according to researchers.

Millions of DNA switches that power human genome's operating system are discovered Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:53 AM PDT Genes make up only 2 percent of the human genome and are easy to spot, but the on/off switches controlling those genes were encrypted within the remaining 98 percent of the genome. Without these switches, called regulatory DNA, genes are inert. Scientists created detailed maps of the locations of regulatory DNA within hundreds of different kinds of living cells. They also compiled a dictionary of the instructions written within regulatory DNA.

In massive genome analysis ENCODE data suggests 'gene' redefinition Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:50 AM PDT As part of a huge collaborative effort called ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements), a research team at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has analyzed all the RNA messages, called transcripts, produced within human cells. They show that three-quarters of the genome is capable of being transcribed, indicating that nearly all of our genome is dynamic and active. This raises exciting new possibilities for research into complex genetic diseases.

Mapping a genetic world beyond genes Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:50 AM PDT Most of the DNA alterations that are tied to disease do not alter protein-coding genes, but rather the "switches" that control them. Characterizing these switches is one of many goals of the ENCODE project -- a sweeping, international effort to create a compendium of all of the working parts of the human genome that have not been well studied or well understood. The function of the vast majority of the human genome has remained largely unknown, but the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, launched in 2003, set out to change that.

Researchers unlock disease information hidden in genome's control circuitry Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:49 AM PDT Researchers have determined that the majority of genetic changes associated with more than 400 common diseases and clinical traits affect the genome's regulatory circuitry. These are the regions of DNA that contain instructions dictating when and where genes are switched on or off. Most of these changes affect circuits that are active during early human development, when body tissues are most vulnerable.

ENCODE Project publishes new genomic insights in special issue of Genome Research Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:49 AM PDT Genome Research publishes a special issue dedicated to The ENCODE (ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements) Project, whose goal is to characterize all functional elements in the human genome.

Understanding the human genome: ENCODE at BioMed Central Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:49 AM PDT The completion of the human genome project in 2003 was an immeasurably important milestone, but (like an book written in code) left many biologists wondering what the sequence might actually mean. Consequently, the focus of human genomics that year began the transition from generating sequence -- to annotating the functional elements, hidden within the human genome's 3.2 billion As, Cs, Gs and Ts. With this goal in mind the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) consortium was formed.

Decoding the Black Death: Anthropologist finds clues in medieval skeletons Posted: 05 Sep 2012 10:48 AM PDT Researchers have been studying medieval skeletons at the Museum of London since 2003, each year unlocking more clues to the mystery that surrounds the Black Death.

When do we lie? When we're short on time and long on reasons Posted: 05 Sep 2012 09:30 AM PDT Almost all of us have been tempted to lie at some point, whether about our GPA, our annual income, or our age. But what makes us actually do it? In a new study, psychological scientists discover that time pressure and available justifications both influence dishonest behavior.

Plaque-forming substances in mice with Alzheimer’s disease dramatically reduced Posted: 05 Sep 2012 09:27 AM PDT Scientists have found that eliminating an enzyme from mice with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease leads to a 90 percent reduction in the compounds responsible for formation of the plaques linked to this form of dementia. That is the most dramatic reduction in this compound reported to date in published research.

Infections in rheumatoid arthritis patients: Study finds way to pinpoint risk Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:11 AM PDT Rheumatoid arthritis alone is painful and disabling, but it also puts patients at higher risk of death. The greater susceptibility to infections that accompanies the autoimmune disorder is one reason.

Robotic exoskeletal device: Preliminary research findings for Ekso in spinal cord injury Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:11 AM PDT Preliminary research findings have been released from a clinical study of the wearable robotic exoskeletal device, Ekso (Ekso Bionics). Initial results are promising for the potential application of Ekso-assisted walking in rehabilitation, in exercise/wellness programs, in the community and for home use.

Prenatal exposure to pesticide additive linked with childhood cough Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:10 AM PDT Children exposed in the womb to the widely used pesticide additive piperonyl butoxide have heightened risk of noninfectious cough at ages 5 and 6, according to researchers.

Tumor suppressor genes vital to regulating blood precursor cells in fruit flies Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:10 AM PDT Stem cell scientists have shown that two common tumor suppressor genes, TSC and PTEN, are vital to regulating the stem cell-like precursor cells that create the blood supply in Drosophila, the common fruit fly.

Biting back against Lyme disease Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:09 AM PDT Caused by a bite from an infected tick, Lyme disease has early symptoms that are unpleasant but respond well to antibiotics. However, if diagnosis is delayed or mistaken, the illness can take a serious turn, leading to severe joint pain, brain infection and paralysis. Now a researcher in the UK is on the trail of an accurate test that will enable quick and accurate detection of Lyme disease.

Can videogaming benefit young people with autism spectrum disorder? Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:09 AM PDT Children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder are typically fascinated by screen-based technology such as video games, and these can be used for educational and treatment purposes, as described in a new article.

Why does Alzheimer's disease affect twice as many women as men? Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:09 AM PDT A group of experts has developed consensus recommendations for future research directions to determine why nearly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are women.

Kinsey Reporter: Free app allows public to anonymously report, share information on sexual behavior Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:08 AM PDT Indiana University has released Kinsey Reporter, a global mobile survey platform for collecting and reporting anonymous data about sexual and other intimate behaviors. The pilot project allows citizen observers around the world to use free applications now available for Apple and Android mobile platforms to not only report on sexual behavior and experiences, but also to share, explore and visualize the accumulated data.

Epigenetic causes of prostate cancer: Researchers observe modified methylation patterns in a group of prostate cancers Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:38 AM PDT In about half of all prostate tumors, there are two genetic areas that are fused with one another. When this is not the case, the exact way cancer cells originate in prostate tumors was not clear until now. Scientists were able to show that the genesis of this fusion-negative prostate cancer has epigenetic causes: methyl groups are distributed differently over the DNA in the cancer cells than in healthy cells. Thanks to this knowledge, physicians may be able to achieve greater specificity in treating prostate tumors in future. In addition, the aberrant DNA methylations can be used as a potential biomarker for identifying prostate cancer.

Brainy beverage: Study reveals how green tea boosts brain cell production to aid memory Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:38 AM PDT It has long been believed that drinking green tea is good for the memory. Now researchers have discovered how the chemical properties of China's favorite drink affect the generation of brain cells, providing benefits for memory and spatial learning.

Possible new therapy for the treatment of a common blood cancer Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:37 AM PDT Research from in Sweden shows that sorafenib, a drug used for advanced cancer of the kidneys and liver, could also be effective against multiple myeloma. The disease is one of the more common forms of blood cancer and is generally incurable.

Rate of women with pregnancy-associated cancer on the rise, study suggests Posted: 04 Sep 2012 04:37 PM PDT The rate of pregnancy-associated cancer is increasing and is only partially explained by the rise in older mothers, suggests new research.

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