ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Researchers set sights on new era in neuroprotection
• New rapid and point of care hepatitis C tests could be global game changers
• New light shed on cancer risks associated with night work
• Can vaccines be delivered via the lungs instead of by injection?
• Even your fat cells need sleep, according to new research
• Calling Miss Congeniality: Do attractive people have attractive traits and values?
• People with severe psoriasis nearly twice at risk for diabetes
• Compounds that could thwart post-traumatic stress disorder identified
• Weight loss surgery may be associated with increased substance use following surgery
• Men diagnosed with ADHD as children had worse outcomes as adults, study suggests
• Does motherhood dampen cocaine’s effects?
• A better way to prevent deadly blood clots?
• Plaque build-up in your brain may be more harmful than having Alzheimer's gene
• Do re mi fa ... How do you know what comes next?
• Gold nanoparticle prostate cancer treatment found safe in dogs, study shows
• Stem cell model for hereditary disease developed
• Ebola antibody treatment, produced in plants, protects monkeys from lethal disease
• Language structure arises from balance of clear and effective communication, study finds
• Intermittent binge drinking could cause significant brain impairment within months, study suggests
• New research moves scientists closer to lung cancer blood test
• Researcher pieces together AML prognosis puzzle
• Neuroscientists find the molecular 'when' and 'where' of memory formation
• Additive effect of small gene variations can increase risk of autism spectrum disorders
• 'Biggest Loser' study finds modest diet and exercise can sustain weight loss
• Higher-dose use of certain statins often best for cholesterol issues
• Early exposure to cigarette smoke leads to greater risk for respiratory disease
• Social contact can ease pain related to nerve damage, animal study suggests
• Study sheds light on role of exercise and androgens such as testosterone on nerve damage repair
• 'Mother's kiss' safe and effective for removing foreign objects from children's noses
• Bicycle helmets prevent fatal head injuries, study finds
• Drug-eluting angioplasty treatment for peripheral artery disease shows promise
• Bacterial protein in house dust spurs asthma, study finds
• Mice at risk of asthma, allergies can fight off skin cancer
• Immunosuppressive drug could delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases
• Protein could be key for drugs that promote bone growth
• Aggregation of proteins in cells may result in diseases
• Space station and space flight gravity influence immune system development
• DNA method can provide more effective treatment of childhood cancer
• Breakthrough could help sufferers of fatal lung disease
• Sitting for protracted periods increases risk of diabetes, heart disease and death
• Adding up autism risks
• Replicating risk genes in bipolar disorder
• Developing brain is source of stability and instabilty in adolescence
• Scientists reveal brain circuitry involved in post-traumatic stress and related disorders
• New research reveals more about how the brain processes facial expressions and emotions
• Obesity promotes tumor growth regardless of diet
• Rare cells regulate immune responses; May offer novel treatment for autoimmune diseases
• What you hear could depend on what your hands are doing

Researchers set sights on new era in neuroprotection Posted: 15 Oct 2012 03:24 PM PDT A research team has identified a set of experimental drugs called LRRK2 inhibitors that may go beyond symptom relief to directly counter the inflammation and nerve cell death at the root of Parkinson's disease. At least, these effects have been suggested in mouse and cell culture studies meant to approximate human disease.

New rapid and point of care hepatitis C tests could be global game changers Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:13 PM PDT Timely screening and diagnosis is critical to the success of new treatments and ultimately to the survival of hepatitis C patients. A new study is the first to show that hepatitis C rapid and point of care tests with a quick turnaround time are highly accurate and reliable as conventional first-line laboratory tests.

New light shed on cancer risks associated with night work Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:13 PM PDT Night work can increase cancer risk in men, according to a new study. The study is one of the first in the world to provide evidence among men of a possible association between night work and the risk of prostate, colon, lung, bladder, rectal, and pancreatic cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Can vaccines be delivered via the lungs instead of by injection? Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:10 PM PDT In addition to the obvious benefit of eliminating the need for an injection, new vaccine delivery methods via the lungs offer particular advantages for protecting against infectious agents that enter the body through the respiratory track.

Even your fat cells need sleep, according to new research Posted: 15 Oct 2012 02:08 PM PDT Challenging the old notion that the function of sleep is to rest the brain, researchers show that not getting enough sleep can harm fat cells, reducing by 30 percent their ability to respond to insulin, a hormone that regulates energy. This is the first description of a molecular mechanism directly connecting sleep loss to the disruption of energy regulation.

Calling Miss Congeniality: Do attractive people have attractive traits and values? Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:24 PM PDT It's difficult to resist the temptation of assuming that a person's outward appearance reflects something meaningful about his or her inner personality. Research shows that people tend to perceive attractive adults as more social, successful, and well-adjusted than less attractive adults, a phenomenon that's been termed the "what is beautiful is good" stereotype. But is this really true? A new article investigates whether the stereotype holds up in the real world.

People with severe psoriasis nearly twice at risk for diabetes Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:24 PM PDT An analysis of 27 studies linking psoriasis in 314,000 individuals with diabetes has found strong correlation between the scaly skin rash and the blood sugar disorder that predisposes patients to heart disease.

Compounds that could thwart post-traumatic stress disorder identified Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:24 PM PDT A brain pathway that is stimulated by traumatic or fearful experiences can be disrupted by two compounds that show promise for preventing post-traumatic stress disorder, researchers have reported.

Weight loss surgery may be associated with increased substance use following surgery Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:24 PM PDT Patients who undergo bariatric weight loss surgery may be at increased risk for substance use (drug use, alcohol use and cigarette smoking) following surgery, particularly among patients who undergo laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery who appear to be at increased risk for alcohol use following surgery.

Men diagnosed with ADHD as children had worse outcomes as adults, study suggests Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:24 PM PDT Men who were diagnosed as children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appeared to have significantly worse educational, occupational, economic and social outcomes in a 33-year, follow-up study that compared them with men without childhood ADHD.

Does motherhood dampen cocaine’s effects? Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT Mother rats respond much differently to cocaine than female rats that have never given birth, according to new research that looks at both behavior and brain chemistry. The findings may help lay the groundwork for more tailored human addiction treatment.

A better way to prevent deadly blood clots? Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT A computerized checklist system designed to help physicians identify and use the best methods of preventing potentially deadly blood clots in hospitalized trauma patients dramatically reduced the number of these dangerous venous thromboembolisms (VTEs), new research suggests.

Plaque build-up in your brain may be more harmful than having Alzheimer's gene Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:19 PM PDT A new study shows that having a high amount of beta amyloid or "plaques" in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease may cause steeper memory decline in mentally healthy older people than does having the APOE [4 allele, also associated with the disease.

Do re mi fa ... How do you know what comes next? Posted: 15 Oct 2012 01:18 PM PDT How do you remember a song -- and why is it that a beginning pianist who forgets the middle of a melody needs to start over again to recall the tune? The answer, say researchers, is that two different areas of the brain are used -- one to learn a sequence and another to recall it -- and that higher motor areas participate in both.

Gold nanoparticle prostate cancer treatment found safe in dogs, study shows Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:20 PM PDT Scientists have demonstrated that a new form of prostate cancer treatment that uses radioactive gold nanoparticles is safe to use in dogs.

Stem cell model for hereditary disease developed Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:20 PM PDT Scientists have reprogrammed stem cells to develop into cells that are genetically similar to and react to drugs in a similar way as cells from patients with Gaucher disease. The stem cells will allow the scientists to test potential new therapies in a dish, accelerating the process toward drug discovery, according to a new article.

Ebola antibody treatment, produced in plants, protects monkeys from lethal disease Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:20 PM PDT A new Ebola virus study has shown promising preliminary results, preventing disease in infected nonhuman primates using monoclonal antibodies. When treatment was administered one hour after infection, all animals survived. Two-thirds of the animals were protected even when the treatment, known as MB-003, was administered 48 hours after infection.

Language structure arises from balance of clear and effective communication, study finds Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:20 PM PDT When learning a new language, we automatically organize words into sentences that will be both clearly understood and efficient (quick) to communicate. That's the finding of a new study that challenges opposing theories on why and how languages come to be organized the way they are.

Intermittent binge drinking could cause significant brain impairment within months, study suggests Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:20 PM PDT A study of binge-drinking rodents suggests that knocking back a few drinks every few days may swiftly reduce one's capacity to control alcohol intake. Scientists found signs of cognitive impairment in rats similar to that seen in established alcoholism after the animals had only a few months of intermittent access to alcohol. Remarkably, these impairments did not appear at all in rats with 24/7 access to alcohol, whose alcohol intake remained stable.

New research moves scientists closer to lung cancer blood test Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:12 PM PDT Early signs of lung cancer could be diagnosed using a simple blood test following a new discovery.

Researcher pieces together AML prognosis puzzle Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:11 PM PDT When patients suffering from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) express high levels of the gene, MN1, an already aggressive leukemia is accelerated and shortens survival time. While that's a known fact, the mechanisms involved aren't well understood -- which is why a researcher decided to take a closer look.

Neuroscientists find the molecular 'when' and 'where' of memory formation Posted: 15 Oct 2012 12:11 PM PDT Neuroscientists have isolated the "when" and "where" of molecular activity that occurs in the formation of short-, intermediate-, and long-term memories. Their findings offer new insights into the molecular architecture of memory formation and, with it, a better road map for developing therapeutic interventions for related afflictions.

Additive effect of small gene variations can increase risk of autism spectrum disorders Posted: 15 Oct 2012 11:24 AM PDT An increased risk of autism spectrum disorders could result from an accumulation of many small, common gene genetic variations rather than large-effect, rare changes in the genetic code, according to a multi-center team. Their findings provide new insights into the genetic factors that underlie the neurodevelopmental condition.

'Biggest Loser' study finds modest diet and exercise can sustain weight loss Posted: 15 Oct 2012 11:24 AM PDT Exercise and healthy eating reduce body fat and preserve muscle in adults better than diet alone, according to a new study.

Higher-dose use of certain statins often best for cholesterol issues Posted: 15 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT A comprehensive new review on how to treat high cholesterol and other blood lipid problems suggests that intensive treatment with high doses of statin drugs is usually the best approach. But some statins work much better for this than others, the review concluded, and additional lipid-lowering medications added to a statin have far less value.

Early exposure to cigarette smoke leads to greater risk for respiratory disease Posted: 15 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT New research reveals cigarette smoke adversely affects the developing human airway, especially in prematurity. Fetuses and premature babies exposed to cigarette smoke are at greater risk for developing childhood respiratory diseases, such as asthma.

Social contact can ease pain related to nerve damage, animal study suggests Posted: 15 Oct 2012 10:15 AM PDT Companionship has the potential to reduce pain linked to nerve damage, according to a new study. This animal research suggests that the social contact had both behavioral and physiological influences.

Study sheds light on role of exercise and androgens such as testosterone on nerve damage repair Posted: 15 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT A new study has found that the beneficial effects daily exercise can have on the regeneration of nerves also require androgens such as testosterone in both males and females. It is the first report of both androgen-dependence of exercise on nerve regeneration and of an androgenic effect of exercise in females.

'Mother's kiss' safe and effective for removing foreign objects from children's noses Posted: 15 Oct 2012 09:22 AM PDT A technique called the "mother's kiss" for removing foreign objects from the nasal passages of young children appears to be a safe and effective approach, a new study finds.

Bicycle helmets prevent fatal head injuries, study finds Posted: 15 Oct 2012 09:21 AM PDT Cyclists who died of a head injury were three times as likely to not be wearing a helmet compared with those who died of other injuries, according to a new study.

Drug-eluting angioplasty treatment for peripheral artery disease shows promise Posted: 15 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT Use of balloon angioplasty and placement of stents to widen clogged arteries have become standard medical procedure. Further advancing this treatment, drug-eluting devices are now delivering medication directly to the site where it can be most effective. While this technique has met with success in coronary arteries, its use in peripheral arteries is still under study.

Bacterial protein in house dust spurs asthma, study finds Posted: 15 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT A bacterial protein in common house dust may worsen allergic responses to indoor allergens, according to new research. The finding is the first to document the presence of the protein flagellin in house dust, bolstering the link between allergic asthma and the environment.

Mice at risk of asthma, allergies can fight off skin cancer Posted: 15 Oct 2012 09:17 AM PDT A molecule involved in asthma and allergies has now been shown to make mice resistant to skin cancer, according to scientists.

Immunosuppressive drug could delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases Posted: 15 Oct 2012 08:28 AM PDT Rapamycin, a drug used to prevent rejection in transplants, could delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, according to a new study.

Protein could be key for drugs that promote bone growth Posted: 15 Oct 2012 08:28 AM PDT Researchers have developed a mouse that errs on the side of making bone rather than fat, which could eventually lead to better drugs to treat inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Aggregation of proteins in cells may result in diseases Posted: 15 Oct 2012 08:28 AM PDT Changes in the structure of proteins can lead to various diseases, such as Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes and corneal dystrophy. A research team from Denmark has now discovered how a particular protein can damage cells. These results may lead to the development of drugs to treat corneal dystrophy in the future.

Space station and space flight gravity influence immune system development Posted: 15 Oct 2012 06:37 AM PDT Immune system development is affected by gravity changes, according to new research. Astronauts are exposed to stresses, during launch and landing, which disrupts their body's natural defenses against infection. Changes to the immune system need to be investigated before astronauts undergo longer space missions, experts say.

DNA method can provide more effective treatment of childhood cancer Posted: 15 Oct 2012 06:37 AM PDT After leukemia and brain tumors, neuroblastoma is the most common form of cancer to affect children. Researchers have now studied a DNA method which is now used for all cases of neuroblastoma in Sweden, and which has led to more effective treatment at individual level.

Breakthrough could help sufferers of fatal lung disease Posted: 15 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT Pioneering research is paving the way for new treatments which could benefit patients suffering from the fatal lung disease pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Sitting for protracted periods increases risk of diabetes, heart disease and death Posted: 15 Oct 2012 06:00 AM PDT Sitting around compromises health of people -- even if they meet typical physical activity guidelines.

Adding up autism risks Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:56 AM PDT The causes of autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are complex, and contain elements of both nature (genes) and the environment. New research shows that common genetic polymorphisms (genetic variation) can add up to an increased risk of ASD.

Replicating risk genes in bipolar disorder Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:54 AM PDT One of the biggest challenges in psychiatric genetics has been to replicate findings across large studies. Scientists have now performed one of the largest ever genetic replication studies of bipolar affective disorder, with 28,000 subjects recruited from 36 different research centers. Their findings provide compelling evidence that the chromosome 3p21.1 locus contains a common genetic risk for bipolar disorder, the PBRM1 gene.

Developing brain is source of stability and instabilty in adolescence Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:50 AM PDT Scientists are presenting new research on how the brain develops during the dynamic and vulnerable transition period from childhood to adulthood. The findings underscore the uniqueness of adolescence, revealing factors that may influence depression, decision-making, learning, and social relationships.

Scientists reveal brain circuitry involved in post-traumatic stress and related disorders Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:50 AM PDT Researchers report new insights into how the brain responds to extreme stress, whether from combat, natural disasters, or repeated violent competition. The insights offer hope for detecting and treating several widespread and debilitating neuropsychiatric disorders.

New research reveals more about how the brain processes facial expressions and emotions Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:50 AM PDT Research is helping reveal how human and primate brains process and interpret facial expressions, and the role of facial mimicry in everything from deciphering an unclear smile to establishing relationships of power and status.

Obesity promotes tumor growth regardless of diet Posted: 15 Oct 2012 05:46 AM PDT Researchers may have discovered a new explanation as to why obese patients with cancer often have a poorer prognosis compared with those who are lean.

Rare cells regulate immune responses; May offer novel treatment for autoimmune diseases Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:29 PM PDT Reproducing a rare type of B cell in the laboratory and infusing it back into the body may provide an effective treatment for severe autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, according to researchers.

What you hear could depend on what your hands are doing Posted: 14 Oct 2012 01:29 PM PDT New research demonstrates that the two hemispheres specialize in different kinds of sounds (left: rapidly changing sounds, such as consonants; right: slowly changing sounds, such as syllables or intonation). The research also shows the interaction between motor systems and perception. "Imagine you're waving an American flag while listening to a presidential candidate. The speech will sound slightly different depending on whether the flag is in your left or right hand," the lead researcher says.

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