ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Vitamin D can help infection-prone patients avoid respiratory tract infection
• Wearable technology can monitor rehabilitation
• Large study identifies risk factors for multiple myeloma
• Age not factor in immunity to viruses, researchers find
• Ebola virus uses a protein decoy to subvert the host immune response
• Psychosocial distress associated with increased stroke risk
• Congenital heart defects could have their origin during very early pregnancy
• Researchers identify target to help protect kidney patients’ heart health
• Dark Ages scourge enlightens modern struggle between humans and microbes
• Key gene for brain development
• 'Two-faced' cells discovered in colon cancer
• New culprit in castration-resistant prostate cancer
• Cancer scientists identify a new layer of complexity within human colon cancer: Shed light on resistance to treatment
• Sharp rise in admissions for certain drug combinations over 10 years
• Study promoting coffee drinking benefits needs more research, says dentist
• Generic drugs often have incorrect safety labeling, study suggests
• Uncovering a flaw in drug testing for chronic anxiety disorder
• Time restrictions on TV advertisements ineffective in reducing youth exposure to alcohol ads
• Predicting risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death: There's a computer model for that
• Too many antibiotics? Bacterial ecology that lives on humans has changed in last 100 years
• Medical researchers discover new potential chemotherapy
• More than 200 genes identified for Crohn's Disease
• Viruses cooperate or conquer to cause maximum destruction
• Two new genetic mutations associated with Cowden syndrome identified
• Intestinal immune cells play an unexpected role in immune surveillance of the bloodstream
• New study brings long-sought vaccines for deadly parasite closer to reality
• Mouse brain cells activated, reactivated in learning and memory
• Wooden hip be lovely? Replacing damaged bones with implants based on wood
• Easy, at-home exercise program can help cancer patients
• Aerobic exercise boosts brain power, review finds
• No more lying about your age: Scientists can now gauge skin’s true age with new laser technique
• New biomarker for bone marrow cancer: Discovery suggests new ways of treating multiple myeloma
• Social synchronicity: Research finds a connection between bonding and matched movements
• MicroRNA-218 targets medulloblastoma, most aggressive childhood brain cancer
• Common anesthetic agents can be harmful for the development of the fetus
• New screening approach identified potential drug combinations for difficult-to-treat forms of melanoma
• Biopolymer: Designer interfaces between biological and artificial systems
• HPV in older women may be due to reactivation of virus, not new infection
• Ability to sit and rise from the floor is closely correlated with all-cause mortality risk
• Cancer stem cells isolated from kidney tumors
• New hormone therapy shows promise for menopausal symptoms in animal model
• Survivors of breast cancer more likely to develop diabetes, and should be screened more closely, study shows
• Almost one in three pedestrians 'distracted' by mobile devices while crossing street; Texting most dangerous distraction

Vitamin D can help infection-prone patients avoid respiratory tract infection Posted: 13 Dec 2012 04:31 PM PST Treating infection-prone patients over a 12-month period with high doses of vitamin D reduces their risk of developing respiratory tract infection -- and consequently their antibiotic requirement, according to a new study by researchers in Sweden.

Wearable technology can monitor rehabilitation Posted: 13 Dec 2012 04:30 PM PST Wearable technology is not only for sports and fashion enthusiasts; it can also be used to monitor and aid clinical rehabilitation, according to new research.

Large study identifies risk factors for multiple myeloma Posted: 13 Dec 2012 04:30 PM PST Multiple myeloma is a type of leukemia which affects B lymphocytes. There have been some indications that exposure to pesticides or chlorinated solvents increases the risk of developing this cancer. New research provides a large (from 22 centres across Europe), matched control study into lifetime risk of multiple myeloma. Researchers find that risk of multiple myeloma is related to farm work, printing and cleaning. But although exposure to pesticides seemed to be a risk, exposure to organic solvents was not.

Age not factor in immunity to viruses, researchers find Posted: 13 Dec 2012 02:23 PM PST A new study shows a specialized class of immune cells, known as T cells, can respond to virus infections in an older person with the same vigour as T cells from a young person.

Ebola virus uses a protein decoy to subvert the host immune response Posted: 13 Dec 2012 02:23 PM PST In a new study, researchers have discovered a potentially important mechanism by which the Ebola virus alters and evades the immune response of its infected host.

Psychosocial distress associated with increased stroke risk Posted: 13 Dec 2012 02:22 PM PST Psychosocial distress is associated with increased risk of stroke deaths and strokes in people over age 65, according to a new study. Psychosocial distress includes depression, stress and a negative outlook and dissatisfaction with life. The impact of psychosocial distress on stroke risk did not differ by race or sex.

Congenital heart defects could have their origin during very early pregnancy Posted: 13 Dec 2012 02:17 PM PST The origins of congenital heart defects could be traced right back to the first stages of embryonic development, according to a new study.

Researchers identify target to help protect kidney patients’ heart health Posted: 13 Dec 2012 02:16 PM PST Blocking the receptor for endothelin lowers novel cardiovascular risk factors in patients with chronic kidney disease independent of blood pressure, according to a new study. The findings suggest that blocking the receptor may provide heart-related benefits to these patients. Sixty million people globally have chronic kidney disease.

Dark Ages scourge enlightens modern struggle between humans and microbes Posted: 13 Dec 2012 12:15 PM PST New discoveries help explain how the stealthy agent of Black Death avoids tripping a self-destruct mechanism inside germ-destroying cells. The host defense mechanism pyroptosis ("going up in flames") eliminates places for the germs to reproduce and signals the recruitment of disease-fighting cells. Specifically, the findings may hold ideas for biodefense vaccines against plague, and more generally offer clues to controlling excessive inflammatory responses in arthritis, heart and lung diseases, colitis and autoimmune disorders.

Key gene for brain development Posted: 13 Dec 2012 12:14 PM PST Neurobiologists have discovered one of the key genes required to make a brain. Mutations in this gene, called TUBB5, cause neurodevelopmental disease in children.

'Two-faced' cells discovered in colon cancer Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:23 AM PST A "two-faced" group of cells at work in human colon cancer can either suppress or promote tumor growth. These cells are a subset of T-regulatory (Treg) cells, known to suppress immune responses in healthy people. The discovery of Treg diversity in cancer and its role in control of cancer inflammation may lead to new approaches for therapeutics.

New culprit in castration-resistant prostate cancer Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:23 AM PST Scientists have discovered a molecular switch that enables advanced prostate cancers to spread without stimulation by male hormones, which normally are needed to spur the cancer's growth. They say that identifying the previously unknown protein function could serve as a treatment target for prostate cancers that are no longer controlled by hormone-blocking drugs.

Cancer scientists identify a new layer of complexity within human colon cancer: Shed light on resistance to treatment Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:23 AM PST Cancer scientists have found a way to follow single tumor cells and observe their growth over time. The team discovered that biological factors and cell behavior -- not only genes -- drive tumor growth, contributing to therapy failure and relapse.

Sharp rise in admissions for certain drug combinations over 10 years Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:22 AM PST Substance abuse treatment admissions for addiction involving combined use of benzodiazepine and narcotic pain relievers rose a total of 569.7 percent, to 33,701, from 2000 to 2010, according to a new report. Overall substance abuse treatment admissions of people ages 12 and older in the same period rose 4 percent, to 1.82 million, the agency said.

Study promoting coffee drinking benefits needs more research, says dentist Posted: 13 Dec 2012 11:22 AM PST Heavy coffee drinkers have a lower chance of dying from oral cancer, says new research but a dentist is still not ready to recommend coffee drinking to his patients.

Generic drugs often have incorrect safety labeling, study suggests Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:27 AM PST Medical researchers have found that more than two-thirds of generic drugs have safety-warning labels that differ from the equivalent brand-name drug. The majority of generics showed relatively small differences across their labels, but 9 percent showed differences of more than 10 side effects. Errors included out-of-date information, incomplete data and, in one case, information for the wrong drug altogether.

Uncovering a flaw in drug testing for chronic anxiety disorder Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:25 AM PST Trials for experimental drugs are often done on laboratory mice because of their genetic similarity to humans. But now a study has found that, when it comes to chronic neurological disorders, researchers may be using the wrong kind of mouse.

Time restrictions on TV advertisements ineffective in reducing youth exposure to alcohol ads Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:25 AM PST Efforts to reduce underage exposure to alcohol advertising by implementing time restrictions have not worked, according to new research.. The report concluded that time restrictions on alcohol advertising actually increase teen exposure, because companies move the advertising to late night.

Predicting risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death: There's a computer model for that Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:25 AM PST A new computer model of the heart predicted risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in patients with an inherited heart rhythm disorder. Though computer models of the human heart have been around since the 1960s, scientists believe they're the first to prove that computer simulation can generate clinically relevant data.

Too many antibiotics? Bacterial ecology that lives on humans has changed in last 100 years Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:25 AM PST A new study has demonstrated that ancient DNA can be used to understand ancient human microbiomes. The microbiomes from ancient people have broad reaching implications for understanding recent changes to human health, such as what good bacteria might have been lost as a result of our current abundant use of antibiotics and aseptic practices.

Medical researchers discover new potential chemotherapy Posted: 13 Dec 2012 10:25 AM PST Medical researchers have discovered that knocking out a particular "partner" gene is the Achilles' heel of some cancers.

More than 200 genes identified for Crohn's Disease Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:18 AM PST More than two hundred gene locations have now been identified for the chronic bowel condition Crohn's Disease, in a study that analysed the entire human genome.

Viruses cooperate or conquer to cause maximum destruction Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:18 AM PST Scientists have discovered new evidence about the evolution of viruses, in work that will change our understanding about the control of infectious diseases such as winter flu. Researchers conducted experiments to manipulate a virus to see if it could evolve the ability to switch its behavior according to how many other viruses infect a host.

Two new genetic mutations associated with Cowden syndrome identified Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:17 AM PST Researchers have uncovered two new genes associated with Cowden syndrome -- a difficult-to-recognize, under-diagnosed condition that carries high risks of breast, thyroid, and other cancers.

Intestinal immune cells play an unexpected role in immune surveillance of the bloodstream Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:17 AM PST Researchers have found that dendritic cells in the intestinal lining collect antigens from both intestinal contents and the circulation, leading to the generation of T cells that suppress inflammation. Disruption of that regulatory system may lead to the development of autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease or food allergies.

New study brings long-sought vaccines for deadly parasite closer to reality Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:17 AM PST One major cause of illness from food-borne diseases is the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). New insights into how the immune system combats T. gondii are provided in a new study. The findings could lead to the development of long-sought vaccines to protect against T. gondii and related parasites.

Mouse brain cells activated, reactivated in learning and memory Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:13 AM PST Memories are made of this, the song says. Now neuroscientists have for the first time shown individual mouse brain cells being switched on during learning and later reactivated during memory recall.

Wooden hip be lovely? Replacing damaged bones with implants based on wood Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:13 AM PST Could aging and damaged bones be replaced with implants based on wood? That's the question Italian researchers hope to answer.

Easy, at-home exercise program can help cancer patients Posted: 13 Dec 2012 09:11 AM PST A brief, at-home exercise program -- dubbed the Rapid, Easy, Strength Training program, or REST, -- was sufficient to increase cancer patients' mobility and reduce fatigue.

Aerobic exercise boosts brain power, review finds Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:18 AM PST The physical benefits of regular exercise and remaining physically active, especially as we age, are well documented. However, it appears that it is not only the body which benefits from exercise, but the mind too. The evidence for this is published in a new review that focuses on the importance of physical activity in keeping and potentially improving cognitive function throughout life.

No more lying about your age: Scientists can now gauge skin’s true age with new laser technique Posted: 13 Dec 2012 08:18 AM PST While most of us can recognize the signs of lost youth when we peer into the mirror each morning, scientists do not have a standardized way to measure the extent of age damage in skin. Now a group of Taiwanese researchers has used a specialized microscope to peer harmlessly beneath the skin surface to measure natural age-related changes in the sizes of skin cells.

New biomarker for bone marrow cancer: Discovery suggests new ways of treating multiple myeloma Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:42 AM PST Singapore scientists have identified FAIM, a molecule that typically prevents cell death, as a potential biomarker to identify an incurable form of cancer in the bone marrow. Patients with this form of cancer usually do not get cured with current standard treatments such as chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation, with an average survival of only about four years.

Social synchronicity: Research finds a connection between bonding and matched movements Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:42 AM PST Humans have a tendency to spontaneously synchronize their movements. Although this type of synchronous body movement has been observed widely, its neurological mechanism and its role in social interactions remain obscure. In a new study, researchers found that body-movement synchronization between two participants increases following a short session of cooperative training, suggesting that our ability to synchronize body movements is a measurable indicator of social interaction.

MicroRNA-218 targets medulloblastoma, most aggressive childhood brain cancer Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:42 AM PST A new study shows that in medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor of children, microRNA-218 is especially low. The article also shows that adding microRNA-218 to neural stem cells engineered to develop medulloblastoma decreases the development of the cancer.

Common anesthetic agents can be harmful for the development of the fetus Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:41 AM PST An anesthetic regimen typically used during surgery on pregnant mothers appears to have a negative effect on the development of the fetus, new study shows. Contrary to previous research findings, it has now emerged that the combination of nitrous oxide and isoflurane can change the gene expression of brain tissues and may be related to the elevated neuronal cell death as indicated by an increased number of apoptotic cells in frontal cortical levels compared with the control.

New screening approach identified potential drug combinations for difficult-to-treat forms of melanoma Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:35 AM PST A novel approach to identifying potential anticancer drug combinations revealed that pairing cholesterol-reducing drugs called statins with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors might provide an effective approach to treating intractable melanomas driven by mutations in the NRAS and KRAS gene.

Biopolymer: Designer interfaces between biological and artificial systems Posted: 13 Dec 2012 07:32 AM PST New developments in synthesis techniques have liberated the polymer MPC's potential for a huge range of medical and biological applications.

HPV in older women may be due to reactivation of virus, not new infection Posted: 13 Dec 2012 05:52 AM PST A new study suggests that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in women at or after menopause may represent an infection acquired years ago, and that HPV infections may exist below limits of detection after one to two years, similar to other viruses, such as varicella zoster, which can cause shingles. The study highlights the need for additional research to better understand HPV infections and the role of HPV persistence and reactivation, particularly in women of the baby boomer generation.

Ability to sit and rise from the floor is closely correlated with all-cause mortality risk Posted: 13 Dec 2012 05:52 AM PST A simple screening test of musculo-skeletal fitness has proved remarkably predictive of all-cause mortality in a study of more than 2000 middle-aged and older men and women.

Cancer stem cells isolated from kidney tumors Posted: 13 Dec 2012 05:51 AM PST Scientists have isolated cancer stem cells that lead to the growth of Wilms' tumours, a type of cancer typically found in the kidneys of young children. The researchers have used these cancer stem cells to test a new therapeutic approach that one day might be used to treat some of the more aggressive types of this disease.

New hormone therapy shows promise for menopausal symptoms in animal model Posted: 13 Dec 2012 05:46 AM PST Investigators have concluded research on a new postmenopausal hormone therapy that shows promise as an effective treatment for menopausal symptoms and the prevention of osteoporosis without increasing the risk for heart disease or breast cancer.

Survivors of breast cancer more likely to develop diabetes, and should be screened more closely, study shows Posted: 12 Dec 2012 05:57 PM PST A major new study shows that post-menopausal survivors of breast cancer are more likely to develop diabetes than controls without breast cancer.

Almost one in three pedestrians 'distracted' by mobile devices while crossing street; Texting most dangerous distraction Posted: 12 Dec 2012 05:57 PM PST Almost one in three pedestrians is distracted by mobile devices while crossing busy road junctions, an observational study finds.

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