ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Global rates of infertility remain unchanged over past 2 decades
• Blood test accurately detects lymphedema, study shows
• Scientists discover how HIV virus gains access to carrier immune cells to spread infection
• Commonly prescribed antibiotic, amoxicillin, ineffective for treating uncomplicated chest infections, study suggests
• Celiac 'epidemics' link to infections early in life
• Cancer cells co-opt immune response to escape destruction
• MRIs reveal signs of brain injuries not seen in CT scans
• Tracking the origins of HIV
• Host cholesterol secretion likely to influence gut microbiota
• States aiming to promote healthy eating through sales taxes often miss the target
• Small, portable sensors allow users to monitor exposure to pollution on their smart phones
• Curbing car travel could be as effective as cutting calories
• Cancer study overturns current thinking about gene activation
• The best-laid plans: How we update our goals based on new information
• Reappraisal defuses strong emotional responses to Israel-Palestine conflict
• Long-terms benefits follow brain surgery for certain forms of epilepsy
• How hepatitis C virus reprograms human liver cells
• Spread of cancer cells may be slowed by targeting of protein
• Mistaking OCD for ADHD has serious consequences
• Sleeping pills owe half their benefits to placebo effect, study finds
• Psychologists: Scrooge's transformation parallels real life-changing experiences
• Survival of the females: Horse embryo study provides important new information
• New process to make one-way flu vaccine discovered
• Patients with diabetes may not receive best treatment to lower heart disease risk, study suggests
• Silent stroke can cause Parkinson's disease
• Children's meetings offline with people met online examined in new study
• Oxytocin, social sharing and recovery from trauma
• Long-term survival rates after less-invasive repair of abdominal aneurysm the same as with 'open' procedure
• Chemical that fends off harm to organs: Purines fend off surgery-related damage
• Immediate health risk must be weighed against radiation-induced cancer risk
• Antibiotics based on a new principle may defeat MRSA
• Bullying by childhood peers leaves a trace that can change the expression of a gene linked to mood
• Enzyme linked to aggressive prostate cancer identified
• Progress reported in quest to create objective method of detecting pain
• The appliance of ecological science
• Speed bumps could be a new way to help diagnose appendicitis
• Over-indulging can take hours off your life
• Popular TV chef recipes 'less healthy' than supermarket ready meals

Global rates of infertility remain unchanged over past 2 decades Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:35 PM PST In 2010, almost 50 million couples worldwide were unable to have a child after five years of trying. Infertility rates have hardly changed over the past 20 years, according to a new study.

Blood test accurately detects lymphedema, study shows Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:35 PM PST Scientists have identified a set of proteins circulating in blood whose levels accurately flag the presence of lymphedema. The findings spur optimism that this common but relatively neglected condition, which affects an estimated 10 million people in the United States, finally will be amenable to detection (and, eventually, treatment) with 21st-century techniques.

Scientists discover how HIV virus gains access to carrier immune cells to spread infection Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:35 PM PST Scientists have identified how HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, enters the cells of the immune system enabling it to be dispersed throughout an organism.

Commonly prescribed antibiotic, amoxicillin, ineffective for treating uncomplicated chest infections, study suggests Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:33 PM PST The antibiotic amoxicillin, that doctors typically prescribe for common lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) such as bronchitis, is no more effective at relieving symptoms than the use of no medication, even in older patients. The findings are from the largest randomised placebo controlled trial of antibiotics for acute uncomplicated LRTI to date.

Celiac 'epidemics' link to infections early in life Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:33 PM PST Celiac disease affects about 1% of the population but occasional 'epidemics' have been noticed along with a seasonal variation in number of cases diagnosed. New research indicates that repeated infections early in life increases the risk for celiac disease.

Cancer cells co-opt immune response to escape destruction Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:33 PM PST Researchers report that tumor cells use stress signals to subvert responding immune cells, exploiting them to actually boost conditions beneficial to cancer growth.

MRIs reveal signs of brain injuries not seen in CT scans Posted: 18 Dec 2012 12:32 PM PST Hospital MRIs may be better at predicting long-term outcomes for people with mild traumatic brain injuries than CT scans, the standard technique for evaluating such injuries in the emergency room, according to a new clinical trial.

Tracking the origins of HIV Posted: 18 Dec 2012 11:30 AM PST Human immunodeficiency virus may have affected humans for much longer than is currently believed. Researchers now think that the genomes of an isolated West African human population provide important clues about how the disease has evolved.

Host cholesterol secretion likely to influence gut microbiota Posted: 18 Dec 2012 11:30 AM PST For more than half a century, researchers have known that the bacteria that colonize the gastrointestinal tract of mammals influence their host's cholesterol metabolism. Now, researchers show that changes in cholesterol metabolism induced by diet can alter the gut flora.

States aiming to promote healthy eating through sales taxes often miss the target Posted: 18 Dec 2012 11:30 AM PST Increasing sales taxes on sugary foods to promote healthier food choices among grocery store shoppers is unlikely to be effective because many consumers are unaware of the tax differences on food items sold in grocery stores, according to a new study.

Small, portable sensors allow users to monitor exposure to pollution on their smart phones Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:31 AM PST Computer scientists have built a small fleet of portable pollution sensors that allow users to monitor air quality in real time on their smart phones. The sensors could be particularly useful to people suffering from chronic conditions, such as asthma, who need to avoid exposure to pollutants. CitiSense is the only air-quality monitoring system that delivers real-time data to users' cell phones and home computers -- at any time.

Curbing car travel could be as effective as cutting calories Posted: 18 Dec 2012 10:31 AM PST Those considering how to maintain a healthy weight during holiday festivities, or looking ahead to New Year's resolutions, may want to think twice before reaching for traditional staples like cookies or candy – or the car keys. A new study suggests that both daily automobile travel and calories consumed are related to body weight, and reducing either one, even by a small amount, correlates with a reduction in body mass index.

Cancer study overturns current thinking about gene activation Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:15 AM PST A new Australian study shows that large regions of the genome -- amounting to roughly 2 percent -- are epigenetically activated in prostate cancer. Regions activated contain many prostate cancer-specific genes, including PSA (prostate specific antigen) and PCA3, the most common prostate cancer markers. Until now, these genes were not known to be regulated epigenetically.

The best-laid plans: How we update our goals based on new information Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:15 AM PST Humans are adept at setting goals and updating them as new situations arise -- for example, a person who is playing a video game may switch to a new goal when their phone rings. Now, researchers have identified mechanisms that govern how the brain incorporates information about new situations into our existing goals.

Reappraisal defuses strong emotional responses to Israel-Palestine conflict Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:15 AM PST Reappraisal is a widely-used cognitive strategy that can help people to regulate their reactions to emotionally charged events. Now, new research suggests that reappraisal may even be effective in changing people's emotional responses in the context of one of the most intractable conflicts worldwide: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Long-terms benefits follow brain surgery for certain forms of epilepsy Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST Brain surgery for certain difficult forms of epilepsy often reduces or eliminates seizures for more than 15 years after the procedure, according to new research by neurologists.

How hepatitis C virus reprograms human liver cells Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST Hepatitis C virus has evolved to invade and hijack the basic machinery of the human liver cell to ensure its survival and spread. Researchers have discovered how hepatitis C binds with and re-purposes a basic component of cellular metabolism known as a microRNA to help protect and replicate the virus.

Spread of cancer cells may be slowed by targeting of protein Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST The spread of cancer cells may be slowed by targeting the protein km23-1, according to researchers.

Mistaking OCD for ADHD has serious consequences Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:14 AM PST Obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder appear very similar, but have very different neuropsychological roots. New evidence demonstrates that there are enormous consequences if they're mistaken for each other, and that ritalin, if misprescribed to children with OCD, will only worsen their symptoms.

Sleeping pills owe half their benefits to placebo effect, study finds Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:12 AM PST Half of the benefit of taking sleeping pills comes from the placebo effect, according to a major new study.

Psychologists: Scrooge's transformation parallels real life-changing experiences Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:12 AM PST Psychologists studied 14 people who had sudden life-changing experiences. They say Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation fits right in. George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" is another realistic movie character who embodies sudden change.

Survival of the females: Horse embryo study provides important new information Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:20 AM PST It is well known that many mammals are able to adjust the ratio of male and female young depending on the surrounding conditions at the time of conception. A recent study provides important information on how the survival of female embryos may be enhanced under conditions that would otherwise favor the birth of males.

New process to make one-way flu vaccine discovered Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:19 AM PST A new process to make a one-time, universal influenza vaccine has been discovered. Researchers found a way to make the one-time vaccine by using recombinant genetic engineering technology that does not use a seasonal virus. Instead, the new vaccine uses a virus' small fragment that does not vary among the different strains of flu viruses.

Patients with diabetes may not receive best treatment to lower heart disease risk, study suggests Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:19 AM PST For some people with diabetes, there may be such a thing as too much care. Traditional treatment to reduce risks of heart disease among patients with diabetes has focused on lowering all patients' blood cholesterol to a specific, standard level.

Silent stroke can cause Parkinson's disease Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:19 AM PST Scientists have for the first time identified why a patient who appears outwardly healthy may develop Parkinson's disease.

Children's meetings offline with people met online examined in new study Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:16 AM PST Few parents feel entirely comfortable with their children meeting their online acquaintances in real life. But a new study sets out to put the risks and benefits of such meetings in perspective.

Oxytocin, social sharing and recovery from trauma Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:15 AM PST Therapists have long known that people who've had a traumatic experience feel the need to talk about what they've been through. This process is called 'social sharing' and can take place for days, weeks, months or years after the event.

Long-term survival rates after less-invasive repair of abdominal aneurysm the same as with 'open' procedure Posted: 18 Dec 2012 08:13 AM PST Despite earlier signs that a less-invasive surgery is safer and better than "open" operations to repair potentially lethal abdominal aortic aneurysms, a new study shows survival rates after four years are similar for both procedures.

Chemical that fends off harm to organs: Purines fend off surgery-related damage Posted: 18 Dec 2012 06:43 AM PST Anesthesia is quite safe these days. But sometimes putting a patient under to fix one problem, such as heart damage, can harm a different organ, such as a kidney. Now a group of researchers has found a group of molecules -- called purines -- that fend off damage during anesthesia.

Immediate health risk must be weighed against radiation-induced cancer risk Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:19 AM PST The lifetime risks of cancer from medical radiation may be overemphasized relative to more immediate health risks, according to a new study.

Antibiotics based on a new principle may defeat MRSA Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:17 AM PST Scientists have presented a new principle for fighting bacterial infections, in other words, a new type of antibiotic. The new antibiotic mechanism is based on selectively blocking the thioredoxin system in the cells, which is crucial to the growth of certain bacteria. Scientists hope to be able to treat such conditions as stomach ulcers, TB and MRSA.

Bullying by childhood peers leaves a trace that can change the expression of a gene linked to mood Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:16 AM PST A recent study suggests that bullying by peers changes the structure surrounding a gene involved in regulating mood, making victims more vulnerable to mental health problems as they age.

Enzyme linked to aggressive prostate cancer identified Posted: 18 Dec 2012 05:14 AM PST Researchers have identified an enzyme specifically linked to aggressive prostate cancer, and have also developed a compound that inhibits the ability of this molecule to promote the metastatic spread of the cancer.

Progress reported in quest to create objective method of detecting pain Posted: 17 Dec 2012 08:49 PM PST A method of analyzing brain structure using advanced computer algorithms accurately predicted 76 percent of the time whether a patient had lower back pain according to a new study.

The appliance of ecological science Posted: 17 Dec 2012 08:49 PM PST Studying bacteria that cause human diseases as if they were ecological communities could revolutionize the way doctors treat diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF), according to new research.

Speed bumps could be a new way to help diagnose appendicitis Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:06 PM PST The presence of pain when travelling over speed bumps is associated with an increased likelihood of acute appendicitis, among patients coming into hospital with abdominal pain, finds a new study.

Over-indulging can take hours off your life Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:06 PM PST It may be the season to eat, drink and be merry, but each day of over-indulging can take several hours off your life, according to a new article.

Popular TV chef recipes 'less healthy' than supermarket ready meals Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:06 PM PST Recipes created by popular television chefs contain significantly more energy, protein, fat, and saturated fat and less fibre per portion than supermarket ready meals, finds a new study.

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