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Thursday, January 31, 2013

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Scientists unveil a superbug's secret to antibiotic resistance

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST

Many strains of the bacterium Staphyloccocus aureus are already resistant to all antibiotics except vancomycin. But as bacteria are becoming resistant to this once powerful antidote, S. aureus has moved one step closer to becoming an unstoppable killer. Now, researchers have not only identified the mechanism by which vancomycin resistance spreads from one bacterium to the next, but have suggested ways to potentially stop the transfer.

Empathy varies by age and gender: Women in their 50s are tops

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST

Looking for someone to feel your pain? Talk to a woman in her 50s. According to a new study of more than 75,000 adults, women in that age group are more empathic than men of the same age and than younger or older people.

Prostate cancer study tracks long-term urinary, sexual and bowel function side effects

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST

A new study comparing outcomes among prostate cancer patients treated with surgery versus radiotherapy found differences in urinary, bowel and sexual function after short-term follow-up, but those differences were no longer significant 15 years after initial treatment.

Gut microbes at root of severe malnutrition in kids

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST

A study of young twins in Malawi, in sub-Saharan Africa, finds that bacteria living in the intestine are an underlying cause of a form of severe acute childhood malnutrition.

West Nile virus spreading due to mosquitoes in orchards and vineyards, experts warn

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST

Researchers have linked orchards and vineyards with a greater prevalence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes and the insects' ability to spread the virus to birds, horses and people. The finding is the most finely scaled look at the interplay between land use and with the virus's activity in key hosts.

Antibiotics cut death rate for malnourished children

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:43 PM PST

Severely malnourished children are far more likely to recover and survive when given antibiotics along with a therapeutic peanut-based food than children who are simply treated with the therapeutic food alone, researchers have found.

Rude behavior at work is increasing and affects the bottom line

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST

Research shows rudeness at work is rampant, and it's on the rise. In 2011, half of the workers surveyed said they were treated rudely at least once a week - up from a quarter in 1998. New research shows the tangible cost of this bad behavior.

Potential therapy target in multiple sclerosis

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST

Findings offer a better understanding of the development and progression of multiple sclerosis and potential future therapeutic target.

Binge drinking increases risk of type 2 diabetes by causing insulin resistance

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:40 PM PST

Binge drinking causes insulin resistance, which increases the risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to the results of an animal study. The authors further discovered that alcohol disrupts insulin-receptor signaling by causing inflammation in the hypothalamus area of the brain.

Obesity may increase risk of multiple sclerosis in children and teens

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST

Being obese may increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) in children and teenage girls, according to new research.

Setting the stage for a new paradigm in treatment of heart failure

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:36 PM PST

New evidence shows the root of heart failure lies in misfolded proteins in the heart's cells. The finding may pave the way for dramatically new treatment approaches.

Sorting out stroking sensations: Biologists find individual neurons in skin that react to massage

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:29 PM PST

The skin is a human being's largest sensory organ, helping to distinguish between a pleasant contact, like a caress, and a negative sensation, like a pinch or a burn. Previous studies have shown that these sensations are carried to the brain by different types of sensory neurons that have nerve endings in the skin. Now biologists have identified in mice a specific class of skin sensory neurons that reacts to an apparently pleasurable stimulus.

Silibinin, found in milk thistle, protects against UV-induced skin cancer

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST

Milk thistle extract, silibinin, kills skin cells mutated by UVA radiation and protects against damage by UVB radiation -- thus protecting against UV-induced skin cancer and photo-aging, according to new research.

Discovery of sexual mating in Candida albicans could provide insights into infections

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST

Like many fungi and one-celled organisms, Candida albicans, a normally harmless microbe that can turn deadly, has long been thought to reproduce without sexual mating. But a new study shows that C. albicans is capable of sexual reproduction. The finding represents an important breakthrough in understanding how this pathogen has been shaped by evolution.

Peer pressure trumps 'thin' ideals in the media

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST

Peers exert a greater influence on teenage girls' dissatisfaction with their bodies than do thin ideals in television or social media use, according to new research.

Tuberculosis may lurk in bone marrow stem cells of infected patients

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST

Tuberculosis is a devastating disease that kills nearly 2 million people worldwide each year. Now, in a classic case of bench-to-bedside research, scientists have discovered a possible reason for the disease's resistance: The ability of the tuberculosis bacteria to infiltrate and settle down in a particular class of stem cell in the bone marrow. By doing so, the bacteria take advantage of the body's own mechanisms of self-renewal.

Itching for new help for eczema: Recently identified immune cells possible therapeutic target

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 11:36 AM PST

Researchers have identified a previously unknown critical role for a recently identified immune cell population in the progression of atopic dermatitis. The team found an accumulation of innate lymphoid cells in the active lesions of patients with atopic dermatitis, and in mice, they showed that ILCs contribute to disease progression. These studies suggest innate lymphoid cells may be a new therapeutic target in treating the development and severity of atopic dermatitis.

Chronic kidney disease increases risk of death for both women and men

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST

A new study found that in general chronic kidney disease is associated with a higher risk of death and end stage renal disease for both women and men.

Mindfulness meditation heightens a listener's musical engagement

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST

When De'Anthony Thomas returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl, says a researcher, Thomas put Ducks fans into a heightened zone of engagement for watching the game, not unlike what was experienced by music students who were first exposed to a brief session of mindfulness meditation before hearing an opera passage.

Aging cells lose their grip on DNA rogues

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:24 AM PST

Transposable elements are mobile strands of DNA that insert themselves into chromosomes with mostly harmful consequences. Cells try to keep them locked down, but in a new study, researchers report that aging cells lose their ability to maintain this control. The result may be a further decline in the health of senescent cells and of the aging bodies they compose.

Alive? You are a bed bug magnet

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:23 AM PST

Bed bugs are infiltrating the world and cities like Chicago are imposing $1,000 fines. Infection control specialists offer ten tips on identifying bed bugs.

Alternate walking and running to save energy, maintain endurance

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:22 AM PST

Forget "slow and steady wins the race." A new study shows that, at least sometimes, the best way to conserve energy and reach your destination on time is to alternate between walking and running —- whether your goal is the bus stop or a marathon finish line.

Academic gains, improved teacher relationships found among high risk kids in Head Start

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST

A new study finds that Head Start can make a positive impact in the lives of some of its highest risk children, both academically and behaviorally.

Scientists learn more about how inhibitory brain cells get excited

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST

Scientists have found an early step in how the brain's inhibitory cells get excited.

How does fibrosis occur in Crohn's disease?

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST

New research has shown that a protein, known as IL-13, could be the key to the development of fibrosis in Crohn's disease.

Vegetarianism can reduce risk of heart disease by up to a third

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:16 AM PST

The risk of hospitalization or death from heart disease is 32 percent lower in vegetarians than people who eat meat and fish, according to a new study. Heart disease is the single largest cause of death in developed countries, and is responsible for 65,000 deaths each year in the UK alone. The new findings suggest that a vegetarian diet could significantly reduce people's risk of heart disease.

Previously unknown mechanism of memory formation discovered

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 09:15 AM PST

It takes a lot to make a memory. New proteins have to be synthesized, neuron structures altered. While some of these memory-building mechanisms are known, many are not. Some recent studies have indicated that a unique group of molecules called microRNAs, known to control production of proteins in cells, may play a far more important role in memory formation than previously thought.

New drug target identified for multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:20 AM PST

Researchers report that the protein Klotho plays an important role in the health of myelin, the insulating material allowing for the rapid communication between nerve cells. These findings may lead to new therapies for multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease, in which white matter abnormalities are also common but have been largely ignored.

Toward a better cyanide antidote for terrorist attacks and other mass casualty events

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 08:20 AM PST

In an advance toward closing a major gap in defenses against terrorist attacks and other mass casualty events, scientists are reporting discovery of a promising substance that could be the basis for development of a better antidote for cyanide poisoning. Their report describes a potential antidote that could be self-administered, much like the medication delivered by allergy injection pens.

New insight into mechanics of arthritis

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST

A new, noninvasive, and low-cost method for the early detection and monitoring of osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by wear and tear) may be on its way, thanks to new research.

New target to stop cancer's spread

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:19 AM PST

Disrupting a key interaction between two types of proteins in cells inhibits the spread of cancerous cells, providing researchers with a new pathway toward developing cancer-fighting drugs, according to new findings.

Significance of second trimester markers for Down's syndrome revealed

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:18 AM PST

A new analysis has found that some second trimester markers for Down's syndrome that are detected by ultrasound are more telling than others. The study's results will help adjust pregnant women's risks for having a child with the condition.

Good mood helps boost brain power in older adults

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:18 AM PST

Older adults can improve their decision making and working memory simply by putting on a happy face, a new study suggests.

Stem cells boost heart's natural repair mechanisms

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:18 AM PST

Researchers, whose clinical trial results in 2012 demonstrated that stem cell therapy reduces scarring and regenerates healthy tissue after a heart attack, now have found that the stem cell technique boosts production of existing adult heart cells (cardiomyocytes) and spurs recruitment of existing stem cells that mature into heart cells.

Disasters prompt older children to be more giving, younger ones to be more selfish

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 07:18 AM PST

A natural disaster can bring out the best in older children, prompting 9-year-olds to be more willing to share, while 6-year-olds become more selfish. Researchers made this finding in a rare natural experiment in China around the time of a horrific earthquake.

Potential new target in fight against 'superbug'

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:30 AM PST

Researchers have discovered how an antibiotic-resistant superbug exploits oxygen-limited conditions in the lungs of patients with severe respiratory disease to thrive.

Could traditional Chinese medicine hold an answer to the obesity problem?

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:27 AM PST

Obesity might be a very modern problem, but a team of scientists from Taiwan and China is turning to the age-old principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to help fight it. Breaking research indicates a possible new direction for the treatment of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolite damage-control: How our cells cope with toxic small molecules

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:27 AM PST

Scientists have reviewed an important, but so far neglected, part of metabolism, namely metabolite damage-control. Researchers now present a comprehensive overview of the known reactions generating unwanted small molecules in the cell as well as of the corresponding control mechanisms, and discuss the importance of this 'quality control' for cellular and organismal health.

Excessive Alcohol Use When You’re Young Could Have Lasting Impacts on Your Brain

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:27 AM PST

There is growing evidence for the lasting impact of alcohol on the brain. Excessive alcohol use accounts for 4% of the global burden of disease, and binge drinking particularly is becoming an increasing health issue. A new review highlights the significant changes in brain function and structure that can be caused by alcohol misuse in young people. Functional signs of brain damage from alcohol misuse in young people mainly include deficits in visual learning and memory as well as executive functions.

Androgenic hormones could help treat multiple sclerosis, study suggests

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:27 AM PST

Testosterone and its derivatives could constitute an efficient treatment against myelin diseases such as multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests.

Even the brains of people with anxiety states can get used to fear

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:24 AM PST

Fear is a protective function against possible dangers that is designed to save our lives. Where there are problems with this fear mechanism, its positive effects are cancelled out: patients who have a social phobia become afraid of perfectly normal, everyday social situations because they are worried about behaving inappropriately or being thought of as stupid by other people. Scientists in Austria have now discovered that this fear circuit can be deactivated, at least in part.

Rats, like humans, return to drinking once punishment is removed

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:24 AM PST

Once heavy drinking impairs function, a variety of punishment-related threats may motivate people to stop drinking: spouses may threaten divorce, employers may threaten job loss, and courts threaten drunk drivers with losing their driver's license or incarceration. In the face of these threats, many alcohol abusers refrain from drinking, but relapse is very common when the threats of punishment fade, particularly when exposed to alcohol-associated environments (contexts).

TV viewing and sedentary lifestyle in teens linked to disease risk in adulthood

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:24 AM PST

Scientists have found that television viewing and lack of exercise at age 16 is associated with the risk of developing metabolic syndrome at 43 years age.

More than half of all ACL reconstructions could be avoided, five-year follow-up study shows

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:24 AM PST

In the summer of 2010, researchers in Sweden reported that 60 per cent of all anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions could be avoided in favour of rehabilitation. The results made waves around the world, and were met with concerns that the results would not hold up in the long term. Now the researchers have published a follow-up study that confirms the results from 2010 and also show that the risk of osteoarthritis and meniscal surgery is no higher for those treated with physiotherapy alone.

Husbands who do more traditionally female housework have less sex

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 05:22 AM PST

Married men and women who divide household chores in traditional ways report having more sex than couples who share so-called men's and women's work, according to a new study.

'Super' enzyme protects against dangers of oxygen

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 02:13 PM PST

Just like a comic book super hero, you could say that the enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD1) has a secret identity. Since its discovery in 1969, scientists believed SOD1's only role was to protect living cells against damage from free radicals. Now, researchers have discovered that SOD1 protects cells by regulating cell energy and metabolism.
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