ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Neutrons help explain ozone poisoning and links to thousands of premature deaths each year
• Multiple genes robustly contribute to schizophrenia risk in replication study
• Co-infections not associated with worse outcomes during H1N1 pandemic
• Shingles vaccine is associated with reduction in both postherpetic neuralgia and herpes zoster
• Treatment leads to near-normal life expectancy for people with HIV in South Africa
• Manipulating calcium accumulation in blood vessels may provide a new way to treat heart disease
• A new approach for spinal muscular atrophy?
• Researchers create next-generation Alzheimer's disease model
• Genetic biomarker may help identify neuroblastomas vulnerable to novel class of drugs
• Engineered small pox may kill liver cancer
• In autism, age at diagnosis depends on specific symptoms
• Researchers find heart disorder genetic variants in stillbirth cases
• Small molecule unlocks key prostate cancer survival tactic
• Key pathway to stop dangerous, out-of-control inflammation discovered
• Hangover remedy examined: Yak-a-mein soup, a.k.a., ‘Old Sober’ 
• New evidence that egg white protein may help high blood pressure
• There is no single sexy chin, study shows
• Excess estrogen in pregnancy can silence BRCA1 in daughters, increasing breast cancer risk
• Exposure to space radiation reduces ability of intestinal cells to destroy oncoprotein
• Study reveals function of thousands of autoantibodies in blood
• Low on self-control? Surrounding yourself with strong-willed friends may help
• Producing new neurons under all circumstances: A challenge that is just a mouse away
• Meditating before lecture leads to better grades
• Blockade of pathogen's metabolism
• No regrets: Close that menu and enjoy your meal more
• Short-term benefits seen with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for focal hand dystonia
• New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels
• First genetic factor in prostate cancer prognosis identified
• Copper surfaces reduce the rate of health care-acquired infections in the ICU
• One-two punch could be key in treating blindness
• Gene variations predict chemotherapy side effects
• Removal of hypothalamic hamartoma curbs compulsive eating and excessive weight gain
• Major depression: Great success with pacemaker electrodes, small study suggests
• Stress during gestation causes a predisposition to the development of pathologies in adulthood
• Subtle hallmarks of psychiatric illness can reveal themselves even remotely
• Currently used drugs found active in laboratory mice against bioterror threats
• How 'free will' is implemented in the brain and is it possible to intervene in the process?
• Google searches about mental illness follow seasonal patterns
• Rosemary aroma may help you remember to do things
• Interviewers' gestures mislead child-witnesses
• 'Well-being risks' contribute to decreased productivity
• Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy linked to increased incidence of specific pediatric cancers
• Month of birth impacts immune system development
• Debunking a myth: IUDs proven safe birth control for teenagers
• Minocycline, an antibiotic, improves behavior for children with fragile X syndrome
• Increased rates of hospitalization linked to elder abuse
• Adding intestinal enzyme to diets of mice appears to prevent, treat metabolic syndrome

Neutrons help explain ozone poisoning and links to thousands of premature deaths each year Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:19 PM PDT Researchers have demonstrated ozone attacks on lung surface fluids.

Multiple genes robustly contribute to schizophrenia risk in replication study Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT Multiple genes contribute to risk for schizophrenia and appear to function in pathways related to transmission of signals in the brain and immunity, according to an international study.

Co-infections not associated with worse outcomes during H1N1 pandemic Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT A new study has found that despite complications, patients co-infected with the pandemic 2009-2010 influenza A H1N1 and a second respiratory virus were not associated with worse outcomes or admission to the hospital's intensive care unit.

Shingles vaccine is associated with reduction in both postherpetic neuralgia and herpes zoster Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT A vaccine to prevent shingles may reduce by half the occurrence of this painful skin and nerve infection in older people (aged over 65 years) and may also reduce the rate of a painful complication of shingles, post-herpetic neuralgia, but has a very low uptake (only 4 percent) in older adults in the United States, according to a new study.

Treatment leads to near-normal life expectancy for people with HIV in South Africa Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT In South Africa, people with HIV who start treatment with anti-AIDS drugs (antiretroviral therapy) have life expectancies around 80 percent of that of the general population provided that they start treatment before their CD4 count drops below 200 (cells per microliter), according to a study by South African researchers.

Manipulating calcium accumulation in blood vessels may provide a new way to treat heart disease Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:35 PM PDT Hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis, is the primary cause of heart disease. It's caused by calcium accumulation in the blood vessels, which leads to obstruction of blood flow and heart complications. Although many risk factors for atherosclerosis have been identified, the cause isn't known and there's currently no way to reverse it once it sets in. In a new study, researchers have characterized the cells responsible for driving this calcium build-up in vessel walls.

A new approach for spinal muscular atrophy? Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT Spinal muscular atrophy is a debilitating neuromuscular disease that in its most severe form is the leading genetic cause of infant death. By experimenting with an ALS drug in two very different animal models, researchers have identified a new potential mechanism for developing an SMA treatment.

Researchers create next-generation Alzheimer's disease model Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT A new genetically engineered lab rat that has the full array of brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease supports the idea that increases in a molecule called beta-amyloid in the brain causes the disease.

Genetic biomarker may help identify neuroblastomas vulnerable to novel class of drugs Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:34 PM PDT An irregularity within many neuroblastoma cells may indicate whether the tumor is vulnerable to a new class of anti-cancer drugs known as BET bromodomain inhibitors

Engineered small pox may kill liver cancer Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:33 PM PDT As part of a multicenter clinical trial, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are evaluating Pexa-Vec (JX-594) to slow the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma or liver cancer. Pexa-Vec is a genetically engineered virus that is used in the smallpox vaccine.

In autism, age at diagnosis depends on specific symptoms Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:33 PM PDT The age at which a child with autism is diagnosed is related to the particular suite of behavioral symptoms he or she exhibits, new research shows.

Researchers find heart disorder genetic variants in stillbirth cases Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:32 PM PDT In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have discovered genetic mutations associated with long QT syndrome (LQTS), a genetic abnormality in the heart's electrical system, in a small number of intrauterine fetal deaths, according to a new study.

Small molecule unlocks key prostate cancer survival tactic Posted: 09 Apr 2013 02:32 PM PDT The most recent in a series of studies has shown that a single molecule is at the heart of one of the most basic survival tactics of prostate cancer cells.

Key pathway to stop dangerous, out-of-control inflammation discovered Posted: 09 Apr 2013 01:08 PM PDT A potential new strategy to developing new drugs to control inflammation without serious side effects has been found by Georgia State University researchers and international colleagues.

Hangover remedy examined: Yak-a-mein soup, a.k.a., ‘Old Sober’  Posted: 09 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT One of the Crescent City's time-honored traditions -- a steaming bowl of Yak-a-mein Soup, a.k.a., "Old Sober" -- after a night of partying in the French Quarter actually does have a basis in scientific fact, according to new research.

New evidence that egg white protein may help high blood pressure Posted: 09 Apr 2013 12:58 PM PDT Scientists reported new evidence today that a component of egg whites -- already popular as a substitute for whole eggs among health-conscious consumers concerned about cholesterol in the yolk -- may have another beneficial effect in reducing blood pressure.

There is no single sexy chin, study shows Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:51 AM PDT A new global study finds significant geographic differences in chin shapes.

Excess estrogen in pregnancy can silence BRCA1 in daughters, increasing breast cancer risk Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:48 AM PDT Excess estrogen levels during pregnancy can disable, in their daughters, a powerful breast cancer tumor suppressor gene, say researchers. They found the DNA repair gene BRCA1 to be silenced in one year-old girls exposed to a high hormonal fetal environment.

Exposure to space radiation reduces ability of intestinal cells to destroy oncoprotein Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:48 AM PDT With so much recent interest in space travel, many have asked, is it safe? Two studies funded by NASA help explain why space radiation may increase the risk of colorectal cancer in humans.

Study reveals function of thousands of autoantibodies in blood Posted: 09 Apr 2013 11:43 AM PDT Research suggests a new immunology frontier with evidence that blood contains thousands of autoantibodies that bind specifically to antigens from all over the body, clear cellular debris from injury and disease and vary by age, gender and disease state.

Low on self-control? Surrounding yourself with strong-willed friends may help Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:20 AM PDT People with low self-control prefer and depend on people with high self-control, possibly as a way to make up for the skills they themselves lack, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Producing new neurons under all circumstances: A challenge that is just a mouse away Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:20 AM PDT Improving neuron production in elderly persons presenting with a decline in cognition is a major challenge facing an aging society and the emergence of neuro-degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. Researchers in France recently showed that the pharmacological blocking of the TGF-beta molecule improves the production of new neurons in the mouse model.

Meditating before lecture leads to better grades Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:18 AM PDT A new study shows that meditation before class might help students, especially freshmen, focus better and retain information. A random selection of students followed basic meditation instructions before a lecture, and the students who meditated before the lecture scored better on a quiz that followed than students who did not meditate.

Blockade of pathogen's metabolism Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:18 AM PDT In the search for new antibiotics, researchers are taking an unusual approach: They are developing peptides, short chains of protein building blocks that effectively inhibit a key enzyme of bacterial metabolism.

No regrets: Close that menu and enjoy your meal more Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:12 AM PDT Certain physical acts of completion provide consumers with a sense of closure that makes them happier with their purchases, according to a new study.

Short-term benefits seen with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for focal hand dystonia Posted: 09 Apr 2013 10:12 AM PDT Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is being increasingly explored as a therapeutic tool for movement disorders associated with deficient inhibition throughout the central nervous system. This includes treatment of focal hand dystonia (FHD), characterized by involuntary movement of the fingers either curling into the palm or extending outward. A new study reports short-term changes in behavioral, physiologic, and clinical measures that support further research into the therapeutic potential of rTMS.

New evidence that natural substances in green coffee beans help control blood sugar levels Posted: 09 Apr 2013 09:47 AM PDT Scientists today described evidence that natural substances extracted from unroasted coffee beans can help control the elevated blood sugar levels and body weight that underpin type 2 diabetes.

First genetic factor in prostate cancer prognosis identified Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:15 AM PDT Patients with prostate cancer and hereditary mutations in the BRCA2 gene have a worse prognosis and lower survival rates than do the rest of the patients with the disease.

Copper surfaces reduce the rate of health care-acquired infections in the ICU Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Placement of copper objects in intensive care unit hospital rooms reduced the number of healthcare-acquired infections in patients by more than half, according to a new study.

One-two punch could be key in treating blindness Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that using two kinds of therapy in tandem may be a knockout combo against inherited disorders that cause blindness. While their study focused on man's best friend, the treatment could help restore vision in people, too.

Gene variations predict chemotherapy side effects Posted: 09 Apr 2013 08:00 AM PDT Seemingly benign differences in genetic code from one person to the next could influence who develops side effects to chemotherapy, a new study has found. The study identified gene variations that can predispose people to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, a condition that is hard to predict and often debilitating enough to cause cancer patients to stop their treatment early.

Removal of hypothalamic hamartoma curbs compulsive eating and excessive weight gain Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT Neurosurgeons report on the success they achieved when they removed a hypothalamic hamartoma from a 10-year-old girl to combat hyperphagia (excessive appetite and compulsive overeating) and consequent unhealthy weight gain.

Major depression: Great success with pacemaker electrodes, small study suggests Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT Researchers implanted pacemaker electrodes into the medial forebrain bundle in the brains of patients suffering from major depression with amazing results: In six out of seven patients, symptoms improved both considerably and rapidly. The method of Deep Brain Stimulation had already been tested on various structures within the brain, but with clearly lesser effect.

Stress during gestation causes a predisposition to the development of pathologies in adulthood Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT The intrauterine environment plays an important role in the health of the offspring. Now, experts from the affirm that the mother's stress, due to socio-economic or psycho-social causes, is associated with the development of pathologies related with obesity.

Subtle hallmarks of psychiatric illness can reveal themselves even remotely Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:59 AM PDT Researchers discovered that healthy people and those with borderline personality disorder displayed different patterns of behavior while playing an online strategy game, so much so that when healthy players played people with borderline personality disorder, they gave up on trying to predict what their partners would do next.

Currently used drugs found active in laboratory mice against bioterror threats Posted: 09 Apr 2013 07:57 AM PDT In the most extensive screen of its kind, scientists have demonstrated the feasibility of repurposing already-approved drugs for use against highly pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The pathogens included emerging diseases and potential bioterror threats ranging from anthrax to the Marburg and Ebola viruses.

How 'free will' is implemented in the brain and is it possible to intervene in the process? Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:12 AM PDT Researchers have been able to identify the precise moment when a network of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain creates the signal to perform an action, before a person is even aware of deciding to take that action. Now they are building on this work to make initial attempts to interfere with consciously made decisions by decoding the pattern of brain activity in real time before an action is taken.

Google searches about mental illness follow seasonal patterns Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:12 AM PDT Google searches for information across all major mental illnesses and problems followed seasonal patterns, suggesting mental illness may be more strongly linked with seasonal patterns than previously thought.

Rosemary aroma may help you remember to do things Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:11 AM PDT The aroma of rosemary essential oil may improve prospective memory in healthy adults. The findings suggest that this essential oil may enhance the ability to remember events and to remember to complete tasks at particular times in the future.

Interviewers' gestures mislead child-witnesses Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:10 AM PDT

'Well-being risks' contribute to decreased productivity Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:09 AM PDT In addition to health-related risk factors, some non-traditional "well-being risks" can have a significant impact on workers' productivity.

Exposure to air pollution during pregnancy linked to increased incidence of specific pediatric cancers Posted: 09 Apr 2013 06:09 AM PDT Increased exposure to traffic-related air pollution during pregnancy was associated with a higher incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and two rare childhood cancers, according to a new study.

Month of birth impacts immune system development Posted: 08 Apr 2013 03:46 PM PDT Newborn babies' immune system development and levels of vitamin D have been found to vary according to their month of birth, according to new research.

Debunking a myth: IUDs proven safe birth control for teenagers Posted: 08 Apr 2013 03:45 PM PDT Intrauterine devices are as safe for teenagers -- including those who have never given birth -- as they are for adults, according to new research.

Minocycline, an antibiotic, improves behavior for children with fragile X syndrome Posted: 08 Apr 2013 03:44 PM PDT Minocycline, an older, broad-spectrum antibiotic in the tetracycline family, provides meaningful improvements as a therapeutic for children with fragile X syndrome, a study has found.

Increased rates of hospitalization linked to elder abuse Posted: 08 Apr 2013 02:20 PM PDT Older adults who are subject to elder abuse, neglect and exploitation face a greater risk of being hospitalized than other seniors, according to the results of a study published in the April 8 issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

Adding intestinal enzyme to diets of mice appears to prevent, treat metabolic syndrome Posted: 08 Apr 2013 12:29 PM PDT Feeding an intestinal enzyme to mice kept on a high-fat diet appears to prevent the development of metabolic syndrome -- a group of symptoms associated with type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and fatty liver -- and to reduce symptoms in mice that already had the condition.

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