ScienceDaily: Top Health News

---

• Unusual comparison nets new sleep loss marker
• Human brain cells developed in lab, grow in mice
• Gray hair and vitiligo reversed at the root
• Self-affirmation improves problem-solving under stress
• Mathematicians help unlock brain function
• Injectable nano-network controls blood sugar in diabetics for days at a time
• Researchers outline concerns about unproven stem cell therapies
• Computer simulations reveal the energy landscape of ion channels
• Flight behavior of hungry malaria mosquitoes analyzed
• Individual brain cells track where we are and how we move
• Malaria: A vector infecting both apes and humans
• New mechanism discovered in meiosis: How modification of an enzyme governs critical processes in sexual reproduction
• New mouse model confirms how type 2 diabetes develops
• Mind-body course has positive impact on well-being of medical students
• Expanding Medicaid: Mental and financial health improve, but no improvement shown in physical health
• Heart-healthy diet helps men lower bad cholesterol, regardless of weight loss

Unusual comparison nets new sleep loss marker Posted: 03 May 2013 08:04 PM PDT For years, medical researchers have used what they have learned in fruit flies to look for markers of sleep loss in humans. They have now reversed the process in a new article, taking what they find in humans back to the flies and gaining new insight into humans as a result: identification of a human gene that is more active after sleep deprivation.

Human brain cells developed in lab, grow in mice Posted: 03 May 2013 08:03 PM PDT A key type of human brain cell developed in the laboratory grows seamlessly when transplanted into the brains of mice, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered, raising hope that these cells might one day be used to treat people with Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and possibly even Alzheimer's disease, as well as and complications of spinal cord injury such as chronic pain and spasticity.

Gray hair and vitiligo reversed at the root Posted: 03 May 2013 10:29 AM PDT It's true -- the cure for gray hair is coming. New research shows that people going gray develop oxidative stress via accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle, causing our hair to bleach itself from the inside out. Now, this can be remedied with a proprietary treatment described as a topical, UVB-activated compound called PC-KUS (a modified pseudocatalase). What's more, the same treatment works for the skin condition, vitiligo.

Self-affirmation improves problem-solving under stress Posted: 03 May 2013 10:29 AM PDT New research provides the first evidence that self-affirmation can protect against the damaging effects of stress on problem-solving performance. Understanding that self-affirmation -- the process of identifying and focusing on one's most important values -- boosts stressed individuals' problem-solving abilities will help guide future research and the development of educational interventions.

Mathematicians help unlock brain function Posted: 03 May 2013 10:29 AM PDT Mathematicians will bring researchers one step closer to understanding how the structure of the brain relates to its function in two recently published studies.

Injectable nano-network controls blood sugar in diabetics for days at a time Posted: 03 May 2013 08:47 AM PDT In a promising development for diabetes treatment, researchers have developed a network of nanoscale particles that can be injected into the body and release insulin when blood-sugar levels rise, maintaining normal blood sugar levels for more than a week in animal-based laboratory tests.

Researchers outline concerns about unproven stem cell therapies Posted: 03 May 2013 08:46 AM PDT An international group of leading stem cell researchers has issued a statement that specifies concerns about the development and use of unproven stem cell therapies. The commentary is published ahead of a debate in the Italian parliament on whether to change a recent law that allows certain untested stem cell therapies to be used by the public health system. The authors of the commentary argue that rigorous clinical testing and regulation of stem cell therapies are essential to introduce safe and effective medical interventions for patients.

Computer simulations reveal the energy landscape of ion channels Posted: 03 May 2013 07:51 AM PDT Ion channels are important drug targets. A young team of researchers investigated the opening and closing mechanisms of these channels. The time consuming calculations were performed using the high performance computer cluster, which is currently the fastest computer in Austria.

Flight behavior of hungry malaria mosquitoes analyzed Posted: 03 May 2013 07:51 AM PDT Malaria mosquitoes go to work cautiously before landing on human skin and biting. Just before a mosquito lands, it reacts to both odors and heat given off by the human body. Researchers came to this conclusion after studying images made with infrared-sensitive cameras.

Individual brain cells track where we are and how we move Posted: 03 May 2013 06:49 AM PDT Researchers have gained new insights into how our brains form maps of our environment. They found that special cells can note either a fixed location, or the distance a mammal travels, depending on the cues it gets from the environment.

Malaria: A vector infecting both apes and humans Posted: 03 May 2013 06:47 AM PDT In 2010, a study revealed that the main agent of malaria in humans, called Plasmodium falciparum, arose from the gorilla. Today, the vector which transmitted the parasite from apes to humans has just been identified. Scientists have determined which species of anopheles mosquitoes transfer the disease to apes. Among them is Anopheles moucheti, known for biting humans. Therefore, it appears to be the species which originally infected us through our 'cousins'. And it could do it again today.

New mechanism discovered in meiosis: How modification of an enzyme governs critical processes in sexual reproduction Posted: 03 May 2013 06:41 AM PDT Scientists have made an important discovery in meiosis research. They have identified a new mechanism that plays an important role in meiosis.

New mouse model confirms how type 2 diabetes develops Posted: 03 May 2013 06:41 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new mouse model that answers the question of what actually happens in the body when type 2 diabetes develops and how the body responds to drug treatment. Long-term studies of the middle-aged mouse model will be better than previous studies at confirming how drugs for type 2 diabetes function in humans.

Mind-body course has positive impact on well-being of medical students Posted: 01 May 2013 04:32 PM PDT A new study shows a mind-body class elective for medical students helps increase their self-compassion and ability to manage thoughts and tasks more effectively. The study also discusses how this innovative course may help medical students better manage stress and feel more empowered to use mind-body skills with their patients.

Expanding Medicaid: Mental and financial health improve, but no improvement shown in physical health Posted: 01 May 2013 04:31 PM PDT New findings from the Oregon Health Insurance Experiment show that Medicaid coverage had no detectable effect on the prevalence of diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, but substantially reduced depression, nearly eliminated catastrophic out-of-pocket expenditures, and increased the diagnosis of diabetes and the use of diabetes medication among low-income adults.

Heart-healthy diet helps men lower bad cholesterol, regardless of weight loss Posted: 01 May 2013 04:31 PM PDT A heart-healthy diet helped men at high risk for heart disease reduce their bad cholesterol, regardless of whether they lost weight, in a new study.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Top Health News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610