ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Analysis of herbal products shows contamination is common
• New antiviral response discovered in mammals
• Newly discovered gene regulator could precisely target sickle cell disease
• Innate virus-killing power discovered in mammals
• Sticks and stones: Brain releases natural painkillers during social rejection
• Brain development differs in children who stutter
• Cancer genome atlas exposes more secrets of lethal brain tumor
• A silent epidemic: Minor traumatic brain injury
• New model for neurotransmitter release, proposed by Nobel prize winner
• Previously unstudied gene is essential for normal nerve development
• How a ubiquitous herpesvirus sometimes leads to cancer
• Circadian rhythms in skin stem cells protect us against UV rays
• Molecule produced during exercise boosts brain health
• Genetic variant that increases testicular cancer risk in caucasians evolved to protect light skin
• City of Providence is taking on big tobacco – and winning
• Stomach cells naturally revert to stem cells
• Eat more, weigh less: Worm study provides clues to better fat-loss therapies for humans
• Genes protect themselves against being silenced
• Genes predispose some people to focus on the negative
• 'Peanut butter' test can help diagnose Alzheimer's disease, researchers find
• Direct 'writing' of artificial cell membranes on graphene
• Scientists find potential new targets for anti-inflammatory therapies
• Organ donor promotion brings increase in registrations
• New strategy lets cochlear implant users hear music
• Researchers close in on cause of gynecological disease
• Cataract surgeries on the rise as boomers age, raising access, cost issues
• Cholera emerging as a driver of progress in public health in Haiti
• No serious adverse reactions to HPV vaccination
• Household chaos may be hazardous to a child’s health
• ALS stem cell trial begins with first two patients receiving injections
• Among critically ill patients, muscle wasting occurs rapidly
• New details about brain anatomy, language in young children
• Loss of anti-aging gene possible culprit in age-related macular degeneration
• When more medicine isn’t always better: High costs of unnecessary radiation for terminal cancer patients
• Calling in sick, from America to Zimbabwe

Analysis of herbal products shows contamination is common Posted: 10 Oct 2013 05:51 PM PDT Most herbal products, available to buy as alternative medicines, may be contaminated. Researchers demonstrate the presence of contamination and substitution of plant species in a selection of herbal products using DNA barcoding.

New antiviral response discovered in mammals Posted: 10 Oct 2013 11:27 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a part of the innate immune system in mice that had only been known in plants and invertebrates. This system seems more visible in stem and progenitor cells, which it protects from viral infection.

Newly discovered gene regulator could precisely target sickle cell disease Posted: 10 Oct 2013 11:27 AM PDT A research team has discovered a new genetic target for potential therapy of sickle cell disease. The target, called an enhancer, controls a molecular switch in red blood cells called BCL11A that, in turn, regulates hemoglobin production.

Innate virus-killing power discovered in mammals Posted: 10 Oct 2013 11:27 AM PDT Scientists have a promising new approach to combating deadly human viruses thanks to an educated hunch by a microbiology professor, and his 20 years of research on plants, fruit flies, nematodes and mice. Researchers have discovered that, like plants and invertebrate animals, mammals use the RNA interference process to destroy viruses within their own cells. Until now, scientists were unable to prove that mammals use RNAi for killing viruses. The findings could help create vaccines against deadly infections, including SARS, West Nile, dengue, Hepatitis C and influenza.

Sticks and stones: Brain releases natural painkillers during social rejection Posted: 10 Oct 2013 10:22 AM PDT "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," goes the playground rhyme that's supposed to help children endure taunts. But a new study suggests that there's more going on inside our brains when someone snubs us -- and that the brain may have its own way of easing social pain.

Brain development differs in children who stutter Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:48 AM PDT Researchers say study results could increase understanding of brain and speech production, improving treatment.

Cancer genome atlas exposes more secrets of lethal brain tumor Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:48 AM PDT Scientists paint a more detailed picture of the genomic abnormalities that drive glioblastoma multiforme. Rich data set will underpin research and treatment advances.

A silent epidemic: Minor traumatic brain injury Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:47 AM PDT In the United States, approximately 1.4 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. Of those injuries, three out of four are minor TBI (mTBI) -- a head injury that causes a temporary change in mental status including confusion, an altered level of consciousness, or perceptual or behavioral impairments.

New model for neurotransmitter release, proposed by Nobel prize winner Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:46 AM PDT New research challenges long-standing ideas on how neurotransmitter gets released at neuronal synapses.

Previously unstudied gene is essential for normal nerve development Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:46 AM PDT Our ability to detect heat, touch, tickling and other sensations depends on our sensory nerves. Now, for the first time, researchers have identified a gene that orchestrates the crucially important branching of nerve fibers that occurs during development.

How a ubiquitous herpesvirus sometimes leads to cancer Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:46 AM PDT Most of us are infected with the herpesvirus known as Epstein-Barr virus. For most of us, the virus will lead at worst to a case of infectious mononucleosis, but sometimes, and especially in some parts of the world, those viruses are found in association with cancer. Now, researchers have found that the difference between a relatively harmless infection and a cancer-causing one lies at least partly in the viral strain itself.

Circadian rhythms in skin stem cells protect us against UV rays Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:45 AM PDT Human skin must cope with the sun and other environmental factors that fluctuate in a circadian manner. A study reveals that human skin stem cells deal with these cyclical threats by carrying out different functions depending on the time of day. By activating genes involved in UV protection during the day, these cells protect themselves against radiation-induced DNA damage. The findings could pave the way for new strategies to prevent premature aging and skin cancer.

Molecule produced during exercise boosts brain health Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:45 AM PDT Research has shown that exercise is good for the brain. Now investigators have identified a molecule called irisin that is produced in the brain during endurance exercise and has neuroprotective effects. Researchers were able to artificially increase the levels of irisin in the blood to activate genes involved in learning and memory. The findings may be useful for designing drugs that utilize this exercise-induced molecule to guard against neurodegenerative diseases and improve cognition.

Genetic variant that increases testicular cancer risk in caucasians evolved to protect light skin Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:45 AM PDT One of the most important proteins implicated in cancer is p53. Researchers have identified a DNA sequence variation in a p53-binding site that is more prevalent in Caucasians than in Africans and is associated with a very large risk of testicular cancer but may protect light-skinned individuals against harmful ultraviolet rays. The study offers insights into the evolution of DNA sequence variations in p53-binding sites, and it could lead to improvements in personalized treatment strategies.

City of Providence is taking on big tobacco – and winning Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:43 AM PDT The city of Providence, R.I., is taking the fight against Big Tobacco to a new level with innovative tobacco control policies in the retail environment. A new study details Providence's efforts and provides a road map for other municipalities to follow.

Stomach cells naturally revert to stem cells Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:43 AM PDT New research has shown that the stomach naturally produces more stem cells than previously realized, likely for repair of injuries from infections, digestive fluids and the foods we eat.

Eat more, weigh less: Worm study provides clues to better fat-loss therapies for humans Posted: 10 Oct 2013 09:43 AM PDT Scientists have discovered key details of a brain-to-body signaling circuit that enables roundworms to lose weight independently of food intake, and there are reasons to suspect the circuit exists in a similar form in humans and other mammals.

Genes protect themselves against being silenced Posted: 10 Oct 2013 07:51 AM PDT Researchers have settled a century-old debate over whether occurrence of DNA methylation acts to silence gene expression, or if genes are turned off by other means before they are methylated.

Genes predispose some people to focus on the negative Posted: 10 Oct 2013 07:50 AM PDT Some people are genetically predisposed to see the world darkly, new research finds. According to researchers, a previously known gene variant can cause individuals to perceive emotional events -- especially negative ones -- more vividly than others.

'Peanut butter' test can help diagnose Alzheimer's disease, researchers find Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:24 AM PDT A dollop of peanut butter and a ruler can be used to confirm a diagnosis of early stage Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found.

Direct 'writing' of artificial cell membranes on graphene Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:16 AM PDT Graphene emerges as a versatile new surface to assemble model cell membranes mimicking those in the human body, with potential for applications in sensors for understanding biological processes, disease detection and drug screening.

Scientists find potential new targets for anti-inflammatory therapies Posted: 10 Oct 2013 06:15 AM PDT A team has identified key signaling proteins in the inflammation process that contribute to the development of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, sepsis and inflammatory bowel diseases. The finding highlights possible new ways of treating these inflammation disorders, which sicken or kill millions of people around the world each year.

Organ donor promotion brings increase in registrations Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:39 PM PDT More than 90 percent of the public supports organ donation, yet less than half the population registers as donors, surveys show. What if registration was better promoted to those who had previously turned it down?

New strategy lets cochlear implant users hear music Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:32 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new way of processing the signals in cochlear implants to help users hear music better. The technique lets users perceive differences between musical instruments, a significant improvement from what standard cochlear implants can offer.

Researchers close in on cause of gynecological disease Posted: 09 Oct 2013 10:01 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have created a model that could help unlock what causes adenomyosis, a common gynecological disease that is a major contributor to women having to undergo hysterectomies.

Cataract surgeries on the rise as boomers age, raising access, cost issues Posted: 09 Oct 2013 09:57 AM PDT A study focused on cataract surgery has found that more people are getting the vision-improving procedure, seeking it at younger ages and having both eyes repaired within a few months, rather than only treating one eye.

Cholera emerging as a driver of progress in public health in Haiti Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:02 AM PDT The deadly cholera epidemic that rocked earthquake-shattered Haiti in 2010, claiming 8,000 lives and counting, has rallied the public health community to seek water and sewer improvements that, combined with vaccination, could prevent some 89,000 future cholera infections. These findings are among the many insights published in a new study documenting the public health response to the largest national cholera outbreak in modern history.

No serious adverse reactions to HPV vaccination Posted: 09 Oct 2013 07:01 AM PDT Researchers have monitored HPV-vaccinated girls via patient data registries in order to examine the incidence of a wide range of diseases and thus determine if there are any serious adverse effects of the vaccine. Their results show no significant increase of the examined diseases in the vaccinated girls relative to their unvaccinated peers. The study included almost a million Swedish and Danish girls born between 1988 and 2000, and compared roughly 300,000 girls who had been HPV vaccinated with 700,000 who had not.

Household chaos may be hazardous to a child’s health Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT Kindergarten-age children have poorer health if their home life is marked by disorder, noise and a lack of routine and they have a mother who has a chaotic work life, new research suggests.

ALS stem cell trial begins with first two patients receiving injections Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT Two patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have received stem cell injections to their spinal cords – the first two to receive the experimental injections in Michigan as part of a national clinical trial.

Among critically ill patients, muscle wasting occurs rapidly Posted: 09 Oct 2013 06:57 AM PDT Scientists conducted a study to characterize and evaluate the time course and pathophysiology of acute muscle loss in critical illness.

New details about brain anatomy, language in young children Posted: 08 Oct 2013 03:23 PM PDT Researchers have uncovered new details about how brain anatomy influences language development in young kids. Using advanced MRI, they find that different parts of the brain appear to be important for language development at different ages. Surprisingly, anatomy did not predict language very well between the ages of 2 and 4, when language ability increases quickly. That underscores the importance of environment during this critical period.

Loss of anti-aging gene possible culprit in age-related macular degeneration Posted: 08 Oct 2013 03:23 PM PDT The loss of an anti-aging gene induces retinal degeneration in mice and might contribute to age-related macular degeneration, the major cause of blindness in the elderly. Researchers say that in their animal studies, loss of expression of the aging-suppressor gene Klotho leads to characteristics observed in wet and dry macular degeneration seen in humans. Researchers say gene therapy or cell therapy might be able to induce new expression of Klotho in the aging retina.

When more medicine isn’t always better: High costs of unnecessary radiation for terminal cancer patients Posted: 08 Oct 2013 01:52 PM PDT For cancer patients dealing with the pain of tumors that have spread to their bones, doctors typically recommend radiation as a palliative therapy. But as in many areas of medicine, more of this treatment isn't actually better. Medical evidence over the past decade has demonstrated that patients with terminal cancer who receive a single session of radiotherapy get just as much pain relief as those who receive multiple treatments.

Calling in sick, from America to Zimbabwe Posted: 08 Oct 2013 10:29 AM PDT There are considerable differences in attitudes towards workplace absences across nations. Analysis of responses from 1,535 participants in Mexico, Pakistan, Ghana, India, the USA, Canada, Japan, Trinidad and Nigeria demonstrates that absenteeism is more influenced by cultural stance than individual attitude.

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