ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Surgery may be effective treatment option for older epilepsy patients
• Bug vs. Bug: Benign C. Difficile strains keep fatal strains at bay
• High-dose statins reduce gum inflammation in heart disease patients
• Newly identified biomarkers help predict outcome in deadly lung disease
• Red wine chemical, resveratrol, remains effective against cancer after the body converts it
• Specialized intestinal cells cause some cases of Crohn's disease
• Insect repellent: Scientists find insect DEET receptors, develop safe alternatives to DEET
• Technology, not uninsured patients, driving hospital costs
• Researchers identify the neural circuits that modulate REM sleep
• Recruiting E. coli to combat hard-to-treat bacterial infections
• Understanding the dangers of the fake marijuana called 'Spice' or 'K2'
• New method allows quantitative nanoscopic imaging through silicon
• Eye contact may make people more resistant to persuasion
• Did you have a good time? We know where you'll store the memory of it
• Spinach and nanodiamonds? nanodiamond biosensor for detection of iron-level in blood
• Textured images help tactile recognition for the blind
• New bio bank to resolve legal, ethical issues
• New tuberculosis vaccine developed
• New genetic discovery could reduce the guess work in drug dosing
• Lactation may be linked to aggressive cancer in Mexican women
• Antimicrobial therapies linked to neonatal infection outbreaks
• Listening matters for mothers
• College students face risks, unknown benefits from misuse of prescription stimulants
• Statin may prevent dementia, memory loss with longer use, don't pose short-term cognition problems
• Fecal transplant: Microbial restoration of the inflamed gut
• Depression does not expose someone to a greater risk of cancer
• Sleeping too little, or too much, linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity
• New target to fight HIV infection identified
• New strategy in the fight against TB?
• Inexpensive drug may minimize damage from heart attack
• Early success in new treatment for stroke recovery
• Telestroke service increases rates of 'clot-buster' treatment for stroke
• Hospital cost of robotic or conventional open-chest mitral valve repair surgery is similar
• Genetic markings could spot cancer before it develops
• Legionella bacteria found in compost products
• Fertility problems? Joining the 'breakfast club' can help
• Macrophage-derived mediators may be biomarkers for urinary stone risk
• Link found between high-fat, high-calorie diet and pancreas cancer
• Statin therapy before coronary artery bypass grafting may improve outcomes
• Alternative approaches to surgical valve replacement offer comparable outcomes

Surgery may be effective treatment option for older epilepsy patients Posted: 02 Oct 2013 03:57 PM PDT Surgery may be an effective treatment for epilepsy in older patients, a finding that runs counter to conventional treatment methods. Results showed that 74 percent of patients aged 50 years or older remained free of disabling seizures, compared with 58 percent of patients in a younger group. Among patients aged 60 years or older, 91 percent remained seizure-free.

Bug vs. Bug: Benign C. Difficile strains keep fatal strains at bay Posted: 02 Oct 2013 03:57 PM PDT In a recent study, two different strains of non-toxigenic Clostridium difficile provided protection against both historic and epidemic C. difficile strains.

High-dose statins reduce gum inflammation in heart disease patients Posted: 02 Oct 2013 03:56 PM PDT Statins, commonly prescribed medications for lowering cholesterol, also reduced inflammation associated with gum disease. The study suggests that steps taken to reduce gum disease may also reduce inflammation in the arteries and vice versa.

Newly identified biomarkers help predict outcome in deadly lung disease Posted: 02 Oct 2013 11:11 AM PDT A study has identified a gene expression profile that can predict outcomes and lead to better treatment for one of the most lethal lung diseases, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Red wine chemical, resveratrol, remains effective against cancer after the body converts it Posted: 02 Oct 2013 11:11 AM PDT A chemical found in red wine remains effective at fighting cancer even after the body's metabolism has converted it into other compounds.

Specialized intestinal cells cause some cases of Crohn's disease Posted: 02 Oct 2013 10:14 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that Crohn's disease, the inflammatory bowel disorder, can originate from specialized intestinal cell type called Paneth cells.

Insect repellent: Scientists find insect DEET receptors, develop safe alternatives to DEET Posted: 02 Oct 2013 10:14 AM PDT Researchers have identified DEET-detecting olfactory receptors in insects that cause repellency and three safe compounds that mimic DEET and could one day be used to prevent the transmission of deadly vector-borne diseases. Until now, no one had a clue about which olfactory receptor insects used to avoid DEET. Without the receptors, it was impossible to apply modern technology to design new repellents to improve upon DEET.

Technology, not uninsured patients, driving hospital costs Posted: 02 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT Technology, not uninsured patients, likely explains the steep rise in the cost of hospital care in Texas in recent years.

Researchers identify the neural circuits that modulate REM sleep Posted: 02 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT Researchers have identified, for the first time, a precise causal link between neuronal activity in the lateral hypothalamus and the state of REM sleep. Using optogenetics, they were able to induce REM sleep in mice and modulate the duration of this sleep phase by activating the neuronal network in this area of the brain.

Recruiting E. coli to combat hard-to-treat bacterial infections Posted: 02 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT The notorious bacteria E. coli is best known for making people sick, but scientists have reprogrammed the microbe -- which also comes in harmless varieties -- to make it seek out and fight other disease-causing pathogens. This new type of E. coli can even kill off slimy groups of bacteria called biofilms that are responsible for many hard-to-treat infections.

Understanding the dangers of the fake marijuana called 'Spice' or 'K2' Posted: 02 Oct 2013 08:24 AM PDT The harmful effects of increasingly popular designer cannabis products called "Spice" or "K2" have puzzled scientists for years, but now a group of researchers is reporting progress toward understanding what makes them so toxic. The study describes development of a method that could someday help physicians diagnose and treat the thousands of young adults and teens who end up in emergency rooms after taking the drugs.

New method allows quantitative nanoscopic imaging through silicon Posted: 02 Oct 2013 08:24 AM PDT Scientists have figured out how to quantitatively observe cellular processes taking place on so-called "lab on a chip" devices in a silicon environment. The new technology will be useful in drug development as well as disease diagnosis, researchers say.

Eye contact may make people more resistant to persuasion Posted: 02 Oct 2013 06:26 AM PDT Making eye contact has long been considered an effective way of drawing a listener in and bringing him or her around to your point of view. But new research shows that eye contact may actually make people more resistant to persuasion, especially when they already disagree.

Did you have a good time? We know where you'll store the memory of it Posted: 02 Oct 2013 06:23 AM PDT Where do you go for a tasty bite and where is the food not so good? Where are you likely to have a great time and where might things not turn out so well? For every person – but also for animals – the information about pleasant and unpleasant experiences is of key importance. Researchers have now discovered how and where pleasant memories are stored.

Spinach and nanodiamonds? nanodiamond biosensor for detection of iron-level in blood Posted: 02 Oct 2013 06:22 AM PDT Popeye, the comic book hero, swears by it as do generations of parents who delight their children with spinach. Of course, today it is known that the vegetable is not quite as rich in iron as originally thought, but that iron is nevertheless essential for our physical well-being is undisputed. Lack of iron -- caused by malnutrition -- can lead to anemia while an increased level of iron may signal the presence of an acute inflammatory response. Therefore, the blood iron level is an important medical diagnostic agent. Researchers have now developed a novel biosensor for determination of iron content that is based on nanodiamonds.

Textured images help tactile recognition for the blind Posted: 02 Oct 2013 06:21 AM PDT The use of different materials with varied textures improves the recognition of tactile images by young blind people. This result emphasizes that early, regular use of tactile material by blind children is necessary to improve recognition through touch.

New bio bank to resolve legal, ethical issues Posted: 01 Oct 2013 04:18 PM PDT When researchers collect human tissue in a so-called bio bank, the purpose is usually to learn about various diseases and improve curing of them. But a group of researchers are in the process of creating a bio bank, which will generate knowledge about the legal and ethical aspects of bio banking as well as contributing to medical research.

New tuberculosis vaccine developed Posted: 01 Oct 2013 12:10 PM PDT A new vaccine has been developed to act as a booster to Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), currently the only TB vaccine available. BCG was developed in the 1920s and has been used worldwide. The new "booster" would reactivate immune elements that over time diminish following BCG vaccination.

New genetic discovery could reduce the guess work in drug dosing Posted: 01 Oct 2013 12:10 PM PDT The discovery of genetic differences affecting up to a third of the population could take the guess work out of prescribing the correct dose of 25 percent of drugs currently on the market, researchers say.

Lactation may be linked to aggressive cancer in Mexican women Posted: 01 Oct 2013 12:10 PM PDT Scientific data suggest that a woman reduces her risk of breast cancer by breastfeeding, having multiple children and giving birth at a younger age. A study recently published indicates that women of Mexican descent may not fit that profile. In fact, results suggest that women of Mexican descent with more children and those who breastfeed are more likely to be diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Antimicrobial therapies linked to neonatal infection outbreaks Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:55 AM PDT Administration of antibiotics may have caused successive outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) in a Greek neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to a study.

Listening matters for mothers Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:54 AM PDT Research shows that mothers with prematurely born babies benefit emotionally and mentally from one-on-one sessions with a hospital nurse. The pilot "listening visits" may provide a framework for helping pre-term infant mothers combat anxiety and depression.

College students face risks, unknown benefits from misuse of prescription stimulants Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:54 AM PDT Misuse of prescription stimulants by students has become a fact of life on college campuses as some students seek every advantage they can to succeed.

Statin may prevent dementia, memory loss with longer use, don't pose short-term cognition problems Posted: 01 Oct 2013 08:54 AM PDT A review of dozens of studies on the use of statin medications to prevent heart attacks shows that the commonly prescribed drugs pose no threat to short-term memory, and that they may even protect against dementia when taken for more than one year. The researchers who conducted the systematic review say the results should offer more clarity and reassurance to patients and the doctors who prescribe the statin medications.

Fecal transplant: Microbial restoration of the inflamed gut Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:51 AM PDT Gastroenterologists and microbiologists explored how a treatment called "fecal microbiota transplantation" can be used to support microbial recolonization of the gut of patients with chronic intestinal inflammation (ulcerative colitis). In this unusual alternative therapy the gut microbiota of healthy donors is transmitted to patients.

Depression does not expose someone to a greater risk of cancer Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:51 AM PDT The impact of depression on a person contracting cancer has long been suspected, without any study having definitely confirmed or rejected this theory. The links have now been investigated by monitoring 14,203 people between 1994 and 2009, including 1119 who developed cancer as diagnosed by a doctor.

Sleeping too little, or too much, linked to heart disease, diabetes, obesity Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:50 AM PDT A new study links too little sleep (six hours or less) and too much sleep (10 or more hours) with chronic diseases -- including coronary heart disease, diabetes, anxiety and obesity -- in adults age 45 and older. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine encourages patients suffering from these common chronic conditions to speak with a sleep medicine physician who can evaluate their sleep patterns.

New target to fight HIV infection identified Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:49 AM PDT A mutant of an immune cell protein called ADAP (adhesion and degranulation-promoting adaptor protein) is able to block infection by HIV-1 (human immunodeficiency virus 1), new research reveals.

New strategy in the fight against TB? Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:48 AM PDT A new approach to combating the tubercle bacillus, the microorganism that kills some 1.5 million people in the world each year, has been developed. The researchers have discovered that an amino acid, aspartate, is essential for the development of the bacillus because it acts as its main source of nitrogen. They have also succeeded in establishing the mechanism by which the bacterium extracts aspartate from its host.

Inexpensive drug may minimize damage from heart attack Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:45 AM PDT Early treatment of heart attack patients with an inexpensive beta-blocker drug called metoprolol, while in transit to the hospital, can significantly reduce damage to the heart during a myocardial infarction, according to clinical trial study.

Early success in new treatment for stroke recovery Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:45 AM PDT Researchers tested using vagus nerve stimulation as a possible technique to improve stroke recovery. The study showed that pairing vagus nerve stimulation with physical rehabilitation returned all the rats in the trial group to pre-stroke levels – double the effectiveness of rehabilitation alone.

Telestroke service increases rates of 'clot-buster' treatment for stroke Posted: 01 Oct 2013 07:45 AM PDT A telestroke service increases the rate of effective tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke treated at community hospitals.

Hospital cost of robotic or conventional open-chest mitral valve repair surgery is similar Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:15 AM PDT The total hospital cost of mitral valve repair surgery -- from the time a patient is admitted to the hospital until release -- is similar, whether performed through small port incisions using robotic equipment or via the conventional open-chest method, a study of 370 patients found. Importantly, robotic surgeries were just as safe as conventional open procedures, but patients who underwent robotic mitral valve repair recovered more rapidly and returned home earlier than patients who had open-chest surgery, the study found.

Genetic markings could spot cancer before it develops Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:15 AM PDT Scientists analyzed clinical specimens of malignant tissue from 93 cancer patients from Norway and the UK and compared them with healthy tissue samples. They concluded that unique DNA markings on certain genes may 'predict' the risk of developing head and neck cancer.

Legionella bacteria found in compost products Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:13 AM PDT A study investigating the presence of Legionella in compost, has found that the bacteria exist in a significant number of commercial products.

Fertility problems? Joining the 'breakfast club' can help Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:13 AM PDT A new study reveals that eating a good breakfast can have a positive impact on women with problems of infertility.

Macrophage-derived mediators may be biomarkers for urinary stone risk Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:12 AM PDT A balance between the activation of the inflammatory macrophages and suppression of the anti-inflammatory macrophages in the kidney may play a pivotal role in kidney stone formation. These macrophage-derived mediators may have potential as biomarkers to reflect the urinary stone risk, according to a new study.

Link found between high-fat, high-calorie diet and pancreas cancer Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT A new study demonstrates the first direct link between obesity and risk of pancreatic cancer. The research used mice to model human obesity and metabolism. The mice were given high-calorie, high-fat diets, which resulted in high numbers of pre-cancer lesions. Results from this research support a low-fat, low-calorie diet as preventative measure against cancer.

Statin therapy before coronary artery bypass grafting may improve outcomes Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT Patients receiving statin therapy before coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery appear to have a reduced risk of post-surgical mortality, stroke, and atrial fibrillation (irregular or rapid heart rate).

Alternative approaches to surgical valve replacement offer comparable outcomes Posted: 01 Oct 2013 06:00 AM PDT Patients with aortic stenosis who are ineligible for surgical valve replacement as well as the traditional approach to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may have comparable outcomes when the surgeon uses an alternative access TAVR approach.

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