ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• How poverty molds the brain
• Male birth defect weakly linked to pesticide exposure
• Canadian discoveries pivotal to science of toxins, illness associated with E. coli
• Pregnant rats exposed to obesity hormone lose birth's protective effect on breast cancer
• Surviving -- then thriving
• How a metamaterial might improve a depression treatment
• One in 10 older teens misuse painkillers, sedatives
• MRSA declines in veteran's hospitals nationwide
• Optometrists raise alert on potential risk of colored contact lenses
• New drug to help common bowel disease
• How fat could help solve part of the diabetes problem
• Scientists reduce behaviors associated with problem gambling in rats
• People seem more attractive in a group than they do apart
• Geneticists map human resistance to AIDS
• Eye tracking technology suggests people 'check out' women at first glance
• Test of manhood
• Study on neurodevelopmental effects of prenatal exposure to paracetamol
• A potential new class of fast-acting antidepressant
• High blood sugar makes Alzheimer’s plaque more toxic to the brain
• DIY, gardening can cut heart attack/stroke risk by 30 percent, prolong life for seniors
• Researchers detail possible resistance mechanisms of colorectal cancer to bevacizumab (avastin)
• New technology shows promise in taking the guesswork out of vaccine development
• VIP treatment for jet lag
• Five commonly performed tests, treatments in pulmonary medicine may not be necessary
• Model virus structure shows why there's no cure for common cold
• High rate of lower back injuries reported in young athletes
• Heart disease risk appears associated with breast cancer radiation
• Pregnant women with hepatitis C may pass heartier viral strain to newborns
• Overlooked lymph nodes in rib cage have prognostic power for mesothelioma patients
• Excess omega-3 fatty acids could lead to negative health effects
• Untangling Alzheimer's disease
• Reproductive biologists move in vitro fertilization knowledge forward
• Researchers discover how cancer hides
• Fewer patients with brain injury being declared 'brain dead'

How poverty molds the brain Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT Groundbreaking research nearly two decades ago linking a mother's educational background to her children's literacy and cognitive abilities stands out among decades of social science studies demonstrating the adverse effects of poverty. Now new research has taken that finding in a neuroscientific direction: linking poor processing of auditory information in the adolescent brain to a lower maternal educational background.

Male birth defect weakly linked to pesticide exposure Posted: 29 Oct 2013 10:35 AM PDT A study of several hundred chemicals used in commercial pesticides has found only weak evidence that any of them are associated with a common birth defect in male infants.

Canadian discoveries pivotal to science of toxins, illness associated with E. coli Posted: 29 Oct 2013 10:35 AM PDT Many Canadian scientists and clinicians were unsung heroes during the early years (1977–1983) of research unfolding around verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC). In an article published today, a clinician and medical microbiologist documents the history of this area of study, focusing on the key discoveries and major contributions made by Canadians to the science of what many people refer to as "hamburger disease."

Pregnant rats exposed to obesity hormone lose birth's protective effect on breast cancer Posted: 29 Oct 2013 10:35 AM PDT Like humans, young rats that give birth have a reduced risk of breast cancer later in life. But a new study shows that this protective effect in animals is negated if they're exposed to an obesity-linked hormone during pregnancy.

Surviving -- then thriving Posted: 29 Oct 2013 08:13 AM PDT Modern medicine usually considers trauma -- both the physical and the psychological kinds -- as unequivocally damaging. Now researchers are lending support to a more philosophical view of suffering, finding that trauma, however terrible, may have distinct psychological benefits.

How a metamaterial might improve a depression treatment Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:44 AM PDT A brain stimulation technique that is used to treat tough cases of depression could be considerably improved with a new headpiece, experts say.

One in 10 older teens misuse painkillers, sedatives Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:44 AM PDT With prescription drug abuse at epidemic levels nationwide, and overdoses killing more people than auto accidents in many states, a new study provides striking new data about the misuse of potent prescription painkillers and sedatives by teens and young adults. In all, 10.4 percent of the teens and young adults treated in the emergency room for any reason admitted to misusing a prescription painkiller or sedative at least once in the last year.

MRSA declines in veteran's hospitals nationwide Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:44 AM PDT Five years after implementing a national initiative to reduce MRSA rates in Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, cases have continued to decline, according to a study.

Optometrists raise alert on potential risk of colored contact lenses Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:43 AM PDT Researchers have recently conducted a study on 15 brands of colored contact lenses available from various sources. Results showed that most of these cosmetic contact lenses have surface colored pigments which can easily come off when using a standardized lab-based rub-off test.

New drug to help common bowel disease Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:20 AM PDT An international team has identified the mechanism of pain relief of a new drug for treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation, based on nonclinical studies, and quantified its effectiveness in pain relief in human trials.

How fat could help solve part of the diabetes problem Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:20 AM PDT The pancreas is a large organ that wraps around our gut, and produces the exact amount of insulin our bodies need when we eat -- except when we start to develop diabetes, and insulin production slows down. Scientists describe how a fat recycling system within pancreatic "beta cells" determines the amount of insulin they secrete, and so may provide a target for future diabetes therapies.

Scientists reduce behaviors associated with problem gambling in rats Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:20 AM PDT With the help of a rat casino, researchers have successfully reduced behaviors in rats that are commonly associated with compulsive gambling.

People seem more attractive in a group than they do apart Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:20 AM PDT People tend to be rated as more attractive when they're part of a group than when they're alone, according to new research. This phenomenon -- first dubbed the "cheerleader effect" by ladykiller Barney Stinson on the popular TV show "How I Met Your Mother" -- suggests that having a few friends around might be one way to boost perceived attractiveness.

Geneticists map human resistance to AIDS Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:20 AM PDT The key to future HIV treatment could be hidden right in our own genes. Everyone who becomes infected deploys defense strategies, and some even manage to hold the virus at bay without any therapy at all. Scientists retraced the entire chain of events in these battles, from the genome of the virus to the genome of the victim, and have published their results.

Eye tracking technology suggests people 'check out' women at first glance Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:10 AM PDT Eye tracking technology has reconfirmed what women have known all along: that people look at their sexual body parts more and faces less when evaluating their appearance. A new study found that especially women with typical hour glass figures or larger breasts, narrower waists, and bigger hips frequently prompted such gazes.

Test of manhood Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:10 AM PDT The implications of prostate cancer get men thinking about what it means to be a man, according to a Norwegian doctoral thesis.

Study on neurodevelopmental effects of prenatal exposure to paracetamol Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:05 AM PDT Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is the most commonly used medicine in pregnancy, yet there are very few studies that have investigated the possible long-term consequences for the child. A new study suggests that long-term use of paracetamol during pregnancy may increase the risk of adverse effects on child development.

A potential new class of fast-acting antidepressant Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:03 AM PDT More than 1 in 10 Americans take antidepressants, but these medications can take weeks — and for some patients, months — before they begin to alleviate symptoms. Now, scientists have discovered that selectively blocking a serotonin receptor subtype induces fast-acting antidepressant effects in mice, indicating a potential new class of therapeutics for depression.

High blood sugar makes Alzheimer’s plaque more toxic to the brain Posted: 29 Oct 2013 06:03 AM PDT High blood-sugar levels, such as those linked with Type 2 diabetes, make beta amyloid protein associated with Alzheimer's disease dramatically more toxic to cells lining blood vessels in the brain, according to a new study.

DIY, gardening can cut heart attack/stroke risk by 30 percent, prolong life for seniors Posted: 28 Oct 2013 03:49 PM PDT A spot of DIY or gardening can cut the risk of a heart attack/stroke and prolong life by as much as 30 per cent among the 60+ age group, indicates research published.

Researchers detail possible resistance mechanisms of colorectal cancer to bevacizumab (avastin) Posted: 28 Oct 2013 03:48 PM PDT A study published shows that when colorectal cancer is targeted by the drug bevacizumab (Avastin), tumors may switch dependence from VEGF-A, which is targeted by the drug, to related growth factors in including VEGF-C, VEGF-D and placental growth factor. This change to new growth-factor dependence may allow colorectal cancer to push past bevacizumab's blockage of VEGF-A to continue to drive tumor growth.

New technology shows promise in taking the guesswork out of vaccine development Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:28 PM PDT Scientists have developed a comprehensive, microchip-based technology, called immunosignature diagnosis, which can rapidly and comprehensively measure an individual's vaccine response, promising to take much of the initial guesswork out of predicting effective vaccines.

VIP treatment for jet lag Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:28 PM PDT A small molecule called VIP, known to synchronize time-keeping neurons in the brain's biological clock, has the startling effect of desynchronizing them at higher dosages, says a research team. Neurons knocked for a loop by a burst of VIP are better able to re-synchronize to abrupt shifts in the light-dark cycle like those that make jet lag or shift work so miserable.

Five commonly performed tests, treatments in pulmonary medicine may not be necessary Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:24 PM PDT A list released today identified five commonly performed tests and procedures in pulmonary medicine that may not always be necessary. The list, part of the ABIM Foundation's Choosing Wisely® campaign, was produced by a collaborative task force.

Model virus structure shows why there's no cure for common cold Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:23 PM PDT In a pair of landmark studies that exploit the genetic sequencing of the "missing link" cold virus, rhinovirus C, scientists have constructed a three-dimensional model of the pathogen that shows why there is no cure yet for the common cold.

High rate of lower back injuries reported in young athletes Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:20 PM PDT Lower back injuries are the third most common injuries suffered in athletes under age 18. Many injuries are severe enough to sideline young athletes for one-to-six months, and put them at future risk for long-term back problems, a study has found.

Heart disease risk appears associated with breast cancer radiation Posted: 28 Oct 2013 01:20 PM PDT Among patients with early stages of breast cancer, those whose hearts were more directly irradiated with radiation treatments on the left side in a facing-up position had higher risk of heart disease, according to research.

Pregnant women with hepatitis C may pass heartier viral strain to newborns Posted: 28 Oct 2013 11:15 AM PDT Infants who get hepatitis C from their mothers during childbirth may inherit a viral strain that replicates more quickly than strains found in non-pregnant hosts, according to a new study.

Overlooked lymph nodes in rib cage have prognostic power for mesothelioma patients Posted: 28 Oct 2013 11:15 AM PDT For the first time, researchers have shown the predictive power of a group of overlooked lymph nodes that could serve as a better tool to stage and ultimately treat patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Excess omega-3 fatty acids could lead to negative health effects Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:50 AM PDT A new review suggests that omega-3 fatty acids taken in excess could have unintended health consequences in certain situations, and that dietary standards based on the best available evidence need to be established.

Untangling Alzheimer's disease Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:50 AM PDT A team of researchers has identified a specific set of microRNA molecules that detrimentally regulate protein levels in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease. By targeting these molecules, they hope to move closer toward earlier detection and better treatment of the debilitating condition.

Reproductive biologists move in vitro fertilization knowledge forward Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT A "pill for men" may be a long way down the road, but a new fundamental knowledge of how sperm acquire the ability to fertilize an egg, letting scientists either block or enhance the process, is at the heart of being able to control it.

Researchers discover how cancer hides Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how a lipid secreted by cancer tumors prevents the immune system from mounting an immune response against it. When lysophosphatidic acid binds to killer T cells, it acts almost like an "invisibility cloak," preventing T cells from recognizing and attacking nascent tumors.

Fewer patients with brain injury being declared 'brain dead' Posted: 28 Oct 2013 10:49 AM PDT Fewer patients with brain injury are being declared "brain dead," perhaps reflecting better injury prevention and improved care, according to a new study. However, the main source of organ donations for transplants is patients with neurologic death, so this finding may explain the declining rates of organ donation in some regions.

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