ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Babies can learn their first lullabies in the womb
• A first step in learning by imitation, baby brains respond to another's actions
• New multiple action intestinal hormone corrects diabetes
• Incurable brain cancer gene silenced: Gene regulation technology increases survival rates in mice with glioblastoma
• Chinese bats likely source of SARS virus
• Pore formation in cell membranes linked to triggers of rheumatoid arthritis
• Researchers study epigenetic mechanisms of tumor metastasis for improved cancer therapy
• MS study correlates negative effect of warmer weather on cognitive status
• Pain in infancy alters response to stress, anxiety later in life
• Nerve stimulation in neck may reduce heart failure symptoms
• Prices, family interactions influence eating behaviors
• Alarming increase of myopia; environmental factors influence development, progression of myopia
• Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy associated with preterm birth for non-white mothers
• Brain regions can be specifically trained with video games
• 'Good' cholesterol controls blood glucose
• Understanding the difference between 'human smart' and 'computer smart'
• Events coordination during embryogenesis
• What happens when the lightbulb turns on? Measuring a person's creativity from single spoken words
• Biomarkers could lead to early diagnosis of colorectal cancer
• New look at old test may provide earlier detection of meningitis
• Moral in the morning, but dishonest in the afternoon
• Is left-handedness higher among those suffering from psychosis?
• New substance effectively combats multi-resistant bacteria
• Those with Alzheimer's more likely to have heart disease , offered less treatment options
• Scientist identify genetic link between language impairment, autism
• Study: Corporate executives hugely overconfident
• Face it: Twins who smoke look older
• Negative consequences of noise on overall health
• Teenagers, young adults diagnosed with cancer at increased risk of suicide
• Unpublished trial data 'violates an ethical obligation' to study participants, say researchers
• Knowledge about incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse lower among women of color
• Dinner rituals correlate with child, adult weight
• Mechanisms of wound healing clarified in zebrafish study
• New molecular target for malaria control identified
• Staying one step ahead of influenza
• Older children with HIV may need to start treatment sooner than thought
• Interventions by non-mental health specialists may improve perinatal mental health disorders
• News that is better or worse than expected influences health decisions
• Quality of care improves for cancer patients who get palliative care consultation
• Weight at time of diagnosis linked to prostate cancer mortality
• Estrogen protects women with NASH from severe liver fibrosis
• Human immune system shapes skin microbiome
• National rates of SIDS reduced 50 percent

Babies can learn their first lullabies in the womb Posted: 30 Oct 2013 03:55 PM PDT An infant can recognize a lullaby heard in the womb for several months after birth, potentially supporting later speech development.

A first step in learning by imitation, baby brains respond to another's actions Posted: 30 Oct 2013 03:51 PM PDT Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery for adults, but for babies it's their foremost tool for learning. Now researchers have found the first evidence revealing a key aspect of the brain processing that occurs in babies to allow this learning by observation.

New multiple action intestinal hormone corrects diabetes Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT Scientists have developed a new therapeutic approach for treatment of Type 2 diabetes. A novel single molecule hormone, which acts equally on the receptors of the insulin-stimulating hormones GLP-1 and GIP, was observed to reduce weight and improve blood sugar.

Incurable brain cancer gene silenced: Gene regulation technology increases survival rates in mice with glioblastoma Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:28 AM PDT Glioblastoma multiforme, the brain cancer that killed Sen. Edward Kennedy, is aggressive and incurable. Researchers can now demonstrate delivery of a drug that turns off a critical gene in this complex cancer, increasing survival rates significantly in animals with the disease. The therapeutic, based on nanotechnology, is nimble enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and get to the brain tumor. Once there, it flips the switch of the oncogene to "off," silencing the gene.

Chinese bats likely source of SARS virus Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT Scientists say they've produced "the clearest evidence yet" the SARS virus originated in Chinese horseshoe bats and that direct bat-to-human transmission is "plausible." The 2002 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) pandemic was one of the most significant public health events in recent history and researchers have been studying the virus to better understand how it is transmitted to prepare for future outbreaks.

Pore formation in cell membranes linked to triggers of rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 30 Oct 2013 11:24 AM PDT Experiments by scientists have unraveled two biological mechanisms as the major cause of protein citrullination in rheumatoid arthritis. Protein citrullination is suspected of sparking the immune system and driving the cascade of events leading to the disease.

Researchers study epigenetic mechanisms of tumor metastasis for improved cancer therapy Posted: 30 Oct 2013 10:28 AM PDT A review article by researchers suggests that epigenetics may be a useful target to stop the growth, spread and relapse of cancer.

MS study correlates negative effect of warmer weather on cognitive status Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:56 AM PDT Scientists correlated fMRI findings with the negative impact of outdoor temperature on cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis. This study in Brain Imaging & Behavior corroborates the group's previous study that established that people with MS performed worse on cognitive tasks during warmer outdoor temperatures. This new study extends previous research by demonstrating a link between brain activity and outdoor temperature.

Pain in infancy alters response to stress, anxiety later in life Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:55 AM PDT Early life pain alters neural circuits in the brain that regulate stress, suggesting pain experienced by infants who often do not receive analgesics while undergoing tests and treatment in neonatal intensive care may permanently alter future responses to anxiety, stress and pain in adulthood, medical researchers have discovered.

Nerve stimulation in neck may reduce heart failure symptoms Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:53 AM PDT A multidisciplinary team of experts in heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and neurosurgery are now testing nerve stimulation in the neck as a novel therapy for heart failure patients to potentially help relieve their debilitating symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath, and heart arrhythmias, while reducing their hospitalizations.

Prices, family interactions influence eating behaviors Posted: 30 Oct 2013 09:53 AM PDT Researchers looked at how prices, parents and peers affect fruit and vegetable consumption among African-American youths. Researchers say understanding these factors can help design more effective policy interventions.

Alarming increase of myopia; environmental factors influence development, progression of myopia Posted: 30 Oct 2013 08:13 AM PDT New research on myopia — how it develops, risk and protective factors, and potentially effective measures for prevention and treatment - is widely available to help address the illness.

Low vitamin D levels during pregnancy associated with preterm birth for non-white mothers Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:41 AM PDT African-American and Puerto Rican women who have low levels of vitamin D during pregnancy are more likely to go into labor early and give birth to preterm babies, research reveals. The study is the largest to date to look at the association between vitamin D and preterm birth.

Brain regions can be specifically trained with video games Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:38 AM PDT Video gaming causes increases in the brain regions responsible for spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning as well as fine motor skills. This has been shown in a new study. The positive effects of video gaming may also prove relevant in therapeutic interventions targeting psychiatric disorders.

'Good' cholesterol controls blood glucose Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:36 AM PDT High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), the so-called "good" cholesterol, improves blood glucose levels by enhancing skeletal muscle function and reducing adiposity, scientists report.

Understanding the difference between 'human smart' and 'computer smart' Posted: 30 Oct 2013 07:35 AM PDT Considering 798 to be an odd number is endemic to human cognition, reveals a new study. A common assumption in the cognitive sciences is that thinking consists of following sets of rules (as it does in a computer). A recent research argues that unlike digital computers, which are designed to follow rules, the computations performed by the neural networks that make up our brain are inherently context dependent. People sometimes make seemingly strange mistakes like thinking that 798 is an odd number despite knowing how to identify odd and even numbers.

Events coordination during embryogenesis Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:32 AM PDT A new study reveals a mechanism through which the expression of genes is controlled -- a finding that highlights genetic mutations that can impair the timing of gene expression. Such mutations can affect the co-ordination of key events that are required for stepwise development of an organism, and can also give rise to cancer by turning on genes at the wrong time.

What happens when the lightbulb turns on? Measuring a person's creativity from single spoken words Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Neuroscientists have created a quick but reliable test that can measure a person's creativity from single spoken words. The "noun-verb" test is so simple it can be done by virtually anyone anywhere -- even in an MRI machine, setting the stage for scientists to pinpoint how the brain comes up with unusually creative ideas. While some believe ingenuity is spontaneous, the researchers suspect there's a lot of hard work going on in the brain even when the proverbial light bulb turning on feels effortless.

Biomarkers could lead to early diagnosis of colorectal cancer Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Diagnosing colorectal cancer is complex; it relies on significant invasive tests and subjective evaluations. This process may soon become much easier thanks to a medical breakthrough. Researchers have identified genetic changes in the colon lining, or mucosa, in colorectal cancer patients that could be used as biomarkers of the disease. That will allow doctors to diagnose patients earlier, more accurately and less invasively.

New look at old test may provide earlier detection of meningitis Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have found a more accurate method to screen for bacterial meningococcal infection in its early stages, when it's hardest to detect. The method for diagnosis could save lives by getting patients treatment earlier, when the infection is most treatable.

Moral in the morning, but dishonest in the afternoon Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Our ability to exhibit self-control to avoid cheating or lying is significantly reduced over the course of a day, making us more likely to be dishonest in the afternoon than in the morning, according to a new article.

Is left-handedness higher among those suffering from psychosis? Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have long studied the connections between hand dominance and different aspects of the human brain. A new study finds that among those with mental illnesses, left-handers are more likely to suffer from psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia than mood disorders.

New substance effectively combats multi-resistant bacteria Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:31 AM PDT In Europe alone, more than 25,000 people die each year from infections caused by multi-resistant bacteria. Researchers have now developed and characterized a substance that quickly and effectively kills the virulent bacteria. The substance employs a multifunctional mechanism that reduces the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Those with Alzheimer's more likely to have heart disease , offered less treatment options Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT Persons with Alzheimer's disease suffer from ischaemic heart diseases more frequently than others, yet they undergo related procedures and surgery less frequently than persons with no diagnosed AD, according to a nation-wide register-based study. The study involved a total of 28,093 persons; that is every community-dwelling person with a diagnosed Alzheimer's disease living in Finland on 31 December 2005.

Scientist identify genetic link between language impairment, autism Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT In the first molecular genetic study of families with a history of both language impairment and autism, scientists may have uncovered a shared origin for the two conditions, an important step toward explaining why some cases of autism are accompanied by language difficulties and others are not. The study indicates that a disorder called specific language impairment — one of the most common developmental delays in children — may be caused by the same genetic variants that lead to language difficulties in some children with autism.

Study: Corporate executives hugely overconfident Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT Corporate executives are astonishingly overconfident in their ability to forecast the stock market, a new study shows.

Face it: Twins who smoke look older Posted: 30 Oct 2013 06:29 AM PDT Twins who smoke show more premature facial aging, compared to their nonsmoking identical twins, reports a study.

Negative consequences of noise on overall health Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:08 PM PDT The combined toll of occupational, recreational and environmental noise exposure poses a serious public health threat going far beyond hearing damage, according to an international team of researchers.

Teenagers, young adults diagnosed with cancer at increased risk of suicide Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:07 PM PDT Teenagers and young adults are at increased risk of suicide after being diagnosed with cancer according to a study published. A study of nearly eight million Swedes aged 15 and over found that among the 12,669 young people diagnosed with cancer between the age of 15 and 30, there was a 60 percent increased risk of suicide or attempted suicide. The risk was highest (150 percent) in the first year after diagnosis.

Unpublished trial data 'violates an ethical obligation' to study participants, say researchers Posted: 29 Oct 2013 07:07 PM PDT Almost one in three (29 percent) large clinical trials remain unpublished five years after completion. And of these, 78 percent have no results publicly available, finds a new study.

Knowledge about incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse lower among women of color Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:19 PM PDT Knowing what symptoms to look for may help women with pelvic floor disorders improve their chances of successful treatment. But knowledge of these disorders is lacking among most women, and especially among women of color, according to a new study.

Dinner rituals correlate with child, adult weight Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:19 PM PDT Families that eat together without the television on and stay seated until everyone's finished have children with lower weights and body mass index (BMI), reports a study.

Mechanisms of wound healing clarified in zebrafish study Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:19 PM PDT A crucial component of wound healing in many animals, including humans, is the migration of nearby skin cells toward the center of the wound. How do these neighboring skin cells know which way to migrate? A new paper from scientists clarifies the role of calcium signaling in wound healing.

New molecular target for malaria control identified Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT A new study has shown that egg development in the mosquito species primarily responsible for spreading malaria depends on a switch in the female that is turned on by a male hormone delivered during sex. Blocking the activation of this switch could impair the ability of the species, Anopheles gambiae, to reproduce, and may be a viable future strategy for mosquito and malaria control.

Staying one step ahead of influenza Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT Every fall, the latest batch of flu vaccines attempts to keep society a step ahead of the evolution of the flu virus. Heroic worldwide surveillance efforts have avoided a repeat of the 1918 flu pandemic, but as shown in the recent H1N1 outbreak, viruses can still outwit even the best public health efforts.

Older children with HIV may need to start treatment sooner than thought Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT Although younger children with HIV are at high risk of disease progression if not treated, new research indicates that they have good potential for achieving high CD4 counts (a measure of a type of white blood cell that correlates with immune function) in later life provided antiretroviral therapy is initiated according to current treatment guidelines.

Interventions by non-mental health specialists may improve perinatal mental health disorders Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:18 PM PDT In middle-income countries such as China, interventions that have a psychological or social component (often referred to as psychosocial interventions) delivered by health workers who are not mental health specialists could help women during the perinatal period, according to a study published.

News that is better or worse than expected influences health decisions Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:16 PM PDT Patients who are unrealistically optimistic about their personal health risks are more likely to take preventive action when confronted with news that is worse than expected, while unrealistic pessimists are less likely to change their behavior after receiving feedback that is better than expected.

Quality of care improves for cancer patients who get palliative care consultation Posted: 29 Oct 2013 02:16 PM PDT Research now offers compelling evidence that establishing standardized criteria for calling a palliative care consultation improves the quality of care for patients hospitalized with advanced cancer. The investigators saw improvements in the use of hospice services, inpatient mortality, and hospital readmissions among patients offered the intervention.

Weight at time of diagnosis linked to prostate cancer mortality Posted: 29 Oct 2013 11:30 AM PDT Men who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with prostate cancer are more likely to die from the disease than men who are of healthy weight, according to a study.

Estrogen protects women with NASH from severe liver fibrosis Posted: 29 Oct 2013 11:29 AM PDT New research suggests that estrogen protects women with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis from severe liver fibrosis. According to research, men are at higher risk of more severe fibrosis compared to women prior to menopause, but liver fibrosis severity is similar in men and post-menopausal women.

Human immune system shapes skin microbiome Posted: 29 Oct 2013 10:35 AM PDT Our skin plays host to millions of beneficial and potentially disease-causing microorganisms; however, whether our immune system influences these microbial communities to prevent disease is unknown. In a study published, researchers have explored the microbes living on the skin of patients with primary immunodeficiencies with eczema-like skin conditions.

National rates of SIDS reduced 50 percent Posted: 29 Oct 2013 10:31 AM PDT Two mothers share their experience with following the loss of an infant. Research and educational programs have contributed to a significant decrease in the rate of SIDS during the past 20 years.

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