ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Size matters when convincing your brain to eat healthier foods
• Robotic-assisted ultrasound imaging: From trans-Atlantic evaluation to help in day-to-day practice
• Scientists link environment, inclusion in adults with disabilities
• Native bacteria block Wolbachia from being passed to mosquito progeny
• Elusive viral 'machine' architecture finally rendered
• Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis not associated with reduced breast cancer risk, study suggests
• Want to kill creativity of women in teams? Fire up the competition
• Vaccine alternative protects mice against malaria
• Long-sought drug candidate can halt tumor growth, scientists demonstrate
• Bioengineers create functional 3-D brain-like tissue: Tissue kept alive for months
• Preemies' gut bacteria may depend more on gestational age than environment
• Malaria medicine chloroquine inhibits tumor growth, metastases, study shows
• 'Worm pill' could ease autoimmune disease symptoms
• 'Dimmer switch' drug idea could tackle schizophrenia without side effects
• U.S. immigration associated with rise in smoking among Latinos, Asians
• Gene likely to promote childhood cancers pinpointed by researchers
• Fertile discovery: Treating male infertility with synthetic protein
• One out of five adult orthopaedic trauma patients sought additional providers for narcotic prescriptions
• Task constraint, task switching studied
• Crime rates may fluctuate depending on authority in charge
• Program to combat childhood obesity gets kids in daycare moving
• Challenges, strategies for women pursuing STEM careers
• Not only in DNA's hands: Epigenetics has large say in blood formation
• Aberrant mtor signaling impairs whole body physiology
• 'Seeing' through virtual touch is believing
• First gene therapy trial launched for heart patients with mechanical pumps
• Sensitive acid sensor controls insulin production
• Breech babies have higher risk of death from vaginal delivery compared to C-section
• U.S. lung cancer rates vary by subtype, sex, race/ethnicity, and age
• Emergency gallbladder surgery: Do you need it, or can you afford to wait?
• Making cashews safer for those with allergies

• Solving a sticky problem with fetal surgery using a glue inspired by the sandcastle worm
• Keeping filler ingredients out of your cup of coffee
• School violence, gun-related injury among top 10 child health concerns across U.S.
• Expert panel calls for public health research on natural gas drilling
• Clues emerge to genetic architecture of cognitive abilities in children
• How breast cancer usurps powers of mammary stem cells
• Newly discovered heart molecule could lead to effective treatment for heart failure
• Scientists unlock key to blood vessel formation
• Discovery of new form of dystrophin protein could lead to therapy for some Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients
• Sanfilippo Disease: New treatment for rare inherited disease underway
• Target identified for rare inherited neurological disease in men

Size matters when convincing your brain to eat healthier foods Posted: 11 Aug 2014 03:02 PM PDT Playing with the portions of good and not-so-good-for-you foods is better than trying to eliminate bad foods, according to a study. The idea is to not give up entirely foods that provide pleasure but aren't nutritious. Instead, the focus should be on lowering the portion of the "vice" foods and correspondingly raising the portion of a healthy food to replace it, researchers report.

Robotic-assisted ultrasound imaging: From trans-Atlantic evaluation to help in day-to-day practice Posted: 11 Aug 2014 03:02 PM PDT While in Germany a surgeon used a computer to perform a robot-assisted trans-Atlantic ultrasound examination on a person in Boston. In another study, a scientist showed how a cardiologist's video e-consultation, coupled with a remote robot-assisted echocardiogram test, dramatically reduces the waiting time for a diagnosis faced by heart failure patients.

Scientists link environment, inclusion in adults with disabilities Posted: 11 Aug 2014 02:02 PM PDT An association between the built environment and disability-related outcomes for adults with physical impairments has been made by researchers. These findings focus attention on the environment as an important factor in disability-related outcomes.

Native bacteria block Wolbachia from being passed to mosquito progeny Posted: 11 Aug 2014 02:01 PM PDT Native bacteria living inside mosquitoes prevent the insects from passing Wolbachia bacteria -- which can make the mosquitoes resistant to the malaria parasite -- to their offspring, according to a team of researchers. The team found that Asaia, a type of bacteria that occurs naturally in Anopheles mosquitoes, blocks invasion of Wolbachia into the mosquitoes' germlines -- the cells that are passed on through successive generations of an organism -- thus stopping the insects from transmitting Wolbachia to their offspring.

Elusive viral 'machine' architecture finally rendered Posted: 11 Aug 2014 02:01 PM PDT Biologists have worked with the Lambda virus as a model system for more than 50 years but they've never had an overarching picture of the molecular machines that allow it to insert or remove DNA from the cells that it infects. Now they can, thanks to an advance that highlights the intriguingly intricate way the virus accomplishes its genetic manipulations.

Bisphosphonates for osteoporosis not associated with reduced breast cancer risk, study suggests Posted: 11 Aug 2014 02:01 PM PDT An analysis of data from two randomized clinical trials finds that 3-4 years of treatment with bisphosphonates to improve bone density is not linked to reduced risk of invasive postmenopausal breast cancer. Some studies have suggested that bisphosphonates, which are commonly used to treat osteoporosis, may have antitumor and antimetastatic properties. Some observational studies have suggested bisphosphonates may protect women from breast cancer.

Want to kill creativity of women in teams? Fire up the competition Posted: 11 Aug 2014 01:59 PM PDT Women tend to outperform men when it comes to collaboration and creativity in small working groups, but force teams to go head to head in highly competitive environments and the benefits of a female approach are soon reversed, suggests new research. The study suggests that men benefit creatively from going head-to-head with other groups, while groups of women operate better in less competitive situations.

Vaccine alternative protects mice against malaria Posted: 11 Aug 2014 01:58 PM PDT Injecting a vaccine-like compound into mice was effective in protecting them from malaria, a study suggests. The findings suggest a potential new path toward the elusive goal of malaria immunization. Malaria is one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, killing as many as 1 million people per year, the majority of them children in Africa.

Long-sought drug candidate can halt tumor growth, scientists demonstrate Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:11 PM PDT Scientists have disrupted the function of MYC, a cancer regulator thought to be "undruggable." The researchers found that a credit card-like molecule they developed moves in and disrupts critical interactions between MYC and its binding partner. The study also shows the drug candidate can stop tumor growth in animal models.

Bioengineers create functional 3-D brain-like tissue: Tissue kept alive for months Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:11 PM PDT Bioengineers have created three-dimensional brain-like tissue that functions like and has structural features similar to tissue in the rat brain and that can be kept alive in the lab for more than two months. The tissue could provide a superior model for studying normal brain function as well as injury and disease, and could assist in the development of new treatments for brain dysfunction.

Preemies' gut bacteria may depend more on gestational age than environment Posted: 11 Aug 2014 12:11 PM PDT In infants born prematurely, researchers have found that the population of bacteria in babies' gastrointestinal tracts may depend more on their biological makeup and gestational age at birth than on environmental factors. The scientists discovered that bacterial communities assemble in an orderly, choreographed progression, with the pace of that assembly slowest in infants born most prematurely.

Malaria medicine chloroquine inhibits tumor growth, metastases, study shows Posted: 11 Aug 2014 10:23 AM PDT The anti-cancer effect of the antimalarial agent chloroquine when combined with conventional chemotherapy has been well documented. To date, it was assumed that chloroquine increases the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy by means of a direct effect on the cancer cells. However, a recent study has demonstrated that chloroquine also normalizes the abnormal blood vessels in tumors. This blood vessel normalization results in an increased barrier function on the one hand, and in enhanced tumor perfusion on the other hand, which increases the response of the tumor to chemotherapy.

'Worm pill' could ease autoimmune disease symptoms Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT Experts believe a molecule in parasitic worms could help explain why worm infections can effectively treat a range of autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The study successfully identified peptides from parasitic worms that suppress the body's immune response. Researchers believe this could pave the way for a new drug containing the peptide to provide relief from the symptoms of autoimmune diseases.

'Dimmer switch' drug idea could tackle schizophrenia without side effects Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT The discovery of a new mechanism of drug action could lead to the next generation of drugs to treat schizophrenia. Affecting one per cent of the world's population, schizophrenia is a major health condition. It affects a person's ability to think, feel and act and is associated with distressing symptoms including hallucinations and delusions.

U.S. immigration associated with rise in smoking among Latinos, Asians Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT Immigration to the US may result in increased smoking in Latino and Asian women, according to new research by sociologists. The current study found that accounting for gender differences in aspects of acculturation (including time spent in the U.S., citizenship status, and English-language proficiency) explained gender differences in smoking frequency for both Asian and Latino migrants.

Gene likely to promote childhood cancers pinpointed by researchers Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT A gene that contributes to the development of several childhood cancers has been pinpointed by researchers in a study conducted with mice designed to model the cancers. The gene Lin28b is an attractive therapeutic target in cancer because it is ordinarily only expressed in embryos, so blocking it in children should specifically hinder cancer growth without introducing many side effects.

Fertile discovery: Treating male infertility with synthetic protein Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT A promising method of treating male infertility using a synthetic version of the sperm-originated protein known as PAWP has been developed by researchers. The research promises to diagnose and treat cases of male factor infertility where a patient's sperm is unable to initiate or induce activation of the egg to form an early embryo.

One out of five adult orthopaedic trauma patients sought additional providers for narcotic prescriptions Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:51 AM PDT 'Doctor shopping,' the growing practice of obtaining narcotic prescriptions from multiple providers, has led to measurable increases in drug use among postoperative trauma patients, researchers report. The "doctor shopping" patients from the study had an average age of 39.6 ±12.2 years, and were primarily white (89 percent) and male (63 percent). Forty-four percent were uninsured.

Task constraint, task switching studied Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:50 AM PDT Scientists have published cognitive research showing the negative effects that unexpected task constraint, following self-generated task choice, has on task-switching performance. "We encounter unexpected task constraint in our daily lives. For example, when we are diverted from our planned route by a detour; or when the film we planned to see is sold out. Our results show that the preparation that an individual undertakes in order to perform a task is difficult to undo," explained one researcher.

Crime rates may fluctuate depending on authority in charge Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:50 AM PDT Police are more inclined to issue arrests when prison authorities have administrative responsibility for detainees, a new study shows. The study has implications for the new California reform that requires local law enforcement to bear the additional costs for imprisoning those they arrest.

Program to combat childhood obesity gets kids in daycare moving Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:50 AM PDT A turn-key intervention program significantly increased physical activity levels among children in daycare, a study shows. The treatment groups also achieved 91 percent of the physical activity goals in the improvement plans submitted by the directors of the daycare centers where the program was implemented.

Challenges, strategies for women pursuing STEM careers Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:49 AM PDT New research shows the importance of social support for women preparing for STEM careers. "Gender stereotypes manifest in a variety of ways in a work environment, such as conflicting role expectations, a lack of authority and a variety of small, interpersonal cues that signal the potential bias against women," writes one expert. "It is common for organizations to promote policies against blatant acts of discrimination and sexual harassment, but it is less common for them to recognize the unconscious acts of bias that frequently occur."

Not only in DNA's hands: Epigenetics has large say in blood formation Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:48 AM PDT Every day trillions of blood cells are being formed in our body: from the oxygen-carrying red blood cells to the many types of white blood cells that fight pathogens and infection. All of these highly specialized cells originate from blood stem cells -- unique cells that have the potential to mature into all blood types. How exactly is the fate of these stem cells regulated? Preliminary findings are starting to reshape the conventional understanding of the way stem cell fate decisions are controlled, thanks to a new technique for epigenetic analysis they have developed.

Aberrant mtor signaling impairs whole body physiology Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:48 AM PDT The protein mTOR is a central controller of growth and metabolism. Deregulation of mTOR signaling increases the risk of developing metabolic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cancer. Researchers now describe how aberrant mTOR signaling in the liver not only affects hepatic metabolism but also whole body physiology.

'Seeing' through virtual touch is believing Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:48 AM PDT Surprising results research could lead to new ways to help the visually impaired better navigate everyday life. A handheld torch uses infra-red sensors to "see" objects in front of it. When the torch detects an object, it emits a vibration -- similar to a cellphone alert -- through an attached wristband. The gentle buzz increases in intensity as the torch nears the object, letting the user make judgments about where to move based on a virtual touch.

First gene therapy trial launched for heart patients with mechanical pumps Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:45 AM PDT For the first time in the world, a patient with a mechanical heart pump has received a new gene therapy for heart failure. This is the start of a new clinical trial that will assess gene therapy for patients with heart pumps and provide detailed insight on its impact on the heart muscle. Heart failure occurs when the heart no longer pumps blood effectively. Some individuals with an advanced heart failure can be fitted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), which supports the failing heart and aims to restore normal blood flow.

Sensitive acid sensor controls insulin production Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:45 AM PDT Many human metabolic functions only run smoothly if the acid level in the body remains neutral and stable. For humans, normal blood pH values lie between 7.35 and 7.45. By way of comparison, an empty stomach is extremely acidic, with a pH value of 1.5. A team of bioengineers has now developed a new implantable molecular device composed of two modules: a sensor that constantly measures blood pH and a gene feedback mechanism that produces the necessary amount of insulin.

Breech babies have higher risk of death from vaginal delivery compared to C-section Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:45 AM PDT While a rise in cesarean section (C-section) delivery rates due to breech presentation has improved neonatal outcome, 40% of term breech deliveries in the Netherlands are planned vaginal deliveries. According to a new Dutch study, there is a 10-fold increase in fetal mortality in vaginal delivery for breech presentation compared to elective C-section.

U.S. lung cancer rates vary by subtype, sex, race/ethnicity, and age Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:45 AM PDT A new analysis confirms that U.S. lung cancer rates are declining overall, but it also uncovers previously unrecognized trends related to cancer subtype, sex, race/ethnicity, and age. The findings provide a more accurate picture of the state of lung cancer in the country and will help researchers in their ongoing efforts to monitor the population's lung health.

Emergency gallbladder surgery: Do you need it, or can you afford to wait? Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:44 AM PDT Gallstone pain is one of the most common reasons patients visit emergency rooms. Figuring out who needs emergency gallbladder removal and who can go home and schedule surgery at their convenience is sometimes a tricky question, and it isn't always answered correctly. How to handle gallstone patients is a cost and quality issue in health care. In the United States, 1 in 10 women and 1 in 15 men have gallstones, and more than 1 million people a year are hospitalized for gallstone disease.

Making cashews safer for those with allergies Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT For the millions of adults and children in the U.S. who have to shun nuts to avoid an allergic reaction, help could be on the way. Scientists are now developing a way to process cashews — and potentially other nuts — that could make them safer for people who are allergic to them.

Solving a sticky problem with fetal surgery using a glue inspired by the sandcastle worm Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT In creating an adhesive patterned after glue produced by the lowly underwater sandcastle worm, researchers are reporting that they may have solved the problem of premature births that sometimes result from fetal surgery. It also could open up numerous opportunities to safely perform more complex fetal surgeries in the future.

Keeping filler ingredients out of your cup of coffee Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT Coffee drinkers beware: Surprise ingredients may be hiding in your coffee, and growing shortages may well increase the chance of having more fillers in the future. A new test may quickly find them before the beverage reaches stores and restaurants.

School violence, gun-related injury among top 10 child health concerns across U.S. Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:41 AM PDT Childhood obesity remains the top health concern for children in 2014, but when asked about national concerns, adults put school violence and gun-related injuries in the top 10. In the poll's annual top 10 list, a nationwide sample of adults were asked to identify the biggest health concerns for kids in their communities, as well as kids nationwide. Overall, childhood obesity is rated at the top of both lists: 29 percent of adults said obesity is a 'big problem' for children in their local communities and 55 percent said it is 'big problem' across the country.

Expert panel calls for public health research on natural gas drilling Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:41 AM PDT A group of environmental health researchers has published recommendations for public health research associated with unconventional natural gas drilling operations. Groundwater and air quality testing before, during, and after natural gas drilling -- which includes hydraulic fracturing -- should be key components of efforts to ensure the safety of communities near these sites, according to these experts

Clues emerge to genetic architecture of cognitive abilities in children Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:41 AM PDT A large new genetic study in thousands of children and adolescents offers early glimpses of the overall patterns and connections among cognitive abilities such as language reasoning, reading skill and types of memory. The findings may lead to new tools in understanding human cognitive development and neuropsychiatric disorders.

How breast cancer usurps powers of mammary stem cells Posted: 11 Aug 2014 09:41 AM PDT During pregnancy, certain hormones trigger specialized mammary stem cells to create milk-producing cells essential to lactation. Scientists have found that mammary stem cells associated with the pregnant mammary gland are related to stem cells found in breast cancer. "By understanding a fundamental mechanism of mammary gland development during pregnancy, we have gained a rare insight into how aggressive breast cancer might be treated," said the lead author.

Newly discovered heart molecule could lead to effective treatment for heart failure Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:41 PM PDT Researchers have discovered a previously unknown cardiac molecule that could provide a key to treating, and preventing, heart failure. The newly discovered molecule provides the heart with a tool to block a protein that orchestrates genetic disruptions when the heart is subjected to stress, such as high blood pressure.

Scientists unlock key to blood vessel formation Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:41 PM PDT A gene that plays a vital role in blood vessel formation has been discovered by scientists, research that adds to our knowledge of how early life develops. "Blood vessel networks are not already pre-constructed but emerge rather like a river system. Vessels do not develop until the blood is already flowing and they are created in response to the amount of flow. This gene, Piezo1, provides the instructions for sensors that tell the body that blood is flowing correctly and gives the signal to form new vessel structures," the lead researcher said.

Discovery of new form of dystrophin protein could lead to therapy for some Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:41 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a new form of dystrophin, a protein critical to normal muscle function, and identified the genetic mechanism responsible for its production. Studies of the new protein isoform suggest it may offer a novel therapeutic approach for some patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a debilitating neuromuscular condition that usually leaves patients unable to walk on their own by age 12.

Sanfilippo Disease: New treatment for rare inherited disease underway Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:38 PM PDT A child -- the first -- has been recruited into a new study that aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of a treatment for Sanfilippo Disease. The disease is a progressive, genetic and life-threatening disease for which there is currently no effective treatment. The syndrome is diagnosed in childhood, with sufferers experiencing deafness, hyperactivity and behavioral problems, progressive developmental delay, and seizures during the later stages of the condition. The condition is usually fatal in late childhood or early adulthood.

Target identified for rare inherited neurological disease in men Posted: 10 Aug 2014 06:36 PM PDT The mechanism by which a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease causes often crippling muscle weakness in men, in addition to reduced fertility, has been identified by researchers. The study shows that a gene mutation long recognized as a key to the development of Kennedy's disease impairs the body's ability to degrade, remove and recycle clumps of "trash" proteins that may otherwise build up on neurons, progressively impairing their ability to control muscle contraction.

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