Τρίτη 26 Νοεμβρίου 2013

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

ScienceDaily: Top Health News


Bad proteins branch out: Misfolded proteins are capable of forming tree-like aggregates

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:48 PM PST

Researchers find that misfolded proteins form branched structures, which may have implications for Alzheimer's and other aggregation diseases.

A touch of garlic helps kill contaminants in baby formula

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:47 PM PST

Garlic may be bad for your breath, but it's good for your baby, according to a new study. This study is the first to identify two compounds derived from garlic -- diallyl sulfide and ajoene -- that significantly reduce the contamination risk of Cronobacter sakazakii in the production of dry infant formula powder.

Swarming insect provides clues to how the brain processes smells

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 01:42 PM PST

Our sense of smell is often the first response to environmental stimuli. Odors trigger neurons in the brain that alert us to take action. However, there is often more than one odor in the environment, such as in coffee shops or grocery stores. How does our brain process multiple odors received simultaneously?

Turning autism upside down: When symptoms are strengths

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:55 AM PST

A novel approach to treating children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder could help them navigate their world by teaching them to turn their symptoms into strengths. A researcher has developed a treatment method that teaches affected children how to control their psychophysiology and behavior using computerized biofeedback and clinical hypnosis.

Alzheimer's, vascular changes in the neck

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:55 AM PST

An international research team studying Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment is reporting potentially significant findings on a vascular abnormality outside the brain.

Researchers create compounds that boost antibiotics' effectiveness

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:54 AM PST

Inhibitor compounds developed by biologists and chemists have been shown to bolster the ability of antibiotics to treat deadly bacterial diseases such as MRSA and anthrax.

Broken cellular 'clock' linked to brain damage

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:53 AM PST

A new discovery may help explain the surprisingly strong connections between sleep problems and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Obesity associated with higher risk of hearing loss in women

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:19 AM PST

New research shows that a higher body mass index and larger waist circumference are each associated with higher risk of hearing loss, while a higher level of physical activity is associated with lower risk of hearing loss in women.

Graphic warnings labels on cigarette packs could lead to 8.6 million fewer smokers in US

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:19 AM PST

A paper published shows that graphic warning labels on cigarette packs led to a decrease in smoking rates in Canada of 12 percent to 20 percent from 2000 to 2009. Researchers estimate that the introduction of graphic warnings in the United States could lead to a decrease of between 5.3 and 8.6 million smokers.

New kind of genetic switch can target activities of just one type of brain cell

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:18 AM PST

Mysterious brain cells called microglia are starting to reveal their secrets thanks to research conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Breastfeeding provides babies with iodine

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 09:17 AM PST

WHO recommends that breastfeeding mothers without access to iodised salt should take an iodine supplement capsule to provide a year's worth of iodine for them and their infant. Researchers tested the effectiveness of this method for the first time.

Your first hug: How early embryo changes shape

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 07:12 AM PST

In research published, Australian scientists have revealed new insights into how cells organize and form an early mammalian embryo.

Making sense of sensation in autism

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 07:10 AM PST

Occupational therapy helps children with autism improve their ability to perform everyday better than standard behavioral therapy.

Computer models predict how patients respond to HIV drug therapy without HIV genotype

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 06:15 AM PST

New computer models predict how patients whose HIV therapy is failing will respond to any new combination of drugs, without the need for an HIV genotype: a test used in wealthy countries to read the genetic code of the virus and help select drugs to which the virus is sensitive. In fact, the models were significantly more accurate predictors of treatment response than the genotype.

Viruses are as simple as they are 'smart'

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 06:13 AM PST

Viruses are as simple as they are "smart": too elementary to be able to reproduce by themselves, they exploit the reproductive "machinery" of cells, by inserting pieces of their own DNA so that it is transcribed by the host cell. To do this, they first have to inject their own genetic material into the cells they infect. An international team of researchers has studied how this occurs and how long it takes for this process to be completed.

PCBs still affecting health decades later

Posted: 25 Nov 2013 06:11 AM PST

Although PCBs have been banned in the United States since 1979, a researcher has found that higher levels of the toxin was associated with lower cognitive performance in seniors.

Meat, egg, dairy nutrient essential for brain development

Posted: 24 Nov 2013 08:18 PM PST

Research indicates that brain cells depend on the local synthesis of asparagine to function properly. "The cells of the body can do without it because they use asparagine provided through diet. Asparagine, however, is not well transported to the brain via the blood-brain barrier," said senior co-author of the study.

EMRs provide method to discover new disease associations

Posted: 24 Nov 2013 05:00 PM PST

Researchers are repurposing genetic data and electronic medical records to perform the first large-scale phenome-wide association study.

Steroid injections for premature babies linked to mental health risk

Posted: 23 Nov 2013 04:50 PM PST

Steroid injections given to pregnant women before premature birth may increase the child's risk of later behavioural and emotional difficulties, a study has found.

Researchers find chemical signature for 'fast' form of Parkinson's

Posted: 22 Nov 2013 07:39 AM PST

Scientists have discovered a potential biochemical signal that can predict the progression of the rapid form of Parkinson's disease early-on, right after onset of motor symptoms. The hope is that blood-based biochemical signals such as this may aid in earlier detection and more effective management of the disease.

Research finds combo of plant nutrients kills breast cancer cells

Posted: 22 Nov 2013 07:39 AM PST

A study has found that a super cocktail of six natural compounds in vegetables, fruits, spices and plant roots killed 100 percent of sample breast cancer cells without toxic side effects on normal cells.

Antidepressant medication does not increase risk of autism

Posted: 22 Nov 2013 07:38 AM PST

A large Danish study shows that pregnant women's use of antidepressant medication does not increase the risk of having children with autism. In this way the study refutes earlier studies, which had demonstrated a connection.

HPV associated with increased risk of HIV in men

Posted: 22 Nov 2013 07:36 AM PST

A study of 2,519 Kenyan men revealed that infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) was associated with a higher subsequent risk of infection with HIV, a precursor to AIDS.

Different gene expression in male, female brains may help explain brain disorder differences

Posted: 22 Nov 2013 05:44 AM PST

Scientists have shown that there are widespread differences in how genes, the basic building blocks of the human body, are expressed in men and women's brains.

Lifestyle factors linked to healthy pregnancy

Posted: 21 Nov 2013 07:52 PM PST

Researchers identify certain lifestyle factors that make it more likely for a woman to have a normal pregnancy.

Water-based imaging maps brain neurons before surgery

Posted: 21 Nov 2013 03:42 PM PST

Some neurosurgeons are using a new approach to visualize the brain's delicate anatomy prior to surgery. The novel technique allows neurosurgeons to see the brain's nerve connections thus preserving and protecting critical functions such as vision, speech and memory. No needles, dyes or chemicals are needed to create the radiology scan. The main imaging ingredient? Water.

Mouse study finds gut microorganisms may determine cancer treatment outcome

Posted: 21 Nov 2013 12:49 PM PST

An intact population of microorganisms that derive food and benefit from other organisms living in the intestine is required for optimal response to cancer therapy, according to a mouse study.

Research lab provides tick testing service

Posted: 21 Nov 2013 11:21 AM PST

A medical zoologist collects ticks, dead or alive, from people and pets across the country, to help map the distribution of different kinds of the blood-sucking arachnids, and to categorize the many disease-causing pathogens they carry.

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