ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Researchers find potential new treatment approach for pancreatic cancer
• Key drug receptor: Atom-level simulation of a G protein-coupled receptor could lead to improved drug design
• Concussion tests' marketing outpaces scientific evidence, new review says
• Early detection of blinding eye disease could be as easy as scanning barcode
• Essential factor for Lyme disease transmission identified
• Inadequate pregnancy weight gain a risk factor for infant mortality
• Anxiety linked to higher long-term risk of stroke
• Saving dollars while helping babies
• Lactation consultant visits spur breastfeeding among women who usually resist it
• TB bacteria mask their identity to intrude into deeper regions of lungs
• Scientists discover how immune cells die during HIV infection; Identify potential drug to block AIDS
• Cocaine, meth response differ between two substrains of lab mice
• Pharmacy staff frequently misinform teens seeking emergency contraception, study suggests
• Cost of antibiotic drugs for children: Comparison of two countries
• Advances in nanotechnology's fight against cancer
• BCG vaccine more effective than previously thought
• Living at home with dementia
• African-American women must eat less or exercise more to lose as much weight as Caucasians
• Study confirms target of potent chronic leukemia drug
• Brain repair after injury, Alzheimer's disease
• New gene responsible for cleft lip, palate syndrome identified
• New method to detect genetic defects in egg cells could double success rate of IVF
• New evidence that computers change the way we learn
• New role for milk: Delivering polyphenols with anti-cancer activity
• Young killer cells protect against infectious mononucleosis
• Markers of inflammation in blood linked to aggressive behaviors

Researchers find potential new treatment approach for pancreatic cancer Posted: 20 Dec 2013 11:35 AM PST Scientists believe they have discovered a new way to make chemotherapy treatment more effective for pancreatic cancer patients. Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis and limited treatment options and is highly resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Key drug receptor: Atom-level simulation of a G protein-coupled receptor could lead to improved drug design Posted: 20 Dec 2013 09:10 AM PST The successful atom-level simulation of a G protein-coupled receptor could lead to improved drug design, blazing the path for specialized scientific projects on cloud computer systems.

Concussion tests' marketing outpaces scientific evidence, new review says Posted: 20 Dec 2013 09:10 AM PST Computerized neurocognitive testing for concussions is widely used in amateur and professional sports, but little research over the past decade proves its effectiveness, a paper published this month says. The review updates a 2005 look at the available research on computerized neurocognitive testing. The authors still urge caution with their use and point out a need for more peer-reviewed studies.

Early detection of blinding eye disease could be as easy as scanning barcode Posted: 20 Dec 2013 09:08 AM PST A new optical device puts the power to detect eye disease in the palm of a hand. The tool -- about the size of a hand-held video camera -- scans a patient's entire retina in seconds and could aid primary care physicians in the early detection of a host of retinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Essential factor for Lyme disease transmission identified Posted: 19 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, hitchhikes in ticks for dissemination to mammalian hosts -- including humans. A new article identifies HrpA, an RNA helicase, as a crucial player in the transmission from ticks to mammals. Scientists have analyzed the molecular function of the HrpA protein and explored its role in the bacterium's complicated life cycle, in particular for transmission of the pathogen.

Inadequate pregnancy weight gain a risk factor for infant mortality Posted: 19 Dec 2013 01:29 PM PST Women who do not gain enough weight during pregnancy are at increased risk of losing their baby in its first year of life, according to a new study. Gaining more weight than recommended was not a risk factor for infant mortality, but may be related to subsequent maternal health problems. Study authors urge that childbearing women have pregnancy weight gain goals specific to their BMI.

Anxiety linked to higher long-term risk of stroke Posted: 19 Dec 2013 01:29 PM PST A new study is the first study to link anxiety to a greater risk of stroke.

Saving dollars while helping babies Posted: 19 Dec 2013 01:29 PM PST Amid soaring health-care costs, nurse home visits can save health dollars while helping families, says a study. For every $1 spent on nurse home visits for newborns, $3 were saved in health expenditures. Program participants had 59 percent fewer emergency care episodes, safer home environments and lower rates of maternal anxiety.

Lactation consultant visits spur breastfeeding among women who usually resist it Posted: 19 Dec 2013 01:25 PM PST In two separate clinical trials, researchers have found that periodic meetings with a lactation consultant encourages women traditionally resistant to breastfeeding to do so, at least for a few months — long enough for mother and child to gain health benefits.

TB bacteria mask their identity to intrude into deeper regions of lungs Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:23 AM PST TB-causing bacteria appear to mask their identity to avoid recognition by infection-killing cells in the well-patrolled upper airways. The bacteria call up more permissive white blood cells in the deeper regions of the lungs and hitch a ride inside them to get into parts of the host's lungs that are under less surveillance.

Scientists discover how immune cells die during HIV infection; Identify potential drug to block AIDS Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Research has identified the chain of molecular events that drives the death of the immune system's CD4 T cells as an HIV infection leads to AIDS. Further, they have identified an existing anti-inflammatory drug that blocks the death of these cells -- and now are planning a Phase 2 clinical trial to determine if it can prevent HIV-infected people from developing AIDS.

Cocaine, meth response differ between two substrains of lab mice Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:22 AM PST Researchers have found a single nucleotide polymorphism difference in cocaine and methamphetamine response between two substrains of the C57BL/6 or "Black 6" inbred laboratory mouse, pointing to Cyfip2 as a regulator of cocaine response with a possible role in addiction.

Pharmacy staff frequently misinform teens seeking emergency contraception, study suggests Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:21 AM PST A new study finds that pharmacy staff frequently give teens misleading or incorrect information about emergency contraception that may prevent them from getting the medication.

Cost of antibiotic drugs for children: Comparison of two countries Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:44 AM PST The 2009 costs of antibiotics covered by private insurance companies in the U.S. for children younger than 10 years old were estimated to be more than five times higher than the costs in the United Kingdom, which are covered by a government universal health plan.

Advances in nanotechnology's fight against cancer Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:12 AM PST Among the most promising advances in the fight against cancer has been the rise of nanomedicine, the application of tiny materials and devices to detect, diagnose and treat disease. Researchers provide one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of research on nanomedicine-based approaches to treating cancer, and offers insight into how researchers can best position nanomedicine-based cancer treatments for FDA approval.

BCG vaccine more effective than previously thought Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:11 AM PST The BCG vaccine has been found to be more effective against the most common form of tuberculosis than previously thought, according to a systematic review.

Living at home with dementia Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:10 AM PST Most people with dementia who live at home have multiple unmet health and welfare needs, any number of which could jeopardize their ability to remain home for as long as they desire, new research suggests.

African-American women must eat less or exercise more to lose as much weight as Caucasians Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:10 AM PST African-American women may need to eat fewer or burn more calories than their Caucasian counterparts in order to lose a comparable amount of weight, according to researchers.

Study confirms target of potent chronic leukemia drug Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:09 AM PST A new study helps confirm that a molecule targeted by the experimental drug ibrutinib is critical for the development of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common form of adult leukemia.

Brain repair after injury, Alzheimer's disease Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:07 AM PST Scientists have developed an innovative technology to regenerate functional neurons after brain injury. The technology may be developed into a new therapeutic treatment for traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological disorders.

New gene responsible for cleft lip, palate syndrome identified Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:07 AM PST An international team has identified a new gene related to the Van der Woude syndrome, the most common syndrome with cleft lip and palate. The study can lead the way to improved genetic diagnostic of individuals and families with orofacial clefts.

New method to detect genetic defects in egg cells could double success rate of IVF Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:07 AM PST Infertility affects up to 15 percent of couples around the world, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) is one way to treat this common condition. A study reveals a safe, accurate, and low-cost method to select genetically normal embryos for the IVF procedure and thereby increase a couple's chance of producing a healthy child.

New evidence that computers change the way we learn Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:07 AM PST People who use computers regularly are constantly mapping the movements of their hand and computer mouse to the cursor on the screen. Now, researchers have shown that all that pointing and clicking (the average computer user performs an impressive 7,400 mouse clicks per week) changes the way the brain generalizes movements.

New role for milk: Delivering polyphenols with anti-cancer activity Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:01 AM PST Polyphenols found in tea manifest anti-cancer effects, but their use is limited by poor bioavailability and disagreeable taste. A new study finds that when epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major extractable polyphenol in green tea and the most biologically active, when diluted in skim milk or other milk complexes remains bioactive and continues to reduce colon cancer cell proliferation in culture at concentrations higher than 0.03 mg of EGCG/mL.

Young killer cells protect against infectious mononucleosis Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:01 AM PST Most people are carriers of the Epstein-Barr Virus, which can trigger infectious mononucleosis. Those who become infected as adults are more at risk of becoming ill from it. By contrast, children who become infected are protected by their innate immune system. This is because young "natural killer cells" fight off infectious mononucleosis, as immunologists have now shown. The researchers are now testing vaccinations that could protect young people from the illness.

Markers of inflammation in blood linked to aggressive behaviors Posted: 18 Dec 2013 02:07 PM PST People with intermittent explosive disorder — a psychiatric illness characterized by impulsivity, hostility and recurrent aggressive outbursts — have elevated levels of two markers of systemic inflammation in their blood, signs of inflammation not seen in people in good mental health or with other psychiatric disorders.

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