ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Evidence of biological basis for religion in human evolution
• Clever chemistry improves new class of antibiotics
• High volume of severe sepsis patients may result in better outcomes
• Researchers run successful HIV intervention project in S. Africa
• Early warning: Internet surveillance predicts disease outbreak
• Not just clean but spotless -- Researchers show how cells tidy up
• New insights into facial transplantation
• Study reveals how ecstasy acts on brain, hints at therapeutic uses
• Searching for magic bullet against cancer caused by asbestos: One step closer?
• One step at a time, researchers learning how humans walk
• Vitamin D supplements reduce pain in fibromyalgia sufferers
• New proposal for better allocation of donated livers in transplants
• Here comes the sun to lower your blood pressure
• Study reveals role of sex in spread of deadly disease
• Fathers' diet, bodyweight, health at conception may contribute to obesity in offspring
• Sludge as new sentinel for human health risks
• Study finds troubling relationship between drinking, PTSD symptoms in college students
• Study finds no significant differences between commonly used carotid stenting systems in U.S.
• Diet beverages not the solution for weight loss
• Survival rates of kids suffering cardiac arrest improve with new training approach
• Kids teased in pys-ed class exercise less a year later
• Fetal exposure to nicotine increases long-term risk of obesity
• Study associates pro-inflammatory molecules with early death in HIV patients
• Breakthrough in understanding secret life of prion molecules
• Traditional Chinese medicines stall progression of diabetes
• How vision captures sound now somewhat uncertain
• Scientists discover two proteins that control chandelier cell architecture
• Immune cells may heal an injured heart
• Preventing cell death from infection: Scientists demonstrate powerful method to find new therapies
• Unraveling misfolded molecules using 'reprogrammed' yeast protein could lead to new brain disease therapies
• Findings bolster fiber's role in colon health
• How metabolism, brain activity are linked: Study sheds light on why diet may help control seizures in epilepsy patients

Evidence of biological basis for religion in human evolution Posted: 17 Jan 2014 12:36 PM PST In studying the differences in brain interactions between religious and non-religious subjects, researchers conclude there must be a biological basis for the evolution of religion in human societies.

Clever chemistry improves new class of antibiotics Posted: 17 Jan 2014 09:49 AM PST A new class of molecules called acyldepsipeptides -- ADEPs -- may provide a new way to attack bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics. Researchers have discovered a way to increase the potency of ADEPs by up to 1,200 times.

High volume of severe sepsis patients may result in better outcomes Posted: 17 Jan 2014 08:32 AM PST A recent study shows that "practice may make perfect" when it comes to caring for patients with severe sepsis. The study showed that patients admitted to academic medical centers that care for more patients with severe sepsis have significantly lower mortality rates than patients cared for at academic medical centers with lower volumes of sepsis patients. Additionally, the superior outcomes at high volume centers were achieved at similar costs compared to the lower volume medical centers.

Researchers run successful HIV intervention project in S. Africa Posted: 17 Jan 2014 08:32 AM PST A large-scale human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) intervention/education effort aimed at helping South African men take a proactive role in the prevention of that disease has proven successful, an important development considering that country has the largest number of HIV infections in the world.

Early warning: Internet surveillance predicts disease outbreak Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:40 AM PST The habit of Googling for an online diagnosis before visiting a GP can provide early warning of an infectious disease epidemic.

Not just clean but spotless -- Researchers show how cells tidy up Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:40 AM PST New findings give insights into how cells dispose of their waste. Malfunctions in this process have been linked to Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

New insights into facial transplantation Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:40 AM PST Researchers have demonstrated that immune cells, or T cells, involved in the rejection process are significantly of donor origin.

Study reveals how ecstasy acts on brain, hints at therapeutic uses Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:39 AM PST Brain imaging experiments have revealed for the first time how ecstasy produces feelings of euphoria in users. The findings hint at ways that ecstasy, or MDMA, might be useful in the treatment of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Searching for magic bullet against cancer caused by asbestos: One step closer? Posted: 17 Jan 2014 07:39 AM PST Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer associated with asbestos exposure, which is usually diagnosed in an advanced stage. So far no therapeutic strategy has proven effective against this deadly cancer and the prognosis remains very poor with only few exceptions.

One step at a time, researchers learning how humans walk Posted: 17 Jan 2014 06:06 AM PST Humans and some of our hominid ancestors such as Homo erectus have been walking for more than a million years, and researchers are close to figuring out how we do it. The research could find some of its earliest applications in improved prosthetic limbs, and later on, a more complete grasp of these principles could lead to walking or running robots that are far more agile and energy-efficient than anything that exists today.

Vitamin D supplements reduce pain in fibromyalgia sufferers Posted: 17 Jan 2014 06:05 AM PST Researchers say vitamin D may be cost-effective treatment or adjunct for patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and low vitamin D levels.

New proposal for better allocation of donated livers in transplants Posted: 17 Jan 2014 06:04 AM PST Researchers have developed a system that measures compatibility between donors and the most serious receivers in liver transplants. This is a mathematical method that includes the experience of almost 1,500 donations registered in transplant units in Spain and the United Kingdom.

Here comes the sun to lower your blood pressure Posted: 17 Jan 2014 06:01 AM PST Exposing skin to sunlight may help to reduce blood pressure and thus cut the risk of heart attack and stroke, a study published suggests. Research shows that sunlight alters levels of the small messenger molecule, nitric oxide (NO) in the skin and blood, reducing blood pressure.

Study reveals role of sex in spread of deadly disease Posted: 16 Jan 2014 04:02 PM PST Research has provided important new information about transmission of human leishmaniasis, a group of infectious diseases which kills more than 100,000 people a year. Results of a study have shown that *Leishmania* parasites reproduce sexually in the wild. The research is a significant step forward in understanding how leishmaniasis is spread in endemic regions.

Fathers' diet, bodyweight, health at conception may contribute to obesity in offspring Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:22 PM PST Research involving rats suggests a biological link between paternal diet, bodyweight and health at the time of conception and the health of his offspring. In a new research report, scientists show that if male rats ate a high fat diet, had diabetes and were obese, their offspring had altered gene expression in two important metabolic tissues -- pancreas and fat (even though they were not yet obese).

Sludge as new sentinel for human health risks Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:22 PM PST In a new study, a strong overlap is observed between chemicals found in biological samples taken from the human population and those detected in municipal biosolids. These findings suggest that analysis of sludge may provide a useful surrogate for the assessment of human exposure and bioaccumulation of potentially hazardous substances.

Study finds troubling relationship between drinking, PTSD symptoms in college students Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:21 PM PST The estimated 9 percent of college students who have symptoms of PTSD are likely to drink more alcohol than peers without the psychological condition. In turn, heavy alcohol consumption exacerbates their PTSD symptoms.

Study finds no significant differences between commonly used carotid stenting systems in U.S. Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:21 PM PST A study has found similarly low rates of complication and death among U.S. patients who are treated with the three most common systems for placing stents in blocked carotid arteries of the neck.

Diet beverages not the solution for weight loss Posted: 16 Jan 2014 01:20 PM PST Heavy adults who believe drinking diet soda will help them lose or keep weight off should think again. Researchers who examined national patterns in adult diet beverage consumption and calorie intake found that overweight and obese adults who drink diet beverages consume more calories from food than obese or overweight adults who drink regular soda or other sugary beverages.

Survival rates of kids suffering cardiac arrest improve with new training approach Posted: 16 Jan 2014 12:08 PM PST Researchers have found a new way to boost the survival of pediatric patients whose hearts stop while they are hospitalized.

Kids teased in pys-ed class exercise less a year later Posted: 16 Jan 2014 12:08 PM PST Psychologists found that kids who got teased during physical education calss were less physically active 12 months later -- whether or not the child is overweight.

Fetal exposure to nicotine increases long-term risk of obesity Posted: 16 Jan 2014 12:08 PM PST Many women are encouraged to quit smoking when they become pregnant using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) whether as gum, transdermal patches, nasal spray or lozenges. But new research has shown that nicotine from either smoking or NRT causes a wide range of long-term adverse reactions for the offspring, including an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome by influencing the liver to produce more triglyceride.

Study associates pro-inflammatory molecules with early death in HIV patients Posted: 16 Jan 2014 12:08 PM PST A study provides new insight into the impact that pro-inflammatory molecules have on early death in HIV patients who abuse alcohol. The findings pinpoint the inflammatory markers most associated with early death and may help explain why some patients die earlier than others even when all of these patients are on antiretroviral therapy.

Breakthrough in understanding secret life of prion molecules Posted: 16 Jan 2014 11:46 AM PST New research has uncovered a quality control mechanism in brain cells that may help keep deadly neurological diseases in check for months or years.

Traditional Chinese medicines stall progression of diabetes Posted: 16 Jan 2014 11:46 AM PST Traditional Chinese herbal medicines hold promise for slowing the progression from prediabetes to an official diabetes diagnosis, according to new research.

How vision captures sound now somewhat uncertain Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:08 AM PST Contrary to previous research, researchers have found that neurons in a particular brain region respond differently, not similarly, based on whether the stimuli is visual or auditory. The finding provides insight into how vision captures the location of perceived sound.

Scientists discover two proteins that control chandelier cell architecture Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:06 AM PST Chandelier cells are neurons that use their unique shape to act like master circuit breakers in the brain. These cells have branching projections that allow one chandelier cell to block the output of hundreds of other neurons. Defects in their function have been linked to epilepsy and schizophrenia. In work published, scientists identify two proteins that control the structure of chandelier cells, offering insight into how the cells are regulated.

Immune cells may heal an injured heart Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:04 AM PST The immune system plays an important role in the heart's response to injury. Now, researchers have shown that two major pools of immune cells are at work in the heart. Both belong to a class of cells known as macrophages. One appears to promote healing, while the other likely drives inflammation, which is detrimental to long-term heart function.

Preventing cell death from infection: Scientists demonstrate powerful method to find new therapies Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:04 AM PST Scientists have demonstrated the power of a new drug discovery technique, which allows them to find -— relatively quickly and cheaply -— antibodies that have a desired effect on cells.

Unraveling misfolded molecules using 'reprogrammed' yeast protein could lead to new brain disease therapies Posted: 16 Jan 2014 10:04 AM PST At the heart of brain diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease is protein misfolding. At present, there is no known way to reverse protein misfolding. But researchers have found a possible way to unravel misfolded proteins by "reprogramming" a common yeast protein.

Findings bolster fiber's role in colon health Posted: 16 Jan 2014 08:35 AM PST Scientists have more reasons for you to eat fiber and not abuse antibiotics. They've shown that a receptor doctors already activate with mega-doses of niacin to protect patients' cardiovascular systems also plays a key role in preventing colon inflammation and cancer.

How metabolism, brain activity are linked: Study sheds light on why diet may help control seizures in epilepsy patients Posted: 16 Jan 2014 05:50 AM PST A new study shows a direct link between metabolism in brain cells and their ability to signal information. The research may explain why the seizures of many epilepsy patients can be controlled by a specially formulated diet. The findings reveal that metabolism controls the processes that inhibit brain activity, such as that involved in convulsions. The study uncovers a link between how brain cells make energy and how the same cells signal information - processes that neuroscientists have often assumed to be distinct and separate.

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