ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Scientists identify key to body's use of free calcium
• Potential drug targets for early onset glaucoma
• New genes spring, spread from non-coding DNA
• Timing is everything: How the brain links memories of sequential events
• Genome of longest-living cancer: 11,000-year-old living dog cancer reveals its origin, evolution
• Watching molecules morph into memories: Breakthrough allows scientists to probe how memories form in nerve cells
• Researchers discover origin of unusual glands in the body
• More benefits emerging for one type of omega-3 fatty acid: DHA
• Scientists map gene changes driving tumors in common pediatric soft-tissue cancer
• Death row confessions and the last meal test of innocence
• Detecting sickness by smell
• Insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells
• Why accounting firm leaders and professional staff may view ethical environment differently
• Female students anticipate lower salaries than male counterparts
• Computer simulation of blood vessel growth
• Researcher finds anonymity makes a difference with online comments
• Unprecedented structural insights: NMDA receptors can be blocked to limit neurotoxicity
• Toward fixing damaged hearts through tissue engineering
• Drug alternatives to antibiotics may not be perfect, study shows
• New gene for severe childhood epilepsy identified
• Many rare mutations contribute to schizophrenia risk, new study concludes
• Exposure to cold temperatures can help boost weight loss
• Brain works like a radio receiver
• Last-resort therapy saving lives during flu epidemic
• Researchers develop risk calculator to predict survival in heart failure patients
• New study examines patterns of cancer screening in Appalachian women
• Scientific first allows doctors to 'see' radiation treatment in body
• Hearing loss linked to accelerated brain tissue loss
• Who’s to blame for obesity? Policy makers, the food industry, or individuals?
• Half of hospitalized adults over 65 need surrogate decision-makers
• Injectable material could enable targeted drug delivery, biosensors
• Olive oil component investigated for breast cancer prevention
• New poll finds diabetes top health concern for Latino families
• Epidemiologist uncovers new genes linked to abdominal fat

Scientists identify key to body's use of free calcium Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST Scientists report they have figured out a key step in how "free" calcium -- the kind not contained in bones -- is managed in the body, a finding that could aid in the development of new treatments for a variety of neurological disorders that include Parkinson's disease.

Potential drug targets for early onset glaucoma Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST Using a novel high-throughput screening process, scientists have for the first time identified molecules with the potential to block the accumulation of a toxic eye protein that can lead to early onset of glaucoma.

New genes spring, spread from non-coding DNA Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:20 AM PST "Where do new genes come from?" is a long-standing question in genetics and evolutionary biology. A new study shows that new genes can spring from non-coding DNA more rapidly than expected.

Timing is everything: How the brain links memories of sequential events Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:19 AM PST Suppose you heard the sound of skidding tires, followed by a car crash. The next time you heard such a skid, you might cringe in fear, expecting a crash to follow -- suggesting that somehow, your brain had linked those two memories so that a fairly innocuous sound provokes dread. Scientists have now discovered how two neural circuits in the brain work together to control the formation of such time-linked memories.

Genome of longest-living cancer: 11,000-year-old living dog cancer reveals its origin, evolution Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST A cancer normally lives and dies with a person, however this is not the case with a sexually transmitted cancer in dogs. In a new study, researchers have described the genome and evolution of this cancer that has continued living within the dog population for the past 11,000 years.

Watching molecules morph into memories: Breakthrough allows scientists to probe how memories form in nerve cells Posted: 23 Jan 2014 11:17 AM PST Scientists have used advanced imaging techniques to provide a window into how the brain makes memories. These insights into the molecular basis of memory were made possible by a technological tour de force never before achieved in animals: a mouse model in which molecules crucial to making memories were given fluorescent "tags" so they could be observed traveling in real time in living brain cells.

Researchers discover origin of unusual glands in the body Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST The thymus gland is a critical component of the human immune system that is responsible for the development of T-lymphocytes, or T-cells, which help organize and lead the body's fighting forces against harmful organisms like bacteria and viruses.

More benefits emerging for one type of omega-3 fatty acid: DHA Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST A study of the metabolic effects of omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, concludes that these compounds may have an even wider range of biological impacts than previously considered. They could be of significant value in the prevention of fatty liver disease, but that may also be just the beginning.

Scientists map gene changes driving tumors in common pediatric soft-tissue cancer Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:59 AM PST Scientists have mapped the genetic changes that drive tumors in rhabdomyosarcoma, a pediatric soft-tissue cancer, and found that the disease is characterized by two distinct genotypes. The genetic alterations identified in this malignancy could be useful in developing targeted diagnostic tools and treatments for children with the disease.

Death row confessions and the last meal test of innocence Posted: 23 Jan 2014 09:58 AM PST Social circumstance often gives meals meaning, so it is logical that the last meals of those on death row may signify something beyond taste preference. While there are many factors that could contribute to last meal selection, this study is the first to provide evidence of a link between food selection and self-perceived guilt or innocence. These findings may be useful to the legal community in further assessing the innocence and perceived innocence of those who have received the death penalty in the past.

Detecting sickness by smell Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST Humans are able to smell sickness in someone whose immune system is highly active within just a few hours of exposure to a toxin, according to new research published.

Insulin-producing beta cells from stem cells Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:27 AM PST The Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway and microRNA 335 are instrumental in helping form differentiated progenitor cells from stem cells. These are organized in germ layers and are thus the origin of different tissue types, including the pancreas and its insulin-producing beta cells. With these findings, scientists have discovered key molecular functions of stem cell differentiation which could be used for beta cell replacement therapy in diabetes.

Why accounting firm leaders and professional staff may view ethical environment differently Posted: 23 Jan 2014 07:23 AM PST One of the first research studies empirically tests potential reasons why firm leaders and non-leaders -- or professional staff -- can have contrasting perspectives of the firm's ethical environment.

Female students anticipate lower salaries than male counterparts Posted: 23 Jan 2014 04:56 AM PST University students have remained optimistic about their job prospects throughout the economic downturn. But earnings expectations vary, with female students anticipating lower salaries than male counterparts – a reflection of a "gender pay gap" that exists in the labor market – while ethnic minorities expect a higher income.  Also, work placements undertaken during a course lead to an expectation of higher salaries.

Computer simulation of blood vessel growth Posted: 22 Jan 2014 05:20 PM PST Bioengineers showed that tiny blood vessels grow better in the laboratory if the tissue surrounding them is less dense. Then the researchers created a computer simulation to predict such growth accurately – an early step toward treatments to provide blood supply to tissues damaged by diabetes and heart attacks and to skin grafts and implanted ligaments and tendons.

Researcher finds anonymity makes a difference with online comments Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:43 AM PST In a newly published study, a researcher outlines a significant correlation between anonymity and civility.

Unprecedented structural insights: NMDA receptors can be blocked to limit neurotoxicity Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:42 AM PST Structural biologists have obtained important scientific results likely to advance efforts to develop new drugs targeting NMDA receptors in the brain.

Toward fixing damaged hearts through tissue engineering Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:41 AM PST In the US, someone suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds -- their heart is starved of oxygen and suffers irreparable damage. Engineering new heart tissue in the laboratory that could eventually be implanted into patients could help, and scientists are reporting a promising approach tested with rat cells.

Drug alternatives to antibiotics may not be perfect, study shows Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:40 AM PST New types of drug intended for use in place of antibiotics have been given a cautious welcome by scientists.

New gene for severe childhood epilepsy identified Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:40 AM PST Using a novel combination of technologies, the EuroEPINOMICS RES consortium found mutations in CHD2 responsible for a subset of epilepsy patients with symptoms similar to Dravet syndrome -- a severe form of childhood epilepsy that is in many patients resistant to currently available anti-epileptic drugs. The discovery of CHD2's role in epilepsy offers new diagnostic tools for families and clinicians.

Many rare mutations contribute to schizophrenia risk, new study concludes Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:38 AM PST Researchers have taken a closer look at the human genome to learn more about the genetic underpinnings of schizophrenia. Scientists analyzed the exomes, or protein-coding regions, of people with schizophrenia and their healthy counterparts, pinpointing the sites of mutations and identifying patterns that reveal clues about the biology underlying the disorder.

Exposure to cold temperatures can help boost weight loss Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:38 AM PST Regular exposure to mild cold may be a healthy and sustainable way to help people lose weight, according to researchers. On the flip side, that means our warm and cozy homes and offices might be partly responsible for our expanding waistlines.

Brain works like a radio receiver Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:37 AM PST Initial evidence is found that the brain has a 'tuning knob' that is actually influencing behavior. Brain circuits can tune into the frequency of other brain parts relevant at the time.

Last-resort therapy saving lives during flu epidemic Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:36 AM PST Physicians are employing a technology known as ECMO as a last-resort therapy for extremely severe cases of influenza. ECMO is a sort of portable heart/lung bypass machine.

Researchers develop risk calculator to predict survival in heart failure patients Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:36 AM PST A team has developed an easy-to-use "risk calculator" that helps predict heart failure patients' chances of survival for up to five years and can assist doctors in determining whether more or less aggressive treatment is appropriate.

New study examines patterns of cancer screening in Appalachian women Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:34 AM PST A new study shows that women who never or rarely screen for breast cancer are also unlikely to receive screening for cervical cancer. The study also identified four key barriers independently associated with the lack of these cancer screenings in Appalachian women.

Scientific first allows doctors to 'see' radiation treatment in body Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:34 AM PST A scientific breakthrough may give the field of radiation oncology new tools to increase the precision and safety of radiation treatment in cancer patients by helping doctors "see" the powerful beams of a linear accelerator as they enter or exit the body.

Hearing loss linked to accelerated brain tissue loss Posted: 22 Jan 2014 10:34 AM PST Although the brain becomes smaller with age, the shrinkage seems to be fast-tracked in older adults with hearing loss, according to the results of a study. The findings add to a growing list of health consequences associated with hearing loss, including increased risk of dementia, falls, hospitalizations, and diminished physical and mental health overall.

Who’s to blame for obesity? Policy makers, the food industry, or individuals? Posted: 22 Jan 2014 08:24 AM PST Fast food restaurants take a lot of heat for the rise in obesity in the United States, but is it really their fault? A research survey revealed that most people believe individuals are to blame for their own obesity – not restaurants, grocery stores, farmers, or government policies. One implication from this research is that creating and enforcing public policies to help reduce obesity and/or encourage healthier food choices may not be as effective as policy makers would like.

Half of hospitalized adults over 65 need surrogate decision-makers Posted: 22 Jan 2014 08:24 AM PST Nearly half of hospitalized American adults age 65 and older require decision-making assistance from family members or other surrogates because the patient is too impaired to make decisions independently, according to a new study.

Injectable material could enable targeted drug delivery, biosensors Posted: 22 Jan 2014 08:24 AM PST A new injectable material designed to deliver drug therapies and sensor technology to targeted areas within the human body is being developed by a biomedical engineer who says the system can lock its payload in place and control how it is released.

Olive oil component investigated for breast cancer prevention Posted: 22 Jan 2014 08:24 AM PST A major component of olive oil, hydroxytyrosol, is the subject of a study of women who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer.

New poll finds diabetes top health concern for Latino families Posted: 22 Jan 2014 07:41 AM PST A new poll was released recently on the views of Latinos in America about their health and health care, communities, financial situation, and discrimination in their lives.

Epidemiologist uncovers new genes linked to abdominal fat Posted: 22 Jan 2014 07:25 AM PST A research team has identified five new genes associated with increased waist-to-hip ratio, potentially moving science a step closer to developing a medication to treat obesity or obesity-related diseases.

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