Τρίτη 4 Φεβρουαρίου 2014

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

ScienceDaily: Top Health News

Pesticides increase risk for Parkinson's disease: Certain people may be more susceptible

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 01:34 PM PST

Previous studies have shown the certain pesticides can increase the risk for developing Parkinson's disease. Now, researchers have now found that the strength of that risk depends on an individual's genetic makeup, which in the most pesticide-exposed populations could increase the chances of developing the debilitating disease by two- to six-fold.

Perceived personal control reduces mortality risk at low, not high, education levels

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:36 AM PST

Personality researchers find having a sense of control over one's life can reduce mortality rates in people who have little education, but a sense of control does not influence mortality rates in people with higher levels of education.

Mood-stabilizing drug could treat inherited liver disease, study shows

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:36 AM PST

Opening up a can of worms is a good way to start hunting for new drugs. In a study published, researchers demonstrate how they used a primitive worm model to show that a drug typically used to treat agitation in schizophrenia and dementia has potential as a treatment for ±-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

Biostatistics approach to genetics yields new clues to roots of autism

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:35 AM PST

Researchers have developed a statistical method for genetic screens that improves the classic genome-wide association screen, and, applying to autism, have uncovered genes related to the disorder that had not been suggested in previous analyses. The scientists offer evidence that beginning treatment in infants at the first symptoms could change the course of the disease, possibly preventing the permanent "pruning" of neurons, which occurs during the first two years of life, from cementing autistic symptoms in place.

Gene mutation defines brain tumors that benefit from aggressive surgery

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:15 AM PST

A new study has found that malignant astrocytoma patients whose tumors carry a specific genetic mutation benefit greatly from surgical removal of the largest possible amount of tumor.

Helping young adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:15 AM PST

In a new study, researchers address shortcomings in transitional care in the Canadian healthcare system. The team identified important challenges in the transition from pediatric to adult health care, especially among youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities (such as autism spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and cerebral palsy).

Cancer screening is only a phone call away: Phone messages can promote cancer prevention measures

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 10:13 AM PST

It may be the simple telephone that helps save lives. Researchers have found that personalized cancer screening messages over the phone can better help promote preventive cancer measures.

Genetic function of tumor suppressor gene discovered; could offer new avenue to cancer therapies

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

Researchers have discovered a genetic function that helps one of the most important "tumor suppressor" genes to do its job and prevent cancer. Finding ways to maintain or increase the effectiveness of this gene could offer an important new avenue for human cancer therapies.

New method to restore skull after brain surgery appears to reduce complication rates

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

Surgeons report they have devised a better, safer method to replace bone removed from the skull after lifesaving brain surgery. The new technique, they say, appears to result in fewer complications than standard restoration, which has changed little since its development in the 1890s.

Earlier depression treatment prevents heart attacks, strokes, study shows

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 09:28 AM PST

New research is the first to find that treatment of depression before any apparent signs of cardiovascular disease can decrease the risk of future heart attacks and strokes by almost half.

Murderers who killed during robberies more likely to return to crime when paroled

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:35 AM PST

Murderers who committed homicide during robberies are more likely to commit crimes again when they are paroled, compared to murderers who committed homicide under other circumstances, according to research.

Written all over your face: Humans express four basic emotions rather than six

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:35 AM PST

Human beings are emotional creatures whose state of mind can usually be observed through their facial expressions. A commonly-held belief posits there are six basic emotions which are universally recognized and easily interpreted through specific facial expressions, regardless of language or culture. These are: happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. New research suggests that in fact, there are really only four.

Arctic cod inspire new way to help hospitals keep blood on ice

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST

Antifreeze proteins from fish living in icy seas have inspired a new way to freeze blood which could one day increase the precious stocks available for medical procedures.

Does the term 'research-based' keep parents in the dark?

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 08:21 AM PST

Does applying the term 'research-based' to parental advice automatically provide a stamp of authority? A commentary paper suggests that parents and caregivers are frequently misled into an 'ignorance trap' by recommendations which are based on ill-informed research.

Researchers Advance Findings on Key Gene Related to Cancer Metastasis

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Researchers report that the disabling of two key genes, SSeCKS/AKAP12 and Rb, led to early development of prostate cancer and was also associated with high rates of metastasis to nearby lymph nodes.

As the temperature drops, risk of fracture rises

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:10 AM PST

Record-setting winter weather in the U.S. has led to lots of road condition advisories, but could there also be a slip and fall alert?

Painting robot lends surgeons a hand in the operating room

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:09 AM PST

A robotic painting arm has been developed that could one day lend doctors a hand in practicing complex, robot-assisted surgeries without having to step foot in an operating room.

'Envy-free' algorithm developed for settling disputes from divorce to inheritance

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 07:09 AM PST

Whether it's season tickets to Green Bay Packers' games or silver place settings, divorce and inheritance have bred protracted disputes over the assignment of belongings. But, now, a trio of researchers has found a method for resolving such conflicts in an envy-free way.

'Blueprint for action' issued to combat shortages of life-saving drugs

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:38 AM PST

A group of prominent healthcare experts including bioethicists, pharmacists, policymakers and cancer specialists have proposed concrete steps for preventing and managing a nightmare scenario that is becoming all too common: shortages of life-saving drugs.

Single-sex education unlikely to offer advantage over coed schools, research finds

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:34 AM PST

Single-sex education does not educate girls and boys any better than coed schools, according to research analyzing 184 studies of more than 1.6 million students from around the world.

Common colds during pregnancy may lead to childhood asthma

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 06:34 AM PST

Women that are pregnant may want to take extra precaution around those that are sniffling and sneezing this winter. According to a new study published today, the more common colds and viral infections a woman has during pregnancy, the higher the risk her baby will have asthma.

For infants, stress may be caught, not taught

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:46 AM PST

New research shows that babies not only pick up on their mother's stress, they also show corresponding physiological changes.

First African study on biodiversity in genetically modified maize finds insects abundant

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:46 AM PST

A new study from South Africa shows that the biodiversity of insects and related arthropods in genetically modified crop fields is essentially the same as that among conventional crops.

Whether you lose or gain weight depends on weekdays

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:45 AM PST

Almost everyone loses weight on weekdays and gains weight on weekends. What separates the slim from the heavy isn't how much more they gain on weekends. It's how much they lose during the weekdays. In this study, researchers look into the impact that the seven-days-a-week human cycle has on weight.

Liver tumors found in mice exposed to BPA

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:45 AM PST

In one of the first studies to show a significant association between BPA and cancer development, researchers have found liver tumors in mice exposed to the chemical via their mothers during gestation and nursing.

Women 35 and older are at decreased risk to have anatomically abnormal child, study suggests

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:45 AM PST

In a new study, researchers report that women ages 35 and older are at a decreased risk of having a child with a major congenital malformation, after excluding chromosomal abnormalities.

Hardships explain much of hospital asthma readmissions among black children, teens

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:42 AM PST

Black children are twice as likely as white children to be readmitted to the hospital for asthma -- a disparity due in large part to a greater burden of financial and social hardships, according to a new study.

Shy kids not delayed or deficient in language, they just speak less

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:42 AM PST

Previous research has suggested that shy children have difficulties with language. A new longitudinal study of 816 toddlers has found that shy children who are inhibited in their behavior understand what's being said as well as less shy peers, even though they tend to speak less. In other words, these children are merely reluctant to respond rather than delayed or deficient in understanding language.

For young African-Americans, emotional support buffers biological toll of racial discrimination

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:42 AM PST

A new study has found that African-American youth who report experiencing frequent discrimination during adolescence are at risk for developing chronic diseases like heart disease in later years. The study, which looked at 331 rural youth living in Georgia, found that emotional support from parents and peers can protect from the effects of allostatic load -- biological wear and tear due to exposure to repeated stress.

Positive feelings about race, ethnicity tied to stronger development in minority youth

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:42 AM PST

A meta-analyses of 46 studies reviewing ethnic-racial affect has found that the more positively minority youth feel about their ethnicity or race, the fewer symptoms of depression and behavior problems they have. Youth with positive ethnic-racial affect had better self-esteem and had fewer problems with drugs or alcohol. Together, the studies looked at African American, Latino, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and American Indian youth in the United States, primarily middle and high school students.

Vitamin C and E supplements may hamper endurance training, study suggests

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

Vitamin C and E supplements may blunt the improvement of muscular endurance -- by disrupting cellular adaptions in exercised muscles, suggests a new study.

High media use, reduced sleep, low activity: Adolescents at 'invisible' risk of mental ill-health

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

Adolescents with high media use, reduced sleep and low physical activity comprise an 'invisible-risk' group that has high prevalence of psychiatric symptoms, according to a large international study.

Your brain is fine-tuning its wiring throughout your life

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:38 AM PST

The white matter microstructure, the communication pathways of the brain, continues to develop/mature as one ages. Studies link age-related differences in white matter microstructure to specific cognitive abilities in childhood and adulthood.

Beliefs about HPV vaccine do not lead to initiation of sex or risky sexual behavior among teen girls, young women, study shows

Posted: 03 Feb 2014 05:36 AM PST

A new study may alleviate concerns that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine leads to either the initiation of sex or unsafe sexual behaviors among teenage girls and young women.

Tighter economic regulation needed to reverse obesity epidemic, study suggests

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 03:48 PM PST

Using a novel method, researchers present new findings on the association between the rise in obesity and the increase in fast-food consumption over a 10-year period in affluent countries. It shows how important public policies are for addressing the epidemic of obesity.

Split decision: Stem cell signal linked with cancer growth

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Researchers have identified a protein critical to hematopoietic stem cell function and blood formation. The finding has potential as a new target for treating leukemia because cancer stem cells rely upon the same protein to regulate and sustain their growth.

Researchers discover how brain regions work together, or alone

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Various regions of the brain often work independently. But what happens when two regions must cooperate to accomplish a task? What mechanism allows them to communicate in order to cooperate, yet avoid interfering with one another when they work alone? Scientists reveal a previously unknown process that helps two brain regions cooperate when joint action is required.

Quicker, cheaper way to detect staph in the body

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Watch out, infection. Researchers have crated a probe that can identify staph bacteria before symptoms appear. The probe is noninvasive and is expected to be cheaper and faster than current diagnostic techniques.

Red alert: Body kills 'spontaneous' blood cancers on a daily basis

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:23 AM PST

Immune cells undergo 'spontaneous' changes on a daily basis that could lead to cancers if not for the diligent surveillance of our immune system, scientists have found.

Making your brain social: Identifying brain connections that lead to social behavior

Posted: 02 Feb 2014 10:22 AM PST

Scientists have identified, for the first time, a way in which the decreased functional connectivity seen in the brain of many people with autism can come about: it can be caused by cells called microglia failing to trim connections between neurons, researchers demonstrate in a study published.

Lowest malaria diagnoses reported among service members in 10-year surveillance period

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 08:07 PM PST

Thirty U.S. service members were diagnosed and/or reported with malaria during 2013, the lowest number during a 10-year surveillance period, according to new analysis.

Caring for animals may correlate with positive traits in young adults

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 08:07 PM PST

Young adults who care for an animal may have stronger social relationships and connection to their communities, according to a new study.

DNA of peanut-allergic kids changes with immune therapy, study finds

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 12:02 PM PST

Treating a peanut allergy with oral immunotherapy changes the DNA of the patient's immune cells, according to a new study. The DNA change could serve as the basis for a simple blood test to monitor the long-term effectiveness of the allergy therapy.

Report outlines progress, challenges in childhood cancer

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:07 AM PST

A new report from the American Cancer Society outlines progress made and challenges that remain in fighting childhood cancer.

'Nutrition facts' food labels ready for a facelift

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:05 AM PST

It has been twenty years since federal law made Nutrition Facts a required part of food packages. The Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for the design and content of Nutrition Facts, says knowledge about nutrition has advanced in the past two decades, and that label changes to reflect the new information may be on the way.

New weapon fights drug-resistant tumors hiding in bone marrow

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:05 AM PST

Biologists identify a drug that can help wipe out reservoirs of cancer cells in bone marrow.

Divorce rate cut in half for newlyweds who discussed five relationship movies

Posted: 31 Jan 2014 10:05 AM PST

Discussing five movies about relationships over a month could cut the three-year divorce rate for newlyweds in half, researchers report. The study, involving 174 couples, is the first long-term investigation to compare different types of early marriage intervention program
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