ScienceDaily: Top Health News

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• Collagen patch speeds repair of damaged heart tissue in mice
• Eating whole fruits linked to lower risk of Type 2 diabetes
• Intensity of Facebook use can be predicted by reward-related activity in the brain
• A wine a day ... keeps the psychiatrist away? Light drinking linked to lower risk of depression
• Toward an early diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease
• Protein predicts breast cancer prognosis
• Mutations in a gene that impacts immune function increase susceptibility to prostate cancer
• Poor concentration: Poverty reduces brainpower needed for navigating other areas of life
• Protein that protects nucleus also regulates stem cell differentiation
• Now hear this: Scientists discover compound to prevent noise-related hearing loss
• Learning a new language alters brain development
• Single gene change increases mouse lifespan by 20 percent
• Statins may slow human aging by protecting against telomere shortening: A feature of senescent cells
• 'Safe' levels of environmental pollution may have long-term health consequences
• Antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella tracked from farm to fork
• Substance use by adolescents on an average day is alarming
• Doubling the daily allowance of protein intake with diet and exercise protects muscle loss
• Potential diagnostic marker for zinc status offers insights into the effects of zinc deficiency
• Dieting for obese mothers just before pregnancy may not be enough
• Newly discovered weakness in cancer cells make them more susceptible to chemotherapy
• Clingy platelets suggest potential treatment strategy for rheumatoid arthritis
• New imaging technology promising for several types of cancer
• Adding blood pressure drug to standard antibiotics speeds up TB treatment
• 'Mini human brains' created: Scientists grow human brain tissue in 3-D culture system
• Your spouse's voice is easier to hear -- and easier to ignore
• Unexpected use of former cancer drug
• Echolocation for humans: Playing it by ear
• Why smokers gain weight when they quit smoking: Changes in intestinal flora
• First large scale study links autism and autoimmunity
• Scientists detail critical role of gene in many lung cancer cases
• Men feel worse about themselves when female partners succeed

Collagen patch speeds repair of damaged heart tissue in mice Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:46 PM PDT Researchers have developed a patch composed of structurally modified collagen that can be grafted onto damaged heart tissue. Their studies in mice have demonstrated that the patch not only speeds generation of new cells and blood vessels in the damaged area, it also limits the degree of tissue damage resulting from the original trauma.

Eating whole fruits linked to lower risk of Type 2 diabetes Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:46 PM PDT Eating more whole fruits, particularly blueberries, grapes, and apples, was significantly associated with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

Intensity of Facebook use can be predicted by reward-related activity in the brain Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:44 PM PDT Neuroscientists have shown a link between reward activity in the brain due to discovering one has a good reputation and social media use.

A wine a day ... keeps the psychiatrist away? Light drinking linked to lower risk of depression Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:43 PM PDT Drinking wine in moderation may be associated with a lower risk of developing depression, according to new research.  The reported findings suggest that the moderate amounts of alcohol consumed may have similar protective effects on depression to those that have been observed for coronary heart disease. The lowest rates of depression were seen in the group of individuals who drank two to seven small glasses of wine per week.

Toward an early diagnostic tool for Alzheimer's disease Posted: 29 Aug 2013 12:58 PM PDT Despite all the research done on Alzheimer's, there is still no early diagnostic tool for the disease. By looking at the brain wave components of individuals with the disease, scientists have identified a promising avenue of research that may not only help diagnose the disease, but also assess its severity.

Protein predicts breast cancer prognosis Posted: 29 Aug 2013 12:58 PM PDT Researchers have identified a protein that they believe may help predict breast cancer prognosis, potentially relieving thousands of women at low risk from having to undergo painful, oft-debilitating therapies, while insuring the most successful treatments for those at high risk.

Mutations in a gene that impacts immune function increase susceptibility to prostate cancer Posted: 29 Aug 2013 12:56 PM PDT Mutations in the gene BTNL2, which encodes a protein involved in regulating T-cell proliferation and cytokine production – both of which impact immune function – increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Poor concentration: Poverty reduces brainpower needed for navigating other areas of life Posted: 29 Aug 2013 11:51 AM PDT Poverty and all its related concerns require so much mental energy that the poor have less remaining brainpower to devote to other areas of life.

Protein that protects nucleus also regulates stem cell differentiation Posted: 29 Aug 2013 11:51 AM PDT The fact that bone is rigid and mechanically distinct from soft fat or brain had been speculated to play some role in differentiation to new cells in those parts of the body, but mechanisms have been unclear. Now, scientists have shown that a protein found in the nuclei of all cells -- lamin-A -- plays a key role in the differentiation process.

Now hear this: Scientists discover compound to prevent noise-related hearing loss Posted: 29 Aug 2013 09:43 AM PDT Your mother was right when she warned you that loud music could damage your hearing, but now scientists have discovered exactly what gets damaged and how. Scientists now describe exactly what type of damage noise does to the inner ear, and provide insights into a compound that may prevent noise-related damage.

Learning a new language alters brain development Posted: 29 Aug 2013 09:43 AM PDT The age at which children learn a second language can have a significant bearing on the structure of their adult brain, according to a new study.

Single gene change increases mouse lifespan by 20 percent Posted: 29 Aug 2013 09:40 AM PDT By lowering the expression of a single gene, researchers have extended the average lifespan of a group of mice by about 20 percent -- the equivalent of raising the average human lifespan by 16 years, from 79 to 95. The research team targeted a gene called mTOR, which is involved in metabolism and energy balance, and may be connected with the increased lifespan associated with caloric restriction.

Statins may slow human aging by protecting against telomere shortening: A feature of senescent cells Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:28 AM PDT Not only do statins extend lives by lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease, but new research suggests that they may extend lifespans as well. Specifically, statins may reduce the rate at which telomeres shorten, a key factor in the natural aging process. This opens the door for using statins, or derivatives of statins, as an anti-aging therapy.

'Safe' levels of environmental pollution may have long-term health consequences Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:28 AM PDT If you're eating better and exercising regularly, but still aren't seeing improvements in your health, there might be a reason: Pollution. According to a new research report what you are eating and doing may not be the problem, but what's in what you are eating could be the culprit.

Antibiotic-resistant strains of Salmonella tracked from farm to fork Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:28 AM PDT Continuing research on Salmonella may enable researchers to identify and track strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria as they evolve and spread, according to researchers.

Substance use by adolescents on an average day is alarming Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:28 AM PDT On an average day, 881,684 U.S. teenagers aged 12 to 17 smoked cigarettes, according to a new report. The report also says that on an average day 646,707 adolescents smoked marijuana and 457,672 drank alcohol.

Doubling the daily allowance of protein intake with diet and exercise protects muscle loss Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:04 AM PDT A new report challenges the long-held adage that significant muscle loss is unavoidable when losing weight through exercise and diet. In the report, scientists show that consuming twice the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein while adhering to a diet and exercise plan prevents the loss of muscle mass and promotes fat loss. Tripling the RDA of protein failed to provide additional benefits.

Potential diagnostic marker for zinc status offers insights into the effects of zinc deficiency Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:04 AM PDT According to new research, a drop in blood zinc levels does not directly harm the blood vessel cells. Rather, zinc regulates the production of a small molecular compound, which circulates in the blood, causing harmful blood vessel cell effects. Additionally, not only will having adequate amounts of zinc prevent the creation of this compound, but it can protect you when the compound is circulating in your blood.

Dieting for obese mothers just before pregnancy may not be enough Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:04 AM PDT If you are obese, and hoping to lose weight before conception, some of the epigenetic damage might have already been done. New research shows that not only is dieting before getting pregnant not enough to prevent diabetes risks, but could actually present new risks as well. Knowing how maternal health and behavior affects how genes express themselves in offspring should help develop more precise prenatal strategies to maximize the health of newborn children.

Newly discovered weakness in cancer cells make them more susceptible to chemotherapy Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:04 AM PDT A new weakness discovered in cancer cells may cause increased susceptibility to chemotherapy and other treatments. Researchers have identified the HDAC5 protein as essential for maintenance of telomeres within cancer cells that promote their longevity. Cells with longer telomeres are more resistant to therapies, while cells with shorter telomeres are more susceptible. By targeting this mechanism used to maintain telomeres, existing therapies could become more effective at eradicating cancer.

Clingy platelets suggest potential treatment strategy for rheumatoid arthritis Posted: 29 Aug 2013 08:02 AM PDT "Clingy" blood platelets may help people with rheumatoid arthritis. Research shows that a sub population of lymphocytes involved in rheumatoid arthritis has platelets attached to their surface. The platelets reduced the lymphocytes' ability to cause disease by reducing activity levels and ability to spread. This research may lead to investigations into treatments that bind platelets to lymphocytes, and the ability to predicting the severity of the disease.

New imaging technology promising for several types of cancer Posted: 29 Aug 2013 07:57 AM PDT A new form of imaging – PET/MRI – is promising for several types of cancer.

Adding blood pressure drug to standard antibiotics speeds up TB treatment Posted: 29 Aug 2013 07:57 AM PDT Infectious disease experts have found, in studies in mice, that a drug better known as a treatment for high blood pressure and headaches effectively speeds up treatment of TB when added to the standard, daily antibiotic regimen. Test animals were cured in four months instead of the usual six.

'Mini human brains' created: Scientists grow human brain tissue in 3-D culture system Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:35 AM PDT Complex human brain tissue has been successfully developed in a three-dimensional culture system. The method allows pluripotent stem cells to develop into cerebral organoids -- or "mini brains" -- that consist of several discrete brain regions.

Your spouse's voice is easier to hear -- and easier to ignore Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:33 AM PDT With so many other competing voices, having a conversation on a bustling subway or at a crowded cocktail party takes a great deal of concentration. New research suggests that the familiar voice of a spouse stands out against other voices, helping to sharpen auditory perception and making it easier to focus on one voice at a time.

Unexpected use of former cancer drug Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have unexpectedly discovered that an old cancer drug can be used to prevent rejection of transplanted tissue. The researchers now have high hopes that their discovery could lead to new treatments for both transplant patients and patients with autoimmune diseases.

Echolocation for humans: Playing it by ear Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:30 AM PDT Biologists have demonstrated that people can acquire the capacity for echolocation, although it does take time and work.

Why smokers gain weight when they quit smoking: Changes in intestinal flora Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:30 AM PDT Most smokers put on a couple of kilos when they quit smoking. This is not due to an increased calorie intake, but to a change in the composition of the intestinal flora after quitting smoking, as a study suggests.

First large scale study links autism and autoimmunity Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:26 AM PDT A new study of more than 2,700 mothers of children with autism shows that about one in 10 mothers have antibodies in their bloodstream that react with proteins in the brain of their babies.

Scientists detail critical role of gene in many lung cancer cases Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:26 AM PDT Scientists have shown that a well-known cancer-causing gene implicated in a number of malignancies plays a far more critical role in non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of the disease, than previously thought.

Men feel worse about themselves when female partners succeed Posted: 29 Aug 2013 06:26 AM PDT Deep down, men may not bask in the glory of their successful wives or girlfriends. While this is not true of women, men's subconscious self-esteem may be bruised when their spouse or girlfriend excels, says a new study.

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