ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Antipsychotic drug may be helpful treatment for anorexia nervosa
• Eating flavonoids protects men against Parkinson's disease
• Antibody therapy prevents gastrointestinal damage following radiation exposure in mice
• Memory declines faster in years closest to death; mental activity best protection
• Injectable contraceptives linked to breast cancer risk in younger women
• Enzyme in saliva helps regulate blood glucose
• Multiple faces of deadly breast cancer
• Autism mutations, scattered across many genes, merge into common network of interactions
• DNA sequencing consortium unveils patterns of mutations in autism
• Mutations in three genes linked to autism spectrum disorders
• Sexually abused boys at risk for more unsafe sex, researchers find
• Potential method to control obesity: Red wine, fruit compound could help block fat cell formation
• Some 'improved cookstoves' may emit more pollution than traditional mud cookstoves
• Bacterial contamination found in pharmacy robots
• New gene thought to be cause in early-onset forms of Alzheimer's disease
• The long arm of the dendritic cell: A link between atherosclerosis and autoimmunity
• An airbag for perceiving pain: Basic mechanisms governing the perception of pain discovered
• Can mathematics help Usain Bolt run faster?
• 62% of men and 37% of women over the age of 65 are sexually active, Spanish study shows
• New insights into the machinery for protein degradation
• Mystery of human consciousness illuminated: Primitive consciousness emerges first as you awaken from anesthesia
• New method yields insulin-producing pancreatic cell clusters
• Older subjects who regularly practise Tai Chi found to have better arterial compliance and greater muscle strength
• Reducing hospital admissions for asthmatics
• Arsenic turns stem cells cancerous, spurring tumor growth
• Yoga shows psychological benefits for high-school students
• Early-life exposure to BPA affects adult learning, animal study suggests
• Eliminating the ‘good cholesterol’ receptor may fight breast cancer

Antipsychotic drug may be helpful treatment for anorexia nervosa Posted: 04 Apr 2012 01:20 PM PDT Low doses of a commonly used atypical antipsychotic drug improved survival in a mouse model of anorexia nervosa, researchers have recently reported. The result offers promise for a common and occasionally fatal eating disorder that currently lacks approved drugs for treatment.

Eating flavonoids protects men against Parkinson's disease Posted: 04 Apr 2012 01:19 PM PDT Men who eat flavonoid-rich foods such as berries, tea, apples and red wine significantly reduce their risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to new research.

Antibody therapy prevents gastrointestinal damage following radiation exposure in mice Posted: 04 Apr 2012 01:18 PM PDT A new study offers the first evidence of a drug capable of preventing lethal damage to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation, such as those occurring during a nuclear incident. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments or prophylactics available to manage the condition, known as radiation gastrointestinal syndrome (RGS), which is associated with weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, systemic infection, and – in extreme cases – septic shock and death.

Memory declines faster in years closest to death; mental activity best protection Posted: 04 Apr 2012 01:18 PM PDT New research finds that a person's memory declines at a faster rate in the two- and-a-half years before death than at any other time after memory problems first begin. A second study shows that keeping mentally fit through board games or reading may be the best way to preserve memory during late life.

Injectable contraceptives linked to breast cancer risk in younger women Posted: 04 Apr 2012 11:41 AM PDT The first large-scale U.S.-based study to evaluate the link between an injectable form of progestin-only birth control and breast cancer risk in young women has found that recent use of a year or more doubles the risk.

Enzyme in saliva helps regulate blood glucose Posted: 04 Apr 2012 11:41 AM PDT Scientists report that blood glucose levels following starch ingestion are influenced by genetically-determined differences in the oral enzyme salivary amylase. Specifically, higher salivary amylase activity is related to lower blood glucose. The findings suggest that salivary amylase may contribute significantly to overall metabolic status.

Multiple faces of deadly breast cancer Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:37 AM PDT Scientists have made a discovery that will change the way the most deadly form of breast cancer is treated. The study is the largest genetic analysis of what were thought to be triple negative breast cancer tumors.

Autism mutations, scattered across many genes, merge into common network of interactions Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:37 AM PDT Among autistic children with no family history of ASD, researchers uncovered 49 gene mutations disrupting a pathway that modifies chromatin and regulates genes in the brain and nervous system. Various changes in this pathway contribute to children developing autism in different ways. Many different forms of autism exist at the molecular level, making ASD an umbrella disorder with many root causes. Conversely, many intellectual, social and mental disorders share common mutations. Divisions clinicians make among these disorders may not translate into molecular differences.

DNA sequencing consortium unveils patterns of mutations in autism Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:36 AM PDT Scientists have searched for autism-related mutations in the fraction of the human genome that codes for proteins. The researchers sequenced this region, known as the "exome," in 175 autism patients and their unaffected parents. Their results suggest modest roles for hundreds of genes in the development of autism and pinpoint a few specific genes as genuine risk factors.

Mutations in three genes linked to autism spectrum disorders Posted: 04 Apr 2012 10:36 AM PDT Mutations in three new genes have been linked to autism, according to new studies. The findings reveal new genetic targets in autism. Three new studies provide new insights into important genetic changes and the many biological pathways that lead to autism spectrum disorders.

Sexually abused boys at risk for more unsafe sex, researchers find Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:53 AM PDT Young males who have been sexually abused are five times more likely to cause teen pregnancy compared to those with no abuse history, according to new research. Sexually abused boys are also three times more likely to have multiple sexual partners and twice as likely to engage in unprotected sex.

Potential method to control obesity: Red wine, fruit compound could help block fat cell formation Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:53 AM PDT A compound found in red wine, grapes and other fruits, and similar in structure to resveratrol, is able to block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop, opening a door to a potential method to control obesity, according to a new study.

Some 'improved cookstoves' may emit more pollution than traditional mud cookstoves Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:53 AM PDT The first real-world, head-to-head comparison of "improved cookstoves" (ICs) and traditional mud stoves has found that some ICs may at times emit more of the worrisome "black carbon," or soot, particles that are linked to serious health and environmental concerns than traditional mud stoves or open-cook fires. The report raises concerns about the leading hope as a clean cooking technology in the developing world.

Bacterial contamination found in pharmacy robots Posted: 04 Apr 2012 09:52 AM PDT Drug-dispensing robots designed to quickly prepare intravenous medications in a sterile environment can harbor dangerous bacteria, according to a new report.

New gene thought to be cause in early-onset forms of Alzheimer's disease Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:29 AM PDT A new gene that causes early onset of Alzheimer's disease has been discovered, researchers say. The research scientists showed that in the families of five of 14 patients suffering from the disease, mutations were detected on the gene SORL1.

The long arm of the dendritic cell: A link between atherosclerosis and autoimmunity Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:29 AM PDT Patients with autoimmune diseases often show a predisposition to develop "hardening of the arteries" or atherosclerosis. Researchers have now uncovered a mechanism that establishes a causal link between the two disorders.

An airbag for perceiving pain: Basic mechanisms governing the perception of pain discovered Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:25 AM PDT Everyone knows how it feels to bite into a hot chili pepper or burn the roof of one's mouth with a hot drink. This activates nerve cells that relay the potential threat to the brain, which then causes the person in question to perceive pain. Over 14 years ago, researchers discovered the first receptor molecule that reacts to heat as well as to capsaicin, the active substance in chili extracts. At the time it was believed that science had come a big step closer to understanding the emergence of pain and its treatment with medicine. The disappointment was great when it was found several years later that laboratory mice from whom the gene of this receptor had been artificially removed still perceived pain. Despite repeated attempts to explain the causes of this observation, it has remained a mystery until now. Researchers have now deciphered basic mechanisms governing the perception of pain.

Can mathematics help Usain Bolt run faster? Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:25 AM PDT Usain Bolt can achieve faster running times with no extra effort on his part or improvement to his fitness, according to a new study. A mathematician illustrates how, based on concrete mathematical evidence, Bolt can cut his world record from 9.58 seconds to 9.45. Usain Bolt holds the current 100m world record, at 9.58s, and has been described as the best sprinter there has ever been, dramatically reducing his running times since he first won the world record in 2008.

62% of men and 37% of women over the age of 65 are sexually active, Spanish study shows Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:22 AM PDT A study involving nearly 2000 people describes the sexual practices of senior citizens in Spain.

New insights into the machinery for protein degradation Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:21 AM PDT Uncontrolled or inaccurate degradation of cellular proteins can lead to diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's disease. Scientists have now uncovered the structure and the operating mechanism of an important component of the human cellular degradation machinery, tripeptidyl peptidase II (TPPII).

Mystery of human consciousness illuminated: Primitive consciousness emerges first as you awaken from anesthesia Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:21 AM PDT Primitive consciousness emerges first as you awaken from anesthesia. Awakening from anesthesia is often associated with an initial phase of delirious struggle before the full restoration of awareness and orientation to one's surroundings. Scientists now know why this may occur: primitive consciousness emerges first. The emergence of consciousness was found to be associated with activations of deep, primitive brain structures rather than the evolutionary younger neocortex. These results may represent an important step forward in the scientific explanation of human consciousness.

New method yields insulin-producing pancreatic cell clusters Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:21 AM PDT Three-dimensional clusters of pancreatic beta-cells that live much longer and secrete more insulin than single cells grown in the laboratory are valuable new tools for studying pancreatic diseases such as diabetes and for testing novel therapies. Growing pancreatic cells in the laboratory is challenging, in part because to survive and function normally they require cell-cell contact.

Older subjects who regularly practise Tai Chi found to have better arterial compliance and greater muscle strength Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:21 AM PDT Older subjects who regularly practise Tai Chi found to have better arterial compliance and greater muscle strength than non-practitioners. Exercise which can achieve both cardiovascular function and muscle strength "would be a preferred mode of training for older persons", say investigators. Experienced practitioners of Tai Chi, the traditional Chinese mind-body exercise now enjoyed worldwide, have been shown in a study of older subjects to have improved expansion and contraction of arteries according to cardiac pulsation (arterial compliance) and improved knee muscle strength.

Reducing hospital admissions for asthmatics Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:19 AM PDT Children with moderate or severe asthma attacks who are treated with systemic corticosteroids during the first 75 minutes of triage in the Emergency Department (ED) were 16% less likely to be admitted to hospital.

Arsenic turns stem cells cancerous, spurring tumor growth Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:19 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how exposure to arsenic can turn normal stem cells into cancer stem cells and spur tumor growth. Inorganic arsenic, which affects the drinking water of millions of people worldwide, has been previously shown to be a human carcinogen. A growing body of evidence suggests that cancer is a stem-cell based disease.

Yoga shows psychological benefits for high-school students Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:18 AM PDT Yoga classes have positive psychological effects for high-school students, according to a pilot study.

Early-life exposure to BPA affects adult learning, animal study suggests Posted: 04 Apr 2012 07:18 AM PDT A new study is the first to identify a neurobehavioral effect of BPA using a zebrafish model exposed to concentrations comparable to what humans might encounter in the environment.

Eliminating the ‘good cholesterol’ receptor may fight breast cancer Posted: 03 Apr 2012 12:35 PM PDT A new study suggests SR-BI plays a role in breast cancer tumor growth.

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