ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Mini-sensor measures magnetic activity in human brain
• Cancer-fighting goodness found in cholesterol, study suggests
• Aspirin: New evidence is helping explain additional health benefits and open potential for new uses
• 19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today
• Anti-tobacco TV ads help adults stop smoking, study finds
• Defending against chemical acts of terrorism
• First gene linked to common form of psoriasis identified
• Black women leaders approved for assertiveness in the workplace, study suggests
• New brain-machine interface moves a paralyzed hand: Technology bypasses spinal cord and delivers signals from brain directly to muscles
• New coating for hip implants could prevent premature failure
• How thinking about death can lead to a good life
• Being beside the seaside is good for you
• Surgeons complete rare successful forehead and scalp reattachment
• Distinct 'God spot' in the brain does not exist, study shows
• Cells in normal tissue seem to have 'personal space' issues; Factor in maintaining healthy tissue
• Life expectancy and healthy life years in the European Union, 2008-2010
• Gut microbiota transplantation may prevent development of diabetes and fatty liver disease
• Obesity and extreme slimness cause risks in pregnancy
• Possible new cancer treatment identified
• 96% of women in IVF preconception study faced multiple lifestyle issues and health risks
• Insomnia takes toll on tinnitus patients
• Kids get more active when given more toy choices, studies show
• New medication offers hope to patients with frequent, uncontrollable seizures
• Daily physical activity may reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk at any age
• Breaking Point: When Does Head Trauma in Sports Lead to Memory Loss?
• Speed and ecstasy associated with depression in teenagers
• No proof found that gum disease causes heart disease or stroke
• Specific protein may increase risk of blood-vessel constriction linked to gum disease
• Groundbreaking device improves laser accuracy in surgeries
• Scientists show lab-made heart cells ideal for disease research, drug testing
• Antidote for cocaine overdose shows promise in lab tests
• Brain-activated muscle stimulation restores monkeys' hand movement after paralysis
• Photoreceptor transplant restores vision in mice
• Antidote for cocaine overdose looks promising in lab studies
• MRSA in pregnancy may be less dangerous than previously thought

Mini-sensor measures magnetic activity in human brain Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:35 PM PDT A miniature atom-based magnetic sensor has passed an important research milestone by successfully measuring human brain activity. The lightweight sensor potentially could be used for biomedical applications such as studying mental processes and advancing the understanding of neurological diseases.

Cancer-fighting goodness found in cholesterol, study suggests Posted: 19 Apr 2012 01:35 PM PDT A team of four scientists is arguing that cholesterol may slow or stop cancer cell growth. They describe how cholesterol-binding proteins called ORPs may control cell growth.

Aspirin: New evidence is helping explain additional health benefits and open potential for new uses Posted: 19 Apr 2012 11:29 AM PDT Researchers have discovered that salicylate, the active ingredient in aspirin, directly increases the activity of the protein AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase), a key player in regulating cell growth and metabolism. Salicylate, which is derived from willow bark, and is the active ingredient in aspirin, is believed to be one of the oldest drugs in the world with first reports of its use dating back to an Egyptian papyrus in 1543 BC.

19th century therapy for Parkinson's disease may help patients today Posted: 19 Apr 2012 10:26 AM PDT In the 19th century, Jean-Martin Charcot, the celebrated neurologist, developed a "vibration chair," to relieve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Charcot reported improvements in his patients, but he died shortly thereafter and a more complete evaluation of the therapy was never conducted. Now, a group of neurological researchers have replicated his work in a study to see if Charcot's observation holds true against modern scientific testing.

Anti-tobacco TV ads help adults stop smoking, study finds Posted: 19 Apr 2012 10:25 AM PDT Anti-tobacco television advertising helps reduce adult smoking, according to a new study -- but some ads may be more effective than others.

Defending against chemical acts of terrorism Posted: 19 Apr 2012 09:15 AM PDT Researchers may have found a way to protect us against otherwise deadly chemical attacks, such as the subway sarin incident in Tokyo that left thirteen people dead and thousands more injured or with temporary vision problems. The method is based on a new and improved version of a detoxifying enzyme produced naturally by our livers, according to a new report

First gene linked to common form of psoriasis identified Posted: 19 Apr 2012 09:14 AM PDT Scientists have identified the first gene directly linked to the most common form of psoriasis, a chronic skin condition.

Black women leaders approved for assertiveness in the workplace, study suggests Posted: 19 Apr 2012 08:30 AM PDT While white men are expected to be assertive and aggressive leaders, black men and white women are often penalized for that kind of behavior in the workplace. A new study looks at another group: black women. They find that, rather than being viewed as a combination of black men and white women, black women also seem to be expected to act assertively.

New brain-machine interface moves a paralyzed hand: Technology bypasses spinal cord and delivers signals from brain directly to muscles Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:46 AM PDT A new brain-machine technology delivers messages from the brain directly to the muscles -- bypassing the spinal cord -- to enable voluntary and complex movement of a paralyzed hand. The device could eventually be tested on, and perhaps aid, paralyzed patients.

New coating for hip implants could prevent premature failure Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:25 AM PDT Nanoscale films promote bone growth, creating a stronger seal between implants and patients' own bone.

How thinking about death can lead to a good life Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:25 AM PDT Thinking about death can actually be a good thing. An awareness of mortality can improve physical health and help us re-prioritize our goals and values, according to a new analysis of recent scientific studies. Even non-conscious thinking about death -- say walking by a cemetery -- could prompt positive changes and promote helping others.

Being beside the seaside is good for you Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:24 AM PDT Exercise in the open air is good for you, but if you want to reap the full benefits you should head for the coast or the countryside rather than an urban park.

Surgeons complete rare successful forehead and scalp reattachment Posted: 19 Apr 2012 07:20 AM PDT Forehead and scalp of victim of workplace injury successfully reattached through rare microsurgery procedure.

Distinct 'God spot' in the brain does not exist, study shows Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:12 AM PDT Scientists have speculated that the human brain features a "God spot," one distinct area of the brain responsible for spirituality. Now, researchers have completed research that indicates spirituality is a complex phenomenon, and multiple areas of the brain are responsible for the many aspects of spiritual experiences.

Cells in normal tissue seem to have 'personal space' issues; Factor in maintaining healthy tissue Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:12 AM PDT Cells in normal tissue seem to have "personal space" issues. They know how much space they like, and if things get too tight, some cells are forced to leave. Researchers have found that normal epithelium tissue ejects living cells to maintain a steady population and ease overcrowding, a discovery has the potential to reveal what goes awry in cancer when cells do not turnover, but instead pile up.

Life expectancy and healthy life years in the European Union, 2008-2010 Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:10 AM PDT Swedish men had the highest healthy life years of European men in 2010, while Maltese women had the highest values for European women. "Healthy Life Years" indicates how long people can expect to live without disability. It has been computed annually for each Member State of the European Union since 2005.

Gut microbiota transplantation may prevent development of diabetes and fatty liver disease Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:10 AM PDT New data shows the gut microbiota's causal role in the development of diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, independent of obesity.

Obesity and extreme slimness cause risks in pregnancy Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:07 AM PDT Obese women run the risk of problems during pregnancy, labor and complications for the baby's health. A new study of more than 3000 expectant mothers confirms this, and also reveals that being underweight also has specific complications. Researchers have identified the risks in pregnancy related specifically to obesity and have compared them to underweight women to confirm that extreme slimness also carries a risk.

Possible new cancer treatment identified Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:07 AM PDT New research findings show how it may be possible to render cancer tumors harmless without affecting the other cells and tissues in the body. The findings apply to cancers including breast, lung and bowel cancer. Many of the most common chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer have serious side effects because they not only affect the cells in the cancer tumor, but also the cells in the rest of the body.

96% of women in IVF preconception study faced multiple lifestyle issues and health risks Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:07 AM PDT Ninety-six per cent of women who attended a preconception clinic before undergoing IVF had three or more lifestyle problems and risk factors, according to a new study.

Insomnia takes toll on tinnitus patients Posted: 19 Apr 2012 06:05 AM PDT Insomnia can have a negative effect on tinnitus, worsening the functional and emotional toll of chronic ringing, buzzing, hissing or clicking in the head and ears, according to a new study.

Kids get more active when given more toy choices, studies show Posted: 18 Apr 2012 05:36 PM PDT In an age when even preschoolers have electronic toys and devices, many parents wonder how to get their children to be more physically active. Now, two studies provide some answers.

New medication offers hope to patients with frequent, uncontrollable seizures Posted: 18 Apr 2012 05:35 PM PDT A new type of anti-epilepsy medication that selectively targets proteins in the brain that control excitability may significantly reduce seizure frequency in people whose recurrent seizures have been resistant to even the latest medications, new research suggests.

Daily physical activity may reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk at any age Posted: 18 Apr 2012 05:35 PM PDT Daily physical activity may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline, even in people over the age of 80, according to a new study.

Breaking Point: When Does Head Trauma in Sports Lead to Memory Loss? Posted: 18 Apr 2012 05:35 PM PDT A new study suggests there may be a starting point at which blows to the head or other head trauma suffered in combat sports start to affect memory and thinking abilities and can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, in the brain.

Speed and ecstasy associated with depression in teenagers Posted: 18 Apr 2012 05:35 PM PDT A five year study conducted with thousands of teenagers reveals that those who used speed (meth/ampthetamine) or ecstasy (MDMA) at fifteen or sixteen years of age were significantly more likely to suffer elevated depressive symptoms the following year.

No proof found that gum disease causes heart disease or stroke Posted: 18 Apr 2012 01:22 PM PDT There is no convincing evidence that proves gum disease causes heart disease or stroke, or treating gum disease reduces the risk of those diseases, according to new research. Gum and heart disease share common risk factors, including smoking, age and diabetes, which is possibly why the diseases often occur in the same person.

Specific protein may increase risk of blood-vessel constriction linked to gum disease Posted: 18 Apr 2012 01:22 PM PDT A protein involved in cellular inflammation may increase the risk of plaque containing blood vessels associated with inflammatory gum disease, according to new research.

Groundbreaking device improves laser accuracy in surgeries Posted: 18 Apr 2012 11:38 AM PDT Physicists have developed a groundbreaking device that controls the depth of a laser cut, laying groundwork to provide pinpoint accuracy during surgeries.

Scientists show lab-made heart cells ideal for disease research, drug testing Posted: 18 Apr 2012 11:37 AM PDT Heart-like cells made in the laboratory from the skin of patients with a common cardiac condition contract less strongly than similarly created cells from unaffected family members, according to researchers. The cells also exhibit abnormal structure and respond only dully to the wave of calcium signals that initiate each heartbeat.

Antidote for cocaine overdose shows promise in lab tests Posted: 18 Apr 2012 10:51 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development and successful testing in laboratory mice of a substance that shows promise for becoming the first antidote for cocaine toxicity in humans. The new so-called "passive vaccine" reversed the motor impairment, seizures and other dangerous symptoms of a cocaine overdose, which claims thousands of lives each year among users of the illicit drug.

Brain-activated muscle stimulation restores monkeys' hand movement after paralysis Posted: 18 Apr 2012 10:50 AM PDT An artificial connection between the brain and muscles can restore complex hand movements in monkeys following paralysis, according to a new study. The neuroprosthesis uses a brain-computer interface to control electrical stimulation of muscles and restore hand movement after temporary paralysis.

Photoreceptor transplant restores vision in mice Posted: 18 Apr 2012 10:50 AM PDT Scientists have shown for the first time that transplanting light-sensitive photoreceptors into the eyes of visually impaired mice can restore their vision.

Antidote for cocaine overdose looks promising in lab studies Posted: 18 Apr 2012 10:48 AM PDT Scientists have shown that an injectable solution can protect mice from an otherwise lethal overdose of cocaine. The findings could lead to human clinical trials of a treatment designed to reverse the effects of cocaine in case of emergency. Cocaine is involved in more than 400,000 emergency-room visits and about 5,000 overdose deaths each year in the United States.

MRSA in pregnancy may be less dangerous than previously thought Posted: 18 Apr 2012 10:14 AM PDT The perceived need to swab the noses of pregnant women and newborns for the presence of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) may be unfounded, according to a new study. It is often feared that mothers carrying MRSA may risk transmitting an infection to their newborn babies, but researchers found that babies rarely became ill from MRSA infections, despite frequently carrying the germ.

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