ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Prenatal whole genome sequencing: Just because we can, should we?
• Of mice and melodies: Research on language gene seeks to uncover the origins of the singing mouse
• Research shows gene defect's role in autism-like behavior
• Daily aspirin usage linked to lower cancer mortality
• Influence of heating techniques on red palm oil carotene levels
• Study of fruit fly chromosomes improves understanding of evolution and fertility
• New view of body's infection response
• Spending more on trauma care doesn't translate to higher survival rates, study suggests
• Weekend hospital stays prove more deadly than other times for older people with head trauma
• 'Selfish' DNA in animal mitochondria offers possible tool to study aging
• 'Theranostic' imaging offers means of killing prostate cancer cells
• Good news: Migraines hurt your head but not your brain
• New approach of resistant tuberculosis
• The power to heal at the tips of your fingers
• Authors dispute 'innovation crisis' among pharmaceutical companies
• 'Exergames' not perfect, but can lead to more exercise
• How heat helps to treat cancer
• New scientific method unmasks chronic infections
• Underlying causes of impaired brain function in muscular dystrophy revealed
• Vaccines recommended: Worst outbreak of whooping cough in 50 years in U.S.
• Doctors often don't disclose all possible risks to patients before treatment

Prenatal whole genome sequencing: Just because we can, should we? Posted: 10 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT With whole genome sequencing quickly becoming more affordable and accessible, we need to pay more attention to the massive amount of information it will deliver to parents -- and the fact that we don't yet understand what most of it means, concludes a new article.

Of mice and melodies: Research on language gene seeks to uncover the origins of the singing mouse Posted: 10 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT Singing mice are unique rodents that use song to communicate. An important underlying gene that is thought to influence the singing behavior is a transcription factor called FOXP2, sometimes called the 'language gene' because it has been linked to speech disorders in humans. This information could help researchers find areas of the human FOXP2 gene that are associated with autism.

Research shows gene defect's role in autism-like behavior Posted: 10 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT Scientists have discovered how a defective gene causes brain changes that lead to the atypical social behavior characteristic of autism. The research offers a potential target for drugs to treat the condition.

Daily aspirin usage linked to lower cancer mortality Posted: 10 Aug 2012 04:37 PM PDT A new study provides additional support for a potential benefit of daily aspirin use for cancer mortality, but the authors say important questions remain about the size of the potential benefit.

Influence of heating techniques on red palm oil carotene levels Posted: 10 Aug 2012 11:49 AM PDT Researchers have studied carotene and antibacterial effects of microwave heated and conventional heated red palm oil (RPO). They discovered that conventional heating reduced its carotene levels but microwave heating retained a higher carotene content.

Study of fruit fly chromosomes improves understanding of evolution and fertility Posted: 10 Aug 2012 11:47 AM PDT New research explores the evolution of sperm structure and function, through an analysis of Drosophila genes and gene products. The research has important implications for the study of human infertility as well.

New view of body's infection response Posted: 10 Aug 2012 10:32 AM PDT A new 3-D view of the body's response to infection – and the ability to identify proteins involved in the response – could point to novel biomarkers and therapeutic agents for infectious diseases. Scientists in multiple disciplines combined magnetic resonance imaging and imaging mass spectrometry to visualize the inflammatory response to bacterial infection in mice. The techniques offer opportunities for discovering proteins not previously implicated in the inflammatory response.

Spending more on trauma care doesn't translate to higher survival rates, study suggests Posted: 10 Aug 2012 10:31 AM PDT A large-scale national review of U.S. patient records reveals that although survival rates are the same, the cost of treating trauma patients in the western United States is 33 percent higher than the bill for treating similarly injured patients in the Northeast. Overall, treatment costs were lower in the Northeast than anywhere in the United States.

Weekend hospital stays prove more deadly than other times for older people with head trauma Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT A review of more than 38,000 patient records finds that older adults who sustain substantial head trauma over a weekend are significantly more likely to die from their injuries than those similarly hurt and hospitalized Monday through Friday, even if their injuries are less severe and they have fewer other illnesses than their weekday counterparts.

'Selfish' DNA in animal mitochondria offers possible tool to study aging Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT Researchers have discovered, for the first time in any animal species, a type of "selfish" mitochondrial DNA that is actually hurting the organism and lessening its chance to survive – and bears a strong similarity to some damage done to human cells as they age. It could provide an important new model to study human aging.

'Theranostic' imaging offers means of killing prostate cancer cells Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:29 AM PDT Experimenting with human prostate cancer cells and mice, cancer imaging experts say they have developed a method for finding and killing malignant cells while sparing healthy ones.

Good news: Migraines hurt your head but not your brain Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:28 AM PDT Migraines currently affect about 20 percent of the female population, and while these headaches are common, there are many unanswered questions surrounding this complex disease. Previous studies have linked this disorder to an increased risk of stroke and structural brain lesions, but it has remained unclear whether migraines had other negative consequences such as dementia or cognitive decline. According to new research migraines are not associated with cognitive decline.

New approach of resistant tuberculosis Posted: 10 Aug 2012 08:27 AM PDT Scientists have breathed new life into a forgotten technique and so succeeded in detecting resistant tuberculosis in circumstances where so far this was hardly feasible. Tuberculosis bacilli that have become resistant against our major antibiotics are a serious threat to world health.

The power to heal at the tips of your fingers Posted: 10 Aug 2012 05:37 AM PDT The intricate properties of the fingertips have been mimicked and recreated using semiconductor devices in what researchers hope will lead to the development of advanced surgical gloves.

Authors dispute 'innovation crisis' among pharmaceutical companies Posted: 08 Aug 2012 10:24 AM PDT Researchers dispute widely held belief that pharma companies face a "patent cliff" and argue that a "hidden business model" provides a solid cushion of steady profits from patent-protected minor variations to existing drugs.

'Exergames' not perfect, but can lead to more exercise Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:18 AM PDT Active video games, also known as "exergames," are not the perfect solution to the nation's sedentary ways, but they can play a role in getting some people to be more active.

How heat helps to treat cancer Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:18 AM PDT Researchers have identified a switch in cells that may help to kill tumors with heat. Prostate cancer and other localized tumors can be effectively treated by a combination of heat and an anti-cancer drug that damages the genes.

New scientific method unmasks chronic infections Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:18 AM PDT With the aid of tiny silicon tubes and one of Europe's most sophisticated centres for microscopy, scientists have been able for the first time to observe directly bacteria in chronic infections. Researchers can now see precisely how bacteria and the immune system interact in living tissue. This opens the potential for developing new medicine to fight resistant bacteria.

Underlying causes of impaired brain function in muscular dystrophy revealed Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:18 AM PDT The molecular missteps that disrupt brain function in the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy have been revealed in a new study. Myotonic dystrophy is marked by progressive muscle wasting and weakness, as well as sleepiness, memory problems, and mental retardation. A new mouse model reported reproduces key cognitive and behavioral symptoms of this disease and could be used to develop drug treatments, which are currently lacking.

Vaccines recommended: Worst outbreak of whooping cough in 50 years in U.S. Posted: 08 Aug 2012 09:15 AM PDT This year the U.S. has seen the worst outbreak of whooping cough in more than 50 years. In fact, it has reached epidemic levels in many states and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the numbers of cases reported is already twice as many as last year. With kids getting ready to head back-to-school, the numbers of children impacted or killed by this disease could continue to rise if children aren't accurately vaccinated.

Doctors often don't disclose all possible risks to patients before treatment Posted: 08 Aug 2012 06:38 AM PDT Most informed consent disputes involve disagreements about who said what and when, not stand-offs over whether a particular risk ought to have been disclosed. But doctors may "routinely underestimate the importance of a small set of risks that vex patients" according to international experts.

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