ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Speaking multiple languages can influence children's emotional development
• New bat virus could hold key to Hendra virus
• Plant-based compound slows breast cancer in a mouse model
• Influenza virus replication: Catching the cap-snatcher
• Close to the bone: 100 gene deletions in mice identifies nine new genes that determine bone strength
• Modest weight loss can have lasting health benefits, research shows
• Alzheimer’s cognitive decline slows in advanced age
• Target for potent first-strike influenza drugs identified
• Higher healing rate using unique cell-based therapy in chronic venous leg ulcers
• New target for treating diabetes and obesity
• Bacteria-immune system 'fight' can lead to chronic diseases, study suggests
• The mother’s curse explains why women live longer than men
• Timing of antibiotics important in reducing infections after C-section
• Researcher's fish-eye view could offer insights for human vision
• What sets allergies in motion?
• Disorders of consciousness: How should clinicians respond to new therapeutic interventions?
• Healthy seafood comes from sustainable fish
• Embryonic blood vessels that make blood stem cells can also make beating heart muscles
• Upgrading synthetic biology's toolkit: New method could enable reprogramming of mammalian cells
• 'Unhealthy' changes in gut microbes benefit pregnant women
• It's in our genes: Why women outlive men
• Genetic copy-number variants and cancer risk
• Mending a broken heart -- with a molecule that turns stem cells into heart cells
• Critical tumor suppressor for cancer identified
• Smooth Transition: Researchers Helping Freshmen with ADHD Succeed in College
• Planarians offer a better view of eye development
• Heat-shock factor reveals its unique role in supporting highly malignant cancers
• Genetic cause for body tremors found
• Turning white fat into energy-burning brown fat: New hope for new obesity and diabetes treatments
• Infants exposed to specific molds have higher asthma risk
• Detecting thyroid disease by computer
• Kicking the habit: Sex differences in smoking cessation
• The science of running: Follow the bouncing ball
• Iced tea can contribute to painful kidney stones
• Usain Bolt could break his own record with the help of altitude and the wind
• Implementing a therapeutic hypothermia program for post-cardiac arrest in acute care hospitals
• Anacardic acid found to rescue certain ALS abnormalities in experimental drug screening assay using motor neurons from ALS patient-specific iPSCs
• Neutron scattering explains how myoglobin can perform without water
• Equatorial regions in Brazil less affected by 2009 influenza pandemic
• First indication of people naturally protected against rabies found in remote Amazonian communities regularly exposed to vampire bats
• Autism researchers find that focusing on strengths improves social skills of adolescents
• Students trading sex for drugs or alcohol happens also in rural Canada

Speaking multiple languages can influence children's emotional development Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:40 PM PDT On "I Love Lucy," Ricky Ricardo was known for switching into rapid-fire Spanish whenever he was upset, even though Lucy had no idea what he was saying. These scenes were comedy gold, but they also provided a relatable portrayal of code-switching, or switching back and forth between languages. Code-switching is common in multilingual homes and happens often in emotional situations. In a new article, psychological scientists examine how code-switching might influence children's emotional development.

New bat virus could hold key to Hendra virus Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:39 PM PDT Australian scientists have discovered a new virus in bats that could help shed light on how Hendra and Nipah viruses cause disease and death in animals and humans.

Plant-based compound slows breast cancer in a mouse model Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:39 PM PDT The natural plant compound phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) hinders the development of mammary tumors in a mouse model with similarities to human breast cancer progression, according to a new study.

Influenza virus replication: Catching the cap-snatcher Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:38 PM PDT Researchers have determined the detailed three-dimensional structure of part of the flu virus' RNA polymerase, an enzyme that is crucial for influenza virus replication. The research was done on the 2009 pandemic influenza strain but it will help scientists to design innovative drugs against all the different influenza strains.

Close to the bone: 100 gene deletions in mice identifies nine new genes that determine bone strength Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:38 PM PDT Researchers have uncovered nine new genes associated with bone health. This study found clues to the cause of bone disorders such as osteoporosis, osteogenesis imperfecta, and high bone density syndromes by investigating the bone mineral content, strength and flexibility.

Modest weight loss can have lasting health benefits, research shows Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:37 PM PDT Overweight and obese individuals can achieve a decade's worth of important health benefits by losing just 20 pounds, even if they regain the weight later that decade, according to new research. With a focus on psychology's role in overcoming the national obesity epidemic, the session also examined research that indicates foods high in sugar and fat could have addictive properties.

Alzheimer’s cognitive decline slows in advanced age Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:37 PM PDT The greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is advancing age. By age 85, the likelihood of developing the dreaded neurological disorder is roughly 50 percent. But researchers say AD hits hardest among the "younger elderly" – people in their 60s and 70s – who show faster rates of brain tissue loss and cognitive decline than AD patients 80 years and older.

Target for potent first-strike influenza drugs identified Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:37 PM PDT Compounds blocking an enzyme universal to all influenza viruses may allow development of new antiviral drugs that also avoid the problem of drug resistance.

Higher healing rate using unique cell-based therapy in chronic venous leg ulcers Posted: 02 Aug 2012 03:37 PM PDT A new study finds that treating chronic venous leg ulcers with a topical spray containing a unique living human cell formula provides a 52 percent greater likelihood of wound closure than treatment with compression bandages only.

New target for treating diabetes and obesity Posted: 02 Aug 2012 12:04 PM PDT Researchers have identified a potential target for treating diabetes and obesity. Studying mice, they found that when the target protein was disabled, the animals became more sensitive to insulin and were less likely to get fat.

Bacteria-immune system 'fight' can lead to chronic diseases, study suggests Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:15 AM PDT A "fight" between bacteria normally living in the intestines and the immune system, kicked off by another type of bacteria, may be linked to two types of chronic disease.

The mother’s curse explains why women live longer than men Posted: 02 Aug 2012 11:15 AM PDT Women outlive men by about five to six years but why? By age 85 there are roughly six women to every four men and by age 100 the ratio is more than two to one.

Timing of antibiotics important in reducing infections after C-section Posted: 02 Aug 2012 10:36 AM PDT Giving antibiotics before cesarean section surgery rather than just after the newborn's umbilical cord is clamped cuts the infection rate at the surgical site in half, according to new research.

Researcher's fish-eye view could offer insights for human vision Posted: 02 Aug 2012 10:36 AM PDT A research team uncovered an enzyme's role in the regulation of eye size in zebrafish. If the enzyme's role is similar in human eyes, it could be relevant to human vision problems, such as nearsightedness and farsightedness. The findings also warn of the potential changes phenylthiourea, a chemical used to block pigment, may have on zebrafish and the results of research using this common animal model.

What sets allergies in motion? Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:26 AM PDT Scientists have identified a group of proteins that determine how cells react to allergens, and two of them may hold the key to future preventative medications. When the chain of events leading to an allergic reaction is fully understood, she says, drugs can be developed to inhibit the initial reaction, relieving sufferers of their symptoms.

Disorders of consciousness: How should clinicians respond to new therapeutic interventions? Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:26 AM PDT New tools have confirmed high rates of misdiagnosis of patients with chronic disorders of consciousness, such as the vegetative state. An increasing number of patients' families wish to use these novel techniques for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. An international team analyzed the clinical, social and ethical issues that clinicians are now facing.

Healthy seafood comes from sustainable fish Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:26 AM PDT When ordering seafood, the options are many and so are some of the things you might consider in what you order. Is your fish healthy? Is it safe? Is it endangered? While there are many services offered to help you decide, a group of researchers have found a simple rule of thumb applies. "If the fish is sustainable, then it is likely to be healthy to eat too," said one of the authors.

Embryonic blood vessels that make blood stem cells can also make beating heart muscles Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:26 AM PDT Stem cell researchers have found for the first time a surprising and unexpected plasticity in the embryonic endothelium, the place where blood stem cells are made in early development.

Upgrading synthetic biology's toolkit: New method could enable reprogramming of mammalian cells Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:25 AM PDT A new method for creating genetic components dramatically expands synthetic biologists' toolkit beyond off-the-shelf bacterial components, greatly expanding the size and complexity of genetic circuits they can build. Applications include stem cell therapeutics and in-cell devices to diagnose early-state cancer and other diseases.

'Unhealthy' changes in gut microbes benefit pregnant women Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:25 AM PDT The composition of microbes in the gut changes dramatically during pregnancy, according to a new study. Although these changes are associated with metabolic disease under most circumstances, they could be beneficial in pregnant women.

It's in our genes: Why women outlive men Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:25 AM PDT Scientists are beginning to understand one of life's enduring mysteries - why women live, on average, longer than men.

Genetic copy-number variants and cancer risk Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:25 AM PDT Genetics clearly plays a role in cancer development and progression, but the reason that a certain mutation leads to one cancer and not another is less clear. Furthermore, no links have been found between any cancer and a type of genetic change called "copy-number variants," or CNVs. Now, a new study identifies CNVs associated with testicular cancer risk, but not with the risk of breast or colon cancer.

Mending a broken heart -- with a molecule that turns stem cells into heart cells Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:24 AM PDT Scientists have long been looking for a source of heart cells to study cardiac function or perhaps even to replace damaged tissue in heart disease patients. To do this, many are looking to stem cells. Scientists now describe how they uncovered ITD-1, a molecule that generates unlimited numbers of new heart cells from stem cells.

Critical tumor suppressor for cancer identified Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:24 AM PDT Scientists have identified a protein that impairs the development and maintenance of lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), but is repressed during the initial stages of the disease, allowing for rapid tumor growth.

Smooth Transition: Researchers Helping Freshmen with ADHD Succeed in College Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:23 AM PDT Researchers have studied ways to help freshmen with ADHD plan a successful transition to college. They have found that having management strategies in place before coming to campus helps students succeed. The researchers have developed recommendations for ways that universities and families can support college students with ADHD.

Planarians offer a better view of eye development Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:23 AM PDT Researchers have created a complete catalog of genes active in the planarian eye. Several identified genes are known to have versions that play a role in the vertebrate eye, including genes involved in eye development and age-related macular degeneration and Usher syndrome, a disorder that causes progressive retinal degradation.

Heat-shock factor reveals its unique role in supporting highly malignant cancers Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:23 AM PDT Researchers have found that an ancient, highly conserved cell survival factor drives expression of a specific set of genes that is strongly associated with metastasis and death in patients with breast, colon, and lung cancers.

Genetic cause for body tremors found Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:23 AM PDT People suffering from the "essential tremor" disorder can now be more easily diagnosed.

Turning white fat into energy-burning brown fat: New hope for new obesity and diabetes treatments Posted: 02 Aug 2012 09:23 AM PDT Medical researchers have identified a mechanism that can give energy-storing white fat some of the beneficial characteristics of energy-burning brown fat. The findings, based on studies of mice and of human fat tissue, could lead to new strategies for treating obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Infants exposed to specific molds have higher asthma risk Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:15 AM PDT In the United States, one in ten children suffers from asthma but the potential environmental factors contributing to the disease are not well known. Researchers now report new evidence that exposure to three types of mold during infancy may have a direct link to asthma development during childhood.

Detecting thyroid disease by computer Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:14 AM PDT Researchers in India have developed an improved expert system for the diagnosis of thyroid disease.

Kicking the habit: Sex differences in smoking cessation Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:13 AM PDT A recent study challenged an enduring belief that women were less successful than men in quitting smoking. The study found convincing evidence that across all of the age groups, "there [is] relatively little difference in cessation between the sexes."

The science of running: Follow the bouncing ball Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:13 AM PDT Muscle size, genetics and training are among the countless factors that separate Olympic sprinters from the average person. On a fundamental level, however, the mechanics of running are the same for all humans. In fact, they're basically identical for animals too.

Iced tea can contribute to painful kidney stones Posted: 02 Aug 2012 08:13 AM PDT Summer is the peak season for drinking iced tea, but the popular drink can contribute to painful kidney stones. Iced tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to the formation of kidney stones.

Usain Bolt could break his own record with the help of altitude and the wind Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:12 AM PDT Imagine the following situation. The 100 meters finals in the London Olympic Games. The Jamaican Usain Bolt wins. Up to this point everything sounds normal except for the fact that he would break his own record again with a time of 9.48 seconds. According to the New Zealand researchers, this would be his record if there were a two meter per second tailwind (maximum allowable wind) and the race took place at an altitude of 999 meters. The 100 meter final will take place on Sunday at London 2012.

Implementing a therapeutic hypothermia program for post-cardiac arrest in acute care hospitals Posted: 02 Aug 2012 07:11 AM PDT National guidelines recommend the use of therapeutic hypothermia to improve outcomes in patients who suffer a heart attack outside of a hospital. The results of a survey of all 73 acute care hospitals in New Jersey evaluating the adoption and implementation of this life-saving treatment from 2004-2011 is has now been published.

Anacardic acid found to rescue certain ALS abnormalities in experimental drug screening assay using motor neurons from ALS patient-specific iPSCs Posted: 02 Aug 2012 06:22 AM PDT Researchers recapitulated ALS abnormalities in motor neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells obtained from familial ALS patients. They revealed some of the mechanism of disease onset, finding that, for example, Tar DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43) mRNA was upregulated in the ALS motor neurons, which means that TDP-43 autoregulation was disturbed. Using the motor neurons in a drug-screening assay, they discovered that the chemical compound anacardic acid rescued some abnormal ALS motor neuron phenotypes.

Neutron scattering explains how myoglobin can perform without water Posted: 02 Aug 2012 04:31 AM PDT Proteins do not need to be surrounded by water to carry out their vital biological functions, according to new research. Scientists used a state of the art neutron scattering technique to demonstrate that when myoglobin, an oxygen-binding protein found in the muscle tissue of vertebrates, is enclosed in a sheath of surfactant molecules, it moves in the same way as when it is surrounded by water. These motions are essential if a protein is to perform its biological function, and their findings make proteins a viable material for use in new wound dressings or even as chemical gas sensors.

Equatorial regions in Brazil less affected by 2009 influenza pandemic Posted: 01 Aug 2012 03:51 PM PDT The death toll of the 2009 influenza pandemic in equatorial climates may have been much lower than originally thought, according to a new study.

First indication of people naturally protected against rabies found in remote Amazonian communities regularly exposed to vampire bats Posted: 01 Aug 2012 03:51 PM PDT Challenging conventional wisdom that rabies infections are 100 percent fatal unless immediately treated, scientists studying remote populations in the Peruvian Amazon at risk of rabies from vampire bats found 11 percent of those tested showed protection against the disease, with only one person reporting a prior rabies vaccination. Ten percent appear to have survived exposure to the virus without any medical intervention.

Autism researchers find that focusing on strengths improves social skills of adolescents Posted: 01 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT The junior high and high school years are emotionally challenging even under the best of circumstances, but for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), that time can be particularly painful. Lacking the social skills that enable them to interact successfully with their peers, these students are often ostracized and even bullied by their classmates.

Students trading sex for drugs or alcohol happens also in rural Canada Posted: 01 Aug 2012 11:37 AM PDT Just over two percent of teens in rural schools who have ever tried alcohol, marijuana or other drugs report they have also traded sex for these substances, according to new research.

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