الجمعة، 1 مارس 2013

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


Cancer doesn't change young girls' desire to have children, study shows

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:48 AM PST

Researchers have found that healthy adolescent females have predetermined expectations for becoming parents in the future, but have concerns about fertility and childbearing should they develop a life-threatening illness, such as cancer.

BPA raises risk for childhood asthma, study finds

Posted: 01 Mar 2013 12:48 AM PST

Researchers are the first to report an association between early childhood exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and an elevated risk for asthma in young children. BPA is a component of some plastics and is found in food can liners and store receipts.

Problems with identifying meat? The answer is to check the barcode

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST

Want to know what you are eating? DNA barcodes can be used to identify even very closely related species, finds a new article. Results from the study show that the labelling of game meat in South Africa is very poor with different species being substituted almost 80 percent of the time.

Pixels guide the way for the visually impaired

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST

Images have been transformed into pixels and projected onto a headset to help the visually impaired in everyday tasks such as navigation, route-planning and object finding. Developed using a video camera and mathematical algorithm, the researchers hope the pixels can provide more information and enhance the vision of patients already fitted with retinal implants.

British children more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults, experts warn

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 04:46 PM PST

Children in Britain are more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults and need much stronger protection, warn experts.

Pour, shake and stir: How gold particles, DNA and water have the potential to shape the future of medicine

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST

A diagnostic "cocktail" containing a single drop of blood, a dribble of water, and a dose of DNA powder with gold particles could mean rapid diagnosis and treatment of the world's leading diseases in the near future.

New model could lead to improved treatment for early stage Alzheimer's

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST

Researchers have developed a line of genetically altered mice that model the earliest stages of Alzheimer's disease. This model may help scientists identify new therapies to provide relief to patients who are beginning to experience symptoms.

Clogged heart arteries can foreshadow stroke

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:15 PM PST

Blockages in your heart arteries could mean you're more likely to have a stroke, even if you're considered low risk, according to new research.

Researchers link left-sided brain injury with greater risk for hospital-acquired infections

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST

New findings have implications for translational research into brain-mediated immune defenses, infection control practices and cognitive rehabilitation strategies after stroke and brain injury.

Deworming important for children's health, has limited impact on infection in wider communities

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST

Although they have an important impact on children's health and education, school-based deworming programs have a limited impact on the level of infection in the wider community, according to a mathematical modeling study.

Ultrasound to detect lung congestion in dialysis patients may help save lives

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST

Lung ultrasound can detect asymptomatic lung congestion in dialysis patients and can predict their risk of dying prematurely or experiencing heart attacks or other cardiac events. Treating asymptomatic lung congestion may help improve cardiovascular health and prevent cardiovascular deaths in dialysis patients. Lung congestion is highly prevalent and often asymptomatic among patients with kidney failure.

Antibody response linked with rejection in pediatric kidney transplant recipients

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST

A transplanted kidney has a finite life expectancy because it often becomes the target of the recipient's immune system, which may mount antibodies that attack the organ. Because there is a critical need to extend the life of transplanted organs -- especially in children, who can face two to three kidney transplants in their lifetime -- researchers recently examined the role of this antibody-mediated injury in rejection and the effectiveness of medications to prevent it.

Zeroing in on heart disease: Innovative strategy pinpoints genes underlying cardiovascular disease risk

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:14 PM PST

Studies screening the genome of hundreds of thousands of individuals (known as Genome-wide association studies or GWAS) have linked more than 100 regions in the genome to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Researchers are taking these results one step further by pinpointing the exact genes that could have a role in the onset of the disease.

'Rain Man'-like brains mapped at using MRIs and network analysis

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:13 PM PST

Combining hospital MRIs with the mathematical tool known as network analysis, a group of researchers has mapped the three-dimensional global connections within the brains of seven adults who have genetic malformations that leave them without the corpus callosum, which connects the left and right sides of the brain.

Machine similar to dialysis removes cholesterol from blood

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 02:13 PM PST

A treatment that's similar to kidney dialysis is removing cholesterol from the blood of patients who cannot control cholesterol through diet, exercise and medications.

Adult sleepwalking is serious condition that impacts health-related quality of life

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:58 PM PST

A new study found that adult sleepwalking is a potentially serious condition that may induce violent behaviors and affect health-related quality of life.

Thyroid hormones reduce damage and improve heart function after myocardial infarction in rats

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:58 PM PST

A new study shows that thyroid hormones administered to rats at the time of a heart attack improved their heart function and significantly reduced their loss of heart muscle cells. Researchers believe the study prepares them to pursue studies on human patients, which could lead to breakthroughs in cardiac failure treatment.

Sexually transmitted infections: Researchers find a protein link to STI susceptibility

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:56 PM PST

Scientists have found a protein in the female reproductive tract that protects against sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and herpes simplex virus.

Key enzyme missing from aggressive form of breast cancer, groundbreaking study shows

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:55 PM PST

A groundbreaking new study has found that triple-negative breast cancer cells are missing a key enzyme that other cancer cells contain — providing insight into potential therapeutic targets to treat the aggressive cancer. The study is unique in that his lab is the only one in the country to specifically study the metabolic process of triple-negative breast cancer cells.

New method for researching understudied malaria-spreading mosquitoes

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST

Researchers have developed a new method for studying the complex molecular workings of Anopheles albimanus, an important but less studied spreader of human malaria.

Wolf in sheep's clothing: Uncovering how deadly bacteria trick the immune system

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 12:54 PM PST

A new study demonstrates how bacteria can pretend to be a virus and trick the immune system into sending out the wrong type of defense. Such manipulation sheds light on how the flu may make us more susceptible to pneumonia or as in the recent outbreak of TB in Los Angeles, possibly how the flu and other environmental factors could be used to the TB bacteria's advantage.

Brain pathway triggering impulsive eating identified

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:46 AM PST

New research has identified the neural pathways in an insect brain tied to eating for pleasure, a discovery that sheds light on mirror impulsive eating pathways in the human brain.

Grape seed and skin extract: A weapon in the fight against kidney disease caused by high-fat diets

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:46 AM PST

New insight into grape seed extract as a therapeutic and preventative measure to fight obesity-induced kidney damage is presented in a new study. Grape seed and skin extract (GSSE) is known to contain powerful antioxidants. This study is the first to make a link between GSSEs and high-fat-diet-induced renal disease.

Study identifies growth factor essential to the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST

A multi-institutional team has identified a molecular pathway that appears to be essential for the growth and spread of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children. In their report they show that blocking this pathway leads to regression of all four molecular subtypes of medulloblastoma in several mouse models.

Mutation location is the key to prognosis

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:41 AM PST

The three most important factors in real estate are location, location, location, and the same might be said for mutations in the gene MECP2, researchers report in a new study.

Cell movement explained by molecular recycling

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:40 AM PST

Scientists have identified the method by which cells control the recycling of molecules, a process that is essential for them to move. The discovery provides researchers with a better understanding of how our bodies heal wounds. 

Nearly 1 in 4 women with breast cancer report PTSD symptoms, study finds

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 09:40 AM PST

Nearly one in four women (23 percent) newly diagnosed with breast cancer reported symptoms consistent with PTSD shortly after diagnosis, with increased risk among black and Asian women, according to a new study.

Closer personal relationships could help teens overcome learning disabilities

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST

A new study from Israel says that children with learning disabilities develop less secure attachments with mothers and teachers, and that closer and more secure relationships with parents and adults may help them overcome these disabilities.

Trackable drug-filled nanoparticles: Potential weapon against cancer

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST

Tiny particles filled with a drug could be a new tool for treating cancer in the future. Scientists show how such nanoparticles can be combined to secure the effective delivery of cancer drugs to tumor cells -- and how they can be given properties to make them visible in MR scanners and thus be rendered trackable.

Mutation altering stability of surface molecule in acid enables H5N1 infection of mammals

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 08:34 AM PST

A single mutation in the H5N1 avian influenza virus that affects the pH at which the hemagglutinin surface protein is activated simultaneously reduces its capacity to infect ducks and enhances its capacity to grow in mice, according to researchers.

Eating junk food while pregnant may make your child a junk food addict

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:34 AM PST

A healthy diet during pregnancy is critical to the future health of your children. New research suggests that pregnant mothers who consume junk food cause developmental changes of the opioid signaling pathway in the brains of their unborn children. Consequently, these children are less sensitive to opioids released upon consumption of foods high in fat and sugar, and need to eat more to achieve a "feel good" response.

Steroids may shorten hospital stay for pneumonia patients

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:33 AM PST

Patients with pneumonia may spend fewer days in the hospital if they are given steroids along with antibiotics and supportive care.

Kala-azar treatment failing in Nepal

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:33 AM PST

In a recent study, scientists have concluded that the cure rates of Miltefosine, the only oral drug for visceral leishmaniasis available, have significantly decreased. Miltefosine was introduced in the Indian subcontinent a decade ago. Despite adhering to the treatment, only 3 out of 4 patients treated with Miltefosine in Nepal today are being cured.

Breakthrough in sight for cataract treatment

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 07:33 AM PST

Scientists have made a discovery about the shape of the eye that could boost the effectiveness of human-made lenses used in cataract operations.

After the human genome project: The human microbiome project

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 06:38 AM PST

A complex ecosystem exists within our bodies -- communities of microbes affecting the behavior of human host cells. This crucial "microbiome," is considered to be a complex "second genome." The interactions of these microbes and their hosts may yield insights into numerous diseases and disorders. A new article discusses designing a protocol for microbiome research ensuring controls for variations among people.

Progesterone may be why pregnant women are more vulnerable to certain infections

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 06:38 AM PST

Women who are pregnant or using synthetic progesterone birth control injections have a vulnerability to infections including malaria, Listeria, HIV, and herpes simplex virus. New research shows that the progesterone receptor, a pregnancy hormone sensor, targets a part of the immune system responsible for protection against these invaders.

Physical activity does not protect against in situ breast cancer, epidemiological study finds

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 06:35 AM PST

Non-invasive or in situ breast cancer is characterized by the fact that it does not invade or does not multiply in other cells and unlike invasive breast cancer, it is not benefited by physical exercise. The experts suggest that exercise would only have protective effects once the tumour starts to invade the breast tissue. A European study has analyzed the association between physical activities and in situ or non-invasive breast cancer, or, in other words, cancer that has not yet invaded cells within or outside of the breast.

After a stroke, every minute counts: New national guide for care

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 06:34 AM PST

From the moment a person starts to experience stroke symptoms, the clock starts ticking. Every minute that passes can make a difference in how well their brain, arms, legs, speech or thinking ability recover. Now, new national guidelines for stroke treatment make it clear just how much minutes count.

Strains of antibiotic-resistant 'Staph' bacteria show seasonal preference; Children at higher risk in summer

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:05 AM PST

Strains of potentially deadly, antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria show seasonal infection preferences, putting children at greater risk in summer and seniors at greater risk in winter, according to new results.

Reading, writing, arithmetic, and aerobics: Evaluating the new 'R' in academic performance

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:05 AM PST

Although the long-term consequences of childhood obesity are well documented, some school districts have reduced physical education classes to devote more time to the three Rs in education -- reading, writing, and arithmetic. However, there is new evidence that leaving out an important fourth R -- aerobics -- could actually be counterproductive for increasing test scores. A new study studied the associations between aerobic fitness, body mass index, and passing scores on standardized math and reading tests.

Double-jointed adolescents at risk for joint pain, study finds

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:03 AM PST

A prospective study by U.K. researchers found that adolescents who are double-jointed-- medically termed joint hypermobility -- are at greater risk for developing musculoskeletal pain as they get older, particularly in the shoulders, knees, ankles and feet.

Is nanosilver toxic?

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:03 AM PST

According to new research with data obtained on two crustacean species, there is apparently no reason to consider silver nanoparticles more dangerous for aquatic ecosystems than silver ions.

Lipid nanoparticles are ideal for delivering genes and drugs, researchers show

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:02 AM PST

Researchers are using nanotechnology to develop new formulations that can be applied to drugs and gene therapy. Specifically, they are using nanoparticles to design systems for delivering genes and drugs; this helps to get the genes and drugs to the point of action so that they can produce the desired effect.

New cancer target discovered: Mechanism by which PI3K sustains the proliferation of cancer cells

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:02 AM PST

PI3K is a name given to a family of enzymes that are involved in cell growth, proliferation, differentiation and many other cellular functions. These enzymes are also implicated in many cancers and PI3K signalling is a target for treatments. Now, researchers have discovered a previously unrecognized mechanism by which PI3K sustains the proliferation of cancer cells. It appears that PI3K modulates the concentration of spermidine, a polyamine involved in cellular metabolism.

Why some people get zits and others don't

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:01 AM PST

Researchers have discovered that acne bacteria contain "bad" strains associated with pimples and "good" strains that may protect the skin. The findings could lead to a myriad of new therapies to prevent and treat the disfiguring skin disorder.

Research supports promise of cell therapy for bowel disease

Posted: 28 Feb 2013 05:01 AM PST

Researchers have identified a special population of adult stem cells in bone marrow that have the natural ability to migrate to the intestine and produce intestinal cells, suggesting their potential to restore healthy tissue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

IV fluids used by NHS responsible for unnecessary deaths, review finds

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 07:56 PM PST

Starch-based IV fluids used by the NHS to treat seriously ill patients are causing unnecessary deaths, according to a new Cochrane systematic review by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

First signs of heart disease seen in newborns of overweight/obese mums

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 07:56 PM PST

The walls of the body's major artery -- the aorta -- are already thickened in babies born to mums who are overweight or obese, finds a small study.

Every degree fall in winter air temperature equals 1 percent drop in ambulance response time

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 07:56 PM PST

Every one degree fall in outside air temperature during the winter corresponds to a drop in ambulance response time of more than one percent, reveals new research.

Spinal cancer: Guidelines for diagnosis unsupported in patients with lower back pain

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 07:56 PM PST

A new systematic review has raised doubts as to the effectiveness of "red flag" indicators at both identifying and excluding cancer in patients with lower back pain. The authors of the review concluded that most individual red flags were poor at diagnosing spinal malignancies and call for further studies focused on combinations of red flags.

Can your breath identify stress?

Posted: 27 Feb 2013 07:56 PM PST

The perennial stress-buster – a deep breath – could become stress-detector, claims a team of researchers.

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