ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Education, culture affect children's understanding of human body
• Fighting for oral dominance: Good fungi keep bad ones in check in healthy mouths
• Negative effects of joining a gang last long after gang membership ends
• Autism, intellectual disability incidence linked with environmental factors
• Mexican-Americans suffer worse outcomes after stroke
• Gene family that suppresses prostate cancer discovered
• One in five older Americans take medications that work against each other
• Roomy cages built from DNA could one day deliver drugs, devices
• When big isn't better: How the flu bug bit Google
• Stumbling fruit flies lead scientists to discover gene essential for sensing joint position
• Better way to make unnatural amino acids devised
• New ovarian cancer targets proposed: Proteins called TAFs
• Prostate specific antigen screening declines after 2012 USPSTF recommendations
• Novel marker, possible therapeutic target for cardiovascular calcification identified
• We must forget to avoid serious mental disorders, and forgetting is actively regulated
• Scientists catch brain damage in the act
• Human brains 'hard-wired' to link what we see with what we do
• Africans' ability to digest milk linked to spread of cattle raising
• 'Fluorescent' mouse can teach us about many diseases, drugs
• Commonly used pain relievers have added benefit of fighting bacterial infection
• 'Velcro protein' found to play surprising role in cell migration
• Cancer stem cells destroyed with cryoablation and nanoparticle-encapsulated anticancer drug
• One out of two parents do not see their child's weight problem
• Gene variants protect against relapse after treatment for hepatitis C
• What happened when? How the brain stores memories by time
• 'Love hormone' oxytocin could provide new treatment for anorexia, study suggests
• Genetic differences in female athletes with ACL injuries found in study
• Patients should wait 6-to-12 weeks before driving after shoulder surgery
• Comparable outcomes for outpatient, inpatient orthopaedic surgeries
• Hypertension going untreated in U.S. Hispanic community, study shows
• Only small number of symptomatic side effects reported in those taking statins are actually attributable to statins, study finds
• A brain signal for psychosis risk
• Targeting bacterial cell division to fight antibiotic resistance
• No proven benefit of home care visits for UK elderly, finds review
• Protein key to cell motility has implications for stopping cancer metastasis
• Molecule plays important role in triggering immune response
• Can women choose where to give birth? New research reveals how perceptions of risk influence decisions
• Fruit flies help uncover tumor-preventing protein complex

Education, culture affect children's understanding of human body Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 PM PDT Experiences of life and death can help children's understanding of the human body and its function, according to research by psychologists. The study found that children as young as four and five can understand that the human body works to keep us alive. The researchers call this a 'life theory' and say it is important because it enables children to understand other related biological facts, such as what the vital organs do to keep us alive and what happens when people die. The results also have implications for teaching about the human body in schools.

Fighting for oral dominance: Good fungi keep bad ones in check in healthy mouths Posted: 13 Mar 2014 02:35 PM PDT Human mouths contain a balanced mix of microbes which, when disrupted, can lead to oral diseases. A new study compares the bacteria and fungi present in the mouths of healthy individuals with those from patients infected with HIV and illustrates why oral candidiasis (aka 'thrush') is a common complication of HIV infection.

Negative effects of joining a gang last long after gang membership ends Posted: 13 Mar 2014 02:29 PM PDT Joining a gang in adolescence has significant consequences in adulthood beyond criminal behavior, even after a person leaves the gang. Former gang members are more likely to be in poor health, receiving government assistance and struggling with drug abuse than someone who never joined a gang.

Autism, intellectual disability incidence linked with environmental factors Posted: 13 Mar 2014 02:29 PM PDT An analysis of 100 million US medical records reveals that autism and intellectual disability rates correlate with genital malformation incidence in newborn males, an indicator exposure to harmful environmental factors. The study also finds that Autism and ID incidence decreases dramatically in states with stronger regulations on diagnosis.

Mexican-Americans suffer worse outcomes after stroke Posted: 13 Mar 2014 01:45 PM PDT Mexican-Americans had worse neurologic, functional and cognitive outcomes 90 days after their stroke compared to non-Hispanic whites. Mexican-American stroke survivors had moderate functional disability and nearly one-third had post-stroke dementia.

Gene family that suppresses prostate cancer discovered Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT Direct genetic evidence has been reported that a family of genes, called microRNA-34, are bona fide tumor suppressors. The researchers showed in mice how interplay between genes p53 and miR-34 jointly inhibits another cancer-causing gene called MET. In absence of p53 and miR-34, MET overexpresses a receptor protein and promotes unregulated cell growth and metastasis.

One in five older Americans take medications that work against each other Posted: 13 Mar 2014 12:42 PM PDT About three out of four older Americans have multiple chronic health conditions, and more than 20 percent of them are being treated with drugs that work at odds with each other -- the medication being used for one condition can actually make the other condition worse. Direct competition between medications is just one of the concerns, the report noted. Use of multiple medications can also lead to increased numbers of falls and delirium, dizziness, fatigue and anorexia.

Roomy cages built from DNA could one day deliver drugs, devices Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:27 AM PDT A set of self-assembling DNA cages one-tenth as wide as a bacterium have been created by scientists. These DNA nanostructures are some of the largest and most complex structures ever constructed solely from DNA, and they could one day deliver drugs, or house tiny bioreactors or photonic devices that diagnose disease.

When big isn't better: How the flu bug bit Google Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:26 AM PDT Numbers and data can be critical tools in bringing complex issues into focus. The understanding of diseases, for example, benefits from algorithms that help monitor their spread. But without context, a number may be just a number, or even misleading. Google's data-aggregating tool Google Flu Trend was designed to provide real-time monitoring of flu cases around the world, but it also illustrates where 'big-data' analysis can go wrong.

Stumbling fruit flies lead scientists to discover gene essential for sensing joint position Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:24 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a mechanism underlying sensory feedback that guides balance and limb movements. If the findings can be fully replicated in humans, they could lead to a better understanding of and treatments for disorders arising from faulty proprioception, the detection of body position.

Better way to make unnatural amino acids devised Posted: 13 Mar 2014 11:24 AM PDT Chemists have devised a greatly improved technique for making amino acids not found in nature. These "unnatural" amino acids traditionally have been very difficult to synthesize, but are sought after by the pharmaceutical industry for their potential medical uses.

New ovarian cancer targets proposed: Proteins called TAFs Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:43 AM PDT Proteins called TAFs were once thought to be generic cogs in the machinery of gene expression, but in a new study, scientists propose that they may be important suspects in the progression of ovarian cancer that should not continue to be overlooked. Scientists need such new leads in their investigation of ovarian cancer, the most deadly reproductive cancer. Mortality has remained tragically steady since the last major therapeutic breakthrough came in the 1990s. Pursuing the evidence that these proteins may be involved could allow researchers to make new progress.

Prostate specific antigen screening declines after 2012 USPSTF recommendations Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:42 AM PDT Researchers have assessed the impact of the 2012 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations against routine prostate specific antigen (PSA) cancer screenings, which cited evidence that the risks of screening outweigh the benefits. Results of the current study indicate that the USPSTF recommendations have resulted in a decrease in the number of PSA screenings ordered by doctors, with the greatest decline seen among urologists.

Novel marker, possible therapeutic target for cardiovascular calcification identified Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT Certain proteins in osteoclasts, a precursor to bone, may be used in helping to destroy cardiovascular calcification by dissolving mineral deposits, a team of researchers has learned. The research suggests a potential therapeutic avenue for patients with cardiovascular calcification.

We must forget to avoid serious mental disorders, and forgetting is actively regulated Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT In order to function properly, the human brain requires the ability not only to store but also to forget: Through memory loss, unnecessary information is deleted and the nervous system retains its plasticity. A disruption of this process can lead to serious mental disorders. Scientists have now discovered a molecular mechanism that actively regulates the process of forgetting.

Scientists catch brain damage in the act Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:32 AM PDT Scientists have uncovered how inflammation and lack of oxygen conspire to cause brain damage in conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's disease, bringing researchers a step closer to finding potential targets to treat neurodegenerative disorders. Chronic inflammation and hypoxia, or oxygen deficiency, are hallmarks of several brain diseases, but little has been known about how they contribute to symptoms such as memory loss.

Human brains 'hard-wired' to link what we see with what we do Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT Your brain's ability to instantly link what you see with what you do is down to a dedicated information 'highway,' suggests new research. For the first time, researchers have found evidence of a specialized mechanism for spatial self-awareness that combines visual cues with body motion. The newly-discovered system could explain why some schizophrenia patients feel like their actions are controlled by someone else.

Africans' ability to digest milk linked to spread of cattle raising Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT A new study -- constituting the largest investigation ever of lactose tolerance in geographically diverse populations of Africans -- investigated the genetic origins of this trait and offers support to the idea that the ability to digest milk was a powerful selective force in a variety of African populations which raised cattle and consumed the animals' fresh milk.

'Fluorescent' mouse can teach us about many diseases, drugs Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT A mouse has been created by scientists that expresses a fluorescing 'biosensor' in every cell of its body, allowing diseased cells and drugs to be tracked and evaluated in real time and in three dimensions.

Commonly used pain relievers have added benefit of fighting bacterial infection Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:31 AM PDT Some commonly used drugs that combat aches and pains, fever, and inflammation are also thought to have the ability to kill bacteria. New research reveals that these drugs, better known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, act on bacteria in a way that is fundamentally different from current antibiotics. The discovery could open up new strategies for fighting drug-resistant infections and 'superbugs.'

'Velcro protein' found to play surprising role in cell migration Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:25 AM PDT Studying epithelial cells, the cell type that most commonly turns cancerous, researchers have identified a protein that causes cells to release from their neighbors and migrate away from healthy mammary, or breast, tissue in mice. "Our goal is to improve outcomes for patients with metastatic breast cancer, and this work takes us one step closer to doing so," says the lead author.

Cancer stem cells destroyed with cryoablation and nanoparticle-encapsulated anticancer drug Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Combining nanodrug-based chemotherapy and cryoablation provides an effective strategy to eliminate cancer stem-like cells -- the root of cancer resistance and metastasis, which will help to improve the safety and efficacy of treating malignancies that are refractory to conventional therapies. Cryoablation (also called cryosurgery or cryotherapy) is an energy-based, minimally invasive surgical technique that has been investigated to treat a variety of diseases including cancer, which is done by freezing the diseased tissue to subzero temperature to induce irreversible damage.

One out of two parents do not see their child's weight problem Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT One out of two parents of children with overweight feel that their child's weight is normal. Four out of ten parents of children with overweight or obesity are even worried that their child will get too thin. These are the findings of a European study of parents of more than 16,000 children.

Gene variants protect against relapse after treatment for hepatitis C Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:17 AM PDT Researchers have identified a gene that helps to explain why certain patients with chronic hepatitis C do not experience relapse after treatment. The discovery may contribute to more effective treatment. More than 100 million humans around the world are infected with hepatitis C virus. The infection gives rise to chronic liver inflammation, which may result in reduced liver function, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Even though anti-viral medications often efficiently eliminate the virus, the infection recurs in approximately one fifth of the patients.

What happened when? How the brain stores memories by time Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT New research shows that a part of the brain called the hippocampus stores memories by their "temporal context" -- what happened before, and what came after -- and not by content. From brain scans of the hippocampus as the volunteers were answering questions in this study, researchers could identify patterns of activity specific to each image. But when they showed the volunteers the same images in a different sequence, they got different patterns of activity. In other words, the coding of the memory in the hippocampus was dependent on its context, not just on content.

'Love hormone' oxytocin could provide new treatment for anorexia, study suggests Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:27 AM PDT Oxytocin, also known as the 'love hormone,' could provide a new treatment for anorexia nervosa, according to new research. The study found that oxytocin alters anorexic patients' tendencies to fixate on images of high calorie foods, and larger body shape. The findings follow an earlier study by the same group showing that oxytocin changed patients' responses to angry and disgusted faces.

Genetic differences in female athletes with ACL injuries found in study Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:26 AM PDT For the first time, a new study identified varied female-to-male expression of ribonucleic acid molecules leading to proteins maintaining ligament structure, that could explain why females are more likely to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament injury than males.

Patients should wait 6-to-12 weeks before driving after shoulder surgery Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:26 AM PDT In a new study, shoulder replacement patients showed improved driving performance at 12 weeks, with a significant decrease in the number of collisions in the simulated driving course compared to the tests conducted preoperatively and two weeks after surgery. Results show a statistically significant difference in the mean number of collisions between the first and fourth test.

Comparable outcomes for outpatient, inpatient orthopaedic surgeries Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:26 AM PDT In a new research study, same-day total joint replacement patient outcomes were comparable to those of patients admitted to the hospital and staying at least one night following surgery. However, readmission rates, although statistically "non-significant," were higher for outpatient procedures.

Hypertension going untreated in U.S. Hispanic community, study shows Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:26 AM PDT There is a significant deficit in recognition and control of hypertension in the Hispanic population of the United States, according to a new study. The research sampled 16,400 individuals, making it one of the largest and most rigorous health studies of the Hispanic community. Hispanics are currently the largest minority group within the US population. The results show that while the prevalence of hypertension in the Hispanic community is nearly equal to that of non-Hispanic whites, diagnosis of the disease is much lower, as is general awareness of its symptoms and treatment options.

Only small number of symptomatic side effects reported in those taking statins are actually attributable to statins, study finds Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:24 AM PDT Only a small number of symptomatic side effects reported in those taking statins are actually attributable to statins, according to large meta-analysis of prevention trials, and investigators of a new study are calling on drug regulators to provide clear evidence to patients on claims of drug side effects.

A brain signal for psychosis risk Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:24 AM PDT Only one third of individuals identified as being at clinical high risk for psychosis actually convert to a psychotic disorder within a three-year follow-up period. This risk assessment is based on the presence of sub-threshold psychotic-like symptoms. Thus, clinical symptom criteria alone do not predict future psychosis risk with sufficient accuracy to justify aggressive early intervention, especially with medications such as antipsychotics that produce significant side effects.

Targeting bacterial cell division to fight antibiotic resistance Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:22 AM PDT New research has found some compounds effective in blocking the proliferation of certain bacteria, raising hopes of a new class of drugs to combat antibiotic resistant infections.

No proven benefit of home care visits for UK elderly, finds review Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:20 PM PDT A large-scale review of academic literature into whether home care visits provide benefits for the elderly concludes there is 'no consistent evidence' to show they lead to the elderly living longer or having more independent lives than elderly people without visits.

Protein key to cell motility has implications for stopping cancer metastasis Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:01 PM PDT A key cell-movement protein called IRSp53, as described by researchers, is regulated in a resting and active state, and in a new study, they address what this means for cancer-cell metastasis. "We characterized how IRSp53 connects to the cell-motility machinery," says an author. "It does this by starting the formation of cell filopodia -- extensions that form when a cell needs to move."

Molecule plays important role in triggering immune response Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:23 AM PDT The nucleoside adenosine -— a tiny chemical structure made up of a simple base linked to a sugar —- is critical for the regulation of bodily functions ranging from blood flow to tissue repair to sleep. Now, researchers show that adenosine is essential in promoting the development of a type of immune response that helps oust gut-infecting worms.

Can women choose where to give birth? New research reveals how perceptions of risk influence decisions Posted: 12 Mar 2014 08:47 AM PDT Perceptions of risk around pregnancy, and how this influences decisions about where to give birth, were the focus of a new study. Despite childbirth in the UK being increasingly considered safe, the article shows that childbirth is still seen as 'risky'. This is reflected in decisions about where to give birth, with hospital obstetric unit (OU) births remaining the choice for the majority. Proportions of home-births over the past two decades remaining virtually static at 2.5% and a further 5% take place in Freestanding Midwifery Units or Alongside Midwifery Unit.

Fruit flies help uncover tumor-preventing protein complex Posted: 12 Mar 2014 07:35 AM PDT A protein complex that disrupts the process known as dedifferentiation, known to promote tumor development, has been uncovered by researchers. These findings have provided a critical and novel insight into a process that was previously poorly understood, and have implications for the overall understanding of NSCs and for the development of future cancer therapies.

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