ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Is BPA linked to breast cancer?
• Cellphones exceed U.S. FCC exposure limits by as much as double for children, study finds
• Heart disease linked to evolutionary changes that may have protected early mammals from trauma
• Gay and bisexual men have varied sexual repertoires, study suggests
• Efficacy of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma vaccine demonstrated in dogs
• Steroids could help heal some corneal ulcers, study finds
• Relationships more important than genetic ties when deciding who cares for aging family, study finds
• Cells are crawling all over our bodies, but how?
• Malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S reduces the risk of malaria by half in African children, study finds
• Cough may warn of danger for patients with lung-scarring disease
• First-ever sequence and structure of biologically important carbohydrate
• Timing for clinical trials for stem cell therapy in spinal cord injuries is right, review suggests
• New acute hepatitis C screening strategy for HIV-infected patients
• Expanding HIV treatment for discordant couples could significantly reduce global HIV epidemic
• Optimal modulation of ion channels rescues neurons associated with epilepsy
• National health care scorecard: United States scores 64 out of 100
• Fatal crashes in the US: Fewer Canadian drivers under the influence
• Why steroid treatment for COPD is ineffective
• Technology targets genetic disorders linked to X chromosome
• Nearly half of US physician practices do not meet national standards for 'medical homes'
• Can we share vampires' appetite for synthetic blood?
• Medical researchers breath new life into fight against primary killer of premature infants
• New discovery in the fight against tuberculosis
• Can taking calcium with other minerals help prevent Bowel Cancer?
• Tricking resistant cancer cells into committing suicide
• Child football helmet study underway
• Shift work in teens linked to increased multiple sclerosis risk
• Guidelines expanded for infant sleep safety and SIDS risk reduction
• Premature babies at risk of ill health in later life, research suggests
• Researchers create simulator to train embryologists

Is BPA linked to breast cancer? Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:41 PM PDT Chronic low-level exposure to a compound found in a variety of plastic household items could pose a threat to women who overproduce a protein linked with breast cancer, say researchers.

Cellphones exceed U.S. FCC exposure limits by as much as double for children, study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:26 PM PDT New research shows that cell phones used in the shirt or pants pocket exceed the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) exposure guidelines and that children absorb twice as much microwave radiation from phones as do adults.

Heart disease linked to evolutionary changes that may have protected early mammals from trauma Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:13 PM PDT Can a bird have a heart attack? A new study suggests that cardiovascular disease may be an unfortunate consequence of mammalian evolution. The study demonstrates that the same features of blood platelets that may have provided an evolutionary advantage to early mammals now predispose humans to cardiovascular disease.

Gay and bisexual men have varied sexual repertoires, study suggests Posted: 18 Oct 2011 12:52 PM PDT A new study has found the sexual repertoire of gay men surprisingly diverse, suggesting that a broader, less disease-focused perspective might be warranted by public health and medical practitioners in addressing the sexual health of gay and bisexual men.

Efficacy of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma vaccine demonstrated in dogs Posted: 18 Oct 2011 12:52 PM PDT An experimental vaccine is the first veterinary cancer vaccine of its kind that shows an increase in survival time for dogs with spontaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The work shows for the first time the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of this alternative cell-based vaccine, which could be employed in the treatment of a number of different cancer types.

Steroids could help heal some corneal ulcers, study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:13 AM PDT A new study gives hope to those suffering from severe cases of bacterial corneal ulcers, which can lead to blindness if left untreated. The use of topical corticosteroids in a randomized controlled trial was found to be neither beneficial nor harmful in the overall patient population in the study. However, it helped patients who had more serious forms of bacterial corneal ulcers, according to researchers.

Relationships more important than genetic ties when deciding who cares for aging family, study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:13 AM PDT Researchers have found that relationship quality trumps genetic ties when determining caregiving obligations. Researchers studied how divorce and remarriage affect beliefs about who should care for aging relatives and found that relationship quality, a history of mutual help, and resource availability influence decisions about who cares for parents and stepparents.

Cells are crawling all over our bodies, but how? Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:13 AM PDT For better and for worse, human health depends on a cell's motility -- the ability to crawl from place to place. In every human body, millions of cells are crawling around doing mostly good deeds -- though if any of those crawlers are cancerous, watch out.

Malaria vaccine candidate RTS,S reduces the risk of malaria by half in African children, study finds Posted: 18 Oct 2011 10:13 AM PDT First results from a large-scale Phase III trial of RTS,S* show the malaria vaccine candidate to provide young African children with significant protection against clinical and severe malaria with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.

Cough may warn of danger for patients with lung-scarring disease Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT A new analysis has found that coughing may signal trouble for patients with the lung-scarring disease known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The study found that patients with the condition who also cough are more likely to develop advanced forms of the disease that may be life threatening.

First-ever sequence and structure of biologically important carbohydrate Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT Scientists have been unable to determine the structure of a biologically important so-called GAG proteoglycan -- or even to agree whether these remarkably complex molecules have well-defined structures. Medical researchers have now, for the first time, determined the sequence and structure of a glycosaminoglycan, or GAG, proteoglycan.

Timing for clinical trials for stem cell therapy in spinal cord injuries is right, review suggests Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT Regenerative medicine in spinal cord injuries (SCI) is proving to help the human body create new cell and nerve connections that are severed during this type of injury. A new review provide evidence that supports researchers moving beyond the lab to conduct human clinical trials for stem cells.

New acute hepatitis C screening strategy for HIV-infected patients Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a practical strategy for regularly screening HIV-infected patients for acute hepatitis C virus infection, a "silent epidemic" that is rising undetected in this population and can lead to serious health complications.

Expanding HIV treatment for discordant couples could significantly reduce global HIV epidemic Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT A new study uses a mathematical model to predict the potential impact of expanding treatment to discordant couples on controlling the global HIV epidemic -- in these couples one partner has HIV infection. The research is among the first to predict the effect of the expansion of such treatment in couples on the HIV epidemic in certain African countries.

Optimal modulation of ion channels rescues neurons associated with epilepsy Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT New research successfully reverses epilepsy-associated pathology by using a sophisticated single-cell modeling paradigm to examine abnormal cell behavior and identify the optimal modulation of channel activity. The study describes a procedure that may be useful for rescuing function in organs with excitable cells, such as the heart and pancreas.

National health care scorecard: United States scores 64 out of 100 Posted: 18 Oct 2011 09:18 AM PDT The US health-care system scored 64 out of 100 on key measures of performance, according to the third national scorecard report. The scorecard finds that -- despite pockets of improvement -- the US overall failed to improve when compared to best performers. There was significant erosion in access to care and affordability of care, as health care costs rose far faster than family incomes.

Fatal crashes in the US: Fewer Canadian drivers under the influence Posted: 18 Oct 2011 08:19 AM PDT Alcohol-related fatal motor vehicle crashes in the US are much lower among drivers with Canadian licenses than drivers with US or Mexican licenses. Research from other countries finds foreign drivers are at greater risk of crashes than native drivers. In contrast, this study shows that drivers licensed in Mexico and Canada who were involved in fatal crashes in the US had the same or less alcohol impairment than US-licensed drivers.

Why steroid treatment for COPD is ineffective Posted: 18 Oct 2011 07:27 AM PDT Corticosteroids do not improve survival nor alter the progression of COPD and may reduce lung symptoms as little as 20 percent. A new study found why corticosteroids do not work well for COPD patients and how additional treatment with sulforaphane -- an ingredient of broccoli and other vegetables -- can improve the effectiveness of corticosteroids.

Technology targets genetic disorders linked to X chromosome Posted: 18 Oct 2011 07:27 AM PDT Geneticists have demonstrated a method that enables the routine amplification of all the genes on the X chromosome. The technology allows the rapid and highly accurate sequencing and identification of novel genetic variants affecting X chromosome genes.

Nearly half of US physician practices do not meet national standards for 'medical homes' Posted: 18 Oct 2011 07:26 AM PDT Nearly half (46 percent) of physician practices do not meet national standards to qualify as a medical home, study finds.

Can we share vampires' appetite for synthetic blood? Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:51 AM PDT Vampires on the "True Blood" television series are already enjoying the advantages of synthetic blood. While this may seem to be only the imagination on the big screen, the true benefits of blood manufactured from embryonic stem cells may be less than a decade away.

Medical researchers breath new life into fight against primary killer of premature infants Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:23 AM PDT A new discovery might explain why some premature infants fail to respond to existing treatments for a deadly respiratory distress syndrome and offers clues for new ways to treat the breathing disorder.

New discovery in the fight against tuberculosis Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:23 AM PDT New research may help in the ongoing fight against tuberculosis. Medical researchers have discovered a connection between the development of new lymphoid tissue within the lung and protection against the disease.

Can taking calcium with other minerals help prevent Bowel Cancer? Posted: 18 Oct 2011 06:21 AM PDT A team of scientists in the US is investigating the role of calcium with other trace minerals in preventing bowel cancer.

Tricking resistant cancer cells into committing suicide Posted: 18 Oct 2011 05:46 AM PDT Scientists have found a way to trick resistant cancer cells into committing suicide following oncolytic virus therapy.

Child football helmet study underway Posted: 18 Oct 2011 05:46 AM PDT Youth football helmets are currently designed to the same standards as adult helmets, even though little is known about how child football players impact their heads. This is the first study to investigate the head impact characteristics in youth football.

Shift work in teens linked to increased multiple sclerosis risk Posted: 18 Oct 2011 05:46 AM PDT Researchers from Sweden have uncovered an association between shift work and increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Those who engage in off-hour employment before the age of 20 may be at risk for MS due to a disruption in their circadian rhythm and sleep pattern.

Guidelines expanded for infant sleep safety and SIDS risk reduction Posted: 18 Oct 2011 05:46 AM PDT In an updated policy statement and technical report, the American Academy of Pediatrics is expanding its guidelines on safe sleep for babies, with additional information for parents on creating a safe environment for their babies to sleep.

Premature babies at risk of ill health in later life, research suggests Posted: 18 Oct 2011 05:44 AM PDT Young adults who were born prematurely show multiple biological signs of risks to future health, new research has found. The scientists say that the research indicates that urgent work is now needed to monitor preterm babies into adulthood to improve the detection of early signs of disease.

Researchers create simulator to train embryologists Posted: 18 Oct 2011 05:44 AM PDT Researchers in Spain have presented a unique system that simulates the environment of an embryology laboratory and avoids the waste of valuable human biological material and breakages of medical equipment.

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