ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• 21st century bloodletting reduces cardiovascular risk
• Antioxidant shows promise as treatment for certain features of autism
• Facts in scientific drug literature may not be
• Diabetes drug could be a promising therapy for traumatic brain injury
• Older adults may need more vitamin D to prevent mobility difficulties, study suggests
• Three percent of US executions since 1900 were botched, study finds
• Children exposed to the common pollutant naphthalene show signs of chromosomal damage
• Why swine flu virus is developing drug resistance
• Neuron function restored in brains damaged by Huntington's disease
• Ion-based electronic chip to control muscles: Entirely new circuit technology based on ions and molecules
• World's largest release of comprehensive human cancer genome data helps researchers everywhere speed discoveries
• Bananas are as beneficial as sports drinks, study suggests
• PCB exposure linked to increased abdominal fat
• Too much vitamin D can be as unhealthy as too little, study suggests
• 16th-century Korean mummy provides clue to hepatitis B virus genetic code
• Mediterranean diet is definitively linked to quality of life
• Commonly used painkillers may protect against skin cancer
• Earlier detection of bone loss may be in future: Isotope analysis rather than x-ray used for measurement
• T cells 'hunt' parasites like animal predators seek prey, a new study reveals

21st century bloodletting reduces cardiovascular risk Posted: 29 May 2012 06:16 PM PDT It seems that  while the practice of bloodletting throughout history had little or no effect on most diseases, and the practice was abandoned in the 19th century, new research demonstrates that blood donation has real benefits for obese people with metabolic syndrome. Two sessions of bloodletting were enough to improve blood pressure and markers of cardiovascular disease.

Antioxidant shows promise as treatment for certain features of autism Posted: 29 May 2012 03:27 PM PDT A specific antioxidant supplement may be an effective therapy for some features of autism, according to a pilot trial that involved 31 children with the disorder.

Facts in scientific drug literature may not be Posted: 29 May 2012 03:11 PM PDT A growing concern with fraud and misconduct in published drug studies has led researchers to investigate the extent and reasons for retractions in the research.

Diabetes drug could be a promising therapy for traumatic brain injury Posted: 29 May 2012 10:37 AM PDT A researcher says that a common FDA-approved diabetes drug significantly minimizes brain damage when administered shortly after a traumatic injury suffered in an explosion or car accident.

Older adults may need more vitamin D to prevent mobility difficulties, study suggests Posted: 29 May 2012 10:37 AM PDT Older adults who don't get enough vitamin D -- either from diet, supplements or sun exposure -- may be at increased risk of developing mobility limitations and disability, according to new research.

Three percent of US executions since 1900 were botched, study finds Posted: 29 May 2012 10:34 AM PDT Of approximately 9,000 executions that took place from 1900 to 2011, 270 of them involved some problem, according to a new study. Researchers created a database of all the "departures from the protocol of killing someone sentenced to death" in the past 111 years.

Children exposed to the common pollutant naphthalene show signs of chromosomal damage Posted: 29 May 2012 08:36 AM PDT Children exposed to high levels of the common air pollutant naphthalene are at increased risk for chromosomal aberrations (CAs), which have been previously associated with cancer. These include chromosomal translocations, a potentially more harmful and long-lasting subtype of CAs.

Why swine flu virus is developing drug resistance Posted: 29 May 2012 08:36 AM PDT Computer chips of a type more commonly found in game consoles have been used by scientists to reveal how the flu virus resists anti-flu drugs such as Relenza and Tamiflu.

Neuron function restored in brains damaged by Huntington's disease Posted: 29 May 2012 08:36 AM PDT Researchers have restored neuron function to parts of the brain damaged by Huntington's disease (HD) by successfully transplanting HD-induced pluripotent stem cells into animal models.

Ion-based electronic chip to control muscles: Entirely new circuit technology based on ions and molecules Posted: 29 May 2012 08:35 AM PDT An integrated chemical chip has just been developed. An advantage of chemical circuits is that the charge carrier consists of chemical substances with various functions. This means that we now have new opportunities to control and regulate the signal paths of cells in the human body. The chemical chip can control the delivery of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This enables chemical control of muscles, which are activated when they come into contact with acetylcholine.

World's largest release of comprehensive human cancer genome data helps researchers everywhere speed discoveries Posted: 29 May 2012 08:33 AM PDT The world's largest release of comprehensive human cancer genome data helps researchers everywhere speed discoveries.

Bananas are as beneficial as sports drinks, study suggests Posted: 29 May 2012 08:32 AM PDT Bananas have long been a favorite source of energy for endurance and recreational athletes. Bananas are a rich source of potassium and other nutrients, and are easy for cyclists, runners or hikers to carry.

PCB exposure linked to increased abdominal fat Posted: 29 May 2012 07:24 AM PDT There is a correlation between high levels of the environmental toxin PCB and the distribution of body fat to the abdomen. Abdominal fat is already known to increase the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, among other conditions.

Too much vitamin D can be as unhealthy as too little, study suggests Posted: 29 May 2012 07:23 AM PDT Scientists know that vitamin D deficiency is not healthy. However, new research now indicates that too high a level of the essential vitamin is not good either. The study is based on blood samples from 247,574 Copenhageners.

16th-century Korean mummy provides clue to hepatitis B virus genetic code Posted: 29 May 2012 07:22 AM PDT The discovery of a mummified Korean child with relatively preserved organs enabled an Israeli-South Korean scientific team to conduct a genetic analysis on a liver biopsy which revealed a unique hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype C2 sequence common in Southeast Asia.

Mediterranean diet is definitively linked to quality of life Posted: 29 May 2012 07:22 AM PDT For years the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lesser chance of illness and increased well-being. A new study has now linked it to mental and physical health too. The Mediterranean diet, which is characterized by the consumption of fruit, vegetables, pulses (beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils) fish, olive oil and nuts, has been demonstrated to be beneficial to the health in terms of a lesser chance of chronic illness and a lower mortality rate. A new study has revealed that those who follow a Mediterranean diet score higher on a quality of life questionnaire than those who don't.

Commonly used painkillers may protect against skin cancer Posted: 29 May 2012 04:38 AM PDT A new study suggests that aspirin and other similar painkillers may help protect against skin cancer. New findings indicate that skin cancer prevention may be added to the benefits of these commonly used medications.

Earlier detection of bone loss may be in future: Isotope analysis rather than x-ray used for measurement Posted: 28 May 2012 12:49 PM PDT Scientists are developing a new approach to the medical challenge of detecting bone loss by applying a technique that originated in the Earth sciences.

T cells 'hunt' parasites like animal predators seek prey, a new study reveals Posted: 27 May 2012 12:38 PM PDT By pairing an intimate knowledge of immune-system function with a deep understanding of statistical physics, a cross-disciplinary team has arrived at a surprising finding: T cells use a movement strategy to track down parasites that is similar to strategies that predators such as monkeys, sharks and bluefin tuna use to hunt their prey.

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