ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• How stress can boost immune system
• Preventing or better managing diabetes may prevent cognitive decline
• Avian flu viruses which are transmissible between humans could evolve in nature
• Immune system molecule weaves cobweb-like nanonets to snag Salmonella, other intestinal microbes
• New cause of spinal muscular atrophy described
• Stopping and starting cancer cell cycle weakens and defeats multiple myeloma
• Parents -- not TV -- may determine whether kids are active or couch potatoes
• Common blood pressure drug linked to severe gastrointestinal problems
• Lab-engineered kidney project reaches early milestone
• Racial and gender profiling can affect outcome of traffic stops
• New anti-inflammatory drugs pinch off reactive oxygen species at the source
• Enzyme offers new therapeutic target for cancer drugs
• Genomics and African queens: Diversity within Ethiopian genomes reveals imprints of historical events
• Our microbes, ourselves: Billions of bacteria within, essential for immune function, are ours alone
• New candidate drug stops cancer cells, regenerates nerve cells
• Functional links between autism and genes explained
• Spiders enlisted in fight against woodworms: Could they also help control malaria?
• DNA used to identify deceased along Texas-Mexico border
• Protein may be key to psoriasis and wound care
• Stagnating life expectancies in United States: Poorer U.S. citizens live five years less than the affluent
• Misidentified and contaminated cell lines lead to faulty cancer science, experts say
• Tracking stem cells in the body
• Drug study shows clubbers have little interest in new wave legal highs
• Darwin’s principles say cancer will always evolve to resist treatment
• Eating disorder behaviors and weight concerns are common in women over 50
• How active is your child really?
• Drug combo can block mother-to-infant HIV transmission, study suggests
• 'Brain pacemaker' effective for years against Parkinson's disease
• Omega-3 lowers inflammation in overweight older adults
• Breast cancer's many drivers
• Gene sequencing project identifies potential drug targets in common childhood brain tumor
• Non-antibiotic approach for treating urinary tract infections
• Simple new way to clean traces of impurities from drug ingredients
• Adolescents who have more than four meals a day are thinner
• I want to know where love is: First brain map of love and desire

How stress can boost immune system Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:35 PM PDT Scientist have tracked the trajectories of key immune cells in response to short-term stress and traced, in great detail, how hormones triggered by such stress enhance immune readiness. The study, conducted in rats, adds weight to evidence that immune responsiveness is heightened, rather than suppressed as many believe, by the so-called "fight-or-flight" response.

Preventing or better managing diabetes may prevent cognitive decline Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:59 PM PDT Preventing diabetes or delaying its onset has been thought to stave off cognitive decline -- a connection strongly supported by the results of a nine-year study.

Avian flu viruses which are transmissible between humans could evolve in nature Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT It might be possible for human-to-human airborne transmissible avian H5N1 influenza viruses to evolve in nature, new research has found.

Immune system molecule weaves cobweb-like nanonets to snag Salmonella, other intestinal microbes Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:15 PM PDT Scientists have found that human alpha-defensin 6 (HD6) -- a key component of the body's innate defense system -- binds to microbial surfaces and forms "nanonets" that surround, entangle and disable microbes, preventing bacteria from attaching to or invading intestinal cells.

New cause of spinal muscular atrophy described Posted: 21 Jun 2012 12:13 PM PDT Scientists have discovered that a commonly held assumption is wrong and that a separate role of the SMN gene – still not completely elucidated -- is likely responsible for the disease's manifestations.

Stopping and starting cancer cell cycle weakens and defeats multiple myeloma Posted: 21 Jun 2012 11:13 AM PDT Researchers have devised an innovative boxer-like strategy, based on the serial use of two anti-cancer drugs, to deliver a one-two punch to first weaken the defenses of multiple myeloma and then deliver the final knock-out punch to win the fight.

Parents -- not TV -- may determine whether kids are active or couch potatoes Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Researchers at Oregon State University have confirmed what we knew all along -- children in this country are increasingly sedentary, spending too much time sitting and looking at electronic screens. But it's not necessarily because of the newest gee-whiz gadgets -- parents play a major factor in whether young children are on the move.

Common blood pressure drug linked to severe gastrointestinal problems Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Researchers have discovered an association between a commonly prescribed blood pressure drug, Olmesartan, and severe gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and electrolyte abnormalities -- symptoms common among those who have celiac disease.

Lab-engineered kidney project reaches early milestone Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Regenerative medicine researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have reached an early milestone in a long-term project that aims to build replacement kidneys in the lab to help solve the shortage of donor organs.

Racial and gender profiling can affect outcome of traffic stops Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Racial profiling can involve an additional factor: Gender. A researcher is analyzing police actions during routine traffic stops to understand how race and gender are connected.

New anti-inflammatory drugs pinch off reactive oxygen species at the source Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:07 AM PDT Scientists have identified a new type of anti-inflammatory compound that may be useful in treating a wide range of conditions, including neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. These compounds inhibit the enzyme Nox2, part of a family of enzymes responsible for producing reactive oxygen species.

Enzyme offers new therapeutic target for cancer drugs Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered a new signal transduction pathway specifically devoted to the regulation of alternative RNA splicing, a process that allows a single gene to produce or code multiple types of protein variants. The discovery suggests the new pathway might be a fruitful target for new cancer drugs.

Genomics and African queens: Diversity within Ethiopian genomes reveals imprints of historical events Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Researchers have started to unveil the genetic heritage of Ethiopian populations, who are among the most diverse in the world, and lie at the gateway from Africa. They found that the genomes of some Ethiopian populations bear striking similarities to those of populations in Israel and Syria, a potential genetic legacy of the Queen of Sheba and her companions.

Our microbes, ourselves: Billions of bacteria within, essential for immune function, are ours alone Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Gut bacteria's key role in immunity is tuned to the host species, suggesting that the superabundant microbes lining our digestive tract are ultimately our evolutionary partners. This study, the first to demonstrate that microbes are specific to their host species, also sheds light on what's called the hygiene hypothesis.

New candidate drug stops cancer cells, regenerates nerve cells Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT Scientists have developed a small-molecule-inhibiting drug that in early laboratory cell tests stopped breast cancer cells from spreading and also promoted the growth of early nerve cells called neurites. The scientists named their lead drug candidate "Rhosin" and hope future testing shows it to be promising for the treatment of various cancers or nervous system damage.

Functional links between autism and genes explained Posted: 21 Jun 2012 10:06 AM PDT A pioneering report of genome-wide gene expression in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) finds genetic changes that help explain why one person has an ASD and another does not. The study, pinpoints ASD risk factors by comparing changes in gene expression with DNA mutation data in the same individuals. This innovative approach is likely to pave the way for future personalized medicine, not just for ASD but also for any disease with a genetic component.

Spiders enlisted in fight against woodworms: Could they also help control malaria? Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:55 AM PDT Property owners who need to banish destructive woodworm could have an eight-legged alternative to chemical sprays that are potentially dangerous and only partially effective.  They could enlist the aid of very special spiders that will seek and devour the destructive grubs. And a further, exciting possibility is that malaria could be curtailed by the creatures.

DNA used to identify deceased along Texas-Mexico border Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Baylor professor organizes a field school to a Texas border town to exhume bodies of those that died while crossing the border for the purpose of identification and repatriation to Mexico.

Protein may be key to psoriasis and wound care Posted: 21 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder in which skin cells proliferate out of control. For some hard-to-heal wounds, the problem is just the opposite: Restorative skin cells don't grow well or fast enough. Researchers now describe a molecule that may lead to new treatments for both problems.

Stagnating life expectancies in United States: Poorer U.S. citizens live five years less than the affluent Posted: 21 Jun 2012 08:34 AM PDT Despite modest gains in lifespan over the past century, the United States still trails many of the world's countries when it comes to life expectancy, and its poorest citizens live approximately five years less than more affluent persons, according to a new study.

Misidentified and contaminated cell lines lead to faulty cancer science, experts say Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Due to a high rate of contamination, misidentification and redundancy in widely available cell lines, researchers may be drawing faulty conclusions, experts say.

Tracking stem cells in the body Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Researchers have developed new methods to track stem cells and further understanding of what happens to them after they have been in the body for a significant period of time.

Drug study shows clubbers have little interest in new wave legal highs Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:20 AM PDT Clubbers show little interest in the subsequent wave of legal highs that have become available since mephedrone was banned, according to a new study.

Darwin’s principles say cancer will always evolve to resist treatment Posted: 21 Jun 2012 07:19 AM PDT Cancer is subject to the evolutionary processes laid out by Charles Darwin in his concept of natural selection, experts say. Natural selection was the process identified by Darwin by which nature selects certain physical attributes, or phenotypes, to pass on to offspring to better "fit" the organism to the environment.

Eating disorder behaviors and weight concerns are common in women over 50 Posted: 21 Jun 2012 04:09 AM PDT Eating disorders are commonly seen as an issue faced by teenagers and young women, but a new study reveals that age is no barrier to disordered eating. In women aged 50 and over, 3.5 percent report binge eating, nearly eight percent report purging, and more than 70 percent are trying to lose weight. The study revealed that 62 percent of women claimed that their weight or shape negatively impacted on their life.

How active is your child really? Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:32 PM PDT Children younger than eight need to be targeted to make sure they lead more active lives to combat our obesity time-bomb, researchers say. Their new study reveals that children are not spending enough time being active and that girls are already becoming more sedentary than boys by the age of eight.

Drug combo can block mother-to-infant HIV transmission, study suggests Posted: 20 Jun 2012 06:28 PM PDT A two- or three-drug combination given within 48 hours of birth to infants born of HIV-positive mothers can reduce the risk of intrapartum HIV acquisition by about half, compared to AZT alone.

'Brain pacemaker' effective for years against Parkinson's disease Posted: 20 Jun 2012 01:24 PM PDT A "brain pacemaker" called deep brain stimulation remains an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease for at least three years.

Omega-3 lowers inflammation in overweight older adults Posted: 20 Jun 2012 12:39 PM PDT New research shows that omega-3 fatty acid supplements can lower inflammation in healthy, but overweight, middle-aged and older adults, suggesting that regular use of these supplements could help protect against and treat certain illnesses.

Breast cancer's many drivers Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:31 AM PDT Breast cancer is not a single disease, but a collection of diseases with dozens of different mutations that crop up with varying frequency across different breast cancer subtypes. In one of the largest breast cancer sequencing efforts to date, scientists have discovered surprising alterations in genes not previously associated with breast cancer.

Gene sequencing project identifies potential drug targets in common childhood brain tumor Posted: 20 Jun 2012 10:29 AM PDT New research lifts lid on the most aggressive subtype of medulloblastoma and finds genes that cooperate in tumor development.

Non-antibiotic approach for treating urinary tract infections Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:33 AM PDT A potential new approach for treating urinary tract infections -- which affect millions of people annually -- without traditional antibiotics has been developed. It involves so-called FimH antagonists, which are non-antibiotic compounds and would not contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance bacteria.

Simple new way to clean traces of impurities from drug ingredients Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:33 AM PDT Scientists are reporting development of a simple new procedure for removing almost 98 percent of an important impurity that can contaminate prescription drugs and potentially increase the risk for adverse health effects in patients.

Adolescents who have more than four meals a day are thinner Posted: 20 Jun 2012 08:32 AM PDT Certain healthy habits, like eating more than four times a day or not eating too fast, are associated with lower body fat levels independently of exercise habits during free time.

I want to know where love is: First brain map of love and desire Posted: 20 Jun 2012 07:10 AM PDT Thanks to modern science, we know that love lives in the brain, not in the heart. But where in the brain is it – and is it in the same place as sexual desire? A recent international study is the first to draw an exact map of these intimately linked feelings.

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