ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Computer analysis of EEG patterns suggests a potential diagnostic test for autism at two years old
• Genetic heart diseases may be responsible for unexplained stillbirths
• Statins appear associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men, women
• Ozone exposure linked to potential heart attacks
• Sounds of summer can be a danger to hearing
• Viewing images of high-calorie foods brings on high-calorie cravings, research finds
• Treating vitamin D deficiency may improve depression
• Testosterone-replacement therapy improves symptoms of metabolic syndrome
• Hormone, oxytocin, shows potential as weight-loss treatment
• Metformin may lower cancer risk in people with type 2 diabetes
• Rate of severe reactions higher than thought in young children with food allergies
• Smallest and largest fetuses at greater risk of being stillborn, research finds
• Low vitamin D levels linked to weight gain in some older women
• New hormonal gel combination shows promise as reversible birth control for men
• Experimental drug helps diabetes patients lose weight
• 'Dessert with breakfast diet' helps avoid weight regain by reducing cravings
• Ratio of appetite-regulating hormones marker of successful dieters
• Secondhand smoke is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity
• Experimental insulin drug prevents low blood sugar
• Why do fat cells get fat? New suspect identified
• Overweight men can boost low testosterone levels by losing weight
• Gut hormone receptor in brain is key to gastric emptying rate; may help prevent obesity
• Type 2 diabetes, cured by weight loss surgery, returns in one-fifth of patients
• Speeding up bone growth by manipulating stem cells
• Diet, exercise or both? What obese older adults need to do to reduce cardiometabolic risk
• Timing of menopause symptoms relates to risk markers for heart disease, stroke
• Full-term children conceived with fertility drugs are shorter than their peers
• Fungicide used on farm crops linked to insulin resistance
• Do you always have room for dessert? Blame ghrelin, study authors say
• Binge eating improves with deep brain stimulation surgery
• Experimental drug improves muscle strength among male cancer patients
• Common diabetes drugs associated with increased risk of death
• Automated system to detect infectious diseases for Olympics 2012
• Arsenic for better drugs and cleaner crops
• Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations
• Severe reactions to food more common than thought in young children
• Timing of ADHD medication affect academic progress
• Study identifies causes for high rates of allergic reactions in children with food allergies
• Exercise, even mild physical activity, may reduce breast cancer risk
• Exome sequencing gives cheaper, faster diagnosis in heterogeneous disease, study shows
• Large waistlines are linked to increased mortality risk older people

Computer analysis of EEG patterns suggests a potential diagnostic test for autism at two years old Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:30 PM PDT The largest, most rigorous study to date to investigate EEGs as a potential diagnostic tool for autism offers hope for an earlier, more definitive test. Widely available EEG testing can distinguish children with autism from neurotypical children as early as age two. Findings could be the basis for a future objective diagnostic test of autism particularly at younger ages when behavior-based measures are unreliable.

Genetic heart diseases may be responsible for unexplained stillbirths Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:28 PM PDT Genetic researchers have made an important step towards resolving the mystery of the causes of intrauterine fetal demise (IUFD), or stillbirth, where a baby dies in the womb after the 14th week of gestation. IUFD is responsible for 60% of perinatal mortality and occurs in about one in every two hundred pregnancies in Europe. Up to half of these stillbirths are unexplained. Now scientists have found that up to 8% of these unexplained deaths may be caused by specific genetic heart conditions.

Statins appear associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men, women Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:54 PM PDT Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs appear to be associated with reduced risk of recurrent cardiovascular events in men and women, but do not appear to be associated with reduced all-cause mortality or stroke in women, according to a new report.

Ozone exposure linked to potential heart attacks Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:29 PM PDT Young, healthy adult volunteers exposed for two hours to ozone developed physiological changes associated with cardiovascular ailments, according to a small study.

Sounds of summer can be a danger to hearing Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:29 PM PDT Hearing can be permanently damaged by loud summer noises such as fireworks, marching bands, construction and the like. An audiologist explains decibels for common sounds and offers tips and expertise to safeguard hearing.

Viewing images of high-calorie foods brings on high-calorie cravings, research finds Posted: 25 Jun 2012 01:04 PM PDT New research indicates looking at images of high-calorie foods stimulates appetite and reward centers in the brain.

Treating vitamin D deficiency may improve depression Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT Women with moderate to severe depression had substantial improvement in their symptoms of depression after they received treatment for their vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds.

Testosterone-replacement therapy improves symptoms of metabolic syndrome Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT Hormone-replacement therapy significantly improved symptoms of metabolic syndrome associated with testosterone deficiency in men, a new study from Germany finds.

Hormone, oxytocin, shows potential as weight-loss treatment Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT A reproductive hormone helps regulate food intake and energy metabolism without causing adverse effects, a new animal study finds.

Metformin may lower cancer risk in people with type 2 diabetes Posted: 25 Jun 2012 12:23 PM PDT A commonly prescribed diabetes drug, metformin, reduces the overall cancer risk in people with Type 2 diabetes, a large systematic review study finds.

Rate of severe reactions higher than thought in young children with food allergies Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:59 AM PDT Young children with allergies to milk and egg experience reactions to these and other foods more often than researchers had expected, a study reports. The study also found that severe and potentially life-threatening reactions in a significant number of these children occur and that some caregivers are hesitant to give such children epinephrine, a medication that reverses the symptoms of such reactions and can save lives.

Smallest and largest fetuses at greater risk of being stillborn, research finds Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:58 AM PDT The tiniest and the heaviest fetuses are at much higher risk of being stillborn than those of average weight, new research has found.

Low vitamin D levels linked to weight gain in some older women Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:54 AM PDT Older women with insufficient levels of Vitamin D gained more weight than those with sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a new study. The study of more than 4,600 women ages 65 and older found that over nearly five years, those with insufficient levels of Vitamin D in their blood gained about two pounds more than those with adequate levels of the vitamin.

New hormonal gel combination shows promise as reversible birth control for men Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:51 AM PDT Male hormonal contraceptives applied daily to the skin reduce sperm production, finds a new study. Very low sperm counts resulted for about 89 percent of men using a new combination of hormones, the authors reported. They combined a transdermal (skin) gel containing the male hormone testosterone and a gel containing a new synthetic progestin called Nestorone.

Experimental drug helps diabetes patients lose weight Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT An experimental drug helped significantly more overweight patients with diabetes shed pounds, compared with placebo, a new study finds.

'Dessert with breakfast diet' helps avoid weight regain by reducing cravings Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT Dieters have less hunger and cravings throughout the day and are better able to keep off lost weight if they eat a carbohydrate-rich, protein-packed breakfast that includes dessert.

Ratio of appetite-regulating hormones marker of successful dieters Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT A pre-diet measurement of two hormones related to weight regulation can help predict which dieters will be more likely to maintain their weight loss and who will not, according to a new study.

Secondhand smoke is linked to type 2 diabetes and obesity Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT Adults who are exposed to secondhand smoke have higher rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes than do nonsmokers without environmental exposure to tobacco smoke, a new study shows.

Experimental insulin drug prevents low blood sugar Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:50 AM PDT An experimental insulin drug prevented low blood sugar among diabetic patients more often than a popular drug on the market, a new study finds.

Why do fat cells get fat? New suspect identified Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT As the world fights obesity at the human level, a new finding at the microscopic level could help fuel that fight. The work helps explain why fat-storing cells get fatter, and burn fat slower, as obesity sets in -- and could lead to new obesity drugs.

Overweight men can boost low testosterone levels by losing weight Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Weight loss can reduce the prevalence of low testosterone levels in overweight, middle-aged men with prediabetes by almost 50 percent, a new study finds.

Gut hormone receptor in brain is key to gastric emptying rate; may help prevent obesity Posted: 25 Jun 2012 09:49 AM PDT Researchers have discovered how a hormone in the gut slows the rate at which the stomach empties and thus suppresses hunger and food intake.

Type 2 diabetes, cured by weight loss surgery, returns in one-fifth of patients Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT A new study shows that although gastric bypass surgery reverses Type 2 diabetes in a large percentage of obese patients, the disease recurs in about 21 percent of them within three to five years.

Speeding up bone growth by manipulating stem cells Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Differentiation of stem cells into bone nodules is greatly accelerated by nanomolecular scaffolds.

Diet, exercise or both? What obese older adults need to do to reduce cardiometabolic risk Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Obese older adults can reduce their chance of developing the metabolic syndrome by losing weight through dieting alone, but adding exercise to a weight loss program has even more benefit, a new study finds. The results show that a combination of diet-induced weight loss and frequent exercise almost doubled the improvement in insulin sensitivity compared with dieting alone.

Timing of menopause symptoms relates to risk markers for heart disease, stroke Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT The hot flashes and night sweats that most women experience early in menopause are not linked to increased levels of cardiovascular disease risk markers unless the symptoms persist or start many years after menopause begins.

Full-term children conceived with fertility drugs are shorter than their peers Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT Among children born full term, those conceived with the help of fertility drugs are slightly shorter than naturally conceived children but overall are physically healthy, a new study finds.

Fungicide used on farm crops linked to insulin resistance Posted: 25 Jun 2012 07:09 AM PDT A fungicide used on farm crops can induce insulin resistance, a new tissue-culture study finds, providing another piece of evidence linking environmental pollutants to diabetes.

Do you always have room for dessert? Blame ghrelin, study authors say Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:25 AM PDT A new study suggests that the appetite-inducing hormone ghrelin increases the incentive for humans to eat high-calorie foods, even on a full stomach.

Binge eating improves with deep brain stimulation surgery Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:25 AM PDT Deep brain stimulation reduces binge eating in mice, suggesting that this surgery, which is approved for treatment of certain neurologic and psychiatric disorders, may also be an effective therapy for obesity.

Experimental drug improves muscle strength among male cancer patients Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:22 AM PDT An experimental medication safely increases muscle strength and physical functioning among cancer patients with low testosterone levels, a new drug study finds. The results will be presented Sunday at the Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting in Houston.

Common diabetes drugs associated with increased risk of death Posted: 25 Jun 2012 06:22 AM PDT Compared to another popular drug, three widely used diabetes medications are associated with a greater risk of death, a large new analysis finds.

Automated system to detect infectious diseases for Olympics 2012 Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:53 AM PDT The world's first comprehensive, automated outbreak detection system will monitor over 3,000 infections and is ready to run during Olympics 2012.

Arsenic for better drugs and cleaner crops Posted: 25 Jun 2012 05:53 AM PDT New research may lead to more effective arsenic-containing drugs. The results may also lead to more resistant plants, and crops with a limited absorption and storage of arsenic.

Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT The human gut is home to a teeming ecosystem of microbes that is intimately involved in both human health and disease. But while the gut microbiota is interacting with our body, they are also under constant attack from viruses. Researchers have analyzed a bacterial immune system, revealing a common set of viruses associated with gut microbiota in global populations.

Severe reactions to food more common than thought in young children Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT Young children with allergies to milk and egg experience an unexpectedly high number of reactions to these and other foods, according to researchers. More than 70 percent of preschool children with documented or suspected food allergies suffered a significant reaction during the three-year period. Researchers also found that caregivers failed to administer the medication epinephrine in 70 percent of the severe and potentially life-threatening reactions.

Timing of ADHD medication affect academic progress Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT Researchers have found a correlation between the age at which children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder begin taking medication, and how well they perform on standardized tests, particularly in math.

Study identifies causes for high rates of allergic reactions in children with food allergies Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT A team of researchers has found that young children with documented or likely allergies to milk and/or eggs, whose families were instructed on how to avoid these and other foods, still experienced allergic reactions at a rate of almost once per year. Of severe cases, less than a third received epinephrine, a medication used to counter anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic condition.

Exercise, even mild physical activity, may reduce breast cancer risk Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:53 AM PDT A new analysis has found that physical activity – either mild or intense and before or after menopause – may reduce breast cancer risk, but substantial weight gain may negate these benefits. The findings indicate that women can reduce their breast cancer risk by exercising and maintaining their weight.

Exome sequencing gives cheaper, faster diagnosis in heterogeneous disease, study shows Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT The first report of the diagnostic use of the technique of exome sequencing,  where short sequences of DNA are analyzed, shows that it can give good results at low cost, according to new research.    The scientists were able to perform a genetic diagnosis in around 20% of 100 cases of patients with intellectual disability (ID) and 50% of the 25 cases of blindness studied.  Not only is the exome test cheaper, but results are available more quickly than with Sanger sequencing, they say.

Large waistlines are linked to increased mortality risk older people Posted: 25 Jun 2012 03:47 AM PDT Older people with large waistlines have a higher mortality rate than those with a slim waistline.

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