ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Heart calcium scan most effective in predicting risk of heart disease
• Running marathons safe for older adults, study suggests
• Compounds shown to thwart stubborn pathogen's social propensity
• Low oxygen levels may decrease life-saving protein in spinal muscular atrophy
• Many options, good outcomes, for early-stage follicular lymphoma
• Statin therapy associated with lower risk of pancreatitis
• New form of long-used food ingredient for 'anti-hunger' yogurts, smoothies
• Thinking and choosing in the brain: Researchers study over 300 lesion patients
• Study shows long-term effects of radiation in pediatric cancer patients
• New laboratory test assesses how DNA damage affects protein synthesis
• Time with parents is important for teens' well-being
• Researchers identified markers that predict progression of oral lesions to cancer
• Scientists identify protein that promotes cancers, heart disease; create substance to block its effects
• Brain's code for pronouncing vowels uncovered
• Targeting sugars in quest for vaccine against HIV - the virus that causes AIDS
• New cancer therapy using ultra-violet C (UVC) pulse flash irradiation
• Older women may not benefit from radiotherapy after breast surgery
• Acai counteracts oxidative stress, lengthens lifespan in fruit flies
• Sleep improves memory in people with Parkinson's disease
• Stem cells can become anything, but not without this protein
• Key component of cell division identified
• New technology to transform blood processing
• Viruses with integrated gene switch
• The science of motor control can bring back a smile for those with muscle dysfunction
• New attack on pain caused by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis
• Unique solution to gene regulation
• MRI findings shed light on multiple sclerosis
• Common antifungal drug decreases tumor growth and shows promise as cancer therapy
• Sacrificing sleep to study can lead to academic problems
• Patient suffers severe amnesia but musical memory remains intact
• Alzheimer protein seems to slow down neurotransmitter production
• Antibiotic use in infants before six months associated with being overweight in childhood
• In your future: More healthful foods to nourish the non-human you
• 'CSI' technology holds potential in everyday medicine
• Looking one cell at a time in the brain to better understand pain, learning, memory
• Distressing life events and poverty behind many abortions in U.S., study finds
• Acupuncture offers low-cost alternative to knee surgery for osteoarthritis, research finds
• New tool for clinicians proves effective predictor of lung cancer risk
• Delirium and long-term cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients linked in new study
• Evidence-based public health interventions for policy makers identified
• Declining rates of U.S. infant male circumcision could add billions to health care costs, experts warn
• Cause of death of photoreceptor cells in retinitis pigmentosa elucidated

Heart calcium scan most effective in predicting risk of heart disease Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:25 PM PDT Heart calcium scans are far superior to other assessment tools in predicting the development of cardiovascular disease in individuals currently classified at intermediate risk by their doctors, according to researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Running marathons safe for older adults, study suggests Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:25 PM PDT A study of adults >50 years old has found no lasting adverse effects from running marathons, similar to findings of adults aged 18-40.

Compounds shown to thwart stubborn pathogen's social propensity Posted: 21 Aug 2012 01:25 PM PDT Certain small molecule chemicals that can disrupt quorum sensing in A. baumanni have been identified, providing a glimmer of hope that the stubborn pathogen can be tamed.

Low oxygen levels may decrease life-saving protein in spinal muscular atrophy Posted: 21 Aug 2012 01:25 PM PDT Investigators may have discovered a biological explanation for why low levels of oxygen advance spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) symptoms and why breathing treatments help SMA patients live longer.

Many options, good outcomes, for early-stage follicular lymphoma Posted: 21 Aug 2012 01:25 PM PDT A new study challenges treatment guidelines for early stage follicular lymphoma, concluding that six different therapies can bring a remission, particularly if the patient is carefully examined and staged at diagnosis.

Statin therapy associated with lower risk of pancreatitis Posted: 21 Aug 2012 01:25 PM PDT Although some studies have suggested that use of lipid-lowering therapies may increase the risk of pancreatitis, an analysis that involved pooling of data from previous studies and included more than 150,000 participants found that statin therapy was associated with a reduction in the risk of pancreatitis in patients with normal or mildly elevated triglyceride levels.

New form of long-used food ingredient for 'anti-hunger' yogurts, smoothies Posted: 21 Aug 2012 01:21 PM PDT Promising results were recently reported from a proof-of-concept clinical trial of an "anti-hunger" ingredient for yogurt, fruit shakes, smoothies and other foods that would make people feel full longer and ease the craving to eat. Scientists described the ingredient as a new version of a food additive that has been in use for more than 50 years.

Thinking and choosing in the brain: Researchers study over 300 lesion patients Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:41 AM PDT The frontal lobes are the largest part of the human brain, and damage to this area can result in profound impairments in reasoning and decision making. Neuroscientists studied brain-lesion patients to map brain activity in the frontal lobes. Results showed that reasoning and behavioral control are dependent on different regions of the lobes than the areas called upon when making a decision.

Study shows long-term effects of radiation in pediatric cancer patients Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:41 AM PDT Of 15 patients who received TBI before age 3, many developed endocrine and metabolic problems including testicular malfunction (78 percent), restrictive pulmonary disease due to high levels of blood triglycerides (74 percent), and cataracts (78 percent). Likewise, 90 percent of patients showed abnormally low levels of growth hormone, and 71 percent were considerably under height. Additional late effects of TBI included kidney, liver, skeletal and cardiac malfunction -- and three of four patients whose IQ had been tested before TBI showed cognitive decline.

New laboratory test assesses how DNA damage affects protein synthesis Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:39 AM PDT In transcription genetic information from DNA is copied to messenger RNA for protein production. But anticancer drugs and environmental chemicals can sometimes interrupt this flow of genetic information by causing DNA modifications. Chemists have now developed a test to examine how such DNA modifications lead to aberrant transcription and ultimately a disruption in protein synthesis. The method can help explain how DNA damage arising from anticancer drugs and environmental chemicals leads to cancer development.

Time with parents is important for teens' well-being Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:39 AM PDT Teenagers are famous for seeking independence from their parents, but research shows that many teens continue to spend time with their parents and that this shared time is important for teens' well-being, according to researchers.

Researchers identified markers that predict progression of oral lesions to cancer Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:36 AM PDT A group of molecular markers have been identified that can help clinicians determine which patients with low-grade oral premalignant lesions are at high risk for progression to oral cancer.

Scientists identify protein that promotes cancers, heart disease; create substance to block its effects Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:36 AM PDT Strong scientific evidence suggests that high levels of a blood protein called galectin-3 may increase the risk of heart attacks, cancer and other diseases, and help forecast the outcome of those diseases,.

Brain's code for pronouncing vowels uncovered Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:36 AM PDT Scientists have unraveled how our brain cells encode the pronunciation of individual vowels in speech. The discovery could lead to new technology that verbalizes the unspoken words of people paralyzed by injury or disease.

Targeting sugars in quest for vaccine against HIV - the virus that causes AIDS Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:36 AM PDT As a step toward designing the first effective anti-HIV vaccine, scientists are reporting new insights into how a family of rare, highly potent antibodies bind to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and neutralize it — stop it from infecting human cells. They recently described the antibodies, which were isolated from people infected with HIV and can neutralize a wide range of HIV strains.

New cancer therapy using ultra-violet C (UVC) pulse flash irradiation Posted: 21 Aug 2012 11:32 AM PDT Medical scientists have announced the development of a new cancer therapy using ultra violet C (UVC) pulses of light.

Older women may not benefit from radiotherapy after breast surgery Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:50 AM PDT A radiation oncologist says in a new editorial that research exploring the impact of radiotherapy in older women with low risk of breast cancer recurrence has little effect on actual clinical decisions.

Acai counteracts oxidative stress, lengthens lifespan in fruit flies Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:50 AM PDT Scientists found that a commercially available acai berry product can lengthen the lives of fruit flies, when the flies' lives are made short through additional oxidative stress. Under certain conditions (a simple sugar diet) acai supplementation could triple flies' lifespans, from eight to 24 days. Acai could also counteract the neurotoxic effects of the herbicide paraquat on the flies.

Sleep improves memory in people with Parkinson's disease Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:50 AM PDT People with Parkinson's disease performed markedly better on a test of working memory after a night's sleep, and sleep disorders can interfere with that benefit, researchers have shown.

Stem cells can become anything, but not without this protein Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:47 AM PDT In a finding that could be important to the use of all kinds of stem cells in treating disease, scientists have discovered the crucial role of a protein called Mof in preserving the 'stem-ness' of stem cells, and priming them to become specialized cells in mice. It plays a key role in the "epigenetics" of stem cells -- that is, helping stem cells read and use their DNA.

Key component of cell division identified Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:47 AM PDT A new study highlights the protein Nek9 as a decisive factor in cell division, a fundamental process for both the development of an organism and tissue maintenance. Nek9 is shown to be required for a cell to be able to divide the chromosomes into two identical groups in order to ensure efficient and accurate cell division.

New technology to transform blood processing Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:47 AM PDT A pioneering surgical blood salvage technology is set to transform the way major surgery is carried out by reducing blood loss in patients.

Viruses with integrated gene switch Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:47 AM PDT Scientists have developed "RNA switches" which allow them to specifically turn on and off genes in viruses. This will help to enhance regulation of gene therapy and viral therapy of cancer.

The science of motor control can bring back a smile for those with muscle dysfunction Posted: 21 Aug 2012 08:46 AM PDT A child's smile is something we take for granted. But muscle dysfunction can turn a simple expression of joy into a challenge. Surface electromyography provides a noninvasive method of sensing muscle activity that can be used for muscle rehabilitation -— and to bring a smile to a child's face.

New attack on pain caused by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:44 AM PDT Medical researchers are working on a new therapy that can potentially control the pain caused by diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Unique solution to gene regulation Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:44 AM PDT Research on a unique vertebrate called the sea lamprey shows that more than a thousand genes are shed during its early development. By undergoing programmed genome rearrangement and gene loss during embryogenesis, the sea lamprey "seals" the genes away in the small germline compartment so they cannot be misexpressed and create untoward problems (such as development of cancer, for example).

MRI findings shed light on multiple sclerosis Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:44 AM PDT New magnetic resonance imaging research shows that changes in brain blood flow associated with vein abnormalities are not specific for multiple sclerosis and do not contribute to its severity, despite what some researchers have speculated.

Common antifungal drug decreases tumor growth and shows promise as cancer therapy Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:43 AM PDT An inexpensive antifungal drug, thiabendazole, slows tumor growth and shows promise as a chemotherapy for cancer. Scientists made this discovery by exploiting the evolutionary relatedness of yeast, frogs, mice and humans.

Sacrificing sleep to study can lead to academic problems Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:43 AM PDT Regardless of how much a high school student generally studies each day, if that student sacrifices sleep in order to study more than usual, he or she is more likely to have academic problems the following day. These are the findings from a longitudinal study of 535 9th, 10th, and 12th graders who kept detailed diaries for 14 days on how long they studied and slept, and whether or not they experienced academic problems.

Patient suffers severe amnesia but musical memory remains intact Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:40 AM PDT Scientists have examined a professional cellist who suffered from encephalitis caused by a herpes virus. As a result of the inflammation, the patient developed serious disturbances in memory. Both his memory for the past (retrograde amnesia), as well as the acquisition of new information (anterograde amnesia) were affected. Whereas the patient was unable to recount any events from his private or professional life, or remember any of his friends or relatives, he retained a completely intact musical memory.

Alzheimer protein seems to slow down neurotransmitter production Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:40 AM PDT Researchers report how abnormal protein deposits in the brains of Alzheimer's patients disrupt the signaling between nerve cells. They varied the amount of APP protein and related proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease in cell cultures, and then analyzed how this manipulation affected other proteins in the cell. The result: The amount of APP present was related to the amount of an enzyme that is essential for the production of neurotransmitters and therefore for communication amongst nerve cells.

Antibiotic use in infants before six months associated with being overweight in childhood Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:39 AM PDT Treating very young infants with antibiotics may predispose them to being overweight in childhood, according to a study of more than 10,000 children.

In your future: More healthful foods to nourish the non-human you Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:38 AM PDT The focus of nutrition for good health is quietly shifting to include consumption of food ingredients specifically designed to nourish the non-human cells that comprise 80 percent of the cells in the typical person, an authority on the topic says.

'CSI' technology holds potential in everyday medicine Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:38 AM PDT A scientific instrument featured on CSI and CSI: Miami for instant fingerprint analysis is forging another life in real-world medicine, helping during brain surgery and ensuring that cancer patients get effective doses of chemotherapy.

Looking one cell at a time in the brain to better understand pain, learning, memory Posted: 21 Aug 2012 06:38 AM PDT Scientists are developing profiles of the contents of individual brain cells in a search for the root causes of chronic pain, memory loss and other maladies that affect millions of people. They have described the latest results of a one-by-one exploration of selected cells or "neurons" from among the millions present in an animal's brain.

Distressing life events and poverty behind many abortions in U.S., study finds Posted: 20 Aug 2012 05:50 PM PDT Most women accessing abortion services in the United States have faced a major life stressor, such as job loss or separation, in the preceding year, new research finds.

Acupuncture offers low-cost alternative to knee surgery for osteoarthritis, research finds Posted: 20 Aug 2012 05:50 PM PDT Acupuncture can relieve the pain of knee osteoarthritis and offer a low-cost alternative to surgery for the condition, new research finds.

New tool for clinicians proves effective predictor of lung cancer risk Posted: 20 Aug 2012 02:07 PM PDT A lung cancer risk prediction model has been shown to be a viable tool for selecting high risk individuals for prevention and control programs.

Delirium and long-term cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients linked in new study Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:10 PM PDT Patients with Alzheimer's disease who suffered episodes of delirium while hospitalized had a sharply increased rate of mental decline for up to five years after being hospitalized compared to those who did not have any such episodes, according to a new study.

Evidence-based public health interventions for policy makers identified Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:09 PM PDT Researchers analyzed more than 1,000 scientific studies and identified the public health interventions with the strongest evidence for improving dietary habits, increasing physical activity and reducing smoking. Economic incentives to make healthier foods more affordable, improved sidewalk, street and land-use design to encourage physical activity, and smoking bans are among the 43 most effective interventions that were identified.

Declining rates of U.S. infant male circumcision could add billions to health care costs, experts warn Posted: 20 Aug 2012 01:08 PM PDT A team of disease experts and health economists warns that steadily declining rates of U.S. infant male circumcision could add more than $4.4 billion in avoidable health care costs if rates over the next decade drop to levels now seen in Europe.

Cause of death of photoreceptor cells in retinitis pigmentosa elucidated Posted: 20 Aug 2012 12:22 PM PDT Research has for the first time identified the mode of death of cone photoreceptor cells in an animal model of retinitis pigmentosa. This groundbreaking study has further identified the receptor interacting protein kinase pathway as a potential target for developing treatment for vision loss in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

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