ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• First measurements made of key brain links
• Learning to control brain activity improves visual sensitivity
• Brain stimulation may buffer feelings of social pain
• Why is the flu more common during the winter season?
• Combating MRSA: Researchers study toxin
• Go ahead and jump: Learning how to properly jump and land can help female athletes avoid serious knee injuries
• Longer life expectancy, aging population necessitate new strategies for prostate cancer care
• Improving chemotherapy effectiveness by acting on the immune system
• Targeting neurotransmitter may help treat gastrointestinal conditions
• Understanding anger, overcoming anxiety
• Overprescribing of opioids impacts patient safety and public health
• Drug shows promise in prostate cancer spread to bone: Tumors were reduced on bone scans, bone pain decreased after patients received cabozantinib
• Research shows immune system response is detrimental to novel brain cancer therapy
• The radical restructuring of brain networks in comatose patients
• Nanotechnology drug delivery shows promise for treatment of pediatric cancer
• Predicting the age at menopause of women having suffered from childhood cancers
• Multiple media use tied to depression, anxiety
• Parents key to preventing alcohol, marijuana use by kids
• Could high insulin make you fat? Mouse study says yes
• Street forms of 'synthetic marijuana' products linked to thousands of hospital emergency departments visits each year
• Infants learn to look and look to learn: Model explains crucial links among looking, learning, and memory
• Researchers successfully destroy brain tumor cells; Use unique combination of diet and radiation therapy
• Moderate coffee consumption may reduce risk of diabetes by up to 25 percent
• Faster, safer method for producing stem cells
• Tool used in animal breeding programs also predicts skin cancer risk
• Fungus has cancer-fighting power, researchers find
• 'Transport infrastructure' determines spread of HIV subtypes in Africa, study finds
• University of Kentucky initiates first cancer reporting model of its kind in U.S.
• Second-hand smoke linked to children's behavior problems
• Five big strides to fight lung disease in the tiniest patients
• Crucial step in AIDS virus maturation simulated for first time
• Why some strains of Lyme disease bacteria are common and others are not
• Men with erection problems are three times more likely to have inflamed gums, study finds
• Teen smoking decreases bone accumulation in girls, may increase osteoporosis risk
• Youth violence declining in United Kingdom, study finds
• New findings on glucagon synthesis
• Diabetes drug may reduce brain damage after stroke
• How copper restricts the spread of global antibiotic-resistant infections
• Ray of hope for human Usher syndrome patients
• Fitness for toad sperm: Secret is to mate frequently
• Method developed by Finnish researchers targets diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease
• Ophthalmologists caution parents: Hazardous toys are responsible for thousands of eye injuries each year
• Mexican immigrants to the U.S. not as healthy as believed, study finds
• Study examines psychotropic medication use among U.S. adolescents with mental disorders
• Longer treatment for male urinary tract infection not associated with reduced early or late recurrence risk
• Social media may help fight childhood obesity
• Healthy eating beneficial beyond drug therapy in preventing a second heart attack

First measurements made of key brain links Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:43 PM PST Until now, brain scientists have been almost completely in the dark about how most of the nonspecific thalamus interacts with the prefrontal cortex, a relationship believed to be key in such fundamental functions as maintaining consciousness and mental arousal. Researchers have performed a set of experiments to explore and measure those circuits for the first time.

Learning to control brain activity improves visual sensitivity Posted: 04 Dec 2012 04:43 PM PST Training human volunteers to control their own brain activity in precise areas of the brain can enhance fundamental aspects of their visual sensitivity, according to a new study. This non-invasive 'neurofeedback' approach could one day be used to improve brain function in patients with abnormal patterns of activity, for example stroke patients.

Brain stimulation may buffer feelings of social pain Posted: 04 Dec 2012 01:22 PM PST Accumulating evidence suggests that certain brain areas involved in processing physical pain may also underlie feelings of social pain. But can altering brain activity in these areas actually change how people experience social pain? In a new study, researchers examine whether there might be a causal relationship between activity in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex -- known to be involved in the regulation of physical pain and negative expressions of emotion -- and experiences of social pain.

Why is the flu more common during the winter season? Posted: 04 Dec 2012 01:21 PM PST Environmental engineers have shown for the first time the relationship between the influenza A virus viability in human mucus and humidity over a large range of relative humidities, from 17 percent to 100 percent.

Combating MRSA: Researchers study toxin Posted: 04 Dec 2012 12:43 PM PST Researchers have discovered a toxin in community-associated MRSA that kills human cells.

Go ahead and jump: Learning how to properly jump and land can help female athletes avoid serious knee injuries Posted: 04 Dec 2012 12:43 PM PST Learning how to properly jump and land might help hundreds of female athletes avoid a serious knee injury.

Longer life expectancy, aging population necessitate new strategies for prostate cancer care Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:59 AM PST Medical researchers have described the modern state of prostate cancer care -- examining not only new drugs but entirely new classes of drugs that may be effective and well-tolerated in an aging population.

Improving chemotherapy effectiveness by acting on the immune system Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:58 AM PST A new article suggests that two chemotherapy drugs frequently used to treat digestive and breast cancers may encourage the development of tumors by modulating the anti-tumoral immune response.

Targeting neurotransmitter may help treat gastrointestinal conditions Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:58 AM PST Selective targeting of the neurotransmitter that differentially affects brain cells that control the two distinct functions of the pancreas may allow for new medication therapies for conditions like diabetes, dyspepsia and gastro-esophageal reflux, according to researchers.

Understanding anger, overcoming anxiety Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:58 AM PST Anger is a powerful emotion with serious health consequences. A new study shows that for millions of individuals around the world who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, anger is more than an emotion; it's an agent that exacerbates their illness.

Overprescribing of opioids impacts patient safety and public health Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:57 AM PST A new article suggests that the clinical practice of prescribing amphetamines, opioids, and benzodiazepines to treat chronic pain may be contributing to the increase in fatal drug overdoses and the likelihood that those drugs will be diverted to the illegal market.

Drug shows promise in prostate cancer spread to bone: Tumors were reduced on bone scans, bone pain decreased after patients received cabozantinib Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:56 AM PST A new drug demonstrated dramatic and rapid effects on prostate cancer that had spread to the bone, according to a new study.

Research shows immune system response is detrimental to novel brain cancer therapy Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:56 AM PST For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that the response of natural killer (NK) cells is detrimental to glioblastoma virotherapy, a novel way of treating malignant brain cancer by injecting a virus into the tumor. A number of clinical trials are currently underway to test whether glioblastoma virotherapy will facilitate antitumor efficacy, but new research shows that in pre-clinical models, NK cells are killing off the virus – infected cells, thus rendering the therapy less effective.

The radical restructuring of brain networks in comatose patients Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:56 AM PST Researchers have analyzed data from 17 comatose patients using functional MRI data. Their research reveals that the brain networks of these patients have been restructured. The results could help clinical practitioners diagnose comatose patients.

Nanotechnology drug delivery shows promise for treatment of pediatric cancer Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:56 AM PST Nanotechnology shows potential for the delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in a way that attacks cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Encapsulated dexamethasone delivered to pre-clinical models with leukemia significantly improved quality of life and survival compared to the control receiving the unencapsulated drug.

Predicting the age at menopause of women having suffered from childhood cancers Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:56 AM PST Researchers studied the age at menopause of a cohort of 706 women who had suffered from childhood cancer. The data revealed that these women, in particular those who had undergone unilateral oophorectomy or who had been treated with alkylating agents and who had received a radiation dose to the ovaries, were menopaused on average four to seven years earlier than average.

Multiple media use tied to depression, anxiety Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:55 AM PST Using multiple forms of media at the same time -- such as playing a computer game while watching TV -- is linked to symptoms of anxiety and depression, scientists have found for the first time.

Parents key to preventing alcohol, marijuana use by kids Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:55 AM PST New research finds that parental involvement is more important than the school environment when it comes to preventing or limiting alcohol and marijuana use by children.

Could high insulin make you fat? Mouse study says yes Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:55 AM PST When we eat too much, obesity may develop as a result of chronically high insulin levels, not the other way around. That's according to new evidence in mice which challenges the widespread view that rising insulin is a secondary consequence of obesity and insulin resistance.

Street forms of 'synthetic marijuana' products linked to thousands of hospital emergency departments visits each year Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:53 AM PST Street forms of synthetic cannabinoids – so-called "synthetic marijuana" – were linked to 11,406 of the 4.9 million drug-related emergency department (ED) visits in 2010, according to a new report.

Infants learn to look and look to learn: Model explains crucial links among looking, learning, and memory Posted: 04 Dec 2012 11:53 AM PST Researchers have explained how infants learn by looking, and the crucial role these activities play in how infants gain knowledge. Their computer model of babies aged 6 weeks to one year shows how infants use looking to create knowledge and to sear that knowledge into memory. The model also explains how infants' looking and learning changes as they develop.

Researchers successfully destroy brain tumor cells; Use unique combination of diet and radiation therapy Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:26 AM PST A team of brain cancer researchers has effectively treated brain tumor cells using a unique combination of diet and radiation therapy.

Moderate coffee consumption may reduce risk of diabetes by up to 25 percent Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:24 AM PST New research highlights the potential role of coffee consumption in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.

Faster, safer method for producing stem cells Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:19 AM PST A new method for generating stem cells from mature cells promises to boost stem cell production in the laboratory, helping to remove a barrier to regenerative medicine therapies that would replace damaged or unhealthy body tissues.

Tool used in animal breeding programs also predicts skin cancer risk Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:19 AM PST Techniques used in breeding programs meant to yield the perfect dairy cow may soon more accurately predict a person's genetic risk for skin cancer.

Fungus has cancer-fighting power, researchers find Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:18 AM PST Arthrobotrys oligospora doesn't live a charmed life; it survives on a diet of roundworm. But a discovery could give the fungus's life more purpose -- as a cancer fighter.

'Transport infrastructure' determines spread of HIV subtypes in Africa, study finds Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:18 AM PST Road networks and geographic factors affecting "spatial accessibility" have a major impact on the spread of HIV across sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new study.

University of Kentucky initiates first cancer reporting model of its kind in U.S. Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:18 AM PST The University of Kentucky has created the nation's first working model for electronic health record (EHR) reporting of cancer cases to the state's cancer registry.

Second-hand smoke linked to children's behavior problems Posted: 04 Dec 2012 08:18 AM PST It is a known fact that active maternal smoking during pregnancy has negative effects on child health, such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, new research suggests that second hand smoke, or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), may be just as harmful.

Five big strides to fight lung disease in the tiniest patients Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:13 AM PST A new paper describes a proposed therapy that would use stem cells from umbilical cords to treat a disease previously thought to be untreatable -- bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or BPD.

Crucial step in AIDS virus maturation simulated for first time Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:13 AM PST Bioinformaticians in Spain have used molecular simulation techniques to explain a specific step in the maturation of the HIV virions, i.e., how newly formed inert virus particles become infectious, which is essential in understanding how the virus replicates. These results could be crucial to the design of future antiretrovirals.

Why some strains of Lyme disease bacteria are common and others are not Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:13 AM PST New clues about the bacteria that cause Lyme disease could lead to a novel strategy to reduce infections, according to new research. The study reveals that the immune system of the white-footed mouse, a very common reservoir for the bacteria that causes the disease responds differently to different strains of the bacterium, a finding that will help scientists tweak the animals' immune systems to prevent spread of infection.

Men with erection problems are three times more likely to have inflamed gums, study finds Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:13 AM PST Men in their thirties who had inflamed gums caused by severe periodontal disease were three times more likely to suffer from erection problems, according to a new study.

Teen smoking decreases bone accumulation in girls, may increase osteoporosis risk Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:13 AM PST Teenage girls who smoke accumulate less bone during a critical growth period and carry a higher risk of developing osteoporosis later in life, according to new research. In the study, researchers report the data can be useful for developing strategies to help prevent osteoporosis (a disease where bones lose mineral density and become brittle) and bone fractures.

Youth violence declining in United Kingdom, study finds Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:12 AM PST Physical violence among young people is on the decline overall in nearly thirty countries including the UK, according to a new international study.

New findings on glucagon synthesis Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:12 AM PST Researchers in Sweden have shown that the cells that produce glucagon are stimulated by the hormone itself. A previous study by the same group demonstrated that this principle also applies to insulin. This means that a feedback system is at work in the body, whereby hormone secreting cells receive an immediate signal to produce more of the hormone.

Diabetes drug may reduce brain damage after stroke Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:12 AM PST In a study in mice, scientists in Sweden have discovered a new potential therapy that may reduce brain damage following stroke in type 2 diabetic patients. The suggested drug is already approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, the scientists hope that this new results also opens up the possibility to decrease brain injury after stroke in other patient groups with a high stroke risk.

How copper restricts the spread of global antibiotic-resistant infections Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:11 AM PST New research has shown that copper can prevent horizontal transmission of genes, which has contributed to the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria is largely responsible for the development of antibiotic resistance, which has led to an increasing number of difficult-to-treat healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs).

Ray of hope for human Usher syndrome patients Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:11 AM PST After years of basic research, scientists are increasingly able to understand the mechanisms underlying human Usher syndrome -- a congenital disorder that causes the loss of both hearing and vision -- and are coming ever closer to finding a successful treatment approach.

Fitness for toad sperm: Secret is to mate frequently Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:11 AM PST Fertility tests frequently reveal that males have problems with the quality of their sperm.  The problems often relate to sperm senescence, which is a reduction in quality with age.  Sperm senescence can arise either before or after the DNA in the sperm cells is produced by a process known as meiosis.  So-called "pre-meiotic" senescence results from accumulated damage in the germline cells with increasing age and results in older males having sperm of lower quality.  Post-meiotic senescence occurs after the sperm cells have been produced, either during storage of sperm by the male or after ejaculation and before they fertilize the eggs.

Method developed by Finnish researchers targets diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:11 AM PST A software tool called PredictAD developed by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland promises to enable earlier diagnosis of the disease on the basis of patient measurements and large databases. Alzheimer's disease currently takes on average 20 months to diagnose in Europe. VTT has shown that the new method could allow as many as half of patients to get a diagnosis approximately a year earlier.

Ophthalmologists caution parents: Hazardous toys are responsible for thousands of eye injuries each year Posted: 04 Dec 2012 05:07 AM PST With the holiday season upon us, children are busy making their wish lists and checking them twice. But, parents may need to check them yet again to ensure toy safety. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 250,000 toy-related injuries are treated in emergency rooms each year. Most of these injuries affect children under age 15, and almost half affect the head or face. In light of these dangers, the American Academy of Ophthalmology encourages parents to be EyeSmart about toys this holiday season.

Mexican immigrants to the U.S. not as healthy as believed, study finds Posted: 03 Dec 2012 01:34 PM PST Immigrants who come to the United States from Mexico arrive with a significant amount of undiagnosed disease, particularly diabetes, tempering previous findings that immigrants are generally healthier than native-born residents, according to a new study. But even after undiagnosed disease is taken into account, recent immigrants are still healthier than native-born residents.

Study examines psychotropic medication use among U.S. adolescents with mental disorders Posted: 03 Dec 2012 01:34 PM PST A survey finds that 14.2 percent of adolescents ages 13 to 18 years with any mental disorder reported being treated with a psychotropic medication in the last 12 months, which researchers suggest challenges concerns about widespread overmedication and misuse of psychotropic medications among young people in the U.S.

Longer treatment for male urinary tract infection not associated with reduced early or late recurrence risk Posted: 03 Dec 2012 01:34 PM PST A study of more than 33,000 outpatient male veterans suggests that a longer duration of antimicrobial treatment of more than seven days for a urinary tract infection appeared not to be associated with a reduced risk of early or late recurrence compared to a shorter duration (seven days or less) of treatment.

Social media may help fight childhood obesity Posted: 03 Dec 2012 01:34 PM PST Social media may be an effective way to help children overcome obesity, according to experts. Parental involvement and online interaction with counselors and peers led to greater success for overweight and obese children and teens in some studies.

Healthy eating beneficial beyond drug therapy in preventing a second heart attack Posted: 03 Dec 2012 01:29 PM PST A heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish significantly reduces the chance of a second heart attack and stroke in people with cardiovascular disease, researchers have found.

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