ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Benefit vs. risk of facial recognition technology
• Birthing centers provide equal or better deliveries, study shows
• Game-changing discovery of gene mutation that causes Sturge-Weber syndrome, port-wine stain birthmarks offers new hope
• Two genes that combine to cause rare syndrome identified
• Providing workplace wellness centers could backfire
• Scientists identify early predictors of disease progression which could speed Huntington's disease drug trials
• PCB concentrations same in urban and rural areas
• Missing link in signals contributes to neurodegeneration
• Brain anatomy of dyslexia is not the same in men and women, boys and girls
• Enhanced motion perception in autism may point to an underlying cause of the disorder
• Carnitine supplement may improve survival rates of children with heart defects
• Dramatic decrease in risk of death for children on dialysis
• Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies: Research could help in battle against infections that do not respond to powerful drugs
• First liver transplant in Maryland for bile duct cancer
• Immune cells that suppress genital herpes infections identified
• Coumarin in cinnamon and cinnamon-based products and risk of liver damage
• Improved material for 'laser welding' of tissue in intestinal surgery
• Using 'bacteria-eaters' to prevent infections on medical implant materials
• Whole walnuts and their extracted oil improve cardiovascular disease risk
• Hit a 90 mph baseball? Scientists pinpoint how we see it coming
• Weeks after stroke, some patients develop chronic, debilitating pain
• Soy and tomato may be effective in preventing prostate cancer
• Nearly five million asthmatics worldwide could benefit from antifungal therapy
• Differences between 'marathon mice' and 'couch potato mice' reveal key to muscle fitness
• Biosensor that detects antibiotic resistance brings us one step closer to fighting superbugs
• Bacteria adapt and evade nanosilver's sting
• Mathematical model measures hidden HIV
• Geneticists find causes for severe childhood epilepsies
• Gene offers clues to new treatments for a harmful blood clotting disorder
• Discovery shows fat triggers rheumatoid arthritis: Paves way for new gene therapies
• A trick to fold proteins more quickly: 'Clever' technique speeds up the analysis of protein dynamics
• Why family conflict affects some children more than others
• Rethinking treatment goals improves results for those with persistent anorexia
• 5,000 steps a day to avoid paying higher health insurance costs? When money talks, people walk
• Surgeons implant magnetic growing rods in groundbreaking treatment for early-onset scoliosis
• Review on aspirin to treat and prevent heart attacks and commentary on aspirin to prevent colorectal and other cancers

Benefit vs. risk of facial recognition technology Posted: 08 May 2013 06:32 PM PDT Law enforcement agencies are using facial recognition software as a crime-fighting tool. Now businesses are looking to use the technology to reach customers. But a professor questions whether customers are ready for it.

Birthing centers provide equal or better deliveries, study shows Posted: 08 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT Low-income women who chose to deliver their baby at a birthing center under the care of a certified nurse-midwife had the same or better birthing experience as women under traditional care with a hospital-based obstetrician, according to a new study.

Game-changing discovery of gene mutation that causes Sturge-Weber syndrome, port-wine stain birthmarks offers new hope Posted: 08 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT Researchers have discovered the cause -- a genetic mutation that occurs before birth -- of Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) and port-wine stain birthmarks. SWS is a rare disorder affecting approximately one in 20,000 births, while port-wine birthmarks are more common, affecting approximately one million individuals in the United States.

Two genes that combine to cause rare syndrome identified Posted: 08 May 2013 06:31 PM PDT Mutations in genes that regulate cellular metabolism found in families with ataxia, dementia and reproductive failure.

Providing workplace wellness centers could backfire Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 PM PDT People who signed up for a workplace wellness center but then used it infrequently experienced declines in their mental quality-of-life, finds a new study.

Scientists identify early predictors of disease progression which could speed Huntington's disease drug trials Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 PM PDT Scientists have identified a set of tests that could help identify whether and how Huntington's disease (HD) is progressing in groups of people who are not yet showing symptoms.

PCB concentrations same in urban and rural areas Posted: 08 May 2013 02:22 PM PDT Despite the expectation of a large environmental exposure difference, researchers report that mothers and children in East Chicago, Ind., and residents in a rural area in Iowa have the same PCB levels in their blood as residents in urbanized East Chicago.

Missing link in signals contributes to neurodegeneration Posted: 08 May 2013 12:13 PM PDT In many neurodegenerative diseases the neurons of the brain are over-stimulated and this leads to their destruction. After many failed attempts and much scepticism this process was finally shown last year to be a possible basis for treatment in some patients with stroke. But very few targets for drugs to block this process are known.

Brain anatomy of dyslexia is not the same in men and women, boys and girls Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Using MRI, neuroscientists have found significant differences in brain anatomy when comparing men and women with dyslexia to their non-dyslexic control groups. Their study is the first to directly compare brain anatomy of females with and without dyslexia.

Enhanced motion perception in autism may point to an underlying cause of the disorder Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Children with autism see simple movement twice as quickly as other children their age, and this hypersensitivity to motion may provide clues to a fundamental cause of the developmental disorder, according to a new study.

Carnitine supplement may improve survival rates of children with heart defects Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report.

Dramatic decrease in risk of death for children on dialysis Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Children on dialysis for severe kidney disease have a dramatically reduced risk of death compared to 20 years ago, a new study shows. The findings are very encouraging for children with end-stage kidney disease. These children face a significantly shortened life expectancy, with dialysis as the only life-saving therapy while they await transplant.

Lucky bacteria strike it rich during formation of treatment-resistant colonies: Research could help in battle against infections that do not respond to powerful drugs Posted: 08 May 2013 10:18 AM PDT Like pioneers in search of a better life, bacteria on a surface wander around and often organize into highly resilient communities, known as biofilms. It turns out that a lucky few bacteria become the elite cells that start the colonies, and they organize in a rich-get-richer pattern similar to the distribution of wealth in the US economy, according to a new study.

First liver transplant in Maryland for bile duct cancer Posted: 08 May 2013 10:17 AM PDT Transplant surgeons have performed a liver transplant on a patient with hilar cholangiocarcinoma -- a rare, often-lethal bile duct cancer. This marks the first time a patient with this type of cancer has been treated with this protocol in the state of Maryland.

Immune cells that suppress genital herpes infections identified Posted: 08 May 2013 10:17 AM PDT Scientists have identified a class of immune cells that reside long-term in the genital skin and mucosa and are believed to be responsible for suppressing recurring outbreaks of genital herpes. These immune cells also play a role in suppressing symptoms of genital herpes, which is why most sufferers of the disease are asymptomatic when viral reactivations occur. The discovery of this subtype of immune cells, called CD8αα+ T cells, opens a new avenue of research to develop a vaccine to prevent and treat herpes simplex virus type 2, or HSV-2. Identifying these T cells' specific molecular targets, called epitopes, is the next step in developing a vaccine.

Coumarin in cinnamon and cinnamon-based products and risk of liver damage Posted: 08 May 2013 09:31 AM PDT Many kinds of cinnamon, cinnamon-flavored foods, beverages and food supplements in the United States use a form of the spice that contains high levels of a natural substance that may cause liver damage in some sensitive people, scientists are reporting.

Improved material for 'laser welding' of tissue in intestinal surgery Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT A new "solder" for laser welding of tissue during surgical operations has the potential to produce stronger seals and expand use of this alternative to conventional sutures and stapling in intestinal surgery, scientists are reporting.

Using 'bacteria-eaters' to prevent infections on medical implant materials Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT Viruses that infect and kill bacteria -- used to treat infections in the pre-antibiotic era a century ago and in the former Soviet Union today -- may have a new role in preventing formation of the sticky "biofilms" of bacteria responsible for infections on implanted medical devices.

Whole walnuts and their extracted oil improve cardiovascular disease risk Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT Consumption of whole walnuts or their extracted oil can reduce cardiovascular risk through a mechanism other than simply lowering cholesterol, according to researchers.

Hit a 90 mph baseball? Scientists pinpoint how we see it coming Posted: 08 May 2013 09:30 AM PDT How does San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval swat a 95 mph fastball, or tennis icon Venus Williams see the oncoming ball, let alone return her sister Serena's 120 mph serves? For the first time, vision scientists have pinpointed how the brain tracks fast-moving objects.

Weeks after stroke, some patients develop chronic, debilitating pain Posted: 08 May 2013 09:28 AM PDT Nearly 1 in 10 stroke patients suffer chronic and debilitating pain, typically described as sharp, stabbing or burning. It is treatable with medications and magnetic or electrical stimulation of the brain. But physicians often fail to correctly diagnose the condition.

Soy and tomato may be effective in preventing prostate cancer Posted: 08 May 2013 08:43 AM PDT Tomatoes and soy foods may be more effective in preventing prostate cancer when they are eaten together than when either is eaten alone, said a new study.

Nearly five million asthmatics worldwide could benefit from antifungal therapy Posted: 08 May 2013 08:42 AM PDT An estimated 4,837,000 asthmatics with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) could benefit substantially from antifungal treatment, say researchers.

Differences between 'marathon mice' and 'couch potato mice' reveal key to muscle fitness Posted: 08 May 2013 07:26 AM PDT Using "marathon" and "couch potato" mouse models, researchers have discovered that microRNAs link the defining characteristics of fit muscles: The abilities to burn fuel and switch between muscle fiber types. They also found that active people have higher levels of one microRNA than sedentary people.

Biosensor that detects antibiotic resistance brings us one step closer to fighting superbugs Posted: 08 May 2013 07:25 AM PDT New research demonstrates how a biosensor can detect antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This new technology is a preliminary step in identifying and fighting superbugs, a major public health concern that has led to more deaths than AIDS in the United States in recent years.

Bacteria adapt and evade nanosilver's sting Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Although nanosilver has effective antimicrobial properties against certain pathogens, it can cause other potentially harmful organisms to rapidly adapt and flourish, a new study reveals.

Mathematical model measures hidden HIV Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT A new mathematical modeling technique reveals HIV virus may be replicating in body even when undetectable in the blood.

Geneticists find causes for severe childhood epilepsies Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Using a DNA sequencing technique capable of deciphering all human genes at the same time, researchers have discovered genetic mutations underlying seizure disorders in previously undiagnosed children.

Gene offers clues to new treatments for a harmful blood clotting disorder Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT A gene associated with both protection against bacterial infection and excessive blood clotting could offer new insights into treatment strategies for deep-vein thrombosis -- the formation of a harmful clot in a deep vein. The gene produces an enzyme that, if inhibited via a specific drug therapy, could offer hope to patients prone to deep-vein clots, such as those that sometimes form in the legs during lengthy airplane flights or during recuperation after major surgery.

Discovery shows fat triggers rheumatoid arthritis: Paves way for new gene therapies Posted: 08 May 2013 06:30 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that fat cells in the knee secrete a protein linked to arthritis, a finding that paves the way for new gene therapies that could offer relief and mobility to millions of people worldwide.

A trick to fold proteins more quickly: 'Clever' technique speeds up the analysis of protein dynamics Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT Scientists have devised a method to reduce the time used to simulate how proteins take on their signature three-dimensional shape. Such important information to comprehend their function is usually obtained using often very costly experimental techniques.

Why family conflict affects some children more than others Posted: 08 May 2013 06:28 AM PDT New research reveals why some children are badly affected by negative family conflicts while other children survive without significant problems. Researchers found that the way in which children understood the conflicts between their parents had different effects on their emotional and behavioral problems. Where children blamed themselves for the conflicts between their parents, they were more likely to have behavioral problems, such as anti-social behavior. But if their parents' fighting or arguing led to a child feeling threatened, or fearful that the family would split up, the child was more likely to experience emotional problems, such as depression.

Rethinking treatment goals improves results for those with persistent anorexia Posted: 08 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT Patients with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa stuck with treatments in a clinical trial and made significant improvements with just a slight modification of the standard goals and methods of care. Participants reported improved quality of life, mood and social adjustment.

5,000 steps a day to avoid paying higher health insurance costs? When money talks, people walk Posted: 08 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT Faced with a choice between higher insurance prices or exercising, people who were obese enrolled in and stuck with Internet-tracked walking program for a year.

Surgeons implant magnetic growing rods in groundbreaking treatment for early-onset scoliosis Posted: 08 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT In a revolutionary treatment for early-onset scoliosis (EOS) -- the first ever in the United States -- a team of surgeons implanted adjustable growing rods in two children from California.

Review on aspirin to treat and prevent heart attacks and commentary on aspirin to prevent colorectal and other cancers Posted: 08 May 2013 06:24 AM PDT A commentary and review provides clinicians with the optimal utilization of aspirin to treat and prevent heart attacks, and advice on aspirin in the prevention of colorectal and other cancers.

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