الأربعاء، 12 فبراير 2014

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News


How chronic stress predisposes brain to mental disorders

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 12:35 PM PST

Biologists have shown in rats that chronic stress makes stem cells in the brain produce more myelin-producing cells and fewer neurons, possibly affecting the speed of connections between cells as well as memory and learning. This could explain why stress leads to mental illness, such as PTSD, anxiety and mood disorders, later in life.

No clowning around: Juggling sheds light on how we run

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST

Juggling may seem like mere entertainment, but a study led by engineers used this circus skill to gather critical clues about how vision and the sense of touch help control the way humans and animals move their limbs in a repetitive way, such as in running. The findings eventually may aid in the treatment of people with neurological diseases and could lead to prosthetic limbs and robots that move more efficiently.

Child abuse rises with income inequality

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST

As the Great Recession deepened and income inequality became more pronounced, county-by-county rates of child maltreatment -- from sexual, physical and emotional abuse to traumatic brain injuries and death -- worsened, according to a nationwide study.

Nanoparticles treat muscular dystrophy in mice

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 10:29 AM PST

Researchers have demonstrated a new approach to treating muscular dystrophy. Mice with a form of this muscle-weakening disease showed improved strength and heart function when treated with nanoparticles loaded with rapamycin, an immunosuppressive drug recently found to improve recycling of cellular waste.

Excess weight linked to brain changes that may relate to memory, emotions, and appetite

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 09:18 AM PST

Being overweight appears related to reduced levels of a molecule that reflects brain cell health in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory, learning, and emotions, and likely also involved in appetite control, according to a new study.

First 3-D movies of living sperm help doctors select best for IVF

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 07:33 AM PST

Doctors may soon have a new technique to help them sort the good sperm cells from the less viable ones: a tracking system that takes 3-D movies of living sperm. In addition to showing the sperm's movement and behavior in real time, the novel method simultaneously provides detailed 3-D imaging of the sperm's form and structure to detect potential infertility-causing anomalies.

Better RNA interference, inspired by nature: New nanoparticles offer best-ever gene silencing

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

Inspired by tiny particles that carry cholesterol through the body, chemical engineers have designed nanoparticles that can deliver snippets of genetic material that turn off disease-causing genes. This approach, known as RNA interference (RNAi), holds great promise for treating cancer and other diseases. However, delivering enough RNA to treat the diseased tissue, while avoiding side effects in the rest of the body, has proven difficult. The new particles, which encase short strands of RNA within a sphere of fatty molecules and proteins, silence target genes in the liver more efficiently than any previous delivery system.

Lactate and brain function: How the body regulates fundamental neuro-hormone

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

New research has revealed a previously unknown mechanism in the body which regulates a hormone that is crucial for motivation, stress responses and control of blood pressure, pain and appetite. The breakthrough could be used to design drugs to help fight health problems connected with these functions in the future.

'Smelling' with our eyes: Descriptions affect odor perception

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:40 AM PST

An odor is judged differently depending on whether it is accompanied by a positive or negative description when it is smelled. When associated with a pleasant label, we enjoy the odor more than when it is presented with a negative label. To put it another way, we also 'smell' with our eyes!

Eat spinach or eggs for faster reflexes: Tyrosine helps you stop faster

Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:38 AM PST

A child suddenly runs out into the road. Brake!! A driver who has recently eaten spinach or eggs will stop faster, thanks to the amino acid tyrosine found in these and other food products.

Cars, computers, TVs spark obesity in developing countries

Posted: 10 Feb 2014 11:19 AM PST

The spread of obesity and Type 2 diabetes could become epidemic in low-income countries, as more individuals are able to own higher priced items such as TVs, computers and cars.

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