ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

Tadpole model links drug exposure to autism-like effects Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:29 PM PST In utero exposure to the epilepsy drug VPA appears to elevate the risk to babies of developing an autism spectrum disorder. A new study used a tadpole model to investigate VPA's effects on developing neural physiology and behavior. Researchers now hope to use the model to develop an intervention and to learn more about the underlying causes of neurodevelopmental disorders more broadly.

Voltage tester for beating cardiac cells Posted: 17 Feb 2015 11:43 AM PST For the first time, scientists have succeeded in recording the current in membrane channels of contracting cardiac cells. To do this, the scientists combined an atomic force microscope with a widely used method for measuring electrical signals in cells.

Violations in pharmaceutical industry self-regulation of medicines promotion Posted: 17 Feb 2015 11:43 AM PST A discrepancy exists between the ethical standard codified in the pharmaceutical industry Codes of Practice and the actual conduct of the pharmaceutical industry in the UK and Sweden, according to a new study.

Primary care nurse-delivered interventions can increase physical activity in older adults Posted: 17 Feb 2015 11:43 AM PST A primary care nurse-delivered intervention can lead to sustained increases in physical activity among older adults, according to a new article .

Bone-loss score may tip off doctors to gum disease in postmenopausal women Posted: 17 Feb 2015 10:13 AM PST A link between postmenopausal women with high scores on a Fracture Assessment Risk Tool, and symptoms of severe gum disease, has been found by researchers.

Unhealthy choices boosted mortality rates for blacks who migrated north Posted: 17 Feb 2015 10:12 AM PST Millions of African-Americans left the rural South during the 20th century in search of greater opportunities for work, education and overall quality of life in the urban North, Midwest and West. But the gains many made were clouded by an increased mortality rate, likely the result of unhealthy habits picked up by vices common in the big city, finds a new study.

Tau-associated MAPT gene increases risk for Alzheimer's disease Posted: 17 Feb 2015 10:11 AM PST The microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene has been identified as increasing the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), scientists report. The MAPT gene encodes the tau protein, which is involved with a number of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease and AD. These findings provide novel insight into Alzheimer’s neurodegeneration, possibly opening the door for improved clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Cancer experience presents time for lifestyle changes in both survivors and family members Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:28 AM PST After studying cancer survivors and their family caregivers, researchers conclude that the period between the final cancer treatment and first post-treatment checkup may be an ideal time for the entire household to jumpstart a healthy lifestyle.

Women seek greater variety in men and consumer products near ovulation Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:28 AM PST New research suggests women seek more options in dating partners near ovulation -- when they are most fertile -- which may lead them to also seek a greater variety of products and services.

Tool can help assess cognitive impairment in multicultural populations Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:26 AM PST The ability to assess cognitive impairment in multicultural older populations will become more important as demographics change worldwide. A new study reports that the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale is particularly effective in multicultural populations where English is not a patient's first language.

In lab research, team halts NASH liver damage Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:25 AM PST Scientists have developed a drug that stops fatty liver disease from causing inflammation and scarring. Doctors believe that up to 30 percent of the U.S. population may have fat accumulation in the liver, known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), that can lead to a range of damaging health consequences.

Potential new breathalyzer for lung cancer screening Posted: 17 Feb 2015 09:25 AM PST Chinese researchers have developed a simple, rapid device for detecting volatile organic compounds on the breath, demonstrating potential for early cancer detection.

Molecular inhibitor breaks cycle that leads to Alzheimer's Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:45 AM PST A molecular chaperone has been found to inhibit a key stage in the development of Alzheimer's disease and break the toxic chain reaction that leads to the death of brain cells, a new study shows. The research provides an effective basis for searching for candidate molecules that could be used to treat the condition.

New pathways discovered to prevent blindness Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:44 AM PST Scientists have made a major new discovery detailing how areas of the brain responsible for vision could potentially adapt to injury or trauma and ultimately prevent blindness. The study sheds new light on the relationship between vision loss and brain plasticity -- the extraordinary ability of the brain to modify its own structure and function as a result of change or damage.

Modular anatomical structure of human head described for first time Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:43 AM PST A new mathematical analysis tool has allowed a deeper understanding of the anatomy of the human head thanks to describing the skull as an extended network structured in ten modules. For the first time ever, the researchers added the head muscles and cartilages to the study of the skull bones (including the inner ear bones, the jaw and the bones that connect with head muscles, such as cervical vertebrae and clavicles).

Speech disorders: Crowdsourcing a valid option for gathering speech ratings Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:41 AM PST Crowdsourcing -- where responses to a task are aggregated across a large number of individuals recruited online -- can be an effective tool for rating sounds in speech disorders research, according to a study.

Can virtual reality help treat anxiety in older people? Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:41 AM PST Up to 25% of people aged 65 and over experience varying degrees of anxiety. Although cognitive behavioral therapy is a preferred treatment approach, it has limitations as people age (decreased mobility and visualization skills). Could virtual reality be an effective therapy for anxiety in older people? Some researchers say yes.

Science behind commonly used anti-depressants appears to be backwards, researchers say Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:41 AM PST The science behind many anti-depressant medications appears to be backwards, say the authors of a paper that challenges the prevailing ideas about the nature of depression and some of the world’s most commonly prescribed medications.

Drug improves measures of genetic disease that affects liver, spleen Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:40 AM PST Among previously untreated adults with Gaucher disease type 1, a genetic disease in which there is improper metabolism due to a defect in an enzyme, treatment with the drug eliglustat resulted in significant improvements in liver and spleen size hemoglobin level, and platelet count, according to a new study.

Beneficial effect of electric fans in extreme heat and humidity Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:40 AM PST Although some public health organizations advise against the use of electric fans in severe heat, a new study demonstrated that electric fans prevent heat-related elevations in heart rate and core body temperature.

Corticosteroid decreases treatment failure for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia and high inflammatory response Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:40 AM PST Among patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia and high initial inflammatory response, the use of the corticosteroid methylprednisolone decreased treatment failure, compared with placebo, according to a new study.

Anticoagulant Linked With Lower Risk of Death Following Heart Attack Compared to Heparin Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:39 AM PST Patients who experienced a certain type of heart attack who received the anticoagulant fondaparinux had a lower risk of major bleeding events and death both in the hospital and after six months compared to patients who received low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), although both groups had similar rates of subsequent heart attack or stroke, according to a new study.

Medication effective in helping smokers quit gradually Posted: 17 Feb 2015 08:39 AM PST Among cigarette smokers not willing or able to quit smoking in the next month but willing to reduce with the goal of quitting in the next 3 months, use of the nicotine addiction medication varenicline for 24 weeks compared with placebo produced greater reductions in smoking prior to quitting and increased smoking cessation rates at the end of treatment and at 1 year, according to a new study.

New study reveals how to improve chemotherapy use in prostate cancer Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:40 AM PST Next generation chemotherapy for prostate cancer has unique properties that could make it more effective earlier in treatment if confirmed in clinical trials, researchers report. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer for men in the United States. Only one class of chemotherapy called taxanes is currently effective against the disease.

Injuries of professional soccer players twelve times more frequent in competition than during training sessions? Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:39 AM PST The risk of injury during competition matches is twelve times higher than during training sessions in players of the "Professional Football League." The most common ones are muscular injuries and those resulting from overexertion, which imply recovery periods of around one week. These findings follow an extensive epidemiological study that analyses the characteristics of injuries to professional soccer players in Spain.

Workplace bullying a vicious circle Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:39 AM PST Bullying at work grinds victims down and makes them an 'easy target' for further abuse according to new research. The research suggests that employers should not only crack down on workplace bullies, but also help victims gain the skills to cope with difficult situations.

Bacteria jump between species more easily than previously thought Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:37 AM PST Bacteria may be able to jump between host species far easier than was previously thought, a new study suggests. Researchers discovered that a single genetic mutation in a strain of bacteria infectious to humans enables it jump species to also become infectious to rabbits. The discovery has major implications for how we assess the risk of bacterial diseases that can pass between humans and animals. It is well known that relatively few mutations are required to support the transmission of viruses -- such as influenza -- from one species to another. Until now it was thought that the process was likely to be far more complicated for bacteria.

Schizophrenia: Impaired activity of the selective dopamine neurons Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:37 AM PST Schizophrenia is not only associated with positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions, but also with negative symptoms e.g. cognitive deficits and impairments of the emotional drive. Until now, the underlying mechanisms for these negative symptoms have not been well characterized. Now a team of researchers reports that a selective dopamine midbrain population that is crucial for emotional and cognitive processing shows reduced electrical in vivo activity in a disease mouse model.

Improved fire detection with new ultra-sensitive, ultraviolet light sensor Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:37 AM PST A new study has discovered that a material traditionally used in ceramics, glass and paint, can be manipulated to produce an ultra-sensitive UV light sensor, paving the way for improved fire and gas detection.

Amyloid formation may link Alzheimer disease and type 2 diabetes Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:37 AM PST The pathological process amyloidosis, in which misfolded proteins (amyloids) form insoluble fibril deposits, occurs in many diseases, including Alzheimer disease (AD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, little is known about whether different forms of amyloid proteins interact or how amyloid formation begins in vivo. A new study has found evidence that amyloid from the brain can stimulate the growth of fibrils in the murine pancreas and pancreatic-related amyloid can be found along with brain-related amyloid in human brain senile plaques.

Questionnaire helps identify patients' risks of disability after surgery Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:36 AM PST Freedom from disability is one of the most important patient-centered outcomes after surgery, but there is currently no validated instrument to measure postoperative disability. However, a new study suggests that a simple-to-use patient questionnaire can help doctors measure the risk of disability in patients following surgery and should be used as an outcomes measure in perioperative studies.

Researchers discover potential new therapy for opioid tolerant patients Posted: 17 Feb 2015 05:36 AM PST While opioids are a widely used treatment for pain, patients who take them on a regular basis can become tolerant, requiring a higher dose for continued pain relief. Researchers have now identified a compound that appears to play a role in the development of opioid tolerance. It may be possible to lessen the development of opioid tolerance if that compound is neutralized or blocked in patients taking opioids chronically for severe pain.