ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

How CBD, a component in marijuana, works within cells Posted: 11 Feb 2015 11:09 AM PST Researchers have identified fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) as intracellular transporters for two ingredients in marijuana, THC and CBD (cannabidiol). The finding is significant because it helps explain how CBD works within the cells. Recent clinical findings have shown that CBD may help reduce seizures and could be a potential new medicine to treat pediatric treatment-resistant epilepsy.

Breakthrough in stroke treatment: Stent thrombectomy Posted: 11 Feb 2015 10:21 AM PST A randomized clinical research study looked at the effectiveness of a new treatment for stroke. The study involved adding a minimally invasive clot removal procedure called stent thrombectomy to standard clot-dissolving therapy, known as tissue plasminogen activator. The study showed a dramatic improvement in restoring blood flow back to the brain, which is critical in the recovery of stroke.

Meth messes up brains of youths far more than adults Posted: 11 Feb 2015 10:18 AM PST In a study with chronic adolescent and adult meth users in South Korea, MRI brain scans showed decreased thickness in the gray matter of younger users’ frontal cortex. Adult brains showed less damage.

Largest ever genome-wide study strengthens genetic link to obesity Posted: 11 Feb 2015 10:18 AM PST While diet and exercise are important, new findings sharpen the role genetics play in people’s tendency to gain weight and where the fat is stored. This work is the first step toward finding individual genes that play key roles in body shape and size.

New approach to childhood malnutrition may reduce relapses, deaths Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:40 AM PST Children treated for moderate acute malnutrition experience a high rate of relapse and even death in the year following treatment and recovery. A new study indicates that supplementary feeding for a set time period -- 12 weeks -- makes an impact but may not be as important as treating children until they reach target weights and measures of arm circumference.

Plant extract fights brain tumor Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:40 AM PST Silibinin from milk thistle seeds could be a novel, non-invasive treatment strategy for Cushing Disease. Cushing Disease, not to be confused with Cushing's Syndrome, is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland in the brain.

Treating the uninjured side of the brain appears to aid stroke recovery Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:37 AM PST To maximize stroke recovery, researchers may want to focus more on ways to support the side of the brain where the injury didn't occur, scientists report.

Extreme mechano-sensitive neurons of tactile-foraging ducks fit the bill for touch research Posted: 11 Feb 2015 09:25 AM PST Mechanosensation is one of our fundamental physiological processes, on par with sight and smell, but how it works on a cellular level remains poorly understood, holding back development of effective treatments for mechanosensory disorders like chronic pain. Now, a team of researchers has identified a new model organism that may help elucidate the cellular mechanisms behind mechanosensation: the ordinary duck.

Stroke patients receiving better, more timely care Posted: 11 Feb 2015 05:41 AM PST One in four acute ischemic stroke patients receiving the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator were transferred to a facility with expertise in stroke care. Those transferred to a certified stroke center were more likely to be younger, male and white. Hospitals that accepted transferred stroke patients were more common in the Midwest and more likely to be larger or academic medical centers.

Elementary teachers' depression symptoms related to students' learning Posted: 11 Feb 2015 05:41 AM PST A new study has found that teachers who report having more symptoms of depression had classrooms that were of lesser quality, and that students in these classrooms had fewer performance gains. Researchers looked at 27 teachers and their 523 third-grade students in a Florida school district. Teachers reported the frequency of their symptoms of clinical depression, and students' basic reading and math skills were assessed throughout the year.

New evidence on risks of advanced maternal age Posted: 11 Feb 2015 05:40 AM PST Many of the risk factors associated with pregnancy are more harmful when the expectant mother is over 35. According to an extensive, register-based study, the risks associated with overweight, smoking, gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia are higher in advanced maternal age than in younger expectant mothers. dvanced maternal age refers to women giving birth at the age of over 35.

How Health Authorities Might Improve Communication about Vaccinations Posted: 11 Feb 2015 05:29 AM PST Fatalists trump rational thought: A new study by a political scientist examines perceptions of U.S. citizens about the benefits and risks of immunizations.

Unwanted impact of antibiotics broader, more complex than previously known Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:26 PM PST Researchers have discovered that antibiotics have an unwanted impact on the microorganisms that live in an animal's gut that's more broad and complex than previously known. A study has helped to explain these processes, which are now believed to affect everything from the immune system to glucose metabolism, food absorption, obesity, stress and behavior.

New therapeutic principle for Parkinsonian dyskinesia shows clinical effect Posted: 10 Feb 2015 06:26 PM PST Involuntary dyskinetic movements induced by treatment with levodopa are a common problem for people with Parkinson's disease. Now, however, researchers seem to be close to a novel therapy to this distressing side effect.

Effectiveness of device to improve bowel control in women confirmed Posted: 10 Feb 2015 11:17 AM PST Medical researchers have successfully demonstrated a new device to control fecal incontinence in women.

Cancer researchers may inspire new area of research in cellular biology Posted: 10 Feb 2015 10:32 AM PST New research has some scientists wondering if the entire study of cellular biology needs to be adjusted. Researchers made the discovery that mitochondria are capable of passing through the healthy membrane of a host cell into defective tumor cells, possibly kicking off the rapid proliferation of tumour cells which is the hallmark of cancer. Until now each cell was believed to be a unique entity, with mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) bound within the cell membrane. New research has found this mtDNA is capable of moving from a healthy cell to a dysfunctional tumor cell.

Engineered insulin could offer better diabetes control Posted: 10 Feb 2015 10:05 AM PST Engineers hope to improve treatment for diabetes patients with a new type of engineered insulin. In tests in mice, the researchers showed that their modified insulin can circulate in the bloodstream for at least 10 hours, and that it responds rapidly to changes in blood-sugar levels.

First humanized mouse model of Sjögren’s syndrome opens door to study other autoimmune diseases Posted: 10 Feb 2015 05:35 AM PST Despite the prevalence of Sjögren’s syndrome – an autoimmune disease most commonly known for causing dry eyes and mouth - a lack of knowledge about how the condition starts has stalled the development of new treatments. Researchers have now developed a specialized animal model of Sjögren’s that engrafts human cells into mice, allowing scientists to track various factors that affect disease development and discover potential new therapies.

Simple blood test can predict risk of dementia Posted: 09 Feb 2015 03:44 PM PST Scientists have identified a new biomarker that can predict the risk of developing dementia by way of a simple blood test. In the long term, this could mean better prevention and thus at least postponement of the illness and at best evading the development all together.

Stress may partly explain worse heart attack recovery in young and middle-aged women Posted: 09 Feb 2015 02:13 PM PST Stress is associated with worse recovery after heart attack among young and middle-age patients. Women patients perceive greater psychological stress than men. Greater stress among women partially explained their worse recovery.