Medindia Health News

Research Reveals How Brains Organize Everyday Experiences
Over Past 50 Years, Rates of Squint Surgery Have Plummeted
Effective and Adaptable Leaders' Brains Work Better
The Story of People Who Pursue Death With Dignity
Scientists Reveal Clues to Extraordinary Adaptations
US Republicans Oppose Gay Marriages
New 'Rationally Rewired' Cell may Help Determine and Control Cancer's Key Players
The World's First Ever Womb Transplant from a Deceased Donor
Scientists Develop See-through Brain to Successfully Study Human Brain
Racial Differences for End-Of-Life Care Among Kidney Failure Patients
Reduced Complications for Spinal Cord Stimulator Implants
New Research Will Lead to Safer Medical Experiments on Humans
New Drug Target for Metastatic Breast Cancer Identified
Copper Cuts Hospital Infections
First Swine Flu Case in Bengal
China Bird Flu Toll Hits 11
Survival Of Brain Tumor Patients Shortened by Overactive 'Markers'
Doctors Unaware of Harmful Effects of Medicines
Androgens Drive Breast Cancer, Studies Suggest
'Artificial Leaf' Produces Energy and Heals Itself
Shingles Vaccine Effective for Both Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia
Red Wine may not Serve its Purpose in the Obese
Smoking may Cause Kidney Problems
Titanic's Menu Lives on
Breathing Problem Misdiagnosed in Elite Athletes
Watermelon: New Weapon Against High Blood Pressure
Space Travel Increases Colon Cancer Risk
Wireless Microscale LED Devices to Assist Brain Studies
FDA Warns Against Dietary Supplements Containing DMAA Stimulant
New Zealand Researchers are Going to Develop New Test to Detect a Performance Enhancer in Players' Blood Samples
Molecular Triggers Present in Snacks Make Them More Addictive, Finds a New Research
In Phase I Trial RNA Interference Drug Demonstrated Activity and Safety
In Daughters, Excess Estrogen in Pregnancy can Silence BRCA1 But It Increases Breast Cancer Risk
For Sleep Apnea Patients CPAP Improves Work Productivity
Ability of Intestinal Cells to Destroy Oncoprotein Reduced By Exposure to Space Radiation
New Stem Cell Research Shows How Important It is To Spring Clean Your Brain

Research Reveals How Brains Organize Everyday Experiences

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Using subconscious mental categories the brain creates, it breaks experiences into the "events," or related groups that help us mentally organize the day's many situations. This is according to Princeton University researchers. These categories are based on how the brain considers people, objects and actions are related in terms of how they tend to - or tend not to - pop up near one another at specific times. This dynamic, which the researchers call ...

Over Past 50 Years, Rates of Squint Surgery Have Plummeted

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A research published online in the iBritish Journal of Ophthalmology/i shows that the rates of surgery to correct childhood squint in England have tumbled over the past 50 years. But there's still a fivefold difference between the areas with the lowest and highest rates of the procedure, similar to the wide variations in tonsil removal, and it's not clear why, say the authors. Squint (strabismus) is one of the most common eye problems in children, ...

Effective and Adaptable Leaders' Brains Work Better

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According to a new study, effective and adaptable leaders' brains may be physically "wired" to lead. Researchers have linked adaptive leadership skills with brain functioning and psychological complexity measures among active leaders. Those leaders who were found to be more adaptable and complex in psychological studies appeared to have brains that function differently from those of less adaptable leaders, according to the study. This ...

The Story of People Who Pursue Death With Dignity

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Most of the 255 Washington residents who received a prescription for lethal medication by the end of 2011, to end their lives under the state's Death with Dignity Act had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Of those, 40 were patients at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, part of the Pacific Northwest's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Because several states are considering similar Death with Dignity laws, and because ...

Scientists Reveal Clues to Extraordinary Adaptations

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From turtles, humans could learn a thing or two. And scientists who have just sequenced the first turtle genome uncovered clues about how people can benefit from the shelled creatures' remarkable longevity and ability to survive for months without breathing. Understanding the natural mechanisms turtles use to protect their heart and brain from oxygen deprivation may one day improve treatments for heart attack and stroke, the researchers said. UCLA ...

US Republicans Oppose Gay Marriages

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US Republicans confirm their opposition to gay marriages in a three-day meeting. The Republican National Committee proclaimed that marriage was a "relationship that only a man and a woman can form" and urged the Supreme Court to rule against same-sex marriage in two key cases before it. The RNC "affirms its support for marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and as the optimum environment in which to raise healthy children for the future of America," ...

New 'Rationally Rewired' Cell may Help Determine and Control Cancer's Key Players

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A cell's smallest components have now been 'rationally rewired' by researchers, which may help create proteins that can be switched on or off by command. These "protein switches" can be used to interrogate the inner workings of each cell, helping scientists uncover the molecular mechanisms of human health and disease. In the first application of this approach, the UNC researchers showed how a protein called Src kinase influences the way cells extend and move, a ...

The World's First Ever Womb Transplant from a Deceased Donor

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The first ever woman to receive a uterus from a deceased donor, is now healthy and two-weeks pregnant following a successful embryo transplant. The 22-year-old Derya Sert was revealed to be almost two-weeks pregnant in preliminary results after in vitro fertilisation at Akdeniz University Hospital in Turkey's southern province of Antalya, her doctor Mustafa Unal said in a written statement. "She is doing just fine at the moment," Unal said. Sert ...

Scientists Develop See-through Brain to Successfully Study Human Brain

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The brain's finer workings can now be studied by scientists, while preserving its 3-D structure and integrity of its circuitry and other biological machinery. A breakthrough method, called CLARITY, developed by National Institutes of Health-funded researchers, opens the intact postmortem brain to chemical, genetic and optical analyses that previously could only be performed using thin slices of tissue. By replacing fat that normally holds the brain's working components ...

Racial Differences for End-Of-Life Care Among Kidney Failure Patients

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Highlights: Substantial regional variation has been noticed in the cases of racial differences in end-of-life care among US adults suffering from kidney failure. liBlack-white differences in dialysis discontinuation and hospice referral are most pronounced in regions with the highest levels of end-of-life spending./ul More than 590,000 Americans in 2010 were treated for kidney failure. Washington, DC (April 11, 2013) - At the end of life, black patients ...

Reduced Complications for Spinal Cord Stimulator Implants

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New research suggests that the complications during the placement of spinal cord stimulator may be reduced thanks to the introduction of two innovative techniques. Results from a case series highlighted an advanced lead anchoring technique and the emerging technology of using large single-port introducers, which enable placement of multiple neurostimulation leads through a single needle-entry point. Neurostimulation leads are used in SCS therapy for the management ...

New Research Will Lead to Safer Medical Experiments on Humans

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Novel drugs tested on humans by pharmaceutical companies do not work as intended in almost 90 per cent of cases and must be scrapped. Often the drugs do not work, while at worst, test subjects die. New research from the University of Southern Denmark now shows that this number can be reduced. The secret is to test the drug on cells grown as 3D structures. In 1993, five out of 15 liver patients who participated in a medical trial following the American ...

New Drug Target for Metastatic Breast Cancer Identified

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Tumor suppressor genes work to inhibit the growth and spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs, say researchers. The research is published this week online in the iJournal of Biological Chemistry/i. Working in a mouse model, the LSUHSC research team studied LKB1, an enzyme that functions as a tumor suppressor in the small intestine, and Nischarin, a novel protein that regulates breast cancer cell migration and movement discovered by Dr. Alahari in ...

Copper Cuts Hospital Infections

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Antimicrobial copper was found to reduce 58 percent of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) within two hours, says study published in the iJournal of Clinical Microbiology/i. The study compared copper to equivalent non-copper touch surfaces during active patient care between routine cleaning and sanitizing. "Copper alloy surfaces offer an alternative way to reduce the increasing number of HAIs, without having to worry about changing healthcare worker behavior," ...

First Swine Flu Case in Bengal

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After a gap of three years, West Bengal has reported its first swine flu case, say experts. "One sample has tested positive so far. The health department has already issued circulars and notices to various hospitals across districts," Sekhar Chakrabarti, director of National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, told IANS. The last case of swine flu in West Bengal was reported in 2009. Microbiologist Nemai Bhattacharya, from School ...

China Bird Flu Toll Hits 11

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In Shanghai, the new bird flu strain has taken another victim, raising the toll to 11, say authorities. The official agency Xinhua reported this latest death along with two new cases of the sickness in Shanghai, the metropolis most affected by the flu virus up to now, followed by the neighbouring provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui. Out of a total of 40 people affected up to now, only a four-year-old boy who suffered slight symptoms has recovered. ...

Survival Of Brain Tumor Patients Shortened by Overactive 'Markers'

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Researchers have now discovered a more accurate way to predict the survival of patients suffering from the most deadliest form of brain tumor. The authors say the finding could better inform physician recommendations on the most appropriate treatment strategy for patients with aggressive brain tumors. The new analysis examined tumors from patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), who survive 12-15 months on average with the current combination of surgery, radiation ...

Doctors Unaware of Harmful Effects of Medicines

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Drug company representative fail to provide family doctors enough information about the harmful effects of medications, an international study suggests. Yet the same doctors indicated that they were likely to start prescribing these drugs, consistent with previous research that shows prescribing behaviour is influenced by pharmaceutical promotion. The study, which had doctors fill out questionnaires about each promoted medicine following sales visits, ...

Androgens Drive Breast Cancer, Studies Suggest

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The three big markers/ targets in breast cancer include estrogen, progesterone receptors and HER2 gene. Evidence presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 adds a fourth: androgen receptors. "This is a continuing line of work with all evidence pointing toward the addition of the androgen receptor as potential target and useful marker in all of the major subtypes of breast cancer," says Jennifer Richer, PhD, investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center ...

'Artificial Leaf' Produces Energy and Heals Itself

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The worlds very first 'artificial leaf' possesses innovative features of self-healing and energy production. This makes the device even more suitable for providing people in developing countries and remote areas with electricity, said scientists. Daniel G. Nocera, Ph.D, leader of the research team, explained that the "leaf" mimics the ability of real leaves to produce energy from sunlight and water. The device, however, actually is a simple ...

Shingles Vaccine Effective for Both Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia

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Though associated with a reduction in both herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia, the uptake of shingles vaccine in the US is low. A vaccine to prevent shingles may reduce by half the occurrence of this painful skin and nerve infection in older people (aged over 65 years) and may also reduce the rate of a painful complication of shingles, post-herpetic neuralgia, but has a very low uptake (only 4%) in older adults in the United States, according to a study by ...

Red Wine may not Serve its Purpose in the Obese

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Overweight and obese persons do not get the much touted benefits of red wine. Resveratrol, a silent ingredient in red wine, grabbed international fame owing to its medical potential. People with diabetes, dementia and heart diseases are likely to be benefited from resveratrol. However, an abnormally high body mass index (BMI) doesn't qualify one to reap these benefits. A landmark study done in Denmark found that obese persons who took 1,500 mg ...

Smoking may Cause Kidney Problems

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In adolescents, smoking has a negative effect on kidney function, says study. A team of researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Children's Center examined the association between exposure to active smoking and kidney function among U.S. adolescents and found the effects of tobacco smoke on kidney function begin in childhood. "Tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke are major health ...

Titanic's Menu Lives on

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More than a 100 years after the Titanic sank, titanic's overwhelmingly French menu has been re-created by Canadian chef of Goan origin Tony Fernandes in Toronto for a charity dinner Friday. The seven course meal served at the Captain's table onboard the Titanic will be whipped up by Fernandes and his Golden Horseshoe Culinary team at the Algonquin Ballroom. "The menu is rich and fatty - a classical French menu accompanied by fine wine and liquor. My ...

Breathing Problem Misdiagnosed in Elite Athletes

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Elite athletes with a vocal cord disorder are more likely to be misdiagnosed and treated for exercise-induced asthma, shows study. Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center also examined interventions ranging from biofeedback to botox injections to help manage the condition - called paradoxical vocal fold motion disorder (PVFMD) - and found that vocal cord "retraining" therapy was effective at reducing or resolving breathing symptoms, ...

Watermelon: New Weapon Against High Blood Pressure

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Consumption of watermelons was found to lower blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, states recent study. Food scientists at Florida State University found that consumption of six grams of L-citrulline from watermelon extract for six weeks normalized the blood pressure of all nine adults in the study who previously had elevated blood pressure, The News reported. Dr. Arturo Figueroa, lead researcher of the new ...

Space Travel Increases Colon Cancer Risk

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Space travel could boost the risk of colon cancer, finds study. An earlier study had shown that mice exposed to a type of high-energy radiation prevalent in space, called 56Fe radiation, had developed tumours in their intestines. A second study by the same group of researchers suggests that cosmic radiation prevents gut cells from destroying a protein called beta-catenin, which in turn, promotes uncontrolled cell growth. In space, astronauts ...

Wireless Microscale LED Devices to Assist Brain Studies

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Researchers from the University of Illinois and Washington University have developed ultra thin optoelectronic device to measure and manipulate the brain tissues. The device, which can be operated wirelessly, consists of LEDs, temperature and light sensors, microscale heaters, and electrodes that can both stimulate and record electrical activity. This device would make it easier for neuroscientists to examine the various neural circuits involved in drug addiction, ...

FDA Warns Against Dietary Supplements Containing DMAA Stimulant

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking all measures to prevent the distribution and sales of dietary supplements containing a stimulant called dimethylamylamine (DMAA). DMAA is a common ingredient in many supplements promising weight loss, muscle building and performance enhancement. However, it is associated with side effects like high blood pressure leading to heart disease including heart attack, shortness of breath and tightening of chest. Following ...

New Zealand Researchers are Going to Develop New Test to Detect a Performance Enhancer in Players' Blood Samples

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A team of New Zealand researchers is all set to develop a new anti-drug test to detect the presence of a performance enhancer protein, erythropoietin (EPO) in the blood. Erythropoietin is produced naturally by the kidneys to stimulate the production of red blood cells. Many athletes use artificial EPO to boost their performance, as artificial EPO is indistinguishable from natural hormones. Associate professor Chris Pemberton and colleagues from the Christchurch ...

Molecular Triggers Present in Snacks Make Them More Addictive, Finds a New Research

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German researchers from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg have identified the reason why crisps are more appealing and most people are tempted to eat more crisps. Hedonic hyperphagia is a term used to refer eating to excess for pleasure rather than hunger and almost everyone would have experienced it at some point of life. This condition in chronic form results in overweight and obesity. Dr Tobias Hoch and team experimented with the rats to understand ...

In Phase I Trial RNA Interference Drug Demonstrated Activity and Safety

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According to a researcher, early results from a phase I, first in-human study indicate that a potential new class of drugs, RNA interference (RNAi) drugs, can be safely administered in humans. The researcher presented data on the safety and preliminary efficacy of TKM-080301 at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013, held in Washington, D.C., April 6-10. TKM-080301, also known as TKM-PLK1, is an RNAi drug being developed by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation. "RNAi therapies ...

In Daughters, Excess Estrogen in Pregnancy can Silence BRCA1 But It Increases Breast Cancer Risk

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Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center say that excess estrogen levels during pregnancy can disable, in their daughters, a powerful breast cancer tumor suppressor gene. They found the DNA repair gene BRCA1 to be silenced in year-old girls exposed to a high hormonal fetal environment. The researchers say their study, presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013, suggests that BRCA1 silencing by methylation in utero may be an important mechanism ...

For Sleep Apnea Patients CPAP Improves Work Productivity

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At the Sleep and Breathing Conference in Berlin, organised by the European Respiratory Society and the European Sleep Research Society a new study will be presented. Previous research has demonstrated that people with sleep apnoea are less productive at work, usually due to excessive daytime sleepiness. This study aimed to assess whether continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improved productivity at work. The researchers used the Endicott Work ...

Ability of Intestinal Cells to Destroy Oncoprotein Reduced By Exposure to Space Radiation

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An explanation as to why space radiation may increase the risk of colorectal cancer in humans was given by two studies funded by NASA and presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013. The researchers, from Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, found that cosmic radiation impairs the ability of cells in the intestines of mice to eliminate oncogenic proteins, thus substantially increasing development of colorectal tumors. The findings are important because ...

New Stem Cell Research Shows How Important It is To Spring Clean Your Brain

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A legion of stem cells lies deep inside your brains, ready to turn into new brain and nerve cells whenever and wherever you need them most. While they wait, they keep themselves in a state of perpetual readiness - poised to become any type of nerve cell you might need as your cells age or get damaged. Now, new research from scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School reveals a key way they do this: through a type of internal "spring cleaning" that both ...