General Medicine/Family Medical
Study Explores Electrical Stimulation as an Aid to Memory
by Benedict Carey
Scientists have for the first time improved memory by applying direct electrical stimulation to a key area in the brain as it learns its way around a new environment. ?
The stimulation, delivered through electrodes inserted into the brains of epilepsy patients being prepared for surgery, sharply improved performance on a virtual driving game that tests spatial memory, the neural mapping ability that allows people to navigate a new city without a GPS.
Experts said that the new study, appearing Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine, was tantalizing but not yet conclusive, because the number of patients tested - six - was small, and the biological effects of electrical stimulation are still poorly understood. But it comes at a time of growing excitement in the study of memory and its disorders; only last week, researchers reported strong evidence that damage associated with Alzheimer's disease spreads through the brain - beginning in the same area targeted in the new study. ?
New Guidelines Debunk 'Economy Class Syndrome'
by Salynn Boyles
Risk of Blood Clots Low for Most Air Travelers
Feb. 7, 2012 -- New guidelines debunk evidence to support the existence of an "economy class syndrome" -- the idea that passengers in the cheaper seats with the least leg room have an elevated risk for developing deep-vein blood clots.
Likewise, the guideline committee concluded that there is "no definitive evidence" to support the notion that dehydration or drinking alcohol increase blood clot risk.
Gene Therapy Helps People With Inherited Blindness See
by Salynn Boyles
Treating Two Eyes Safe and Effective, New Study Confirms
Feb. 8, 2012 -- Functionally blind for many years, Tami Morehouse calls the gene therapy that partially restored her sight nothing short of a miracle.
Morehouse was the first of 12 patients with a rare congenital retinal disease to receive the experimental treatment in one eye three years ago, and she is one of just three who has now had the gene therapy in both eyes.
Does Online Dating Make You Luckier at Love?
by Brenda Goodman, MA
New Review Delves Into Claims of Relationship Success Made by Internet Dating Sites
eb. 6, 2012 -- A new study finds that Internet dating sites help us get together, but they probably don't make us any luckier in love, despite some companies' claims to the contrary.
"Online dating does present people with tremendous opportunities for dating that have not been available in the past, but there are several drawbacks and limitations that people need to be aware of when they use it," says researcher Harry T. Reis, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, in New York.
Heart Hormone Linked to Calorie-Burning Brown Fat
by Salynn Boyles
Research Could Lead to Obesity Treatment Down the Road
Feb. 6, 2012 -- You may have heard about brown fat -- a unique type of fat that acts like a furnace in the body to burn calories instead of storing them as excess weight.
Adults don't have much brown fat, but a new study suggests that hormones produced by the heart just might help them make more.
Researchers found that the hormones, known as cardiac natriuretic peptides, caused regular energy-storing white fat cells to turn into energy-burning brown fat in mice.
If studies show the same thing in humans, the heart hormone may hold the key to an effective weight loss treatment, says researcher Sheila Collins, PhD, of Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in Orlando, Fla.
The study appears online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Warnings/Alerts/Guidelines
Supply of a Cancer Drug May Run Out Within Weeks
by Gardiner Harris
The drug is methotrexate, and the cancer it treats is known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or A.L.L., which most often strikes children ages 2 to 5. It is an unusually virulent cancer of white blood cells that are overproduced in bone marrow and invade other parts of the body.
The cancer commonly spreads to the lining of the spine and brain, and oncologists prevent this by injecting large quantities of preservative-free methotrexate directly into the spinal fluid. The preservative can cause paralysis when injected into the spinal column, so cannot be used for this disease. Methotrexate is also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoporosis Medication Linked to Unusual Thigh Fractures
by Laird Harrison
Experts Recommend Taking a 'Holiday' From Bisphosphonates to Prevent Broken Bones
Feb. 8, 2012 -- Some drugs used to strengthen bones may increase the risk of an unusual type of fracture if patients take them for many years, a new study shows.
Overall, most people with osteoporosis, a loss of bone density over time, will suffer fewer broken bones if they take bisphosphonates, a category of drugs including Actonel, Atelvia, Boniva, and Fosamax that are used to treat the disease.
But a very small proportion of those who take the drugs may experience an unusual femur (thighbone) fracture if they take the drugs on a long-term basis.
Still, "we're preventing way more fractures than we're causing," says Richard M. Dell, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Cypress, Calif. He presented his findings today at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Hard-Boiled Egg Recall Hits 34 States
by Daniel J. DeNoon
Recall of Cooked Eggs, Prepared Salads, and Sandwiches
Feb. 6, 2012 -- Listeria contamination of hard-cooked eggs has led to recalls of prepared salads, sandwiches, and other products in 34 states.
So far, no illnesses have been reported. The listeria contamination was detected in lab tests run on hard-cooked eggs from Michael Foods' Wakefield, Neb., plant. The firm says the contamination was linked to a "specific repair project that took place in the processing room."
Michael Foods, based in Minnesota, does not sell the foods directly to retail customers. But the recalled 10- and 25-pound pails of cooked, peeled eggs were widely distributed to many types of food service companies in 34 states.
Women's Health
Chemo May Not Harm Unborn Baby
by Salynn Boyles
Study: Children Exposed to Chemotherapy in Second and Third Trimesters Develop Normally
Feb. 9, 2012 -- There is reassuring news for women who are pregnant and facing treatment for cancer.
A new study shows little evidence that exposure to chemotherapy in the womb in the second and third trimesters leads to health problems or developmental delays in childhood.
Children in the study whose mothers had an average of three to four cycles of chemotherapy during pregnancy were subjected to a battery of tests to assess their general health, intelligence, and behavioral development.
The tests suggested that fetal exposure to chemotherapy after the first trimester is not associated with developmental and health issues.
C-Sections Not Always Best for Small Babies
by Denice Mann
Study Shows Greater Risk for Breathing Problems Among Small Babies Delivered Early by C-Section
Feb. 9, 2012 -- Babies in the womb who are smaller than they should be have higher rates of breathing problems when delivered early by C-section vs. similar babies who are born vaginally, a new study shows.
In the past, obstetricians have often chosen to deliver a baby by C-section if a baby is not growing at the rate it should be. This was believed to be better for these infants. But this study casts that notion into doubt.
The new study was presented today at the 32nd Annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine Meeting in Dallas.
Men's Health
Male Genes May Explain Higher Heart Disease Risk
by Gina Kolata
Although heart disease is the leading killer of women as well as of men, two heart disease patients out of every three are male, and heart disease strikes men 10 to 15 years earlier than it does women. No one really knows why.
Now, a new study reports that part of the answer may lie on the Y chromosome, the one chromosome unique to men.
In the study, published on Wednesday in The Lancet, researchers found that nearly all British men have one of two variants of a cluster of genes on their Y chromosome. Those with one of the variants had a 50 percent increased risk of heart disease compared with men with the other variant. This risk was independent of traditional factors like cholesterol, smoking and diabetes.
Smoking in Men Speeds Up Mental Decline
by Cari Nierenberg
Study: More Rapid Mental Decline Seen in Male Smokers, Not Females
Feb. 6, 2012 -- Smoking is bad for the brain, especially for male smokers.
Men who smoke tend to have a more rapid mental decline than men who do not smoke, a new study shows. But the findings did not reveal a similar link between smoking and mental decline in female smokers.
Although the exact reason for the sex difference is unclear, one possibility is that women tend to smoke fewer cigarettes a day than men do and for fewer years. Other lifestyle habits, such as male smokers drinking more alcohol, may also account for some differences seen.
Pediatric Health
Treating Sleep Apnea in Kids Improves Behavior, Quality of Life
by Denice Mann
Using a Forced Air Mask at Night Makes a Big Difference, Study Shows
Feb. 10, 2012 -- Kids with obstructive sleep apnea are often tired by day, have trouble paying attention, and have other behavioral problems all because they are not getting enough quality sleep at night. A new study may help turn that around -- without surgery.
Sleep apnea is marked by pauses in breathing while asleep. This is often a result of an obstruction in the airway, such as oversized tonsils or adenoids. These pauses can occur throughout the night and disrupt sleep. Positive airway pressure (PAP) machines help keep the airways open during sleep. These machines deliver pressurized air through a mask to hold the airways in the throat open.
New research shows that this treatment can improve the quality of life and behavior issues for children with sleep apnea. The findings appear in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Rotavirus Vaccine Not Linked to Risk of Intestinal Disorder
by Denise Mann
Large Study Shows No Link Between Vaccine and Intussusception
Feb. 7, 2012 -- Despite studies showing that the rotavirus vaccine can reduce the number of children hospitalized for severe diarrhea, some U.S. doctors are slow to embrace it for fear that this vaccine may increase an infant's risk of a life-threatening bowel blockage (intussusception).
It's a case of once bitten, twice shy. An earlier rotavirus vaccine, RotaShield, was pulled from the market because it increased risk for intussusception. Some studies in Latin America also suggested a connection.
FDA Approves No-Comb Treatment for Head Lice
by Danial J. DeNoon
Sklice Is a 10-Minute Head Lice Treatment for Kids 6 Months Old and Older
Feb. 7, 2012 -- The FDA today approved Sklice, a no-comb, 10-minute treatment for head lice.
The announcement comes from Sanofi Pasteur U.S., which last year acquired the developer of the treatment, Topaz Pharmaceuticals.
Sklice is a topical (on-the-skin) lotion containing a 0.5% solution of ivermectin, a powerful parasite killer. It can be used in kids as young as 6 months.
Kids Who Feel Left Out Are Less Active
By Jennifer Warner
Children Who Feel Ostracized Are Less Likely to Be Physically Active
Feb. 6, 2012 -- Children who feel left out, even for a little while, may be less active.
A new study shows that kids who are ostracized by other children are more likely to choose non-active pastimes over physical ones.
The results showed that children who were excluded during an online computer game later spent 41% more minutes being sedentary, rather than choosing a more physical activity at a gym where they could pick any diversion they liked.
Researchers say it's the first study to look at the effect of ostracism on physical activity in children.
Teens Exposed to Less Secondhand Smoke in Cars
by Cari Nierneberg
Still, More Than 20% of Nonsmoking Students Exposed to Tobacco Smoke in Vehicles, Survey Shows
Feb. 6, 2012 -- Secondhand smoke exposure in cars declined among U.S. middle and high school students between 2000 and 2009.
The number of young people who reported riding in a car with someone who was smoking cigarettes "within the past seven days" during the study period fell from about 48% to nearly 30% over a 10-year period, a new study shows.
This downward trend in secondhand smoke exposure was seen across all ages of middle and high school students, genders, and ethnic groups.
Aging
New Alzheimer's Guidelines May Confuse Diagnosis
by Rita Ruben
Analysis: Saying Patients Have 'Mild Cognitive Impairment' Instead of Early Alzheimer's May Complicate Treatment
Feb. 7, 2012 -- New Alzheimer's guidelines may be creating confusion.
Under recently revised criteria, nearly all people currently diagnosed with very mild or mild Alzheimer's disease dementia would be classified instead as having mild cognitive impairment, akin to slight memory loss, which could mislead patients and their families, according to a leading Alzheimer's researcher.
"The distinction between mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia has been terribly blurred," John Morris, MD, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis, tells WebMD.
Nutrition/Diet/Fitness
Would You Like to 'Downsize' That?
by Rita Ruben
Customers Would Opt for Smaller Portions if Restaurants Gave Them the Option, Study Suggests
Feb. 8, 2012 -- Forget "supersize that." Tulane University marketing professor Janet Schwartz, PhD, would like fast-food restaurants to instead ask their customers if they'd like to "downsize that."
Instead of asking, "Would you like fries with that?" Schwartz says, fast-food restaurants could make a dent in Americans' waistlines if they asked, "How many fries would you like with that?"
Given the choice, many Americans would opt for smaller portions of starchy side dishes, Schwartz and her co-authors conclude in their new study.
CDC: Doctors Increasingly Prescribe Exercise
by Matt McMillen
1 in 3 Adult Patients Advised by Their Doctor to Boost Physical Activity
Feb. 9, 2012 -- A new report from the CDC shows that more patients are getting prescriptions for exercise from their doctors.
In 2010, 1 in 3 adults who saw a doctor or other health care professional was advised to increase their physical activity as a means of maintaining or improving their health. That's a significant increase over 2000, when less than a quarter of consultations included such advice.
"Trends over the past 10 years suggest that the medical community is increasing its efforts to recommend participation in exercise and other physical activity that research has shown to be associated with substantial health benefits," states the report, from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
Bread and Other Common Foods Top List of Sodium Culprits
by Denise Mann
CDC Study: About 90% of Us Get Too Much Sodium
Feb. 7, 2012 -- About 90% of us get too much sodium every day, and most of it comes from common restaurant or grocery store items, the CDC reports. The No. 1 culprit? Bread and rolls.
?Tai Chi Improves Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
by Brenda Goodman, MA
Study: Tai Chi Leads to Smoother, Steadier Movements, Longer Strides, and Fewer Falls Compared to Other Types of Exercise
Feb. 8, 2012 -- Tai chi, a type of exercise that guides the body through gentle, flowing poses, may help some of the worst physical problems of Parkinson's disease, a new study shows.
If further studies confirm the findings, experts say it appears that tai chi might be an effective therapy for improving a person's ability to walk, move steadily, and balance. Tai chi may also reduce the chances of a fall.
"The results from this study are quite impressive," says Ray Dorsey, MD, MBA, a neurologist and associate professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.
School Vending Machines Still Offer Too Many Sugary Snacks
by Jennifer Warner
Half of Elementary School Students Have Access to Foods With Little Nutritional Value
Feb. 6, 2012 -- About half of elementary school students still have access to sugary snacks and other unhealthy options in school vending machines, according to a new study.
To combat rising childhood obesity rates, the Institute of Medicine recommended in 2007 that school meal programs be the primary source of nutrition in schools and called for limiting access to competitive foods in vending machines and other venues.
Despite these guidelines, researchers found that access to competitive foods did not change much in public or private elementary schools from 2006 to 2010.
Source: http://www.docudharma.com/diary/29042/health-and-fitness-news
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