http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Widely available in pharmacies and health stores, phosphatidylserine is a natural food supplement produced from beef, oysters, and soy. Proven to improve cognition and slow memory loss, it's a popular treatment for older people experiencing memory impairment. Now a team headed by Prof. Gil Ast and Dr. Ron Bochner of Tel Aviv University's Department of Human Molecular Genetics have discovered that the same supplement improves the functioning of genes involved in degenerative brain disorders, including Parkinson's disease and Familial Dysautonomia (FD). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-common-food-supplement-degenerative-brain.html Medical research Tue, 21 May 2013 12:20:01 EST news288356860 Most elite athletes consider doping substances "are effective" in improving performance, while recognising that they constitute cheating, can endanger health and entail the obvious risk of sanction. At the same time, the reasons why athletes start to take doping substances are to achieve athletic success, improve performance, for financial gain, to improve recovery and to prevent nutritional deficiencies, as well as "because other athletes also use them". http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-elite-athletes-doping-substances-effective.html Health Tue, 21 May 2013 12:10:01 EST news288355671 Youth who had a schoolmate die by suicide are significantly more likely to consider or attempt suicide, according to a study in published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). This effect can last 2 years or more, which has implications for strategies following schoolmate suicides. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-teens-exposed-schoolmate-death-suicide.html Psychology & Psychiatry Tue, 21 May 2013 12:09:19 EST news288356939 Knee replacement surgery is a very common procedure. However, it does not always resolve function or pain in all the recipients of new knees. A study by Robert Barrack, MD and his colleagues from the Washington University School of Medicine wanted to determine if any socioeconomic factors were associated with less successful outcomes of knee replacement surgery. Their study, which appears in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, published by Springer, found that lower-income individuals reported higher levels of dissatisfaction and poorer function than those with higher incomes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-people-higher-incomes-happier-knees.html Other Tue, 21 May 2013 11:50:36 EST news288355827 Surgeons investigated sexual function in 62 patients, 50 years and older, who had received extensive spinal–pelvic instrumentation for spinal deformity at the University of Virginia Health Center. Based on their results, the surgeons found that it is very possible for older people to achieve satisfactory sexual function despite having extensive spinal–pelvic instrumentation. Details of this study are disclosed in "Sexual function in older adults following thoracolumbar to pelvic instrumentation for spinal deformity. Clinical article," by Dr. D. Kojo Hamilton and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-sexual-function-older-adults-thoracolumbar-pelvic.html Surgery Tue, 21 May 2013 11:50:01 EST news288355093 Researchers at Emory University have identified a protein that stimulates a pair of "orphan receptors" found in the brain, solving a long-standing biological puzzle and possibly leading to future treatments for neurological diseases. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-family-pair-orphan-receptors-brain.html Medical research Tue, 21 May 2013 11:49:55 EST news288355780 Prostaglandin analogues (PGAs), drugs which lower intraocular pressure, are often the first line of treatment for people with glaucoma, but their use is not without risks. PGAs have long been associated with blurred vision, dryness, changes in eye color and other side effects. Now a new study has found that these drugs also cause upper and lower eyelid drooping and other issues that can interfere with vision. The findings are described in PLOS ONE. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-glaucoma-drug-droopy-eyelids.html Ophthalmology Tue, 21 May 2013 11:47:21 EST news288355624 The level of immunity to the recently circulating H7N9 influenza virus in an urban and rural population in Vietnam is very low, according to the first population level study to examine human immunity to the virus, which was previously only found in birds. The findings have implications for planning the public health response to this pandemic threat. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-reveal-population-immunity-bird-flu.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 11:46:37 EST news288355588 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is primarily associated with the respiratory symptoms that are its hallmark, but in fact, patients who struggle with the disease also experience significant amounts of chronic pain. A new study conducted by researchers in Pennsylvania and New Mexico estimates the degree of pain suffered by these patients to be close to that experienced by patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-copd-significant-persistent-pain.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 11:43:41 EST news288355411 Depression is common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and has been linked with disease severity and impaired quality of life. Now, for the first time, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have linked the systemic inflammation associated with COPD with depression in these patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-inflammation-depression-copd-patients.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 11:39:07 EST news288355140 Physicians at Monash University and The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia describe the logistic, medical, and societal challenges faced in treating spine trauma in morbidly obese patients. Based on a case series of six patients injured in high-speed motor vehicle accidents, the authors categorize difficulties faced in the care of morbidly obese patients from on-scene immobilization and medical transport through spinal imaging, surgery, and postoperative care. Details of the six cases and a thorough discussion of challenges posed by morbid obesity and possible solutions are covered in "Challenges in the surgical management of spine trauma in the morbidly obese patient: a case series. Clinical article," by Hannah E. Rosenfeld and colleagues, published today online, ahead of print, in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-encountered-surgical-spine-trauma-morbidly.html Surgery Tue, 21 May 2013 11:37:09 EST news288354999 In a striking, unexpected discovery, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in laboratory culture. The finding suggests that vitamin C added to existing TB drugs could shorten TB therapy, and it highlights a new area for drug design. The study was published today in the online journal Nature Communications. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-vitamin-drug-resistant-tb-video.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 11:34:25 EST news288354848 Doctors are trained to think "common disease" when they meet patients in their practices, and as they rarely or never meet a rare disease, it often takes many years to reach the right diagnosis. A new search tool called FindZebra developed at the Technical University of Denmark can dramatically reduce this time in many cases. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-rare.html Other Tue, 21 May 2013 11:32:37 EST news288354684 Arachnoid cysts are a common type of brain lesion that is usually harmless, but with a risk of rupture or bleeding. A new study identifies risk factors for rupture or bleeding in children with "incidentally" detected arachnoid cysts, reports the May issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-factors-rupture-arachnoid-cysts-children.html Surgery Tue, 21 May 2013 11:27:00 EST news288354414 Australian scientists have charted the path of insulin action in cells in precise detail like never before. This provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding what goes wrong in diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-insight-dazzling-impact-insulin-cells.html Medical research Tue, 21 May 2013 11:25:38 EST news288354330 (Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo is often inescapable. On small scales, we know it is in fact impossible to measure something without changing its essential character in some way. One idea that has recently gained momentum, is that although our brains have mechanisms for unpacking past experience into a form where it can be consciously manipulated with the full power of the mind, mechanisms to repack those memories into the original form lack similar finesse. In this light, once touched, a memory is no longer exactly the same. A paper just published in PNAS takes a closer look at how memories are reconsolidated after their retrieval. In showing just how easy it is to change certain kinds of memories, the authors not only raise new concerns for eyewitness testimony in the courtroom, but may explain in part why such testimony often tends to accumulate doubt in the face of continued questioning. The implication is that this new knowledge may be useful in the treatment post traumatic stress in veterans and victims. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-wrong.html Neuroscience Tue, 21 May 2013 11:12:02 EST news288353383 Delayed transfer to the intensive care unit (ICU) in hospitalized patients significantly increases the risk of dying in the hospital, according to a new study from researchers in Chicago. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-icu-death-hospital-patients.html Other Tue, 21 May 2013 10:00:02 EST news288347150 The surgical management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in U.S. hospitals varies widely depending on the race of the patient, according to a new study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-racial-disparities-surgical-non-small-cell.html Cancer Tue, 21 May 2013 09:50:01 EST news288347131 Clinical measurement of physical activity appears to be an independent predictor of whether or not patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will end up being hospitalized, according to a new study conducted by researchers in Connecticut. The study also corroborates an earlier investigation that linked higher levels of inactivity with an increased incidence of hospitalizations among patients with COPD. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-hospitalizations-copd-population.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 09:40:01 EST news288347114 Treatment with an Alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor (A1-PI), a naturally occurring protein that protects lung tissue from breakdown and protects the lung's elasticity, is effective in slowing the progression of emphysema in patients with Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a life-threatening genetic disorder, according to a new study presented at the 2013 American Thoracic Society International Conference. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-treatment-a1-pi-emphysema-alpha-antitrypsin.html Cancer Tue, 21 May 2013 09:27:19 EST news288347219 A novel approach to obstructing the runaway inflammatory response implicated in some types of asthma has shown promise in a Phase IIa clinical trial, according to U. S. researchers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-monoclonal-antibody-effective-safe-asthma.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 09:24:57 EST news288347089 Extended use of a common antibiotic may prolong the time between hospitalizations for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter study which compared the hospitalization rates of patients treated with a 12-month course of azithromycin to the rates of those treated with placebo. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-antibiotic-therapy-beneficial-patients-copd.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 21 May 2013 09:24:33 EST news288347065 The negative effects of poorly controlled asthma symptoms on sleep quality and academic performance in urban schoolchildren has been confirmed in a new study. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-asthma-symptoms-impair-quality-school.html Inflammatory disorders Tue, 21 May 2013 09:24:13 EST news288347043 Authorities are investigating rice mills in southern China following tests that found almost half of the staple grain in one of the country's largest cities was contaminated with a toxic metal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-rice-contamination-china.html Health Tue, 21 May 2013 09:19:45 EST news288346778 In a remote fishing community in Venezuela, a lone fisherman sits on a cliff overlooking the southern Caribbean Sea. This man –– the lookout –– is responsible for directing his comrades on the water, who are too close to their target to detect their next catch. Using abilities honed by years of scanning the water's surface, he can tell by shadows, ripples, and even the behavior of seabirds, where the fish are schooling, and what kind of fish they might be, without actually seeing the fish. This, in turn, changes where the boats go, and how the men fish. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-scene-context-brain.html Neuroscience Tue, 21 May 2013 09:19:06 EST news288346735 Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Lund University, Sweden, have bioengineered a novel molecule which has been proven to successfully kill tumour cells. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-tumour-killer-great-suppressing-cancers.html Cancer Tue, 21 May 2013 09:10:02 EST news288344824 Researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and the Research Institute of Electrical Communication (RIEC) of Tohoku University have jointly developed an auditory orientation training system for the visually impaired. This technology artificially reproduces the clues to auditory orientation used by a visually impaired person during walking, such as the movement and reflection of sounds, by using three-dimensional acoustic technology. Through downsizing and cost reduction, the researchers have developed it into a practical training system that allows a visually impaired person who has just started orientation and mobility (O&M) training to receive auditory orientation training safely and effectively. Starting on April 11, 2013, the software for the training system is available for free to people and organizations concerned with the visually impaired. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-free-auditory-visually-impaired.html Other Tue, 21 May 2013 09:03:41 EST news288345814 Regardless of pain, social class or age, a woman is more likely to be prescribed pain-relieving drugs. A study published in Gaceta Sanitaria (Spanish health scientific journal) affirms that this phenomenon is influenced by socioeconomic inequality between genders in the Autonomous Community in which the patient resides. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-analgesics-heavily-women-men.html Medications Tue, 21 May 2013 09:00:01 EST news288344801 An article published on the journal Nature describes the major role that Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) —an enzyme of cellular energy metabolism— plays in the regulation of the cellular senescence induced by the oncogene BRAF, which usually appears mutated in melanoma and other cancers. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-factor-oncogene-induced-senescence.html Cancer Tue, 21 May 2013 08:46:11 EST news288344761 Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine will study gender differences in how the heart uses and stores fat—its main energy source—and how changes in fat metabolism play a role in heart disease, under a new $2 million, 4-year grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-05-men-women-hearts-fuel-differently.html Medical research Tue, 21 May 2013 08:30:02 EST news288341701