Health Research: Over hydration potentially deadly for athletes ♦ Liver disease linked to drug metabolism ♦ DNA protection, inch by inch

DNA protection, inch by inch DNA within reproductive cells is protected through a clever system of find and destroy; new research lifts the veil on how this is done. A team of scientists has discovered how the cells produce tiny pieces of RNA -- called piRNA -- that identify and silence 'jumping genes' or transposons: genes that are able to change their position within the genome and therefore alter or disrupt the genetic code.

Liver disease linked to drug metabolism, research indicates Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an increasingly common but often undiagnosed liver disease, could have significant medical implications for people with type 2 diabetes, researchers have discovered.

Recruits show lower immunity levels to measles, mumps, rubella The percentage of U.S. Air Force recruits with detectable immunity to measles, mumps and rubella was lower than found in previous nationwide samples and may be low enough for outbreaks to occur.

It's Not What You Do, but How You Get Yourself to Exercise That Matters Developing any habit starts with a routine. The trick is making exercise a habit that is hard to break. A new study shows that may be easier to accomplish by focusing on cues that make going to the gym automatic.

Over hydration potentially deadly for athletes While the risks of dehydration are well known, new international guidelines seek to protect athletes from the serious health risks associated with drinking too many fluids while exercising -- potentially including death.

Health Research: Synthetic drugs that can cause cancer ♦ Exploring the ADHD-Autism link ♦ Protein that boosts immunity to viruses and cancer

Exploring the ADHD-Autism link A licensed clinical psychologist is focusing on the ADHD-autism link to better understand why people with ADHD and autism may be more prone to substance abuse and to develop more effective behavioral therapies

Scientists discover protein that boosts immunity to viruses and cancer Scientists have discovered a protein that plays a central role in promoting immunity to viruses and cancer, opening the door to new therapies. Experiments in mice and human cells have shown that the protein promotes the proliferation of cytotoxic T cells, which kill cancer cells and cells infected with viruses.

Difficult to break the soda habit? Sugar-sweetened beverages suppress body's stress response Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can suppress the hormone cortisol and stress responses in the brain, but diet beverages aspartame do not have the same effect,.

Increasing evidence points to inflammation as source of nervous system manifestations of Lyme disease About 15 percent of patients with Lyme disease develop peripheral and central nervous system involvement, often accompanied by debilitating and painful symptoms. New research indicates that inflammation plays a causal role in the array of neurologic changes associated with Lyme disease. The investigators also showed that the drug dexamethasone prevents many of these reactions.

Synthetic drugs: evidence that they can cause cancer  Almost weekly, a new synthetic psychoactive drug comes onto the market that can be ordered legally and easily, for example as an incense blend, via the Internet. Synthetic cannabinoids are difficult to identify chemically and the possible unwanted toxic effects that can occur following their consumption have so far rarely been investigated. As part of the international EU project "SPICE II Plus", researchers have now also found evidence that synthetic substances damage the DNA of human cells and can therefore possibly have cancer-causing effects.

Food Research:How popular probiotic benefits the gut ♦ Roseroot herb potential depression treatment ♦ Mushrooms boost immunity

New research sheds light on how popular probiotic benefits the gut The gut bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus has a reputation as a helpful microbe. Now, researchers have come up with an explanation for why. It appears that the bacteria may boost the activity of other gut microbes.

Roseroot herb shows promise as potential depression treatment option Rhodiola rosea  or roseroot, may be a beneficial treatment option for major depressive disorder. Depression is one of the most common and debilitating psychiatric conditions, afflicting more than 19 million Americans each year, 70 percent of whom do not fully respond to initial therapy. Costs of conventional antidepressants and their sometimes substantial side effects often result in a patient discontinuing use prematurely.

Difficult to break the soda habit? Sugar-sweetened beverages suppress body's stress response  Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages can suppress the hormone cortisol and stress responses in the brain, but diet beverages sweetened with aspartame do not have the same effect, according to a new study.

Mushrooms boost immunity, suggests research Could a mushroom a day help keep the doctor away? Some early evidence indicates that the Shiitake mushroom boosts immunity. Of the thousands of mushroom species globally, about 20 are used for culinary purposes. Shiitake mushrooms are native to Asia and are cultivated for their culinary and medicinal value

1/25/14 Health News: Deadly Delays in Newborns - New Biopsy Picks Out Aggressive Cancer - Gold Nanoparticles Track Enteroviruses - New Suicide Test.

Deadly Delays in Newborns Blood Tests

In a special report titled "Deadly Delays," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel newspaper showed this past fall that Iowa and Delaware are the only two states in the U.S. that get blood samples from babies and quickly transport them to a lab for analysis as required by federal law. While all states may take the samples, the report found that how and when they are transported to a lab varies widely across the nation. The Iowa State Hygienic lab is centrally located in Ankeny for what is called the Newborn Screening Program. The lab operates in partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health in Des Moines and the University of Iowa Children's Hospital in Iowa City.Continue Reading

New Biopsy Test Could Pick Out Aggressive Form of Skin Cancer

Testing the genetic profile of immune cells next to a melanoma could lead to more accurate diagnosis to spot whether a skin cancer is aggressive enough to spread, researchers from Italy have found. Development of the research finding could enable doctors to focus cancer treatment on skin cancer patients who need it - while sparing the harm of intervening when patients do not need it continue reading

Gold Core Nanoparticles Allow for Precise Tracking of Enteroviruses

Enteroviruses are a cause of a bunch of infamous and pernicious diseases, from polio to hand, foot and mouth disease, but because of their size and variability studying them has proven to be a significant challenge. Being able to attach tracking particles that are discreet enough not to affect the behavior of the virus may revolutionize our ability to study these pathogens The study also showed that the infectivity of the viruses is not compromised by the attached gold particles, which indicates that the labelling method does not interfere with the normal biological functions of viruses inside cells. Continue Reading

'Suicide Test' May Aid Antidepressant Decision Making

A genetic test in development promises to help doctors identify patients at increased risk for suicide after starting antidepressant therapy. The test for treatment-emergent suicidal ideation is based on research carried out Continue Reading