Children's Health: Parental absence affects brain development in children ♦ Herniated disks in children, ♦ First language wires brain for later language-learning

Recommended levels of activity rarely achieved by obese children and those with liver disease Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is most common form of chronic liver disease in children and adolescents in western countries, and yet new research indicates that obese children rarely achieve recommended levels of activity.

Parental absence affects brain development in children Researchers have found that children who have been left without direct parental care for extended periods of time show larger gray matter volumes in the brain.

Herniated disks in children, teens linked to lower spine malformations Most children and adolescents with herniated disks in the lower (lumbar) spine have some sort of malformation of the spinal vertebrae, reports a study. Herniated disks in the lumbar spine are common in adults, typically related to repetitive overloading and age-related degeneration. But this type of wear and tear can't explain the uncommon occurrence in children and teens.

First language wires brain for later language-learning You may believe that you have forgotten the Chinese you spoke as a child, but your brain hasn't. Moreover, that "forgotten" first language may well influence what goes on in your brain when you speak English or French today.

Health News: FDA, Tofu and sprout manufacturer to stop selling adulterated food ♦ Team advances therapy preventing addiction relapse by erasing drug-associated memorie

FDA orders tofu and sprout manufacturer to stop selling adulterated food U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney entered a consent decree against Henh Wong Fresh Produce, a tofu and sprout manufacturer and distributor, and its owner, current manager, and former manager after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration documented multiple violations

Gout medications might be useful in treating alcohol-induced liver disease Two commonly used gout medications, which target uric acid and adenosine triphosphate, may offer protection from alcohol-induced liver disease and inflammation. These findings suggest that clinical trials in humans with alcoholic liver disease should be considered.

Team advances therapy preventing addiction relapse by erasing drug-associated memories Scientists have made a discovery that brings them closer to a new therapy based on selectively erasing dangerous and tenacious drug-associated memories. A new study demonstrates the effectiveness of a single injection of an early drug candidate called blebbistatin in preventing relapse in animal models of methamphetamine addiction.

New Medicaid healthcare program for disabled adults improves aspects of patient's' care Care linked to heart attacks and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, among disabled adults covered by Medicaid has improved with the expansion of a new health care program in Texas.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy decreases PTSD symptom severity among veterans In a randomized trial that included veterans with PTSD, those who received mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy showed greater improvement in self-reported PTSD symptom severity, although the average improvement appears to have been modest,

Health News: 56 Salmonella cases appear to be linked to pork in Washington State ♦ New Drug Resistant Bacteria, Klebsiella ♦ Stillbirth outnumber infant death in US for first time

Stillbirth outnumber infant death in US for first time The number of stillbirths in the United States was higher, for the first time, than the number of babies who died before their first birthday, according to a new study on infant mortality by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Drug Resistant Bacteria, Klebsiella, Found in Chicken, turkey, and Pork Chicken, turkey and pork sold in grocery stores harbors disease-causing bacteria known as Klebsiella pneumoniae, according to a new study. The research, which was published online today in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, shows that contaminated meat may be an important source of human exposure to Klebsiella. The U.S. food safety system has traditionally focused on a few …

56 Salmonella cases appear to be linked to pork in Washington State; Washington state health officials are working with state and local partners to investigate several cases and clusters of Salmonella infections that appear to be linked to eating pork. The ongoing investigation of at least 56 cases in eight counties around the state includes food served at a variety of events. Disease investigators continue to explore...

Gene mutation contributes to liver disease in patients of normal weight Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major worldwide health problem. The disease is strongly associated with obesity and has been found in a high percentage Asian patients of normal weight. The PNPLA3 mutant genotype has been consistently shown to be a major factor in the development of NAFLD, but the effect of a patient's weight on the relationship between NAFLD and the mutant gene had not been determined until now, at the conclusion of a study on the issue

DNA damage seen in patients undergoing CT scanning, study finds Using new laboratory technology, scientists have shown that cellular damage is detectable in patients after CT scanning. In this study, researchers examined the effects on human cells of low-dose radiation from a wide range of cardiac and vascular CT scans. These imaging procedures are commonly used for a number of reasons, including management of patients suspected of having obstructive coronary artery disease, and for those with aortic stenosis, in preparation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement

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 News: Never-before-seen tick-borne disease ♦ Drinking just one or two alcoholic drinks a day linked to liver disease ♦ Caterpillar fungus relieves the pain of osteoarthritis

Pooled analysis confirms vitamin E as a treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) is an effective treatment for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), according to new research. NASH occurs when the liver becomes inflamed due to the accumulation of fat. Over time, persistent inflammation can lead to the formation of fibrous scar tissue in the liver and around its blood vessels, which can eventually cause cirrhosis.

Substantial health threat: Never-before-seen tick-borne disease Just in time for spring and the explosion of ticks in forests, lawns and trails, a new study has uncovered a never-before-seen illness transmitted by ticks. The disease could be a 'substantial health threat' to humans and animals in areas where the carrier tick is common

Drinking just one or two alcoholic drinks a day linked to liver disease According to the World Health Organization, excessive alcohol drinking is the most common cause of cirrhosis worldwide. A new worldwide study has shown the significant influence of daily drinking on this disease burden.

Caterpillar fungus could hold the key to relieving the pain of osteoarthritis A drug from a parasitic mushroom that lives on caterpillars could become an effective new painkiller for people with osteoarthritis within the next six years.

Despite warnings, health food stores recommend over-the-counter dietary supplements to minors Fifteen year olds are not only able to buy over-the-counter dietary supplements from a sampling of health food stores across the country, the staff at those stores actually went so far as to recommend certain products, despite labels reading 'for adult use only.'

Health News: Uneviscerated Russian dried fish carries Botulism risk ♦ Botulism suspected: Two adults hospitalized ♦ High flavoring content in some e-cigarettes may be cause for concern

Uneviscerated Russian dried fish carries Botulism risk The New York Department of Agriculture today warned consumers not to eat “Dry Bream-lesh (fish)” sold by Tatuka Inc. of Brooklyn, NY, and distributed by Royal Sweet Bakery, also of Brooklyn, because the fish were uneviscerated.

Botulism suspected: Two adults hospitalized The New Mexico Department of Health is cooperating with the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an investigation of two patients who are hospitalized in Texas with suspected botulism. The source is likely contaminated food,

High flavoring content in some e-cigarettes may be cause for concern The levels of chemicals used to flavor some brands of e-cigarette fluid exceed recommended exposure limits and could be respiratory irritants, in some cases. The electronic cigarette market has developed rapidly in recent years, with global sales in 2014 estimated to be in the region of US$7 billion.

Mouth, as well as gut, could hold key to liver disease flare-ups  In a recent study, researchers predicted which cirrhosis patients would suffer inflammations and require hospitalization by analyzing their saliva, revealing a new target for research into the disease
Bacterial flora of remote tribes people carries antibiotic resistance genes Scientists have found antibiotic resistance genes in the bacterial flora of a South American tribe that never before had been exposed to antibiotic drugs. The findings suggest that bacteria in the human body have had the ability to resist antibiotics since long before such drugs were ever used to treat disease