Weight Loss Research: High rate of symptoms, hospitalization following gastric bypass surgery ♦ Overweight young people can avoid diabetes risk if they lose weight early enough

Midnight munchies mangle memory Modern schedules can lead us to eat around the clock so it is important to understand how this could dull some of the functions of the brain. New research in mice shows that clocks in different regions of the brain start working out of step, altering the brain's physiology.

Overweight young people can avoid diabetes risk if they lose weight early enough,Obese young people can still turn their chances of developing life threatening illness around if they change before middle age, says new research. The study looked at the body mass index of people when they were young and compared it to when they were middle aged to see whether it affected their risk of heart attack, stroke or diabetes

New details linking stress, fat metabolism revealed If you're under constant stress and can't lose weight, there might be a protein to blame. Researchers have discovered that chronic stress stimulates production of betatrophin, a protein that then goes on to inhibit an enzyme involved in fat metabolism.

High rate of symptoms, hospitalization following gastric bypass surgery for obesity Although the vast majority of patients reported improved well-being after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, the prevalence of symptoms such as abdominal pain and fatigue were high and nearly one-third of patients were hospitalized

Heart Research: Genetic link between heart and neurodevelopmental disease ♦ Genes linked to stress-triggered heart disease identified ♦ arterial thrombus formation

First outcomes report from novel heart surgery registry shows excellent results for TAVR Four years after its approval in the United States, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) continues to evolve and demonstrate positive outcomes for patients with aortic stenosis, a common heart problem.

Biophysicists develop a model for arterial thrombus formation Biophysicists have developed a mathematical model of arterial thrombus formation, which is the main cause of heart attacks and strokes. The scientists described the process of platelet aggregation as being similar to the popular video game Tetris and derived equations that allowed them to reproduce the wave process of platelet aggregate formation in a blood vessel.

Genes linked to stress-triggered heart disease identified For the first time, genetic risk factors have been identified that are linked to stress-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC), a rare type of heart disease. Patients with SIC generally show no symptoms until they suffer some form of intense emotional or physiological distress. For this reason the disorder is sometimes referred to as 'broken heart syndrome.'

Genetic link between heart and neurodevelopmental disease Children with significant congenital heart disease have a far better chance of surviving today than in decades past, thanks to major advances in surgery. But some infants who recover from repairs to their hearts later show the effects of delays in brain development. Researchers reported exome sequence analyses of more than 1,200 children and their parents and showed that children with both congenital heart disease and neurodevelopmental delays share certain genetic mutations that thwart the normal development of both the heart and the brain

Health Research: Traditional dating abuse increases chances of cyber dating abuse ♦ Diaphragms grown from stem cells offer hope of a cure for common birth defect,

New diaphragms grown from stem cells offer hope of a cure for common birth defect, possibly future repairs of the heart New diaphragm tissue in rats has been successfully created in the lab using a mixture of stem cells and a 3D scaffold. When transplanted, it has regrown with the same complex mechanical properties of diaphragm muscle. The study offers hope of a cure for a common birth defect and possible future heart muscle repairs.

Involvement in traditional dating abuse increases chances of cyber dating abuse in teens Teens who are involved in dating abuse -- as either the perpetrator or the victim -- are more likely to also be involved in cyber dating abuse, research concludes. Further, teens who commit cyber dating violence against their partners are more likely to later be victimized by it and cyberviolence victims are more likely to later perpetrate this act

Oxytocin has different effects on stress in male and female mice Clinical trials are testing whether oxytocin, sometimes called the 'love hormone' for its role in intimacy and social bonding, has potential as a treatment for anxiety, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. New research by behavioral neuroscientists suggests oxytocin may have different effects in men and women -- and in certain circumstances the hormone may actually trigger anxiety

Mitochondria affect stress responses Mitochondria, the tiny structures inside our cells that generate energy, may also play a previously unrecognized role in mind-body interactions. This insight may have broad implications for human psychology and for the biology of psychiatric and neurological diseases

Health Research: High-fructose diet slows recovery from brain injury ♦ Tallness linked to increased risk of premature death for patients on dialysis ♦ Washing dishes decreases stress

High-fructose diet slows recovery from brain injury A diet high in processed fructose sabotages rat brains’ ability to heal after head trauma, neuroscience report. Revealing a link between nutrition and brain health, the finding offers implications for the 5.3 million Americans living with a traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

Exercise is good for everyone, but some struggle more than others People with increased risk of type 2 diabetes need to exercise more than others to achieve the same results, according to new research.

Researchers identify cause of inherited form of extreme nearsightedness 'Why, Grandma, what big eyes you have!' Though similar in appearance, the hidden cause of those big eyes Little Red Riding Hood notices in Grimms' fairy tale has nothing to do with the hidden cause of enlarged eyeballs in buphthalmia, a genetic mechanism causing this devastating eye disease which has now been uncovered by researchers. Patients afflicted are severely myopic, or nearsighted.

Tallness linked to increased risk of premature death for patients on dialysis Tallness has been associated with higher premature mortality risk and shorter life spans in patients on dialysis. The association was observed in white, Asian, and American Indian/Alaskan native patients, but not in black patients. The overall paradoxical relationship between height and premature death was not explained by concurrent illness, socioeconomic status, or differences in care

Chore or stress reliever: Study suggests that washing dishes decreases stress

Mindfully washing dishes calms the mind and decreases stress, a new study shows. The study looked at whether washing dishes could be used as an informal contemplative practice that promotes a positive state of mindfulness -- a meditative method of focusing attention on the emotions and thoughts of the present moment.

Children's Health: Policies on children's tech exposure confusing ♦ Pupil response predicts depression risk in kids ♦ Childhood stress fuels weight gain in women

Pupil response predicts depression risk in kids How much a child's pupil dilates in response to seeing an emotional image can predict his or her risk of depression over the next two years.

Childhood stress fuels weight gain in women When it comes to weight gain for women, childhood stress appears to be a bigger culprit than stress during adulthood, finds an American national study. Interestingly, though, neither childhood nor adult stress was associated with weight gain for men.

Policies on children's tech exposure confusing Guidelines on children's exposure to radio frequency waves from technology are confusing for parents, new research suggests. The review found a wide variety of different protocols and guidelines across 34 countries.

Potential treatment option for children with Ewing's sarcoma A new therapeutic alternative for children who suffer from a malignant pediatric tumor bone and soft tissue called Ewing's sarcoma has been discovered by a research consortium. Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common bone cancer and affects children and youth. Currently, if diagnosed early and there is no metastasis it can be cured in 80% of cases but between 25% and 30% of cases are diagnosed when it has metastasized and survival drops to 20%

Adolescent exposure to e-cigarette tv ads increases likelihood of future use Adolescents who are exposed to e-cigarette TV advertising are more likely to try e-cigarettes in the future, according to a groundbreaking experiment. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that negatively affects adolescents' brain development, with increased anxiety and depression, and may make them more susceptible to conventional cigarettes.

Health News: Parasitic worms in fish ruins AZ couples dinner plans ♦ Humane Society files complaint against Costco's egg supplier ♦ 232 sickened in outbreak linked to NC restaurant

Parasitic worms in fish ruins AZ couples dinner plans“She was screaming my name, and I thought something horrible had happened. I come rushing in, and she was like ‘You need to look at these worms, these worms!” For this Arizona couple, it was supposed to be a quiet night with a home-cooked meal. But, when Jen Chafitz found two parasitic worms crawling around the salmon she had just purchased, those plans went flying out the window.

Humane Society files complaint with FDA against Costco's egg supplier The Humane Society of the United States has filed legal complaints with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging that Hillandale Farms, a Costco egg supplier, has deceived consumers with its poor animal welfare standards and “filthy and unsanitary conditions,” resulting in food safety concerns. complaints come.

232 sickened in outbreak linked to NC restaurant The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported Tuesday that 232 cases of diarrheal illness have been identified which are associated with eating food from the Tarheel Q restaurant in Lexington, NC. The case distribution includes 16 North Carolina counties and five states.

Causal pathway may link job stress, sleep disturbances There may be a reciprocal, causal pathway between job strain and disturbed sleep, implying that interventions to treat sleep problems may improve work satisfaction, researchers have learned.

Innovative imaging study shows that the spinal cord learns on its own The spinal cord engages in its own learning of motor tasks independent of the brain, according to an innovative imaging study. The results of the study may offer new opportunities for rehabilitation after spinal cord injury.

Prenatal Birth: Molecular mechanisms within fetal lungs that initiate labor ♦ Folate bio markers determined ♦ Maternal stress alters offspring gut, brain through vaginal microbiome

Maternal stress alters offspring gut, brain through vaginal microbiome The neonate is exposed to the maternal vaginal microbiota during birth, providing the primary source for normal gut colonization, host immune maturation, and metabolism. These early interactions between the host and microbiota occur during a critical window of neurodevelopment, suggesting early life as an important period of cross talk between the developing gut and brain. Changes in the vaginal microbiome are associated with effects on offspring gut microbiota and on the developing brain.

Prenatal DDT exposure tied to nearly four-fold increase in breast cancer risk Women who were exposed to higher levels of the pesticide DDT in utero were nearly four times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer as adults than women who were exposed to lower levels before birth.

Researchers find molecular mechanisms within fetal lungs that initiate labor Researchers have identified two proteins in a fetus’ lungs responsible for initiating the labor process, providing potential new targets for preventing preterm birth. They discovered that the proteins SRC-1 and SRC-2 activate genes inside the fetus' lungs near full term, leading to an inflammatory response in the mother's uterus that initiates labor

Folate bio markers determined An international paper on folate bio markers is part of an initiative to provide evidence-based guidance for the global nutrition and public health community. The comprehensive study on folate, an essential B vitamin required for DNA synthesis and normal growth and development, represents a consensus of the top folate scientists globally. A major birth defect affecting the spinal cord -- spinabifida, for example -- and brain can be prevented by maternal consumption of sufficient folate prior to and during the very early stages of fetal development.

Weight Loss Research: Your family can make your fat ♦ Critical windows to turn away junk food craving ♦ Commercial weight-loss programs - Most don't work

Critical windows to turn away junk food craving Researchers have shown there are two critical windows during the developmental pathway to adulthood when exposure to junk food is most harmful, particularly for female offspring.

The brain-belly connection: Scientists find key genetic triggers in weight-regulating brain cells The little voice inside your head that tells you to eat, or stop eating, isn't a little voice – it’s actually a cluster of about 10,000 specialized brain cells. And now, scientists have found tiny triggers inside those cells that give rise to this “voice”, and keep it speaking throughout life.

Stress and obesity: Your family can make your fat A new study suggests a relationship between long-term exposure to three specific types of family stressors and children becoming obese by the time they turn 18.

Few commercial weight-loss programs show reliable evidence of effectiveness: Most don't work In a bid to help physicians guide obese and overweight patients who want to try a commercial weight-loss program, researchers reviewed 4,200 studies for solid evidence of their effectiveness but concluded only a few dozen of the studies met the scientific gold standard of reliability

Heart Health News: Women active have lower risk of heart disease-- high-fat diet helps minimize heart attack damage--Stress linked to worse recovery after heart attack

Women active a few times weekly have lower risk of heart disease, stroke and blood clots Middle-aged women physically active a few times per week have lower risks of heart disease, stroke and blood clots than inactive women. More frequent physical activity does not appear to lower the risks further, research shows. Continue Reading

In the short run, a high-fat diet may help minimize heart attack damage A high-fat diet, eaten one day to two weeks days before a heart attack, reduced heart attack damage in mice by about 50 percent, according to a new study. The finding could provide insight into the "obesity paradox," by which obesity appears to provide protection to heart attack patients. Continue Reading

Even mild heart failure can lead to sudden death Sudden cardiac arrest is a possible cause of death in patients with non-ischemic cardiac muscle weakness, i.e. a type of heart failure caused by genetics or for which no cause is known. Now, researchers have successfully demonstrated the advantages of an implanted defibrillator as a means of prevention Continue reading

Stress linked to worse recovery in women after heart attack Young and middle-aged women experience more stress than their male counterparts, which could contribute to worse recovery from acute myocardial infarction, according to new findings by researchers. Continue Reading

2/6/15 Health News:Drug-resistant bacteria lurk in subway ♦ Stress hormone levels affect fetal growth ♦ Probiotic helps treat diabetes ♦ Blood transfusions increase risk of pneumonia

Drug-resistant bacteria lurk in subway stations, high school students discover

Forget commuters and rats, New York City's subway system is crowded with microbes. After spending her vacation swabbing benches and turnstiles beneath the city, high school students found bacteria impervious to two major antibiotics. Continue Reading

Mother's stress hormone levels may affect fetal growth and long term health of child

Increased levels of stress hormones can lead pregnant mice to overeat, but affect growth of the fetus and, potentially, the long term health of the offspring, according to a new study Continue Reading

Probiotic helps treat diabetes in rats, could lead to human remedy

Researchers have engineered a strain of lactobacillus, a human probiotic common in the gut, to secrete a Glucagon-like peptide. They then administered it orally to diabetic rats for 90 days and found the rats receiving the engineered probiotic had up to 30 percent lower high blood glucose, a hallmark of diabetes. Continue Reading

Blood transfusions during heart surgery increase risk of pneumonia

Patients who receive red blood cell transfusions during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery are at an increased risk of developing pneumonia, "Patients should receive red blood cell transfusions based on clinical need," an investigator noted.." Continue Reading

New protein detonates 'invincible' bacteria from within

The epidemic of 'superbugs,' bacteria resistant to antibiotics, knows no borders -- presenting a clear and present danger around the globe. Now a groundbreaking discovery may strengthen efforts by the medical community to fight this looming superbug pandemic. By sequencing the DNA of bacteria resistant to viral toxins, researchers identified novel proteins capable of stymieing growth in treacherous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Continue Reading