New findings suggest that experiences can contribute to mental illness by adding or removing “epigenetic” marks on chromosomes. These tags are particular chem­icals that can influence gene activity without changing the information encoded in the genes.
Studies in mice demonstrate a role for long-lasting epigenetic modifications in such disorders as addiction and depression.
Epigenetic changes can also affect maternal behaviors in ways that reproduce the same behaviors in their offspring, even though the changes are not passed down through the germ line.
Researchers hope the new findings will lead to better treatments, although the path to those treatments is not yet obvious.

A new report reminds pediatricians that more young babies are sleeping on their backs, raising the risk of temporary head-flattening.
In general, the report says, the skull malformations are harmless and go away on their own, but doctors should be on the lookout for signs of serious problems.
Parents should be aware that they can prevent flattened heads on one side by coaxing babies to sleep with their head leaning to the other side, said report co-author Dr. Mark S. Dias. “Catch this early, reposition them and you can avoid a lot of grief down the road,” he said.
However, it’s still crucial to place babies on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), said Dias, a neurosurgeon at the Penn State Hershey Medical Center.
Pediatricians advise parents to avoid placing babies on their stomachs to sleep, and not allow them to lay on their stomachs — “tummy time” — unless they’re awake and being watched. Back-sleeping is thought to reduce the risk of SIDS, whose cause remains mysterious and most frequently strikes babies aged from 1 month to 1 year.
The rate of deaths from the condition has dipped since a new push for back-sleeping began in the 1990s in the United States. However, doctors have seen more cases of babies with flattened heads, Dias and colleagues reported in the December issue of Pediatrics.
A 2002 study found that 13 percent of babies born alone (not as twins or other “multiples”) had signs of head flattening. Another study, published in a recent issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, reported that Texas saw a ninefold increase in flattened-head cases between 1999 and 2007.

A heart attack is a frightening event, and you probably don’t want to think about it. But, if you learn the signs of a heart attack and what steps to take, you can save a life–maybe your own. What are the signs of a heart attack? Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a “movie” heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over. The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. If you feel such a symptom, you may not be sure what’s wrong. Your symptoms may even come and go. Even those who have had a heart attack may not recognize their symptoms, because the next attack can have entirely different ones.
It’s vital that everyone learn the warning signs of a heart attack. These are the following:

1. Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.

2. Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.

3. Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.

4. Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

PLAVIX has been evaluated for safety in more than 11,300 patients, including over 7,000 patients treated for 1 year or more. The overall tolerability of PLAVIX was similar to that of aspirin regardless of age, gender and race, with an approximately equal incidence (13%) of patients withdrawing from treatment because of adverse reactions. The clinically important adverse events observed in CAPRIE are discussed below.

Overall, the incidence of gastrointestinal events (e. g. abdominal pain, dyspepsia, gastritis and constipation) in patients receiving PLAVIX (clopidogrel bisulfate) was 27. 1%, compared to 29.8% in those receiving aspirin. The incidence of peptic, gastric or duodenal ulcers was 0.7% for PLAVIX and 1.2% for aspirin. Cases of diarrhea were reported in 4.5% of patients in the PLAVIX group compared to 3.4% in the aspirin group. However, these were rarely severe (PLAVIX= 0.2% and aspirin= 0.1%). The incidence of patients withdrawing from treatment because of gastrointestinal adverse reactions was 3.2% for PLAVIX and 4.0% for aspirin.

If you think you are having a heart attack, seek help immediately. Do not ignore chest pain or discomfort. Time is of vital importance. Do not try to drive yourself or being driven by someone else.

If you have regular-strength or baby aspirin available and you are not strongly allergic, chew and swallow 1 regular aspirin or 2 baby aspirins.
· At this dose, aspirin may help maintain blood flow through a clot-filled artery by inhibiting blood clotting.
· Chewing gets the aspirin into your system faster than swallowing it whole.

If you have had angina and been given nitroglycerin, take as recommended by your health care provider. Exact instructions will depend on the form of the nitroglycerin.
Medical treatment may be started immediately, before a definite diagnosis of a heart problem is made.
General treatment measures include the following:
· Oxygen through a tube in the nose or face mask
· Nitroglycerin under the tongue
· Pain medicines (morphine or meperidine)
· Aspirin: Those with allergy to aspirin may be given clopidogrel (Plavix).

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart’s function as a pump is inadequate to deliver oxygen rich blood to the body. Congestive heart failure can be caused by:
· diseases that weaken the heart muscle,
· diseases that cause stiffening of the heart muscles, or
· diseases that increase oxygen demand by the body tissue beyond the capability of the heart to deliver adequate oxygen-rich blood.
Many diseases can impair the pumping action of the ventricles. For example, the muscles of the ventricles can be weakened by heart attacks, infections (myocarditis) or toxins (alcohol, some chemotherapy agents). The diminished pumping ability of the ventricles due to muscle weakening is called systolic dysfunction. After each ventricular contraction (systole) the ventricle muscles need to relax to allow blood from the atria to fill the ventricles. This relaxation of the ventricles is called diastole.
In some individuals one or more of these factors can be present to cause congestive heart failure. The remainder of this article will focus primarily on congestive heart failure that is due to heart muscle weakness, systolic dysfunction.

Due to recent studies – two of the common medical treatment beliefs may no longer be applicable today. Remember that these are only based on studies, it is still best to consult your doctor.

Mammograms Not Main Reason for Drop in Breast Cancer Death Rate

Many people thought that screening mammographies reduce the death rate from breast cancer. This has been proved to be wrong especially among women aged 50 years of age or more, according to the scientists as they reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. In fact, what tops the list is the better treatment and greater awareness about the disease which delivers to be the main reasons for lower mortality rate. Screening mammographies only rank third on its best. Moreover, experts say that measuring the effects of the disease is not easy.

Joint Pain Supplements, Glucosamine and Chondroitin, Do Not Help Symptoms

There are two supplements commonly believed and used to combat joint pain, named as Glucosamine and chondroitin are studied by experts to not really relieving symptoms. The study was published in the BMJ or the British Medical Journal. These two supplements are typically taken in combinations or on their own in order to reduce pain in patients. These are believed to reduce the pain of those who suffer from osteoarthritis in the knees and hips. Furthermore, the authors explained that taking the supplements is not harmful to patients and for human health.

Cancer is the deadliest diseases we ever had in this world. Until now there is no certain treatment to battle the cancerous cells. Last year, some promising results were published in the hope to combat cancer. I wonder what is the latest update about them now. I hope they are pretty much successful.

Pazopanib Shows Promising Results for Advanced Thyroid Cancer Patients

A Phase II clinical trial with Pazopanib for the treatment of advanced differentiated thyroid Pazopanib treatment is one of the newest innovations and creations in the field of medicine today. A phase II trial for the treatment of advanced thyroid cancer had promising results. This therapy stops the tumor blood vessel growth. There are 49% of patients who positively responded to the treatment procedure with Pazopanib. Their tumors shrank, which researchers estimate that at least two-thirds of them will probably have a response which lasts longer than one year, according to an article published in the medical journal The Lancet Oncology. The majority of individuals with different thyroid cancers have a favorable outcome with surgery and radioiodine.

Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients Gets a Boost in the Bay

Reproductive Science Center of the San Francisco Bay Area (RSC) exerted efforts to increase the awareness of fertility preservation options for cancer patients. The group created the Sharing Hope Program in cooperation with Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG Foundation. This foundation was created and established by the cancer survivor in 1997. It aims to provide reproductive information, emotional and financial resources to cancer patients whose treatment may contribute to the risk of infertility. The program, in its expanded purpose also helps educate the patients about risks to fertility that can result from chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

As the whole world is affected with the recession today, diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia contribute a big impact on the world economy today. It will surpass $601 billion by the end of the year.

The 21st of September has been noted to be World Alzheimer’s Day. The reports highlight the following information: The dementia will have a global cost that will surpass the 1% of global GDP this year; it will exceed $601 billion for the year 2010.

The number of people who have dementia today will be doubled on the year 2030 and three times larger by 2050. It is one of the costliest illnesses today.

Heart Surgery is a mostly complex procedure which involves many different body systems. It should be carefully evaluated, taking into consideration the possible dangers and benefits to the patient.

Your heart may be the hardest working muscle in your body that is why it is significant to understand that the final decision to have cardiac surgery should relieve you. In order to make that decision, it is important that you understand why this operation has been recommended for you, as well as consider the benefits you can gain by having it. Try to ask around or search for other options if there are any, discuss this with your surgeon.

While no one knows expects why they were afflicted by Coronary Artery Disease others assume it is because of their unhealthy lifestyle. Important things to consider that will surely increase one’s risks to heart disease are high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, being overweight, older age, being male, inactivity and a family history of heart disease.