ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, August 13, 2010
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Single neurons can detect sequences (August 13, 2010) -- Single neurons in the brain are surprisingly good at distinguishing different sequences of incoming information according to new research. The study shows that single neurons, and indeed even single dendrites, the tiny receiving elements of neurons, can very effectively distinguish between different temporal sequences of incoming information. ... > full story
Mutant mouse reveals potential genetic pathway for alcoholism (August 13, 2010) -- A mutation found in a mouse gene that also appears in humans might provide new insights into the genetic roots of alcoholism, according to a new study. ... > full story
Antibiotics for the prevention of malaria (August 13, 2010) -- If mice are administered an antibiotic for three days and are simultaneously infected with malaria, no parasites appear in the blood and life-threatening disease is averted. In addition, the animals treated in this manner also develop robust, long-term immunity against subsequent infections, according to new research. ... > full story
Vascular multiple sclerosis hypothesis and treatment questioned (August 13, 2010) -- Two important new studies challenge the controversial hypothesis that venous congestion--chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI)--contributes to the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). This theory has resulted in many MS patients receiving experimental endovascular angioplasty, a treatment for MS unproven by clinical trials. ... > full story
New drug reduces tumor size in women with advanced hereditary ovarian or breast cancer (August 13, 2010) -- Understanding the underlying genetic weakness of certain types of cancer may lead to targeted therapy and provide the key to effective treatment, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Poor kidney function common among HIV-infected injection drug users (August 13, 2010) -- Poor kidney function is common among injection drug users, particularly those with HIV, according to a new study. The results suggest that clinicians should monitor the kidney function of HIV-infected injection drug users and consider them candidates for medical treatments to protect their kidneys when appropriate. ... > full story
Culture matters in suicidal behavior patterns and prevention, psychologist says (August 13, 2010) -- Women and girls in the United States consider and engage in suicidal behavior more often than men and boys, but die of suicide at a lower rate -- a gender paradox enabled by US cultural norms of gender and suicidal behavior, according to a psychologist. ... > full story
Merlin protein found to control liver stem cells, prevent tumor development (August 12, 2010) -- A protein known to be involved in a rare hereditary cancer syndrome may have a role in the regulation of liver stem cells and the development of liver cancer. In a new study, a research team describes finding that the protein called merlin, encoded by the NF2 gene, controls the activity of adult stem cells that give rise to the two major types of liver cells. ... > full story
Neurological process for the recognition of letters and numbers explained (August 12, 2010) -- How does the brain link the visual basic traits of letters and numbers to abstract representations and to words? Scientists have analyzed the influence of context on the visual recognition of a written word regardless of the format in which these letters may be displayed. ... > full story
Certain vena cava filters may fracture, causing potentially life-threatening complications (August 12, 2010) -- Two specific types of vena cava filters, devices used to prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs, appear to have evidence of fracturing inside the body, with some fractured fragments traveling to the heart and causing potentially life-threatening complications, according to a new report. ... > full story
Youth exposure to alcohol ads in magazines declining (August 12, 2010) -- Youth exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines declined by 48 percent between 2001 and 2008, according to a new study by public health researchers. ... > full story
Citizen scientists discover rotating pulsar (August 12, 2010) -- Idle computers are the astronomers' playground: three citizen scientists -- an American couple and a German -- have discovered a new radio pulsar hidden in data gathered by the Arecibo Observatory. This is the first deep-space discovery by Einstein@Home, which uses donated time from the home and office computers of 250,000 volunteers from 192 different countries. This is the first genuine astronomical discovery by a public volunteer distributed computing project. ... > full story
Immune responses during pregnancy linked to schizophrenia among offspring (August 12, 2010) -- Psychologists have found that exposure during pregnancy to certain immune proteins, such as those produced in response to the flu, leads to increased risk for brain abnormalities associated with schizophrenia in offspring. ... > full story
One type of stem cell creates a niche for another type in bone marrow (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the precise source of hematopoietic stem cell maintenance and regulation within the bone marrow. In a new study, they report that the HSCs retain their unique features of multipotency and self-renewal in response to signals from another stem cell population, the mesenchymal stem cells, which create a supportive niche for the HSCs. ... > full story
Video quality less important when you're enjoying what you're watching (August 12, 2010) -- If you like what you're watching, you're less likely to notice the difference in video quality of the TV show, Internet video or mobile movie clip, new research shows. ... > full story
Key step in body's ability to make red blood cells discovered (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered a key step in the creation of new red blood cells in an animal study. They found that a tiny fragment of ribonucleic acid (RNA), a chemical cousin of DNA, prompts stem cells to mature into red blood cells. The researchers also created an artificial RNA inhibitor to block this process. ... > full story
Clues to gut immunity evolution: Research reveals similarities between fish and humans (August 12, 2010) -- New research has identified the function of one of the earliest antibodies in the animal kingdom, an ancient immunoglobulin that helps explain the evolution of human intestinal immune responses. It was discovered to play a predominant role in the guts of fish and paves the way for a better understanding of human gut immunity as well as for safer, healthier approaches to keeping fish from pathogen infections. ... > full story
New findings further clarify breast cancer risk with hormone therapy (August 12, 2010) -- A new analysis of the California Teachers Study, which analyzed hormone replacement therapy use among 2,857 women for almost 10 years, underscores the need for personalized risk-benefit discussions before women begin hormone therapy. ... > full story
Athletes undergoing tissue transplant surgery for knee damage have bright future (August 12, 2010) -- Athletes with bone and cartilage knee damage who are treated with transplanted tissue can return to sports after surgery, according to a new study that overturns the widely held belief that patients who undergo this surgery do not return to athletics. ... > full story
Free statins with fast food could neutralize heart risk, scientists say (August 12, 2010) -- Fast food outlets could provide statin drugs free of charge so that customers can neutralize the heart disease dangers of fatty food, researchers suggest in a new study. ... > full story
Heat shock protein can restore nerve damage in diabetic mice (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have been able to use a common chaperone protein, Hsp70, to reverse the loss of function in the nerves of mice with diabetes. ... > full story
Breast cancer risk varies among different progestins used in hormone replacement therapy, study finds (August 12, 2010) -- New research has found that progestins used in hormone replacement therapies to counteract the negative effects of estrogen on the uterus and reduce the risk of uterine cancer may increase the risk of breast cancer. ... > full story
For infant sleep, receptiveness more important than routine (August 12, 2010) -- Parents understand the challenge of getting infants to sleep through the night, and now researchers show that being emotionally receptive can reduce sleep disruptions and help infants and toddlers sleep better. ... > full story
Inherited brain activity predicts childhood risk for anxiety, research finds (August 12, 2010) -- A new study focused on anxiety and brain activity pinpoints the brain regions that are relevant to developing childhood anxiety. The findings may lead to new strategies for early detection and treatment of at-risk children. ... > full story
Stem cells used to treat children with life-threatening, blistering skin disease (August 12, 2010) -- Physician-researchers have demonstrated that a lethal skin disease can be successfully treated with stem cell therapy. ... > full story
Delay in surgery not likely to worsen tumors in men with low-risk prostate cancer, study finds (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers have found that men enrolled in an active surveillance program for prostate cancer that eventually needed surgery to remove their prostates fared just as well as men who opted to remove the gland immediately, except if a follow-up biopsy during surveillance showed high-grade cancer. ... > full story
'Linc-ing' a noncoding RNA to a central cellular pathway (August 12, 2010) -- The recent discovery of more than a thousand genes known as large intergenic noncoding RNAs (or "lincRNAs") opened up a new approach to understanding the function and organization of the genome. That surprising breakthrough is now made even more compelling with the finding that dozens of these lincRNAs are induced by p53, the most commonly mutated gene in cancer. ... > full story
Learn more in kindergarten, earn more as an adult (August 12, 2010) -- There isn't a lot of research that links early childhood test scores to earnings as an adult. But new research reveals a surprising finding: Students who learn more in kindergarten earn more as adults. They are also more successful overall. ... > full story
Using bone marrow stem cells to treat critically ill patients on verge of respiratory failure (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers are reporting new study results they say provide further evidence of the therapeutic potential of stem cells derived from bone marrow for patients suffering from acute lung injury, one of the most common causes of respiratory failure in intensive care units. ... > full story
Lithium shows no benefit for people with ALS (August 12, 2010) -- A new study has found that the drug lithium is not effective in treating people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
Video study finds risky food-safety behavior more common than thought (August 12, 2010) -- How safe is the food we get from restaurants, cafeterias and other food-service providers? A new study involved placing video cameras in commercial kitchens to see how precisely food handlers followed food-safety guidelines -- discovered that risky practices happen more often than previously thought. ... > full story
Building muscle doesn't require lifting heavy weights, study shows (August 12, 2010) -- A new study shows that building muscle depends on achieving muscle fatigue not on pumping heavy weights as previously believed. ... > full story
Red blood cells have a tiny but effective protector -- microRNA (August 12, 2010) -- Pediatric researchers have discovered a new biological pathway in which small segments of RNA, called microRNA, help protect red blood cells from injury caused by chemicals called free radicals. The microRNA seems to have only a modest role when red blood cells experience normal conditions, but steps into action when the cells are threatened by oxidant stress. The study illustrates how microRNA fine-tunes gene activity. ... > full story
High malaria transmission areas remain a problem for elimination (August 12, 2010) -- Current tools for combating malaria, such as artemisinin-combination therapy and increasing coverage of long-lasting insecticide bednets can result in major reductions in Plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission and the associated disease burden in Africa. ... > full story
Study finds similar personality types in male and female domestic violence perpetrators (August 12, 2010) -- New research is providing a better picture of the roles played by gender, personality and mental illness in domestic violence. ... > full story
Potential treatment for pulmonary hypertension discovered (August 12, 2010) -- Researchers are one step closer to a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, a potentially deadly disease. ... > full story
Constant overlap: Scientists identify molecular machinery that maintains important feature of cell's spindle (August 12, 2010) -- Scientists in Germany have uncovered the molecular mechanism that determines the size of anti-parallel microtubule overlaps in a cell's spindle. In a new study, they were able to reconstruct such overlaps in vitro, and identify two proteins which are sufficient to control the formation and size of this important spindle feature. ... > full story
Rate of health care associated MRSA infections decreasing, study finds (August 12, 2010) -- An analysis of data from 2005 through 2008 of nine metropolitan areas in the US indicates that health care-associated invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections decreased among patients with infections that began in the community or in the hospital, according to a new study. ... > full story
Focusing on immediate health effects may improve weight loss success (August 12, 2010) -- Most weight loss programs try to motivate individuals with warnings of the long-term health consequences of obesity: increased risk for cancer, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and asthma. New research suggests the immediate health benefits -- such as reduced pain -- may be the most effective motivator for helping obese individuals shed extra weight and commit to keeping it off. ... > full story
Chemical system in brain behaves differently in cocaine addicts, scientists find (August 11, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a chemical system in the brain that reacts differently in cocaine addicts, findings that could result in new treatment options for individuals addicted to the drug. ... > full story
Research links huntingtin to neurogenesis (August 11, 2010) -- New research finds that a protein that is often mutated in Huntington's disease (HD) plays an unexpected role in the process of neurogenesis. The research provides new insight into HD pathology and has even broader implications for human health and disease. ... > full story
Distracted drivers benefit from in-car driving coach (August 11, 2010) -- A study shows an in-car coach has the strongest effect on drivers most prone to distraction, suggesting that technology could help prevent dangerous driving. ... > full story
Proteins linked with Alzheimer's, other neurodegenerative diseases found to clump in normal aging (August 11, 2010) -- In neurodegenerative diseases, clumps of insoluble proteins appear in patients' brains. These aggregates contain proteins that are unique to each disease, such as amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease, but they are intertwined with small amounts of many other insoluble proteins that are normally present in a soluble form in healthy young individuals. For years, these other proteins were thought to be accidental inclusions in the aggregates, much as a sea turtle might be caught in a net of fish. Now, in a surprising new finding, researchers report that many of the proteins present as minor components of disease aggregates actually clump together as a normal part of aging in healthy individuals. ... > full story
Spinal muscular atrophy may also affect the heart, study finds (August 11, 2010) -- Along with skeletal muscles, it may be important to monitor heart function in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), according to a new study. ... > full story
Perceived intentions influence brain response (August 11, 2010) -- People generally like to see generous people rewarded and selfish people punished. Now, new research reveals a critical link between how we perceive another's intentions and our evaluation of their behavior. The study makes some intriguing observations about how a description of the impact of an individual's actions on a group can alter the neural representation of their observed behavior. ... > full story
Menstrual cramps may alter brain structure (August 11, 2010) -- Primary dysmenorrheal, or menstrual cramps, is the most common gynecological disorder in women of childbearing age. Lower abdominal pain starts with the onset of menstrual flow and this ongoing pain stimulus can cause alterations throughout the nervous system. In a new study, researchers report abnormal changes in the structure of the brain in PDM patients, whether or not they are in fact experiencing pain. ... > full story
Advance toward earlier detection of melanoma (August 11, 2010) -- Scientists are now able to image subcutaneous melanoma tumors with startling clarity. The new imaging technique relies on sound rather than light because sound is less strongly scattered by tissues. In addition, the tumors are preloaded with a nanoparticle contrast agent that latches onto proteins that stud the surface of the cancerous cells. ... > full story
Initial trials on new ovarian cancer tests exhibit extremely high accuracy (August 11, 2010) -- Scientists have attained very promising results on their initial investigations of a new test for ovarian cancer. Using a new technique involving mass spectrometry of a single drop of blood serum, the test correctly identified women with ovarian cancer in 100 percent of the patients tested. ... > full story
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