ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Monday, August 16, 2010
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Drugs encased in nanoparticles travel to tumors on the surface of immune-system cells (August 16, 2010) -- Clinical trials using patients' own immune cells to target tumors have yielded promising results. However, this approach usually works only if the patients also receive large doses of drugs designed to help immune cells multiply rapidly, and those drugs have life-threatening side effects. Now engineers have devised a way to deliver the necessary drugs by smuggling them on the backs of the cells sent in to fight the tumor. That way, the drugs reach only their intended targets, greatly reducing the risk to the patient. ... > full story
Shape matters: The corkscrew twist of H. pylori enables it to 'set up shop' in the stomach (August 16, 2010) -- The bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which lives in the human stomach and is associated with ulcers and gastric cancer, is shaped like a corkscrew, or helix. For years researchers have hypothesized that the bacterium's twisty shape is what enables it to survive -- and thrive -- within the stomach's acid-drenched environment, but until now they have had no proof. ... > full story
Researchers assess severity of prostate cancers using magnetic resonance imaging (August 16, 2010) -- Researchers are developing methods that can accurately assess the severity of prostate cancer by analyzing magnetic resonance images and spectra of a patient's prostate gland. This may help physicians decide more confidently which patients need aggressive treatment and which are better served by "watchful waiting," and could even postpone or eliminate invasive biopsies in patients with low-grade tumors. ... > full story
Technique to preserve fertility in young women may be unsafe for patients with leukemia (August 16, 2010) -- Although the use of ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation has lead to 13 live births in women with lymphoma or solid tumors, this method of fertility preservation may be unsafe for patients with leukemia, according to a recent study. ... > full story
Childhood abuse, adversity may shorten life, weaken immune response among the elderly (August 16, 2010) -- The emotional pains we suffer in childhood can lead to weakened immune systems later in life, according to a new study. Based on this new research, the amount of this immune impairment even enhances that caused by the stress of caregiving later in life. ... > full story
Lethal brain tumor's strength may be a weakness as well (August 16, 2010) -- Malignant gliomas are the most common subtype of primary brain tumor – and one of the deadliest. Even as doctors make steady progress treating other types of solid tumor cancers, from breast to prostate, the most aggressive form of malignant glioma, called a glioblastoma multiforme or GBM, has steadfastly defied advances in neurosurgery, radiation therapy and various conventional or novel drugs. But scientists have discovered a new signaling pathway between GBM cells – one that, if ultimately blocked or disrupted, could significantly slow or reduce tumor growth and malignancy. ... > full story
Green tea extract appears to keep cancer in check in majority of CLL patients (August 16, 2010) -- An extract of green tea appears to have clinical activity with low toxicity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients who used it in a Phase II clinical trial. ... > full story
Daughters caring for a parent recovering from stroke more prone to depression than sons (August 16, 2010) -- Daughters caring for a parent recovering from stroke are more prone to depression than sons, according to new research. Strained relationships before or following the stroke increases depression in daughters. ... > full story
Carbon nanotubes form ultrasensitive biosensor to detect proteins (August 15, 2010) -- A cluster of carbon nanotubes coated with a thin layer of protein-recognizing polymer form a biosensor capable of using electrochemical signals to detect minute amounts of proteins, which could provide a crucial new diagnostic tool for the detection of a range of illnesses, researchers report. ... > full story
SUMO works with replication protein A complex to repair DNA (August 15, 2010) -- Researchers have shown for the first time that the small protein SUMO can team up with the replication protein A complex to facilitate DNA repair. ... > full story
Parents' mental health more likely to suffer when a grown child struggles (August 15, 2010) -- Even into adulthood, problem children continue to give their parents heartache, and it doesn't matter if other children in the family grow up to be successful, according to a new study of middle-aged parents. ... > full story
Expensive new blood pressure meds no better than generics, according to long-term data (August 14, 2010) -- Expensive brand-name medications to lower blood pressure are no better at preventing cardiovascular disease than older, generic diuretics, according to new long-term data from the landmark ALLHAT study. ... > full story
Scientists clarify structural basis for biosynthesis of mysterious 21st amino acid (August 14, 2010) -- Researchers in Japan have clarified the structural basis for the biosynthesis of selenocysteine (Sec), an amino acid whose encoding mechanism offers clues about the origins of the genetic alphabet. The findings deepen our understanding of protein synthesis and lay the groundwork for advances in protein design. ... > full story
New approach which can help to predict neurodegenerative diseases (August 14, 2010) -- New research by scientists in Spain offers hope for predicting neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Researchers have described, for the first time, the structure of a protein known as Vps54, one of the four making up the GARP complex of proteins. ... > full story
Happy employees may be the key to success for organizations (August 14, 2010) -- When a JetBlue flight attendant creatively deplaned earlier this week, many questions arose as to why someone would be willing to give up a steady paycheck during these tough economic times. While this "working man's hero" will most likely be questioning his motives as he hands over his lawyer's fees, a new report in Perspectives on Psychological Science, suggests that his action may be a sign of trouble for JetBlue and other large companies. ... > full story
New sporadic prion protein disease: Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy shares genotype characteristics with Creutzfeldt-Jakob (August 13, 2010) -- A new sporadic prion protein disease has been discovered. Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy, as it has been named, is the second type of complete sporadic disease to be identified since Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was reported in the 1920s. ... > full story
Implantable silk metamaterials could advance biomedicine, biosensing (August 13, 2010) -- Researchers have fabricated and characterized the first large-area metamaterial structures patterned on implantable, bio-compatible silk substrates. The antenna-like devices can monitor the "fingerprints" of chemical and biological agents and might be implanted to signal changes in the body. Metamaterials are artificial electromagnetic composites whose structures respond to electromagnetic waves in ways that atoms in natural materials do not. ... > full story
Chronic myeloid leukemia: New lab test could identify imatinib resistance (August 13, 2010) -- Scientists in Japan may have developed a way to accurately predict those patients who will resist treatment with imatinib, which is the standard of care for chronic myeloid leukemia. ... > full story
'Fused' people eager to die and kill for their group, research shows (August 13, 2010) -- People with extremely strong ties to their countries or groups are not only willing, but eager, to sacrifice themselves to save their compatriots, according to new psychology research. ... > full story
Acetaminophen use in adolescents linked to doubled risk of asthma (August 13, 2010) -- New evidence linking the use of acetaminophen to development of asthma and eczema suggests that even monthly use of the drug in adolescents may more than double risk of asthma in adolescents compared to those who used none at all; yearly use was associated with a 50 percent increase in the risk of asthma. ... > full story
Magnetic molecular machines deliver drugs to unhealthy cells (August 13, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a completely novel and noninvasive method of releasing drugs remotely into the cells. The method involves a novel material using porous silica nanoparticles, and molecular machines which can be attached to contain drug molecules in the pores until a magnetic field stimulus allows the molecules to be delivered into cells. ... > full story
Selected cells from blood or bone marrow may provide a route to healing blood vessels (August 13, 2010) -- When envisioning cell therapy for cardiovascular disease, a team of scientists is focusing on cells that nourish blood vessels, rather than on rare stem cells. In experiments with mice, CD31 positive cells from the blood or bone marrow can effectively treat hindlimb ischemia -- a model of peripheral artery disease. This approach has the potential to be safer and less arduous than experimental therapies involving the isolation of stem cells from bone marrow. ... > full story
Trusting people make better lie detectors (August 13, 2010) -- Trusting others may not make you necessarily a fool or a Pollyanna, according to a new study. Instead, it can be a sign that you're smart. ... > full story
Scientists identify DNA that may contribute to each person's uniqueness (August 13, 2010) -- Building on a tool that they developed in yeast four years ago, researchers scanned the human genome and discovered what they believe is the reason people have such a variety of physical traits and disease risks. ... > full story
Elevated heart rate over time linked to significant risk of death (August 13, 2010) -- An elevated resting heart rate that develops or persists during follow-up is associated with a significantly increased risk of death, whether from heart disease or other causes, researchers from the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center found studying outcomes in more than 9,000 patients. ... > full story
Painters at significantly increased risk of bladder cancer, study finds (August 13, 2010) -- Painters are at significantly increased risk of developing bladder cancer, concludes a comprehensive analysis of published evidence. ... > full story
Teaching robot helps children to use wheelchair (August 13, 2010) -- A robotic wheelchair is being developed that will help children learn to 'drive'. In a new article, researchers describe the testing of ROLY -- robot-assisted learning for young drivers -- in a group of children without disabilities and one child with cerebral palsy. ... > full story
College students exhibiting more severe mental illness, study finds (August 13, 2010) -- Severe mental illness is more common among college students than it was a decade ago, with more young people arriving on campus with pre-existing conditions and a willingness to seek help for emotional distress, according to a new study. The data support what college mental health professionals have noted for some time. ... > full story
Immune system overreaction may enable recurrent urinary tract infections (August 13, 2010) -- The immune system may open the door to recurrent urinary tract infections by overdoing its response to an initial infection, researchers have found. ... > full story
Specific oncogene plays a role in lung squamous cell carcinoma (August 13, 2010) -- The identification of an oncogene specific to lung squamous cell carcinoma suggests that genetic activation of this oncogene could be used as an identification marker for this type of lung cancer. ... > full story
Childhood memories of father have lasting impact on men's ability to handle stress (August 13, 2010) -- Sons who have fond childhood memories of their fathers are more likely to be emotionally stable in the face of day-to-day stresses, according to psychologists who studied hundreds of adults of all ages. ... > full story
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
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