ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, August 19, 2010
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Study shows gene's role in developing and maintaining cells key for a lifetime of memories (August 19, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that a gene named Prox1 is a key player in normal development of a brain structure crucial for learning and memory and remains active throughout life, nurturing the cells vital for making new memories. ... > full story
Why implant coatings detach: Nanocorrosion causes implants to fail (August 19, 2010) -- Extra-hard coatings made from diamond-like carbon (DLC) extend the operating lifetime of tools and components. In artificial joints, however, these coatings often fail because they detach. Swiss researchers found out why – and developed methods to both make the interface between the DLC layer and the metal underneath corrosion-resistant and to predict the lifetime of the implants. ... > full story
Brain connections break down as we age, study suggests (August 19, 2010) -- It's unavoidable: breakdowns in brain connections slow down our physical response times as we age, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Study explains why Alzheimer's drug is both safe and effective (August 19, 2010) -- The drug memantine improves Alzheimer's disease symptoms by blocking abnormal activity of glutamate, a chemical that transmits messages between nerve cells. In a new study, scientists unravel exactly how memantine helps Alzheimer's patients without causing serious side effects. ... > full story
Long-term entecavir therapy reverses fibrosis and cirrhosis in chronic hepatitis B patients (August 19, 2010) -- Researchers have found that patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who received at least 3 years of cumulative entecavir (antiviral) therapy achieved substantial histologic improvement and regression of fibrosis or cirrhosis. ... > full story
Antidepressant can help treat major depression during perimenopause, menopause, study shows (August 19, 2010) -- An antidepressant can alleviate symptoms of major depression in women experiencing or about to experience menopause, according to a new study. ... > full story
Choosing healthier protein-rich foods instead of red and processed meats may reduce heart disease (August 18, 2010) -- American women who ate more protein-rich foods instead of red meat had a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease, according to a new study. Eating more fresh red meat, processed red meat and high-fat dairy carried an increased risk of heart disease in the study. Women who had two servings per day of red meat compared to those who had half a serving per day had a 30 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. ... > full story
Meningitis research breakthrough could save children’s lives (August 18, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a rapid diagnostic test for meningococcal bacteria that can produce results within an hour. The speed of this new test is a vital factor in the treatment of young children with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia who become very ill over a short period. ... > full story
Scientists closer to finding what causes the birth of a fat cell (August 18, 2010) -- Just what causes the birth of a human fat cell is a mystery, but scientists using mathematics to tackle the question have come up with a few predictions about the proteins that influence this process. The research is intended to increase understanding of how and why preadipocytes, or pre-fat cells, either lie dormant, copy themselves or turn into fat. ... > full story
Paving 'slabs' that clean the air (August 18, 2010) -- The concentrations of toxic nitrogen oxide that are present in German cities regularly exceed the maximum permitted levels. That's now about to change, as innovative paving slabs that will help protect the environment are being introduced. Coated in titanium dioxide nanoparticles, they reduce the amount of nitrogen oxide in the air. ... > full story
Women with osteoporosis suffer more if they have previously broken a bone, say scientists (August 18, 2010) -- An international study of more than 60,000 women has drawn new light on the relationship between osteoporosis and fractures. Scientists call for more to be done to identify and treat patients at the highest risk of fractures. Osteoporosis is more common in women who have fractured bones when they were younger - and they experience a similar loss in health-related quality of life as those with arthritis, lung disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases. ... > full story
Early life influences risk for psychiatric disorders (August 18, 2010) -- For more than a century, clinical investigators have focused on early life as a source of adult psychopathology. Although the hypothesized mechanisms have evolved, a central notion remains: early life is a period of unique sensitivity during which experience confers enduring effects. ... > full story
Vitamin D may treat or prevent allergy to common mold (August 18, 2010) -- Vitamin D may be an effective therapeutic agent to treat or prevent allergy to a common mold that can complicate asthma and frequently affects patients with cystic fibrosis. ... > full story
Breakthrough gene therapy prevents retinal degeneration (August 18, 2010) -- In one of only two studies of its kind, scientists demonstrate that non-viral gene therapy can delay the onset of some forms of eye disease and preserve vision. The team developed nanoparticles to deliver therapeutic genes to the retina and found that treated mice temporarily retained more eyesight than controls. The study brings researchers closer to a non-viral gene therapy treatment for degenerative eye disorders. ... > full story
SSRIs may pack more punch at the cellular level than believed (August 18, 2010) -- A new discovery about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors suggests that these drugs, used to treat mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, have multiple effects on our cells. Researchers used yeast cells to identify secondary drug targets or pathways affected by SSRIs. Such secondary pathways could help explain why different people taking the same drug can experience different effects, and could also lead to new types of drugs altogether. ... > full story
Men more likely to cheat if they are economically dependent on their female partners, study finds (August 18, 2010) -- The more economically dependent a man is on his female partner, the more likely he is to cheat on her, according to new research. ... > full story
Acupuncture not superior to sham acupuncture in knee osteoarthritis, study finds (August 18, 2010) -- Researchers have determined that patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee who are treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) do not experience any more benefit than those receiving sham acupuncture (placebo). The team did find that the communication style of the acupuncturist could have a significant effect on pain reduction and satisfaction in patients. ... > full story
Smokers trying to give up: Don't stop thinking about cigarettes (August 18, 2010) -- Blocking thoughts of cigarettes helps reduce smokers' intake at first, but means they smoke more than usual when they stop suppressing, according to new research. ... > full story
New link found between inflammation and cancer (August 18, 2010) -- Researchers have uncovered a new link between chronic inflammation and cancer. Although cancers do not always cause inflammation, chronic inflammation is known to help tumor cells grow. ... > full story
Why drunk drivers may get behind the wheel (August 18, 2010) -- A new study shows the impact of alcohol intoxication on reasoning and problem-solving abilities and may explain why some people feel they have recovered enough to drive after drinking. The research is the first to explore how cognitive abilities are impacted during both rising and declining blood alcohol concentrations, and how self-evaluation of recovery differs from actual recovery from impairment. ... > full story
Novel diabetes hope comes from Chinese herbs (August 18, 2010) -- Emodin, a natural product that can be extracted from various Chinese herbs including Rheum palmatum and Polygonum cuspidatum, shows promise as an agent that could reduce the impact of type 2 diabetes. New findings show that giving emodin to mice with diet-induced obesity lowered blood glucose and serum insulin, improved insulin resistance and lead to more healthy levels of lipid in the blood. It also decreased body weight and reduced central fat mass. ... > full story
Women who drink beer more likely to develop psoriasis (August 18, 2010) -- Regular beer -- but not light beer or other types of alcohol -- appears to be associated with an increased risk of developing psoriasis, according to a new study. ... > full story
Deaf, hard-of-hearing students perform first test of sign language by cell phone (August 18, 2010) -- Engineers are developing the first device able to transmit American Sign Language over US cellular networks. The tool is just completing its initial field test by participants in a summer program for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. ... > full story
People who cannot escape a system are likely to defend the status quo, study finds (August 18, 2010) -- The freedom of emigration at will is internationally recognized as a human right. But, in practice, emigration is often restricted, whether by policy or by poverty. A new study finds that people who are told that their right to emigrate will be restricted have what could be considered a strange reaction: they respond by defending their country's system. ... > full story
Astronaut muscles waste in space: Safety for future Mars missions questioned (August 18, 2010) -- Astronaut muscles waste away on long space flights, reducing their capacity for physical work by more than 40 percent, according to new research. This is the equivalent of a 30- to 50-year-old crew member's muscles deteriorating to that of an 80-year-old. The destructive effects of extended weightlessness to skeletal muscle -- despite in-flight exercise -- pose a significant safety risk for future human missions to Mars and elsewhere in the universe. ... > full story
Repairing spinal cord injury with manipulated neural stem cells (August 18, 2010) -- One of the most common causes of disability in young adults is spinal cord injury. Currently, there is no proven reparative treatment. However, hope that neural stem cells might be of benefit to individuals with severe spinal cord injury has now been provided new research using a mouse model of this devastating condition. ... > full story
Integrative body-mind training (IBMT) meditation found to boost brain connectivity (August 18, 2010) -- Just 11 hours of learning a meditation technique induces positive structural changes in brain connectivity by boosting efficiency in a part of the brain that helps a person regulate behavior in accordance with their goals, researchers report. The technique -- integrative body-mind training (IBMT) -- has been the focus of intense scrutiny by a team of Chinese researchers. ... > full story
Cause of immune system avoidance of certain pathogens discovered (August 18, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that a special set of sugars found on some disease-causing pathogens helps those pathogens fight the body's natural defenses as well as vaccines. This discovery may be a first step in understanding a disease family that includes tuberculosis for which there are currently no good vaccines or cures. ... > full story
Antagonistic people may increase heart attack, stroke risk (August 18, 2010) -- Antagonistic people have greater thickening of neck artery walls than agreeable people, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Those deemed the least agreeable had a 40 percent increased risk of artery narrowing compared to those who were the most agreeable, according to a new study. ... > full story
Accomplice in breast cancer discovered (August 18, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered an accomplice in breast cancer -- a master control switch with the power to set off a cascade of reactions orchestrated by a cancer-causing gene (or oncogene) named Wnt1. ... > full story
Studying yeast to better understand male infertility (August 18, 2010) -- Men and yeast have something in common: they use the same molecular process to ensure the integrity of their gene pool during reproduction, according to researchers in France. The scientists are studying yeast in order to shed light on the numerous cases of male infertility related to the malfunction of this process during spermatogenesis ... > full story
Skin condition associated with depression, anxiety and suicidal feelings (August 18, 2010) -- Individuals with psoriasis appear to have an increased risk of depression, anxiety and suicidality, according to a new study. ... > full story
Evolution may have pushed humans toward greater risk for type 1 diabetes (August 18, 2010) -- Gene variants associated with an increased risk for type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis may confer previously unknown benefits to their human carriers, say researchers. As a result, the human race may have been evolving in the recent past to be more susceptible, rather than less, to some complex diseases, they conclude. ... > full story
B vitamins and the aging brain examined (August 18, 2010) -- Nutritionist are taking a closer look at the role the B vitamins may play in preventing decline in brain function. ... > full story
Genetic link to advanced fatty liver disease confirmed by new studies (August 18, 2010) -- Researchers have found that patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who carry an allele of the PNPLA3 gene have an increased risk of developing advanced disease, including nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Another study validates these findings and further concludes that in pediatric patients, the same allele is associated with earlier disease presentation. ... > full story
Postnatal depression can be prevented by health visitors, study finds (August 18, 2010) -- Training health visitors to assess and psychologically support mothers after childbirth can prevent the development of depression over the following year, shows a new analysis of data from a full scale clinical trial in adults. ... > full story
Researchers challenge myth of the well-adjusted Asian-American (August 18, 2010) -- Researchers are challenging the "myth of the well-adjusted Asian-American," detailing how members of one of the country's fastest-growing ethnic groups face crucial disadvantages preventing them from receiving quality health care taken for granted by other, more culturally assimilated Americans. ... > full story
Consumers need protection from unrealistic claims of home genetic tests, new report states (August 18, 2010) -- In a perspective in the New England Journal of Medicine, experts write that medical professionals "must ensure that rapidly evolving and multiplying genomic technologies are responsibly harnessed and that their promise is not oversold to the public." ... > full story
Lung cancer patients receiving palliative care have improved quality of life, extended survival, study finds (August 18, 2010) -- Integrating palliative care early in the treatment of patients with advanced lung cancer not only improved their mood and quality of life, it also extended their lives. In a new study, researchers report that patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer who received early palliative care along with standard treatment lived more than two months longer than patients receiving standard care only. ... > full story
Moderate chocolate consumption linked to lower risks of heart failure, study finds (August 17, 2010) -- Middle-aged and elderly Swedish women who regularly ate a small amount of chocolate had lower risks of heart failure risks, according to a new study. ... > full story
Saving the brain's white matter with mutated mice (August 17, 2010) -- Scientists are developing laboratory mice which carry the Vanishing White Matter (VWM) mutation. This important new development allows for new research on VWM diseases such as multiple sclerosis, leading to a deeper understanding of the condition. ... > full story
Prevalence of hearing loss among US adolescents has increased significantly (August 17, 2010) -- Data from two nationally representative surveys indicates that the prevalence of hearing loss among US adolescents increased by about 30 percent from 1988-1994 to 2005-2006, with 1 in 5 adolescents having hearing loss in 2005-2006, according to a new study. ... > full story
High stress levels may delay women getting pregnant, study suggests (August 17, 2010) -- Healthy women trying for a baby may have reduced chances of becoming pregnant in any month if they are stressed, the results of a study suggest. ... > full story
Sports brain trauma may cause disease mimicking ALS, researchers find (August 17, 2010) -- New research provides the first pathological evidence that repetitive head trauma experienced in collision sports is associated with motor neuron disease, a neurological condition that affects voluntary muscle movements. The most common form of motor neuron disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
Two types of bone marrow stem cells could work together to advance regenerative medicine (August 17, 2010) -- A unique "partnership" between two types of bone marrow stem cells could lead to advances in regenerative medicine. ... > full story
Marriage and committed romance reduce stress-related hormone production (August 17, 2010) -- Being married has often been associated with improving people's health, but a new study suggests that having that long-term bond also alters hormones in a way that reduces stress. Unmarried people in a committed, romantic relationship show the same reduced responses to stress as do married people. ... > full story
New drugs to treat chronic pain without numbing may be possible (August 17, 2010) -- Researchers have made a discovery that could lead to a brand new class of drugs to treat chronic pain caused by inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and back pain without numbing the whole body. ... > full story
Lung stem cells vital to lung repair associated with poor cancer prognosis when found in tumor (August 17, 2010) -- Adult stem cells that are vital for airway repair in the lung but that persist in areas where pre-cancerous lesions are found are associated with a poor prognosis in patients who develop cancer, even those with early stage disease, researchers have found. ... > full story
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