ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Monday, August 30, 2010
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New genetic risk factor for Lou Gehrig's disease identified (August 30, 2010) -- Biologists and neuroscientists have identified a new genetic risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
'Biosensors' on four feet detect animals infected with bird flu (August 30, 2010) -- Blood hounds, cadaver dogs, and other canines who serve humanity may soon have a new partner -- disease detector dogs -- thanks to an unusual experiment in which scientists trained mice to identify feces of ducks infected with bird influenza. The proof-of-concept study may pave the way for development of "biosensors on four feet" that warn of infection with influenza and other diseases. ... > full story
More than 20,000 sledding injuries each year, according to new study (August 30, 2010) -- Although sledding is a popular winter pastime, it can unfortunately lead to serious injury. A new study found that from 1997-2007, an estimated 229,023 children and adolescents younger than 19 years were treated in US hospital emergency departments for sledding-related injuries -- an average of more than 20,000 cases each year. ... > full story
Hair color, socioeconomic status among risk factors for recurring basal cell carcinoma (August 30, 2010) -- Patients who receive a diagnosis of the skin cancer basal cell carcinoma at a younger age -- along with those who have red hair, a higher socioeconomic status and a cancerous lesion on their upper extremities -- appear to be at higher risk of developing multiple cancers and require closer follow-up, according to a new study. ... > full story
Cinnamon extracts may reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease, study suggests (August 30, 2010) -- A water soluble extract of cinnamon, which contains antioxidative compounds, could help reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Hyperspectral imaging speeds detection of Campylobacter (August 30, 2010) -- A type of high-tech imaging can be used to distinguish the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter from other microorganisms as quickly as 24 hours after a sample is placed on solid media in a Petri dish, according to a new study. ... > full story
Study contradicts reports of problems with blood-thinner (August 30, 2010) -- New findings contradict earlier reports that people with a certain genetic make-up don't benefit from the blood-thinner clopidogrel, also known as Plavix. ... > full story
Socioeconomic status predicts survival of Canadian cancer patients (August 30, 2010) -- A new analysis finds that cancer patients from poorer communities have a greater chance of dying prematurely than individuals from more affluent backgrounds even though cancer stage at time of diagnosis is similar across socioeconomic groups. ... > full story
Patients with diabetes may need fewer medications after bariatric surgery (August 30, 2010) -- Bariatric surgery appears to be associated with reduced use of medications and lower health care costs among patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story
Tests to assess Down syndrome created (August 30, 2010) -- The Arizona Cognitive Test Battery can quickly assess the cognitive abilities of persons with Down syndrome. It gives clinicians and other researchers a tool to help determine the life trajectory of those with the genetic disorder as well as aid in the development of treatments. ... > full story
Lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding development of new medicines (August 30, 2010) -- An unlikely effort is underway to lift the veil of nearly total secrecy that has surrounded the process of developing new prescription drugs for the last century. The upheaval in traditional practice would make key data available to college students, university professors, and others in an open, collective process. ... > full story
Factors which predict alcohol use after liver transplantation identified (August 30, 2010) -- Patients who receive a liver transplant due to alcoholic liver disease need to demonstrate periods of abstinence and often attend addiction treatment before transplantation. However, alcohol use disorders can recur, as can other diseases requiring transplantation, and thus alcohol use after liver transplantation is not uncommon. ... > full story
Liver cells created from patients' skin cells (August 28, 2010) -- By creating diseased liver cells from a small sample of human skin, scientists have now shown that stem cells can be used to model a diverse range of inherited disorders. The researchers' findings will hopefully lead to new treatments for those suffering from liver diseases. ... > full story
Mumps vaccine coverage should be improved, study finds (August 28, 2010) -- Although immunity to mumps is high in the United States, mumps vaccine coverage must be maintained and improved to prevent future outbreaks, according to a new study. ... > full story
Exposure to low doses of BPA alters gene expression in the fetal mouse ovary (August 28, 2010) -- A new study finds that exposure of pregnant female mice to the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A may produce adverse reproductive consequences on gene expression in fetal ovaries as early as 12 hours after the mother has first been exposed to the chemical. ... > full story
Anguish of romantic rejection may be linked to stimulation of areas of brain related to motivation, reward and addiction (August 28, 2010) -- Breaking up really is hard to do, and a recent study found evidence that it may be partly due to the areas of the brain that are active during this difficult time. ... > full story
Medicine reaches the target with the help of magnets (August 28, 2010) -- If a drug can be guided to the right place in the body, the treatment is more effective and there are fewer side-effects. Researchers in Sweden have now developed magnetic nanoparticles that can be directed to metallic implants such as artificial knee joints, hip joints and stents in the coronary arteries. ... > full story
Surgical robot could be used for long-distance regional anesthesia (August 28, 2010) -- An existing surgical robot could be used to perform complex regional anesthesia procedures -- in theory, allowing expert anesthesiologists to perform robot-assisted procedures from remote locations, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists unveil structure of adenovirus, the largest high-resolution complex ever found (August 28, 2010) -- After more than a decade of research, scientists have pieced together the structure of a human adenovirus -- the largest complex ever determined at atomic resolution. ... > full story
Fluoride in water prevents adult tooth loss, study suggests (August 28, 2010) -- Children drinking water with added fluoride helps dental health in adulthood decades later, a new study finds. ... > full story
Sodium MRI gives new insights into detecting osteoarthritis (August 28, 2010) -- Researchers have developed an innovative way to look at the development of osteoarthritis in the knee joint -- one that relies on the examination of sodium ions in cartilage. ... > full story
How badly does it hurt? Research examines the biomedical diagnosis of pain (August 28, 2010) -- Sociology research investigates the challenges of patients experiencing pain symptoms that don't visibly turn up on any test. ... > full story
Baby's first full diaper can reveal mother's smoking (August 27, 2010) -- Meconium, the dark and tarry stools passed by a baby during the first few days after birth, can be used to determine how much the mother smoked, or if she was exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy. Researchers measured tobacco smoke metabolites in meconium samples from 337 babies, finding that they correlated well with reported smoke exposure and other markers of tobacco smoke exposure. ... > full story
Rectal cancer rates are rising in young individuals, analysis finds (August 27, 2010) -- A new analysis has found that while colon cancer rates have remained steady over the past several decades among people under the age of 40, rectal cancer rates are increasing in this population across races and in both sexes. ... > full story
Autism and schizophrenia: Family history may not always be a good indicator (August 27, 2010) -- Family history may not be a good predictor of the presence of mutations predisposing to autism or schizophrenia, a new study suggests. The findings show how new or de novo gene mutations -- alterations of the cell's DNA -- play a role in these devastating conditions. ... > full story
Moms who don't breastfeed more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, study finds (August 27, 2010) -- Mothers who did not breastfeed their children have significantly higher rates of type 2 diabetes later in life than moms who breastfed, a new study finds. Twenty-seven percent of mothers who did not breastfeed developed type 2 diabetes and were almost twice as likely to develop the disease as women who had breastfed or never given birth. ... > full story
Grapefruit's bitter taste holds a sweet promise for diabetes therapy (August 27, 2010) -- A new study demonstrates the mechanism by which a single grapefruit compound controls fat and glucose metabolism, replacing multiple drugs. ... > full story
Vaccine has cut child cases of bacterial pneumonia, says study (August 27, 2010) -- The number of children admitted to English hospitals with bacterial pneumonia decreased by a fifth in the two years following the introduction of a vaccine to combat the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Experimental treatments for cocaine addiction may prevent relapse (August 27, 2010) -- The drug disulfiram, used for years to deter recovering alcoholics from drinking, also can treat cocaine addiction. Disulfiram prevents rats from seeking cocaine after a break, a model for addicts tempted to relapse. Disulfiram appears to work by inhibiting the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase, which is required for the production of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. A selective inhibitor of that enzyme, nepicastat, is also effective in the same model of cocaine relapse. ... > full story
Frog skin may provide 'kiss of death' for antibiotic-resistant germs (August 27, 2010) -- Kissing a frog won't turn it into a prince -- except in fairy-tales -- but frogs may be hopping toward a real-world transformation into princely allies in humanity's battle with antibiotic-resistant infections that threaten millions of people. Scientists reported that frog skin contains substances that could be the basis for a new genre of antibiotics. ... > full story
Neuron-damaging mechanism discovered in mouse model of inherited ALS (August 27, 2010) -- New research uncovers what may be a primary neuron-damaging insult that occurs in an inherited form of a devastating neurodegenerative disorder. The study describes a critical mechanistic link between a mutant protein and disease pathogenesis in an animal model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ... > full story
Smoking can increase depressive symptoms in teens, study finds (August 27, 2010) -- While some teenagers may puff on cigarettes to "self-medicate" against the blues, scientists have found that smoking may actually increase depressive symptoms in some adolescents. ... > full story
Secondhand smoke may provoke inflammatory response in lungs (August 27, 2010) -- Secondhand smoke is associated with a number of diseases and conditions, including cancer, heart disease and emphysema. It is an irritant to lung tissue and blood vessels, but the processes through which the body reacts to second-hand smoke is a mystery scientists are beginning to unravel. Researchers are now studying how second-hand smoke affects the lungs of rats. So far it appears that second-hand smoke triggers a complex inflammatory response. ... > full story
Artificial enzyme removes natural poison (August 27, 2010) -- For the first time ever, a completely artificial chemical enzyme has been successfully used to neutralize a toxin found naturally in fruits and vegetables. This is the first evidence that it's possible to design artificial enzymes for this class of task, and might result in a completely new way of designing drug-targets. ... > full story
Researchers closer to development of drug to prevent deadly immune response (August 27, 2010) -- Researchers have isolated a molecule, small enough to be used as a drug, that can shut down a dysfunctional -- and at times, deadly -- immune response known as the complement system. ... > full story
Our best and worst moments occur within social relationships, research shows (August 27, 2010) -- In the first study of its kind, researchers have found compelling evidence that our best and worst experiences in life are likely to involve not individual accomplishments, but interaction with other people and the fulfillment of an urge for social connection. ... > full story
Vitamin A increases the presence of HIV in breast milk, studies suggest (August 27, 2010) -- Vitamin A and beta-carotene supplements are unsafe for HIV-positive women who breastfeed because they may boost the excretion of HIV in breast milk -- thereby increasing the chances of transmitting the infection to the child, a pair of new studies suggest. ... > full story
Attention, couch potatoes! Walking boosts brain connectivity, function (August 27, 2010) -- A group of "professional couch potatoes," as one researcher described them, has proven that even moderate exercise -- in this case walking at one's own pace for 40 minutes three times a week -- can enhance the connectivity of important brain circuits, combat declines in brain function associated with aging and increase performance on cognitive tasks. ... > full story
Analysis of Ashkenazi Jewish genomes reveals diversity, history (August 27, 2010) -- Through genomic analysis, researchers have shown that the Ashkenazi Jewish population is genetically more diverse than people of European descent, despite previous assumptions that Ashkenazi Jews have been an isolated population. In addition, analyses of disease-related genes of higher prevalence in the Ashkenazi Jewish population indicate that only a minority of traits show signs of positive selection, suggesting that most have arisen through random genetic drift. ... > full story
Macrophages: The 'defense' cells that help throughout the body (August 27, 2010) -- The term "macrophage" conjures images of a hungry white blood cell gobbling invading bacteria. However, macrophages do much more than that: Not only do they act as antimicrobial warriors, they also play critical roles in immune regulation and wound-healing. They can respond to a variety of cellular signals and change their physiology in response to local cues. ... > full story
Genetic rarity found: A mutation that restores health (August 27, 2010) -- Errors in the copying of genes during cell division can cause numerous diseases, including cancer. Scientists, however, have unraveled the secrets of a much more rare phenomenon with potential therapeutic implications -- disease-causing genes that show a high frequency of self-repair. ... > full story
Two heads are better than one -- with the right partner (August 27, 2010) -- In the new age of coalition governments, the question of whether two heads are better than one is more relevant than ever. Neuroscientists now show that two heads can be better than one -- but only if you have the right partner. ... > full story
First 3-D atomic view of key genetic processes (August 27, 2010) -- Scientists have created the first 3-D picture of genetic processes that happen inside every cell of our bodies. The picture is the first-ever image of a protein interacting with DNA in its tightly packed "nucleosome" form. The research, which reveals new information about genetic processes, is expected to aid future investigations into diseases such as cancer. ... > full story
Acidity regulates cell membrane synthesis (August 27, 2010) -- Acidity (pH) in cells of baker's yeast regulate the synthesis of cell membranes by controlling the production of enzymes that synthesize membranes. The elucidated mechanism is so simple and universal that it is highly likely that it determines many cellular processes in all forms of life. ... > full story
Researchers urge reclassification of traumatic brain injury as chronic disease (August 27, 2010) -- Traumatic brain injury, currently considered a singular event by the insurance industry and many health care providers, is instead the beginning of an ongoing process that impacts multiple organ systems and may cause or accelerate other diseases and disorders that can reduce life expectancy, according to new research. ... > full story
Adulteration of milk products and pet food with melamine underscores weaknesses of traditional methods, experts say (August 27, 2010) -- Recent incidents of adulteration involving infant formula, other milk products and pet food with the industrial chemical melamine revealed the weaknesses of current methods widely used across the domestic and global food industry for determining protein content in foods. The possible utility of alternative existing and emerging methods is the subject of a new paper. ... > full story
Students need help to save money, but don't always know it, study finds (August 27, 2010) -- Students could use help saving more money, but they don't always know it. If they were offered a simple way to do so, would they take it? A new study suggests the answer is no. And the reason is that their very good intentions can give rise to a sense of optimism that leads them to undervalue opportunities that could make it easier to actually achieve a long-term savings goal. ... > full story
Nerve cell production linked to memory in humans (August 26, 2010) -- Production of new nerve cells in the human brain is linked to learning and memory, according to a new study. The research is the first to show such a link in humans. The findings provide clues about processes involved in age- and health-related memory loss and reveal potential cellular targets for drug therapy. ... > full story
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