ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, September 2, 2010
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Stopping smoking cessation treatments too soon may reduce odds of success for 45 percent of smokers (September 2, 2010) -- A new study may change the way clinicians make treatment decisions for their patients who smoke. The findings suggest that current treatment theories that maintain any smoking after the planned target quit day predicts treatment failure need to be expanded to take into account a more dynamic quitting process. The research points to two types of successful quitters: those who quit immediately and remain abstinent through the end of treatment and those who are "delayed" in attaining abstinence but achieve success by the end of treatment. ... > full story
Live imaging puts new light on stem cell division (September 2, 2010) -- A long-held assumption about asymmetrical division of stem cells has cracked. Researchers report that the mitotic spindle does not act alone -- that cortical proteins help to position a cleavage furrow in the right location. ... > full story
Lower blood pressure may preserve kidney function in some patients (September 2, 2010) -- Intensively treating hypertension in some African Americans with kidney disease by pushing blood pressure well below the current recommended goal may significantly decrease the number who lose kidney function and require dialysis, suggests a new study. ... > full story
Finding variants in the human genome: HapMap 3 points the way forward for human genetics studies (September 2, 2010) -- The results of the third phase of the HapMap study, which looks at genetic variation in multiple populations, have just been published. Researchers looked at 1184 samples from 11 populations to identify variants in the human genome. The team looked at the distribution and frequency of variants across different populations and suggest that variants in some genes, including genes involved in the immune system, wound healing and sense of smell, are under selection in different populations. ... > full story
Personalized medicine: Molecular imaging predicts treatment success in many cancers (September 2, 2010) -- New studies show that molecular imaging plays a critical role in the evaluation and treatment planning for a broad spectrum of cancers, including thyroid cancer and lymphoma. ... > full story
Increased risk of death in men with insomnia and a short sleep duration (September 2, 2010) -- Men with chronic insomnia who slept for less than six hours were four times more likely to die during the 14-year follow-up period, according to a new study. Results were adjusted for potential confounders such as body mass index, smoking status, depression and obstructive sleep apnea. Further adjustments for hypertension and diabetes had little effect on the elevated mortality risk. No significant mortality risk was found in women with insomnia and a short sleep duration of less than six hours. ... > full story
Violence in inner city neighborhoods contributes to trouble with asthma, study finds (September 2, 2010) -- Patients with asthma who are exposed to violence in their community are at an increased risk for an asthma-related hospitalization and emergency room visits for asthma or any cause, according to new research. ... > full story
'Charitable' behavior found in bacteria (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers have discover "charitable" behavior in bacteria populations, where individuals with the highest antibiotic resistance sacrifice so the whole population can better fight off medication. ... > full story
Brain exercises may slow cognitive decline initially, but speed up dementia later (September 1, 2010) -- New research shows that mentally stimulating activities such as crossword puzzles, reading and listening to the radio may, at first, slow the decline of thinking skills but speed up dementia later in old age. ... > full story
Protecting nerve cells from death in a model of stroke (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers in China have now identified a way to preserve nerve cells in a rat model of stroke. ... > full story
Airline passengers in developing countries face 13 times crash risk as US (September 1, 2010) -- Passengers who fly in Developing World countries face 13 times the risk of being killed in an air accident as passengers in the First World. The more economically advanced countries in the Developing World have better overall safety records than the others, but even their death risk per flight is seven times as high as that in First World countries. ... > full story
Capacity for exercise can be inherited: Finding suggests pharmaceutical drugs can be used to alter activity levels in humans (September 1, 2010) -- Biologists have found that voluntary activity, such as daily exercise, is a highly heritable trait that can be passed down genetically to successive generations. Working on mice in the lab, they found that activity level can be enhanced with selective breeding. Their experiments showed that mice that were bred to be high runners produced high-running offspring, indicating that the offspring had inherited the trait for activity. ... > full story
Infant's gaze may be an early, but subtle, marker for autism risk (September 1, 2010) -- New study results show that an early marker for later communication and social delays in infants at a higher-risk for autism may be infrequent gazing at other people when unprompted. The study also found that six-month-old high-risk infants demonstrated the same level of cause and effect learning skills when compared to low-risk infants of the same age. ... > full story
Revaccination could benefit HIV-infected children, review suggests (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers reviewed published data to assess HIV-infected children's immune responses to vaccines and found that most children treated with HAART remained susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases, but responded well to revaccination. ... > full story
Mindfulness meditation increases well-being in adolescent boys, study finds (September 1, 2010) -- "Mindfulness," the process of learning to become more aware of our ongoing experiences, increases well-being in adolescent boys, a new study reports. ... > full story
Babies born past term associated with increased risk of cerebral palsy (September 1, 2010) -- While preterm birth is a known risk factor for cerebral palsy, an examination of data for infants born at term or later finds that compared with delivery at 40 weeks, birth at 37 or 38 weeks or at 42 weeks or later was associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy, according to a new study. ... > full story
Study shows increased risk of heart attack from physical exertion at altitude and low temperatures during winter sports vacations (September 1, 2010) -- A study carried out by cardiologists has investigated the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) amongst winter sports tourists to the Tyrolean Alps. The research shows that inadequate preparation for the intense physical exertion required, combined with the effects of altitude and low temperature, leads to an increase in heart attack incidents, particularly during the first two days of vacation. ... > full story
Nanobiotechnology advances point to medical applications (September 1, 2010) -- Scientists have demonstrated the synthesis of nanosize biological particles with the potential to fight cancer and other illnesses. The research introduces new approaches that are considered "green" nanobiotechnology because they use no artificial compounds. ... > full story
Hooked on headphones? Personal listening devices can harm hearing, study finds (September 1, 2010) -- Personal listening devices like iPods have become increasingly popular among young -- and not-so-young -- people in recent years. But music played through headphones too loud or too long might pose a significant risk to hearing, according to a 24-year study of adolescent girls. ... > full story
High-fat diet during puberty linked to breast cancer risk later in life (September 1, 2010) -- Girls eating a high-fat diet during puberty, even those who do not become overweight or obese, may be at a greater risk of developing breast cancer later in life, according to researchers. The implications -- that a high-fat diet may have detrimental effects independent of its effect to cause obesity -- could drive new cancer prevention efforts. ... > full story
Researchers exploring 'fusion strategy' against E. coli (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers are exploring a "fusion strategy" for making improved vaccines to protect pigs and humans against some strains of E. coli. ... > full story
Prophylactic surgeries associated with lower risk of cancer for women with BRCA1/2 gene mutations (September 1, 2010) -- Women at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer because of inherited mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes who had prophylactic mastectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy (removal of the fallopian tubes and ovaries) had an associated decreased risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story
Girls' early puberty linked to unstable environment via insecure attachment in infancy (September 1, 2010) -- Girls are hitting puberty earlier and earlier. One recent study found that more than 10 percent of American girls have some breast development by age 7. This news has upset many people, but it may make evolutionary sense in some cases for girls to develop faster, according to new research. ... > full story
Mosquitoes use several different kinds of odor sensors to track human prey (September 1, 2010) -- The malaria mosquito needs more than one family of odor sensors to sniff out its human prey, new research suggests. New research provides striking new evidence that Anopheles gambiae -- the species of mosquito that spreads malaria that infects some 250 million and kills 900,000 people annually -- has a second set of olfactory sensors that are fundamentally different from the set of sensors that scientists have known about and have been studying for the last 10 years. ... > full story
Why females fare better than males after traumatic injury (September 1, 2010) -- A new study looks at how female versus male rats fared after suffering a trauma and subsequent hemorrhagic shock who were given Estradiol (estrogen). In the study, the Estradiol prevented vascular permeability following hemorrhagic shock. ... > full story
DASH eating plan lowers long-term heart attack risk, especially among African-Americans (September 1, 2010) -- The DASH diet reduced the estimated risk of having a heart attack in the next ten years by 18 percent when compared to a typical American eating plan, according to a new study. Both whites and African-Americans benefited from the diet, but African-Americans had the greatest benefit. Researchers provided all the food to the participants in this eight-week study. ... > full story
Diverse diet of veggies may decrease lung cancer risk (September 1, 2010) -- Adding a variety of vegetables to one's diet may help decrease the chance of getting lung cancer, and adding a variety of fruits and vegetables may decrease the risk of squamous cell lung cancer, especially among smokers. ... > full story
Moderate coffee consumption improves aortic distensibility in hypertensive elderly individuals, study finds (September 1, 2010) -- A detailed study conducted by researchers on the Aegean island of Ikaria has demonstrated that moderate consumption of coffee by hypertensive elderly individuals can lead to improvements in aortic distensibility. ... > full story
Migration does not bring happiness, study suggests (September 1, 2010) -- The grass might not be greener on the other side of the border, a new study has found. Economic migrants traveling to different shores for greater income could be set for disappointment -- because the pursuit of wealth does not equate with happiness, according to the research. ... > full story
Virus related to smallpox rising sharply in Africa (September 1, 2010) -- Researchers report that 30 years after mass smallpox vaccination campaigns ceased, the rates of a related virus called human monkeypox has dramatically increased in the rural Democratic Republic of Congo, with sporadic outbreaks in other African countries and even the United States. ... > full story
Bone hormone levels linked to risk of death for patients with heart failure (September 1, 2010) -- Patients suffering with heart failure are more likely to die if they have high levels of a bone hormone called osteoprotegerin (OPG). That is the finding of a research team from the Akershus University Hospital and the University of Oslo in Norway, in collaboration with colleagues in Italy and Denmark. ... > full story
Buying common medicines can push poor people further into poverty, study finds (September 1, 2010) -- A substantial proportion (up to 86 percent) of the population living in low and middle income countries would be pushed into poverty as a result of purchasing common life-saving medicines, according to a new study. ... > full story
Newly discovered protein gets to the roots of obesity and osteoporosis (August 31, 2010) -- Here's good news for anyone trying to lose weight or has osteoporosis: Scientists are on the trail of a weight loss drug that may revolutionize how we treat these two conditions. Researchers have discovered a new protein, called "Sprouty," responsible for regulating body fat and bone mass. ... > full story
Treatment for S. aureus skin infection works in mouse model (August 31, 2010) -- Scientists have found a promising treatment method that in laboratory mice reduces the severity of skin and soft-tissue damage caused by USA300, the leading cause of community-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States. ... > full story
Ultra-endurance running may not be good for the heart, study suggests (August 31, 2010) -- In 2009, a study was conducted in the UK to assess the effects of running in ultra-endurance races. Typically aimed at super-fit and experienced athletes, these races are held over distances exceeding 50 miles (80 kilometres). The conclusions suggest that some damage is likely to occur to the heart muscle of competitors, while 12 percent of the study group showed signs of significant cardiac damage. ... > full story
Children raised by gay couples show good progress through school, study finds (August 31, 2010) -- By mining data from the 2000 Census, a sociologist figured out the rates at which kids raised by gay and straight couples repeated a grade during elementary or middle school. He found that children of same-sex parents have essentially the same educational achievement as their peers growing up in heterosexual households. ... > full story
Major study finds no evidence that statins cause cancer (August 31, 2010) -- In the largest and most reliable study of its type, researchers in the UK and Australia have demonstrated that statin therapy is not a cause of increased cancer rates and deaths. ... > full story
Reading Arabic isn't easy, brain study suggests (August 31, 2010) -- The brain's right hemisphere is not involved in the initial processes of reading in Arabic, due to the graphic complexity of Arabic script. Therefore reading acquisition in Arabic is much harder in comparison to English, according to a recent series of studies. ... > full story
Marathon running is unlikely to cause long-term heart damage, German study shows (August 31, 2010) -- A study of 167 amateur runners at the 2006 and 2007 Berlin marathons is lowering concerns that this type of activity leads to sustained heart damage, particularly among older competitors. ... > full story
Why some Americans believe Obama is a Muslim (August 31, 2010) -- There's something beyond plain old ignorance that motivates Americans to believe President Obama is a Muslim, according to a first-of-its-kind study of smear campaigns. The research suggests people are most likely to accept such falsehoods, both consciously and unconsciously, when subtle clues remind them of ways in which Obama is different from them, whether because of race, social class or other ideological differences. ... > full story
Multiple sclerosis activity changes with the seasons, research finds (August 31, 2010) -- New research shows that multiple sclerosis activity can increase during spring and summer months. ... > full story
Engineering shorter wait times in the ER (August 31, 2010) -- Emergency room waiting times could be cut by over one third and patients' length of stay by almost two-thirds, thanks to a new approach to the triage process of sorting patients for further assessment and treatment, according to new research. ... > full story
Older adults experience “destination amnesia” and over-confidence with false beliefs (August 31, 2010) -- I'm sure I told you that already! Older adults are more likely to have destination memory failures -- forgetting who they've shared or not shared information with, according to a new study. ... > full story
Adult mammary stem cells in mice identified and isolated for first time (August 31, 2010) -- For the first time, researchers have identified and isolated adult mammary stem cells in mice. Long-term implications of this research may include the use of such cells to regenerate breast tissue, provide a better understanding of the role of adult stem cells in breast cancer development, and develop potential new targets for anti-cancer drugs. ... > full story
Neuronal diversity makes a difference, research finds (August 31, 2010) -- Much like snowflakes, no two neurons are exactly alike. But it's not the size or shape that sets one neuron apart from another, it's the way it responds to incoming stimuli. Researchers have discovered that this diversity is critical to overall brain function and essential in how neurons process complex stimuli and code information. ... > full story
Study points to key genetic driver of severe allergic asthma (August 31, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a genetic basis for determining the severity of allergic asthma in experimental models of the disease. The study may help in the search for future therapeutic strategies to fight a growing medical problem that currently lacks effective treatments, researchers report. ... > full story
Hybrid protein tools developed for gene cutting and editing (August 31, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a type of hybrid proteins that can make double-strand DNA breaks at specific sites in living cells, possibly leading to better gene replacement and gene editing therapies. ... > full story
Roots of gamblers' fallacies and other superstitions: Causes of seemingly irrational human decision-making (August 31, 2010) -- Gamblers who think they have a "hot hand," only to end up walking away with a loss, may nonetheless be making "rational" decisions, according to new research. ... > full story
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