ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, September 14, 2010
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Scientists 'clone' human virus responsible for congenital malformations and other life-threatening diseases (September 14, 2010) -- Scientists have successfully cloned a human virus, offering new hope for the treatment of potentially life-threatening diseases. Human cytomegalovirus is a major infectious cause of congenital malformations worldwide. The virus is also known to cause life-threatening disease in transplant patients and people with HIV/AIDS. ... > full story
Childhood cancer survivors show sustained benefit from common ADHD medication (September 14, 2010) -- A medicine widely used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also provides long-term relief from the attention and behavior changes that affect many childhood cancer survivors, according to a multicenter trial. ... > full story
Public handwashing: More adults than ever (85 percent) observed washing hands in public restrooms (September 14, 2010) -- A new observational study finds that 85 percent of adults washed their hands in public restrooms, compared with 77 percent in 2007. ... > full story
New metabolic markers may predict preeclampsia in early pregnancy (September 14, 2010) -- Researchers identified 14 new markers that could identify in early pregnancy who may be at risk of developing preeclampsia in later pregnancy. Preeclampsia is a life-threatening condition characterized by high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine. ... > full story
Opioid use to relieve pain and suffering at end of life is safe in hospital-at-home setting, study finds (September 14, 2010) -- Patients who choose to spend their last days at home with specialized care and monitoring can safely be given opioids to control pain and other symptoms without reducing survival time, according to a new study. ... > full story
Protein-based biomarkers in blood serum could classify individuals with Alzheimer's disease (September 14, 2010) -- An initial analysis suggests that biomarkers in blood serum can be combined with clinical information to accurately classify patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Targeted agent shows promise for chronic lymphoid leukemia (September 14, 2010) -- New research may have identified an experimental agent that targets chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and perhaps other proliferative disorders of lymphocytes. This study using tumor cells from patients shows that the small-molecule inhibitor CAL-101 directly promotes cell death in CLL cells and disrupts several external survival pathways needed for CLL cell viability and proliferation. The findings provide a rationale for developing CAL-101 as the first in a new class of CLL targeted therapies. ... > full story
Male maturity shaped by early nutrition; Differences between the sexes affected by environment during first six months of life (September 13, 2010) -- A new study makes a strong case for nurture's role in male to female differences -- suggesting that rapid weight gain in the first six months of life predicts earlier puberty for boys. Males who experienced rapid growth as babies -- an indication that they were not nutritionally stressed -- also were taller, had more muscle and were stronger, and had higher testosterone levels as young adults. ... > full story
Repeated antibiotic use alters gut's composition of beneficial microbes, study shows (September 13, 2010) -- Repeated use of an antibiotic that is considered generally benign, because users seldom incur obvious side effects, induces cumulative and persistent changes in the composition of the beneficial microbial species inhabiting the human gut, researchers have found. ... > full story
Key pathway implicated in progression of childhood cancer identified (September 13, 2010) -- A protein crucial for the immune response appears to be a key player in the progression of a devastating form of childhood leukemia called T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Suppressing the activity of the protein kills the leukemic cells, the study shows, opening a potential avenue to new drugs that could prevent progression of the disease. ... > full story
New study reconciles conflicting data on mental aging (September 13, 2010) -- A new look at tests of mental aging reveals a good news-bad news situation. The bad news is all mental abilities appear to decline with age, to varying degrees. The good news is the drops are not as steep as some research showed, according to a new study. ... > full story
Brain stimulation can help partially paralysed stroke patients regain use of their muscles, research finds (September 13, 2010) -- Patients who suffered a stroke down one side of their body recovered significant motor function after simple non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain. Researchers believe that partial paralysis is caused when one area of the brain is affected by the stroke, becoming inhibited, and the other unaffected area become over-active. The treatment restored the balance. And because the time lapse from stroke to treatment made no difference to the results, this simple technique could have important implications for long-term stroke care. ... > full story
Supervised injection facilities can help people quit drugs, study shows (September 13, 2010) -- A new study has found that supervised injection facilities such as Vancouver's Insite connect clients with addiction treatment, which in turn resulted in greater likelihood of stopping injection drug use for at least six months. ... > full story
Video games lead to faster decisions that are no less accurate (September 13, 2010) -- Cognitive scientists have discovered that playing action video games trains people to make the right decisions faster. The researchers found that video game players develop a heightened sensitivity to what is going on around them, and this benefit doesn't just make them better at playing video games, but improves a wide variety of general skills that can help with everyday activities like multitasking, driving, reading small print, and navigating around town. ... > full story
New insight into 'accelerated aging' disease (September 13, 2010) -- Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS or progeria) is a rare genetic disease that causes young children to develop symptoms associated with advanced age, such as baldness, wrinkles, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Now, a study uses a mouse model to shed light on progeria, and perhaps also on the normal aging process. ... > full story
Liquid nitrogen most effective at removing warts, study finds (September 13, 2010) -- Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen is the most effective method to remove common warts, a new study finds. ... > full story
National study finds 70 percent increase in basketball-related traumatic brain injuries (September 13, 2010) -- A new study examined basketball-related injuries treated in emergency departments among children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 from 1997 to 2007. According to the study, more than 4 million basketball-related injuries were treated in emergency departments during the 11-year study. ... > full story
Gene discovery could yield treatments for nearsightedness (September 13, 2010) -- Myopia (nearsightedness) is the most common eye disorder in the world and becoming more common, yet little is known about its genetic underpinnings. Scientists have now uncovered a gene associated with myopia in Caucasian people from several different regions, including Dutch, British and Australian subjects. ... > full story
Increasing selenium intake may decrease bladder cancer risk (September 13, 2010) -- A common mineral may provide protection against bladder cancer. ... > full story
New treatment options target underlying causes of childhood obsessive-compulsive and Tourette's disorders (September 13, 2010) -- Pediatric-onset obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and Tourette's disorder (TD) share similarities in their underlying genetic and environmental factors, psychiatric features, and treatment methods. Advances in understanding the neurobiological basis of these disorders and discovering new and more effective therapies are highlighted in a special issue on OCD and TD in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. ... > full story
Genes tied to deadliest ovarian cancers identified (September 13, 2010) -- Scientists have identified two genes whose mutations appear to be linked to ovarian clear cell carcinoma, one of the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer. Clear cell carcinoma is generally resistant to standard therapy. ... > full story
Tumor budding identified as predictor for unfavorable outcome in lung cancer (September 13, 2010) -- Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and the prognosis is generally poor, even if surgery is successful. Furthermore, the incidence of one type of lung cancer, adenocarcinoma, has been increasing in recent years. ... > full story
Brain uses eyes to pick up things: Unraveling the calculations (September 13, 2010) -- How does your brain know where your hand has to go to pick up a cup of coffee and successfully bring this to your mouth? By converting all of the information into coordinates of the eye, according to new Dutch research. Unraveling those calculations will make it possible to more accurately control arm prostheses. ... > full story
Concussions in young athletes on the rise, especially in hockey and football players (September 13, 2010) -- A new study finds visits to emergency departments for concussions that occurred during organized team sports have increased dramatically over a 10-year period, and appear to be highest in ice hockey and football. The number of sports-related concussions is highest in high school-aged athletes, but the number in younger athletes is significant and rising. ... > full story
Ancient viral invasion shaped human genome (September 13, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that viruses that "invaded" the human genome millions of years ago have changed the way genes get turned on and off in human embryonic stem cells. ... > full story
Physical activity can reduce the genetic predisposition to obesity by 40 percent, study finds (September 13, 2010) -- Although the whole population can benefit from a physically active lifestyle, in part through reduced obesity risk, a new study shows that individuals with a genetic predisposition to obesity can benefit even more. ... > full story
How disease-causing parasite gets around human innate immunity (September 13, 2010) -- A team of researchers has now shown, for the first time, how one species of the parasites that cause African sleeping sickness evades the human innate defenses. ... > full story
Therapeutic targets found for rare cancer in children (September 13, 2010) -- The first study of Ewing's sarcoma that screened hundreds of genes based on how they affect cell growth has identified two potential anti-cancer drug targets, according to a scientific paper. ... > full story
Long-standing mystery of protein 'quality control' mechanism solved (September 13, 2010) -- Scientists have solved a long-standing mystery of how cells conduct "quality control" to eliminate the toxic effects of a certain kind of error in protein production. The findings may lead to a better understanding of a host of neurodegenerative diseases. ... > full story
Structural defects precede functional decline in heart muscle (September 13, 2010) -- The disruption of a structural component in heart muscle cells, which is associated with heart failure, appears to occur even before heart function starts to decline, according to a new study. The new findings may point to new ways to diagnose or treat heart failure. ... > full story
Lung cancer survival rates improved through use of individualized chemotherapy (September 13, 2010) -- Chemotherapy is the best broad defense against cancer recurrence after surgical resection. However, it is difficult to predict which patients will benefit from which regimen of anticancer drugs, if at all. Building on existing knowledge, a new study has analyzed the usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer based on the histoculture drug response assay. ... > full story
People want to be asked before sharing genetic data, study finds (September 13, 2010) -- People want to be informed and asked for consent before deciding whether to let researchers share their genetic information in a federal database, according to new research. The study was the first to ask research participants' opinions about the need for informed consent for sharing their own information. ... > full story
Our lungs are 'innately prone' to silicosis and related diseases, new study suggests (September 13, 2010) -- For the nearly 2 million US workers exposed to silica dust each year, a new discovery may help prevent or treat the development of chronic lung diseases related to this exposure. Scientists have now shown that the part of our immune system responsible for keeping airways clean and free of contaminants (innate immunity) can cause inflammation and symptoms of disease. ... > full story
Risk of surgery for Crohn's disease lower than reported in recent studies, new research suggests (September 13, 2010) -- A multi-center study of 854 children with Crohn's disease shows the 5-year cumulative risk of bowel surgery is significantly lower than reported in recent studies. The study also found that children diagnosed between ages 13 and 16 had increased risk of bowel surgery, and a common treatment started at diagnosis did not alter the risk of surgery. ... > full story
Ten minutes could prevent one-third of road deaths, Spanish study finds (September 13, 2010) -- Spanish researchers have calculated the probability of dying in road accidents on the basis of the time taken for the emergency services to arrive. Their conclusions are clear: reducing the time between an accident taking place and the arrival of the emergency services from 25 to 15 minutes would cut the risk of death by one-third. ... > full story
Information patients use to pick physicians not always good predictor of quality, study finds (September 13, 2010) -- When looking for a new physician, patients are often encouraged to select those who are board certified or who have not made payments on malpractice claims. Yet these characteristics are not always a good predictor of which physicians will provide the highest quality medical care, according to a new study. ... > full story
Child's 'mental number line' affects memory for numbers (September 12, 2010) -- As children in Western cultures grow, they learn to place numbers on a mental number line, with smaller numbers to the left and spaced further apart than the larger numbers on the right. Then the number line changes to become more linear, with small and large numbers the same distance apart. Children whose number line has made this change are better at remembering numbers, according to a new study. ... > full story
Blood signatures to diagnose infection (September 12, 2010) -- Coughing and wheezing patients could someday benefit from quicker, more accurate diagnosis and treatment for respiratory infections such as flu, through a simple blood test, according to scientists. ... > full story
Fruit fly gene study leads to new method for understanding brain function (September 12, 2010) -- A team of researchers studying neurobiology in fruit flies has developed a new method for understanding brain function with potential applications in studies of human neurological diseases. ... > full story
People learn new information more effectively when brain activity is consistent, research shows (September 12, 2010) -- People are more likely to remember specific information such as faces or words if the pattern of activity in their brain is similar each time they study that information, according to new research. The finding challenges psychologists' long-held belief that people retain information more effectively when they study it several times under different contexts and, thus, give their brains multiple cues to remember it. ... > full story
Single gene regulates motor neurons in spinal cord (September 12, 2010) -- In a surprising and unexpected discovery, scientists have found that a single type of gene acts as a master organizer of motor neurons in the spinal cord. The finding could help scientists develop new treatments for diseases such as Lou Gehrig's disease or spinal cord injury. ... > full story
Interrupting death messages to treat bone disease (September 12, 2010) -- A surface molecule on bacteria that instructs bone cells to die could be the target for new treatments for bone disease, says a scientist. Blocking the death signal from bacteria could be a way of treating painful bone infections that are resistant to antibiotics, such as those caused by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. ... > full story
Mexican-Americans with heart rhythm disorder have increased risk for second stroke (September 12, 2010) -- Mexican-American stroke survivors with atrial fibrillation had more than double the risk for a second stroke compared to non-Hispanic white survivors with the disorder, according to a new study. Strokes were more severe among these Mexican-Americans than among non-Hispanic whites; however, researchers found no major differences in death rates between the two groups. Researchers said the findings could help physicians develop strategies to prevent recurrent stroke in Mexican-Americans. ... > full story
Inflammation is associated with lower intelligence and premature death (September 12, 2010) -- Inflammation is associated with lower intelligence and premature death, according to scientists. “Those with low-grade inflammation performed more poorly on standardized intelligence tests, even after excluding those with signs of current illness. Inflammation also predicted an increased risk of premature death,” said the lead researcher. ... > full story
Harmful amyloid interferes with trash pickup for cells in Alzheimer's disease (September 12, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a way that amyloid beta, the protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, interferes with the ability of cells to get rid of debris and have also identified a way that amyloid itself may be discarded, a new study has found. ... > full story
IV drips can be left in place, study shows (September 12, 2010) -- Small intravenous devices (IVDs) commonly used in the hand or arm do not need to be moved routinely every 3 days. A randomized controlled trial comparing regular relocation with relocation on clinical indication found that rates of complications were the same for both regimens. ... > full story
Aging drug users are increasing and facing chronic physical and mental health problems (September 12, 2010) -- Health and social services are facing a new challenge, as many illicit drug users get older and face chronic health problems and a reduced quality of life. UK researchers interviewed people aged 49 to 61 in contact with voluntary sector drug treatment services. The study, plus wider research, suggest that older people who continue to use problematic or illegal drugs are emerging as an important, but relatively under-researched, international population. The problem is international, with US and European figures suggesting the number of people with addiction problems will at least double by 2020. ... > full story
Cancer deaths fall in European Union, but prevention still lags behind (September 12, 2010) -- Although overall mortality from cancer is decreasing in the European Union, its incidence increased by almost 20 percent, from 2.1 million new cases in 2002 to 2.5 million in 2008, says a special issue of the European Journal of Cancer on cancer prevention. The current economic crisis threatens to affect cancer incidence in a number of areas, researchers say. ... > full story
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