Jumat, 17 September 2010

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, September 17, 2010

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Scientists develop test providing new pathway for identifying obesity, diabetes drugs (September 17, 2010) -- Scientists have designed a new molecular test that will allow researchers to look for potential drugs targeting a human metabolic enzyme believed to stimulate the appetite and play a role in diabetes. ... > full story

Neuroimaging identifies patients with REM sleep disturbances who will suffer Parkinson's disease (September 17, 2010) -- In 2006, and after 5 years of follow-up, researchers showed that one-half of all patients with REM sleep disturbances develop a neurodegenerative disorder such as Parkinson's disease. A new study by the same group uses SPECT and transcranial ultrasound neuroimaging techniques to identify those patients at greatest risk of developing neurodegenerative disease. ... > full story

Getting the news out: Disease transmission model says media coverage cuts infection rate and pandemic extent (September 17, 2010) -- Public health officials have long believed that notifying the public about outbreaks of infectious disease could help reduce transmission rates and the overall impact of a pandemic. Now, researchers have modified the most widely used infectious disease model to account for the impact of media coverage. ... > full story

Acamprosate prevents relapse to drinking in alcoholism, review finds (September 17, 2010) -- Acamprosate reduces the number of patients being treated for alcoholism who return to drinking, according to a new review. The drug showed moderate benefits in trials when used in addition to non-drug treatments. ... > full story

Significant weight-loss from surgery decreases risk for cardiovascular disease in women (September 17, 2010) -- Bariatric surgery is emerging as a valuable procedure to help morbidly obese individuals lose weight, as studies have shown; it can improve many health profiles and lower mortality. Now, researchers have found another positive impact of significant weight loss after bariatric surgery: it can significantly improve the lipoprotein profiles of women within a year following surgery. ... > full story

Beating blood clots: Reducing your risk before hip replacement surgery (September 17, 2010) -- Risk factors for venous thromboembolism after total hip replacement surgery were identified in a new study. While the rate of thromboembolism has been significantly reduced through medication, understanding the risk factors could further reduce the likelihood of patients developing this potentially fatal complication. ... > full story

Death at home less distressing for cancer patients and families, study finds (September 17, 2010) -- Cancer patients who die in the hospital or an intensive care unit have worse quality of life at the end-of-life, compared to patients who die at home with hospice services, and their caregivers are at higher risk for developing psychiatric illnesses during bereavement, according to a new study. ... > full story

Discovery of key pathway interaction may lead to therapies that aid brain growth and repair (September 16, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that the two major types of signaling pathways activated during brain cell development operate together to determine how many and which types of brain cells are created during growth and repair in developing and adult brains. ... > full story

Asthma and cavities both common in kids but not linked, study finds (September 16, 2010) -- There is no apparent link between asthma and tooth decay, according to a new study. The large number of variables involved, including severity of asthma symptoms and the variety of types of treatment for the disease, has made it difficult to unequivocally determine whether there is a causal link between the two. ... > full story

Depression and heart disease combo more lethal than either one alone, study suggests (September 16, 2010) -- The combination of depression and heart disease seems to be far more lethal than having either one of these conditions in isolation, new research suggests. ... > full story

Increased brain protein levels linked to Alzheimer's disease (September 16, 2010) -- Elevated levels of a growth protein in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients is linked to impaired neurogenesis, the process by which new neurons are generated, say researchers. ... > full story

Restricting pub closing times reduces assaults, Australia study finds (September 16, 2010) -- A new study reveals that restrictions on pub closing times imposed in 2008 within the Australian city of Newcastle have reduced the assault rate by 37 percent. ... > full story

Children's brain development is linked to physical fitness, research finds (September 16, 2010) -- Researchers have found an association between physical fitness and the brain in 9- and 10-year-old children: Those who are more fit tend to have a bigger hippocampus and perform better on a test of memory than their less-fit peers. ... > full story

Discovery highlights promise of new immune system-based therapies (September 16, 2010) -- A new focus on the immune system's ability to both unleash and restrain its attack on disease has led scientists to identify cells in mice that prevent the immune system from attacking the animals' own cells, protecting them from autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and lupus. ... > full story

Molecule involved in heart failure now implicated in heart attack damage (September 16, 2010) -- A molecule known to be involved in progressive heart failure has now been shown to also lead to permanent damage after a heart attack, according to researchers. ... > full story

Intensive care diaries protect patients from PTSD, researchers find (September 16, 2010) -- Some intensive care patients develop post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) after the trauma of a difficult hospital stay, and this is thought to be exacerbated by delusional or fragmentary memories of their time in the intensive care unit. Now researchers have found that if staff and close relatives make a diary for patients, featuring information about their stay and accompanied by photographs, PTSD rates can be significantly reduced. ... > full story

Genes related to body mass discovered (September 16, 2010) -- Scientists who specialize in unconventional hunts for genetic information outside nuclear DNA sequences have bagged a weighty quarry -- 13 genes linked to human body mass. The experiments screened the so-called epigenome for key information that cells remember other than the DNA code itself and may have serious implications for preventing and treating obesity, the investigators say. ... > full story

New investigational compound targets pancreatic cancer cells (September 16, 2010) -- A new investigational drug designed to penetrate and attack pancreatic cancer cells has been administered to the world's first patient. The investigational compound uses a monoclonal antibody against a target which is found in more than 90 percent of pancreatic cancer patients. The monoclonal antibody delivers a highly potent molecule called monomethyl auristatin E to selectively kill the pancreatic cancer cells. ... > full story

Why the craving for cocaine won’t go away (September 16, 2010) -- People who have used cocaine run a great risk of becoming addicted, even after long drug-free periods. Now researchers in Sweden and their colleagues can point to a specific molecule in the brain as a possible target for treatment to prevent relapses. ... > full story

Blood test accurately predicts death from prostate cancer up to 25 years in advance (September 16, 2010) -- A blood test at the age of 60 can accurately predict the risk that a man will die from prostate cancer within the next 25 years, according to researchers. The findings could have important implications for determining which men should be screened after the age of 60 and which may not benefit substantially from continued prostate cancer screening. ... > full story

Fuzzy thinking could spot heart disease risk (September 16, 2010) -- A new approach to evaluating a person's risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, or heart failure has been developed. The technique uses fuzzy logic to teach a neural network computer program to analyze patient data and spot correlations that can be translated into a risk factor for an individual. ... > full story

Children under four and children with autism don't yawn contagiously (September 16, 2010) -- A new study found that most children don't yawn contagiously until about age 4, and that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are less likely to yawn in response to another person yawning that children without autism. ... > full story

'Friendship paradox' may help predict spread of infectious disease (September 16, 2010) -- Researchers used a basic feature of social networks to study the 2009 flu epidemic. The findings, they say, point to a novel method for early detection of contagious outbreaks. ... > full story

Link to autism in boys found in missing DNA (September 16, 2010) -- New research provides further clues as to why Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects four times more males than females. Scientists discovered that males who carry specific alterations of DNA on the sole X-chromosome they carry are at high risk of developing ASD. ... > full story

Robotic catheter could improve treatment of heart condition (September 16, 2010) -- Atrial fibrillation is a heart disorder that affects more than two million Americans, and is considered a key contributor to blood clots and stroke. Now researchers are developing a new computerized catheter that could make the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation faster, cheaper and more effective -- while significantly decreasing radiation exposure related to the treatment. ... > full story

White Americans living longer with muscular dystrophy than African-Americans (September 16, 2010) -- A new study shows that white men and boys are living longer with muscular dystrophy due to technological advances in recent years, but that the lives of African-American men and boys with muscular dystrophy have not been extended at the same rate. ... > full story

Gender gap in spatial ability can be reduced through training (September 16, 2010) -- A new study describes an intervention that is effective in eliminating the gender gap in spatial abilities. While the research doesn't yet show that the intervention leads to better achievement in science, math, and engineering for girls, this is a promising direction for supporting girls' achievement and eventual contributions in these areas. The study involved roughly 100 first graders, with half receiving the intervention and half not receiving it. ... > full story

Even very low dose of regular aspirin wards off bowel cancer, study finds (September 16, 2010) -- Even the lowest possible dose of aspirin (75 mg) can ward off bowel cancer, if taken regularly, new research finds. ... > full story

Enlarged hearts in women shrink faster than those in men after aortic valve replacement (September 16, 2010) -- After aortic valve replacement, the size of enlarged hearts shrink faster in women than in men with narrowed aortic valves (aortic stenosis), according to a new study. Because of different genetic activity, men develop more fibrous tissue in their hearts, which may explain why women's heart size decreases faster. ... > full story

Cognitive skills in children with autism vary and improve, study finds (September 16, 2010) -- A new study found that the cognitive skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) vary among individuals, and that, contrary to expectations, these skills can improve over time. The study examined 37 children with ASD and 31 children without ASD when the children were five or six years old, and again three years later. ... > full story

New insights provide promise for development of tools to protect damaged tissues (September 16, 2010) -- Investigators have identified a novel structure in cells that serves as a control switch in the body's system for eliminating damaged cells and also offers new therapeutic potential. ... > full story

Diet and exercise intervention for patients at risk for heart disease improves quality of life (September 16, 2010) -- A lifestyle intervention incorporating exercise training and diet counseling in primary health care settings appears to improve quality of life among adults at moderate to high risk for heart disease and appears cost-effective compared to standard care, according to a new report. ... > full story

Mental illness stigma entrenched in American culture; new strategies needed, study finds (September 16, 2010) -- A new study finds no change in prejudice and discrimination toward people with serious mental illness or substance abuse problems despite a greater embrace by the public of neurobiological explanations for these illnesses. The study raises vexing questions about the effectiveness of campaigns designed to improve health literacy. ... > full story

Mild memory loss is not a part of normal aging, new research finds (September 15, 2010) -- The very early mild cognitive changes once thought to be normal aging are really the first signs of progressive dementia, in particular Alzheimer's disease. The pathology in the brain related to Alzheimer's and other dementias has a much greater impact on memory function in old age than previously recognized. ... > full story

Tranquil scenes have positive impact on brain (September 15, 2010) -- Tranquil living environments can positively affect the human brain function, according to researchers. ... > full story

Scientists glimpse 'dance of skeletons' inside neurons: Insight into developmental disorders, including Williams syndrome (September 15, 2010) -- Scientists have uncovered how a structural component inside neurons performs two coordinated dance moves when the connections between neurons are strengthened. The discovery hints at why people with Williams syndrome, a developmental disorder caused by a deletion of several genes, including one that alters dendritic spine remodeling, have such an unusual blend of cognitive strengths and weaknesses. ... > full story

Higher altitudes hide deadly problem: Increased suicide risk (September 15, 2010) -- The Intermountain West is renowned for the beauty of its towering mountains and high deserts, but according to new research the region's lofty altitudes significantly influence a deadly problem: the high prevalence of suicides in this part of the country. ... > full story

Do children understand irony? New study reveals they do (September 15, 2010) -- New research findings reveals that children as young as four are able to understand and use irony. The study may impact the way parents communicate with their family. ... > full story

Radiation exposure poses similar risk of first and second cancers in atomic bomb survivors (September 15, 2010) -- The first large-scale study of the relationship between radiation dose and risk of multiple cancers among atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, reveals a similar risk in the development of first and second subsequent cancers. ... > full story

Link between arthritis pain reliever and cardiovascular events discovered (September 15, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism as to why the long-term, high-dosage use of the well-known arthritis pain medication, Vioxx, led to heart attacks and strokes. Their groundbreaking research may pave the way for a safer drug for millions of arthritis patients who suffer acute and chronic pain. ... > full story

Aerobic exercise relieves insomnia (September 15, 2010) -- Millions of middle-aged and older adults who suffer from insomnia have a new drug-free prescription for a more restful night's sleep. Regular aerobic exercise dramatically improves the quality of sleep, mood and vitality, according to a new study. ... > full story

Fountain of youth in bile? Longevity molecule identified (September 15, 2010) -- The human quest for longer life may be one step closer. A new study is the first to identify the role of a bile acid, called lithocholic acid, in extending the lifespan of normally aging yeast. The findings may have significant implications for human longevity and health, as yeast share some common elements with people. ... > full story

Gene for high cholesterol in blood found (September 15, 2010) -- Scientists have found a gene that causes high levels of bad cholesterol to accumulate in the blood as a result of a high-cholesterol diet. ... > full story

Only 5% of Americans engage in vigorous physical activity on any given day (September 15, 2010) -- On any given day, most U.S. adults report performing predominantly sedentary and light activities, according to a new study. Overall only 5.07% report any vigorous intensity activity. The most frequently reported moderate activity was food and drink preparation. ... > full story

Perception of emotion is culture-specific (September 15, 2010) -- Want to know how a Japanese person is feeling? Pay attention to the tone of his voice, not his face. That's what other Japanese people would do, anyway. A new study examines how Dutch and Japanese people assess others' emotions and finds that Dutch people pay attention to the facial expression more than Japanese people do. ... > full story

Key mechanism behind sleep discovered: Finding holds promise for treatment of fatigue and sleep disorders (September 15, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the mechanism by which the brain switches from a wakeful to a sleeping state. The finding clears the way for a suite of discoveries, from sleeping aids to treatments for stroke and other brain injuries. ... > full story

Outsmarting killer bacteria (September 15, 2010) -- Scientists are developing a generation of antibiotics that takes the mechanism of bacterial resistance and integrates it into drugs, short-circuiting the superbugs' resistance and rendering them susceptible to treatment. ... > full story

Type D personality associated with higher future heart risk (September 15, 2010) -- Heart patients considered "chronically distressed" (Type D personality) may have a higher risk of recurrent cardiac events. Type D personality was also associated with higher risk of future psychological problems such as depression or anxiety in heart patients. ... > full story


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