ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Monday, September 27, 2010
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Malaria's newest pathway into human cells identified (September 27, 2010) -- Development of an effective vaccine for malaria is a step closer following identification of a key pathway used by the malaria parasite to infect human cells. The discovery provides a new vaccine target through which infection with the deadly disease could be prevented. ... > full story
Genetic switch underlies noisy cell division: 'Bimodal' signal determines a cell's get-up and go (September 27, 2010) -- While scientists have spent the past 40 years describing the intricate series of events that occur when one mammalian cell divides into two, they still haven't agreed on how the process begins. Two seemingly contradictory theories may now be reconciled by a third theory. ... > full story
Studies identify complications in women undergoing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction (September 27, 2010) -- About half of women who require radiation therapy after they have had a mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction develop complications that necessitate a return to the operating room, but pre- or post-mastectomy chemotherapy does not appear to be associated with the need for additional procedures, according to two new studies. ... > full story
Privacy key obstacle to adopting electronic health records, study finds (September 27, 2010) -- The United States could achieve significant health care savings if it achieved widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), but insufficient privacy protections are hindering public acceptance of the EHR concept, according to a new paper that outlines steps that could be taken to boost privacy and promote the use of EHRs. ... > full story
How molecules escape from cell's nucleus: Key advance in using microscopy to reveal secrets of living cells (September 27, 2010) -- By constructing a microscope apparatus that achieves resolution never before possible in living cells, researchers have illuminated the molecular interactions that occur during one of the most important "trips" in all of biology: the journey of individual messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules from the nucleus into the cytoplasm (the area between the nucleus and cell membrane) so that proteins can be made. ... > full story
Elderly might not benefit from TB vaccines in development (September 27, 2010) -- Elderly people might not benefit from some of the tuberculosis vaccines currently in development, recent research suggests. Some vaccines under study are designed to activate a specific molecule that is an early participant in the immune response against TB in young people. But a recent study suggests that in older people, this molecule remains relatively inactive, even in the face of TB infection. ... > full story
Cancer-associated long non-coding RNA regulates pre-mRNA splicing (September 27, 2010) -- Researchers report this month that MALAT1, a long non-coding RNA that is implicated in certain cancers, regulates pre-mRNA splicing -- a critical step in the earliest stage of protein production. ... > full story
Savvy consumers put a high price on food safety (September 27, 2010) -- New research demonstrates how food safety announcements cause consumers as well as food industry professionals to make purchasing decisions. ... > full story
Disparities in heart attack treatment may begin in the emergency room (September 27, 2010) -- The well-documented disparities in cardiac care may begin almost as soon as patients arrive at hospital emergency rooms. In a new study, researchers report that African-American and Hispanic patients assessed for chest pain were less likely than white patients to be categorized as requiring immediate care, despite a lack of significant differences in symptoms. ... > full story
Structure that allows bacteria to resist drugs identified (September 26, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered the crystal structures of pumps that allow bacteria to resist heavy metal toxins and antibiotics. ... > full story
Men look for good bodies in short-term mates, pretty faces in long-term mates (September 26, 2010) -- Men who are looking for short-term companionship are more interested in a woman's body than those looking for a long-term relationship, who focused on a woman's face, according to new research. ... > full story
Tight blood pressure control for patients with diabetes and coronary artery disease not associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes, study finds (September 26, 2010) -- Patients with hypertension, diabetes and coronary artery disease who maintained their systolic blood pressure at less than 130 mm Hg did not have improved cardiovascular outcomes compared to patients with usual blood pressure control, according to a new study. ... > full story
Nearly one in three adolescents participated in a violent behavior over past year, U.S. study finds (September 26, 2010) -- A new national U.S. study reveals that nearly 7.8 million adolescents aged 12 to 17, almost one third (30.9 percent), participated in any of three violent behaviors over the past year. The study showed that 22.6 percent of adolescents reported having participated in a serious fight at school or work; 16.1 percent reported involvement in group-against-group fighting; and 7.5 percent reported attacking others with intent to seriously hurt them. ... > full story
Protein found to control the early migration of neurons (September 26, 2010) -- Long before a baby can flash her first smile, sprout a first tooth or speak a first word, the neurons that will form her central nervous system must take their first, crucial steps. And these steps must be careful to take the right neurons to the right places and avert developmental disasters that could thwart those other baby firsts from ever coming to pass. Now new research promises a deeper understanding of how this essential form of cell migration occurs, finding a gene that works behind the scenes to control a closely related adhesion gene that helps keep young neurons on the right track. ... > full story
Six3 gene essential for retinal development, scientists show (September 26, 2010) -- New research adds to evidence that the Six3 gene functions like a doorman in the developing brain and visual system, safeguarding the future retina by keeping the region where the eye is forming free of a signaling protein capable of disrupting the process. ... > full story
In cyber bullying, depression hits victims hardest (September 26, 2010) -- Young victims of electronic or cyber bullying — which occurs online or by cell phone — are more likely to suffer from depression than their tormentors are, a new study finds. “Kids may be reluctant to tell their parents in case they lose their computer or cell phone privileges,” one of the researchers said. ... > full story
Key molecule for keeping other oral microorganisms in check uncovered (September 26, 2010) -- A research team has uncovered a key to arresting the growth of thrush -- a type of oral yeast infection that sickens patients with compromised immune systems, diabetes and newborns as well as healthy individuals, who may contract the disease following antibiotic treatment of an illness. ... > full story
Sensor and insulin pump results in better blood-sugar control in all age groups with diabetes, study finds (September 26, 2010) -- Adding a continuous blood sugar level sensor to an insulin pump helps patients with type 1 diabetes achieve better blood sugar control compared to the common standard of care, multiple daily insulin injections, a new study concludes. ... > full story
Increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages reduces disease, injury, crime and death rates, study finds (September 26, 2010) -- Increasing the costs to consumers of beer, wine and hard liquor significantly reduces the rates of a wide range of alcohol-related deaths, diseases, injuries and other problems, according to a new study. ... > full story
Kids and diabetes risk: Do chromosomes hold new clues? (September 25, 2010) -- Children who have a high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes might be identified earlier by way of telltale biomarkers now being sought in new studies. ... > full story
Use of sunless tanning products -- common in teens -- may encourage sun safety in women (September 25, 2010) -- About one in ten US adolescents uses sunless tanning products, and an intervention promoting these products as an alternative to regular tanning may reduce sunbathing and sunburns among adult women, according to two new reports. ... > full story
People are cautious in asking help from their community, online gift exchange study finds (September 25, 2010) -- People are cautious in exchanging favors and items with other people in their community. Researchers, who studied an online gift exchange service, say that many people buy services because it does not occur to them that someone in their community could help them or they are too shy to ask for a favor. ... > full story
Cell division typically associated with cancer may also protect the liver from injury (September 25, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the liver, which is known to have a tremendous capacity for regeneration, also has an amazing degree of diversity. A better understanding of this process may reveal why some individuals are more susceptible to different forms of liver injury than others, which could lead to new therapies for the treatment of liver disease. ... > full story
Postoperative high blood sugar appears to be associated with surgical site infection (September 25, 2010) -- High blood glucose levels after surgery may be an important risk factor for infection at the surgical site in patients having general surgery, according to a new study. ... > full story
Moving closer to outdoor recreation not a recipe for being more physically active (September 25, 2010) -- A new study looking at the relationship between body mass index, or BMI, and neighborhood walkability, socioeconomic status, reasons for choosing their neighborhood and how physically active they were, fruit and vegetable intake and demographic information such as age, gender, job status and education, found those who chose to move to be closer to outdoor recreation weren't necessarily more active. ... > full story
Preserving nerve cells in motor neuron disease (September 25, 2010) -- A team of researchers has identified a way to prevent symptom onset, weight loss and paralysis, and extend survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), providing a new avenue of research for the development of therapeutics for ALS and other motor neuron diseases. ... > full story
Physical limitations can take a significant toll in breast cancer survivors (September 25, 2010) -- Basic physical limitations following breast cancer treatment can have far-reaching consequences that substantially affect how long a patient lives, according to researchers. ... > full story
Abortion does not cause depression or low self-esteem in adolescents, national U.S. study finds (September 25, 2010) -- A new study has determined that teenagers who have abortions are no more likely to become depressed or have low self-esteem than their peers whose pregnancies do not end in abortion. ... > full story
Genetically engineered salmon safe to eat, but a threat to wild stocks, expert says (September 25, 2010) -- An expert comments on potential FDA approval of the first genetically engineered animal for use as food. ... > full story
Researchers create first molecule-blocks key component of cancer genes' on-off switch (September 24, 2010) -- In the quest to arrest the growth and spread of tumors, there have been many attempts to get cancer genes to ignore their internal instruction manual. In a new study, a team of scientists has created the first molecule able to prevent cancer genes from "hearing" those instructions, stifling the cancer process at its root. ... > full story
New map offers a global view of health-sapping air pollution (September 24, 2010) -- In many developing countries, the absence of surface-based air pollution sensors makes it difficult, and in some cases impossible, to get even a rough estimate of the abundance of a subcategory of airborne particles that epidemiologists suspect contributes to millions of premature deaths each year. ... > full story
New findings on multiple sclerosis: Immune cells also attack neurons directly (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers in Germany have gained new insight into how the immune system causes damage associated with multiple sclerosis, an incurable neuroinflammatory disorder. Using imaging tools which enable investigation of processes in living organisms, the scientists show a direct interaction between immune cells and neurons which plays a significant role in neuronal injury. ... > full story
Psychological pain of Holocaust still haunts survivors (September 24, 2010) -- Holocaust survivors show remarkable resilience in their day-to-day lives, but they still manifest the pain of their traumatic past in the form of various psychiatric symptoms, according to an analysis of 44 years of global psychological research. ... > full story
Botulinum toxin may offer temporary drooling relief in children with neurological disorders (September 24, 2010) -- Botulinum toxin treatment appears to offer a temporary, short-term solution to relieve drooling in children diagnosed with certain neurological disorders, according to a new study. ... > full story
Stress can control our genes, researchers find (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers in Denmark have shown that stress-factors can control our genes. Exposing human cells to a stress-activating compound turned on genes that are normally silenced. Protective complexes that prevents our genes from being read and translated into protein, where lost when the cells experienced stress. The consequence is that genes that should be turned off are now active and this may disturb cellular development, identity and growth. ... > full story
Cancer researchers discover new signaling pathway that controls cell development and cancer (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a new cell signaling pathway that controls cell growth and development, a pathway that, when defective, helps promote the formation of several major forms of human cancer, including lymphoma and leukemia. ... > full story
Can't focus? Maybe it's the wrong time of month, finds estrogen study on attention and learning (September 24, 2010) -- Feeling a little sluggish and having trouble concentrating? Hormones might be to blame according to new research. The study shows that high estrogen levels are associated with an inability to pay attention and learn -- the first such paper to report how this impediment can be due to a direct effect of the hormone on mature brain structures. ... > full story
Phantom limbs more common than previously thought (September 24, 2010) -- A study of post-stroke patients reveals that the phantom-limb phenomenon may not be a rare event. ... > full story
Bioreactor could improve treatment for children with 'water on the brain' (September 24, 2010) -- A recent study could help find ways to improve shunt systems used to treat the neurological disorder hydrocephalus, or "water on the brain," the leading cause of brain surgery for children in the United States. Researchers studied the shunt systems under a variety of conditions by creating a bioreactor that mimics the environment inside patients. ... > full story
Video gaming prepares brain for bigger tasks (September 24, 2010) -- Playing video games for hours on end may prepare your child to become a laparoscopic surgeon one day, a new study has shown. Reorganization of the brain's cortical network in young men with significant experience playing video games gives them an advantage not only in playing the games but also in performing other tasks requiring visuomotor skills. ... > full story
New gene associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a gene that appears to increase a person's risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer disease, the most common type of the disease. Abbreviated MTHFD1L, a gene on chromosome six, was identified in a genome-wide association study. ... > full story
Molecular 'playbook' for halting heart failure risk factor uncovered (September 24, 2010) -- Scientists discovered a potential molecular playbook for blocking cardiac hypertrophy, the unwanted enlargement of the heart and a well-known precursor of heart failure. Researchers uncovered a specific molecular chain of events that leads to the inhibition of this widespread risk factor. ... > full story
Robotic arm's big flaw: Patients in wheelchairs say it's 'too easy' (September 24, 2010) -- Researchers thought the ease of the using a robotic arm's automatic mode would be a huge hit. But they were wrong -- many participants in a pilot study didn't like it because it was "too easy." ... > full story
Vitamin C rapidly improves emotional state of acutely hospitalized patients, study suggests (September 24, 2010) -- Treatment with vitamin C rapidly improves the emotional state of acutely hospitalized patients, according to a new study. ... > full story
Acute pain is eased with the touch of a hand, study shows (September 24, 2010) -- There may be a very good reason that people naturally clutch their hand after receiving an injury. A new report shows that self-touch offers significant relief for acute pain under experimental conditions. The researchers suggest that the relief comes from a change in the brain's representation of the rest of the body. ... > full story
'Synthetic lethality' strategy improves molecularly targeted cancer therapy (September 24, 2010) -- Molecularly targeted therapies can reduce tumors rapidly. However, not all tumors respond to the drugs, and even those that do often develop resistance over time. Looking for a way to combat the problem of resistance, researchers hypothesized that hitting already weakened cancer cells with a second targeted agent could kill them -- but only if it was the right second agent. ... > full story
Microbiologists find source of fungus’s damaging growth (September 24, 2010) -- Candida albicans, a fungus that kills more than 10,000 people with weakened immune systems each year, grows more dangerous as it forms and extends long strands of cells called hyphal filaments. In a new study, microbiologists describe a key factor involved in this damaging growth. ... > full story
Gene set that shows which patients benefit from chemo after surgery identified (September 24, 2010) -- Lung cancer researchers have identified a genetic signature that can help doctors determine which patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer are at high risk for developing disease recurrence and therefore may benefit from chemotherapy after surgery ("adjuvant chemotherapy"). ... > full story
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