ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, September 30, 2010
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First direct evidence that ADHD is a genetic disorder: Children with ADHD more likely to have missing or duplicated segments of DNA (September 30, 2010) -- New research provides the first direct evidence that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a genetic condition. Scientists in the UK found that children with ADHD were more likely to have small segments of their DNA duplicated or missing than other children. ... > full story
Strong link between diabetes and air pollution found in national U.S. study (September 30, 2010) -- A national U.S. epidemiologic study finds a strong, consistent correlation between adult diabetes and particulate air pollution that persists after adjustment for other risk factors like obesity and ethnicity, researchers report. The relationship was seen even at exposure levels below the current EPA safety limit. ... > full story
Women with triple negative breast cancer and BRCA mutations have lower risk of recurrence, study finds (September 30, 2010) -- Patients with triple negative breast cancer that also have mutations in the BRCA gene appear to have a lower risk of recurrence, compared to those with the same disease without the deleterious genetic mutation, according to researchers. ... > full story
Diet when young affects future food responses (September 30, 2010) -- A high protein diet during development primes the body to react unhealthily to future food binges. A study on juvenile rats suggests that lasting changes result from altering the composition of the first solid food that is consumed throughout growth into early adulthood. ... > full story
Less chemotherapy works well for some childhood cancer, study finds (September 30, 2010) -- A particularly aggressive childhood cancer can be fought successfully with far less chemotherapy than previously believed, avoiding harmful side effects caused by cancer drugs. ... > full story
Swine flu patients benefited from taking Tamiflu, says study (September 30, 2010) -- Healthy people who caught swine flu during the 2009 pandemic may have been protected against developing radiographically (X-ray) confirmed pneumonia by taking the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), concludes a study of cases in China. ... > full story
Decrease in suicide not linked to newer antidepressants, Norwegian study finds (September 30, 2010) -- Many researchers have studied the relationship between the increase in sales of new antidepressants in recent decades and a simultaneous decline in the suicide rate. In a study based on figures from the Nordic countries, researchers in Norway found no evidence that increased sales of the new medicines could be linked to a lower suicide rate. The researchers also did not find any relationship between reduced sales of the older and more toxic antidepressants and a reduction in suicide rates. ... > full story
New key to tissue regeneration: Drug treatment triggers sodium ions to regrow nerves and muscle (September 29, 2010) -- Tufts biologists have regenerated spinal cord and muscle by triggering an influx of sodium ions into injured cells. The approach breaks new ground in biomedicine because it requires no gene therapy; can be administered after an injury has occurred; and is bioelectric, rather than chemically based. The treatment is most directly applicable to spinal cord repair and limb loss. Proof-of-principle may apply to many complex tissues. ... > full story
Research on killer HIV antibodies provides promising new ideas for vaccine design (September 29, 2010) -- New discoveries about the immune defenses of rare HIV patients who produce antibodies that prevent infection suggest a novel direction for designing new vaccines. ... > full story
Purifying proteins: Researchers use NMR to improve drug development (September 29, 2010) -- The purification of drug components is a large hurdle facing modern drug development. This is particularly true of drugs that utilize proteins, which are notoriously difficult to separate from other potentially deadly impurities. Scientists are using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to understand and improve an important protein purification process. ... > full story
Mammography reduces mortality from breast cancer in ages 40–49 years, Swedish study finds (September 29, 2010) -- Mammography examinations of women aged 40–49 reduce breast cancer mortality by 29%, a statistically significant reduction, according to a national study in Sweden. ... > full story
Dirty hands, dirty mouths: Study finds a need to clean the body part that lies (September 29, 2010) -- Apparently your mom had it right when she threatened to wash your mouth out with soap if you talked dirty. Lying really does create a desire to clean the "dirty" body part, according to a University of Michigan study. ... > full story
Evidence of post-stroke brain recovery discovered (September 29, 2010) -- The world's largest study using neuroimaging of stroke patients struggling to regain ability to communicate finds that brain cells outside the damaged area can take on new roles. ... > full story
Circulating tumor cells can provide 'real-time' information on patient's current disease state (September 29, 2010) -- Circulating tumor cells may be a promising alternative, noninvasive source of tumor materials for biomarker assessment, according to new data. ... > full story
Heartbreak puts the brakes on your heart (September 29, 2010) -- Social rejection isn't just emotionally upsetting; it also upsets your heart. A new study finds that being rejected by another person makes your heart rate drop for a moment. ... > full story
Key action of a gene linked to both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes identified (September 29, 2010) -- A research team has identified the mechanism behind a single gene linked to the causes of both Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes. The data show that a gene for a protein called SorCS1, which can cause type 2 diabetes, impacts the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) in the brain. Abeta plays a key role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Intrauterine devices can be used to treat endometrial cancer (September 29, 2010) -- Intrauterine devices, originally developed as contraceptives, can also be used to treat and even cure cancer of the endometrium according to new research. The finding opens the way for young women with the disease, which affects the lining of the womb, to be treated without the need for a hysterectomy, thus preserving their fertility until they have had all the children they want. ... > full story
Carbon nanoobjects to facilitate the construction of futuristic power sources (September 29, 2010) -- Scientists from Poland are working on electrodes that have surfaces covered with layers of carbon nanoparticles and enzymes. These electrodes can be used to produce modern sensors and power sources, including such futuristic ones as biological fuel cells installed inside the human body and fueled by substances contained in blood. ... > full story
Playing white noise in class can help inattentive children learn, but hinder others (September 29, 2010) -- Playing white noise in class can help inattentive children learn. Researchers tested the effect of the meaningless random noise on a group of 51 schoolchildren, finding that although it hindered the ability of those who normally pay attention, it improved the memory of those that had difficulties in paying attention. ... > full story
Sparkling drinks spark pain circuits: Fizzy beverages light up same pain sensors as mustard and horseradish (September 29, 2010) -- The carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks sets off the same pain sensors as mustard and horseradish, according to new study, as well as previously discovered sour-tasting cells on tongue. ... > full story
New device for identifying aggressive breast cancers (September 29, 2010) -- A disposable device has been designed to efficiently capture cancer cells overexpressing the protein HER2 in circulating blood. It may help identify advanced breast cancer patients who are candidates for therapy with the drug trastuzumab (Herceptin). ... > full story
Better surgery with new surgical robot with force feedback (September 29, 2010) -- A compact surgical robot, which uses 'force feedback' to allow surgeons to feel what they are doing, has just been developed. ... > full story
Twitter used to predict flu outbreaks (September 29, 2010) -- Keeping track of disease trends such as influenza outbreaks has the potential to be far quicker and less costly by monitoring a social network program such as Twitter than following the traditional methods of disease surveillance, according to a computer science expert. ... > full story
Absent mothers can cause hyperactivity and anxiety in offspring later in life, mouse study finds (September 29, 2010) -- In mice, early weaning and separation from their mothers promotes long-lasting hyperactivity and anxiety. Researchers describe the development of this new behavioral model, which they hope to use to investigate the long-term effects of early childhood neglect in people. ... > full story
Revolutionary new way of reversing certain cancers (September 29, 2010) -- Australian and American scientists have found a way of shrinking tumors in certain cancers -- a finding that provides hope for new treatments. The cancers in question are those caused by a new class of genes known as "microRNAs," produced by parts of the genome that, until recently, were dismissed as "junk DNA." While much is still unknown about microRNAs, it is clear that they can interfere with how our genes are "read." ... > full story
Ultrafine air particles may increase firefighters' risk for heart disease (September 29, 2010) -- Firefighters are exposed to potentially dangerous levels of ultrafine particulates at the time they are least likely to wear protective breathing equipment. Because of this, researchers believe firefighters may face an increased risk for heart disease from exposures during the fire suppression process. ... > full story
Mining the 'wisdom of crowds' to attack disease (September 29, 2010) -- A large, multidisciplinary panel has recently selected 12 pioneering ideas for attacking type 1 diabetes, ideas selected through a "crowd-sourcing" experiment called the Challenge in which all members of the Harvard community, as well as members of the general public, were invited to answer the question: What do we not know to cure type 1 diabetes? ... > full story
First study of its kind finds children with food allergies are often victims of bullying (September 29, 2010) -- In the first-ever study to assess the social impact of food allergies in children, researchers have found that approximately 35 percent of children with food allergies, who are over the age of 5, were reported to have experienced bullying, teasing or harassment as a result of their allergies. ... > full story
Combination of Viagra and anti-cancer drug shrinks tumors in vivo, researchers discover (September 29, 2010) -- Researchers have shown that the impotence drug Viagra (sildenafil), in combination with doxorubicin, a powerful anti-cancer drug, enhances its anti-tumor efficacy in prostate cancer while alleviating the damage to the heart at the same time. ... > full story
Unique case offers cautionary cotton swab tale (September 29, 2010) -- The saying, "never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear," couldn't be truer for a patient who experienced vertigo and hearing loss after a cotton swab perforated her eardrum. But what makes this case unique is that Henry Ford Hospital was not only able to alleviate her vertigo with surgery, but restore her hearing. And the report offers a cautionary tale to those who use cotton swabs to clean their ears. ... > full story
Predicting divorce: Study shows how fight styles affect marriage (September 29, 2010) -- It's common knowledge that newlyweds who yell or call each other names have a higher chance of getting divorced. But a new study shows that other conflict patterns also predict divorce. ... > full story
Mechanism behind cleft palate development identified (September 29, 2010) -- Researchers have found a new mechanism that explains why a certain gene mutation causes craniofrontonasal syndrome, a disorder that causes cleft palate and other malformations in the face, brain and skeleton. Cleft palate affects one of every 1,000 newborns. ... > full story
How to control massive bleeding from the hepatic artery (September 29, 2010) -- A research team from China investigated the minimal invasive techniques to stop the life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm after pancreaticoduodenectomy. They found that placement of stent-grafts is an effective and safe procedure for acute life-threatening hemorrhage from ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm. ... > full story
Family, culture affect whether intelligence leads to education, study finds (September 29, 2010) -- Intelligence isn't the only thing that predicts how much education people get; family, culture, and other factors are important, too. A new study compares identical and fraternal twins in Minnesota and Sweden to explore how genetic and environmental factors involved in educational differ in countries with different educational systems. Family background can get an education even for people of low intelligence, the authors conclude -- but helps much more in Minnesota than in Sweden. ... > full story
Scarless brain surgery is new option for patients (September 29, 2010) -- Surgeons now suggest that transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery (TONES) is a safe and effective option for treating a variety of advanced brain diseases and traumatic injuries. This groundbreaking minimally invasive surgery is performed through the eye socket, thus eliminating the removal of the top of the skull to access the brain. ... > full story
JAK inhibitor provides rapid, durable relief for patients of myelofibrosis -- life-threatening bone marrow malignancy (September 29, 2010) -- An oral medication produces significant and lasting relief for patients with myelofibrosis, a debilitating and lethal bone marrow disorder, researchers report. ... > full story
Buyer backlash: Why do slogans about saving money increase spending? (September 29, 2010) -- A new study reveals a strange facet of consumer behavior: people behave differently when they encounter companies' brands than they do when they encounter their slogans. ... > full story
California's leadership in tobacco control resulted in lower lung cancer rate, study finds (September 29, 2010) -- A new study shows that California's 40 year-long tobacco control program has resulted in lung cancer rates that are nearly 25 percent lower than other states. ... > full story
Sneaking spies into a cell's nucleus (September 28, 2010) -- Bioengineers have not only figured out a way to sneak molecular spies through the walls of individual cells, they can now slip them into the command center -- or nucleus -- of those cells, where they can report back important information or drop off payloads. ... > full story
Biomarker panel identifies prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy (September 28, 2010) -- Researchers in England say they have discovered a set of biomarkers that can distinguish prostate cancer from benign prostate disease and healthy tissue with 90 percent accuracy. This preliminary data, if validated in larger ongoing studies, could be developed into a serum protein test that reduces the number of unnecessary biopsies and identifies men who need treatment before symptoms begin. ... > full story
Scientists consider fate of pandemic H1N1 flu virus (September 28, 2010) -- In a new commentary, scientists review the fates of previous pandemic influenza viruses in the years following a pandemic and speculate on possible future courses for the 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus during the upcoming flu season and beyond. ... > full story
Structural Genomics Consortium releases 1,000th protein structure (September 28, 2010) -- The Structural Genomics Consortium, an international public-private partnership that aims to determine 3-D structures of medically important proteins, has announced the release into the public domain of its 1,000th high-resolution protein structure. ... > full story
Why we fight: Men check out in stressful situations, while women show increased brain coordination when looking at angry faces (September 28, 2010) -- Turns out the silent and stoic response to stress might be a guy thing after all. A new study reveals that stressed men looking at angry faces had diminished activity in the brain regions responsible for understanding others' feelings. ... > full story
Triple-negative breast cancers may have unique therapeutic target (September 28, 2010) -- Patients with triple-negative breast cancer, one of the hardest subtypes to treat, may have a unique biomarker that would enable them to receive more targeted therapy, according to new data. ... > full story
Genetic differences in sense of smell identified through asparagus urine odor (September 28, 2010) -- Scientists have identified one of only a few known genetic contributions to the sense of smell. Most, but not all, people detect a distinct sulfurous odor in their urine shortly after eating asparagus. Sensory testing demonstrated that some do not produce the odor while others do not smell it. DNA analyses revealed that the inability to smell the odor was linked to genetic variation within a family of olfactory receptors. ... > full story
Researchers use CT to predict heart disease (September 28, 2010) -- Using incidental findings from routine diagnostic CT, radiologists may be better able to identify people at high risk for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
How reasonable it is to deceive yourself? (September 28, 2010) -- Anyone who simply denies the facts is most certainly behaving unreasonably -- aren't they? Philosophers explain that in some cases it may be useful to deceive yourself. The self-deception can be an important motivating factor and not entirely lacking reason. The reason may be locally restricted, however basic strategies of rational evaluation processes remain intact. ... > full story
'Firefly' stem cells may help repair damaged hearts (September 28, 2010) -- Stem cells that glow like fireflies could someday help doctors heal damaged hearts without cutting into patients' chests. Researchers engineered stem cells with the same enzyme that makes fireflies glow. The "firefly" stem cells glow brighter and brighter as they develop into healthy heart muscle, allowing doctors to track whether and where the stem cells are working. ... > full story
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