ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Monday, October 4, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Parkinson's: Excess of protein suggests new target for treatment with widely used anti-cancer drug imatinib (October 4, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that the over-activation of a single protein may shut down the brain-protecting effects of a molecule and facilitate the most common form of Parkinson's disease. The finding of this mechanism could lead to important new targets for drugs already known to inhibit it, thus controlling symptoms of the disorder, which affects about 1 million older Americans. ... > full story
Experts urge making cigarettes non-addictive a research priority (October 4, 2010) -- After a major review of scientific information, six leading tobacco research and policy experts have concluded that a nicotine reduction strategy should be an urgent research priority because of its potential to profoundly reduce the death and disease from tobacco use. ... > full story
In pregnancy, a large waistline and high triglycerides: Early screen for gestational diabetes (October 4, 2010) -- A large waistline and high triglyceride levels in pregnant women could be an early screening tool for gestational diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story
Are pre-teen babysitters able to deal with emergencies? (October 4, 2010) -- Nearly all of 11- to 13-year-old babysitters know who to contact in the event of an intruder or if a child is sick or injured (96 percent) or poisoned (85 percent), according to new research. ... > full story
Gene variations that alter key enzyme linked to prostate cancer (October 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found that variations in a gene for an enzyme involved in cell energy metabolism appear to increase the risk for prostate cancer. The genetic variations all impair the enzyme phosphodiesterase 11A, which helps regulate a cell's responses to hormones and other signals. ... > full story
Noise and chemicals: Workers are losing their hearing, Spanish study finds (October 4, 2010) -- A study carried out by Spanish researchers has shown that the presence of chemical contaminants can interact with noise and modify, for good or for bad, the way in which work-related "deafness" -- which is increasingly common among young people -- manifests itself. Noise-related hearing loss is the most common occupational disease in Europe. ... > full story
'Hi-JAK-ing' cancer by inhibiting Jak2 (October 4, 2010) -- Myeloproliferative neoplasms are a family of blood cancers that if left untreated can progress to bone marrow failure and acute myeloid leukemia. Inhibition of the protein JAK2 has emerged as potential therapy. However, this approach has thus far had limited success and been accompanied by significant toxicity. New research in mice suggests that JAK2 activity can be reduced by pharmacological targeting of the protein HSP90, which stabilizes JAK2. ... > full story
Launch of Germ Genie to kill keyboard germs (October 4, 2010) -- Scientists in the UK have helped prove the effectiveness of Germ Genie, a tool to prevent infections from keyboards. ... > full story
Memory impairment common in people with a history of cancer (October 4, 2010) -- People with a history of cancer have a 40 percent greater likelihood of experiencing memory problems that interfere with daily functioning, compared with those who have not had cancer, according to results of a new, large study. ... > full story
Individual mutations are very slow to promote tumor growth, mathematical modeling shows (October 3, 2010) -- Individual cancer-causing mutations have a minute effect on tumor growth, increasing the rate of cell division by just 0.4 percent on average, according to new mathematical modeling. The research reinforces that cancer is the culmination of many accumulated mutations, and highlights the fundamental heterogeneity and randomness of many cancers. ... > full story
Gene associated with aggressive skin cancer found (October 3, 2010) -- The loss of a gene known as INPP5A could predict the onset, and track the progression, of an aggressive type of skin cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story
Unlocking the secret of beauty: Scientists discover the complexities of attractive female bodies (October 3, 2010) -- Scientists have conducted a comprehensive study to discover how different body measurements correspond with ratings of female attractiveness. The study found that across cultural divides young, tall and long armed women were considered the most attractive. ... > full story
How injured nerves grow themselves back (October 3, 2010) -- Unlike nerves of the spinal cord, the peripheral nerves that connect our limbs and organs to the central nervous system have an astonishing ability to regenerate themselves after injury. Now, a new report offers new insight into how that healing process works. ... > full story
Tracking down pathogenic yeasts (October 3, 2010) -- If the human immunological system is weakened, yeast fungi that are normally harmless can be transformed into a lethal danger. This is why researchers in Germany are using next-generation sequencing to track down one of the most frequent pathogens for fungal infections among humans. ... > full story
Protein key to growth of pancreatic cancer (October 3, 2010) -- A protein known to regulate cell proliferation and survival has been linked for the first time to pancreatic cancer. ... > full story
Adult stem cells that do not age (October 3, 2010) -- Biomedical researchers have engineered adult stem cells that scientists can grow continuously in culture, a discovery that could speed development of cost-effective treatments for diseases including heart disease, diabetes, immune disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. ... > full story
Early surgery after hip fractures reduces death, study finds (October 3, 2010) -- Performing early surgery on elderly hip fracture patients reduces the risk of death by 19 percent, a new study finds. ... > full story
c-Met may be a biomarker for metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (October 3, 2010) -- Targeting c-Met may be a promising personalized treatment method for approximately 45 percent of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have c-Met-positive tumors, according to new study results. ... > full story
Exercise associated with lower rate of fractures in elderly women (October 3, 2010) -- Home-based exercises followed by voluntary home training seem to be associated with long-term effects on balance and gait, and may help protect high-risk, elderly women from hip fractures, according to a new study. ... > full story
Collective intelligence: Number of women in group linked to effectiveness in solving difficult problems (October 2, 2010) -- Researchers document the existence of collective intelligence among groups of people who cooperate well, showing that such intelligence extends beyond the cognitive abilities of the groups' individual members, and that the tendency to cooperate effectively is linked to the number of women in a group. ... > full story
Source of breast drug side effect identified; Pharmacogenomic discovery allows for improved cancer therapy (October 2, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered genetic variants that lead to severe arthritis for a subset of women when taking aromatase inhibitors to treat their breast cancer. ... > full story
How to still kill a resistant parasite (October 2, 2010) -- Scientists in Belgium, in collaboration with colleagues from several developing countries, were able to restore a sleeping sickness parasite’s susceptibility to drugs. The parasite causes sleeping sickness in cattle. Because it has become resistant against all currently available drugs, it causes enormous economic losses. Until now, that is. ... > full story
Rebels without applause: New study on peer victimization (October 2, 2010) -- Loners and antisocial kids who reject other children are often bullied at school -- an accepted form of punishment from peers as they establish social order. Such peer victimization may be an extreme group response to control renegades, according to a new study. ... > full story
Severe food allergies turned off in mice (October 2, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a way to turn off the immune system's allergic reaction to certain food proteins in mice, a discovery that could have implications for the millions of people who suffer severe reactions to foods, such as peanuts and milk. ... > full story
Screening tool can detect colorectal cancer from a small blood sample (October 2, 2010) -- A new microRNA screening assay detected the majority of early stage colorectal cancers with good specificity and sensitivity. ... > full story
Mosquito gene examined for new disease response (October 2, 2010) -- Researchers have searched for new genes that are turned on during infection in a type of mosquito that is not only a pest, but transmits disease-causing pathogens. ... > full story
New strategy could reduce twin rate after IVF (October 2, 2010) -- A strategy to encourage single embryo transfer after in vitro fertilization could be an important tool to prevent multiple pregnancies and their associated complications, finds a new study. ... > full story
Tanezumab reduces osteoarthritis knee pain, phase II study finds (October 2, 2010) -- Just months after a pharmaceutical company halted studies of tanezumab, a drug used in reducing pain and improving function in people with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis of the knee, the results of a small, phase II clinical trial found only a few minor side effects and substantial improvement in patient conditions. ... > full story
Short and long sleep in early pregnancy linked to high blood pressure in the third trimester (October 2, 2010) -- Getting too little or too much sleep in early pregnancy is associated with elevated blood pressure in the third trimester. The study suggests that improving prenatal sleep hygiene may provide important health benefits. ... > full story
Catalyst sandwich: Synthetic PCR mimic could lead to highly sensitive medical, environmental diagnostics (October 2, 2010) -- Researchers have taken another step towards realizing a new class of PCR enzyme mimics, opening the door for the development of highly sensitive chemical detection systems that go beyond nucleic acid targets. The blueprint for building synthetic structures to detect and signal the presence of targets such as small molecule medical analytes and environmental hazards is inspired by biology. The method also could be useful in catalysis and the production of polymers. ... > full story
Real partners are no match for ideal mate, study finds (October 2, 2010) -- Our ideal image of the perfect partner differs greatly from our real-life partner, according to new research. The research found that our actual partners are of a different height, weight and body mass index than those we would ideally choose. ... > full story
Increases in 5-, 10-year survival at every stage of breast cancer (October 1, 2010) -- Advances in screening for disease detection, better surgical techniques available to more women, and an increased number of therapies that reduce the risk of relapse in patients with both locally advanced and early stage disease, have collectively contributed to dramatic improvements in breast cancer's survival rates, according to a review of 60 years of patient records. ... > full story
How HRT and the Pill can lead to breast cancer: New research suggests possible treatment (October 1, 2010) -- Medical scientists have uncovered how hormone replacement therapy and contraceptive pills can lead to breast cancer, according to new research. The findings raise the hope that hormone induced breast cancer may be prevented in future using a new treatment for the bone-loss disease osteoporosis. ... > full story
Method to detect bladder cancer earlier is under development (October 1, 2010) -- Scientists may have discovered a way to diagnose bladder cancer at its earliest and, therefore, most treatable stages by measuring the presence or absence of microRNA using already available laboratory tests. ... > full story
Language delays found in siblings of children with autism (October 1, 2010) -- Siblings of children with autism have more frequent language delays and other subtle characteristics of the disorder than previously understood. Girls also may be mildly affected more often than recognized in the past, according to a new study. ... > full story
Women who get dental care have lower risk of heart disease, says study (October 1, 2010) -- A new study suggests that women who get dental care reduce their risk of heart attacks, stroke and other cardiovascular problems by at least one-third. ... > full story
Genetic changes that make some forms of brain cancer more aggressive identified (October 1, 2010) -- A study provides new insight into genetic changes that make some forms of glioblastoma, the most common type of primary brain cancer, more aggressive than others and explains why they may not respond to certain therapies. ... > full story
Flow of empty calories into children's food supply must be reduced, experts urge (October 1, 2010) -- With over 23 million children and adolescents in the US overweight or obese, the risks for many chronic diseases continue to increase. A new article examines the diets of American youth and finds some disturbing results. ... > full story
Twins provide clue that genetic epilepsy can originate in the embryo (October 1, 2010) -- An Australian study of identical twins shows that a rare genetic form of epilepsy can be caused by a genetic mutation that occurs in the embryo, and not necessarily passed down from parents. ... > full story
Chromosomal break gives scientists a break in finding new puberty gene (October 1, 2010) -- A break in the two chromosomes has given scientists a break in finding a new gene involved in puberty, researchers report. It's also helped clear up why some patients with delayed puberty have no sense of smell. ... > full story
Garlic oil shows protective effect against heart disease in diabetes (October 1, 2010) -- Garlic has "significant" potential for preventing cardiomyopathy, a form of heart disease that is a leading cause of death in people with diabetes, scientists have concluded in a new study. Their report also explains why people with diabetes are at high risk for diabetic cardiomyopathy. ... > full story
Women's study finds longevity means getting just enough sleep (October 1, 2010) -- A new study, derived from novel sleep research 14 years earlier, suggests that the secret to a long life may come with just enough sleep. Less than five hours a night is probably not enough; eight hours is probably too much. ... > full story
Surgery offers long-term survival for early stage prostate cancer patients (October 1, 2010) -- In the largest, most modern, single-institution study of its kind, Mayo Clinic urologists mined a long-term data registry for survival rates of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. ... > full story
MicroRNA panel provides a more precise lung cancer diagnosis (October 1, 2010) -- A test based on a panel of microRNAs under development in Israel may allow for more precise diagnosis and better targeted therapy for patients with lung cancer. ... > full story
'e-SMART' technologies may help young adults self-manage mental illness (October 1, 2010) -- While many young adults will share the details of their daily lives with dozens -- sometimes hundreds -- of friends on Facebook, communicating with their health care providers about mental illness is another story. A researcher is now developing new patient communications tools, using computer-based techniques to reach young adults already tied to their technology devices. ... > full story
Important clues to how bacteria and viruses are identified as enemies (October 1, 2010) -- New research sheds important light on how our immune systems detect invading organisms to be destroyed and removed from our bodies. The information from this research should ultimately help lead to the development of new drugs and treatments that allow health care providers to prevent runaway immune reactions that can have devastating consequences for people. ... > full story
Novel test following prostate surgery could detect cancer recurrence earlier (October 1, 2010) -- A new test could reliably detect early increases in prostate specific antigen levels -- a biomarker commonly used to measure the recurrence of prostate cancer -- in men who have undergone prostate cancer-treating surgery. Earlier detection of these rising levels would allow men with cancer recurrence to undergo earlier, more effective treatment for potentially better outcomes. ... > full story
Key nutrient found to prevent cataracts in salmon (October 1, 2010) -- New research shows how the nutrient histidine, when added to the diet of farmed salmon, stops cataracts from forming. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
