ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Old bees' memory fades; Mirrors recall of humans and other mammals (October 20, 2010) -- Humans aren't the only ones whose memory fades with age. Scientists examined how aging impacts the ability of honey bees to find their way home. While bees are typically impressive navigators, able to wend their way home through complex landscapes after visits to flowers far removed from their nests, aging impairs the bees' ability to extinguish the memory of an unsuitable nest site even after the colony has settled in a new home. ... > full story
Gene variant may protect against alcoholism (October 20, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a gene variant that may protect against alcoholism. The variant, in a gene called CYP2E1, is associated with a person's response to alcohol. For the 10 to 20 percent of people that possess this variant, those first few drinks leave them feeling more inebriated than the rest of the human population, who harbor a different version of the gene. ... > full story
Prostate cancer patients treated with robotic-assisted surgery can expect low recurrence of cancer (October 20, 2010) -- A first-ever, long-term study of patients who underwent robot-assisted surgery to remove their cancerous prostates found that nearly 87 percent of them had no recurrence of the disease after five years. ... > full story
Video games can be highly effective training tools, study shows: Employees learn more, forget less, master more skills (October 20, 2010) -- Long derided as mere entertainment, new research now shows that organizations using video games to train employees end up with smarter, more motivated workers who learn more and forget less. ... > full story
Genetic predisposition to certain skin cancers may be associated with vitamin D deficiency (October 20, 2010) -- Patients with basal cell nevus syndrome, which predisposes them to develop non-melanoma skin cancers, appear to be at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency if they take steps to protect themselves from sunlight, according to a new study. ... > full story
Protein highways keep tissues organized (October 20, 2010) -- Precise regulation of tissue architecture is critical for organ function. Single cells build up a tissue by communicating with their environment and with other cells, thereby receiving instructions on whether to divide, change shape or migrate. Researchers have now identified a mechanism by which skin cells organize their interior architecture as a response to signals from their surroundings. ... > full story
Fructose intolerance common in children with functional abdominal pain; Low-fructose diet is an effective treatment, study finds (October 20, 2010) -- Fructose intolerance, or fructose malabsorption, is common in children with recurrent or functional abdominal pain, but the condition can be effectively managed with a low-fructose diet, according to the results of a new study. Over half of patients who are fructose intolerant are able to maintain a low-fructose diet and are able to notice an immediate improvement in their symptoms. ... > full story
People are better at strategic reasoning than was thought, research shows (October 20, 2010) -- When we make decisions based on what we think someone else will do, we must use reason to infer the other's next move -- or next three or more moves -- to know what we must do. This so-called recursive reasoning ability in humans has been thought to be somewhat limited. But now, in new research, it appears that people can engage in much higher levels of recursive reasoning than was previously thought. ... > full story
Parkinson's disease insights: Damage to control circuits in the brain responsible for habits (October 19, 2010) -- New research into Parkinson's disease suggests that many of the problems suffered by patients -- difficulties in initiating actions, slow labored movements and tremors -- can be understood in terms of damage to control circuits in the brain responsible for habits. ... > full story
Bioelectrical signals turn stem cells' progeny cancerous; Newly discovered 'instructor cells' can deliver deadly directions (October 19, 2010) -- Biologists have found that a change in membrane voltage in newly identified "instructor cells" can cause stem cells' descendants to trigger melanoma-like growth in pigment cells a considerable distance away. This metastatic transformation is due to changes in serotonin transport. Discovery of this novel bioelectric signal and cell type could help prevent and treat diseases like cancer and vitiligo as well as birth defects. ... > full story
Study reveals superior sedation method for children (October 19, 2010) -- Procedural sedation and analgesia is an essential element of care for children requiring painful procedures in the emergency department. New research provides evidence that when compared to ketamine alone, patients who receive a combination of ketamine and propofol have a slightly faster recovery time and suffer from less severe side effects. ... > full story
'Drivel' on Facebook more valuable than we think (October 19, 2010) -- Superficial contacts on Facebook, apparently unnecessary comments, and banal status updates may be more worthwhile than we think. A new report predicts the new social media will ultimately lead to more individual entrepreneurs. ... > full story
Gene activity in the brain depends on genetic background: Implications for individual differences in drug safety and efficacy (October 19, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the same genes have different activity patterns in the brain in individuals with different genetic backgrounds. These findings may help to explain individual differences in the effectiveness and side-effect profiles of therapeutic drugs and thus have implications for personalized medicine. ... > full story
Prostate cancer patients are at increased risk of precancerous colon polyps (October 19, 2010) -- Men with prostate cancer should be especially diligent about having routine screening colonoscopies, results of a new study by gastroenterologists indicate. ... > full story
Friends share personal details to strengthen relationships in United States, but not in Japan, study finds (October 19, 2010) -- In the United States, friends often share intimate details of their lives and problems. However, such self-disclosure is much less common in Japan. A new study by an American researcher living in Japan finds that this may be because of the different social systems in the two countries, and in particular the extent to which there are opportunities to make new friends. ... > full story
Inhaling nitric oxide eases pain crises in sickle cell patients, researchers find (October 19, 2010) -- Inhaling nitric oxide appears to safely and effectively reduce pain crises in adults with sickle cell disease, researchers report. A study of 18 patients in Atlanta, Chicago and Detroit showed that the nine inhaling nitric oxide for four hours had better pain control than those receiving only the standard self-administered morphine. ... > full story
New biological sensor detects and analyses DNA sequences (October 19, 2010) -- Researchers in Spain have created a new DNA-based biological sensor that has potential applications in the field of genetic diagnostics. The sensors are able to use logical rules to autonomously run logical inference processes on genetic input signals and reach accurate diagnoses. ... > full story
Osteoporosis drug builds bone in patients with gum disease (October 19, 2010) -- A drug marketed to grow bone in osteoporosis patients also works to heal bone wounds in gum disease patients, a new study suggests. ... > full story
The hair brush that reads your mind (October 19, 2010) -- One of the main techniques for measuring and monitoring mental activity, called functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), can often be impaired because a person's hair gets in the way. But now, thanks to a team of researchers, a novel device called a "brush optrode" is providing increased sensitivity with fiber tips designed to thread through hair to enhance scalp contact. ... > full story
Psychiatric illnesses before surgery associated with modest increased risk of death afterward, study finds (October 19, 2010) -- Individuals with co-occurring psychiatric illnesses, especially anxiety and depression, appear to have an increased risk of death within 30 days of surgery, according to a new study. ... > full story
Vitamin B12 may reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease (October 19, 2010) -- A new study shows that vitamin B12 may protect against Alzheimer's disease, adding more evidence to the scientific debate about whether the vitamin is effective in reducing the risk of memory loss. ... > full story
Analysis indicates a third H1N1 pandemic wave unlikely in 2010 (October 19, 2010) -- Analysis of H1N1 antibody levels (seroprotection rates) after the 2009 pandemic suggest that a third wave is unlikely in 2010, although adults over age 50, particularly those with chronic conditions, should be immunized for the fall flu season, states a research article. ... > full story
Scientists closer to grasping how the brain's 'hearing center' spurs responses to sound (October 19, 2010) -- Just as we visually map a room by spatially identifying the objects in it, we map our aural world based on the frequencies of sounds. The neurons within the brain's auditory cortex are organized into modules that each respond to sounds within a specific frequency band. But how responses actually emanate from this complex network of neurons is still a mystery. Scientists have come closer to unraveling this puzzle. ... > full story
Treating cancer with light (October 19, 2010) -- Can skin cancer be treated with light? Scientists now believe so. They're exploring new ways to image cancerous lesions using LEDs that might advance a technique for treating cancer called photodynamic therapy (PDT). ... > full story
Fixing bad tasting infant drops when a 'spoonful of sugar' doesn't work (October 19, 2010) -- A spoonful of sugar is the traditional way to help medicines ‘go down’. But getting young children to take foul-tasting medicines – even if their lives depend on it – requires more than a bit of added sweetener. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), each year over eight million children die of diseases that could be avoided if essential medicines were available in appropriate formulations for children. ... > full story
Does clenching your muscles increase willpower? (October 19, 2010) -- The next time you feel your willpower slipping as you pass that mouth-watering dessert case, tighten your muscles. A new study says firming muscles can shore up self-control. ... > full story
No standard for the placebo? (October 19, 2010) -- Much of medicine is based on what is considered the strongest possible evidence: The placebo-controlled trial. A new study calls into question this foundation upon which much of medicine rests, by showing that there is no standard behind the standard -- no standard for the placebo. ... > full story
Magnets used to treat patients with severe depression (October 19, 2010) -- John O'Sullivan had struggled with bipolar depression since he was a teen. He has tried numerous types of psychotherapy and medication but nothing seemed to help for long. At age 50 and desperate, O'Sullivan was cautiously intrigued when his psychiatrist told him about a new high-tech, non-invasive therapy that uses magnetic waves to treat his condition. ... > full story
Study documents wrong-site, wrong-patient procedure errors (October 19, 2010) -- Data from one liability insurance database in Colorado indicate that wrong-site and wrong-patient surgical and procedure errors continued to occur despite nationwide steps to help prevent them, according to a new study. ... > full story
Eyetracker warns against momentary driver drowsiness (October 19, 2010) -- Car drivers must be able to react quickly to hazards on the road at all times. Dashboard-mounted cameras help keep drivers alert. ... > full story
This is your brain on anesthesia: New light shed on how brain reacts during anesthetic induction and emergence (October 19, 2010) -- A new study strengthens emerging evidence that the act of going under anesthesia and coming out of anesthesia are distinct neurobiological processes. It also found that the parietal region of the brain may play a critical role in how anesthesia suppresses consciousness. ... > full story
Western diet exacerbates sepsis, mouse study suggests (October 19, 2010) -- High-fat diets cause a dramatic immune system overreaction to sepsis, a condition of systemic bacterial infection. An experimental study in mice has shown that a diet high in saturated fat, sugars and cholesterol greatly exaggerates the inflammatory response to sepsis. ... > full story
Four new psoriasis 'hotspots' identified: Discovery may aid in developing new therapies (October 19, 2010) -- Four newly discovered DNA "hotspots" may one day help guide new treatments for psoriasis, one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the country, say geneticists. ... > full story
Climbing obesity rates threaten U.S. national security by hampering military recruitment (October 19, 2010) -- At a time when American military forces are stretched thin overseas, a growing number of potential recruits are too fat to enlist, according to a new analysis. ... > full story
Watching violent TV or video games desensitizes teenagers and may promote more aggressive behavior, new study finds (October 19, 2010) -- Watching violent films, TV programs or video games desensitizes teenagers, blunts their emotional responses to aggression and potentially promotes aggressive attitudes and behavior, according to new research. ... > full story
Surgery in infants and young children heightens neurodevelopmental risk, study finds (October 19, 2010) -- When children undergo anesthesia during surgery, the long-term effects that anesthetics have on the developing brain is relatively unknown. A new study assesses the association between exposure to anesthesia in children 3 years old and younger and their risk for developmental and behavioral disorders. ... > full story
With a chaperone, copper breaks through: Research identifies features of copper transfer that may improve chemotherapy treatments (October 19, 2010) -- Researchers have investigated how a type of membrane protein transfers essential copper ions throughout the body. This mechanism could also be responsible for how the body absorbs Cisplatin, a common chemotherapy drug used to fight cancer. In the future, this new knowledge may allow scientists to improve the way the drug is transferred throughout the body, the researcher says. ... > full story
Celebrity journalism may contribute positively to consumer health behaviors (October 19, 2010) -- Some readers of celebrity health stories report that the stories have an impact on their own behavior and how they discuss health issues. ... > full story
Type 2 diabetes and insulin use associated with colorectal cancer in men, study finds (October 18, 2010) -- There is an association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer (CRC) among men, but not women, according to a new study. ... > full story
NASA technology could aid in interpretation of mammograms, ultrasound, other medical imagery (October 18, 2010) -- NASA software used to enhance Earth Science Imagery could one day aid in the interpretation of mammograms, ultrasounds and other medical imagery. ... > full story
Egg allergy: Not a reason to avoid flu vaccine after all, experts say (October 18, 2010) -- Having an egg allergy is not a reason to avoid getting the 2010-2011 flu vaccination. According to new recommendations by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website, anyone with a history of suspected egg allergy should first be evaluated by an allergist or immunologist for appropriate testing and diagnosis but can probably receive the vaccination. ... > full story
Perspectives on improving patient care: Genetics, personalized medicine, and behavioral intervention (October 18, 2010) -- Personalized medicine has become a major focus of behavioral research. Genetic studies have suggested that an individual's genetic makeup renders him either more or less sensitive to stressful social environments -- but can an individual's unique genotype also determine the effectiveness of preventative or therapeutic behavioral interventions? The current issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science combines nine stimulating articles in the first systematic effort to survey the possibilities of genetics research, personalized medicine, and behavioral intervention. ... > full story
Intestinal enzyme helps maintain population of beneficial bacteria (October 18, 2010) -- An enzyme that keeps intestinal bacteria out of the bloodstream may also play an important role in maintaining the normal microbial population of the gastrointestinal system. Since the loss of beneficial bacteria that usually results from antibiotic therapy can sometimes lead to serious health problems, a treatment that maintains microbial levels could have significant benefits. ... > full story
Lessons learned from the H1N1 pandemic (October 18, 2010) -- The H1N1 pandemic influenza provided several important lessons that may help in preparing for future influenza outbreaks, according to experts. ... > full story
What comes next for the Chilean miners? (October 18, 2010) -- Now that the 33 Chilean miners have been returned to the Earth's surface safe and sound, what challenges await them? Experts say that a main issue will be re-establishing their relationships and roles in their families. ... > full story
Genes linked to psoriasis identified (October 18, 2010) -- Genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to psoriasis are reported in five new articles. Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent skin disease, and one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases, with a global prevalence of 2-3 percent. ... > full story
Gut microbes promote cell turnover by a well-known pathway (October 18, 2010) -- Microbes matter -- perhaps more than anyone realizes -- in basic biological development and, maybe, they could be a target for reducing cancer risks, according to researchers. ... > full story
Diagnostic techniques help inflammatory bowel disease patients avoid ionizing radiation exposure (October 18, 2010) -- Several studies of the effectiveness of non-X-ray techniques to evaluate Crohn's disease revealed that diagnostic strategies such as capsule endoscopy and magnetic resonance enteroscopy are useful in managing patients with inflammatory bowel disease and avoiding ionizing radiation. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
