ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, October 21, 2010
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Potential therapeutic target across a range of cancer types discovered (October 21, 2010) -- Researchers have found a common link among several malignant tumor types in all grades of cancer. This breakthrough may ultimately provide a new diagnostic or therapeutic target to detect cancer early or stop tumor growth. ... > full story
Elusive protein may lead the fight against inflammatory disease (October 21, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a protein that may be a key therapy for many inflammatory diseases, including those affecting premature babies. In a new study, they describe how a protein, interleukin 37, reacts when an inflammatory response is detected in the body. ... > full story
Attention processing and perception may be involved in fetal alcohol-related learning difficulties (October 21, 2010) -- Exposure to alcohol as a fetus has been shown to cause difficulties in memory and information processing in children. New findings indicate that visual perception, control of attention and demand processing may be involved in fetal alcohol-related learning problems. This information could potentially be used to help children affected with such difficulties. ... > full story
Mechanism that controls expression of protein involved in numerous cancers discovered (October 21, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a new mechanism controlling the transmission of an abnormal signal at the origin of several cancers. In a new study, the team explains the recent discovery of a protein complex that controls the RAS/MAPK signalling pathway, responsible for some of the deadliest cancers, including pancreatic, colon and lung cancers, and melanomas. ... > full story
Newborn hearing screening linked with improved developmental outcomes for hearing impaired children (October 21, 2010) -- Children with permanent hearing impairment who received hearing screening as newborns had better general and language developmental outcomes and quality of life at ages 3 to 5 years compared to newborns who received hearing screening through behavioral testing, according to a new study. ... > full story
Researchers analyze student grief online after campus shootings (October 21, 2010) -- After the campus shootings at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, hundreds of affected students turned to social media websites to share their grief and search for solace. A new study of these students found that their online activities neither helped nor harmed their long-term psychological health. The study gives a first-of-its-kind portrait of student reactions to shootings on their campuses. It also documents the (online and off-line) activities they engaged in to memorialize and recover from these events. ... > full story
Insulin sensitivity may explain link between obesity, memory problems (October 20, 2010) -- Because of impairments in their insulin sensitivity, obese individuals demonstrate different brain responses than their normal-weight peers while completing a challenging cognitive task, according to new research by psychologists. ... > full story
Eating mostly whole grains, few refined grains linked to lower body fat (October 20, 2010) -- People who consume several servings of whole grains per day while limiting daily intake of refined grains appear to have less of a type of fat tissue thought to play a key role in triggering cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Disease in rural China linked to polluted coal (October 20, 2010) -- In remote, rural areas of southwestern China, villagers cook and dry their clothes by burning pieces of coal they pick up off the ground. This fuel releases a toxin that may be poisoning millions of people, according to an ongoing investigation by researchers in New York and China. ... > full story
Docs not immune to drug marketing, study finds (October 20, 2010) -- New findings show that pharmaceutical promotion may cause some doctors to prescribe more expensively, less appropriately and more often. ... > full story
New mothers grow bigger brains within months of giving birth: Warmer feelings toward babies linked to bigger mid-brains (October 20, 2010) -- Motherhood may actually cause the brain to grow, not turn it into mush, as some have claimed. Exploratory research has found that the brains of new mothers bulked up in areas linked to motivation and behavior, and that mothers who gushed the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key parts of the mid-brain. ... > full story
New regulator of circadian clock identified: Dopamine study may have impact on activity and sleep rhythms in Parkinson's disease (October 20, 2010) -- Daily sleeping and eating patterns are critical to human well-being and health. Now, a new study has demonstrated how the brain chemical dopamine regulates these cycles by altering the activity of the "clock-protein" PER2. The findings may have implications for individuals with Parkinson's Disease with disrupted 24-hour rhythms of activity and sleep. ... > full story
New sensor derived from frogs may help fight bacteria and save wildlife; Sensor uses frog peptides to test for drug and medical device contamination (October 20, 2010) -- Engineers have developed a sensor that may revolutionize how drugs and medical devices are tested for contamination, and in the process also help ensure the survival of two species of threatened animals. ... > full story
Proton therapy safe, effective for early-stage lung cancer patients, study finds (October 20, 2010) -- Proton beam therapy is safe and effective and may be superior to other conventional treatments for Stage I inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, according to a new study by researchers in Japan. ... > full story
Progress toward treating infections by silencing microbes' 'smart phones' (October 20, 2010) -- So disease-causing bacteria in the body finally have multiplied to the point where their numbers are large enough to cause illness. What's next? They get out their "smart phones" and whisper "Let's roll!" That's how a new review describes the substances -- "smart phones of the microbial world" -- that bacteria use to transmit chemical signals that launch infections and monitor their environment. The authors describe progress toward understanding and blocking this biochemical chitchat. ... > full story
Would you sleep on a chunk of ice? Building your 'experience resume' (October 20, 2010) -- If sleeping on a bed of ice or eating bacon-flavored ice cream doesn't sound too appealing, consider the tale you'll have to tell about it later. According to a new study, some people can't resist a chance to collect experiences. ... > full story
Harm reduction cigarettes can be more harmful than conventional brands, researchers report (October 20, 2010) -- Harm reduction cigarettes are often marketed as safer than conventional brands. But scientists have found that sidestream smoke from harm reduction cigarettes impairs growth of human embryonic stem cells more than sidestream smoke from a conventional brand. Their analyses show there is significant toxicity in harm reduction products, and that the reduction of carcinogens in harm reduction mainstream smoke does not necessarily reduce the toxicity of unfiltered sidestream smoke. ... > full story
Anorexia nervosa may cause potentially serious eye damage, study suggests (October 20, 2010) -- The eating disorder anorexia nervosa may cause potentially serious eye damage, a new study suggests. ... > full story
Children's best friend: Dogs help autistic children adapt, study shows (October 20, 2010) -- Dogs may not only be man's best friend, they may also have a special role in the lives of children with special needs. According to a new study, specifically trained service dogs can help reduce the anxiety and enhance the socialization skills of children with autism syndrome disorders. The findings may be a relatively simple solution to help affected children and their families cope with these challenging disorders. ... > full story
New theory links depression to chronic brain inflammation (October 20, 2010) -- Chronic depression is an adaptive, reparative neurobiological process gone wrong, say researchers, positing in a new theory that the debilitating mental state originates from more ancient mechanisms used by the body to deal with physical injury, such as pain, tissue repair and convalescent behavior. ... > full story
Mounting research shows increased health risks from volcanic air pollution (October 20, 2010) -- Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano has been erupting since 1983. But, in March 2008, an additional eruption vent opened at the volcano's summit, resulting in triple the amount of sulfur dioxide gas emissions drifting to the local community of Ka'u, raising health concerns over the risks associated with exposure to "vog," volcanic air pollution. ... > full story
Devastating impact of spinal osteoporotic fractures revealed on World Osteoporosis Day (October 20, 2010) -- A new report issued by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) for World Osteoporosis Day puts the spotlight on the severe impact of spinal fractures and calls on health professionals to recognize the signs of these fractures in their patients. ... > full story
Alcohol increases reaction time and errors during decision making (October 20, 2010) -- There has been an abundance of research on the effects of alcohol on the brain, but many questions regarding how alcohol impairs the built-in control systems are still unknown. A new study explores that subject in detail and found that certain brain regions involved in error processing are affected more by alcohol than others. ... > full story
First direct evidence that response to alcohol depends on genes: Dopamine receptor deficiency leads to significant brain changes in response to drinking (October 20, 2010) -- A study in mice provides the first experimental evidence to directly support the idea that genetic differences make some individuals more susceptible to the addictive effects of alcohol and other drugs. ... > full story
McSleepy meets DaVinci: Doctors conduct first-ever all-robotic surgery and anesthesia (October 20, 2010) -- In a world first, a completely robotic surgery and anesthesia has been performed at the McGill University Health Centre. The DaVinci surgical robot, which lets surgeons work from remote locations, was put to work this summer, whereas the anesthesia robot, nicknamed McSleepy, has been providing automated anesthesia since 2008. The two combined to perform the first all-robotic surgery on a prostatectomy patient at the Montreal General Hospital. ... > full story
Early pregnancy in spring linked to child's susceptibility to food allergies, Finnish study suggests (October 20, 2010) -- A child's likelihood of developing food allergies can be traced back to the season during which he or she completes their first three months of life in the womb, new research from Finland suggests. ... > full story
To be good, sometimes leaders need to be a little bad; Study examines 'dark side' personality traits and leadership (October 20, 2010) -- A new study has found that when it comes to leading, some negative personality traits aren't such a bad thing. ... > full story
See no shape, touch no shape, hear a shape? New way of 'seeing' the world (October 20, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered that our brains have the ability to determine the shape of an object simply by processing specially-coded sounds, without any visual or tactile input. ... > full story
Hormone therapy use by postmenopausal women may increase incidence of more advanced breast cancer (October 20, 2010) -- Follow-up of about 11 years of participants in the Women's Health Initiative finds that among postmenopausal women, use of estrogen plus progestin is associated with an increased incidence of breast cancers that are more advanced, and with a higher risk of deaths attributable to breast cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story
Recycling pacemakers may alleviate burden of heart disease across the globe (October 20, 2010) -- Millions worldwide die each year because they can't afford a pacemaker. But what if patients in the United States could donate their pacemaker to someone in need? In a new article, experts examine the legality and logistics of collecting pacemakers, after they are removed for burial or cremation, for sterilization and reuse across the globe. ... > full story
Vitamin D deficiency linked to lung transplant rejection, research finds (October 20, 2010) -- Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant increase in lung transplant rejection, according to new research. ... > full story
Improved antibiotic coatings: Research aims to make medical devices safer by preventing biofilms (October 20, 2010) -- A research group in Australia is working on techniques to permanently bind antibacterial coatings to medical devices by binding them to a polymer layer. ... > full story
Heavy alcohol use suggests a change in normal cognitive development in adolescents (October 20, 2010) -- Adolescence and puberty is a period of significant development in the brain. New findings indicate that excessive alcohol use selectively damages the frontal lobe, which is responsible for the development of social skills and judgment. This indicates that severe alcohol abuse may damage brain function, and the normal course of neural development in adolescents. ... > full story
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
Study identifies barriers to successful treatment of children with sarcoma in low-income countries (October 20, 2010) -- Raising the survival rate of children with sarcoma in low-income countries will require steps to diagnose the disease sooner, train cancer pathologists, expand radiation therapy services, create multi-specialty teams to review each case, and other actions, according to an international study. ... > full story
Psychologists at the forefront of weight management: Health care providers can play a key role in the fight against weight problems in young people (October 20, 2010) -- Over the last few decades, the dramatic rise in pediatric obesity rates has emerged as a public health threat requiring urgent attention. The responsibility of identifying and treating eating and weight-related problems early in children and adolescents falls to health care providers and other professionals who work with the child, according to experts. Furthermore, they say, the key to successful treatment is a team effort involving providers and parents. ... > 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
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