ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, November 12, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
New vaccine hope in fight against pneumonia and meningitis (November 12, 2010) -- A dramatic advance in understanding of how the body fights bacteria paves the way for more effective vaccines. ... > full story
How key drug kills worms in tropical diseases (November 12, 2010) -- Scientists have unlocked how a key anti-parasitic drug kills the worms brought on by the filarial diseases river blindness and elephantitis. Understanding how the drug ivermectin works has the potential to lead to new treatments for the diseases, in which the body is infected with parasitic worms. ... > full story
Scientists unveil mechanisms of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (November 12, 2010) -- Newly published research sheds light on a poorly understood, acute illness called Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome that develops in some HIV-infected individuals soon after they begin antiretroviral therapy. ... > full story
Timely depression diagnosis critical to maintain health of elderly (November 12, 2010) -- Depression affects approximately 40 percent of nursing home residents, but it often goes unrecognized, which can lead to lower quality of life or even suicide. Now, researchers have found a series of indicators, other than changes in mood that are associated with the development of depression in nursing home residents. ... > full story
Mind is a frequent, but not happy, wanderer: People spend nearly half their waking hours thinking about what isn’t going on around them (November 12, 2010) -- People spend 46.9 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they're doing, and this mind-wandering typically makes them unhappy. So says a study that used an iPhone web app to gather 250,000 data points on subjects' thoughts, feelings, and actions as they went about their lives. ... > full story
Menopausal hormone therapy may increase risk of ovarian cancer, research suggests (November 12, 2010) -- Women planning on taking hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms should be aware of a possible increased risk for ovarian cancer, according to new research. ... > full story
Young, unsupervised children most at risk for dog bites, study shows; Dogs often target a child's face and eyes (November 12, 2010) -- As dog bites become an increasingly major public health concern, a new study shows that unsupervised children are most at risk for bites, that the culprits are usually family pets and if they bite once, they will bite again with the second attack often more brutal than the first. ... > full story
Use of androgen deprivation therapy increases fracture risk among prostate cancer patients, study finds (November 12, 2010) -- Men with history of fracture and comorbidities are at an increased risk of fracture after long-term use of androgen deprivation therapy, and initiating this therapy should be carefully considered in older men with localized prostate cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story
Changing family behavior helps schizophrenic patients avoid relapse (November 12, 2010) -- Working to change the behavior of family members may be an effective treatment for people with schizophrenia, according to a new review. The researchers reviewed the most up-to-date evidence on the subject and found that patients whose families received the interventions were less likely to relapse. ... > full story
Noninvasive brain stimulation helps improve motor function in stroke patients (November 11, 2010) -- A non-invasive electric stimulation technique administered to both sides of the brain can help stroke patients who have lost motor skills in their hands and arms, according to a new study. ... > full story
More intensive cholesterol treatment reduces heart risk further, study suggests (November 11, 2010) -- More intensive treatment using statin drugs to lower levels of bad cholesterol leads to even greater reductions in the risk of a heart attack or stroke than with regular statin doses, according to new research. ... > full story
Deaf adults see better than hearing people, new study finds (November 11, 2010) -- Adults born deaf react more quickly to objects at the edge of their visual field than hearing people, according to groundbreaking new research. For the first time ever, scientists have tested how peripheral vision develops in deaf people from childhood to adulthood. ... > full story
Stress takes its toll in Parkinson's disease (November 11, 2010) -- A stressful lifestyle could lead to the premature death of a group of neurons, whose loss triggers the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, according to a new study. Isradipine, a drug already approved for human use by the FDA, has been shown in preclinical studies to reduce the stress on these neurons and rejuvenate them. Scientists currently are conducting a clinical trial to find out if isradipine can be used safely and is tolerated by patients with Parkinson's. ... > full story
Nerve cells in the eyes of flies and vertebrates use similar process to split up optical information (November 11, 2010) -- The eye is not just a lens that takes pictures and converts them into electrical signals. As with all vertebrates, nerve cells in the human eye separate an image into different image channels once it has been projected onto the retina. This pre-sorted information is then transmitted to the brain as parallel image sequences. Scientists have now discovered that fruit flies process optical information in a similar way. The evidence suggests that this type of wiring is an effective energy-saving mechanism and is therefore deployed by a diverse range of animal species. ... > full story
New mechanism regulating daily biological rhythms: Findings offer novel target for treatment of sleep disorders, diabetes, and cancer (November 11, 2010) -- Scientists have identified for the first time a novel mechanism that regulates circadian rhythm, the master clock that controls the body's natural 24-hour physiological cycle. These new findings could provide a new target not only for jet lag, shift work, and sleep disturbances, but also for disorders that result from circadian rhythm disruption, including diabetes and obesity as well as some types of cancer. ... > full story
Genetics has a big impact on how a person operates in a social group (November 11, 2010) -- How well a person performs in a coalition is partly hereditary, according to a recent study. Researchers found that how successfully an individual operates in a group is as much down to having the right genetic make-up as it is to having common cultural ties with fellow group members. After assessing nearly 1,000 pairs of adult twins, researchers found that strong genetic influences have a major influence on how loyal a person feels to their social group. ... > full story
Depression linked to altered activity of circadian rhythm gene (November 11, 2010) -- Depression appears to be associated with a molecular-level disturbance in the body's 24-hour clock, new research suggests. Scientists examined genes that regulate circadian rhythm in people with and without a history of depression. As a group, those with a history of depression had a higher level of activity of the so-called Clock gene, which has a role in regulating circadian rhythm, than did people with no mood disorders. ... > full story
Low birth weight may cause lifelong problems processing medications (November 11, 2010) -- New research has found that a mother's poor nutrition during pregnancy and nursing can cause problems for her offspring's ability to process medications, even well into adulthood. ... > full story
Alcohol can damage much more than just the liver (November 11, 2010) -- Alcohol can do much more harm to the body than just damaging the liver. Drinking also can weaken the immune system, slow healing, impair bone formation, increase the risk of HIV transmission and hinder recovery from burns, trauma, bleeding and surgery. ... > full story
Evidence of link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and childhood asthma, researchers say (November 11, 2010) -- Evidence suggesting that the risk of childhood asthma associated with prenatal acetaminophen exposure may depend on antioxidant genes in the mother has been found by a team of UK scientists. The results of their study strengthen the argument for a causal link between acetaminophen exposure in early life and later childhood asthma. ... > full story
Molecular program for brain repair following stroke identified (November 11, 2010) -- Researchers have, for the first time, identified in the mouse the molecular cascade that drives the process of reconnection or sprouting in the adult brain after stroke. ... > full story
Team colors on cans change perceptions of alcohol risks, study finds (November 11, 2010) -- Psychologists have found that students who viewed images of beer cans packaged and displayed in university colors believed that drinking beer was less dangerous than those students who saw images of regular beer cans. ... > full story
Delicate balance in the brain controls fear (November 11, 2010) -- Scientists have taken an important step toward understanding the neural circuitry of fear. They describe a microcircuit in the amygdala that controls, or "gates," the outflow of fear from that region of the brain. ... > full story
Normal human genetics may influence cancer growth, too (November 11, 2010) -- New research suggests that the genes we are born with might influence the changes that occur when we develop cancer. It found that the genetic variations we inherit contribute to the kinds of DNA changes that occur in tumor cells. The findings may offer a new way to identify individuals at greater risk for developing cancer, the researchers say. ... > full story
Tetris effect: Classic computer game may have special ability to reduce flashbacks after viewing traumatic images (November 11, 2010) -- The computer game Tetris may have a special ability to reduce flashbacks after viewing traumatic images not shared by other types of computer game, scientists have discovered in a series of experiments. ... > full story
New indicator found for rapidly progressing form of deadly lung disease (November 11, 2010) -- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a little-known disease that kills as many people each year as breast cancer. Researchers have found an new indicator for the more aggressive form of IPF and they hope targeting it may help develop new treatments. ... > full story
Trojan Horse ploy to sneak protective drug into brains of stroke patients (November 11, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting development of a long-sought method with the potential for getting medication through a biological barrier that surrounds the brain, where it may limit the brain damage caused by stroke. Their approach for sneaking the nerve-protective drug erythropoietin into the brain is medicine's version of the Trojan Horse ploy straight out of ancient Greek legend. It could help people with traumatic head injuries, Parkinson's disease, and other chronic brain disorders. ... > full story
Dietary intervention in infancy can prevent the disease process leading to Type 1 diabetes, Finnish study finds (November 11, 2010) -- A Finnish study shows for the first time that dietary intervention in infancy can prevent the initiation of the disease process leading to Type 1 diabetes among high-risk children. This study confirms the hypothesis that infant feeding plays a role in the initiation of the disease process leading to Type 1 diabetes in children carrying increased genetic disease risk. ... > full story
Prescribed bed rest has down side for pregnant women, nursing researcher finds (November 11, 2010) -- Despite lack of evidence about bed rest's effectiveness, doctors annually prescribe it for roughly 1 million pregnant women to delay preterm births. In a new report, a nursing researcher says a comprehensive review of more than 70 evidence-based research articles challenges whether this is healthy for mothers -- or their babies. ... > full story
Citywide smoking ban contributes to significant decrease in maternal smoking, pre-term births (November 11, 2010) -- New research takes a look at birth outcomes and maternal smoking, building urgency for more states and cities to join the nationwide smoke-free trend that has accelerated in recent years. According to the new data, strong smoke-free policies can improve fetal outcomes by significantly reducing the prevalence of maternal smoking. ... > full story
High cholesterol in middle age women not a risk factor for Alzheimer's and other dementias, study finds (November 11, 2010) -- High cholesterol levels in middle age do not appear to increase women's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia later in life, new research finds, despite a body of scientific evidence long suggesting a link between the two. ... > full story
Mutations in single gene predict poor outcomes in adult leukemia; Discovery may guide treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (November 11, 2010) -- Decoding the DNA of a woman who died of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has led researchers to a gene that they found to be commonly altered in many patients who died quickly of the disease. The findings, if confirmed in larger studies, suggest that a diagnostic test for mutations in the gene could identify AML patients who need more aggressive treatment right from the start. ... > full story
‘Magic bullet’ could eradicate side effects of drug used to treat rare genetic disease (November 11, 2010) -- A 'magic bullet' designed by pharmaceutical scientists could eradicate the side effects of a drug used to treat a rare genetic disease. Researchers have chemically modified a drug used to treat cystinosis -- a disease which occurs when the body's mechanism to remove excess cystine (an amino acid) breaks down, leading to kidney problems and eventually affecting other organs -- to remove unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, severe halitosis, body odor and a noxious taste. ... > full story
New dietary supplement reference materials could be 'berry' useful (November 11, 2010) -- Researchers have developed new certified reference materials for measuring amounts of organic acids in dietary supplements formulated with Vaccinium berries -- cranberries, blueberries and bilberries. Manufacturers and researchers can use this new suite of standard reference materials as quality assurance tools. ... > full story
New neuronal circuits which control fear have been identified (November 11, 2010) -- Fear is a behavioral adaptation which may be innate but can also be a consequence of conditioning. However, until now, the underlying neuronal circuits have remained largely unknown. Now, scientists have been able to identify, for the first time, distinct neuronal circuits within the central nucleus of the amygdala which are specifically involved in acquisition and control of behavioral fear responses. ... > full story
Inhibitory neurons key to understanding neuropsychiatric disorders (November 11, 2010) -- In 1999, researchers identified mutations in a gene called MECP2 as the culprit in a devastating neurological disorder called Rett syndrome. In new research the same scientists demonstrate that the loss of the protein MeCP2 in a special group of inhibitory nerve cells in the brain reproduces nearly all Rett syndrome features. ... > full story
Infant foods should be screened for mycotoxins, scientists say (November 11, 2010) -- Scientists call for protecting complementary food for infants in developing countries -- especially those where corn is a staple food -- against fumonisin, a toxin produced by fungi. Until now, physicians thought the growth retardation of children in those regions was to be blamed on the poor nutritional value of the complementary maize porridge they receive when breast milk is no longer sufficient. But toxins indeed are involved, scientists report. ... > full story
New insights into the development of epithelial cells (November 11, 2010) -- Scientists have gained new insights into the development of epithelial cells and their molecular repertoire. Researchers have identified a transcription factor (grainyhead-like 2, Grhl2), which regulates the composition of the molecular "bridges" that link adjacent epithelial cells. They demonstrate that Grhl2, via DNA-binding, directly regulates the expression of two such cell junctional molecules, E-cadherin and claudin 4. ... > full story
Attacking the drinking culture on college campuses from different directions (November 11, 2010) -- A multi-tiered effort designed to stem binge drinking at a large university and to change the campus drinking culture has produced notable results during a 2.5-year Indiana University study. Freshmen living on campus showed significant drops in the average number of drinks consumed in a week; in the percentage who drank at least once a week in the last year; and in the proportion of students who engaged in binge drinking in the previous week. ... > full story
Pain gene found in flies, mice and people may have links to creativity and synesthesia (November 11, 2010) -- A newly discovered gene which helps to control the sense of pain is linked to synesthesia, when sensations such as touch also affect other senses like hearing or sight. The rare condition causes some people to see sounds or written words as colors, or experience tastes, smells and shapes in linked combinations. Famous synesthetes include composers Franz Liszt or Olivier Messiaens, and this condition has been linked to creativity and intelligence. ... > full story
Hurdles ahead for health care reform primary care model, study suggests (November 11, 2010) -- Provisions of new federal health care reforms will move the country toward a primary care medical home for patients, but the nation may not have enough primary care doctors to handle the workload, according to a new study. ... > full story
Swedish teens say individual traits are the main reasons for bullying (November 11, 2010) -- Both the bully and the victim's individual characteristics, rather than the wider social environment, explain why bullying occurs, according to Swedish teenagers. The new study also shows that 42 percent of teenagers blamed the victim for the bullying. ... > full story
Circuit regulating anti-diabetic actions of serotonin uncovered (November 10, 2010) -- New findings suggest that serotonin -- a brain chemical known to help regulate emotion, mood and sleep -- might also have anti-diabetic properties. ... > full story
DNA repair protein caught in act of molecular theft (November 10, 2010) -- Scientists have observed, for the first time, an intermediate stage in the chemical process that repairs DNA methylation damage and regulates many important biological functions that impact health conditions such as obesity, cancer and diabetes. ... > full story
Predicting heart transplant patient's health earlier (November 10, 2010) -- A pathology researcher has found a new way to analyze biopsies from heart transplant patients by looking at their genes. This allows him to make an early prediction whether the transplant is working. ... > full story
New transportable technology detects bacteria in water (November 10, 2010) -- To keep soldiers in the battlefield healthy, the US Army is exploring new ways to detect harmful bacteria in water. ... > full story
Cancer news articles may contribute to confusion about cancer (November 10, 2010) -- New research shows that most online news stories about cancer contain language that likely contributes to public uncertainty about the disease -- a significant finding, given that at least one-third of Americans seek health information online. ... > full story
Fructose-rich beverages associated with increased risk of gout in women (November 10, 2010) -- Consumption of fructose-rich beverages, such as sugar-sweetened sodas and orange juice is associated with an increased risk of gout among women, although their contribution to the risk of gout in the population is likely modest because of the low incidence rate among women, according to a new study. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
