ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, November 19, 2010
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Key enzyme that regulates the early growth of breast cancer cells identified (November 19, 2010) -- Scientists have found that blocking the action of an enzyme called GnT-V significantly delays the onset and spread of tumors in mice with cancer very similar to many cases of human breast cancer. ... > full story
Bees take the sting out of mouth ulcers (November 19, 2010) -- The healing properties of propolis -- a mixture of resin and wax made by honey bees to seal and sterilize their hives -- have been known for many years. But its use in medicine and food supplements has been limited because the sticky substance is not water soluble and has a strong, off-putting smell. Now researchers have developed a way of purifying propolis that retains its medicinal properties, but makes it dissolve in water and eliminates its pungent smell. ... > full story
Cough medicine could help doctors identify how breast cancer patients metabolize tamoxifen (November 19, 2010) -- Cough medicine could be used as way of predicting how well individual patients metabolize tamoxifen used in the treatment of their breast cancer, according to new research. ... > full story
Care for prisoners will improve public health, researchers say (November 19, 2010) -- In a comprehensive global survey, researchers have concluded that improving the mental and physical health of inmates will improve public health. ... > full story
Mechanism behind organ transplant rejection identified (November 19, 2010) -- Researchers have pinpointed the culprit behind chronic rejection of heart, lung and kidney transplants. These findings suggest new therapeutic approaches for preventing transplant rejection and sabotaging cancer growth. ... > full story
Why so many antibodies fail to protect against HIV infection (November 19, 2010) -- Researchers have been stymied for years over the fact that people infected with the AIDS virus do indeed produce antibodies in response to the pathogen -- antibodies that turn out to be ineffective in blocking infection. Now, scientists can explain why: Some of the earliest and most abundant antibodies available to fight HIV can't actually "see" the virus until after it's already invaded a healthy cell. ... > full story
Innovative neural probe senses and stimulates individual brain cells (November 19, 2010) -- Scientists have created a new neural probe enabling electrical and chemical recording and stimulation of single neurons in the brain. Applications of the new technology are vast, ranging from tools for fundamental research on the functioning of the brain, to instruments for more precise diagnosis of brain seizures before brain-surgery. ... > full story
Importance of exercise for those at special risk for Alzheimer's (November 19, 2010) -- In a study that included healthy 65- to 85-years-old who carried a high-risk gene for Alzheimer's disease, those who exercised showed greater brain activity in memory-related regions than those who were sedentary. The results suggest that physical activity promotes changes in the brain that may protect high-risk individuals against cognitive decline. ... > full story
Stem cell-secreted protein can be given to improve heart function after experimental heart attack (November 18, 2010) -- Heart tissue and stem cells spring into action to begin repairing muscle damaged in a heart attack, and researchers found that a protein naturally produced in the body may potentially play a role in accelerating heart muscle repair. Giving the right dose of this protein named secreted frizzled related protein 2 (sfrp2) in studies of rats helped to prevent heart failure and reduce collagen layering that can form thick scar tissue. ... > full story
Scientists announce new advance with potential for future cancer targeting (November 18, 2010) -- New research that provides potential for exciting new approaches to targeting diseases such as cancer has been announced by an international team of academics. They have also announced the potential for more targeted treatments following their identification of proteins that play a vital role in the life of a human cell. ... > full story
Estrogen concentrations in manure runoff: Pelletized manure reduces toxic runoff (November 18, 2010) -- Higher concentrations of hormones in waterways have been found to cause physiological and sexual impairment in fish. A new study examines estrogen concentrations in runoff from agricultural plots fertilized with chicken manure. ... > full story
What if we used poetry to teach computers to speak better? (November 18, 2010) -- A better understanding of how we use acoustic cues to stress new information and put old information in the background may help computer programmers produce more realistic-sounding speech. ... > full story
Gene therapy for metastatic melanoma in mice produces complete remission (November 18, 2010) -- Cancer researchers report a potent anti-tumor gene introduced into mice with metastatic melanoma has resulted in permanent immune reconfiguration and produced a complete remission of their cancer. ... > full story
Vitamin C may offer potential life-saving treatment for sepsis (November 18, 2010) -- Physicians caring for patients with sepsis may soon have a new safe and cost-effective treatment for this life-threatening illness. Researchers have found that vitamin C can not only prevent the onset of sepsis, but can reverse the disease. ... > full story
Multiple sclerosis drug serves as model for potential drugs to treat botulism poisoning (November 18, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting that variants of a drug already approved for treating multiple sclerosis show promise as a long sought treatment for victims of bioterrorist attack with botulinum neurotoxin -- which is 10,000 times deadlier than cyanide and the most poisonous substance known to man. The potential drugs also could be useful in treating other forms of botulism poisoning as well as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and myasthenia gravis, they say in a new article. ... > full story
One-touch make-up -- for our cells (November 18, 2010) -- A new technique enables scientists to introduce up to 15 fluorescent markers to a mammalian cell in one go, and could help speed up drug development and screening. ... > full story
Depression-like behavior identified in zebrafish; Inability to cope with stress may play role in depression (November 18, 2010) -- Disrupting the stress response in zebrafish generates behaviors that resemble depression, according to new research. Zebrafish are popular model systems in many areas of biomedical research, but this is the first discovery of a zebrafish mutant with an apparent psychiatric disorder. ... > full story
Scientists ferret out a key pathway for aging (November 18, 2010) -- For decades, scientists have been searching for the fundamental biological secrets of how eating less extends lifespan. Scientists have now described a molecular pathway that is a key determinant of the aging process. ... > full story
Hope for treatment of cocaine addiction: Block memories (November 18, 2010) -- Cocaine is one of the worst drug addictions to kick. But now researchers have found that a common beta blocker can prevent the retrieval of memories associated with cocaine addiction, a major reason many addicts experience relapse. In addition, the work has identified primary players in the brain responsible for "extinction" learning -- the ability to replace cocaine-associated memories with associations that have no drug "reward." ... > full story
It takes a village: Mechanism alerts neighbors to amplify immune response (November 18, 2010) -- New research reveals a clever strategy that enables a host organism to outsmart an invading bacterium by counteracting its efforts to suppress the innate immune response. The study describes a mechanism by which an infected cell can quickly alert unsuspecting (and uninfected) neighboring cells that can join the fight, amplify the immune response and defeat the invader. ... > full story
Differences in brain development between males and females may hold clues to mental health disorders (November 18, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered differences in the development of the amygdala region of the brain -- which is critical to the expression of emotional and social behaviors -- in animal models that may help to explain why some mental health disorders are more prevalent among boys. They also found a surprising variable -- a difference between males and females in the level of endocannabinoid, a natural substance in the brain that affected their behavior, specifically how they played. ... > full story
Mortal chemical combat typifies the world of bacteria (November 18, 2010) -- New complexities in the close chemical combat waged among bacteria have been detailed. The findings may have implications for human health and survival. ... > full story
Mysterious cells may play role in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (November 18, 2010) -- By tracking the fate of a group of immature cells that persist in the adult brain and spinal cord, researchers discovered in mice that these cells undergo dramatic changes in ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ... > full story
Hearing loss study reveals role of bone hardness in tissue function (November 18, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting the first direct evidence that a subtle change in the physical properties of a tissue can affect its function. ... > full story
It takes two: Double detection key for sensing muscle pain (November 18, 2010) -- A new study discovers a molecular mechanism involved in pain associated with muscles. The research provides new insight into what underlies one of the most common, and least understood, forms of human pain. ... > full story
Light at night causes changes in brain linked to depression (November 18, 2010) -- Exposure to even dim light at night is enough to cause physical changes in the brains of hamsters that may be associated with depression, a new study shows. Researchers found that female Siberian hamsters exposed to dim light every night for eight weeks showed significant changes in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. ... > full story
Novel approach shows promise for cystic fibrosis (November 18, 2010) -- An investigational drug targeting a defective protein that causes cystic fibrosis has been shown to improve lung function in a small study of CF patients. The drug, VX-770, appeared to improve function of what is known as CFTR -- the faulty protein responsible for CF. It is among the first compounds being developed for CF that specifically targets the root cause of cystic fibrosis. ... > full story
Tiny Trojan horses attack brain cancer cells (November 18, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a way of smuggling an anti-cancer drug past the protective blood-brain barrier and into brain tumors and metastases using a nanocarrier -- a tiny capsule specially designed to pass through cell membranes and deliver its anti-cancer drug to the cancer cell. ... > full story
Machine learning technique designed to improve consumer medical searches (November 18, 2010) -- Researchers have created a machine-learning model that enables the medical sites to "learn" dialect and other medical vernacular, thereby improving their performance for users who use such language themselves. ... > full story
How video games stretch the limits of our visual attention (November 18, 2010) -- They are often accused of being distracting, but recent research has found that action packed video games like Halo and Call of Duty can enhance visual attention, the ability that allows us to focus on relevant visual information. This growing body of research suggests that action based games could be used to improve military training, educational approaches, and certain visual deficits. ... > full story
Influenza vaccines of the future (November 18, 2010) -- New research examines the limitations of currently available influenza vaccines and offers direction for developing more efficient and reliable strategies to make vaccines to protect against seasonal as well as pandemic influenza. ... > full story
Laser system shows promise for cataract surgery (November 18, 2010) -- A new system for femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery is not only safe but also cuts circles in lens capsules that are 12 times more precise than those achieved by the traditional method, as well as leaving edges that are twice as strong in the remaining capsule, which serves as a pocket in which the surgeon places the plastic replacement lens, new research suggests. ... > full story
Structure of Lassa virus protein reveals viral thievery (November 18, 2010) -- Scientists have solved the structure of a key protein from Lassa virus, which is endemic to West Africa and can cause a deadly hemorrhagic fever. The structure reveals how the virus evades its host's immune system, and how it hijacks infected cells' vital machinery in a process scientists call "cap-stealing." Details of the structure could guide future efforts at antiviral drug discovery and vaccine development. ... > full story
Disruptive behaviour disorders in male teenagers associated with increased risk of road crashes (November 18, 2010) -- Disruptive behavior disorders in male teenagers, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder are associated with about a one-third increase in the risk of being seriously injured in a road traffic crash -- either as driver or pedestrian. ... > full story
Regenerative stem cell therapy offers new hope for treating cardiovascular disease (November 18, 2010) -- Physician researchers are revolutionizing treatment of cardiovascular disease by utilizing patients' own stem cells to regenerate heart and vascular tissue. ... > full story
New drug targets vitamin D receptors in hormone resistant prostate cancers (November 18, 2010) -- A new anti-cancer drug aimed at vitamin D receptors on cancer cells has prompted encouraging responses in the levels of PSA (prostate specific antigen) in men with prostate cancer that has become resistant to hormonal therapies. ... > full story
Listeners' brains respond more to native accent speakers; Imaging study suggests accents are subtle 'insider' or 'outsider' signal to the brain (November 18, 2010) -- The brains of Scots responded differently when they listened to speakers with Scottish accents than to speakers with American or British accents, a new study has found. Understanding how our brains respond to other accents may explain one way in which people have an unconscious bias against outsiders. ... > full story
Scientists identify antivirus system in host cells (November 18, 2010) -- Viruses have led scientists to the discovery of a security system in host cells. Viruses that cause disease in animals beat the security system millennia ago. But now that researchers are aware of it, they can explore the possibility of bringing the system back into play in the fight against diseases such as sudden acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), West Nile virus, dengue and yellow fever. ... > full story
Novel genetic mutation that causes the most common form of eye cancer discovered (November 18, 2010) -- A new study has revealed the discovery of a novel oncogene that is associated with uveal melanoma, the most common form of eye cancer. ... > full story
Fighting America’s 'other drug problem': Researchers find key to combating medication non-adherence (November 18, 2010) -- Non-adherence to medications costs thousands of lives and billions of dollars each year in the United States alone. Now, researchers have developed an intervention strategy that is three times more effective than previously studied techniques at improving adherence in patients. ... > full story
Women who stutter have different brain connections than men who stutter; Findings may help explain why more men than women stutter (November 18, 2010) -- According to new research, women who stutter show brain patterns that are distinct from men who stutter. Finding diagnostic brain markers that are unique to people who stutter could help scientists develop treatments that target those areas in the future. ... > full story
Broad new technique for screening proteins devised (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists have developed a powerful new method for detecting functional sites on proteins. The technique may have broad applications in basic research and drug development. ... > full story
Small clumps of tau protein disrupt memory; Animal study suggests possible target for Alzheimer’s disease therapies (November 17, 2010) -- Too many small aggregates of a protein called tau in the brain can directly interfere with memory, according to new animal research. ... > full story
Brain region responsible for speech illusion identified; Study explains how visual cues disrupt speech perception (November 17, 2010) -- Watching lips move is key to accurately hearing what someone says. The McGurk Effect, an auditory phenomenon in which viewing lips moving out of sync with words creates other words, has been known since the 1970s; now researchers have pinpointed the brain region responsible for it. ... > full story
Upending conventional wisdom, certain virus families are ancient (November 17, 2010) -- Certain families of single-stranded DNA virus are more than 40 to 50 million years old, according to new research. The investigators found remnants of circoviruses and parvoviruses in the genomes of diverse vertebrates from fishes to birds and mammals that had been integrated into their genomes at different times from the recent past to more than 50 million years ago. ... > full story
Development of a safer vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease; Mouse study suggests new vaccine approach that may avoid side effects (November 17, 2010) -- A new vaccine protects against memory problems associated with Alzheimer's disease, but without potentially dangerous side effects, a new animal study reports. ... > full story
Low-allergenic wines could stifle sniffles and sneezes in millions of wine drinkers (November 17, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a mysterious culprit that threatens headaches, stuffy noses, skin rash and other allergy symptoms when more than 500 million people worldwide drink wine. The discovery could help winemakers in developing the first low allergenic vintages -- reds and whites with less potential to trigger allergy symptoms, they say. ... > full story
How anthrax bacteria impair immune response (November 17, 2010) -- Researchers have determined a key mechanism by which Bacillus anthracis bacteria initiate anthrax infection despite being greatly outnumbered by immune system scavenger cells. The finding, made by studying genetically modified mice, adds new detail to the picture of early-stage anthrax infection and supports efforts to develop vaccines and drugs that would block this part of the cycle. ... > full story
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