ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, November 26, 2010
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
New insight into the cause of common dementia (November 26, 2010) -- Researchers have found a clue as to how some people develop a form of dementia that affects the brain areas associated with personality, behavior and language. ... > full story
Promising new multiple sclerosis treatment under development (November 26, 2010) -- Successfully treating and reversing the effects of multiple sclerosis, or MS, may one day be possible using a drug originally developed to treat chronic pain, according to experts. ... > full story
High BMI in childhood linked to greater heart disease risk in adolescence (November 26, 2010) -- Children who have a high body mass index (BMI) between 9 and 12 years of age are more likely to have high blood pressure, cholesterol and blood insulin levels (all risk factors for developing heart disease) by the time they reach adolescence, according to a new study. ... > full story
US death rate from congenital heart defects continues to decline (November 26, 2010) -- Deaths from congenital heart defects continue a decades-long decline in the United States. The rates of death were consistently higher among blacks compared to whites. ... > full story
Do 'traffic lights' in the brain direct our actions? Delayed inhibition between neurons identified as possible basis for decision making (November 26, 2010) -- In every waking minute, we have to make decisions -- sometimes within a split second. Neuroscientists in Germany have now discovered a possible explanation how the brain chooses between alternative options. The key lies in extremely fast changes in the communication between single nerve cells. ... > full story
How cannabis suppresses immune functions: Cannabis compounds found to trigger unique immune cells which promote cancer growth (November 26, 2010) -- Immunologists studying the effects of cannabis have discovered how smoking marijuana can trigger a suppression of the body's immune functions. The research reveals why cannabis users are more susceptible to certain types of cancers and infections. ... > full story
Understanding aging by studying reproduction (November 26, 2010) -- Do examples of rejuvenation exist in nature? Yes, during reproduction! For the first time, scientists have managed to visualize, in the model organism C. elegans, the sudden “rejuvenation” of oocytes just before fertilization. This work opens new avenues for understanding aging and the diseases that are associated with it. ... > full story
Proton-pump inhibitors and birth defects: Some reassurances, but more needed, warns epidemiologist (November 26, 2010) -- Despite the reassurances about the use of proton-pump inhibitors during pregnancy based on a new study, an epidemiologist believes that further studies are needed. ... > full story
How people perceive sour flavors: Proton current drives action potentials in taste cells (November 25, 2010) -- Tart cranberry sauce is part of Thanksgiving, and a new study reveals a surprising mechanism for how we perceive sourness: a proton current in taste cells. ... > full story
Using a patient's tumor to form vaccine: Dendritic cell vaccine induces immune responses in patients (November 25, 2010) -- A new process for creating a personalized vaccine may become a crucial tool in helping patients with colorectal cancer develop an immune response against their own tumors. This dendritic cell vaccine was used after surgical resection of metastatic tumors to try to prevent the growth of additional metastases. ... > full story
Jet-lagged and forgetful? It's no coincidence: Memory, learning problems persist long after periods of jet lag (November 25, 2010) -- Holiday travel can leave people cranky and tired, in part because of jet lag, the result of your body's internal clock being out of synch with your current time zone. For chronic travelers, it's more than a passing annoyance, however. A new study shows that chronic jet lag can cause long-term brain changes that lead to memory and learning problems for at least a month after return to a normal schedule. ... > full story
Being a 'good sport' can be critical to maintaining lifelong physical activity (November 25, 2010) -- It's never fun riding the bench -- but could it also make you less likely to be physically active in the future? ... > full story
Restoring gene for cancer protein p53 slows spread of advanced tumors, biologists find (November 25, 2010) -- In a new study, cancer biologists show that restoring the protein p53's function in mice with lung cancer has no effect early in tumor development, but restoring the function later on could prevent more advanced tumors from spreading throughout the body. ... > full story
Breastfeeding while taking seizure drugs may not harm child's IQ, study suggests (November 25, 2010) -- There's good news for women with epilepsy. Breastfeeding your baby while taking your seizure medication may have no harmful effect on your child's IQ later on, according to a new study. ... > full story
Haiti cholera outbreaks: Experts urge US to create emergency cholera vaccine stockpile for humanitarian use (November 25, 2010) -- In the wake of devastating cholera outbreaks in refugee camps in earthquake-wracked Haiti, a group of leading experts has urged the United States to create an emergency stockpile of cholera vaccines for future humanitarian use. ... > full story
New imaging technique accurately finds cancer cells, fast (November 25, 2010) -- The long, anxious wait for biopsy results could soon be over, thanks to a new tissue-imaging technique. Researchers have demonstrated the novel microscopy technique, called nonlinear interferometric vibrational imaging, on rat breast-cancer cells and tissues. It produced easy-to-read, color-coded images of tissue, outlining clear tumor boundaries, with more than 99 percent confidence -- in less than five minutes. ... > full story
How some melanoma tumors evade drug treatment: Critical gene involved in melanoma growth (November 25, 2010) -- Researchers have unearthed one of the key players behind drug resistance in melanoma. The findings point to a new potential drug target, and also lay the foundation for a generalized approach to identify the molecular underpinnings of drug resistance in many forms of cancer. ... > full story
Combining aerobic and resistance training appears helpful for patients with diabetes (November 25, 2010) -- Performing a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance training was associated with improved glycemic levels among patients with type 2 diabetes, compared to patients who did not exercise, according to a new study. The level of improvement was not seen among patients who performed either aerobic exercise or resistance training alone. ... > full story
People who donate to religions are more likely to punish selfish behaviour, new study finds (November 25, 2010) -- When subconsciously exposed to religious ideas and concepts, religious people are far more likely to actively punish those they believe are acting selfishly and unfairly, a new study has revealed. ... > full story
Stem cells from amniotic fluid: Reprogrammed amniotic fluid cells can generate all types of body cells (November 25, 2010) -- High hopes rest on stem cells: one day, they may be used to treat many diseases. To date, embryos are the main source of these cells, but this raises ethical problems. Scientists have now managed to convert amniotic fluid cells into pluripotent stem cells. These amniotic fluid-derived iPS cells are hardly distinguishable from embryonic stem cells. However, they "remember" where they came from. ... > full story
A cancer cell's beginning reconstructed in a test tube (November 25, 2010) -- Scientists recreate the very first step by which a normal cell transforms itself into a cancer cell. They have identified factors in the very first step of the process and reconstituted this first step in the test tube. ... > full story
Cellular mechanisms leading to immune response in airway epithelium (November 25, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated that commensal species of the genus Neisseriae are low inducers of human airway epithelial cell responses as compared to the pathogenic species. ... > full story
Drug resistance mechanisms identified in most common form of melanoma (November 24, 2010) -- Researchers have found that melanoma patients whose cancers are caused by mutation of the BRAF gene become resistant to a promising targeted treatment through another genetic mutation or the overexpression of a cell surface protein, both driving survival of the cancer and accounting for relapse. The study could result in the development of new targeted therapies to fight resistance once the patient stops responding and the cancer begins to grow again. ... > full story
Late-preterm babies at greater risk for problems later in childhood, study finds (November 24, 2010) -- Late-preterm babies -- those born between 34 and 36 weeks -- are at an increased risk for cognitive and emotional problems, regardless of maternal IQ or demographics, according to new research. ... > full story
Gene linked to ADHD allows memory task to be interrupted by brain regions tied to daydreaming (November 24, 2010) -- Neuroscientists say brain scans show that a gene nominally linked to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder leads to increased interference by brain regions associated with mind wandering during mental tasks. ... > full story
An answer to a longstanding question: How HIV infection kills T cells (November 24, 2010) -- Researchers appear to have an explanation for a longstanding question in HIV biology: how it is that the virus kills so many CD4 T cells, despite the fact that most of them appear to be "bystander" cells that are themselves not productively infected? That loss of CD4 T cells marks the progression from HIV infection to full-blown AIDS, explain the researchers who report their findings in studies of human tonsils and spleens. ... > full story
Sensory detection and discrimination: Neural basis of rapid brain adaptation revealed (November 24, 2010) -- Researchers have determined the biological basis of your brain's ability to quickly switch from detecting an object moving in your direction to determining what the object is: neurons located at the beginning of the brain's sensory information pathway changing their level of simultaneous firing. ... > full story
Less invasive method for determining stage of lung cancer shows benefits (November 24, 2010) -- A comparison of two strategies to determine the stage of suspected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) finds that the less invasive method is more effective at identifying a type of lung cancer that has spread, and may result in a reduction of unnecessary surgical procedures and associated adverse effects for certain patients. ... > full story
Retirement reduces tiredness and depression, study finds (November 24, 2010) -- Retirement leads to a substantial reduction in mental and physical fatigue and depressive symptoms, finds a new study. However, the research also concludes that retirement does not change the risk of major chronic illnesses such as respiratory disease, diabetes and heart disease. ... > full story
Chronic high cholesterol diet produces brain damage (November 24, 2010) -- A chronic high fat cholesterol diet in rats is linked to pathologies similar to Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Coffee and a sweet treat to think better? Caffeine and glucose combined improves the efficiency of brain activity (November 24, 2010) -- The combination of caffeine and glucose can improve the efficiency of brain activity, according to a recent study in which functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to identify the neural substrate for the combined effects of these two substances. ... > full story
Binge drinking may lead to higher risk of heart disease (November 24, 2010) -- Belfast's binge drinking culture could be behind the country's high rates of heart disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Getting lost in buildings: Architecture can bias your cognitive map (November 24, 2010) -- Some people are better than others at navigating their worlds. Differences among people that include spatial skills, experience, and preferred strategies for wayfinding are part of what determines whether people get lost in buildings -- and psychological scientists could help architects understand where and why people might get lost in their buildings, according to the authors of a new article. ... > full story
Heating nanoparticles to kill tumor cells (November 24, 2010) -- Magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH) is a promising new cancer treatment that essentially "fries" cells inside tumors. Nanoparticles are heated, cancer cells die with no adverse effects to the surrounding healthy tissue. ... > full story
For your teeth, Thanksgiving dinner is a real food fight (November 24, 2010) -- If you're lucky, it will all be kisses and hugs around the Thanksgiving dinner table, with friends and family gathered about, and puppies at your feet waiting for table scraps. But peace won't reign within the confines of the oral cavity; your meal will enable Streptococcus mutans to launch one of its biggest assaults of the year on your tooth enamel. But dinner also offers some leads on new ways to stop cavities. ... > full story
Age estimation from blood has immediate forensic application (November 24, 2010) -- Scientists have devised a method that would allow them to estimate the age of crime suspects or missing persons from blood collected at the scene of a crime. In principle, the new profiling method could be put to immediate practical use by law enforcement, according to researchers. They have already begun the required validation of the test, which is designed to assure that quality standards are met. ... > full story
Why do people behave badly? Maybe it's just too easy (November 24, 2010) -- Many people say they wouldn't cheat on a test, lie on a job application or refuse to help a person in need. But what if the test answers fell into your lap and cheating didn't require any work on your part? If you didn't have to face the person who needed your help and refuse them? Would that change your behavior? ... > full story
Battle of the sexes: Researchers change 'femaleness' or 'maleness' of fruit flies (November 24, 2010) -- Researchers found that they could change the "femaleness" or "maleness" of fruit flies, providing windows on the sensory and behavioral cues underlying aggressive behavior in these animals. ... > full story
Environmental toxin may play important role in multiple sclerosis: Hypertension drug possible treatment (November 24, 2010) -- Researchers have found evidence that an environmental pollutant may play an important role in causing multiple sclerosis and that a hypertension drug might be used to treat the disease. ... > full story
Salmonella test makes food safer, reduce recalls (November 24, 2010) -- Earlier this year, an outbreak of salmonella caused by infected eggs resulted in thousands of illnesses before a costly recall could be implemented. Now researchers have created a new test for salmonella in poultry and eggs that will produce faster and more accurate results than most currently available tests. The new test could have prevented the contaminated eggs from being shipped to stores. ... > full story
Genomic 'markers' may head off thousands of thyroid surgeries (November 24, 2010) -- Doctors are beginning to use a genomic approach to evaluating suspicious thyroid nodules. The test could eliminate the need for tens of thousands of unnecessary thyroid surgeries every year. ... > full story
Plant-derived scavengers prowl the body for nerve toxins (November 24, 2010) -- A biochemist has shown that human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a so-called bioscavenging molecule, can be produced synthetically -- from plants. Further, researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of plant-derived BChE in protecting against both pesticide and nerve agent organophosphate poisoning. ... > full story
Perceptual training improves vision of the elderly, research finds (November 24, 2010) -- Elderly adults can improve their vision with perceptual training, according to a new study that has implications for the health and mobility of senior citizens. ... > full story
Cancer: Thermotherapy as a chemotherapy alternative? (November 24, 2010) -- Using hyperthermia, engineering researchers unveiled a new method to target and destroy cancerous cells. The treatment uses hyperthermia to elevate the temperature of tumor cells, while keeping the surrounding healthy tissue at a lower degree of body heat. The investigators used both in vitro and in vivo experiments to confirm their findings. ... > full story
Too much of a good thing: Important mechanism in hormone-sensitive breast cancer uncovered (November 24, 2010) -- In two out of three breast tumors, extraordinarily high levels of the estrogen receptor ERalpha are found. Scientists have now uncovered a mechanism which causes this overproduction. This result might contribute to developing new strategies for fighting the most frequent type of cancer affecting women. ... > full story
Dealt a bad hand: Pathological gamblers are also at risk for mental health disorders (November 24, 2010) -- Pathological gamblers are risking more than their money, they are also three times more likely to commit suicide than non-betters. A new study has shown these gamblers are also plagued by personality disorders. ... > full story
Bacteria help infants digest milk more effectively than adults (November 24, 2010) -- Infants are more efficient at digesting and utilizing nutritional components of milk than adults due to a difference in the strains of bacteria that dominate their digestive tracts. Researchers now report on genomic analysis of these strains identifying the genes that are most likely responsible for this difference. ... > full story
For HIV-positive patients, delayed treatment a costly decision (November 24, 2010) -- HIV-infected patients whose treatment is delayed not only become sicker than those treated earlier, but also require tens of thousands of dollars more in care over the first several years of their treatment. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2010 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your profile click here  |
