ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Wednesday, December 1, 2010
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Sugary lemonade may cool a hot temper (December 1, 2010) -- A spoonful of sugar may be enough to cool a hot temper, at least for a short time, according to new research. A study found that people who drank a glass of lemonade sweetened with sugar acted less aggressively toward a stranger a few minutes later than did people who consumed lemonade with a sugar substitute. ... > full story
Mother’s young alter brain’s response to drug (December 1, 2010) -- The presence of a mother's young changes the way her brain responds to drugs, according to new animal research. The findings suggest new avenues of treatment for mothers who are recovering drug abusers. ... > full story
Tiny RNA molecules control labor, may be key to blocking premature birth (December 1, 2010) -- Tiny molecules called microRNAs act together with hormones to control the onset of labor, raising the prospect that RNA-based drugs might be able to prevent premature labor, researchers have discovered in a preclinical study. ... > full story
Anti-microbials are a common cause of drug-induced liver injury and failure, study suggests (December 1, 2010) -- New research shows that anti-microbial medications are a common cause of drug-induced liver injury leading to acute liver failure (ALF), with women and minorities disproportionately affected. While ALF evolves slowly, once it does occur a spontaneous recovery is unlikely; however, liver transplantation offers an excellent survival rate. ... > full story
Motorcycle simulator gives new clues to road safety (December 1, 2010) -- New research using a world leading motorcycle simulator to analyze rider behavior has proved that safer doesn't necessarily mean slower and that formal advanced training for bikers can demonstrate improved safety on our roads. ... > full story
Older animals unable to distinguish similar-looking objects (December 1, 2010) -- Older rats appeared unable to discriminate between objects with similar features, behavior comparable to that of elderly people, who often have memory and perception troubles. The older rats' actions may be similar to those of young rats with damage in specific brain regions, according to a new study. ... > full story
Brain scans detect autism's signature (December 1, 2010) -- An autism study using functional magnetic resonance imaging has identified a pattern of brain activity that may characterize the genetic vulnerability to developing autism spectrum disorder. The study could eventually lead to earlier and more accurate autism diagnosis. ... > full story
Internal body clock controls fat metabolism (December 1, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered that circadian rhythms -- the internal body clock -- regulate fat metabolism. This helps explain why people burn fat more efficiently at certain times of day and could lead to new pharmaceuticals for obesity, diabetes and energy-related illnesses. ... > full story
New report ties diabetes to shortened life expectancy (December 1, 2010) -- Despite medical advances enabling those with diabetes to live longer today than in the past, a 50-year-old with the disease still can expect to live 8.5 years fewer years, on average, than a 50-year-old without the disease. This critical finding comes from a new report that finds that older adults with diabetes have a lower life expectancy at every age than those without the disease. ... > full story
Are good-looking people more employable? Findings vary depending on whether it's a male or female applicant and who's doing the screening (December 1, 2010) -- In a new study by researchers in Israel, the resumes of "attractive" males received a 19.9 percent response rate, nearly 50 percent higher than the 13.7 percent response rate for "plain" males and more than twice the 9.2 percent response rate of no-picture males. Among women, the study indicates that, contrary to popular belief, "attractive" women are called back for a position LESS often than "plain women" (unattractive), as well as women who had no picture on their resume. ... > full story
Alternative therapies may leave asthmatics gasping, study suggests (November 30, 2010) -- Approximately 13 percent of parents turn to alternative therapies to treat their children's asthma, according to a new study. The findings suggest that this trend is associated with a two-fold higher rate of poor asthma control in children. ... > full story
SRC-1 controls liver's 'sweet spot' for glucose production (November 30, 2010) -- SRC-1 (steroid receptor coactivator) orchestrates glucose production in the liver, regulating the activity of a cascade of enzymes that turns sugar production on and off in the liver, according to new research. ... > full story
Social support is most effective when provided invisibly (November 30, 2010) -- New research shows how social support benefits are maximized when provided "invisibly" -- that is without the support recipient being aware that they are receiving it. ... > full story
Children with autism have mitochondrial dysfunction, study finds (November 30, 2010) -- Children with autism are far more likely to have deficits in their ability to produce cellular energy than are typically developing children, according to new research. A study found that cumulative damage and oxidative stress in mitochondria, the cell's energy producer, could influence both the onset and severity of autism, suggesting a strong link between autism and mitochondrial defects. ... > full story
Dosing directions, measuring devices appear inconsistent for many children's liquid medications, study finds (November 30, 2010) -- An examination of 200 of the top-selling cough/cold, allergy, analgesic and gastrointestinal over-the-counter liquid medications for children finds that there have been high levels of variability and inconsistencies regarding medication labeling and measuring devices, according to a new study. ... > full story
Narcissistic students don't mind cheating their way to the top, study finds (November 30, 2010) -- College students who exhibit narcissistic tendencies are more likely than fellow students to cheat on exams and assignments, a new study shows. The results suggested that narcissists were motivated to cheat because their academic performance functions as an opportunity to show off to others, and they didn't feel particularly guilty about their actions. ... > full story
Drop in breast cancer rates directly tied to reduced hormone therapy, large study finds (November 30, 2010) -- In a new study of more than 2 million mammogram screenings performed on nearly 700,000 women in the United States, scientists for the first time show a direct link between reduced hormone therapy and declines in ductal carcinoma in situ as well as invasive breast cancer. The researchers saw such a striking decrease, they believe they also have uncovered indirect evidence that hormones promote breast tumor growth. ... > full story
Belly fat puts women at risk for osteoporosis, study finds (November 30, 2010) -- For years, it was believed that obese women were at lower risk for developing osteoporosis, and that excess body fat actually protected against bone loss. However, a new study found that having too much internal abdominal fat may, in fact, have a damaging effect on bone health. ... > full story
Acupuncture changes brain's perception and processing of pain, researchers find (November 30, 2010) -- Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have captured pictures of the brain while patients experienced a pain stimulus with and without acupuncture to determine acupuncture's effect on how the brain processes pain. ... > full story
Caffeinated alcoholic beverages: A growing public health problem? (November 30, 2010) -- In the wake of multiple state bans on caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs) and an FDA warning to four companies to remove their products from the marketplace, a new article delineates the scope of the public health problem and suggests areas of research that might help address it. ... > full story
Neurological protein may hold the key to new treatments for depression (November 30, 2010) -- Neuroscientists have developed a protein peptide that may be a novel type of highly targeted treatment for depression with a low side-effect profile. Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide. ... > full story
Hormone oxytocin bolsters childhood memories of mom's affections (November 30, 2010) -- Researchers have found that the naturally-occurring hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin intensifies men's memories of their mother's affections during childhood. ... > full story
Sporadic breast cancers start with ineffective DNA repair systems (November 30, 2010) -- Breast cancers that arise sporadically, rather than through inheritance of certain genes, likely start with defects of DNA repair mechanisms that allow environmentally triggered mutations to accumulate, according to researchers. The findings indicate that chemotherapy drugs that target DNA in later-stage cancers could be an effective treatment for the earliest of breast tumors. ... > full story
Playing with building blocks of creativity help children with autism (November 30, 2010) -- In an attempt to help children with autism learn the building blocks of creativity, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center tapped a toy box staple for help -- legos. By building lego structures in new and unique ways, children with autism spectrum disorders learned to use creativity, an important skill that they had seen as very challenging prior to the study. ... > full story
Antibacterial soaps: Being too clean can make people sick, study suggests (November 30, 2010) -- Young people who are overexposed to antibacterial soaps containing triclosan may suffer more allergies, and exposure to higher levels of Bisphenol A among adults may negatively influence the immune system, a new study suggests. ... > full story
New genomic technique reveals obesity gene variants (November 30, 2010) -- Obesity is highly heritable, but so far genetic association studies have only explained a small fraction of this heritability. Now, researchers have identified DNA variants in two nervous system genes that are associated with an excessively high BMI. ... > full story
Moderate alcohol consumption lowers the risk of metabolic diseases, study suggests (November 30, 2010) -- With the emergence of an epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes (DM) throughout the world, the association of lifestyle habits that may affect the risk of metabolic diseases is especially important. ... > full story
New approach may help dialysis patients fight anemia (November 30, 2010) -- A new drug called FG-2216 can stimulate production of the hormone erythropoietin in dialysis patients -- possibly offering a new approach to treatment of kidney disease-related anemia, according to a new study. ... > full story
Clarity in short-term memory shows no link with IQ (November 30, 2010) -- One person correctly remembers four of eight items just seen but is fuzzy on details. Another person recalls only two of the items but with amazingly precise clarity. So what ability translates to higher IQ? According to a new study the answer is very clear. ... > full story
Apes unwilling to gamble when odds are uncertain (November 30, 2010) -- Humans are known to play it safe in a situation when they aren't sure of the odds, or don't have confidence in their judgments. We don't like to choose the unknown. And new evidence is showing that chimpanzees and bonobos, our closest living primate relatives, treat the problem the same way we do. ... > full story
Celecoxib (Celebrex) may be effective in preventing non-melanoma skin cancers (November 30, 2010) -- Celecoxib (also known by its brand name Celebrex) may help prevent non-melanoma skin cancers in patients with extensive actinic keratosis, which is often a precursor to these cancers, according to a randomized clinical trial. ... > full story
Artesunate suppositories are cost-effective intervention for severe childhood malaria (November 30, 2010) -- Giving emergency artesunate suppositories to children with suspected severe malaria before referring them for treatment is a cost-effective intervention that can substantially improve the management of childhood malaria in remote African settings, according to a new study. ... > full story
Prescriptions for teens and young adults on the rise (November 30, 2010) -- Adolescents and young adults are most likely to abuse prescription medications. Yet prescription rates for controlled medications have nearly doubled for those age groups in the past 14 years, according to a recent study. ... > full story
Male reproductive problems may add to falling fertility rates (November 30, 2010) -- Reduced male fertility may be making it even harder for couples to conceive and be contributing to low birth rates in many countries, reveals a new report. ... > full story
Brain cells called pericytes become a player in Alzheimer's, other diseases (November 30, 2010) -- Cells in the brain called pericytes that have not been high on the list of targets for treating diseases like Alzheimer's may play a more crucial role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases than has been realized. The findings, published in Neuron, cast the pericyte in a surprising new role as a key player shaping blood flow in the brain and protecting sensitive brain tissue from harmful substances. ... > full story
Black children more likely to die from neuroblastoma, study finds (November 30, 2010) -- Black, Asian, and Native-American children are more likely than white and Hispanic children to die after being treated for neuroblastoma, according to new research on the pediatric cancer. The study, of more than 3,500 patients with the disease, is the largest ever to look at racial disparities in risk and survival for the most common solid cancer found in young children. ... > full story
Diagnosis uncertainty increases anxiety in patients (November 30, 2010) -- Have you ever felt uneasy sitting in a doctor's waiting room or climbed the walls waiting for your test results? That feeling of anxious uncertainty can be more stressful than knowing you have a serious illness, according to a new study. ... > full story
Oregon's POLST program expands to provide patients with more control at the end of their lives (November 30, 2010) -- Oregon's groundbreaking POLST program -- a program that allows persons to communicate their end-of-life plans via a physician's written order -- has achieved a new milestone. ... > full story
Recommendations issued on controversial 'Ashley' procedure for disabled children (November 30, 2010) -- Should parents be able to use medical means to restrict the growth of profoundly disabled children to make them easier to care for at home? A working group convened to discuss the ethical and policy considerations of "growth attenuation" proposes some guidelines in a new article. Personal essays -- including those of parents whose children cannot walk or speak -- accompany the article. ... > full story
International clinical trial tests targeted drug for melanoma (November 30, 2010) -- Rush University Medical Center has just enrolled the first US patient in an international clinical trial testing a novel drug to treat certain kinds of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer that in its advanced stages currently has few effective treatments. ... > full story
5.7 million Californians lack access to job-based health coverage (November 30, 2010) -- Most Americans receive health insurance through their employer, or through an employed family member's coverage. Yet having a job is no guarantee of coverage, according to a new policy brief. The study found that 5.7 million Californians under age 65 who lived in households with at least one employed family member had no access to job-based health insurance. ... > full story
Bladder regeneration using stem cells from patients own bone marrow (November 29, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a medical model for regenerating bladders using stem cells harvested from a patient's own bone marrow. The research is especially relevant for pediatric patients suffering from abnormally developed bladders, but also represents another step towards new organ replacement therapies. ... > full story
Pre-eclampsia: Early urine test predicts pregnancy complication (November 29, 2010) -- Pre-eclampsia affects approximately 5% of pregnancies and can pose serious health concerns for mother and child. Some patients develop severe disease associated with kidney, liver, and neurological problems. The condition is characterized by high blood pressure and the loss of protein in the urine during the second half of pregnancy. ... > full story
Does sex matter? It may when evaluating mental status (November 29, 2010) -- Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that differs between the sexes in terms of age at onset, symptomatology, response to medication and structural brain abnormalities. Now, a new study shows that there is gender difference between men and women's mental ability -- with women performing better than men. ... > full story
Superantigens could be behind several illnesses (November 29, 2010) -- Superantigens, the toxins produced by staphylococcus bacteria, are more complex than previously believed, reveals new research. The discovery shows that the body’s immune system can cause more illnesses than thought. ... > full story
Stem cell therapy: A future treatment for lower back pain? (November 29, 2010) -- Lower back pain affects many people and may be caused by degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae. Treatment for the condition using stem cells may be an alternative to today's surgical procedures, new research from Sweden suggests. ... > full story
US adults most likely to forgo care due to cost, have trouble paying medical bills, survey finds (November 29, 2010) -- A new 11-country survey from the Commonwealth Fund finds that adults in the United States are far more likely than those in 10 other industrialized nations to go without health care because of costs, have trouble paying medical bills, encounter high medical bills even when insured, and have disputes with their insurers or discover insurance wouldn't pay as they expected. ... > full story
Gene therapy prevents memory problems in mice with Alzheimer's disease (November 29, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered a new strategy to prevent memory deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Humans with AD and mice genetically engineered to simulate the disease have abnormally low levels of an enzyme called EphB2 in memory centers of the brain. Improving EphB2 levels in such mice by gene therapy completely fixed their memory problems. ... > full story
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