ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, December 16, 2010
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Feast, famine and the genetics of obesity: You can't have it both ways (December 16, 2010) -- In addition to fast food, desk jobs, and inertia, there is one more thing to blame for unwanted pounds -- our genome, which has apparently not caught up with the fact that we no longer live in the Stone Age. ... > full story
Dolphin by-catch includes genetic relatives (December 16, 2010) -- A new study provides insight for the conservation of small cetaceans by demonstrating that Franciscana dolphins accidentally entangled in fishing nets include genetic relatives, or mother-offspring pairs. ... > full story
Link between cholesterol compound and multiple sclerosis unlikely, researchers say (December 16, 2010) -- New research findings indicate that compounds called oxysterols are not present in any significant amount in multiple sclerosis patients, contradicting a previous study that suggested that some of these cholesterol metabolites were associated with MS and could be used as diagnostic tools in the clinic. ... > full story
Submerging your feet in alcohol will not get you drunk (December 16, 2010) -- New research explodes the Danish myth that it is possible to get drunk by submerging your feet in alcohol. ... > full story
Sticking to dietary recommendations would save 33,000 lives a year in the UK (December 16, 2010) -- If everyone in the UK ate their "five a day," and cut their dietary salt and unhealthy fat intake to recommended levels, 33,000 deaths could be prevented or delayed every year, reveals new research. ... > full story
Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels may not affect cardiovascular mortality (December 16, 2010) -- There is burgeoning public interest in possible wide-ranging health benefits from vitamin D, including cardiovascular health. Investigators have now found that there was no independent association between serum levels of vitamin D or parathyroid hormone and cardiovascular mortality in this prospective study, the first in a population of older community-dwelling adults with a low prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and a broad range of kidney function. ... > full story
SIDS spikes on New Year's Day (December 15, 2010) -- Not a happy holiday thought, but an important one: The number of babies who die of SIDS, or sudden infant death syndrome, surges by 33 percent on New Year's Day. The suspected reason? Alcohol consumption by caretakers the night before. ... > full story
Heart disease, stroke deaths continue to fall but costs remain high (December 15, 2010) -- America is winning a battle against heart disease and stroke mortality, but is still losing the war, according to the American Heart Association. ... > full story
Close proximity of authors leads to better science (December 15, 2010) -- Through analyzing the locations of authors of academic papers, researchers have determined that physical proximity of collaborators, especially between the first and last author, correlates with how widely the paper is cited. ... > full story
Multitude of genetic regions key to embryonic stem cell development identified (December 15, 2010) -- More than 2,000 genetic regions involved in early human development have now been identified. The regions, called enhancers, are responsible for triggering the expression of distant genes when embryonic stem cells begin to divide to form the many tissues of a growing embryo. ... > full story
Plasma therapy: An alternative to antibiotics? (December 15, 2010) -- Cold plasma jets could be a safe, effective alternative to antibiotics to treat multi-drug resistant infections, according to a new study. ... > full story
Epstein-Barr: Scientists decode secrets of a very common virus that can cause cancer (December 15, 2010) -- About 90 percent of people are infected at some time in their lives with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), usually with no ill effects. But individuals with compromised immune systems, such as people with organ transplants or HIV infection, have a greater risk of cancer occurring because of this virus. Scientists have discovered a pathway that infected cells use to root out EBV infections, a finding that has implications for understanding the human response to cancer-causing viruses in general. ... > full story
Preteen conduct problems lead to teenage serious violence and delinquency, study suggests (December 15, 2010) -- Conduct disorders in preteens are predictive of eventual teenage serious violent and delinquent behavior, according to a new study. ... > full story
Compound derived from curry spice is neuroprotective against stroke and traumatic brain injury (December 15, 2010) -- A synthetic derivative of the curry spice turmeric dramatically improves the behavioral and molecular deficits seen in animal models of ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury. Two new studies suggest that the novel compound may have clinical promise for these conditions, which currently lack good therapies. ... > full story
Breast inflammation is key to cancer growth, researchers say (December 15, 2010) -- It took 12 years and a creation of a highly sophisticated transgenic mouse, but researchers have finally proven a long suspected theory: Inflammation in the breast is key to the development and progression of breast cancer. In a new study, the scientists report they can now definitively show that an inflammatory process within the breast itself promotes growth of breast cancer stem cells responsible for tumor development. ... > full story
Missing molecules hold promise of therapy for pancreatic cancer: Lost microRNAs put brakes on tumors (December 15, 2010) -- By determining what goes missing in human cells when the gene that is most commonly mutated in pancreatic cancer gets turned on, scientists have discovered a potential strategy for therapy. ... > full story
'Aha' effect: New hypothesis seeks to explain the pleasures of insight (December 15, 2010) -- The sudden appearance of a solution through insight -- the famous 'aha' effect -- is a peculiar phenomenal experience that people have when they solve a problem. Researchers have now put forward a new hypothesis that integrates the known features of insight experiences into a unitary framework. ... > full story
Robot arm improves performance of brain-controlled device (December 15, 2010) -- The performance of a brain-machine interface designed to help paralyzed subjects move objects with their thoughts is improved with the addition of a robotic arm providing sensory feedback, a new study finds. ... > full story
Nanoscale gene 'ignition switch' may help spot and treat cancer (December 15, 2010) -- In a proof of principal study in mice, scientists have shown that a set of genetic instructions encased in a nanoparticle can be used as an "ignition switch" to rev up gene activity that aids cancer detection and treatment. ... > full story
Increased BPA exposure linked to reduced egg quality in women (December 15, 2010) -- A small-scale study has identified the first evidence in humans that exposure to bisphenol A may compromise the quality of a woman's eggs retrieved for in vitro fertilization. ... > full story
Positive mood allows human brain to think more creatively (December 15, 2010) -- People who watch funny videos on the Internet at work aren't necessarily wasting time. According to new research, they may be taking advantage of the latest psychological science -- putting themselves in a good mood so they can think more creatively. ... > full story
Novel memory-enhancing mechanism in brain (December 15, 2010) -- Researchers have identified a novel mechanism in the brain that boosts memory. Scientists found that a small protein called neuropeptide S can strengthen and prolong memories of everything from negative events to simple objects. ... > full story
Allergy treatments containing aluminum may cause new allergy, study suggests (December 15, 2010) -- Allergic contact dermatitis from aluminum has previously been considered very unusual. However, there are now reports of pruritic nodules and aluminum allergy arising after vaccinations or treatments for allergies. ... > full story
Soda taxes: Weight loss benefit linked to household income (December 15, 2010) -- Imposing higher taxes on sodas and other sweetened drinks may generate a lot of money -- but would lead to only minimal weight loss among most people and would have no effect on weight among consumers in the highest and lowest income groups, according to new research. ... > full story
Asthma? Allergens could be growing in your lungs (December 15, 2010) -- Scientists investigating the allergic reactions that asthmatics suffer towards a common mold have discovered that many people with asthma actually had the mold growing in their own lungs. ... > full story
Human networking theory gives picture of infectious disease spread (December 15, 2010) -- New research using human-networking theory may give a clearer picture of just how, exactly, infectious diseases such as the common cold, influenza, whooping cough and SARS can spread through a closed group of people, and even through populations at large. ... > full story
Unique case study on Alzheimer's disease (December 15, 2010) -- A new case study sheds light on the pathological course of Alzheimer's disease. The brain of the first Alzheimer's patient to display amyloids demonstrable with a PET scanner has been studied, both during progression of the disease and after death. ... > full story
More than 25% of teenagers have suffered cyber bullying in the past year (December 15, 2010) -- Cyber bullying is an emerging phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common among teenagers. Research in Spain shows that between 25% and 29% of all teenagers have been bullied via their mobile phone or the internet over the past year. ... > full story
Vaccine boosts immune system, helps prevent chronic inflammation (December 15, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered for the first time a protein normally found in the body that can act to prevent chronic tissue inflammation. When administered in the form of a therapeutic vaccine it is able to effectively prevent and treat a number of different inflammatory disease models for multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, skin hypersensitivity and allergic asthma. ... > full story
High levels of 'good' cholesterol may be associated with lower risk of Alzheimer's disease (December 15, 2010) -- High levels of high-density lipoprotein, also known as "good" cholesterol, appear to be associated with a reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease in older adults, according to a new report. ... > full story
US EPA removes saccharin from hazardous substances listing (December 15, 2010) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has removed saccharin, a common artificial sweetener, and its salts from the agency's list of hazardous substances. Saccharin is no longer considered a potential hazard to human health. ... > full story
Smoking behind more than a third of severe rheumatoid arthritis cases (December 15, 2010) -- Smoking accounts for more than a third of cases of the most severe and common form of rheumatoid arthritis, indicates new research. ... > full story
Killing drug-resistant melanoma requires combination therapy (December 15, 2010) -- Researchers report that melanoma that have become resistant to PLX4032 and other BRAF inhibitors will signal around the blocked proteins by shifting rerouting signaling pathways. They also show how to overcome this resistance by simultaneously targeting two additional proteins. The researchers see this as further evidence that some cancers must be treated with multiple targeted drugs at the outset of treatment. ... > full story
New labeling method expands ability to read DNA modification (December 15, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a method for labeling and mapping a "sixth nucleotide," whose biological role scientists are only beginning to explore. The method allowed the researchers to see for the first time how 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) is distributed throughout the genome. ... > full story
People who believe in justice also see a victim's life as more meaningful after tragedy (December 15, 2010) -- Seeing bad things happen to other people is scary. One way to respond to this is to blame the victim -- to look for some reason why it happened to them. But there's another common response, according to a new study. The researchers found that people who believe in justice in the world also believe that a tragedy gives the victim's life more meaning. ... > full story
Cancer: Defective cell surface 'glue' is key to tumor invasion (December 14, 2010) -- A remarkable discovery into how tumor cells invade normal tissue should lead to vital diagnostic tools and help develop strategies to stop the spread of cancer cells. ... > full story
Attempting to predict epileptic seizure (December 14, 2010) -- While the causes of epileptic seizures continue to confound brain researchers, scientists have been exploring how changes in the coordinated activity of brain networks, monitored through electrodes, might help predict impending seizures. ... > full story
Two people receive kidney transplants with computerized matching program (December 14, 2010) -- A man in St. Louis and a woman in New Hampshire have received the first kidney transplants made possible through a new national program of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network that uses a new computer algorithm to match transplant candidates with living donors. ... > full story
Post-9/11 security zones blight landscape, create 'architecture of fear' (December 14, 2010) -- A new study says post-9/11 "security zones" in major American cities blight landscape, create "architecture of fear" and safety effects may be negligible. ... > full story
Compound with potent effects on the biological clock discovered (December 14, 2010) -- Using automated screening techniques developed by pharmaceutical companies to find new drugs, researchers have discovered a molecule with the most potent effects ever seen on the biological clock. ... > full story
Elusive neuronal targets of deep brain stimulation identified (December 14, 2010) -- Deep brain stimulation of a brain area that controls complex behaviors has proven to be effective against several therapeutically stubborn neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. Now, a new study has found that this technique targets the same class of neuronal cells that are known to respond to physical exercise and drugs such as Prozac. ... > full story
New signaling pathway linked to inflammatory disease discovered (December 14, 2010) -- Scientists have described for the first time a key inhibitory role for the IL-1 signaling pathway in the human innate immune system, providing novel insights into human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and potential new treatments. ... > full story
Violent games not to blame for youth aggression, study suggests (December 14, 2010) -- How depressed young people are strongly predicts how aggressive and violent they may be or may become. Contrary to popular belief, however, exposure to violence in video games or on television is not related to serious acts of youth aggression or violence among Hispanics in the US, according to new research. ... > full story
Transcription factor clears protein clumps in Huntington's mice models (December 14, 2010) -- Over expressing a transcription factor that promotes increase in number of mitochondria greatly improves neurological function of transgenic mice models for Huntington's disease. ... > full story
How virus triggers cervical and mouth cancer (December 14, 2010) -- Scientists have discovered for the first time an important new way in which the human papilloma virus (HPV) triggers cancer in what could lead to new treatments for cervical and mouth cancer. ... > full story
Anatomy of a shopping spree: Pretty things make us buy more (December 14, 2010) -- With the holidays fast approaching and consumers in full shopping mode, new research shows a single luxury item purchase can lead to an unintended shopping spree. ... > full story
Protein restores learning, memory in Alzheimer's mouse model (December 14, 2010) -- New studies point to a way to reverse effects of the memory-robbing Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Potential chink in armor of African sleeping sickness parasite: It's social (December 14, 2010) -- Long considered a freewheeling loner, the Trypanosoma brucei parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness has revealed a totally unexpected social side, opening a potential chink in the behavioral armor of this and other supposedly solitary human parasites. ... > full story
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