ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Wednesday, January 19, 2011
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Nanotech medicine to rebuild damaged parts of human body (January 19, 2011) -- To rebuild damaged parts of a human body from scratch is a dream that has long fired human imagination, from Mary Shelley's Doctor Frankenstein to modern day surgeons. Now scientists have made a promising contribution to reconstructive surgery, thanks to an original multidisciplinary approach matching cutting-edge medicine to the latest developments in nanotechnology. ... > full story
Long-term, high-fat diet alters mice brains: Brain changes may contribute to cycles of weight gain (January 19, 2011) -- The brains of mice fed a high-fat diet for an extended period of time showed irreversible changes in areas associated with reward and pleasure, a new study has found. ... > full story
Statins don't prove useful for general pediatric lupus population (January 19, 2011) -- Lupus puts children at higher risk for coronary artery disease when they become adults, but routinely using statins doesn't provide enough benefit to warrant their regular use in children and adolescents, according to the largest study of pediatric lupus patients to date. ... > full story
Color and shape of pills affects how patients feel about their medication (January 19, 2011) -- According to recent research the color, shape, taste and even name of a tablet or pill can have an effect on how patients feel about their medication. Choose an appropriate combination and the placebo effect gives the pill a boost, improves outcomes and might even reduce side effects. Now, researchers have surveyed users of over-the-counter medication to find out just how much the color of a tablet influences patient choice. ... > full story
New molecule could save brain cells from neurodegeneration, stroke (January 19, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a molecule that can make brain cells resistant to programmed cell death or apoptosis. ... > full story
X-rays linked to increased childhood leukemia risk (January 19, 2011) -- Diagnostic X-rays may increase the risk of developing childhood leukemia, according to a new study. Specifically, the researchers found that children with acute lymphoid leukemia had almost twice the chance of having been exposed to three or more X-rays compared with children who did not have leukemia. ... > full story
Vitamin D levels lower in African-Americans, research finds (January 19, 2011) -- African-American women had lower vitamin D levels than white women, and vitamin D deficiency was associated with a greater likelihood for aggressive breast cancer, according to new research. ... > full story
Brain imaging identifies differences in childhood bipolar disorder, ADHD (January 19, 2011) -- Researchers are now using brain imaging to examine the effects of emotion on working memory function in children with pediatric bipolar disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ... > full story
Cardiologists uncover new heart attack warning sign (January 18, 2011) -- Cardiologist have identified a protein fragment that is a likely biomarker for heart attack. ... > full story
Scientific evidence supports effectiveness of Chinese drug for cataracts (January 18, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting a scientific basis for the long-standing belief that a widely used non-prescription drug in China and certain other countries can prevent and treat cataracts, a clouding of the lens of the eye that is a leading cause of vision loss worldwide. ... > full story
Statin risks may outweigh benefits for patients with a history of brain hemorrhage (January 18, 2011) -- A computer decision model suggests that for patients with a history of bleeding within the brain, the risk of recurrence associated with statin treatment may outweigh the benefit of the drug in preventing cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
The importance of making a good first impression in the classroom (January 18, 2011) -- A study of how medical students evaluate their professors is illustrating the critical importance of making a good first impression. ... > full story
How progesterone increases breast cancer risk (January 18, 2011) -- Researchers have identified how the hormones progesterone and estrogen interact to increase cell growth in normal mammary cells and mammary cancers, a novel finding that may explain why postmenopausal women receiving hormone replacement therapy with estrogen plus progestin are at increased risk of breast cancer. ... > full story
Scientists bring cancer cells back under control (January 18, 2011) -- Scientists have brought cancer cells back under normal control -- by reactivating their cancer suppressor genes. The discovery could form a powerful new technology platform for the treatment of cancer of the breast and other cancers. ... > full story
Vitamin D absorption is diminished in patients with Crohn's disease, researchers find (January 18, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time shown that reduced vitamin D absorption in patients with quiescent Crohn's disease may be the cause for their increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. The findings also showed that the only way to determine absorption efficiency is to perform a vitamin D bioavailability test. ... > full story
Young couples can't agree on whether they have agreed to be monogamous (January 18, 2011) -- While monogamy is often touted as a way to protect against disease, young couples who say they have discussed monogamy can't seem to agree on what they decided. And a significant percentage of those couples who at least agreed that they would be monogamous weren't. ... > full story
New synthetic compound created with HIV-fighting promise (January 18, 2011) -- Using chemical compounds found in a Japanese plant as a lead and the clever application of ultraviolet light, a research team has created a unique library of dozens of synthetic compounds to test for biomedical potential. Already, one of the compounds has shown great promise in inhibiting replication of HIV particles and fighting inflammation. ... > full story
Healthy gums, healthy lungs: Maintaining healthy teeth and gums may reduce risk for pneumonia, chronic obstructive pumonary disease (January 18, 2011) -- A new study suggests that periodontal disease may be related to respiratory diseases, such as pneumonia and COPD. ... > full story
Why do the Abbotts wait, while the Zimmermans rush to buy? (January 18, 2011) -- The first letter of our childhood surname determines much about our consumer behavior as grownups, according to a new study. ... > full story
Reducing diet early in pregnancy stunts fetal brain development, study finds (January 18, 2011) -- The fetal brain is vulnerable to even moderate decreases in nutrition during the first half of pregnancy, a new study indicates. ... > full story
New hope in fight against Huntington's Disease (January 18, 2011) -- There is new hope for new ways of treating devastating neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease. ... > full story
How protein aggregation can lead to neurodegenerative diseases (January 18, 2011) -- Protein aggregation underlies several neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s chorea or Parkinson’s. Scientists in Germany have now discovered a fundamental mechanism which explains how toxic protein aggregation occurs and why it leads to a widespread impairment of essential cellular functions. ... > full story
Youth adapt faster than seniors to unexpected events, study finds (January 18, 2011) -- Does experience give seniors an edge in reacting to sudden change or are younger people quicker to respond? A new study shows that when a routine task is interrupted by an unexpected event, younger adults are faster at responding. The findings have implications for educators and for older adults in situations where performance is crucial. ... > full story
Magnetically controlled pill could boost body's absorption of drugs (January 18, 2011) -- Many drugs can only be absorbed in very specific parts of the intestine. Scientists have now developed a new system that can safely hold a magnetic gelatin capsule in place anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract of a rat. In humans, the system could improve drug delivery and pharmacological research. ... > full story
Big breakfast generally doesn't help weight loss (January 18, 2011) -- Does eating a big breakfast help weight loss or is it better to skip breakfast altogether? Available information is confusing but new research clears a path through these apparently contradictory reports. ... > full story
Common antibiotics and blood pressure medication may result in hospitalization (January 18, 2011) -- Mixing commonly used antibiotics with common blood pressure medications may cause hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure) and induce shock in older patients, requiring hospitalization, according to a new study. ... > full story
Infants not exempt from obesity epidemic (January 18, 2011) -- Most people understand that children are part of the obesity epidemic. However, a revealing new study finds that obesity might begin in babies as young as nine months old. ... > full story
Smoking accounts for up to 60 percent of gender gap in deaths across Europe, research finds (January 18, 2011) -- Smoking accounts for up to 60 percent of the gender gap in death rates across Europe, and kills twice as many men as alcohol, new research reveals. ... > full story
Patients using warfarin have higher risk of death after trauma, study finds (January 18, 2011) -- Warfarin use may be associated with a significant increase in the risk of death after traumatic injuries, according to a new study. ... > full story
Few surgeons seek help for suicidal thoughts, study finds (January 18, 2011) -- As many as one in 16 surgeons reported having suicidal thoughts in the previous year, but few sought help from a mental health clinician, according to a new study. ... > full story
Minimally invasive technique appears helpful to reanimate facial paralysis (January 18, 2011) -- A procedure involving only one small incision and no major modifications to bone can be used to transpose a tendon and appears helpful in reanimating the lower face after paralysis, according to a new study. ... > full story
New molecular imaging technologies for detecting cellular processes (January 18, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have designed and developed a biomedical scanner that detects cellular processes at the molecular level and indicates malfunctioning of an organ before said malfunction can produce an anatomical change. ... > full story
Sleep evaluation may help identify kids at risk for respiratory complications after tonsil surgery (January 18, 2011) -- Performing polysomnography (sleep study) prior to pediatric adenotonsillectomy (surgical removal of the tonsils and adenoids) may help identify children at a higher risk of developing postoperative respiratory complications, according to a new study. ... > full story
Secondary students should be required to receive CPR training, experts advise (January 18, 2011) -- CPR training and an overview of automated external defibrillators should be required for high school graduation, according to an American Heart Association advisory. Such mandatory training would rapidly increase the number of people ready to respond to sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States. ... > full story
Scientists sequence gut microbes of premature infant (January 18, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time sequenced and reconstructed the genomes of most of the microbes in the gut of a premature newborn and documented how the microbe populations changed over time. The researchers hope that characterizing gut microbes of normal and sick infants could lead to cause of necrotizing enterocolitis in preemies. ... > full story
Link between chlamydia and ectopic pregnancy explained (January 18, 2011) -- Women who have had chlamydia are at greater risk of an ectopic pregnancy because of a lasting effect of the infection. A new study provides evidence for the first time of how chlamydia can increase the risk of an ectopic pregnancy -- which occurs when an embryo implants outside the womb, in the fallopian tube. ... > full story
Heart failure patients twice as likely to die if admitted to general wards, UK study finds (January 18, 2011) -- Heart failure patients admitted to general wards are twice as likely to die as those admitted to cardiology wards, shows a UK audit of the treatment of the condition. ... > full story
Nursing home closures clustered in poor, minority areas (January 18, 2011) -- Nursing home closures eliminated about 5 percent of available beds between 1998 and 2008, with closures concentrated in minority and poor communities, according to a new study. ... > full story
Alzheimer's plaques lead to loss of nitric oxide in brain (January 17, 2011) -- A researcher has discovered that the deadly plaques of Alzheimer's disease interact with certain cellular proteins to inhibit normal signals that maintain blood flow to the brain. Their findings could lead to new approaches to treat the dementia. ... > full story
Transforming skin cells into cartilage (January 17, 2011) -- In new research, scientists in Japan used fibroblasts isolated from adult mouse skin, and expressed proteins used to induce pluripotency along with a factor that promotes a chondrocyte fate. The resulting cells resembled chondrocytes and produced cartilage when injected into mice. This may be an important step toward a therapy that will allow the repair of cartilage injury using a patient's own skin cells. ... > full story
Silicon microdevices show promise for detecting metastatic breast cancer cells (January 17, 2011) -- Research by engineers and cancer biologists indicates that using specific silicon microdevices might provide a new way to screen breast cancer cells' ability to metastasize. ... > full story
Neuronal migration errors: Right cells, wrong place (January 17, 2011) -- Normally, cortical nerve cells or neurons reside in the brain’s gray matter with only a few scattered neurons in the white matter, but some people with schizophrenia have a higher number of neurons in the white matter. Neuronal migration errors may arise in schizophrenia as a consequence of both genetic and environmental factors. ... > full story
First genetic test for predicting IVF success (January 17, 2011) -- Researchers have developed the first genetic blood test for predicting the chances that in vitro fertilization will lead to a successful pregnancy. The test is based on the finding that different subtypes of the FMR1 gene (also known as the fragile X mental retardation gene) in potential mothers are associated with significantly different chances of conceiving with IVF. ... > full story
Fruit and vegetable concentrate decreases number of days with severe cold symptoms (January 17, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that a specific food supplement made from fruit and vegetable juice concentrates significantly reduced the number of days with severe cold symptoms. The report sees the potential benefits of the product in a reduced number of sick days and correspondingly lower expenditure on cold medicines. ... > full story
CT helps identify bullet trajectories (January 17, 2011) -- Multidetector computed tomography provides an efficient, effective way to analyze wounds from bullets and explosive devices, according to a new study. ... > full story
Targeting nicotine receptors to treat cognitive impairments in schizophrenia (January 17, 2011) -- Smoking is a common problem for patients with schizophrenia. The increased tendency of patients diagnosed with this disorder is to not only smoke, but to do so more heavily than the general public. This raises the possibility that nicotine may be acting as a treatment for some symptoms of schizophrenia. ... > full story
'Master switch' for key immune cells in inflammatory diseases discovered (January 17, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a protein that acts as a "master switch" in certain white blood cells, determining whether they promote or inhibit inflammation. The study could help researchers look for new treatments for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis that involve excessive inflammation. ... > full story
New technique to see neurons of the deep brain for months at a time (January 17, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new technique that allows them to monitor the tiny branches of neurons in a live brain for months at a time. Neuroscientists will now be able to monitor the microscopic changes that occur over the course of progressive brain disease. ... > full story
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