ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, January 21, 2011
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Measles' natural nemesis: Cells infected by measles virus pull out a heavy weapon in the form of the enzyme ADAR1 (January 21, 2011) -- Scientists have found that a known enzyme in cells protects against measles virus, likely by altering the virus's genetic material, RNA. Cells lacking the enzyme become highly vulnerable to the virus's destructive effects. The enzyme also protects against several other respiratory viruses, including influenza A. ... > full story
New low-cost method to deliver vaccine shows promise (January 21, 2011) -- A promising new approach to immunization might reduce costs and enable thousands more people around the world to be vaccinated. A research team developed a vaccine for rotavirus that can be administered through nasal drops. The study in mice induced a potent immune response and prevented infection. ... > full story
Bus and tram passengers warned to keep their germs to themselves (January 21, 2011) -- You are six times more likely to end up at the doctors with an acute respiratory infection (ARI) if you have recently used a bus or tram -- but those who use buses or trams daily might well be somewhat protected compared with more occasional users. ... > full story
Strong social ties benefit breast cancer patients (January 21, 2011) -- Breast cancer patients who have a strong social support system in the first year after diagnosis are less likely to die or have a recurrence of cancer, according to new research. ... > full story
Gene test shows which bladder cancer patients may have cancer spread (January 21, 2011) -- Cancer scientists have designed the first molecular test to predict which bladder cancer patients may have cancer involvement in their lymph nodes at the time of surgery -- which could help doctors determine which patients are good candidates for pre-surgical, or neo-adjuvant, chemotherapy. ... > full story
First liver transplant patients receive experimental drug to prevent hepatitis C infection (January 21, 2011) -- Following a successful Phase 1 study for safety, researchers have announced the beginning of a Phase 2 clinical trial testing the ability of a human monoclonal antibody they developed to prevent hepatitis C virus infection of a donor liver in transplant patients. ... > full story
Majority of US adolescents with severe mental disorders have never received treatment for their conditions, study finds (January 21, 2011) -- A recent study shows that only half of adolescents that are affected with severely impairing mental disorders ever receive treatment for their disorders. ... > full story
Global view of blood cell development reveals new and complex circuitry (January 20, 2011) -- A small pool of stem cells replenishes the human body with about 200 billion new blood cells daily, but the elaborate circuitry that controls this process remains largely unknown. Scientists have now taken a systematic approach to help decipher this circuitry, compiling a comprehensive catalog of the factors that determine a blood cell's fate. ... > full story
Knee osteoarthritis: When you can't walk fast enough to cross busy streets (January 20, 2011) -- When a traffic light at a busy intersection flashes the "walk" sign, people with knee osteoarthritis worry if they can walk fast enough to make it across the street in time. New research shows people with this common arthritis are more likely to walk fast enough, if they lead physically active lives. Knee osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability in adults. As it progresses, it can threaten an individual's ability to live independently. ... > full story
Are positive emotions good for your health in old age? (January 20, 2011) -- The notion that feeling good may be good for your health is not new, but is it really true? A new article reviews the existing research on how positive emotions can influence health outcomes in later adulthood. ... > full story
Brain's clock influenced by senses (January 20, 2011) -- Humans use their senses to help keep track of short intervals of time according to new research, which suggests that our perception of time is not maintained by an internal body clock alone. ... > full story
Children with severe asthma experience premature loss of lung function during adolescence, study finds (January 20, 2011) -- Severe asthma in early childhood may lead to premature loss of lung function during adolescence and more serious disease during adulthood, researchers report. Early identification and treatment of children with severe asthma is important to help stem asthma progression. ... > full story
Illegal use of human growth hormone common among young male weightlifters, study finds (January 20, 2011) -- A new study reveals that illicit use of HGH (human growth hormone) has become common among young American male weightlifters. ... > full story
Viral protein mimic keeps immune system quiet (January 20, 2011) -- Scientists have shown for the first time that the Kaposi sarcoma virus has a decoy protein that impedes a key molecule involved in the human immune response. ... > full story
Mother's stem cells likely key to treating genetic disease before birth (January 20, 2011) -- Researchers have tackled a decade-long scientific conundrum, and their discovery is expected to lead to significant advances in using stem cells to treat genetic diseases before birth. ... > full story
Chaperone enzyme provides new target for cancer treatments (January 20, 2011) -- Scientists who study how cells repair damage from environmental factors like sunlight and cigarette smoke have discovered how a "chaperone" enzyme plays a key role in cells' ability to tolerate the DNA damage that leads to cancer and other diseases. ... > full story
Sleep researchers apply fatigue model to fatal commuter air crash (January 20, 2011) -- Sleep researchers have determined that the air traffic controller in the crash of a Lexington, Ky., commuter flight was substantially fatigued when he failed to detect that the plane was on the wrong runway and cleared it for takeoff. Writing in a new study, the researchers say their findings suggest that mathematical models predicting fatigue could lead to schedules that reduce the risk of accidents by taking advantage of workers' sleep schedules and biological, or circadian, clocks. ... > full story
Like humans, amoebae pack a lunch before they travel (January 20, 2011) -- Some amoebae do what many people do. Before they travel, they pack a lunch. Evolutionary biologists have shown that long-studied social amoebae Dictyostellum discoideum (commonly known as slime molds) increase their odds of survival through a rudimentary form of agriculture. ... > full story
Drug used to treat heavy periods can stop trauma patients bleeding to death, study finds (January 20, 2011) -- Tranexamic acid, a drug used to treat heavy menstrual periods, could save the lives of tens of thousands of bleeding accident victims each year and reduce combat deaths, say researchers. The researchers carried out a systematic review of trials examining the effectiveness of tranexamic acid in patients with bleeding after severe injury. ... > full story
Bedbug genetic study finds possible pesticide-resistance genes (January 20, 2011) -- Entomologists have conducted the first genetic study of bedbugs, paving the road to the identification of potential genes associated with pesticide resistance and possible new control methods for the troublesome insect, whose sudden resurgence in the United States has led to a public health scare. ... > full story
Little evidence to support most eHealth technologies, such as electronic patient records, study shows (January 20, 2011) -- Despite the wide endorsement of and support for eHealth technologies, such as electronic patient records and e-prescribing, the scientific basis of its benefits -- which are repeatedly made and often uncritically accepted -- remains to be firmly established. ... > full story
Nanoparticle vaccine protects against stomach flu (January 20, 2011) -- A new vaccine strategy using nanoparticles as carriers may be the key to developing a vaccine against norovirus, one of the most common causes of foodborne disease in the United States. ... > full story
See how they grow: Monitoring single bacteria without a microscope (January 20, 2011) -- With an invention that can be made from some of the same parts used in CD players, researchers have developed a way to measure the growth and drug susceptibility of individual bacterial cells without the use of a microscope. ... > full story
Statins: Benefits questionable in low-risk patients, review finds (January 20, 2011) -- There is not enough evidence to recommend the widespread use of statins in people with no previous history of heart disease, according to a new review. Researchers say statins should be prescribed with caution in those at low risk of cardiovascular disease. ... > full story
Challenging the limits of learning: Linguist measures the human mind against the yardstick of a machine (January 20, 2011) -- Most theoretical linguists argue that people have little more than a "language organ" -- an inherent capacity for language that's activated during early childhood. However, a linguistics professor insists that what humans can actually learn is still an open question -- and he has built a computer program to try and find an answer. ... > full story
Small molecules may prevent Ebola infection (January 20, 2011) -- Scientists report they've discovered small molecules that appear to bind to the outer protein coat of the Ebola virus, possibly blocking the virus from entering human cells. The finding may open new paths to treatment of Ebola and the related Marburg viral disease. ... > full story
Special sugar, nanoparticles combine to detect cholera toxin (January 20, 2011) -- A complex sugar may someday become one of the most effective weapons to stop the spread of cholera, a disease that has claimed thousands of lives in Haiti since the devastating earthquake last year. ... > full story
Prion disease spreads in sheep via mother's milk (January 20, 2011) -- Transmission of prion brain diseases such as bovine spongiform enecephalopathy (BSE) -- also known as mad cow disease -- and human variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) is generally attributed to the consumption of the brain or organ meat of infected animals but new research demonstrates lambs exposed to milk from prion-infected sheep with inflamed mammary glands can develop prion disease as well. The research has major implications for human and livestock health. ... > full story
A second language gives toddlers an edge (January 20, 2011) -- Toddlers who learn a second language from infancy have an edge over their monolingual peers, according to a new study. The research team tested the understanding of English and French words among 24-month-olds to see if bilingual toddlers had acquired comparable vocabulary in each language. ... > full story
Celiac patients can eat hydrolyzed wheat flour, study finds (January 20, 2011) -- Baked goods made from hydrolyzed wheat flour are not toxic to celiac disease patients, according to new research. ... > full story
Molecular battle in cancer cells offers clues for treatment (January 20, 2011) -- Researchers investigating a genetic mutation in brain cancer and leukemia patients have discovered how one cancer metabolite battles another normal metabolite to contribute cancer development. Helping the "good guys" win that battle could yield new approaches for treatment. ... > full story
Novel antibiotic combinations fight resistance genes (January 20, 2011) -- The combination the antibiotic ceftazidime plus the compound NXL104 is active against bacterial pathogens containing genes that confer resistance to multiple carbapenems, according to new research. ... > full story
End-of-life decisions take longer if patient hasn't shared wishes with family, study finds (January 20, 2011) -- Family caregivers who had not discussed life support measures with critically ill patients took nearly two weeks longer to decide to forgo further medical intervention than those who had prior conversations about the issues, according to researchers. ... > full story
Complete structure of HIV’s outer shell revealed (January 20, 2011) -- Scientists have determined the structure of the protein package that delivers the genetic material of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to human cells. ... > full story
Staph vaccine shows promise in Phase I (January 20, 2011) -- A new experimental vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus has been shown to be well-tolerated, and to boost antibodies, according to new research. ... > full story
Converting 2-D photo into 3-D face for security applications and forensics (January 20, 2011) -- It is possible to construct a 3-D face from flat 2-D images, according to new research. The discovery could be used for biometrics in security applications or in forensic investigations. ... > full story
New CPR technique for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest increases survival by 53 percent (January 19, 2011) -- An alternative method of cardipulmonary resuscitation increases long-term survival of patients. The study determined that active compression-decompression cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) with augmentation of negative intrathoracic pressure gave patients a better chance of survival. ... > full story
Unlocking the secret(ase) of building neural circuits (January 19, 2011) -- Mutant presenilin is infamous for its role in the most aggressive form of Alzheimer's disease -- early-onset familial Alzheimer's -- which can strike people as early as their 30s. In their latest study, researchers uncovered presenilin's productive side: It helps embryonic motor neurons navigate the maze of chemical cues that pull, push and hem them in on their way to their proper targets. Without it, budding motor neurons misread their guidance signals and get stuck in the spinal cord. ... > full story
Health-care systems not using best evidence in decision-making, expert argues (January 19, 2011) -- Health-care systems around the world are failing to use evidence obtained through research when making decisions, causing inefficiencies and reduced quantity and quality of life, according to an expert in the field of "knowledge translation." ... > full story
Possible new treatment for severe 2009 H1N1 infection (January 19, 2011) -- Convalescent plasma therapy -- using plasma from patients who have recovered from an infection to treat those with the same infection -- has been used to treat multiple diseases. However, the efficacy of this treatment in patients with severe 2009 H1N1 influenza is unknown. A new study suggests that convalescent plasma may reduce the death rate in patients severely ill with this type of influenza. ... > full story
Killer paper for next-generation food packaging (January 19, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development and successful lab tests of "killer paper," a material intended for use as a new food packaging material that helps preserve foods by fighting the bacteria that cause spoilage. The paper contains a coating of silver nanoparticles, which are powerful anti-bacterial agents. ... > full story
Girls who are bullied are at risk for substance use through depression (January 19, 2011) -- Bullying is a serious problem among adolescents. Parents need to know the signs of bullying and related issues, such as depression and substance abuse. ... > full story
Birth control pills do not cause weight gain, new research suggests (January 19, 2011) -- The commonly held belief that oral contraceptives cause weight gain appears to be false, new research suggests. ... > full story
Roundworm unlocks pancreatic cancer pathway (January 19, 2011) -- Scientists took a step back to a simpler organism -- a common roundworm -- and made a discovery about how the Ras oncogene chooses a signaling pathway and how the consequences of that choice play out in cellular development -- a key issue in cancer, which is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. ... > full story
Risks, consequences of video game addiction identified in new study (January 19, 2011) -- A new study by an international research team has found further evidence that video game "addiction" exists globally and that greater amounts of gaming, lower social competence and greater impulsiveness were risk factors for becoming pathological gamers. The two-year longitudinal study of 3,034 third through eighth grade students in Singapore also found that some serious problems -- including depression, anxiety, social phobias and lower school performance -- seemed to be outcomes of their pathological play. ... > full story
Antioxidants may improve chances of conceiving in male subfertility (January 19, 2011) -- Antioxidant supplements may benefit couples who have difficulty conceiving naturally, according to a new systematic review. The review provides evidence from a small number of trials that suggest the partners of men who take antioxidants are more likely to become pregnant. ... > full story
Malaria parasite caught red-handed invading blood cells (January 19, 2011) -- Scientists using new image and cell technologies have for the first time caught malaria parasites in the act of invading red blood cells. The researchers achieved this long-held aim using a combination of electron, light and super resolution microscopy. ... > full story
Eating more fruit and vegetables is linked to a lower risk of dying from ischemic heart disease (January 19, 2011) -- A new study investigating the links between diet and disease has found that people who consume more fruit and vegetables have a lower risk of dying from ischemic heart disease -- the most common form of heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in Europe. ... > full story
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