ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, April 20, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, April 20, 2011

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Nanoparticles with honeycomb cavities containing drugs blast cancer cells (April 20, 2011) -- Melding nanotechnology and medical research, researchers have produced an effective strategy that uses nanoparticles to blast cancerous cells with a melange of killer drugs. The researchers made silica nanoparticles honeycombed with cavities that can store large amounts and varieties of drugs. ... > full story

Improved recovery of motor function after stroke (April 20, 2011) -- After the acute treatment window closes, the only effective treatment for stroke is physical/occupational therapy. Now scientists report a two-pronged molecular therapy that leads to significant recovery of skilled motor function in a rat model of stroke. ... > full story

Cell of origin for squamous cell carcinoma discovered (April 20, 2011) -- Squamous cell cancers, which can occur in multiple organs in the body, can originate from hair follicle stem cells, a finding that could result in new strategies to treat and potentially prevent the disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Patients appear to adjust and learn to cope with loss or reduced sense of smell (April 20, 2011) -- Most patients who have a reduced ability to smell or detect odors seem to attach less importance to the sense of smell in their daily lives than people with a normal olfactory function, according to a new study. ... > full story

New biosensor microchip could speed up drug development, researchers say (April 20, 2011) -- A new biosensor microchip that could hold more than 100,000 magnetically sensitive nanosensors could speed up drug development markedly, researchers say. The nanosensors analyze how proteins bond -- a critical step in drug development. The ultrasensitive sensors can simultaneously monitor thousands of times more proteins than existing technology, deliver results faster and assess the strength of the bonds. ... > full story

C. difficile increases risk of death six-fold in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (April 20, 2011) -- Patients admitted to hospital with inflammatory bowel disease face a sixfold greater risk of death if they become infected with Clostridium difficile, a new study has found. ... > full story

New MRI methodology revolutionizes imaging of the beating heart (April 20, 2011) -- Scientists in Germany have developed a highly efficient approach for imaging the beating human heart. The images produced in one of the world's most powerful MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) systems whose power is equivalent to 150,000 times Earth's magnetic field are of a much higher detail than cardiac images commonly generated in current clinical practice. The ultra-high field approach permits a superb delineation between blood and heart muscle. Even subtle anatomical structures are made clearly visible. The new procedure holds the promise to advance the capabilities of cardiac research and care as cardiac malfunctions can be diagnosed, treated and monitored at a much earlier point in disease progression. ... > full story

More accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s (April 20, 2011) -- A new study from Sweden shows how analysing spinal fluid can help to detect Alzheimer's disease at an early stage. The researchers behind the study hope that their findings will contribute to a greater international breakthrough for this type of diagnostic method. ... > full story

How do consumers judge quality? It depends on who's making the purchase (April 20, 2011) -- Someone is more likely to predict the quality of a product by its price if someone else is buying it, according to a new study. But when consumers buy products themselves, they are more likely to judge quality by a product's attributes. ... > full story

Filters that reduce ‘brain clutter’ identified (April 19, 2011) -- Until now, it has been assumed that people with conditions like ADHD, Tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia -- all of whom characteristically report symptoms of "brain clutter" -- may suffer from anomalies in the brain's prefrontal cortex. But a researcher has brought new hope to these patients. He believes the key to the "brain clutter" and impulsivity shown by individuals with dysfunctional prefrontal cortices lies in a malfunction of a specific type of brain cell. ... > full story

Link between breast implants and rare form of cancer confirmed, but cause remains unclear (April 19, 2011) -- Breast implants appear to be associated with a rare form of lymphoma, but there is not yet evidence to show that the cancer is caused by implants or to suggest an underlying mechanism for how the disease might develop, according to a new study. ... > full story

Exploiting the stress response to detonate mitochondria in cancer cells (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers have found a new way to force cancer cells to self-destruct. Low doses of a drug that disrupts mitochondria allows a second drug to push the cell toward apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Their findings show how this combination approach synergistically kills tumor cells in both mouse models of glioblastoma and human glioblastoma cells. ... > full story

Rational, emotional reasons guide genetic-testing choices, study finds (April 19, 2011) -- Consumers decide whether to use mail-in genetic tests based on both rational and emotional reasons, a finding that adds to a growing body of health-care behavior research on information seeking and avoidance, according to researchers. ... > full story

Tinnitus caused by too little inhibition of brain auditory circuits, study finds (April 19, 2011) -- Tinnitus, a relentless ringing in the ears known to disable soldiers exposed to blasts, unwary listeners of too-loud music and millions more, is the result of under-inhibition of key neural pathways in the brain's auditory center, say scientists. The discovery could lead to effective treatment for a condition that currently has no cure. ... > full story

Gene necessary for successful repair of muscle damage identified (April 19, 2011) -- Scientists are a step closer to treating, and perhaps preventing, muscle damage caused by neurodegenerative disorders and other forms of disease. They have discovered that the gene polymerase I and transcript release factor, or PTRF, is an essential component of the cell process that repairs damaged muscle tissue. This discovery has the potential to lead to development of therapeutic treatment for patients who suffer from severe complications of diseases such as muscular dystrophy, cardiovascular disorders and other degenerative conditions. ... > full story

Limitations of question about race can create inaccurate picture of health-care disparities (April 19, 2011) -- What race best describes your background? That one question, which appears on most paperwork for health care, could leave entire groups of people underserved and contribute to racial health disparities, according to new research. ... > full story

Scientists discover how to predict learning using brain analysis (April 19, 2011) -- An international team of scientists has developed a way to predict how much a person can learn. Researchers collected brain imaging data from people performing a motor task, and then analyzed this data using new computational techniques. They found evidence that the flexibility of a person's brain can be used to predict how well someone will learn. The researchers view flexibility as how different areas of the brain link up in different combinations. ... > full story

How inflammation can lead to cancer (April 19, 2011) -- A new study shows how inflammation can help cause cancer. The study found that inflammation stimulates a rise in levels of a molecule called microRNA-155 (miR-155). This increase, in turn, causes a drop in levels of proteins involved in DNA repair, resulting in a higher rate of spontaneous gene mutations, which can contribute to cancer development. The findings suggest that drugs designed to reduce miR-155 levels might improve the treatment of inflammation-related cancers. ... > full story

Researchers discover precisely how thalidomide causes birth defects (April 19, 2011) -- Thalidomide may have been withdrawn in the early 1960s for use by pregnant women, but its dramatic effects remain memorable half a century later. Now, researchers have taken a major step toward understanding exactly how thalidomide causes the birth defects. This is important as thalidomide is still used to treat diseases like multiple myeloma and leprosy, and is being tested for cancers and autoimmune disorders. ... > full story

Marine organisms with eternal life can solve the riddle of aging (April 19, 2011) -- Animals that reproduce asexually by somatic cloning have special mechanisms that delay aging provide exceptionally good health. Scientists in Sweden have shown how colony-forming ascidians (or sea squirts) can activate the enzyme telomerase, which protects DNA. This enzyme is more active also in humans who attain an advanced age. ... > full story

Previous-day alcohol consumption appears to affect surgical skills on virtual reality simulator (April 19, 2011) -- Excessive alcohol consumption appears to be associated with changes in some surgical skills performed on virtual reality simulator testing the following day, according to a new study. ... > full story

'Thirdhand smoke' poses danger to unborn babies' lungs, study finds (April 19, 2011) -- Prenatal exposure to toxic components of a newly recognized category of tobacco smoke -- known as "thirdhand smoke" -- can have a serious effect on lung development in infants. ... > full story

Tibetian Terrier dogs could play key role in developing therapy for early-onset Parkinson’s (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers believe both humans and animals will benefit from their discovery that the same gene mutation found in Tibetan terrier dogs can also be found in a fatal human neurological disorder related to Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Enhanced cord blood stem cell transplants safe in long-term studies (April 19, 2011) -- An innovative experimental treatment for boosting the effectiveness of stem-cell transplants with umbilical cord blood has a favorable safety profile in long-term animal studies, scientists report. ... > full story

For testing skin cream, synthetic skin may be as good as the real thing (April 19, 2011) -- New research suggests that currently available types of synthetic skin may now be good enough to imitate animal skin in laboratory tests, and may be on their way to truly simulating human skin in the future. Researchers compared the response of synthetic skins to rat skin when they were both exposed to a generic skin cream treatment, and the results indicated they both reacted similarly. ... > full story

Bioartificial organs: Spanish researchers replace pig corneal cells with human stem cells (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers in Spain have made progress toward bioartificial organs by extracting pig corneal cells and replacing them with human stem cells. ... > full story

Mood swings of bipolar patients can be predicted, study shows (April 19, 2011) -- The future mood swings of people with bipolar disorder can be predicted by their current thoughts and behavior, a study has found. ... > full story

Limiting carbs, not calories, reduces liver fat faster, researchers find (April 19, 2011) -- Curbing carbohydrates is more effective than cutting calories for individuals who want to quickly reduce the amount of fat in their liver, researchers report. ... > full story

Alzheimer's diagnostic guidelines updated for first time in decades (April 19, 2011) -- For the first time in 27 years, clinical diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease dementia have been revised, and research guidelines for earlier stages of the disease characterized. They mark a major change in how experts think about and study Alzheimer's. ... > full story

Research turns the world upside down: New study examines brain processes behind facial recognition (April 19, 2011) -- Using tests of visual perception and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers recently measured activity in two regions of the brain well known for facial recognition and found they were highly sensitive to the orientation of people's faces. ... > full story

Simple injection could limit damage from heart attacks and stroke (April 19, 2011) -- New research offers promise of a simple injection that could be developed to limit the devastating consequences of heart attacks and strokes. Scientists have identified an enzyme, Mannan Binding Lectin-Associated Serine Protease-2 (MASP-2), that is found in blood and is a key component of the lectin pathway of complement activation, a component of the innate immune system. ... > full story

Genetic study offers insight into the social lives of bees (April 19, 2011) -- Most people have trouble telling them apart, but bumble bees, honey bees, stingless bees and solitary bees have home lives that are as different from one another as a monarch's palace is from a hippie commune or a hermit's cabin in the woods. A new study of these bees offers a first look at the genetic underpinnings of their differences in lifestyle. ... > full story

Virtual surgery shows promise in personalized treatment of nasal obstruction (April 19, 2011) -- A preliminary report suggests that virtual nasal surgery has the potential to be a productive tool that may enable surgeons to perform personalized nasal surgery using computer simulation techniques. ... > full story

Do-not-resuscitate orders associated with poor surgical outcomes even for non-emergency procedures (April 19, 2011) -- Surgical patients with do-not-resuscitate orders appear to be at higher risk for poor surgical outcomes, according to a new study. ... > full story

Common virus plus low sunlight exposure may increase risk of multiple sclerosis (April 19, 2011) -- New research suggests that people who are exposed to low levels of sunlight coupled with a history of having a common virus known as mononucleosis may be at greater odds of developing multiple sclerosis than those without the virus. ... > full story

Small molecules inhibit growth of human tumor cells (April 19, 2011) -- Researchers have identified three novel small molecules that interrupt a crucial cellular communication pathway that regulates many aspects of development and cancer. The finding could provide the basis for innovative therapies for colorectal cancer and other diseases associated with aberrations in this pathway. ... > full story

Treatment-resistant epilepsy common in idiopathic autism; Associated with early seizure onset and cognitive impairment (April 19, 2011) -- A new study found that treatment-resistant epilepsy is common in idiopathic autism. Early age at the onset of seizures and delayed global development were associated with a higher frequency of resistance to antiepileptic drugs. ... > full story

Students develop thought-controlled, hands-free computer for the disabled (April 19, 2011) -- Software engineering students have developed innovative technology that could enable people to operate a computer without using a keyboard or mouse -- only their brainwaves. ... > full story

How children learn to say 'no': Gender-specific effectiveness of a life skills program against alcohol consumption in early adolescence (April 19, 2011) -- Their numbers are rising, but their age is dropping: children and young adults who drink so much that they have to go to the hospital. Binge-drinking is sadly fashionable amongst the under 20-year-olds. But how can adolescents be effectively protected from alcohol and substance abuse? ... > full story

Snoring and sleep disorders: A dental approach to a major public health issue (April 19, 2011) -- Millions of people are at risk of developing sleep apnoea (SA), a health problem caused by obstructed air intake during sleep. The disorder has become a common issue in public health, affecting patients’ quality of life and potentially leading to hypertension, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders, as well as increasing the likelihood of traffic, workplace and domestic accidents with personal, financial and healthcare repercussions. In children, SA is often associated with learning difficulties and behavioral and attention disorders. ... > full story

Research encourages increased patient participation in interventions to prevent falls amongst older people (April 19, 2011) -- New research has indicated that more should be done to involve older people with interventions to prevent falls in care home and hospital settings. In their study, researchers suggest that particular attention should be paid to optimizing older people's participation in interventions for the prevention of falls. ... > full story

Predicting premature birth possible through markers in mother's blood (April 18, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a group of proteins and peptides that signal risk of premature birth. Their research shows that more than 80 percent of preterm births can be spotted in advance with a blood test taken during the second trimester. ... > full story

Safety of stored blood among chief concerns for transfusion medicine community (April 18, 2011) -- In light of recent studies that suggest the use of stored blood during transfusions may cause adverse effects in patients, a number of research projects were funded to examine the safety of transfusing older red cells and the impact of stored blood on respiratory gases. These papers discussing potential adverse effects of stored blood and related concerns for oxygen delivery by transfusion are now available online. ... > full story

Closer look at cell membrane shows cholesterol 'keeping order' (April 18, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a way to magnify cell membranes dramatically and watch them move, revealing a surprising dependence on cholesterol within this boundary between the cell and the outside world. ... > full story

Primary care targeted for suicide prevention efforts (April 18, 2011) -- Forty-five percent of the 32,000 Americans who take their own lives each year visit their primary care provider within one month of their death. Yet only in the last decade has suicide been considered a preventable public health problem. ... > full story

Missing the gorilla: People prone to 'inattention blindness' have a lower working memory capacity (April 18, 2011) -- Psychologists have learned why many people experience "inattention blindness" -- the phenomenon that leaves drivers on cell phones prone to traffic accidents and makes a gorilla invisible to viewers of a famous video. The answer: People who fail to see something right in front of them while they are focusing on something else have lower "working memory capacity" -- a measure of the ability to focus attention when and where needed, and on more than one thing at a time. ... > full story

MRI may predict which adults will develop Alzheimer's (April 18, 2011) -- Using MRI, researchers may be able to predict which adults with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to progress to Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Immediate treatment can alleviate future back problems, research suggests (April 18, 2011) -- Immediate treatment by a physiotherapist, bypassing a waiting list, can reduce problems with recurring low back pain, new research suggests. ... > full story

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