ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, May 23, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, May 23, 2011

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Scientists observe single gene activity in living cells in detail for first time (May 23, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time observed the activity of a single gene in living cells. In an unprecedented study, scientists were able to follow, in real time, the process of gene transcription, which occurs when a gene converts its DNA information into molecules of messenger RNA that go on to make the protein coded by the gene. ... > full story

A new program for neural stem cells (May 23, 2011) -- Neural stem cells can do a lot, but not everything. For example, brain and spinal cord cells are not usually generated by neural stem cells of the peripheral nervous system, and it is not possible to produce cells of the peripheral nervous system from the stem cells of the brain. However, researchers have now succeeded in producing central nervous system cells from neural stem cells of the peripheral nervous system. They found that if peripheral stem cells are maintained under defined growth conditions, they generate oligodendrocytes, which form the myelin layer that surrounds the neurons found in the brain and spinal cord. ... > full story

New method to localize the epileptic focus in severe epilepsy (May 23, 2011) -- Medical researchers have started to utilize stereo-EEG method for localizing the epileptic focus in severe epilepsy for epilepsy surgery purposes. They are getting ready to introduce the so-called deep brain stimulation therapy in the treatment of epilepsy. ... > full story

'Death anxiety' prompts people to believe in intelligent design, reject evolution, study suggests (May 23, 2011) -- Researchers have found that people's 'death anxiety' can influence them to support theories of intelligent design and reject evolutionary theory. ... > full story

A direct path for understanding and treating brittle bones (May 23, 2011) -- Researchers have new insights into the means by which bone cells produce new bone in response to mechanical stresses, such as exercise. New findings lay a path for developing new strategies for treating diseases characterized by low bone density, such as osteoporosis in adults and osteogenesis imperfecta in children. ... > full story

Evolutionary conservation of fat metabolism pathways (May 23, 2011) -- A new study recently revealed just how similarly mammals and insects make critical metabolic adjustments when food availability changes, either due to environmental catastrophe or everyday changes in sleep/wake cycles. Those findings may suggest novel ways to treat metabolic conditions such as obesity and type II diabetes. ... > full story

Enzyme essential for healthy lung development discovered (May 23, 2011) -- Dysregulation of cell polarity has been associated with developmental disorders and cancer. Until now, little has been know about what controls it. Investigators have now determined that Eya1 phosphatase regulates cell polarity in lung epithelial stem cells. ... > full story

Epstein-Barr virus could be risk factor for multiple sclerosis, study suggests (May 22, 2011) -- While there is no cause known for multiple sclerosis, patients with MS seem to have genetic vulnerability to certain environmental factors that could trigger this condition, such as the Epstein-Barr virus. Scientists have now found a link between the Epstein-Barr virus --- which belongs to the herpes viruses family --- and the development of this condition. ... > full story

Embryonic cells: Predicting fate of personalized cells may be next step toward new therapies (May 22, 2011) -- Discovering the step-by-step details of the path embryonic cells take to develop into their final tissue type is the clinical goal of many stem cell biologists. To that end, researchers looked at immature cells called progenitors and found a way to potentially predict their fate. They base this on how the protein spools around which DNA winds -- called histones -- are marked by other proteins. ... > full story

Chinese herbal paste may help prevent exacerbations of COPD (May 22, 2011) -- A traditional Chinese herbal paste known as Xiao Chuan, or XCP, may help reduce winter exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a new study conducted by researchers in Beijing. The paste has been used to treat breathing difficulties in China for more than a thousand years. ... > full story

Video game effects on kids: Not all black and white, expert argues (May 22, 2011) -- A new article argues that existing video game literature can't be classified in black and white terms. Instead, there's a vast gray area when considering the multiple dimensions of video game effects on kids -- with at least five dimensions on which video games can affect players simultaneously. ... > full story

Marker identifies breast cancer patients likely to respond to tamoxifen (May 22, 2011) -- Cancer researchers have discovered a biomarker in breast cancer that may help identify which women will respond to anti-estrogen therapy. ... > full story

How retinas develop: Scientists make strides in vision research (May 22, 2011) -- New research is contributing to the basic biological understanding of how retinas develop. In two new studies, scientists document how they used mice as a research model organism to show that the size of different populations of retinal neurons display wide-ranging variability among individuals. ... > full story

Scientists discover switch to speed up stem cell production (May 22, 2011) -- A team of scientists from Singapore have shown how proteins involved in controlling genes work together to carry out their functions in stem cells and demonstrated for the very first time, how they can change interaction partners to make other types of cells. ... > full story

Driving errors increase with age among older drivers: Blind-spot errors most common mistake (May 22, 2011) -- Even healthy adults with a safe driving record tend to make more driving errors as they age, including potentially dangerous mistakes, such as failing to check blind spots, according to a new study. ... > full story

Adult stem cells take root in livers and repair damage (May 22, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated that human liver cells derived from adult cells coaxed into an embryonic state can engraft and begin regenerating liver tissue in mice with chronic liver damage. ... > full story

'Blueprint' for blocking MMP may unlock new treatments for deadly blood infection (May 22, 2011) -- Researchers studying the life threatening infectious disease sepsis have discovered how the infection can lead to a fatal inflammatory response through blood vessel cells. The research focuses on blocking crucial matrix metalloprotease enzymes (MMP) which activate the response. ... > full story

Sensitivity to alcohol can lead to greater consumption and risk for alcoholism (May 22, 2011) -- Children with a family history of alcoholism (FHP) have a higher risk for becoming alcoholic themselves. Of the two classifications of alcoholism -- types I and II -- the former is less severe but more prevalent. New findings show that a "moderate" alcohol dose can increase subjective responses of stimulation and elevate positive mood state in individuals with an FHP of type I alcoholism. ... > full story

Enlarged prostate: Study demonstrates immediate and long-term benefits of laser treatment (May 21, 2011) -- New research demonstrates that holmium laser therapy is a safe and durable treatment option for benign prostatic hyperplasia -- an enlargement of the prostate that affects most men as they age. ... > full story

Traditional remedy bitter cumin is a great source antioxidant plant phenols, study suggests (May 21, 2011) -- Bitter cumin is used extensively in traditional medicine to treat a range of diseases from vitiligo to hyperglycemia. It is considered to be antiparasitic and antimicrobial and science has backed up claims of its use to reduce fever or as a painkiller. New research shows that this humble spice also contains high levels of antioxidants. ... > full story

Wii key to helping kids balance (May 21, 2011) -- By cleverly linking five Wii Balance Boards, a team of university undergraduates has combined the appeal of a video game with the utility of a computerized motion-tracking system that can enhance patient progress. ... > full story

Is fear deficit a harbinger of future psychopaths? (May 21, 2011) -- Psychopaths are charming, but they often get themselves and others in big trouble; their willingness to break social norms and lack of remorse means they are often at risk for crimes and other irresponsible behaviors. ... > full story

Herbal remedies offer hope as the new antibiotics (May 21, 2011) -- Cancer treatments often have the side effect of impairing the patient's immune system. This can result in life-threatening secondary infections from bacteria and fungi, especially since bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus, are becoming multi-drug resistant. New research investigates the potency of Indian wild plants against bacterial and fungal infections in the mouths of oral cancer patients. ... > full story

New treatment regimen shows clinical benefit in advanced colon cancer (May 21, 2011) -- A new treatment regimen for patients with metastatic colon cancer appears to offer clinical benefit even when used after multiple other treatments have failed, say research physicians. ... > full story

Pharmacies' software systems miss potentially dangerous interactions, study finds (May 21, 2011) -- Only 28 percent of pharmacies' clinical decision support software systems -- the computer programs that are in place to alert pharmacists to possible medication problems -- correctly identified potentially dangerous drug-drug interactions, according to a new study. ... > full story

Artificial tissue promotes skin growth in wounds (May 21, 2011) -- Improved tissue grafts designed by scientists that promote vascular growth could hasten healing, encourage healthy skin to invade the wounded area and reduce the need for surgeries. ... > full story

Gene-modified stem cells help protect bone marrow from toxic side effects of chemotherapy (May 21, 2011) -- Although chemotherapy is used to kill cancer cells, it can also have a strong toxic effect on normal cells such as bone marrow and blood cells. Researchers report that one possible approach to reduce this toxic effect on bone marrow cells is to modify the cells with a gene that makes them resistant to chemotherapy. ... > full story

Insight into quality of stored blood used for transfusions (May 21, 2011) -- New research provides evidence for significant differences between new and old red blood cells used for transfusions and could provide a cheap, rapid and effective way to monitor the quality of blood supplies. ... > full story

Does eating give you pleasure, or make you anxious? (May 21, 2011) -- While most people have a great deal of difficulty in dieting and losing weight, particularly if a diet extends over many months or years, individuals with anorexia nervosa can literally diet themselves to death. In fact, this disorder has a very high death rate from starvation. A new study sheds light on why these symptoms occur in anorexia nervosa. ... > full story

Gene variation linked to infertility in women, study finds (May 20, 2011) -- A variation in a gene involved in regulating cholesterol in the bloodstream also appears to affect progesterone production in women, making it a likely culprit in a substantial number of cases of their infertility, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Dietary supplement can protect against pre-eclampsia, new study suggests (May 20, 2011) -- A dietary supplement containing an amino acid and antioxidant vitamins, given to pregnant women at high risk of pre-eclampsia, can reduce the occurrence of the disease, finds a new study. ... > full story

Buying 'legal highs' from the Internet is risky business (May 20, 2011) -- Many drugs sold as "legal highs" on the Internet do not contain the ingredients they claim. Some instead contain controlled substances and are illegal to sell over the internet. These are findings of a doctor, who bought a range of tablets from different websites to see what each contained. ... > full story

Researchers create nanopatch for the heart (May 20, 2011) -- Engineers have a promising new approach to treating heart-attack victims. The researchers created a nanopatch with carbon nanofibers and a polymer. In laboratory tests, natural heart-tissue cell density on the nanoscaffold was six times greater than the control sample, while neuron density had doubled. ... > full story

High iron, copper levels block brain-cell DNA repair (May 20, 2011) -- Excessive levels of copper and iron in the brain and DNA damage by reactive oxygen species are associated with most cases of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disorders. Researchers have discovered how these two pieces of the neurodegenerative disease puzzle fit together. ... > full story

Wolbachia bacteria reduce parasite levels and kill the mosquito that spreads malaria (May 20, 2011) -- Researchers found that artificial infection with different Wolbachia bacteria strains can significantly reduce levels of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, in the mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. The investigators also determined that one of the Wolbachia strains rapidly killed the mosquito after it fed on blood. According to the researchers, Wolbachia could potentially be used as part of a strategy to control malaria if stable infections can be established in Anopheles. ... > full story

Breaking rules makes you seem powerful (May 20, 2011) -- When people have power, they act the part. Powerful people smile less, interrupt others and speak in a louder voice. When people do not respect the basic rules of social behavior, they lead others to believe that they have power, according to a new study. ... > full story

From gene to protein: Control is mainly in the cytoplasm, not cell nucleus (May 20, 2011) -- How do genes control us? This fundamental question still remains elusive despite decades of research. Genes are blueprints for proteins, but it is the proteins that actually carry out vital functions. But how is protein production controlled? Researchers have now comprehensively quantified gene expression for the first time and found out that control mainly occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell and not in the cell nucleus. ... > full story

Building a better mouse model to study depression (May 20, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a mouse model of major depressive disorder (MDD) that is based on a rare genetic mutation that appears to cause MDD in the majority of people who inherit it. The findings could help clarify the brain events that lead to MDD and contribute to new and better means of treatment and prevention. ... > full story

Extremely obese children have higher prevalence of psoriasis, higher heart disease risk (May 20, 2011) -- Children who are overweight or obese have a significantly higher prevalence of psoriasis, and teens with psoriasis, regardless of their body weight, have higher cholesterol levels, according to new research. The study findings suggest that higher heart disease risk for patients with psoriasis starts in childhood in the form of higher cholesterol levels. ... > full story

Exercise helps women fight smoking cravings, but effect is short-lived (May 20, 2011) -- For years researchers have found that exercise can curb nicotine cravings, but have struggled to show a practical benefit in trials. Newly published research suggests a reason: the effect is too ephemeral. ... > full story

Sniff sniff: Smelling led to smarter mammals, researchers say (May 20, 2011) -- A rose by any other name would smell as sweet; the saying is perhaps a testament to the acute sense of smell that is unique to mammals. Paleontologists have now discovered that an improved sense of smell jumpstarted brain evolution in the ancestral cousins of present-day mammals. ... > full story

Novel gene linked to aging hearts (May 20, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a novel gene in the nucleus of muscle and brain cells that affects heart development and the aging process. Their investigation brings the promise of new treatments for an old, failing heart. ... > full story

Strobe eyewear training may improve visual abilities (May 20, 2011) -- Strobe-like eyewear designed to train the vision of athletes may have positive effects in some cases, according to tests run by a team of psychologists who specialize in visual perception. ... > full story

DNA repair system affects colon cancer recurrence and survival (May 20, 2011) -- Colorectal cancer patients with defects in mismatch repair -- one of the body's systems for repairing DNA damage -- have lower recurrence rates and better survival rates than patients without such defects, according to a new study. ... > full story

How you think about death may affect how you act (May 20, 2011) -- How you think about death affects how you behave in life. Researchers had people either think about death in the abstract or in a specific, personal way and found that people who thought specifically about their own death were more likely to demonstrate concern for society by donating blood. ... > full story

Paraplegic man stands and moves legs voluntarily after new treatment (May 20, 2011) -- Researchers have used a stimulating electrode array to assist a paralyzed man to stand, step on a treadmill with assistance, and, over time, to regain voluntary movements of his limbs. The electrical signals provided by the array, the researchers have found, stimulate the spinal cord's own neural network so that it can use the sensory input derived from the legs to direct muscle and joint movements. ... > full story

Enzyme may drive breast cancer growth (May 20, 2011) -- A recently discovered enzyme drives the production of a potent form of estrogen in human breast cancer tissue, according to new research. ... > full story

Atomic-scale structures of ribosome could help improve antibiotics: How protein-making machine bends without breaking (May 20, 2011) -- In a development that could lead to better antibiotics, scientists have derived atomic-scale resolution structures of the cell's protein-making machine, the ribosome, at key stages of its job. The structures reveal that the ribosome's ability to rotate an incredible amount without falling apart is due to the never-before-seen springiness of molecular widgets that hold it together. ... > full story