ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, May 30, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, May 30, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Why does flu trigger asthma? (May 30, 2011) -- When children with asthma get the flu, they often land in the hospital gasping for air. Researchers have found a previously unknown biological pathway explaining why influenza induces asthma attacks. Studies in a mouse model reveal that influenza activates a newly recognized group of immune cells called natural helper cells -- presenting a completely new set of drug targets for asthma. ... > full story

What is a laboratory mouse? (May 30, 2011) -- Scientists have created a genome-wide, high-resolution map of most of the inbred mouse strains used today. Their conclusion: Most of the mice in use today represent only limited genetic diversity, which could be significantly expanded with the addition of more wild mouse populations. ... > full story

Translating stem cell research into therapies (May 30, 2011) -- A new article provides comprehensive insight into the current status of neural stem cell research and the sometimes labyrinthine pathways leading to stem cell-based therapies. ... > full story

Method for detecting toxic substances in leather and footwear developed (May 30, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new analytical method that improves detection of the allergen dimethyl fumarate (DMFu) in leather and footwear. ... > full story

Social life and mobility are keys to quality of life in old age (May 30, 2011) -- Resourcefulness, staying active and a busy social life play vital roles in helping people cope with the challenges of old age, researchers have found. Maintaining social relationships and mobility in old age are so important for general well-being that some elderly people will go to extreme lengths to keep active, according to the study. The research has led to a new method of measuring quality of life in older age being unvelied, replacing previous questionnaires which relied on expert or top down opinions and measures such as income rather than the views of older people themselves. ... > full story

Iron-ferrying protein may be 'universal Achilles heel' for parasitic worms (May 29, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a tiny protein without which the soil and lab-dwelling worm C. elegans can't deliver iron-rich heme taken in from their diets to the rest of their bodies or to their developing embryos. The finding offers important insight into the transport of the essential ingredient in worms and other animals, including humans. ... > full story

Combo method reveals cells' signal systems (May 29, 2011) -- Our understanding of what differentiates cancer cells from normal cells is limited by a lack of methods for studying the complex signal systems of individual cells. By combing two different methods, researchers have now provided the research world with a tool for studying signal paths on several levels at the same time. ... > full story

Does liposuction get rid of that forever? More like a year, study suggests (May 29, 2011) -- Liposuction has become one of the most popular plastic surgeries in the United States. It has been around since 1974 and there are now more than 450,000 operations a year. But does the fat come back? A recent study has found that the fat eventually returns within one year, and is redistributed to other areas of the body, especially the upper abdomen. ... > full story

Common test could help predict early death in diabetes, study shows (May 29, 2011) -- A common test may be useful in predicting early death in individuals with diabetes. ... > full story

Dangerous side effect of common drug combination -- Paxil and Pravachol -- discovered by data mining (May 29, 2011) -- A widely used combination of two common medications may cause unexpected increases in blood glucose levels, according to a new study. Researchers were surprised at the finding because neither of the two drugs -- one, an antidepressant marketed as Paxil, and the other, a cholesterol-lowering medication called Pravachol -- has a similar effect alone. ... > full story

All in your head? Substantial recovery rate with placebo effect in headache treatment, analysis finds (May 29, 2011) -- Headache is a very common complaint, with over 90% of all persons experiencing a headache at some time in their lives. In an analysis by Dutch researchers of 119 clinical trials, the "no treatment" and placebo groups had a high overall recovery rate of 36%. Control groups in pharmacological trials showed a higher response rate than the behavioral (non-pharmacological) trials (38.5% vs. 15.0%). ... > full story

What doesn't kill the brain makes it stronger (May 29, 2011) -- Scientists say that a newly discovered "survival protein" protects the brain against the effects of stroke in rodent brain tissue by interfering with a particular kind of cell death that's also implicated in complications from diabetes and heart attack. ... > full story

Long warm-ups for track and field can sabotage race performance (May 29, 2011) -- Low intensity warm-ups enhance athletic performance. ... > full story

Hormone level predicts end of fertility (May 29, 2011) -- The age-specific blood levels of the Anti-Müllerian hormone can predict when women will reach menopause. This makes family planning easier, say fertility researchers. ... > full story

Changes in brain circuitry play role in moral sensitivity as people grow up (May 29, 2011) -- Moral responses to similar situations change as people age, says a study that combined brain scanning, eye-tracking and behavioral measures to understand how the brain responds to morally laden scenarios. Preschool children and adults distinguish between damage done either intentionally or accidentally when assessing whether a perpetrator had done something wrong. Adults are much less likely than children to think someone should be punished for damaging an object, especially if the action was accidental. ... > full story

Cystic fibrosis-associated bacteria could help fight back against antibiotic resistance (May 28, 2011) -- A bacteria which infects people with cystic fibrosis could help combat other antibiotic-resistant microbes, according to new research. Scientists have discovered antibiotics from Burkholderia are effective against MRSA and even other cystic fibrosis infecting bacteria. ... > full story

New drug treatment extends lives of men with prostate cancer (May 28, 2011) -- A drug recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of prostate cancer is proving to give some patients the gift of time. A new study shows abiraterone acetate extends the lives of men with the most advanced form of the disease by about four months. ... > full story

More money, better health? (May 28, 2011) -- In the past, studies have shown little to no relation between how much money you spend and how healthy you are. But a new study has discovered a positive correlation between how much money elderly Medicare beneficiaries spend and their health outcomes. ... > full story

New treatment dissolves blood clots in brain tissue (May 28, 2011) -- A new treatment that treats a subset of stroke patients by combining minimally invasive surgery, an imaging technique likened to "GPS for the brain," and the clot-busting drug t-PA appears to be safe and effective, according to new research. ... > full story

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis receive less protection from pandemic influenza with H1N1 vaccine, study shows (May 28, 2011) -- Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis taking disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, showed significantly less protection from pandemic influenza after receiving the H1N1 vaccine compared to healthy individuals, according to new data. ... > full story

Human impacts of rising oceans will extend well beyond coasts (May 28, 2011) -- Estimates that are based on current, static population data can greatly misrepresent the true extent -- and the pronounced variability -- of the human toll of climate change, researchers say. ... > full story

Students struggling with math may have a neurocognitive disorder called dyscalculia: Disorder affects roughly as many people as dyslexia (May 28, 2011) -- Students who struggle to learn mathematics may have a neurocognitive disorder that inhibits the acquisition of basic numerical and arithmetic concepts, according to a new article. Specialized teaching for individuals with dyscalculia, the mathematical equivalent of dyslexia, should be made widely available in mainstream education, according to a new review. ... > full story

Simple sugar, lactate, is like 'candy for cancer cells': Cancer cells accelerate aging and inflammation in the body to drive tumor growth (May 28, 2011) -- Researchers have shed new light on the longstanding conundrum about what makes a tumor grow -- and how to make it stop. Interestingly, cancer cells accelerate the aging of nearby connective tissue cells to cause inflammation, which ultimately provides "fuel" for the tumor to grow and even metastasize. ... > full story

Siginificant benefits of yoga in people with rheumatoid arthritis, study shows (May 28, 2011) -- Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis who practice yoga showed statistically significant improvements in disease activity, according to a small study. ... > full story

Elderly drivers support competency tests, study shows (May 28, 2011) -- Researchers studying driving habits and accident rates among the elderly found that a majority support age-based competency tests. ... > full story

Super-sticky 'ultra-bad' cholesterol revealed in people at high risk of heart disease (May 27, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered why a newly found form of cholesterol seems to be 'ultra-bad', leading to increased risk of heart disease. The discovery could lead to new treatments to prevent heart disease particularly in people with type 2 diabetes and the elderly. ... > full story

Key molecule for stem cell pluripotency discovered (May 27, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered what enables embryonic stem cells to differentiate into diverse cell types and thus to be pluripotent. This pluripotency depends on a molecule -- E-cadherin -- hitherto primarily known for its role in mediating cell-cell adhesion. If E-cadherin is absent, the stem cells lose their pluripotency. The molecule also plays a crucial role in the reprogramming of body cells into pluripotent stem cells. ... > full story

New procedure to make brain surgery safer (May 27, 2011) -- To increase patient safety in clinical practice and minimize risks and damage that may arise during surgery, computer support and digital medical imaging are key technologies. Before brain operations, neurosurgeons can now evaluate patient-specific surgical risks, achieve increased safety, and avoid unacceptable risks. ... > full story

Does our personality affect our level of attractiveness? (May 27, 2011) -- Part of what determines how much success you will have in the dating world is whether you have a good sense of whether people find you attractive. ... > full story

Scientists turn human skin cells directly into neurons, skipping IPS stage (May 27, 2011) -- Human skin cells can be converted directly into functional neurons in a period of four to five weeks with the addition of just four proteins, according to a new study. The finding is significant because it bypasses the need to first create induced pluripotent stem cells, and may make it much easier to generate patient- or disease-specific neurons for study in a laboratory dish. ... > full story

Study confirms link between rheumatoid arthritis and COPD (May 27, 2011) -- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are two times more likely to have concurrent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than healthy controls -- an association which was sustained even when variables such as age, gender, smoking and obesity were controlled for, according to a new study. ... > full story

Fish oil may have positive effects on mood, alcohol craving, new study shows (May 27, 2011) -- Omega 3 fatty acids may be beneficial for more than just the heart. Researchers have found at a molecular level a potential therapeutic benefit from these dietary supplements for treating alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorders. ... > full story

Drug may help overwrite bad memories (May 27, 2011) -- Recalling painful memories while under the influence of the drug metyrapone reduces the brain's ability to re-record the negative emotions associated with them. ... > full story

Naturally occurring plant alkaloids could slow down Alzheimer's disease, study suggests (May 27, 2011) -- A family of naturally occurring plant compounds could help prevent or delay memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Genetic basis for key parasite function in malaria (May 27, 2011) -- Snug inside a human red blood cell, the malaria parasite hides from the immune system and fuels its growth by digesting hemoglobin, the cell's main protein. The parasite, however, must obtain additional nutrients from the bloodstream via tiny pores in the cell membrane. Now, investigators have found the genes that malaria parasites use to create these feeding pores. ... > full story

Stress may increase risk for Alzheimer's disease (May 27, 2011) -- Stress promotes neuropathological changes that are also seen in Alzheimer's disease. Scientists in Germany have discovered that the increased release of stress hormones in rats leads to generation of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein in the brain and ultimately, memory loss. ... > full story

Nanoengineers invent new biomaterial that more closely mimics human tissue (May 27, 2011) -- A new biomaterial designed for repairing damaged human tissue doesn't wrinkle up when it is stretched. The invention from nanoengineers marks a significant breakthrough in tissue engineering because it more closely mimics the properties of native human tissue. ... > full story

Innate immune system proteins attack bacteria by triggering bacterial suicide mechanisms (May 27, 2011) -- A group of proteins that act as the body's built-in line of defense against invading bacteria use a molecular trick to induce bacteria to destroy themselves, researchers have determined. The research could point the way toward new anti-bacterial treatments that could take on bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. ... > full story

New nanoscale imaging may lead to new treatments for multiple sclerosis (May 27, 2011) -- Laboratory studies by chemical engineers may lead to new experimental methods for early detection and diagnosis -- and to possible treatments -- for pathological tissues that are precursors to multiple sclerosis and similar diseases. ... > full story

Extensive protein interaction network controls gene regulation (May 27, 2011) -- More than half of your DNA is devoted to regulating how the genes that make proteins -- the workhorses of the cells -- carry out their tasks. A team of scientists have identified and classified virtually all the transcriptional coregulators in a human cells. These coregulators control how and to what degree genes are turned on or off as well as when they are active and for how long. ... > full story

Brain's response to sadness can predict relapses into depression, study shows (May 27, 2011) -- A new study shows that when formerly depressed people experience mild states of sadness, their brain's response can predict if they will become depressed again. ... > full story

Nuclear radiation affects sex of babies, study suggests (May 27, 2011) -- Ionizing radiation is not without danger to human populations. Indeed, exposure to nuclear radiation leads to an increase in male births relative to female births, according to a new study by researchers in Germany. Their work shows that radiation from atomic bomb testing before the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963, the Chernobyl accident, and from living near nuclear facilities, has had a long-term negative effect on the ratio of male to female human births (sex odds). ... > full story

Chronic estrogen exposure linked to high blood pressure (May 27, 2011) -- Researchers have found that long-term estrogen exposure generates excessive levels of a compound, superoxide, which causes stress in the body. The build-up of this compound occurs in an area of the brain that is crucial to regulating blood pressure, suggesting that chronic estrogen induces a build up of superoxide that in turn causes blood pressure to increase. ... > full story

Researchers evaluate red wine compound for treating concussions in pro boxers (May 27, 2011) -- Researchers are engaging the help of professional boxers and trainers to study whether a component in red wine and grapes could help reduce the short- and long-term effects of concussions. ... > full story

Children who sleep less are more likely to be overweight, study finds (May 27, 2011) -- Young children who do not get enough sleep are at increased risk of becoming overweight, even after taking account of lifestyle factors, a new study finds. ... > full story

Omega-3 may cut risk of artery disease, heart attacks for patients with stents (May 27, 2011) -- New evidence indicates omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and other foods may work with two blood-thinners to reduce the risk of heart attack in stent patients. Patients who received omega-3 fatty acids combined with two blood-thinning drugs after stent implantation in affected arteries had weaker clots than those who got only blood thinners. ... > full story

Structure formed by strep protein can trigger toxic shock (May 27, 2011) -- Strep can turn deadly when a protein found on its surface triggers a widespread inflammatory reaction. The protein links with a host protein that is normally involved in blood clotting to form scaffolds. These assemble into dense superstructures that immune cells mistake for blood clots and overreact, leading to sepsis, shock, organ failure and death. ... > full story

Gestational diabetes can be predicted seven years before pregnancy with blood sugar and body weight, study suggests (May 27, 2011) -- A woman's risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy can be identified up to seven years before she becomes pregnant based on routinely assessed measures of blood sugar and body weight, according to new research. ... > full story

This message was sent to ranggomas.techdeck@blogger.com from:

ScienceDaily | 1 Research Court, Suite 450 | Rockville, MD 20850

Email Marketing by