ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, June 27, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, June 27, 2011

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Scientists expose cancer cells' universal 'dark matter'; Findings reveal chaos in biochemical alterations of cancer cells (June 27, 2011) -- Using the latest gene sequencing tools to examine so-called epigenetic influences on the DNA makeup of colon cancer, a team of researchers says its results suggest cancer treatment might eventually be more tolerable and successful if therapies could focus on helping cancer cells get back to normal in addition to strategies for killing them. ... > full story

New genetic risk factors of lupus found in study of African-American women (June 27, 2011) -- Researchers have found four new genetic variants in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) that confer a higher risk of systemic lupus erythemathosus ("lupus") in African American women. The study is believed to be the first to comprehensively assess the association between genetic variants in the MHC region and risk of lupus in African American women. ... > full story

Go for broke: Consumers who set conservative goals feel less satisfied (June 27, 2011) -- Consumers who set conservative goals have a harder time achieving satisfaction than those who set ambitious goals, according to a new study. When cautious consumers meet their goals, they tend to raise the bar and compare themselves to the highest possible standards. ... > full story

Studies track protein relevant to stem cells, cancer (June 27, 2011) -- Scientists have taken a broad look at the Tet 1 protein's location in the mouse genome, and found a surprising dual function. They are offering the first genome-wide location of the protein and its product, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine -- dubbed the "sixth base" of DNA. ... > full story

New breast cancer risk model quantifies the impact of risk reduction (June 27, 2011) -- How much can a woman lower her risk of breast cancer by losing weight, drinking less, or exercising more? A study describes a new model to estimate the impact of these lifestyle changes. ... > full story

Menthol cigarettes marketed in 'predatory' pattern, study shows (June 27, 2011) -- Tobacco companies increased the advertising and lowered the sale price of menthol cigarettes in stores near California high schools with larger populations of African-American students, according to a new study. ... > full story

In search of the memory molecule, researchers discover key protein complex (June 26, 2011) -- Have a tough time remembering where you put your keys, learning a new language or recalling names at a cocktail party? New research points to a molecule that is central to the process by which memories are stored in the brain. ... > full story

A breath of fresh air for detecting vitamin B12 deficiency (June 26, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new test to detect the levels of vitamin B12 using your breath, allowing for a cheaper, faster, and simpler diagnosis that could help to avoid the potentially fatal symptoms of B12 deficiency. ... > full story

Young people with type 1 diabetes at risk for heart disease, research shows (June 26, 2011) -- New research shows that adolescents and young adults with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes have thicker and stiffer carotid arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, a risk factor for heart attack and stroke in adults. This research is believed to be the first to examine whether type 1 diabetes has a measurable effect on carotid arteries in this age group. ... > full story

Compulsory cycle helmet legislation linked to 29% reduction in cyclist head injuries, Australian study finds (June 26, 2011) -- Bicycle-related head injuries fell significantly in the months after mandatory helmet legislation came into effect in New South Wales, and recent calls for a repeal of the laws should be rejected, new research based on hospital admissions data shows. The injuries fell by up to 29 percent after the laws were introduced in 1991, according to the study. ... > full story

Scientists discover how to control fate of stem cells (June 26, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered how the body uses a single communication system to decide the fate of stem cells. The study paves the way for the development of new methods of stem cell therapy with fewer side effects. ... > full story

Space research gives birth to new ultrasound tools for health care in orbit, on Earth (June 26, 2011) -- Space biomedical researchers have developed tools that expand the use of ultrasound to provide better health care for astronauts during flight. The benefits are not just limited to spaceflight, though. These tools are now being used to improve health care around the world, especially in remote and underserved locations. ... > full story

Barrett’s esophagus, often a precursor to esophageal cancer, results from residual, embryonic cells (June 26, 2011) -- Researchers discovered a new mechanism for the origin of Barrett's esophagus, an intestine-like growth in the esophagus that is triggered by acid reflux and often progresses to esophageal cancer. The key finding is that Barrett's esophagus arises not from mutant cells in the esophagus but rather a small group of previously overlooked cells present in all adults that can rapidly expand to cancer precursors when the normal esophagus is damaged by acid. ... > full story

Sight requires exact pattern of neural activity to be wired in the womb (June 26, 2011) -- The precise wiring of our visual system depends upon the pattern of spontaneous activity within the brain that occurs well before birth, a new study shows. ... > full story

Chemist solves riddle of killer diseases (June 25, 2011) -- Using the tools of synthetic chemistry, a Copenhagen chemist has copied the endotoxin of bacteria causing diseases such as anthrax. This paves the way for new and efficient antibiotics. ... > full story

Interplay between cancer and aging in mice: Aging due to reduction in cell proliferation, not molecular damage, data suggest (June 25, 2011) -- Cancer risk increases with age, and scientists have long perceived a possible evolutionary tradeoff between longer lifespan and greater risk of cancer. Now, researchers have found direct evidence for that tradeoff in new data showing that expression of a key tumor suppressor protein induces premature aging in mice. ... > full story

Life expectancy for those with Type 1 diabetes improving (June 25, 2011) -- The life expectancy of people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes between 1965 and 1980 dramatically increased, compared to people diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes between 1950 and 1964, according to a new study. ... > full story

Drug shows improved kidney function for type 2 diabetics (June 25, 2011) -- A new anti-inflammatory drug used by patients with type 2 diabetes improved their kidney function during a year-long study. ... > full story

Pollinators make critical contribution to healthy diets (June 25, 2011) -- Fruits and vegetables that provide the highest levels of vitamins and minerals to the human diet globally depend heavily on bees and other pollinating animals, according to a new study. ... > full story

Screen developed to identify new anticancer drug targets (June 25, 2011) -- Tumor suppressor genes normally control the growth of cells, but cancer can spring up when these genes are silenced by certain chemical reactions that modify chromosomes. Among the most common culprits responsible for inactivating these genes are histone deacetylases, a class of enzymes that remove acetyl groups from DNA-scaffolding proteins, and DNA methyltransferases, a family of enzymes that add methyl groups to DNA. ... > full story

Tracing cancer back to its source using computer dissection (June 25, 2011) -- A new computer-based system can distinguish between apparently similar secondary tumors and allow a cancer specialist to trace the metastases back to the site of the original cancer in the patient's body. ... > full story

Exposure to parental stress increases pollution-related lung damage in children (June 25, 2011) -- Psychosocial stress appears to enhance the lung-damaging effects of traffic-related pollution in children, according to new research. ... > full story

Artificial pancreas being developed to ease diabetes burden (June 25, 2011) -- Millions of people who have diabetes may soon be free of finger pricks and daily insulin dosing. Researchers are developing an artificial pancreas that will deliver insulin automatically and with an individualized precision never before possible. ... > full story

Common drugs linked to cognitive impairment and possibly to increased risk of death, study suggests (June 25, 2011) -- A large, long-term study confirms that medications with anticholinergic activity, which include many drugs frequently taken by older adults, cause cognitive impairment. The research is also the first to identify a possible link between these drugs -- which include over-the-counter and prescription sleep aids and incontinence treatments -- and risk of death. ... > full story

Astronomers reach for the stars to discover new cancer therapy (June 25, 2011) -- Research on celestial bodies may have an impact on the human body. Astronomers are working with medical physicists and radiation oncologists to develop a potential new radiation treatment -- one that is intended to be tougher on tumors, but gentler on healthy tissue. ... > full story

Some captive chimpanzees show signs of compromised mental health, research shows (June 24, 2011) -- A new study finds that serious behavioral abnormalities, some of which could be compared to mental illness in humans, are endemic among captive chimpanzees. While most behavior of zoo-living chimpanzees is 'normal' in that it is typical of their wild counterparts, abnormal behavior is endemic in this population despite enrichment efforts such as social housing, say researchers. ... > full story

Sepsis: Leaking blood vessels may be cause of infection-spreading condition, researchers suggest (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers have put forward a new theory as to what causes sepsis, an often fatal condition that occurs when infection spreads throughout the body. Leaking blood vessels may actually be a cause of sepsis, rather than a symptom as previously thought. ... > full story

Heart valve replacement without opening the chest gives new option for non-operable patients (June 24, 2011) -- An innovative approach for implanting a new aortic heart valve without open-heart surgery offers hope for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at high-risk or not suitable candidates for open heart valve replacement surgery. ... > full story

Cut down on 'carbs' to reduce body fat, study authors say (June 24, 2011) -- A modest reduction in consumption of carbohydrate foods may promote loss of deep belly fat, even with little or no change in weight, a new study finds. ... > full story

Lithium profoundly prevents brain damage associated with Parkinson's disease, mouse study suggests (June 24, 2011) -- Lithium profoundly prevents the aggregation of toxic proteins and cell loss associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in a mouse model of the condition. Preclinical research is aimed at determining correct dosages for a drug that continues to be the gold standard for treating bipolar disorder. Medical researchers are currently working toward initiating Phase IIa clinical studies of lithium in humans in conjunction with standard PD drug therapy. ... > full story

Oxytocin promises hope in Prader-Willi syndrome, research suggests (June 24, 2011) -- Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder which affects one child in 25,000. Children born with this syndrome have a range of complex neurological and developmental problems which continue into adult life. New research demonstrates that the hormone oxytocin is able to positively affect patients by improving trust, mood, and reducing disruptive behavior. ... > full story

Prejudice linked to women's menstrual cycle, study suggests (June 24, 2011) -- Women's bias against male strangers increases when women are fertile, suggesting prejudice may be partly fueled by genetics, according to a new study. ... > full story

Genes at the flick of a light switch: Human cells fitted with synthetic signaling cascade (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers from Switzerland have fitted human cells with a synthetic signaling cascade that can be used to switch on and regulate genes via blue light. This "gene light switch" makes interesting therapies possible, which could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, for instance. ... > full story

Competition between brain cells spurs memory circuit development (June 24, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time demonstrated how memory circuits in the brain refine themselves in a living organism through two distinct types of competition between cells. Their results mark a step forward in the search for the causes of neurological disorders associated with abnormal brain circuits, such as Alzheimer's disease, autism and schizophrenia. ... > full story

Rare genetic disorder provides unique insight into Parkinson's disease (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers appear to have found the mechanism behind a previously reported link between the rare genetic condition Gaucher disease and the common neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Patients with bowel disease eager to test 'fecal' therapy (June 24, 2011) -- The first study of the social and ethical issues associated with a provocative approach to treatment for ulcerative colitis has found that the majority of potential patients are eager for what is now called "fecal microbiota transplantation" to become available, although many have concerns about donor selection, screening, and methods of delivery. ... > full story

Next-generation gene sequencing brings personal genomics closer, IDs mutation in new syndrome (June 24, 2011) -- Harnessing the new generation of rapid, highly accurate gene-sequencing techniques, a research team has identified the disease-causing mutation in a newly characterized rare genetic disease, by analyzing DNA from just a few individuals. The power and speed of the innovative bioinformatics tool marks a step toward personalized genomics -- discovering causative mutations in individual patients. The previously unknown lethal syndrome has affected infant boys in two unrelated families. ... > full story

Physicist's discovery alters conventional understanding of sight (June 24, 2011) -- Physicists shed new light on how the visual process is initiated. For almost 50 years, scientists have believed that light signals could not be initiated unless special light-receptor molecules in the retinal cells first changed their shape in a process called isomerization. However, researchers have now demonstrated that visual signals can be initiated in the absence of isomerization. ... > full story

Imagination can influence perception (June 24, 2011) -- Imagining something with our mind's eye is a task we engage in frequently, whether we're daydreaming, conjuring up the face of a childhood friend, or trying to figure out exactly where we might have parked the car. But how can we tell whether our own mental images are accurate or vivid when we have no direct comparison? That is, how do we come to know and judge the contents of our own minds? ... > full story

Brain-like computing a step closer to reality (June 24, 2011) -- The development of 'brain-like' computers has taken a major step forward. A new study involved the first ever demonstration of simultaneous information processing and storage using phase-change materials. This new technique could revolutionize computing by making computers faster and more energy-efficient, as well as making them more closely resemble biological systems. ... > full story

Effects of stress can be inherited, and here's how (June 24, 2011) -- None of us are strangers to stress of various kinds. It turns out the effects of all those stresses can change the fate of future generation, influencing our very DNA without any change to the underlying sequence of As, Gs, Ts and Cs. Now, researchers have new evidence that helps to explain just how these epigenetic changes really happen. ... > full story

Compound may provide drug therapy approach for Huntington's disease (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers have identified compounds that appear to inhibit a signaling pathway in Huntington's disease, a finding that may eventually lead to a potential drug therapy to help slow the progression of degenerative nerve disorders. ... > full story

Building a better math teacher (June 24, 2011) -- For years, it has been assumed that teachers -- specifically math teachers -- need to master the content they intend to teach. And the best way to do this is to take courses beyond that content. Yet new research does not support this common belief. There is little evidence that advanced courses in mathematics contribute to more effective teaching. ... > full story

Slow growth of childhood brain tumors linked to genetic process seen in skin moles (June 24, 2011) -- Researchers have found a likely explanation for the slow growth of the most common childhood brain tumor, pilocytic astrocytoma. Using tests on a new cell-based model of the tumor, they concluded that the initial process of tumor formation switches on a growth-braking tumor-suppressor gene, in a process similar to that seen in skin moles. ... > full story

Potential new approaches to treat myelofibrosis (June 24, 2011) -- A new study sheds light on a possible new approach to treat the bone marrow disease known as myelofibrosis by inhibiting an enzyme that connects extracellular fibers. ... > full story

No two strands are alike: New mechanism for elongation of viral genome termini (June 24, 2011) -- Like bacteria, viruses have their own genome. The ends or termini of a viral RNA are especially interesting for virologists because they play an important role in reproduction and in the reaction of the innate immune system to the virus. The genetic information is reproduced when a strand of the genome is transcribed into a complementary strand of the so-called antigenome. This strand then serves as the model or template for the synthesis of a new genome. ... > full story

To fix diabetic nerve damage, blood vessels and support cells may be the real targets of treatment (June 24, 2011) -- Blood vessels and supporting cells appear to be pivotal partners in repairing nerves ravaged by diabetic neuropathy, and nurturing their partnership with nerve cells might make the difference between success and failure in experimental efforts to regrow damaged nerves, researchers report in a new study. ... > full story

Even in flies, enriched learning drives need for sleep, study finds (June 24, 2011) -- Just like human teenagers, fruit flies that spend a day buzzing around the "fly mall" with their companions need more sleep. That's because the environment makes their brain circuits grow dense new synapses and they need sleep to dial back the energy needs of their stimulated brains, according to a new study by sleep researchers. ... > full story