ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Tuesday, June 28, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Tuesday, June 28, 2011

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It's not an apple a day after all -- it's strawberries: Flavonoids could represent two-fisted assault on diabetes and nervous system disorders (June 28, 2011) -- A recent study suggests that a strawberry a day (or more accurately, 37 of them) could keep not just one doctor away, but an entire fleet of them, including the neurologist, the endocrinologist, and maybe even the oncologist. The report explains that fisetin, a naturally-occurring flavonoid found most abundantly in strawberries and to a lesser extent in other fruits and vegetables, lessens complications of diabetes. ... > full story

Waistlines in people, glucose levels in mice hint at sweeteners' effects: Related studies point to the illusion of the artificial (June 28, 2011) -- In the constant battle to lose inches or at least stay the same, we reach for the diet soda. Two studies suggest this might be self-defeating behavior. Epidemiologists report data showing that diet soft drink consumption is associated with increased waist circumference in humans, and a second study that found aspartame raised fasting glucose (blood sugar) in diabetes-prone mice. ... > full story

Diastolic dysfunction of the heart associated with increased risk of death, study finds (June 28, 2011) -- Individuals with diastolic dysfunction (an abnormality involving impaired relaxation of the heart's ventricle [pumping chamber] after a contraction) appear to have an increased risk of death, regardless of whether their systolic function (contraction of the heart) is normal or they have other cardiovascular impairments, according to a new report. ... > full story

Surprising drop in physicians' willingness to accept patients with insurance, U.S. study finds (June 28, 2011) -- As required under the U.S. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, millions of people will soon be added to the ranks of the insured. However, this rapid expansion of coverage is colliding with a different, potentially problematic trend that could end up hampering access to health care. ... > full story

Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for multiple tumors as they age (June 28, 2011) -- The largest study yet of adult childhood cancer survivors found that the first cancer is just the beginning of a lifelong battle against different forms of the disease for about 10 percent of these survivors. ... > full story

In chronic kidney disease, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring seems more accurate in predicting subsequent health events (June 28, 2011) -- Ambulatory blood pressure (BP) monitoring with collection of BP readings over 24 hours may better predict, in cases of nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD), whether patients will experience end-stage renal disease, mortality or cardiovascular events that require hospitalization, according to a new report. ... > full story

Studies examine impact of media use among youth, recommend preventative measures (June 28, 2011) -- Two new studies focus on different uses of media and assess how media usage can lead to depression in college students and disrupt sleep patterns in preschool-aged children. ... > full story

Soluble fiber strikes a blow to belly fat (June 27, 2011) -- All fat is not created equal. Unsightly as it is, subcutaneous fat, the fat right under the skin, is not as dangerous to overall health as visceral fat, the fat deep in the belly surrounding vital organs. ... > full story

Cooling system may build eggs' natural defenses against salmonella (June 27, 2011) -- Once eggs are laid, their natural resistance to pathogens begins to wear down, but a scientist believes he knows how to rearm those defenses. ... > full story

Severe psoriasis linked to major adverse cardiovascular events (June 27, 2011) -- New research has revealed an increased incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with severe psoriasis. ... > full story

Two talks with teens leads to less marijuana use for at least a year, study finds (June 27, 2011) -- Researchers found that a brief, voluntary conversation with an adult led to up to a 20 percent decrease in marijuana use for teenagers who frequently used the drug. ... > full story

Brain rhythm associated with learning also linked to running speed, study shows (June 27, 2011) -- Rhythms in the brain that are associated with learning become stronger as the body moves faster, neurophysicists report in a new study. The research team used specialized microelectrodes to monitor an electrical signal known as the gamma rhythm in the brains of mice. This signal is typically produced in a brain region called the hippocampus, which is critical for learning and memory, during periods of concentration and learning. ... > full story

Tiny cell patterns reveal the progression of development and disease (June 27, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a new technique to evaluate human stem cells using cell micropatterning -- a simple but powerful in vitro tool that will enable scientists to study the initiation of left-right asymmetry during tissue formation, to diagnose disease, and to study factors that could lead to certain birth defects. ... > full story

BRCA2 mutations associated with improved survival for ovarian cancer (June 27, 2011) -- Women with ovarian cancer who have the BRCA2 gene mutation are more likely to survive the malignancy than women with the BRCA1 mutation, or women without either mutation, according to new research. ... > full story

Most parents unaware of teen workplace risks, study finds (June 27, 2011) -- Most parents are unaware of the risks their teenagers face in the workplace and could do more to help them understand and prepare for those hazards, according to a new study. ... > full story

First patients receive lab-grown blood vessels from donor cells (June 27, 2011) -- For the first time, blood vessels created in the lab from donor skin cells were successfully implanted in patients. Functioning blood vessels that aren't rejected by the immune system could be used to make durable shunts for kidney dialysis, and potentially to improve treatment for children with heart defects and adults needing coronary or other bypass graft surgery. ... > full story

Master switch for adult epilepsy discovered (June 27, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a central switch responsible for the transformation of healthy brain cells into epileptic ones, opening the way to both treat and prevent temporal lobe epilepsy. ... > full story

Researchers learn how lung fibrosis begins and could be treated (June 27, 2011) -- An invasive cell that leads to fibrosis of the lungs may be stopped by cutting off its supply of sugar, according to researchers. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which affects about 100,000 people in the US each year and leads to death within three years of diagnosis, has only one therapy in the US: lung transplantation. ... > full story

Possible brain damage in young adult binge-drinkers revealed in new study (June 27, 2011) -- It's considered a rite of passage among young people -- acting out their independence through heavy, episodic drinking. But a new study is showing how binge drinking among adolescents and young adults could be causing serious damage to a brain that's still under development at this age. ... > full story

Rogue blood cells may contribute to post-surgery organ damage (June 27, 2011) -- A study sheds new light on why people who experience serious trauma or go through major surgery, can suffer organ damage in parts of the body which are seemingly unconnected to the injury. ... > full story

Terahertz light to illuminate cell biology and cancer research (June 27, 2011) -- Unique research is set to trigger a new era in research into cancer diagnosis and our understanding of how living things function, researchers say. Scientists are using Europe's most intense terahertz light source to understand the effects of terahertz (THz) rays on human cells. ... > full story

Vitamin D supplements found to be safe for healthy pregnant women (June 27, 2011) -- Use of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy has long been a matter of concern, but now researchers report that even a high supplementation amount in healthy pregnant women was safe and effective in raising circulating vitamin D to a level thought by some to be optimal. The study also found no adverse effects of vitamin D supplementation, even at the highest amount, in women or their newborns. ... > full story

Innovative duct tape strategy saves hospitals time, money; improves infection prevention (June 27, 2011) -- A simple roll of duct tape has proven to be an inexpensive solution to the costly and time-consuming problem of communicating with hospital patients who are isolated with dangerous infections. ... > full story

Premature aging caused by some HIV drugs, study shows (June 27, 2011) -- A class of anti-retroviral drugs commonly used to treat HIV, particularly in Africa and low income countries, can cause premature aging, according to new research. The study shows that the drugs damage DNA in the patient's mitochondria -- the 'batteries' which power their cells. ... > full story

Living antibiotic effective against Salmonella, study suggests (June 27, 2011) -- Scientists have tested a predatory bacterium -- Bdellovibrio -- against Salmonella in the guts of live chickens. They found that it significantly reduced the numbers of Salmonella bacteria and, importantly, showed that Bdellovibrio are safe when ingested, researchers say. ... > full story

Preterm babies could be at greater risk of developing kidney disease later in life, study suggests (June 27, 2011) -- Babies born prematurely could be at greater risk of developing kidney diseases later in life according to a landmark study investigating the impacts of preterm birth on kidney development. ... > full story

Work got you down? Researchers identify risk factors associated with development of different burnout types (June 27, 2011) -- Being over-burdened with work, monotony and the perception of lack of recognition can all be catalysts for burnout syndrome. Scientists have analyzed the factors that influence the development of the three sub-types of this condition -- 'frenetic', 'under-challenged' and 'worn out'. ... > full story

Genome editing -- a next step in genetic therapy -- corrects hemophilia in animals (June 27, 2011) -- Using an innovative gene therapy technique called genome editing that hones in on the precise location of mutated DNA, scientists have treated the blood clotting disorder hemophilia in mice. This is the first time that genome editing, which precisely targets and repairs a genetic defect, has been done in a living animal and achieved clinically meaningful results. ... > full story

Hitting moving RNA drug targets: New way to search for novel drugs (June 27, 2011) -- By accounting for the floppy, fickle nature of RNA, researchers have developed a new way to search for drugs that target this important molecule. ... > full story

Promising results of Phase I diabetes trial (June 27, 2011) -- Medical researchers report promising results of the Phase I clinical trial of the generic drug BCG (bacillus Calmette-Guerin) to treat advanced type I diabetes. ... > full story

Experts seek reforms to prevent errors from medical resident fatigue, lack of supervision (June 27, 2011) -- A group of 26 of the nation's leaders in medicine, health care, patient safety, and research have called for sweeping changes in the design, supervision and financing of US hospital residency care programs to protect patients from serious, preventable medical errors, and end dangerously long work hours for physicians in training. ... > full story

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

Different subtypes of triple-negative breast cancer respond to different therapies (June 27, 2011) -- Researchers have identified six subtypes of an aggressive and difficult-to-treat form of breast cancer, called "triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)." The findings could help physicians determine which therapies would work best in patients with TNBC and also inform the discovery and development of new drugs to treat this aggressive form of breast cancer. ... > full story

Clinical study of epilepsy drug may have served primarily to promote drug and increase prescribing, review suggests (June 27, 2011) -- A review of documentation relating to a clinical trial of the epilepsy drug gabapentin suggests that the study may have been a "seeding trial" used to promote the drug and increase prescribing, according to a new report. ... > full story

Advances in delivery of therapeutic genes to treat brain tumors (June 27, 2011) -- Novel tools and methods for delivering therapeutic genes to cells in the central nervous system hold great promise for the development of new treatments to combat incurable neurologic diseases. ... > 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

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