ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, August 24, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, August 24, 2011

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

Coriander oil could tackle food poisoning and drug-resistant infections (August 24, 2011) -- Coriander oil has been shown to be toxic to a broad range of harmful bacteria. Its use in foods and in clinical agents could prevent food-borne illnesses and even treat antibiotic-resistant infections, according to a new study. ... > full story

Scientist discovers genetic factor implicated in heartbeat defect (August 24, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered how gene regulation can make hearts beat out of sync, offering new hope for the millions who suffer from a potentially fatal heart condition. In a new paper, the scientists announce the identity of the molecular regulator that uses electrical impulses to synchronize each heartbeat. ... > full story

Diastolic dysfunction appears to worsen over time; associated with increased risk of heart failure (August 24, 2011) -- A follow-up of participants in a heart function study finds that the prevalence of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (left ventricular filling [with blood] is abnormal and is accompanied by elevated filling pressures) had increased; that diastolic function had worsened in a nearly a quarter of patients; and that participants who had diastolic dysfunction were more likely to develop heart failure, according to a new study. ... > full story

Physicians' exposure to radiation prompt cellular changes that may protect the body from harm (August 24, 2011) -- Cardiologists who perform heart operations using X-ray guided catheters are exposed to ionizing radiation at levels two to three times higher per year than those experienced by radiologists. Now, new research has found the first evidence that these constant, high levels of exposure cause changes at cell level that might represent the body's way of protecting itself against the harmful effects of radiation. ... > full story

Blood vessels participate in the eradication of tumors (August 24, 2011) -- Breast cancer: For the first time, very specific blood vessels have been discovered in tumors. These vessels facilitate the access of certain white blood cells, known as “killer lymphocytes”, into tumor tissues and thus lead to the efficient destruction of tumors. ... > full story

Patients discharged from a hospital at increased risk of unintentional discontinuation of medications for chronic diseases (August 24, 2011) -- Following discharge from a hospital, patients are at an increased risk of unintentional discontinuation of commonly prescribed chronic disease medications, with this risk even greater for patients who were admitted to an intensive care unit, according to a new study. ... > full story

Deaths from strong prescription painkillers are on the increase, experts say (August 24, 2011) -- Action is needed to tackle the increasing number of deaths in the United States and Canada from prescription painkillers known as opioids, say experts. ... > full story

Scientists define cellular pathway essential to removing damaged mitochondria (August 23, 2011) -- Researchers have defined a specific protein complex that allows cells to rid themselves of damaged mitochondria, which are the energy producing machines of the cell. ... > full story

Novel cytokine protects mice from colitis (August 23, 2011) -- Inflammatory bowel disease, which affects more than 1 million patients in North America, results from an uncontrolled immune response triggered by environmental factors, such as bacteria, in people genetically predisposed to the disorder. Researchers have discovered that expression of a newly identified human cytokine -- interleukin 37 -- protects mice from colitis. ... > full story

Economic inequality is linked to biased self-perception (August 23, 2011) -- Pretty much everybody thinks they're better than average. But in some cultures, people are more self-aggrandizing than in others. Until now, national differences in "self-enhancement" have been chalked up to an East-West individualism-versus-collectivism divide. ... > full story

Inactivity linked to risk factors for Type 2 diabetes (August 23, 2011) -- As the number of people diagnosed with diabetes continues to grow, researchers are focusing on discovering why the prevalence of the disease is increasing. New research finds that ceasing regular physical activity impairs glycemic control (control of blood sugar levels), suggesting that inactivity may play a key role in the development of Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Melanin's 'trick' for maintaining radioprotection studied (August 23, 2011) -- Researchers have made new insights into the electrochemical mechanism that gives the complex polymer known as melanin its long-term ability to protect some species from ionizing radiation, with a goal of using that knowledge to develop materials that mimic those natural properties. ... > full story

Text search tool for electronic medical records shows promise for identifying postoperative complications (August 23, 2011) -- Use of natural language processing, such as in the form of free-text searches of electronic medical records (EMRs) of clinical and progress notes of patients performed better at identifying postoperative surgical complications than the commonly used administrative data codes in EMRs, according to a new study. ... > full story

Older adults are better at decision-making than young adults (August 23, 2011) -- We make decisions all our lives -- so you'd think we'd get better and better at it. Yet research has shown that younger adults are better decision-makers than older ones. Some psychologists, puzzled by these findings, suspected the experiments were biased toward younger brains. ... > full story

Filling without drilling: Pain-free way of tackling dental decay reverses acid damage and re-builds teeth (August 23, 2011) -- Researchers in the UK have discovered a pain-free way of tackling dental decay that reverses the damage of acid attack and rebuilds teeth as new. The pioneering treatment promises to transform the approach to filling teeth forever. ... > full story

Stem cell study offers hope for Parkinson's patients (August 23, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time generated stem cells from one of the most rapidly progressing forms of Parkinson's disease. The development will help research into the condition as it will enable scientists to model the disease in the laboratory to shed light on why certain nerve cells die. ... > full story

Nickel nanoparticles may contribute to lung cancer (August 23, 2011) -- Lab experiments find that nickel particles with diameters billionths of a meter wide can trigger a cellular pathway that promotes cancer growth. ... > full story

Brain tumors found to have a two-tier system (August 23, 2011) -- Scientists have completed the largest ever molecular-biological analysis of ependymoma, a dangerous brain tumor in children. They were able to define two distinct subgroups of ependymoma which differ both genetically and clinically. The researchers will now use these results to gain a better understanding of the causes of ependymoma and to develop more targeted treatment approaches. ... > full story

Two-year-old children understand complex grammar (August 23, 2011) -- Psychologists in the UK have found that children as young as two years old have an understanding of complex grammar even before they have learned to speak in full sentences. ... > full story

New research links obesity with heart rhythm disorder (August 23, 2011) -- New research shows for the first time that obesity directly causes electrical abnormalities of the heart. ... > full story

Seventeen percent of cancer nurses unintentionally exposed to chemotherapy, study finds (August 23, 2011) -- Nearly 17 percent of nurses who work in outpatient chemotherapy infusion centers reported being exposed on their skin or eyes to the toxic drugs they deliver, according to a new study. ... > full story

Is marriage good for the heart? (August 23, 2011) -- Giving your heart to a supportive spouse turns out to be an excellent way to stay alive, according to new research. Happily wedded people who undergo coronary bypass surgery are more than three times as likely to be alive 15 years later as their unmarried counterparts, reports a new study. ... > full story

Neuroscientists identify brain activity that predicts how well you will remember images (August 23, 2011) -- Our memories work better when our brains are prepared to absorb new information, according to a new study. Scientists have now shown that activity in a specific part of the brain, known as the parahippocampal cortex, predicts how well people will remember a visual scene. ... > full story

Saffron shows promise in preventing liver cancer, study suggests (August 23, 2011) -- New research suggests that saffron provides a significant chemopreventive effect against liver cancer in animal models. When saffron was administered to rats with diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer an inhibition of cell proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis was observed. ... > full story

Helping eye care providers better assess driving in older adults (August 23, 2011) -- Drivers over age 65 are the fastest-growing segment of the driving population, and their eye care providers -- ophthalmologists and optometrists -- are playing an increasingly important role in assessing their ability to drive safely. ... > full story

For depression, relapsers go to the front of the brain (August 23, 2011) -- Depression is increasingly recognized as an illness that strikes repeatedly over the lifespan, creating cycles of relapse and recovery. This sobering knowledge has prompted researchers to search for markers of relapse risk in people who have recovered from depression. A new paper suggests that when formerly depressed people experience mild states of sadness, the nature of their brains' response can predict whether or not they will become depressed again. ... > full story

New target for treatment of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes identified (August 23, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that an enzyme found in the mitochondria of cells is decreased in the skeletal muscle of those with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, a finding that could lead to the development of drugs to boost the activity of this enzyme in an effort to fight both conditions. ... > full story

Stress can affect future offspring (August 23, 2011) -- Rats exposed to stress during early development inherit the effects of that stress to their offspring, largely expressed in behavior impairments but also characteristics of resilience, shows a new study. Providing environmental enrichment to the future mother rats had a remedial role on some of the negative effects. ... > full story

Older adults with too much salt in diet and too little exercise at greater risk of cognitive decline, study finds (August 23, 2011) -- Older adults who lead sedentary lifestyles and consume a lot of sodium in their diet may be putting themselves at risk for more than just heart disease. A new study has found evidence that high-salt diets coupled with low physical activity can be detrimental to cognitive health in older adults. ... > full story

Chemists discover most naturally variable protein in dental plaque bacterium (August 23, 2011) -- Chemists have discovered the most naturally variable protein known to date in a bacterium that is a key player in the formation of dental plaque. ... > full story

Extreme negative anti-smoking ads can backfire, experts find (August 23, 2011) -- Researchers have found that using a combination of disturbing images and threatening messages to prevent smoking is not effective and could potentially cause an unexpected reaction. ... > full story

Traumatic brain injury increases risk of Parkinson's disease, researchers say; Threat doubles with exposure to the pesticide paraquat (August 23, 2011) -- While traumatic brain injury was known to be a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), no one knew why. Now scientists have found the mechanism for this elevated, long-term risk that is caused by TBI -- the loss of a specific type of neuron that is known to cause PD. ... > full story

When well-known flu strains 'hook up' dangerous progeny can result (August 23, 2011) -- A new study finds that a process called reassortment, a kind of viral sexual reproduction, between the virus responsible for the 2009 flu pandemic (H1N1) and a common type of avian flu virus (H9N2) can produce offspring -- new combined flu viruses -- with the potential for creating a new influenza pandemic. ... > full story

Road block as a new strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer's (August 23, 2011) -- Two main agents involved in the inception of Alzheimer's disease (APP and beta secretase) follow a different path through the brain cells to meet up. ... > full story

Scale models: How patterns stay in sync with size as an embryo grows and develops (August 23, 2011) -- Scientists have added a significant piece to the puzzle of scaling -- how patterns stay in sync with size as an embryo or organism grows and develops. ... > full story

Happiness can deter crime, a new study finds (August 23, 2011) -- Happy youth report less involvement with crime, and programs that increase happiness could deter crime and drug use. ... > full story

Ancient whale skulls and directional hearing: A twisted tale (August 23, 2011) -- Skewed skulls may have helped early whales discriminate the direction of sounds in water and are not solely, as previously thought, a later adaptation related to echolocation. ... > full story

Confirmation that vitamin D acts as a protective agent against the advance of colon cancer (August 23, 2011) -- A new study confirms that a lack of vitamin D increases the aggressiveness of colon cancer. The indication that vitamin D and its derivatives have a protective effect against various types of cancer is not new. Researchers have now confirmed the pivotal role of vitamin D, specifically its receptor (VDR), in slowing down the action of a key protein in the carcinogenic transformation process of colon cancer cells. ... > full story

Milk better than water to rehydrate kids, study finds (August 23, 2011) -- Children become dehydrated during exercise, and it's important they get enough fluids, particularly before going into a second round of a game. A new study by researchers in Canada found that milk is better than either a sports drink or water because it is a source of high quality protein, carbohydrates, calcium and electrolytes. ... > full story

Narcolepsy and influenza: Onset of narcolepsy appears to follow seasonal patterns of H1N1, China study finds (August 23, 2011) -- The onset of narcolepsy appears to follow seasonal patterns of H1N1 and other upper airway infections, according to a new study of patients in China. ... > full story

Males believe discussing problems is a waste of time, study shows (August 23, 2011) -- A new study finds that boys feel that discussing problems is a waste of time. ... > full story

Taxpayer film subsidies promote youth smoking, researchers find (August 23, 2011) -- State governments, including California as well as others in Canada and the United Kingdom, pour hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into major motion pictures that depict smoking -- leading to thousands of new teen smokers every year, a University of California, San Francisco, researcher has found. ... > full story

Men, women get equal care with 'Get With The Guidelines', study finds (August 23, 2011) -- Women with heart failure received nearly equal care as men at hospitals participating in the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure quality improvement program, according to a new study. Women, however, had longer hospital stays and were less likely to undergo left ventricular function assessment and receive blood-thinners and implantable defibrillators. The Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure program improved overall quality of care in men and women. ... > full story

Handsome annual reports cause investors to value company higher (August 23, 2011) -- As firms begin the 2011 annual report process, they may want to pay closer attention to the way those reports look. A recent study found that investors, regardless of their experience, place a higher value on firms with attractive annual reports than they do on those that produce less attractive reports. ... > full story

Fine art in advertising can backfire (August 23, 2011) -- Fine art has been used for centuries to sell goods and ideas, but a new study finds artwork can lose its special status with consumers if it's improperly used for product illustration. ... > full story

Maintaining exercise when the cardiac rehab is complete (August 23, 2011) -- Researchers have found that patients who have completed cardiac rehabilitation and who receive telephone counseling that supports exercise are more likely to adhere to an exercise program. ... > full story

Algorithm developed to improve remote electrocardiography (August 23, 2011) -- Engineers and physicians have developed an award-winning algorithm that improves the effectiveness of ECGs. ... > full story

Careers advice 'crucial' in encouraging greater science take-up (August 23, 2011) -- More pupils do physics and chemistry after the age of 16 in schools which provide a more comprehensive range of careers supervision and advice, 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