ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, September 16, 2011 ~ techdeck

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, September 16, 2011

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An apple or pear a day may keep strokes away (September 16, 2011) -- Eating apples and pears may help prevent stroke, according to a new study. While high consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with lower stroke risk, a Dutch study found that eating fruit and vegetables with white edible portions was associated with a 52 percent lower stroke risk. Apples and pears were the majority of the white fruits and vegetables consumed in the study. ... > full story

New method for detecting lung cancer unveiled (September 16, 2011) -- When lung cancer strikes, it often spreads silently into more advanced stages before being detected. In a new article, biological engineers and medical scientists reveal how their discovery could provide a much earlier warning signal. ... > full story

Unconventional hunt for new cancer targets leads to a powerful drug candidate for leukemia (September 16, 2011) -- Scientists have used an unconventional approach to cancer drug discovery to identify a new potential treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer that is currently incurable in 70 percent of patients. The researchers have pinpointed a protein called Brd4 as a novel drug target for AML. Using a drug compound that inhibits the activity of Brd4, the scientists were able to suppress the disease in experimental models. ... > full story

Estrogen treatment may help reverse severe pulmonary hypertension (September 16, 2011) -- Researchers have found that the hormone estrogen may help reverse advanced pulmonary hypertension, a rare and serious condition that affects 2 to 3 million individuals in the US, mostly women, and can lead to heart failure. The preclinical study shows that in rats, estrogen treatment can reverse the progression of pulmonary hypertension to heart failure and can restore lung and ventricle structure and function. ... > full story

World-first viral therapy trial in cancer patients (September 16, 2011) -- Researchers have reported promising results of a world-first cancer therapy trial. The trial is the first to show that an intravenously-delivered viral therapy can consistently infect and spread within tumors without harming normal tissues in humans. It is also the first to show tumor-selective expression of a foreign gene after intravenous delivery. ... > full story

New rapid test tells difference between bacterial and viral infections (September 16, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development and successful testing of a rapid and accurate test to tell the difference between bacterial and viral infections. Those common afflictions often have similar symptoms but vastly different treatments -- antibiotics work for bacterial infections but not for viruses. ... > full story

Archivist in the sound library: New model for speech and sound recognition (September 16, 2011) -- A new mathematical model mimics the process of speech and noise recognition in the human brain efficiently. It may explain experimental findings that remained unclear so far. ... > full story

Genomic catastrophe causes developmental delay, cognitive disorders (September 15, 2011) -- Using a diversity of DNA sequencing and human genome analytic techniques, researchers have identified some cases of developmental delay or cognitive disorders associated with a sudden chromosomal catastrophe that occurred early in development, perhaps during cell division when DNA is replicated. ... > full story

Mobile phone electromagnetic field affects local glucose metabolism in the human brain, Finnish study finds (September 15, 2011) -- Recent PET-measurements in Turku, Finland, show that the GSM mobile phone electromagnetic field suppresses glucose metabolism in temporoparietal and anterior temporal areas of the hemisphere next to the antenna. ... > full story

When ticks transmit dangerous pathogens: Local antibiotic therapy stops Lyme disease (September 15, 2011) -- Blood-sucking ticks are not just a nuisance, they can also transmit dangerous diseases. One of them is Lyme disease, which is caused by bacteria of the genus Borrelia, and requires a course of treatment with antibiotics lasting several weeks. Researchers have come up with a quicker alternative. ... > full story

Cancer information on Wikipedia is accurate, but not very readable, study finds (September 15, 2011) -- It is a commonly held that information on Wikipedia should not be trusted, since it is written and edited by non-experts without professional oversight. But researchers have found differently, according to a new study. ... > full story

New model for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder: Mouse model that replicates human OCD can point to more effective treatments (September 15, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new model of obsessive-compulsive disorder that mirrors both symptoms of the disease and the timing of its treatment in humans. ... > full story

Mom, dad and kids undergo novel genome analyses for medical risks in new study (September 15, 2011) -- Researchers have predicted the inherited health risks of a four-person family by analyzing their whole genome sequences. With the DNA sequences of both parents and children, the team was able to better check for sequencing errors and more accurately predict how individual genetic variants affect each family member's risk for disease. ... > full story

Team discovers treatable mechanism responsible for often deadly response to flu (September 15, 2011) -- Researchers have found a novel mechanism by which certain viruses such as influenza trigger a type of immune reaction that can severely sicken or kill those infected. ... > full story

Serotonin levels affect the brain's response to anger (September 15, 2011) -- Fluctuations of serotonin levels in the brain, which often occur when someone hasn't eaten or is stressed, affects brain regions that enable people to regulate anger, new research has shown. ... > full story

Fail-safe system may lead to cures for inherited disorders (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown fail-safe (compensatory) pathway that potentially protects the brain and other organs from genetic and environmental threats. The discovery could provide new ways to diminish the negative consequences of genetic mutations and environmental toxins that cause neurological diseases and other maladies. ... > full story

Inner workings of virus responsible for rare skin cancer (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists have begun to uncover how the virus that causes most Merkel cell carcinoma -- a rare and aggressive skin cancer -- operates, meaning that a rational chemotherapeutic target for this cancer could be developed in the near future. ... > full story

Human-chimp evolutionary divergence: Methylation and gene sequence co-evolved, study suggests (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists published the first quantitative evidence supporting the notion that genome-wide "bookmarking" of DNA with methyl molecules -- a process called methylation -- and underlying DNA sequences have co-evolved in a kind of molecular slow-dance over the 6 million years since humans and chimps diverged from a common ancestor. ... > full story

Arctic ground squirrels muscle up to hunker down (September 15, 2011) -- When Arctic ground squirrels are getting ready to hibernate they don't just get fat -- they pack on muscle at a rate that would make a bodybuilder jealous. And they do it without suffering the harmful effects that high levels of testosterone and other anabolic steroids usually cause. Researchers have started to untangle how the squirrels manage it, and their results could someday have implications for human health. ... > full story

Woolly mammoth's secrets for shrugging off cold points toward new artificial blood for humans (September 15, 2011) -- The blood from woolly mammoths -- those extinct elephant-like creatures that roamed Earth in pre-historic times -- is helping scientists develop new blood products for modern medical procedures that involve reducing patients' body temperature. ... > full story

Exome sequencing: Defining hereditary deafness (September 15, 2011) -- Precise diagnosis of disease and developmental syndromes often depends on understanding the genetics underlying them. Most cases of early onset hearing loss are genetic in origin but there are many different forms. Heretofore, it has been difficult to identify the gene responsible for the hearing loss of each affected child, because the critical mutations differ among countries and populations. New research has identified six critical mutations in Israeli Jewish and Palestinian Arab families. ... > full story

'Super-spaghetti' with heart-healthy label now possible (September 15, 2011) -- Consumers could soon see packages of pasta labeled 'good source of dietary fiber' and 'may reduce the risk of heart disease' thanks to the development of a new genre of pasta made with barley -- a grain famous for giving beer its characteristic strength and flavor. ... > full story

Computerized anxiety therapy found helpful in small trial (September 15, 2011) -- An emerging therapy known as cognitive bias modification, in which software helps subjects divert attention away from anxiety and interpret situations more calmly, helped improve social anxiety disorder symptoms in a pilot-scale randomized controlled trial. ... > full story

Uterine stem cells used to treat diabetes (September 15, 2011) -- Controlling diabetes may someday involve mining stem cells from the lining of the uterus, researchers report in a new study. The team treated diabetes in mice by converting cells from the uterine lining into insulin-producing cells. ... > full story

Preschoolers' grasp of numbers predicts math performance in school years; Early number sense linked to elementary math scores (September 15, 2011) -- A new study reports that the precision with which preschoolers estimate quantities, prior to any formal education in mathematics, predicts their mathematics ability in elementary school, according to researchers. ... > full story

Feared spinal X-ray found to be safe, study shows; Spinal angiography also rules out misdiagnosis of inflammation, transverse myelitis (September 15, 2011) -- Medical imaging experts have reviewed the patient records of 302 men and women who had a much-needed X-ray of the blood vessels near the spinal cord and found that the procedure, often feared for possible complications of stroke and kidney damage, is safe and effective. ... > full story

TV found to have negative impact on parent-child communication and early literacy compared to books and toys (September 15, 2011) -- Since the first television screens lit up our living rooms scientists have been studying its affect on young children. Now scientists have compared mother-child communication while watching TV to reading books or playing with toys to reveal the impact on children's development. The results show that watching TV can lead to less interaction between parents and children, with a detrimental impact on literacy and language skills. ... > full story

How specialized pacemaker works at biological level to strengthen failing hearts: Findings could lead to 'pacemaker in a bottle' (September 15, 2011) -- Heart specialists have figured out how a widely used pacemaker for heart failure, which makes both sides of the heart beat together to pump effectively, works at the biological level. Their findings may open the door to drugs or genetic therapies that mimic the effect of the pacemaker and to new ways to use pacemakers for a wider range of heart failure patients. ... > full story

Researchers map the global spread of drug-resistant influenza (September 15, 2011) -- In the new movie "Contagion," fictional health experts scramble to get ahead of a flu-like pandemic as a drug-resistant virus quickly spreads, killing millions of people within days after they contract the illness. Although the film isn't based entirely on reality, it's not exactly science fiction, either. In a new study, researchers explain how seasonal H1N1 influenza became resistant to oseltamivir, otherwise known as Tamiflu, the most widely used antiviral agent for treating and preventing flu. The scientists say that a combination of genetic mutations and human migration through air travel can lead to the rapid global spread of drug-resistant strains. ... > full story

Copper reduces infection risk by more than 40 per cent, experts say (September 15, 2011) -- Medical researchers have presented research into the mechanism by which copper exerts its antimicrobial effect on antibiotic-resistant organisms. ... > full story

Some smokers successfully switch to electronic cigarettes (September 15, 2011) -- While electronic cigarettes may be a long-term alternative to the real thing for some smokers, researchers suggest medical providers should continue to encourage more traditional smoking cessation methods. ... > full story

Newly discovered protein discovered may suppress breast cancer growth (September 15, 2011) -- Researchers have found that a protein discovered by his laboratory can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. Building upon the earlier discovery of nischarin, a novel protein that regulates breast cancer cell migration and movement, a new study examined the presence and levels of nischarin in breast cancer tumor tissue from 300 women as well as normal breast tissue samples. The researchers also generated derivatives of human metastatic breast cancer cells to test by manipulating the protein in a mouse model. ... > full story

Researchers develop mouse genetic blueprint; Mouse study drives forward understanding of human biology (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists have decoded and compared the genome sequence of 17 mouse strains, developing a valuable mouse genetic blueprint that will accelerate future research and understanding of human genetics. The team found an astonishing 56.7 million SNPs among the strains, in addition to other more complex differences, and used these sequence differences to uncover genetic associations with more than 700 biological differences, including markers for diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. ... > full story

Heart failure: Doing what your doctor says works, new research suggests (September 15, 2011) -- Doctors have been dispensing advice to heart failure patients and for the first time researchers have found that it works. While self-care is believed to improve heart failure outcomes, a highlight of the recent American Heart Association scientific statement on promoting heart failure self-care was the need to establish the mechanisms by which self-care may influence neurohormonal, inflammatory, and hemodynamic function. ... > full story

When do products (and money) literally make your mouth water? (September 15, 2011) -- In certain situations, people actually salivate when they desire material things, like money and sports cars, according to a new study. ... > full story

Key signal that prompts production of insulin-producing beta cells points way toward diabetes cure (September 15, 2011) -- Researchers have identified the key signal that prompts production of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas -- a breakthrough discovery that may ultimately help researchers find ways to restore or increase beta cell function in people with type 1 diabetes. ... > full story

Cancer-killing cells are caught on film in more 3-D detail than ever before (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists reveal in more detail than ever before how white blood cells kill diseased tissue using deadly granules. The researchers used 'optical' laser tweezers and a super-resolution microscope to see the inner workings of white blood cells at the highest resolution ever. The researchers describe how a white blood cell rearranges its scaffolding of actin proteins on the inside of its membrane, to create a hole through which it delivers deadly enzyme-filled granules to kill diseased tissue. ... > full story

Huge gaps in use of simple, cheap and proven drugs worldwide, say researchers (September 15, 2011) -- A global study in 17 countries has found too few patients are using drugs proven to give significant benefits in warding off a heart attack or stroke. This is true in high income countries as well as middle and low income countries. ... > full story

It's all about autonomy: Consumers react negatively when prompted to think about money (September 15, 2011) -- Whether they are aware of it or not, consumers dislike being reminded of money -- so much that they will rebel against authority figures, according to a new study. ... > full story

New type of spinal cord stem cell discovered: Research provides new target for regenerating parts of the central nervous system (September 15, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered a type of spinal cord cell that could function as a stem cell, with the ability to regenerate portions of the central nervous system in people with spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). The radial glial cells, which are marked by long projections that can forge through brain tissue, had never previously been found in an adult spinal cord. ... > full story

Mouse genome sequences reveal variability, complex evolutionary history (September 15, 2011) -- A new paper, building on recent advances in sequencing capability, now reports the complete genomes of 17 different strains of mice, creating an unparalleled genetic resource that will aid studies ranging from human disease to evolution. ... > full story

Avoiding fatal responses to flu infection (September 15, 2011) -- Most of the time, being ill with the flu is little more than a nuisance. Other times, it can spark an exaggerated immune response and turn deadly. Researchers have now traced the origins of this severe immune response -- called a cytokine storm -- to its source. ... > full story

New report on creating clinical public use microdata files (September 15, 2011) -- Many governments in Europe and the US are looking at ways to make more data publicly available. Federally, there is also an open government initiative in Canada. Privacy concerns may be leading to some hesitation in pushing forward with such efforts -- but as demonstrated in this study, privacy concerns can be addressed in a defensible manner. ... > full story

Prasugrel: Indications of an additional benefit for some patients, but also of greater harm, study finds (September 15, 2011) -- In order to better prevent blood clots, the drugs clopidogrel or prasugrel can be prescribed to patients with acute ischaemia of the heart muscle, in addition to acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). Researchers have now investigated whether, in patients whose vessels were dilated by a percutaneous coronary intervention, the combination of prasugrel plus ASA has a higher patient-relevant benefit than ASA alone, or than combination therapy with clopidogrel plus ASA. ... > full story

Depression and pain increase fatigue in breast cancer survivors (September 15, 2011) -- In Spain, 5-year survival following breast cancer diagnosis is more than 83%. Around 66% suffer fatigue following treatment. A Spanish research has established the factors associated with tiredness in cancer survivors to improve their quality of life and rehabilitation. ... > full story

Heavy drinkers may die needlessly in house fires (September 15, 2011) -- People who drink heavily may increase their risk of dying in house fires that should otherwise have been escapable, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Evolution of a gene provides a possible explanation for the development of metastases and mental retardation (September 14, 2011) -- In the course of examining the Drosophila tumor suppressor gene (Dlg), scientists have succeeded in decoding a new mechanism that regulates cell polarity in epithelial tissues or in neurons in the brain. The findings will help to enhance the understanding of how metastases and mental retardation occur and enable targeted, long-term therapeutic approaches to their treatment to be developed. ... > full story

Sickle cell trait is not risk factor for kidney disease: Study contradicts earlier findings (September 14, 2011) -- Researchers report that sickle cell trait is not a risk factor for the development of severe kidney disease in African-Americans. The study contradicts findings from a 2010 study that first suggested that having one copy of the sickle cell gene was a kidney disease risk factor. ... > full story

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