ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, July 10, 2008
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Lowering Blood Cholesterol With Fish Oil And Red Yeast Rice Instead Of Statins (July 10, 2008) -- Researchers have examined whether an alternative approach to treating high blood cholesterol may provide an effective treatment option for patients who are unable or unwilling to take statins. The researchers noted that there was a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels in both the statin group and the fish oil alternative treatment group. Members of the alternative therapy group also had a substantial reduction in triglycerides, another form of fat found in the blood, and lost more weight. ... > full story
How Can We Overcome The Barriers To Treating Drug-resistant TB? (July 10, 2008) -- Almost 1 in 20 cases of tuberculosis worldwide is resistant to multiple drugs (known as multidrug-resistant TB or MDR-TB) and the World Health Organization has called for a massive scale up in public health efforts to tackle these cases. Now a group of MDR-TB experts outlines its recommendations on conducting research that would help in the scale up. ... > full story
Avatars As Communicators Of Emotions (July 10, 2008) -- Current interactive systems enable users to communicate with computers in many ways, but not taking into account emotional communication. A Ph.D. thesis puts forward the use of avatars or virtual Internet personages as an efficient form of non-verbal communication, principally focusing on emotional aspects. ... > full story
Long-term Care Fraught With Uncertainties For Elderly Baby Boomers (July 10, 2008) -- The continued decline of the nursing home -- once the mainstay care for the frail elderly -- and an upsurge in popularity of assisted living will lead to many dramatic changes in long-term care. ... > full story
Liver Protein Associated With Type 2 Diabetes In Older Adults (July 10, 2008) -- The presence of a protein expressed by the liver which inhibits insulin action may identify individuals more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story
Birth Attendant And Maternal Hand-washing Associated With Reduced Newborn Death Rate (July 10, 2008) -- Washing hands with soap and water before delivering a newborn infant is associated with a lower rate of neonatal deaths in developing countries, according to a report in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. ... > full story
Low Back Pain Recovery Slow; And Worse For Those On Compensation (July 10, 2008) -- Contrary to current guidelines and common belief, new research has shown that recovery from low back pain is much slower than previously thought and even slower again for those with a compensable injury. ... > full story
Human Embryonic Stem Cells Developed From Four-cell Embryo; World First May Lessen Ethical Concerns (July 9, 2008) -- For the first time in the world scientists have succeeded in developing human embryonic stem cells from a single cell, or blastomere, of a 4-cell stage embryo. The scientists said that their research meant that it might be possible in the future to produce hESC lines at an earlier stage without destroying the embryo. ... > full story
Protein On 'Speed' Linked To ADHD (July 9, 2008) -- A genetic change in the dopamine transporter, discovered in two brothers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, makes it behave as if amphetamine is present and "run backward," Vanderbilt Medical Center investigators report. The researchers propose that because the altered transporter pushes dopamine out into the synapse, it alters dopamine signaling and contributes to the symptoms of ADHD. They further find that both Ritalin and Adderall, two ADHD medications, block the backward-running transporter. ... > full story
In Spain, 6 Of Every 100 Patients Die In Hospital Due To Adverse Drug Reaction, Study Suggests (July 9, 2008) -- A new study in Spain determined that six of every 100 patients who die in hospital do so as a consequence of an adverse drug reaction or, in other words, a fatal reaction to medicines. A adverse drug reaction to medicines (ADR) has been defined as any harmful and unwanted effect of a drug, at doses used for prophylaxis, diagnose or treatment. ... > full story
Higher Education Associated With Greater Gains In Mortality Reduction From Common Cancers (July 9, 2008) -- Deaths due to the four most common cancers have dropped substantially in the US from 1993 to 2001 in working-aged individuals. However, not all Americans are equally likely to benefit from those gains. More educated individuals had mortality reductions in nearly all four cancers, while less educated individuals had a mortality reduction in only one cancer type. ... > full story
Do We Think That Machines Can Think? (July 9, 2008) -- When our PC goes on strike again we tend to curse it as if it was a human. The question is why and under what circumstances do we attribute human-like properties to machines and how are such processes manifest on a cortical level. ... > full story
Obese Men Have Less Semen, More Sperm Abnormalities (July 9, 2008) -- Obese men should consider losing weight if they want to have children. New research has shown that men with a higher body mass index had lower volumes of seminal fluid and a higher proportion of abnormal sperm. ... > full story
Vaginal Microbicides May Prevent More Infections In Men Than Women (July 9, 2008) -- Vaginal microbicides currently in clinical trials may be the only weapon that will protect women against infection from HIV. Yet, under likely circumstances, these microbicides may be of more benefit to men than women, according to a new UCLA AIDS Institute study. ... > full story
Brain Chemical Shown To Induce Both Desire And Dread (July 9, 2008) -- The chemical dopamine induces both desire and dread, according to new animal research in the Journal of Neuroscience. Although dopamine is well known to motivate animals and people to seek positive rewards, the study indicates that it also can promote negative feelings like fear. The finding may help explain why dopamine dysfunction is implicated not only in drug addiction, which involves excessive desire, but in schizophrenia and some phobias, which involve excessive fear. ... > full story
Aerosol Toxins From Red Tides May Cause Long-term Health Threat (July 9, 2008) -- An algal toxin commonly inhaled in sea spray, attacks and damages DNA in the lungs of laboratory rats. The findings document how the body's way of disposing the toxin inadvertently converts it to a molecule that damages DNA. Human inhalation of brevetoxins produced by the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, is an increasing public health concern. ... > full story
Trans-fatty Acids Do Not Appear To Increase The Risk Of Diabetes (July 9, 2008) -- Dietary research in rats suggests that trans-fats do not increase the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes, which may ease at least one area of health concern for these compounds. ... > full story
Novel Ways To Boost Vaccination Or Natural Defenses (July 9, 2008) -- Our bodies rely on the production of potent, or 'high affinity,' antibodies to fight infection. The process is very complex, yet scientists have discovered that it hinges on a single molecule, a growth factor, without which it cannot function. ... > full story
Disruption Of Blood Sugar Levels After Heart Surgery Is Common (July 9, 2008) -- Inadequate blood sugar control in patients having heart surgery is associated with a four fold increase in post-surgery death and major complications -- and the blood sugar disturbances occur in patients with and without diabetes. ... > full story
Ending Moderate Drinking Tied To Depression (July 9, 2008) -- Scientific evidence has long suggested that moderate drinking offers some protection against heart disease, certain types of stroke and some forms of cancer. But new research shows that stopping drinking -- including at moderate levels -- may lead to health problems including depression and a reduced capacity of the brain to produce new neurons, a process called neurogenesis. ... > full story
Young Women's Breast Cancers Have More Aggressive Genes, Worse Prognosis (July 9, 2008) -- Young women's breast cancers tend to be more aggressive and less responsive to treatment than the cancers that arise in older women, and researchers may have discovered part of the reason why: young women's breast cancers share unique genomic traits that the cancers in older women do not exhibit. ... > full story
Types Of Genes Necessary For Brain Development Discovered (July 9, 2008) -- Researchers have successfully completed a full-genome RNAi screen in neurons, showing what types of genes are necessary for brain development. ... > full story
Male Cyclists Risk Sexual Problems If They Don't Choose The Right Bike (July 9, 2008) -- Cycling may seem like a healthy and environmentally friendly pastime, but men who choose the wrong bike could be heading for a range of sexual and health problems, including erection difficulties. And as the Tour de France gets into gear, there's also stark warnings for professional cyclists. ... > full story
Cocktail Therapy For Alzheimer's Disease? Works for Gerbils (July 9, 2008) -- A dietary cocktail that includes a type of omega-3 fatty acid can improve memory and learning in gerbils, according to a new study that points to a possible beverage-based treatment for Alzheimer's and other brain diseases. ... > full story
Boosting Survival Of Insulin-cell Transplants For Type 1 Diabetes (July 9, 2008) -- Researchers in Japan are reporting a discovery that could improve the effectiveness and expand the use of transplants of insulin-producing cells to treat diabetes. Insulin-dependent, or Type 1, diabetes affects about 800,000 people in the United States. ... > full story
New Ovarian Stimulation Technique Offers More Cancer Patients The Chance To Preserve Their Fertility (July 9, 2008) -- Researchers have shown for the first time that it is possible to stimulate a woman's ovaries to produce eggs for collection during the final phase of the menstrual cycle. The finding offers the chance for more women who have been diagnosed with cancer to restore their fertility following chemotherapy or radiotherapy -- cancer treatments that can seriously damage the ovaries, often permanently. ... > full story
Sex Really Does Get Better With Age (Just Ask A 70 Year Old) (July 9, 2008) -- An increasing number of 70 year olds are having good sex and more often, and women in this age group are particularly satisfied with their sex lives, according to a new study. Knowledge about sexual behavior in older people (70 year olds) is limited and mainly focuses on sexual problems, less is known about "normal" sexual behavior in this age group. ... > full story
Pandemic Mutations In Bird Flu Revealed (July 9, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered how bird flu adapts in patients, offering a new way to monitor the disease and prevent a pandemic, according to research in the Journal of General Virology. ... > full story
Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (Mantle Cell Lymphoma) On The Rise (July 9, 2008) -- A new study indicates that the incidence of mantle cell lymphoma, an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, is on the rise, most frequently striking men, Caucasians and older individuals. ... > full story
Tuberculosis May Have Migrated From Humans To Cattle, Not The Reverse (July 9, 2008) -- Among those trying to decipher the origins and trajectory of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria responsible for TB, are three Arizona State University researchers who are trying to establish a credible evolutionary timeline for TB. Their research suggests that the disease migrated from humans to cattle -- not the reverse, as has long been assumed. ... > full story
Does Gene Variant Make Women More Prone To Alcoholism? (July 9, 2008) -- A particular gene variant might make women more susceptible to alcoholism. According to new research, a gene in the endorphin metabolism is altered in a typical fashion more often in women alcoholics than in healthy women. ... > full story
Can Tomatoes Carry An Oral Vaccine Against Alzheimer's Disease? (July 9, 2008) -- The humble tomato could be a suitable carrier for an oral vaccine against Alzheimer's disease. New research, still in the early stages, is a promising first step towards finding an edible vaccine against the neurodegenerative disease. ... > full story
Leading Worldwide Cause Of Cardiovascular Disease May Be Modified By Diet (July 9, 2008) -- A new article indicates that an increased intake in minerals such as potassium, and possibly magnesium and calcium by dietary means may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and decrease blood pressure in people with hypertension. ... > full story
Malaria On The Increase In The UK (July 9, 2008) -- A huge rise in the numbers of UK residents travelling to malaria endemic areas, combined with a failure to use prevention measures, has significantly increased cases of imported falciparum malaria in the UK over the past 20 years, according to a study published online. ... > full story
Child Care Factors Associated With Weight Gain In Infancy (July 9, 2008) -- Nine-month-old infants regularly cared for by someone other than a parent appear to have higher rates of unfavorable feeding practices and to weigh more than infants cared for only by parents, according to a new article. ... > full story
Overweight, Insulin Resistant Women At Greater Risk Of Advanced Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Says Study (July 9, 2008) -- Women who have risk factors commonly associated with type 2 diabetes also have much greater odds of being diagnosed with an advanced breast cancer, according to new research. ... > full story
New Targets For RNAs That Regulate Genes Identified (July 9, 2008) -- Tiny strands of genetic material called RNA -- a chemical cousin of DNA -- are emerging as major players in gene regulation, the process inside cells that drives all biology and that scientists seek to control in order to fight disease. ... > full story
Fertility Treatment In Developing Countries; A Cycle Of IVF For Less Than 0 (July 9, 2008) -- After 30 years of IVF, the rewards of treatment are still largely confined to industrialized countries and those who can afford it. Now, a Special Task Force of European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology has set about the immeasurable task of making fertility treatment more accessible to developing countries through a program of pilot projects, professional awareness and involvement of government and non-governmental agencies. ... > full story
Pregnancy Alone Is Not Associated With Increased Risk For Mental Disorders (July 9, 2008) -- Pregnancy alone does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of the most prevalent mental disorders, according to a new article. However, post-partum women may have a higher risk of major depressive disorder. ... > full story
Japanese Encephalitis Virus Causes 'Double Trouble' To Brain (July 8, 2008) -- Recent research published in Journal of Neurochemistry, has shown that Japanese encephalitis virus, commonly known as brain fever, damages the brain in two ways -- not only killing brain cells but also preventing the birth of new cells from neural stem/progenitor cells and depleting the NPC pool in the brain. ... > full story
Slow Exercise (Not Fast) Is Better For Menopausal Women (July 8, 2008) -- As we get older, our muscles deteriorate and we become weaker, which has serious implications. We become clumsier and begin to have more falls, often resulting in broken bones or even more severe injuries. Researchers are examining the effects of different exercise regimes in menopausal women, with the aim of developing new strategies for delaying and reducing the initial onset of age related muscle deterioration. ... > full story
Adolescents Are Not Receiving Recommended Immunization In US, Report Shows (July 8, 2008) -- Vaccinating infants and toddlers is an almost universal practice in the United States. Vaccines to prevent flu are a regular part of medical care for senior citizens and at-risk patients. But, according to a study published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine, the US health care system is not very effective in getting vaccines to the adolescent population. ... > full story
Some Antidepressants Associated With Gastrointestinal Bleeding (July 8, 2008) -- A class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear to be associated with bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The effects appear increased when antidepressants are combined with other stomach-harming medications and decreased when acid-suppressing agents are used. ... > full story
Normal-looking Sperm May Have Serious Damage; Scientists Urge More Care In Selection (July 8, 2008) -- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) where a single sperm is injected into an egg to fertilize it, is increasingly used to help infertile men father children. Although the sperm chosen for the procedure may appear quite normal, researchers in the US have found that many of them in fact have DNA damage, which can decrease the chances of pregnancy and increase chances of later miscarriage if pregnancy does occur. In infertile men, between 20 and 66% of normal-looking sperm had DNA damage. ... > full story
Why Mosquitoes Select Certain Outdoor Water Containers For Laying Eggs And Avoid Others (July 8, 2008) -- Female mosquitoes are choosy when it comes to finding the proper egg-laying habitats. Scientists have now figured out one reason why pregnant yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti), one of the most important disease transmitters worldwide, choose to lay their eggs in certain outdoor water containers while eschewing others. ... > full story
Keeping A Food Diary Doubles Diet Weight Loss, Study Suggests (July 8, 2008) -- Study of nearly 1,700 participants shows that keeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss. The study found that the best predictors of weight loss were how frequently food diaries were kept and how many support sessions the participants attended. Those who kept daily food records lost twice as much weight as those who kept no records. ... > full story
Antibody To Breast Cancer-secreted Protein Blocks Metastasis, Researchers Show (July 8, 2008) -- Scientists have made a key discovery about the mechanism of breast cancer metastasis, the process by which cancer spreads. Focusing on a gene dubbed "Dachshund," or DACH1, they are beginning to pinpoint new therapeutic targets to halt the spread of cancer. When the scientists used an antibody to block a common inflammatory protein, IL-8, in mice, they found that it completely halted the spread of breast cancer to the lungs. ... > full story
Pregnancy Associated With Increased Risk Of Heart Attack (July 8, 2008) -- Although acute myocardial infarction is rare in women of child-bearing age, pregnancy can increase a woman's risk of heart attack 3- to 4-fold, according to a new study. Since women today may delay having children until later in life, and advances in reproductive medicine enable older women to conceive, the occurrence of AMI associated with pregnancy is expected to increase. ... > full story
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