ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, July 17, 2008
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New Approach Sheds Light On Ways Circadian Disruption Affects Human Health (July 17, 2008) -- Researchers shed light on the effects of circadian disruption on breast cancer, obesity, sleep disorders and other health problems. Growing evidence indicates that exposure to irregular patterns of light and darkness can cause the human circadian system to fall out of synchrony with the 24-hour solar day, negatively affecting human health -- but scientists have been unable to effectively study the relationship between circadian disruptions and human maladies. ... > full story
Vitamin A Pushes Breast Cancer To Form Blood Vessel Cells (July 17, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that vitamin A, when applied to breast cancer cells, turns on genes that can push stem cells embedded in a tumor to morph into endothelial cells. These cells can then build blood vessels to link up to the body's blood supply, promoting further tumor growth. ... > full story
Detecting Coronary Disease Early: Nuclear Stress Test Can Detect More Than Blockages (July 17, 2008) -- A less invasive test commonly used to diagnose coronary disease also may be used to detect one of the leading causes of heart failure. By using a nuclear stress test to look at how fast blood flows into the heart's pumping chamber -- the left ventricle -- they can determine if a patient's left ventricle is having trouble. ... > full story
After Ankle Surgery: Mobilize With Care (July 17, 2008) -- People recover faster after surgery for ankle fracture if they are given a cast or splint that can be removed to let them exercise the ankle, than if their foot is placed in an immobilizing plaster cast. If the fracture is stable, then encouraging them to walk soon after surgery is also beneficial. However, increased activity does increase the chance of experiencing problems with the surgical wound. ... > full story
All Terrain Vehicles: Gear Up Before Revving Up ATVs (July 17, 2008) -- Whether on vacation or out for recreation, many adults and children are hopping on ATVs for some warm weather fun. But ATVs are not toys. ... > full story
Coronary Heart Disease Patients Live Longer, But Not Always Happier, Lives (July 17, 2008) -- People with coronary heart disease report a worse "quality of life" than people free of heart disease. Heart patients who were younger than 50, female, black or Hispanic were all more likely to have lower quality of life scores. Quality of life is an important indicator of the socioeconomic impact of disease, the effectiveness of treatment and long-term mortality. ... > full story
Men And Women May Need Different Diets (July 17, 2008) -- Diet can strongly influence how long you live and your reproductive success, but now scientists have discovered that what works for males can be very different for females. In the first study of its kind, the researchers have shown that gender plays a major role in determining which diet is better suited to promoting longer life or better reproductive success. ... > full story
Gene Signatures For Scleroderma Discovered (July 17, 2008) -- Distinct genetic profiles can discern different groups of patients with scleroderma, a vexing autoimmune disease in which the body turns against itself, Dartmouth Medical School researchers report. Their discovery of distinguishing molecular subtypes within the disease offers new insight into the complexity of a poorly understood and hard to treat illness and opens a window for better diagnosis and targeted therapies. ... > full story
Formula Predicts Emergency Admissions In Adults Older Than 40 (July 17, 2008) -- Using data from clinical encounters and drug prescriptions over three years, researchers have devised a model to predict emergency hospital admissions in the following year in individuals age 40 and older, according to a new report. ... > full story
Gene Variations In Diverse Patient Populations Determine Who Responds Best To An Antidepressant (July 17, 2008) -- A new study shows that variations in the serotonin transporter gene could explain why some people with depression respond better than others to treatment with citalopram, an antidepressant medication. ... > full story
Scientists Reduce Alzheimer's-like Plaques In Fly Brain (July 16, 2008) -- Neuroscientists have succeeded in demonstrating that overexpression of an enzyme in the brain can reduce telltale deposits causally linked with Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Joint Replacement May Improve Osteoarthritis Symptoms In Older Adults (July 16, 2008) -- Older adults who have hip or knee replacement surgery for severe osteoarthritis may take several weeks to recover but appear to have excellent long-term outcomes. ... > full story
Cancer Metastasis: Cellular Decisions Predicted With Computer Program (July 16, 2008) -- A new method may help to develop new treatments against cancer metastasis. Scientists have simulated on the computer how cells decide whether or not to migrate. Using their results, the researchers were able to predict the molecular targets within a cell that have to be hit so that its behavior changes in a particular direction. ... > full story
Can Diet Alone Control Type 2 Diabetes? No Evidence Yet (July 16, 2008) -- Despite strong evidence that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or at least delayed by a combination of lifestyle changes and good dietary advice, a team of Cochrane researchers found that there is no indication whether dietary advice alone can prevent the disease. ... > full story
'Healthy' Sterols May Pose Health Risk (July 16, 2008) -- Plant sterols have been touted as an effective way to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. However, a research study has uncovered that these compounds do have their own risks, as they can accumulate in heart valves and lead to stenosis. ... > full story
Smoking Cessation Therapies More Effective Than Placebos (July 16, 2008) -- Six treatments for smoking cessation perform better than placebos -- including varenicline, recently approved for use in Canada. ... > full story
Bone Marrow Transplants: Cancer Drug Shows Promise Against Graft Vs. Host Disease (July 16, 2008) -- A study in mice suggests the drug SAHA, a new antitumor drug, is also able to reduce the effects of graft-versus-host disease, a common, sometimes fatal complication of bone marrow transplants. SAHA and other HDAC inhibitors also may provide a new way to treat autoimmune diseases. Plans are under way for a U-M trial of the drug in people to prevent graft vs. host disease. ... > full story
Children's Physical Activity Drops From Age 9 To 15, Study Indicates (July 16, 2008) -- The activity level of a large group of American children dropped sharply between age 9 and age 15, when most failed to reach the daily recommended activity level, according to the latest findings from a long-term study by the National Institutes of Health. ... > full story
Psychiatric Forensic Patients With Tattoos More Likely To Have Antisocial Personality Disorder (July 16, 2008) -- The presence of tattoos on forensic psychiatric inpatients should alert clinicians to a possible diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder, and also about the potential for histories of suicide attempt, substance abuse and sexual abuse, according to research published in Personality and Mental Health. ... > full story
Overweight Mothers Give Birth To Offspring Who Become Heavy, Amplifying Obesity Through Generations (July 16, 2008) -- Overweight mothers give birth to offspring who become even heavier, resulting in amplification of obesity across generations, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers who found that chemical changes in the ways genes are expressed -- a phenomenon called epigenetics -- could affect successive generations of mice. ... > full story
Researchers Identify Immune Cells That Block Allergic Reactions (July 16, 2008) -- When it comes to allergies, both the problem and the solution are found within us. Our immune systems respond to foreign substances with an arsenal of cells. Some are programmed to "remember" invaders they've encountered in the past. Normally, anything previously identified as harmless is allowed to pass. Sometimes, however, the immune response goes awry, triggering an allergic reaction. ... > full story
Full-day Kindergarteners' Reading, Math Gains Fade By 3rd Grade (July 16, 2008) -- A new analysis of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 found that the reading and math benefits experienced by full-day kindergarteners versus part-day kindergarteners diminished soon after kindergarten. Academic skills of those in part-day kindergarten grew faster than their full-day peers from the spring of kindergarten through fifth grade, however. These differences can be explained, in part, by increased poverty and less stimulating home environments experienced by full-day kindergarteners. ... > full story
DNA 'Palindromes' Linked To Disease (July 16, 2008) -- Long DNA sequences, or palindromes, change the shape of the molecule from double helix to hairpin-like formation, which causes replication to stall. Altered or stalled replication causes chromosomal breaking, resulting in cancers and diseases. In the context of everyday life, palindromes are quite common. They are words, phrases, numbers or other sequences of units that read the same way in either direction, such as 'A man, a plan, a canal -- Panama!' ... > full story
New Study Sheds Light On How Intracellular Pathogens Trigger The Immune System (July 16, 2008) -- Biologists have identified a molecular alarm system in which intracellular pathogens send out signals that kick the immune response into gear. The findings shed light on how host cells recognize and destroy the pathogenic bugs living within their walls, and may even provide new targets for the research and development of new vaccines and drugs. ... > full story
Growing Up Amid War Affects Children's Moral Development (July 16, 2008) -- Research among 96 war-affected children and adolescents in Colombia examined how war affects children's moral development. Though all participants said it was wrong to steal or hurt others because of justice or welfare or even to ensure one's survival, many said that it was acceptable to steal or hurt others for revenge. This was one of the first studies to examine moral development in children growing up in a war zone. ... > full story
Mechanism Behind Mind-body Connection Discovered (July 16, 2008) -- New research explains how chronic emotional stress ages the immune system. Immune cells end in protective caps called telomeres that are shorter in the elderly -- and in persons suffering chronic stress. A new study suggests that the hormone cortisol is the culprit behind telomeres' early aging in stressed-out people and offers a potential drug target for protecting the immune system against the damage caused by long-term stress. ... > full story
Women Exposed To High Levels of Pollutant PCB More Likely To Give Birth To Female Children (July 16, 2008) -- Women exposed to high levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls -- a group of banned environmental pollutants) are less likely to give birth to male children. A new study found that among women from the San Francisco Bay Area, those exposed to higher levels of PCBs during the 50s and 60s, were significantly more likely to give birth to female children. ... > full story
Incorrectly Cleaved Protein Leads To Schizophrenia (July 16, 2008) -- The causes of schizophrenia are not yet clear. But now, researchers have discovered that a disturbed cleavage of the Nrg-1 protein lies at the basis of the development of the disease. Greater understanding of this molecular process is a first step toward improved diagnosis and more effective treatment of schizophrenia and other related disorders. ... > full story
Nanoencapsulation Of Low Soluable Cancer Drugs (July 16, 2008) -- Biomedical engineering researchers have developed a innovative approach to cancer drug nanoencapsulation. The new method allows for adjusting drug release rates and attaching antibodies at the outer shell layers for targeted drug delivery. ... > full story
Pathologists Believe They Have Pinpointed Achilles Heel Of HIV (July 16, 2008) -- Human immunodeficiency virus researchers believe they have uncovered the Achilles heel in the armor of the virus that continues to kill millions. The weak spot is hidden in the HIV envelope protein gp120. ... > full story
Huntington's Disease Linked To Overactive Immune Response In The Brain (July 16, 2008) -- The damage to brain tissue seen in Huntington's disease may be caused by an overactive immune response in the bloodstream and the brain. Working separately, two teams found evidence in both brain cells and the bloodstream suggesting an important link between the immune system's response and Huntington's disease. ... > full story
Administering Heparin Soon After Stroke Can Increase Risk Of Serious Bleeding (July 16, 2008) -- The common practice of administering heparin soon after cardioembolic stroke is associated with an increased risk for serious bleeding, according to an article in the Archives of Neurology. However, it appears that anticoagulation with warfarin therapy may safely begin shortly after stroke. ... > full story
Rx For Time-crunched Physicians (July 16, 2008) -- Certain communication skills can help physicians increase the efficiency of their time with patients during office visits. ... > full story
Newly Described 'Dragon' Protein Could Be Key To Bird Flu Cure (July 16, 2008) -- Scientists have taken a big step closer to a cure for the most common strain of avian influenza, or "bird flu," the potential pandemic that has claimed more than 200 lives and infected nearly 400 people in 14 countries since it was identified in 2003. ... > full story
Gaining Ground On Sickle Cell Disease (July 16, 2008) -- Although sickle cell disease is a single-gene disorder, its symptoms are highly variable. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists report five gene variants that could potentially be helpful in predicting sickle cell disease severity, perhaps even leading to better treatment approaches in the future. ... > full story
High-dose HBO2 Therapy Extends Survival Window After Cardiopulmonary Arrest, Study Suggests (July 16, 2008) -- A new study has major implications for the No. 1 cause of death of Americans -- sudden cardiac arrest. To resuscitate any living organism after 25 minutes of heart stoppage at room temperature has never been reported and suggests that the time to successful resuscitation in humans may be extended beyond the stubborn figure of 16 minutes that has stood for 50 years. ... > full story
New System Detects Dementia Risk Among Highly Educated Older Adults (July 16, 2008) -- A different cutoff point on an existing mental function assessment may more effectively assess the risk of dementia in highly educated older adults, according to a new article. ... > full story
'Smothered' Genes Combine With Mutations To Yield Poor Outcome In Cancer Patients (July 15, 2008) -- Researchers have identified a set of genes in breast and colon cancers with a deadly combination of traditional mutations and "smothered" gene activity that may result in poor outcomes for patients. ... > full story
Diabetes Could Be A Hidden Condition For Heart Disease Patients (July 15, 2008) -- Diabetes could be a hidden condition for some patients with coronary heart disease. Researchers found high levels of oxidative stress in people with coronary heart disease, previously thought to be a marker of the heart condition, could instead indicate a condition of glucose abnormality, such as overt type 2 diabetes. ... > full story
Weeding Out The Highs Of Medical Marijuana (July 15, 2008) -- Research exploring new ways of exploiting the full medicinal uses of cannabis while avoiding unwanted side-effects. Cannabis is a source of compounds known as cannabinoids, one of which, THC -- the main chemical responsible for the 'high' -- has long been licensed as a medicine for suppressing nausea produced by chemotherapy and for stimulating appetite, for instance, in AIDS patients. ... > full story
Possible Link Found Between X-rays And Prostate Cancer (July 15, 2008) -- Researchers have shown an association between certain past diagnostic radiation procedures and an increased risk of young-onset prostate cancer -- a rare form of prostate cancer which affects about 10 percent of all men diagnosed with the disease. ... > full story
Men And Women Are Programmed Differently When It Comes To Temptation (July 15, 2008) -- Men may not see their flirtations with an attractive woman as threatening to the relationship while women do, according to research in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. ... > full story
Kidney Transplants Less Successful At Night (July 15, 2008) -- Kidney transplants should be carried out during the day if possible. At least this is the conclusion suggested by a survey just published by urologists and internists at the University of Bonn. Operations carried out at night require a further operation more than twice as often as other operations. ... > full story
Myths About Postmenopausal Pain During Sex Shattered (July 15, 2008) -- Using hormone replacement therapy to alleviate painful sexual intercourse in post-menopausal women is not effective for a significant proportion of sufferers, according to a review study. "This often-prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has mainly been studied in women who suffer from vaginal atrophy, a condition caused by declining estrogen levels, and changes in the genitals," one of the researchers said. ... > full story
Consumption Of Nut Products During Pregnancy Linked To Increased Asthma In Children (July 15, 2008) -- Expectant mothers who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy increase their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50 percent over women who rarely or never consume nut products during pregnancy, according to new research from the Netherlands. ... > full story
Tumor-inhibiting Protein Could Be Effective In Treating Leukemia (July 15, 2008) -- Angiocidin, a tumor-inhibiting novel protein, may also have a role as a new therapeutic application in treating leukemia by inducing a differentiation of monocytic leukemia cells into a normal, macrophage-like phenotype. ... > full story
Parents Should Limit Young Children's Exposure To Background TV (July 15, 2008) -- Research conducted among 50 children ages 1, 2, and 3 found that background TV disrupted children's play and may be an environmental risk factor for most American children. A television in the room played an episode of Jeopardy for half of the hour of observation, while the television was turned off for the other half hour. Children played for significantly less time and focused for shorter intervals on their play when the television was on. ... > full story
More Kidney Stone Disease Projected Due To Global Warming (July 15, 2008) -- Global warming is likely to increase the proportion of the population affected by kidney stones by expanding the higher-risk region known as the "kidney-stone belt" into neighboring states, researchers have found. ... > full story
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