ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, July 24, 2008
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Human Visual System Could Make Powerful Computer (July 24, 2008) -- Since the idea of using DNA to create faster, smaller, and more powerful computers originated in 1994, scientists have been scrambling to develop successful ways to use genetic code for computation. Now, new research suggests that if we want to carry out artificial computations, all we have to do is literally look around. A researcher has begun to develop a technique to turn our eyes and visual system into a programmable computer. ... > full story
Cancer Drug Delivery Time Cut From Days To Hours With New Technique (July 24, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a technique that has the potential to deliver cancer-fighting drugs to diseased areas within hours, as opposed to the two days it currently takes for existing delivery systems. ... > full story
Bosentan Improves Quality Of Life For Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension (July 24, 2008) -- Recent studies have shown that bosentan therapy greatly improves the quality of life for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. According to a new study treatments with oral Bosentan reduces resistance in blood flow -- allowing the heart and lungs to work more efficiently and in turn, enables patients to increase exercise capacity and quality of life. ... > full story
Gray And Green Together: Older Adults Can Play Role In Creating Healthier Environment (July 24, 2008) -- Volunteering for environmental protection activities can be physically and mentally sustaining for older people. In fact, this demographic group is in a unique position to have a noticeable impact on its surroundings. ... > full story
Regular Meals Reduce Risk Of Developing Metabolic Syndrome, Study Shows (July 24, 2008) -- It is obvious to most people that our health is affected by what we eat; now, however, scientists have shown that it is also a matter of how often we eat. Scientists have now, for the first time, showed that the frequency of meals, regardless of their content, affects the chances of developing metabolic syndrome. ... > full story
During Olympics, Scientists Will Be Studying Air-quality In Beijing (July 24, 2008) -- As the world watches China prepare for the Olympic Games, one researcher has his eye on less visible matters -- the particles in Beijing's air that millions breathe every day, and that many more will be breathing when they descend on the city this summer. ... > full story
Analysis Of Quickly Stopped Rx Orders Provides New Tool For Reducing Medical Errors (July 24, 2008) -- By studying medication orders that are withdrawn ("discontinued") by physicians within 45 minutes of their origination, researchers have demonstrated a systematic and efficient method of identifying prescribing errors. The method, they say, has value to screen for medication errors and as a teaching tool for physicians and physicians-in-training. ... > full story
Saving Lives After Natural Disasters With Fast Set-Up Phone Network (July 24, 2008) -- A ten-kilo GSM mobile phone network will allow rescue workers to set up communications just hours, or even minutes, after a man-made or natural catastrophe. When disaster strikes communications are often one of the first infrastructures to go down. But it is exactly when effective communications are most desperately needed. ... > full story
Malaria Control Goals Are Likely To Be Unachievable (July 24, 2008) -- The Millennium Development Goal to halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria globally is unlikely to be met. The statement comes in a report published in PLoS Medicine. ... > full story
Genetics Of White Horses Unraveled: One Mutation Makes Ordinary Horses Turn Grey, Then White, Very Young (July 23, 2008) -- White horses are colored horses that turn grey, then white, at a very young age. The white horse is an icon for dignity which has had a huge impact on human culture across the world. Scientists have now identified the mutation causing this spectacular trait and show that it can be traced back to an ancestor that lived thousands of years ago. The study is interesting for medical research since this mutation also increases the risk of melanoma. ... > full story
Checking More Lymph Nodes Linked To Cancer Patient Survival (July 23, 2008) -- Why do patients with gastric or pancreatic cancer live longer when they are treated at cancer centers or high-volume hospitals than patients treated at low-volume or community hospitals? New research found that cancer patients have more lymph nodes examined for the spread of their disease if they are treated at hospitals performing more cancer surgeries or at comprehensive cancer centers. The result is a more accurate prognosis and treatment decision, which results in improved long-term outcomes. ... > full story
Discovery Of A Mechanism That Regulates Cell Movement (July 23, 2008) -- A mechanism that controls the movement of cells in a tissue by regulating cell adhesion has been identified. This same mechanism may be defective in diseases such as cancer and metastasis, when tumour cells lose their adhesion to neighbouring cells and migrate through the organism. ... > full story
Geographical Ties To Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cases Among 1991 Gulf War Veterans (July 23, 2008) -- Researchers are hoping to find a geographical pattern to help explain why 1991 Gulf War veterans contracted the fatal neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at twice the normal rate during the decade after the conflict. ... > full story
Rare Mutant Cells Glimpsed: Imaging System May Help Understand Origins Of Cancer (July 23, 2008) -- MIT biological engineers have developed a new imaging system that allows them to see cells that have undergone a specific mutation. ... > full story
Once-suspect Protein Found To Promote DNA Repair, Prevent Cancer (July 23, 2008) -- An abundant chromosomal protein that binds to damaged DNA prevents cancer development by enhancing DNA repair, researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science. ... > full story
How Carrots Help Us See The Color Orange (July 23, 2008) -- One of the easiest ways to identify an object is by its color -- perhaps it is because children's books encourage us to pair certain objects with their respective colors. Why else would so many of us automatically assume carrots are orange, grass is green and apples are red? ... > full story
Small Birth Size Linked To Changes In The Cardiovascular System That Predispose To Later Disease (July 23, 2008) -- Researchers have found the first evidence that smaller size at birth is associated with specific alterations in the functioning of the heart and circulation in children and that these changes differ between boys and girls. It adds to the evidence that adverse environments experienced by the baby before birth and indicated by low birth weight, can cause long-term changes in the heart and blood vessels, leading to heart and blood vessel disease in later life. ... > full story
Age-old Magic Tricks Can Provide Clues For Modern Science (July 23, 2008) -- Revealing the science behind age-old magic tricks will help us better understand how humans see, think, and act. ... > full story
'Stuffy Nose' Mouse: A Promise To Help Treat 31 Million With Sinusitis (July 23, 2008) -- Mice with inflamed nasal tissue may be unable to tell if something smells bad or good, but their sensory deficit is nothing to turn up a nose at. That is because, their developers say, the mice's reversible loss of one of their key senses, which is essential to tasting food or sensing danger from foul odors, sets them apart from all other mice and binds them to an estimated 31 million Americans living with chronic sinusitis, a persistent inflammation of the tissue that lines the nasal and sinus cavities. ... > full story
End In Sight For Dreaded Dentist Drill (July 23, 2008) -- A new technology that spots tooth decay almost as soon as it's begun promises to reduce the need for drilling and filling. Drilling is one of the top dental phobias and puts thousands of people off visiting their dentist every year. ... > full story
New Vaccine May Protect Against All Four Strains Of Dengue Virus (July 23, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a novel four-component vaccine that protects monkeys against all four strains of dengue virus and may potentially offer protection to the millions of humans at risk worldwide. ... > full story
Serious School Failure Is Depressing For Girls, But Not Boys (July 23, 2008) -- Adolescent girls who had a serious school failure by the 12th grade -- being expelled, suspended or dropping out -- were significantly more likely to have suffered a serious bout of depression at the age of 21 than girls who did not have these problems. ... > full story
Epilepsy Drug May Increase Risk Of Birth Defects (July 23, 2008) -- Taking the epilepsy drug topiramate alone or along with other epilepsy drugs during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a study in Neurology. Research has shown that many epilepsy drugs increase the risk of birth defects, but little research had been done on topiramate. ... > full story
Robot Playmates May Help Children With Autism (July 23, 2008) -- Scientists studying interactions of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders with bubble-blowing robots confirm what has been widely reported anecdotally: that ASD children in many cases interact more easily with mechanical devices than with humans. The researchers are developing a "control architecture" which will tailor robot interactions to the specific needs of ASD children to help therapists treating their condition. ... > full story
Plastic Bottle Contaminants? No Reproductive Or Developmental Effects Found In Mice From Oral Exposure To Low Doses Of Bisphenol A (July 23, 2008) -- A new multigenerational reproductive toxicity study of dietary Bisphenol A (BPA) in mice found no adverse effects of BPA on parents or offspring at dietary concentrations and doses comparable to those estimated for human exposure levels. ... > full story
Viagra Works For Antidepressant-related Sexual Dysfunction In Women, Study Suggests (July 23, 2008) -- Women with sexual dysfunction caused by the use of antidepressants experienced a reduction in adverse sexual effects with use of sildenafil, commonly known as the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra. ... > full story
Viral Recombination: Another Way HIV Fools The Immune System (July 23, 2008) -- When individuals infected with HIV become infected with a second strain of the virus, the two viral strains can exchange genetic information, creating a third, recombinant strain of the virus that can evade immune system control. Now a study from the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital shows that how and where viral strains swap DNA may be determined by the immune response against the original infecting strain. ... > full story
How Gastric Reflux May Trigger Asthma (July 23, 2008) -- Researchers appear to have solved at least a piece of a puzzle that has mystified physicians for years: why so many patients with asthma also suffer from GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. ... > full story
Hormone Oxytocin May Inhibit Social Phobia (July 23, 2008) -- Scientists have shown using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that the hormone oxytocin can inhibit feelings of anxiety in specific individuals. Their discovery might lead to a better understanding and the improved treatment of psychiatric affections in which people feel distressed when meeting others, such as in cases of autism and social phobia. ... > full story
New Evidence Of Battle Between Humans And Ancient Virus (July 23, 2008) -- Human ancestors fought back against an ancient retrovirus with a defense mechanism that our bodies still use today. Evidence of this battle has been preserved in our DNA for millions of years. ... > full story
Heading Circulatory Disease Off At The Pass (July 23, 2008) -- Researchers have devised an ultrasound imaging technique that picks up subtle early evidence of peripheral arterial disease that current conventional tests miss. The test, if approved for clinical use, could lead to early treatments that would head off the serious complications that can result from the disease. ... > full story
Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing May Reduce Wrinkles Over Long Term (July 23, 2008) -- Carbon dioxide laser resurfacing appears to be an effective long-term treatment for facial wrinkles, according to a report in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. ... > full story
Memory Impairment Associated With Sound Processing Disorder (July 23, 2008) -- Mild memory impairment may be associated with central auditory processing dysfunction, or difficulty hearing in complex situations with competing noise, such as hearing a single conversation amid several other conversations, according to a new article. ... > full story
Tuberculosis Presents Major Challenges To HIV Treatment In Developing Countries (July 23, 2008) -- Human immunodeficiency virus care and treatment programs in resource-limited settings must aggressively address tuberculosis and the emerging multidrug-resistant TB epidemic to save patient lives and to curb the global TB burden, a major cause of death for persons with HIV, according to a new article. ... > full story
Predicting Acute GVHD By Gene Expression Could Improve Liver Stem Cell Transplant Outcomes (July 23, 2008) -- Acute graft-versus-host disease occurs when an immune response is elicited by the grafted cells against a recipient, resulting in tissue damage for the treated individual. There are no definitive markers for predicting the development or progression of GVHD following the transplant of allogenic stem cells as therapy for liver cancer. This study offers a preliminary "molecular signature" for the development of acute GVHD based on altered gene expression. ... > full story
Transit Systems Are Not Well-integrated Into Local Emergency Plans (July 23, 2008) -- Millions of people each day rely on transit, yet few urban area emergency plans have focused on its role in an emergency evacuation. Transit systems could play a significant role in transporting car-less and special needs populations in times of emergency, but these groups are inadequately addressed in most local emergency plans and evacuating them could easily exceed limited transit resources. ... > full story
Combating Age-related Immune-response Decline: Protein Found To Stimulate Production Of T-cells (July 23, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a protein that stimulates the production of T-cells, the white blood cells involved in the recognition and the elimination of infectious agents. The discovery could help to combat age-related declines in immune response. ... > full story
Prenatal Drinking, Environmental Enrichment: Effects On Neurotrophins Are Independent Of Each Other (July 23, 2008) -- Prenatal alcohol exposure may be particularly destructive for neurotrophins, a family of peptides that influence the growth, development and functional plasticity of the fetal brain. A new rodent study of alcohol's effects on three key neurotrophins has found that, even though environmental enrichment may be able to improve some fetal-alcohol effects, those benefits do not appear to be mediated by neurotrophins. ... > full story
Reflecting On Values Promotes Love, Acceptance (July 23, 2008) -- No one enjoys being told that their behavior is harmful to themselves or others. In fact, most people respond defensively when confronted with evidence that their behavior is irrational, irresponsible, or unhealthy. Fortunately, research has shown that just a few minutes of writing about an important value can reduce defensiveness. ... > full story
How The Immune System And Brain Communicate To Control Disease (July 22, 2008) -- In a major step in understanding how the nervous system and the immune system interact, scientists have identified a new anatomical path through which the brain and the spleen communicate. The spleen, once thought to be an unnecessary bit of tissue, is now regarded as an organ where important information from the nervous reaches the immune system. Understanding this process could ultimately lead to treatments that target the spleen to send the right message when fighting human disease. ... > full story
People Only Eat One, When The Chips Are Brown (July 22, 2008) -- Dr. Don Henne isn't wasting his degree when he's standing by the deep fryer waiting for potato slices to turn brown. He's conducting research that will help the potato industry and consumers. Henne, an assistant research scientist in the Texas AgriLife Research plant pathology program in Amarillo, is one of many who are trying to find answers about zebra chip. Zebra chip is the latest disease to plague the potato industry, especially those in the chipping business. ... > full story
Still Puzzling: Best Care For The Frail And Elderly With Coronary Artery Disease (July 22, 2008) -- Patients treated solely with medications after suffering from chest pain, heart attack or coronary artery disease are more likely to die during the first year following their initial hospitalization. Researchers found that with all else being equal, the risk of death was highest for the medically managed group and lowest for patients who underwent stenting. ... > full story
Minimally Invasive Treatment Improves Male Fertility (July 22, 2008) -- A minimally invasive treatment for a common cause of male infertility can significantly improve a couple's chances for pregnancy, according to a new study. The study also found that the level of sperm motility prior to treatment is a key predictor of success. ... > full story
Stenting To Prop Open Blocked Arteries: Will That Be Through An Arm Or A Leg? (July 22, 2008) -- When it comes to stenting -- using metal tubes to prop open blocked arteries -- physicians are continuing to choose to gain entry to the circulatory system through an opening in the leg instead of the arm, even though the latter option appears to be safer, with fewer side effects. ... > full story
Nano-modified Food: How Much Are Consumers Willing To Accept The Associated Risks? (July 22, 2008) -- Consumers have largely grown to accept nanotechnology in nutrition for packaging and, to a lesser extent, even the food itself, according to a new study. In recent years, nanotechnology has joined gene and information technology in becoming a pinnacle of hope for research and industry. The latest uses for nanotechnology include food products and their packaging. ... > full story
Spinal Cord Stem Cells Could Be Basis Of Nonsurgical Treatment For Spinal-cord Injuries (July 22, 2008) -- A researcher at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory has pinpointed stem cells within the spinal cord that, if persuaded to differentiate into more healing cells and fewer scarring cells following an injury, may lead to a new, nonsurgical treatment for debilitating spinal-cord injuries. ... > full story
Blood-related Genetic Mechanisms Found Important In Parkinson's Disease (July 22, 2008) -- What does the genetics of blood cells have to do with brain cells related to Parkinson's disease? From an unusual collaboration of neurologists and a pharmacologist comes the surprising answer: genetic mechanisms at play in blood cells also control a gene and protein that cause Parkinson's disease. ... > full story
Water-diffusion Technology Identifies Brain Regions Damaged By Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (July 22, 2008) -- Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder often have structural brain damage. Recent findings show that several specific white matter regions, as well as deep gray matter areas, of the brain are particularly sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure. These abnormalities likely underlie the cognitive, motor, behavioral and emotional difficulties that are associated with FASD. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2008 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your account click here  |
No comments:
Post a Comment