ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, August 5, 2008
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Memory, Depression, Insomnia -- And Worms? (August 5, 2008) -- Researchers have spent decades probing the causes of depression, schizophrenia and insomnia in humans. But a new study may have uncovered key insights into the origins of these and other conditions by examining a most unlikely research subject: worms. ... > full story
Data Mining Detects Signs Of Lou Gehrig's Disease In Gene Carriers Long Before Symptoms Appear (August 5, 2008) -- Inspired by the use of microarray chips that look for gene combinations, psychologists are using "pattern array" software to spot movements in rats that might help them predict diseases such as Lou Gehrig's syndrome. ... > full story
Chronic Exposure To Estrogen Impairs Some Cognitive Functions (August 5, 2008) -- Chronic exposure to estradiol, the main estrogen in the body, diminishes some cognitive functions. Rats exposed to a steady dose of estradiol were impaired on tasks involving working memory and response inhibition, the researchers found. ... > full story
Strategies To Control TB Outdated, Inadequate, Analysis Shows (August 5, 2008) -- The standard regimens to treat tuberculosis are inadequate in countries with high rates of multi-drug resistant TB. In countries with high rates of MDR-TB, patients are nearly twice as likely to fail their initial treatment than those in countries with low rates, according to a new analysis of World Health Organization data. This finding suggests strongly that current TB treatment regimens need to updated and revised to address the shifting landscape of public health in the face of MDR-TB. ... > full story
Homeownership In Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Linked To Increased Political Participation (August 5, 2008) -- Homeowners in disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to vote than renters and those who own homes in more privileged communities, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. ... > full story
International Panel Updates Treatment Guidelines For HIV Infection (August 5, 2008) -- An evaluation of recent data has led to an update in the guidelines and recommendations for antiretroviral treatment of adult human immunodeficiency virus infection, according to an article in the Aug. 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS. ... > full story
Immune System Protein Accurate Predictor Of Survival In Pediatric Septic Shock (August 5, 2008) -- A simple measure of an immune system protein within 24 hours of being admitted to the hospital for septic shock can predict survival in children, yielding a powerful tool for diagnostics and clinical trials of new septic shock therapies, according to a research team led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in the Aug. 1 American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. ... > full story
New Panel Of Mice Helps Predict How Drugs Are Broken Down In Humans (August 5, 2008) -- Humans express several proteins that breakdown the synthetic chemicals and drugs (collectively known as xenobiotics) that we ingest or are administered. Expression of these proteins is itself regulated by the xenobiotic-sensing proteins PXR and CAR. Developing animal models to determine the relative importance of PXR and CAR for humans to breakdown a specific drug has been difficult because the human and animal proteins sense different xenobiotics. ... > full story
Teacher-student Relationships Key To Learning Health And Sex Education (August 5, 2008) -- When it comes to learning life-changing behaviors in high school health classes, the identity of the person teaching may be even more important than the curriculum, a new study suggests. For years, many high schools around the country have been relying on outside experts to teach sensitive subjects such as the human immunodeficiency virus infection and pregnancy prevention. But a recent study found that students learn more about such issues when taught by their regular classroom teacher. ... > full story
Guilt On Their Hands: Tiny 'Tags' Could Help To Solve And Deter Gun Crime (August 4, 2008) -- Criminals who use firearms may find it much harder to evade justice in future, thanks to an ingenious new bullet tagging technology. ... > full story
Immunotherapy In High-risk Pediatric Sarcomas Shows Promising Response (August 4, 2008) -- Based on a pilot study in children with sarcoma, researchers believe that immunotherapy could prove beneficial in treating high-risk forms of this cancer. ... > full story
Sleep Apnea Is An Independent Risk Factor For Mortality, Australian Study Shows (August 4, 2008) -- Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality, represented by a fully adjusted hazard ratio of 6.24. Previous studies linking OSA to mortality have involved patients referred to sleep clinics rather than community-based samples; the association between OSA and mortality in the community was unknown. ... > full story
Telemedicine Leads To Better Stroke Treatment Decisions, Study Finds (August 4, 2008) -- Researchers at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center say that their first-of-its-kind study of a telemedicine program which transports stroke specialists via computer desktop or even laptop to the patient's bedside, using highly sophisticated video, audio and Internet technology, could have an immediate and profound impact on the treatment of stroke patients throughout the world. ... > full story
Family Type Has Less-than-expected Impact On Parental Involvement, Study Finds (August 4, 2008) -- Children in step-families and in other non-traditional families get just as much quality time with their parents as those in traditional families, with only a few exceptions, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. ... > full story
When Our Protective Armor Shows Weakness: Genetic Defect In Skin Cells Leads To Neurodermatitis, Hay Fever And Asthma (August 4, 2008) -- New knowledge points to the fact that a genetically induced lack of filaggrin, a key protein of the skin barrier, plays a decisive role in the origin of allergies. In a large study on more than 3000 school-children scientists found that about 8% of the German population carry variations of the filaggrin gene, which raise the risk to develop atopic dermatitis more than threefold. In addition, these genetic variations predispose to hay fever and asthma in those with atopic dermatitis. ... > full story
Combating Secondary Infections In Clinics (August 4, 2008) -- Infections following treatment are a grave problem for patients, and resistant germs can be particularly devastating. Scientists have now developed a process for coating surfaces with an antimicrobial layer to effectively hinder infections. ... > full story
Endoscopic Circumferential Ablation Promising For Barrett's Esophagus With High-grade Dysplasia (August 4, 2008) -- A multi-center US registry study examining the treatment of Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia showed that in 92 patients treated with endoscopic circumferential ablation who had at least one follow-up biopsy session, 90.2 percent were free of HGD at an average of one-year follow-up. This registry is the first to report on the use of circumferential ablation for BE HGD. The study appears in the July issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. ... > full story
One Fifth Of British Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer Smoke Despite Hazards (August 4, 2008) -- One-fifth of British adult survivors of childhood cancers are current smokers, and nearly a third have been regular smokers at some point in their lives, according to a study in the July 29 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. ... > full story
Novel Kind Of Learning Gene Discovered (August 4, 2008) -- Scientists have come one step closer to unraveling the molecular basis of learning. Neurobiologists have now discovered the first gene for operant conditioning in the fruit fly Drosophila. Their discovery suggests a novel kind of molecular learning mechanism. The study may help understanding the molecular processes underlying addiction. ... > full story
Antiviral Therapy Helps Children At Risk For Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disease (August 4, 2008) -- The antiviral drug, valganciclovir, can lower the levels of Epstein-Barr virus in children with liver transplants, according to a new study. ... > full story
Cost Of Stabbings To Britain's Health Service Revealed (August 4, 2008) -- Injuries caused by gun and knife crime are costing the British National Health Service in excess of 3 million pounds a year, new research reveals. ... > full story
Sleep Apnea Linked To Increased Risk Of Death (August 4, 2008) -- Sleep-disordered breathing (also known as sleep apnea) is associated with an increased risk of death, according to new results from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort, an 18-year observational study. Researchers found that adults (ages 30 to 60) with sleep-disordered breathing at the start of the study were two to three times more likely to die from any cause compared to those who did not have sleep-disordered breathing. ... > full story
World's First Transplant Of Both Arms (August 4, 2008) -- The first transplant of complete arms has been accomplished after several years of preparatory work. The patient is doing well under the circumstances. ... > full story
Long Work Hours Widen The Gender Gap (August 4, 2008) -- Working overtime has a disproportionate impact on women in dual-earner households, exacerbating gender inequality and supporting the "separate sphere" phenomenon in which men are the breadwinners while women tend to the home, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. ... > full story
Smart Contact Lenses Dispense Medication (August 4, 2008) -- "Smart" contact lenses that measure pressure within the eye and dispense medication accordingly could be made possible using a new material developed by biomedical engineers at UC Davis. ... > full story
Methadone Breaks Resistance In Untreatable Forms Of Leukemia (August 4, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that methadone, an agent used to break addiction to opioid drugs, has surprising killing power against leukemia cells, including treatment resistant forms of the cancer. ... > full story
Turned-off Cannabinoid Receptor Turns On Colorectal Tumor Growth (August 4, 2008) -- New preclinical research shows that cannabinoid cell surface receptor CB1 plays a tumor-suppressing role in human colorectal cancer, scientists report in the Aug. 1 edition of the journal Cancer Research. ... > full story
Flu Vaccine May Not Protect Seniors Well (August 4, 2008) -- A new study adds fuel to the growing controversy over how well the flu vaccine protects the elderly. The study of more than 3,500 Group Health patients, ages 65 to 94, found no link between flu vaccination and risk of pneumonia during three flu seasons. ... > full story
Multiple Sclerosis: New MRI Contrast Medium Enables Early Diagnosis In Animal Model (August 4, 2008) -- In an animal model of multiple sclerosis, neurologists have been able to visualize inflammatory tissue damage, most of which had remained unrecognized up to now, with the aid of a new contrast medium, Gadofluorine M, in magnetic resonance imaging. ... > full story
Predicting Outbreaks Of Plague With The Help Of Satellite Images (August 4, 2008) -- Normally percolation theory is used to describe the movement of liquid through porous material. A good example of percolation is when hot water is forced through ground coffee in an espresso machine. By moving through the coffee via the empty spaces between the ground coffee particles, the water picks up the flavor of the coffee. Scientists now report in Nature that the spread of the bubonic plague bacteria in Central Asia by gerbils, works much the same way. ... > full story
Physicians Ask EPA, 'Antibiotics To Cure Sick Apples, Or Sick Children?' (August 4, 2008) -- A U.S. federal decision to permit the State of Michigan to spray the state's apple orchards with gentamicin risks undermining the value of this important antibiotic to treat blood infections in newborns and other serious human infections, according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America. ... > full story
Low-gravity Training Machine Reduces Joint, Muscle Impacts, Says Study (August 4, 2008) -- A new study of a space-age, low-gravity training machine used by several 2008 Olympic runners showed it reduced impacts on muscles and joints by nearly half when subjects ran at the equivalent of 50 percent of their body weight. ... > full story
New Male Circumcision Device For HIV Prevention (August 4, 2008) -- With the recent endorsement by the World Health Organization and scientists worldwide of adult male circumcision as an important strategy for HIV prevention, there is increased urgency to develop safe and cost-effective circumcision services. This is especially the case in Africa where HIV/AIDS continues to spread at an epidemic rate. ... > full story
Same Dose Of Anthracycline Is Not Safe For Everyone, Study Finds (August 4, 2008) -- Not all patients can tolerate the currently recommended cumulative dose of epirubicin. New models can help physicians calculate the epirubicin dose associated with a 5 percent risk of cardiotoxicity for individual patients. ... > full story
Doctors Must Be Held Accountable For Complying With Torture, Experts Argue (August 4, 2008) -- Doctors who assist in torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment should face prosecution and licensing punishments, says a new editorial. ... > full story
Schizophrenia Researchers Welcome New Blood (August 4, 2008) -- Researchers from UQ's Queensland Brain Institute are set to conduct a world-first trial into the link between prenatal vitamin D levels and schizophrenia prevalence. ... > full story
Lapatinib Reduces Brain Metastases In Mouse Model Of Metastatic Breast Cancer (August 4, 2008) -- Lapatinib reduces the number of large brain metastases in a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer, relative to untreated mice, researchers report. ... > full story
Travel Industry Should Inform Travelers About Malaria, Say Doctors (August 4, 2008) -- Tour operators and airlines are wasting an ideal opportunity to warn travelers about the risk of contracting malaria in specific countries, say infectious disease experts. ... > full story
Alzheimer's Drug May Help Mild Memory Loss, Imaging Study Suggests (August 3, 2008) -- New UCLA research suggests that the treatment of early symptoms of memory loss may protect the brain and help people with mild age-related memory impairment. The finding also shows how PET offers researchers a tool for tracking the effectiveness of drugs prescribed to treat age-related cognitive decline. ... > full story
Common Vaginal Infection May Increase Risk Of HIV Infection (August 3, 2008) -- A common vaginal infection may make women more susceptible to contracting HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, researchers have found. ... > full story
Cutting The Brakes On The Immune System; Newly Discovered Gene Variant Implicated In Lupus (August 3, 2008) -- A new study has found that variation of a particular gene -- known as TNFAIP3 -- may cause the immune system to lose its ability to shut off, leading to the autoimmune disease lupus. The research appears in the August issue of the journal Nature Genetics. ... > full story
Cancer Patients Are Not Given Enough Information, Experts Say (August 3, 2008) -- Two thirds of cancer patients receive little or no information about the survival benefits of having palliative chemotherapy before making a decision about treatment, according to a new study. ... > full story
How 'Hidden Mutations' Contribute To HIV Drug Resistance (August 3, 2008) -- One of the major reasons that treatment for HIV/AIDS often doesn't work as well as it should is resistance to the drugs involved. Now, scientists have determined how mutations hidden in previously ignored parts of the HIV genome play an important role in the development of drug resistance in AIDS patients. ... > full story
Brain Plays Key Role In Appetite By Regulating Free Radicals (August 3, 2008) -- Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found the brain's appetite center uses fat for fuel by involving oxygen free radicals -- molecules associated with aging and neurodegeneration. The findings suggest that antioxidants could play a role in weight control. ... > full story
Treatment Corrects Severe Insulin Imbalance In Animal Studies (August 3, 2008) -- Researchers have used a drug to achieve normal levels of blood sugar in animals genetically engineered to have abnormally high insulin levels. If this approach succeeds in humans, it could become an innovative medicine for children with congenital hyperinsulinism, a rare but potentially devastating genetic disease in which insulin levels become dangerously high. There is currently no effective medical treatment for children with the most common type of congenital hyperinsulinism. ... > full story
Free Academic Articles Get Read But Don't Generate More Citations (August 3, 2008) -- When academic articles are "open access" or free online, they get read more often, but they don't -- going against conventional wisdom -- get cited more often in academic literature, finds a new study. ... > full story
Fruit-fly Study Adds Weight To Theories About Another Type Of Adult Stem Cell (August 3, 2008) -- Researchers have found that mature, specialized cells naturally regress to serve as a kind of de facto stem cell during the fruit-fly life cycle. ... > full story
High Resolution Heart Images Now Available At Peak Stress (August 3, 2008) -- Researchers have designed equipment to provide high resolution images of the heart at a critical stage of testing that have previously been difficult to obtain using standard testing procedures. Superior images of the heart are obtained with a test lasting less than one hour. ... > full story
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