ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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Physical Frailty May Be Linked To Alzheimer's Disease (August 12, 2008) -- Physical frailty, which is common in older persons, may be related to Alzheimer's disease pathology, according to a study published in the Aug. 12, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ... > full story
Refractive Errors Affect Vision For Half Of American Adults (August 12, 2008) -- About half of US adults age 20 and older have refractive errors, or eye problems that result in less than 20/20 vision, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
New Insight Into Most Common Forebrain Malformation (August 12, 2008) -- Scientists have identified one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the genetic brain malformation called holoprosencephaly. The findings not only yield insights into the most common developmental malformation of the anterior brain and face in newborns, but also help in understanding the intricate process by which the brain forms in the developing fetus. ... > full story
Cognitive Problems Associated With Diabetes Duration And Severity (August 12, 2008) -- Individuals with mild cognitive impairment appear more likely to have earlier onset, longer duration and greater severity of diabetes, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
Running Slows The Aging Clock, Researchers Find (August 11, 2008) -- Regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from Stanford University School of Medicine that has tracked 500 older runners for more than 20 years. Elderly runners have fewer disabilities, a longer span of active life and are half as likely as aging nonrunners to die early deaths, the research found. ... > full story
Designer RNA Fights High Cholesterol, Researchers Find (August 11, 2008) -- Small, specially designed bits of ribonucleic acid (RNA) can interfere with cholesterol metabolism, reducing harmful cholesterol by two-thirds in pre-clinical tests, according to a new study by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in collaboration with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ... > full story
Investigation Of Prion Folding On Cell Membranes (August 11, 2008) -- Abnormally folded proteins cause a number of illnesses such as the Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) and Alzheimer’s. It is still unknown why this misfolding occurs. The first stages of folding and the onset of the aggregation of the proteins, the so-called oligomerisation, appear to be decisive for pathogenesis. ... > full story
'Lost Tribe' Of Clinician-scientists: Medical Doctors Who Do Research Could Be A Dying Breed (August 11, 2008) -- The road from disease research to disease cure isn't usually a smooth one. One role which bridges the laboratory and the clinic is that of the "clinician-scientist" -- a doctor who understands disease both in the patient and in the Petri dish. Yet an editorial published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, contends that clinician-scientists in the UK and elsewhere are not prospering, but rather are "under threat in a hostile environment". ... > full story
Better Bandage: Microscopic Scaffolding Offers 'Simple' Solution To Treating Skin Injuries (August 11, 2008) -- A revolutionary dissolvable scaffold for growing new areas of skin could provide a safer, more effective way of treating burns, diabetic ulcers and similar injuries. This ultra-fine, 3-dimensional scaffold, which is made from specially developed polymers, looks similar to tissue paper but has fibres 100 times finer. Before it is placed over a wound, the patient's skin cells (obtained via a biopsy) are introduced and attach themselves to the scaffold, multiplying until they eventually grow over it. ... > full story
Pre-cancerous Condition Linked To Chronic Acid Reflux Faces Several Hurdles (August 11, 2008) -- UK researchers address challenges in treating Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition found in some sufferers of chronic acid reflux disease, and call for better disease models and diagnostic markers. ... > full story
Health And Marriage: The Times They Are A Changin' (August 11, 2008) -- The health of people who never marry is improving, narrowing the gap with their wedded counterparts, according to new research that suggests the practice of encouraging marriage to promote health may be misguided. ... > full story
'Edible Optics' Could Make Food Safer (August 11, 2008) -- Scientists have demonstrated that it is possible to design biologically active, biodegradable optical devices -- made from silk and requiring no refrigeration -- with many applications in medicine, health, the environment and communications. For example, edible optical sensors could detect harmful bacteria in a bag of produce, and be consumed right along with the food if it were safe. ... > full story
More PSA Screening Awareness Needed Among High-risk Groups, Study Suggests (August 11, 2008) -- In one of the first examinations of PSA screening in younger men, a new study finds that one-fifth of men under age 50 reported undergoing a prostate specific antigen test to detect prostate cancer in the previous year, yet only one in three young black men reported ever having a PSA test in the previous year. ... > full story
Complex Decision? Don't Sleep On It (August 11, 2008) -- Neither snap judgements nor sleeping on a problem are any better than conscious thinking for making complex decisions, according to new research. The finding debunks a controversial 2006 research result asserting that unconscious thought is superior for complex decisions, such as buying a house or car. If anything, the new study suggests that conscious thought leads to better choices. ... > full story
Damage To Fetal Brain Blocked Following Maternal Alcohol Consumption (August 11, 2008) -- In a study on fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers were able to prevent the damage that alcohol causes to cells in a key area of the fetal brain by blocking acid sensitive potassium channels and preventing the acidic environment that alcohol produces. The cerebellum, the portion of the brain that is responsible for balance and muscle coordination, is particularly vulnerable to injury from alcohol during development. ... > full story
Eroded Telomeres Are Behind A Rare Premature Aging Syndrome (August 11, 2008) -- Each time a cell divides, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes shorten -- and when these caps are gone, so are we. Now, by using an unconventional strategy to shorten telomeres in mice, researchers have not only created the first faithful mouse model for studying a rare yet fatal premature aging syndrome, but they have revealed the molecular defect behind the disease. ... > full story
Another Piece Of The Weight-control Puzzle Identified (August 11, 2008) -- As scientists investigate the brain's intricate neurocircuitry, they are forming a clearer picture of the myriad events that lead to weight loss and weight gain. ... > full story
Technological Crystal Ball Boosts AIDS Survival (August 11, 2008) -- A cure for the virus that causes AIDS may still be beyond our grasp, but researchers have developed a predictive software system for HIV that could help extend the lives of victims of the killer disease. ... > full story
Why Dopamine Freezes Parkinson Patients And Drives Drug Addicts (August 11, 2008) -- A dopamine imbalance triggers Parkinson's disease and drug addition -- two opposite diseases. How it worked to do this in the brain had been a mystery. New research shows dopamine strengthens and weakens the two primary circuits in the brain that control our behavior. This provides new insight into why a flood of dopamine can lead to compulsive, addictive behavior and too little dopmaine can leave Parkinson's patients frozen and unable to move. ... > full story
In Scientific First, Researchers Correct Decline In Organ Function Associated With Old Age (August 11, 2008) -- As people age, their cells become less efficient at getting rid of damaged protein -- resulting in a buildup of toxic material that is especially pronounced in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. ... > full story
Ricin's Deadly Action Revealed By Glowing Probes (August 11, 2008) -- A new chemical probe can rapidly detect ricin, a deadly poison with no known antidote that is feared to be a potential weapon for terrorists and cannot quickly be identified with currently available tests. Chemists at UC San Diego developed the probe, which glows when bound to a ricin-damaged part of the body's protein-making machinery. Because the test pinpoints the specific injury underlying the poison's toxicity, it could also help to develop drugs to counteract the effect of ricin. ... > full story
First Step Towards Switching Off Breast Cancer And Leukaemia (August 11, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a way to "switch off" a molecule, a key player in the molecular processes that trigger breast cancer and certain forms of leukaemia. ... > full story
Genes May Make Some People More Prone To Anxiety (August 11, 2008) -- Inborn differences may help explain why trauma gives some people bad memories and others the nightmare of post-traumatic stress. Scientists have reported evidence linking genes to anxious behavior. ... > full story
Multi-tasking Maggots In Superbug Showdown (August 11, 2008) -- Scientists in the UK have discovered a new type of antibiotic in maggot secretions that can tackle up to 12 different strains of MRSA, as well as E. coli and C. difficile. ... > full story
Human Obesity Genes Revealed Based On Fly Experiments (August 11, 2008) -- A study of 228 women has revealed genetic variants responsible for body shape. Based on work in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, new research identifies natural variation in the human LAMA5 gene as a key determinant of weight. ... > full story
Heavy Atoms Can Help Destroy Tumor Cells (August 11, 2008) -- A new discovery has been made in cancer research. Researchers have now shown that it is possible to improve hadrontherapy's targeting and destruction of tumor cells by loading the cells with heavy atoms like platinum. This new method enables both the treatment's effectiveness and the ions' ballistic effect to be improved without damaging healthy tissue. ... > full story
Floss Your Teeth -- On The Double (August 11, 2008) -- A recent study demonstrates that including flossing as part of one's routine oral care can actually help reduce the amount of gum disease-causing bacteria found in the mouth, therefore contributing to healthy teeth and gums. ... > full story
A New Light On The Brains Of People With Borderline Personality Disorder (August 11, 2008) -- In a game of give and get, the brains of people with borderline personality disorder often don't get it. In fact, an interactive economic game played between two people in functional magnetic resonance imaging devices revealed a brain malfunction associated with the disorder, a serious but common mental illness that affects a person's perceptions of the world and other people, according to an article in Science. ... > full story
New Bacterial Species Found In Human Mouth (August 11, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered a new species of bacteria in the mouth. The finding could help scientists to understand tooth decay and gum disease and may lead to better treatments, according to research published in the August issue of the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. ... > full story
Pathogen That Causes Disease In Cattle Also Associated With Crohn's Disease (August 11, 2008) -- People with Crohn's disease are seven-fold more likely to have in their gut tissues the bacterium that causes a digestive-tract disease in cattle called Johne's disease. The role this bacterium may or may not play in causing CD is a top research priority, according to a new report released by the American Academy of Microbiology. ... > full story
Stress Hormone Found To Regulate Brain Neurotransmission (August 11, 2008) -- Researchers have just shown how one of the stress hormones regulates brain neurotransmission on the short and long term and enables neuronal connections to adapt. ... > full story
Eat Oily Fish At Least Once A Week To Protect Your Eyesight In Old Age (August 11, 2008) -- Eating oily fish once a week may reduce age-related macular degeneration which is the major cause of blindness and poor vision in adults in western countries and the third cause of global blindness, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. ... > full story
Arrival Method, Slow Response Often Delay Stroke Care (August 11, 2008) -- Most stroke patients can't recall when their symptoms started or do not arrive at the hospital in a timely manner, so they cannot be considered for time-dependent therapies such as the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), researchers reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. ... > full story
Early Treatment Is Key To Combating Hepatitis C Virus (August 11, 2008) -- Patients who receive early treatment for hepatitis C virus within the first months following an infection, develop a rapid poly-functional immune response against HCV similar to when infection is erradicted spontaneously, according to a new study published in the Journal of Virology. Therefore, early treatment can restore immune response against HCV and help eliminate the virus rapidly. This new discovery of the mechanisms of viral eradication could contribute to the development of new treatments. ... > full story
New Insight On HIV Transmission Risk Of Men Who Have Sex With Men (August 11, 2008) -- Approximately half of all new HIV infections in the United States result from the sexual risk behaviors of men who have sex with men. Now, a new study provides additional insight into which of these men are most likely to transmit HIV to others, potentially paving the way for the development of more targeted prevention programs. ... > full story
Psychiatrists Shift Away From Providing Psychotherapy (August 11, 2008) -- A declining number of office-based psychiatrists appear to be providing psychotherapy to their patients, according to a new report. Psychotherapy has been part of the practice of psychiatry for generations. Various forms of psychotherapy, either alone or in combination with medications, are recommended for the treatment of major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric illnesses. ... > full story
Mutation Found In Dachshund Gene May Help Develop Therapies For Humans With Blindness (August 10, 2008) -- Cone-rod dystrophies are a group of eye diseases caused by progressive loss of the photoreceptor cells in the retina. In a study published online in Genome Research, researchers have identified a novel mutation in a gene associated with CRD in dogs, raising hopes that potential therapies can be developed for people suffering from these eye disorders. ... > full story
Cancer-inhibiting Compound Found Under The Sea (August 10, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered a marine compound off the coast of Key Largo that inhibits cancer cell growth in laboratory tests. Largazole, named for its Florida location and structural features, seeks out a family of enzymes called histone deacetylase. Overactivity of certain HDACs has been associated with several cancers such as prostate and colon tumors, and inhibiting HDACs may activate tumor-suppressor genes that have been silenced in these cancers. ... > full story
Why Gene Therapy Caused Leukemia In Some 'Boy In The Bubble Syndrome' Patients (August 10, 2008) -- Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), sometimes called 'Boy in the bubble syndrome', is a genetic disorder in which the patient lacks most types of immune cell. Almost 10 years ago, two independent groups used gene therapy to treat a few infants with the most common form of SCID, SCID-X1, which is caused by mutations in the IL2RG gene. ... > full story
Red All Over: How The Color Red Affects A Referee's Judgment (August 10, 2008) -- A new study has found that choosing the color red for a uniform in competitive sports can actually affect the referee's split-second decision-making ability and even promote a scoring bias. ... > full story
Testosterone Key To Disease Transmission (August 10, 2008) -- High levels of testosterone may be a key factor in spreading disease among mice, according to biologists. The findings could help explain why males in a population are often more likely to get infected, and transmit disease. ... > full story
PSA Screening May Be Biased Against Obese Men, Leading To More Aggressive Cancers (August 10, 2008) -- Testing men for elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen in the blood -- the gold standard screening test for prostate cancer -- may be biased against obese men, whose PSA levels tend to be deceptively low. And this bias may be creating more aggressive cancers in this population by delaying diagnosis, according to a new study. ... > full story
Hope: An Overlooked Tool In The Battle Against HIV/AIDS (August 10, 2008) -- The links between HIV transmission and the degree to which people are able to adopt realistic plans to achieve future projects, in other words, hope, have been overlooked in policies to tackle HIV/AIDS. New research argues that hope is a powerful tool in the battle to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. ... > full story
U.S. Swimmers Trim Times At Beijing Olympics Using 'Top Secret' Technology (August 10, 2008) -- Milliseconds can mean the difference between triumph and defeat in the world of Olympic sports, leading more trainers and athletes to look toward technology as a tool to get an edge on the competition. A fluids mechanics professor is using experimental flow measurement techniques to help American swimmers sharpen their strokes, shave seconds from their lap times, and race toward a gold medal in Beijing. ... > full story
Common Infertility Treatments Are Unlikely To Improve Fertility (August 10, 2008) -- Long-established medical interventions to help couples with infertility problems do not seem to improve fertility, according to a study published. ... > full story
Standardized Evaluation Of Antibody Response To HIV-1 Needed, According to Study (August 10, 2008) -- Researchers have released findings on a study of cross-clade neutralization patterns among HIV-1 strains from six major clades in the journal Virology. Broadly neutralizing antibodies are likely to play a key role in any successful global vaccine for HIV. ... > full story
Asthma, Outdoor Air Quality And The Olympic Games (August 10, 2008) -- Coinciding with the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, a review article reminds us that the heat and humidity in the Beijing region will present a formidable challenge to all athletes. Moreover, poor quality of air can also affect all athletes, especially those with asthma. ... > full story
Organic Food Has No More Nutritional Value Than Food Grown With Pesticides, Study Shows (August 9, 2008) -- New research in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows there is no evidence to support the argument that organic food is better than food grown with the use of pesticides and chemicals. The study looked at the following crops – carrots, kale, mature peas, apples and potatoes – staple ingredients that can be found in most families’ shopping list. ... > full story
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