ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Wednesday, October 1, 2008
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Supplements No Better Than Placebo In Slowing Cartilage Loss In Knees Of Osteoarthritis Patients (October 1, 2008) -- In a two-year multicenter study the dietary supplements glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate performed no better than placebo in slowing the rate of cartilage loss in the knees of osteoarthritis patients. ... > full story
Continuous Glucose Monitoring In Diabetic Pregnant Women Lowers Risk Of Complications (October 1, 2008) -- Continuous glucose monitoring as part of antenatal care for women with diabetes improves maternal blood glucose control and lowers birth weight and risk of macrosomia (excessive birth weight in babies), according to a new study. ... > full story
Stroke Treatment Window Of Opportunity May Be Longer Than Previously Believed (October 1, 2008) -- Patients can still benefit up to 4.5 hours after a stroke if a drug that dissolves blood clots in the brain is administered, according to new research. Thus far, three hours had been considered the useful limit for administering thrombolytic drugs. ... > full story
English Health Care System Failing To Encourage Breastfeeding, Say Experts (October 1, 2008) -- The English health care system is failing to encourage breastfeeding and a national strategy to promote breast feeding is urgently needed, say experts. ... > full story
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Doesn't Work In Prenatal Care (October 1, 2008) -- While obstetrical care providers are doing a good job working with their patients on smoking cessation, they are not doing as well on abuse of other substances that can harm a woman's unborn baby a new study found. ... > full story
Potentially Toxic Substance Found In Chicago Air (September 30, 2008) -- Although the industrial compounds known as polychlorinated biphenols or PCBs have been found in previous air samples collected in the city of Chicago, a new study of Chicago air sampled between November 2006 and November 2007 found PCB11, a byproduct of the manufacture of paint pigments and a potentially toxic substance, present throughout the city. ... > full story
Endoscopy May Not Be Necessary In Asymptomatic Children After Caustic Ingestion (September 30, 2008) -- A new study from researchers in Italy reports that endoscopy may not be necessary in children who show no symptoms after a caustic ingestion. The results demonstrated that the incidence of severe abnormalities of the esophagus in children without any early symptoms is very low and an endoscopy could be avoided. ... > full story
Pain Is Not A Symptom Of Arthritis, Pain Causes Arthritis, Study Shows (September 30, 2008) -- Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism. More specifically, the study revealed that pain signals originating in arthritic joints, and the biochemical processing of those signals as they reach the spinal cord, worsen and expand arthritis itself. ... > full story
Run Out Of Pain Killers Again? New System To Provide Detailed Tracking For Pharmaceuticals (September 30, 2008) -- Research scientists have developed a control dashboard for the pharmaceuticals industry. This enables all pharmacies, wholesalers and manufacturers to check where products are in the supply chain, availability, what stocks the neighboring pharmacy has and the future prognoses. ... > full story
Birth Size Is A Marker Of Susceptibility To Breast Cancer Later In Life (September 30, 2008) -- Birth size, and in particular birth length, correlates with subsequent risk of breast cancer in adulthood, according to a new study in PLoS Medicine. ... > full story
Smart And Gentle Alarm Clock For Mobile Phones (September 30, 2008) -- New technology for screening and even diagnosing sleep disorders has been developed. The first application of the new technology, a smart alarm clock for mobile phones, HappyWakeUp, is now available. It monitors depth of sleep and provides a gentle wake-up whenever possible. ... > full story
MS Patients Have Higher Spinal Fluid Levels Of Suspicious Immune Molecule (September 30, 2008) -- A protein that helps keep immune cells quiet is more abundant in the spinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), further boosting suspicion that the protein, TREM-2, may be an important contributor to the disease. ... > full story
Free-Living Protozoa Found In Meat-Cutting Plants (September 30, 2008) -- A first time survey of free-living protozoa in meat-cutting plants showed high diversity rates of various species including those that could harbor food-borne pathogens say researchers from Belgium. ... > full story
Air Quality Regulations Miss Key Pollutants (September 30, 2008) -- Air quality regulations may not effectively target a large source of fine, organic particle pollutants that contribute to hazy skies and poor air quality over the Los Angeles region. ... > full story
Natural Viagra? 'Horny Goat Weed' Shows Promise (September 30, 2008) -- Move over, Viagra! Researchers in report that an ancient Chinese herbal remedy known as "horny goat weed" shows potential in lab studies as source for new future drugs to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). The study, which provides scientific evidence supporting the herb's well-known use as a natural aphrodisiac. ... > full story
TB Bacterium Uses Its Sugar Coat To Sweeten Its Chances Of Living In Lungs (September 30, 2008) -- Common strains of tuberculosis-causing bacteria have hijacked the human body's immune response to play tricks on cells in the lungs, scientists say. The results of this takeover are mixed. The cells essentially welcome the bacteria into the lungs and invite them to stay a while, meaning the human host becomes infected with the TB bacterium. But in about 90 percent of these cases, the infection remains latent and the infected person never has any symptoms of illness. ... > full story
Radiation Device May Customize Therapy, Enable Some To Avoid More Lengthy Treatment (September 30, 2008) -- A study of the first approximately 100 patients who have received partial breast irradiation with a small, whisk-like, expandable device inserted inside the breast has shown that after one year, the device is effective at sparing nearby healthy tissue from the effects of radiation. The device, called SAVI, is aimed at providing customized radiation therapy while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue around the breast after a woman has received a lumpectomy for early stage cancer. ... > full story
New Astroviruses Identified In Bats (September 30, 2008) -- New research suggests that bats are reservoirs of a newly identified group of astroviruses, a significant agent of diarrhea in many species including humans. ... > full story
Naturally Occurring 'Protective RNA' Used To Develop New Antiviral Against Influenza (September 30, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a new antiviral using naturally occurring influenza virus "protecting virus" that may defend against any influenza A virus in any animal host. ... > full story
Unraveling Breast Milk (September 30, 2008) -- Researchers are reporting that new insights into the composition of human breast milk may lead to new ways to prevent and treat stomach illnesses and other diseases in babies and adults. ... > full story
Financial Risk-taking Behavior Is Associated With Higher Testosterone Levels (September 30, 2008) -- Two researchers from Harvard jointly led a recent study in which they showed that men with higher testosterone levels invest more money during a risky investment game. The study associates higher testosterone levels with financial risk-taking behavior. ... > full story
Parental Warning: Second-hand Smoke May Trigger Nicotine Dependence Symptoms In Kids (September 30, 2008) -- Parents who smoke cigarettes around their kids in cars and homes beware -- second-hand smoke may trigger symptoms of nicotine dependence in children. The findings are published in the September edition of the journal Addictive Behaviors in a joint study from nine Canadian institutions. ... > full story
New Way To Control Protein Activity Could Lead To Cancer Therapies (September 30, 2008) -- Investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine have found a way to quickly and reversibly fine-tune the activity of individual proteins in cells and living mammals, providing a powerful new laboratory tool for identifying — more precisely than ever before — the functions of different proteins. ... > full story
Robotic Surgery Lowers Risk Of A Rare But Serious Complication Of Gastric Bypass, Study Suggests (September 30, 2008) -- The use of a robot to assist with the most commonly performed weight-loss surgery appears to significantly lower a patient's risk of developing a rare but serious complication, according to a study published in the Journal of Robotic Surgery. ... > full story
Community-based Behavior Change Management Cuts Neonatal Mortality In Half (September 30, 2008) -- A community-based program that reinforces basic childbirth and newborn care practices can reduce a baby's risk of death within the first month of life by as much as 54 percent, according to a new study. ... > full story
How A 'Stuck Accelerator' Causes Cancer Cell Expansion (September 30, 2008) -- What allows cancer cells to divide uncontrolled? The cellular oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are analogous to the accelerator and brake pedals in a car. If an oncogene is permanently active, similar to a stuck accelerator in a car, cells divide without restraints and a tumor develops. ... > full story
Age Alone Should Not Be Used To Determine Whether To Treat Prostate Cancer With Hormones, Research Suggests (September 30, 2008) -- Concerns regarding the association of hormone therapy used to treat prostate cancer with cardiovascular disease in some older men may lead doctors to forgo hormone treatment solely on the basis of age. But a new study shows that men over age 70 with high-risk prostate cancer lived longer and experienced increases in PSA less frequently when treated with long-term androgen deprivation therapy. ... > full story
Drinking Alcohol Before 15 Years Of Age Is Risky For Later Alcohol Problems (September 30, 2008) -- Researchers have known that age of first drink (AFD) is associated with the later development of alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). New findings show that an early AFD, before the age of 15, is especially risky for later AUDs. Experts recommend delaying the onset of drinking behavior as late as possible, until 18 or older. ... > full story
Out Of Iraq Emerges Hope For Those With Severest Of Head Injuries (September 29, 2008) -- There may be more hope than has been recognized for some people with severe brain injuries, according to a US neurosurgeon who earlier this year spent four months in Iraq treating soldiers and civilians. ... > full story
Popular COPD Treatment Increases Risk For Cardiac Events, Cardiac Death (September 29, 2008) -- The use of the most commonly prescribed once-a-day treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for longer than one month increases the risk of cardiovascular death, heart attack or stroke by more than 50 percent, according to new research. ... > full story
Helping Dogs With Cancer May Benefit People (September 29, 2008) -- A new study may one day help not only our canine friends with cancer, but also people with the human form of the disease. ... > full story
New Predictive Tool Can Help Determine Treatment Of Breast Cancer Patients (September 29, 2008) -- A new predictive measurement, called a PEPI score, could bring good news to many women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer -- a low PEPI (preoperative endocrine prognostic index) score could show that they have little risk of relapse, and can safely avoid chemotherapy after surgery. ... > full story
Helping Students With Mental Illnesses: Support Services Prepare For 'What If' Scenarios (September 29, 2008) -- Nationally, an estimated 15 percent of students experience some form of mental illness such as major depression while in college. Many often struggle with where to get support. ... > full story
Getting Lost: A Newly Discovered Developmental Brain Disorder (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have recently documented the first case of a patient who, without apparent brain damage or cognitive impairment, is unable to orient within any environment. Researchers also believe that there are many others in the general population who may be affected by this developmental topographical disorder. ... > full story
Deadly Rugby Virus Spreads In Sumo Wrestlers (September 29, 2008) -- Rugby players may get more than just the ball out of a scrum -- herpes virus can cause a skin disease called "scrumpox" and it spreads through physical contact. Researchers have studied the spread of the disease among sumo wrestlers in Japan and have discovered that a new strain of the virus could be even more pathogenic, according to an article in the Journal of General Virology. ... > full story
Black Patients At Higher Risk For Colon Polyps (September 29, 2008) -- Compared with white patients, black patients undergoing screening colonoscopy have a higher prevalence of colon polyps. ... > full story
Independent Brain Pathways Generate Positive Or Negative Reappraisals Of Emotional Events (September 29, 2008) -- Scientists now have a better understanding of how the human brain orchestrates the sophisticated pathways involved in the regulation of emotions. New research identifies brain pathways that underlie reinterpretation of aversive images in ways that reduce or enhance their negative emotional intensity. ... > full story
Do 'Light' Cigarettes Deliver Less Nicotine To The Brain Than Regular Cigarettes? (September 29, 2008) -- So-called light (low) nicotine cigarettes act in a similar way to regular cigarettes by occupying most of the common nicotine receptors in the brain. ... > full story
Childhood Cancer Survivors Continue To Have Higher Mortality Rates than the General Population (September 29, 2008) -- Survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer have a greater than 8-fold increased risk of death than the general U.S. population 16 to 32 years after hitting the five-year survival mark. ... > full story
Sexual Practice Of Polygyny Skews Genetic Variability (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have found DNA evidence that polygyny, the practice among males of siring children with multiple female partners at the same time or successively, has led to an excess of genetic diversity on the X chromosome relative to the autosomes. ... > full story
Microscopic Version Of CT Scan Reveals Secrets Of Bone Formation (September 29, 2008) -- A new version of the computerized tomography (CT) scan, which revolutionized medical imaging during the last 25 years, is giving scientists precious new information about how Mother Nature forms shells, bones, and other hard structures in animals ranging from guppies to mice. ... > full story
Discovery May Help Diabetic Gastric Problem (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have found what may provide a solution to one of the more troubling complications of diabetes -- delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis. The researchers showed in animal models that a red blood cell derivative increases production of a key molecule, normalizing the digestive process. ... > full story
Why Does Gecko, A Chinese Traditional Medicine, Have Anti-tumor Effects? (September 29, 2008) -- Gecko is a Chinese traditional medicine. It has definite effect on malignant tumor, especially on digestive system tumor. A research group in China found that Gecko powder could inhibit EC9706 and EC1 growth and proliferation. Gecko can also decrease vascular endothelin growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor expression in tumor tissue and induce tumor cell apoptosis. ... > full story
Protecting Patient Privacy The New Fashioned Way (September 29, 2008) -- The Medical De-identification System (MeDS) is a highly accurate and speedy computer software program designed to de-identify patient information while retaining the essential data key to medical research, according to a new study. ... > full story
Risky Behaviors On TV May Be Modeled By Inexperienced Viewers (September 29, 2008) -- Inexperienced viewers are more likely to mimic unsafe behavior on TV, regardless of the consequences displayed, a new study finds. ... > full story
Existing Anti-obesity Drugs May Be Effective Against Flu, Hepatitis And HIV (September 29, 2008) -- Viruses dramatically increase cellular metabolism, and existing anti-obesity drugs may represent a new way to block these metabolic changes and inhibit viral infection, according to a new study in the journal Nature Biotechnology. ... > full story
Is The Salad Bar Safe? Produce Concerns Linger After Summer Scares (September 29, 2008) -- Widespread reports had most people afraid to eat tomatoes this summer and when tomatoes were vindicated, eating peppers became a fear. A food safety expert says there is only so much that can be done to assure produce is safe to eat. ... > full story
Vascular Marker Of Ovarian Cancer Identified (September 29, 2008) -- Researchers have identified TEM1 as a specific genetic marker for the vascular cells associated with tumor growth, a finding that could aid in diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer. ... > full story
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