ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, October 2, 2008
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Specific Gene Found In Adolescent Men With Delinquent Peers (October 2, 2008) -- Birds of a feather flock together, according to the old adage, and adolescent males who possess a certain type of variation in a specific gene are more likely to flock to delinquent peers, according to a landmark study. ... > full story
Saliva Proteins Could Help Detection Of Oral Cancer (October 2, 2008) -- Clinicians could detect oral squamous cell carcinoma, a form of oral cancer, using a simple test that detects proteins in saliva, according to a report in the Oct. 1, 2008, issue of Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. This work was led by David T. Wong, D.M.D., D.M.Sc., professor and associate dean for research, at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry. ... > full story
Physical Therapists Say Appropriate Exercise Can Help Prevent ACL Injuries In Female Athletes (October 2, 2008) -- The American Physical Therapy Association is urging female athletes -- particularly soccer players -- to consider a new warm-up program to help lower their growing risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. ... > full story
Society's Lack Of Knowledge Of Food Allergies Can Greatly Impact Those Afflicted With Food Allergies (October 2, 2008) -- Society's lack of knowledge of food allergies can greatly impact those afflicted with food allergies. ... > full story
Hormone Replacement Therapy And Heart Attack Risk: Danish Study Provides New Information (October 2, 2008) -- The largest study to look at the effects of hormone replacement therapy after the Women's Health Initiative was stopped early, has shown there is no overall increased risk of heart attacks for women taking HRT. However, the risk varies depending on the age of the women and the method used for taking HRT. ... > full story
Don't Forget The Vitamin A When Working With Its Carrier Protein (October 2, 2008) -- In a recent study, researchers discovered that not only was the carrier protein for vitamin A, retinol-binding protein (RBP), elevated in obese individuals compared to leaner controls, but some of it was not attached to vitamin A. This is called apo-RBP by vitamin A scientists. Further research is needed to determine whether this RBP is bound to some other compound in the circulation. ... > full story
News Media Often Do Not Report Potential Sources Of Bias In Medical Research (October 2, 2008) -- An analysis of news media coverage of medical studies indicates that news articles often fail to report pharmaceutical company funding and frequently refer to medications by their brand names, both potential sources of bias, according to a study in the Oct. 1 issue of JAMA. ... > full story
'Hub' Of Fear Memory Formation Identified In Brain Cells (October 1, 2008) -- A protein required for the earliest steps in embryonic development also plays a key role in solidifying fear memories in the brains of adult animals, scientists have revealed. An apparent "hub" for changes in the connections between brain cells, beta-catenin could be a potential target for drugs to enhance or interfere with memory formation. ... > full story
During Exercise, Human Brain Shifts Into High Gear On 'Alternative Energy' (October 1, 2008) -- The brain, just like muscles, works harder during strenuous exercise and is fueled by lactate, rather than glucose. This helps explain why the brain is able to work properly when the body's demands for fuel and oxygen are highest. It also goes a step further to show that the brain shifts into a higher gear in terms of activity. ... > full story
New Way To Make Malaria Medicine Also First Step In Finding New Antibiotics (October 1, 2008) -- Microbiologists have developed a way to mass-produce an antimalarial compound, potentially making the treatment of malaria less expensive. ... > full story
Occupational Therapy Gets People With Osteoarthritis Moving (October 1, 2008) -- An occupational therapist-led approach -- called activity strategy training -- could provide patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis the opportunity to lead more active lives and even improve their overall health, according to a new study. ... > full story
Restless Nights Put Older Adults At Risk For Depression Recurrence (October 1, 2008) -- Poor sleep among the elderly is common, but it may also be a precursor of the first signs of depression. ... > full story
Disease Diagnosis In Just 15 Minutes? Biosensor Technology Uses Antibodies To Detect Biomarkers Much Faster (October 1, 2008) -- Testing for diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis could soon be as simple as using a pregnancy testing kit. Scientists have developed a biosensor technology that uses antibodies to detect biomarkers -- molecules in the human body which are often a marker for disease -- much faster than current testing methods. ... > full story
Colon Cancer Link To Obesity Uncovered (October 1, 2008) -- It has already been proven that obesity is influenced by genetics, and colon cancer is influenced by genetics. A new study makes a three-way scientific connection between genetic variation, obesity and colon cancer risk. ... > full story
Baseball: Head-first Slide Is Quicker (October 1, 2008) -- With baseball playoffs heating up and the World Series right around the corner, it's guaranteed that fans will see daring slides, both feet-first and head-first, and even slides on bang-bang plays at first. Who gets there faster, the head-first slider or the feet-first? The heads first player, says an engineering professor and big-time baseball fan. It's a matter of the player's center of gravity. ... > full story
Surgical Treatment Provides New Option For Some Colorectal Cancer Patients (October 1, 2008) -- A surgical technique not traditionally used in advanced abdominal cancer may be a viable treatment option for some patients previously thought to be untreatable, offering the real possibility of extending survival for those patients. ... > full story
Reversible 3D Cell Culture Gel Invented (October 1, 2008) -- A unique user-friendly gel that can liquefy on demand, with the potential to revolutionize three-dimensional cell culture for medical research, has been invented. ... > full story
Gender Is A Relative Term In Politics, Study Finds (October 1, 2008) -- For only the second time in presidential debate history, a female nominee will take the stage to spar with a male opponent. A revealing study has found that male and female candidates, when debating head-to-head, actually adopt each other's traditional communication styles. ... > full story
Immune System Can Hurt As Well As Help Fight Cancer, Study Shows (October 1, 2008) -- Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that some proteins of the immune system can promote tumor growth. Investigators found that instead of fighting tumors, the protein C5a, which is produced during an immune response to a developing tumor, helps tumors build molecular shields against T-cell attack. ... > full story
Honey Effective In Killing Bacteria That Cause Chronic Sinusitis (October 1, 2008) -- Honey is very effective in killing bacteria in all its forms, especially the drug-resistant biofilms that make treating chronic rhinosinusitis difficult, according to new research. ... > full story
Scientists Establish New Blood Test To Better Evaluate Prostate Cancer (October 1, 2008) -- An international study led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research will pave the way for a test to be used to better tailor treatments and hopefully extend the survival of men with aggressive forms of metastatic prostate cancer. ... > full story
Nano Breach: When Particles Are So Small That They Seep Right Through Skin (October 1, 2008) -- Scientists are finding that particles that are barely there -- tiny objects known as nanoparticles that have found a home in electronics, food containers, sunscreens, and a variety of applications -- can breach our most personal protective barrier: the skin. ... > full story
Why A Mother's High-fat Diet Contributes To Obesity In Her Children (October 1, 2008) -- Pregnant women should think twice about high-fat foods. Scientists found that female mice fed high-fat diets were more likely to have oversized offspring (a risk factor for overweight and obesity) because fat causes the placenta to go into "overdrive" by providing too many nutrients to the fetus. This also suggests the reverse may be true -- high fat diets may help prevent undersized babies. ... > full story
First Model For Retina Receptors Created (October 1, 2008) -- Discovery moves scientists a significant step closer to preventing blindness. Scientists have created the first genetic research model for a microscopic part of the eye that when missing causes blindness. The research appears in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. ... > full story
Young Children Can Develop Full-blown Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (October 1, 2008) -- Children as young as four can develop full-blown obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and often exhibit many of the same OCD characteristics typically seen in older kids, according to new research. ... > full story
'Artificial Nose' Progress: Engineers Mass-produce Smell Receptors (October 1, 2008) -- Biological engineers have found a way to mass-produce smell receptors in the laboratory, an advance that paves the way for "artificial noses" to be created and used in a variety of settings. ... > full story
Blood Thinning Drug Linked To Increased Bleeding In Brain (October 1, 2008) -- A new study shows that people who take the commonly used blood thinning drug warfarin may have larger amounts of bleeding in the brain and increased risk of death if they suffer a hemorrhagic stroke. ... > full story
Mechanism Used By Gene To Promote Metastasis In Human Cancer Cells Identified (October 1, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered how a gene, melanoma differentiation associated gene-9/syntenin (mda-9/syntenin), interacts with an important signaling protein to promote metastasis in human melanoma cells, a discovery that could one day lead to the development of the next generation of anti-metastatic drugs for melanoma and other cancers. ... > full story
Hepatitis B Exposure May Increase Risk For Pancreatic Cancer (October 1, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that exposure to the hepatitis B virus may increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. The study also suggests that patients with this lethal form of cancer treated with chemotherapy may face danger of reactivation of their HBV. ... > full story
Novel Mechanism For Regulation Of Gene Expression Identified (October 1, 2008) -- Scientists have demonstrated that an enzyme called Uch37 is kept in check when it is part of a human chromatin remodeling complex, INO80. The results were published in Molecular Cell. ... > full story
Immigrant Children From Poor Countries Academically Outperform Those From Developed Countries (October 1, 2008) -- Children from small immigrant communities and children of politically motivated immigrants are at educational disadvantage. Immigrants who seek a better life in Western countries may not be able to escape the influence of their home country when it comes to their children's academic performance. ... > full story
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
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