ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, October 17, 2008
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Lack Of Vitamin D Linked To Parkinson's Disease (October 17, 2008) -- A majority of Parkinson's patients in a clinical study had insufficient levels of vitamin D, significantly more than Alzheimer's patients or healthy elderly people. The finding suggests that lack of vitamin D may contribute to the risk of developing Parkinson's. ... > full story
Portable Imaging System Will Help Maximize Public Health Response To Natural Disasters (October 17, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a low-cost, high-resolution imaging system that can be attached to a helicopter to create a complete and detailed picture of an area devastated by a hurricane or other natural disaster. The resulting visual information can be used to estimate the number of storm refugees and assess the need for health and humanitarian services. ... > full story
Is It Appendicitis? Symptoms Checklist Available For Doctors From Johns Hopkins (October 17, 2008) -- A young child arrives at the emergency room after several days of abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea and is sent home with a diagnosis of viral gastritis and treatment for the symptoms. The child seems better for a while, only to return to the ER with worse symptoms and a ruptured appendix, a life-threatening complication of appendicitis. ... > full story
Brazilian Acai Berry Antioxidants Absorbed By Human Body, Research Shows (October 17, 2008) -- A Brazilian palm berry, popular health food though little research has been done on it, now may have its purported benefits better understood. In the first research involving people, the acai berry has proven its ability to be absorbed in the human body when consumed both as juice and pulp. ... > full story
Retail Display Fixtures Can Affect Consumer Perceptions Of Products (October 17, 2008) -- In virtually all stores, consumers view products on display fixtures that are presumed to be of little consequence. Yet, suppose that you were shopping for a set of trendy new coffee mugs and noticed some on a nearby table or shelf. Would your evaluation of just how trendy the mugs are change depending on the display fixture's surface material -- the piece of glass or wood beneath the product? According to a new study, there is reason to believe so. ... > full story
Gorilla Study Gives Clues To Human Language Development (October 17, 2008) -- A new study provides evidence that gorilla communication is linked to the left hemisphere of the brain - just as it is in humans. ... > full story
Researchers Continue To Find Genes For Type 1 Diabetes (October 17, 2008) -- Genetics researchers have identified two novel gene locations that raise the risk of type 1 diabetes. As they continue to reveal pieces of the complicated genetic puzzle for this disease, the researchers expect to improve predictive tests and devise preventive strategies. ... > full story
Formoterol For Asthma: Evidence Of Serious Adverse Effects (October 17, 2008) -- Asthma sufferers who regularly take the beta2-agonist formoterol are more likely to suffer non-fatal serious adverse events than those given placebos. A review carried out by Cochrane researchers showed a significantly increased risk for people who took the drug once or twice daily for at least 12 weeks. ... > full story
Study Looks At The Lives Of Boys Who Commit Dating Violence (October 17, 2008) -- A new study sheds light on the lives of teenage boys who abuse their girlfriends. ... > full story
Get Moving: New Research Shows Early Mobility Better Than Bed Rest For ICU Patients (October 16, 2008) -- A critical care specialist who has reviewed recent studies of intensive care unit (ICU) patients and data from the Johns Hopkins Hospital concludes that the routine use of deep sedation and bed rest in ICU patients may be causing unnecessary and long-term physical impairment and poor quality of life after hospital discharge. ... > full story
Blindsight: How Brain Sees What You Do Not See (October 16, 2008) -- Blindsight is a phenomenon in which patients with damage in the primary visual cortex of the brain can tell where an object is although they claim they cannot see it. Scientists now provide compelling evidence that blindsight occurs because visual information is conveyed bypassing the primary visual cortex. ... > full story
Gene Therapy Restores Vision To Mice With Retinal Degeneration (October 16, 2008) -- Researchers have used gene therapy to restore useful vision to mice with degeneration of the light-sensing retinal rods and cones, a common cause of human blindness. Their report describes the effects of broadly expressing a light-sensitive protein in other neuronal cells found throughout the retina. ... > full story
High-altitude Climbing Causes Subtle Loss Of Brain Cells And Motor Function, Says Everest And K2 Study (October 16, 2008) -- A study of professional mountain climbers has shown that high-altitude exposure can cause subtle white and grey matter changes to the area of the brain involved in motor activity. ... > full story
Early Exposure To Drugs, Alcohol Creates Lifetime Of Health Risk (October 16, 2008) -- Is it bad kids who do drugs, or doing drugs that makes kids bad? The answer is "both." People who began drinking and using marijuana regularly prior to their 15th birthday face a higher risk of early pregnancy, as well as a pattern of school failure, substance dependence, sexually-transmitted disease and criminal convictions that lasts into their 30s. ... > full story
Genetic 'Fingerprint' Shown To Predict Liver Cancer's Return (October 16, 2008) -- Scientists have reached a critical milestone in the study of liver cancer that lays the groundwork for predicting the illness's path, whether toward cure or recurrence. The findings were made possible by a large-scale method for revealing genes' activity, which the researchers show can be applied to tissues that have been chemically preserved instead of frozen. ... > full story
Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Linked To High Fat Diets And Decreased Physical Activity In Women (October 16, 2008) -- Unrelated to obesity, people with severe SDBs consume a more unhealthy diet, which may be a factor contributing to greater cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. These findings were most evident among women. ... > full story
Do You Get Interrupted A Lot? You May Be Giving Wrong Facial Clues (October 16, 2008) -- The former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was regularly interrupted. The Iron Lady took no notice of this and carried on talking. Yet unconsciously she gave signals that she had finished speaking. One possible solution is to adjust the intonation and only to break eye contact when you have finished speaking. ... > full story
Baby Formula Contamination May Be Linked To Pet Food Contamination (October 16, 2008) -- A new study in Toxicological Sciences describes the kidney toxicity of melamine and cyanuric acid based on research that was done to characterize the toxicity of the compounds that contaminated pet food in North America in 2007. This research points to a possible link between the pet food contamination that occurred in North America in 2007 and the recent adulteration of milk protein and resultant intoxication of thousands of babies from Asia. ... > full story
Methamphetamine Enters Brain Quickly And Lingers (October 16, 2008) -- Using positron emission tomography to track tracer doses of methamphetamine in humans' brains, scientists find that the addictive and long-lasting effects of this increasingly prevalent drug can be explained in part by its pharmacokinetics -- the rate at which it enters and clears the brain, and its distribution. ... > full story
Obtaining Kidney Transplants Abroad Carries Certain Medical Risks (October 16, 2008) -- People traveling to other countries to receive kidney transplants experience more severe post-transplant complications with a higher incidence of acute rejection and severe infections, according to a new study. The findings suggest that such "transplant tourism" by Americans may not be as safe as receiving transplants in the United States. ... > full story
Sensitive Laser Instrument Could Aid Search For Life On Mars (October 16, 2008) -- Minuscule traces of cells can be detected in a mineral likely present on Mars, researchers report in the current online issue of the peer-reviewed Geomicrobiology Journal. The results, obtained using a technique developed at the US Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, could help mission scientists choose Martian surface samples with the most promise for yielding signs of life. ... > full story
10 Years On, High-school Social Skills Predict Better Earnings Than Test Scores (October 16, 2008) -- Ten years after graduation, high-school students who had been rated as conscientious and cooperative by their teachers were earning more than classmates who had similar test scores but fewer social skills, said a new study. ... > full story
Movement Restored To Paralyzed Limbs In Monkeys Through Artificial Brain-muscle Connections (October 16, 2008) -- Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that a direct artificial connection from the brain to muscles can restore voluntary movement in monkeys whose arms have been temporarily anesthetized. ... > full story
Body's Anti-HIV Drug Explained (October 16, 2008) -- Humans have a built-in weapon against HIV, but until recently no one knew how to unlock its potential. A new study in the journal Nature reveals the atomic structure of an enzyme capable of repelling the virus HIV, suggesting new approach for drug development. ... > full story
Preventing Colds: Washing Your Hands Is More Effective Than Taking Vitamins (October 16, 2008) -- Many people have started taking vitamin C tablets as a precautionary measure. But research has shown that vitamin supplements do not provide nearly as much protection as other measures, like frequently washing your hands -- and that high doses can even be harmful. ... > full story
Safety Decisions Often Based On Incomplete Scientific Information (October 16, 2008) -- Professionals may overlook important information when they search for research findings about injury prevention and safety promotion. The typical search uses no more than one or two online databases, and often only familiar search terms are used thereby limiting the search even further. ... > full story
Drug May Reduce Coronary Artery Plaque (October 16, 2008) -- New research suggests that olmesartan, a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure, may play a role in reducing coronary plaque. ... > full story
New Guidelines Urge Physical Activity During Pregnancy (October 16, 2008) -- Moderate physical activity during pregnancy does not contribute to low birth weight, premature birth or miscarriage and may actually reduce the risk of complications, according to a Michigan State University professor who contributed to the US government's first-ever guidelines on physical activity. ... > full story
Death Rate 70 Percent Lower At Top-rated Hospitals: HealthGrades Annual Hospital Quality Study (October 16, 2008) -- Patients have on average a 70 percent lower chance of dying at the nation's top-rated hospitals compared with the lowest-rated hospitals across 17 procedures and conditions analyzed in the eleventh annual HealthGrades Hospital Quality in America Study, issued today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization. Based on the study, HealthGrades today made available its 2009 quality ratings for all nonfederal hospitals in the country at www.healthgrades.com. ... > full story
Gene With Probable Role In Human Susceptibility To Pulmonary Tuberculosis Identified (October 16, 2008) -- A new gene that may confer susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis has been identified. First time that gene, toll-like receptor 8, linked to bacterial infections. ... > full story
Simpler Diagnostic Method May Be As Effective At Detecting Blood Clot In The Leg (October 16, 2008) -- A comparison of two diagnostic methods used to detect deep vein thrombosis (DVT; a blood clot in a deep vein in the leg or thigh) of the lower extremities indicates that a simpler method, with wider availability, has rates of DVT detection that are equivalent to a more complex method, according to a new study. ... > full story
Probiotic Bacteria Don't Make Eczema Better, And May Have Side Effects, Study Shows (October 16, 2008) -- There is no evidence probiotics can relieve the symptoms of eczema, but there is some evidence that they may occasionally cause infections and gut problems. These findings from the Cochrane Library come at a time when use of probiotics to treat eczema is increasing. ... > full story
Important New Hair-loss Gene Discovered (October 16, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered an important hair-loss gene. In 2005, these scientists had already characterized the first hair-loss gene inherited through the maternal line, which explained why hair-loss in men often reflects that of their maternal grandfathers. This newly discovered gene, on the other hand, may now account for the similarity in cranial hair growth between father and son. ... > full story
Novel Imaging Approach May Assist In Predicting Success Of Treatment For Atrial Fibrillation (October 16, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a magnetic resonance imaging-based method for detecting and quantifying injury to the wall of the heart's left atrium in patients who have undergone a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation. ... > full story
Deal Or No Deal? The Role Of Emotions In Negotiating Offers (October 16, 2008) -- Do skilled negotiators simply go with their gut instinct every time or are they just extremely calculating, figuring out all possible outcomes before making a choice? Researchers examined how emotions affect our negotiating skills by having participants play a negotiation game. Their results show that emotional players were more focused on the "gist" of the offer itself (and what felt good), rather than on calculating the probabilities of payoff. ... > full story
Brain-nourishing Molecule May Predict Schizophrenia Relapse (October 15, 2008) -- A factor that helps optimize brain formation and function may also provide clues about whether patients suffering with schizophrenia are headed toward relapse, researchers say. ... > full story
Being Altruistic May Make You Attractive (October 15, 2008) -- Displays of altruism or selflessness towards others can be sexually attractive in a mate. In three studies of more than 1,000 people, researchers discovered that women place significantly greater importance on altruistic traits than anything else. ... > full story
Public Health Experts Discover New Information About Diabetes' Link To Tuberculosis (October 15, 2008) -- New evidence shows that patients with type 2 diabetes may be at increased risk of contracting tuberculosis because of a compromised immune system, resulting in life-threatening lung infections that are more difficult to treat. ... > full story
A Walk In The Park Improves Attention In Children With ADHD (October 15, 2008) -- For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder tasks that require concentration such as doing homework or taking a test can be very difficult. A simple, inexpensive remedy may be a "dose of nature." ... > full story
Breast Is Best In Fight Against Childhood Asthma (October 15, 2008) -- Breast feeding is linked to a lower incidence in asthma in young children, according to a new study. ... > full story
Vulnerable Plaque May Be Easier To Detect Through New Imaging Technology (October 15, 2008) -- Research results indicate that optical coherence tomography, a newly evolving imaging method, may be the best tool available to detect vulnerable plaque in coronary arteries. ... > full story
Searching The Internet Increases Brain Function (October 15, 2008) -- Scientists have found that for computer-savvy middle-aged older adults, searching the Internet triggers key centers in the brain that control decision-making and complex reasoning. The findings demonstrate that Web search activity may help stimulate and possibly improve brain function. ... > full story
People With Autism Make More Rational Decisions, Study Shows (October 15, 2008) -- People with autism-related disorders are less likely to make irrational decisions, and are less influenced by gut instincts, according to new research. The study adds to the growing body of research implicating altered emotional processing in autism. ... > full story
Resveratrol Prevents Fat Accumulation In Livers Of 'Alcoholic' Mice (October 15, 2008) -- A new study shows that a substance found in grapes, red wine and peanuts, prevents alcoholic fatty liver by coordinating molecules that control fat metabolism. The accumulation of fat in the liver as a result of chronic alcohol consumption could be prevented by consuming resveratrol, according to the study with mice. The research found that resveratrol reduced the amount of fat produced in the liver of mice fed alcohol and, at the same time, increased the rate at which fat within the liver is broken down. ... > full story
Why Do Women Get More Cavities Than Men? (October 15, 2008) -- Reproduction pressures and rising fertility explain why women suffered a more rapid decline in dental health than did men as humans transitioned from hunter-and-gatherers to farmers and more sedentary pursuits, says an anthropologist. ... > full story
More Americans Have, Get Treated For High Blood Pressure (October 15, 2008) -- An analysis of data from two national health studies shows that more US adults have hypertension than ever before. The percent of those aware of, being treated for and having the disorder under control has increased and as a result more people are living with rather than dying from hypertension. Researchers say the nation's obesity epidemic is a major factor for the increase in hypertension prevalence. ... > full story
Subconscious Encounters: How Brand Exposure Affects Your Choices (October 15, 2008) -- Products with visible brand names are everywhere; many times we don't even notice them. But how much do those unnoticed exposures affect brand choices? Quite a bit, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. ... > full story
Earliest Known Human TB Found In 9,000 Year-old Skeletons (October 15, 2008) -- The discovery of the earliest known cases of human tuberculosis in bones found submerged off the coast of Israel shows that the disease is 3000 years older than previously thought. Direct examination of this ancient DNA confirms the latest theory that bovine TB evolved later than human TB. ... > full story
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