ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, December 5, 2008
Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.
Study Offers Insights About Development Of Human Immune System (December 5, 2008) -- A new study has found that a surprisingly high number of maternal cells enters the fetus during pregnancy, prompting the generation of special immune cells in the fetus that suppress a response against the mother. ... > full story
Wireless Crib Monitor Keeps Tabs On Baby's Breathing (December 5, 2008) -- Radar -- the technology that tracks enemy bombers and hurricanes -- is now being employed to detect another danger: when babies stop breathing. ... > full story
New 'Control Knobs' For Stem Cells: Changes In Membrane Voltage Control Timing Of Differentiation (December 5, 2008) -- Natural changes in voltage that occur across the membrane of adult human stem cells act as a signal to delay or accelerate the decision of a stem cell to differentiate into a specific cell type. This discovery gives scientists in regenerative medicine a new set of "control knobs" to use in ongoing efforts to shape the behavior of adult stem cells. ... > full story
Fruit Fly Research May Lead To Better Understanding Of Human Heart Disease (December 5, 2008) -- Researchers have shown in both fruit flies and humans that genes involved in embryonic heart development are also integral to adult heart function. ... > full story
Adult Survivors Of Childhood Leukemia Have Lower Bone Mineral Density, Study Finds (December 5, 2008) -- Men who survived childhood leukemia treatment into adulthood were more likely to have low bone mineral density than other adults their age, putting them at risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures, according to a new study. ... > full story
Operations Engineering For More Efficient Operating Rooms (December 5, 2008) -- Work by specialists from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering has led to significant improvements in turnover times for operating rooms at three California safety net hospitals, allowing "many more hours of daytime surgery per year." ... > full story
Coerced Medication Used In Psychiatric Care Despite Lack Of Clinical Evidence (December 5, 2008) -- Researchers are calling for more studies into the practice of forcing psychiatric patients to take medication, after a research review showed that there have been very few rigorous investigations of the procedure. ... > full story
Major Breakthrough For Dialysis Patients, According To Preliminary Results (December 4, 2008) -- Suffering from end-stage renal disease, a growing number of patients, have become the beneficiaries of a North American breakthrough: high efficacy hemodiafiltration. Preliminary results show a clear advantage of high efficacy HDF over conventional hemodialysis in several areas. ... > full story
Novel Human Stem Cell-based Model Of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Opens Doors For Rapid Drug Screening (December 4, 2008) -- Long thought of as mere bystanders, astrocytes are crucial for the survival and well-being of motor neurons, which control voluntary muscle movements. In fact, defective astrocytes can lay waste to motor neurons and are the main suspects in the muscle-wasting disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ... > full story
Preoperative Radiation May Improve Survival Rates In Advanced Rectal Cancer Patients (December 4, 2008) -- A new study shows that preoperative treatment for rectal cancer shouldn't be a "one sized fits all approach." After reviewing nine recent studies, investigators concluded that physicians need to consider a variety of factors such as tumor size, cancer stage and patient preference before deciding on the course of preoperative treatment. ... > full story
Up To 10% Of Children Start School Suffering From Sleep Disturbances (December 4, 2008) -- Up to 10% of children starting school suffer from sleep disturbances and these may lead to poor performance or behavioral difficulties. ... > full story
New Hope For Treatment Of Brain-damaging Disorder In Children (December 4, 2008) -- Researchers have used fruit flies to gain new insights into a brain-damaging disorder afflicting children. Their work suggests a possible therapy for the disease, for which there is currently no treatment. ... > full story
Calcium And Vitamin D May Not Be The Only Protection Against Bone Loss (December 4, 2008) -- Diets that are high in protein and cereal grains produce an excess of acid in the body which may increase calcium excretion and weaken bones, according to a new study. The study found that increasing the alkali content of the diet, with a pill or through a diet rich in fruits and vegetables has the opposite effect and strengthens skeletal health. ... > full story
Infants Participate In Complex Interactions With Their Parents (December 4, 2008) -- A new study shows that infants appear to be active participants in complex interactional sequences with their parents far earlier than previously thought. ... > full story
Protein That Determines Cell Polarity Prevents Breast Cancer, Study Suggests (December 4, 2008) -- A team of scientists has found that a protein called Scribble, originally discovered as a cell-shape regulator in fruit flies and worms, is an important regulator of breast cancer. They report that Scribble normally directs breast epithelial cells to form the structures that give breast tissue its shape and thereby resist cancer formation. When Scribble stops functioning, the tissue loses its shape and cancers ensue. ... > full story
Pediatric Obesity May Alter Thyroid Function And Structure (December 4, 2008) -- In addition to its strong associations with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, pediatric obesity may induce alterations in thyroid function and structure, according to a new study. ... > full story
Myth About 'Dirty Old Men' Supported By Science (December 4, 2008) -- Middle-aged men want younger women, often touting their intelligence and their high income. This is shown in research that studied 400 lonely hearts ads to see how men and women choose partners. ... > full story
What’s Good For The Mouse Is Good For The Monkey: Skin Cells Reprogrammed Into Stem Cells (December 4, 2008) -- Scientists have successfully created the first induced pluripotent stem cell lines from adult monkey skin cells. The research, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, demonstrates that the method of direct reprogramming is conserved among species and may be useful for creation of clinically valuable primate models for human diseases. ... > full story
Potential New Drug Target For Chronic Leukemia (December 4, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered what could be a novel drug target for an often difficult-to-treat form of leukemia. The investigators have identified a unique "signature" or pattern of a specific family of enzymes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common form of adult leukemia. ... > full story
Drug Marketing Techniques May Be Risking Patient Safety (December 4, 2008) -- With new drugs being reviewed by regulatory agencies and then released onto the market faster than ever before, patients' safety is being compromised, warns a new study. ... > full story
Genes Determine Whether Sugar Pills Work (December 4, 2008) -- It is a well-known fact in drug trials that individuals can respond just as well to placebos, sugar pills, as to the active drug. On the other hand, it is difficult to explain why only certain people get better from placebos. Researchers have now found gene variants that can impact the placebo effect and a mechanism in the brain that characterizes those who respond to placebos. ... > full story
Gene Required For Radiation-induced Protective Pigmentation Also Promotes Survival Of Melanoma Cells (December 4, 2008) -- Scientists have new insight into the response of human skin to radiation and what drives the most aggressive and deadly form of skin cancer. The research may be useful in the design of new strategies for prevention of malignant melanoma. ... > full story
Treating Sleep Apnea In Alzheimer's Patients Helps Cognition (December 4, 2008) -- Continuous positive airway pressure treatment seems to improve cognitive functioning in patients with Alzheimer's disease who also suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, according to the results of a randomized clinical trial. ... > full story
Genetic Screening No Better Than Traditional Risk Factors For Predicting Type 2 Diabetes (December 4, 2008) -- Screening for a panel of gene variants associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes can identify adults at risk for the disorder but is not significantly better than assessment based on traditional risk factors such as weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. ... > full story
Spoonful Of Sugar? Barriers That Prevent Children From Taking Medicines (December 4, 2008) -- The widespread problem of children failing to take their medication for a range of life-threatening illnesses is to be tackled as part of a new university research project. ... > full story
Gene Therapy Corrects Sickle Cell Disease In Laboratory Study (December 4, 2008) -- Using a harmless virus to insert a corrective gene into mouse blood cells, scientists have alleviated sickle cell disease pathology. In their studies, the researchers found that the treated mice showed essentially no difference from normal mice. Although the scientists caution that applying the gene therapy to humans presents significant technical obstacles, they believe that the new therapy will become an important treatment for the disease. ... > full story
Researchers On Quest To Cure Disfiguring Parasitic Disease (December 4, 2008) -- Researchers are hot on the trail of a totally new approach to treating Leishmania and related diseases like African sleeping sickness and Chagas' disease. ... > full story
More Data On Key Genes In Diabetes (December 4, 2008) -- One of the most reliable indicators to predict that a person will develop type 2 diabetes is the presence of insulin resistance. Insulin is produced in the pancreas and is the hormone responsible for ensuring that glucose reaches several tissues and organs in the body, such as muscles. ... > full story
Shortage Of General Surgeons By 2010, New Research Projects (December 4, 2008) -- In less than two years, there may not be enough surgeons in US hospitals to treat the critically injured or chronically ill. A new study suggests that the number of available general surgeons, who often perform life-saving operations on patients in emergency rooms, will not keep up with public demand. As the population continues to grow, there will be a shortage of 1,300 general surgeons in 2010. That shortage will worsen each decade, reaching a deficit of 6,000 by 2050. ... > full story
Scientists Developing Safer Food Allergy Treatment (December 4, 2008) -- A European team of scientists are embarking on new research to develop food allergy treatments. Classical treatment with allergen-specific immunotherapy, where a patient received monthly injections with an allergen extract for three to five years, is effective but dangerous due to anaphylactic side-effects. In the FAST project, scientists will use modified variants of allergic proteins that are hypoallergenic and therefore safer. The proteins will be purified to increase effectiveness and dosage control easier. ... > full story
Benefits Of Early HIV Testing And Treatment For Infected Infants Defined (December 4, 2008) -- Testing very young babies for HIV and giving antiretroviral therapy immediately to those found infected with the virus dramatically prevents illness and death, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. ... > full story
More Evidence Needed To Show ‘What Works’ In Prevention Of Child Abuse (December 4, 2008) -- More evidence is needed to discover ‘what works’ to prevent child maltreatment, new research shows. Researchers examined all five major subtypes of child maltreatment – physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, neglect and exposure to intimate-partner violence. ... > full story
Gene Associated With Age-related Hearing Loss Identified (December 3, 2008) -- Researchers discovered a common variant in the GRM7 gene, which they believe may be associated with susceptibility to glutamate excitotoxicity and hearing loss. ... > full story
Crohn's Disease Surgeries Make Steady Advances (December 3, 2008) -- Thousands of Americans suffering from the chronic inflammatory bowel condition known as Crohn's disease are leading longer, healthier lives due to innovative new surgeries, according to experts. ... > full story
Psychiatric Disorders Common Among College-age Individuals; Few Seek Treatment (December 3, 2008) -- Psychiatric disorders appear to be common among 18- to 24-year-olds, with overall rates similar among those attending or not attending college, according to a new report. Almost half of college-aged individuals meet criteria for substance abuse, personality disorders or another mental health condition during a one-year period, but only one-fourth of those seek treatment. ... > full story
Diet May Regulate Obesity Health Risks, But Genes Decide, Says New Research (December 3, 2008) -- The risk of obese people developing the metabolic syndrome that leads to diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, can not be solved by a one-size-fits-all diet program, according to new scientific findings. ... > full story
Hands Free Mobile Phone Conversations Add Five Meters To Drivers' Braking Distances (December 3, 2008) -- Psychology researchers reveals that mobile telephone conversations impair drivers' visual attention to such a degree that it can add over 5 meters to the braking distance of a car traveling at 60 miles per hour and causes almost twice as many errors as drivers driving without the distraction of a mobile phone conversation. ... > full story
Curbing Hormones' Effects In Obese Patients Could Aid Against Breast Cancer (December 3, 2008) -- Results from cell culture studies suggest a class of anticancer compounds called EGFR inhibitors, largely written off for breast cancers, could be effective in obese patients. The hormones leptin and IGF-1 synergistically stimulate migration and invasion in breast cancer cells. EGFR inhibitors block this stimulation. ... > full story
Nearly 5 Percent Of U.S. Population Suffers From Persistent Depression Or Anxiety (December 3, 2008) -- In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have developed estimates for both the prevalence of chronic psychiatric illness in the general population and how often individuals suffering from such illnesses receive appropriate treatment. They found that approximately 4.7 percent of the nation's population suffers from persistent depression or anxiety disorders, with a minority of those afflicted receiving adequate medication or counseling. ... > full story
Mammals Can Be Stimulated To Regrow Damaged Inner Retina Nerve Cells (December 3, 2008) -- For the first time the mammalian retina has now shown the capacity to regenerate new neurons after damage. This research in mice shows that at least some types of retinal damage can be repaired. The loss of neurons in the retina in people in conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration leads to visual loss and blindness. This new research shows there might someday be a way to restore vision in people with these conditions. ... > full story
How Brain Cells Can Survive A Stroke: Workings Of Emergency Brake In Brain (December 3, 2008) -- Brain researchers have penetrated deeply into the innermost secrets of the brain to find out how brain cells can survive a stroke. Strokes are usually caused by occlusion of one of the blood vessels in the brain. When blood is prevented from supplying vital oxygen and energy to the brain cells, their electrochemical balance is upset, and they cause damage to themselves and to the surrounding brain cells before they collapse and die. Often this affects the memory center, the hippocampus, where the cells are particularly vulnerable. ... > full story
Screening For Colorectal Cancer Detects Unrecognized Disease (December 3, 2008) -- Screening for colorectal cancer detects four out of ten cancers and should be carefully designed to be more effective, according to a new study. ... > full story
Exercise Helps Overweight Children Reduce Anger Expression (December 3, 2008) -- Regular exercise seems to reduce anger expression in overweight but otherwise healthy children, researchers say. Aerobic exercise may be an effective strategy to help overweight kids reduce anger expression and aggressive behavior. ... > full story
Mini Heart Attacks Lessen Damage From Major Ones (December 3, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered one potential mechanism by which briefly cutting off, then restoring, blood flow prior to a heart attack lessens the damage caused. The work could lead to new drugs that provide protection ahead of heart attacks, and may help to prevent damage caused as US heart surgeons temporarily cut off blood flow 450,000 times each year to perform coronary artery bypass graft surgeries. ... > full story
New Strategy For Broad Spectrum Anti-viral Drugs Developed (December 3, 2008) -- Bavituximab, a newly developed anti-viral drug shows promise as a new strategy to fight viral diseases, including potential bioterrorism agents. ... > full story
Gene Mutation May Cause Immature Lungs In Newborns (December 3, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a gene critical to lung maturation in newborns and the production of surfactant, which lines lung tissues and prevents the lungs from collapsing. Scientists deleted the Foxm1 gene in embryonic mice. Lungs in the mice did not fully mature and the mice died shortly after birth from respiratory distress. ... > full story
Particulate Emissions From Laser Printers (December 3, 2008) -- Do laser printers emit pathogenic toner particles into the air? Some people are convinced that they do. As a result, this topic is the subject of public controversy. Researchers have now investigated what particles the printers really do release into the air. ... > full story
Training Doesn't Reduce Avalanche Risk When Skiing, Study Shows (December 3, 2008) -- A new study of backcountry ski habits finds training has little impact on risk of being caught in an avalanche, and Americans have higher avalanche risk than Canadians. ... > full story
Copyright 1995-2008 © ScienceDaily LLC. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
|
 To update/change your account click here  |
No comments:
Post a Comment