ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, March 2, 2010
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Researchers fishing for cancer cure discover active DHA derivatives (March 2, 2010) -- The next treatment for cancer might come from fish says new research. In the study, scientists show that the omega-3 fatty acid, "docosahexaenoic acid" or "DHA," and its derivatives in the body kill neuroblastoma cancer cells. This discovery could lead to new treatments for a wide range of cancers, including neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma, colon, breast and prostate cancers, among others. ... > full story
Protecting consumers with food allergies should improve with new international guidelines (March 2, 2010) -- New international guidelines should better protect consumers from allergens in food by promoting the harmonized, accurate and reliable testing of potentially lethal food allergens by analytical laboratories worldwide. ... > full story
Computer games can teach schools some lessons (March 2, 2010) -- If schools adopted some of the strategies that video games use, they could educate children more effectively, according to experts. ... > full story
'Biological clock' could be a key to better health, longer life (March 2, 2010) -- If you aren't getting a good, consistent and regular night's sleep, a new study suggests it could reduce your ability to handle oxidative stress, cause impacts to your health, increase motor and neurological deterioration, speed aging and ultimately cut short your life. That is, if your "biological clock" genes work the same way as those of a fruit fly. And they probably do. ... > full story
New subtype of breast cancer responds to targeted drug (March 2, 2010) -- A newly identified cancer biomarker could define a new subtype of breast cancer as well as offer a potential way to treat it, say researchers. ... > full story
Most maternal deaths in sub-Saharan Africa could be avoided (March 2, 2010) -- More than 500,000 women die each year worldwide due to complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth. Half of these women live in sub-Saharan Africa. Researchers say these women are not dying as a result of any illness, but rather from a lack of basic healthcare measures. ... > full story
Second protective role for tumor-suppressor: DNA damage sensor also responds to oxidative harm outside nucleus (March 2, 2010) -- ATM, a protein that reacts to DNA damage by ordering repairs or the suicide of the defective cell, plays a similar, previously unknown role in response to oxidative damage outside of the nucleus, researchers report. ... > full story
Can mobile phones help people 'EatWell?' (March 2, 2010) -- Most people know the rules of healthy eating, but most of us might eat a little healthier if we were reminded. Now a researcher is testing using a mobile phone to help community members steer themselves away from that chocolate cake and toward the fruits and veggies. ... > full story
Home palliative sedation checklist may ease concerns (March 2, 2010) -- Can patients near death safely receive sedation at home, fully respecting their own and their families' wishes? This practice, which is on the rise, is coming under increasing scrutiny and debate by palliative care researchers and practitioners. Now palliative care specialists from a team based in Spain have documented their experiences and data, and developed a standard checklist to help other clinicians. ... > full story
Brain holds early signs of glaucoma (March 1, 2010) -- Researchers are now a step closer to deciphering a leading cause of blindness in the United States -- glaucoma. They found that the first sign of injury in glaucoma actually occurs in the brain. The findings show that glaucoma is very much like other neurodegenerative central nervous system diseases. ... > full story
Gene may be among most influential factors in Down syndrome (March 1, 2010) -- Research undertaken in recent years on Down syndrome has focused on the DYRK1A gene. The super-expression of this gene affects transmission in the neurons, according to a new study. ... > full story
Childhood obesity prevention should begin early in life, possibly before birth (March 1, 2010) -- Risk factors for childhood obesity may be evident before birth and are more likely to occur in African-American and Hispanic children than in Caucasian children. Researchers studied 1,826 mother-child pairs from pregnancy through the child's first five years of life. ... > full story
New ways to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's, findings suggest (March 1, 2010) -- Researchers have found a new mechanism by which a key protein associated with Alzheimer's disease can spread within the human brain. The study provideas a new explanation of how the protein tau, a normal human protein that becomes toxic in Alzheimer's patients, can appear in their cerebrospinal fluid. ... > full story
Dietary factors influence ovarian cancer survival rates (March 1, 2010) -- Often diagnosed in late stages, ovarian cancer has an asymptomatic onset and a relatively low five-year survival rate of about 45 percent. Consequently investigation linked to survivorship is critical. Researchers have now evaluated possible diet associations with ovarian cancer survival. They determined that there is a strong relationship between healthy eating and prolonged survival. ... > full story
Darkness increases dishonest behavior, study shows (March 1, 2010) -- New research shows that darkness may induce a psychological feeling of illusory anonymity, just as children playing "hide and seek" will close their eyes and believe that other cannot see them, the experience of darkness, even one as subtle as wearing a pair of sunglasses, triggers the belief that we are warded from others' attention and inspections. ... > full story
Late baby teeth may mean more orthodontic visits: Genes associated with early tooth development identified (March 1, 2010) -- Several genes affect tooth development in the first year of life, according to a new study. The research shows that the teeth of babies with certain genetic variants tend to appear later and that these children have a lower number of teeth by age one. Additionally, those children whose teeth develop later are more likely to need orthodontic treatment. ... > full story
Chile quake occurred in zone of 'increased stress' (March 1, 2010) -- The massive, 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile Feb. 27 occurred in an offshore zone that was under increased stress caused by a 1960 quake of magnitude 9.5, according to geologists. ... > full story
Notch-blocking drugs kill brain cancer stem cells, yet multiple therapies may be needed (March 1, 2010) -- Working with mice, scientists who tested drugs intended to halt growth of brain cancer stem cells -- a small population of cells within tumors that perpetuate cancer growth -- conclude that blocking these cells may be somewhat effective, but more than one targeted drug attack may be needed to get the job done. ... > full story
File-sharing software potential threat to health privacy (March 1, 2010) -- The personal health and financial information stored in thousands of North American home computers may be vulnerable to theft through file-sharing software, according to a new study. ... > full story
Regular analgesic use increases hearing loss in men, study finds (March 1, 2010) -- Researchers have determined that regular use of aspirin, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs increases the risk of hearing loss in men, particularly in younger men, below age 60. ... > full story
Key player found for a cancer typical in Down syndrome (March 1, 2010) -- Between 5 and 10 percent of babies with Down syndrome develop a transient form of leukemia that usually resolves on its own. However, for reasons that haven't been clear, 20 to 30 percent of these babies progress to a more serious leukemia known as Down syndrome acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (DS-AMKL), which affects the blood progenitor cells that form red blood cells and platelets. Now, researchers have found a gene regulator they believe to be a key player in DS-AMKL, advancing understanding of how the disease develops and how to treat it. ... > full story
Gene therapy reverses effects of lethal childhood muscle disorder in mice (March 1, 2010) -- Reversing a protein deficiency through gene therapy can correct motor function, restore nerve signals and improve survival in mice that serve as a model for the lethal childhood disorder spinal muscular atrophy, new research shows. This muscle-wasting disease results when a child's motor neurons -- nerve cells that send signals from the spinal cord to muscles -- produce insufficient amounts of what is called survival motor neuron protein, or SMN. ... > full story
Word learning better in deaf children who receive cochlear implants by age 13 months (March 1, 2010) -- Researcher report that deaf children's word-learning skill is strongly affected by early auditory experience, whether that experience was through normal means or with a cochlear implant. Children who received an implant by age 13 months performed similarly to normal-hearing counterparts while children who received a cochlear implant later performed, on average, more poorly than their normal-hearing peers. ... > full story
New smoking cessation therapy proves promising (March 1, 2010) -- A novel technology for delivering nicotine to the lungs may soon give smokers a new way to kick the habit. When compared to the nicotine vapor delivery system used in the Nicotrol/Nicorette inhaler, the new technology proved more effective at delivering nicotine to the blood stream. As a result, it provides immediate relief of withdrawal symptoms, according to researchers ... > full story
'Milk drops' under the tongue appear to treat milk allergies (March 1, 2010) -- Placing small amounts of milk protein under the tongues of children who are allergic to milk can help them overcome their allergies, according to the findings of a small study. ... > full story
Cancer, aging: Key interaction that controls telomeres discovered (March 1, 2010) -- In the dominoes that make up human cells, researchers have traced another step of the process that stops cells from becoming cancerous. ... > full story
Robot-assisted option offers advantages for kidney surgery, comparison shows (March 1, 2010) -- A comparison of two types of minimally invasive surgery to repair kidney blockages that prevent urine from draining normally to the bladder found that robot-assisted surgery was faster and resulted in less blood loss and shorter hospital stays. ... > full story
Biggest Marathon, Half-Marathon Training Mistakes (March 1, 2010) -- Half marathons and marathons can be over in a matter of hours, but runners, both newbies and elite, often spend months training for the 13.1- and 26.2-mile races. Experts describe four common mistakes runners make when preparing for these major races. ... > full story
Pinpointing immune system disturbances in celiac disease (March 1, 2010) -- New research has identified four aspects of immune system disturbance which lead to the development of celiac disease. Nearly 40 different inherited risk factors which predispose to the disease have now been identified. These latest findings could speed the way towards improved diagnostics and treatments for the autoimmune complaint that affects 1 in 100 of the population, and lead to insights into related conditions such as type 1 diabetes. ... > full story
Study supports alternative anti-seizure medication following acute brain injury (March 1, 2010) -- A new study supports the use of an alternative medication to prevent seizures in patients who have suffered a life-threatening traumatic brain injury or bleeding stroke. ... > full story
Stroke incidence rising among younger adults, decreasing among elderly (March 1, 2010) -- Stroke, often considered a disease of old age, is declining in the elderly and increasing at younger ages. The percentage of strokes occurring in people under age 45 has grown significantly since the 1990s. ... > full story
Mouse model may provide insight into the schizophrenic brain (March 1, 2010) -- Schizophrenia is an incredibly complex and profoundly debilitating disorder that typically manifests in early adulthood but is thought to arise, at least in part, from pathological disturbances occurring during very early brain development. Now, a new study manipulates a known schizophrenia susceptibility gene in the brains of fetal mice to begin to unravel the complex link between prenatal brain development and maturation of information processing and cognition in adult animals. ... > full story
Easing egg allergies with eggs: Oral immunotherapy study shows it works (March 1, 2010) -- Children with egg allergies who consume increasingly higher doses of egg protein -- the very nutrient they react to -- appear to gradually overcome their allergies, tolerating eggs better over time and with milder symptoms, according to new research. ... > full story
Screening cancer genomes for the driver mutations in tumour suppressor genes (March 1, 2010) -- Researchers have developed a method to find mutations in a class of cancer genes that, when removed, promote cancer. The research goes some way to addressing the challenge of discerning the causative, "driver" mutations from the "passenger" mutations. The team were able to construct signatures associated with deletions in cancer causing tumor suppressor genes. The research also finds that at least one in nine genes can be removed without killing cancer cells in test tubes. ... > full story
Anti-inflammatory signal protein discovered (March 1, 2010) -- Researchers have discovered a protein that is crucial in mediating the anti-inflammatory actions of nuclear lipid receptors. The findings link lipid metabolism and inflammation and open up new possibilities for developing treatments of metabolic diseases associated with inflammation, such as diabetes and atherosclerosis. ... > full story
Campaign to end sale of electronic mosquito repellents (March 1, 2010) -- A campaign to stop the sale of electronic mosquito repellents by major airlines is beginning to bear fruit with the immediate withdrawal of the products from KLM flights. The issue, say experts, is that these electronic repellents, sold to airline passengers, many on their way to malaria endemic countries, just don’t work. ... > full story
Similar advertising strategies used by indoor tanning and tobacco industries (March 1, 2010) -- While the proven negative health consequences of smoking and tanning are undeniable, tobacco and indoor tanning advertisers would like consumers to think otherwise. In fact, a new study comparing the tactics used in advertising tobacco and indoor tanning products found several similarities in how these two industries market unhealthy products. ... > full story
Adding ECG to health exams may prevent sudden cardiac death in young athletes (March 1, 2010) -- A new study finds that addition of electrocardiogram testing to the standard medical history and physical examination for young athletes may better identify cardiovascular abnormalities responsible for sports-related sudden death. ... > full story
Multiple sclerosis onset: Could mycobacteria play a role? (February 28, 2010) -- A non-pathogenic bacterium is capable to trigger an autoimmune disease similar to the multiple sclerosis in the mouse, the model animal which helps to explain how human diseases work. This is an unprecedented mechanism which could explain how this terrible central nervous system disease starts up in humans. ... > full story
Brown recluse spider is sometimes to blame when anemia strikes (February 28, 2010) -- As spring approaches and people return to outdoor activities, caution should be taken in areas of the country that are home to Loxosceles reclusa, also called the brown recluse spider. A new study found that when patients present with sudden anemia, but the cause is elusive, the brown recluse spider should be part of the differential diagnosis, at least in parts of the nation where the spider is regularly found. ... > full story
Novel way to study human inflammatory disease (February 28, 2010) -- A new study shows mice infected with the bacteria salmonella develop clinical signs consistent with a deadly and poorly understood human inflammatory disease, a finding that may lead to new therapies. ... > full story
Lab on a chip: Ordinary cotton thread used to stitch together low-cost microfluidic analytical device (February 28, 2010) -- In a world first, the researchers have used ordinary cotton thread and sewing needles to literally stitch together the uniquely low-cost microfluidic analytical device, which is the size of a postage stamp and allows scientists to carry out chemical analyses of minute fluid samples, such as blood and urine. ... > full story
Regular exercise reduces patient anxiety by 20 percent, study finds (February 28, 2010) -- The anxiety that often accompanies a chronic illness can chip away at quality of life and make patients less likely to follow their treatment plan. But regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, a new study shows. ... > full story
Babies, even when premature, 'see' with their hands (February 28, 2010) -- Even premature babies at 33 weeks post-conceptional age, about 2 months before term (40 gestational weeks), are capable of recognizing and distinguishing two objects of different shapes (a prism and a cylinder) with their right or left hands. ... > full story
Novel compound found effective against avian influenza virus (February 28, 2010) -- A novel compound is highly effective against the pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, including some drug-resistant strains, according to new research. ... > full story
Oil droplets can navigate complex maze (February 28, 2010) -- Call them oil droplets with a brain or even "chemo-rats." Scientists have developed a way to make simple oil droplets "smart" enough to navigate through a complex maze almost like a trained lab rat. The finding could have a wide range of practical implications, including helping cancer drugs to reach their target and controlling the movement of futuristic nano-machines, the scientists say. ... > full story
Stents as good as surgery for clogged carotid arteries, study suggests (February 28, 2010) -- The CREST trial that compared traditional surgery with less-invasive stenting to clear dangerously clogged carotid arteries in the neck is being called "seminal and robust." ... > full story
Does the devil really wear Prada? The psychology of anthropomorphism and dehumanization (February 28, 2010) -- People talk to their plants, pray to human-like gods, name their cars, and even dress their pets up in clothing. We have a strong tendency to give nonhuman entities human characteristics (known as anthropomorphism), but why? A new report examines the psychology behind anthropomorphism. ... > full story
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