ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, March 5, 2010
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Extremes of sleep related to increased fat around organs (March 5, 2010) -- Not getting enough sleep does more damage than just leaving you with puffy eyes. It can cause fat to accumulate around your organs -- more dangerous, researchers say, than those pesky love handles and jiggly thighs. ... > full story
Breaching the barrier: Too much of the protein ELA2 impairs skin barrier function (March 5, 2010) -- Our skin has two crucial barrier functions: it protects against water loss and it prevents penetration of infectious agents and allergens. By studying mice and humans, a team of researchers in France has now generated data that indicate an important role for the protein elastase 2 (ELA2) in maintaining skin barrier function and suggest that ELA2 might have a role in the development of the rare genetic skin disease Netherton syndrome. ... > full story
People sometimes less trusting when in a good mood (March 5, 2010) -- It seems to make perfect sense: happy people are trusting people. But a new study suggests that, in some instances, people may actually be less trusting of others when they are in a pleasant mood. "A person's mood may determine how much they rely on subtle -- or not so subtle -- cues when evaluating whether to trust someone," researchers say. ... > full story
Combination therapy more effective for enlarged prostate (March 5, 2010) -- Like any successful team effort, the best qualities of two drugs commonly prescribed for enlarged prostate yielded better results than either of the medicines alone, according to a new study. ... > full story
Nephrology: New gene linked to kidney disease (March 5, 2010) -- Nephronophthisis (NPHP) is the most common genetic cause of kidney failure in children. Ten causative genes (NPHP1-NPHP9 and NPHP11), all of which generate proteins that localize to a cellular complex known as the primary cilia-centrosome complex, have been identified previously. A team of researchers has now identified an association between mutations in the XPNPEP3 gene and an NPHP-like nephropathy in two consanguineous families, one in northern Finland and one in Turkey. ... > full story
Even the boss doesn't follow the doctor's orders (March 5, 2010) -- Only 68 percent of corporate executives took their cholesterol lowering medication as prescribed by a doctor, a new study shows. ... > full story
Possible vaccine for mesothelioma proven safe (March 4, 2010) -- Researchers have demonstrated the safety of a potential vaccine against mesothelioma, a rare cancer associated primarily with asbestos exposure. The vaccine, which infuses uses a patient's own dendritic cells with antigen from the patient's tumor, was able to induce a T-cell response against mesothelioma tumors. ... > full story
Beta blocker therapy underused in heart failure patients, study finds (March 4, 2010) -- New research has found that beta blockers, a class of drugs used to prevent the progression of heart failure and manage arrhythmias (irregular heart beat) and hypertension (high blood pressure), are underused in heart failure patients who receive implantable cardiac devices. Failure to take beta blockers prior to implanting a cardiac device can affect the patient's overall outcome and survival rate. ... > full story
Bacterial balance keeps us healthy: Microbial genes in gut outnumber genes in human body (March 4, 2010) -- The thousands of bacteria, fungi and other microbes that live in our gut are essential contributors to our good health. They break down toxins, manufacture some vitamins and essential amino acids, and form a barrier against invaders. A new study shows that, at 3.3 million, microbial genes in our gut outnumber previous estimates for the whole of the human body. ... > full story
How the demons of dementia possess and damage brain cells (March 4, 2010) -- A new study may lead to new forms of treatment following a better understanding of how amyloid-beta found in cerebral plaques, typically present in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, may lead to neurodegeneration. ... > full story
Evidence of increasing antibiotic resistance in soil microbes (March 4, 2010) -- Scientists are reporting disturbing evidence that soil microbes have become progressively more resistant to antibiotics over the last 60 years. Surprisingly, this trend continues despite apparent more stringent rules on use of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, and improved sewage treatment technology that broadly improves water quality in surrounding environments. ... > full story
Safety data favor norepinephrine over dopamine for shock (March 4, 2010) -- Physicians treating patients with shock should consider norepinephrine instead of dopamine as a tool for stabilizing blood pressure, according to a new editorial. ... > full story
Measuring impact nanoparticles on health and environment by looking at blood stream of chicken embryos (March 4, 2010) -- Researchers are a step closer to helping solve a complex problem in nanotechnology: the impact nanoparticles have on human health and the environment. They have developed a methodology to measure various aspects of nanoparticles in the blood stream of chicken embryos. ... > full story
'Tunnel anxiety' can be reduced (March 4, 2010) -- Many people feel insecure when they drive in tunnels. However, their anxiety can be reduced. Driving in tunnels is actually twice as safe as driving in the open air, when all factors are taken into account, say experts. ... > full story
Genetic variant offers protection against tuberculosis and leprosy (March 4, 2010) -- When people get exposed to the mycobacterium responsible for tuberculosis, some will become sick with a disease that is a major cause of mortality around the world while others simply don't. Now, researchers can point to one important reason for this variation in susceptibility or resistance. It turns out individuals with a certain genetic variation are less likely to succumb to tuberculosis. They also appear to gain protection against leprosy, a disease which is also caused by mycobacterial infection. ... > full story
Psychosurgery makes gentle comeback (March 4, 2010) -- Psychosurgery is making a comeback. Recently published case series have shown encouraging results of so-called deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder, depressive disorders, and Tourette syndrome. ... > full story
Nuclear physics promises earlier detection of brain tumors with just one scan (March 4, 2010) -- Time taken to detect brain tumors could soon be significantly reduced, thanks to researchers in the UK who are developing the technology for next generation SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) imaging that is set to revolutionize the medical imaging process improving future diagnosis of cancer . ... > full story
Intense war news reduces ability to remember ads (March 4, 2010) -- A new study shows that the more graphic and intense war news is, the less likely that viewers -- regardless of political beliefs -- will remember the advertising that follows the news. ... > full story
New way to control disease-spreading mosquitoes: Make them hold their urine (March 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found a protein that may lead to a new way to control mosquitoes that spread dengue fever, yellow fever and other diseases when they feed on humans: Prevent them from urinating as they feed on blood. ... > full story
Second dose of gene therapy for inherited blindness proves safe in animal studies (March 4, 2010) -- A research team that conducted the gene therapy trial for an inherited blindness reports that a study in animals has shown that a second injection of genes into the opposite, previously untreated eye is safe and effective, with no signs of interference from unwanted immune reactions following the earlier injection. These new findings suggest that patients who benefit from gene therapy in one eye may experience similar benefits from treatment in the other eye. ... > full story
Early test for a killer of the sickest (March 4, 2010) -- An early test for fungal infections that measures how a patient's genes are responding could save the lives of some very sick patients. Researchers have devised an early gene-expression test for the fungal pathogen Candida that worked in mice. ... > full story
Research: How you think about your age may affect how you age (March 4, 2010) -- The saying "You're only as old as you feel" really seems to resonate with older adults, according to new research. ... > full story
Hormone replacement therapy linked to increased lung cancer risk (March 4, 2010) -- Peri- and postmenopausal women aged 50 to 76 who take estrogen plus progestin may have an increased risk of lung cancer. ... > full story
Hepatitis B and C remain public health issue -- up to 5.3 million Americans infected (March 4, 2010) -- A recent report confirmed that 3.5 to 5.3 million people (1-2 percent of the US population) have chronic hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus infections. Despite efforts by federal, state and local government agencies to control and prevent these diseases, they remain a serious public health concern. ... > full story
Climate change one factor in malaria spread (March 4, 2010) -- Climate change is one reason malaria is on the rise in some parts of the world, new research finds, but other factors such as migration and land-use changes are likely also at play. The research aims to sort out contradictions that have emerged as scientists try to understand why malaria has been spreading into highland areas of East Africa, Indonesia, Afghanistan and elsewhere. ... > full story
Controlling multi-taskers burn-out fast when confronted with unexpected challenges (March 4, 2010) -- Researchers have found that high-in-self-control people tend to use all of their resources at once -- concentrating intently on the task immediately at hand -- but are stymied when unexpected challenges are thrown their way. ... > full story
Insulin used to treat diabetes may be linked to increased cancer risk, review suggests (March 4, 2010) -- The benefits of using insulin to treat diabetes far outweigh the risks, but a new review suggests that people with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, may face an increased risk of cancer and that their cancer may be modified by treatment choices. The review showed that: diabetic patients are 30 percent more likely to develop colorectal cancer and have an 82 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer. Female diabetics face a 20 percent greater risk of breast cancer. ... > full story
Predicting the progression of Alzheimer's (March 4, 2010) -- An assessment has been developed which reliably predicts future performance in cognition and activities of daily living for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers followed 597 patients over 15 years to identify factors associated with slow, intermediate and rapid progression. ... > full story
Students' physical fitness associated with academic achievement; organized physical activity (March 4, 2010) -- Physical fitness is associated with academic performance in young people, according to a new study. ... > full story
With just one enzyme missing, mice show 'global' metabolic improvements (March 4, 2010) -- When researchers created mice lacking an enzyme that breaks down and releases stored triglycerides, they expected to see animals with better lipid profiles. But according to a new study, they got more than they bargained for. The triacylglycerol hydrolase (TGH)-deficient mice showed global metabolic benefits, with essentially no downside. ... > full story
Gene regulation: Can we stomach it? New technique fights against cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer (March 4, 2010) -- A breakthrough in decoding gene regulation of Helicobacter pylori has been made by an international research team. Using a newly developed sequencing technique, the researchers discovered 60 small ribonucleic acids -- tiny RNA-particles which can regulate genes -- in the genome of this human pathogen. These findings could facilitate the development of new therapeutic strategies against this widespread pathogen. ... > full story
Painfully few surefire treatments for muscle cramps (March 4, 2010) -- Most cases of muscle cramps never get reported to public health authorities, so it's difficult to say how common they are. But you probably know someone who's had them. You've probably had them, too. And the older you get, the more likely you're having one right now. Until not very long ago, quinine -- a bitter-tasting substance sometimes associated with tonic water that was once the world's mainstay treatment for malaria -- was also the drug of choice for treatment of muscle cramps. But in 2006, the Food and Drug Administration warned against the use of quinine for this purpose, not because it was utterly ineffective but because of accumulating anecdotal evidence of adverse effects. ... > full story
Shopping for happiness? Get a massage, forget the flat-screen TV (March 4, 2010) -- Consumers found that satisfaction with "experiential purchases" -- from massages to family vacations -- starts high and increases over time. In contrast, spending money on material things feels good at first, but actually makes people less happy in the end, according to new research. ... > full story
How trauma leads to inflammatory response: Mitochondria may be at root of dangerous complications from injury (March 4, 2010) -- A new study suggests that mitochondria can be released into the bloodstream following physical injury, resulting in a sepsis-like immune response, and leading to the onset of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. ... > full story
'Stepping up' asthma treatment in children leads to improvement (March 4, 2010) -- Children with asthma who continue to have symptoms while using low-dose inhaled corticosteroids could benefit from increasing the dosage or adding one of two asthma drugs, a new study finds. ... > full story
African-American women at increased risk for weakened heart muscle at childbirth (March 4, 2010) -- African-American women are at significantly increased risk for developing a potentially deadly weakening of the heart muscle around the time of childbirth, researchers report. ... > full story
New insights to master signaling switch identified using high throughput technology platform (March 4, 2010) -- Scientists have identified a range of novel protein interactions involved in calcium signaling in brain cells and validated them using a high throughput screening technology. ... > full story
How blood drives motivate blood donation (March 4, 2010) -- There is typically a shortage of donated blood in the United States, and new research is looking for ways of improving the life-saving supply. About 38 percent of Americans are eligible to donate blood and only about 8 percent do. So an important question nationally is: what is the proper incentive so that the rate of blood donation can increase? ... > full story
Sea squirt offers hope for Alzheimer's sufferers (March 3, 2010) -- Plaques and tangles in the brains of Alzheimer's patients mark its slow, inexorable progression. Finding new drugs to prevent plaques is currently the best hope for sufferers. However, efficient drug screens that detect plaque formation are often impossible due to their slow formation. Researchers have now identified the sea squirt, our closest invertebrate relative, as a potential new resource for drug development. ... > full story
Targeting leukemia cell's gene 'addiction' presents new strategy for treatment (March 3, 2010) -- Scientists studying acute forms of leukemia have identified a new drug target to inhibit the genes which are vital for the growth of diseased cells. The research reveals how leukaemia cells become 'addicted' to genes, which if targeted could prevent diseased cells from developing. ... > full story
Elderly patients who survive ICU stay have high rate of death in following years (March 3, 2010) -- Elderly patients who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit and survive are discharged from the hospital have a high rate of death in the following three years, and patients who receive mechanical ventilation have a substantially increased rate of death compared with both hospital and general population controls in the first several months after hospital discharge, according to a new study. ... > full story
Faster method to detect bacterial contamination in coastal waters developed (March 3, 2010) -- Currently, beachgoers are informed about water quality conditions based on results from the previous day's sample. Scientists must collect samples in the field, then return to a lab to culture them for analysis -- a process that takes a minimum of 24 hours. Now, engineers have sped up the process of analyzing bacterial concentrations to under one hour, through the development of a new in-field, rapid detection method. ... > full story
Moderate drinking before trauma leads to more flashbacks, study finds (March 3, 2010) -- People who have drunk a moderate amount of alcohol before a traumatic event report more flashbacks than those who have had no alcohol, according to new research. ... > full story
Mother's milk kick-starts liver to produce molecule that turns on heat-generating brown fat (March 3, 2010) -- In newborn mice, at least, mother's milk appears to have some rather immediate and potentially far-reaching metabolic consequences. The milk intake kick-starts the liver to produce a molecule that then turns on heat-generating brown fat. ... > full story
Herceptin and Tykerb effective against a subset of gastric cancers, study suggests (March 3, 2010) -- A combination of two targeted therapies already shown to be effective in breast cancer packs an effective one-two punch against a subset of gastric cancers that have a specific genetic mutation, a new study has found. ... > full story
Modern man found to be generally monogamous, moderately polygamous (March 3, 2010) -- New research has found that modern man, or Homo sapiens, would have been monogamous while exhibiting tendencies toward polygamy over the course of evolutionary history. These findings are consistent with studies in evolutionary psychology and anthropology that depict contemporary human populations. ... > full story
Freezing breast tumors helps stop cancer’s spread in mice, study finds (March 3, 2010) -- Freezing a cancer kills it in its place, and also appears to generate an immune response that helps stop the cancer's spread, leading to improved survival rates over surgery, according to a new study in mice. ... > full story
Coffee associated with reduced risk of hospitalization for heart rhythm disturbances (March 3, 2010) -- Coffee drinkers may be less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances, according to a new study. The researchers note the findings may be surprising because patients frequently report palpitations after drinking coffee. ... > full story
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