ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, August 21, 2008
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Removing Tumors Through The Nose: Neurosurgeon Uses Smaller Openings To Reach The Brain (August 21, 2008) -- Dr. Edward Duckworth is part of a new generation of neurosurgeons who are making brain surgery a lot easier on patients. Rather than cutting out large sections of the skull or face, Duckworth is reaching the brain through much smaller openings. And in certain cases, he goes through the nose to get to the brain. ... > full story
Surgery May Be Considered For Extreme Face Pain, New Guideline Says (August 21, 2008) -- A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology finds surgery may be considered for people who suffer from extreme, electric shock-like pain in their face and do not respond well to drugs. The guideline on treating trigeminal neuralgia is published in the August 20, 2008, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ... > full story
Sports Stadiums Serve Alcohol To Minors And Intoxicated Fans, Study Suggests (August 21, 2008) -- In a novel study looking at the propensity of illegal alcohol sales at sports stadiums, researchers reported that nearly one in five people posing as underage drinkers, and three out of four seemingly intoxicated "fans" were able to buy alcohol at professional sporting events. They also found that location mattered: sales were more likely if the attempt took place in the stadium stands rather than at a concession booth. ... > full story
Study Identifies Protein That Produces 'Good' Fat: Finding May Lead To Ways To Treat, Prevent Obesity (August 21, 2008) -- A study by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center has shown that a protein known for its role in inducing bone growth can also help promote the development of brown fat, a "good" fat that helps in the expenditure of energy and plays a role in fighting obesity. ... > full story
Codeine Not Safe For All Breastfeeding Moms And Their Babies (August 21, 2008) -- Using pain treatments which contain codeine may be risky for some breastfeeding mothers, according to new research. The research suggests that the codeine used in some pain relief drugs can actually have harmful and even fatal results for infants when ingested by some breastfeeding mothers. ... > full story
Primary Care Health Consultations Can Be Cost-effective And May Help Reduce Cardiovascular Risk, Say Doctors (August 21, 2008) -- Primary care health consultations can be cost-effective and may help reduce cardiovascular risk, say doctorsNew research published today in Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, published by SAGE ... > full story
Education Needed To Decrease Teens' Misconception About Emergency Contraception (August 21, 2008) -- Targeted health education may help urban, minority adolescent women better understand how the emergency contraception pill works and eliminate some misconceptions about side effects, confidentiality and accessibility, according to a study by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. ... > full story
Strawberry-flavored Banana? Biochemists Manipulate Fruit Flavor Enzymes (August 20, 2008) -- Would you like a lemony watermelon? How about a strawberry-flavored banana? Biochemists say the day may be coming when scientists will be able to fine tune enzymes responsible for flavors in fruits and vegetables. In addition, it could lead to environmentally-friendly pest control. ... > full story
Low Level Cadmium Exposure Linked To Lung Disease (August 20, 2008) -- New research suggests that cadmium is one of the critical ingredients causing emphysema, and even low-level exposure attained through second-hand smoke and other means may also increase the chance of developing lung disease. ... > full story
Lack Of Tuberculosis Trials In Children Unacceptable, Experts Argue (August 20, 2008) -- Ensuring the involvement of children in the evaluation of tuberculosis treatment is critical as we move forward in developing effective responses to active and drug-susceptible tuberculosis, argues a new essay in PLoS Medicine. ... > full story
Study Outlines Teens' Preferences And Trade-offs For Freedom From Acne (August 20, 2008) -- Teens report that they would pay about 5 to have never had acne, and are willing to pay considerably more to be acne-free than to have 50 percent clearance of their acne or to have clear skin with acne scars, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. ... > full story
Stem Cell Indicator For Bowel Cancer Should Lead To Better Survival Rates (August 20, 2008) -- Stem cell scientists have developed a more accurate way of identifying aggressive forms of bowel cancer, which should eventually lead to better treatment and survival rates. ... > full story
Dirty Smoke From Ships Found To Degrade Air Quality In Coastal Cities (August 20, 2008) -- Chemists have measured for the first time the impact that dirty smoke from ships cruising at sea and generating electricity in port can have on the air quality of coastal cities. The scientists report that the impact of dirty smoke from ships burning high-sulfur fuel can be substantial, on some days accounting for nearly one-half of the fine, sulfur-rich particulate matter in the air known to be hazardous to human health. ... > full story
New 'Catch-and-tell' Molecules Send Out Light Signals When They Catch Chemicals In Blood (August 20, 2008) -- Scientist have created 'intelligent' molecules. The new 'catch and tell' sensor molecules send out light signals when they catch chemicals in blood. ... > full story
False Memories Affect Behavior (August 20, 2008) -- Do you know someone who claims to remember their first day of kindergarten? Or a trip they took as a toddler? While some people may be able to recall trivial details from the past, laboratory research shows that the human memory can be remarkably fragile and even inventive. New research shows that it is possible to change long-term behaviors using a simple suggestive technique. ... > full story
Arsenic Exposure Could Increase Diabetes Risk (August 20, 2008) -- Inorganic arsenic, commonly found in ground water in certain areas, may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story
Infection Blocks Lung's Protective Response Against Tobacco Smoke (August 20, 2008) -- An infection that often goes undetected can block the lung's natural protective response against tobacco smoke, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. Mice exposed to tobacco smoke infected with the common lung pathogen Myclplasma pneumoniae fail to mount the protective antioxidant response in the lungs that mice do when exposed to tobacco smoke alone. The findings suggest one mechanism that may cause a minority of smokers to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. ... > full story
Switching It Up: How Memory Deals With A Change In Plans (August 20, 2008) -- How do our brains switch so elegantly and quickly from one well-entrenched plan to a newer one in reaction to a sudden change in circumstances? ... > full story
Critical Protein Complex In Formation Of Cell Cilia Identified (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists have identified a protein complex that regulates the formation of cilia, which are found on virtually all mature human cells and are essential to normal cell function. ... > full story
Researchers Uncover Attack Mechanism Of Illness-inducing Bacterium (August 20, 2008) -- An infectious ocean-dwelling bacterium found in oysters and other shellfish kills its host's cells by causing them to burst, providing the invader with a nutrient-rich meal, researchers have found. ... > full story
Silver Is Key To Reducing Pneumonia Associated With Breathing Tubes (August 20, 2008) -- People have long prized silver as a precious metal. Now, silver-coated endotracheal tubes are giving critically ill patients another reason to value the lustrous metal. Researchers now report that the silver-coated tubes led to a 36 percent reduction of ventilator-associated pneumonia. ... > full story
Calculators Okay In Math Class, If Students Know The Facts First, Study Finds (August 20, 2008) -- Calculators are useful tools in elementary mathematics classes, if students already have some basic skills, new research has found. The findings shed light on the debate about whether and when calculators should be used in the classroom. ... > full story
Greenland Ice Core Reveals History Of Pollution In The Arctic (August 20, 2008) -- New research, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that coal burning, primarily in North America and Europe, contaminated the Arctic and potentially affected human health and ecosystems in and around Earth's polar regions. ... > full story
Bacterial Pneumonia Caused Most Deaths In 1918 Influenza Pandemic (August 20, 2008) -- The majority of deaths during the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 were not caused by the influenza virus acting alone, report researchers. Instead, most victims succumbed to bacterial pneumonia following influenza virus infection. The pneumonia was caused when bacteria that normally inhabit the nose and throat invaded the lungs along a pathway created when the virus destroyed the cells that line the bronchial tubes and lungs. ... > full story
Heads-up Study Of Hair Dynamics May Lead To Better Hair-care Products (August 20, 2008) -- From frizzy perms to over-bleached waves, "bad hair days" could soon become a less frequent occurrence. Chemists report the first detailed microscopic analysis of what happens to individual hair fibers when they interact with each other, an advance in knowledge key to the development of improved shampoos, conditioners and other products for repairing damaged hair, the researchers say. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... > full story
'Point Of Care Diagnostics' In The Starting Blocks (August 20, 2008) -- Tracking down cancer at a very early stage, studying cell growth, developing new medicines: future lab-on-a-chip systems will use nanoscale electrical fields to enable the detection and manipulation of cells and biomolecules. ... > full story
Magician's Hand: How Humor And Misdirection Can Manipulate Levels Of Attention (August 20, 2008) -- Two neuroscientists have studied how magicians mix humor into their performances because a laughing audience is unable to pay attention to the magician's hand. The study also determined that there are various levels of misdirection that magicians use to trick an audience. These insights, which were previously unknown to scientists, suggest that humor and misdirection can help manipulate levels of attention. ... > full story
Novel Method To Grow Human Embryonic Stem Cells Developed (August 20, 2008) -- The majority of researchers working with human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) use animal-based materials for culturing the cells. But these materials could transmit viruses and other pathogens to the hESCs, making the cells unsuitable for medical use. Now a biochemist has devised a method of growing hESCs in the lab that uses no animal-derived materials -- an important advance in the use of hESCs for future medical purposes. ... > full story
Are Your Eyes A Window To Diabetes-related Health Issues? (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists are carrying out a unique study using the eyes to detect early signs of health problems which could lead to diabetes, and they’re looking for volunteers to help. ... > full story
Alexander Technique Offers Long-term Relief For Back Pain (August 20, 2008) -- Alexander technique lessons in combination with an exercise program offer long-term effective treatment for chronic back pain, according to a new study. ... > full story
More Than 10 Percent Of Older Americans Suffer Mistreatment, Study Finds (August 20, 2008) -- About 13 percent of elderly Americans are mistreated, most commonly by someone who verbally mistreats or financially takes advantage of them, according to a University of Chicago study that is the first comprehensive look at elder mistreatment in the country. ... > full story
New Reasons To Avoid Grapefruit And Other Juices When Taking Certain Drugs (August 20, 2008) -- Scientists and consumers have known for years that grapefruit juice can increase the absorption of some drugs, causing potentially toxic effects. Now, researchers in Canada report new evidence that drinking grapefruit and other common fruit juices, including orange and apple, also can substantially decrease the absorption of some drugs, wiping out their potential beneficial effects. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... > full story
Obesity Raises Risks Of Serious Digestive Health Concerns: Incidence Of GERD, Colorectal Cancer Increase With Body Mass (August 20, 2008) -- The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. ... > full story
Obese Prostate Cancer Patients May Benefit More From Brachytherapy (August 20, 2008) -- Brachytherapy, also called seed implants, may be a more beneficial treatment than surgery or external beam radiation therapy for overweight or obese prostate cancer patients, according to a study published in the August issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. ... > full story
'Chilling' Hardship Rates Among Families Raising Disabled Children (August 20, 2008) -- Families with disabled children are struggling to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads, and to pay for needed health and dental care. But according to a new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, these challenges are now falling on middle-income households and not just on poor families as previous research has found. ... > full story
Many US Public Schools In 'Air Pollution Danger Zone' (August 20, 2008) -- One in three US public schools are in the "air pollution danger zone," according to new research. Researchers have found that more than 30 percent of American public schools are within 400 meters, or a quarter mile, of major highways that consistently serve as main truck and traffic routes. ... > full story
Chronic Lead Poisoning From Urban Soils (August 20, 2008) -- Chronic lead poisoning, caused in part by the ingestion of contaminated dirt, affects hundreds of thousands more children in the United States than the acute lead poisoning associated with imported toys or jewelry. Could treating contaminated soil with water prevent this public health scourge? ... > full story
Rheb's Role In Cancer (August 20, 2008) -- Two independent papers identify the Rheb GTPase as a novel oncogene and a promising new chemotherapeutic target. ... > full story
Suicide In Asian Americans: Family Conflict Increases Risk Of Suicide Attempts (August 20, 2008) -- Asian Americans whose families experience a high degree of interpersonal conflict have a three-fold greater risk of attempting suicide when compared with Asian Americans overall, according to a new study by University of California, Davis, researchers. The risk is tripled even among those who have never had a diagnosis of depression. ... > full story
Ultrasound Used To Predict Heart Attack Risk (August 19, 2008) -- Repeat exams using widely available and inexpensive ultrasound imaging could help identify patients at high risk for a heart attack or other adverse cardiovascular events, according to a new study. ... > full story
Scientists Discover What Drives The Development Of A Fatal Form Of Malaria (August 19, 2008) -- In a study described in Cell Host and Microbe, researchers reveal that when red blood cells are infected with the malaria parasite, they activate platelets to secrete the PF4 protein, which triggers the immune system to inflame blood vessels and obstruct capillaries in the brain; both are hallmarks of cerebral malaria. ... > full story
You've Got To Have Hope: Studies Show 'Hope Therapy' Fights Depression (August 19, 2008) -- A growing body of research suggests that there is a potent way to fight symptoms of depression that doesn't involve getting a prescription. This potent weapon? Hope. "We're finding that hope is consistently associated with fewer symptoms of depression. And the good news is that hope is something that can be taught, and can be developed in many of the people who need it," said Jennifer Cheavens at Ohio State University. ... > full story
Can Facial Structures, Brain Abnormalities Reveal Formula For Detection Of Autism? (August 19, 2008) -- Recently, Harvard researchers reported that children with autism have a wide range of genetic defects, making it nearly impossible to develop a simple genetic test to identify the disorder. Now, University of Missouri researchers are studying 3-D imaging to reveal correlations in the facial features and brain structures of children with autism spectrum disorder, which will enable them to develop a formula for earlier detection of the disorder. The researchers anticipate their work also will reveal genetic clues that can direct additional research. ... > full story
Oral Contraceptives May Ease Suffering Of Women With Severe PMS (August 19, 2008) -- A new clinical trial using a popular low-dose contraceptive could uncover a more effective treatment for the 5 to 10 percent of women who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder. ... > full story
Erectile Dysfunction Drug Shows Promise For Relief Of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated With Benign Prostate Disease (August 19, 2008) -- Men with signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia can be helped with a daily dose of erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil (marketed as Cialis) to relieve associated lower urinary tract symptoms, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Northwestern University and Lilly Research Laboratories report on a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of over 1,000 men in 10 countries. ... > full story
Poor Teen Sleep Habits May Raise Blood Pressure, Lead To CVD (August 19, 2008) -- Poor sleep quality and shorter sleep periods in teens may increase the odds of elevated blood pressure. Researchers found poor sleep quality in teens may be more likely than shorter sleep periods to lead to pre-hypertension. Researchers say technology in bedrooms (i.e., music, phones, computers) may be part of the problem. ... > full story
Why Symmetry Predicts Bodily Attractiveness (August 19, 2008) -- The first ever 3D study identifies 'masculinity' traits associated with the attractiveness and symmetry of male and female bodies. High masculinity correlated with fewer departures from perfect bodily symmetry in males but with more asymmetry in females, suggesting that those with good development and health may have bodies that exaggerate sex-typical bodily features. ... > full story
New Technology Silences Genes: Suppressing Disease-causing Genes Is Now Within Reach (August 19, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a new gene silencing technology that could be used to target genes that can lead to the development of certain diseases. This technology could pave the way for preventing diseases where gene dysfunction plays a role. ... > full story
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