ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, August 22, 2008
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Face Recognition: Nurture Not Nature (August 22, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered that our society can influence the way we recognize other people's faces. ... > full story
MRI Technology Developed That Non-invasively Locates, Quantifies Specific Cells In The Body (August 22, 2008) -- MRI isn't just for capturing detailed images of the body's anatomy. Thanks to new imaging reagents and technology, MRI can be used to visualize -- with "exquisite" specificity -- cell populations in the living body. The ability to non-invasively locate and track cells, will greatly aid the study and treatment of cancer, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases, as well as provide a tool for advancing clinical translation of cellular regenerative medicine. ... > full story
Obesity In Elderly A Ticking Time Bomb For Health Services (August 22, 2008) -- Obesity in later life does not make a substantial difference to risks of death among older people but it is a major contributor to increased disability in later life -- creating a ticking time bomb for health services in developed countries, new research shows. ... > full story
Protecting Brain Cells From Diseases Like Alzheimer's Using New Method (August 22, 2008) -- New research provides evidence that one of the only naturally occurring fatty acids in the brain can help to protect brain cells from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. ... > full story
China Sees Spike In Rabies Cases (August 22, 2008) -- A new Chinese study has reported a dramatic spike in rabies infections. The research shows that in some provinces of China the number of human rabies cases has jumped dramatically since the new millennium. ... > full story
Chemists Synthesize Promising Anti-cancer Product (August 21, 2008) -- Chemists have patented an efficient technique for synthesizing a marine algae extract in sufficient quantities to now test its ability to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells while leaving normal cells unaffected. ... > full story
Helping The Medicine Go Down (August 21, 2008) -- Children's refusal to swallow liquid medication is an important public health problem that means longer or more serious illness for thousands of kids each year. Researchers are reporting how knowledge from basic research on the chemical senses explains why a child's rejection of bitter medicine and nutritious but bitter-tasting foods like spinach and other green vegetables is a reflection of their basic biology. ... > full story
Genes That Cause Hereditary Disease PCH Discovered (August 21, 2008) -- Scientists from Cologne and Amsterdam have discovered the mutations in humans that cause the hereditary disease ponto cerebellar hypoplasia (PCH), types 2 and 4. ... > full story
Relearning Process Not Always A 'Free Lunch' (August 21, 2008) -- Researchers have helped determine why relearning a few pieces of information may or may not easily cause a recollection of other associated, previously learned information. The key, they find, is in the way in which the learned information is forgotten. ... > full story
Accumulated Bits Of A Cell's Own DNA Can Trigger Autoimmune Disease (August 21, 2008) -- A security system wired within every cell to detect the presence of rogue viral DNA can sometimes go awry, triggering an autoimmune response to single-stranded bits of the cell's own DNA. ... > full story
Breaking The 'Mucus Barrier' With A New Drug Delivery System (August 21, 2008) -- Chemical engineers have broken the "mucus barrier," engineering the first drug-delivery particles capable of passing through human mucus -- regarded by many as nearly impenetrable -- and carrying medication that could treat a range of diseases. Those conditions include lung cancer, cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis, the research say. ... > full story
Research Shows Pollsters How The Undecided Will Vote (August 21, 2008) -- As the American Presidential election approaches, pollsters are scrambling to predict who will win. A new study may give pollsters a new way to determine how the undecided will vote, even before the voters know themselves. ... > full story
Bone Marrow Stem Cells May Help Control Inflammatory Bowel Disease (August 21, 2008) -- Investigators have found that infusions of a particular bone marrow stem cell appeared to protect gastrointestinal tissue from autoimmune attack in a mouse model. ... > full story
Molecular Clues To Wilson Disease: How Mutation Alters Key Protein (August 21, 2008) -- Using computer simulations and lab experiments, physical biochemists have discovered how a small genetic mutation that's known to cause Wilson disease subtly changes the structure of a large, complex protein the body uses to keep copper from building up to toxic levels. The new study is available online from the Journal of Molecular Biology. Wilson disease, which affects about 150,000 people worldwide, is a genetic disorder that alters the copper-regulating protein. ... > full story
Hydrogels Provide Scaffolding For Growth Of Bone Cells (August 21, 2008) -- Hyaluronic hydrogels may provide a suitable scaffolding to enable bone regeneration. The hydrogels have proven to encourage the growth of preosteoblast cells, cells that aid the growth and development of bone. ... > full story
Acute Maternal Stress During Pregnancy Linked To Development Of Schizophrenia (August 21, 2008) -- Pregnant women who endure the psychological stress of being in a war zone are more likely to give birth to a child who develops schizophrenia. Research published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry supports a growing body of literature that attributes maternal exposure to severe stress during the early months of pregnancy to an increased susceptibility to schizophrenia in the offspring. ... > full story
Diabetes Transmitted From Parents To Children, New Research Suggests (August 21, 2008) -- A new study suggests an unusual form of inheritance may have a role in the rising rate of diabetes, especially in children and young adults, in the United States. ... > full story
How Rheumatoid Arthritis Causes Bone Loss (August 21, 2008) -- Researchers have discovered key details of how rheumatoid arthritis destroys bone, according to a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. The findings are already guiding attempts to design new drugs to reverse RA-related bone loss and may also address more common forms of osteoporosis with a few adjustments. ... > full story
That Tastes ... Sweet? Sour? No, It's Definitely Calcium! (August 21, 2008) -- Chemists are reporting a discovery that could expand the palate of human tastes, such as sweet, sour or salty, to include a new flavor that could be called "calcium." ... > full story
Scent Of Skin Cancer Discovered (August 21, 2008) -- Odors from skin can be used to identify basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer, according to new research. The findings may enable doctors in the future to diagnose skin cancer quickly and accurately by waving a handheld scanner or sensor above the skin. Earlier work identified almost 100 different chemical compounds coming from skin. ... > full story
Cervical Cancer Prevention Should Focus On Vaccinating Adolescent Girls, Report Says (August 21, 2008) -- The cost-effectiveness of vaccination in the US against human papillomavirus, a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer, will be optimized by achieving universal vaccine coverage in young adolescent girls, by targeting initial "catch-up" efforts to vaccinate women younger than 21 years of age, and by revising current screening policies, according to an analysis by Harvard School of Public Health researchers. ... > full story
One Sleepless Night Increases Dopamine In The Human Brain (August 21, 2008) -- Just one night without sleep can increase the amount of the chemical dopamine in the human brain, according to new imaging research in the Journal of Neuroscience. Because drugs that increase dopamine, like amphetamines, promote wakefulness, the findings offer a potential mechanism explaining how the brain helps people stay awake despite the urge to sleep. However, the study also shows that the increase in dopamine cannot compensate for the cognitive deficits caused by sleep deprivation. ... > full story
Making 'Good' Fat From Muscle And Vice Versa (August 21, 2008) -- A surprise discovery -- that calorie-burning brown fat can be produced experimentally from muscle precursor cells in mice -- raises the prospect of new ways to fight obesity and overweight, report Dana-Farber scientists. They demonstrated that a previously known molecular switch, PRDM16, regulates the creation of brown fat from immature muscle cells. They also determined that the process is a two-way street: Knocking out PRDM16 in brown fat cells can convert them into muscle cells. ... > full story
New Test To Diagnose Osteoarthritis Early (August 21, 2008) -- A newly developed medical imaging technology may provide doctors with a long-awaited test for early diagnosis of osteoarthritis, according to researchers. By far the most common form of arthritis, OA causing joint pain and disability for more than half of those over age 65 -- nearly 21 million people in the United States alone, the scientists say. Their study will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... > full story
Brain Cells Called Astrocytes Undergo Reorganization And May Engulf Attacking T Cells (August 21, 2008) -- When virally infected cells in the brain called astrocytes come in contact with antiviral T cells of the immune system, they undergo a unique series of changes that dramatically reorganize their shape and function, according to researchers. Intriguingly, the new data indicate that astrocytes may defend themselves from attacking T cells by engulfing (gobbling up) the aggressors. ... > full story
Alcohol Dependence Among Women Is Linked To Delayed Childbearing (August 21, 2008) -- Alcohol use can cause reproductive dysfunctions for both teenage and adult females. A new study is the first to examine alcohol's effects on childbearing onset across reproductive development. Findings show that, for women, alcoholism is linked with delayed childbearing. ... > full story
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
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