ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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Breastfeeding, Other Factors May Affect Risk Of Breast Cancer Type (August 26, 2008) -- Factors such as age at menopause as well as a woman's breastfeeding practices can influence her risk of developing certain types of breast cancer. ... > full story
Stem Cells Stand Up For Themselves (August 26, 2008) -- Adult stem cells are not pampered pushovers. O'Reilly et al. report in the Aug. 25 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology that certain stem cells take charge of their surroundings, molding their environment to control their division and differentiation. ... > full story
80 Percent Of Adolescents Who Play Sports Don't Smoke, Spanish Study Finds (August 26, 2008) -- A research work carried out in sample of adolescents aged between 13 and 18 from Granada, Madrid, Murcia, Santander and Zaragoza has analysed the relationship between sport activity and tobacco consumption. According to this work, 59.2 percent of the Spanish adolescents are physically active, although there are significant differences according to sex (71.1 percent of boys, as against 46.7 percent of girls). ... > full story
Cells In Eye Could Help Control Sleep (August 26, 2008) -- A set of nerve cells in the eye control our levels of sleepiness according to the brightness of our surroundings, Oxford University researchers have discovered. The cells directly regulate the activity of sleep centers in the brain, providing a new target for the development of drugs to control sleep and alertness. ... > full story
Drug-radiation Combo May Help Shrink Established Tumors (August 26, 2008) -- Researchers may be closer to understanding why anti-cancer drugs such as Ipilimumab, which boost the tumor-killing power of immune cells, haven't fared well in clinical trials. The new study, which describes a way to enhance the ability of these drugs to shrink well-established tumors, will be published online on Aug. 25 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. ... > full story
Inhibitors Of The Molecule PI3K Throw One Form Of Leukemia A CurveB-ALL (August 26, 2008) -- Some cases of a form of leukemia known as pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pre-B-ALL) are caused by a genetic event that leads to the generation of a rogue chromosome known as the Philadelphia (Ph) chomosome, and individuals with Ph+ pre-B-ALL tend to have a poor outlook. As current treatments for Ph+ pre-B-ALL are not very effective, researchers are looking for new drugs to combat this disease. ... > full story
Animals Adapt Their Vocal Signals To Social Situations (August 26, 2008) -- A special August issue of the Journal of Comparative Psychology, published by the American Psychological Association, presents a host of studies that investigate the way that animals adapt their calls, chirps, barks and whistles to their social situation. ... > full story
75 Percent Of Athletes' Parents Let Their Child Skip Exams For A Game (August 26, 2008) -- Three quarters of parents of young athletes let their child forgo an exam for an important game, a new study conducted at the University of Haifa has found. In comparison, only 47 percent of parents of young musicians will agree to their child choosing a performance over an exam. ... > full story
Monkeys Enjoy Giving To Others, Study Finds (August 25, 2008) -- Researchers have shown capuchin monkeys, just like humans, find giving to be a satisfying experience. This finding comes on the coattails of a recent imaging study in humans that documented activity in reward centers of the brain after humans gave to charity. Empathy in seeing the pleasure of another's fortune is thought to be the impetus for sharing, a trait this study shows transcends primate species. ... > full story
New Hope For Stroke Patients: Reversing Stroke Damage By Jumpstarting Growth Of Nerve Fibers (August 25, 2008) -- If a stroke patient doesn't get treatment within three hours, there's not much doctors can do to limit damage. But now researchers report a technique that potentially could restore functions to patients weeks or even months after a stroke. The technique involves jumpstarting the growth of nerve fibers to compensate for brain cells destroyed by the stoke. ... > full story
Women May Stop Anticoagulants After Blood Clots, Research Suggests (August 25, 2008) -- Women may safely discontinue oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) after 6 months of treatment following a first unprovoked venous blood clot (thromboembolism) if they have no or one risk factor, concludes a study of 646 participants in a multicenter prospective cohort study. ... > full story
Century-old Rule Of Chemistry Overturned -- Major Implications For Drug Delivery (August 25, 2008) -- A new study has challenged a century old rule of pharmacology that defined how quickly key chemicals can pass across cell walls. The new observations of the chemists suggest that the real transport rates could be up to a hundred times slower than predicted by the century-old "Overton's Rule." This could have major implications for the development and testing of many future drugs. ... > full story
How To Get A College Roommate You Can Live With (August 25, 2008) -- Anxious college freshmen can relax. No matter who will be sharing their dorm room, they have the power to make the relationship better, new research suggests. ... > full story
Anti-cancer Flower Power: Researchers Combat Cancer With A Jasmine-based Drug (August 25, 2008) -- Could a substance from the jasmine flower hold the key to an effective new therapy to treat cancer? Researchers have developed an anti-cancer drug based on a decade of research into the commercial applications of the compound Jasmonate, a synthetic compound derived from the flower itself. ... > full story
Gene That Causes Childhood Cancer Neuroblastoma Is Found (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists have discovered gene mutations that are the main cause of the inherited (familial) version of the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. In addition, the researchers found that the same mutations play a significant role in high-risk forms of non-inherited neuroblastoma, the more common form of the disease. Because drugs are already in development that target the same gene in adult cancers, researchers are planning clinical trials in children with neuroblastoma. ... > full story
'Can You See Me Now?' Sign Language Over Cell Phones Comes To United States (August 25, 2008) -- A group has demonstrated software that for the first time enables deaf and hard of hearing Americans to use sign language over a mobile phone. ... > full story
Study Reveals How Blood Flow Force Prevents Clogged Arteries (August 25, 2008) -- Machines on cell surfaces, mechanical and lifeless as bed springs, protect blood vessels by responding to blood flow force, according to research published today in the Journal of Cell Biology. By sensing and reacting to force, such machines interfere with inflammatory pathways central to atherosclerosis, the leading cause of heart attack and stroke. The next set of studies will seek to "tweak" the process with the goal of designing a new class of therapies. ... > full story
Study Sheds Light On Impact Of Terrorism On Adolescent Depression (August 25, 2008) -- In a study on adolescent depression following terror attacks, Professor Golan Shahar of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel, and Professor Christopher Henrich of Georgia State University, report that social support experienced by these adolescents seems to protect against depression. ... > full story
Brain Study Could Lead To New Understanding Of Depression (August 25, 2008) -- Brain scientists have moved a step closer to understanding why some people may be more prone to depression than others. ... > full story
Diseased Kidney Surgically Removed Using 3-D Robotics Through Single Incision (August 25, 2008) -- For the first time in Michigan, a diseased kidney has been surgically removed at Henry Ford Hospital using highly sophisticated 3-D robotics through a single incision. ... > full story
New Approach Needed To Tackle Child Abuse And Neglect (August 25, 2008) -- Leading child advocates have called for a new approach to tackling child abuse and neglect amid rising rates of abuse notifications and children being brought into state care. ... > full story
Newly Uncovered Cells May Be Critical In Psoriasis (August 25, 2008) -- Psoriasis, one of humanity's oldest known diseases, has also been one of its most misunderstood. But in a new study that could change researchers' perspective of the skin disorder and potentially lead to powerful new drug targets, scientists have found that the source of psoriasis may be a single population of inflammatory cells that act as instigators by priming the body's immune system for self-attack. ... > full story
Operations Research Promises Continued Gains For HIV Treatment In Resource-limited Countries (August 25, 2008) -- In the past 10 years, the global campaign to expand treatment for millions of people with AIDS living in resource-limited countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, has gained substantial commitments in public and private financing, and has made major strides in making treatment available to those who need it. ... > full story
M&Ms As Diet Food? 100-calorie Pack Misconceptions (August 25, 2008) -- Beware of mini-packs and mini-foods, especially if you're a dieter. Chronic dieters tend to consume more calories when foods and packages are smaller, according to a new study. ... > full story
Key Allergy Gene Discovered (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists have pinpointed a major gene for allergic diseases. In genetically susceptible individuals the immune system becomes biased and produces IgE antibodies against harmless agents such as pollen, dust mites or animal hair. These IgE antibodies then work in conjunction with certain cells to get rid of the allergens, a process that gives rise to the symptoms of allergy such as allergic rhinitis (hay fever), atopic dermatitis or asthma. ... > full story
Anti-tumor Effects Are Enhanced By Inhibiting Two Pathways Rather Than One (August 25, 2008) -- Two independent research groups have found that simultaneous inhibition of two signaling pathways -- mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways -- results in substantially enhanced antitumor effects when compared with inhibition of either pathway alone in mouse models of prostate and breast cancer. ... > full story
Healthy People And Enhancement Drugs (August 25, 2008) -- Healthy people are more willing to take drugs to enhance traits that are not fundamental to their identity. People's willingness to take a pill or drug depends on whether the trait the drug promises to enhance is one they consider fundamental. ... > full story
Tiny Cellular Antennae Trigger Neural Stem Cells (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists report evidence suggesting that the tiny cilia found on brain cells of mammals, thought to be vestiges of a primeval past, actually play a critical role in relaying molecular signals that spur creation of neurons in an area of the brain involved in mood, learning and memory. ... > full story
Alternative Vaccine Strategy Shows Promise In Prostate Cancer Patients (August 25, 2008) -- New research indicates that giving patients a continuous low dose of an immune system booster, a method known as metronomic dosing, as part of a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine strategy is safe and produces similar immune responses and fewer side effects than the more common dosing method, which is not well tolerated by many patients. ... > full story
Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis: New Guidelines Developed For Physicians (August 25, 2008) -- Updated rules add new anti-arthritic drugs and proven combinations to the arsenal for treating rheumatoid arthritis. The RA guidelines, issued by the American College of Rheumatology, are the first update since 2002. They focus on several classes of anti-arthritic drugs, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and genetically engineered biologics. ... > full story
Starting Kindergarten Later Gives Students Only A Fleeting Edge, Study Finds (August 25, 2008) -- New research challenges a growing trend toward holding kids out of kindergarten until they're older, arguing that academic advantages are short-lived and come at the expense of delaying entry into the workforce and other costs. ... > full story
Uncertainties Prevail Over Human Health Benefits Of Polyphenols (August 25, 2008) -- Despite scores of studies documenting the effects of healthful plant nutrients called polyphenols in protecting nerves from damage, it would be "unwise" to assume that the same protective effects occur for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other human disorders, a new report concludes. ... > full story
How Cancer Cells Come Unstuck And Spread (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists have started a three-year study into the junctions that hold cells together, giving insight into how cancer cells can break off and spread to other parts of the body. ... > full story
LipidomicNet: New Lipidomics Project Promotes Translational Research Towards Human Disease (August 25, 2008) -- The enormous advances in biology and biomedical research during the last decade originate mainly from the fields of Genomics and Proteomics. The current revolution in lipid analysis, however, promises change. For the first time the methodological possibilities are available to map the entire spectrum of lipids in cells, tissues and whole organisms. ... > full story
Part Of The In-group? A Surprising New Strategy Helps Reduce Unhealthy Behaviors (August 25, 2008) -- Public health campaigns intended to reduce unhealthy behaviors like binge drinking and eating junk food often focus on the risks of those behaviors. But a new study suggests a relatively simple but surprisingly effective strategy to improve consumer health. ... > full story
Picking Out Specific Sounds In A Complex Scene: Researchers Study 'Cocktail Party Effect', Measure Auditory Dynamics Of Selective Attention (August 25, 2008) -- In complex scenes such as noisy parties or crowded restaurants, it is more difficult to follow a conversation involving many people, than to focus on one talker at one location. This auditory ability to switch attention and, in the next instant, reset focus to a new speaker, is something about which little is known -- until now. ... > full story
Joint Trauma: Cartilage Repair Gel To Improve Quality Of Life (August 25, 2008) -- Scientists are developing a cartilage repair gel to improve the quality of life for people suffering with medical joint trouble such as osteoarthritis. ... > full story
79 Million US Adults Have Medical Bill Problems Or Are Paying Off Medical Debt (August 25, 2008) -- The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt. ... > full story
Study Examines Testing Model To Predict And Diagnose New Cases Of Dementia (August 25, 2008) -- A preliminary report suggests that within-person variability on neuropsychological testing may be associated with development of dementia in older adults. ... > full story
The Big Gulp: Consumers Avoid Extremes In Soda Sizes (August 25, 2008) -- As portion sizes have increased, Americans' waistlines have expanded. And as a new study demonstrates, consumers are tricked into drinking more soft drinks when retailers eliminate small drink sizes. ... > full story
How Well Do Antimicrobial Products Kill Biofilms? (August 24, 2008) -- Scientist Darla Goeres knows that there is more than one way to grow a biofilm, a fact that she uses to make sure that when a product claims it kills "99 percent" of bacteria, it really does the job. Biofilms are the extremely common communities of bacteria that form on most wet surfaces. They range from the plaque on teeth to the slime on streamside rocks to the sludge that clogs pipes. ... > full story
Seeing Through Tooth Decay (August 24, 2008) -- Dental caries afflict at least 90 percent of the world's population at some time in their lives. Detecting the first signs of this disease, which can be lethal in extreme cases, just got easier thanks to work discussed in the latest issue of the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology. ... > full story
Candy-coating Keeps Proteins Sweet (August 24, 2008) -- Researchers have developed a fast, inexpensive and effective method for evaluating the sugars pharmaceutical companies use to stabilize protein-based drugs for storage at room temperature. ... > full story
Ventriloquism In Motion: How Sound Can Move Light (August 24, 2008) -- New research confirms that what we see can sometimes depend as much on our ears as on our eyes. ... > full story
'Cutting By Color': New Imaging Technique For More Precise Cancer Surgery (August 24, 2008) -- Instead of "paint by number," you might call it "cutting by color": Researchers in Massachusetts now report development and early clinical trials of a new imaging system that highlights cancerous tissue in the body so that surgeons can more easily see and remove diseased tissue with less damage to normal tissue near the tumor. Their research will be presented in August at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia. ... > full story
Going From Ulcers To Cancer (August 24, 2008) -- Researchers have uncovered a big clue as to why some of the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers pose a greater risk for serious problems like stomach cancer than others; it turns out these bacteria can exploit the surrounding stomach cells to protect them from the immune system. ... > full story
Addiction Treatment Proves Successful In Animal Weight Loss Study (August 24, 2008) -- Vigabatrin, a medication proposed as a potential treatment for drug addiction, also leads to rapid weight loss and reduced food intake according to a new animal study from the same research group. Genetically bred 'fat rats' experience dramatic weight loss, reduced food intake after being given vigabatrin. Vigabatrin is currently undergoing US Food and Drug Administration-approved Phase II clinical trials against cocaine and methamphetamine addiction across the US. ... > full story
Insight Into Physiologic Role Of Blood Protein Factor XII Finally Revealed (August 24, 2008) -- The formation of a blood clot is the culmination of a series of events that involve a number of proteins in the bloodstream, including Factor XI, which is one of the proteins activated early on in this cascade of events. ... > full story
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