ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, May 2, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, May 2, 2011

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System in brain -- target of class of diabetes drugs -- linked to weight gain (May 2, 2011) -- Researchers have determined why a certain class of diabetes drugs leads to weight gain and have found that the molecular system involved (PPAR-gamma found in the brain) is also triggered by consumption of high-fat foods. The study could lead to the modification of existing diabetes therapies and even dietary recommendations to limit the action of this nuclear receptor in the brain. ... > full story

Investigational agent shows promise in reducing spread of prostate cancer (May 2, 2011) -- A drug developed to treat Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare childhood cancer, may also help prevent human prostate cancer from spreading, as seen in new lab studies. ... > full story

How to raise a child who doesn't bully (May 2, 2011) -- New research shows that parents can play a key role in decreasing the chances that their son or daughter will harass or intimidate other children. ... > full story

Grandma was right: Infants do wake up taller (May 2, 2011) -- Science is finally confirming what grandma knew all along: infants wake up taller right after they sleep. Findings from the first study of its kind measuring the link between daily growth and sleep show the two are inextricably linked. Specifically, growth spurts are tied to an increase in total daily hours of sleep as well as an increase in the number of daily sleep bouts. ... > full story

Too much or too little sleep may accelerate cognitive aging, study shows (May 2, 2011) -- A new study describes how changes in sleep that occur over a five-year period in late middle age affect cognitive function in later life. The findings suggest that women and men who begin sleeping more or less than 6 to 8 hours per night are subject to an accelerated cognitive decline that is equivalent to four to seven years of aging. ... > full story

Renal cancer drug temsirolimus shows promise against mesothelioma (May 2, 2011) -- A drug commonly used to treat kidney cancer may increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy for mesothelioma, according to a new study. ... > full story

Animal-assisted therapy decreases patient anxiety in pre-MRI setting, study suggests (May 2, 2011) -- Patients who undergo MRI often suffer from elevated anxiety. Patient discomfort may cause poor image quality due to motion artifacts or early termination. Anxiolytic medications are currently used to reduce this anticipated anxiety, but animal-assisted therapy may be a non-invasive alternative treatment with fewer adverse effects, according to new research. ... > full story

Researchers link alcohol-dependence impulsivity to brain anomalies (May 1, 2011) -- Alcohol dependence (AD) is strongly associated with impaired impulse control. A new study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine impulsive choices among people with a range of alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Findings suggest that impulsive choice in AD may be the result of functional anomalies in widely distributed but interconnected brain regions that are involved in cognitive and emotional control. ... > full story

Maternal obesity puts infants at risk of iron deficiency (May 1, 2011) -- Babies born to obese mothers are at risk for iron deficiency, which could affect infant brain development. ... > full story

Inverting a standard experiment sometimes produces different results (May 1, 2011) -- The standard experimental setup for measuring the cellular uptake of nanoparticles is to place cells in a well on a culture plate and cover them with culture medium containing nanoparticles. The assumption underlying these experiments is that the particles remain well-dispersed. But when a scientist turned cell cultures upside down, he discovered that this assumption doesn't always hold. Some experiments preparing for the clinical use of nanoparticles may therefore need to be redone. ... > full story

'I'm a Mac' -- so what? Study finds way to measure brand personality appeal (May 1, 2011) -- Companies spend millions to develop their brand's personality, in hopes that it can help sell products. But they've had no way of measuring whether that personality actually appeals to consumers. Now, researchers lay out a system for measuring the appeal of a brand's personality. ... > full story

Cells send signals via membrane nanotubes (May 1, 2011) -- A new research discovery may help to explain how cells cooperate to develop tissue in the embryo and how wounds heal. Last year researchers discovered that electrical signals were being passed through nanotubes from one cell to another at high speed (roughly 1-2 m/sec). Now the scientists are seeking answers as to why the cells send signals to each other in this way. The process could explain how cells are coordinated during embryo growth, researchers say. ... > full story

Chemical found in crude oil linked to congenital heart disease: Fetal exposure to solvents may damage heart (May 1, 2011) -- While it may be years before the health effects of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are known, a new study shows that fetal exposure to a chemical found in crude oil is associated with an increased risk of congenital heart disease. ... > full story

Robotic surgery effective for removing hard-to-reach throat cancer, study suggests (May 1, 2011) -- Robotic surgery has become a mainstream tool for removing an ever-increasing variety of head and neck tumors. Now, a team of head and neck surgeons has found robotic surgery can treat cancer in the narrow, hard-to-reach area beyond the tongue at the top of the voice box. Some patients were able to avoid further treatment with chemotherapy or radiation, and most could resume normal eating and speaking. ... > full story

Video games may help clear airway of cystic fibrosis patients (May 1, 2011) -- Video games controlled by the player's breath can encourage youths with cystic fibrosis to use techniques that can help keep their airways clearer, according to a new study. ... > full story

Errors put infants, children at risk for overdose of painkillers: Prescriptions for narcotics often contain too much medication per dose (May 1, 2011) -- Parents who give young children prescription painkillers should take extra care to make sure they give just the right amount. What they may be surprised to learn, however, is that the dose given to them by the pharmacy could be too high. ... > full story

Thinking outside the column: New insights into brain structure reveal new facets of information processing in nervous system (May 1, 2011) -- For more than 50 years, a dominating assumption in brain research was that nerve cells in the cortex of the brain are organized in the form of microscopically small columns. Subsequently, it became a textbook standard that connections are created predominantly between nerve cells within these columns. Researchers now show that this view has to be revised: input from cells that lie outside this column plays a much more important role than previously assumed. ... > full story

Formula-fed preemies at higher risk for dangerous GI condition than babies who get donor milk (May 1, 2011) -- Extremely premature babies fed human donor milk are less likely to develop the dangerous intestinal condition necrotizing enterocolitis than babies fed a standard premature infant formula derived from cow's milk, according to new research. ... > full story

Scientists examine psychiatric disorders linked with epilepsy (May 1, 2011) -- Researchers in Ireland have conducted the first study of its kind to examine in detail, the basis of psychiatric disorders which occur in people with epilepsy. The findings of this study showed similarities with the brain cell patterns in people with schizophrenia. The research gives greater insights into both conditions which may potentially lead to new treatments in the future. ... > full story

Researchers discover mechanism that could convert certain cells into insulin-making cells (April 30, 2011) -- Researchers may have discovered the underlying mechanism that could convert other cell types into pancreatic beta cells. ... > full story

Plant extract may be new therapy for hay fever, study suggests (April 30, 2011) -- Fighting hay fever with a plant extract? It works, as was shown in a new clinical study. Allergic symptoms were alleviated significantly better than with the usual histamine receptor antagonists. ... > full story

Second gene associated with specific congenital heart defects identified (April 30, 2011) -- A gene known to be important in cardiac development has been newly associated with congenital heart malformations that result in obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract. ... > full story

Finding molecular targets of an HIV drug used in cancer therapy (April 30, 2011) -- Researchers have identified potential human molecular targets of the anti-HIV drug Nelfinavir, which may explain why the drug is also effective as a cancer therapy. ... > full story

New test shows promise for detecting warning signs of joint replacement failure (April 30, 2011) -- A new test shows promise for detecting the early stages of a major cause of failure in joint replacement implants, so that patients can be treated and perhaps avoid additional surgery. More than 1.5 million total joint replacement operations are performed worldwide each year. While the success rate is 90 per cent, almost 10 per cent of implants fail and require additional surgery. ... > full story

US Appeals Court opens federal funding for stem cell research (April 30, 2011) -- The US Federal Court of Appeals has overturned an August 2010 ban on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, paving the way for broader exploration of how stem cells function and how they can be harnessed to treat a wide range of currently incurable diseases. ... > full story

Male doctors more likely to be disciplined for misconduct, Australian study shows (April 30, 2011) -- Male doctors are four times more likely than female doctors to be disciplined for misconduct, and sexual misconduct is the most common reason for disciplinary action, an Australian study has found. ... > full story

Risk of accelerated aging seen in PTSD patients with childhood trauma (April 29, 2011) -- Adults with post-traumatic stress disorder and a history of childhood trauma had significantly shorter telomere length than those with PTSD but without childhood trauma, a recent study found. ... > full story

A better imaging agent for heart disease and breast cancer (April 29, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development of a process for producing large quantities of a much-needed new imaging agent for computed tomography scans in heart disease, breast cancer and other diseases, and the first evidence that the material is safe for clinical use. The imaging agent is a tantalum oxide nanoparticle, which is inexpensive, and stays in the body long enough to image many different organs. ... > full story

When a salad is not a salad: Why are dieters easily misled by food names? (April 29, 2011) -- Dieters are so involved with trying to eat virtuously that they are more likely than non-dieters to choose unhealthy foods that are labeled as healthy, according to a new study. It seems dieter focus on food names can work to their disadvantage. ... > full story

New genetic model of premature aging diseases (April 29, 2011) -- Scientists have developed a new genetic model of premature aging disorders that could shed light on these rare conditions in humans and provide a novel platform for large-scale screening of compounds to combat these and other age-related diseases. ... > full story

Mystery solved: How sickle hemoglobin protects against malaria (April 29, 2011) -- A new article is likely to help solve one of the long-standing mysteries of biomedicine. In a study that challenges currently held views, researchers unravel the molecular mechanism whereby sickle cell hemoglobin confers a survival advantage against malaria, the disease caused by Plasmodium infection. These findings open the way to new therapeutic interventions against malaria, a disease that continues to inflict tremendous medical, social and economic burdens to a large proportion of the human population. ... > full story

Measles outbreak underscores need for continued vigilance in health care settings (April 29, 2011) -- In 2008, the largest reported health care-associated measles outbreak in the United States since 1989 occurred in Tucson, Ariz., costing approximately 0,000 in response and containment efforts. Researchers have now identified preventive measures hospitals and health care facilities can implement to reduce the likelihood and decrease the economic impact of a future measles outbreak in these settings. ... > full story

Unintentional child injuries, deaths can be prevented, public health researchers say (April 29, 2011) -- Injury-related accidents, including suffocation, being burned, and ingestion of harmful substances, are the leading cause of death among children and adolescents, according to the CDC. Researchers have found that the majority of injuries to young children are not the result of physical abuse, but unintentional injuries resulting from inadequate supervision. Although injuries to children may be unintentional, they can be prevented and should not be considered accidents, researchers say. ... > full story

Monkeys, too, can recollect what they've seen, study suggests (April 29, 2011) -- It's one thing to recognize your childhood home when you see it in a photograph and quite another to accurately describe or draw a picture of it based on your recollection of how it looked. A new report offers some of the first clear evidence that monkeys, like humans, have the capacity for both forms of memory. ... > full story

Gene therapy shows promise against age-related macular degeneration (April 29, 2011) -- A study shows promise in slowing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers demonstrate for the first time that a gene therapy approach to deliver CD59, an inhibitor of complement, can significantly reduce uncontrolled blood vessel growth and cell death that is typical in AMD, the most common cause of blindness in the elderly. ... > full story

How do white blood cells detect invaders to destroy? (April 29, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered how a molecular receptor on the surface of white blood cells identifies when invading fungi have established direct contact with the cell surface and pose an infectious threat. ... > full story

Disruptions of daily rhythms in Alzheimer's patients' brains (April 29, 2011) -- Disruptions of circadian rhythms and sleep-wake cycles have been observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease. A new study unravels a possible basis for these perturbations. Recent findings show function in multiple areas of the human brain. ... > full story

Shielding body protects brain from 'shell shocking' blast injuries: Even mild blast exposure damages nerve cells in mice, study shows (April 29, 2011) -- Stronger and tougher body armor to shield the chest, abdomen and back may be just what soldiers fighting in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars need to better protect their brains from mild injuries tied to so-called "shell shock," results of a new study in mice suggest. ... > full story

Super-fruits: Tropical blueberries extremely high in healthful antioxidants, study suggests (April 29, 2011) -- The first analysis of the healthful antioxidant content of blueberries that grow wild in Mexico, Central and South America concludes that some of these fruits have even more healthful antioxidants than the blueberries -- already renowned as "super fruits" -- sold throughout the United States. These extreme super fruits could provide even more protection against heart disease, cancer and other conditions, the report suggests. ... > full story

New microchip revolutionizes medical approach for monitoring for risk of sudden infant death syndrome (April 29, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a microchip sensor that can detect a person's respiratory rate without any contact with the person under observation. The chip allows for constant monitoring of babies in cot beds, hospital patients and other people at risk of obstructive apneas including, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It can be used also for the early detection of sudden sleep of vehicle drivers. ... > full story

Link between theta rhythm and ability of animals to track location probed (April 29, 2011) -- New research supports the hypothesis that spatial coding by grid cells requires theta rhythm oscillations, and dissociates the mechanisms underlying the generation of entorhinal grid cell periodicity and head-direction selectivity. ... > full story

Romance is not dead: Digital puts the spark back into relationships (April 29, 2011) -- Few people mull over a text message, however heartfelt, in the same way as a handwritten declaration of love. But researchers in the UK are looking to prove that using digital communication doesn't necessarily mean that romance is dead. ... > full story

Interval training and healthy eating is solution to obesity, study shows (April 29, 2011) -- A program which combines interval training and healthy eating practices seems to be perfectly indicated for those suffering from obesity. ... > full story

Will it fall? Scientists show how the brain's estimate of Newton's laws affects perceived object stability (April 29, 2011) -- Newton's laws of motion predict that an object will fall when its centre-of-mass lies beyond its base of support. But how does your brain know whether the tower will fall or not? Scientists in Germany recently reported that although the physical laws governing object stability are reasonably well represented by the brain, you are a better judge of how objects fall when you are upright than when you lay on your side. ... > full story

Concern over 'excessive' doses of thyroid drugs for older patients (April 29, 2011) -- Many older adults may be taking "excessive" doses of drugs for thyroid problems which can lead to an increased risk of fractures, a new study finds. ... > full story

Infants with persistent crying problems more likely to have behavior problems in childhood, study finds (April 29, 2011) -- Infants who have problems with persistent crying, sleeping and/or feeding -- known as regulatory problems -- are far more likely to become children with significant behavioral problems, reveals new research. ... > full story

Heart attacks are more serious if they occur at certain times of the day (April 29, 2011) -- People who have a heart attack are likely to be more seriously affected if the attack happens in the morning, reveals new research. ... > full story

Stress and depression are associated with shorter survival in head and neck cancer patients (April 29, 2011) -- Studies have shown that stress can affect the immune system. In cancer patients this stress can also affect a tumor's ability to grow. However, the biological mechanisms that underlie such associations are not well understood. Now, researchers find that poor psychosocial functioning is associated with greater vascular endothelial growth factor expression -- a signaling protein that stimulates tumor growth and is also associated with shorter disease-free survival in head and neck cancer patients. ... > full story