ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, May 9, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, May 9, 2011

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Researchers see a 'picture' of threat in the brain: Work may lead to new model of neuroinflammation (May 9, 2011) -- Researchers are beginning to see exactly what the response to threats looks like in the brain at the cellular and molecular levels. This new information, including the discovery that a model of social stress can increase inflammation among brain cells, should provide new insight into how the stress response affects inflammatory and behavioral responses. ... > full story

When the lungs come under pressure: New way to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (May 9, 2011) -- Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension struggle with severe symptoms, which include shortness of breath, exhaustion and a lack of vitality. Moreover, the disease, which is more common in women, often claims the patient's life within a few years of its development. The currently available methods of treatment can slow down the progression of the disease and improve the symptoms; a cure, however, has thus far been unavailable. Scientists have now succeeded - for the first time in an animal model -- in not only halting the progression of the disease, but also in reversing it with the help of an inhalation therapy. ... > full story

New algorithm significantly improves imaging for full-body MRIs (May 9, 2011) -- A new study reveals an improved algorithm that can dramatically improve how radiologists capture and interpret full-body MRIs, particularly in the abdominal region. ... > full story

Adolescents less likely to start smoking if they feel connected to their parents, face consequences for lighting up (May 9, 2011) -- A study finds parents shouldn't let up when it comes to discouraging their kids from smoking. ... > full story

Brain performs near optimal visual search (May 9, 2011) -- Visual search is an important task for the brain. Surprisingly, even in a complex task like detecting an object in a scene with distractions, we find that people's performance is near optimal. That means that the brain manages to do the best possible job given the available information, according to researchers. ... > full story

HIV drug could prevent cervical cancer, researchers discover (May 9, 2011) -- A widely used HIV drug could be used to prevent cervical cancer caused by infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), say scientists. ... > full story

Epigenetic study reveals new insights into breast cancer (May 9, 2011) -- The most comprehensive analysis yet of the epigenetic modifications present in breast cancer has revealed potentially important new ways to detect and treat the disease, Belgian researchers have reported. ... > full story

Making the move to exercise for overweight and obese people (May 9, 2011) -- How much exercise are overweight and obese people getting? More than many might think, according to new research findings. ... > full story

Children conceived in winter have a greater risk of autism, study finds (May 8, 2011) -- An examination of the birth records of the more than seven million children born in the state of California during the 1990s and early 2000s has found a clear link between the month in which a child is conceived and the risk of that child later receiving a diagnosis of autism. ... > full story

Common medicine used to combat osteoporosis can cause fractures, study finds (May 8, 2011) -- Bisphosphonates are a common medication used to combat osteoporosis. But they can also cause fractures, according to new research. ... > full story

Is there a 'tiger mother' effect? Asian students study twice as many hours, analysis finds (May 8, 2011) -- Valerie Ramey analyzed data in the American Time Use Survey and discovered that Asian high school and college students out-study all other groups. But their mothers spend only about a half hour a week more in educational activities with their children. ... > full story

'Bad' cholesterol not as bad as people think, study shows (May 8, 2011) -- The so-called "bad cholesterol" -- low-density lipoprotein commonly called LDL -- may not be so bad after all, according to a new study that casts new light on the cholesterol debate, particularly among adults who exercise. ... > full story

New biomarker allows early detection of adverse prognosis after acute kidney injury (May 8, 2011) -- A new biomarker-based diagnostic test is more effective than current best practice for early detection of adverse outcomes after acute kidney injury, which can be fatal for 50 percent of the critically ill patients who get the condition. A multi-center study reports the kidney injury biomarker NGAL in urine or blood detects early subclinical AKI and its adverse outcomes in critically ill patients. ... > full story

Study gives clues to how obesity spreads socially (May 8, 2011) -- Obesity is socially contagious, according to research published in the past few years. How it is "caught" from others remains a murky area. But new findings shed light on the transmission of obesity among friends and family. ... > full story

Protein keeps sleep-deprived flies ready to learn (May 8, 2011) -- A protein that helps the brain develop early in life can fight the mental fuzziness induced by sleep deprivation, according to researchers. ... > full story

Neurosurgeon pushes brain bypass to new heights (May 8, 2011) -- A new high-flow procedure means improved outcomes for patients. The technique is less invasive and keeps more blood flowing in the brain than previous surgeries. ... > full story

Parental alcoholism carries risk for offspring to develop the same, population-based study confirms (May 8, 2011) -- Researchers know that there is a strong link between parental alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and the risk for developing an AUD among their offspring. This study looked at the risk of AUDs in the offspring of a large population-based sample of Danish parents. Findings confirmed that parental AUDs were associated with an increased risk of AUDs among the offspring. ... > full story

Engineers patch a heart: Tissue-engineering platform enables heart tissue to repair itself (May 7, 2011) -- Engineering researchers have established a new method to patch a damaged heart using a tissue-engineering platform that enables heart tissue to repair itself. The breakthrough is an important step forward in combating cardiovascular disease, one of the most serious health problems of our day. ... > full story

Telomerase: Research reveals how cancer-driving enzyme works (May 7, 2011) -- Cancer researchers are helping unlock the cellular-level function of the telomerase enzyme, which is linked to the disease's growth. ... > full story

Direct proof of how T cells stay in 'standby' mode: Study offers means of activating T cells to fight disease without antigenic triggers (May 7, 2011) -- Researchers offer definitive proof that T cells need to actively maintain "quiescence," a sort of standby mode the cells enter while waiting activation by other parts of the immune system. The researchers also found that they can activate quiescent cells by targeting a single protein, opening the possibility that quiescent T cells within tumors can be used to kill cancer cells. ... > full story

How shifts in temperature prime immune response (May 7, 2011) -- Researchers have found a temperature-sensing protein within immune cells that, when tripped, allows calcium to pour in and activate an immune response. This process can occur as temperature rises, such as during a fever, or when it falls -- such as when immune cells are "called" from the body's warm interior to a site of injury on cooler skin. ... > full story

Potential multiple sclerosis therapy could kill brain cells, study suggests (May 7, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that some "protective" T-cells can kill neurons. This finding is significant because a specific type of T-cell therapy is being touted in the medical community as a potential treatment for MS and other autoimmune conditions. ... > full story

Families are 'lovin' it': Parents' work influences how often family meals are eaten outside of home (May 7, 2011) -- Americans are spending about half their food budget in restaurants. As it is widely known, food prepared away from home, as compared to food prepared at home, is often higher in calories, saturated fat, and sodium. With children's dietary quality at risk, a study explores the influence of parental styles and work schedules on children's use of and time spent in fast-food and full-service restaurants. ... > full story

Malaria mosquitoes accurately find their way to smelly feet (May 6, 2011) -- Malaria mosquitoes utilize carbon dioxide from exhaled air to localize humans from afar. In the vicinity of their preferred host, they alter their course towards the human feet. Researchers discovered how female malaria mosquitoes use foot odors in the last meters to guide them to their favored biting place. The research suggests possibilities to disrupt the host seeking behavior of the malaria mosquito. ... > full story

Parental exposure to BPA during pregnancy associated with decreased birth weight in offspring (May 6, 2011) -- Parental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy is associated with decreased birth weight of offspring, compared with offspring from families without parental BPA exposure in the workplace, according to researchers. ... > full story

Advanced instrument analyzes immune cells in far more detail: Technology promises more effective prescription drug therapies (May 6, 2011) -- Researchers have taken a machine already in use for the measurement of impurities in semiconductors and used it to analyze immune cells in far more detail than has been possible before. The new technology lets scientists take simultaneous measurements of dozens of features located on and in cells, whereas the existing technology typically begins to encounter technical limitations at about a half-dozen. ... > full story

Protein snapshots reveal clues to breast cancer outcomes (May 6, 2011) -- Measuring the transfer of tiny amounts of energy from one protein to another on breast cancer cells has given scientists a detailed view of molecular interactions that could help predict how breast cancer patients will respond to particular therapies. ... > full story

Combination of ADHD and poor emotional control runs in families, study suggests (May 6, 2011) -- A subgroup of adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also exhibit excessive emotional reactions to everyday occurrences, and this combination of ADHD and emotional reactivity appears to run in families. ... > full story

Insight into HIV immunity may lead to vaccine (May 6, 2011) -- The latest insights into immunity to HIV could help to develop a vaccine to build antibodies' defenses against the disease, a new study has found. ... > full story

Cigarette smoking and arsenic exposure: A deadly combination (May 6, 2011) -- Arsenic exposure and smoking each elevate the risk of disease. But when combined together, the danger of dying from cardiovascular disease is magnified, a new study finds. ... > full story

Children of bipolar parents are overly sensitive to stress hormone cortisol, study finds (May 6, 2011) -- Children whose mother or father is affected by bipolar disorder may need to keep their stress levels in check. A new international study suggests the stress hormone cortisol is a key player in the mood disorder. The findings are the first to show that cortisol is elevated more readily in these children in response to the stressors of normal everyday life. ... > full story

Scientists afflict computers with 'schizophrenia' to better understand the human brain (May 6, 2011) -- Computer networks that can't forget fast enough can show symptoms of a kind of virtual schizophrenia, giving researchers further clues to the inner workings of schizophrenic brains, researchers have found. ... > full story

Antibodies help protect monkeys from HIV-like virus, scientists show (May 6, 2011) -- Using a monkey model of AIDS, scientists have identified a vaccine-generated immune-system response that correlates with protection against infection by the monkey version of HIV, called simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). The researchers found that neutralizing antibodies generated by immunization were associated with protection against SIV infection. This finding marks an important step toward understanding how an effective HIV vaccine could work, according to the scientists. ... > full story

EEG headset with flying harness lets users 'fly' by controlling their thoughts (May 6, 2011) -- Students have created a system that pairs an EEG headset with a 3-D theatrical flying harness, allowing users to "fly" by controlling their thoughts. The "Infinity Simulator" will make its debut with an art installation in which participants rise into the air -- and trigger light, sound, and special effects -- by calming their thoughts. ... > full story

Surgery reduces risk of mortality due to prostate cancer even for low-risk groups, study finds (May 6, 2011) -- A Swedish research team followed a group of prostate cancer patients in the Nordic region for 15 years. The study found, among other things, that surgery reduces the risk that men with prostate cancer (even those with low-risk tumors) will die within 15 years. ... > full story

Universal signaling pathway found to regulate sleep (May 6, 2011) -- An unexpected observation in the C. elegans nematode may help explain the neurobiology of sleep in a wide variety of creatures, including humans. ... > full story

DNA from common stomach bacteria minimizes effects of colitis, study says (May 6, 2011) -- DNA from Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacteria, minimizes the effects of colitis in mice, according to a new study. ... > full story

Forecast calls for nanoflowers to help return eyesight: Physicist leads effort to design fractal devices to put in eyes (May 6, 2011) -- A researcher is on a quest to grow flowers that will help people who've lost their sight by designing nano-sized flowers whose fractal shapes on implants will engage with neurons to carry light to the optic nerve. ... > full story

Stem cell-related changes that may contribute to age-related cognitive decline identified (May 6, 2011) -- A new study offers an explanation for why our brains produce fewer and fewer neurons with age, a phenomenon thought to underlie age-related cognitive decline. The study suggests that this drop in production is due to the shrinking cache of adult stem cells in our brains. ... > full story

When self-esteem is threatened, people pay with credit cards (May 6, 2011) -- People shop for high status items when they're feeling low, and they're more likely to make those expensive purchases on credit, according to a new study. ... > full story

Mutation provides new insight into the molecular mechanisms of aging (May 6, 2011) -- A new study identifies the mutation that underlies a rare, inherited accelerated-aging disease and provides key insight into normal human aging. The research highlights the importance of a cellular structure called the "nuclear envelope" in the process of aging. ... > full story

Drug-resistance fears for deadly fungal disease (May 6, 2011) -- Deadly human fungal infections caused by certain strains of Aspergillus fungi appear to be developing resistance to current drug treatments at an alarming rate, say scientists. ... > full story

Prolonged bottle feeding increases the risk of obesity, study suggests (May 6, 2011) -- Experts agree that obesity prevention should begin before children enter school. But due to a lack of conclusive data, health care providers often have trouble advising parents about which interventions are the most beneficial. A new study suggests that limiting prolonged bottle use in children may be an effective way to help prevent obesity. ... > full story

Anatomy of an outbreak: Tiny changes in chikungunya virus separate epidemic African strain and tamer Asian variety (May 6, 2011) -- Researchers have found a genetic solution to the puzzle of why the chikungunya virus infected millions of people after it was introduced to Asia in 2005, but infected almost no one after an earlier Asian introduction. ... > full story

Can social deficits of autism and schizophrenia be modeled in animals? (May 6, 2011) -- Social deficits are common in several psychiatric disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Individuals with severe social dysfunction can experience significant difficulties with everyday functioning. Now, scientists have further characterized a mouse model that provides some insights into biological factors related to social deficits, by comparing mice that had their oxytocin receptor gene made inactive, using a specialized technique called genetic knockout, with unaltered mice. ... > full story

Filipino children in San Diego County at higher risk for Kawasaki disease, study finds (May 6, 2011) -- While children of all ethnicities can contract Kawasaki disease (KD), a study led by researchers in San Diego, California finds that Filipino children with KD are at a higher risk for inflammation of the blood vessels of the heart than those of other Asian and non-Asian backgrounds. ... > full story

Far-reaching effects of estrogen signaling mapped in breast cancer cells (May 5, 2011) -- Researchers have made the most comprehensive measurement to date of estrogen's effect on breast cancer cells, showing for the first time how immediate and extensive the effect is. ... > full story

Short antibiotic courses safer for breathing-tube infections in children (May 5, 2011) -- Short courses of antibiotics appear just as effective as longer ones -- and a great deal safer -- in treating respiratory infections that might cause pneumonia in children on temporary breathing devices, according to a Johns Hopkins Children's Center study published online May 3 in Clinical Infectious Diseases. ... > full story