ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, May 13, 2011
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Irritable bowel syndrome: Common gastrointestinal disorder linked to bacterial overgrowth, food poisoning (May 13, 2011) -- Researchers have reported two advances in the understanding of irritable bowel syndrome, the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 30 million people. One study provides further evidence that IBS is linked to an overgrowth of bacteria in the gut. In a separate study, a mathematical model reveals the disease's link to food poisoning and shows that military personnel are at a much higher risk for the disorder than the rest of the population. ... > full story
15 eggs is the perfect number needed to achieve a live birth after IVF, study suggests (May 13, 2011) -- An analysis of over 400,000 IVF cycles in the UK has shown that doctors should aim to retrieve around 15 eggs from a woman's ovaries in a single cycle in order to have the best chance of achieving a live birth after assisted reproduction technology. ... > full story
How adversity dulls our perceptions (May 13, 2011) -- Perceptions learned in an aversive context are not as sharp as those learned in other circumstances, new research suggests. ... > full story
New method for engineering human tissue regeneration (May 13, 2011) -- If clinical trials prove successful, a discovery could represent a leap toward human tissue regeneration and engineering. In a new study, scientists provide evidence to support a paradigm shift from the idea that cells added to a graft before implantation are the building blocks of tissue, to a new belief that engineered tissue constructs can induce or augment the body's own reparative mechanisms, including complex tissue regeneration. ... > full story
Taking additional selenium will not reduce cancer risk, study suggests (May 13, 2011) -- Although some people believe that taking selenium can reduce a person's risk of cancer, a Cochrane Systematic Review of randomized controlled clinical trials found no protective effect against non-melanoma skin cancer or prostate cancer. In addition, there is some indication that taking selenium over a long period of time could have toxic effects. ... > full story
Power of placebos: Canadian psychiatrists more ready than other physicians to acknowledge the benefits of placebos, survey shows (May 13, 2011) -- They may be uncomfortable talking about it, but it's definitely going on. A recent survey reports that one in five respondents -- physicians and psychiatrists in Canadian medical schools -- have administered or prescribed a placebo. Moreover, an even higher proportion of psychiatrists (more than 35 per cent) reported prescribing subtherapeutic doses of medication (that is, doses that are below, sometimes considerably below, the minimal recommended therapeutic level) to treat their patients. ... > full story
Smarter treatment for killer infections (May 12, 2011) -- Sepsis is a major killer in hospital intensive care units. Researchers have found that manipulating a genetic factor that can launch or throttle the body's defenses can improve survival rates during bacterial infection. ... > full story
Genetic clue to common birth defects found (May 12, 2011) -- Scientists have for the first time uncovered a gene responsible for Adams-Oliver syndrome (AOS), a condition which can cause birth defects of the heart, limbs or blood vessels. The study gives valuable insight not only into this particular condition, but also the possible genetic causes of these common birth defects found in the wider population. ... > full story
Fake cigarettes increase success rate for quitting smoking, study finds (May 12, 2011) -- Nicotine-free plastic inhalers may increase a smoker's chance of quitting, according to new research. ... > full story
Blood test for lung cancer? Characteristic patterns in microRNA reveal disease (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers have identified characteristic patterns of molecules called microRNA in the blood of people with lung cancer that might reveal both the presence and aggressiveness of the disease, and perhaps who is at risk of developing it. These patterns may be detectable up to two years before the tumor is found by computed tomography (CT) scans. The findings could lead to a blood test for lung cancer. ... > full story
Lack of exercise linked to higher heart disease risk in healthy children as young as 9 (May 12, 2011) -- Even healthy children as young as 9 years old can start to show an increased risk of future heart problems if they are physically inactive. Researchers studied 223 children with an average age of 9.8 years, assessing their physical activity levels over four days. Children who were more physically active had a lower composite risk factor score for cardiovascular disease. ... > full story
Sharing musical instruments means sharing germs (May 12, 2011) -- Disease-causing bacteria can survive for days on wind instruments and may thus contribute to sickness in people who play wind instruments, especially students who share instruments, report researchers. ... > full story
Treating HIV-infected people with antiretrovirals significantly reduces transmission to partners (May 12, 2011) -- Men and women infected with HIV reduced the risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partners by taking oral antiretroviral medicines when their immune systems were relatively healthy, according to new findings from an international study. ... > full story
New discoveries about tumor-suppressing protein could help reduce treatment side effects (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers have untangled two distinct ways in which a common, naturally occurring "tumor-suppressor" protein works. The separation of these two functions -- which can have quite different consequences -- could enhance efforts to develop treatment approaches that mitigate the sometimes-devastating side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. ... > full story
Toward a vaccine for methamphetamine abuse (May 12, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development of three promising formulations that could be used in a vaccine to treat methamphetamine addiction -- one of the most serious drug abuse problems in the US. ... > full story
New findings on noninvasive test for pancreatic cancer (May 12, 2011) -- Pancreatic cancer has one of the highest mortality rates of any of the major cancers, and of the 43,000-plus Americans diagnosed with the disease each year, more than 94 percent die within five years of diagnosis. One reason for this high number of deaths is a lack of effective screening tools for catching the disease early. Now, in an effort to try to gain the upper hand on this deadly form of cancer, researchers believe they have found a new way to test for pancreatic cancer with DNA testing of patients' stool samples. ... > full story
When words get hot, mental multitaskers collect cool (May 12, 2011) -- How useful would it be to anticipate how well someone will control their emotions? To predict how well they might be able to stay calm during stress? To accept critical feedback stoically? A psychology professor finds clues in what psychologists call "hot" and "cold" psychology. ... > full story
Human lung stem cell discovered: Crucial role in tissue regeneration (May 12, 2011) -- For the first time, researchers have identified a human lung stem cell that is self-renewing and capable of forming and integrating multiple biological structures of the lung including bronchioles, alveoli and pulmonary vessels. ... > full story
Genetic alteration may represent early stage of smoking-induced cardiovascular damage (May 12, 2011) -- A new study uncovers a previously unrecognized link between tobacco smoking and a gene known to influence the cardiovascular system, possibly identifying an early stage of smoking-associated cardiovascular pathology. The research may serve to guide future research strategies aimed at identifying and counteracting mechanisms of smoking-induced pathology. ... > full story
Sugar boosters could lead to cheap, effective treatments for chronic bacterial infections (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a simple compound -- sugar -- dramatically boosts the effectiveness of first-line antibiotics. ... > full story
Novel mouse model provides insight into rare neurodegenerative disease (May 12, 2011) -- New research sheds light on common pathogenic mechanisms shared by Huntington's disease (HD) and HD-like disorders. The study uses a new transgenic mouse model for an HD-like disorder to unravel complex molecular events that drive disease pathology. ... > full story
Learning through mere exposure: Improving visual perception and attention without training (May 12, 2011) -- Neuroscientists in Germany have demonstrated that human visual perception and attention can be improved without training. In a new study, they report that the sense of vision can be lastingly changed by merely exposing subjects to visual stimuli for a short period of time. ... > full story
Scientists use genetically altered virus to get tumors to tattle on themselves (May 12, 2011) -- Scientists have used a genetically re-engineered herpes virus that selectively hunts down and infects cancerous tumors and then delivers genetic material that prompts cancers to secrete a biomarker and reveal their presence. The novel technology has the potential to vastly improve cancer diagnosis by allowing the disease to be caught at much earlier stages and to monitor the effectiveness of therapy. ... > full story
New technology fuses MRI, ultrasound to achieve targeted biopsy of prostate cancer (May 12, 2011) -- A new prostate-imaging technology that fuses MRI with real-time, three-dimensional ultrasound may offer a more exacting method to obtain biopsy specimens from suspicious areas within the organ. ... > full story
Musical experience offsets some aging effects: Older musicians excel in memory and hearing speech in noise compared to non-musicians (May 12, 2011) -- A growing body of research finds musical training gives students learning advantages in the classroom. Now a study finds musical training can benefit Grandma, too, by offsetting some of the deleterious effects of aging. ... > full story
Monkey studies reveal promising vaccine approach for HIV (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a vaccine candidate in rhesus macaque monkeys that may eventually lead to a vaccine against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). ... > full story
New therapeutic target for lung cancer (May 12, 2011) -- A new therapeutic target for lung cancer has been discovered. It was found that a variant of the protein AIMP2 is highly expressed in lung cancer cells and also that patients demonstrating high expression of this variant show lower survival. ... > full story
Teens who feel responsible to their parents are more engaged in school (May 12, 2011) -- Researchers surveying 835 youths in suburban Chicago and Beijing have found that youths who feel more responsible to their parents stay engaged in school and perform better. The study was conducted over two years and began when the youths were in 7th grade. The findings suggest that parents need to communicate to teenagers the importance of acting responsibly as they enter middle school; middle school is often a time when students' school engagement declines. ... > full story
African Americans and the general public support banning menthol in cigarettes (May 12, 2011) -- A majority of Americans, including most African Americans, stand together in support of banning menthol in cigarettes just as other cigarette flavorings have now been banned by the FDA. ... > full story
Mild obesity appears to improve survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (May 11, 2011) -- Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, may be an exception to the rule that being overweight is a health hazard. In a retrospective study of over 400 ALS patients, researchers found that those who were mildly obese survived longer than patients who were normal weight, underweight or even overweight. ... > full story
Surge in obesity correlates with increased automobile usage, study finds (May 11, 2011) -- The surge in passenger vehicle usage in the U.S. between the 1950s and today may be associated with surging levels of obesity, says a researcher who specializes in statistics and data analysis. ... > full story
Highest reported BPA level in pregnant woman and associated abnormalities in infant (May 11, 2011) -- A new case study examining an infant's transient neurobehavioral abnormalities and extremely high bisphenol A (BPA) concentration of the baby's mother suggests a link between the two. ... > full story
For puzzling childhood immune disorder, gene research opens door to first diagnostic test (May 11, 2011) -- A new genomics study sets the stage for the first predictive diagnostic test in a serious immunodeficiency disease in children. If the disorder, common variable immunodeficiency disease (CVID), can be diagnosed early, children may receive life-saving treatments before the disease can progress. ... > full story
Brain development goes off track as vulnerable individuals develop schizophrenia (May 11, 2011) -- Two new research studies point to progressive abnormalities in brain development that emerge as vulnerable individuals develop schizophrenia. ... > full story
Serendipity leads to lifesaving discovery: Team finds disease-causing mutations and saves a baby girl (May 11, 2011) -- Recent findings pointing to a critical role for IRF8 in the development and function of monocytes and dendritic cells and in protecting against mycobacterial infections like TB in humans. ... > full story
Does Cupid play politics? That 'something special' might be your mate's political ideology (May 11, 2011) -- Though "variety is the spice of life" and "opposites attract," most people marry only those whose political views align with their own, according to new research. Political scientists found that political attitudes were among the strongest shared traits and even stronger than qualities like personality or looks. ... > full story
Microbubble-delivered combination therapy eradicates prostate cancer in vivo (May 11, 2011) -- Cancer researchers are a step closer to finding a cure for advanced prostate cancer after effectively combining an anti-cancer drug with a viral gene therapy in vivo using novel ultrasound-targeted microbubble-destruction (UTMD) technology. ... > full story
Lessening the dangers of radiation: Ultrasound as effective as CT scans for most diagnoses, research finds (May 11, 2011) -- A new study exploring the efficacy of expensive and invasive CT scans has found that, in many cases, they don't offer a clinical advantage over a simple, inexpensive ultrasound procedure. ... > full story
'Liquid smoke' from rice shows potential health benefits (May 11, 2011) -- Liquid smoke flavoring made from hickory and other wood -- a mainstay flavoring and anti-bacterial agent for the prepared food industry and home kitchens -- may get a competitor that seems to be packed with antioxidant, antiallergenic and anti-inflammatory substances, according to a new study. It is the first analysis of liquid smoke produced from rice hulls, the hard, inedible coverings of rice grains. ... > full story
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