ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, May 19, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, May 19, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Potentially toxic flame retardants detected in baby products (May 19, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting detection of potentially toxic flame retardants in car seats, bassinet mattresses, nursing pillows, high chairs, strollers and other products that contain polyurethane foam and are designed for newborns, infants and toddlers. In a new study, they describe hints that one flame retardant, banned years ago in some areas, actually remains in use. ... > full story

Reading the fine print of perception: Human brain learns by interpreting details, study shows (May 19, 2011) -- Wine connoisseurs recognize the vintage at the first sip, artists see subtle color variations and the blind distinguish the finest surface structures. Why are they considered superior to non-specialists in their field? ... > full story

High pregnancy weight gain can lead to long-term obesity, study finds (May 19, 2011) -- Gaining more than the recommended weight during pregnancy can put women at increased risk of becoming obese and developing related health problems, including high blood pressure, later in life, according to new research. Correspondingly, women whose weight gain during pregnancy was low were at lower risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing associated health problems. ... > full story

Video game playing increases food intake in teens, study confirms (May 19, 2011) -- Male teens playing video games for one hour consume more calories in the short-term than they do after one hour of rest, according to a new study by researchers in New Zealand, Australia and Canada. ... > full story

Nuclear magnetic resonance with no magnets (May 19, 2011) -- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a powerful tool for chemical analysis and, in the form of magnetic resonance imaging, a valuable technique for medical diagnosis. But its applications have been limited by the need for big, expensive, superconducting magnets producing strong magnetic fields. Now scientists have demonstrated NMR in a zero magnetic field without using any magnets at all. ... > full story

New way to duplicate immunity boosting cells to unprecedented levels (May 19, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a method to quickly and exponentially grow regulatory T-cells -- also known as "suppressor cells." The new process enables replication of the cells by tens of millions in several weeks, a dramatic increase over previous duplication methods. Historically, regulatory T-cells have been difficult to replicate. ... > full story

Sun protects against childhood asthma (May 19, 2011) -- Vitamin D, which is primarily absorbed from the sun, plays a role in protection against childhood asthma. Now, a new study led by researchers in Spain has shown that children who live in colder, wetter cities are at greater risk of suffering from this respiratory problem, since there are fewer hours of sunlight in such places. ... > full story

Hospitals misleading patients about benefits of robotic surgery, study suggests (May 19, 2011) -- An estimated four in 10 hospital websites in the United States publicize the use of robotic surgery, with the lion's share touting its clinical superiority despite a lack of scientific evidence that robotic surgery is any better than conventional operations, a new study finds. ... > full story

Simple fitness test could predict long-term risk for heart attack, stroke in middle-aged people (May 18, 2011) -- In two separate studies, researchers have found that how fast a middle-age person can run a mile can help predict the risk of dying of heart attack or stroke decades later for men and could be an early indicator of cardiovascular disease for women. ... > full story

New test targets Lynch syndrome, a risk factor for colon cancer (May 18, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a screening procedure that could dramatically increase testing for Lynch syndrome, a hereditary genetic disorder that raises cancer risk, particularly for colorectal cancer. ... > full story

Occupational lung diseases in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans (May 18, 2011) -- Researchers have described a new respiratory disease in soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. ... > full story

Key to fighting drug-resistant leukemia discovered (May 18, 2011) -- A team of scientists has uncovered the basis for drug resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer. Targeting this protein may be the key to fighting drug-resistant leukemia, a discovery that may make cancer drugs more powerful and help doctors formulate powerful drug cocktails to cure more children of leukemia. ... > full story

Lack of 'gatekeeper' protein linked to skin cancer (May 18, 2011) -- New research shows that a "gatekeeper" protein plays an important role in skin-cancer prevention in humans and lab mice. The protein, C/EBP alpha, is normally abundantly expressed to help protect skin cells from DNA damage when humans are exposed to sunlight. The research shows, however, that the protein is not expressed when certain human skin cancers are present. ... > full story

Want lasting love? It’s not more commitment, but equal commitment that matters (May 18, 2011) -- It stands to reason that a well-loved child can become a loving adult. But what prepares us to make a strong commitment and work out differences with an intimate partner? And what happens when one person is more committed than the other? ... > full story

New cell therapy to prevent organ rejection (May 18, 2011) -- Researchers have used cells found naturally in the body, to re-educate the immune system to prevent rejection of an organ transplant while remaining capable of fighting infections and cancer. ... > full story

Dairy consumption does not elevate heart-attack risk, study suggests (May 18, 2011) -- Analysis of dairy intake and heart attack risk found no statistically significant relation in thousands of Costa Rican adults. Dairy foods might not harm heart health, despite saturated fat content, because they contain other possibly protective nutrients, researchers say. ... > full story

Preventing blindness from age-related macular degeneration: Improved form of vitamin A may help (May 18, 2011) -- Slowing down the aggregation or "clumping" of vitamin A in the eye may help prevent vision loss caused by macular degeneration, researchers have found. ... > full story

Language learning: Video games used to crack the speech code (May 18, 2011) -- When we speak, our enunciation and pronunciation of words and syllables fluctuates and varies from person to person. Given this, how do infants decode all of the spoken sounds they hear to learn words and meanings? To replicate the challenges of learning language as an infant, researchers used video game training with a mock "alien" language. They discovered that listeners quickly recognize word-like units. ... > full story

No pain, big gain: Treatment of chronic low back pain can reverse abnormal brain activity and function (May 18, 2011) -- In a new study, a group of pain researchers posed a fundamental question: if you can alleviate chronic low back pain, can you reverse these changes in the brain? The answer is yes, they say. ... > full story

Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS with humanized BLT mice (May 18, 2011) -- A new study further validates the use of humanized BLT mice in the fight to block HIV transmission. The "BLT" name is derived from the fact that these designer mice are created one at a time by introducing human bone marrow, liver and thymus tissues into animals without an immune system of their own. Humanized BLT mice have a fully functioning human immune system and can be infected with HIV in the same manner as humans. ... > full story

When rising PSA means prostate cancer is in patient's future (May 18, 2011) -- A man's rising PSA level over several years -- viewed as a possible warning sign of prostate cancer -- has come under fire as a screening test because it sometimes prompts biopsies that turn out to be normal. A new study, however, shows nearly 70 percent of men who had rising PSA levels and subsequent normal biopsies were eventually diagnosed with prostate cancer. ... > full story

Odds are against ESP: New statistical approach doesn't support claims that extra-sensory perception exists (May 18, 2011) -- Can people truly feel the future? Not according to a new study by researchers in the United States and the Netherlands. Their study uses a novel statistical approach that doesn't support claims that extra-sensory perception exists. ... > full story

Winding back the clock with kidney stem cells (May 18, 2011) -- Scientists in Australia have shown that they can make human stem cells from healthy adult kidneys without working on human embryos, circumventing ethical concerns around this research. ... > full story

Reductions in the brain's deep gray matter volumes help explain fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (May 18, 2011) -- Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders have numerous motor, behavioral, and cognitive difficulties. Deep gray matter, the brain's "relay" stations, may be key to understanding alcohol-related brain injuries. Recent findings show significant volume reductions in deep gray matter structures of those with FASD. ... > full story

Too posh to push? The increasing trend for cesarean section (May 18, 2011) -- During the last 30 years there has been an increase in the number of babies born by cesarean section. New research shows that there has also been a change in the social and economic status of the mothers involved and that advantaged mothers are more likely to have their babies by cesarean section than mothers living in more difficult circumstances. ... > full story

Experimental treatment offers relief from painful prostate condition, study suggests (May 18, 2011) -- New findings show that treatment with a specific alpha blocker helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). ... > full story

Underlying mechanisms discovered of skin hardening syndromes (May 18, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered new details about the underlying mechanisms of skin hardening syndromes. The team connected pharmacological properties of the drug balicatib to the skin disorder for the first time after investigating adverse reactions suffered by patients participating in a clinical trial for the treatment of osteoporosis. ... > full story

CSI for infection: Geographic profiling, used in hunt for serial killers, can help combat infectious diseases (May 18, 2011) -- Every 30 seconds, infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis kill as many people as Jack the Ripper did in his entire career. New research demonstrates how the mathematical model of geographic profiling, used in the hunt for serial killers, can help combat infectious diseases. ... > full story

Roots of memory impairment resulting from sleep deprivation identified (May 18, 2011) -- From high-school students to surgeons, anyone who has pulled an all-nighter knows there is a price to be paid the next day: trouble focusing, a fuzzy memory and other cognitive impairments. Now, researchers have found the part of the brain and the neurochemical basis for sleep deprivation's effects on memory. ... > full story

Most common form of inherited intellectual disability may be treatable, review suggests (May 18, 2011) -- Advancements over the last 10 years in understanding intellectual disability have led to the once-unimaginable possibility that the condition may be treatable, a review of more than 100 studies on the topic has concluded. ... > full story

Coffee may reduce risk of lethal prostate cancer in men (May 18, 2011) -- Men who regularly drink coffee appear to have a lower risk of developing a lethal form of prostate cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story

Vitamin A, beta carotene pregnancy supplements do not appear to reduce maternal, infant death risk (May 18, 2011) -- Although some evidence suggests that prevention of vitamin A deficiency among women in developing countries may improve maternal and infant survival, pregnant women in rural Bangladesh who received vitamin A or beta carotene supplementation in a randomized trial did not have a lower rate of all-cause maternal, fetal, or infant death, compared to women who received placebo, according to a new study. ... > full story

Smoking ban reduces emergency room admissions (May 18, 2011) -- Workplace smoking bans are gaining ground globally, and one study has shown that they may have significant health effects. The study, conducted by researchers in Dublin, found that emergency room admissions due to respiratory illness dropped significantly in Ireland after the implementation of a workplace smoking ban, compared to admissions that took place before the ban went into effect. ... > full story

Dynamics of crucial protein 'switch' revealed; Cell signaling networks tied to diabetes and cancer (May 18, 2011) -- Researchers offer new understanding of a protein critical to physiological processes involved in major diseases such as diabetes and cancer. The work could help scientists design drugs to battle these disorders. ... > full story

Prenatal use of newer antiepileptic drugs not associated with increased risk of major birth defects, study finds (May 18, 2011) -- Use of newer-generation antiepileptic drugs, which are also prescribed for bipolar mood disorders and migraine headaches, during the first trimester of pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of major birth defects in the first year of life among infants in Denmark, according to a new study. Older-generation antiepileptic drugs are associated with an increased risk of birth defects. ... > full story

Obstructive sleep apnea linked to cancer growth in mice (May 17, 2011) -- A new study links the intermittent interruption of breathing that occurs in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to enhanced proliferation of melanoma cancer cells and increased tumor growth in mice, according to researchers in Spain. The study also found tumor cells of OSA mouse models tended to contain more dead cells, indicating a more aggressive type of cancer. ... > full story

Simple face masks could significantly prevent spread of TB to non-infected patients (May 17, 2011) -- Face masks worn by patients infected with tuberculosis (TB) may be able to significantly cut transmission rates to non-infected patients, according to a new study. The study was conducted in a specialized airborne infections research facility in South Africa, which was designed to allow study of methods to control the spread of TB. Transmission rates were measured using healthy guinea pigs exposed to infected patients. ... > full story

Clubbers can smell a good nightspot (May 17, 2011) -- Since the smoking ban in restaurants, bars and nightclubs, customers are more aware of unpleasant smells, such as body odors and the smell of old beer, that used to be masked by cigarette smoke. Now science is looking at how the introduction of pleasant ambient scents that hide unwanted odors might enhance the nightlife experience. ... > full story

Ancient Egyptian princess now known to be first person in human history with diagnosed coronary artery disease (May 17, 2011) -- Researchers have used whole body computerized tomography (CT) scanning to visualize the coronary arteries of the Egyptian princess Ahmose-Meryet-Amon, who lived in Thebes (Luxor) between 1580 and 1550 BC. Results show her to be the first person in human history known to have diagnosed coronary artery disease. Surprisingly, she lived on a diet rich in vegetables, fruit and a limited amount of meat from domesticated (but not fattened) animals. Wheat and barley were grown along the banks of the Nile, making bread and beer the dietary staples of this period of ancient Egypt. Tobacco and trans-fats were unknown, and lifestyle was likely to have been active. ... > full story

A 'brain wave' test for schizophrenia risk? (May 17, 2011) -- Researchers have followed a group of people clinically at high risk for developing psychosis. They found that the individuals who went on to develop schizophrenia had smaller MMN than the subgroup who did not. This finding suggests that MMN might be useful in predicting the later development of schizophrenia. ... > full story

Vaccine protects from deadly Hendra virus (May 17, 2011) -- Scientists in Australia have shown that a new experimental vaccine helps to protect horses against the deadly Hendra virus. ... > full story

Improved survival and treatment for chronic blood disorders (May 17, 2011) -- New research shows that hydroxyurea, one type of cytotoxic treatment for chronic myeloproliferative blood disorders, does not increase the risk of developing acute leukemia, as had previously been suspected. Rather, it is the disease itself that mainly increases this risk. Another new study by the same group of researchers shows that mortality from chronic myeloid leukaemia has decreased sharply since the approval of the drug Imatinib as a standard treatment in 2001. ... > full story

Anxiety and depression linked to risk-taking in young drivers, Australian study finds (May 17, 2011) -- Young drivers who experience anxiety and depression are more likely to take risks on the road, according to a new study by researchers in Australia. The results of the study led by Bridie Scott-Parker, from QUT's Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety -- Queensland, have been published in the international journal Injury Prevention today. ... > full story

Gut bacteria linked to behavior: That anxiety may be in your gut, not in your head (May 17, 2011) -- Working with healthy adult mice, researchers showed that disrupting the normal bacterial content of the gut with antibiotics produced changes in behavior. Working with healthy adult mice, the researchers showed that disrupting the normal bacterial content of the gut with antibiotics produced changes in behavior; the mice became less cautious or anxious. When oral antibiotics were discontinued, bacteria in the gut returned to normal. ... > full story

Hormone improves long-term recovery from stroke, study suggests (May 17, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered an explanation of how stroke patients can achieve better recovery. A hormone that is associated with the growth hormone system has proved to benefit recovery during the later phases of rehabilitation after a stroke. ... > full story

T'ai chi helps prevent falls and improve mental health in the elderly, review finds (May 17, 2011) -- T'ai chi has particular health benefits for older people, including helping to prevent falls and improving mental wellbeing, reveals a new review. ... > full story

Deprivation and neglect found to age children's chromosomes (May 17, 2011) -- Studies in institutionalized Romanian children have found that the length of time spent in conditions of social deprivation and neglect correlates with lower IQ and behavioral problems. A new study shows that early adversity even affects children's chromosomes -- prematurely shortening the chromosome tips, known as telomeres, and hastening how quickly their cells "age." ... > full story

A gene that fights cancer, but causes it too (May 17, 2011) -- Scientists say a human gene implicated in the development of leukemia also acts to prevent cancer of the liver. ... > full story