ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Thursday, June 2, 2011
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New advances in lipid genetics lead to better detection and prevention of major diseases (June 2, 2011) -- Researchers have found ways to earlier and better prediction of diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, and heart disease through studying the genetic make-up of different varieties of lipids in blood plasma. ... > full story
MRSA transmission may be occurring in fire stations, study suggests (June 2, 2011) -- MRSA transmission may be occurring in fire stations, according to a new study. The purpose of the study was to determine potential areas within the fire stations that were contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and characterize the isolates to determine if they were related to hospital (HA-MRSA) and/or community (CA-MRSA) strains. ... > full story
What can we do about death? Reinventing the American medical system (June 2, 2011) -- In a new article, two scientists propose a radical reinvention of the American medical system requiring new ways of thinking about living, aging, and dying. They argue that a sustainable -- and more humane -- medical system in the US will have to reprioritize to emphasize public health and prevention for the young, and care not cure for the elderly. ... > full story
Saliva is effective in screening for CMV infection in newborns, researchers find (June 2, 2011) -- Swabbing a newborn's mouth for saliva can be used to quickly and effectively screen for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, a leading cause of hearing loss in children. ... > full story
Asian lung cancer patient survival exceeds Caucasians' on multiple regimens (June 2, 2011) -- Asian non-small cell lung cancer patients survive longer than Caucasians no matter how many drugs are given in a first-line setting, and the effect was apparent both before and after the introduction of targeted therapies in the early 2000s. ... > full story
Researchers develop strategy to improve patient adherence (June 2, 2011) -- Physicians can help their patients follow prescribed treatments and achieve healthier results -- particularly in chronic disease management -- by using a three-pronged strategy: the Information-Motivation-Strategy (IMS) Model -- developed after synthesizing findings from more than 100 large-scale studies and meta-analyses conducted between 1948 and 2009. ... > full story
Scientists identify overactive genes in aggressive breast cancers: Potential new drug target for hard-to-treat 'triple-negative' tumors (June 1, 2011) -- Scientists have identified an overactive network of growth-spurring genes that drive stem-like breast cancer cells enriched in triple-negative breast tumors, a typically aggressive cancer that is highly resistant to current therapies. ... > full story
Two-thirds of newly diagnosed U.S. cancer patients unable to obtain oncology appointments, study suggests (June 1, 2011) -- Newly diagnosed cancer patients often face hurdles in getting an appointment for care with an oncologist, according to new research. Just 22% of callers with private insurance were able to obtain a slot, compared to 29 percent of uninsured patients and 17 percent of patients on Medicaid, according to results of a study in which research assistants posed as patients seeking an initial evaluation. ... > full story
U.S. physicians call for new approach to address national 'epidemic of mass incarceration' (June 1, 2011) -- With 2.3 million people behind bars and an estimated 10 million Americans cycling in and out of correctional facilities each year, the United States is in the midst of an "epidemic of mass incarceration," says a group of researchers. ... > full story
New substance may allow successful transplantation of 'marginal' livers (June 1, 2011) -- New research raises the possibility that the critically short supply of livers for organ donation could be expanded by treating so-called "marginal" livers with a substance that protects them from damage after being connected to recipients' blood supplies. ... > full story
Association between biomarkers and disease often overstated, researcher finds (June 1, 2011) -- More than two dozen widely cited studies linking genes or other "biomarkers" to specific diseases vastly overstate the association, according to new research from an expert in scientific study design. As a result, clinicians may be making decisions for their patients based on inaccurate conclusions not supported by other, larger studies. ... > full story
Kids who bully, have aggressive behaviors are twice as likely to have sleep problems (June 1, 2011) -- Children who are bullies or have conduct problems at school, are more likely to be sleepy during the day according to researchers. ... > full story
Sleep loss dramatically lowers testosterone in healthy young men (June 1, 2011) -- Cutting back on sleep drastically reduces a healthy young man's testosterone levels, according to a new study. ... > full story
Women with BRCA mutations can take hormone-replacement therapy safely after ovary removal, study suggests (June 1, 2011) -- Women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked to a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, can safely take hormone-replacement therapy to mitigate menopausal symptoms after surgical removal of their ovaries, according to new research. ... > full story
College students respond better to positive anti-binge drinking messages (June 1, 2011) -- Researchers have found that "gain-framed", or positive messages are much more effective in convincing college students to abandon binge drinking. ... > full story
Cancer drug holds promise as first treatment for common, inherited dementia (June 1, 2011) -- A drug already approved for people with cancer shows early potential as a therapy for a common form of dementia, researchers report. ... > full story
Surgical removal of the tonsils and appendix associated with risk of early heart attack, study suggests (June 1, 2011) -- Surgical removal of the appendix and tonsils in young people associated with an increased risk of premature heart attack in a large population study performed in Sweden. ... > full story
Noisy operations associated with increased infections after surgery (June 1, 2011) -- Patients who undergo surgery are more likely to suffer surgical site infections (SSIs) if the operating theatre is noisy. Swiss researchers studied 35 patients who underwent planned, major abdominal surgery, exploring demographic parameters, the duration of the operation and sound levels in the theatre. Six of the patients (17 per cent) developed SSIs and the only variable was the noise level in the operating theatre, which was considerably higher in the infected patients. ... > full story
How vitamins and minerals may prevent age-related diseases (June 1, 2011) -- Severe deficiency of the vitamins and minerals required for life is relatively uncommon in developed nations, but modest deficiency is very common and often not taken seriously. New research, however, may change this thinking as it examines moderate selenium and vitamin K deficiency to show how damage accumulates over time as a result of vitamin and mineral loss, leading to age-related diseases. ... > full story
Noninvasive wireless near-infrared device provides reliable diagnosis of bladder dysfunction (June 1, 2011) -- A cell phone-sized, wireless near-infrared device is as reliable as the current "gold standard" invasive tests in determining bladder disease, according to a new study. ... > full story
Alcohol industry needs more scrutiny, experts argue (June 1, 2011) -- The influence of "Big Alcohol" in the health arena deserves as much scrutiny as Big Pharma and Big Tobacco, especially in light of evidence of bias in funded research, unsupported claims of benefit, and inappropriate promotion and marketing by the alcohol industry, says a new editorial. ... > full story
New drugs target delay of Huntington’s symptoms (June 1, 2011) -- The drug restores a critical chemical change that should occur in the huntingtin protein, but does not occur in people with Huntington's disease. ... > full story
Early cellular cause of dry eye disease 'seen' for the first time (June 1, 2011) -- If you are one of the millions who struggle with dry eye disease, good news is here. New research offers hope for new drugs that treat the cellular cause, rather than its symptoms. This novel research identifies natural killer cells, a type of cell that provides innate immunity to the eyes, as promoting inflammation that is a critical role in the development of the disease. ... > full story
Medical experts make a case for broader use of compassionate release in the nation's prison system (June 1, 2011) -- In a new article, medical experts suggest broader use of compassionate release in the nation's prison system. Under current guidelines, many prisoners who may be eligible for compassionate release die in prison while waiting for review. The authors propose changes that could fix compassionate release medical and procedural flaws, thus reducing in-prison deaths and inmate health care costs. ... > full story
Dangerous bacteria found on cell phones of hospital patients (June 1, 2011) -- Cell phones used by patients and their visitors were twice as likely to contain potentially dangerous bacteria as those of health-care workers, according to a new study. ... > full story
Antibodies successful in treatment of the hemolytic-uremic syndrome from enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (June 1, 2011) -- A team of physicians from Germany, Canada, and France reports on the successful treatment of three young children who were suffering from a severe hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) after an infection with enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC). The infections occurred in 2010. EHEC are the bacteria that cause the current wave of infections that have already claimed ten lives in Germany. The number of suspected and confirmed cases of EHEC has now reached 700. ... > full story
Cholera in Haiti: Universal vaccination campaign is essential to ending crisis, experts say (June 1, 2011) -- Debate about the public health response to Haiti's cholera epidemic continues as the crisis enters its ninth month, with some experts arguing that a vaccination campaign in Haiti would be neither feasible nor cost-effective, and advocating putting forth other measures. A coalition of medical and public health researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, argue that a universal vaccination campaign is essential to ending the crisis. ... > full story
Link between influenza vaccination in pregnancy and reduced risk of premature birth (June 1, 2011) -- A new study suggests that there might be an association between maternal immunization with inactivated influenza vaccine during pregnancy and reduced likelihood of prematurity and the baby being small for gestational age. ... > full story
HbA1C test for glucose monitoring poorly predictive in dialysis patients (June 1, 2011) -- The gold standard long-term glucose monitoring test for patients with diabetes proved to be of limited value in dialysis patients, according to a new study. ... > full story
Why childhood obesity? It's so much more than what kids eat (June 1, 2011) -- Scientists from a variety of disciplines have teamed up to examine the factors that contribute to childhood obesity. Why? Because individual researchers have found that the problem is too complicated for any of them to tackle alone. Strong Kids team members are looking at such diverse factors as genetic predisposition, the effect of breastfeeding, how much TV a child watches, and the neighborhood he lives in, among many others. ... > full story
Updated guideline on reprocessing flexible gastrointestinal endoscopes (June 1, 2011) -- The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America have updated their 2003 joint guideline for reprocessing gastrointestinal endoscopes to reaffirm reprocessing methods and take into account evolved technology and disinfection systems. ... > full story
One world, one sound: Musical conceptualization brings people together, linguist says (June 1, 2011) -- Linguist Mihailo Antovic proposes that musical conceptualization brings together a world of different people. He found the commonality among children of distinct ethnic backgrounds and languages in his home of Serbia, and he's now testing whether the same can be found among English-speaking, Serbian-speaking and seeing-impaired children in the US. ... > full story
New standards to monitor recurrence of gynecologic cancer more effectively (June 1, 2011) -- Although gynecologic cancers account for only 10 percent of all new cancer cases in women, these cancers account for 20 percent of all female cancer survivors. Because long-term survival is now more common, it is increasingly important to detect recurrence. The Clinical Practice Committee of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) has released a Clinical Document outlining their expert recommendations for cancer surveillance, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. ... > full story
Zeroing in on Alzheimer's disease (May 31, 2011) -- Recently the number of genes known to be associated with Alzheimer's disease has increased from four to eight, including the MS4A gene cluster on chromosome 11. New research has expanded on this using a genome-wide association study to find a novel location within the MS4A gene cluster which is associated with Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
Targeted testing offers treatment hope for ovarian cancer patients (May 31, 2011) -- Women with ovarian cancer could be helped by a new test that identifies the specific type of tumor they have. ... > full story
Happiness: The neglected role of job design (May 31, 2011) -- People who are given greater variety and independence in their jobs feel both less stressed and more satisfied, according to findings which suggest that several management practices designed to make employees more efficient also make them happier. Employees are also more likely to be happy when management readily shares information and consults with them, the study shows. ... > full story
Key mechanism in transition to alcohol dependence discovered (May 31, 2011) -- A team of scientists has found a key biological mechanism underpinning the transition to alcohol dependence. This finding opens the door to the development of drugs to manage excessive alcohol consumption. ... > full story
Gene change identifies brain cancer patients that respond better to treatment (May 31, 2011) -- New research proves that a change in a particular gene can identify which patients with a specific kind of brain cancer will respond better to treatment. Testing for the gene can distinguish patients with a more- or less-aggressive form of glioblastoma, the most common and an often-fatal type of primary brain cancer, and this can help guide therapy. The prospective study looked for a change in the MGMT gene in tumors from 833 glioblastoma patients. ... > full story
Bilingualism no big deal for brain, researcher finds (May 31, 2011) -- There are many complicated theories on how the brain processes more than one language, but one researcher has found that how words sound provides enough information to distinguish which language a word belongs to. ... > full story
Potential new drug candidate found for Alzheimer's disease (May 31, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated that oral administration of a cysteine protease inhibitor, E64d, not only reduces the build-up of beta-amyloid in the brains of animal models for Alzheimer's disease, but also results in a substantial improvement in memory deficit. ... > full story
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