ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Saturday, June 4, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Saturday, June 4, 2011

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For stressed bees, the glass is half empty (June 3, 2011) -- When people are depressed or anxious, they are much more likely to see their glass as half empty than half full. In tough times, evidence of that same pessimistic outlook can be seen in dogs, rats, and birds. Now, researchers show that bees, too, share those very same hallmarks of negative emotion. ... > full story

New strain of MRSA discovered: Antibiotic resistant bacteria found in both humans and dairy cows (June 3, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a new strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which occurs both in human and dairy cow populations. The study identified the new strain in milk from dairy cows while researching mastitis (a bacterial infection which occurs in the cows' udders). ... > full story

Understanding cancer energetics: Researchers solve mystery of Warburg effect (June 3, 2011) -- It's long been known that cancer cells eat a lot of sugar to stay alive. In fact, where normal, noncancerous cells generate energy from using some sugar and a lot of oxygen, cancerous cells use virtually no oxygen and a lot of sugar. Many genes have been implicated in this process, and now researchers have discovered that this so-called Warburg effect is controlled. ... > full story

Weight loss success in a 3-D virtual world (June 3, 2011) -- Participants in two weight-loss programs -- one at a health club, the other delivered in a virtual world -- lost similar amounts of weight and body fat, but the online contingent reported significantly greater gains in behaviors that could help them live healthier and leaner lives. ... > full story

How high-fat diet during pregnancy increases risk of stillbirth (June 3, 2011) -- Eating a high-fat diet during pregnancy increases the chance of stillbirth, according to new research. The new data show eating a typical American diet, which is high in fat, decreases blood flow from the mother to the placenta, the temporary organ that nourishes the unborn fetus. Prior to this study, exactly how a fatty diet contributes to stillbirth was unclear. ... > full story

Matching targeted therapies to tumor's specific gene mutations key to personalized cancer treatment (June 3, 2011) -- Customizing targeted therapies to each tumor's molecular characteristics, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach by tumor type, may be more effective for some types of cancer, according to researchers. ... > full story

New sound synchronization technology holds the key to earlier diagnosis of heart disease (June 3, 2011) -- Innovative technology is contributing to the development of a revolutionary digital stethoscope that could make it easier for doctors to spot the first signs of heart disease. ... > full story

Autism may have had advantages in humans' hunter-gatherer past, researcher believes (June 3, 2011) -- Though people with autism face many challenges because of their condition, they may have been capable hunter-gatherers in prehistoric times, according to a new paper. ... > full story

Mechanism in saliva production discovered (June 3, 2011) -- Researchers are one step closer to helping millions of people whose salivary glands no longer work because of disease or damage from treatment of diseases. ... > full story

Research reveals effectiveness of seizure treatments for children with autism (June 3, 2011) -- New research compares effectiveness of various drugs and diets as treatments for controlling seizes often experienced by children with autism. ... > full story

Letters from home may help prevent posttraumatic stress disorder in happily married soldiers (June 3, 2011) -- A new study finds that for active-duty male soldiers in the U.S. Army who are happily married, communicating frequently with one’s spouse through letters and emails during deployment may protect against the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after returning home. ... > full story

Stem cell treatment to prevent leukemia returning is a step closer, say scientists (June 3, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a way of eliminating leukemic stem cells, which could lead to new treatments that may enable complete remission for leukemia patients. An early study in mice has shown that leukemic stem cells can be abolished by suppressing two proteins found in the body. ... > full story