ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, July 15, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, July 15, 2011

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Editing the genome: Scientists unveil new tools for rewriting the code of life (July 15, 2011) -- Researchers have unveiled genome-engineering technologies capable of fundamentally re-engineering genomes from the nucleotide to the megabase scale. Treating the chromosome as both an editable and an evolvable template, the researchers have demonstrated methods to rewrite a cell's genome through powerful new tools for biotechnology, energy and agriculture. ... > full story

Large waist doubles risk of kidney disease mortality, study finds (July 15, 2011) -- For kidney disease patients, a large belt size can double the risk of dying. A new study has found that the larger a kidney patient's waist circumference, the greater the chance the patient would die during the course of the study. ... > full story

Poor bone health may start early in people with multiple sclerosis (July 15, 2011) -- Osteoporosis and low bone density are common in people in the early stages of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. ... > full story

Ghrelin increases willingness to pay for food (July 15, 2011) -- New research suggests that ghrelin, a naturally occurring gut hormone, increases our willingness to pay for food, while simultaneously decreasing our willingness to pay for non-food items. ... > full story

PSA test for men could get a second life for breast cancer in women (July 15, 2011) -- The widely known PSA blood test for prostate cancer in men may get a second life as a much-needed new test for breast cancer, the most common form of cancer in women worldwide, scientists are reporting in a new study. ... > full story

New study may lead to quicker diagnosis, improved treatment for fatal lung disease (July 15, 2011) -- Twenty percent of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension suffer with the fatal disease for more than two years before being correctly diagnosed and properly treated, according to a new study. ... > full story

A LEAP in controlling cardiac fibrillation: Researchers develop a new low-energy defibrillation method (July 15, 2011) -- An international team of scientists has developed a new low-energy method for terminating life-threatening cardiac fibrillation of the heart. They have shown that their new technique called LEAP (Low-Energy Anti-fibrillation Pacing) reduces the energy required for defibrillation by more than 80% as compared to the current conventional method. Their discovery opens the path for the painless therapy of life threatening cardiac fibrillation. ... > full story

Half of patients with Parkinson's disease and psychosis treated with antipsychotic agents, including drugs that may worsen Parkinson symptoms, study finds (July 15, 2011) -- Half of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and psychosis receive prescriptions for anti-psychotic (AP) agents, including drugs that have the potential to worsen Parkinson symptoms, and the frequency of use of these agents has not changed since a warning about using these drugs in patients with dementia and PD was issued, according to a new study. ... > full story

Early-stage melanoma tumors contain clues to metastatic potential (July 14, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated that it's possible -- early in a tumor's growth -- to identify cancer genes that endow the tumor with the ability to metastasize. Testing the technique in melanoma skin cancer, they found six abnormal genes that are both cancer-causing and metastasis-promoting. One of those genes, ACP5, can be used to predict whether human melanoma tumors are likely to spread. ... > full story

Benefit of blood glucose lowering to near-normal levels remains unclear (July 14, 2011) -- Whether patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus benefit from attempts to lower their blood glucose levels to near-normal levels through treatment ("intensive blood glucose control") remains an unanswered question. The studies currently available provide indications of a benefit but also of potential harm, researchers say. ... > full story

Secret to successful aging: How 'positivity effect' works in brain (July 14, 2011) -- Whether we choose to accept or fight it, the fact is that we will all age, but will we do so successfully? Aging successfully has been linked with the “positivity effect”, a biased tendency towards and preference for positive, emotionally gratifying experiences. New research published in Biological Psychiatry now explains how and when this effect works in the brain. ... > full story

Mutation in a protein-sorting gene is linked with Parkinson's disease (July 14, 2011) -- Parkinson disease (PD) is a devastating incurable disease in which degeneration of dopamine neurons in the brainstem leads to tremors and problems with movement and coordination. An increasing proportion of patients appear to be genetically predisposed to disease. Now, two independent research groups have identified a mutation associated with an inherited form of PD. The papers provide new insight into the pathogenesis of late-onset PD and present compelling evidence that implicates a novel protein-recycling pathway in neurodegeneration. ... > full story

Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubles for young high-risk leukemia patients (July 14, 2011) -- Bone marrow transplant survival more than doubled in recent years for young, high-risk leukemia patients, with patients who lacked genetically matched donors recording the most significant gains. ... > full story

Database explains strange survival of irregular verbs (July 14, 2011) -- An historical study of the development of irregular verbs in the hundreds of Romance languages including French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian and Catalan has revealed how these structures survive. Experts have also examined why they are learned by successive generations despite 'making no sense' or, apparently, having any function in the language. ... > full story

Soft memory device opens door to new biocompatible electronics (July 14, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a memory device that is soft and functions well in wet environments -- opening the door to a new generation of biocompatible electronic devices. ... > full story

Cancer gene therapy from camels (July 14, 2011) -- Nanobodies produced from camel blood have unique properties, which can be used in future drug development. New research confirms that camel blood can help scientists in the fight against cancer. ... > full story

Molecules 'light up' Alzheimer's roots (July 14, 2011) -- A breakthrough in sensing could make finding signs of Alzheimer's disease nearly as simple as switching on a light. The new technique should help researchers design better medications to treat the devastating disease. ... > full story

Study challenges baby formula claim (July 14, 2011) -- Hypoallergenic baby formula does not reduce a baby's risk of developing allergies in later life, a new study by researchers in Australia has found. ... > full story

Humans 'predisposed' to believe in gods and the afterlife (July 14, 2011) -- New research finds that humans have natural tendencies to believe in gods and an afterlife. Research suggests that people across many different cultures instinctively believe that some part of their mind, soul or spirit lives on after-death. The studies demonstrate that people are natural 'dualists' finding it easy to conceive of the separation of the mind and the body. ... > full story

Print your own teeth: Rapid prototyping comes to dentistry (July 14, 2011) -- What if, instead of waiting days or weeks for a cast to be produced and prosthetic dental implants, false teeth and replacement crowns to be made, your dentist could quickly scan your jaw and "print" your new teeth using a rapid prototyping machine known as a 3-D printer? ... > full story

Brain network connections revealed (July 14, 2011) -- New research has revealed that the brain is characterized by a highly consistent, weighted network among the functional areas of the cortex, which are responsible for such functions as vision, hearing, touch, movement control and complex associations. The study in primates has revealed that such cortical networks and their properties are reproducible from individual to individual. ... > full story

Sudden cardiac death in young athletes: Pediatric cardiologists not always accurate in interpreting ECG results, study finds (July 14, 2011) -- Pediatric cardiologists are prone to misinterpreting electrocardiograms when using the results to determine whether young athletes have heart defects that could make exercising perilous, according to a new study. ... > full story

Is meditation the push-up for the brain? Study shows practice may have potential to change brain's physical structure (July 14, 2011) -- Researchers have found that long time meditators have stronger connections between brain regions, and show less age-related atrophy when compared to a control group. Having stronger connections influences the ability to rapidly relay electrical signals in the brain. And significantly, these effects are evident throughout the entire brain, not just in specific areas. ... > full story

Diesel fumes pose risk to heart as well as lungs, study shows (July 14, 2011) -- Tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel exhaust fumes could raise the risk of heart attacks, research has shown. ... > full story

Why stored transfusion blood may become less safe with age (July 14, 2011) -- Transfused blood may need to be stored differently to prevent the breakdown of red blood cells that can lead to complications including infection, organ failure and death, say researchers. They reveal new biological interactions between breakdown products and nitric oxide that can reduce blood flow and possibly damage vital tissues after administration of blood stored for longer than 39 days. ... > full story

New method for making human-based gelatin (July 14, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development of a new approach for producing large quantities of human-derived gelatin that could become a substitute for some of the 300,000 tons of animal-based gelatin produced annually for gelatin-type desserts, marshmallows, candy and innumerable other products. ... > full story

Higher cigarette taxes don't deter all smokers, study finds; Smokers aged 25 to 44 most unresponsive to price increases (July 14, 2011) -- Raising taxes on cigarettes, a public health measure used by governments to encourage people to quit, doesn't motivate all smokers to stop the deadly habit. Research on the long-term impact of taxing cigarettes found higher taxes do prompt low-and middle-income earners to quit. Yet price increases don't persuade wealthier smokers or those aged 25 to 44 to butt out. ... > full story

Neuroscientists uncover neural mechanisms of object recognition (July 14, 2011) -- Neuroscientists have examined the brain of a person with object agnosia, a deficit in the ability to recognize objects, and have uncovered the neural mechanisms of object recognition. The results describe the functional neuroanatomy of object agnosia and suggest that damage to the part of the brain critical for object recognition can have a widespread impact on remote parts of the cortex. ... > full story

Stem cell 'memory' can boost insulin levels (July 14, 2011) -- Scientist have now derived embryonic-like stem cells from adult stem cells that appear to retain their effectiveness in producing insulin in the human body. This research may promise a new avenue of treatment that avoids costly and dangerous pancreas transplants. ... > full story

Unsolved mystery of kava toxicity (July 14, 2011) -- A major new review of scientific knowledge on kava -- a plant used to make dietary supplements and a trendy drink with calming effects -- has left unsolved the mystery of why Pacific Island people can consume it safely, while people in the United States, Europe and other Western cultures sometimes experience toxic effects. ... > full story

People at risk for panic buffered from stressor by high levels of physical activity (July 14, 2011) -- People at risk for experiencing panic attacks respond with less anxiety to a panic-inducing stressor if they have been regularly engaging in high levels of physical activity, suggests a new study. High levels of physical activity appeared to buffer against panic-inducing stress -- inhalation of carbon dioxide-enriched air -- among people typically afraid of the nausea, dizziness, racing heart and shortness of breath that characterize panic episodes, according to psychologists. ... > full story

Why men are at higher risk for stomach cancer (July 14, 2011) -- Researchers have shown how estrogen protects women from the gastric inflammation that can lead to cancer. Several types of cancer, including stomach, liver and colon, are far more common in men than in women. Some scientists have theorized that differences in lifestyle, such as diet and smoking, may account for the discrepancy, but growing evidence suggests that the differences are rooted in basic biological differences between men and women. ... > full story

Pivotal study in Africa finds that HIV medications prevent HIV infection (July 14, 2011) -- An international study has demonstrated that individuals at high risk for HIV infection who took a daily tablet containing an HIV medication -- either the antiretroviral medication tenofovir or tenofovir in combination with emtricitabine -- experienced significantly fewer HIV infections than those who received a placebo pill. These findings are clear evidence that this new HIV prevention strategy, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP), substantially reduces HIV infection risk. ... > full story

Goalies tend to dive right in World Cup penalty shoot-outs when their team is behind ... why? (July 14, 2011) -- In the quarterfinal of the 2006 Soccer World Cup, England and Portugal played for 90 tense minutes and 30 minutes extra time without a single goal being scored. This led them to a penalty shoot-out; as one by one, players went against the opposing team's goalie. After four shots by each team, Portugal was ahead 2-1. Portugal's star Cristiano Ronaldo shot to English goalkeeper Paul Robinson's left, but Robinson dove right. Portugal scored, won the game, and went on to the semifinal. When Robinson dove to his right, he was making a common choice for our right-oriented brains, according to a new study. ... > full story

Breathing restored after spinal cord injury in rodent model (July 14, 2011) -- Researchers bridged a spinal cord injury and biologically regenerated lost nerve connections to the diaphragm, restoring breathing in an adult rodent model of spinal cord injury. The work restored 80 to more than 100 percent of breathing function. ... > full story

Modulation of inhibitory output is key function of antiobesity hormone (July 14, 2011) -- Scientists have known for some time that the hormone leptin acts in the brain to prevent obesity, but the specific underlying neurocircuitry has remained a mystery. Now, new research reveals neurobiological mechanisms that may underlie the antiobesity effects of leptin. ... > full story

Health-care model improves diabetes outcomes and health, study finds (July 14, 2011) -- A health-care delivery model called patient-centered medical home increased the percentage of diabetes patients who achieved goals that reduced their sickness and death rates, according to health researchers. ... > full story

Positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies (July 14, 2011) -- New research has revealed that positive reframing, acceptance and humor are the most effective coping strategies for people dealing with failures. ... > full story

Latin American blueberries found to be 'extreme superfruits' (July 14, 2011) -- With antioxidant levels two to four times higher than the blueberries available in the US, two species native to Central and South America may challenge one of summer's favorite treats as a source of these disease-fighting substances. ... > full story

Environmental factors predict underserved children's physical activity (July 14, 2011) -- A professor of kinesiology, health and sport studies has found that children living in underserved communities are less physically active than their higher-income counterparts. Now, in a follow-up study, he has found environmental factors that may affect underserved children's physical activity and fitness levels: classmate support, gender and confidence. ... > full story

Current, not prior, depression predicts crack cocaine use (July 14, 2011) -- Even after accounting for current crack use, a new study finds that women in drug court who are experiencing current major depression are more likely to use crack within four months than other women in drug court. The paper's lead author argues that depression screening and treatment may be important components of drug court services for crack-using women. ... > full story

Insight into new drug resistance in hospital microbes (July 13, 2011) -- Hospitals struggle to prevent the infections that complicate treatment for cancer, joint replacement, heart surgery and other conditions. Hospital-acquired infections are often resistant to multiple antibiotics, leading to approximately 100,000 deaths and more than billion in additional health care costs yearly. New drugs are being developed to combat these infections, but resistance invariably emerges to these last-line drugs. Daptomycin, a new antibiotic approved by the FDA in 2003, is used to treat infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria, including staph and microbes known as enterococci. ... > full story

Short-term hormone therapy plus radiation therapy increases survival for men with early-stage prostate cancer, study finds (July 13, 2011) -- Short-term hormone therapy (androgen deprivation therapy: ADT) given in combination with radiation therapy for men with early-stage prostate cancer increases their chance of living longer and not dying from the disease, compared with that of those who receive the same radiation therapy alone, according to new research. ... > full story

Atomic structure discovered for a sodium channel that generates electrical signals in living cells (July 13, 2011) -- Scientists have determined the atomic structure of a sodium channel, a pore in membranes of excitable cells, such as brain or heart cells, that emit electrical signals. They gate charged particles crossing the cell membrane to generate electrical currents. These encode information in the brain and make heart muscle contract. Many medications and neurotoxins act on sodium channels. Never before have researchers obtained a high resolution crystal structure of all atoms of this complex protein molecule and their three dimensional relationships. ... > full story

Talking about faith increases hospital patients' overall satisfaction, study finds (July 13, 2011) -- Hospitalized patients who had conversations about religion and spirituality with the health-care team were the most satisfied with their overall care. However, 20 percent of patients who would have valued these discussions say their desires went unmet, according to a new study. ... > full story

Researchers demystify a fountain of youth in the adult brain (July 13, 2011) -- Researchers have found that a "fountain of youth" that sustains the production of new neurons in the brains of rodents is also believed to be present in the human brain. The existence of a vital support system of cells around stem cells in the brain explains why stem cells by themselves can't generate neurons in a lab dish, a major roadblock in using these stem cells for injury repair. ... > full story

Molasses extract decreases obesity caused by a high-fat diet, research suggests (July 13, 2011) -- Experimental results suggests that dietary supplementation with molasses extract may provide a novel approach for weight management in humans. ... > full story

Computerized system to prevent SIDS: 'BabyBeat' also has applications in telemedicine and remote monitoring (July 13, 2011) -- A new system using video and computer software to monitor a baby that could be used to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as well as for telemedicine applications, has been developed by two engineering students in Israel. Called "BabyBeat," the system uses computer algorithms to convert video footage to pulses that represent a baby's heartbeat and skin tone. In the event that the system detects an abnormal heartbeat, an alarm sounds to awaken the baby, change its breathing pattern and alert the parents. After further testing, if BabyBeat continues to perform as expected, the students will seek to commercially produce and market the innovation. ... > full story