ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Tuesday, July 19, 2011
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Scientists grow brain cells from skin: Cancer cells and stem cells share same origin, research shows (July 19, 2011) -- Oncogenes are generally thought to be genes that, when mutated, change healthy cells into cancerous tumor cells. Scientists have proven that those genes also can change normal cells into stem-like cells, paving the way to a safer and more practical approach to treating diseases like multiple sclerosis and cancer with stem cell therapy. Researchers successfully converted human skin cells into brain cells by suppressing the expression of p53, a protein encoded by a widely studied oncogene. This suggests that p53 mutation helps determine cell fate -- good or bad -- rather than only the outcome of cancer. ... > full story
Key metabolic pathway implicated in intractable form of breast cancer (July 19, 2011) -- Using a new in vivo screening system, researchers have identified a protein in a key metabolic pathway that is essential in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. When the expression of the gene that codes for this protein -- phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase or PHGDH -- is suppressed in tumors and cell lines with an overabundance of the protein, the rate of cellular growth declines markedly. PHGDH is overexpressed in approximately 70 percent of ER-negative breast cancer patients. ... > full story
Surgeons' civility in operating room benefits patients, reduces costs, expert finds (July 19, 2011) -- A surgeon's behavior in the operating room affects patient outcomes, health-care costs, medical errors and patient- and staff-satisfaction, an expert argues in a new commentary. ... > full story
HIV therapies provide near normal lifespan in Africa, study shows (July 19, 2011) -- The first large-scale analysis of life expectancy outcomes in Africa for HIV patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) shows that such patients can expect to live a near normal lifespan. The study also shows significant variance between patient subgroups. ... > full story
Screening new colon cancer patients for Lynch syndrome would be cost-effective, study shows (July 19, 2011) -- Screening every new colon cancer patient for a particular familial disorder extends lives at a reasonable cost, say researchers. The team hopes the results will encourage more medical centers to adopt widespread screening policies. ... > full story
Stress and alcohol 'feed' each other (July 19, 2011) -- Acute stress is thought to precipitate alcohol drinking. Yet the ways that acute stress can increase alcohol consumption are unclear. A new study investigated whether different phases of response to an acute stressor can alter the subjective effects of alcohol. Findings indicate bi-directional relationships between alcohol and stress. ... > full story
Mechanism behind virally-caused vomiting identified (July 18, 2011) -- Every year, more than 800,000 children in impoverished countries die from diarrhoea and vomiting caused by rotavirus and norovirus -- "winter vomiting disease". Researchers have now discovered how vomiting develops in viral infections and have found a way to quickly treat these children and others in the risk zone for dehydration. ... > full story
Adolescent binge drinking can damage spatial working memory (July 18, 2011) -- Binge drinking is prevalent during adolescence. Adolescence is also a crucial developmental time for cognitive functioning, including spatial working memory. A new study has found the female may be particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of binge drinking. ... > full story
New therapy provides hope for millions of people suffering from bowel incontinence (July 18, 2011) -- A new procedure is now available for the treatment of chronic bowel incontinence, a disorder impacting the lives of more than 18 million Americans. ... > full story
Tumor suppressor protein is a key regulator of immune response and balance (July 18, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a key immune system regulator, a protein that serves as a gatekeeper in the white blood cells that produce the "troops" to battle specific infections. ... > full story
Personality plays role in body weight: Impulsivity strongest predictor of obesity (July 18, 2011) -- People with personality traits of high neuroticism and low conscientiousness are likely to go through cycles of gaining and losing weight throughout their lives, according to an examination of 50 years of data. Impulsivity was the strongest predictor of who would be overweight, the researchers found. ... > full story
Genes vital to preventing childhood leukemia identified (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have identified genes that may be important for preventing childhood leukemia. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood that occurs primarily in young children. Working with mice, researchers have identified two key genes called PU.1 and Spi-B that appear essential in the prevention of B cell ALL, the most common form of ALL in children. ... > full story
Nanotechnology: injections or sampling? New 'molecular syringes' under testing (July 18, 2011) -- Which is better, a quick vertical jab on the buttock or the delicately soft entry of a blood sample? One group of researchers has no doubt. The easiest way of penetrating a cell membrane with a carbon nanotube, is at an angle which is almost flat against the membrane surface. Just as a nurse does to "find" a vein. ... > full story
Face value: Looks of political candidates are key factor influencing low-information voters (July 18, 2011) -- The looks of political candidates are a key factor influencing voters, a phenomenon identified by a number of scholars in recent years. Now, a new study adds to this body of research by detailing which types of citizens are most influenced by candidate appearances, and why: The tendency is most prevalent among low-information voters who watch a lot of television. ... > full story
'Swine flu' breath test could reduce future vaccination shortages, research suggests (July 18, 2011) -- A novel breath test, measuring the immune response to the H1N1 flu virus, could help to ease future vaccine shortages by identifying the people who have already been infected with the flu virus. ... > full story
Natural chemical found in grapes may protect against Alzheimer's disease (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have found that grape seed polyphenols -- a natural antioxidant -- may help prevent the development or delay the progression of Alzheimer's disease. ... > full story
'Wave of death' is not a herald of brain death (July 18, 2011) -- The strong wave-shaped signal that can be measured in the brains of rats whose oxygen supply has been abruptly cut off is not a herald of brain death. The measurement of such a signal is also not a reliable new indication for medical personnel to use in establishing brain death in humans, for example when making a decision whether to carry out organ transplantation. Researchers have made this conclusion on the basis of a computational model. ... > full story
Significantly more genetic mutations lead to colon cancer (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers say there are at least 70 genetic mutations involved in the formation of colon cancer, far more than scientists previously thought. ... > full story
Dentists can identify people with undiagnosed diabetes (July 18, 2011) -- Dental visits represent a chance to intervene in the diabetes epidemic by identifying individuals with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are unaware of their condition, according to a new study. ... > full story
Retired NFL players at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment: Condition can be precursor to Alzheimer's disease (July 18, 2011) -- Retired NFL football players are at higher risk for mild cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, a new study has found. A screening survey of 513 retired players and their wives found that 35 percent of the players had scores suggesting possible mild cognitive impairment. ... > full story
Genetic mutation linked to Parkinson's disease (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a new gene mutation they say causes Parkinson's disease. The mutation was identified in a large Swiss family with Parkinson's disease, using advanced DNA sequencing technology. ... > full story
Newer techniques are making cardiac CT safer for children (July 18, 2011) -- Coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) has excellent image quality and diagnostic confidence for the entire spectrum of pediatric patients, with significant reduction of risk with recent technological advancements, according to a new study. ... > full story
New hope for treatment of cocaine addiction (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that a common beta blocker, used to treat people with hypertension, has shown to be effective in preventing the brain from retrieving memories associated with cocaine use in animal-addiction models. Cocaine is one of the worst drug addictions to kick, with about 80 percent of those trying to quit experiencing a relapse within six months. ... > full story
An unexpected actor in vaccination: Our own DNA (July 18, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered an unexpected mode of action for the vaccine adjuvant alum. When a vaccine containing alum is injected, contact with alum apparently pushes certain cells of the body to release their own DNA. The presence of this DNA outside the cells, a place where it is not to be found in normal conditions, thus acts as a stimulant of the immune system and strongly boosts the response to the vaccine. ... > full story
Nervous system development: New piece of puzzle discovered (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers in Canada recently uncovered a new piece of the puzzle of how the human nervous system develops. The researchers studied the development of motor neuron axons growing into limb muscles. They noticed that in this motor system, the ligands (called ephrins) are present in the same neuron as receptors (called Ephs). ... > full story
'Love your body' to lose weight (July 18, 2011) -- Almost a quarter of men and women in England and over a third of adults in America are obese. Obesity increases the risk of diabetes and heart disease and can significantly shorten a person's life expectancy. New research shows that improving body image can enhance the effectiveness of weight loss programs based on diet and exercise. ... > full story
Study examines relationship of acculturation with sun-safe behaviors of US Latinos (July 18, 2011) -- Among Latinos living in the United States, acculturation is associated with sunscreen use, but not with use of sun-protective clothing, according to a new study. ... > full story
Report reviews incorrect surgical procedures at U.S. Veterans Health Administration facilities (July 18, 2011) -- The rate of adverse events and harm reported at U.S. Veterans Health Administration medical centers appears to have decreased, according to a new report. ... > full story
Another danger of secondhand smoke -- hearing loss (July 18, 2011) -- Researchers report in a new study that exposure to tobacco smoke nearly doubles the risk of hearing loss among adolescents. ... > full story
Steps needed to ensure that home medical devices are easy-to-use and caregivers are well-trained (July 18, 2011) -- A new report recommends steps the Food and Drug Administration and other agencies and professional associations can take to ensure that the medical devices and health information technology used in home health care are easy and safe for laypeople to use and that caregivers, whether formal or informal, are well-trained. ... > full story
Adult day care services provide much-needed break to family caregivers (July 18, 2011) -- Adult day care services significantly reduce the stress levels of family caregivers of older adults with dementia, according to researchers. ... > full story
Married men seek treatment sooner for heart attacks (July 18, 2011) -- Men who are married or in common-law relationships seek medical care sooner for heart attacks compared with single, divorced or widowed men. ... > full story
Efficiency -- not cost -- drives value of hospital environmental services, study finds (July 18, 2011) -- The amount of money that hospitals spend on environmental services, such as cleaning and maintenance service is not as important in influencing patient satisfaction scores as the way the money is spent, according to researchers. ... > full story
Compound to block signaling of cancer-causing protein developed (July 17, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a compound that blocks signaling from a protein implicated in many types of cancer. ... > full story
New understanding of biomarkers could lead to earlier diagnosis of fatal diseases (July 17, 2011) -- A new research paper sheds light on the way antibodies distinguish between different but closely related "biomarkers" -- proteins which reveal information about the condition of the human body. This new understanding could enable pharmaceutical companies to develop new technologies for quickly diagnosing and treating fatal diseases. ... > full story
Source of empathy in the brain? (July 17, 2011) -- Your brain works hard to help understand your fellow person -- no matter how different they may be. According to a new study, even failing to possess a full complement of limbs will not stop your brain from understanding what it is like for someone else to experience pain in one of them. It may, however, change the way your brain does so. ... > full story
Discovery opens new options for improving transfusions (July 16, 2011) -- Donated red blood cells lose a key feature that diminishes their lifesaving power the longer they have been stored, according to researchers. The finding details how banked blood undergoes a change during storage that decreases its ability to transport oxygen. ... > full story
Scientists discover new role for vitamin C in the eye and the brain (July 16, 2011) -- Nerve cells in the eye require vitamin C in order to function properly -- a surprising discovery that may mean vitamin C is required elsewhere in the brain for its proper functioning, according to a new study. ... > full story
When the first choice isn't available, why don't consumers choose the obvious second choice? (July 16, 2011) -- Something strange happens when a consumer learns her favorite product choice isn't available: Instead of picking the runner-up, he or she will reject it for another alternative, according to a new study. ... > full story
The genome guardian's dimmer switch: Regulating p53 is a matter of life or death (July 15, 2011) -- Scientists have found clues to the functioning of an important damage response protein in cells. The protein, p53, can cause cells to stop dividing or even to commit suicide when they show signs of DNA damage, and it is responsible for much of the tissue destruction that follows exposure to ionizing radiation or DNA-damaging drugs such as the ones commonly used for cancer therapy. ... > full story
Maternal nutrition: What impact does it have on gene expression? (July 15, 2011) -- During intrauterine life and lactation, undernutrition brings about modifications involving DNA, leading to metabolic pathologies at the adult age. Researchers have demonstrated for the first time, through an animal-based study, such repercussions at the level of the leptin gene, the hormone that regulates satiety and metabolism. This work could, in the longer term, have an impact on the prevention of metabolic diseases, medically assisted procreation and care for premature infants. ... > full story
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