ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, July 20, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, July 20, 2011

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Gene therapy delivered once to blood vessel wall protects against atherosclerosis in rabbit studies (July 20, 2011) -- A one-dose method for delivering gene therapy into an arterial wall effectively protects the artery from developing atherosclerosis despite ongoing high blood cholesterol, according to new research in rabbits. ... > full story

Cardiac disorder may affect broader range of patients than previously reported (July 20, 2011) -- Stress cardiomyopathy (a transient form of acute heart failure triggered by stressful events) appears to have clinical characteristics that are broader than reported previously, including younger patients, men, and patients without an identifiable stressful trigger, according to a new study. ... > full story

E-health records should play bigger role in patient safety initiatives, researchers advocate (July 20, 2011) -- Patient safety researchers are calling for the expanded use of electronic health records to address the disquieting number of medical errors in the health care system that can lead to readmissions and even death. ... > full story

Heartburn treatment may extend survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients (July 20, 2011) -- Patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who report treatment for gastroespophageal reflux (GER) appear to have longer survival than IPF patients who are not treated for GERD, according to a new study. ... > full story

How the early human embryo acquires its shape through 'organizer' cells (July 20, 2011) -- How is it that a disc-like cluster of cells transforms within the first month of pregnancy into an elongated embryo? This mechanism is a mystery that people have tried to unravel for millennia. ... > full story

Therapy appears to reduce rate of chemotherapy-induced early menopause for women with breast cancer (July 20, 2011) -- Temporarily suppressing ovarian function with use of the hormone analogue triptorelin reduced the occurrence of early menopause induced by chemotherapy among women with breast cancer, according to a new study. ... > full story

It's simple: Increasing complexity of models does not necessarily increase their accuracy (July 20, 2011) -- Mathematical modeling of infectious diseases is an important tool in the understanding and prediction of epidemics. Knowledge of social interactions is used to understand how infectious diseases spread through populations and how to control epidemics. New research shows that a model, which included dynamic information about the heterogeneity of contact length and rate of making new contacts, was as effective as a more complex model which included the order of contacts. ... > full story

New lung-cancer gene found: Cancer biologists identify a driving force behind the spread of an aggressive type of lung cancer (July 19, 2011) -- A major challenge for cancer biologists is figuring out which among the hundreds of genetic mutations found in a cancer cell are most important for driving the cancer's spread. Using a new technique called whole-genome profiling, scientists have now pinpointed a gene that appears to drive progression of small cell lung cancer, an aggressive form of lung cancer accounting for about 15 percent of lung cancer cases. ... > full story

Falls may be early sign of Alzheimer's (July 19, 2011) -- Falls and balance problems may be early indicators of Alzheimer's disease, researchers have found. ... > full story

Testosterone deficiency and replacement therapy in men (July 19, 2011) -- Testosterone deficiency (TD), often referred to as hypogonadism, is associated with aging and affects approximately 30 percent of men ages 40-79. To highlight some of the challenges and controversies encountered in diagnosis and treatment of men with TD, a new review article illustrates the implication of TD on men's overall health and analyzes a number of studies in men receiving testosterone replacement therapy to treat TD. ... > full story

Stated calories on menus of certain restaurants appear to be accurate overall (July 19, 2011) -- An examination of the calorie content of food from about 40 fast-food and sit-down restaurants in 3 states finds that overall the stated calories of items on the menus of the restaurants are accurate, although there was substantial inaccuracy for some individual foods, with understated calorie figures for those items with lower calorie contents, according to a new study. ... > full story

Making blood sucking deadly for mosquitoes (July 19, 2011) -- Inhibiting a molecular process cells use to direct proteins to their proper destinations causes more than 90 percent of affected mosquitoes to die within 48 hours of blood feeding, a team of biochemists discovered. The approach could be used as an additional strategy in the worldwide effort to curb mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue fever, yellow fever and malaria. ... > full story

Physical activity linked to lower rates of cognitive impairment (July 19, 2011) -- Engaging in regular physical activity is associated with less decline in cognitive function in older adults, according to two new studies. ... > full story

Gradual bone reduction seen in some birth control pill users (July 19, 2011) -- Birth control pills may reduce a woman's bone density, according to a new study. Impacts on bone were small, depended on the woman's age and the pill's hormone dose, and did not appear until about two years of use. The researchers also reported how on bone density levels when a woman stops using the pill. ... > full story

Painful legacy of teen sports (July 19, 2011) -- A new study links high rates of osteoarthritis in athletes to femur damage during adolescence, as a result of participation in high-intensity sports. ... > full story

Patients who use anti-depressants are more likely to suffer relapse, researcher finds (July 19, 2011) -- Patients who use anti-depressants are much more likely to suffer relapses of major depression than those who use no medication at all, according to new research. In an article that is likely to ignite new controversy in the hotly debated field of depression and medication, an evolutionary psychologist concludes that patients who have used anti-depressant medications can be nearly twice as susceptible to future episodes of major depression. ... > full story

Over half of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable, say researchers (July 19, 2011) -- Over half of all Alzheimer's disease cases could potentially be prevented through lifestyle changes and treatment or prevention of chronic medical conditions, according to a new study. ... > full story

Mothers with breastfeeding difficulties more likely to suffer postpartum depression, study finds (July 19, 2011) -- Women who have breastfeeding difficulties in the first two weeks after giving birth are more likely to suffer postpartum depression two months later compared to women without such difficulties, according to a new study. ... > full story

Exposure to secondhand smoke associated with hearing loss in adolescents (July 19, 2011) -- Exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with increased risk of hearing loss among adolescents, according to a new report. ... > full story

Research in 'Westie' dogs may hold answers to similar human diseases (July 19, 2011) -- Scientists have announced preliminary findings in two major studies involving the health of West Highland white terriers also known as westies. Findings in these and other studies of Westies and other dogs may hold answers for similar human conditions like inflammatory bowel disease. ... > full story

New anti-cancer agents show promise for treating aggressive breast cancers (July 19, 2011) -- Some of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer are more vulnerable to chemotherapy when it is combined with a new class of anti-cancer agent, researchers have shown. ... > full story

Fewer verbs and nouns in financial reporting could predict stock market bubble, study shows (July 19, 2011) -- After examining 18,000 online articles published by the Financial Times, The New York Times, and the BBC, scientists discovered that verbs and nouns used by financial commentators converge in a 'herd-like' fashion in the lead up to a stock market bubble. The findings show that trends in word use financial journalists correlate closely with changes in leading stock indices. ... > full story

Neural signature of 'mental time travel': Memories formed in the same context become linked, evidence shows (July 19, 2011) -- Almost everyone has experienced one memory triggering another, but explanations for that phenomenon have proved elusive. Now, researchers have provided the first neurobiological evidence that memories formed in the same context become linked, the foundation of the theory of episodic memory. ... > full story

Soy/milk protein dietary supplements linked to lower blood pressure (July 19, 2011) -- Soy and milk protein dietary supplements lowered systolic blood pressure compared to refined (simple) carbohydrate supplements, according to a new study. Researchers suggest that replacing dietary refined carbohydrates with foods or drinks high in soy or milk protein might help prevent or treat high blood pressure. ... > full story

ID1 protein boosts lung cancer in smokers, non-smokers; Potential anti-oncogenic target (July 19, 2011) -- Lung cancer is strongly correlated with smoking, and most lung cancer patients are current or former smokers. But it is not rare in nonsmokers. Now, a team of researchers shows that a protein called ID1 is a key player in lung cancer in both smokers and nonsmokers. ... > full story

'Simon says': Preschool-age kids in different countries improve academically using self-regulation game (July 19, 2011) -- Children who regularly participated in a Simon Says-type game designed to improve self-regulation -- called the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task -- may have better math and early literacy scores. A new study found that the higher academic outcomes associated with the game, which emphasizes careful listening and following instructions, does not just benefit students in the United States, but also benefits children tested in Taiwan, China and South Korea. ... > full story

Single traumatic brain injury may prompt long-term neurodegeneration (July 19, 2011) -- In a new study, researchers suggest that Alzheimer's disease-like neurodegeneration may be initiated or accelerated following a single traumatic brain injury, even in young adults. ... > full story

Melanoma screening by physicians associated with finding more cancers than patient self-detection (July 19, 2011) -- Physician-based screening for melanoma is associated with higher rates of physician-detected melanoma and detection of thinner melanoma, according to a new study. ... > full story

Antibiotic disrupts termite microflora, reducing fertility, longevity (July 19, 2011) -- The microbial flora of the termite gut are necessary both for cellulose digestion and normal reproduction, and feeding the insects antibiotics can interfere in these processes, according to a new study. ... > full story

Decisions, decisions, decisions ... (July 19, 2011) -- We all make numerous decisions everyday; unconsciously or consciously, sometimes doing it automatically with little effort or thinking and yet, at other times, we agonize for hours over another. Why do we make these choices -- be it from deciding what to have for lunch or whether to say yes to that job offer halfway round the world. Sometimes we make choices on our own, and at other times, the choice is made for us. ... > full story

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

Common test may be unnecessary for bariatric surgery candidates (July 19, 2011) -- A new study has found that stress testing with myocardial perfusion imaging as part of a pre-operative workup for bariatric surgery candidates may be unnecessary. ... > full story

Suicide and homicide rates in mental health patients in England and Wales (July 19, 2011) -- Suicide rates among people with mental illness in England and Wales have fallen over the last decade, latest figures show. ... > full story

Monitoring cellular interactions at nano-scale in more detail than ever before (July 18, 2011) -- Using nanotechnology to engineer sensors onto the surface of cells, researchers have developed a platform technology for monitoring single-cell interactions in real-time. ... > 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