ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Wednesday, August 10, 2011
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A protein may help treat obesity, diabetes (August 10, 2011) -- A newly-identified protein may hold the key to keeping appetite and blood sugar in check, according to a new study. Researchers found that rats administered with nesfatin-1 ate less, used more stored fat and became more active. In addition, the protein stimulated insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cells of both rats and mice. ... > full story
No strong evidence to support aspirin use for IVF (August 10, 2011) -- A systematic review did not find compelling evidence to support the routine use of aspirin in women being treated for IVF. The researchers reported that taking aspirin during an IVF cycle did not seem to increase a woman's chances of becoming pregnant. ... > full story
Suicide risk high for war veterans in college, study finds (August 10, 2011) -- Nearly half of college students who are U.S. military veterans reported thinking of suicide and 20 percent said they had planned to kill themselves -- rates significantly higher than among college students in general, according to a new study. ... > full story
Sleep-disordered breathing may increase risk of cognitive impairment, dementia among older women (August 10, 2011) -- Older women with sleep-disordered breathing, as indicated by measures of hypoxia (oxygen deficiency), were more likely to develop cognitive impairment or dementia than women without this disorder, according to a new study. ... > full story
Antibiotic useful for localized treatment of bone wear (August 10, 2011) -- Total joint replacement surgeries can help relieve joint pain common in people with conditions like osteoarthritis. But sometimes, the debris from prosthetic joints leads to aseptic loosening, or disintegration of surrounding bones. In 2009, a researcher determined that the anti-inflammatory antibiotic erythromycin can prevent and treat such disintegration. There was one caveat, however: there are side effects associated with long-term usage of erythromycin. Now a biomedical engineer has found a solution. ... > full story
Rising barriers to primary care send many Americans to the emergency department (August 10, 2011) -- A shortage in the number and availability of primary care physicians in the U.S. may continue to mean rising numbers of emergency department visits, despite the expanded health insurance coverage required by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. ... > full story
Tests that use DNA from mother’s blood to determine sex of fetus often effective (August 9, 2011) -- As a noninvasive method of determining the sex of a fetus, tests using cell-free fetal DNA obtained from the mother's blood after 7 weeks gestation performed well, while urine-based tests appear to be unreliable, according to a review and analysis of previous studies. ... > full story
Young black patients on kidney dialysis do much worse -- not better -- than white counterparts, study finds (August 9, 2011) -- For years, medical studies have reached the same conclusion: African-American patients do better on kidney dialysis than their white counterparts. But new research shows that younger blacks -- those under the age of 50 -- actually do much worse on dialysis than equally sick whites who undergo the same blood-filtering process. ... > full story
Connecting the dots: Dental medicine team describes how enamel forms (August 9, 2011) -- Dental medicine researchers are piecing together the process of tooth enamel biomineralization, which could lead to novel nanoscale approaches to developing biomaterials. ... > full story
When and how to toilet train children (August 9, 2011) -- Parents often ask their doctors for advice on toilet training young children, and a new article summarizes current approaches and evidence to help physicians respond to these queries. ... > full story
Why the human heart can't regenerate itself (August 9, 2011) -- Stem cell researchers have uncovered for the first time why adult human cardiac myocytes have lost their ability to proliferate, perhaps explaining why the human heart has little regenerative capacity. ... > full story
Molecular pathway that leads to inflammation in asthma identified (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a molecular pathway that helps explain how an enzyme elevated in asthma patients can lead to increased mucus production and inflammation that is characteristic of the lung condition. Their findings reveal unique interactions between biological molecules that could be targeted to develop new asthma treatments. ... > full story
Schizophrenia study finds cognitive deficits significantly impair decision-making capacity (August 9, 2011) -- Concern about the capacity of individuals with schizophrenia to consent to clinical research studies has largely focused on impairment due to psychotic symptoms associated with the disorder. Less attention has been given to the cognitive errors that prospective participants make when undergoing a formal assessment of decisional capacity. A new study has found that errors due to cognitive difficulties were common. ... > full story
'Good' prion-like proteins boost immune response, scientists report (August 9, 2011) -- A person's ability to battle viruses at the cellular level remarkably resembles the way deadly infectious agents called prions misfold and cluster native proteins to cause disease, researchers report. ... > full story
Buyer beware: Herbal products missing key safety information (August 9, 2011) -- Many herbal remedies available over-the-counter in pharmacies and health food shops are still lacking important information needed for safe use, according to researchers. ... > full story
Hang out at the water cooler, live longer: Getting along with co-workers can significantly increase your lifespan, says researcher (August 9, 2011) -- A new study statistically demonstrates the positive health consequences of an emotionally supportive workplace. ... > full story
Technique to stimulate heart cells may lead to light-controlled pacemakers (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers used light to control the electrical activity of heart muscle cells. The research raises the possibility of light-controlled pacemakers to treat heart rhythm problems. ... > full story
Genetic analysis of amniotic fluid shows promise for monitoring fetal development (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of focused fetal gene expression analysis of target genes found in amniotic fluid using Standardized NanoArray PCR (SNAP) technology. This analysis could be used to monitor fetal development, enabling clinicians to determine very early in pregnancy whether fetal organ systems are developing normally. ... > full story
Social class as culture (August 9, 2011) -- Social class is more than just how much money you have. It's also the clothes you wear, the music you like, the school you go to -- and has a strong influence on how you interact with others, according to new research. ... > full story
Fine-tuning the flu vaccine for broader protection (August 9, 2011) -- An antibody that mimics features of the influenza virus's entry point into human cells could help researchers understand how to fine-tune the flu vaccine to protect against a broad range of virus strains. Such protection could potentially reduce the need to develop, produce, and distribute a new vaccine for each flu season. ... > full story
Age and severity of heart failure associated with impairment in verbal memory (August 9, 2011) -- Older patients with lower rates of left ventricular ejection fraction (a measure of how well the left ventricle of the heart pumps with each contraction) appear more likely than younger patients to have significantly reduced verbal memory function, according to a new study. ... > full story
Deep brain stimulation effects may last for 10 years in patients with Parkinson's disease (August 9, 2011) -- One decade after receiving implants that stimulate areas of their brains, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) appear to sustain improvement in motor function, although part of the initial benefit wore off mainly because of progressive loss of benefit in other functions, according to a new study. ... > full story
Blood loss from lab testing associated with hospital-acquired anemia for patients with heart attacks, study finds (August 9, 2011) -- In patients with acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), blood loss from greater use of phlebotomy (blood drawn for diagnostic testing) appears to be independently associated with the development of hospital-acquired anemia (HAA), according to a new study. ... > full story
Education affects Americans' religiosity -- but not how you might think (August 9, 2011) -- A new study finds that education has a positive effect on Americans' churchgoing habits, devotional practices, emphasis on religion in daily life and support for religious leaders to weigh in on the issues of the day. ... > full story
Protein unmasks pathogenic fungi to activate immune response (August 9, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered a novel association between two fungal recognition receptors on the surface of certain immune cells, called macrophages. The interaction of these receptors (dectin-1 and galectin-3) sheds new light on how the innate immune system discriminates between non-pathogenic and pathogenic fungi. Invasive fungal infections are a rising source of morbidity and mortality in healthy individuals, as well as in patients suffering from chronic diseases, such as cancer or AIDS. ... > full story
More frequent visual field testing may lead to earlier detection of glaucoma progression (August 9, 2011) -- In patients with glaucoma, frequent visual field testing may be associated with earlier detection of the condition's progression, according to a new study. ... > full story
Psychiatrists failing to adequately monitor patients for metabolic side-effects of prescribed drugs, UK study suggests (August 9, 2011) -- People treated in psychiatric settings are receiving inadequate medical monitoring following high risk antipsychotic medication, UK study suggests. ... > full story
Siblings of those with blood clots in leg have higher risk of same disorder (August 8, 2011) -- People with multiple siblings who had potentially life-threatening leg blood clots are 50 times more likely to get the same condition compared to people with healthy siblings. Hereditary factors -- as determined by sibling history -- are significant in determining the risk of venous thromboembolism in men and women between the ages of 10 and 69. VTE is the third most common cardiovascular illness after stroke and heart. ... > full story
Soy tablets not associated with reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women, study finds (August 8, 2011) -- Soy isoflavone tablets do not appear to be associated with a reduction in bone loss or menopausal symptoms in women within the first five years of menopause, according to a new study. ... > full story
World survey links religion and happiness -- for some (August 8, 2011) -- There may be a few atheists in foxholes, but a new study suggests that in societies under stress, those who are religious outnumber -- and are happier than -- their nonreligious counterparts. Where peace and plenty are the norm, however, religious participation is lower and people are happier whether or not they are religious, the researchers found. ... > full story
Early morning smokers have increased risk of lung and head and neck cancers, study finds (August 8, 2011) -- Two new studies have found that smokers who tend to take their first cigarette soon after they wake up in the morning may have a higher risk of developing lung and head and neck cancers than smokers who refrain from lighting up right away. The results may help identify smokers who have an especially high risk of developing cancer and would benefit from targeted smoking interventions to reduce their risk. ... > full story
New insights into how tumor cells are fed; Shows promise for development of anti-tumor drugs (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers have gained a new understanding of the way in which growing tumors are fed and how this growth can be slowed via angiogenesis inhibitors that eliminate the blood supply to tumors. This represents a step forward towards developing new anti-cancer drug therapies. ... > full story
Researchers use neutrons to spy on the elusive hydronium ion: Unprecedented proof of ion's role in enzymatic process (August 8, 2011) -- A research team has harnessed neutrons to view for the first time the critical role that an elusive molecule plays in certain biological reactions. The effort could aid in treatment of peptic ulcers or acid reflux disease, or allow for more efficient conversion of woody waste into transportation fuels. ... > full story
Many top U.S. scientists wish they had more children, study finds; 25 percent of scientists consider leaving the profession for family life (August 8, 2011) -- Nearly half of all women scientists and one-quarter of male scientists at the United States' top research universities said their career has kept them from having as many children as they had wanted, according to a new study. ... > full story
Cancer biomarker -- detectable by blood test -- could improve prostate cancer detection (August 8, 2011) -- A new study supports the use of a DNA-based "biomarker" blood test as a complement to the prostate-specific antigen test currently offered to screen men for prostate cancer. ... > full story
New brain tumor gene identified for meningiomas (August 8, 2011) -- The causes of brain tumors have been hard to discern in most cases. But researchers have previously identified an inherited predisposition for brain tumors. Now, in an international collaboration, they have also discovered a genetic variation that increases the risk of a certain type of brain tumor, called meningiomas. ... > full story
Walking around is the simplest way to shorten hospital stay, study finds (August 8, 2011) -- Walking around the ward during hospitalization reduces the length of geriatric patients' stay in internal wards, according to a new study in Israel. ... > full story
Engineered human T cells can eradicate deadly human ovarian cancer in immune-deficient mice (August 8, 2011) -- Medical researchers have shown for the first time that engineered human T cells can eradicate deadly human ovarian cancer in immune-deficient mice. ... > full story
Key molecule that keeps immune cell development on track described (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers have clarified the role of two proteins key to T-cell development. They found that one well-known protein called Notch passes off much of its role during T-cell maturation to another protein called TCF-1. ... > full story
Increase in public health spending results in healthier people, study suggests (August 8, 2011) -- A recent study suggests that increases in public health spending results in healthier people, especially in communities with fewer resources. ... > full story
Mutations not inherited from parents cause more than half the cases of schizophrenia (August 8, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that new, or "de novo," protein-altering mutations -- genetic errors that are present in patients but not in their parents -- play a role in more than 50 percent of "sporadic" -- i.e., not hereditary -- cases of schizophrenia. ... > full story
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