ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, August 11, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, August 11, 2011

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Blocking receptor in key hormone fires up enzyme to kill pancreatic cancer cells (August 11, 2011) -- Pancreatic cancer researchers have shown, for the first time, that blocking a receptor of a key hormone in the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) reduces cancer cell growth by activating the enzyme AMPK to inhibit fatty acid synthase, the ingredients to support cell division. ... > full story

How an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic (August 11, 2011) -- Working out the structure of a complex formed when a protein binds to DNA has proved to be key in understanding how an antibiotic-producing organism controls resistance to its own antibiotic, and may be an example of how other antibiotic producers regulate export to prevent self-toxicity. ... > full story

No proof fibrate drugs reduce heart risk in diabetes patients on statins, experts say (August 11, 2011) -- Type 2 diabetes patients, who face higher risk of cardiovascular disease, often take a combination of medications designed to lower their LDL or "bad" cholesterol and triglyceride levels while raising their HDL or "good" cholesterol because doctors long have thought that taken together, the drugs offer protection from heart attacks and improve survival. Now experts suggest more studies. ... > full story

Pulling a fast one: How do consumers react to zippy disclaimers? (August 11, 2011) -- Consumers react negatively to most quick disclaimers at the end of ads, according to a new study. But if the fast disclaimer comes from a trusted company, they'll let it slide. ... > full story

Genetically modified 'serial killer' T-cells obliterate tumors in leukemia patients (August 11, 2011) -- In a cancer treatment breakthrough 20 years in the making, researchers have shown sustained remissions of up to a year among a small group of advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients treated with genetically engineered versions of their own T cells. ... > full story

New genetic cause of blinding eye disease (August 11, 2011) -- Researchers have found a new genetic cause of the blinding eye disease retinitis pigmentosa and, in the process, discovered an entirely new version of the message that codes for the affected protein. ... > full story

Poultry farms that go organic have significantly fewer antibiotic-resistant bacteria (August 11, 2011) -- Poultry farms that have transitioned from conventional to organic practices and ceased using antibiotics have significantly lower levels of drug-resistant enterococci bacteria. The findings suggest that removing antibiotic use from large-scale US poultry farms can result in immediate and significant reductions in antibiotic resistance for some bacteria. ... > full story

Popular muscle-boosting supplement does not increase blood flow, study suggests (August 11, 2011) -- A new study has found that a popular nutritional supplement that is marketed to lead to greater muscle strength through increasing blood flow to the muscle does not increase blood flow as claimed on the bottle. ... > full story

Service as performance: How do class differences affect hospitality interactions? (August 11, 2011) -- Is your hairdresser seething with hidden resentment? Do you subconsciously want to dominate the people who serve you? According to a new study, customers and hospitality workers engage in a game of status that plays out in their everyday encounters. ... > full story

Multiple sclerosis research doubles number of genes associated with the disease, increasing the number to over 50 (August 10, 2011) -- Scientists have identified 29 new genetic variants linked to multiple sclerosis, providing key insights into the biology of a very debilitating neurological disease. ... > full story

New agent prevents stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, study suggests (August 10, 2011) -- In the primary result from the largest double-blind study ever completed to assess a drug's effect in the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, a common heart rhythm abnormality, rivaroxaban, an anti-clotting drug, was shown to be an attractive alternative to warfarin, the current standard for treatment of atrial fibrillation. ... > full story

Alzheimer's disease symptoms more subtle in people over 80 (August 10, 2011) -- A new study suggests that the relationship between brain shrinkage and memory loss in Alzheimer's disease changes across the age spectrum. ... > full story

Rehab robots lend stroke patients a hand (August 10, 2011) -- Robot-assisted therapy has measurable benefits for patients with a weaker arm following a stroke. ... > full story

Telephone trumps social media when communicating with teens about research (August 10, 2011) -- If you think teenagers prefer social media over the telephone, you may want to think again, at least when it comes to teens involved in research studies. ... > full story

New discovery in battle against infections (August 10, 2011) -- Researchers have now identified a previously unknown link between the migration of white blood cells to infected tissues and the ability of these cells to survive and become long-lived memory cells after the infection has been cleared. ... > full story

Fading ability to taste iron raises health concerns for people over age 50 (August 10, 2011) -- People lose the ability to detect the taste of iron in drinking water with advancing age, raising concern that older people may be at risk for an unhealthy over-exposure to iron, engineers are reporting. ... > full story

Frequent tanning bed users exhibit brain changes and behavior similar to addicts, study finds (August 10, 2011) -- People who frequently use tanning beds may be spurred by an addictive neurological reward-and-reinforcement trigger, researchers have found. ... > full story

Study finds new ADHD genes, links susceptibility with autism and other neuropsychiatric conditions (August 10, 2011) -- New research has identified more genes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and shows that there is an overlap between some of these genes and those found in other neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ... > full story

Arthritis sufferers are not engaging in physical activity critical to their health (August 10, 2011) -- Being physically active is one of best ways people with arthritis can improve their health, but a new study shows that more than half of women and 40 percent of men with arthritis are virtually couch potatoes. ... > full story

Scared of the wrong things: Lack of major enzyme causes poor threat-assessment in mice (August 10, 2011) -- Do you run when you should stay? Are you afraid of all the wrong things? An enzyme deficiency might be to blame, reveals new research in mice. ... > full story

Human cells engineered to make functional anal sphincters in lab (August 10, 2011) -- Researchers have built the first functional anal sphincters in the laboratory, suggesting a potential future treatment for both fecal and urinary incontinence. ... > full story

Prenatal pet exposure, delivery mode, race are key factors in early allergy risk, study finds (August 10, 2011) -- Prenatal pet exposure, a mother's delivery mode and race are influential factors in a child's risk of developing allergies by age 2, according to a new study. Researchers found that babies who have indoor prenatal pet exposure have a pattern of lower levels of the antibody Immunoglobulin E, or IgE, between birth and age 2. IgE is linked to the development of allergies and asthma. ... > full story

Narcissists look like good leaders, but they aren't (August 10, 2011) -- Narcissists rise to the top. That's because other people think their qualities -- confidence, dominance, authority, and self-esteem -- make them good leaders. But new research shows otherwise. ... > full story

Baker's yeast protects against fatal infections (August 10, 2011) -- Injecting mice with simple baker's yeast protects against the fatal fungal infection, aspergillosis, according to new research. The work could lead to the development of a human vaccine that protects immuno-compromised people against a range of life-threatening fungal infections, for which current therapy often fails. ... > full story

Think healthy, eat healthy: Scientists show link between attention and self-control (August 10, 2011) -- Choosing what to have for dinner, it turns out, is a complex neurological exercise. But, according to researchers, it's one that can be influenced by a simple shifting of attention toward the healthy side of life. And that shift may provide strategies to help us all make healthier choices -- not just in terms of the foods we eat, but in other areas, like whether or not we pick up a cigarette. ... > full story

Study on silencing of tumor suppressor gene suggests new target for lymphoma (August 10, 2011) -- Researchers have found that a cancer-causing fusion protein works by silencing the tumor suppressor gene IL-2R common gamma-chain. The results suggest news targets for lymphoma and other types of cancer. ... > full story

Music reduces anxiety in cancer patients (August 10, 2011) -- Cancer patients may benefit from sessions with trained music therapists or from listening to music. A new systematic review shows using music can reduce anxiety in cancer patients, and may also have positive effects on mood, pain and quality of life. ... > full story

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

Leaky heart valves: First in vitro study of tricuspid valve mechanics uncovers causes for leakage (August 10, 2011) -- An estimated 1.6 million Americans suffer moderate to severe leakage through their heart's tricuspid valve, but what causes the problem is not well understood. A new study found that either dilating the tricuspid valve opening or displacing the papillary muscles that control its operation can cause the valve to leak. A combination of the two actions can increase the severity of the leakage, which is called tricuspid regurgitation. ... > 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

Heart patients could benefit from different drug, study suggests (August 10, 2011) -- Patients with an irregular heartbeat could benefit from a drug that is easier to administer than the current standard treatment. The condition, which is more common with older age, can lead to blood clots forming and significantly increases the risk of stroke. ... > full story

Understanding the effects of underwater pressure on divers (August 10, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a novel capability for examining how cells work at pressures far below the sea surface. ... > full story

How consumers discriminate: Study reveals how the quality of a good and the assortment of choices available influences consumers (August 10, 2011) -- The study provides evidence on the impact of the size and quality of an assortment has on a consumer when they make purchasing decisions. When consumers are confronted with a proliferation of options, they will sharpen their appreciation of quality, and a switch to superior products will become more enticing. Subsequently, a switch to inferior products will become less tolerable. ... > full story

Pharmacist-directed anticoagulation service improves care coordination (August 10, 2011) -- A pharmacist-directed anticoagulation service improves the coordination of care from the hospital to an outpatient clinic for patients treated with the anticoagulant drug warfarin, according to a new study. ... > full story

New genetic links to MS also play roles in other autoimmune diseases (August 10, 2011) -- Results of the largest genomics study of multiple sclerosis patients ever undertaken have identified more than two dozen new genetic variants linked to disease risk, including some previously implicated in other autoimmune diseases. ... > full story

Could an 'ankle hotline' relieve strain on health care demands? (August 10, 2011) -- Should lower leg strains and sprains take up valuable ER time and resources? According to a new American study strains and sprains account for over a third of lower extremity injuries treated at emergency departments. They reason that because these problems are not life-threatening, perhaps telephone triage and scheduled care appointments might be a better use of precious emergency health care resources. ... > 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

New insights into biology of germ cells: Machinery for recombination is part of chromosome structure (August 9, 2011) -- During the development of gametes, such as egg and sperm cells in humans, chromosomes are broken and rearranged at many positions. Using state of the art technology, researchers in Austria have analyzed this process at high resolution. The surprising observations regarding the mechanism of meiosis are now published in a new article. ... > 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

Curry spice could offer treatment hope for tendinitis (August 9, 2011) -- A derivative of a common culinary spice found in Indian curries could offer a new treatment hope for sufferers of the painful condition tendinitis, researchers have shown. The researchers have shown that curcumin, which also gives the spice turmeric its trademark bright yellow coloring, can be used to suppress biological mechanisms that spark inflammation in tendon diseases. ... > 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