ScienceDaily Health Headlines
for Friday, September 9, 2011
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Genomic analysis of superbug provides clues to antibiotic resistance (September 9, 2011) -- An analysis of the genome of a superbug has yielded crucial, novel information that could aid efforts to counteract the bacterium's resistance to an antibiotic of last resort. ... > full story
Glucose uptake relies on newly identified protein (September 9, 2011) -- A new study identifies the protein -- called CDP138 -- that helps muscle and fat cells properly insert glucose transporters in their outer membranes. These results provide a new understanding of glucose metabolism -- an important finding considering that impaired insulin action and glucose metabolism contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes. ... > full story
Physicians in varying specialties endure similar levels of mental effort, stress (September 9, 2011) -- Researchers have used work intensity measurement tools to determine that the level of mental effort and stress within various specialty groups tends to be similar, a finding that may lead to more equitable payment for primary care physicians as well as validating these tools for further assessment of stress and workload in medicine with the goal of improving health care. ... > full story
Gene that controls chronic pain identified (September 9, 2011) -- A gene responsible for regulating chronic pain, called HCN2, has been identified. Chronic pain comes in two main varieties. The first, inflammatory pain, occurs when a persistent injury (e.g. a burn or arthritis) results in an enhanced sensitivity of pain-sensitive nerve endings, thus increasing the sensation of pain. ... > full story
Research gives new hope to those with rare vascular cancer (September 9, 2011) -- A specific genetic alteration has been discovered as a defining feature of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, a rare but devastating vascular cancer. These findings have also been used to develop a new diagnostic test for this blood vessel disease. ... > full story
White favoritism by Major League home plate umps lowers minority pitcher performance and pay, baseball study finds (September 9, 2011) -- Racial/ethnic bias by home plate umpires lowers the performance of Major League's minority pitchers, diminishing their pay compared to white pitchers, a new study finds. A researcher says analysis of 3.5 million pitches found minorities responded to racial bias by sacrificing performance and throwing safer balls to limit umpires' subjective judgments. The findings matter when measuring the extent of wage discrimination not only in baseball, but also labor markets generally. ... > full story
Combination therapy rids common infection from implanted medical devices, researchers report (September 8, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a therapy for a potentially deadly type of infection common in catheters, artificial joints and other 'in-dwelling' medical devices. The therapy targets fungal infections, which are hard to treat in such devices because they are composed of biofilms—complex groupings of cells that attach to surfaces. Biofilms, in turn, are coated in a gooey matrix that resists drugs. ... > full story
Stop signal for leukemia stem cells (September 8, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that hyperactive signaling of a particular growth factor called IGF1 promotes T-cell acute lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-ALL). When the investigators blocked this factor, blood cancer cells ceased to growth further. Moreover, the cancer stem cells lost their capability to self-renew. Inhibitors of this growth factor are already available and might help to enhance treatment of this type of leukemia and prevent recurrence. ... > full story
Liquor store density linked to youth homicides, U.S. studies find (September 8, 2011) -- Violent crime could be reduced significantly if policymakers at the local level limit the number of neighborhood liquor stores and ban the sale of single-serve containers of alcoholic beverages, according to separate U.S. studies. ... > full story
Weakened malaria parasites form basis of new vaccine strategy (September 8, 2011) -- Using live but weakened malaria parasites as the basis of a vaccine represents a potentially encouraging anti-malaria strategy, according to results of follow-up animal studies performed after the conclusion of a recent clinical trial in humans. ... > full story
'Open wide' for new stem cell potential (September 8, 2011) -- Scientists have successfully collected cells from oral mucosa and manipulated them into stem cells almost as easy to manipulate as those from embryos. This breakthrough may provide new therapies for neurodegenerative, heart, and autoimmune diseases, as well as diabetes. ... > full story
Structured homeschooling gets an A+ (September 8, 2011) -- A new study has found that homeschooling -- as long as it's structured or follows a curriculum -- can provide kids with an academic edge. ... > full story
Scientists overcome major obstacle for stem cell therapies and research (September 8, 2011) -- Stem cells show great potential to enable treatments for conditions such as spinal injuries or Lou Gehrig's disease, and also as research tools. Scientists in the United States and Japan have developed a clever solution to the research obstacle of cell mixture purification that should prove more reliable than other methods, safer, and perhaps 100 times cheaper. ... > full story
Cancer: Antibodies can directly target oncoproteins inside cancer cells to suppress aggressive cancer growth (September 8, 2011) -- Scientists have made a landmark discovery in the battle against the rapid spread of aggressive cancers. Contrary to the current theory that antibodies can only bind to cancer proteins found on the cancer cell surface, scientists have now discovered that antibodies can in fact directly target oncoproteins that reside within the cancer cells to suppress aggressive cancer growth. ... > full story
Parents who lose child during first year of life at significantly increased risk of early death, study finds (September 8, 2011) -- Parents who lose their child during the first 12 months of life are at significantly increased risk of an early death, new research finds. ... > full story
New substances accelerate drug transport into cells (September 8, 2011) -- Biologists have discovered means for speeding the transport of the active ingredients of drugs into live cells that might allow drastically reducing drug dosages in the future. ... > full story
First U.S. patient receives specially processed donor lungs; Possible new option to increase transplantable lung supply (September 8, 2011) -- Surgeons have transplanted the first lungs treated in the United States with an experimental repair process before transplantation, to evaluate the efficacy of repairing lungs that might otherwise have been passed over as unsuitable for organ donation. ... > full story
Death tolls spur pro-war stance, study finds; 'Sunk-cost' mindset also keeps losers in the stock market (September 8, 2011) -- Mounting casualities in America's nearly 10-year-old wars in Iraq and Afghanistan might seem to serve as a catalyst for people to denounce the war and demand a way out. But a new study into the psychology of "sunk-costs" finds that highlighting casualties before asking for opinions on these wars actually sways people toward a more pro-war attitude. This sunk-cost mindset may also expain why losers stay in the stock market. ... > full story
New drugs hope for dangerous yeast infections (September 8, 2011) -- Researchers are a step closer towards creating a new class of medicines and vaccines to combat drug-resistant and deadly strains of fungal infections, following a new study. ... > full story
'Dirty' wild mice may be more relevant immunology model (September 8, 2011) -- Like humans, mice that live in their natural habitat encounter bacteria and other pathogens that exercise their immune system, yet lab mice typically used in immunology studies are raised in isolation from most diseases. A study on natural killer cells in wild mice examines the hypothesis that the unsterile living conditions faced by humans and wild mice may improve the readiness of the immune system to fight new infections. ... > full story
Computer-aided design used for breast tissue reconstruction (September 8, 2011) -- A technology usually reserved for designing buildings, bridges and aircraft has now been used to aid breast tissue reconstruction in cancer patients. ... > full story
Aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of dementia, researchers say (September 8, 2011) -- Any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition's progression once it starts, a new study finds. Researchers examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia. ... > full story
Researchers eye newer, safer birth control method (September 8, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered a new contraceptive that is more focused, safer and, therefore, available for use among a larger population of women. This research in monkeys has demonstrated that targeting these enzymes can prevent the release of an egg from the ovary. ... > full story
Biological agents for rheumatoid arthritis associated with increased skin cancer risk, review finds (September 8, 2011) -- Biological agents used to treat rheumatoid arthritis seem to be associated with an increased risk of skin cancer, indicates a systematic review of published research. ... > full story
Concerned with safety, hovering 'helicopter parents' can impede child’s ability to play, study shows (September 8, 2011) -- Parental safety concerns may prevent children from getting good exercise, according to a new study that examined how families use neighborhood parks. ... > full story
New 'bouncer' molecule halts rheumatoid arthritis; Protective protein prevents immune system from ravaging joints and bones (September 8, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered why immune cells of people with rheumatoid arthritis become hyperactive and attack the joints and bones. The cells have lost their bouncer, the burly protein that keeps them in line the way a bouncer in a nightclub controls rowdy patrons. The protein, called P21, prevents immune cells from their destructive rampage. When the scientists injected a mimic of P21 into an animal model of arthritis, the disease process was halted. ... > full story
Flaxseed no help for hot flashes during breast cancer or menopause, study finds (September 8, 2011) -- A new study has found that flaxseed provided no benefit in easing hot flashes among breast cancer patients and postmenopausal women. ... > full story
New video gaming technology used to detect illness, prevent falls in older adults (September 8, 2011) -- Many older adults lose their independence as their health declines and they are compelled to move into assisted care facilities. Researchers at an independent living community have been using motion-sensing technology to monitor changes in residents' health for several years. Now, researchers have found that two devices commonly used for video gaming and security systems are effective in detecting the early onset of illness and fall risk in seniors. ... > full story
Volunteering to help others could lead to better health; Reduced mortality risk not seen in people motivated by self-centered reasons (September 8, 2011) -- People who volunteer may live longer than those who don't, as long as their reasons for volunteering are to help others rather than themselves, suggests new research. ... > full story
Promising target in treating and preventing the progression of heart failure identified (September 8, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a new drug target that may treat and/or prevent heart failure. The team evaluated failing human and pig hearts and discovered that SUMO1, a so-called "chaperone" protein that regulates the activity of key transporter genes, was decreased in failing hearts. When the researchers injected SUMO1 into these hearts via gene therapy, cardiac function was significantly improved. ... > full story
Researchers discuss challenges to developing broadly protective HIV vaccines (September 8, 2011) -- The human body can produce powerful antibodies that shield cells in the laboratory against infection by an array of HIV strains. In people, however, recent research shows that these broadly neutralizing antibodies are not produced in an efficient or timely enough fashion in HIV-infected individuals to effectively block progression of infection, appearing only after a person has been infected with HIV for at least one year -- by which time the virus has fully established itself within the body. ... > full story
Exercise at work boosts productivity, Swedish researchers find (September 8, 2011) -- Devoting work time to physical activity can lead to higher productivity, according to a new study performed by researchers in Sweden. ... > full story
Music professor analyzes the demographic profile of US high school music ensemble students (September 8, 2011) -- Scientists have been working to construct a national demographic profile of high school band, choir, and orchestra students in the US using evidence from the 2004 follow-up wave of the Education Longitudinal Study. ... > full story
Evolving role of clinical microbiology laboratories (September 8, 2011) -- With the increasing availability of sophisticated technologies to rapidly diagnose and treat infectious diseases, the duties and the role of clinical laboratory microbiologists, who traditionally perform these tests, could see significant changes in the next few years, according to new research. ... > full story
Sediba hominid skull hints at later brain evolution (September 8, 2011) -- An analysis of a skull from the most complete early hominid fossils ever found suggests the large, complex human brain may have evolved more rapidly and at a later time than some other human characteristics. If Australopithecus sediba is a human ancestor, as some suggest, then its fossils could help resolve long-standing debates about human brain evolution, say researchers. ... > full story
Scientists discover genetic mutation that causes Parkinson's disease (September 8, 2011) -- A large team of international researchers have identified a new genetic cause of inherited Parkinson's disease that they say may be related to the inability of brain cells to handle biological stress. ... > full story
When infants gain the capacity for pain (September 8, 2011) -- A new study has for the first time revealed the time in development when infants appear able to tell the difference between pain and basic touch. The researchers, who report their findings online in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on September 8, say that the results, based on recordings of brain activity in preterm infants, may have implications for clinical care. ... > full story
Report offers framework for weighing health consequences of policies, projects (September 8, 2011) -- Factoring health and related costs into decision making is essential to confronting the nation's health problems and enhancing public well-being, says a new report from the U.S. National Research Council, which adds that a health impact assessment (HIA) is a promising tool for use by scientists, communities, and government and private sector policymakers. ... > full story
Sleep disorders affect 40 percent of Canadians (September 8, 2011) -- Sleep disorders affect 40 percent of adult Canadians according to a new study. ... > full story
Cam-type deformities linked to MRI detected hip damage in asymptomatic young men (September 8, 2011) -- Hip impingement may be a risk factor of osteoarthritis of the hip. A new study reveals that the presence of an underlying deformity, known as cam impingement, is associated with hip damage in young men without any arthritis symptoms and detected using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ... > full story
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