ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Tuesday, October 11, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Tuesday, October 11, 2011

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How the brain makes memories: Rhythmically (October 11, 2011) -- The brain learns through changes in the strength of synapses -- the connections between neurons -- in response to stimuli. Now, researchers have found there is an optimal brain rhythm, or timing, for changing synaptic strength, and hence learning. ... > full story

Crossing legs after severe stroke may be a good sign of recovery (October 11, 2011) -- People who are able to cross their legs soon after having a severe stroke appear to be more likely to have a good recovery compared to people who can't cross their legs. That's according to new research. ... > full story

Scientists discover three new gene faults which could increase melanoma risk by 30 percent (October 11, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered the first DNA faults linked to melanoma -- the deadliest skin cancer -- that are not related to hair, skin or eye color. ... > full story

New insight into the cellular defects in Huntington's disease (October 11, 2011) -- Huntington disease is a devastating neurogenerative disorder caused by a mutant HTT gene. Although this has been known for many years, the functions of normal Htt protein and the mechanisms by which mutant Htt protein causes disease are not well understood. But now, researchers have now uncovered a new function for normal Htt protein and determined that this function is disrupted in a mouse model of Huntington's disease and in patients with the disorder. ... > full story

Alzheimer disease: Medication gantenerumab associated with reduction in brain amyloid levels related to AD, small study finds (October 11, 2011) -- Although it is a small study and more clinical trials are needed, treatment with the medication gantenerumab appeared to result in a reduction in brain amyloid levels in patients with Alzheimer disease, according to a new report. ... > full story

Combination therapies for drug-resistant cancers (October 11, 2011) -- Some cancers can be effectively treated with drugs inhibiting proteins known as receptor tyrosine kinases, but not those cancers caused by mutations in the KRAS gene. However, researchers have now identified a potential way to effectively use receptor tyrosine kinases inhibitors to treat individuals with KRAS mutant colorectal cancers -- combine them with inhibitors of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. ... > full story

Behavioral and educational interventions appear to be effective for patients with poorly controlled diabetes (October 11, 2011) -- Three randomized controlled trials examine the effectiveness of behavioral and educational interventions for patients with poorly controlled diabetes. ... > full story

Small molecules can starve cancer cells (October 10, 2011) -- Researchers in Denmark have found that a small molecule in our cells can block autophagy in cancer cells making them more sensitive for treatment. ... > full story

Study shows how bookmarking genes pre-cell division hastens their subsequent reactivation (October 10, 2011) -- By observing and measuring the kinetics of activation of a single gene locus in a cell before it divides and comparing it with the same gene's reactivation in newly formed daughter cells, scientists have discovered how how bookmarking a gene pre-division causes it to get reactivated post-division. ... > full story

Novel technique uses RNA interference to block inflammation (October 10, 2011) -- Researchers have found a way to block, in an animal model, the damaging inflammation that contributes to many disease conditions. ... > full story

Older cancer survivor population to increase substantially, report predicts (October 10, 2011) -- Over the next decade, the population of cancer survivors over 65 years of age will increase by approximately 42 percent, according to a new report. ... > full story

If you don't snooze, do you lose? Wake-sleep patterns affect brain synapses during adolescence (October 10, 2011) -- An ongoing lack of sleep during adolescence could lead to more than dragging, foggy teens, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Sniffing out the brain's predictive power: Human brain 'smells' what it expects rather than what it sniffs (October 10, 2011) -- In the moments before you "stop and smell the roses," it's likely your brain is already preparing your sensory system for that familiar floral smell. New research offers strong evidence that the brain uses predictive coding to generate "predictive templates" of specific smells -- setting up a mental expectation of a scent before it hits your nostrils. ... > full story

New membrane lipid measuring technique may help fight disease (October 10, 2011) -- Chemists have developed a technique which successfully quantifies signaling lipids on live cell membranes in real time, opening up possible new routes for treating diseases. ... > full story

Detecting glaucoma before it blinds (October 10, 2011) -- Early detection and diagnosis of open angle glaucoma important so that treatment can be used in the early stages of the disease developing to prevent or avoid further vision loss. Researchers in the US have analyzed and ranked the various risk factors for open angle glaucoma so that patients can be screened at an earlier stage if they are more likely to develop the condition. ... > full story

Blame 'faulty' frontal lobe function for undying optimism in face of reality (October 10, 2011) -- Why, in the face of clear evidence to suggest to the contrary, do some people remain so optimistic about the future? Researchers have shown that people who are very optimistic about the outcome of events tend to learn only from information that reinforces their rose-tinted view of the world. This is related to "faulty" function of their frontal lobes. ... > full story

Scientists determine alternative insecticide dramatically reduces malaria transmission (October 10, 2011) -- Indoor spraying with the insecticide bendiocarb has dramatically decreased malaria transmission in many parts of Benin, new evidence that insecticides remain a potent weapon for fighting malaria in Africa despite the rapid rise of resistance to an entire class of mosquito-killing compounds, according to a new study. ... > full story

New method to diagnose sinusitis could reduce use of antibiotics, Swedish research suggests (October 10, 2011) -- Research from Sweden suggests a new method of diagnosing sinusitis. The results offer the potential to reduce the use of antibiotics and the costs of the disease to society. ... > full story

Place, not race, may be a larger determinant of health disparities (October 10, 2011) -- Where you live could play a larger role in health disparities than originally thought, according to a new study. Researchers examined a racially integrated, low-income neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland and found that, with the exception of smoking, nationally reported disparities in hypertension, diabetes, obesity among women and use of health services disappeared or narrowed. ... > full story

Babies show sense of fairness, altruism as early as 15 months (October 10, 2011) -- A new study presents the first evidence that a basic sense of fairness and altruism appears in infancy. Babies as young as 15 months perceived the difference between equal and unequal distribution of food, and their awareness of equal rations was linked to their willingness to share a toy. ... > full story

New potential therapeutic target for breast cancer (October 10, 2011) -- A possible new target for breast cancer therapy comes from the discovery that the Tyk2 protein helps suppress the growth and metastasis of breast tumors. ... > full story

Length of flanking repeat region and timing affect genetic material (October 10, 2011) -- Scientists studied the deletions of genetic material in 131 patients with a genomic disorder called Smith-Magenis syndrome and the duplication of genetic material in 79 patients with Potocki-Lupski syndrome. ... > full story

Children's food choices are affected by direct advertising and parental influence, study suggests (October 10, 2011) -- Directly advertising food items to children worries many parents and health care providers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association have expressed concern about the negative impact of advertising on children's healthy food choices. A new study explores the relationship between fast food advertisements, parental influence, and the food choices made by children. ... > full story

Failure to thrive in childhood often result of an underlying organic disease (October 10, 2011) -- Failure to thrive in childhood is often the result of an underlying organic disease. Researchers now provide an overview of diagnoses and treatment options. ... > full story

Almost half of cancer survivors have ill health in later years, Northern Ireland study finds (October 10, 2011) -- Forty-five per cent of cancer survivors in Northern Ireland suffer from physical and mental health problems years after their treatment has finished, according to new research. ... > full story

HIV: Ancient gene found to control potent antibody response to retroviruses (October 9, 2011) -- A researcher has identified a gene that controls the process by which antibodies gain their ability to combat retroviruses. He has shown that the gene TLR7 allows the antibody generating B cells to detect the presence of a retrovirus and promotes a process by which antibodies gain strength and potency, called a germinal center reaction. ... > full story

In reversing motor nerve damage, time is of the essence: 'Wait and see' in injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome may miss a window for recovery (October 9, 2011) -- When a motor nerve is severely damaged, people rarely recover full muscle strength and function. Combining patient data with observations in a mouse model, neuroscientists now show why. It's not that motor nerve fibers don't regrow -- they can -- but they don't grow fast enough. By the time they get to the muscle fibers, they can no longer communicate with them. ... > full story

Children find human-made objects more likely to be owned than natural objects (October 9, 2011) -- Children as young as three are likely to say that things made by humans have owners, but that natural objects, such as pine cones and sea shells, are not owned, according to a new study. ... > full story

Brain study reveals stress code (October 9, 2011) -- Neuroscientists investigating the 'brain code' claim to have made a significant step forwards in understanding how the brain deals with stress- and mitigates its impact. ... > full story

Study tracks mutations causing congenital dyserythropoietic anemia (CDA) II back to the Roman Empire (October 9, 2011) -- A new study analyzed two mutations (E109K and R14W) of the SEC23B gene and discovered one of them is responsible for the higher frequency of CDA II in Italian population. The first mutation, E109K, may have originated in the Middle East about 2.400 years ago and may have spread in the heyday of the Roman Empire. The other one may have originated in Southern Italy about 3.000 years ago. ... > full story

New software models immune responses (October 9, 2011) -- New software lets researchers see how the immune system responds to pathogens that invade the bacteria-rich environment of the gut. ... > full story

Labour or conservative? It's all in the eye of the beholder, UK facial research finds (October 9, 2011) -- Scientists in the UK have uncovered specific facial characteristics which make Members of Parliament look like they belong to one of the two major political parties in Britain. ... > full story

Imaging agents offer new view of inflammation, cancer (October 8, 2011) -- A series of novel imaging agents could make it possible to "see" tumors in their earliest stages, before they turn deadly. The compounds, derived from inhibitors of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2 and detectable by positron emission tomography imaging, may have broad applications for cancer detection, diagnosis and treatment. ... > full story

Raising 'good' cholesterol levels reduces heart attack and stroke risk in diabetes patients (October 8, 2011) -- Increasing levels of high-density lipoproteins, better known as HDL or "good" cholesterol, reduced the risk for heart attack and stroke among patients with diabetes. ... > full story

More insight into the secret life of the American teen (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers have found that when adolescents argue with friends, it can spillover and turn into arguments with family. (And vice versa.) ... > full story

Alzheimer's research: Researchers watch amyloid plaques form (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers use optical trapping to take a detailed look at the early minutes of amyloid aggregate formation, a process important in Alzheimer's disease. The technique could be used for new drug design. ... > full story

New targets for treating inflammatory, autoimmune diseases discovered (October 8, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a cellular pathway that promotes inflammation in diseases like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. Understanding the details of this pathway may provide opportunities for tailored treatments of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. ... > full story

Timing is crucial for family consent in brain dead organ donors (October 8, 2011) -- Hearts used in transplants can only be sourced from donors that are brain dead before circulation to their heart has ceased. Data from a new study indicate that the time at which organ donation in brain dead donors is first discussed with family members could affect whether or not they consent to donation. ... > full story

Worm 'cell death' discovery could lead to new drugs for deadly parasite (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have for the first time identified a "programmed cell death" pathway in parasitic worms that could one day lead to new treatments for one of the world's most serious and prevalent diseases. ... > full story

Biological fingerprints improve diagnosis of dementia (October 7, 2011) -- Differentiating between the various forms of dementia is crucial for initiating appropriate treatment. Researchers have discovered that the underlying diseases leave different "fingerprints" in the cerebrospinal fluid, paving the way for more reliable diagnoses. ... > full story

New insight into plant immune defenses (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have identified an important cog in the molecular machinery of plant immunity -- a discovery that could help crop breeders produce disease-resistant varieties to help ensure future food security. There may also be implications for treating human immune-related disorders. ... > full story

Jonesing for java: Could caffeine use predict risk for cocaine abuse? (October 7, 2011) -- A new study that examined responses to stimulants is the first to demonstrate that caffeine reinforcement prospectively predicts the positive effects of another drug. ... > full story

Natural compound helps reverse diabetes in mice (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have restored normal blood sugar metabolism in diabetic mice using a compound the body makes naturally. The finding suggests that it may one day be possible for people to take the compound much like a daily vitamin as a way to treat or even prevent Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Novel mechanism for preventing infection via body's mucosal borders (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a previously unknown mechanism that generates protective immune memory cells to fight recurring infections at the body's mucosal linings -- which include the mouth, the intestines, the lungs and other areas. These are the main entry points for many viruses and other infectious organisms. ... > full story

Why anti-rejection drugs for organ transplant patients cause hypertension (October 7, 2011) -- A group of researchers has discovered the process that may be causing side effects caused by the anti-rejection drugs given to organ transplant patients. The discovery means those side effects likely can be dealt with much more cheaply and easily. ... > full story

Pregnant mothers at risk from air pollution, California study suggests (October 7, 2011) -- A California-based study has looked in detail at air quality and the impact of traffic-related air pollution on premature birth. Results from the study show that traffic-related air pollution, especially polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, is associated with up to a 30 percent increase in premature births, and that seasonal changes and vicinity to the coast affected concentration of toxic pollutants in the air. ... > full story

Genetic link to suicidal behavior confirmed (October 7, 2011) -- A new study has found evidence that a specific gene is linked to suicidal behavior, adding to our knowledge of the many complex causes of suicide. This research may help doctors one day target the gene in prevention efforts. ... > full story

Blood tests may hold clues to pace of Alzheimer's disease progression (October 7, 2011) -- Researchers say they may have found a way to predict how quickly patients with Alzheimer's disease will lose cognitive function by looking at ratios of two fatty compounds in their blood. The finding, they say, could provide useful information to families and caregivers, and might also suggest treatment targets for this heartbreaking and incurable neurodegenerative disorder. ... > full story