ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, October 20, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, October 20, 2011

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Young human-specific genes correlated with brain evolution (October 20, 2011) -- Young genes that appeared since the primate branch split from other mammal species are expressed in unique structures of the developing human brain, a new analysis finds. ... > full story

Researchers examine BPA and breast cancer link (October 20, 2011) -- Chronic low-level exposure to a compound found in a variety of plastic household items could pose a threat to women who overproduce a protein linked with breast cancer, say researchers. ... > full story

Delayed vs. immediate coronary stenting (October 20, 2011) -- Medical researchers have published an article on the timing of coronary stenting, a thought-provoking paper that challenges one of the dogmas of acute heart attack management today. ... > full story

False starts can sneak by in women's sprinting, analysis finds (October 20, 2011) -- Olympic timing procedures don't accurately detect false starts by female sprinters, according to a new analysis. Under the current rules, a woman can purposely anticipate the gun by up to 20 milliseconds, or one-fiftieth of a second, without getting called for a false start, the researchers say. ... > full story

X-linked mental retardation protein is found to mediate synaptic plasticity in hippocampus (October 20, 2011) -- Scientists have solved part of a puzzle concerning the relationship between changes in the strength of synapses -- the tiny gaps across which nerve cells in the brain communicate -- and dysfunctions in neural circuits that have been linked with drug addiction, mental retardation and other cognitive disorders. ... > full story

Can breastfeeding reduce pain in preterm infants? (October 20, 2011) -- Poorly managed pain in the neonatal intensive care unit has serious short- and long-term consequences, causing physiological and behavioral instability in preterm infants and long-term changes in their pain sensitivity, stress arousal systems, and developing brains. Researchers report that breastfeeding during minor procedures mitigated pain in preterm neonates with mature breastfeeding behaviors. ... > full story

Physical appearance perfectionism scale developed (October 20, 2011) -- Psychologists have developed a new diagnostic measure to gauge individual differences in people's hopes and concerns about a perfect physical appearance. ... > full story

Common link suggested between autism and diabetes: Study implicates hyperinsulinemia in increased incidence of autism (October 19, 2011) -- A review of the genetic and biochemical abnormalities associated with autism reveals a possible link between the widely diagnosed neurological disorder and Type 2 diabetes, another medical disorder on the rise in recent decades. ... > full story

Imaging technology might help doctors determine best treatment for Crohn's disease patients (October 19, 2011) -- Ultrasound elasticity imaging, or UEI, could allow doctors to non-invasively make the distinction between intestinal inflammation and fibrosis in Crohn's disease patients, allowing patients to receive more appropriate and timely care. ... > full story

Clue to birth defects in babies of mothers with diabetes (October 19, 2011) -- Researchers have identified the enzyme AMP kinase as key to the molecular mechanism that significantly increases the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and some heart defects among babies born to women with diabetes. ... > full story

Pollutants linked to 450 percent increase in risk of birth defects in rural China (October 19, 2011) -- Pesticides and pollutants are related to an alarming 450 percent increase in the risk of spina bifida and anencephaly in rural China, according to scientists. ... > full story

Computer games help people with Parkinson's disease, pilot study shows (October 19, 2011) -- Playing computer-based physical therapy games can help people with Parkinson's disease improve their gait and balance, according to a new pilot study. More than half the subjects in the three-month research project showed small improvements in walking speed, balance and stride length. ... > full story

Could hypertension drugs help people with Alzheimer's? (October 19, 2011) -- A new study has looked at whether certain types of drugs used to treat high blood pressure, also called hypertension, might have beneficial effects in reducing the number of new cases of Alzheimer's disease each year. ... > full story

Skin's immune peacekeepers discovered (October 19, 2011) -- There are more bacteria living on our skin and in our gut than cells in our body. We need them. But until now no one knew how the immune system could tell that these bacteria are harmless. Researchers in Sydney have discovered a set of peacekeepers -- immune cells in the outer layers of our skin that stop us from attacking friendly bacteria. ... > full story

Timing for clinical trials for stem cell therapy in spinal cord injuries is right, review suggests (October 19, 2011) -- Regenerative medicine in spinal cord injuries (SCI) is proving to help the human body create new cell and nerve connections that are severed during this type of injury. A new review provide evidence that supports researchers moving beyond the lab to conduct human clinical trials for stem cells. ... > full story

Forgetting is part of remembering (October 19, 2011) -- It's time for forgetting to get some respect, says a psychologist. "We need to rethink how we're talking about forgetting and realize that under some conditions it actually does play an important role in the function of memory," he says. ... > full story

Cellphones exceed U.S. FCC exposure limits by as much as double for children, study finds (October 19, 2011) -- New research shows that cell phones used in the shirt or pants pocket exceed the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) exposure guidelines and that children absorb twice as much microwave radiation from phones as do adults. ... > full story

Optimal modulation of ion channels rescues neurons associated with epilepsy (October 19, 2011) -- New research successfully reverses epilepsy-associated pathology by using a sophisticated single-cell modeling paradigm to examine abnormal cell behavior and identify the optimal modulation of channel activity. The study describes a procedure that may be useful for rescuing function in organs with excitable cells, such as the heart and pancreas. ... > full story

Shift work in teens linked to increased multiple sclerosis risk (October 19, 2011) -- Researchers from Sweden have uncovered an association between shift work and increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Those who engage in off-hour employment before the age of 20 may be at risk for MS due to a disruption in their circadian rhythm and sleep pattern. ... > full story

Protein that fuels lethal breast cancer growth emerges as potential new drug target (October 19, 2011) -- A protein in the nucleus of breast cancer cells that plays a role in fueling the growth of aggressive tumors may be a good target for new drugs, reports a research team. ... > full story

Why steroid treatment for COPD is ineffective (October 19, 2011) -- Corticosteroids do not improve survival nor alter the progression of COPD and may reduce lung symptoms as little as 20 percent. A new study found why corticosteroids do not work well for COPD patients and how additional treatment with sulforaphane -- an ingredient of broccoli and other vegetables -- can improve the effectiveness of corticosteroids. ... > full story

Babies and toddlers should learn from play, not screens (October 19, 2011) -- A new policy from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children under age two as "screen-free" as possible. ... > full story

Scientists reveal surprising picture of how powerful antibody neutralizes HIV (October 19, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered the surprising details of how a powerful anti-HIV antibody grabs hold of the virus. The findings highlight a major vulnerability of HIV and suggest a new target for vaccine development. ... > full story

New discovery in the fight against tuberculosis (October 19, 2011) -- New research may help in the ongoing fight against tuberculosis. Medical researchers have discovered a connection between the development of new lymphoid tissue within the lung and protection against the disease. ... > full story

Efficacy of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma vaccine demonstrated in dogs (October 19, 2011) -- An experimental vaccine is the first veterinary cancer vaccine of its kind that shows an increase in survival time for dogs with spontaneous non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The work shows for the first time the feasibility and therapeutic efficacy of this alternative cell-based vaccine, which could be employed in the treatment of a number of different cancer types. ... > full story

Technology targets genetic disorders linked to X chromosome (October 19, 2011) -- Geneticists have demonstrated a method that enables the routine amplification of all the genes on the X chromosome. The technology allows the rapid and highly accurate sequencing and identification of novel genetic variants affecting X chromosome genes. ... > full story

Can we share vampires' appetite for synthetic blood? (October 19, 2011) -- Vampires on the "True Blood" television series are already enjoying the advantages of synthetic blood. While this may seem to be only the imagination on the big screen, the true benefits of blood manufactured from embryonic stem cells may be less than a decade away. ... > full story

The ultimate qPCR based lncRNA profiling platform (October 19, 2011) -- lncRNAs represent an emerging important class of regulatory transcribed elements. The study of lncRNAs is timely and relevant, because of their implication in important cellular processes, through new modes of action. The lncRNA genes are generally low abundant, which is exactly why there is a genuine need for a platform with ultimate sensitivity superseding microarray based platforms. ... > full story

Increased safety using simultaneous techniques for cardiac testing (October 19, 2011) -- Experts have published an article on the safety of cardiac imaging methods. This study is important for patients worried about radiation exposure during X-ray based studies of the heart. X-ray based methods have greatly improved the diagnosis of heart disease, but they can produce significant levels of radiation exposure. ... > full story

New aggression tool predicted violent patients in medical and surgical wards (October 19, 2011) -- Using a specially designed risk assessment tool within 24 hours of admission was an effective way of identifying which hospital patients in medical and surgical units would become violent. Researchers studied more than 2,000 patients admitted to an acute care hospital over a five-month period. As well as identify the traits that were most likely to lead to violence, they found that a disproportionate number of elderly patients and males became violent. ... > full story

Irish hereditary emphysema rates found to be among highest in the world (October 19, 2011) -- RCSI study reveals 90% of people with genetic lung condition are undiagnosed. Researchers have conducted a study which has found that Ireland has one of the highest incidences in the world of a genetic condition that causes severe hereditary emphysema. The study raises the possibility that hundreds of people suffering from chronic lung disease could have this genetic condition but have yet to be diagnosed. ... > full story

Tricking resistant cancer cells into committing suicide (October 18, 2011) -- Scientists have found a way to trick resistant cancer cells into committing suicide following oncolytic virus therapy. ... > full story

Premature babies at risk of ill health in later life, research suggests (October 18, 2011) -- Young adults who were born prematurely show multiple biological signs of risks to future health, new research has found. The scientists say that the research indicates that urgent work is now needed to monitor preterm babies into adulthood to improve the detection of early signs of disease. ... > full story

First-ever sequence and structure of biologically important carbohydrate (October 18, 2011) -- Scientists have been unable to determine the structure of a biologically important so-called GAG proteoglycan -- or even to agree whether these remarkably complex molecules have well-defined structures. Medical researchers have now, for the first time, determined the sequence and structure of a glycosaminoglycan, or GAG, proteoglycan. ... > full story

National health care scorecard: United States scores 64 out of 100 (October 18, 2011) -- The US health-care system scored 64 out of 100 on key measures of performance, according to the third national scorecard report. The scorecard finds that -- despite pockets of improvement -- the US overall failed to improve when compared to best performers. There was significant erosion in access to care and affordability of care, as health care costs rose far faster than family incomes. ... > full story

Protein family key to aging, cancer (October 18, 2011) -- A protein linked to aging may act as a tumor suppressor, and loss of this protein leads to gender-specific tumor development in mice, according to new research. The findings suggest the existence of a rare "family" of tumor suppressors and may have implications for a common form of breast cancer. ... > full story

Omega-3 fatty acids shown to prevent or slow progression of osteoarthritis (October 18, 2011) -- New research has shown for the first time that omega-3 in fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis. ... > full story

Goats could increase the risk of a rare lung cancer, researchers find (October 18, 2011) -- Exposure to goats could increase the risk of a certain type of lung cancer, according to French researchers. ... > full story

Protecting the brain when energy runs low (October 18, 2011) -- Researchers have shed new light on the way that the brain protects itself from harm when 'running on empty.' ... > full story

Testing micro-electronic stimulators for spinal cord injuries (October 18, 2011) -- A new wireless device may help victims of spinal cord injury. Researchers are developing micro-electrical stimulators for individuals with spinal cord injuries. ... > full story

Biomarker-guided heart failure treatment significantly reduces complications (October 18, 2011) -- Adding regular testing for blood levels of a biomarker of cardiac distress to standard care for the most common form of heart failure may significantly reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications, a new study finds. ... > full story

Profanity in TV and video games linked to teen aggression (October 18, 2011) -- A total of 223 middle school students completed surveys on their aggression, preferred media, time spent viewing media, perceived aggression in their favorite shows and games, beliefs about profanity and profanity use. The results showed a direct link in the viewing of media with high profanity, profanity use and subsequent aggression. ... > full story

Halo effect: Family members of gastric-bypass patients also lose weight, study finds (October 18, 2011) -- Family members of patients who have undergone surgery for weight loss may also shed several pounds themselves, as well as eat healthier and exercise more, according to a new study. ... > full story

Bioengineering to generate healthy skin (October 18, 2011) -- Scientists are participating in research to study how to make use of the potential for auto regeneration of stem skills from skin, in order to create, in the laboratory, a patient's entire cutaneous surface by means of a combination of biological engineering and tissue engineering techniques. ... > full story

High rate of false-positives with annual mammogram (October 18, 2011) -- During a decade of receiving mammograms, more than half of cancer-free women will be among those summoned back for more testing because of false-positive results, and about one in 12 will be referred for a biopsy. ... > full story

One in four children exposed to some form of family violence, study finds (October 18, 2011) -- More than one in four children have been exposed to physical violence between their parents at some time, one in nine of them during the past year, according to new research. ... > full story

New research links common RNA modification to obesity (October 18, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered that a pervasive human RNA modification provides the physiological underpinning of the genetic regulatory process that contributes to obesity and type II diabetes. ... > full story

Lung cancer patients with diabetes show prolonged survival (October 18, 2011) -- Lung cancer patients with diabetes tend to live longer than patients without diabetes, according to a Norwegian study. ... > full story