ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, October 21, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, October 21, 2011

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Novel therapeutic target identified to decrease triglycerides and increase 'good' cholesterol (October 21, 2011) -- Researchers have shown for the first time the inhibition of both microRNA-33a and microRNA-33b with chemically modified anti-miR oligonucleotides markedly suppress triglyceride levels and cause a sustained increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol "good" cholesterol. ... > full story

Human norovirus in groundwater remains infective after two months (October 21, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered that norovirus in groundwater can remain infectious for at least 61 days. ... > full story

High to moderate levels of stress lead to higher mortality rate (October 21, 2011) -- A new study concludes that men who experience persistently moderate or high levels of stressful life events over a number of years have a 50 percent higher mortality rate. In general, the researchers found only a few protective factors against these higher levels of stress -- people who self-reported that they had good health tended to live longer and married men also fared better. Moderate drinkers also lived longer than non-drinkers. ... > full story

New drug strategies for Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis (October 21, 2011) -- Researchers are recommending a new strategy for developing drugs to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and cardiovascular diseases. ... > full story

Medical researchers breath new life into fight against primary killer of premature infants (October 21, 2011) -- A new discovery might explain why some premature infants fail to respond to existing treatments for a deadly respiratory distress syndrome and offers clues for new ways to treat the breathing disorder. ... > full story

New insights into insulin resistance could lead to better drugs for diabetics (October 21, 2011) -- New research moves us closer to developing drugs that could mitigate diabetes. Diabetes afflicts an estimated 26 million Americans, while 79 million have prediabetes. In other words, one in three Americans confronts this disease. Diabetes raises the risk of heart disease and stroke by as much as fourfold, and it is the leading cause of blindness among adults 20-74. It is also the leading cause of kidney failure. ... > full story

Emerging public health crisis linked to mortgage default and foreclosure (October 21, 2011) -- Researchers warn of a looming health crisis in the wake of rising mortgage delinquencies and home foreclosures. The study is the first long-term survey of the impact the current housing crisis is having on older Americans. The study focused on adults over 50 and found high rates of depression among those behind in their mortgage payments and a higher likelihood of making unhealthy financial tradeoffs regarding food and needed prescription medications. ... > full story

Newly discovered reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (October 20, 2011) -- Waters polluted by the ordure of pigs, poultry, or cattle represent a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, both known and potentially novel. These resistance genes can be spread among different bacterial species by bacteriophage, bacteria-infecting viruses, according to new research. ... > full story

Calorie count plus points based on added sugars, sodium, and saturated and trans fats recommended as new front-of-package nutrition labeling system (October 20, 2011) -- Federal agencies should develop a new nutrition rating system with symbols to display on the front of food and beverage packaging that graphically convey calorie counts by serving size and a "point" value showing whether the saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars in the products are below threshold levels. This new front-of-package system should apply to all foods and beverages and replace any other symbols currently being used on the front of packaging, added the committee that wrote the report. ... > full story

I vs. we: Individuals perform better when focused on team's effort (October 20, 2011) -- Individuals perform better and are more confident when they practice motivational tactics focused not on them but on the team they belong to, according to researchers. The findings reveal that simply changing "I" to "we" in self-talk motivational statements has a significant impact on an individual's -- and thus a group's -- performance. ... > full story

Antiviral drugs may slow Alzheimer's progression (October 20, 2011) -- Antiviral drugs used to target the herpes virus could be effective at slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease, a new study shows. ... > full story

Research could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections (October 20, 2011) -- The intestinal ecosystem is even more dynamic than previously thought, according to two new studies. The research provides a new understanding of the unique intestinal environment and suggest new strategies for the prevention of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and viral infections, the researchers said. ... > full story

Age a big factor in prostate cancer deaths, study finds (October 20, 2011) -- Contrary to common belief, men age 75 and older are diagnosed with late-stage and more aggressive prostate cancer and thus die from the disease more often than younger men, according to a new analysis. ... > full story

Men win humor test (by a hair) (October 20, 2011) -- Men are funnier than women, but only just barely and mostly to other men. So says a new psychology study. ... > full story

Low birthweight infants five times more likely to have autism, study finds (October 20, 2011) -- Autism researchers have found a link between low birthweight and children diagnosed with autism, reporting premature infants are five times more likely to have autism than children born at normal weight. ... > full story

Antibody treatment protects monkeys from Hendra virus disease (October 20, 2011) -- A human antibody given to monkeys infected with the deadly Hendra virus completely protected them from disease, according to a new study. Hendra and the closely related Nipah virus, both rare viruses that are part of the NIH biodefense research program, target the lungs and brain and have human case fatality rates of 60 percent and more than 75 percent, respectively. These diseases in monkeys mirror what happens in humans, and the study results are cause for hope that the antibody, named m102.4, ultimately may be developed into a possible treatment for people who become infected with these viruses. ... > full story

One size does not fit all for knee replacements and other medical devices, expert says (October 20, 2011) -- Undergoing a knee replacement involves sophisticated medical equipment, but innovative prosthetic design may not offer the same benefits for all knee replacement recipients, researchers report. ... > full story

Time on your hands: Good or bad? (October 20, 2011) -- What is more desirable: too little or too much spare time on your hands? To be happy, somewhere in the middle, according to researchers. New work shows that materialistic young people with compulsive buying issues need just the right amount of spare time to feel happier. ... > full story

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

U.S. government releases environmental, health, and safety research strategy for nanotechnology (October 20, 2011) -- The U.S. government has just released a national strategy for ensuring that environmental, health, and safety research needs are fully identified and addressed in the fast-growing field of nanotechnology. ... > full story

New imaging agent improves detection of bladder cancer, experts say (October 20, 2011) -- A select number of medical centers in the U.S. are offering a newly approved optical imaging agent for the detection of papillary cancer of the bladder in patients with known or suspected bladder cancer. ... > 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

Health groups issue proposed cervical cancer screening guidelines (October 19, 2011) -- Experts have proposed new guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer. ... > full story