ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, November 7, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, November 7, 2011

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HIV study identifies key cellular defence mechanism (November 7, 2011) -- Scientists have moved a step closer to understanding how one of our body’s own proteins helps stop the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in its tracks. ... > full story

Volunteers end simulated mission to Mars (November 7, 2011) -- The record-breaking simulated mission to Mars has ended with smiling faces after 17 months. Mars500's six brave volunteers stepped out of their 'spacecraft' Nov. 4, 2011 to be welcomed by the waiting scientists -- happy that the venture had worked even better than expected. Mars500, the first full-length, high-fidelity simulation of a human mission to our neighbouring planet, started 520 days earlier, on 3 June 2010, at the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow. ... > full story

Model of enzyme's structure could spur new therapies (November 7, 2011) -- Scientists have determined the structure of an enzyme complex that regulates vital cell functions. Disregulation of such complexes is associated with diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's. The new work provides drug developers with a specific and unique new target to consider in their efforts to find new treatments. ... > full story

Meningitis may be eradicated: New vaccine brings hope (November 6, 2011) -- Outbreaks of meningitis can quickly reach epidemic proportions across a number of African countries, afflicting tens of thousands of people. Now a new vaccine appears capable of completely eradicating the disease. ... > full story

Biologists use flies and mice to get to the heart of Down syndrome (November 6, 2011) -- A novel study involving fruit flies and mice has allowed biologists to identify two critical genes responsible for congenital heart defects in individuals with Down syndrome, a major cause of infant mortality and death in people born with this genetic disorder. ... > full story

More radionuclide therapy is better for prostate cancer patients, study suggests (November 6, 2011) -- For prostate cancer patients with bone metastases, repeated administrations of radionuclide therapy with 188Re-HEDP are shown to improve overall survival rates and reduce pain, according to new research. ... > full story

Physicians who play Mozart while performing colonoscopy may improve adenoma detection rate (November 6, 2011) -- Physicians who listen to Mozart while performing colonoscopy may increase their detection rates of precancerous polyps, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

It takes two: Brains come wired for cooperation, neuroscientists discover (November 6, 2011) -- The brain was built for cooperative activity, whether it be dancing on a TV reality show, building a skyscraper or working in an office, according to new research by neuroscientists. ... > full story

Protein could prevent secondary damage after stroke, neuroscientist says (November 6, 2011) -- A neuroscientist says a protein that regulates nerve cells and assists in overall brain function may be key to preventing the long-term damage of stroke and hopes her work leads to the development of an effective therapeutic intervention. ... > full story

Dirt prevents allergy, Danish research suggests (November 6, 2011) -- If infants encounter a wide range of bacteria they are less at risk of developing allergic disease later in life, new research from Denmark suggests. ... > full story

Conjoined twin toddlers successfully separated (November 6, 2011) -- Angelica and Angelina Sabuco, twins who were born conjoined at the chest and abdomen, are now separate little girls. The 2-year-olds were separated Nov. 1 in a 10-hour surgery. The operation was the culmination of several months of complex planning involving specialists from nearly every part of the hospital. ... > full story

Increased use of bikes for commuting offers economic, health benefits (November 6, 2011) -- Cutting out short auto trips and replacing them with mass transit and active transport would yield major health benefits, according to a new study. The biggest health benefit was due to replacing half of the short trips with bicycle trips during the warmest six months of the year, saving about .8 billion per year from avoided mortality and reduced health care costs for conditions like obesity and heart disease. ... > full story

Why measles spreads so quickly (November 5, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered why measles, perhaps the most contagious viral disease in the world, spreads so quickly. ... > full story

When our neurons remain silent so that our performances may improve (November 5, 2011) -- Why do we "turn off" our neurons at times when we need them most? Scientists have just demonstrated that a network of specific neurons, referred to as "the default-mode network" works on a permanent basis even when we are doing nothing. ... > full story

Unraveling Batten disease (November 5, 2011) -- Scientists reveal the actions of a gene implicated in Batten disease, a rare, degenerative childhood disorder. ... > full story

Psychological traumas experienced over lifetime linked to adult irritable bowel syndrome (November 5, 2011) -- The psychological and emotional traumas experienced over a lifetime -- such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disaster, house fire or car accident, physical or mental abuse -- may contribute to adult irritable bowel syndrome, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

New ways to image and therapeutically target melanoma using nanomedicine? (November 4, 2011) -- Because the incidence of malignant melanoma is rising faster than any other cancer in the US, medical researchers are working overtime to develop new technologies to aid in both malignant melanoma diagnosis and therapy. A tool of great promise comes from the world of nanomedicine. ... > full story

Skin 'sees' UV light, starts producing pigment (November 4, 2011) -- Biologists report that melanocyte skin cells detect ultraviolet light using a photosensitive receptor previously thought to exist only in the eye. This eye-like ability of skin to sense light triggers the production of melanin within hours, more quickly than previously thought, in an apparent rush to protect against damage to DNA. ... > full story

Brain probe that softens after insertion causes less scarring (November 4, 2011) -- A hard probe inserted in the cerebral cortex of a rat model turns nearly as pliable as the surrounding gray matter in minutes, and induces less of the tough scarring that walls off hard probes that do not change, researchers have found. ... > full story

11/11/11: Maya scholar debunks doomsday myths (November 4, 2011) -- This fall, Hoopes and his students have watched two predicted cataclysmic dates -- Oct. 21 and 28 -- come and go with little fanfare. Oct. 21 was a date selected by California evangelist Harold Camping after his original May 21, 2011, prediction passed without calamity. Swedish pharmacologist, self-help advocate and self-taught Maya cosmologist Carl Johan Calleman was among those predicting that Oct. 28 would usher in a worldwide unified consciousness. ... > full story

Cerebral palsy-like brain damage prevented in mice (November 4, 2011) -- Scientists have shown that a protein may help prevent the kind of brain damage that occurs in babies with cerebral palsy. ... > full story

Alternate ending: Living on without telomerase (November 4, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered an alternative mechanism for the extension of the telomere repeat sequence by DNA repair enzymes. ... > full story

Starving prostate cancer: Scientists discover how to cut off cancer's food supply (November 4, 2011) -- Researchers in Australia have discovered a potential future treatment for prostate cancer -- through starving the tumor cells of an essential nutrient they need to grow rapidly. Their work, with human cells grown in the lab, reveals targets for drugs that could slow the progress of early and late stage prostate cancer. ... > full story

Interactive play with blocks found to facilitate development of spatial vocabulary (November 4, 2011) -- Parents and researchers have long speculated that play with construction toys might offer a rich environment that would support later learning in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines. Researchers have found that when playing with blocks under interactive conditions, children hear the kind of language that helps them think about space, such as "over," "around" and "through." ... > full story

Mechanism in brain cancer responsible for neuron death discovered (November 4, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a mechanism by which glioblastoma multiforme, the most common form of brain cancer, promotes the loss of function or death of neurons, a process known as neurodegeneration. ... > full story

Analysis reveals malaria, other diseases as ancient, adaptive and persistent foes (November 4, 2011) -- One of the most comprehensive analyses yet done of the ancient history of insect-borne disease concludes for the first time that malaria is not only native to the New World, but it has been present long before humans existed and has evolved through birds and monkeys. ... > full story

New DNA test to identify Down syndrome in pregnancy is ready for clinical use (November 4, 2011) -- A new DNA-based prenatal blood test that can strikingly reduce the number of risky diagnostic procedures needed to identify a pregnancy with Down syndrome is ready to be introduced into clinical practice. ... > full story

Secluding aggressive young offenders is always the last resort, four-country study finds (November 4, 2011) -- Seclusion should always be the last resort when it comes to dealing with aggressive episodes involving young offenders with psychiatric disorders, according to a study covering forensic units for 12 to 18-year-olds in Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands and UK. 58 staff took part in the study including nurses, doctors, psychologists, social workers, educators, support workers, occupational, art and family therapists and sports instructors. ... > full story

Exercise provides clue to deadly ataxia (November 4, 2011) -- When researchers prescribed mild exercise for mice with a neurodegenerative disorder called spinocerebellar ataxia 1, they did not know what to expect. What they found was the mice that exercised lived longer than those that had not. ... > full story

Scientists identify gene critical for cell responses to oxygen deprivation (November 4, 2011) -- Scientists have identified a protein that kick-starts the response to low levels of oxygen, suggesting new lines of research relevant to a variety of potentially fatal disorders associated with diminished oxygen supply, including cancer, heart disease, stroke and other neurological conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. ... > full story

Report calls for creation of a biomedical research and patient data network for more accurate classification of diseases, move toward 'precision medicine' (November 4, 2011) -- A new data network that integrates emerging research on the molecular makeup of diseases with clinical data on individual patients could drive the development of a more accurate classification of disease and ultimately enhance diagnosis and treatment. ... > full story

Impulsive versus controlled men: Disinhibited brains and disinhibited behavior (November 4, 2011) -- Impulsive individuals tend to display aggressive behavior and have challenges ranging from drug and alcohol abuse, to problem gambling and difficult relationships. They are less able to adapt to different social situations. Impulsivity is also a common feature of psychiatric disorders. New research shows that people may react this way, in part, because they have lower levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), the most important inhibitory neurotransmitter, in a specific part of their brain involved in regulating self-control. ... > full story

X marks the spot: TBL1X gene involved in autism spectrum disorder (November 4, 2011) -- Autism spectrum disorder affects about one in 100 children resulting in a range of problems in language, communication and understanding other people's emotional cues, all of which can lead to difficulties in social situations. New research used genome wide association study data to find a variation in the gene for transducin beta-like 1X-linked (TBL1X) which is associated with increased risk of ASD in boys. ... > full story

Dormant malaria parsites in red blood cells may contribute to treatment failure, study suggests (November 4, 2011) -- Researchers have shown for the first time in a rodent model that the earliest form of malaria parasites can lay dormant in red blood cells and "wake up," or recover, following treatment with the antimalarial drug artesunate. ... > full story

Study identifies an expanded role for PKM2 in helping cancer cells survive (November 4, 2011) -- In recent years, the field of cancer metabolism has found that cancer cells can manipulate the PKM2 enzyme to grow and thrive. Now a new study finds that cancers also use PKM2 to withstand oxidative stress. ... > full story

Fast-food dining is most popular for those with middle incomes (November 4, 2011) -- A new national study of eating out and income shows that fast-food dining becomes more common as earnings increase from low to middle incomes, weakening the popular notion that fast food should be blamed for higher rates of obesity among the poor. ... > full story

Brain cells responsible for keeping us awake identified (November 3, 2011) -- Researchers have identified the group of neurons that mediates whether light arouses us and keeps us awake, or not. They report that the cells necessary for a light induced arousal response are located in the hypothalamus, an area at the base of the brain responsible for, among other things, control of the autonomic nervous system, body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue -- and sleep. ... > full story

Newborn period may be crucial time to prevent later diabetes, animal study suggests (November 3, 2011) -- Pediatric researchers who tested newborn animals with an existing human drug used in adults with diabetes report that this drug, when given very early in life, prevents diabetes from developing in adult animals. If this finding can be repeated in humans, it may become a way to prevent at-risk infants from developing Type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Thousands of lives could be saved if rest of UK adopted average diet in England, study concludes (November 3, 2011) -- Around 4,000 deaths could be prevented every year if the UK population adopted the average diet eaten in England, new research concludes. ... > full story

Family-based intervention: Study shows promise for teen suicide prevention (November 3, 2011) -- A new study shows that a family-based intervention done while a suicidal youth is still being treated in the emergency room as successful in linking troubled youths to outpatient treatment, with the goal of ending further life-threatening attempts. ... > full story

Adolescent amphetamine use linked to permanent changes in brain function and behavior (November 3, 2011) -- Amphetamine use in adolescence can cause neurobiological imbalances and increase risk-taking behavior, and these effects can persist into adulthood, even when subjects are drug free. These are the conclusions of a new study using animal models. The study is one of the first to shed light on how long-term amphetamine use in adolescence affects brain chemistry and behavior. ... > full story

Fertilized oocytes digest paternal mitochondria (November 3, 2011) -- During fertilization, the entire spermatozoon enters the oocyte. However, most of its organelles, including mitochondria, are not transmitted to the offspring. A new study demonstrates for the first time how the spermatozoon organelles are digested by the oocyte shortly after fertilization. These findings could improve cloning and medically-assisted reproductive technology and help to better understand the evolutionary origin of the elimination of paternal mitochondria. ... > full story

Unsaturated fat breakdown leads to complications of acute pancreatitis in obese patients (November 3, 2011) -- The toxic breakdown products of unsaturated fats contribute to the higher likelihood of severe inflammation, cell death and multi-system organ failure among acute pancreatitis patients who are obese, say researchers Their findings provide new insight into how fat can induce complications after sudden inflammatory, non-infectious illnesses. ... > full story

Get lost easily? The cerebellum is your navigation assistant (November 3, 2011) -- The cerebellum is far more intensively involved in helping us navigate than previously thought. To move and learn effectively in spatial environments our brain, and particularly our hippocampus, creates a "cognitive" map of the environment. The cerebellum contributes to the creation of this map through altering the chemical communication between its neurons. If this ability is inactivated, the brain is no longer able to to create an effective spatial representation and thus navigation in an environment becomes impaired, new research shows. ... > full story

Gene therapy shows promise as hemophilia treatment in animal studies (November 3, 2011) -- For the first time, researchers have combined gene therapy and stem cell transplantation to successfully reverse the severe, crippling bleeding disorder hemophilia A in large animals, opening the door to the development of new therapies for human patients. ... > full story

Chromosomal 'breakpoints' linked to canine cancer (November 3, 2011) -- Researchers have uncovered evidence that evolutionary "breakpoints" on canine chromosomes are also associated with canine cancer. Mapping these "fragile" regions in dogs may also have implications for the discovery and treatment of human cancers. ... > full story

High blood pressure may lead to missed emotional cues (November 3, 2011) -- Your ability to recognize emotional content in faces and texts is linked to your blood pressure, according to new research. ... > full story

Continuous use of nitroglycerin increases severity of heart attacks, study shows (November 3, 2011) -- When given for hours as a continuous dose, the heart medication nitroglycerin backfires -- increasing the severity of subsequent heart attacks, according to a study of the compound in rats. ... > full story