ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Tuesday, November 15, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

Novel nanocrystals with advanced optical properties developed for use as luminescent biomarkers (November 15, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a synthesis that yields lanthanide-doped nanocrystals with advanced light-control properties, leading to potential applications in cancer diagnostics, medical imaging and therapeutic delivery. ... > full story

Eating fish can reduce the risk of diabetes, study suggests (November 15, 2011) -- A study analyses the dietary patterns of the adult Spanish population with high cardiovascular risk. The results reveal a high consumption of both red meat and fish. However, whilst eating lots of cured meats is associated with greater weight gain and a higher obesity rate, the consumption of fish is linked to lower glucose concentrations and a smaller risk of developing diabetes. ... > full story

Obesity and depression independently increase health costs (November 15, 2011) -- Obesity and depression both dramatically increase health care costs, but they mainly act separately, according to a new study. ... > full story

Self-organized pituitary-like tissue from mouse ES cells (November 15, 2011) -- The possibility that functional, three-dimensional tissues and organs may be derived from pluripotent cells, such as embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), represents one of the grand challenges of stem cell research, but is also one of the fundamental goals of the emerging field of regenerative medicine. New research has shown that when ES cells are cultured under the appropriate conditions, they can be driven to self-organize into complex, three-dimensional tissue-like structures that closely resemble their physiological counterparts, a remarkable advance for the field. ... > full story

Diseased hearts to heal themselves in future (November 15, 2011) -- Oncostatin M regulates the reversion of heart muscle cells into precursor cells and is vitally important for the self-healing powers of the heart. Scientists have identified a protein which fulfils a central task in this reversion process by stimulating the regression of individual heart muscle cells into their precursor cells. They now plan to improve the self-healing powers of the heart with the help of this protein. ... > full story

Drugs used to tackle hospital-acquired infections can increase post-op complications (November 15, 2011) -- The introduction of new antibiotic regimes to tackle hospital-acquired infections, such as C. difficile, must take into account the possibility of increased infections following specific surgical procedures. Researchers have studied 709 consecutive patients over 20 months. Patients undergoing a standard surgical procedure to diagnose prostate cancer developed more than five times as many infective complications when a new standard antibiotic regime was introduced in line with national guidance. These included a number of cases of sepsis and one case of septic shock. ... > full story

Galaxy DNA-analysis software is now available 'in the cloud' (November 15, 2011) -- Galaxy -- an open-source, web-based platform for data-intensive biomedical and genetic research -- is now available as a "cloud computing" resource. The new technology will help scientists and biomedical researchers to harness such tools as DNA-sequencing and analysis software, as well as storage capacity for large quantities of scientific data. ... > full story

Hysterectomy increases risk for earlier menopause among younger women, study finds (November 14, 2011) -- In a finding that confirms what many obstetricians and gynecologists suspected, researchers report that younger women who undergo hysterectomies face a nearly two-fold increased risk for developing menopause early. ... > full story

AMD-like lesions delayed in mice fed lower glycemic index diet (November 14, 2011) -- Feeding older mice a lower glycemic index diet delays the onset of age-related, sight-threatening retinal lesions. Mice put on a higher GI diet demonstrated elevated accumulations of debris known as advanced glycation end products in the whole retina, particularly in the cells of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE plays a crucial role in maintaining vision and its dysfunction results in the gradual vision loss that is the hallmark of age-related macular degeneration. ... > full story

Discussions of guns in the home part of comprehensive preventive health care (November 14, 2011) -- A new article reviews research about and analyzes available data around firearm injuries and prevention, and argues the importance of including firearm safety as part of physician-patient preventive care conversations. ... > full story

Potential new drug target in Lou Gehrig's disease (November 14, 2011) -- Two proteins conspire to promote Lou Gehrig's disease, according to a new study. ... > full story

Every mouse is different: How mouse 'personality' sheds light on human depression (November 14, 2011) -- Just as in humans, there are also the tough types or those with a more delicate personality among mice, researchers confirm. Some adopt an active strategy when faced with stressful situations and somehow try to tackle the problem, whereas others display a passive attitude. Those in the second group are more vulnerable: some of the physiological characteristics resemble those attributed to human depression. ... > full story

Signaling pathway linked to inflammatory breast cancer may drive disease metastasis (November 14, 2011) -- Amplification of anaplastic lymphoma kinase, which has been reported in other cancers such as non-small cell lung cancers, may be a primary driver of the rapid metastasis that patients with inflammatory breast cancer experience. ... > full story

Enzyme boosts metabolism, prevents weight gain in mice (November 14, 2011) -- Male and female mice engineered to express the inflammatory enzyme IKKbeta in their fat tissue ate more but gained less weight. They burned sugar and fat more effectively than mice who were left unaltered. The research may shed light on how obesity and inflammation affect insulin resistance and sensitivity. ... > full story

Routine head hits in school sports may cause brain injury (November 14, 2011) -- The brain scans of high school football and hockey players showed subtle injury -- even if they did not suffer a concussion -- after taking routine hits to the head during the normal course of play, according to a new study. ... > full story

Prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants may affect weight and size of newborn (November 14, 2011) -- A higher exposure to xenoestrogens -- a type of environmental pollutants acting as hormones -- might affect neonatal weight and size in term infants. Researchers have found a correlation between estrogenic burden in women’s placenta and a higher neonatal weight at birth. ... > full story

Social isolation: Are lonely consumers actually loners or conformers? (November 14, 2011) -- Despite the proliferation of social networks, many Americans feel alone and isolated. According to a new study, lonely individuals behave differently in the marketplace than people with strong social networks. ... > full story

Benefit of novel drug in breast cancer seen in blood within weeks (November 14, 2011) -- Clinical benefit from use of a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor drug may be determined by examining blood cells days after a patient receives treatment. The drug, entinostat, is the first histone deacetylase inhibitor successfully tested in a randomized, placebo-controlled study in metastatic breast cancer — and is the first to show that clinical outcome can be predicted shortly after administration. ... > full story

New way to target – and kill – proliferating tumors (November 14, 2011) -- Researchers have identified a new drug discovery approach enabling the destruction of the most highly proliferative tumors. The discovery points to an effective, alternative method for killing fast-growing cancer cells without causing some of the negative effects of current therapies. ... > full story

Risk of contracting diabetes to increase in world of 7 billion people (November 14, 2011) -- World citizen number seven billion is less likely to die from infectious diseases like measles or even AIDS, and more likely to contract diabetes or other non-communicable diseases, as they are now the leading causes of deaths globally. ... > full story

Nature and nurture work together to shape the brain (November 14, 2011) -- Scientists presented new research today demonstrating the impact life experiences can have on genes and behavior. The studies examine how such environmental information can be transmitted from one generation to the next -- a phenomenon known as epigenetics. This new knowledge could ultimately improve understanding of brain plasticity, the cognitive benefits of motherhood, and how a parent's exposure to drugs, alcohol, and stress can alter brain development and behavior in their offspring. ... > full story

Stem cell study helps clarify the best time for therapy to aid heart attack survivors (November 14, 2011) -- Physicians have found that stem cells obtained from bone marrow delivered two to three weeks after a person has a heart attack did not improve heart function. This is the first study to systematically examine the timing and method of stem cell delivery and provides vital information for the field of cell therapy. ... > full story

More power to the cranberry: Study shows juice better than extracts at fighting infections (November 14, 2011) -- With scientific evidence now supporting the age-old wisdom that cranberries prevent urinary tract infections, people have wondered if proanthocyanidins or PACs, a group of flavonoids found in cranberries, if extracted and condensed, perhaps in pill form, would be as effective as drinking the juice or eating cranberry sauce. A new study shows that the juice is far better at preventing biofilm formation, the precursor of infection, than PACs alone. ... > full story

More flexible window into the brain (November 14, 2011) -- Scientists have developed and tested a new high-resolution, ultra-thin device capable of recording brain activity from the cortical surface without having to use penetrating electrodes. The device could make possible a whole new generation of brain-computer interfaces for treating neurological and psychiatric illness and research. ... > full story

Tamoxifen resistance -- and how to defeat it (November 14, 2011) -- In the last three decades, thousands of women with breast cancer have taken the drug tamoxifen, only to discover that the therapy doesn't work, either because their tumors do not respond to the treatment at all, or because they develop resistance to it over time. Now researchers have discovered the molecular basis for tamoxifen resistance and found a potential way to defeat it. ... > full story

Wearable defibrillator can prevent death in people with arrhythmias, research finds (November 14, 2011) -- A wearable defibrillator can prevent sudden death in people with dangerous heart arrhythmias, according to new research. ... > full story

How smart managers make dumb decisions and why shareholders encourage them (November 14, 2011) -- There are plenty of examples of corporate managers lying about their companies' earnings and ultimately hurting themselves and the businesses they work for. Why do they do it? A limited capacity to see the whole picture -- known as "bounded rationality" -- combined with a faulty ethical compass are two big reasons. ... > full story

Informed citizens? Spaniards' capacity for analyzing audiovisual messages is very low, study suggests (November 14, 2011) -- The majority of the population does not have sufficient capacity to critically interpret and analyze the audiovisual images and messages coming from the communication media. This is one of the main conclusions of a recent study analyzing the media competence of Spaniards. ... > full story

In pursuit of the homes of vampires: Understanding the fans (November 14, 2011) -- In the last couple of years, the two small American towns of Forks and La Push have been visited by hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people a day. These visitors photograph the local school, doctor’s office, and residential houses – all in pursuit of an authentic Twilight experience. ... > full story

Depression in young people increases risk of heart disease mortality (November 13, 2011) -- The negative effects of depression in young people on the health of their hearts may be stronger than previously recognized. Depression or a history of suicide attempts in people younger than 40, especially young women, markedly increases their risk for dying from heart disease. ... > full story

Gene switch for odorant receptors (November 13, 2011) -- The olfactory sensory neurons in the nasal mucosa perceive the myriad smells in the air with the aid of odorant receptors. Each sensory neuron chooses one and only one receptor gene for expression. The probability that a particular receptor gene is chosen for expression determines how many olfactory sensory neurons in total produce this receptor type. Scientists have unveiled an aspect of how the probability of the choice of an odorant receptor gene is regulated in olfactory sensory neurons. ... > full story

New strategy to accelerate blood vessel maturation has therapeutic potentials for ischemic diseases (November 13, 2011) -- Researchers have described a new mechanism to enhance the restoration of the blood flow in ischemic diseases, which are among the leading causes of death worldwide. The scientists demonstrate that blocking the protein PhD2 in white blood cells accelerates the maturation of blood vessels. ... > full story

New evidence for spinal membrane as a source of stem cells may advance treatment of spinal cord injuries (November 12, 2011) -- Italian and Spanish scientists studying the use of stem cells for treating spinal cord injuries have provided the first evidence to show that meninges, the membrane which envelops the central nervous system, is a potential source of self-renewing stem cells. The research develops the understanding of cell activation in central nervous system injuries; advancing research into new treatments for spinal injuries and degenerative brain disorders. ... > full story

Tales from the crypt: Study on gut cell regeneration reconciles long-standing research controversy (November 12, 2011) -- The cells that help to absorb food and liquid that humans consume are constantly being produced. The various cell types that do this come from stem cells that reside deep in the inner recesses of the accordion-like folds of the intestines, called villi and crypts. But exactly where the most important stem cell type is located -- and how to identify it -- has been something of a mystery, until now. ... > full story

Study suggests new benefits of eating nuts for patients with metabolic syndrome (November 12, 2011) -- A recent scientific study has revealed the relationship between nut consumption and a high level of serotonin metabolites (an important neurotransmitter) in patients with metabolic syndrome, who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease. ... > full story

Understanding emotions without language (November 12, 2011) -- Does understanding emotions depend on the language we speak, or is our perception the same regardless of language and culture? ... > full story

Birth weight predicts physical functioning at age 60 (November 11, 2011) -- Low birth weight and slow growth progressing to greater body mass in pre-adolescence significantly increased the risk of poor physical functioning at the age of 60 years, a new Finnish study found. ... > full story

Researchers closer to the super bug puzzle (November 11, 2011) -- The treatment of serious infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) is complicated by the development of antibiotic resistance. Seriously ill patients, vulnerable to infections can be at additional risk if antimicrobial agents become less effective in fighting infections. ... > full story

Acupuncture can prevent radiation-induced chronic dry mouth, study finds (November 11, 2011) -- When given alongside radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, acupuncture has shown for the first time to reduce the debilitating side effect of xerostomia, according to new research. ... > full story

Kawasaki disease linked to wind currents: First evidence that long-range wind transport of an infectious agent might result in human disease (November 11, 2011) -- Kawasaki Disease (KD) is a severe childhood disease that many parents, even some doctors, mistake for an inconsequential viral infection. In fact, if not diagnosed or treated in time, it can lead to irreversible heart damage. After 50 years of research, including genetic studies, scientists have been unable to pinpoint the cause of the disease. Now, surprising findings suggest that KD cases are linked to large-scale wind currents that track from Asia to Japan and also traverse the North Pacific. ... > full story

Parkinsonian worms may hold the key to identifying drugs for Parkinson's disease (November 11, 2011) -- Researchers have devised a simple test, using dopamine-deficient worms, for identifying drugs that may help people with Parkinson's disease. ... > full story

Dead of winter is tough on arthritis sufferers (November 11, 2011) -- As cold winter weather sets in and daylight hours dwindle, many older Chicagoans with arthritis tend to sit idle, missing out on the daily dose of physical activity they need to improve their health, according to a new study. ... > full story

Risk-taking behavior rises until age 50 (November 11, 2011) -- Willing to risk your knowledge, skills and monetary reward in competition? If you are under age 50, you've probably not reached your competitive peak. If you are older, that peak is behind you. That people are willing to engage in risk at 50 surprised economists and psychologists who explored such behavior in their research. ... > full story

Obese monkeys lose weight on drug that attacks blood supply of fat cells (November 11, 2011) -- Obese rhesus monkeys given an experimental anti-obesity drug lost on average 11 percent of their body weight over four weeks. The targeted combination drug selectively attacks blood vessels that support white fat. ... > full story

Woodsmoke from cooking fires linked to pneumonia, cognitive impacts (November 11, 2011) -- Researchers have found a dramatic one-third reduction in severe pneumonia diagnoses among children in homes with smoke-reducing chimneys on their cookstoves. Reducing wood smoke could have a major impact on the burden of pneumonia, the leading cause of child mortality in the world, the researchers said. A separate pilot study also found a link between prenatal maternal exposure to woodsmoke and poorer performance in markers for IQ at ages six and seven. ... > full story

Attention and awareness uncoupled: Brain imaging experiments uncouple two apparently intimately connected mental processes (November 11, 2011) -- In everyday life, attention and awareness appear tightly interwoven. Attending to the scissors on the right side of your desk, you become aware of their attributes, for example the red handles. Vice versa, the red handles could attract your attention to the scissors. However, a number of behavioural observations have recently led scientists to postulate that attention and awareness are fundamentally different processes and not necessarily connected. A new study provides the first experimental evidence that the primary visual cortex, the entrance stage to cortical visual processing, is modulated only by attention and not by awareness. ... > full story

Stress triggers disease flares in patients with vasculitis (November 11, 2011) -- In patients with a devastating form of vasculitis who are in remission, stress can be associated with a greater likelihood of the disease flaring, according to a new study. ... > full story

Looks do matter in job interviews, according to new study (November 11, 2011) -- People with birthmarks, scars and other facial disfigurements are more likely to receive poor ratings in job interviews, according to a new study. ... > full story