ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, December 1, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, December 1, 2011

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Clinical trial for muscular dystrophy demonstrates safety of customized gene therapy (December 1, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that it is safe to cut and paste together different viruses in an effort to create the ultimate vehicle for gene therapy. In a phase I clinical trial, the investigators found no side effects from using a "chimeric" virus to deliver replacement genes for an essential muscle protein in patients with muscular dystrophy. ... > full story

Researchers develop blood test to detect membranous nephropathy (December 1, 2011) -- Research conducted by a pair of physicians has led to the development of a test that can help diagnose membranous nephropathy in its early stages. The test, which is currently only offered in the research setting and is awaiting commercial development, could have significant implications in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Currently, the only way to diagnose the disease is through a biopsy. ... > full story

Study explores distrust of atheists by believers (December 1, 2011) -- Distrust is the central motivating factor behind why religious people dislike atheists, according to a new study led by psychologists. While reasons behind antagonism towards atheists have not been fully explored, the study is among the first explorations of the social psychological processes underlying anti-atheist sentiments. ... > full story

MAKS: Drug-free prevention of dementia decline (December 1, 2011) -- There are many different causes of dementia and, although its progression can be fast or slow, it is always degenerative. Symptoms of dementia include confusion, loss of memory, and problems with speech and understanding. It can be upsetting for the affected person, their relatives and carers. New research shows that a regime of behavioral and mental exercises was able to halt the progression of dementia. ... > full story

US preterm birth rate under 12 percent, the lowest level in nearly a decade (December 1, 2011) -- The preterm birth rate slipped under 12 percent for the first time in nearly a decade, the fourth consecutive year it declined, potentially sparing tens of thousands of babies the serious health consequences of an early birth. The rate declined to 11.99 percent last year. Despite the improvement, too many babies, one out of every eight, was born too soon. ... > full story

Caresses enjoyable vicariously, too (December 1, 2011) -- It is well-known that we humans enjoy sensual caresses, but the brain reacts just as strongly to seeing another person being caressed, reveals new research. ... > full story

From gene to function: Genome wide study into new gene functions in the formation of platelets (November 30, 2011) -- A new study successfully identifies new genetic variants involved in the formation of platelets and more importantly, defines how genes near these variants affect platelet size and number using a series of biological analyses. This is the largest genome-wide meta-analysis on platelet size and number and involves more than 68,000 individuals from different ancestries. ... > full story

New study supports mammography screening at 40 (November 30, 2011) -- Women in their 40s with no family history of breast cancer are just as likely to develop invasive breast cancer as are women with a family history of the disease, according to a new study. These findings indicate that women in this age group would benefit from annual screening mammography. ... > full story

Short waits, long consults keep most patients very happy with their physicians (November 30, 2011) -- Patients overall in the United States are very satisfied with their physicians and with treatment they receive in outpatient settings, according to new information which challenges common public perceptions about outpatient medical treatment. ... > full story

Biologists deliver neutralizing antibodies that protect against HIV infection in mice (November 30, 2011) -- Researchers have been studying a group of potent antibodies that have the ability to neutralize HIV in the lab; Their hope is to create a vaccine that makes antibodies with similar properties. Now, biologists have taken one step closer to that goal: They have developed a way to deliver these antibodies to mice and, in so doing, have effectively protected them from HIV infection. ... > full story

Engineered botulism toxins could have broader role in medicine (November 30, 2011) -- The most poisonous substance on Earth -- already used medically in small doses to treat certain nerve disorders and facial wrinkles -- could be re-engineered for an expanded role in helping millions of people with rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, psoriasis and other diseases, scientists are reporting. ... > full story

Self-referral leads to more negative exams for patients (November 30, 2011) -- Physicians who have a financial interest in imaging equipment are more likely to refer their patients for potentially unnecessary imaging exams, according to a new study. ... > full story

Is it Alzheimer's disease or another dementia? Marker may give more accurate diagnosis (November 30, 2011) -- New research finds a marker used to detect plaque in the brain may help doctors make a more accurate diagnosis between two common types of dementia -- Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. The study is published in the Nov. 30, 2011, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ... > full story

Researchers examine role of inflammatory mechanisms in a healing heart (November 30, 2011) -- Researchers have found that an inflammatory mechanism known as inflammasome may lead to more damage in the heart following injury such as a heart attack, pointing researchers toward developing more targeted strategies to block the inflammatory mechanisms involved. ... > full story

Sugar-sweetened beverages may increase cardiovascular risk in women, research suggests (November 30, 2011) -- Drinking two or more sugar-sweetened beverages a day may expand a woman's waistline and increase her risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to new research. ... > full story

Unlocking the genetic and molecular mystery of soft-tissue sarcoma (November 30, 2011) -- Scientists have uncovered important molecular and genetic keys to the development of soft-tissue sarcomas in skeletal muscle, giving researchers and clinicians additional targets to stop the growth of these often deadly tumors. ... > full story

Psychopaths' brains show differences in structure and function (November 30, 2011) -- Images of prisoners' brains show important differences between those who are diagnosed as psychopaths and those who aren't, according to a new study. ... > full story

Professional dental cleanings may reduce risk of heart attack, stroke (November 30, 2011) -- Professional tooth scaling was associated with fewer heart attacks and strokes in a recent study from Taiwan. ... > full story

Restricted calorie diet improves heart function in obese patients with diabetes (November 30, 2011) -- A low-calorie diet eliminates insulin dependence and leads to improved heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study. ... > full story

Vaccine for metastatic breast, ovarian cancer shows promise (November 30, 2011) -- Treatment with a recombinant poxviral vaccine showed a positive response in both metastatic breast cancer and ovarian cancer, according to a recent trial. ... > full story

Medical marijuana laws reduce traffic deaths, preliminary research suggests (November 30, 2011) -- A new study shows that laws legalizing medical marijuana lead to fewer traffic deaths and less consumption of alcohol. ... > full story

3-D printer used to make bone-like material (November 30, 2011) -- It looks like bone. It feels like bone. For the most part, it acts like bone. And it came off an inkjet printer. Researchers have used a 3-D printer to create a bone-like material that can be used in orthopedic procedures, dental work, and to deliver medicine for treating osteoporosis. Paired with actual bone, it acts as a scaffold for new bone to grow on and ultimately dissolves with no apparent ill effects. ... > full story

Functional brain pathways disrupted in children with ADHD (November 30, 2011) -- Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have identified abnormalities in the brains of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder that may serve as a biomarker for the disorder, according to a new study. ... > full story

Gray matter in brain's control center linked to ability to process reward; Structure-function impairments observed in people addicted to cocaine (November 30, 2011) -- The more gray matter you have in the decision-making, thought-processing part of your brain, the better your ability to evaluate rewards and consequences. A new study is the first to show this link between structure and function in healthy people -- and the impairment of both in people addicted to cocaine. ... > full story

Some tumors contain factors that may block metastasis (November 30, 2011) -- Scientists are another step closer to understanding what drives tumor metastasis, as laboratory models suggest there are factors inside tumors that can slow their own growth. ... > full story

Elderly long-term care residents suffer cognitively during disasters (November 30, 2011) -- In a summer with unprecedented weather events, from tornadoes, floods, fires and hurricanes, researchers found that physiological changes associated with aging and the presence of chronic illness make older adults more susceptible to illness or injury, even death, during a disaster. ... > full story

Transplanted cells repair the brain in obese mice (November 30, 2011) -- Small numbers of properly selected neurons, transplanted into damaged brain areas in mice, are capable of restoring lost functions. Experiments on mice with a defect resulting in obesity and a series of measurements documenting efficiency of the neuron transplant method have now been carried out. ... > full story

Injection lowers cholesterol in preliminary human trial (November 30, 2011) -- Patients unable to control their cholesterol levels with medications may someday be able to lower their "bad" cholesterol with a shot, according to new research. ... > full story

Pneumonia most common infection after heart surgery (November 30, 2011) -- Pneumonia -- not a deep incision surgical site infection -- is the most common serious infection after heart surgery, according to new research. ... > full story

Mood, cognition and sleep patterns improve in Alzheimer's patients after cataract surgery, study finds (November 30, 2011) -- Researchers in France have found that patients with mild Alzheimer's disease whose vision improved after cataract surgery also showed improvement in cognitive ability, mood, sleep patterns and other behaviors. ... > full story

Researchers develop more effective way to discover and test potential cancer drugs (November 30, 2011) -- Researchers have created a new phenotypic screening platform that better predicts success of drugs developed to prevent blood vessel tumor growth when moving out of the lab and onto actual tumors. ... > full story

Antifolates show promise against NSCLC subtype (November 30, 2011) -- Patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have mutations in the KRAS gene should respond well to the antifolate class of drugs, according to results of a recent study comparing human lung cancer cell lines and patients. ... > full story

Babies embrace punishment earlier than previously thought, study suggests (November 29, 2011) -- Babies as young as eight months want people who commit or condone antisocial acts to be punished, according to a new study. While previous research shows that babies uniformly prefer kind acts, the new study suggests that eight-month-old infants support negative behavior if it is directed at those with antisocial behavior -- and dislike those who are nice to bad guys. ... > full story

High blood sugar levels in older women linked to colorectal cancer (November 29, 2011) -- Elevated blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a new study. The findings were observed in nearly 5,000 postmenopausal women. ... > full story

Drug-eluting balloons are a promising tool in treatment of narrowed metal stents and in patients at high risk for bleeding complications (November 29, 2011) -- A drug-coated balloon inserted in a narrowed bare metal stent is a promising therapy for restoring blood flow, according to new research. ... > full story

Immune system has protective memory cells, researchers discover (November 29, 2011) -- The immune system possesses a type of cell that can be activated by tissues within the body to remind the immune system not to attack our own molecules, cells and organs, researchers have discovered. ... > full story

Scientists identify treatable weakness in lethal form of prostate cancer (November 29, 2011) -- A recent report suggests that a new treatment may be on the horizon for neuroendocrine prostate cancers, the most lethal subtype of this disease. ... > full story

Crash experts find car seats protect overweight kids, too (November 29, 2011) -- Researchers have found no evidence of increased injury risk among crash-involved children across a broad weight range, when they were properly restrained in the correct child safety seat or booster seat for their height and weight. ... > full story

Is there a central brain area for hearing melodies and speech cues? Still an open question (November 29, 2011) -- Previous studies have suggested a particular hotspot in the brain might be responsible for perceiving pitch, but auditory neuroscientists are still debating whether this "pitch center" actually exists. A review article discusses a recent study claiming that this pitch center may not exist after all, or may not be located where previous research has suggested. ... > full story

Environment and diet leave their prints on the heart (November 29, 2011) -- A new study, which set out to investigate DNA methylation in the human heart and the "missing link" between our lifestyle and our health, has now mapped the link in detail across the entire human genome. ... > full story

Frequent 'heading' in soccer can lead to brain injury and cognitive impairment (November 29, 2011) -- Using advanced imaging techniques and cognitive tests, researchers have shown that repeatedly heading a soccer ball increases the risk for brain injury. ... > full story

Gene acts as a brake on breast cancer progression (November 29, 2011) -- New research provides compelling new evidence that a gene known as 14-3-3sigma plays a critical role in halting breast cancer initiation and progression. ... > full story

Seeking to be the 'perfect parent' not always good for new moms and dads (November 29, 2011) -- Parents of newborns show poorer adjustment to their new role if they believe society expects them to be "perfect" moms and dads, a new study shows. Moms showed less confidence in their parenting abilities and dads felt more stress when they were more worried about what other people thought about their parenting skills. ... > full story

A first: Lab creates cells used by brain to control muscle cells (November 29, 2011) -- Researchers, for the first time, have used stem cells to grow neuromuscular junctions between human muscle cells and human spinal cord cells, the key connectors used by the brain to communicate and control muscles in the body. ... > full story

Coffee may protect against endometrial cancer, study suggests (November 29, 2011) -- Long-term coffee consumption may be associated with a reduced risk for endometrial cancer, according to a recent study. ... > full story

Mid-afternoon slump? Why a sugar rush may not be the answer (November 29, 2011) -- A new study has found that protein and not sugar activates the cells responsible for keeping us awake and burning calories. The research has implications for understanding obesity and sleep disorders. ... > full story

Boys with regressive autism, but not early onset autism, have larger brains than age-matched healthy counterparts, study finds (November 29, 2011) -- In the largest study of brain development in preschoolers with autism to date, researchers have found that three-year-old boys with regressive autism, but not early onset autism, have larger brains than their healthy counterparts. ... > full story

Scientists determine how antibody recognizes key sugars on HIV surface (November 29, 2011) -- HIV is coated in sugars that usually hide the virus from the immune system. Newly published research reveals how one broadly neutralizing HIV antibody actually uses part of the sugary cloak to help bind to the virus. The antibody binding site, called the V1/V2 region, represents a suitable HIV vaccine target, according to the scientists who conducted the study. ... > full story