ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Thursday, December 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Thursday, December 8, 2011

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Multiple sclerosis often starts in brain's outer layers (December 8, 2011) -- Multiple sclerosis may progress from the outermost layers of the brain to its deep parts, and isn't always an "inside-out" process as previously thought, reported a new study. The traditional understanding is that the disease begins in the white matter that forms the bulk of the brain's inside, and extends to involve the brain's superficial layers, the cortex. Study findings support an opposite, outside-in process. ... > full story

How biological capsules respond under stress (December 8, 2011) -- Cosmetics and pharmaceutical drug delivery systems could be improved thanks to a new method developed to precisely measure the capability of capsule-like biological membranes to change shape under external stress. ... > full story

Role of fat in assessing breast cancer risk (December 8, 2011) -- It is known that a high proportion of dense breast tissue, as seen with a mammogram, is associated with a high risk of breast cancer. But the role of non-dense fat tissue in the breast is less clear. New research separates the breast cancer risks associated with dense, fibroglandular tissue, and fat, and shows that large areas of either are independently associated with an increased risk. ... > full story

High tech detection of breast cancer using nanoprobes and SQUID (December 8, 2011) -- Mammography saves lives by detecting very small tumors. However, it fails to find 10-25% of tumors and is unable to distinguish between benign and malignant disease. New research provides a new and potentially more sensitive method using tumor-targeted magnetic nanoprobes and superconducting quantum interference device sensors. ... > full story

Avatars help people develop real world skills (December 8, 2011) -- New research suggests that far from disengaging young people from real life, virtual worlds can provide unique environments that can help them learn and negotiate new situations. ... > full story

Lessons learned from yeast about human leukemia: The power of basic model organisms in human health (December 8, 2011) -- The trifecta of biological proof is to take a discovery made in a simple model organism like baker's yeast and track down its analogs or homologs in "higher" creatures right up the complexity scale to people, in this case, from yeast to fruit flies to humans. In a pair of related studies, scientists have hit such a trifecta, closing a circle of inquiry that they opened over a decade ago. ... > full story

Atherosclerotic plaques' downstream spread linked to low shear stress (December 8, 2011) -- In human coronary arteries, atherosclerotic plaques tend to spread downstream because of the changes in blood flow patterns the plaque causes, researchers have found. This insight comes from a study of fluid dynamics in the arteries of people being treated for coronary artery disease. ... > full story

Study shows benefits, limits of therapy for rare inflammatory syndrome (December 8, 2011) -- A study shows that the medication etanercept reduces the frequency and severity of symptoms of TNF receptor-associated periodic syndrome, a rare inherited condition characterized by recurrent fevers, abdominal pain and skin rashes. The study also points out the need for the development of additional therapies to more thoroughly ease symptoms and prevent long-term complications of the disease. ... > full story

Economic recession takes toll on family relationships (December 8, 2011) -- Researchers studied how parents' financial problems and resulting mental distress affect their relationships with their children. They found that parents who experience financial problems and depression are less likely to feel connected to their children, and their children are less likely to engage in prosocial behaviors, such as volunteering or helping others. ... > full story

Why does the same mutation kill one person but not another? (December 7, 2011) -- The vast majority of genetic disorders (schizophrenia or breast cancer, for example) have different effects in different people. Moreover, an individual carrying certain mutations can develop a disease, whereas another one with the same mutations may not. This holds true even when comparing two identical twins who have identical genomes. But why does the same mutation have different effects in different individuals? ... > full story

Sewage treatment plants may contribute to antibiotic resistance problem (December 7, 2011) -- Water discharged into lakes and rivers from municipal sewage treatment plants may contain significant concentrations of the genes that make bacteria antibiotic-resistant. That's the conclusion of a new study on a sewage treatment plant on Lake Superior in the Duluth, Minn., harbor. ... > full story

Long non-coding RNA prevents the death of maturing red blood cells (December 7, 2011) -- A long non-coding RNA prevents programmed cell death during one of the final stages of red blood cell differentiation, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. Preventing normal cell death is a key step in the development of leukemias and other cancers. Because of its role in red blood cell apoptosis, this lncRNA or the pathways through which it exerts its anti-apoptotic effects may represent potential therapeutic targets. ... > full story

Supercomputer reveals new details behind drug-processing protein model (December 7, 2011) -- Supercomputer simulations are giving scientists unprecedented access to a key class of proteins involved in drug detoxification. ... > full story

Stress reduction and mindful eating curb weight gain among overweight women (December 7, 2011) -- Mastering simple mindful eating and stress-reduction techniques helped prevent weight gain even without dieting in overweight women. ... > full story

Maternal care influences brain chemistry into adulthood, animal study shows (December 7, 2011) -- The effect of the messenger substance neuropeptide Y depends on the behavior of the mother during infancy. ... > full story

Researchers suggest unconventional approach to control HIV epidemics (December 7, 2011) -- A new weapon to prevent HIV infection, called pre-exposure prophylaxis, Because PrEP is based on the same drugs used to treat HIV-infected individuals, the big public health scare is that the dual use of these drugs will lead to skyrocketing levels of drug resistance. In fact, say researchers in a new study, that is not the case and indeed, the exact opposite is likely to happen. ... > full story

Specific bacteria that precede autoimmune diabetes identified: New potential avenues for early disease detection and prevention (December 7, 2011) -- A study by researchers in Finland suggests that autoimmune diabetes is preceded by diminished gut microbial diversity of the Clostridium leptum subgroup, elevated plasma leptin and enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. ... > full story

Shedding light on why it is so 'tough' to make healthier hot dogs (December 7, 2011) -- In part of an effort to replace animal fat in hot dogs, sausages, hamburgers and other foods with healthier fat, scientists are reporting an advance in solving the mystery of why hot dogs develop an unpleasant tough texture when vegetable oils pinch hit for animal fat. ... > full story

Short walk cuts chocolate consumption in half (December 7, 2011) -- A 15-minute walk can cut snacking on chocolate at work by half, according to new research. The study showed that, even in stressful situations, workers eat only half as much chocolate as they normally would after this short burst of physical activity. ... > full story

Novel drug wipes out deadliest malaria parasite through starvation (December 7, 2011) -- An antimalarial agent proved effective at clearing infections caused by the malaria parasite most lethal to humans -- by literally starving the parasites to death. ... > full story

New method to quickly separate and identify thousands of protein molecules (December 7, 2011) -- Scientist have developed a new "top-down" method that can separate and identify thousands of protein molecules quickly. The researchers were able to identify more than 3,000 protein forms created from 1,043 genes from human HeLa cells. Many have been skeptical that such an approach, where each protein is analyzed intact instead of in smaller parts, could be done on such a large scale. ... > full story

Traumatic injury sets off a 'genomic storm' in immune system pathways (December 7, 2011) -- Serious traumatic injuries, including major burns, set off a "genomic storm" in human immune cells, altering around 80 percent of the cells' normal gene expression patterns. ... > full story

Drug duo kills chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer cells, researchers find (December 7, 2011) -- The use of two drugs never tried in combination before in ovarian cancer resulted in a 70 percent destruction of cancer cells already resistant to commonly used chemotherapy agents, say researchers. ... > full story

Geneticists help show bitter taste perception is not just about flavors (December 7, 2011) -- Long the bane of picky eaters everywhere, broccoli's taste is not just a matter of having a cultured palate; Some people can easily taste a bitter compound in the vegetable that others have difficulty detecting. Now a team researchers has helped uncover the evolutionary history of one of the genes responsible for this trait. Beyond showing the ancient origins of the gene, the researchers discovered something unexpected: Something other than taste must have driven its evolution. ... > full story

Fruits and vegetables reduce risks of specific types of colorectal cancers, study finds (December 7, 2011) -- The effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on colorectal cancer (CRC) appear to differ by site of origin. Researchers found that within the proximal and distal colon, brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) were associated with decreased risk of these cancers. A lower risk of distal colon cancer was associated with eating more apples, however an increased risk for rectal cancer was found with increasing consumption of fruit juice. ... > full story

Psychopathy: A misunderstood personality disorder (December 7, 2011) -- Psychopathic personalities are some of the most memorable characters portrayed in popular media today. These characters, like Patrick Bateman from 'American Psycho,' Frank Abagnale Jr. from 'Catch Me If You Can' and Alex from 'A Clockwork Orange,' are typically depicted as charming, intriguing, dishonest, guiltless, and in some cases, downright terrifying. But scientific research suggests that psychopathy is a personality disorder that is widely misunderstood. ... > full story

Rotating night shift work linked to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in women, study finds (December 7, 2011) -- Women who work a rotating (irregular) schedule that includes three or more night shifts per month, in addition to day and evening working hours in that month, may have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes when compared with women who only worked days or evenings, according to a new study. ... > full story

Structure of key protein associated with Parkinson's disease determined (December 7, 2011) -- Researchers have produced and determined the structure of alpha-synuclein, a key protein associated with Parkinson's disease. Information may someday be used to produce a new kind of treatment. ... > full story

New tool to help surgeons remove more cancer tissue during brain surgery (December 7, 2011) -- Scientists are reporting development and successful initial testing of a new tool that tells whether brain tissue is normal or cancerous while an operation is underway, so that surgeons can remove more of the tumor without removing healthy tissue, improving patients' survival. ... > full story

Targeting leg fatigue in heart failure (December 7, 2011) -- Doctors should not only treat the heart muscle in chronic heart failure patients, but also their leg muscles through exercise, say researchers. ... > full story

Baby see, baby do? Yes, unless you trick them (December 7, 2011) -- Babies love to imitate. Ask any parent and they'll report how infants mimic sounds, facial expressions and actions they observe. Now new research shows that infants can even differentiate between credible and non-credible sources. Simply put, most babies won't follow along if they have been previously tricked by an adult. ... > full story

Oxidative stress: Less harmful than suspected? (December 7, 2011) -- Oxidative stress is considered to be involved in a multitude of pathogenic processes and is also implicated in the process of aging. For the first time, scientists have been able to directly observe oxidative changes in a living organism. Their findings in fruit flies raise doubts about the validity of some widely held hypotheses: The research team has found no evidence that the life span is limited by the production of harmful oxidants. ... > full story

Reusing pacemakers from deceased patients is safe and effective, study finds (December 7, 2011) -- Many heart patients in India are too poor to afford pacemakers. But a new study has found that removing pacemakers from deceased Americans, re-sterilizing the devices and implanting them in Indian patients "is very safe and effective." ... > full story

New tick-borne disease discovered in Sweden (December 7, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a brand new tick-borne infection. Since the discovery, eight cases have been described around the world, three of them in Sweden. ... > full story

Confidence is key to women's spatial skills, study suggests (December 7, 2011) -- Boosting a woman’s confidence makes her better at spatial tasks, scientists have found, suggesting skills such as parking and map-reading could come more easily if a woman is feeling good about herself. ... > full story

Measuring living cells' mechanical properties: Technology could diagnose human disease, shed light on biological processes (December 7, 2011) -- Researchers are making progress in developing a system that measures the mechanical properties of living cells, a technology that could be used to diagnose human disease and better understand biological processes. ... > full story

Drug treatment shows promise for brain blood vessel abnormality (December 7, 2011) -- A drug treatment has been proven to prevent lesions from cerebral cavernous malformation -- a brain blood vessel abnormality that can cause bleeding, epilepsy and stroke -- for the first time in a new study. ... > full story

Researchers find MK1775 active against sarcomas (December 7, 2011) -- MK1775, a small, selective inhibitor molecule, has been found to be active against many sarcomas. This finding suggests that a badly needed new agent against sarcomas -- especially sarcomas affecting children -- may be at hand. ... > full story

Familiarity increases the fullness that children expect from snack foods (December 7, 2011) -- Psychologists have found that children who are familiar with a snack food will expect it to be more filling. This finding is important because it reveals one way in which children over-consume snack foods and increase their risk of becoming overweight. ... > full story

Tiny genetic variation can predict ovarian cancer outcome (December 6, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that a tiny genetic variation predicts chances of survival and response to treatment for patients with ovarian cancer. ... > full story

Veterinarians find infections faster by monitoring blood compound; Blood test for dogs could lead to similar human test (December 6, 2011) -- In pets and people, the time it takes to diagnose an infection may mean life or death. Now, a veterinarian is identifying ways to diagnose pet infections in approximately a third of the current diagnosis time. ... > full story

Computer-based tool to improve diagnosis and prognosis for cancer patients (December 6, 2011) -- A computer-based tool could help GPs to speed up the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from two of the most common forms of cancer, potentially saving thousands of lives every year. ... > full story

Listening to music lights up the whole brain (December 6, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a groundbreaking new method that allows to study how the brain processes different aspects of music, such as rhythm, tonality and timbre (sound color) in a realistic listening situation. ... > full story

'Encouraging' skin cancer discovery: P-Rex1 plays key role in spread of malignant melanoma (December 6, 2011) -- Scientists have made an important discovery in the fight against malignant melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. In a new study, researchers have shown that a specific gene (P-Rex1) must be present before malignant melanoma can spread. ... > full story

New insights into how the nervous system becomes wired during early development (December 6, 2011) -- Thanks to a new study of the retina, scientists have developed a greater understanding of how the nervous system becomes wired during early development. ... > full story

Mayo Clinic makes kidney and pancreas transplant available to HIV-infected patients (December 6, 2011) -- Mayo Clinic in Florida is now offering kidney and pancreas transplants to HIV positive patients with advanced kidney disease and diabetes. Evidence is now solid that HIV-positive patients have the same favorable outcome in terms of patient and allograft survival as non-HIV positive organ transplant recipients, say experts. ... > full story

Virtual childbirth simulator improves safety of high-risk deliveries (December 6, 2011) -- Newly developed computer software combined with magnetic resonance imaging of a fetus may help physicians better assess a woman's potential for a difficult childbirth. ... > full story

Orphaned children exhibit genetic changes that require nurturing parents, study finds (December 6, 2011) -- Children who experience the stress of separation at birth from biological parents and are brought up in orphanages undergo biological consequences such as changes in their genome functioning, researchers report in a new study. ... > full story