ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, December 12, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, December 12, 2011

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Beating superbugs with a high-tech cleanser (December 12, 2011) -- Scientists have developed an efficient, cost-effective liquid solution that fights antibiotic-resistant bacteria on hospital surfaces and keeps patients safe from life-threatening infections. It's easy to prepare, easy to apply, non-toxic -- and it will cost just a few dollars per quart. ... > full story

Study may help physicians determine how patients will respond to immunomodulator therapy for multiple myeloma (December 12, 2011) -- Research on the same protein that was a primary mediator of the birth defects caused by thalidomide now holds hope in the battle against multiple myeloma, new research suggests. ... > full story

New approach to management of overeating in children (December 12, 2011) -- Overeating, whether in children or adults, often takes place even in the absence of hunger, resulting in weight gain and obesity. Current methods to treat such overeating in youth focus on therapies that restrict what kids may eat, requiring them to track their food intake and engage in intensive exercise. Psychiatrists are now developing new ways to treat overeating in children and adults. ... > full story

Ready-to-bake cookie dough not ready-to-eat, study of E. coli outbreak finds (December 12, 2011) -- The investigation of a 2009 multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, an important cause of bacterial gastrointestinal illness, led to a new culprit: ready-to-bake commercial prepackaged cookie dough. ... > full story

Breast cancer patients face increasing number of imaging visits before surgery (December 12, 2011) -- Breast cancer patients frequently undergo imaging like mammograms or ultrasounds between their first breast cancer-related doctor visit and surgery to remove the tumor. Evaluations of these scans help physicians understand a person's disease and determine the best course of action. In recent years, however, imaging has increased in dramatic and significant ways, say researchers. More patients have repeat visits for imaging than they did 20 years ago. ... > full story

Chronic pain in children and adolescents becoming more common (December 12, 2011) -- Children who suffer from persistent or recurring chronic pain may miss school, withdraw from social activities, and are at risk of developing internalizing symptoms such as anxiety, in response to their pain. In the first comprehensive review of chronic pain in children and adolescents in 20 years, a group of researchers found that more children now are suffering from chronic pain and that girls suffer more frequently from chronic pain than boys. ... > full story

Savanna chimps exhibit human-like sharing behavior, anthropologists say (December 11, 2011) -- Anthropologists report that chimpanzees in Senegal frequently share food and hunting tools with other chimps. This is thought to be the first study to document non-meat sharing behavior among chimpanzees. ... > full story

Anti-stress peptide may block alcohol dependence (December 11, 2011) -- New research underlines the power of an endogenous anti-stress peptide in the brain to prevent and even reverse some of the cellular effects of acute alcohol and alcohol dependence in animal models. The work could lead to the development of novel drugs to treat alcoholism. ... > full story

Smoking is strongly associated with squamous cell carcinoma among women (December 11, 2011) -- Women who have non-melanoma skin cancers are more likely to have smoked cigarettes compared to women without skin cancer, said researchers. ... > full story

National pride brings happiness, but what you're proud of matters (December 11, 2011) -- Research shows that feeling good about your country also makes you feel good about your own life -- and many people take that as good news. But a political scientist and a sociologist suspected that the positive findings about nationalism weren't telling the whole story. ... > full story

Pig-induced pluripotent stem cells may be safer than previously thought (December 10, 2011) -- Pig stem cell research conducted by two animal scientists reveals a better way to determine the safety of future stem cell therapies than rodent-based models. ... > full story

Lipid-modifying enzyme: New target for pan-viral therapeutics (December 10, 2011) -- Three different disease-causing viruses -- poliovirus, coxsackievirus, and hepatitis C -- rely on their unwilling host for the membrane platforms enriched in a specific lipid, phosphatidylinositol 4 phosphate (PI4P) on which they can replicate, researchers report. ... > full story

Pharmacists crucial in plan for terrorist chemical weapons (December 10, 2011) -- Terrorist attacks with chemical weapons are a real possibility, according to a new study. Thanks to their extensive knowledge of toxic agents, and how to treat those who have been exposed, pharmacists are an invaluable resource in the event of an actual or potential chemical weapons attack. ... > full story

New disinfection technique could revolutionize hospital room cleaning (December 9, 2011) -- A Queen's University infectious disease expert has collaborated in the development of a disinfection system that may change the way hospital rooms all over the world are cleaned as well as stop bed bug outbreaks in hotels and apartments. ... > full story

How Salmonella forms evil twins to evade the body's defenses (December 9, 2011) -- To swim or not? The same biological control that determines which capability genetically identical Salmonella will have impacts the virulence of the food pathogen. Swimmers do better in the gut, but non-motile Salmonella avoid triggering killer cells. An unusual protein turns on or off the manufacture of swimming apparatus in each new bacterium. ... > full story

Researchers develop a way to monitor engineered blood vessels as they grow in patients (December 9, 2011) -- New research describes how by using magnetic resonance imaging and nanoparticle technology, scientists can monitor the growth of laboratory-engineered blood vessels after implantation in patients. This is an important step toward ensuring that blood vessels, and tissues engineered from a patient's own biological material, are taking hold and working as expected. This is the first method for monitoring the growth and progress of engineered tissues once they are implanted. ... > full story

Oxytocin helps people feel more extroverted: Study finds people more sociable, open, trusting after taking oxytocin (December 9, 2011) -- New research has found an intranasal form of oxytocin can improve self-perception and make introverted individuals feel like socialites. ... > full story

Helping your fellow rat: Rodents show empathy-driven behavior, evidence suggests (December 9, 2011) -- The first evidence of empathy-driven helping behavior in rodents has been observed in laboratory rats that repeatedly free companions from a restraint, according to a new study by University of Chicago neuroscientists. The observation, published today in Science, places the origin of pro-social helping behavior earlier in the evolutionary tree than previously thought. ... > full story

Research could help people with declining sense of smell (December 9, 2011) -- Cells in the nose – smell sensors, primarily – are constantly replaced as old ones die off. Olfactory stem cells are the source for these new cells, but how do they determine when to form mature cells? Neuroscientists have now found a genetic trigger – a transcription factor – that acts as a brake on differentiation. Removing it makes stem cells change into mature olfactory cells at the expense of self-renewal. ... > full story

Aging human bodies and aging human oocytes run on different clocks (December 9, 2011) -- Reproductive and somatic aging use different molecular mechanisms that show little overlap between the types of genes required to keep oocytes healthy and the genes that generally extend life span, according to new research. ... > full story

Humility key to effective leadership (December 9, 2011) -- Humble leaders are more effective and better liked, according to a new study. ... > full story

Decisions, decisions: House-hunting honey bees work like complex brains (December 9, 2011) -- Researchers have found a signal, overlooked until now, that plays a role when honey bees split off from their mother colony and go scouting for a new home. Called the "stop signal," it is a very short buzz delivered by a scout bee while butting her head against a dancing honey bee, and is similar to signals that occur between neurons in the brains of monkeys making decisions. ... > full story

Premature babies harbor fewer, but more dangerous microbe types (December 9, 2011) -- One of the most comprehensive studies to date of the microbes that are found in extremely low-birthweight infants found that hard-to-treat Candida fungus is often present, as well as some harmful bacteria and parasites. ... > full story

New fluorescent imaging sorts microbiome in human mouth (December 9, 2011) -- New fluorescent labeling technology that distinguishes in a single image the population size and spatial distribution of 15 different taxa has uncovered new taxon pairings that indicate unsuspected cooperation -- and standoffishness -- between members of the microbe biofilm that covers teeth. ... > full story

If a fat tax is coming, here's how to make it efficient, effective (December 9, 2011) -- A "sin tax" applied to sweetened goods on store shelves is not the most efficient, effective method of lowering caloric intake from sweet food and would be more disruptive to consumers than necessary, according to new research. ... > full story

Rebuilding the brain's circuitry (December 9, 2011) -- Scientists have rebuilt genetically diseased circuitry in a section of the mouse hypothalamus, an area controlling obesity and energy balance, demonstrating that complex and intricately wired circuitry of the brain long considered incapable of cellular repair can be rewired with the right type of neuronal "replacement parts." ... > full story

Breakthrough in regulating fat metabolism (December 9, 2011) -- Scientists have made an important discovery about the mechanism controlling the body's 'fat switch', shedding new light on our understanding of how proteins regulate appetite control and insulin secretion. ... > full story

Cellular automaton model predicts how hair follicle stem cells regenerate (December 9, 2011) -- Your hair -- or lack of hair -- is the result of a lifelong tug-of-war between activators that wake up, and inhibitors that calm, stem cells in every hair follicle on your body. ... > full story

Gene regulatory protein is reduced in bipolar disorder (December 9, 2011) -- A new study provides evidence that changes in gene regulation may contribute to the development of bipolar disorder. Researchers found low levels of a transcription factor in the brain's prefrontal cortex and cerebellum in postmortem samples from patients with bipolar disorder, suggesting a new target for drug therapy. ... > full story

A 'wild card' in your genes (December 9, 2011) -- The human genome and the endowments of genes in other animals and plants are like a deck of poker cards containing a "wild card" that in a genetic sense introduces an element of variety and surprise that has a key role in life. That's what scientists are describing in a review of more than 100 studies on the topic. ... > full story

How chronic stress short-circuits parenting (December 9, 2011) -- Parents under long-term stress often find it challenging to tap into the patience, responsiveness, and energy required for effective child rearing. Now research helps to explain why chronic stress and parenting are such a toxic mix. The study finds that ongoing strains, like poverty or depression, disrupt the body's natural stress response, making mothers more likely to engage in a host of problematic parenting behaviors. ... > full story

Devastating 'founder effect' genetic disorder raced to defective mitochondria in cerebellar neurons (December 9, 2011) -- Defective mitochondria, the energy-producing powerhouses of the cell, trigger an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that first shows itself in toddlers just as they are beginning to walk, Canadian scientists report. ... > full story

Does reading achievement spur independent reading, or vice versa? (December 9, 2011) -- A study of 436 pairs of identical and same-sex nonidentical twins at age 10 and again a year later at 11 finds that children's reading achievement at age 10 predicted their independent reading at 11, regardless of how much independent reading they were doing at 10. These findings suggest that reading achievement influenced later independent reading. The reverse was not found to be true. ... > full story

Intermittent, low-carbohydrate diets more successful than standard dieting, study finds (December 8, 2011) -- An intermittent, low-carbohydrate diet was superior to a standard, daily calorie-restricted diet for reducing weight and lowering blood levels of insulin, a cancer-promoting hormone, according to recent findings. ... > full story

Physicists manipulate single molecules to unravel secrets of protein folding (December 8, 2011) -- Physicists are opening a new window on protein folding, using a technique that lets them grab the ends of a single protein molecule and pull, making continuous, direct measurements as it unfolds and refolds. The latest study of the protein calmodulin reveals a complex network of intermediate states along the way to functionally correct folded forms. Better understanding of protein folding is essential because incorrectly folded proteins cause diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. ... > full story

Inhibitors of infamous Ras oncogene uncovered (December 8, 2011) -- A drug discovery team has uncovered a chink in the molecular armor of Ras, the most commonly occurring oncogene, which is a gene that when mutated has the potential of causing cancer in humans. ... > full story

Study examines family formations in young adulthood (December 8, 2011) -- For many, an important marker of adulthood is forming a family, whether it's having a child, getting married or cohabiting with a romantic partner. Researchers say a majority of young adults have formed a family by age 25. ... > full story

'Brain tsunamis' are clue to helping victims of major head injuries (December 8, 2011) -- Treating 'brain tsunamis' or 'killer waves' could stop many victims of major head injury from suffering additional brain damage, a study has found. Scientists have been investigating this phenomenon for decades, with the topic of spreading depolarizations now of keen interest to the U.S. military because head injuries have emerged as the signature wound of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. ... > full story

Addressing pain and disease on the fly: How fruit flies can teach us about curing chronic pain and halting mosquito-borne diseases (December 8, 2011) -- Studies of a protein that fruit flies use to sense heat and chemicals may someday provide solutions to human pain and the control of disease-spreading mosquitoes. Researchers have discovered how fruit flies distinguish the warmth of a summer day from the pungency of wasabi by using TRPA1, a protein whose human relative is critical for pain and inflammation. ... > full story

Statin therapy fails to slow progression of atherosclerosis in pediatric lupus patients, study finds (December 8, 2011) -- Atorvastatin therapy was found to be ineffective in reducing atherosclerosis progression in children and adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Results of the Atherosclerosis Prevention in Pediatric Lupus Erythematosus Trial show that the statin therapy did trend toward positive effect of treatment and may benefit patients with more severe SLE who were not included in the trial. ... > full story

Mother's touch may protect against drug cravings later (December 8, 2011) -- An attentive, nurturing mother may be able to help her children better resist the temptations of drug use later in life, according to a study in rats conducted by researchers in the United States and Australia. ... > full story

Neuroscientists boost memory in mice using genetics and a new memory-enhancing drug (December 8, 2011) -- When the activity of a molecule that is normally elevated during viral infections is inhibited in the brain, mice learn and remember better, researchers report. ... > full story

Scientists capture single cancer molecules at work (December 8, 2011) -- Researchers have revealed how a molecule called telomerase contributes to the control of the integrity of our genetic code, and when it is involved in the deregulation of the code, its important role in the development of cancer. Scientists explained how they were able to achieve their discovery by using cutting edge microscopy techniques to visualize telomerase molecules in real time in living cells. ... > full story

Combination of everolimus and exemestane improves survival for women with metastatic breast cancer, results show (December 8, 2011) -- In an international Phase III randomized study, everolimus, when combined with the hormonal therapy exemestane, has been shown to dramatically improve progression-free survival, according to research. ... > full story

How people assign blame: Cohesive groups hold members less responsible for individual actions (December 8, 2011) -- Researchers have shown that the more cohesive a group appears -- be it a corporation, political party, governmental entity, pro sports team or other organization -- the more likely it is that people will hold its members less responsible for their own individual actions. The study area raises questions about decision-making, blame, moral judgment and the effects of a strong brand image. ... > full story

Gene expression in mouse neural retina sequenced (December 8, 2011) -- Researchers have gained new insights into neural disease genes by sequencing virtually all the gene expression in the mouse neural retina. The technology to obtain such a "transcriptome" has become accessible enough that full-scale sequencing is becoming the preferred method for asking genetics questions. ... > full story

Safe way to repair sickle cell disease genes, study suggests (December 8, 2011) -- Researchers have developed a way to use patients' own cells to potentially cure sickle cell disease and many other disorders caused by mutations in a gene that helps produce blood hemoglobin. ... > full story

Women advised to avoid ZEN bust-enhancing supplements because of possible cancer risk (December 8, 2011) -- Women who use bust-enhancing dietary supplements containing the mycoestrogen zearalenone (ZEN), a naturally occurring toxin that widely contaminates agricultural products, could be increasing their risk of breast cancer. No clinical trials have been published on the use of potent oestrogens like ZEN in bust-enhancing products and their use should be discouraged because of the lack of evidence of their long-term safety, says a breast cancer expert. ... > full story