ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, January 9, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, January 9, 2012

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New hope for diseases of protein folding such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s diseases, ALS, cancer and diabetes (January 8, 2012) -- Two related studies offer new strategies for tackling the challenges of preventing and treating diseases of protein folding, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, ALS, cystic fibrosis, cancer and type 2 diabetes. The research identifies new genes and pathways that prevent protein misfolding and toxic aggregation, keeping cells healthy, and also identifies small molecules with therapeutic potential that restore health to damaged cells, providing new targets for drug development. ... > full story

Gunshot, stabbing victims are recovering without exploratory surgery (January 8, 2012) -- Although more patients with abdominal gunshot and stab wounds can successfully forego emergency “exploratory” surgery and its potential complications, new research suggests that choosing the wrong patients for this “watchful waiting” approach substantially increases their risk of death from these injuries. ... > full story

Daily Show and Colbert Report viewers are 'deep' (January 8, 2012) -- Daily Show viewers are deep. That might be a shallow analysis of the research, but “there is a segment of the political satire audience that is motivated by a deeper level of processing,” according to new research. ... > full story

How poor maternal diet can increase risk of diabetes: New mechanism discovered (January 7, 2012) -- Researchers have shown one way in which poor nutrition in the womb can put a person at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other age-related diseases in later life. This finding could lead to new ways of identifying people who are at a higher risk of developing these diseases and might open up targets for treatment. ... > full story

Malignancy-risk gene signature for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer found (January 7, 2012) -- A malignancy-risk gene signature developed for breast cancer has been found to have predictive and prognostic value for patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer. ... > full story

Moderate red wine drinking may help cut women’s breast cancer risk, study suggests (January 6, 2012) -- Drinking red wine in moderation may reduce one of the risk factors for breast cancer, providing a natural weapon to combat a major cause of death among U.S. women, new research shows. ... > full story

DNA mismatch repair happens only during a brief window of opportunity (January 6, 2012) -- In eukaryotes-the group of organisms that include humans –- a key to survival is the ability of certain proteins to quickly and accurately repair genetic errors that occur when DNA is replicated to make new cells. Researchers have solved part of the mystery of how these proteins do their job, a process called DNA mismatch repair. ... > full story

Religious beliefs battle hypertension, Norwegian study of church attendance suggests (January 6, 2012) -- Does a belief in God confer any health benefits? Researchers in Norway have found a clear relationship between time spent in church and lower blood pressure in both women and men. ... > full story

Sea snails help scientists explore a possible way to enhance memory (January 6, 2012) -- Efforts to help people with learning impairments are being aided by a species of sea snail. The mollusk, which is used by researchers to study the brain, has much in common with other species including humans. Neuroscientists have used this animal model to test an innovative learning strategy designed to help improve the brain's memory and the results were encouraging. ... > full story

What determines the capacity of short-term memory? (January 6, 2012) -- Short-term memory plays a crucial role in how our consciousness operates. Several years ago a hypothesis has been formulated, according to which capacity of short-term memory depends in a special way on two cycles of brain electric activity. Scientists have now demonstrated this experimentally for the first time. ... > full story

New drug screening identifies chemical agents with potent anti-cancer activity (January 6, 2012) -- Drugs already approved for clinical use across a variety of therapeutic categories can be screened to identify effective agents for thyroid cancer, according to a recent study. These findings could rapidly be implemented into a clinical trial to test how effective the treatment would be. ... > full story

New system may one day steer microrobots through blood vessels for disease treatment (January 6, 2012) -- Researchers use a magnetic field to generate both side-to-side and corkscrew-like motions of tiny robots. ... > full story

Why young couples aren't getting married: They fear the ravages of divorce (January 6, 2012) -- With the share of married adults at an all-time low in the United States, new research by demographers unveils clues why couples don't get married -- they fear divorce. ... > full story

Flatworm flouts fundamental rule of biology: Worm regenerates without centrosome, a structure long thought necessary for cell division (January 6, 2012) -- A tiny, freshwater flatworm found in ponds and rivers around the world that has long intrigued scientists for its remarkable ability to regenerate has now added a new wrinkle to biology. ... > full story

Scientists 'hijack' bacterial immune system (January 6, 2012) -- The knowledge that bacteria possess adaptable immune systems that protect them from individual viruses and other foreign invaders is relatively new to science, and researchers across the globe are working to learn how these systems function and to apply that knowledge in industry and medicine. Now, a team of researchers has discovered how to harness this bacterial immune system to selectively target and silence genes. ... > full story

No brakes on breast cancer cells (January 6, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a tiny RNA molecule, called miR-520, which at once blocks two important pathways in the development of cancer in cells. In estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer, the production of this microRNA is often reduced and this is correlated with malignant behavior of tumor cells. The team has found out that tumors with low levels of miR-520 have a particularly strong tendency to metastasize. ... > full story

Novel brain tumor vaccine acts like bloodhound to locate cancer cells (January 6, 2012) -- A national U.S. clinical trial testing the efficacy of a novel brain tumor vaccine has begun. The vaccine will be tested in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive and highest grade malignant glioma. ... > full story

Why people choose running over walking (January 6, 2012) -- Other than Olympic race walkers, people generally find it more comfortable to run than walk when they start moving at around two meters per second – about 4.5 miles per hour. Biomedical engineers have discovered why: At two meters per second, running makes better use of an important calf muscle than walking, and therefore is a much more efficient use of the muscle's – and the body's – energy. ... > full story

Genetic cause of thyroid cancer discovered (January 6, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered three genes that increase the risk of thyroid cancer, which is has the largest incidence increase in cancers among both men and women. ... > full story

Nanotechnology may speed up drug testing (January 6, 2012) -- Testing the effectiveness of new pharmaceuticals may get faster thanks to a new technique incorporating quantum dots. ... > full story

Progress made toward a genital herpes vaccine (January 6, 2012) -- New research points investigators toward finding a genital herpes vaccine that works on both viruses that cause disease. ... > full story

Power does go to our heads (January 6, 2012) -- Power -- defined as the ability to influence others -- makes people think differently. For North Americans, a feeling of power leads to thinking in a focused and analytical way, which may be beneficial when pursuing personal goals. ... > full story

A smoking cessation benefit can save money for Medicaid (January 6, 2012) -- New research indicates that including comprehensive tobacco cessation benefits in Medicaid insurance coverage can result in substantial savings for Medicaid programs. The study found that every dollar spent in program costs resulted in an average program savings of .12, which represents a .12 return on investment. ... > full story

Tobacco company misrepresented danger from cigarettes, study suggests (January 6, 2012) -- A new analysis of tobacco industry documents shows that Philip Morris USA manipulated data on the effects of additives in cigarettes, including menthol, obscuring actual toxicity levels and increasing the risk of heart, cancer and other diseases for smokers, according to researchers. ... > full story

Men and women have major personality differences: New report suggests previous measurements have underestimated variation between the sexes (January 5, 2012) -- Men and women have large differences in personality, according to a new study. The existence of such differences, and their extent, has been a subject of much debate, but the authors of the new report describe a new method for measuring and analyzing personality differences that they argue is more accurate than previous methods. ... > full story

Targeted blocking of cell death prevents fatal condition septic shock, study suggests (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a new approach to preventing septic shock, an often fatal extreme inflammatory reaction of the body. It is the most frequent cause of death at intensive care departments in hospitals. Researchers have described how blocking a particular form of cell death (necroptosis) fully protects mice against this fatal inflammation. ... > full story

Outside temperatures, sun exposure and gender may trigger glaucoma (January 5, 2012) -- When it comes to whether or not you will develop exfoliation syndrome -- an eye condition that is a leading cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma and increased risk of cataract as well as cataract surgery complications -- age, gender and where you live does matter. ... > full story

Lower classes quicker to show compassion in the face of suffering (January 5, 2012) -- Emotional differences between the rich and poor, as depicted in such Charles Dickens classics as "A Christmas Carol" and "A Tale of Two Cities," may have a scientific basis. Researchers have found that people in the lower socio-economic classes are more physiologically attuned to suffering, and quicker to express compassion than their more affluent counterparts. ... > full story

Bat brains parse sounds for multitasking (January 5, 2012) -- Imagine listening to music while carrying on a conversation with friends. This type of multi-tasking is fairly easy to do, right? That's because our brains efficiently and effectively separate the auditory signals -- music to the right side; Conversation to the left. But what researchers have not been able to do in humans or animals is to see a parsing of duties at the single neuron level -- until now. ... > full story

Changes seen in cerebrospinal fluid levels before onset of Alzheimer's disease (January 5, 2012) -- Cerebrospinal fluid levels of A-beta42 appear to be decreased at least five to 10 years before some patients with mild cognitive impairment develop Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia whereas other spinal fluid levels seem to be later markers of disease, according to a new report. ... > full story

Disease-causing strains of Fusarium prevalent in sink drains (January 5, 2012) -- A study examining the prevalence of the fungus Fusarium in bathroom sink drains suggests that plumbing systems may be a common source of human infections. ... > full story

Dried licorice root fights the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease, study finds (January 5, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting identification of two substances in licorice -- used extensively in Chinese traditional medicine -- that kill the major bacteria responsible for tooth decay and gum disease, the leading causes of tooth loss in children and adults. In a new study, they say that these substances could have a role in treating and preventing tooth decay and gum disease. ... > full story

Supersized market economy, supersized belly: Wealthier nations have more fast food and more obesity (January 5, 2012) -- New research suggests obesity can be seen as one of the unintended side effects of free market policies. A study of 26 wealthy nations shows that countries with a higher density of fast food restaurants per capita had much higher obesity rates compared to countries with a lower density of fast food restaurants per capita. ... > full story

Anti-sense might make sense for treating liver cancer (January 5, 2012) -- A new study shows that it is possible to selectively target and block a particular microRNA that is important in liver cancer. The findings might offer a new therapy for this malignancy, which kills an estimated 549,000 people worldwide annually. The study focused on miR-221, which is consistently present at abnormally high levels in human liver cancer. The treatment significantly prolonged survival in an animal model and promoted the activity of important tumor-suppressor genes. ... > full story

Extracellular matrix could lead to advances in regenerative medicine (January 5, 2012) -- Scientists have created a functional model of the native extracellular matrix that provides structural support to cells to aid growth and proliferation. The model could lead to advances in regenerative medicine. The extracellular matrix provides the physical and chemical conditions that enable the development of all biological tissues. It is a complex nano-to-microscale structure made up of protein fibers and serves as a dynamic substrate that supports tissue repair and regeneration. ... > full story

inflammatory bowel disease emerges as a global disease (January 5, 2012) -- The incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease are increasing with time and in different regions around the world. ... > full story

Researcher's photoacoustic device finds cancer cells before they become tumors, study suggests (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers are one step closer to melanoma cancer detection at the cellular level, long before tumors have a chance to form. Commercial production of a device that measures melanoma using photoacoustics, or laser-induced ultrasound, will soon be available to scientists and academia for cancer studies. The commercial device also will be tested in clinical trials to provide the data required to obtain US Food and Drug Administration approval for early diagnosis of metastatic melanoma and other cancers. ... > full story

Couch potato or elite athlete? A happy medium keeps colds at bay (January 5, 2012) -- Battling colds and doing (or pledging to do) more exercise are familiar activities for most of us in January. But different levels of exercise can actually significantly increase or decrease your chances of catching a respiratory infection, say experts. ... > full story

Potential boost for IVF success (January 5, 2012) -- A new technique has already been successfully used in mice to identify embryos likely to result in a successful pregnancy. A new study suggests the same technique could be used in humans, potentially boosting IVF success rates and helping to reduce the number of multiple births. ... > full story

How can Lyme disease be prevented and controlled? (January 5, 2012) -- A new article assesses the potential reasons for the continued lack of success in prevention and control of Lyme disease and identifies areas where additional knowledge could be used to improve Lyme disease prevention and control strategies. ... > full story

Humble people are more likely to lend a helping hand (January 5, 2012) -- Humble people are more likely to offer time to someone in need than arrogant people are, according to new findings. ... > full story

New bandage spurs, guides blood vessel growth (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a bandage that stimulates and directs blood vessel growth on the surface of a wound. The bandage, called a "microvascular stamp," contains living cells that deliver growth factors to damaged tissues in a defined pattern. After a week, the pattern of the stamp "is written in blood vessels," the researchers report. ... > full story

Protein that may represent new target for treating type 1 diabetes identified (January 5, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a new protein that may play a critical role in how the human body regulates blood sugar levels. The research team says the protein may represent a new target for treating type 1 diabetes. ... > full story

Hips that function better and last longer: Lubricant in metal-on-metal hip implants found to be graphite, not proteins (January 5, 2012) -- Engineers and physicians have made a surprising discovery that offers a target for designing new materials for hip implants that are less susceptible to the joint's normal wear and tear. The team found that graphitic carbon is a key element in a lubricating layer that forms on metal-on-metal hip implants. The lubricant is more similar to the lubrication of a combustion engine than that of a natural joint. ... > full story

Fish oil during pregnancy does not protect against excessive adipose tissue development, study suggests (January 5, 2012) -- Is obesity in infants "programmed" in the womb? Previously, researchers assumed that consumption of "bad" fats during pregnancy contribute to excessive infant adipose tissue growth and that "good" omega-3 fatty acids prevent expansive adipose tissue development. A new study showed no evidence to support this "perinatal programming" theory. ... > full story

Quality of mother-toddler relationship linked to teen obesity (January 5, 2012) -- The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study suggests. Researchers analyzed national data detailing relationship characteristics between mothers and their children during their toddler years. The lower the quality of the relationship in terms of the child's emotional security and the mother's sensitivity, the higher the risk that a child would be obese at age 15 years, according to the analysis. ... > full story

New gene that regulates body weight discovered (January 5, 2012) -- While studying a brain protein related to the involuntary body movements that are side effects of drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia, a pharmacy professor discovered that the protein also plays a role in regulating body weight. ... > full story

Benefits of statin therapy may extend beyond lowering lipids (January 5, 2012) -- A new study has identified a molecular pathway that leads to abnormal cardiovascular blood clotting and turned it off using a popular class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins. ... > full story