ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, February 1, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, February 1, 2012

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Partisans not locked in media 'echo chambers,' study finds (January 31, 2012) -- Despite the fears of some scholars and pundits, most political partisans don’t avoid news and opinion sources that contradict their own beliefs, according to a new study. ... > full story

New genetic subtype of lung cancer defined (January 31, 2012) -- Investigators have defined the role of a recently identified gene abnormality – rearrangements in the ROS1 gene – in a deadly form of lung cancer. ROS1-rearranged tumors represent one to two percent of non-small-cell lung cancers, the leading cause of cancer death in the US. The researchers also show that ROS1-driven tumors can be treated with crizotinib and describe the remarkable response of one patient to crizotinib treatment. ... > full story

Exposure to common environmental bacteria may be source of some allergic inflammation (January 31, 2012) -- Could some cases of asthma actually be caused by an allergic reaction to a common environmental bacteria? New research findings suggests that this idea may not be as far-fetched as it seems. ... > full story

Short-term memory is based on synchronized brain oscillations (January 31, 2012) -- Holding information within one's memory for a short while is a seemingly simple and everyday task. We use our short-term memory when remembering a new telephone number if there is nothing to write at hand, or to find the beautiful dress inside the store that we were just admiring in the shopping window. Yet, despite the apparent simplicity of these actions, short-term memory is a complex cognitive act that entails the participation of multiple brain regions. However, whether and how different brain regions cooperate during memory has remained elusive. Researchers in Germany have now come closer to answering this question. They discovered that oscillations between different brain regions are crucial in visually remembering things over a short period of time. ... > full story

Norovirus is the leading cause of infection outbreaks in U.S. hospitals (January 31, 2012) -- Norovirus, a pathogen that often causes food poisoning and gastroenteritis, was responsible for 18.2 percent of all infection outbreaks and 65 percent of ward closures in U.S. hospitals during a two-year period. ... > full story

Protein study gives fresh impetus in fight against superbugs (January 31, 2012) -- Scientists have shed new light on the way superbugs such as MRSA are able to become resistant to treatment with antibiotics. ... > full story

Sharp rise in use of bone growth factor for spinal fusion surgery (January 31, 2012) -- The use of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) for spinal fusion surgery has risen sharply over the past decade, increasing costs with no evidence of improved outcomes, reports a new study. ... > full story

Surprise finding redraws 'map' of blood cell production (January 31, 2012) -- A study of the cells that respond to crises in the blood system has yielded a few surprises, redrawing the 'map' of how blood cells are made in the body. The finding could have wide-ranging implications for understanding blood diseases such as myeloproliferative disorders as well as used to develop new ways of controlling how blood and clotting cells are produced. ... > full story

Stimulation of brain hormone action may improve pneumonia survival (January 31, 2012) -- An international research team may have found a way to block a second wave of death that can result from pneumonia treatment. ... > full story

Researchers visualize the development of Parkinson's cells (January 31, 2012) -- In the US alone, at least 500,000 people suffer from Parkinson's disease, a neurological disorder that affects a person's ability to control his or her movement. New technology lets researchers observe the development of the brain cells responsible for the disease. ... > full story

Are diet soft drinks bad for you? (January 31, 2012) -- A new study finds a potential link between daily consumption of diet soft drinks and the risk of vascular events. ... > full story

Researchers identify cell-permeable peptide that inhibits hepatitis C (January 31, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a cell-permeable peptide that inhibits a hepatitis C virus protein and blocks viral replication, which can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis. ... > full story

Overweight mothers who smoke while pregnant can damage baby's heart, study finds (January 30, 2012) -- Mothers-to-be who are both overweight and smoke during their pregnancy risk damaging their baby's developing heart, according to new research. ... > full story

Inherited risk factors for childhood leukemia are more common in Hispanic patients, study finds (January 30, 2012) -- Hispanic children are more likely than those from other racial and ethnic backgrounds to be diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and are more likely to die of their disease. Scientists have now pinpointed genetic factors behind the grim statistics. ... > full story

Music training has biological impact on aging process (January 30, 2012) -- Age-related delays in neural timing are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training, according to the first study to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience impacts the aging process. Measuring automatic brain responses of younger and older musicians and non-musicians to speech sounds, researchers found older musicians not only outperformed older non-musicians, they also encoded sound stimuli as quickly and accurately as younger non-musicians. ... > full story

Skin cells turned into neural precusors, bypassing stem-cell stage (January 30, 2012) -- Mouse skin cells can be converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the nervous system, according to researchers. The finding is an extension of a previous study by the same group showing that mouse and human skin cells can be directly converted into functional neurons. ... > full story

Ferroelectric switching discovered for first time in soft biological tissue (January 30, 2012) -- The walls of the aorta, the largest blood vessel carrying blood from the heart, exhibits a response to electric fields known to exist in inorganic and synthetic materials. The discovery could have implications for treating human heart disease. ... > full story

Addicts' cravings have different roots in men and women (January 30, 2012) -- A new brain imaging study suggests stress robustly activates areas of the brain associated with craving in cocaine-dependent women, while drug cues activate similar brain regions in cocaine-dependent men. The study suggests men and women with cocaine dependence might benefit more from different treatment options. ... > full story

Early intervention may curb dangerous college drinking (January 30, 2012) -- The first few weeks of college are a critical time in shaping students' drinking habits. Now researchers have a tailored approach that may help prevent students from becoming heavy drinkers. ... > full story

Alcohol and your heart: Friend or foe? (January 30, 2012) -- A meta-analysis of the relationship between alcohol consumption and heart disease provides new insight into the long-held belief that drinking a glass of red wine a day can help protect against heart disease. ... > full story

Divorce hurts health more at earlier ages (January 30, 2012) -- Divorce at a younger age hurts people's health more than divorce later in life, according to a new study. ... > full story

Cutting off the oxygen supply to serious diseases (January 30, 2012) -- A new family of proteins which regulate the human body’s ‘hypoxic response’ to low levels of oxygen has been discovered. ... > full story

Genetic breakthrough for brain cancer in children (January 30, 2012) -- Scientists have made a major genetic breakthrough that could change the way pediatric cancers are treated in the future. The researchers identified two genetic mutations responsible for up to 40 per cent of glioblastomas in children. The mutations were found to be involved in DNA regulation, which could explain the resistance to traditional treatments, and may have significant implications on the treatment of other cancers. ... > full story

Need muscle for a tough spot? Turn to fat stem cells (January 30, 2012) -- Stem cells derived from fat have a surprising trick up their sleeves: Encouraged to develop on a stiff surface, they undergo a remarkable transformation toward becoming mature muscle cells. The new cells remain intact and fused together even when transferred to an extremely stiff, bone-like surface, which has bioengineers intrigued. These cells, they suggest, could hint at new therapeutic possibilities for muscular dystrophy. ... > full story

Willpower and desires: Turning up the volume on what you want most (January 30, 2012) -- Trying to resist that late-night tweet or checking your work email again? The bad news is that desires for work and entertainment often win out in the daily struggle for self-control, according to a new study that measures various desires and their regulation in daily life. ... > full story

Processes leading to acute myeloid leukemia discovered (January 30, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered a molecular pathway that may explain how a particularly deadly form of cancer develops. The discovery may lead to new cancer therapies that reprogram cells instead of killing them. ... > full story

Harnessing the predictive power of virtual communities (January 30, 2012) -- Scientists have created a new algorithm to detect virtual communities, designed to match the needs of real-life social, biological or information networks detection better than with current attempts. ... > full story

Targeted DNA vaccine using an electric pulse (January 30, 2012) -- The vaccines of the future against infections, influenza and cancer can be administered using an electrical pulse and a specially produced DNA code, new research suggests. The DNA code programs the body's own cells to produce a super-fast missile defense against the disease, researchers say. ... > full story

Lifelong payoff for attentive kindergarten kids (January 29, 2012) -- Attentiveness in kindergarten accurately predicts the development of "work-oriented" skills in school children, according to a new study. ... > full story

Stealthy leprosy pathogen evades critical vitamin D-dependent immune response (January 29, 2012) -- Researchers discovered that the leprosy pathogen Mycobacterium leprae was able to evade immune activity that is dependent on vitamin D, a natural hormone that plays an essential role in the body's fight against infections. A better understanding of how these pathogens can escape the immune system may be helpful in designing more effective therapies. ... > full story

That which does not kill yeast makes it stronger: Stress-induced genomic instability facilitates rapid cellular adaption in yeast (January 29, 2012) -- Cells trying to keep pace with constantly changing environmental conditions need to strike a fine balance between maintaining their genomic integrity and allowing enough genetic flexibility to adapt to inhospitable conditions. In their latest study, researchers were able to show that under stressful conditions yeast genomes become unstable, readily acquiring or losing whole chromosomes to enable rapid adaption. ... > full story

Body clock receptor linked to diabetes in new genetic study (January 29, 2012) -- Scientists have found new evidence for a link between the body clock hormone melatonin and type 2 diabetes. The study found that people who carry rare genetic mutations in the receptor for melatonin have a much higher risk of type 2 diabetes. ... > full story

Cancer sequencing initiative discovers mutations tied to aggressive childhood brain tumors (January 29, 2012) -- A cancer sequencing initiative has discovered mutations tied to aggressive childhood brain tumors. Early evidence suggests the alterations play a unique role in other aggressive pediatric brain tumors as well. ... > full story

Want your enemies to trust you? Put on your baby face (January 29, 2012) -- Do baby-faced opponents have a better chance of gaining your trust? By subtly altering fictional politicians' faces, researchers examined whether minor changes in appearance can affect people's judgment about "enemy" politicians and their offer to make peace. In the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the research showed that peace offers from baby-faced politicians had a better chance of winning over the opposing population than the exact same offer coming from more mature-looking leaders. ... > full story

Genetic regulation of metabolomic biomarkers: Paths to cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes (January 29, 2012) -- Scientists have revealed eleven new genetic regions associated with the blood levels of the metabolites, including new loci affecting well-established risk markers for cardiovascular disease and potential biomarkers for type 2 diabetes. The findings may help in elucidating the processes leading to common diseases. ... > full story

How bacteria behind serious childhood disease evolve to evade vaccines (January 29, 2012) -- Genetics has provided surprising insights into why vaccines used in both the UK and US to combat serious childhood infections can eventually fail. The study, which investigates how bacteria change their disguise to evade the vaccines, has implications for how future vaccines can be made more effective. ... > full story

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: Finding may have implications for Rett Syndrome, other neurological disorders (January 27, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered that a molecule critical to the development and plasticity of nerve cells -- brain-derived neurotrophic factor -- is severely lacking in brainstem neurons in mutations leading to Rett syndrome, a neurological developmental disorder. The finding has implications for the treatment of neurological disorders, including Rett syndrome that affects one in 10,000 baby girls. ... > full story

'Dabbling' in hard drugs in middle age linked to increased risk of death (January 27, 2012) -- Data could lead to better advice for primary-care doctors struggling with a rising tide of older adult patients still in throes of youthful bad habits. ... > full story

The pupils are the windows to the mind (January 27, 2012) -- The eyes are the window into the soul -- or at least the mind, according to a new article. ... > full story

The amygdala and fear are not the same thing (January 27, 2012) -- In a 2007 episode of the television show Boston Legal, a character claimed to have figured out that a cop was racist because his amygdala activated – displaying fear, when they showed him pictures of black people. ... > full story

Mind over matter: Patients' perceptions of illness make a difference (January 27, 2012) -- Whenever we fall ill, there are many different factors that come together to influence the course of our illness. Additional medical conditions, stress levels, and social support all have an impact on our health and well-being, especially when we are ill. But a new report suggests that what you think about your illness matters just as much, if not more, in determining your health outcomes. ... > full story

Are we bad at forecasting our emotions? It depends on how you measure accuracy (January 27, 2012) -- How will you feel if you fail that test? Awful, really awful, you say. Then you fail the test and, yes, you feel bad -- but not as bad as you thought you would. This pattern holds for most people, research shows. The takeaway message: People are lousy at predicting their emotions. ... > full story

New information for flu fight: Researchers study RNA interference to determine host genes used by influenza for virus replication (January 27, 2012) -- Influenza virus can rapidly evolve from one form to another, complicating the effectiveness of vaccines and anti-viral drugs used to treat it. By first understanding the complex host cell pathways that the flu uses for replication, researchers are finding new strategies for therapies and vaccines, according to a new study. ... > full story

For diabetics not on insulin, self-monitoring blood sugar has no benefit, study suggests (January 27, 2012) -- For type 2 diabetics who are not on insulin, monitoring their blood sugar does little to control blood sugar levels over time and may not be worth the effort or expense, according to a new evidence review. ... > full story

Most people fudge numbers on weight and height surveys (January 27, 2012) -- When people in the U.S. are asked to provide their weight for research surveys, they underestimate their weight and overestimate their height, despite numerous public reports about increasing rates of obesity. Whites are more likely to do so than Blacks or Hispanics, finds a new study. ... > full story

Teens have fewer behavioral issues when parents stay involved (January 27, 2012) -- When parents of middle school students participate in school-based, family interventions, it can reduce problem behavior, according to new research. ... > full story

Making memories last: Prion-like protein plays key role in storing long-term memories (January 27, 2012) -- Memories in our brains are maintained by connections between neurons called "synapses." But how do these synapses stay strong and keep memories alive for decades? Neuroscientists have discovered a major clue from a study in fruit flies: Hardy, self-copying clusters or oligomers of a synapse protein are an essential ingredient for the formation of long-term memory. ... > full story

Scientists probe form, function of mysterious protein (January 27, 2012) -- Using computer models and laboratory experiments, scientists have probed the structure of the protein mitoNEET to better understand its role in aging, cancer and diabetes. They found the protein could untangle its arms at one end to loosen its grip on a potentially toxic molecule of iron and sulfur. ... > full story