ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, February 3, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, February 3, 2012

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New RNA-based therapeutic strategies for controlling gene expression (February 2, 2012) -- Small RNA-based nucleic acid drugs represent a promising new class of therapeutic agents for silencing abnormal or overactive disease-causing genes, and researchers have discovered new mechanisms by which RNA drugs can control gene activity. ... > full story

Football findings suggest concussions caused by series of hits (February 2, 2012) -- A two-year study of high school football players suggests that concussions are likely caused by many hits over time and not from a single blow to the head, as commonly believed. ... > full story

Untangling the mysteries of Alzheimer's (February 2, 2012) -- Researchers have found new evidence that confirms the significance of a protein that neuroscientists call tau to the development of Alzheimer's disease. While earlier studies have focused on tau's aggregation into twisted structures known as "neurofibrillary tangles," the new work emphasizes intermediary steps between single protein units and the much larger tangles – small assemblages of two, three, four or more proteins, which the investigators believe are the most toxic entities in Alzheimer's. ... > full story

DNA test that identifies Down syndrome in pregnancy can also detect trisomy 18 and trisomy 13 (February 2, 2012) -- A recent study shows that a new DNA test that identifies Down syndrome in pregnancy can also detect trisomies 18 and 13. ... > full story

Coffee consumption reduces fibrosis risk in those with fatty liver disease, study suggests (February 2, 2012) -- Caffeine consumption has long been associated with decreased risk of liver disease and reduced fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Now, new research confirms that coffee caffeine consumption reduces the risk of advanced fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. New findings show that increased coffee intake, specifically among patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, decreases risk of hepatic fibrosis. ... > full story

Sickle cell anemia stroke prevention efforts may have decreased racial disparities (February 2, 2012) -- The disparity in stroke-related deaths among black and white children dramatically narrowed after prevention strategies changed to include ultrasound screening and chronic blood transfusions for children with sickle cell anemia, according to new research. ... > full story

Erratic heart rhythm may account for some unexplained strokes (February 2, 2012) -- Occasional erratic heart rhythms appear to cause about one-fifth of strokes for which a cause is not readily established. ... > full story

Anemia may more than triple your risk of dying after a stroke (February 2, 2012) -- Being anemic could more than triple your risk of dying within a year after having a stroke, according to new research. ... > full story

Men behaving nicely: Selfless acts by men increase when attractive women are nearby (February 2, 2012) -- Men put on their best behavior when attractive ladies are close by. When the scenario is reversed however, the behavior of women remains the same. ... > full story

Human immune cells react sensitively to 'stress' (February 2, 2012) -- Scientists have demonstrated for the first time that certain cells circulating in human blood -- so-called monocytes -- are extremely sensitive to reactive oxygen species (ROS). They were also able to clarify the reason for this: ROS are aggressive forms of oxygen that are generated during states of "oxidative stress" and play a significant role in various diseases. ... > full story

Eating together? Simply a matter of adapting (February 2, 2012) -- Women dining together finely tune their eating behavior to that of their dining partner. Rather than eating at their own pace, they tend to take bites at the same time as the person sitting across the table. ... > full story

Rearranging the cell's skeleton: Small molecules at the cell’s membrane enable cell movement (February 2, 2012) -- Cell biologists have identified key steps in how certain molecules alter a cell’s skeletal shape and drive the cell’s movement. ... > full story

Facebook is not such a good thing for those with low self-esteem, study finds (February 1, 2012) -- In theory, the social networking website Facebook could be great for people with low self-esteem. Sharing is important for improving friendships. But in practice, people with low self-esteem seem to behave counterproductively, bombarding their friends with negative tidbits about their lives and making themselves less likeable, according to a new study. ... > full story

Here is what real commitment to your marriage means (February 1, 2012) -- What does being committed to your marriage really mean? A psychology professors answer this question in a new study based on their analysis of 172 married couples over the first 11 years of marriage. ... > full story

Powering pacemakers with heartbeat vibrations (February 1, 2012) -- Aerospace engineers have developed a prototype device that could power a pacemaker using a source that is surprisingly close to the heart of the matter: vibrations in the chest cavity that are due mainly to heartbeats. ... > full story

Same genes linked to early- and late-onset Alzheimer's (February 1, 2012) -- The same gene mutations linked to inherited, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease have been found in people with the more common late-onset form of the illness. The discovery may lead doctors and researchers to change the way Alzheimer’s disease is classified. ... > full story

'Life and activity monitor' provides portable, constant recording of vital signs (February 1, 2012) -- Researchers have developed a type of wearable, non-invasive electronic device that can monitor vital signs such as heart rate and respiration at the same time it records a person's activity level, opening new opportunities for biomedical research, diagnostics and patient care. ... > full story

New technology shows molecules and cells in action (February 1, 2012) -- A new affinity capture device provides a platform for viewing cancer cells and other macromolecules in dynamic, life-sustaining liquid environments. ... > full story

Sleep deprivation tied to increased nighttime urination in preadolescence (February 1, 2012) -- A new study sheds light on why some children may need to urinate more often during the rest cycle. Researchers found sleep deprivation caused healthy children, ages 8-12, to urinate significantly more frequently, excrete more sodium in urine, have altered regulation of the hormones important for excretion. ... > full story

Societal control of sugar essential to ease public health burden, experts urge (February 1, 2012) -- Sugar should be controlled like alcohol and tobacco to protect public health, according to a team of researchers, who maintain in a new report that sugar is fueling a global obesity pandemic, contributing to 35 million deaths annually worldwide from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. ... > full story

Chaos in the cell's command center (February 1, 2012) -- Researchers have determined the critical role one enzyme, lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), plays as mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) differentiate. This research may provide targets for developing drugs to push cells with dysfunctional gene expression programs back to a more normal, healthier state. ... > full story

Potatoes lower blood pressure in people with obesity and hypertension without increasing weight (February 1, 2012) -- The first study to check the effects of eating potatoes on blood pressure in humans has concluded that two small helpings of purple potatoes a day decreases blood pressure by about four percent without causing weight gain. The researchers say that decrease, although seemingly small, is sufficient to potentially reduce the risk of several forms of heart disease. ... > full story

Why the brain is more reluctant to function as we age (February 1, 2012) -- New findings reveal a novel mechanism through which the brain may become more reluctant to function as we grow older. ... > full story

Encouraging results with stem cell transplant for brain injury (February 1, 2012) -- Experiments in brain-injured rats show that stem cells injected via the carotid artery travel directly to the brain, where they greatly enhance functional recovery. ... > full story

Sleep apnea linked to silent strokes, small lesions in brain (February 1, 2012) -- People with severe sleep apnea may have an increased risk of silent strokes and small lesions in the brain, according to a small study. ... > full story

Clot-busting drugs appear safe for treating 'wake-up' stroke patients (February 1, 2012) -- Clot-busting drugs may be safe for patients who wake up experiencing stroke symptoms, according to preliminary research. ... > full story

Experimental drug reduces 'second stroke' after aneurysm rupture (February 1, 2012) -- An experimental drug, clazosentan, reduced the risk of blood vessel spasm in patients with a brain aneurysm, according to new research. ... > full story

Infections in childhood linked to high risk of ischemic stroke (February 1, 2012) -- Common infections in children pose a high risk of ischemic stroke, according to new research. In a review of 2.5 million children, the researchers identified 126 childhood ischemic stroke cases and then randomly selected 378 age-matched controls from the remaining children without stroke. They discovered that 29 percent of those who suffered a stroke had a medical encounter for infection in the two days preceding the stroke versus one percent of controls during the same dates. ... > full story

Severe, rapid memory loss linked to future, fatal strokes (February 1, 2012) -- Severe, rapid memory loss may be linked to -- and could predict -- a future deadly stroke, according to new research. ... > full story

Re-blockage rates low in both stented and surgically-opened arteries, study finds (February 1, 2012) -- In a large, head-to-head comparison of two procedures that clear blocked neck arteries, outcomes were similar. The study found that 94 percent of the arteries remained open two years after using surgery or a metal stent. ... > full story

Men more likely to have an accurate memory of unpleasant experiences (February 1, 2012) -- Researchers reveal how pleasantness and emotional intensity affects memories. A woman's memory of an experience is less likely to be accurate than a man's if it was unpleasant and emotionally provocative, new research suggests. ... > full story

Testosterone makes us less cooperative and more egocentric (January 31, 2012) -- Testosterone makes us overvalue our own opinions at the expense of cooperation, new research has found. Higher levels of testosterone were associated with individuals behaving egocentrically. ... > full story

Honey could be effective at treating and preventing wound infections (January 31, 2012) -- Manuka honey could help clear chronic wound infections and even prevent them from developing in the first place, according to a new study. The findings provide further evidence for the clinical use of manuka honey to treat bacterial infections in the face of growing antibiotic resistance. ... > full story

Pairing masks and hand washing could drastically slow spread of a pandemic flu (January 31, 2012) -- Masks and hand hygiene could cut the spread of flu-like symptoms up to 75 percent, a new study found. ... > full story

Does Borna disease virus cause mental illness? (January 31, 2012) -- Over the past 30 years, numerous studies have linked Borna disease virus with mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorder and dementia, but study results have been inconsistent. Now, the first blinded, case-control study to examine this issue finds no association between the virus and psychiatric illness. ... > full story

Gene mutation in autism found to cause hyperconnectivity in brain's hearing center (January 31, 2012) -- New research might help explain how a gene mutation found in some autistic individuals leads to difficulties in processing auditory cues and paying spatial attention to sound. ... > full story

Scientists decode brain waves to eavesdrop on what we hear (January 31, 2012) -- Neuroscientists and surgeons have recorded electrical activity in the temporal lobe -- the seat of the auditory system -- to discover how the brain encodes sound. Their model allows them to predict what a person heard based solely on temporal lobe activity. If, as studies suggest, internal "imagined" conversations activate similar areas of the temporal lobe, it may be possible to hear the internal verbalizations of people who cannot talk because of paralysis or stroke. ... > full story

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

Type of anesthesia may affect recurrence risk after liver cancer procedure (January 31, 2012) -- For patients undergoing a minimally invasive treatment for liver cancer, the risk of recurrent cancer appears lower with general anesthesia compared to regional (epidural) anesthesia, according to a new study. ... > full story

Local anesthetic stops pain at the source after hip replacement surgery (January 31, 2012) -- In patients undergoing hip replacement surgery, using a special wound catheter to infuse local anesthetic directly into the hip joint provides significant and lasting improvements in postoperative pain control, according to a new study. ... > 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

Sporting event ads viewed favorably, especially if the game is close (January 31, 2012) -- The average price for a 30-second advertising spot in the 2012 Super Bowl on Feb. 5 is a staggering .5 million and a new study suggests that, for advertisers, it may not really matter if the New England Patriots or the New York Giants win. But for the sake of companies forking out big bucks on the ads, it had better be a close and exciting game. ... > full story