ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Friday, February 10, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Friday, February 10, 2012

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Most lethal known species of prion protein identified (February 9, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a single prion protein that causes neuronal death similar to that seen in "mad cow" disease, but is at least 10 times more lethal than larger prion species. ... > full story

To perform with less effort, practice beyond perfection (February 9, 2012) -- Whether you are an athlete, a musician or a stroke patient learning to walk again, practice can make perfect, but more practice may make you more efficient, according to a surprising new study. ... > full story

Chemists harvest light to create 'green' tool for pharmaceuticals (February 9, 2012) -- Researchers have created a new, “green” method for developing medicines. The researchers used energy from a light bulb to create an organic molecule that may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases. ... > full story

Gene therapy boosts brain repair for demyelinating diseases (February 9, 2012) -- Our bodies are full of tiny superheroes -- antibodies that fight foreign invaders, cells that regenerate, and structures that ensure our systems run smoothly. One such structure is myelin, a material that forms a protective cape around the axons of our nerve cells so that they can send signals quickly and efficiently. But myelin becomes damaged in demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis, leaving neurons without their sheaths. Researchers now believe they have found a way to help the brain replace damaged myelin. ... > full story

Baby knows best: Baby-led weaning promotes healthy food preferences (February 9, 2012) -- A new study has shown that babies who are weaned using solid finger food are more likely to develop healthier food preferences and are less likely to become overweight as children than those who are spoon-fed pureed food. ... > full story

Secrets of immune response illuminated in new study (February 9, 2012) -- When disease-causing invaders like bacteria infect a human host, cells of various types swing into action, coordinating their activities to address the threat. Scientists have now investigated the coordination of a particular type of immune response, involving the release of of IFN-λ -- a cell-signaling protein molecule known as a cytokine. ... > full story

Nanotube therapy takes aim at breast cancer stem cells (February 9, 2012) -- Researchers have again shown that injecting multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into tumors and heating them with a quick, 30-second laser treatment can kill them. ... > full story

Right hand or left? How the brain solves a perceptual puzzle (February 9, 2012) -- When you see a picture of a hand, how do you know whether it's a right or left hand? This "hand laterality" problem may seem obscure, but it reveals a lot about how the brain sorts out confusing perceptions. Now, a new study challenges the long-held consensus about how we solve this problem. ... > full story

What kind of chocolate is best? The last you taste, says a new study (February 9, 2012) -- Like to save the best for last? Here's good news: If it's the last, you'll like it the best. ... > full story

Presdisposition to common heart disease 'passed on from father to son' (February 8, 2012) -- A common heart disease which kills thousands each year may be passed genetically from father to son, according to a new study. ... > full story

Financial burden of prescription drugs is dropping, U.S. study finds (February 8, 2012) -- The financial challenge Americans face paying out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs has declined, but the costs remain a burden to many families, according to a new study. Despite the improvement, more than 8 million non-elderly Americans live in families with a high drug-cost burden. ... > full story

Memory strengthened by stimulating key site in brain (February 8, 2012) -- Ever gone to the movies and forgotten where you parked the car? New research may one day help you improve your memory. Neuroscientists have demonstrated that they can strengthen memory in human patients by stimulating a critical junction in the brain. ... > full story

DNA sequencing helps identify cancer cells for immune system attack (February 8, 2012) -- DNA sequences from tumor cells can be used to direct the immune system to attack cancer, according to scientists. The immune system relies on an intricate network of alarm bells, targets and safety brakes to determine when and what to attack. The new results suggest that scientists may now be able to combine DNA sequencing data with their knowledge of the triggers and targets that set off immune alarms to more precisely develop vaccines and other immunotherapies for cancer. ... > full story

Transformational fruit fly genome catalog completed (February 8, 2012) -- Scientists searching for the genomics version of the holy grail – more insight into predicting how an animal’s genes affect physical or behavioral traits – now have a reference manual that should speed gene discoveries in everything from pest control to personalized medicine. ... > full story

Fasting weakens cancer in mice (February 8, 2012) -- New study finds that short fasting cycles can work as well as chemotherapy, and the two combined greatly improve survival. ... > full story

Gene therapy for inherited blindness succeeds in patients' other eye (February 8, 2012) -- Gene therapy for congenital blindness took another step forward, as researchers further improved vision in three adult patients previously treated in one eye. The patients were better able to see in dim light, with no adverse effects. ... > full story

Some formerly cohabiting couples with children keep romantic relationship (February 8, 2012) -- When low-income cohabiting couples with children decide to no longer live together, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end of their romantic relationship, a new study suggests. ... > full story

Sound rather than sight can activate 'seeing' for the blind, say researchers (February 8, 2012) -- Scientists have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to "see" and even describe objects. SSDs are non-invasive sensory aids that provide visual information to the blind via their existing senses. For example, using a visual-to-auditory SSD in a clinical or everyday setting, users wear a miniature video camera connected to a small computer (or smart phone) and stereo headphones. The images are converted into "soundscapes," using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera. ... > full story

Study to determine whether fish oil can help prevent psychiatric disorders (February 8, 2012) -- A new study was designed to test whether Omega-3 fatty acids improve clinical symptoms, and help adolescents and young adults (ages 12 to 25) who are at elevated risk for severe psychiatric disorders function better in school, work and other social environments. ... > full story

After-school program can reduce alcohol use among middle school students, study finds (February 8, 2012) -- A voluntary substance prevention program held after school and presented by trained facilitators can help reduce alcohol use among young adolescents, according to a new study. ... > full story

Flipping a light switch in the cell: Quantum dots used for targeted neural activation (February 8, 2012) -- By harnessing quantum dots, researchers have developed a new and vastly more targeted way to stimulate neurons in the brain. Being able to switch neurons on and off and monitor how they communicate with one another is crucial for understanding -- and, ultimately, treating -- a host of brain disorders. ... > full story

Heart disease may be a risk factor for prostate cancer (February 8, 2012) -- In a large analysis of men participating in a prostate drug trial, researchers found a significant correlation between coronary artery disease and prostate cancer, suggesting the two conditions may have shared causes. ... > full story

Arsenic criticality poses concern for modern technology (February 8, 2012) -- Risks related to the critical nature of arsenic -- used to make high-speed computer chips that contain gallium arsenide -- outstrip those of other substances in a group of critical materials needed to sustain modern technology, a new study has found. Scientists evaluated the relative criticality of arsenic and five related metals. ... > full story

Physical activity yields feelings of excitement, enthusiasm (February 8, 2012) -- People who are more physically active report greater levels of excitement and enthusiasm than people who are less physically active, according to researchers. People also are more likely to report feelings of excitement and enthusiasm on days when they are more physically active than usual. ... > full story

Bubble-powered microrockets zoom have potential to zoom through the human stomach, other acidic environments (February 8, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a new kind of tiny motor -- which they term a "microrocket" -- that can propel itself through acidic environments, such as the human stomach, without any external energy source, opening the way to a variety of medical and industrial applications. Their report describes the microrockets traveling at virtual warp speed for such devices. A human moving at the same speed would have to run at a clip of 400 miles per hour. ... > full story

Growing up on a farm directly affects regulation of the immune system, study finds (February 8, 2012) -- A new study has shown, for the first time, that growing up on a farm directly affects the regulation of the immune system and causes a reduction in the immunological responses to food proteins. ... > full story

High levels of cadmium or lead in blood linked to pregnancy delay (February 8, 2012) -- Higher blood levels of cadmium in females, and higher blood levels of lead in males, delayed pregnancy in couples trying to become pregnant, according to a new study. ... > full story

Molecular path from internal clock to cells controlling rest and activity revealed (February 7, 2012) -- The molecular pathway that carries time-of-day signals from the body's internal clock to ultimately guide daily behavior is like a black box, says a researcher. Now, new research is taking a peek inside, describing a molecular pathway and its inner parts that connect the well-known clock neurons to cells governing rhythms of rest and activity in fruit flies. ... > full story

Drinking large amounts of soft drinks associated with asthma and COPD (February 7, 2012) -- A high level of soft drink consumption is associated with asthma and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to new research. ... > full story

Chlorhexidine umbilical cord care can save newborn lives (February 7, 2012) -- Cleansing a newborn's umbilical cord with chlorhexidine can reduce an infant's risk of infection and death during the first weeks of life by as much as 20 percent, according to a new study. The study is the latest in a series of studies showing that umbilical cord cleaning with chlorhexidine can save lives. ... > full story

Preventing bacteria from falling in with the wrong crowd could help stop gum disease (February 7, 2012) -- Stripping some mouth bacteria of their access key to gangs of other pathogenic oral bacteria could help prevent gum disease and tooth loss. The study suggests that this bacterial access key could be a drug target for people who are at high risk of developing gum disease. ... > full story

Scientists use old theory to discover new targets in fight against breast cancer (February 7, 2012) -- Reviving a theory first proposed in the late 1800s that the development of organs in the normal embryo and the development of cancers are related, scientists have studied organ development in mice to unravel how breast cancers, and perhaps other cancers, develop in people. Their findings provide new ways to predict and personalize the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. ... > full story

Gaining insight into a gene's protective role in Parkinson's (February 7, 2012) -- Researchers have identified how a specific gene protects dopamine-producing neurons from dying in both animal models and in cultures of human neurons. ... > full story

Discovery uses 'fracture putty' to repair broken bone in days (February 7, 2012) -- Broken bones in humans and animals are painful and often take months to heal. New research shows promise to shorten healing time significantly and revolutionize the course of fracture treatment. ... > full story

2011 shark attacks remain steady, deaths highest since 1993 (February 7, 2012) -- Shark attacks in the US declined in 2011, but worldwide fatalities reached a two-decade high, according to the a new report. ... > full story

Ovarian cancer risk related to inherited inflammation genes (February 7, 2012) -- Genes that are known to be involved in inflammation were found to be related to risk of ovarian cancer. ... > full story

New diet: Top off breakfast with -- chocolate cake? (February 7, 2012) -- In a study of nearly 200 clinically obese, non-diabetic adults, a researcher found that a 600-calorie breakfast that includes dessert as well as proteins and carbohydrates can help dieters lose weight and keep it off over the long term. Her research indicates that such a morning meal staves off cravings and defuses psychological addictions to sweet foods. ... > full story

Vitamin D deficiency high among trauma patients (February 7, 2012) -- New research has found that 77 percent of trauma patients had deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D. ... > full story

Knee replacement may lower a patient's risk for mortality and heart failure, study suggests (February 7, 2012) -- New research highlights the benefits of total knee replacement. ... > full story

Competitive soccer linked to increased injuries and menstrual dysfunction in girls (February 7, 2012) -- In the US, there are nearly three million youth soccer players, and half of them are female. New research has found that despite reporting appropriate body perception and attitudes toward eating, elite youth soccer athletes face an increased risk for delayed or irregular menstruation. ... > full story

Facebook use elevates mood, new study shows (February 7, 2012) -- People visit social networking sites such as Facebook for many reasons, including the positive emotional experience that people enjoy and want to repeat, according to a new article. ... > full story

As Valentine's day approaches, cardiologist describes broken heart syndrome (February 7, 2012) -- People who have been unlucky in love are said to suffer from a "broken heart." A broken heart is an actual medical condition. Broken heart syndrome occurs during highly stressful or emotional times, such as a painful breakup, the death of a spouse or the loss of a job. ... > full story

First remote-control leg lengthening implant cleared by the FDA (February 7, 2012) -- A revolutionary new limb lengthening system developed by orthopedic surgeons represents a major advancement in the treatment of limb deformities. ... > full story

New non-invasive fat removal technologies offer alternative to liposuction for removing stubborn fat (February 7, 2012) -- Dermatologists are finding that the introduction of non-invasive fat removal technologies is opening the door for more people who are not candidates for liposuction to remove stubborn fat, safely and effectively. ... > full story

Lasers lighting the way for enhanced treatment of melasma and tattoo removal (February 7, 2012) -- On the surface, it would seem as though the skin condition melasma and tattoos would have little in common. However, they both affect a person’s skin, can be quite difficult to treat or remove and, now, dermatologists are discovering new laser therapies which enhance treatment for both conditions. ... > full story

New anti-aging treatments make it easier to turn back the clock (February 7, 2012) -- As we age, our skin undergoes a number of changes affecting its texture, volume and appearance. Fortunately, dermatologists can use fillers or lasers to correct the most notable signs of aging and can recommend skin care products with added ingredients that can further repair damaged skin. ... > full story

Study of live human neurons reveals Parkinson's origins (February 7, 2012) -- Parkinson’s disease researchers have discovered how mutations in the parkin gene cause the disease, which afflicts at least 500,000 Americans and for which there is no cure. ... > full story

Why bad immunity genes survive: Study implicates arms race between genes and germs (February 7, 2012) -- Biologists have found new evidence for why mice, people and other vertebrate animals carry thousands of varieties of genes to make immune-system proteins named MHCs -- even though some of those genes make us sick. ... > full story