ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, February 15, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, February 15, 2012

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Left-handed? Different bodies, different minds (February 14, 2012) -- We like to think of ourselves as rational creatures, absorbing information, weighing it carefully, and making thoughtful decisions. But, as it turns out, we're kidding ourselves. Over the past few decades, scientists have shown there are many different internal and external factors influencing how we think, feel, communicate, and make decisions at any given moment. One particularly powerful influence may be our own bodies, according to new research. ... > full story

Short-term exposure to most major air pollutants associated with increased risk of heart attack (February 14, 2012) -- Short-term exposure (for up to 7 days) to all major air pollutants, with the exception of ozone, is significantly associated with an increased risk of heart attack, according to a new review article. ... > full story

SIV infection may lead to increase in immune-suppressive Treg cells (February 14, 2012) -- Tissue in monkeys infected with a close relative of HIV can ramp up production of a type of T cell that actually weakens the body's attack against the invading virus. ... > full story

Tangled up in DNA: New molecule has potential to help treat genetic diseases and HIV (February 14, 2012) -- Chemists have created a molecule that's so good at tangling itself inside the double helix of a DNA sequence that it can stay there for up to 16 days before the DNA liberates itself, much longer than any other molecule reported. ... > full story

Chemists mimic nature to design better medical tests (February 14, 2012) -- Over their 3.8 billion years of evolution, living organisms have developed countless strategies for monitoring their surroundings. Chemists have adapted some of these strategies to improve the performance of DNA detectors. Their findings may aid efforts to build better medical diagnostics, such as improved HIV or cancer tests. ... > full story

Possible link to hyper-excitability factors in epilepsy, autism and more (February 14, 2012) -- A new study is revealing new information about a key protein's role in the development of epilepsy, autism and other neurological disorders. This work could one day lead to new treatments for the conditions. ... > full story

People forage for memories in the same way birds forage for berries (February 14, 2012) -- Humans move between ‘patches’ in their memory using the same strategy as bees flitting between flowers for pollen or birds searching among bushes for berries. ... > full story

Motherhood 'detrimental' to women's scientific careers, study concludes (February 14, 2012) -- Women with advanced degrees in math-intensive academic fields drop out of fast-track research careers primarily because they want children – not because their performance is devalued or they are shortchanged during interviewing and hiring, according to a new study. ... > full story

Weight loss can be contagious, study suggests (February 14, 2012) -- Researchers have found that teammates in a team-based weight loss competition significantly influenced each other's weight loss, suggesting that weight loss can be contagious. ... > full story

Cellphone use linked to selfish behavior (February 14, 2012) -- Though cellphones are usually considered devices that connect people, they may make users less socially minded, finds a recent study. The researchers found that after a short period of cellphone use subjects were less inclined to volunteer for community service when asked, compared to control-group counterparts. Talking on a cell phone reduces the desire to connect with others, they explain. ... > full story

Fragmented sleep, fragmented mind: A new theory of sleep disruption and dissociation (February 14, 2012) -- Scientific research has shed new light on dissociative symptoms and dissociative identity disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. This condition seems to arise most often when a vulnerable person meets a therapist with a suggestive line of questioning or encounters sensationalized media portrayals of dissociation. Research shows that people with rich fantasy lives may be especially susceptible to such influences. ... > full story

New class of potential drugs inhibits inflammation in brain (February 14, 2012) -- Scientists have identified a new group of compounds that may protect brain cells from inflammation linked to seizures and neurodegenerative diseases. The compounds block signals from EP2, one of the four receptors for prostaglandin E2, which is a hormone involved in processes such as fever, childbirth, digestion and blood pressure regulation. ... > full story

Best time for a coffee break? There's an app for that (February 14, 2012) -- Caffeinated drinks such as coffee and soda are the pick-me-ups of choice for many people, but too much caffeine can cause nervousness and sleep problems. Caffeine Zone, a new software app developed by researchers, can help people determine when caffeine may give them a mental boost and when it could hurt their sleep patterns. The software takes information on caffeine use and integrates it with information on the effects of caffeine to produce a graph of how the caffeine will affect the users over time. ... > full story

Critical stage of embryonic development now observable (February 14, 2012) -- A novel approach in the study of the development of mammalian embryos has just been developed. The research enables scientists to view critical aspects of embryonic development which was previously unobservable. ... > full story

How Do Children Learn to Read Silently? (February 14, 2012) -- Researchers uses eye-tracking technology to chart oral-to-silent reading transition. ... > full story

Turmeric-based drug effective on Alzheimer flies (February 14, 2012) -- Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The study indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons. ... > full story

Cut your Valentine some slack: Partner's efforts at improving your relationship should not be ignored (February 13, 2012) -- If the one you love usually forgets Valentine's Day, but this year makes a romantic effort, you should give him credit for trying. A new study shows that the more you believe your partner is capable of change and perceive that he or she is trying to improve, the more secure and happy you will feel in your relationship. ... > full story

Prolonged fructose intake not linked to rise in blood pressure, study suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Eating fructose over an extended period of time does not lead to an increase in blood pressure, according to new research. ... > full story

Link between sodium, calcium and heartbeat illuminated (February 13, 2012) -- Researchers have revealed, for the first time, one of the molecular mechanisms that regulates the beating of heart cells by controlling the movement of sodium in out of the cells -- and what calcium has to do with it. ... > full story

Sensing self and non-self: New research into immune tolerance (February 13, 2012) -- Cancer cells can undergo unchecked proliferation, producing self-antigens that are tolerated by the immune system, rather than being targeted for destruction. At the opposite extreme, autoimmune disorders can result when healthy cells in the body are misidentified as hazards. Researchers now examine how CD8 T cells -- critical weapons in the body's defensive arsenal -- are regulated when they transition from this tolerant state to an activated state and back. ... > full story

First-of-its-kind stem cell study re-grows healthy heart muscle in heart attack patients (February 13, 2012) -- Results from a new clinical trial show that treating heart attack patients with an infusion of their own heart-derived cells helps damaged hearts re-grow healthy muscle. Patients who underwent the stem cell procedure demonstrated a significant reduction in the size of the scar left on the heart muscle by a heart attack. Patients also experienced a sizable increase in healthy heart muscle following the experimental stem cell treatments. ... > full story

New imaging methods show challenges of identifying cognitive abilities in severely brain-injured patients (February 13, 2012) -- Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, in her way, communicate accurately. Their study demonstrates how difficult it is to determine whether a patient can communicate using only measured brain activity, even if it is possible for them to generate reliable patterns of brain activation in response to instructed commands. ... > full story

First prospective analysis links breast and pancreatic cancer risk with Lynch syndrome (February 13, 2012) -- Summary of the first prospective study to provide strong evidence of increased breast and pancreatic cancer risk in individuals with Lynch syndrome, who carry certain inherited genetic mutations in DNA repair genes. The study is also the first to show that relatives of people with Lynch syndrome who do not carry these mutations have no increased risk of cancer. ... > full story

Hearing aid gap: Millions who could benefit remain untreated (February 13, 2012) -- Though an estimated 26.7 million Americans age 50 and older have hearing loss, only about one in seven uses a hearing aid, according to a new study. ... > full story

Brain-imaging technique predicts who will suffer cognitive decline over time (February 13, 2012) -- Scientists have used a brain imaging tool that effectively tracked and predicted cognitive decline over a two-year period. The team had previously developed this tool that can assess the neurological changes associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. ... > full story

Air pollution linked to cognitive decline in women (February 13, 2012) -- A large, prospective study indicates that chronic exposure to particulate air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults. ... > full story

Even moderate air pollution can raise stroke risks (February 13, 2012) -- Air pollution, even at levels generally considered safe by federal regulations, increases the risk of stroke by 34 percent, researchers have found. ... > full story

Radiation treatment generates cancer stem cells from less aggressive breast cancer cells, study suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Breast cancer stem cells are thought to be the sole source of tumor recurrence and are known to be resistant to radiation therapy and don’t respond well to chemotherapy. Researchers report for the first time that radiation treatment -- despite killing half of all tumor cells during every treatment -- transforms other cancer cells into treatment-resistant breast cancer stem cells. Researchers stressed that breast cancer patients should not be alarmed by the study findings and should continue to undergo radiation if recommended by their oncologists. ... > full story

Fetal exposure to radiation increases risk of testicular cancer (February 13, 2012) -- Male fetuses of mothers that are exposed to radiation during early pregnancy may have an increased chance of developing testicular cancer, according to a new study in mice. ... > full story

Neuron memory key to taming chronic pain, new research suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Researchers have found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain. ... > full story

Antibodies to intracellular cancer antigens combined with chemotherapy enhance anti-cancer immunity (February 13, 2012) -- Scientists have confirmed that combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in cancer treatment enhances the immune system's ability to find and eliminate cancer cells, even when the cancer-associated proteins targeted by the immune system are hidden behind the cancer cell membrane. ... > full story

Compound may help in fight against antibiotic-resistant superbugs (February 13, 2012) -- Chemists have created a compound that makes existing antibiotics 16 times more effective against recently discovered antibiotic-resistant "superbugs." ... > full story

Six to nine-month-olds understand the meaning of many spoken words (February 13, 2012) -- At an age when "ba-ba" and "da-da" may be their only utterances, infants nevertheless comprehend words for many common objects, according to a new study. ... > full story

Love, chocolate good for the heart, says cardiologist (February 13, 2012) -- Being involved in a healthy, loving relationship is good for the heart, says a cardiologist. People who are married or who are in close, healthy relationships tend to be less likely to smoke, are more physically active and are more likely to have a well-developed social structure, she said. They are also more likely to have lower levels of stress and anxiety in their day-to-day lives. ... > full story

Newly identified fusion genes in lung and colorectal cancer may guide treatment with 'targeted' drugs (February 13, 2012) -- Novel gene abnormalities discovered in a subpopulation of lung and colorectal tumors could potentially identify patients with a good chance of responding to highly specific “targeted” drugs already in use for treating other cancers, scientists report. The genetic alterations – pieces of two genes fused together - showed up in a massive search of the DNA in stored tumor samples of non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer, said researchers. These specific genetic abnormalities had not been previously linked to the two cancer types. ... > full story

Lovelorn liars leave linguistic leads (February 13, 2012) -- Online daters intent on fudging their personal information have a big advantage: most people are terrible at identifying a liar. But new research is turning the tables on deceivers using their own words. ... > full story

Mexican-American youth add pounds as they lose native eating habits (February 13, 2012) -- Researchers have found that Mexican-American youth gain pounds as they move away from the dietary habits of their native country, a move that is putting them at risk for serious health problems. ... > full story

New HIV-vaccine tested on people shows limited success (February 13, 2012) -- Scientists have tested a new 'therapeutic vaccine' against HIV on volunteers. The participants were 'so to say' vaccinated with their own cells. The immune system of the testees was better than before in attacking and suppressing the virus, the scientists have reported. ... > full story

Children at risk for ingestion of PAHs from pavement sealant, study finds (February 13, 2012) -- Children living near coal-tar-sealed pavement are likely to receive a far higher dose of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from incidental ingestion of house dust than do children living near unsealed pavement, and that dose is more than two times higher than the PAH dose children are estimated to receive from food. ... > full story

In older adults, fluctuating sense of control linked to cognitive ability (February 13, 2012) -- Everyone has moments when they feel more in control of their lives than at other times. New research shows that this sense of control fluctuates more often, and more quickly, than previously thought – and that this sense of control may actively affect cognitive abilities. ... > full story

Motivation to exercise affects behavior (February 13, 2012) -- For many people, the motivation to exercise fluctuates from week to week, and these fluctuations predict whether they will be physically active, according to researchers. In an effort to understand how the motivation to exercise is linked to behavior, the researchers examined college students' intentions to be physically active as well as their actual activity levels. ... > full story

New cases of rare genetic disorder identified (February 13, 2012) -- Scientists have shown a rare genetic disease, that causes crippling osteoarthritis in the spine and major joints, is far more prevalent worldwide than previously thought. ... > full story

Prognosis for heart failure patients improving (February 13, 2012) -- More than six million American adults suffer from heart failure. But, while the prevalence of this disease has increased over time, there are signs that deaths from it have not and hospitalization rates may be stabilizing as well. Healthcare professionals say this is good news and the future looks even more promising. ... > full story

Blood from periodontal disease can be used to screen for diabetes (February 13, 2012) -- Oral blood samples drawn from deep pockets of periodontal inflammation can be used to measure hemoglobin A1c, an important gauge of a patient's diabetes status, a nursing-dental research team has found. ... > full story

Scientist works to detach protein that HIV uses as protective shield (February 13, 2012) -- One of the frustrations for scientists working on HIV/AIDS treatments has been the human immunodeficiency virus' ability to evade the body's immune system. Now a researcher has discovered a compound that could help put the immune system back in the hunt. ... > full story

Stress in cells activates hepatitis viruses (February 13, 2012) -- Substances which suppress the immune system while simultaneously keeping viral infections in check would be an ideal drug for organ transplant recipients. Scientists have now demonstrated that specific substances with such an activity profile caused a state of stress in cells which promotes the replication of hepatitis B viruses. ... > full story

Good aerobic capacity promotes learning (February 13, 2012) -- Aerobic fitness has a favorable effect on cognitive functions. For example, physically active elderly people are less prone to aging-related cognitive decline than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. An increase in physical activity raises both aerobic capacity and learning ability in both humans and animals. However, it is not known whether it is the aerobic capacity or the pleasure and enrichment of physical activity that promotes cognitive functions. ... > full story

Seniors show greater life satisfaction than young people, study suggests (February 13, 2012) -- Healthy older adults reported less negative thinking compared to other age groups, leading to greater life satisfaction in seniors. The study examined the complex relationship between aging and factors leading to depression. Research suggests differences in the way age groups think can influence the onset of depression. Sufferers of negative thinking, or brooding, tend to fixate on their problems and feelings without taking action, which can intensify depressive moods and lead to the onset of depression. ... > full story