ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Sunday, February 19, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Sunday, February 19, 2012

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No kids in public school? You still benefit (February 17, 2012) -- Quality public schools benefit everyone – including those without school-aged children – and therefore everyone should play a role in maintaining them, according to a new study. ... > full story

How mitochondrial DNA defects cause inherited deafness (February 17, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered the molecular pathway by which maternally inherited deafness appears to occur: Mitochondrial DNA mutations trigger a signaling cascade, resulting in programmed cell death. ... > full story

Military service, even without combat, can change personality and make vets less agreeable, research suggests (February 17, 2012) -- It's no secret that battlefield trauma can leave veterans with deep emotional scars that impact their ability to function in civilian life. But new research suggests that military service, even without combat, has a subtle lingering effect on a man's personality, making it potentially more difficult for veterans to get along with friends, family and co-workers. ... > full story

3-D microscopy to aid in cell analysis (February 17, 2012) -- The understanding of diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's is set to take a step forward following groundbreaking technology which will enable cell analysis using automated 3D microscopy. ... > full story

Nano-technology uses virus' coats to fool cancer cell (February 17, 2012) -- While there have been major advances in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of tumors within the brain, brain cancer continues to have a very low survival rate in part to high levels of resistance to treatment. New research has used Sendai virus to transport Quantum Dots (Qdots) into brain cancer cells and to specifically bind Qdots to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is often over-expressed and up-regulated in tumors. ... > full story

More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, German study finds (February 17, 2012) -- More than one in four elderly patients was given potentially hazardous medication during 2007, according to a new study from Germany. ... > full story

Norwegian success in creating an artificial child's voice (February 17, 2012) -- “Synthesized speech has grown more and more similar to human speech. Yet children communicating via a speech device are still forced to use a synthetic adult voice,” explains a researcher developing tools to assist disabled persons. ... > full story

Heat energy used to fix odd heart beat (February 17, 2012) -- Some hospitals are now offering patients with atrial fibrillation the breakthrough benefits of heat energy, or radio frequency waves, to irreversibly alter heart tissue that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia. ... > full story

Brain imaging differences evident at 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism (February 17, 2012) -- A new study has found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism. The study also suggests that autism does not appear suddenly in young children, but instead develops over time during infancy, raising the possibility that scientists may be able to interrupt that process with targeted intervention. ... > full story

Nanoparticles in food, vitamins could harm human health, researchers warn (February 16, 2012) -- Billions of engineered nanoparticles in foods and pharmaceuticals are ingested by humans daily, and new study warns they may be more harmful to health than previously thought. ... > full story

Texting affects ability to interpret words (February 16, 2012) -- Research designed to understand the effect of text messaging on language found that texting has a negative impact on people's linguistic ability to interpret and accept words, according to a linguistics researcher. ... > full story

In sickness and in health: Importance of supportive spouses in coping with work-related stress (February 16, 2012) -- The growth of two-income families and increasing levels of job stress are two of the most significant work trends affecting American businesses and families in recent years. Having just one stressed-out spouse can harm couple's work and home lives -- but what about when it's both? ... > full story