ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Tuesday, February 21, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Tuesday, February 21, 2012

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Babies' colic linked to mothers' migraines (February 20, 2012) -- A study of mothers and their young babies by neurologists has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic than mothers without a history of migraines. ... > full story

Traitorous immune cells promote sudden ovarian cancer progression (February 20, 2012) -- In a new mouse model that mimics the tumor microenvironment of ovarian cancer, scientists have demonstrated that ovarian tumors don't necessarily break "free" of the immune system, rather dendritic cells of the immune system seem to actively support the tumor's escape. The researchers show that it might be possible to restore the immune system by targeting a patient's own dendritic cells. ... > full story

World's longest kidney transplant chain completed (February 20, 2012) -- The world's longest living-donor kidney transplant chain has just been completed. The chain involved 30 donors, 30 recipients and 17 hospitals throughout the U.S. ... > full story

New treatment for traumatic brain injury shows promise in animals (February 20, 2012) -- A new drug is showing promise in shielding against the harmful effects of traumatic brain injury in rats, according to a new study. ... > full story

Rainforest plant combats multi-resistant bacterial strains (February 20, 2012) -- Aggressive infections in hospitals are an increasing health problem worldwide. The development of bacterial resistance is alarming. Now a young Danish scientist has found a natural substance in a Chilean rainforest plant that effectively supports the effect of traditional treatment with antibiotics. ... > full story

Home visits for asthma: A win for both patients and payers (February 20, 2012) -- Nearly one in 10 children have asthma, according to government statistics, and in low-income parts of Boston, nearly 16 percent of children are affected. A new program demonstrates the potential to dramatically reduce hospitalization and emergency department visits for asthma -- improving patient outcomes and saving .46 per dollar spent through reduced hospital utilization. ... > full story

Neurodegenerative diseases: Ring-like structure found in 'elongator' protein complex (February 20, 2012) -- A ring-like structure found in a protein complex called ‘Elongator’ provides new clues to its tasks inside the cell and to its role in neurodegenerative diseases. It is the first three-dimensional structure of part of this complex. ... > full story

Faulty fat sensor implicated in obesity and liver disease (February 19, 2012) -- Defects in a protein that functions as a dietary fat sensor may be a cause of obesity and liver disease, according to a new study. The findings highlight a promising target for new drugs to treat obesity and metabolic disorders. ... > full story

Surprising molecular switch: Lipids help control the development of cell polarity (February 19, 2012) -- In a standard biology textbook, cells tend to look more or less the same from all sides. But in real life cells have fronts and backs, tops and bottoms, and they orient many of their structures according to this polarity explaining, for example, why yeast cells bud at one end and not the other. ... > full story

New brain connections form in clusters during learning (February 19, 2012) -- New connections between brain cells emerge in clusters in the brain as animals learn to perform a new task, according to a new study. The findings reveal details of how brain circuits are rewired during the formation of new motor memories. ... > full story

Protein that sends 'painful touch' signals identified (February 19, 2012) -- Researchers report that they have identified a class of proteins that detect "painful touch." Scientists have known that sensory nerves in our skin detect pressure, pain, heat, cold, and other stimuli using specialized "ion channel" proteins in their outer membranes. They have only just begun, however, to identify and characterize the specific proteins involved in each of these sensory pathways. The new work provides evidence that a family of sensory nerve proteins known as piezo proteins are ion channel proteins essential to the sensation of painful touch. ... > full story

Which anti-HIV drug combinations work best and why? (February 19, 2012) -- Using a mathematical formula that carefully measures the degree to which HIV infection of immune system cells is stalled by antiretroviral therapy, AIDS experts have calculated precisely how well dozens of such anti-HIV drugs work, alone or in any of 857 likely combinations, in suppressing the virus. Results of the team’s latest research reveal how some combinations work better than others at impeding viral replication, and keeping the disease in check. ... > full story

Substituting with smokeless tobacco saves lives, research suggests (February 19, 2012) -- Substituting smokeless tobacco products can save smokers' lives, and there is a scientific foundation that proves it, according to one researcher whose work shows that smokers can greatly reduce their risk of disease and death by replacing smoking products with e-cigarettes or modern, spit-free smokeless tobacco. ... > full story

'Duet of one' possible with hand-controlled voice synthesizer (February 19, 2012) -- New technology makes it possible for a person to speak or sing just by using their hands to control a speech synthesizer. The new gesture-to-voice-synthesizer technology mirrors processes that human use when they control their own vocal apparatus. ... > full story

Babies know what's fair (February 18, 2012) -- "That's not fair!" It's a common playground complaint. But how early do children acquire this sense of fairness? Before they're 2, says a new study. "We found that 19- and 21-month-old infants have a general expectation of fairness, and they can apply it appropriately to different situations," says a psychology graduate student. ... > full story

Pregnancy-related complications predict CVD in middle age (February 18, 2012) -- Women who developed pregnancy-related hypertension (preeclampsia) or diabetes were at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Preeclampsia was associated with a wider range of CVD risk factors and may be a better predictor of CVD in middle age than other pregnancy-related complications. Pregnancy may provide an opportunity to identify women at increased risk of CVD when they're relatively young -- allowing them to make lifestyle changes and get medical intervention earlier in life. ... > full story

Nasty 'superbug' emerging? Strikes otherwise healthy, young patients (February 17, 2012) -- Researchers are expressing concern about a new, under-recognized, much more potent variant of a common bacterium that has surfaced in the U.S. It's virulent, potentially drug-resistant, and strikes otherwise healthy, young patients. ... > full story

Preemies: Novel feeding device may decrease risk of failure to thrive (February 17, 2012) -- A novel feeding device developed may decrease the risk of failure to thrive (FTT), which currently affects half of all newborns with congenital heart defects even after their surgical lesions are corrected. ... > full story

Discovery that migrating cells 'turn right' has implications for engineering tissues, organs (February 17, 2012) -- What if we could engineer a liver or kidney from a patient's own stem cells? How about helping regenerate tissue damaged by diseases such as osteoporosis and arthritis? A new study bring scientists a little closer to these possibilities by providing a better understanding how tissue is formed and organized in the body. ... > full story

A single protein helps the body keep watch over the Epstein-Barr virus (February 17, 2012) -- Some 90 percent of people are exposed to the Epstein Barr virus at some point in their life. Even though it is quickly cleared from the body, the virus can linger silently for years in small numbers of infected B cells. According to researchers, the immune system subdues the virus by watching for a single viral protein called LMP1. ... > full story

Live from the thymus: T-cells on the move (February 17, 2012) -- For the first time, scientists follow the development of individual immune cells in a living zebrafish embryo. T-cells are the immune system's security force. They seek out pathogens and rogue cells in the body and put them out of action. Their precursors are formed in the bone marrow and migrate from there into the thymus. Here, they mature and differentiate to perform a variety of tasks. Scientists have now succeeded for the first time in observing the maturation of immune cells in live zebrafish embryos. ... > 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

DNA nanorobot triggers targeted therapeutic responses (February 16, 2012) -- A new robotic device made from DNA could potentially seek out specific cell targets and deliver important molecular instructions, such as telling cancer cells to self-destruct. Inspired by the mechanics of the body's own immune system, the technology represents a major breakthrough in the field of nanobiotechnology and might one day be used to program immune responses to treat various diseases. ... > full story

Successful human tests for first wirelessly controlled drug-delivery chip (February 16, 2012) -- About 15 years ago, two professors had the idea to develop a programmable, wirelessly controlled microchip that would deliver drugs after implantation in a patient's body. This week, they reported that they have successfully used such a chip to administer daily doses of an osteoporosis drug normally given by injection. The results represent the first successful test of such a device. ... > full story

New molecular map to guide development of new treatments for multiple sclerosis and other diseases (February 16, 2012) -- Scientists have created the first high-resolution virtual image of cellular structures called S1P1 receptors, which are critical in controlling the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis and other diseases. This new molecular map is already pointing researchers toward promising new paths for drug discovery and aiding them in better understanding how certain existing drugs work. ... > full story

Light shed on how body fends off bacteria (February 16, 2012) -- Scientists have developed the first 3D look at the interaction between an immune sensor and a protein that helps bacteria move. ... > full story

To understand chromosome reshuffling, look to the genome's 3-D structure (February 16, 2012) -- That our chromosomes can break and reshuffle pieces of themselves is nothing new; scientists have recognized this for decades, especially in cancer cells. The rules for where chromosomes are likely to break and how the broken pieces come together are only just now starting to come into view. Researchers have brought those rules into clearer focus by discovering that where each of the genome's thousands of genes lie within the cell's nucleus -- essentially, the genome's three-dimensional organization -- holds great influence over where broken chromosome ends rejoin. This knowledge could shed light on fundamental processes related to cancer and normal cellular functions -- for example, in immunity. ... > full story

Common flame retardant linked to social, behavioral and learning deficits (February 16, 2012) -- Mice genetically engineered to be susceptible to autism-like behaviors that were exposed to a common flame retardant were less fertile and their offspring were smaller, less sociable and demonstrated marked deficits in learning and long-term memory when compared with the offspring of normal unexposed mice, a new study has found. ... > full story

New ability to regrow blood vessels holds promise for treatment of heart disease (February 16, 2012) -- Researchers have demonstrated a new and more effective method for regrowing blood vessels in the heart and limbs -- a research advancement that could have major implications for how we treat heart disease, the leading cause of death in the Western world. ... > full story

Nanoparticles may enhance cancer therapy (February 16, 2012) -- A mixture of current drugs and carbon nanoparticles shows potential to enhance treatment for head-and-neck cancers, especially when combined with radiation therapy, according to new research. ... > full story

Researchers make living model of brain tumor (February 16, 2012) -- Researchers have created a living 3-D model of a brain tumor and its surrounding blood vessels. In experiments, the scientists report that iron-oxide nanoparticles carrying the agent tumstatin were taken by blood vessels, meaning they should block blood vessel growth. The living-tissue model could be used to test the effectiveness of nanoparticles in fighting other diseases. ... > full story

Synthetic protein amplifies genes needed for stem cells (February 16, 2012) -- Scientists have found a way to generate and maintain stem cells much more efficiently by amplifying the effect of an essential protein. Researchers have created synthetic versions of a protein, which manipulates adult cells – such as skin cells – so that they can subsequently revert to an earlier, embryonic like state. These reverted cells have the potential to become any cell in the body. ... > full story

Nanosurgery and the fight against cancer (February 16, 2012) -- Researchers have succeeded in changing the genetic material of cancer cells using a brand-new transfection method. This breakthrough in nanosurgery opens the door to new medical applications, among others for the treatment of cancers. ... > full story

Cell signaling discovery provides new hope for blood disorders (February 16, 2012) -- Scientists have revealed new details about how cell signaling is controlled in the immune system, identifying in the process potential new therapeutic targets for treating severe blood disorders. ... > full story

Secret of sperm quality control revealed (February 16, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how the "guardian of the genome'' oversees quality control in the production of sperm -- and perhaps in many other cells as well. ... > full story

Circadian clock governs highs and lows of immune response (February 16, 2012) -- It's been said that timing is everything, and that may be particularly true when it comes to the ability to fight off disease. New research shows that the success of host immune defense depends in part on an organism's "body clock." The study may lead to therapeutic strategies designed to optimize the immune response and to protect patients at the time when they are most vulnerable. ... > full story

Sex differences in infant care trump gender-neutral ideology (February 16, 2012) -- Among college professors who take paid post-birth leave and who believe infant care duties should be shared equally by both sexes, the women almost always do more than half of the infant care, and report enjoying it more than men, which is likely rooted in evolutionary differences between the sexes. ... > full story

The splice of life: Proteins cooperate to regulate gene splicing (February 16, 2012) -- In a step toward deciphering the “splicing code” of the human genome, researchers have comprehensively analyzed six of the more highly expressed RNA binding proteins collectively known as heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoparticle (hnRNP) proteins. ... > full story