ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, February 27, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, February 27, 2012

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Training parents is good medicine for children with autism behavior problems, study suggests (February 24, 2012) -- Children with autism spectrum disorders who also have serious behavioral problems responded better to medication combined with training for their parents than to treatment with medication alone, researchers report. ... > full story

Significant state-by-state differences in black, white life expectancy (February 24, 2012) -- A group of researchers tracing disparities in life expectancy between blacks and whites in the US has found that white males live about 7 years longer on average than African American men and that white women live more than 5 years longer than their black counterparts. ... > full story

Memory formation triggered by stem cell development (February 24, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered an answer to the long-standing mystery of how brain cells can both remember new memories while also maintaining older ones. ... > full story

Advancing personalized medicine: Tailoring drugs to fit a patient's genetic predisposition (February 24, 2012) -- Researchers are examining how drugs can be matched to a patient’s genetic information through the study of single nucleotide polymorphisms. ... > full story

Bird brains follow the beat (February 24, 2012) -- By training birds to ‘get rhythm’, scientists uncover evidence that our capacity to move in time with music may be connected with our ability to learn speech. ... > full story

Diagnostic tool: Polymer film loaded with antibodies can capture tumor cells (February 24, 2012) -- The development of polymer film loaded with antibodies that can capture tumor cells shows promise as a diagnostic tool. Cancer cells that break free from a tumor and circulate through the bloodstream spread cancer to other parts of the body. But this process, called metastasis, is extremely difficult to monitor because the circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can account for as few as one in every billion blood cells. ... > full story

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, certain cancers: Correct protein folding illuminated (February 24, 2012) -- Using the exceptionally bright and powerful X-ray beams of the Advanced Light Source, researchers have discovered a critical control element within chaperonin, the protein complex responsible for the correct folding of other proteins. The "misfolding" of proteins has been linked to many diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and some forms of cancer. ... > full story

Trusting feelings when predicting future events: The emotional oracle effect (February 24, 2012) -- People with higher trust in their feelings were more likely to correctly predict a variety of future events. The researchers call this phenomenon the emotional oracle effect. ... > full story

Light-emitting nanocrystal diodes go ultraviolet (February 24, 2012) -- Scientists have developed a process for creating glass-based, inorganic light-emitting diodes that produce light in the ultraviolet range. The work is a step toward biomedical devices with active components made from nanostructured systems. ... > full story

In the genes, but which ones? Studies that linked specific genes to intelligence were largely wrong, experts say (February 24, 2012) -- For decades, scientists have understood that there is a genetic component to intelligence, but a new study has found both that most of the genes thought to be linked to the trait are probably not in fact related to it, and identifying intelligence's specific genetic roots may still be a long way off. ... > full story

The genetic basis for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (February 24, 2012) -- Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, especially in developed countries, and there is currently no known treatment or cure or for the vast majority of AMD patients. New research has identified genes whose expression levels can identify people with AMD, as well as tell apart AMD subtypes. It is estimated that 6.5% of people over age 40 in the US currently have AMD. There is an inheritable genetic risk factor but risk is also increased for smokers and with exposure to UV light. ... > full story

New strategies for treatment of infectious diseases (February 24, 2012) -- The immune system protects from infections by detecting and eliminating invading pathogens. These two strategies form the basis of conventional clinical approaches in the fight against infectious diseases. Scientists now propose that a third strategy needs to be considered: tolerance to infection, whereby the infected host protects itself from infection by reducing tissue damage and other negative effects caused by the pathogen or the immune response against the invader. ... > full story

Inflammatory circuit that triggers breast cancer uncovered (February 24, 2012) -- Although it's widely accepted that inflammation is a critical underlying factor in a range of diseases, including the progression of cancer, little is known about its role when normal cells become tumor cells. Now, scientists have shed new light on exactly how the activation of a pair of inflammatory signaling pathways leads to the transformation of normal breast cells to cancer cells. ... > full story

Novel bioactive peptides promote wound healing in vivo (February 24, 2012) -- Researchers have combined bioactive peptides to stimulate wound healing. The peptides act by stimulating the growth of new blood vessels and promoting re-growth of tissue. Further development of these peptides could lead to a treatment for chronic and acute wounds. ... > full story

Are you making your spring allergies worse? Five things that can aggravate your suffering (February 24, 2012) -- Read about the five things you might be doing that are actually making your spring allergy symptoms worse. ... > full story

Cancer therapy more potent when it hits two targets, study suggests (February 24, 2012) -- Simultaneous targeting of two different molecules in cancer is an effective way to shrink tumors, block invasion, and stop metastasis, scientists have found -— work that may improve the effectiveness of combination treatments that include drugs like Avastin. ... > full story

Blood mystery solved: Two new blood types identified (February 23, 2012) -- You probably know your blood type: A, B, AB or O. You may even know if you're Rhesus positive or negative. But how about the Langereis blood type? Or the Junior blood type? Positive or negative? Most people have never even heard of these. Yet this knowledge could be "a matter of life and death." While blood transfusion problems due to Langereis and Junior blood types are rare worldwide, several ethnic populations are at risk. ... > full story

Nanoscale magnetic resonance imaging, quantum computer get nudge from new research (February 23, 2012) -- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the nanoscale and the ever-elusive quantum computer are among the advancements edging closer toward the realm of possibility, and a new study may give both an extra nudge. ... > full story

Mobile DNA elements can disrupt gene expression and cause biological variation, study shows (February 23, 2012) -- The many short pieces of mobile DNA that exist in the genome can contribute to important biological differences between strains of mice, according to a new study. The mobile DNA, sometimes called jumping genes, can disrupt gene expression even from a distance, with the disruption influenced by the gender of the parent that supplied it. The findings reveal a mechanism of natural variation in animals and humans that may apply to cancer and other diseases. ... > full story

Eating citrus fruit may lower women's stroke risk (February 23, 2012) -- Eating higher amounts of a compound in citrus fruits, especially oranges and grapefruit, may lower ischemic stroke risk. Women who ate high amounts of the compound had a 19 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke than women who consumed the least amount. ... > full story

Neurotoxins in shark fins: A human health concern (February 23, 2012) -- Sharks are among the most threatened of marine species worldwide due to unsustainable overfishing. They are primarily killed for their fins to fuel the growing demand for shark fin soup, which is an Asia delicacy. A new study has discovered high concentrations of BMAA in shark fins, a neurotoxin linked to neurodegenerative diseases in humans including Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig Disease (ALS). The study suggests that consumption of shark fin soup and cartilage pills may pose a significant health risk for degenerative brain diseases. ... > full story

Lifestyle of naked mole-rats holds lifesaving clues (February 23, 2012) -- A biologist thinks the subterranean lifestyle of the naked mole-rat may hold clues to keeping brain cells alive and functioning when oxygen is scarce, as during a heart attack. The key may lie in how brain cells regulate their intake of calcium, he says. ... > full story

Disarming the botulinum neurotoxin (February 23, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how botulinum neurotoxin, a potential bioterrorism agent, survives the hostile environment in the stomach on its journey through the human body. Their study reveals the first 3D structure of a neurotoxin together with its bodyguard, a protein made simultaneously in the same bacterium. This new information reveals the toxin's weak spot -- a point in the journey that can be targeted with new therapeutics. ... > full story

90 percent of firefighters exhibit symptoms of PTSD, Israeli study suggests (February 23, 2012) -- A new study on the prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among firefighters in Israel indicates that approximately 90 percent show some form of full or partial symptoms. ... > full story

Investigation links deaths to paint-stripping chemical (February 23, 2012) -- The deaths of at least 13 workers who were refinishing bathtubs have been linked to a chemical used in products to strip surfaces of paint and other finishes. An investigation started by researchers in 2011 has found that 13 deaths since 2000 involved the use of paint-stripping products containing methylene chloride, a toxic chemical widely used as a de-greaser and paint stripper. ... > full story

Girls' verbal skills make them better at arithmetic, study finds (February 23, 2012) -- While boys generally do better than girls in science and math, some studies have found that girls do better in arithmetic. A new study finds that the advantage comes from girls' superior verbal skills. ... > full story

Impulsive kids play more video games, and kids who play more video games may become more impulsive (February 23, 2012) -- Impulsive children with attention problems tend to play more video games, while kids in general who spend lots of time video gaming may also develop impulsiveness and attention difficulties, according to new research. ... > full story

Bisphenol A exposure linked to increased risk of future onset of heart disease (February 23, 2012) -- Bisphenol A (BPA) is a controversial chemical widely used in the plastics industry. A new study followed people over a 10-year time period and shows that healthy people with higher urine concentrations of BPA were more likely to later develop heart disease. ... > full story

How vitamin D inhibits inflammation (February 23, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered specific molecular and signaling events by which vitamin D inhibits inflammation. Low levels of vitamin D failed to inhibit the inflammatory cascade, while levels considered adequate did inhibit inflammatory signaling. ... > full story

Opinion: H5N1 flu is just as dangerous as feared, now requires action (February 23, 2012) -- The debate about the potential severity of an outbreak of airborne H5N1 influenza in humans needs to move on from speculation and focus instead on how we can safely continue H5N1 research and share the results among researchers, according to experts. ... > full story

A unique on-off switch for hormone production (February 23, 2012) -- Scientists have revealed a new kind of on-off switch in the brain for regulating the production of a main biochemical signal from the brain that stimulates cortisol release in the body. ... > full story

How cells brace themselves for starvation (February 23, 2012) -- Cells that repress their "bad time" pumps when a nutrient is abundant were much more efficient at preparing for starvation and at recovering afterward than the cells that had been genetically engineered to avoid this repression. ... > full story

Protein assassin: Unfolded end of a protein can kill E. coli-like bacteria selectively (February 23, 2012) -- Scientists find that the unfolded end of a protein can kill E. coli-like bacteria selectively. The results may one day help scientists find new, more targeted ways to kill antibiotic-resistant microbes. ... > full story

Scientists create potent molecules aimed at treating muscular dystrophy (February 22, 2012) -- While RNA is an appealing drug target, small molecules that can actually affect its function have rarely been found. But now scientists have for the first time designed a series of small molecules that act against an RNA defect directly responsible for the most common form of adult-onset muscular dystrophy. ... > full story

If you're afraid of spiders, they seem bigger: Phobia's effect on perception of feared object allows fear to persist (February 22, 2012) -- The more afraid a person is of a spider, the bigger that individual perceives the spider to be, new research suggests. In the context of a fear of spiders, this warped perception doesn't necessarily interfere with daily living. But for individuals who are afraid of needles, for example, the conviction that needles are larger than they really are could lead people who fear injections to avoid getting the health care they need. A better understanding of how a phobia affects the perception of feared objects can help clinicians design more effective treatments for people who seek to overcome their fears, according to the researchers. ... > full story

Memo to pediatricians: Screen all kids for vitamin D deficiency, test those at high risk (February 22, 2012) -- As study after study shows the fundamental role vitamin D plays in disease and health, vitamin D deficiency — which often develops insidiously in childhood — should be on every parent’s and pediatrician’s radar, say physicians. ... > full story

Newly approved drug for metastatic melanoma nearly doubles median survival (February 22, 2012) -- A newly approved drug for patients with metastatic melanoma nearly doubles median survival times, a finding that will change the way this deadly form of skin cancer is treated. ... > full story

Scientists discover likely new trigger for epidemic of metabolic syndrome (February 22, 2012) -- Scientists have uncovered a key suspect in the destructive inflammation that underlies heart disease and diabetes. ... > full story

Controlling protein function with nanotechnology (February 22, 2012) -- A new study is providing important details on how proteins in our bodies interact with nanomaterials. Researchers have developed a new tool to determine the orientation of proteins on different nanostructures. The discovery is a key step in the effort to control the orientation, structure, and function of proteins in the body using nanomaterials. ... > full story

Cancer discovery shows promise of new drugs (February 22, 2012) -- Uncovering the network of genes regulated by a crucial molecule involved in cancer called mTOR, which controls protein production inside cells, researchers have discovered how a protein “master regulator” goes awry, leading to metastasis, the fatal step of cancer. ... > full story

Is there a general motivation center in the depths of the brain? (February 22, 2012) -- Researchers have identified the part of the brain driving motivation during actions that combine physical and mental effort: the ventral striatum. ... > full story

Faster way to catch cells: New microfluidic device could be used to diagnose and monitor cancer and other diseases (February 22, 2012) -- Separating complex mixtures of cells, such as those found in a blood sample, can offer valuable information for diagnosing and treating disease. However, it may be necessary to search through billions of other cells to collect rare cells such as tumor cells, stem cells or fetal cells. Researchers have now demonstrated a new microfluidic device that can isolate target cells much faster than existing devices. Such technology could be used in applications such as point-of-care diagnostics and personalized medicine. ... > full story

New way to tap largest remaining treasure trove of potential new antibiotics (February 22, 2012) -- Scientists are reporting use of a new technology for sifting through the world's largest remaining pool of potential antibiotics to discover two new antibiotics that work against deadly resistant microbes, including the "superbugs" known as MRSA. ... > full story

Researchers take a step forward in transplanting pig cells to regenerate human cartilage (February 22, 2012) -- Researchers have recently studied the response of human NK cells against porcine chondrocytes. The results of the research indicate that these cells, characteristic of the innate immune system, play an important role in the rejection of xenotransplantation of porcine chondrocytes. ... > full story

Exposure to micronutrients pre-pregnancy associated with gene modifications in offspring (February 22, 2012) -- The offspring of women who were given micronutrient supplements (minerals needed in small quantities, such as iron, iodine and vitamin A) before they became pregnant had gene modifications at birth as well as when they were tested at nine months. ... > full story

Heart beats to the rhythm of a circadian clock (February 22, 2012) -- Sudden cardiac death -- catastrophic and unexpected fatal heart stoppage -- is more likely to occur shortly after waking in the morning and in the late night. In a new study, an international consortium of researchers explains the molecular linkage between the circadian clock and the deadly heart rhythms that lead to sudden death. ... > full story

World of Warcraft boosts cognitive functioning in older adults (February 22, 2012) -- For some older adults, the online video game World of Warcraft (WoW) may provide more than an opportunity for escapist adventure. Researchers have found that playing WoW boosted cognitive functioning for older adults – particularly those who had scored poorly on cognitive ability tests before playing the game. ... > full story

How cancer cells change once they spread to distant organs (February 22, 2012) -- Oncologists have known that in order for cancer cells to spread, they must transform themselves so they can detach from a tumor and spread to a distant organ. Now, scientists have revealed critical steps in what happens next -- how these cells reverse the process, morphing back into classical cancer that can now grow into a new tumor. ... > full story