ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Monday, March 5, 2012

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Monday, March 5, 2012

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Sleepy pilots, train operators and drivers (March 4, 2012) -- The people we trust to take us or our loved ones from place to place struggle with sleep, according to an new poll. It is the first poll to ask transportation professionals, including pilots, train operators, truck, bus, taxi and limo drivers about their sleep habits and work performance. ... > full story

Study shows brain flexibility, gives hope for natural-feeling neuroprosthetics (March 4, 2012) -- A new study that shows more flexibility in the brain than previously thought could be a major boost to the development of mind-controlled neuroprosthetic devices that feel natural. ... > full story

When our eyes serve our stomach (March 2, 2012) -- Our senses aren't just delivering a strict view of what's going on in the world; they're affected by what's going on in our heads. A new study finds that hungry people see food-related words more clearly than people who've just eaten. ... > full story

Squeezing silicone polymers produces chemical energy, but raises doubts about implant safety (March 2, 2012) -- Scientists turned to squeezed polymers and free radicals in a search for new energy sources. They found both promise and problems. The researchers demonstrated that radicals from compressed polymers generate significant amounts of energy that can power chemical reactions in water. They also discovered that a silicone polymer commonly used in medical implants releases a large quantity of harmful free radicals when the polymer is under only a moderate amount of pressure. ... > full story

Atomic view of a histone chaperone (March 2, 2012) -- Researchers have gained insights into the function of a member of a family of specialized proteins called histone chaperones. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, they have determined the 3-D structure and interactions of the histone chaperone Rtt106 down to the atomic details. ... > full story

New computers respond to students' emotions, boredom (March 2, 2012) -- Emotion-sensing computer software that models and responds to students' cognitive and emotional states -- including frustration and boredom -- has now been developed. ... > full story

Studies reveal structure of EV71, a virus causing childhood illnesses (March 2, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered critical new details about the structure of a virus (enterovirus 71) that causes potentially fatal brain swelling and paralysis in children, pointing toward designs for antiviral drugs to treat the disease. ... > full story

Lifestyle choices made in your 20s can impact your heart health in your 40s (March 2, 2012) -- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle from young adulthood into your 40s is strongly associated with low cardiovascular disease risk in middle age, according to a new study. ... > full story

Reduction of violence between expectant parents makes stronger parents (March 2, 2012) -- Couples who are married or living together will probably have more trouble parenting as a team if they have been violent toward one another during pregnancy, according to a team of psychologists. ... > full story

Holding a mirror to brain changes in autism (March 2, 2012) -- Impaired social function is a cardinal symptom of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).  One of the brain circuits that enable us to relate to other people is the “mirror neuron” system. This brain circuit is activated when we watch other people, and allows our brains to represent the actions of others, influencing our ability to learn new tasks and to understand the intentions and experiences of other people. This mirror neuron system is impaired in individuals with ASD and better understanding the neurobiology of this system could help in the development of new treatments. ... > full story

Cocoa may enhance skeletal muscle function (March 2, 2012) -- A small clinical trial found that patients with advanced heart failure and type 2 diabetes showed improved mitochondrial structure after three months of treatment with epicatechin-enriched cocoa. Epicatechin is a flavonoid found in dark chocolate. ... > full story

Effects of environmental toxicants reach down through generations (March 2, 2012) -- Scientists have now demonstrated that a variety of environmental toxicants can have negative effects on not just an exposed animal but the next three generations of its offspring. The animal's DNA sequence remains unchanged, but the compounds change the way genes turn on and off -- the epigenetic effect, according to molecular biologists. The researchers saw females reaching puberty earlier, increased rates in the decay and death of sperm cells and lower numbers of ovarian follicles that later become eggs. ... > full story

Tortoise and the hare: New drug stops rushing cancer cells, slow and steady healthy cells unharmed (March 2, 2012) -- The American Cancer Society estimates that 44,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer will be diagnosed this year and that 37,000 people will die from the disease. These are not strong odds. A new drug, rigosertib, allows pancreatic cancer cells to rush through replication -- and then stops them cold, killing them in in the middle of a step called M phase. Healthy cells that don't rush are unharmed. ... > full story

R-loops break down gene silencing (March 2, 2012) -- Researchers have figured out how the human body keeps essential genes switched "on" and silences the vast stretches of genetic repeats and "junk" DNA. ... > full story

Artificial 'womb' unlocks secrets of early embryo development (March 2, 2012) -- Pioneering work has helped reveal for the first time a vital process in the development of the early mammalian embryo. ... > full story

When one side does not know about the other one: Specialization and cooperation of the brain hemispheres (March 2, 2012) -- Whenever we are doing something, one of our brain hemispheres is more active than the other one. However, some tasks are only solvable with both sides working together. Researchers are investigating, how such specializations and co-operations arise. Based on a pigeon-model, they are showing for the first time in an experimental way, that the ability to combine complex impressions from both hemispheres, depends on environmental factors in the embryonic stage. ... > full story

Drugs: 'New' does not always mean 'better' (March 2, 2012) -- Cases in which a newly approved drug is more effective than the cheaper alternatives already available are the exceptions rather than the rule. ... > full story

Parkinson's disease stopped in animal model: Molecular 'tweezers' break up toxic aggregations of proteins (March 2, 2012) -- Researchers have used specific molecular “tweezers” they developed to break-up aggregates of toxic proteins that are thought to cause Parkinson’s disease. For the first time, they stopped progression of the disease in a living animal model. ... > full story

New high definition fiber tracking reveals damage caused by traumatic brain injury (March 2, 2012) -- A powerful new imaging technique called High Definition Fiber Tracking will allow doctors to clearly see for the first time neural connections broken by traumatic brain injury and other disorders, much like X-rays show a fractured bone, according to researchers. HDFT could provide an objective way of identifying brain injury, predicting outcome and planning rehabilitation. ... > full story

How the body senses a range of hot temperatures (March 2, 2012) -- The winter sun feels welcome, but not so a summer sunburn. Research over the past 20 years has shown that proteins on the surface of nerve cells enable the body to sense several different temperatures. ... > full story

Diabetes risk from sitting around (March 2, 2012) -- A new study has found that women who stay seated for long periods of time every day are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes, but that a similar link wasn't found in men. ... > full story

New antibiotics? Solving mystery of how sulfa drugs kill bacteria yields 21st century drug development target (March 2, 2012) -- Scientists have discovered a key enzyme structure in bacteria, a finding that lays the foundation for a new generation of antibiotics that are safer and less prone to drug resistance. ... > full story

Training can improve memory and increase brain activity in mild cognitive impairment (March 1, 2012) -- If someone has trouble remembering where the car keys or the cheese grater are, new research shows that a memory training strategy can help. Memory training can even re-engage the hippocampus, part of the brain critical for memory formation, the results suggest. The techniques used in the study were shown to work in people with mild cognitive impairment. ... > full story

A supercharged protein reduces damage from heart attack (March 1, 2012) -- Researchers have tapped into the body's own repair system to protect heart cells after an attack. In the study mice were bred to make a supercharged version of the protein focal adhesion kinase, or FAK. ... > full story

Planarian genes that control stem cell biology identified (March 1, 2012) -- Devising a novel method to identify potential genetic regulators in planarian stem cells, scientists have determined which of those genes affect the two main functions of stem cells. ... > full story

Should we play hide-and-go-seek with our children's vegetables? (March 1, 2012) -- Pass the peas please! How often do we hear our children say this? According to a recent survey of adolescents, only 21 percent of our children eat the recommended five or more fruits and vegetables per day. So not very many children are asking their parents to "pass the peas," and parents are resorting to other methods to get their children to eat their vegetables. ... > full story

New pathway found for regulation of blood vessel growth in cancer (March 1, 2012) -- Researchers have identified a new function for a gene that normally prevents the development of cancer. Scientists had known that the gene, which encodes a protein called p14 ARF, works inside the cell to control proliferation and division. A team has discovered that p14 ARF also regulates tumor-induced angiogenesis, the process by which growing cancers attract new blood vessels. ... > full story

Vitamin D shrinks fibroid tumors in rats (March 1, 2012) -- Treatment with vitamin D reduced the size of uterine fibroids in laboratory rats predisposed to developing the benign tumors, reported researchers. ... > full story

Clearer picture of how protein machine systems tweak gene expression (March 1, 2012) -- Biologists have found that specific types of RNA polymerase enzymes, the molecular machines that convert DNA into RNA, can differ in function based on variation in the parts -- in this case protein subunits -- used to assemble those machines. ... > full story

How red blood cells get so big -- and the bad things that happen when they don't (March 1, 2012) -- Researchers have discovered how megakaryocytes -- giant blood cells that produce wound-healing platelets -- manage to grow 10 to 15 times larger than other blood cells. The findings also hint at how a malfunction in this process may cause a form of leukemia. ... > full story

Antibodies are not required for immunity against some viruses (March 1, 2012) -- A new study turns the well established theory that antibodies are required for antiviral immunity upside down and reveals that an unexpected partnership between the specific and non-specific divisions of the immune system is critical for fighting some types of viral infections. The research may lead to a new understanding of the best way to help protect those exposed to potentially lethal viruses, such as the rabies virus. ... > full story

How marijuana impairs memory (March 1, 2012) -- A major downside of the medical use of marijuana is the drug's ill effects on working memory, the ability to transiently hold and process information for reasoning, comprehension and learning. Researchers provide new insight into the source of those memory lapses. The answer comes as quite a surprise: Marijuana's major psychoactive ingredient (THC) impairs memory independently of its direct effects on neurons. ... > full story

Basic molecular 'wiring' of stem cells revealed (March 1, 2012) -- Scientists have created the first ever blueprint of how stem cells are wired to respond to the external signaling molecules to which they are constantly exposed. The finding, which reconciles years of conflicting results from labs across the world, gives scientists the ability to precisely control the development, or differentiation, of stem cells into specific cell types. ... > full story

Molecule's role in cancer suggests new combination therapy (March 1, 2012) -- Researchers have found that a molecule found at elevated levels in cancer cells seems to protect them from the "cell-suicide" that is usually triggered by chemotherapy or radiation. ... > full story

Cell and signaling pathway that regulates the placental blood stem cell niche identified (March 1, 2012) -- Stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual’s lifetime. ... > full story

Treating brain cancer with viral vector (March 1, 2012) -- Surgeons are now starting to treat patients with recurrent brain cancer by directly injecting an investigational viral vector into their tumor. ... > full story

Nutrient found in dark meat of poultry, some seafood, may have cardiovascular benefits (March 1, 2012) -- A nutrient found in the dark meat of poultry may provide protection against coronary heart disease in women with high cholesterol, according to a new study. ... > full story

How anesthetic isoflurane induces Alzheimer's-like changes in mammalian brains (March 1, 2012) -- The association of the inhaled anesthetic isoflurane with Alzheimer's-disease-like changes in mammalian brains may by caused by the drug's effects on mitochondria, the structures in which most cellular energy is produced. ... > full story

How does nearsightedness develop in children? (March 1, 2012) -- Myopia (nearsightedness) develops in children when the lens stops compensating for continued growth of the eye, according to a new study. ... > full story

Groundbreaking discovery on stem cell regulation (March 1, 2012) -- Scientists have for the first time, identified that precise regulation of polyamine levels is critical for embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal -- the ability of ESCs to divide indefinitely -- and directed differentiation. This paper is crucial for better understanding of ESC regulation. ... > full story

Older adults who sleep poorly react to stress with increased inflammation (March 1, 2012) -- Older adults who sleep poorly have an altered immune system response to stress that may increase risk for mental and physical health problems, according to a new study. In the study, stress led to significantly larger increases in a marker of inflammation in poor sleepers compared to good sleepers -- a marker associated with poor health outcomes and death. ... > full story

Depression: An evolutionary byproduct of immune system? (March 1, 2012) -- Depression is common enough -- afflicting one in ten adults in the United States -- that it seems the possibility of depression must be "hard-wired" into our brains. This has led biologists to propose several theories to account for how depression, or behaviors linked to it, can somehow offer an evolutionary advantage. Some previous proposals for the role of depression in evolution have focused on how it affects behavior in a social context. A pair of psychiatrists addresses this puzzle in a different way, tying together depression and resistance to infection. They propose that genetic variations that promote depression arose during evolution because they helped our ancestors fight infection. ... > full story

Promising approach to preventing Alzheimer's (March 1, 2012) -- As scientists struggle to find an effective way to prevent Alzheimer's disease, researchers may have found a new approach to interrupting the process that leads to the devastating disease. ... > full story

Increased fertility rate for IVF patients achieved by new equipment design (March 1, 2012) -- A novel system for processing embryos during IVF treatment has been shown to significantly improve the chances of pregnancy -- by more than a quarter. ... > full story

Drug offers relief for symptoms of myelofibrosis, according to multisite study (March 1, 2012) -- People with a blood cancer -- myelofibrosis -- can benefit from a drug called ruxolitinib, according to a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. ... > full story

Aspirin may counteract potential trans fat-related stroke risk in older women (March 1, 2012) -- Older women whose diets include a substantial amount of trans fats are more likely than their counterparts to suffer an ischemic stroke, a new study shows. However, the risk of stroke associated with trans fat intake was lower among women taking aspirin. ... > full story

How E. coli bacteria hijack cells' directional mechanism (March 1, 2012) -- Working in the emerging field of systems biology, researchers mathematically predicted how bacteria that cause food poisoning hijack a cell's sense of direction and then confirmed those predictions in living cells. ... > full story

New possibilities for immune suppression through cyclic plant peptides (March 1, 2012) -- Scientists have decoded a mechanism in cyclic plant peptides, known as cyclotides, from the family of coffee plants (Rubiaceae) that could open up new possibilities for immune suppression. ... > full story